Celebrate Life!

 Celebrate Life--


I love life!

There is so much to celebrate each day.  Let's examine that a bit.

If we are fortunate to wake up each morning, that is reason to celebrate.  If we have a person who loves us, that is more than enough reason to celebrate.

Waking up to another day is a blessing. When the eyes open to that new day, there is a promise of life yet to live.  We get one more chance to do it right.   One more opportunity to right wrongs, to fight for values we hold dear, to love fully.  One more twenty-four hour period of time to fill with whatever we desire.  Isn't that a wonderful gift?

Having love in our lives is also reason to celebrate.  Love comes from many places.  It can come from family, friends, neighbors, spouses.  It is the glue that holds us together.  Fortunate are those of us who are surrounded with loving people.  Love is much more than a sentiment.  It is a commitment to stick it out when the going gets a bit rough.  It reminds us to look beyond the immediate moment.  Life changes.  People change.  Love remains even though it might get stretched at bit.  Yes, having a person/people who love us is a joy.

Loving others is another reason to celebrate each day.  What would life be like without others who enrich our lives?  While it is true that sometimes love for others dampens over time, it is also true that parts of it remain forever in our souls.  We are the sum total of all the people we have loved.  Each brings something to us that is unique.  When someone I love comes into view, my heart sings.  I am happy to spend time with them.  I look forward to their laughter.  I want to share their joys and challenges.  Loving others is a gift I give to myself.

When I was much younger and heard adults say health was all you really need, I thought they were senile.  Well, they were right.  Being healthy is reason to celebrate life.  It is possible we take our health for granted.  We forget to eat correctly, to exercise, to sleep enough.  And then we pay the price for our forgetfulness.  Getting back on track is the key.  All of us will experience illness.  That is the way of life.  But, we can help ourselves.  Each day we do the right things for ourselves, that is the day we must celebrate.

Feeling that we are valued is reason to celebrate.  Imagine if no one cared.  Imagine if no one ever expressed appreciation for our gifts and talents.   Being valued provides us with the desire to continue.  When someone expresses appreciation to me, I feel a little lighter.  My attitude is more positive.  I truly believe that I can do that next thing that is waiting out there for me.  Value added--we see that phrase in advertisements.  Those people who write those slogans know human nature very well.  They are right.

The ability to think and make decisions is another reason to celebrate.  Many have crossed that line where decision making is no longer part of their options.  We may all get to that place one day, but until we do, let's celebrate our minds.   We are told it may be possible to delay that by exercising our minds.  If that is the case, let's get with the program!  Let's stay mind healthy as long as possible.  I celebrate each day that I am able to make decisions.  Not ready for the rocking chair at the home yet!:)

On a lighter note--I celebrate the woman who cuts my hair!  Years ago when we were new to this area, I visited a hair salon for a hair cut.  The woman asked how I wanted it cut.  I told her to trim it a bit.  I also told her that it was very easy to cut too much.  She nodded as if she understood.  After a bit of cutting, I mentioned that she might be getting it a bit too short.  She replied that she had it under control.  And that frightened me!  When the hair cut was over, I was stunned to find a head with very little hair.  It was absolutely terrible.  So bad that I bought a short wig and wore it everyday until my own hair grew back.  Bet some of you have had similar experiences.  I celebrate my hairdresser who listens and cuts carefully.  Finding her was like Christmas.

There is so much to celebrate--children, grandchildren, home, jobs, nature, sunny days, rainy days.  Friendships that go on and on.  Special places that hold sweet memories.  The list is truly endless.  I suppose the point of this blog is to remind you and me that it is easy to forget to celebrate the ordinary in life.  It could be that we wait for the big to happen and forget to cherish the day to day stuff of life.  Yet, we live in that day to day place.  Hmmmmmmmm--something to mull over in our minds.

I celebrate each of you who read my blogs.  While I may not know who you are, I am aware that you are out there.  You occupy this planet with me.  We breathe the same air.  Walk the same earth.  We love and care.  We are so much more alike than we are different.  Yes, we are.

A thought for this week--find one thing to celebrate.  It could be a person.  It could be a place.  Whatever it is for you, let it know.  Tell a person.  Enjoy a place.  Allow your heart to sing.  As the song says--

"Celebrate good times, come on!"

Thinking About Prayer

Thinking About Prayer--


In my book study group this morning we talked about prayer.  It was a lively discussion as everyone had thoughts about what prayer is and how to do it.   Is it an activity that requires a special place?  Can it happen anywhere?  Do we need special objects to put us in the mind set for prayer?

Listening to others share their experiences with prayer is helpful. But it is secondary.  For prayer to mean something, it must be primary.  All the books and lectures, the tapes and videos are only a substitute for the real thing.  Each describes a way to reach the Spirit.  Steps to take in that endeavor may also be given.  Yet, prayer remains elusive to me.  I wonder if learning to meditate would help in my search for prayer.  Maybe prayer by its nature is a bit void of a definition.  What is prayer for me may not be for another person.

I walked a labyrinth once.  An interesting thing happened.  As I was walking the designated path, I began to feel something.  A closeness to whatever I was seeking.  It took me by surprise.  It was a spiritual experience.  I left that place knowing something I had not known when I walked through the door.  For me that was an experience in prayer.  It was alive.  It came at a time when I was able to quiet my mind for just a bit.  It was peaceful and emotional.

Back to the steps that some books list as ways to pray.  Does God wish a formula or an open spirit?  Am I saying a formula is wrong?  No, but for me the formula would get in the way. I would try to figure out if I were on step one or three and what happened to step two.  For some a formula maybe the very thing to move them into a peaceful place.  We are all different in our search for God.  Whatever gets us there, great.

Prayer is communication.  There is a time to speak and a time to listen.  Listening means we must be quiet.  Oh--that can be so difficult.  That also means waiting.  In our world we can have almost anything we desire very quickly.  Why in the world should I be expected to wait when I do pray?  Maybe because some things simply take time.  When I am listening to someone express their thoughts, it takes time for me to assimilate what they are saying.  I may need to think about what they shared to grasp exactly the meaning in their words.  There might be a need that I overlooked because I was in a hurry to respond.  The waiting can be a very good thing.  But difficult.

Like Mother Teresa, I don't feel God all the time.  Or some of the time.  Or most of the time.  Or do I?  When others have a need that I can fill, is that a God thing?  When an idea pops into my mind from nowhere and leads me in a new direction, is that an answered prayer?  Is stepping into a situation outside my experience a push from God to move beyond what I know?  When my spirit is moved by another person, is that God showing me grace?  Teaching me?

Prayer needs to be simple for me.  It needs very little.  God and me.  No set words, no objects, no special time or place--even though I certainly love the mountains and Northwest coastline!   It happens in my car, in my home, in the mall, in the grocery store, in church.  For me it is a constant.  Something available whenever I call for it.  It is my friend.

I don't usually write about such personal things.  But, today seemed like a good day to write about prayer, and what it is for me.  As I shared earlier in this blog, each person finds their own way to prayer.  And that is as it should be.

Thank you for reading.

Home

 Home--


For the first time roses are blooming in our plant beds.  We have tried many times to have roses, but they always died.  This year they wintered over.    Red, yellow and pink buds are bursting forth into wonderful blooms.  We didn't have to prune them as the deer did that for us.   A few are pruned very close to the ground but are putting out leaves so blooms are certain to arrive.  As I am writing this, a deer walked across the yard.  Gotta go run it off.

Our vegetable garden has suffered with all the rain.  Okra has been planted twice and will be planted again.  Onions are ready to pull.  Strawberries have a few flowers with the promise of berries.  The row of beans has healthy vines, however the peppers are not doing well.  A few squash vines are filling out as are the pumpkin vines.  Berries are climbing on the fence. Last summer my husband made freezer jam with those berries.  Lovely.  We love fresh veggies from the garden.

The apple tree is loaded.  The cherry trees have cherries for the first time.  Birds and squirrels will take those before we have the opportunity to pick them.  Guess sharing with nature is not a bad thing.

We don't plant corn anymore.  Raccoon love corn.  We buy it from a neighbor fresh from the field.

Thirty-four years ago we moved to this property.  It was a blank canvas.  Over the years we have removed grass and added plants, shrubs and trees.  I think we might have reached the end of the major landscaping.  We find ourselves enjoying time on the decks or walking around the gardens.  Yes, I do tend to visit with my plants.  I thank them for giving so much beauty to the place.

We love our home.  It is not new.  It is not big.   But, it is very special.  We have given hours and hours to improving it.  People tell us how welcoming it is.  They speak about its charm.  That pleases us.  It is important for others to feel welcome in our home.

If you are in our neighborhood, stop in.  We would love to sit and visit with you.

Thoughts--The Big Dipper

Thoughts--The Big Dipper


Morning arrives, and the race is on.   Get dressed, have a little something to eat, make that all important list of activities to be accomplished, answer a few emails, send a few texts, visit with a friend on the cell,  run errands.  Maybe find a few minutes for a cup of coffee or a coke.  Days are full.  There are only so many hours of sunlight.  Get to it!

Then night arrives.  All the hustle and bustle of the day slows to a snail's pace.  The world is much quieter.  A calm eventually settles over our space.  The mind and body remind us that it  is time to refresh.  Time to get that much needed sleep that will prepare us for the next day when morning arrives.

Recently I was outside late at night enjoying the peace and calm.  No pesky insects because it was a lovely cool evening.  The stars were so brilliant.  I felt I could almost gather them into my hands.  The perfect moment.  Presenting itself for observation was the Big Dipper.  Isn't it an amazing sight in the night sky?

While I was enjoying the view, thoughts came crashing into my head.  Now--I did not intend for that to happen.  I only wanted to be quiet.  But, the thoughts would not be denied.  Isn't it strange how thoughts come at the most inopportune  times?  Like when we think we are asleep or driving down the road.  Or when we are trying to simply enjoy the moment.

The Big Dipper is tipped toward earth.  I thought about what the world would be like if inside the Dipper were things like kindness, love, peace, gentleness, graciousness, forgiveness.  Since the Dipper is visible all over the earth, what if kindness poured from it on all the people of the earth.  What if peace gently floated down upon us all.  What if forgiveness came to rest on all earth people.  What if love replaced fear.  What if each month the Big Dipper gave us just what we earth people need to live in peace on this wonderful planet.  Twelve months of positive to replace the negative we so often live with.   It might look like silvery threads falling from the heavens to the earth. Shimmering in a very excited manner knowing it was bringing only good to everyone.  No one left out.  Everyone included in the wonderful gifts that make us all so much better at being human.

On any given day I would certainly welcome a little more kindness in my life.  A more gracious spirit.  Maybe if I believe strongly enough, it will actually happen--the Big Dipper will truly send those qualities I need into my life.  How magnificent.  Perhaps I will stand outside under the Dipper with arms outstretched anticipating whatever is offered knowing that whatever comes will make me a better person.  I love that thought.

When you have a moment, look up into the night sky.  You maybe inspired to think new thoughts that could change you and the world around you.  Perhaps it has been too long since you took the time to appreciate the beauty of the night.  There is magic in the night.  I hope you feel it, too.

Happy Gazing!

Seeing with the Heart

Seeing with the Heart--


I don't remember where I read this story.  I want to share it with you.

Two men shared a hospital room.  As with all hospital rooms, one bed is located close to the window and the other close to the door.  There is the usual curtain that separates the beds to allow for a bit of privacy.

One day the man in the bed by the door asked the man by the window to tell him what he saw when he looked out the window.  There was a bit of hostility in his voice as he desired that bed by the window for himself.

His room mate began to share in detail what he saw out the window.  He told about the flowers that were in full bloom.  Reds, yellows, oranges, pinks, purples all were blooming their little hearts out.  He said the flower beds lined the sidewalk that wound its way to the front door of the hospital.

He shared about the fountain that was centered in the front of the hospital.  The fountain had a short ledge around it.  People were sitting on the ledge drinking coffee and talking.  Water from the fountain spilled over into a small basin.  There were a few children who were dangling their feet into the water.

People were making their way to the door.  Some were in hospital garb.  Others were in professional clothes.  Still others were there to visit family and friends who might be patients.  He described a young couple pushing a child in a stroller.  They were taking such good care of their child.  It was obvious to him how much they loved one another.

The sky that day was a beautiful shade of blue.  A few clouds were slowly making their way across the sky.  He said the clouds would soon be out of his vision.  He also spoke about the vines that climbed on the hospital walls.  He said they were so green and vibrant.  They gave the hospital the look of grace.

The man in the bed by the door listened intently.  He was trying to see what the man by the window was sharing.  He had been in the hospital quite awhile and was so lonely.  No one had been to see him.

Night fell.  Lights were turned out so that patients could sleep.  When morning arrived, the man by the door was shocked to see that his room mate had died during the night.  He was devastated.  While they had not known one another well, they had shared a bit of their life.  He felt such a sense of loss.

The hospital workers came to place clean linens on the bed and get it ready for the next patient.  And then the thought--maybe he could move to the bed by the window.  He could look out and see all the things he had been told about.  He requested to be moved.  The request was granted.

All settled into his new spot, he turned toward the window.   What he saw stunned him.  There were no flowers, shrubs, sidewalks, fountains, people.  There was a blank brick wall.  That was all.

What does this story say to you?

#48

#48--

Forty-eight years ago today I married the guy on a neighboring farm.   We were friends throughout our elementary and high school years.  However, we didn't date until I was teaching, and he was completing his degree.

We both knew our friendship was long term.  When we were growing up, we picked on one another all the time.  It was fun to dump all his pennies and run like heck to my house.  Fun until he caught me, dragged me back and made me pick them all up.  All the time his mother was watching and laughing.   His dad told me that he always knew we would end up together.

Forty-eight years is a long time to do anything.  In those years we have lived in many places and met many people.  We have gone through difficult times and extremely happy times.  We have experienced births, deaths, illness.   We have enjoyed times with friends and family.   Looking back I can honestly say it has been wonderful.

If I am honest, I must include that there have been some hard moments.  That happens in all relationships.  We have disagreed on many things.  Sometimes we were able to compromise.  Other times we were not.  Unkind words have been spoken within the walls of our house.  But, we are quick to apologize and move on.  We have shared common goals.  I think that is such an important part of lasting relationships.  That doesn't mean that we are together all the time, or that we  have the exact same interests.  We don't.  It means we respect that each of us has certain activities we enjoy.  We know it is healthy for each of us to pursue our own interests.  But, on the big decisions of life, we are partners.

I cannot remember a time I didn't know him.  I have watched him grow from a boy into a young man.  And now into the "more mature years" of our life.  I have loved him every step of that journey.

What makes a strong marriage?  I have no definition.  It depends on each couple, and their goals for life.  Communication certainly plays a huge role in a lasting relationship of any type.  Maybe more so in a marriage.  There is no place to run to when things get tough.  You have to stay and work through the conflict or differences.

Besides communication, showing affection ranks right up there.  In the day-to-day of life, it can become easy to forget to give a hug or a kiss.  A certain look.  Life wears people down.  That partner in life should be our strength.  The one place we feel safe and loved.

Enough about our life.  I wish for each of you lasting relationships.  Ones that grow and change over time yet never lose the magic that was there at the beginning.  We have held on to the magic.  Sometimes it gets a bit tarnished.  When that happens, we take it off the shelf, polish it and start over.

Happy anniversary to each of you when that day comes around.

The Unexpected Question

The Unexpected Question--


"I have a question to ask you," she said.

It was a summer day.  Following me into my driveway was a car I did not recognize.  When the car door opened,  it was one of my former students.  Teachers don't like to admit that some students hold a special place in their heart.  That would appear to be playing favorites.  However, I had always felt a bond with this young woman.

We sat in my family room and chatted about what was happening with her and her former classmates.  I knew she had a secret, but that secret was hers to share.  I would not ask about it unless she opened the conversation.  Eventually, she asked if I knew.  Yes, I did know.  At that point the conversation shifted to more woman to woman things than to teacher/student things.  We visited about how things would change.  She was pregnant.

After talking about how the pregnancy was going, she said she had come to ask me a question.  I honestly had no idea what was about to fill the space around my ears.  It was evident she had given this question much thought.  Would I be her birth partner?

Ok--she had been in my English classes in junior high and in chorus.  She had been a performer in a few musicals.  But, we had never talked about serious things with the exception of a short story or novel.  And now she was asking me to perform a service that went way beyond my experience.  To say I was surprised would be a gross understatement.

As I sat on the sofa facing her, my thoughts were whirling in my head.   I had a few questions to ask her before I answered.  How about a close friend?  Or her mother? or a relative?  No, she had made the decision that I would do the best job of coaching her through the birth.

What could I say?  I said I was honored that she had thought about me.  Yes, I would do that for/with her.  But, if someone else came to her mind or she changed her mind, that was perfectly ok with me.  We agreed.  We would take the Lamaze classes.  She would let me know when they started.

When she drove away, I was well aware that she had ticked off one important item on her list of things to get done.  This precious young woman was about to embark on a new journey that would change her life forever.  And I was allowed to be a small part of that change.  Was I frightened?  You bet.   What if I did something wrong?  What if I fainted?  What if I got scared? What if.......

We did go to classes and learned the breathing techniques.  I had had a natural childbirth and had attended the classes so there was a little knowledge about what to expect.  She did really well at the classes.

The call--come now.  Off to the hospital at break neck speed.  I am not sure why we do this.  Usually it takes a long time for a baby to pop into the world.   There she was.  Hooked up to the machine that would monitor her contractions.  She was on a journey.

Together we worked that breathing.  And then it was time for the baby to arrive.  I coached her through the entire process.  We worked like a team who had been doing this for years.  A beautiful little girl came screaming into the world and into her mother's arms.  Did I say we all cried?  I think I cried more from relief that I had not messed this whole thing up!

After it was finished, I gathered myself to leave.  A birthing nurse approached me with another question.  By this time questions had begun to scare me.  She said I had done the best job of coaching she had ever seen.  Would I be interested in doing that for other women?  Would I become a birth coach?  Without any hesitation, I responded.  No.  I had agreed to do this for my friend.  Once was enough.

Maybe the point of this is we never know what we might be asked to do.  We always have a choice to say no, but saying no means we deprive ourselves and others of wonderful memories and blessings.  I asked my friend why she had chosen me.  She said she knew I could do this because I worked with junior high students, and she never saw me lose my cool.  Was this an accurate picture she had of me?  Heck no.  I lost my cool many times. She just wasn't around!

Back to the point--before we automatically say no to something that is beyond our experience, maybe we should take a moment and think.  Never in my life did I expect to be asked that question.  Yet, that question and the shared time enriched me life.  I had a choice.  I could have said no because I was afraid.  Was I afraid?  Yes.  But, I trusted her faith in me to do something so magnificent for her.

The unexpected knocks on our doors.  Will you answer?