The joy and challenges of coming home

Posted on October 6, 2014 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Looking toward home

Good Morning, God!

HOME . . . we are docking in Maine today, God. And, while I have loved Canada, I am filled with joy at coming home. Yes, we have levels of Home . . . our country, our state, our community and our family . . . including our Family of Friends.

And, this morning, at breakfast on the ship we shared more fully with another couple — a new couple who had both lost children — and we gave them one of Patty’s books. New friends and a reminder that we are all Your Children.

Having our faces set toward the U.S.A. and home feels right. Our traveling has indeed tugged at me . . . stretched me . . . reminded me of several changes that I want to build into our daily lives. I say reminded because getting an idea from either my Head or my Heart — out into my feet and hands and daily life — requires Time and Focus and Grit.

I must embrace — not so much the ongoing failing but the importance of Getting Up — trying again and again.

How good it is, God, that You designed us to Get Back Up. Failing is just that first stage of Learning. And, as we watch our grandson tackle Multivariable Calculus — perhaps the first time learning has not come easily for him — I am reminded that Life is about Hard Work too.

It is Hard to fail and fall and flail around — and yet return to the fight. Of course, God. We also have to include periods of re-evaluation. We must come to You for redirection . . . as well as renewal. After all, to repent means to Turn Around.

Hmmm. To come before You and ask: Am I on the right path for me? That’s really hard. Please help me seek Your Help again and again!

Tagged with: challenges, embracing hard, getting back up, growing, Learning, periods of re-evaluation, seeking help, trying again
Posted in a series of molts and upgrades, accepting my ability to REDESIGN, accepting my need for help, being a Slow Learner, Changing, Cherishing our Bodies, choices, choosing HARD, connecting

Changing directions — a Helpful Tug

Posted on October 5, 2014 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

A tugboat puling our ship around so it can leave the harbor in Halifax

Good Morning, God!

Oh my! Once again I am getting a lesson on the importance of BEING THERE. This is hard for my Mind to “remember” as my Mind still Dominates me . . . and my Mind treats my Body, Gut and Heart as Inferiors. Oh, foolish, foolish me.

Actually, God, Minds seem wired to judge others as inferiors. I see it in Class Conscious Cultures where “lower” classes or castes are seen as second or third class humans . . . and I am shaking my head. That misperception I can see.

My own failure to Value and Respect all parts of myself is taking me a very long time to see . . . and all of me is hollering to my Mind — “You STILL don’t understand!” True . . . but let me continue.

So,God, here we are —my wonderful husband Kit and I — at sea. We are on the Atlantic ocean going from Halifax, Nova Scotia, (a provence of Canada) to Eastport, Maine. Our seas are not that heavy. But, the crew has put covers over the dining room windows. And many of our shipmates are seasick.

Being here — AT SEA — has gotten the attention of ALL of ME. The waves, even more than the Halifax museum’s displays of famous shipwrecks, is making me AWARE of the power of the sea. The power of Mother Nature. The power of the elemental FORCES of Nature. We are in Your Hands, God!

Sigh. We are ALWAY in Your Hands. But, my Mind turns away from that fact. . . my Mind turns away from anything that might shake its sense of superiority or independence. I’m smiling, God — smiling ruefully. I’m AWARE of my Mind’s determined desire to lock out anything and anyone that would challenge its “superiority and dominance.”

Yes, God, I am aware. But, am I CHANGING? Ah, to do that I must connect myself to You — throughPrayer and Worship — to You, the Loving Tugboat!

Tagged with: asking for help, awareness, changing, Connecting, help, Prayer, The Helper
Posted in a matter of scale, acknowledging my need for prayer, Centering Prayer, Changing, connecting, Humility or Needing Help!, Possibilities, Prayer

It’s the STORY, Stupid

Posted on October 3, 2014 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Geraniums in the window of Anne of Green Gables “home”

Good Morning, God!

And a lovely morning it is, too! I am thankful. Thankful to be here on Planet Earth . . . now. What with history giving me a View back — and Science and Science Fiction giving me Views forward — I stand in the Present.

Just this morning I was recounting how a speaker to a convention of Science Fiction writers was exhorting them to imagine more positive futures! Sigh. It is so EASY to imagine dire and disastrous futures . . .

But, yesterday as we toured the “home” of Anne of Green Gables (a 1908 creation of Lucy Maud Montgomery) I was reminded of the POWER of STORY.

The book written primarily for little girls — has maintained a hold on people even to this day. Girls in Japan start saving money to pay for a pilgrimage to Green Gables on Prince Edward Island, Canada. They and many others arrive just to see the PLACE where the STORY took place. We were among them and felt the power.

Interestingly, the government of Canada had a hard time grasping the power and importance of fictional historic sites. But, finally Green Gables is part of the park system.

Of course, God, the Canadian government is not alone in failing to grasp the power of story. I think it was George Sorrel who said that what matters in history is not what happened — but what people think happened.

So, God, You have given us the Best of Stories . . . one of forgiveness and redemption and love.

We, of course, have given it twists and turns and missed the point . . . STILL, it remains. Full of Power. Full of Love. Waiting for us to be embraced by it.

Thank You!

Tagged with: forgiveness, Love, Redemption, Story Power
Posted in Books, Forgiven!, growing toward up, Help me to see, hope, LOVE

Traveling in Time and Space

Posted on September 29, 2014 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Inside a Repurposed Church in Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada

Good Evening, God,

Generally, I find the repurposing of churches rather sad. Ah, but this church has been put to such a glorious purpose that I cannot be anything but glad.

The morning’s outing from our cruise ship was entitled “Garden of the Glaciers” . . . done in this old church. I almost didn’t go. But is was a fabulous immersive media presentation . . . in which folks in front got misted, as in slightly damp.

It was created by XYZ Cultural Technology out of Montreal. Very Impressive! It began with a view of Quebec as it might be viewed from the International Space Station. Our group of 30 or so, after descending in an oversized elevator — acting as a sort of Time Machine — emerged into darkened space. Then dazzling special effects took us back to the time when the glaciers were at their maximum. Actually, they only went to the maximum of THIS ice age (#5 I think).

They showed the extent of the glaciers and how the land bridges between Asia and the Americas was opened by the drop in ocean levels. Then they moved us forward — showing the retreat of the glaciers over the last 12,000 years.

But then they moved FAR FORWARD in time and flashing the word DANGER they showed what the continuing melting of the glaciers would mean in a rise of sea level.

The compete melting of the glaciers would mean a rise of 70 some meters . . . 210 feet . . . UNIMAGINABLE!

All of this was overwhelming. This, God, is information we do not want to receive or retain . . . not at all.

Still, it did make me wonder if my brother would be willing to share some of his 20 acres at 2,300 feet in the Sierras.

Ah, but that is NOT planning. . . I suspect, God, that You have given us the capacity to plan. But the timeline is so uncertain. So most of us say . . . oh well . . .NOT in MY lifetime! Still, I hope someone . . . somewhere — is planning.

Tagged with: ice ages, melting glaciers, planning, rising seas, time
Posted in accepting my ability to REDESIGN, accepting my need for help, adjusting, connecting

Resisting Hopelessness

Posted on September 23, 2014 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

A Serious Dog — Responsible to the Max

Good Evening, God!

This was ME the other night! Kit and I had watched 60 minutes and I was overwhelmed by the horrifying events stirred by ISIS in the Middle East. Oh, God! I was overcome with Worry and Fear and Visions of what could lie ahead.

It was way too much for me to handle. Way too much. I did pray . . . but, as You know, it is hard for me to trust. I was like this dog. Alert! Watching! Protective. Still, sigh, only a dog and a small one at that.

I can understand how it is that most of us throw up our hands and sink into hopelessness . . . I was in the Depth of Despair . . . but then my wonderful husband woke up and comforted me.

Yes, we are small. But I feel so clearly that we are called to ask You to show us what we CAN do. We can start by giving money. The American Friends Service Committee, for one, does very good work.

And surely I must PRAY for those who are doing such horrific things. I am asking You to help me do that because it’s HARD!

And please show me what else I can do . . .

Hmm. You have told us in many ways and at many times what we can do . . . and You have told us what NOT to do. Please help us remember and follow.

Tagged with: actions, dispair, doing something, helping, Hopelessness, hoping, resisting
Posted in a prayer for healing, becoming the change I wish to see, caring for the widows and orphans, complexity, connecting, Expand my Heart

Wow! I’m HERE, NOW!

Posted on September 10, 2014 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

Missing Microbes by Martin Blaser M.D.

Good Afternoon, God

I confess, I started out today — or maybe it was yesterday — really angry at You. Partly it was because of the horror of ISIS actions — atrocities in the Middle East — and partly it was frustration at how we humans are seemingly unable to take a step forward without a few steps back.

For example, information in the book Missing Microbes was horrifying. Yes, we NEED antibiotics. But, we are now learning that even one dose can change a child’s microbiome — and make a child fatter, more susceptible to allergies, asthma, GERD, IBS, and on and on. YIKES!

But an hour this morning with June, my spiritual director, helped. Sigh. It was a long exercise of continuing humiliation. I realized that I am only lacking opportunity — that my drive to FIX things and make a “better world” could be subverted — just as I feel has happened to humans over and over again. History offers a painful look at our species. As St. Paul said so many years ago: All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.

Yet You LOVE us. You love ALL of us. And so I gathered up my shattered sorrowing self and sat in Your Love. I cannot fix me. I cannot fix anyone or anything. But, I can come humbly into Your Presence and ask You to put me back together — bit by bit. Thank You!

Then, this afternoon I was reading an article in Discover Magazine and learned our brain has 85 billion neural cells, 150 trillion synapses and an almost infinite number of ways of combining synapses. As the article said, “Possibilities are always wildly, insanely greater than the number of things around us.”

And, all of a sudden, HOPE returned. And I felt how incredibly wonderful it is to be a human — here now — as we are. Wow! Thank You, again!

Tagged with: anger, AWE, Dr. Martin Blaser, frustration, hope, killing our helpful microbes, Missing Microbes
Posted in a prayer for healing, accepting my need for help, Anger, Awe, connecting, Forgiven!, Forgiving, the cold snow of reality

From Dover to Kauai — in 4 days?

Posted on September 3, 2014 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

White cliffs of Dover

Good Day, God!

Here we are on Kauai where my amazing husband, Kit, just won his age group in the Kauai half marathon! Let me see — we left London on Monday and we were here on Kauai on Friday.

Usually we go and come home and stay for a while. But this Fall is FULL of travel. Lovely people, lovely places and a lovely slow pace. Perfect!

My Mind is delighted. My Body is undecided. Hmph! No, I would have to say that my Body is unhappy. It is quite clear to me, God, that my Body likes to travel — WHEN she travels — at sun speed. I think that works out to no more than one time zone per day. Or, maybe less. Of course, God, that means mostly by ship or car . . . or maybe just not very far . . . all at once.

Still, in spite of some wear and tear on my Beloved Body I enjoy traveling. I enjoy changes of geology, architecture, vegetation, food, and even bits of different cultures. Ah, but when we travel by ship we pretty much stay within our culture. We pack it up and take it with us. And so we only catch brief glimpses of our differences — like the Swedish guide who was distressed at a worker up on a flat roof without a safety harness and a safety helmet.

Years and years ago I helped a friend put on a series of Christian Muslim dialogs which was very rewarding. I think the World needs more of that, God! More dialog and discussion among a variety of cultures. It isn’t easy. Cultural differences can lead to judgments, disruptions and difficulties. But, staying in our own single strand culture makes us all far more vulnerable.

Like workers on high roofs without safety harnesses? So, God, maybe I need to “travel more cultures” while staying at home?

Posted in connecting

Contains CELERY! and other European discoveries

Posted on August 24, 2014 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Hilton Heathrow — our resting point before and after the Garrison Keillor cruise

Good Evening, God!

Aah! My mind — and iPhone — are stuffed with images of our amazing cruise with the Prairie Home Companion company. What talent! What FUN!

It was also a cruise of the Baltic capitals and there are new facts stuffed into my head just waiting to be assimilated or perhaps dropped.

But the fact that caused me the biggest laugh was noticed yesterday at the Hilton Heathrow. My wonderful husband, Kit, asked me to read the ingredients on the label of a tiny jar of ketchup. (He doesn’t like high fructose corn syrup.) I did and at the very bottom it said, “Contains celery.” Celery? They are warning me that this ketchup contains . . . CELERY? I started to giggle.

Yes, I know now.. It is NOT funny for folks with a celery allergy. And, in retrospect I feel a bit guilty for laughing. But, it is just that with ISIS and Ebola and other assorted worries, celery hadn’t made my list.

Other odd facts? We saw the Vasa — a huge 1628 warship designed by the king of Sweden — which had capsized and sunk a few hundred yards into its maiden voyage. It’s been salvaged and preserved and now has its own museum. And the reason it capsized seems to be because it was two feet too narrow. At least a sister ship that was two feet wider sailed for years.

Two feet! Celery! Such Small Things . . . so easy not to notice.

Noticing . . . paying attention . . . seems to have gotten a lot more complex, God. We are limited. Traveling helps me grasp that fact. Suitcases are limited. Energy is limited. My ability to absorb is limited. So, God. I need more than ever to invest time with You. Asking You to direct my attention . . . my focus . . . my decisions. You are willing. Please help me to be willing.

Posted in Uncategorized

A Visit to Helsinki

Posted on August 17, 2014 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Finnish art deco trolls seen on a period building

Good Day,God!  

And a long August day it has been here on the Baltic Sea, near the arctic. My wonderful husband Kit and I have just finished a nap after a 3 1/2 hour guided walking tour of Helsinki. There was an exhibit works of Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins, creatures whose motto seems to be: All of us are a bit strange in our own ways — and that’s just fine! (See Trolls at left.)

That seems to sum up the Finns — and perhaps the Nordic culture. As our guide said about an upscale store, “We don’t go in there. That is just for tourists!” For the Finns, she said, things must be useful, simple, comfortable and maybe even bright enough to cheer a short winter day. And Voila! In the 1950’s came, Marimekko, maker of distinctive fabrics!

Marimekko and Moomins . . . two delightful Finnish gifts to the world.

But what really struck me about Helsinki were the little girls! One two year old walked by — some distance from her mother — with a lollipop in her mouth. I turned to a friend and said, “Such APLOMB!” And our friend said: “The next president of Finland!” And, as I looked at the families out for a Sunday walk in the park, ALL the very young girls seemed totally assured. Perhaps these little girls really will become future leaders and be an even bigger gift to our world!

Ah, God, we need more leaders who care about the simple, useful and workable. More leaders who are not interested in Money and Power and More. More of everything!

Hmmm. Maybe leaders are more our followers than we want to realize.

Posted in connecting, Uncategorized

The Joy of Small Things

Posted on August 8, 2014 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

A small succulent at our dinner table

Good Evening, God!

Although the title above refers to this wee succulent, it just hit me that a small nap is also a joy! My wonderful husband Kit and I are at the Hilton Heathrow on our way to a Garrison Keillor cruise to the Baltic. And we have spent the first three days napping and enjoying the small — but never ordinary — things of life.

We were going to take the tube into London today — but then tossed it over for another nap. I am happy. My Body is happy. My body is Rested and Happy!

Usually my busy and curious Mind makes the decisions. My Mind is full of Enthusiasms and that makes her hard to overrule.

I like to imagine that I (my Mind) is getting smarter — or maybe even more thoughtful But, I realize it is because my Body did a preemptive strike and came down with a UTI . . . such as to get my attention.

Alas, I am just the beneficiary of a better balance of power.

It is sobering, God, to think that here in my own small self I have to depend on a Balance of Power to get along. It makes me sad that I can’t seem to manage a higher degree of inner mutual respect. But, it does help me understand how it is that we 7 billion humans have a dreadfully difficult time practicing mutual respect! Sigh.

It is like the song . . . Let there be Peace on Earth . . . and let it begin with me! Please, God, help me work on respecting and loving myself . . . and those around me . . . and reaching out . . . asking You to bless us ALL . . . all around this small small world. Thank You!