OUR SACRED SELVES

A good home must be made, not bought.
Joyce Maynard 


Today, my momma, Vivienne/Vee VanDemark Steele would have been 97 years old.  I think  I have failed her in absentia.  Perhaps that is not quite the right word but it seems to work for me.  She left me when Becky was just a baby.  I spent the subsequent years just holding my head up and trying to do the next right thing, many of which were probably not.

I have shared so much about my perfect Aunt Julie, my mom's sister, whose house was always a showcase, suitable for a decorating magazine.

Our house, in hind site, was equally wonderful.  It was filled with real antiques, many of which my momma saved when her siblings didn't want them..Because they were old.  A few examples are the hand-carved shovel and bench painted by my great grandfather.  My mom told me the story of the bench's use in the upstairs hall, on Heights Boulevard, so that the 8 kiddoes could sit on it waiting for their turn in the bathroom.

I also remember her teaching me to sew, and together we made my lavender check bedspread and curtains for our house at 1623 Hawthorne Street, in Houston, Texas.

My momma was really a storyteller and she repeated the same stories a lot.  Had she not I may not remember them. 

She always "threw" a New Year's Eve party and was a smashing cook.  I remember having smoked teal that my father, Ross Steele Jr., shot when hunting, probably on my birthday, because it was always the first day of hunting season.

I remember our Christmas table being spread with colorful food displayed on momma's milk glass collection.

All in all I think my momma did a pretty good job and it's time that I thanked her.

Thank you momma.  Happy birthday.

OUR SACRED SELVES-home

                                                                      

Home is where one starts from.
T.S. Eliot


More goddess wisdom.

Niskai is a water goddess that is celebrated on September 29th by the peoples of Western Europe. The themes she is noted for: cycles, time, luck, home and success.  She has "a threefold nature, exemplifying the full movement of time's wheel from birth and maturity to death and rebirth."
{365 GODDESS-Patricia Telsco}
The people in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales celebrate Quarter Days, to celebrate respect for each season. 

Of course the word rebirth caught my eye and imagination for I, and the loved ones closest to me, are working diligently and looking unceasingly for the well of light and love, that we can receive if we set the intention,  We must ask.

As human beings, we, especially women, have trouble asking for ourselves.  Oh, sure, we can wish special things for our children, ask for our family members to change, and so on.  But the 12 step maxim of fixing myself, whew, what an seemingly impossible task!

"What's wrong with me?" we ask.  We ask this silently of course, because if asked out loud we might  get an answer!

My recent return to the loving arms of my fellow addicts has shown me a room full of beautiful, caring, and best of all, RECOVERING women, who are there for me whenever I am brave enough to ask.

Today, in this season of fall blessings, I ask for myself, open-mindedness, love of myself and others and God's healing light. 

Nameste.

OUR SACRED SELVES-home

               Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other.
                                                                                                    Rainer Maria Rilke


At present, I am working on a series of goddesses/divas/angels/guides.  My studio is humming and the progress is slow, but wonderful.  I am reading a very frayed copy of 365 GODDESS, a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess, by Patricia Telesco.

Recently, my first "baby girl" and her tiny dog Fuji moved into my home for a healing transition.  We are co-existing happily I believe. This led me to the index, looking up goddesses that are keepers of the home.

I found Vesta, whose theme is home, love, fertility and peace.  In Roman mythology, Vesta "commands the sacred fires of the hearth, the heart of spiritual and emotional stability in you home."

This writing suggests breaking small bits of bread and spreading them outside so that birds can carry our wishes of harmony across the earth.  I can do that. I shall also light a white candle to lighten my darker places, both inside and out.

Will you join me, love?

OUR SACRED SELVES-play time

Yes I was happily lazy both Friday and Sunday.  Basking in the love and good
food of our Galveston kiddoes.  Although on Saturday Kim made me work: buying fun stuff at GSs and plant shopping.  Boy it was tough!

OUR SACRED SELVES-angels

It was a long hard day yesterday waiting for my loved one to take a new battery of tests.  When in doubt and fear I turn to my angels.

I resurrected this favorite book and reread highlighted passages.  It helped me stay on point which, for me, meant focus on low psa numbers (thanks Lee Ann) and pray. It took me out of myself and my fears and allowed me to focus on positive healing.

"What holds humans in limitation and restriction is attachment to the past, preference for the future, and avoidance of the now.  Do you wish to live a more enlightened life?  Come into this moment.  Be present."

"Go in peace and grow in knowing who you are."

ASK YOUR ANGELS
Alma Daniel, Timothy Wyllie, and Andrew Ramer

OUR SACRED SELVES-new life

 

There is nothing like new life and fresh young faces to give life the necessary love and energy to continue to live the very best way we know how.

 Papa and I are so fortunate to have our young-uns to keep US young.  We love you guys!

OUR SACRED SELVES

Good day,
This is our new great granddaughter Astryd.  Her papa thinks she's beautiful.

And this is Gunnar, the twin brother of Astryd.  I, GG, think he is beautiful and strong.  This is their first visit to GG and Papa's house and we are so happy and proud!!

ps:I just found my camera

OUR SACRED SELVES, a cat by any other name

Our cat smudge, named that because when she was born she had a tiny black smudge on her head, but is now smudgeless, found a safe place in my reiki room this morning.

The window is opened for the first fall breeze and the weather is fine.

In Cajun country most cats are called minou, kitty, so ours answers to either of those, when she has a mind to.

She is a very private cat and likes to keep to herself, much like her owners.  I enjoy that spot as a soft, safe place too, but in her case she thinks she is hidden.  She thinks I can't see her.

I'll have to try that!

OUR SACRED SELVES

As a mother, grandmother and brand-new great-grandmother I ask all of you, my fellow keepers of the heart, to join me in protecting our warrior Prince Harry in his deployment to Afghanistan. 

Together let us use our awesome faceted light to surround and envelope him and his fellow soldiers with love and hope and protection. 

Together we can expand our peace-loving presence to our beautiful planet.

Nameste.

OUR SACRED SELVES-We Deserve

I believe giving is different from serving. 

Serve- 1."to labor as a servant" Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1956 (!)

In  my daily reading form Hope for Today, an Al-Anon publication, I read,"I chose to ignore my natural feelings of self-love and self worth because they didn't stop my parents from drinking or from criticizing me."

For so long this was true of me. I did not feel love and I did not truly know how to love. Now my family and friends help me to see the me I want to be.  The me I now choose to be.  I am mother, wife, artist, friend.

My co-dependent self does things for other people that I think they need. I try to fix, I serve others needs and I often disliked them and me when I am not successful.  I have no energy left to think positively.

My healing self sets boundaries and takes care of me first.  When I don't, there's not enough left of ME left to give.  When I do, my energy is boundless and my love is profound and meaningful.  I give from my heart's heart.

I DE-SERVE.  We deserve.

OUR SACRED SELVES

I have almost lost my new-found sacred self, having to continue to clean flood debris from hurricane Isaac.  However I remain so grateful that it didn't flood the shop and studio portions of our abode.  It was necessary to raise many parts and pieces "just in case."

Hopefully GYPSY VISION  will be up and dancing soon.