COBWEBS

The sidewalk is over flowing with children chatting and laughing as they return to school.

Time for me to get the old cook books out and try to be inspired.  Kim is happy to be cooking again and full of new ideas of her own.

There are cobwebs starting to decorate my walls and ceilings.  Those tiny spiders are such hard workers.

I feel like my brain is full of cobwebs too and I need to be challenged to start learning and trying to explore the mysteries of life.

There is a poem about if I had my life to live over again I would laugh at my silly mistakes and take more chances and climb a mountain or two and especially eat more ice cream.  Definitely I would worry less and laugh more!

I would realize that we can never really know how another feels but I can be less critical and more understanding.  Yes, it is treating others like I want to be treated.

Friday is the day for the memorial service for Jane and Geof's daughter.  A celebration of life!

Our prayers are with them all.  Thankful Samantha is at peace.

Allow the comfort of angel's wings wrap you in heavenly peace.

HEARTBEAT

We take the slower road home to enjoy the green fields and rustic barns. 

This is all very lovely but I start to worry about the crock-pot I left on high.  Of course we had stayed much longer than anticipated, so much to catch up on.  What a surprise to find their grand daughter had been playing in the same tournament as Ben and she is a goalie too.  We will be on the look out for them another time.

All was well when we arrived home as Kim was already home and had made a salad  for us to go with our borscht. Bowls were ready for us on the table.  So great to have Kim and Haiti back with us.

 Thursday is suppose to be very warm again.  I will go visiting and maybe try driving.

Desmond Tutu writes about prayer being the heartbeat of faith.  A quiet silent prayer brings a new presence into my morning room.  I welcome the spiritual energy this love brings.  Later I will go out walking and continue praying for friends and family.

I am finding more and more how important a sense of balance is when I am walking,
 without it I would crash into people I pass as I go walking.

I am not jumping out of bed like I used to do with an awareness that the day may hold some surprises for me.  Right now I am seeing the trees with all their leaves but soon the structure of the tree will be exposed.  Life seems to give us moments of beauty but then there will also be moments of stark reality.  We need both.

SIZE

I love this time of year with all the fall colours

 and warm sunny afternoons.  Ahead of us the weather is unknown and can even be stormy.  Winds  blowing nature's finery to be fall from the branches and walked upon and to be racked into piles to be jumped upon.                  Yesterday dad and I went to Value Village a huge barn like  kind of a building with rows and rows of clothes and shoes and household items etc. wait to be looked through.  The amazing thing is that there are some really good expensive items hanging there in the midst of junk and more junk.  Dad picked up two excellent jackets good to wear on his bike in the cold and wet weather.  He did not do so well with pants they were short and skinny and then far to long and fat.

 

I did no better either I picked blouses that were too tiny or large enough to be a tent.  We can take them back.  We both get tired very quickly and usually it takes time to find the good stuff.  There are not many things in life were one size fits all.

 

I do not think that science can prove or disprove the existence of God.

There is a searching for most of us to find the right "size" of religion that suits us.

Surely the first scientist was God who created such a variety of creatures and plants etc.

 

For me I do not need to defend Genesis as literal but I am attracted to the notion of an intelligent being involved in evolution!

 

We need science to help us discover answers to all the problems we face each day.

 

I need faith to guide me in making choices about what to do with my life and to strengthen me and give me a wider perspective on things. 

 

Our lives count more than we know!

 

One size faith does not fit all!

 

Went for a short walk, made some borscht and visited some old friends, Dorena and Nick.

 

 

 

COMMUNITY

"Healing is impossible in loneliness; it is the opposite of loneliness.

Conviviality is healing.

To be healed we must come with all the other creatures to the feast of Creation" -W.Berry

A community does not have to be large but a group of two or three works.  As Jesus said he would be there.

I have had a sense of community caring when some one carries my groceries home for me,
When a friend going the different way turns around and walks me home,
when a hand reaches out to me when I take a tumble at the soccer field and fell backward and landed a little shaken but not hurt.

Sitting with family and other team parents we cheer on the soccer game.

I have missed going to church but I know that there has been a community of prayer, a network of committed prayer warriors with me so I am not alone.

"The Creating Spirit takes in all life and offers back new life."  -church bulletin

I managed to make it to coyote creek done to where the leaves are changing color.  Yes, it looks and feels like autumn.

I am walking alone but do not feel a lonely.

Every step I take requires concentration and care.

"We create our own loneliness from our fears." - church bulletin

A compassionate community big or small gives the gift of healing.

And good fruit and veggies from Donna and Ron's garden over on Salt Spring.

Dad went for a bike ride before we went shopping and out to lunch.

AUTHENTIC

Still a few flowers surviving the dry spell but now refreshed with the rainfall and morning dew.

Discovering and being authentic about ourselves is a process of being committed to our everyday experiences and being aware of what we do to please others and taking away from our own uniqueness.

I take time to experience what beings me joy.

"Since the beginning of time until the end of time there will never be another me."  This helps me to be free of what I feel I should do and enjoy what I can do.

Can I see myself as some one that transcends their own circumstances?  I  know of many who have felt the pain of sadness but also felt it melt away and become acceptance and peace.

Both dad and I feel that our lives have been full and I pray for myself that I will be authentic, which includes my feelings of misery as well as completeness.

Love never fails.

-No nothing can separate us from this love, neither life or death.  Romans 8:38

Proud Auntie Kim and Gramma  Carol watching!

SUNNY DAY!

So thankful for another sunny day for the soccer game at 2:30.

I am thinking that laughter should be the armour all of us can wear
to overcome the stresses of life.

I am reading Paul's letter to the Philippians because of it's remarkable theme of pure joy!  The Christians Paul was writing to were suffering very difficult times and yet they were encouraged by him to have joy in their faith.

He stresses that their joy in their faith would "make his joy complete."  Phil. I;25

Dad and I were looking for to another soccer match.  The team they played were very good offensively and Ben saved many, many shots on the goal and even rushing out to catch the ball as they were advancing.

Sadly Ben hurt his groin I believe when he kicked the ball hard after saving the goal.  It was so difficult to be there watching while he is lying on the ground.  He did continue to play but a team mate kicked the ball for him.  We could tell he was hurting and eventually with perseverance the team scored 2 goals.  It was a well played game and they all tried so hard!

As we were watching Morgan came up to us crying as she was stung by a wasp.  Boy that hurts.

Loss is always hard to bear but a new day brings joy and hopefully a week of healing for Ben and Mikey.

DRIFTING ALONG

The athletic park where Ben is playing is an amazing place.  The fields are all so well kept and there are play area's for younger children to play on slides and swings etc.  Seeing all these young athletes makes me feel so happy just to be able to be there.

Dad and I came home and spent a lot of time on the computer looking at old photo's.  I would find a nice picture of us and he would think he did not look so good or he found one and I thought I look silly. 

We put some on face book of Ben  but they disappeared.  I will have Kim help me to do  it when she is around.

Monday I guess Sandra will be back on the road after a fantastic time at Christina Lake. 

Kim and  Theresa and Morgan will be here to join in the final games or game I am not sure which.  There certainly is some stiff competition and it is so heart-warming to see Ben's team have great sportsmanship, that is so important.

We are connected in some spiritual sense with those we are with.  We cannot control life but we can try to make life better for those who need a helping hand.  I have been so blessed by all who have helped and encouraged me.

I am not much good at planning things, but leave it to the younger ones, while I tend to just drift along.  The game is at 2 so that gives me time to go for a walk and maybe take pictures of the leaves staring to change. 

The time flies by very fast.  Ben's team are playing the top team who were one point ahead of them.  Good luck Greens!