life – Page 12 – The Wild Gems

While Trying To Discover My identity This Is What I Realized

September 18, 2024 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

I read a blog not long ago and a girl was sharing what she felt she identified with. A hint of jealousy hit because I thought how lucky is she to know who she is and what she identifies with.

But then as I was driving to pick up my kids from school this little story came to my head,

A rainbow goes to a cloud and asks, “what color am I?”

The cloud says, “you’re blue.”

The rainbow goes to another cloud and asks the same question.

This time the response was, “you’re red.”

The rainbow asked many different clouds the same question and each response was just a different color.

The rainbow becomes frustrated. Thoughts emerge.

“Will I ever know who I am?”

“I feel so lost.”

“How are others so sure of themselves but I still can’t figure it out?”

The rainbow shouted, “I don’t understand! What color I am!”

The rainbow decides to ask a bird this time.

“Little bird, what color am I?

The bird says, “Well, you’re a rainbow my dear! You are more than one color!” And then flys away.

And then it hit me. I do not conform to one thing. I am many beautiful things, made up of all sorts of color, like a rainbow!

Here I am searching for my identity, only to realize I’m a little bit of everything!

If you’re struggling with your identity, then you’re probably a rainbow as well my friend.

Which makes us pretty special, don’t you think?

Peace and love ,

Marie

Soften The Heart: Devotional #23

August 28, 2024 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

Psalm 127:4-5

In this scripture we understand the significance of children. It is made clear how much of a gift that they are. Children are the arrows, they are the direction, they are the way. If we pay attention to the children they will lead us to the answers that we seek.

You’ve heard before that, “Children are the future.” Thats because they are THE FUTURE.

To have any children in your life is a blessing. Whether you have children of your own, nieces or nephews, maybe you’re a teacher, counselor, you’ve adopted, etc. “Bless is he whose quiver is full of them.”

(A quiver is a case that holds the arrows of the warrior.)

God has placed the children in your life as a blessing. See them as such.

With this awareness you can become more mindful of your influence around children. With this awareness, you understand that you are the one shaping them. Whether you have given birth to them or not, you are apart of their “maintenance and care”. So that they, like arrows, may be strong and sturdy. That they may hit their intended target.

Born doesn’t just mean to to give birth, it mean’s “to bring forth”. Any children brought to you in your life are a blessing. The scripture tells us this.

This scripture also tells us that we need children as much as they need us. How does a warrior fight without his arrows? How does an arrow fly without its warriors?

We are to be strong warriors with our bows and arrows (patience, calm, precision, is what makes a good archer) and we are to direct them. We are responsible for the accuracy and sharpness.

God has given us the best weapon to defeat the evils of this earth. To restore peace and love. We have been given the gift of children.

God also reminds us that we will struggle inevitably out there on the courts. In life.

However the more arrows that we have in our quiver the better. Which I interpret as the more children you influence in a positive way the more that they will influence others in positive way.

For every hand you touch, you touch every hand they touch as well.

We have great power to influence children and this awareness helps us to be more observant and patient with them. WE are what shape those arrows, WE are the ones that pull the arrows back and release.

Arrows that are shot with no intention can hurt and destroy. It’s important and vital that we understand who we are, that when the time comes to launch our children out into this world, they too will be warriors.

10 Questions About STRESS Answered – Gaining More PEACE In Your Life Gives More PEACE To Others

August 15, 2024 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

First of all I want to acknowledge this awesome photo who I wish I knew who to give the credit to. I love how it depicts stress. We can appear calm but be fuming on the inside where it feels like our heads are actually on fire and we are covered in dark, heavy smoke.

We may be so use to the smoke that it’s just become apart of our day to day life. With this blog I want to extinguish some of that fire and help you to see through the smoke.

Your heads still going to catch on fire from time to time let’s be honest but maybe we can make a fire extinguisher more accessible for you and for others.

10 Questions About STRESS Answered – Gaining More PEACE In Your Life Gives More PEACE To Others

1. First of all what is stress? How is it defined?

Stress is a feeling of emotional strain and pressure. Stress is feeling out of control. Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. It’s feelings of tension.

Stress is your body’s reaction to a change or challenge. Stressors can be positive and negative.

2. How do we react when we are stressed?

There are mental, physical, and behavioral ways of reacting to stress.

Examples of mental could include feeling overwhelmed, loosing your temper, feelings of irritability, thoughts of self harm, racing thoughts, etc.

Examples of physical could include headaches, digestive problems, muscle tension, even your breathing can change.

Examples of behavioral could include jaw clenching, biting your nails, even becoming verbally or physically aggressive.

3. Who gets stressed?

EVERYONE experiences stress. Even babies and children.

4. What are things that cause stress?

An overall answer to which causes stress could be lack of control over a situation.

Common examples could include; life changes, work, family, financial problems, health.

Not so common examples could include; unrealistic expectations and even procrastination.

Most things that cause stress fall under one of those categories above.

5. When do you feel stressed?

When you are under lots of pressure.
When you face big changes in your life.
When you are worried about something.
When you don’t have much or any control over the outcome of a situation.
When you have responsibilities that you find overwhelming.
When you don’t have enough work, activities or change in your life.

6. Does our stress affect the people around you?

The short answer is ABSOLUTELY. There is such a thing called ‘secondhand stress or stress contagion’ if you can believe it!

Stress from others can affect your own stress levels even if there is no direct interaction.

Stress contagion can happen through social and biological mechanisms, such as pheromones, social cues, and emotional expression. For example, people are four times more likely to catch stress from someone they know, such as family, friends, or coworkers.

People that are stressed release a chemical that can be inhaled by those around them, causing these people to become more anxious, as well.

Hello My Readers – I’m Still Here

August 8, 2024 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

Hi my beautiful readers!

I have not posted in awhile and I am so sorry for that! As most of you know I have 4 little ones and they keep me very busy! It’s been hard to get moments to really write or share anything.

I do want to share though that I can be followed on Facebook and instagram where I share things on there as well 🙂 .

Instagram – thewildgems

(On this instagram I share all sorts of things! It’s kind of like an abstract painting lol. There’s a lot going on)

Facebook – the wild gems

On this Facebook page I share videos that I’ve watched that inspired me, quotes, feel good things)

And I did create another instagram very recently where I kind of just share my thoughts under

gemwilde

Looking forward to connecting more! You all mean so much to me! I am grateful to share this journey with you all! I feel truly thankful.

Lots of love,

Marie

Dear Readers, My Birth Mom Passed Away

June 7, 2024 The Wild Gems2 Comments

My birth mom passed away. It’s been a week now. It’s lead to an indescribable type of grief that I feel very alone in if I’m honest. And I feel compelled to just release some of the things that I’m feeling at the moment.

My aunt (my birth mom’s sister) texted me last Wednesday telling me that she had passed. I had never met her. That wasn’t my choice. I’ve been wanting to meet her my whole life and I actually almost did last spring but it just didn’t happen because she had somewhere to be apparently. Who knows what the full truth is. I can feel I’m not being told everything. I know she was mentally unstable. Suffered from schizophrenia. But how she died seems to be unknown. She checked into the hospital for something, was there for a few weeks, and passed “with family by her side”.

I was really upset at first, clearly I still am. My birth mom was in the hospital for a few weeks and my aunt didn’t tell me? The opportunity to meet the woman who birthed me is gone and it breaks my heart.

All of this pain as being an adoptee has resurfaced I don’t even know how to handle it. I just keep crying. I never knew any biological family until I turned 29. I always felt so completely alone growing up.

I haven’t even told my adoptive parents that my birth mom has passed because it’s just going to make them uncomfortable and they’ll probably say I’m sorry and that’s about it.

When I told them I had found biological family on ancestry there was no happiness for me. There was fear. Never have they ever really talked to me about how I felt being adopted. But they didn’t know, I know that. I was just a grateful child who hid the wounds very very well.

Having adopted two children (my niece and nephew on my husband’s side) I will be a different parent. Their wounds will get the oxygen they need. And I will help them find answers.

I’m just sad right now. I’m just really really sad and another adoptee told that I’m experiencing disenfranchised grief. Basically it’s a grief that’s not understood or validated.

It’s lonely. It’s lonely to want to share this with more people in my life but they won’t get it but also I think…I don’t want to share because I’m not ready to fully reveal how much I’ve been holding in and for so long. Plus I can’t talk about this without crying.

I think that’s why I love this blog world so much. I can be so raw and just let it out. And no one close is going to read this because hardly anyone I know reads my stuff, and if they even do they never say anything.

And if you just read this, wow, thank you. Thank you for hearing me for a moment. Thank you for letting me cry and share.

To be a grown up and still this lost at times and here I am raising children…..

How do you guide children when you aren’t even sure of the way,

Ps – I do have a picture now of my birth mom when she was probably about 18. My youngest daughter has her eyes. They’re so beautiful.

Dear Readers, I’m Sorry I Haven’t Posted In Awhile

April 11, 2024 The Wild Gems2 Comments

Good morning my beautiful readers, how are you all doing?

I’m still here, and I am sorry that I have not shared anything in quite some time. To be honest I’ve just been very busy and this blog hasn’t been a priority at the moment.

I have 4 kids in case you didn’t know. An 8 year old, a 7 year old, a 4 year old, and a 1 year old. I’m a busy mama. And no, we didn’t just boom boom and decide to have kids back to back. Two of them are biological and two are adopted.

I know I don’t have to share that at all but I want those who read this to really understand. I like to joke that I got the “have a baby get one free deal” because that’s exactly what happened.

We actually just adopted my son (the one year old) in January. So thankful that that has been finalized.

I like to consider myself an open book so if you ever read any of my posts and would like clarification on anything don’t ever hesitate to ask me. We are friends on here I like to think.

Anyways, I’ve been busy. But it’s been a good busy.

I’m going to make an effort to release all that I’ve been absorbing and share it with you all.

I’m getting back into reading and I’ve already gained so much new insight! I love it!

Thank you my readers for taking the time to read what I share.

There’s something so intimate and comforting about being in the blogging community.

Lots of love, always

– Marie

The Wild Gems

You Can’t Point The Finger Forever

January 24, 2024January 25, 2024 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

At one point or another we’ve all done it. We have avoided responsibility and placed the blame on something. Our parents, our childhood, our lack of not knowing better, our friends, God, that door for being in the way that just stubbed our toe, etc.

It alleviates the guilt or negative feelings that we fill inside….but deep down we all know that choices, decisions, and reactions are our own.

Many of us prefer to play the victim rather than scatter the broken pieces and discover a new creation.

What good does blaming do? Truthfully, is there a positive outcome to making that choice?

Before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean
Bob Marley

He who has not sinned can cast the first stone
Jesus

I love these quotes, both of these shout LOOK AT YOURSELF. And reminds us that we are flawed just like the rest.

You’re not alone.

My kids are at that delightful age where there’s a fair amount of tattling and a great deal of blaming one another.

“Mom, she made me do it!”

“It’s not my fault, it’s theirs.”

“I only did it because she told me to do that.”

*something doesn’t go their way* – “This is YOUR fault!”

And so forth.

This kind of stuff is expected right now. They are kids!

Although,

I do believe there is importance in teaching children accountability, acknowledgement, and acceptance. As we know, you can’t point the finger forever.

There comes a time when each of us have to look at ourselves, reflect on our own choices and decisions and take accountability for our part. Whatever that may be.

I would say a majority of people don’t enjoy doing this. It isn’t a pleasant process. It’s like holding hands with guilt and shame while walking down an empty road. You don’t want to hold their hands but they know where they are going and you don’t.

This is necessary for our own personal growth. Especially if we have a goal to be our very best selves and want to move forward and make improvements in our life.

There are many grown ups out there who still behave like children and are saying exactly what my kids are saying.

“This is all YOUR Fault!”

And guess what the other grown up is saying,

“No, this is your fault!”

Neither grown up wants to take accountability for their part. How will the issue get resolved if someone doesn’t step up?

Again, because it’s hard. Who wants to admit when they are wrong? Be honest.

Let me share something,

when you begin to take accountability for the directions and outcomes in your life, your life changes. Someone may argue, “but I got dealt a bad hand of cards.”

Maybe that person did. There are many lives out there who have truly been dealt a shitty hand of cards. But there are also lives out there that even with their bad cards they played a heck of a game.

Even in poker you can win a game with a bad hand.

Learning to take accountability and learning to acknowledge what is changes your life, and it changes for the better. In doing so you learn to give yourself grace which leads to giving others grace. You learn to forgive yourself which leads to you forgiving others.

Everyone needs grace and forgiveness. If you can learn to give it to yourself, you can learn to give it to others.

We cling to too many pains and aches from the past. They are like anchors that hold us down from exploring.

And then we blame those pains and aches for the outcome of our lives. When all we have to do is release the anchor so we may set sail. We get frustrated at the knot that we tied.

Living a life of pointing the finger will do nothing but poison you. It poisons you to the core.

And if you keep letting your pointer finger poison you, eventually it paralyzes you.

That is not how you want to live your life. Beautiful things await when we acknowledge ourselves, our situations, our reactions, and recognize that we hold in ourselves more power than we know.

You are powerful. You are strong. You have strength inside of you to get you through what you are going through. It’s nobody’s fault.

Pain in our hearts can lead to bad choices. Think about that, and ponder it.

Let’s practice not pointing the finger together.

peace and love

Dear Readers, I’m Grateful For Good Conversation

December 7, 2023January 20, 2024 The Wild Gems2 Comments

I’ve realized that I don’t enjoy surface level conversation. And what I really mean by that is I don’t enjoy gossiping at all. I don’t like listening to people talk about others in a negative way to others.

I was hanging out with some mom friends that I actually met through my daughters. It’s not like we had bad conversation but it would also be like, “how do you feel about this person?….” Or, “what do you think of this person?”

I just couldn’t engage. I feel like I’ve read enough books where you can’t judge people like that. You never know what an individual has gone through or has experienced. It’s not fair. Where’s the empathy?

During this girl time I felt incredibly reserved and wanted to just blurt out, “is anyone reading anything good right now?” But I just listened and observed and recognized.

The kinds of conversations that I enjoy is talking about history or insane memoirs from people you’ve never heard of. I want to talk about things you’ve learned or an experience that changed your life. I want to engage on how to make this world better not degrading another persons way of handling things.

Tell me something funny that made you laugh! Or something that freaks you out! Or can we talk about how this whole earth experience is crazy in itself. Like, isn’t this all so weird? You know what I mean?

But…..

in order to have these types of conversations one has to give themselves permission to be vulnerable and to have a degree of confidence in themselves I feel.

I have had some amazing conversations with other people that I just can’t believe what they have shared with me. And I feel incredibly honored to make a person feel comfortable enough to sharing intimate details of their life with me.

When we let our guard down we help others to do the same. But some people don’t let their guard down because I believe there’s a level of insecurity or fear.

And that’s okay. With time we all evolve.

Thanks for listening :).

Share something with me if you have a moment! Would love to learn about YOU, My dear reader!

– mg

Feng Shui Tip – When You Feel Stuck In Life Move 27 Things

October 19, 2023October 19, 2023 The Wild GemsLeave a comment

simple shui tip: move 27 things!

Full Original Article

Ways To Switch It Up

turn your vertically lined books to horizontal stacks

swap around drawers – linens, silverware, files in the desk

rearrange the kitchen cupboards

switch up the refrigerator shelves

push furniture an inch to the left or right (or completely into another room!)

switch lamps out to different rooms

move the chairs around your table

put everything dropped by the door back in its space

color-code your closet (or bookshelves!)

fold your towels a new way

organize the spice drawer / shelf

hang the dog leash somewhere that reminds you to take her for a walk

shake out the front door mat

edit the book pile by your bed

move your phone charger out of the bedroom

change the bulbs in a light to a brighter watt

flip a table arrangement so everything on the left is now on the right, and the right is now a lefty

move art on the walls around

turn all the shoes in your closet so they face one direction — with the toes facing out

dress the table with a linen-cloth and make mealtime a little more fancy

bring a few candles that normally sit somewhere unlit into a room where you’ll light them

take everything off your desk, wipe it down, and put everything back (ahhh!)

switch out your bed linens or add a different quilt to the foot of the bed

move an entire room around and try it out for a week

move the fridge magnets around

put something different in front of a mirror so that it doubles something new in your life

sharpen your pencils

give the dog bed a hearty shake and fluff / rotate the cat condo

turn the plants around so the other side soaks up the sun

flip the rugs, mattress, or couch cushions!

why 27 items, you ask? the short answer—it’s a shui thing. twenty-seven is [a multiple of] the number 9, the number representing power, manifestation, and completion. bonus: you don’t need to add or buy anything.

@simpleshui

Hey YOU, You’re Beautiful

October 10, 2023 The Wild Gems2 Comments

I don’t need to know you or see you to know that you reading this, dear reader, are beautiful.

Sometimes we need to be reminded how special and unique we are. Allow me to remind you.

You are a once in a lifetime. Shaped and molded in a way that cannot be duplicated. A rare commodity.

You aren’t perfect my friend, and guess what, nobody is. Each of us is flawed in our own way. But isn’t is wonderful?

How boring it would be if we were all the same and shared all the same experiences. It’s our differences that bring color and vibrancy to this world and universe. It’s the differences that help us to grow and grant us permission to see through the many different filters of life.

Celebrate those “imperfections”. Learn to love yourself. Learn to see yourself. You are worthy of your own love. Love yourself. You are loved.

There is no need to seek approval from the outside. When unkindness greets in those unexpected moments you shake it off immediately and most definitely don’t take it personally.

But again, I don’t need to know you or see to know that you are beautiful. You are. You are a miracle. You are here, you are alive. You’re doing it.

You’re a gift, you know that right? You truly are. You have purpose. You have value. You have magic flowing in you. There is so much light in you, even if right now the clouds are blocking the view. It’s there glowing brightly.

You are beautiful.