Category: Gratitude

Monday’s Message…

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I shall be devoting all of this week to learning my new AI program. From watching the myriad of tutorials offered, as well as practicing the different techniques learned; my study cup overfloweth, if you get my meaning. Basically, I’m going to be very busy, but it sounded so boring to say it that way, leaving me no alternative than to use a catch phrase. I swear, sometimes I feel like a coin phrase PEZ Dispenser…

Just flip my head back, and out pops a candy shaped phrase. See what I mean?

At least I’m not boring, right…

Right?! Well, at least that’s my story, so I’m sticking to it!

In regards to the recovery of this site’s beloved characters, it’s been mixed results, thus far. I’ve experienced some good wins and some sorrowful losses, as I wrote about during Friday’s post. I don’t want everyone to be too sad or disappointed, but as of right now, I’m learning to accept that there will be some of our babe’s that won’t be recoverable… and those that I do find, will simply have to be a bit changed. It is what it is, and we’ll have to just love them the way we find them, no matter how different! Even if they look a bit different on the outside, the spirit of their hearts will still remain within their new images… that part never changed!

I know things will work out in the end, mostly. In truth, it has more to do with my expectations of my own abilities than it does with what you end up seeing at the end of it all. I’m far harder on myself than anybody else ever has to be… it’s always been that way. Wouldn’t it be a hoot if all this was a big lesson of learning how to let go, let God, and stop being so overly self-critical and unrelenting… He often does that, you know!

As you go about your week, maybe you can think on this, in regards to how you see yourself! Do you show yourself kindness within your own thoughts? I pray that you walk each day this week, remembering your worth, rather than your work…

The work will always be there whenever you have to punch that clock, so to speak, but you still have to take yourself home with you afterwards, when the work day is done.

Be kind to yourself! Show tenderness and grace toward the beautiful, wonderful, unique, bright, capable, and desirable you that you are!

God Bless, and have an amazing Monday!

Wins and Losses…

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Please don’t panic, but when I got to the lobby yesterday there was no sign of either of the puppies! I spent hours wandering through the archive sections,

and also, both my office and the Father’s counseling chambers, but to no avail. The little fluff balls weren’t anywhere within the lobby, leaving me feeling rather disheartened.

However, in the midst of my disappointment came several unexpected things, one of which is somebody’s puppy that must have been left here from Christmas Morning. Poor darling!

She’s missing her collar so I’m not sure of her name, nor do I fully remember exactly who came that morning. Perhaps, someone wasn’t prepared for taking a puppy home with them, and were afraid I might be disappointed if they rejected my gift. I get it! No offense taken, my friends. Whoever left her behind, was good enough to leave her in the lobby, where she would be safe and can be re-homed. If anyone is looking for a new baby to add into their family, I think she’s a Corgi mix of some sort. She is very affectionate and sweet natured from what I can see. She hasn’t stopped giving me kisses since I found her, poor thing… she must have been so lonely, and probably a good bit frightened. Quite honestly, I’m shocked and rather embarrassed that I didn’t even know she’d been wandering around in the lobby all this time! Now that I think about it, the puppies did seem to be eating a great deal more puppy kibble than is normal for such little things.

Anyway, if you hadn’t noticed it yet, the other discovery I made while searching for the puppies was my purpose! Do you know why it’s felt so important that I locate each and every one of the creatures lost to me? Within each one of those that are not visible to me at the moment, there’s a bit of me… things that I see in each of them that help me make sense of myself.

Somewhere while I was searching through the lobby for the puppies, God showed me that even without physically seeing those that are missing, the real me was still there in the room with Him. The things I write, the creations I invent are merely that… things, as adorable as they are! I am definitely learning more and more each day about the depths of my own heart… and how far God is willing to go, on my behalf. Maybe taking you with me, as I go in search of recovering these parts of what was lost to me (metaphorically speaking), there will be lessons to learn about His nature, which flows through my veins…

I believe!

***Go back and look at the picture of the woman with the puppy, for a moment. Look closely at the woman’s facial features and you will see the real me, or the AI version Avatar creation. It looks as if it’s an actual picture of me laying on the floor of a library with a dog. I gave my AI several actual photographs of my mother, myself, and two of my three daughters. This is the first time that I truly realized how much I look like my mother, as well as my girls! While you might not notice them, I can see exactly where my features are blended with my mother’s, and it’s amazing! If I’m being fully honest with you, it made me a bit emotional when I first saw the image.***

Bags stay packed…

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Daily writing prompt
Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.
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Remember that old Johnnie Cash song, “I’ve Been Everywhere”? Well, that’s sort of me, in a nutshell. I was born a runner, turned into a wanderer, married a traveling man and live an incredibly nomadic life! With that all said… what I wouldn’t give, for a home with four walls, a physical address, and a grocery store that I might actually call “local”… just sayin!

Here, have a cookie for the road…

Thursday Thoughts…

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As I’ve already mentioned previously, I lost the use of my free AI generator unless I bought a subscription for the program.

Since that time I’ve been sort of floundering a bit, as far as, how I’m going to be able to retain the visual identities of my differing comrade’s-in-arms, not to mention the ones I use for myself, and my miniature me version. I know that it might sound silly, but I’ve come to love the look and style of all the characters created here in the lobby, out at the barnyard, as well as my mini-me’s kitchen, and both of the new puppies. Perhaps, I’m making a mountain out of a mole hill here, but to me, it’s the little touches that really count!

Anyways, I went back and forth and back and forth on it, prayed about it, argued with myself some more, and finally just asked my husband if he would decide for me.

Here’s the thing, I’m a writer not an artist, nor am I computer savvy AT ALL, without my husbands capable hands on my computer whenever there’s an issue. He knows all that stuff… that’s why I hired him, I mean married him. I tease, but he really does have a brilliant mind, and he is also really good with numbers and/or money, so success comes from deferring to the expert! (The bonus here is that my expert has a major crush on me, so all I really have to do is bat my eyes. You would be proud of me for not abusing this weakness of his, in regards to this important decision. I remained objective and sincere about my frustrations over the AI issue, and asked what he thought. God Bless my husband for his no fuss, no muss, non-overthinking, logical… and madly in love with me, can-do attitude!

In all of about fifteen minutes, my man was able to step in and save my bacon… well, my Brutus, Eustace, Tilly, Squagon, Dinky Do, Boomer, Lilly, Auzzie Clawzy, and all that are still yet to come!

So, I am now the proud new user of an AI Generator platform called OpenArt AI. It is a whole new program for me to learn, as I’ve always just used the easy peezy free programs without bells and whistles, so to speak. So, if you would bear with me for a bit, as you start seeing my beginner attempts.

It may take some trial and error, but in the end I think this was a positive move towards the future of Journey With Me, not to mention a new horizon for Barnyard Business (they help you create videos with your creations). If Tilly and all the rest of the babes are to have any chance at truly coming to life in the eyes of a child, this new platform might just be the answer!

Tell me what you think about today’s image of my persona, if you would. This new program is allowing me to really fine tune her features and expressions. I’ve never had the choice before, nor was the woman ever really the same one. I always struggled to find images that were similar enough to use, since reusing any image for other projects required subscriptions for those features.

Before you go, I’ve left you with two additional images to critique. Seriously, it really will help me in the fine tune department.

***Just in case you thought that this last photo was a duplicate of the one at the top of the article, look at her mouth. This image was actually the first picture of my Avatar that was generated. The first of these three pictures, happens to be my first attempt at changing her expression… and of course, I wanted to see her smile more!

Leave any thoughts, ideas, and/or suggestions in the comments, if you could. Hugs!

Toes in the sand…

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You know that refreshing sensation one gets while dipping their toes into the sand, just at the water’s edge?

If you asked me what it feels like to walk with God on a daily basis, well…

Toes in the sand, my friends, toes in the sand!

The Crier…

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They cry in the happy times and cry for the sad

they wail like a baby whenever they’re mad…

They cry during weddings, baptisms, and any royal coronation

Every event they attend must have a tissue station…

No movie theatre is safe, nor any concert venue

If they’ve had a bad day, they’ll even cry over their menu…

Some think it endearing while others get irritated

Whenever they start weeping, the whole room gets irrigated…

Keep in mind, the next time that you see someone crying

over a movie or a gift, a sad story or bad rhyming,

be thankful that empathy still exists in this world,

for it’s the soil where the seeds of love can unfurl!

Sometimes…

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Daily writing prompt
Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?
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Sometimes…

Sometimes, it’s the way he looks at me and smiles.

Then there are times where he doesn’t even have to smile or anything… I can see it in his eyes.

Sometimes, it’s the way he laughs at the silly things I say.

But there are still those moments when things aren’t so funny… he won’t laugh or say anything at all, really. He just rests his shoulder against mine to let me know that he’s there.

Sometimes, it’s the little things he does… like bringing me that first cup of coffee in the morning, or surprising me with my favorite candy bar. It’s not even about receiving a gift, it’s about the planning or forethought, if you will. It makes me feel so loved that he was thinking about me, even when I wasn’t with him. You know, sometimes I’ll wake up from the sensation of him tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear… he’d been lying there watching me, as I slept. Isn’t that so adorable!

I could go on and on about all the sometimes that I have felt loved… and these examples are about my husband. I haven’t even gotten to God, yet! If I could share with you all the times that I have felt God’s love, it would fill a book… oh yeah, I already did that!

Let’s just leave it at this:

With enough examples gathered together, one might say that I always feel loved! But, since it was very hard to pick just one time to tell you about, I opted for a handful of my sometimes.

Don’t forget your cookie…

Wednesday Words…

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If Eustace and I can help it, wherever we go and whatever adventure’s we take you on this year… we’re going to try filling them with laughter!

Why?

Well…

Why not?

Laughter is good for the soul…

And, the One whom I follow and serve happens to be in the soul business, and He does have a sense of humor… I’m certain of it!

Where do you think I get my sense of humor from?

It runs in my family!

Tuesday’s Tinkering…

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I’m not really happy with the pictures I used to update Journey With Me’s website for the new year, so I’m sort of on a quest to find a fun theme for this spring.  What to do, what to do?

I could go full nautical, with short stories, ditties, and fun seafaring food recipes… stuff like that.

Or, I could head for the hills with a camping, hiking, woodsy theme…

I don’t think I’m up for foodie stuff on a large scale, and I doubt you are either.  We’ll just keep to the cookies,

with an occasional review from Gabriel, who considers himself a pretty good judge of flavors…

What I am seriously considering is a fun mystery kind of theme.  Some of you may remember when I did several episodes last year called Tuesday Tattler, which read somewhat like a journalist writing a column in a paper…

If I do a mystery theme, I think it would be really fun to take this miniature version of my persona and take her around the world on some hilarious assignments…

If you haven’t noticed yet, I deplore boredom… can’t stand wasting my brain!

And… if I don’t like reading the same old same old, I suspect that you don’t either…

As a writer, it’s important that I keep your reading experience fun and engaging, among other things.  Your thoughts are important to me, so let me know what you want to see more of this year…

And I’ll get right to it!

As Castle says, “It’s what I do!”