“We see the world, not as it is, but as we are──or, as we are conditioned to see it.” -Stephen R. Covey

Glass half full? Or glass half empty? Which is it? “We see the world…as we are conditioned to see it”, wrote Stephen R. Covey author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. The way we see things has been conditioned, or ingrained in us, from early on. By our surroundings, our upbringing, the good and the bad things that have happened to us in life, we have based our worldview and our view of God. Looking for the #straygifts in a day is becoming a habit. I am on the lookout for something new or something I had not noticed the day before. My son will text me photos of something he saw to add to my growing collection of stray gifts. I am looking for ways to “fill the glass” thus conditioning myself to seek the good, the blessing, the beauty; to look beyond the circumstances of the day. It inspires me to live in this moment of time.

Here is this week’s stray gifts collection:

 (top left) I haven’t seen roses on my front yard bushes in awhile.

(top right) Rainbows in the desert…a rare thing indeed.

(bottom left) I wonder what this flower will look like once it blooms. I believe this came from a wildflower seed packet. A friend on Facebook thinks it looks like a sunflower. Another said maybe Bells of Ireland. I am watching it daily to see what it is.

(bottom small photo right) Pretty 4’oclock flowers in the desert heat. A friend commented on this photo on my A Record of Graces page, “When I was growing up (in Kansas) we had a big garden. At the end of the garden nearest the kitchen window, my mother had planted 4 o’clock’s. When they bloomed in the summer, I was fascinated by them, and always asked her how they knew when it was 4:00. She would just say, God tells them! Thanks for reminding me of this memory, which is truly, “a stray gift”.” I loved that she shared that sweet memory.

(larger photo of tree and sky) A walk in the park, the scent of pine on the breeze, the sound of church bells ringing in the distance. We had a guest with us last week and we took him on a tour of El Paso. Up on the mountain, there is a cute little park with a great view. The breeze was just right that day and with the pine scent, the Texas blue sky, and the church bells, all the senses were aware of what a beautiful day it was.

(larger photo of morning glories) These flowers are gorgeous! I have strategically planted these where we can see them out of one of the kitchen windows. We have quite a few morning glory vines growing so you may see them in more #straygifts posts. They climb up and over anything in their path and we are fascinated by each and every bloom.