"Takin' Time Out"

Definition:  The sense of sight, the physical mechanism of eyesight, a supernatural experience that conveys a revelation.  A dream, trance or a supernatural illusion.

For those of us who can see 20/20 or with the aid of glasses we sometimes take this sense for granted.  I have two really good friends that have lost their eyesight or vision at an early age and are legally blind but it hasn’t slowed their quality of life down too much, they have learned to adapt and they gently remind me how fortunate I am to be able to see so clearly especially when it comes to driving at night.

 

Let’s do a little exercise, close your eyes for a moment or better yet get a blind fold on for just a little while and breathe deeply.  Do you suddenly hear things more clearly but you feel a bit out of control because you can’t see?  Is the backside of your eyelids a little more defining? Are they beginning to twitch? Now just sit there for a little while and let your imagination start to work, what are your seeing, can you see images, places, things or is it time for a light show and you have random psychedelic-like patterns and flashes of color dancing around your field of vision, do you see stars or is it visually pitch black?  Are you beginning to feel panic or are you relaxed and ok with not being able to see?  All of these are normal but I feel if you have a deeper sense of visual perception and you can change things to look like something else you have a gift. Ok open your eyes or take the blindfold off.  Focus and clear your mind now take another deep breathe and if you can see clearly give a little praise of thanks!

 

Now, let me expand on this thought.  Have you ever walked into a room or a house that needs some updating?  Can you look at that house and change the color, the texture, the design or maybe even move some walls, windows or doors and now maybe change the carpet to wood floors or tile etc visually you see a fun and innovative challenges or does it just look like an old run down house that needs allot of work and you have no clue what to do or where to start?  What about a blank backyard, do you see adding different textures, trees, rocks, waterfall, fireplace or fire pit and a child’s play area or again just a bunch of grass growing? Maybe you can look at someone and see their hair styled a little different or a bit shorter or longer maybe a different color?   This is where your creativity can kick in but my personal experiences some people have that in-depth perception of visualization and some people just don’t no matter how hard they try.  For example I am very thankful I have been able to take after my Dad; he has always been a visual thinker.  I too can see it before the work ever begins however, my mom and daughters do not have this gift at all.  You have to show them pictures, explain, draw it out etc.  They know what they like and don’t like they just don’t see it before it is transformed into the masterpiece.

 

My husband teases me because sometimes he will walk in a room or outside where I am sitting and I have this blank stare, he says oh no what are you visualizing about now?  He just knows the wheels are spinning inside my head and I love that he knows that about me.  Maybe 28+ years has paid off.   He also has learned that every time he leaves me home alone for an extended amount of time, he is going to come back and find something transformed.  I love at home DIY projects sometimes they turn out really well and sometimes they don’t.  We had purchased a gas stove as I love to cook with gas vs electricity but our house was wired only for electrical.  My husband had agreed we could run gas from the outside but would have to come through the concrete floor from the outside wall.  He agreed to jack hammer the floor from behind the refrigerator to the island where I wanted the stove to be, he thought there would only be one little section and maybe we could put a rug over the patched concrete for a little while.  He left to run to Home Depot for something, which was his first mistake.  I looked at the floor and began to visualize new tile then I looked at that jack hammer and thought you know I think I can do this and I began to pop up all that old dingy tile.  As he walked in the door, his expression was priceless…there was a big pile of rubble and a happy self-satisfied wife.  I am woman hear me roar, oh and don’t leave a big ole power tool there plugged in ready for action with safety glasses, as I visualize I can do anything!  And yes that includes a mess.

 

Another time he had to work out of town for about 3 months and we would see each other every other weekend.  He still laughs at me as I decided to remodel the guest bathroom.  We had a tub/shower combination but somehow with three kids growing up the mounted soap dish was dismantled, the towel rod missing and a big chip in the back end of the tub was just an eye sore.  No one remembers exactly what happened or who did it but it just miraculously appeared one day.  Hmmm…sure…whatever!  Well enough I decided we would just take the tub out and install a standalone shower.  The ripping out the tile and tearing down sheet rock to the open studs was the fun part…it released any built up anger or a great upper body workout but how in the world was I going to get the tub out all by myself?  I couldn’t darn it…luckily my hubby was coming home that weekend so he helped me as he was shaking his head at this point it was better just to do it than argue as we were too far gone.  Next I had to call the plumber to move the toilet over about a foot and he fixed the bathtub drain to a shower drain and put the appropriate lining to pass the city code.  We were well on our way.  Living in the city I have learned to appreciate the local dump in rural America more and more.   In the big city there are certain rules you must follow, believe me I know first handed all about them.  You are permitted to have only one disposal per month at no charge and you must present a water bill.  Well I knew the one per month rule but needless to say I did not know about the water bill until I got there.  It was a warm October morning last day of the month and I thought oh no I better get that tub to the dump because I have other things I will need to take but I couldn’t get it all in one load.  So before going to work early on a Friday morning, I loaded the bathtub in the back of my Tahoe and off I go.  I pull in the gate and there are two lines the bad thing was I wasn’t sure which line I needed to be in and I couldn’t see any sign as I was surrounded by big trash trucks both lanes in front and behind me.  So I just followed behind them I got to the main gate and quickly realized I probably needed to be in the other line, oh well I pulled up on the scales, luckily from my childhood I remember going to the CO-OP grain elevators with Dad in the truck and I knew what they were, I hop out of the car and begin to walk up to the window when I quickly realized I was in trouble my cute little high healed shoes with my jeans probably wasn’t the right attire to wear to the dump but were great looking for work!  My heals were falling down in the metal wire grate, twisting my ankle ugh…the big trash truck driver was probably getting a great laugh or was mildly irritated at this crazy clueless blonde woman taking away from his precious time…so I began to tip-toe in a hurry to the window where I was greeted with the most pleasant (NOT) woman who apparently loved her job…yelling at me “ You are in the wrong lane but since you are here I need your water bill” and I said I don’t have my water bill I have my driver’s license.   She spouts off “I need your water bill can’t take your license” I apologized and said I only have my license I guess I will have to turn around and go back home…she quickly asked what I was dumping I said a bathtub and she again in such a pleasant tone said, “a BATHTUB why in the world are you dumping a bathtub.” I begin to explain we were doing some remodeling and she said never mind and asked if I could unload it by myself.  I said I loaded it and I can unload it all by myself mam trust me!  She laughed and said in a much better tone she would make an exception but only for this time, to make sure I am in the other lane, bring a water bill next time, to drive down the hill and put in third dumpster.  I thanked her politely tip toed my way back to the car while waiving and smiling to the trash truck driver behind me and drove off to the residential dumping ground.  I got out rolled that bathtub down the hill and into the third dumpster as she said and then I high tailed it out of there.  Whew what a morning and it wasn’t even 8:00 yet.  Another lesson learned maybe hire someone to go to the dump or wait for husband to return home.  Well the tile I ordered for the bathroom was back ordered and that simple little project turned into about 9 months of waiting and visualizing.  I never got the first tile I picked out but a better offer came along and it is absolutely beautiful.  It is simple, easy to keep clean and ecliptic sort of decor.  I like things a bit different than the norm which makes it reflect more my style. 

 

This weekend the guys went to Arkansas duck hunting and I was so excited to be home alone for three days, I went to the paint store after work on Friday and picked out a soothing grey/blue/green paint called tranquility for the middle bedroom.  I repainted the wainscoting and trim white and the upper walls Tranquility.  I hung some simple shear curtains and put up the twin bed with a simple white quilt comforter, we still have the treadmill in there but it serves as an extra guest bed & workout meditation room.  I was most excited to hang this beautiful old beveled stain glass window inside the shear curtains.  Again it’s simple but elegantly soothing and another room transformed.  It makes me happy happy happy! I guess this is enough about DIY home improvements…

 

As I am sipping on a steaming cup of Earl Grey Tea with stevia Mmmmm…I love how it warms up my entire body on this cold wintery evening.  I absolutely love ““Takin Time Out”” and visualizing my goals and dreams as well.  I see myself healthy, happy, and full of life and making things happen.  It is called the Power of Positive Thinking.  Speaking of which have you ever read the book written by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale?  It is absolutely a must read, even though it was written in 1952 it is still one of the best self-help volumes of inspiration and wisdom and practical guide to use in today’s environment.  He has also inspired many world leaders and authors to carry on his legacy.  Just a few of the chapter titles are 1)  Believe in Yourself 2)  A peaceful Mind Generates Power 3)How to Have Constant Energy 4)  Try Prayer Power 5) How to Create Your Own Happiness 6)  Expect the Best and Get It  7)  I Don’t Believe in Defeat  8)  How to Break the Worry Habit  9)  Power to Solve Personal Problems  10)  When Vitality Sags Try This Health Formula.  Actually I inherited my Grandmother’s copy of the book and I love where she has highlighted or underlined those sections that spoke to her.  There are also many scriptures he refers to in teaching many of life lessons.  Like Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Renewing of your minds (visualize) means to surrender ourselves to God, follow his teaching and will for our lives.  Also, I like Matthew 17:20 “So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief, for assuredly I say to you if you have faith as a mustard seed you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”  Believe…Visualize…we have the power within to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  The Bible also speaks about Vision one of my favorite verses I have set as my mantra to live by is found in Habakkuk 2:2-3 “Write my vision and make it plain upon tables but these thing I plan won’t happen right away.  Slowly, steadily, surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.  If it seems slow do not despair for these things will surely come to pass.  Just be patient.  They will not be overdue a single day.”  This is so profound to me scripture truly speaks to my soul and everyday life.

 

Are you a visual learner or an audio learner?  Finding out early can help you learn better.   It is proven 80% of a standard group of people are Visual learners.  I encourage you to visualize your surroundings, your well-being, and your life in general.  What changes do you want to make?  Number one have you written them down, as we discussed a few weeks back what are those possibilities?  Get with it and write them down.  How about a vision board?  I love mine hanging in my closet I see it every morning and every evening.  Pictures, desires they truly can turn into reality, I encourage to try a vision board as well.

Speaking of vision,I love the story about a basketball team and the coach had the team sit on the bench, close their eyes and visualize making those lay ups one right after the other and then making those free throws one right after the other for the first 20 to 30 minutes of every practice.  Then they got down on the court and practiced the drills.  You know what that team won the State Title that year and the team indicated it was because their coach taught them to visualize first, lay-up after lay-up, free throw after free throw, passing and catching the ball and then visualizing holding that trophy up in the air.  They Visualized something before it could really happen which to me they had to feel it before they could make the change to make it a reality.  Now don’t get me wrong they need to practice and condition themselves as well but if you have the vision you can take the first step in setting yourself up to succeed.  It is like a movie replaying in our minds, some things you may wish to erase as they may not be a very pleasant experience that is when I say you have permission to hit the “Delete” button.  We all have one we just have to choose to use it.  The positive visions continue to replay and see what happens.

Well I have takin enough of your time this week, I just get so passionately wound up and can ramble on and on…until next time my dear sweet friend, I hope you will enjoy “Takin Time Out” and visualize a bit more of where you want your life to go or the changes you want to make as I believe if you can visualize it you can do most anything you put your mind to!  It takes time, determination, patience and a belief within! If you can visualize it you can make it happen…I promise!

 

If you can visualize it can happen….