Light Shining On . . . and Light Shining Through

Posted on March 10, 2012 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Light shining through agave leaves

Good Day, God!

There is nothing like a week of storms — rain, lightening, thunder and grey skies — to make me appreciate the beauty of Light. I especially like light shining through plants. I was totally surprised this morning to see that these thick, heavy agave leaves were a bit translucent.

All these weeks of going to the Farmers’ Market and walking by them and I just never noticed! Hmm. I was going to ask “How could that be?,” but, of course, there are millions of things I don’t “notice.”

A lot of things fall into the same category as these plants. I was looking for color –

Light shining ON a bromeliad

-looking for “beauty” and walked right by them.

I fear that I do this frequently, God. There are some really horrible things going on in this Beautiful World.

The press, bloggers and various media people do try to “shine light” on these topics. But, I don’t want to know. I want to be “thinking on the good and pure and true,” which is pretty good advice from St. Paul. BUT, there are things that I need to speak up about. Unpleasant things that I need to be aware of and alert to.

Things in my own life that I need to do something about. Drat! It is called personal responsibility and I need to make better use of it!

Sigh, I would like to be like that agave leaf God — a little thick, a little heavy — but with Your Light shining through me.

Tagged with: grey skies, Light, personal responsibility, selective focus, storms
Posted in beauty, Light, Responding, responding to God's Spirit, responsibility

Lent Light — a Few Small Thoughts

Posted on March 9, 2012 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Our refrigerator stocked with NON-ALCOHOLIC beer for Lent

Good Day, God!

I appreciate Lent, God. Lent is a special time of year in the Christian calendar — designed to help us better appreciate the sufferings of Christ — in the 40+ days leading up to Good Friday.

Traditionally, people have done some serious fasting during Lent. This has morphed into things like giving up chocolate or ice cream. And, although, I was the one raised an Episcopalian, God, it is my wonderful husband Kit — the Congregationalist — who has embraced Lent.

I think this is because to Kit Giving Up Things is a GAME! He is blessed with enormous DISCIPLINE. I am sitting here smiling, God. I am more like our oldest daughter who used to tell me how much she disliked the word Discipline.

As You know, God, in years past Kit would decide that WE would give up caffeine, alcohol, red meat, sugar-containing desserts, etc. I, although NOT disciplined, would chug along behind him — more or less faithfully giving up whatever.

This year Kit was visiting our daughters on the Mainland when Lent began and I encouraged him to wait until he returned home to Begin Lent. When he returned we began what turned out to be Lent Light! Instead of giving up coffee, we have switched to decaf. And Kit has switched from regular beer to non-alcoholic beer. This is not “suffering,” God!

But then I wonder if voluntary suffering has ever been something that pleased You? I can understand bearing up as well as can be under involuntary suffering. And I can understand making sacrifices to help others. But, voluntary suffering seems odd to me. I think it was Thomas a Becket who wore hair-shirts . . . not uncommon back in the days when voluntary suffering was admired. Hair-shirts to de-caf coffee. Hmm.

Tagged with: decaf coffee, hair-shirts, Lent, voluntary suffering
Posted in background / foreground questions, Sacrifice

Rainbows and HOPE

Posted on March 7, 2012 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Rainbow over Hawaii Kai: Photo by Pulelehua Quirk

Good Day, God!

Hope! I didn’t even know I didn’t have it — until I got it back this evening. I got it back when our grandson Mark sent me the video made by Invisible Children. Basically, it is the story of how Jason Russell met a young Ugandan boy, Jacob, who with hundreds of other children was hiding from the Joseph Kony “army.” This Kony had been and still is abducting children and turning them into “soldiers” who kill and mutilate their fellow human beings. That was nine years ago and Russell promised Jacob he would WORK to STOP THIS HORROR.

Since then Russell has mobilized young folks (and I guess old people, too) all over the world to call on their governments to HELP STOP KONY. Kony is ranked the number one criminal in the world. But, criminal sounds like too kind a word for this man.

So, what our grandson asked me to do is what I am now asking other people to do. STOP and WATCH. Become AWARE. CARE. The goal is to have him captured in 2012. Amazingly, God, I believe that will happen. I have hope.

And if people don’t want to join the young people in putting up posters and wearing bracelets, they can always donate a few dollars.

You know, God, we are called to Overcome Evil with Good. But, I don’t know when I have seen the opportunity to do just that in quite such a FOCUSED way. Please bless all these efforts, God! For all my HOPE, I am pretty sure we will NEED Your Help!

Tagged with: an army of abducted children, Invisible Children, Joseph Kony, Overcoming Evil
Posted in choices, Choosing to respond, hope, Praying for our enemies

It RAINS and RAINS and RAINS

Posted on March 6, 2012 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

A rainy night on the basketball court in the park next door

Good Day, God!

Rain with thunder and lightening! This is OUR Hawaiian version of Exciting Weather. The island of Kauai had over 17 inches on its north shore and has been designated a disaster area.

That is serious, God. And please help those folks. But, I am really thankful that we don’t have blizzards and tornados.

Here on Oahu, my husband Kit reported that hail came down on his car as he was driving to Aina Haina for an eye check-up. And I saw boys boogie boarding all the way down the Hahaione Valley drainage canal near our home.

waterfalls on the ridge west of my mom's complex

Leaving my mom’s this afternoon I was startled to see waterfalls cascading down the ridge west of her complex. Yes, God, we were getting a taste of what Mother Nature can do.

Mind You, God, after watching video’s of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami I don’t need to be further impressed!

I am thankful that our Planet is still as “forgiving” as it is. But we have to do our part, don’t we God, to sustain our planet. I just got up and turned off the overhead lights. That is about the extent of my response, God. Change is hard. Dramatic Change is all but impossible for us.

I resolve to take at least small steps, to see what we can do next. A solar water heater? A hybrid car? I think another year on my 1999 car might be a better use of energy than buying a new car. But, the solar water heater is a no brainer!

Please, God, help us all do what we can — maybe even do more than we think we can.

Tagged with: exciting weather, rain, sustainability, weather
Posted in accepting my ability to REDESIGN, Changing, Choosing to respond

Joys of the Senses AND of the Heart

Posted on March 5, 2012 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Orchids at the Farmers' Market near Diamond Head

Good Day, God!

My husband Kit is musical — thrilled by music like Britten’s A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (particularly the rousing conclusion). The link (above) is to Simon Rattle conducting an orchestra wearing distinctive colored shirts — one color for each set of instruments. Truly lovely!

I am the visual one. I VIBRATE at colors. So the rainbow of orchids at the Farmers’ Market this Saturday left me aglow.

Mothers lined up to have a photo with the Corn Man at the Farmers' Market

But, it isn’t just music and colors and the joys of the senses that we humans relate to. I was delighted watching the young mothers lining up to have photos taken with the “Corn Man.” I am smiling even now looking at the joy on the mother’s face. Ah, please help me focus as much on the Heart as on the Mind, God!

Life holds such a wide variety of joys, God! Thank You! And such an incredible array of interests for the curious! I remember “waiting” for the World Wide Web back in the early 1990’s. We knew it was coming. For me it meant GRAPHICS and COLOR. No more unix green.

Who could have conceived of what evolved, God? And now the curve is so steep that I don’t think anyone can predict where it will go. Wonderful! But, maybe just a little scary, too?

The people of Good Will had best be busy, God! Please help us all work toward a healthier world.

Tagged with: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Corn Man, orchids, World Wide Web
Posted in Curiosity, Hearts, JOY, web of life

Welcoming Our Hawaii Symphony

Posted on March 4, 2012 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

Program of the Inaugural concert of the Hawaii Symphony

Good Day, God!

Thank you for Music, God, Thank You! Thank You, too, for the extraordinary sense of “community” that I experienced this evening at the very first concert of our new Hawaii Symphony. The old Honolulu Symphony was dissolved a few years ago amidst financial stress.

At the concert hall, when the new orchestra was “announced” and walked on stage, the audience, as one, rose to their feet and applauded and applauded and applauded. I had tears in my eyes. The auditorium was sold out, a total surprise to me and my husband Kit, and everyone was so happy to be there — so happy to be welcoming our musicians back.

The feeling lasted as the audience sang the Star Spangled Banner and Hawaii Ponoi, our state anthem. At the end of the concert — as the audience stood and clapped for at least ten minutes — every member of the orchestra was given a lei.

It was an evening to treasure — a tribute to the power and appeal of music — and to the health of our community. Thank You, God, not just for music, but for musicians and for the community leaders who persisted to recreate our symphony. Thank You!

Tagged with: a sense of community, community leaders, Hawaii Symphony, inaugural concert, music, musicians
Posted in listening, Music, people as gifts

Thoughts on being seen — and being valued

Posted on March 3, 2012 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

My husband, Kit, giving me a loving look

Good Day God,

Thank You, God, that I have a husband who sees me. I’ve been talking about hearing and being heard. And that is important. But, Kit, sees me, too.

We are both still busy. Probably too busy. But, I am seen by him. Seen as a separate person with quirks and idiosyncratic behaviors.

I think the day he came home and told me he had seen a T-Shirt that said “Normal is Boring” was a turning point. He told me that he had to get it for me — and he did.

So, I suppose, God, that the gift isn’t just being seen but being valued just as I am. To be sure, there is a bit of amusement in his gaze. But, then there might be a bit of that in my eyes, too.

I wish, God, that every husband — well every spouse — could gaze at the other with love, affection and acceptance. It is a truly wonderful thing to be accepted as we are.

I try and remember that, God. I have a tendency to want to push things a little bit closer to “better.” That includes pushing myself. Pushing and pulling spouses, however, is ever so counter productive. You know that God. And You love us just as we are. As we are right now.

Knowing that, feeling that, helps us as we work on loving and accepting ourselves. Once we have lovingly accepted ourselves then compassion can flow so much more freely.

All of this take time, doesn’t it God. But, the closer I get the more I appreciate that the journey it worth it!

Tagged with: acceptance, being seen as we are, normal is boring
Posted in Belonging to each other, Families, LOVE, respect

Once Again Working on Organizing Myself

Posted on March 1, 2012 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Tuesday afternoon rainbow with Kit driving from the airport

Good Day, God!

What a double joy to have my beloved husband Kit home, after his eleven days on the Mainland. First is just the pleasure of his company. Second is his loving help in so many ways. I am so blessed, God! Help at home makes the difference between enjoying the chores and being beset by them.

Today, further exploring the idea of creating my own Life Games I looked for Tasks that could be done in 3-5 minutes — that were routine — and that I could tell when they were done. I found quite a few. 1) Water my house plants 2) upload photos 3) make an appointment 4) write one email 5) make the bed 6) brush my teeth 7) do floor exercises 8) do weights 9) take vitamins 9) tidy my desk 10) take a shower.

So many micro tasks, God! And if I went on to create a list of 10-minute tasks and then 20-minute tasks — most of my life would fall within them. Life is a mosaic. But, having made a mosaic years ago, I know that one needs a framework to set the pieces in. Judith Kolberg in her book ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life talks about Strategies, Structure and Support. Strategies and Structure seem doable. Ah, but Support is a little trickier.

Judith Kolberg observes that people with ADD especially don’t like to ask for help. Hmm. I thought it was just me — perhaps being a matter of pride. But, now I am thinking it might be that people who are sequentially impaired might just have a hard time scheduling help. Sigh. I guess, God, that identifying what is HARD should tell me where to put my effort.

But, I will need to ask for Your Help, God, in order to ask for help from others.