A Guide for Spiritual Living







I just have to brag a little here. My Uncle George McLaird has written a fantastic new book!! It's called, "A Guide for Spiritual Living: Hundreds of Suggestions for Finding, Refinding, Refining, Redefining and Reinventing Your Own Personal Spiritual Path". I have read the book and will probably read it several more times, as there are so many great suggestions for creating your own amazing path through life. I might also mention that this book is featuring an up and comping new artist, who has contributed some fun and whimsical visual interest, which only enhances the already fantastic book... Yup, thats me!!!

 

Take a look at that cover... Pretty cool don't you think?

If you want to check it out, go to www.barnesandnoble.com and type in either "Rev. George McLaird" or "A Guide for Spiritual Living" in the search section.
It's there and it's so worth buying!!!
You can also get it for the nook!
It it available for the kindle too at www.amazon.com

Also check out Georges web site he has a great little video about the book, he's even starring in the video.
www.mclaird.com

Enjoy and thanks for your support!!!

Over One Year Ago

I can't believe it's been over a year since Mom died.

It's been over a year since I've posted anything.

It seems like just yesterday, yet at the same time it seems like eons ago.
How does that happen?

Christmas Cardinal

Today I discovered, when I checked my blog, that I got Married on the exact 1 year anniversary from my mothers death, July 15,2012.
I had a jaw dropping moment, let me tell you!

When we were picking a date earlier this year, We were focused on getting a great deal on flights and hotels and wedding venues, the 15th of July seemed to be the date that worked, and it was so far from my mind that it was my mothers date of passing.

"Leap First"

Somehow I think she orchestrated that, she's been in my dreams the past three nights, always with dad and they are side by side, sometimes giving me advice and telling me some random piece of data that makes sense in a dream, but no sense when you wake up.

Last night they were at a banquet table just smiling and nodding in approval. I think it means they were at the wedding, in spirit.

SO,  How does a year go by so fast?
Thinking about whats been going on, I can only recall a few significant details, most days are working to earn a living, cleaning so I don't feel like a slob and spending time with my family and friends.

Mixed in are my personal projects, like art, so I can retire from "work" and create paintings and drawings for a living.
Running, so that I can live long enough to full fill my bucket list.
Mix in my desire to learn about nutrition and healing. (Someday I'll make a career out of that!)
Tending to my tiny little garden so that I feel like I'm contributing to life.
And reading lots of books. I still read "real" books, the kind you put in your hand and turn the paper pages! I enjoy hearing the paper crinkle each time you flip a page; which for me is WAY more satisfying than an electronic version of that.

For the upcoming year, I plan to paint a lot more, sell a lot more paintings :)
Run a 1/2 Marathon, I just started training for that.
Loose 10 more pounds, mainly so running gets easier.
Read more, laugh more, play more and go on more sunny vacations!!!



Until my next post (Hopefully not another whole year hahah)...


Bride & Groom

Here are some pictures of the Art I've been doing... and a snapshot from our wedding photos!


First Raven



Raven Flying



Love Dove

Giraffe's See Far



"Last Bugger" from the Unpublished
Book... "Letting the Bed Bugs Bite"
Written by Charles Lindner

White Butterfly



Horse Farm

"Voodo Bug" from the Unpublished Book

"Seek Passion"



"Wise Heart"

Goodbye MOM

At 5:20 am July 15th 2011 ... Mom died.

I knew this day was coming soon, so emotionally I'm as ready as one can be. I've come to terms with her quality of life being so deteriorated that it was a blessing she finally passed, but still I have to wonder what kind of life she had and it's impact on those still here.

I don't believe that I really knew Mom. I know some facts about her life that she openly relayed to us on occasion. She had Polio when she was a kid and spent a lot of time in the hospital. I know the effects of the Polio rippled through her entire life. Her feet were misshaped, so walking was often laborious. She had somewhat brittle bones because of the effects of the Polio and had broken her ankle and femur in her life.

She lost her own dad when she was a young girl and that she always felt the one person who loved her the most left her life too soon! She told me that she always felt like she was on her own after her dad died. I suspect this had a greater impact than the Polio.

She had a degree as a minister, which she never practiced. When I found a copy of the certificate at age 12, I was blown away and at that moment realized that there was a whole side of my mom that I never knew. When I asked her about the certificate she shrugged and dismissed it as insignificant and a part of her past. Over the years when I attempted to know a deeper side of Mom, she often dismissed and shrugged clearly not wanting to talk about her childhood and the years before I came along.

She loved to tell a story of how she came to FEAR snakes, probably because she blamed her brother. The story goes that George (Her brother) would catch the snakes and torment her with them and he would collect the skins and hang them on the clothes line and chase her with the live snakes and run her around until she ran into the hanging snake skins. She would laugh out loud after telling the story at how crazy the whole thing was. She hated snakes so much that one time we were driving and a snake was slithering across the road and she swerved to miss it, claiming that her irrational fear made her think they could somehow slither into the car even at 60 mph. Of course we laughed out loud over that one too! She hated snakes so much that she would not go see Indiana Jones with Dad the year it came out because she had heard about the snake scene. I find her tortuous relationship with snakes very interesting when I look at the symbolic meanings associated with snakes. Here is an animal with no legs, but moves with ease through grass, tree's water and sand! Snakes shed their skin and are considered masters of shedding the past to transform into something new and re-born. My mom lived a life with "no legs" or at least really bad ones, and could barely get around. She lived in fear of her future because of her hard past. Did she fear snakes because they represented something she could not be? FREE to Move and FREE from her past!

My Mom had a very strange superstition, that I believe developed from her hardships with her Polio and the loss of her Dad, she was convinced that if she expressed hope and joy for something that she desired, that she would be denied that item. She didn't want to talk about good things that happened for fear they would be taken away. I actually have fought my whole life against this ingrained belief, because I suspect what ever you believe in your mind and heart are what you create for your life. By example she did create a lot of good things that were then taken away, because of her fear that they would be. This was the biggest revelation for me and how I choose to live without fear as a controlling element of my life. Through Mom's pain and disappointment in her own life I was able to see the other side, Thank You Mom for that lesson well received.

There were two things that I know Mom had the most remorse over... Not being able to ride Horses and Not being able to Dance. In life she was able to full fill her love of horses thanks to Dad's financial support and my love of horses. Together Mom and I had a wonderful life raising and training horses. She lived vicariously through my experiences when riding and I hope that was enough for her. Dancing is something that I still love to do! I will often break out my I-Pod and dance around the house while I clean and organize. I truly believe now that she is in spirit form and no longer hindered by imperfect legs; Now dancing is all she will be doing! This thought brings me great comfort and joy!

Mom was a great cook, thanks to butter, cheese, crisco oil and sugar! Of course her poor heart couldn't take that kind of diet and she suffered emotionally for her weight, but no one was ever disappointed after a meal mom made!! There are many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners that people still talk about the amazing food and desserts! I have a wonderful recipe book of mom's best meals that Carl surely enjoys often. Of course her Lemon Meringue Pie is legendary!! I'm sure I won over my Father-in-Law with that recipe!!

Mom had a green thumb like no other. Some of my favorite memories with mom were in the garden. How she knew so much about when to plant, how to water and what nutrients the soil needed always amazed me. I have not inherited that ability. Every summer we could count on The best tomatoes in the WORLD from my mom's garden. She made artichokes grown in soil and climate they were not suppose to grow in, in fact her plants would produce so much extra fruit that we took bags and bags of Artichokes to school and I'm sure the generous gesture helped our grades!

Pomegranates by the tons, corn, peas, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, lemons, apples, oranges... I still feel a little deprived when I buy a store version of the wonderful fresh produce we had as kids.

Now looking back on these small pieces of my Mom's life I see the giant impact she had in my life and I'm so sure the tiny little pieces of memories I have are merely a shadow of the true impact she had on the so many others whose life she has touched.

God Bless Gloria Jane (McLaird) Lindner... I am grateful for having known her and called her MOM!!

With Love...

Anjanette (Lindner) Petty

The Unconventional Artist!: It's my birthday and I'm NOT going to Party...I'm ...

The Unconventional Artist!: It's my birthday and I'm NOT going to Party...I'm ...: "OK today is my birthday... My 42nd to be precise. I'm not ashamed in fact I'm proud! I think I am a better person now than I ever was in my ..."

It's my birthday and I'm NOT going to Party...I'm too old for that!

OK today is my birthday... My 42nd to be precise. I'm not ashamed in fact I'm proud! I think I am a better person now than I ever was in my youth! I'm more patient and much calmer in stressful situations and more confident in myself. But in my teens... I was crazy shy and awkward, I was terribly insecure and had a few close friends, mostly my brothers (who tortured me or my pets often) and my pets, mainly Pal my horse. In my twenties... It's a blur and the sad part is I don't know if it's a blur because I was partying too much or if it's cause I'm showing signs of memory loss (which scares the BLEEP out of me since both my grandmas and my mother have memory issues... AHHHHH genetics is there any hope!) My thirties, mostly being a mom and artist and looking for love! Luckily I have the love part and the mom part is going well. I won't bore everyone with the bragging' of a proud mother, but I do have a pretty amazing daughter!

So now I'm in my forties and I feel happy and excited about all the good in my life. But there are some things I wish weren't happening. But unfortunately ARE...

1. The afore mentioned memory issues!

2. That little wrinkle around my smile that doesn't go away after you stop smiling.

3. Random hair... like in your ears, nose, boobs and one little sneaky hair under my chin... I inherited that one from my mother, but I pluck that little invader every time it peaks back in.

4. My poor vision which gets worse every year.

5. Feeling tired when I just got up after 8 hours of sleep.

6. My knee's creaking when I walk upstairs.

7. When I get home after a long day and say things that sound a lot like things my parents use to say... "Oh my aching feet" - "I just need to rest a few minutes before we do ... (name the activity" - "I have a headache" (I thought this one was a joke, but sometimes you really do have a headache)

8. Loud music actually bothers me.

9. I do eat fiber sometimes... on purpose.

10. I buy shoes for comfort ... not 'cause they're cute.

Looking forward I can't help but remember things in my youth that I miss about myself...

1. That cool feeling when you go to the mailbox and expect a letter or card from someone you love. (Now I only expect bills and that never feels good)

2. Being able to fearlessly jump into something just because it seems exciting. Like love, new careers, and weekend getaways.

3. Thinking worms were cool.

4. Getting a hair brained idea and thinking it is sooo cool, like the time my brothers and I spackled our cupboard doors with garbage pail stickers. I'm sure I got yelled out over it, but at the time thought I had created art.

5. Being able to swim for an entire day. (Who has that kind of time now?)

6. Being a size 6 ... HA! Not since Jr. High School.

7. Not caring about my weight. (Those were the carefree days!)

8. A big empty box was sooo much fun, especially with brothers around!

9. NOT worrying about money!

10. Trying to find sneaky ways to stay up late like... I need water, I have to pee, what was that noise ... (Now I can't wait to be in bed by 9:00 pm ... wait that was my bedtime then too)

Today I celebrate the good things to come, the great things I miss and all the crazy stuff in the middle!!

Happy Birthday to ME!

PS ... To celebrate, I did have a Cosmo and Chocolate Cake maybe that wild and carefree little girl is still there!!!

ZOO Much Fun

I love the Zoo! I would go once a week if I could! We went on Saturday and it was very overcast and VERY crowded! But I managed to bully my way in close enough for a few good shots!

Here are some of my favorite pictures!

This Polar Bear was having a blast and I love the action in this picture!

Digital Camera's are the best. You can take 100 pictures if you want and if only one shot comes out, that's OK you can delete the rest and no one will ever know!!!!

The Penguins were zipping around and having tons of fun.

I couldn't really get any where to take a clear shot, but I really like this through the glass shot!

The Birds Really LOVE Carl, he has fun feeding them, and they always fly right to him.

This bird was feisty and didn't even want the juice! He decided to pick a hole in the cup and drain all the juice, then crawl all over Carl and pick at the back of his neck. Crazy bird!!!

I personally love Mountain Goats!

The first totem I did for myself had a mountain goat in it and I thought they were mean and ugly, then I learned that as a totem, they mean climbing new heights, sure footed, able to adapt to difficult situations and arrive on top!!

Thats me!!! :)

I was amazed at this Bat display!

They were feeding the Bats and there were TONS of them all over! It was a great scene to see the bats climbing all over to eat the fruit.

Some how, by luck and the rule of numbers... (You take enough pictures and one is bound to come out OK) ... I got this cool picture!

I like Bats because they are one of those animals that have a lot of bad publicity, but are actually a great totem.

They can represent, renewal, adaptability, transformation. As a healing energy, they can bring good luck and happiness and alleviate hearing problems. They can assist in uncovering hidden messages and help you see hidden opportunities! Cool don't you think!

Good Old Fashion Writing

Last weekend I was in California and I finally went to visit Mom. It was hard to see Mom in the nursing home. She can't walk now and has no use of her left arm. They mush all her food into a puree that resembles baby food because she can't swallow well. She's on blood thinner because she has had strokes and heart attacks and they wan't to keep her blood flowing to prevent another attack, but the side effect is she bruses easily and had many on her body on this visit. She had a large one that ran from her chin to her neck. I did my magic photoshop clean up and got rid of it for this picture. I couldn't bear to have what may be our last picture with her having a giant bruise on her face.


I feel like a rotten daughter for not seeing her everyday that she has left in this life. I have a built in excuse, I live in another state. My finances are so shallow that I could not afford to go to California more than I already have. Still its an excuse and I'd rather live my life without making excuses for everything!

I had a 10 hour drive back after the short visit with Mom to think a lot about life. While the family was napping or reading, I thought about Mom. She may only have a short while, perhaps only months and I decided that I needed to make amends with my soul and do what I can to show my Mom that her life has meant that I have life and that I appreciate her for giving me this life.

I'm going to write her. The good old fashion kind where your hand actually holds a pen and creates real words that you can touch on a piece of paper that can be held in your hand and near your heart. I believe there is an energy transfer that happens when you write that way. There is a message that is spoken in the ink and paper that is just as strong as the message on the page. I pray that along with the loving words I will write to her about how life is going with work, my daughter and all the boring daily details, there will be a subtle almost undetectable message of love and gratitude and life affirming happiness for the woman who raised me in the best way she knew how and I hope that her soul will read that "other" message and feel the love I have for her each time she reads the pages I send her.

Seeing my Mom slowly leave this life has really made me appreciate all that I have especially those people in my life with whom I've have shared good times, lots of laughs, much love and crazy fun experiences. For those of you whom I adore don't be surprised if my good old fashioned letter writing extends to you! If you don't know I adore you, then you'll know when a wonderful hand written page of love shows up in your mail box!