Tag Archives: beauty

Reflections

I’ve had a bit of alone time the past couple of weeks. That means more time to hear my thoughts and my heart.

Those times when you reflect on things. The future is one I like to reflect on. Dreams. Goals. The thoughts bounce up and down and back and forth.

I had a strange dream the other night that caused me to reflect about how I see myself.  In the dream I was in a room with a large mirror, waiting in line. I saw myself in the reflection of the mirror but my eyes were closed, so I really didn’t see myself. I saw, as the observer view in my dream, a reflection that I thought was me but not quite.

Then, a friend of mine was in line with me and wanted to take a selfie of us both. I saw her fumbling with her phone to turn the camera around. I kept posing with her but she wasn’t’t ready. Then, when she saw herself on the phone screen I moved in for the selfie but didn’t appear. I moved closer. Then – in real life – my phone rang and I was awakened from the dream.

This caused me to reflect over my morning coffee. Have I ever seen myself in my dreams?

I know I have seen me from the observing view. That view of how I look in the role I was in the dream. But I realized I have never, to my recollection, seen myself in my dreams of how I really look. I see others clearly, but not myself.

I confess, I do not think highly of my looks. It has been a life-long battle. Some days I feel I have conquered the negative thoughts and some not an inch.

The dream was convicting. As a woman who hangs out with The Father, Son and Holy Spirit as much as I can, how dare I not think myself a beautiful reflection of the One who made me?

There is beauty all around me. We are included in that beauty. How do you see yourself? Or how do you see the things you do? Are you always critical of yourself?

You are beautiful. From one of my favorite books – You are kind, You are smart, You are important. (The Help)

Reflect on that.

Autumn on my street
Autumn on my street
Autumn on my street
Hello

Enjoy!

Cate B

Mid-West Skies

Since we moved to the mid-west I never get tired of looking at the vastness of the sky.  I know the sky can be seen almost anywhere but when you spend years of marveling at the ocean, as I did, and you move to where there is no ocean, the sky becomes your ocean.  It is amazing.

Today I was struck with the clear quality and the deep blue…….

“Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.”  Psalm 36:5

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Enjoy!  And USA (states that do this) don’t forget to fall back one hour when you go to bed tonight! 😀

cate b

Field of Dreams

Yesterday my husband and I took a drive – we do that a lot.  I just love getting into the surrounding countryside to see what I can see.  I know I’m not the best photographer and my camera needs an upgrade, but I just love trying to capture what I see.

the drive started out with lovely cotton ball clouds

the drive started out with lovely cotton ball clouds

more cotton ball clouds

more cotton ball clouds

It has been a desire of mine to see a sunflower field.  We tried, a month ago on a trip to Kansas, to find one.  After all, the sunflower is the state flower of Kansas.  But yesterday we went off into the countryside looking for a Missouri State Conservation Area that I came across on Google that shared our last name – Bryson.

We were only about thirty minutes from home and couldn’t find the area.  My husband wanted to turn back but I wanted to go a little further. I love going the extra mile – the adventure of the unknown.

As we turned the bend in the road we spotted a large field full of yellow.  Do I dare to hope?  As we got closer this is what we saw:

field of yellow

field of yellow

DSCF8610

We were thrilled beyond words!  I wanted to go a little further and then turn around and go back and get out of the Jeep to get closer pictures…… But there was a side road up ahead (not paved) that ran along the side of the field.  There was another car there already taking pictures.  We pulled over and here is what I captured:

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Isn’t it amazing??  We were so blessed.  It got better – thanks to my adventure spirit – we kept going on the gravely dirt road.  The unknown.  And guess what?  We found our Conservation Field:

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Made our day!

Enjoy!

cate b 😀

Transitions

Autumn is still here but the trees and the colors have definitely transitioned to a wintry look.  Sad in a lot of ways, but still beautiful.

These pictures were taken in Knob Noster State Park .  We were the only two people there.  I love that, but I feel like people are missing out on great views of nature and fresh air.  Oh well, I can call it my park 😉

Hedge Apples
all the leaves are brown…….

Enjoy!

cate b

Autumn Continues to Arrive in The Burg

Here we are at mid-October in The Burg.  Leaves are still slowly turning and some falling fast.  Temperatures are pleasant and cool and the air is fresh.

Here are a few images taken with my iPhone while I wait for our maple tree to bloom into bright colour.

Enjoy!

cate b

Hanging On

Winter Hopes

As our incredibly cold winter moves along and we get ever closer to spring, there is hope.  I  think I need hope the most in winter.  Not just in the cold, stark, bare beauty outside but inside of me also.  As I look out into nature it is easy to look inward into my heart and see the areas that are stark and cold and bare.  It is a reflective time for me.  A time I can improve the flaws and increase the beauty.  I do love winter.  As I do the task of reflective pruning I love to get cozy in a knitted throw and revel in the indoor heat.  It is a good time.  It is a hopeful time.

hopeful sunlight

hopeful sunlight

hope inside and out

hope inside and out

every girl is a dancer and a princess

every girl is a dancer and a princess

Find your Hope.

Enjoy!

cate b