Clearing Out Piles — with Help

Posted on February 3, 2013 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

A Clear half of my Desk — Piles Processed

Good Morning, God!

I am sitting here in my home office looking over to the left and am BEAMING! No more piles! It is CLEAR! Not clear as in piles shifted or moved. Clear as in piles PROCESSED. All thanks to advice from a professional organizer.

It was sort of an accident, God. I had intended to hire this person for help in visiting my 98-year-old mom. At the same time, I did have a small fleeting awareness “I need help, too.” Maybe later?

Ah, but through an unforeseen twist I was the one who received the help. Help from this professional.

Years ago I had realized that Piles are Pending Items Leaking Energy. But yesterday, after the desk was cleared, I felt the reality of that wisdom. I felt good — lighter and energized and joyful!

The Organizer was kind and quick and imaginative — and, oh, yes — firm. I realized that my Mind needed help to make the decisions and take the actions required to process the piles. Some items had been pending — or postponed — for years!

A week or so ago, God, I seemed to hear You saying: “You ASK for My help — but you don’t RECEIVE it!” After yesterday, I realized that I had received Your Help! After all, mostly Your Help flows from and through our fellow human beings. I guess I must have missed that point! I must have been waiting for You to help me to do it myself! DUH!

Yes, I have to Ask, Seek and Knock. But then I have to open up and receive! You really do want all of us to receive!

Tagged with: needing help, Pending Items Leaking Energy, Piles, receiving help, recognizing help
Posted in a hand up, accepting my ability to REDESIGN, accepting my need for help, Humility or Needing Help!

A Two-Meal-Fast and Inner Processing

Posted on January 29, 2013 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Guess who’s in love with YELLOW

Good Evening. God!

Mostly, I want to say Thank You! Not just for the simple pleasure of finding yellow shoes and then, a few weeks later, a matching yellow top. Although COLORs do make me happy. But, for something much more significant.

Today you inspired me to do two-thirds of a day of fasting! I woke up late — after an 11 hour sleep — and made tea. Then I waited to be hungry. And waited. Since it had only been a day or two earlier that I had said that I needed to Fast and Pray, I took this lack of hunger as a gift.

First, I called a dear friend whose son faces severe health struggles. She and I prayed. Then I called another friend and prayed for her difficult situation. (It seemed a shame to waste a Fast.) The fast continued. When I visited my mom, I didn’t gobble up her left-over lunch. I confess, I often do that even when I have had lunch already.

Late in the afternoon, when I got home from my mom’s, I shared the concerns on my heart with my wonderful husband Kit. They had been there for some time but were too amorphous to put into words. Kit listened lovingly — and that really helped. And finding the words — speaking the words — took part of the load off my heart.

Yes, God, Shakespeare was right: Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak Whispers the o’erfraught heart and bids it break.

Another thought! It seems that when I’m digesting food, I don’t have enough energy to digest feelings. Your gift of the Two Meal Fast really helped me process my thoughts and feelings. Thank You!

Tagged with: Finding the Words, grief, Prayer and Fasting, processing, Sorrows
Posted in fasting FOR someone, Prayer, responding to God's Spirit, speaking

99 year-old Bea Burglund faces eviction

Posted on January 24, 2013 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

One of Bea Burglund’s adoring dogs

Good Morning, God!

Oh, dear! How is it, God, that the Bank of America is evicting a 99 year old woman? I am sure that banks are evicting folks every day. But, one would think that at 99 year of age one would get just a bit more respect.

Business and Respect? Alas . . . I fear not.

Now, I would think (hope) that if the Bank of America’s CEO, Brian Moynihan actually heard of this case he would intervene! That hope is based on the fact that 1) individual human beings are mostly kind and understanding. 2) he would realize this is a terrible Black Eye on his bank and on Banking in general.

I only know about this because I have a good friend from high school who lives near Bea out in Newberry Springs and has been talking about Bea’s plight. To hear her tell it, God, there isn’t much of any reason that anyone would want land in Newberry Springs. It isn’t like there is gold on the land!

Anyway, I am sending this blog off to a B of A lawyer — in hope that maybe there is still Time and Will and Heart to let Bea live out her life undisturbed! Meanwhile, God, I just wanted to bring this to Your attention.

Tagged with: a 99 year old woman faces eviction, bank eviction, Capitalism and Christianity
Posted in connections, Guardians and Protectors, responding to God's Spirit, responsibility

Working on my Website and on Myself

Posted on January 22, 2013 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

A Bird of Paradise Flower carefully cropped to remove dead blooms from the photo

A photo of a Bird of Paradise Flower which I carefully cropped to remove dead blooms from the pictureMy

Good Evening, God!

I’ve been having a really satisfying time working on my website! I have patched together two “movies” from still photos. The first one was A Walk in Kapiolani Park and the second Dawn at Wawamalu Beach. Such fun!

But, as with most creative projects, there are technical difficulties. The major one is that the Apple Experts have been unable, as yet, to get extra music loops to load onto my GarageBand program. Trying, has consumed hours of my time and theirs. Still, God, I am grateful that paying a one-time fee enables me, for three years, to call for help.

Oops! A Nudge! Yes, You are reminding me that — except for Apple — I am not good at asking for help. Dang. Somewhere deep inside lies a Subprogram that believes I should be able to do everything without asking for help. . . . As I typed that just now I snorted! How STUPID! But, the doggone thing is hiding out of reach!

Oh! Yes, You are right, God. I CAN ask You to help me get rid of that dysfunctional sub-program. So I’m doing that now! And, now that I think of it: There are lots of dysfunctional subprograms I would like to get rid of. It would be wonderful to be able just ask You to clean them all out, all at once. But, sigh, I am pretty sure that I am supposed to ask for each one specifically.

More than that, God, I have to be willing to change and grow. I have to be willing to do the hard and (I fear) tedious work of building new habits and patterns. Please! Help me with that.

Tagged with: a do-it-myself mindset, building new habits, my need for help, needing to ASK for help
Posted in asking for help for myself, becoming the change I wish to see, being a beginner, hearing myself, responding to "nudges"

Save the DATE! March 7-9, 2013

Posted on January 19, 2013 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

HIM’s Honolulu Conference 3/7-9/13

Good Day, God!

I’m going over my 2013 calendar — reviewing my plans for the year. I’m excited by the upcoming Christian Conference in Honolulu March 7-9, sponsored by Hawaiian Islands Ministries (HIM). I’m lucky to live in Honolulu.

We’ll be hearing popular speakers like Tony Campolo. 58 speakers in all. The good news is that every session will be recorded, with CDs and MP3s available afterward.

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

One of the speakers I’m eager to hear is Gary Chapman — author of the Five Love Languages. The book has been enormously influential in my life. I thought I knew all about individual differences in how we express and experience love, but his book really opened my eyes!

Surprised by the Power of the Spirit by Jack Deere

Another MUST-hear speaker for me will be Jack Deere. I have heard him several times and watched him become more vulnerable and more compelling. Hearing about how his own experiences overcame his educational biases surely makes for convicting listening.

Every year there are speakers I don’t know — who turn out to have messages I need to hear.

The all-day pre-conference sessions on Thursday are a must for me, God. I’ll be going to the one on Prayer!

Please, God, I want a lot of folks to receive what Honolulu ’13 Conference has to offer. And I would REALLY LOVE it to have folks come from all over the world. They could come early to relax and then stay a few days after the three-day conference to let it all soak in — while they soak in the sun.

All they have to do is click on this Register Now link!

Tagged with: Christian Conference, Hawaiian Islands Ministries, inspirational speakers, The Word: Honolulu '13
Posted in breathing in Your Spirit, Celebrations, Faith, God wants to nourishes us, learning

New meanings for Upright

Posted on January 17, 2013 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

The morning Light and Shadows of January in Honolulu

Good Evening, God!

Today, an early morning walk with a dear friend and then a brief solo morning jog soothed me and cleared my head. Being with friends — being outdoors — both are therapeutic.

But the day shifted from soothing to challenging. I went with Kit to his chiropractor, Dr. Cracknell. Usually, I watch Kit get worked on. Aaah, but TODAY both of us were treated to an impromptu class.

It seems that nowadays NO ONE knows how to Stand, Sit or Walk. Blame it on school work or computers or the absence of strict parents and grandparents — the result is that we Westerners have our heads stuck forward. We are not like the African women who, thanks to perfect bodily alignment, can carry heavy pots on their heads.

During this “class,” Dr. Cracknell explained that if our head is one inch forward of plumb, we double the stress on our back muscles. If our head is two inches forward we quadruple our muscle stress. It is an exponential relationship. Yikes!

Well, understanding is not enough! Both Kit and I have to learn how to DO it. We have to find and strengthen the small muscles that are designed to do the constant work of holding us upright.

I just reread what I said — that it’s small muscles that work all the time to keep us Upright. Wow! That’s the same way we keep morally upright, isn’t it! It’s a constant flow of small choices — and small decisions — that helps keep us from big temptations. And, DUH! It is how we regulate our weight, too! And, oh yes, also our spending.

Aah, God, I am beginning to see that becoming upright affects all my many layers. Please help me!

Tagged with: being in alignment, muscle stress, small choices, small decisions, small muscles, standing upright
Posted in asking for help for myself, Balancing and adjustments, Cherishing our Bodies, layer upon layer, slow incremental change

Dying: “It’s not so bad . . .”

Posted on January 16, 2013 by a moment with god — 3 Comments

A hibiscus in the process of unfurling

Good Evening, God!

I was just going to go to bed, God. I’m tired. And worried about my mom. Maybe, even, a bit depressed. But, then I remembered my photos of my friend June’s hibiscus. Really, God, they are too wonderful not to share.

Besides, it will do me good to sit with You. Sit without words — for a few minutes. Really, God, You know my heart . It is way too full to speak.

My mom complains about not being able to think. That’s probably because most of her mind is worried about dying. I can understand that. At 98 one does have to think about that. I must say, You have been most kind. It was just a few weeks ago that You had Patty come (in a a dream or vision or ?) and tell her, “Don’t be afraid, Grandma. It [dying] is not so bad.” I do have to remind Mom of that. When I do, she always lights up and smiles. She remembers it!

a fully extended hibiscus with a bud behind it

A fully extended hibiscus with a bee at stamen base

Ah, there, God, I’m feeling a little better. Those are comforting words for me, too. I am thinking of the 23rd Psalm and the verse which says Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. I used to think that Your rod and staff were to protect me. Now, I feel they are for me to lean on.

I do know that we humans need one another. You have made us Social Beings. And sharing seems to me to be a huge part of our nature.

Some days I feel like this hibiscus on the right — fully extended! I like that! But, I need the “furled up” times, too.

Thank You, God for the gift of Life — the ups and the downs!

Tagged with: 23rd Psalm, comfort, Death, dying, mothers
Posted in a hand up, accepting my need for help, comfort, encourage and comfort, Families, Mothers

Permission to Color OUTSIDE the lines!

Posted on January 13, 2013 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

A drawing I did at 6 -- which my mother saved -- of all things!

A drawing I did at 6 — one of many my mother saved!

Good Afternoon, God!

I really love letting children draw — not color in coloring books — just draw! I did a lot of drawing as a child and loved it. I have happy memories of drawing while listening to Captain Midnight, Buck Rogers, The Lone Ranger and others.

How fortunate I am that my mother didn’t buy me Coloring Books! My take is that little girls — who get small muscle control earlier than boys — are “trapped” by their skill in coloring inside the lines. We get praised and rewarded for being so neat and tidy.

The result of all that praise is that ever afterward, females feel they must “keep inside the lines.” Of course, we don’t feel that consciously! But, I think that being good at that “skill” imprisons many of us. Turning us into rule keepers. Turning us into Good Little Girls.

So, God, you can imagine my JOY when I read Father Richard Rohr’s morning devotion: “This is what makes the mystics sort of dangerous,” he says. “It’s not just possibility they [mystics] experience—but permission. It’s permission to color outside the lines.” Right ON! Father Rohr!

Sigh, I’ve harbored the illusion that I was good at coloring outside the lines. Only to find this January 1st that I have a Part that is dedicated to the goal of Make No Mistakes! How humbling! I know You delight in my Humbling Moments, God, but I dislike them! After all, they mean: I’ve been doing something wrong — again!

Smile, actually, what they really mean is: Hurray! I have just discovered that I have been coloring inside the lines! And now I can stop that so I can be a bit more free — a bit more me. Please help me hold on to that re-frame, God!

Tagged with: coloring inside the lines, creativity vs tidiness, humility reappreciated, permission to be messy, Permission to make mistakes
Posted in accepting my ability to REDESIGN, Art, courage to see myself, Creating, humility, Uncategorized

Intra Communication and the Holy Spirit

Posted on January 12, 2013 by a moment with god — 2 Comments

Rainbows and the Holy Spirit

Good Evening, God!

C. S. Lewis said that two Christians have ten times the power of one Christian. I experience the reality of that truth every time I drive up Tantalus to see my spiritual director, June. As we sit together — consciously aware of Your Presence — I am helped to see myself and hear myself.

Hearing myself is hard, God. But just yesterday I heard a phrase that helped me understand why it’s so hard. Apparently, we have a plethora of systems or modules inside us. Some are distributed on the left or right side of our brains and some are distributed across the brain. PLETHORA! I looked it up and it is a “superabundance, an excess.”

Sigh, sometimes that is exactly what it feels like, God. Too many Modules trying to decide who’s in charge right now. It’s like a log jam with No One In Charge and Nothing Getting Done. Golly, I thought it was hard enough just to juggle all the diverse Roles we women manage. Now I realize the roles are just the surface.

Who’s In Charge?

The phrase about my inner plethora is from the book Who’s In Charge?, by Michael Gazzaniga. I’m only on chapter 3, God, but, I have this funny feeling that the author is going to tell me that I (the one talking with You) am the one in charge.

I do know that ever since I “agreed” to a Grand Alliance with my Warrior Spirit that she has been very helpful. Then January 1st I “turned down” the hyper-vigilent Critical Spirit and gave myself permission to Make Mistakes. Because I was allowed to “make mistakes” I was able to navigate the tedious and err prone path of getting my website up.

So, I am learning HOW to work together with my Plethora of Inner Peoples. But, please, God, keep on helping me!

Tagged with: a plethora of systems, Hearing myself, intra dialogs, Who's In Charge?
Posted in a New Year, accepting my need for help, Balancing and adjustments, Holy Spirit, mental maps

Running a good race — running for respect

Posted on January 7, 2013 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

“Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers.” 1967 Boston Marathon

Good Evening, God!

A good friend sent this photo from the 1967 Boston Marathon. It shows Katherine Switzer, who had entered as K.J. Switzer, being grabbed in a failed attempt to pull her off the course. She had been found to be (gasp!) a female. The marathon through its first 70 years had been an all-male event.

Women were considered too “delicate” to do anything as grueling as run 26.2 miles. Myself, I think women are a lot more durable than men. After all, it’s women who give birth to children — not an easy task!

I’m embarrassed, God, that I wasn’t even that aware of — let alone indignant — about sexism back them. I was busy having children and being a mother. That is not an excuse. Indeed, who should be more aware of sexism than the mother of three daughters.

This issue was brought home to me a year ago when Kit and I met Jacqueline Hansen, who had sued the Olympic Committee, successfully, to allow women to run in the 1984 Olympics. I’m thankful for people like Katherine and Jacqueline who stepped forward to help all women. Of course “steps forward” are mostly met with outrage.

Society could do with a lot more female outrage, God. Women in India are now speaking out after the recent horrific gang rape and murder of a young woman. Sigh. It is a long slow road to mutual respect, God.

Father Richard Rohr wrote: “slavery, racism, sexism, classism, xenophobia, and homophobia have lasted authoritatively into our time [in part because of inaction] by people who claim to love Jesus!”

We need to come to You for help, God! All of us!