UNIQUELY U

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson - American essayist, lecturer, and poet (1803-1882)

You are uniquely you and God doesn't create anything less than incredible!  Be proud of who you are in this space of time.  Search deeply within yourself for that remarkable inner strength that your Creator has graciously provided you.  You have gotten used to what you know and to what you can do.  Remember, though, that you can experience SO much more!  Look at yourself with a fresh, objective set of eyes, and you’ll see plenty of amazing ways you contribute to the world around you.  You are what makes this world a magical place!  

Sending you uber loads of Light and Laughter!

~Cassie

Love me some cuddles from my snuggle-bug :O)

Some goofy fun with my little bit :O)

#SPEAKLIFE

People speak in one of two ways, they either speak life or they speak death.  Consider what sounds best to your own ears; is it going to get better or is it going to get worse?  Its a quick and easy response for most peeps: most would rather hear someone speaking that it is getting better!  #speakinglife!

Speaking life means to be claiming good things to and for people, and over you as well!  Here are some examples of words of love that speak life into people: words that edify, build up, increase, words of expansion, and multiplication, magnification, words of encouragement, and abundance!   Get ready you guys (and gals)!  Manifestations of uber superbness are getting ready to chase you down and overtake you!  You are uber blessed and highly favored, Gods favor gives you the biggest advantage, you are protected from all sides, breakthroughs are coming, AND you will be a blessing to each person around you, you have the power to make wealth and are being healed from the inside out in this very moment!  Receive that?  I sure hope so!   

There might be some who are a bit hesitant and think me a goon at this point to accept the declarations above.  So let’s connect the words of love that I am speaking about with the words of God.  After all, He IS love and is always speaking life over us  :O) 

My father used to always tell me (in my stubborn days) about a scripture that says it’s the little foxes that spoil the vine.  It's finally clicking in my head why he was sharing that.  Read Song of Solomon 2:15;  Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!  Clear out your home of those things that could bring you and your loved ones down, remove negative statements from your speech.  You don't want your love compromised!  The words that you speak are where it all starts.  James 3:10-11 says; And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth.  Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!  Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?  You can't have both positive and negative statements coming out of your mouth and it not confuse your inner peace (and those around you).  Choose words that bring more peace to your heart and into your home.

 More times than not, we need to check ourselves before we open up our mouths and let our emotions do the talking for us (especially us ladies, we tend to wear our emotions on our sleeve and it ends up nipping us in the bottom).  We need to think before we speak.  (side note: I'm not preaching to the choir on this, I'm having a heart-to-heart with myself about it and just sharing what I'm learning :O)  We need to come to a place in our thoughts and in our soul that rejects the words of comparison, the words of lack, the words of deficiency, the words of absence, and the words of unworthiness in our lives.  We need to reject the negative words spoken over us, and reject the negative words that we often speak about ourselves, our situations, and to other people.  We also need to be cognizant of those negative trails for our loved ones; sometimes our loved ones need a little course correction.  Let's be their little helpers by letting them know (lovingly) how they are talking about themselves and/or their situations, at the same time showing them how they should be speaking life.  

Have you thought about what could happen if you were speaking life over your relationships and/or situations?  If you haven't, then take a moment to do so:  Speaking life over your significant other, and over yourself?  Over your family, and your children?  Those words of love and adoration are life giving water.  All emotions are altered, attitudes are changed, joy increases and love fills the air!  Why speak discouragement and defeat over the people you love and yourself, when you can be speaking words of hope and love?!

Far too often people begin with believing for the lesser, and then hope they see the greater someday.  We can have stronger love and greater peace within our hearts and in our homes.  We have the power to alter that in our lives and for those we love by changing our speech!  All that you need is already within you; you are going to make it, you are going to rise up, you are going to overcome, you have greater ability than you may have previously thought, possibilities are limitless for you, nothing can stop you from obtaining the life that God says is yours!

Take a moment and check within yourself, do you sense anything within you that has changed?  It's the speaking of life over you that has just impacted your attitude.  You already have a better outlook right now than you did when you started reading this little love note!  You look as good as your outlook, mind to take some time to note what thoughts you’re entertaining and statements you are speaking.  For a more tangible way to compare it, think about fruit.  Personally, I am in to fresh fruit, and would rather stay away from icky, sour apples!  This is something I'm already teaching to Nickelbug.  The foundation for our children starts when they are little ones :O)

I hope you are encouraged and have a brighter horizon you're gazing at after reading this!  Please watch the music video by Toby Mac: Speak Life .  I hope it inspires you and puts a smile on your face :O)

Sending you all lots of Light and Laughter!

~Cassie

TREE POSE....GO!

My love for living au naturel is an interesting and fun journey.  Learning to love myself right where I am, precisely as I was created, and the desire to take care of this vessel that I have been gifted with is growing :O)  It’s been a joy to try new raw foods and products to soak up all the good nutrients I can to feed me energy to live life well.  Exploring my yoga practice and expanding my knowledge of it to strengthen my body, mind, and spirit gives me a confident boost into the future, healthily.  

I was eating an apple one day and decided, instead of throwing the seeds out, I wanted to plant them.  So I did, HA!  And eureka, 3 of the four seeds I planted are actually growing :O)  Fast forward a few weeks:  one day I had a gut-hunch to use The Google to find out how to grow an apple tree from seeds…I was amazed at the personal involvement required to raise a fruitful offspring of apples (or any other fruit).   Grafting is the key.  You plant the seed into soil, water it, and love the little seedling until it is about 30 – 60 cm high then it undergoes a process of grafting it to a healthy parent tree in order to produce good quality fruit.  (Some of you might already know where I’m going with this).  If you desire to grow deliciousness-in-your-face quality fruit, you choose which species of apple (or other fruit) you want to produce (scion), then cut a stem of it at a steep angle.  You do the same to the seedling’s rooted stem that you raised.  Once you have them cut at steep angles that will fit like a glove, you then align them together where the thin greenish plant layer just under the bark of the scion and your beloved seedlings stem touch each other.  You then use cling film and masking tape to keep them in place.  Within 10 – 15 days, if aligned properly, you will see little shoots starting to bud from the grafting seam. If they are not aligned properly, the graft will fail and chances for fruit production are slim.  If you choose not to graft it might be 5-6 years up to 15+ years before seeing any fruit and if so, the fruit will more than likely be bad, whaaaaa!

My “Wow!”, “Ah-ha!” and “Thank you, God!” moment came when I was thinking about this whole process the other day while watering my little seedlings (that are growing nicely, by-the-way).  I was reminded how important it is to choose what I am grafting myself to.  If I choose to graft myself to what others expectations (or put-downs) are over me, pop-cultures do’s and don’ts, or past events in my life that I have chosen not to release,  then the fruit I produce in my life will taste awful (insert crinkle face here).  I’d be reeking of bad fruit and I’d be releasing confusion, frustration, bitterness, anger, jealousy, etc.  But if I choose to graft myself to be one with God, then the fruit that exudes from my core will be so much tastier!  I will be releasing into my sphere of influence a heart of service, joy, peace, confidence, direction, and encouragement, etcetera, etcetera, and etcetera!  In my humanness I tend to default to the former, so this visual helps me to remember to be proactive in what I choose to graft myself to.  

 

 

I’m highly enjoying exploration in my yoga practice to keep myself centered with God, learning how to release anything that I need to release, so I produce better fruit now and onward.  Hoping to encourage others along the way to do the same :O)

Ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat?”   Yah, me too!  I’ve been experiencing the beautiful benefits of eating raw, fresh veggies, fruits and other wholesome goodness.  Incorporating more raw/natural products into my everyday routine has been UBER rewarding!  Thankful for food and products that have greatness oozing from my happy, healthy being :O) Chow! 

Lots of Love and Gratitude,

C

SEW NICE TO MEET YOU

I have a thing for birds.  Not sure really where the liking to them came from, but like them, I do.  The short/small/pudgy ones that hop in their cute way are my fave.  When I sit in the Square of Thanksgiving to journal and reflect Dtown, I like to take pictures of them.  Heck, I even have one tattooed on me :O)  I was reading a Chick-Fil-A book about birds to Nickelbug the other night and it stated that you can find so many places to eat when you can fly, pertaining to the many different places that the different types of fowl find good eats.  Nickelbug related to it by sharing, "Yeah, you can find food at Starbucks, and at the mall, and at the store, and at the desert!" hahahah I love how she makes me chuckle and smile proud!

Enjoying an opportunity to share that tid-bit of Nickelbug and I's time together :O) 

So, on to what has been rolling around in my cerebrum...I've been pondering a lot about the course of events in my life. Choices.  Plans.  Events.  Some controllable and others out of my hands. 

Past.

Future. 

Presently. 

Accomplishments.  Mistakes.  Learning curves.  New horizons.  What-if's.  Dreams.  Freshness.  Tomfoolery.  Blushing moments.  Emotional roller coasters.  Travels.  Surprises.  Challenges.  Funnies.  Faces: past, ones I have yet to greet, and ones still here with me now...

All part of my journey.   

My God is pretty big.  Caring more for my hearts condition than what I can do, or not.  Now realizing He gives me the OK to focus on my inward journey, there is no need for me to worry about what others may think.  Nor should I worry of being incapable or lacking in any area of my life cause He fills in those gaps for me where I humanly can't.  My past does not surprise Him. My present does not worry Him. And my future is certainly not a mystery to Him.  I have come to a place where I can love myself, just as He made me.  Quirks and all(and I have many).   This inward journey has taught me that meditating is important.  Meditation does not mean you have to always sit in repose, stating in unison with others, "Ohmmmmmmm" for hours on end.  You can meditate while you walk, draw, drive, gather firewood, mime, whatever, so long as you aren't consumed with thoughts about your past or lost in some made-up, fairy tale future.  Meditation is no different than prayer.  For me it's about getting centered with God, listening, asking, learning, loving, and letting go.  Letting what God created shine!  How I choose to project my light onto others is entirely up to me and learning to love myself, as is, has become my starting point. Finding love for myself; what I do in love to work through life and what I do in love when it's time to let go, no matter what the situation may be.  People are fallible; many have come into my life, and many have exited.  I'm okay with that.  God doesn't go anywhere and even when I tried to shut Him out, He was still right on the other side of the door, standing guard to protect me.  He is showing me to love, starting with me.  Who am I to be so bold?  Do you love yourself enough to be okay in every situation?  So much so that no matter what you say you can have no attachment to how it and you are received?  Be non-attached to the outcome.  All results are good.  Know this and you will be fine.

Coming to where I have arrived thus far, I can honestly share that I am a very happy woman :O)  Sure, I've made plenty of mistakes (and still continue to make them as I'm only human) but I am thankful for them all for I am the woman I am today for them AND they have brought me the most beautiful little girl, EVER.  For her, I desire not to ever change anything that has been done if it meant she would not be here with me now.  A sentiment I believe that can (and will) be shared no matter where I am on my journey!

So, can you hear the birds singing?

"There is only love.  Everything else is our resistance to it." ~Terces Engelhart

MEET JADE...

Jade Elizabeth Atwine…

Jade Elizabeth means: A jewel consecrated to our bountiful God; God of plenty.  She is a beautiful little girl and Nicolette and I have the privilege of becoming part of her world.  She was born on June 29, 2010 so she is only 2 years younger than Nicolette.  We look forward to learning through life with her and meeting her soon!

Glenda Stutzman, Watotos Sponsorship Coordinator, shard that Jade was abandoned shortly after birth in a hospital in Mbarara in Western Uganda.  When authorities failed to trace Jade’s parents, they requested Watoto Child Care Ministries to take her into their care.  Loving staff and volunteers at the Baby Watoto Home took little Jade under their wings and tended her malnourished little body.  With proper attention, Jade soon got back to good health and she is enjoying playing with toys and other children.

In March 2012, Jade graduated to a Watoto Home in a Watoto Village, where a devoted housemother and Watoto brothers and sisters made her feel welcome.  Jade’s housemother showers her with love and care.  :O)

On Sundays, Mama takes Jade to the Watoto Church, where the whole family receives spiritual nourishment.  When she is old enough, Jade will attend the Watoto School. 

Deeeep inhale...hold it....hold it...then looong exhale....and an uber biiiiiiiig smile :O)  She is a breathe of fresh air!!

Going through life: growing personally, working full time, being a mom full time, and starting a business has its challenges.  It is so hard to be patient…I know what I desire in certain areas of my life, for Nicolette, and for our future, but I know that God has his creative ways of doing things.  He cultivates desires (sometimes seemingly random) in our hearts at different times for certain reasons.  Since I have no idea what the future holds for Nicolette and I, I am choosing to live in the moment and soak up all the good that God has put in our lives right now.  I’m uber excited to see what is in store for Nicolette, Jade & I :O)  To do what I can, with what I have, right where I am at to bless others in our little sphere of influence and also now to bless others around the globe that have yet to meet… A Step in the Right Direction…

^“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

For information on sponsoring a child through Watoto, please contact:

Glenda Stutzman

Sponsorship Coordinator

Watoto USA

PO BOX 1320 

Lutz, Florida 33548

Phone: 813.948.4343

For information regarding Watoto and/or to visit, please contact:

David Wildes

Visit Watoto and Church Relations

Watoto USA

PO BOX 1320

Lutz, Florida 33548

Phone: 813.948.4346

 

Word-Up!

I’m a gal whose main love language is Words.  Fun, exciting, motivating, uplifting, encouraging, life-giving words.  Truthfully, I really enjoy pouring those words over others whenever an opportunity to do so presents itself.  It really fills me with joy to be able to do that and brighten someone’s day!  However, not everyone is like me in that sense.  Recently I have experienced situations where other people’s words were just the opposite of that.  Even those closest to me!  Words that were tearing me down and putting me out.  Their words started taking root in my heart, so instead of being propelled into fulfilling the dream God put on my heart, I was being held back, pulled down and sometimes drug through the dirt. 

It's amazing how outside situations can influence and/or affect what direction my heart takes.  When really, what's in my heart should be what influences and/or affects the direction my external situations take.  

After months of sulking in discouragement and frustration God opened my eyes to the relationship I have with Him in a way I’ve never seen before!  Eureka!!  He is my Groom, the closest and most intimate anyone will ever get with me, and the words He speaks over me and into my life are SOLID.  I am His and He is mine.  He is my biggest fan and will always speak truth, life & encouragement into me.  His words are now being rooted in my heart and growing me into all He created me to be as His woman.  He chose to take possession of me because He believes in me and the abilities He has placed within me to accomplish what he created me to do!  In the same way I choose to take possession of Him and trust that He has the ability to do what He says He will do in my life (Philippians 3:12b).  He is my protector, my encourager, my energy, my motivation, my accountability…you get the picture.  He is all the encouragement I need and He is the One that defines my future with His words, not the people in my world. 

So, instead of allowing opposition from others hold me back or get me down, I choose to allow my Groom to be the one that is behind me and beside me, propelling me into the future He has for me, which is greater than anything I could imagine!  I don’t know what the future holds, but what’s great is I know He’s uber excited to equip me for it!  Everything I set my hands and my mind do will be blessed because I’m doing it for Him and with His words in mind encouraging me every step of the way :O)  He appreciates every bit of it!

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)

 

 ⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Jitterbugs!

Well I'm actually doing it...taking the leap and launching a dream to encourage women to discover their fabulousness and find joy in creative expression! I call it Nickelbug Designs :O) It'll be my little thumbprint to leave behind for my little one and those around me that I'm inspired so much by! Life is full of risk and it's too short to waste the time to just sit, pray, contemplate, worry, and wait. I want to take the leap and do something I know God has put in me to do that is FULLfilling to my heart!!! Using the talents and passions that he has placed in my being to make & create art and accessories, I want to be able to turn around and bless others through them and with the funds I make in selling them my desire is to be able to financially bless those that need it.

Even though I have jitterbugs in my tummy about taking on this endeavor, I am learning fast that God honors those that honor Him, and He is delighted when we take that step of faith, that jump, and are obedient, to start fresh with Him (even when it seems crazy). A very dear friend of mine shared an amazing scripture with me when we were discussing all of this: Zechariah 4:10 (NLT) says ¹⁰ "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..." All it takes is a starting point, even a small one and He will rejoice over you for taking that step toward where He wants you to go!! The key is keeping the faith and remaining obedient, even when you don't understand it all. God will not forget you. He will not turn His face from you. He will pour favor over you and your children!! Amen?! 


So here goes nuthin'...GERONIMO!!!! 

You can view my collection for Nickelbug Designs at nickelbugdesigns.etsy.com and if you are on Facebook, you can find us on facebook.com/NickelbugDesigns


Enjoy!!