A PROCESS

 

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing  and right doing,
there is a field.  I’ll meet you there.
-Jelaluddin Rumi, 13 th century

Every day is a process.  Sunny today.

Visited  Gundy and Cathy is coming over this afternoon.

Religion is a process.

It may have been that early in our evolution we human beings were smarter than we are now because they believed
that there existence was at the mercy of forces beyond their control.  They felt that these forces had to be appeased by sacrifices.

They began to believe that there were people who should be in charge of these sacrifices.  This began the priestly and prophetic roles and then the temple became the sacred place.

Today there is still some who feel that there is the sacred and that there is the ordinary.  There is your home and there is God's house which is the church.

The temple was important because it points to a sacred and holy reality;  an unseen dimension.

This is part of a process to remind us of the spiritual value of our lives.  I am thankful that church for me has been a meaningful and joyous experience where I have met so many good friends.

I am thankful to be Me!

DARKNESS TO LIGHT

Beautiful sunrise!. Dark and cold. ,.

Maybe it is just January blues and I am thankful for every moment of more daylight.

Darkness can be enriching.
Nurturing,
Comforting,
Sheltering.
Restful,
Restorative,
Tender,
Soft and gentle,
Quiet,
Transforming,
In the darkness the stars shine their brightest to give us light..

I do love the different seasons and am so thankful each day there is a little more light.

Dad came home and did the vacuuming and I went to the Senor's home so happy to bring them some happiness.  Jim is so grateful now so that has been a big change.

My bad mood has passed, as all things do!

"Recovery is a process-no matter what it is you are overcoming.  Do not compare your recovery progress with others.  Remember each of us heals physically and mentally, and emotionally at a different pace.  At a pace that is right for us."  -  Demi Lovat

DUSTY

Dusting off the old Bible I settle down to do my lesson on a cold frosty Wed. morning.  Yes it has gotten dusty over the busy holiday season when I was busy coughing and sneezing and wanted easy reading when I felt like reading.

 I would take a picture of the sun rise but my camera has disappeared now.  It was a glorious sunrise full of bight colors and I only see a tiny bit of it from our house.

It is hard making sense of my lesson until I really put my mind to it.

"Just as rain water comes down in drops and forms rivers, so with scripture one studies a bit today and some more to-morrow, until in time the understanding becomes like a flowing stream."  -Song of songs Midrash Rabbah 28

Modern technology have given us new tools and new information to use as tools to help  us study the Bible.  (I think probably written by too many male brains.)   I had a friend pick me up so that dad could use the car planning to go to Costco.  We had an unexpected visit from our friends Pat and John haven just been to the dentist so not happy about the expense and still having pain after a root canel.

Getting to my study turned into a problem as I had told my friend the wrong address.  I come home realizing I need to do some brain work.  Taking a minute to focus first on how I am feeling in the moment.  Take several breaths and relax and let go of all worries.  Rest and relax in this growing peace.  Bring into your mind the things you are thankful for and what makes you happy.

Let yourself  feel appreciated, liked and loved.  With peace and contentment and love woven into your mind there comes renewed energy.  One of the reason there can be a problem with religion is there is a feeling of rigidity.  A simple few moments of allowing yourself to feel good about yourself and about your life can be very healing.

We had a hilarious meeting as usual although some liked the lesson while others disagreed with a lot of things.  I wonder if we will ever get to meet Paul, a product o his time and culture who felt the end of all things could be soon.

Meanwhile centuries have passed. 

Today I will be visiting Jim and a few others at the Home.  Thursday seems to come around so quickly!

TEEN-AGE GRAMMY

I think this is my least favorite time of the year.

The house looks bare and needs re-arranging and tuning up.

The garden looks very ugly and bare also.  I went out and did a bit of mucking about but it still feels chilly and some of it is just too hard.  I will be asking for help.  It is so easy for me to lose my balance now.

I am very thankful for your  comments that lift my spirits.    Yesterday I started cleaning out cupboards with a ruthless intention looking for dad's expensive camera, and finally get a big black bag filled and ready  to put it into the car and the whole both falls out.  The good news is that dad had left the camera at Carol's house.

Dad had a good bike ride and met Carol for coffee.

I listened to the program on the teen-age brain and boy it sounds just like mine.  I do things impulsively without thinking.  I have poor judgment and risk control.  I climb on chairs to stretch and stretch to reach things.  I pick up objects far to heavy for me and wonder why my back aches.  I am sure my wires have lost a lot of their insulation and my synapse are not well connected to the frontal lobes.  I am easily confused and find impulses hard to control.  I am addicted to sugar and have to have some every day.  I do try to eat good things but today I have eaten a lot of cookies (I made) which is not good for me.  Today will be a better day.  Off to Bible study.  Should be funny we are taking about sex as Paul thought it should be.


I am thankful I do have a female brain.  The best kind!

Our good friend Vera has fractured her pelvis and is now in a wheel-chair but fortunately they were in a nice Senor's home where meals are provided.  I wonder is she is getting any nursing care as Leah is still working part time.  There were plans for a birthday party for her today as she has just turned 90.

I will now use mind over matter and collect a few bonks to( I think that was suppose to be books)to take over to Vera.  That dad and I did and she is in good spirits and not too much pain.  She had a nasty fall.

Laughter and smiles are essential spiritual factors in a joyous life!! 

Laughter chases the darkness away and allows sunlight to fill your heart.  -Maya Angelou

CLUELESS

Dad and I were so pleased to open your Christmas card with the special picture of the children and your kind and warm words Melina and Ken.  Your children are growing so quickly and look so bright and beautiful.  Yes, we look forward to seeing you all soon.  We do miss you.  Many fun and wonderful years ahead for you all!

Nature is amazing telling us how old a tree is when it has been chopped down.  Slowing down helps me look for clues in nature and I am seeing signs of new life already.  I somehow believes that if we slow down our soul will also capture pictures that are clues that what is happening in our lives right now.  I feel pretty clueless about a lot of things.
 

When I started writing I had a clue of something I was going to say but now I have forgotten it all.
Dad and I went to a huge very cold warehouse to look for rugs which there were plenty.  I felt clueless about choosing.  The one for Haiti in the family room is a good choice as it is small and a good color that won’t show too much dirt or dog hairs I hope.

The one for the living room I think will be okay but will try it out to-morrow.  They were dirt cheap so no big deal if they do not last a life time.

I was suppose to be at the dentist Monday too but since I still have a slight cough I postponed it until next month.  The cost is unreal isn’t it?

What ever it is we are searching for we have to start somewhere.  All of life matters, all work is important and especially every person we encounter is worthy of our time and energy.  I find the clues for these thoughts in the words and actions of Jesus.  He reminds us that the ordinary has meaning and significance that has deep spiritual roots.  Problems that seem very tough right now will eventually be solved!  Sometimes we do not see it at the time.

SPONTANEOUS

It was fun to have a visit from Sandra and Randy.  I suggested taking their pictures and they were out the door as fast as they could run.  No good bye hugs or anything.  But I got them anyway.  Ha ha.


It is always good to see them and they were on a mission  to drop a carpet off for Kim’s future home.  When she grows up she will have a place of her own but for right now she is a great blessing to us all.

Anyway it was a good time to take a break rom her studying.

Dad and I managed to get to church I felt bad because we were late again.  I would sit at the back but he marches right to the front where he prefers to sit.

There is time in our service when we can say a prayer or say what we are thankful for.

I felt this spontaneous urge to stand up and say how thankful I am for the children who come every Sunday and to thank their parents who make the effort to bring them.  They are all so special.   Another lady came over after and said how touched she was and how she had wanted to say the same thing.  Meanwhile the children who had gone to Sunday school made special cards saying they were glad that we had come and hoped that we had experienced God's love.  I was given one.

After all we are on a journey together and the children are the hope of our future!

 

Sometimes it is good to do something spontaneous!  I had felt the urge that it was important to say something.  Each of us have special gifts and sometimes the time to speak can move by so quickly like a fast moving cloud, if you stop and think too hard.

Have a fun spontaneous day today!

ALONE

• 

It is strange how when I get up early in the morning and sit in the family room, although it is dark and quiet, I do not feel alone.
It is like all the happy moments from the day before whether it was just dad and me, or maybe Kim or other family members I do not feel alone.  But in the same room at night waiting for others to return home the room seems too empty and I feel alone.
I think this is the way with God that at times it feels like a comforting presence is right with me and at other times I feel alone.  Faith and doubt can share the room of my heart!

We share the happy news about Ben and his success with his soccer and the promise of even
 greater things.
These are some of Kim’s cartoons.  Great fun!

Yes that is me. 

Theresa tells us about her work with the special needs children at school.  She is awesome!  Now she will be an even busier soccer mom.

A rare moment when Morgan looks quiet and serious.  She is taking up yoga now and wants to do gymnastics too.  She will be excellent at both.  Kim does yoga at school too. 

Kim and her art work!