Free-Range Pigs in Tuscany — Tantalus too?

Posted on March 4, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Cinta Senese pigs in Tuscany

Good Morning, God!

And to think that I have been viewing the wild pigs up in our mountains as animal vandals — if not dangerous — instead of potential epicurean delights.

In Italy, where eating is more of an Art Form than here, foraging pigs are highly prized. In an article in La Cucina Italiana I read how farmer and marketer, Paolo Parisi, realized that these Cinta Senese pigs TASTE better. Imagine that, God, valuing taste!

The problem is , in this day of Fast Food, even Italy wanted pigs that were ready for market sooner than the three years this species takes. So the Senese pigs were almost extinct. But Paolo went from famous chef to famous chef with his superior prosciutto, salami and guanciale offering taste tests. And he built a good high-end market for his pigs.

These pigs aren’t really wild although they do live out on the land, foraging. They get one meal of grain in the morning and they get a vet when needed. Still, God, it has made me think of Hawaii’s wild pigs. How do THEY taste? Could we offer Paolo a change to come over and check out possible markets for our pigs? Or would any of our local Italian chefs be interested?

I’m thinking about our Wild Pig Problem here in Hawaii, God. And I am remembering all the years that the fishermen cleaning Alaskan salmon threw the roe into the ocean. Opportunities abound IF one has eyes to see. And a sense of the Global Market ready to buy.

In addition to taste, God, animals eating off the land — foraging — are better for our health and well-being. I should imagine they are happier, too — both not small things.

Posted in Eating for health, food questions

All the Many Gifts we are Given

Posted on March 3, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Dawn in Kaimuki

Good Morning, God!

Just as you send Your Life Giving Rain on the Just and the Unjust alike — so too, do The Heavens declare Your Glory all over the world. Or more specifically, as we observed the other day, Your Dawn is just as beautiful in Kaimuki, as it is in Hawaii Kai.

All of us have been given the Sky. The rich don’t get a “better version.” It’s the same for TIME. We all get 24 hours a day. The poor have no less and the rich have no more. It seems to be that way with Your Gifts. Exodus 16:17-18 talks about gathering the manna You sent down from Heaven. So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.

That is so lovely, God! You care for us. Ah yes, and on the SIXTH day the people were told to gather double for there would be no manna on the SEVENTH day. Even then, before the Ten Commandments were given, the Seventh Day was special. It too, is a GIFT from You — as is the Gift of our Life. Thank YOU!

So, please, God, this morning help me NOTICE all the many Gifts that we humans have been given. Help me to TRUST YOU and PRAY FOR people — to BLESS BLESS and not to curse — especially in traffic.

Posted in A weekly day of rest, Abundant Life, appreciation, God as an Ongoing Gift

Motivation! A Start!

Posted on March 2, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Holding FAT in both hands

Good Morning, God

Yesterday morning Kit and I went to the HMSA office to have our health checked. It is sort of a mini physical.

The idea is to “encourage” folks to live healthier lives. While there, I found two plastic replicas of fat — the small one is one pound — the large one is five pounds. Five pounds doesn’t seem like much, God, until you hold it and think WHERE AM I PUTTING THIS?

It was the VOLUME that got me! I remember years ago when a friend came by with a bowling ball and said “Being overweight is like carrying one — or two — of these around all day.” We BOTH went on the Stillman Diet. It was a great example, but with a bowling ball you get a lot of weight in a relatively compact space. NOT SO WITH REAL FAT! IT’S BULKY!

As soon as I saw it, God, I thought “What a great Motivator!” Ah, but, God, I’ve learned that I need TRIGGERS as well as motivation to change my BEHAVIOR. The trouble is, God, that “triggers” to EAT are all around me. What kind of “triggers” will help me eat less or eat more wisely?

Eating from a smaller plate would help — putting all the food on it and not adding. Eating SLOWLY and mindfully would REALLY help — like putting my fork DOWN between bites!.

But part of the problem with food, God, is that it is that I use for “comfort” and “reward.” Please, God, help me with Identifying and Naming all the other wonderful things WAITING to provide both comfort and reward . OH! And please help me be less busy and get more rest so I need less comfort!

Posted in an invitation to abundant life, asking for help for myself, Cherishing our Bodies, choices, comfort, compassion to care for myself, Motivation

A Virtual Visit to the Past

Posted on March 1, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

The hill behind Granda Hills -- our old home

Good Morning, God!

Several days ago Suzanne drove up to Granada Hills and she sent me this photo taken with her cell phone.

The photo looks like a lovely muted pastel painting. Suz called me to tell me that the grapefruit tree she had bought and Kit had planted for her might still be there, after all!

Suz and I had driven up to Granda Hills last summer — on the hottest day ever. We had walked around and reminisced about our three years there. Suz had peaked into our old side yard and was sure that “her” tree had been taken down. That was the only dark spot on a very bright day, God.

When she drove up a few days ago it was on one of the coldest days Los Angeles had ever recorded. Suz was thrilled at the beautiful fresh green of the hill behind our home. I was so glad she had called and let me be there with her — albeit only virtually. Those three years were very happy times for her and even now, God, my heart hurts a bit about taking her away and moving us all to Hawaii.

What might have been if we had stayed? That is the kind of question that I do not, in general, allow myself to ask. But, I am learning that all my pasts and all my futures are held in Your Hands, God. I can ask whatever I want. I am safe enough now to go back into my past and look around. Or is the word secure?

It seems to me, God, to take an inordinate amount of Time to grow into fully loving ourselves. Thank You for giving me time.

Posted in time, Transitions, Trusting God

In Front of a Microphone and other communication woes

Posted on February 28, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

The then Duke of York speaking (or not) in the King's Speech

Good Morning, God!

Ah well, while watching the Academy Awards last night, it occurred to me that almost everyone has a problem speaking in front of a microphone.

The King’s Speech — Best Movie — focused on stuttering — or perhaps it was more stammering. But the Academy Award winners demonstrated how hard it is to say enough, but not too much. Ah, and then there is the problem with content.

It comes to me, God, that communication is such a broad-band affair that attempting to compress it all into WORDS is an amazingly difficult task.

With people we know, we have a relationship of trust that allows us to put what is said in context. But even then — even when we know how much we are loved — words can be “misheard.” Tones of voice, jokes — I tell Kit I am too sensitive for him to joke with me, but he can’t help himself — are so easily misinterpreted.

Even silence, God, can be misinterpreted. We WANT to be acknowledged. We WANT to have our existence as human beings confirmed. We NEED that. Yet, I know there are times when I have no idea what to say . . . when words are so clearly inadequate. And I am AFRAID of saying the “wrong” thing.

Ah, God, if we can’t give a hug, perhaps the next best is to send a card. We got so many cards after Patty died. I remember sitting with Kit and reading them together. It was a comfort. So, today, God, perhaps I can send a card or two?

Posted in comfort, Communication, connecting

A Window into an Upcoming Adventure

Posted on February 26, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

The Gift of Handmade Socks: photo by Victoria Paulsen

Good Morning, God!

I confess, I like my “adventures” to be mostly virtual. Perhaps that is why I am quite taken with my friend’s upcoming adventure. She shares her preparation at ByFootandThumb.blogspot.com

Vickie is a friend from high school who hitchhiked through France 50 years ago. In April of this year, she and her friend Mary will set off for France to recreate that trip, leaving her husband, children and grandchildren behind.

Hitchhiking is a far cry from our Grand Circle mode of traveling, God. I have trouble with the 50 pound suitcase limit. Yet, the idea of living out of an 11 pound backpack, while distressing, is also appealing!

In this recent blog Vickie tells about her substitute teaching assignment — discussing Pablo Neruda’s poem about the “gift” of handmade socks — just one day after she received these beautiful handmade socks from a friend in Colorado. She — and the person in Neruda’s poem — felt unworthy of such a “gift of love.”

Vickie shares how she would love to be able to take these sock with her on the trip — to share that knitting socks for friends is still part of “America” — “part of what makes up the better part of us.”

Now, I am sharing too — sharing a window into Another Person — sharing her upcoming adventure — all the while seated comfortably in my office loft. Adventures are important, God. I know that. And I know that they come in endless variety. Adventures AND gifts of love come in diverse shapes and forms.

Please help me, God, to open my heart and life to more adventures — and more giving and receiving of such small, and seemingly ordinary, Gifts of Love. Thank You!

Posted in Adventures, gifts and giftings, responding to "nudges", Sharing

Time off Work and OFF the Clock

Posted on February 25, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

standing in the shade of a Kaimana Tree looking east at Koko Head

Good Morning, God!

Yesterday morning I took some time “off the clock.” I’ve been pushing myself recently to get over a thousand books entered into a library database. In fact, God, I’ve become sort of compulsive about it.

But yesterday I gave myself a Gift of Timelessness. I stepped out of “scheduled” and just let myself drift and absorb all the beauty of the morning — of the ocean, the orchids, the dolphins — and the food.

It felt like a very good thing to do, God! You spread before us such an amazing world — with good friends and dearest family to enjoy it with. I consider it my calling to appreciate it all!

looking up -- through the leaves -- at the sky

Of course, I do like to “fix” things. But several days ago I once again realized that I was going to have to put the World back in Your Hands!

I am not quite sure how I end up with the weight of the world on my shoulders. For example, I was fretting about all the talented young people without jobs — when there is so much needing to be done!

Still, I am learning to pull my attention back to the small corner of the cosmos that is MINE — learning to SEE what it is that You might possibly have delegated to me.

I suspect that for a long time I have missed opportunities You gave to me because I was fretting about THINGS that were not mine to influence. Sigh.

So today, God, please help me to FOCUS on what You have set in my path!

Posted in responding to God's Spirit, responsibility, rest, time

Catching a “cross-pollinator” at play

Posted on February 24, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

A Blossom on the Bauhinia or "orchid" tree

Good Morning, God!

I have loved these colorful trees for YEARS! Yesterday afternoon, leaving Kokua with a bag of groceries in my hands, I had to stop and snap a photo!

I must say, God, when I uploaded the photo I was delighted to find the blossom contained a “visitor.” Such a small moment in time, God, but still so special.

Saint Paul urges us in Philippians 4:8 whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

That was my main prayer for the day yesterday — that I WOULD focus on what was good and pure — true and honest. I would not let myself get drawn into disputes. I’m smiling, God! You know that I was “raised” on arguments. But, recently I have been trying to understand how it is that people who seem to hold an opposite point of view have gotten there. It don’t think that “arguing” changes minds.

Actually, it seems like almost nothing changes our “minds” and that worries me. You said in Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together.” Ah, now, God, we need more of that! We need ALL of us to be “teachable.”

Hmmm. Teachable sort of implies Humility, doesn’t it God? I was about to ask You why that wasn’t one of the Fruits of the Spirit. But, I think humilty is actually the GROUND the Spirit grows in. Please, God, improve the soil of my Heart!

Posted in Common sense and reasonableness, Fruit of the Spirit, humility, Humility or Needing Help!