A Gift of Time — A Time of Reflection

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

one of the fish in Arcadia's fish tank

Good Morning, God!

Yesterday, visiting Arcadia, I felt led to take a photo of the fish in the fish tank. It was something I’d never done in all the years I worked there.

I was waiting for a dear friend to join me so we could have breakfast together. I had arrived a bit earlier than expected, so I wandered over to look at the fish.

So exquisite, God! Diversity run amok in one small tank. This electric blue one caught my eye and out came my iPhone to take some photos.

It was only later, at breakfast, that I realized I had never done that before. I’d never had an “unfree” moment just to take a “fun” photo at Arcadia. How could that be, God? How, indeed!

Looking back, I guess there was always something “purposeful” to do. I was in Work Mode. I guess that “work mode” precluded taking photos of beautiful fish — or even pausing to see the fish.

Hmmm. I wonder if this fish, swimming around in the tank, looking for food, is in Work Mode? I am having this slightly uncomfortable feeling that I was like this fish — busily swimming around and around — for way too long.

And now, God? Now I feel lighter. More open. Maybe more accepting? No, accepting isn’t the word. More willing to release THE THINGS OF LIFE into Your Hands. Yes, I think that comes closer, God. And, Thank You for helping me to open my hands . . . slowly putting things into Your Hands.

Tagged with: a moment with God, electric blue fish, feeling Lighter, having enough time, having time to see, out of the fish tank, releasing the World
Posted in a hand up, an invitation to abundant life, growing toward up, interspecies contact, relaxation, simple joys of daily life, stopping to see

A Modest Proposal Concerning Food Stamps

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

A Water Lily in a small pot

Good Morning, God!

A few days ago, Sandy emailed me that she was upset about an obese family using food stamps (an obese mom and two obese sons) to buy chips and soda pop. Sandy sees them when she visits a refugee family.

No one in our family drinks soda pop. That puts us in a very small — but healthy — minority. So, God, Sandy and I got to talking about how it’s too bad food stamp use isn’t limited to healthy foods.

Alas, as often happens when I wax critical, You put the Ball Back in My Court! As I ranted on to Sandy in a follow-up email, two thoughts came to me: 1) Jesus’ words: It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out. 2) YIKES! Maybe I should be offering cooking classes to help people KNOW HOW to eat better — and for less money. That second thought was especially unwelcome as cooking is not one of my skills.

Aha! But, I know a Super Chef who is already giving lessons at Castle Hospital! So, I guess my “modest proposal” is that somehow food stamp recipients could be “offered” classes on How to Cook Smart to Feel Better and Save Money. The classes could be video recorded and put on Youtube!

I understand God, that lots of people on food stamps are the working poor, with two jobs. They are tired, stressed and often lack easy access to stores that sell real food. Still, a crock pot and a little “seed” (or make that “bean”) money might help.

Tagged with: cheaper and better eating, food stamps, how to help, opportunities to learn, small instant pleasures
Posted in food questions, supportive organizational structures, systematic rebuilding required, The Learning Revolution

Chained! It is so EASY to stay chained

Posted on August 31, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Decades ago a child chained a bike to this tree: Photo from Sierra magazine September 2011

Good Morning, God!

There is something about this photo that delights me — but also makes me uneasy. It makes me think about how inexorable Life is. And how easy it is to get stuck — figuratively chained to old ideas, old habits, old ways of perceiving the world.

Sigh. I’m remembering how Dr. David Servan-Schrieber didn’t explore alternative ways of treating his cancer until it “came back.” Mostly we don’t even consider that we might be chained to “not so helpful” ideas and viewpoints.

It takes a “wakeup call” to get our attention. And a personal health scare is a definite wakeup call. But, often, just as with Dr. Servan-Schrieber, one wakeup call isn’t enough. That sure is me, God!

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain

What is that first law of Thermodynamics, God? Bodies at rest tend to remain at rest. The law of Inertia. It does take energy to start moving. But it also takes a good deal of thought and looking around to decide exactly what we want to move toward. We are complex beings, God. And, mostly I like that a lot.

I’m still listening to Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain. And I have just come across the chapter that talks about our conscious mind as the CEO of the vast assembly of independent contractors and subroutines that more or less coalesce into “me.”

Sigh, You made me, God! And so I am pretty sure You understand WHY I need Your Help! I want to change: what I eat, when I exercise, even how I put things away. If I wasn’t convinced that YOU WANT TO HELP, I’d just go back to bed — instead of getting down on the floor and doing sit ups and pushups. Did I hear You say, Start Small? That’s a really good reminder, God.

Tagged with: Anticancer, chained to old ideas, Changing small subroutine by subroutine, changing the way we eat, habits as subroutines, Incognito: the Secret Lives of the Brain, repeated wake up calls, the Law of Inertia
Posted in Changing, choices, choosing HARD, self care as self compassion and humility

Turmeric, Brain Health, and the Himalayan Kitchen

Posted on August 30, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Dinner at the Himalayan Kitchen in Kaimuki

Good Morning, God!

What fun last night to dine outdoors at a rooftop restaurant in Kaimuki. It’s fun to peek into another culture or at least another cuisine.

I like different. I even like it when it comes HOT. Not only did the food taste good, but my sinuses cleared and I feel generally flushed out.

Normally we would have opted to take our friend, visiting from the Mainland, to a “safer” restaurant. But she loved the idea of Himalayan food.

Actually, turmeric is the real reason we ate there. Turmeric is the latest thing in healthy eating. Dr. Blaylock’s Wellness Report touts turmeric (or its active ingredient, curcumin) for its benefits to brain health. I had actually ordered some, God, but had not taken any. Sigh,I need to “hear” things several times before they get absorbed.

So, yesterday morning, I was reading to Kit from Anticancer, A New Way of Life by Dr. Servan-Schreiber about “good foods” — and there was a section on turmeric! The research on it is amazing — done by Dr. Aggarwal. Interestingly, when his fellow researchers learned that the substance wasn’t a drug but a “spice” they lost interest. (p 115) Fortunately the head of the M.D. Anderson Health Center heard his presentation and started several clinical trials with the active ingredient, curcumin.

For some reason, God, it came to me that maybe I should think beyond pills and into a whole cuisine. So, that’s how, in taking our visiting friend out for dinner, I thought — Indian. The book tells (on page 134) that to be effective the turmeric has to be dissolved in oil and mixed with some black pepper. That helped me realize how things do work in concert. And, that, God, is how we went out to have real curry.

Tagged with: Anticancer, brain health, changing, curcumin, eating for health, Himalayan Kitchen, turmeric
Posted in A God given diversity, accepting my ability to REDESIGN, Changing, Cherishing our Bodies, choices, food questions, health

A Love Gift to Kit — and Me Too!

Posted on August 29, 2011 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

Kit and I after the 5K race to raise money for Japanese tsunami relief

Good Morning, God!

Here we are, God, after running 3.1 miles. Kit, of course is fresh. I could hardly speak after a fast finish. Connie Comiso, the race organizer was standing 20 yards from the finish yelling at me, ‘You can beat 40 minutes! YOU CAN DO IT!” And I did. And clocked 39 minutes, 57 seconds. Smile. First of one in my age group. But, three minutes faster than my time earlier in the month over an easier course.

I really appreciated that encouragement, God. Encouragement is such a good gift. Of course, some encouragement feels a bit like pressure! This morning I had to tell Kit to knock off the F word! (F standing for FAST!) He means well. But, he cares so much about my doing well — and I perceive it as pressure.

My running this race is what we call a “Love Gift.” That means, God, that NO WAY would I get up early to go running up and down hills in Manoa just to take good care of my body. I did it as a love gift to Kit. But, it is a love gift to my body, too. I know that, God. I really do.

And, I do love both my Body AND Kit. But . . . but . . . but, then why haven’t I been willing to train? I could say training is boring. But I have my iPhone full of books and music plus acting as a camera and all the while logging my run.

I used to say I was too busy to train and I was too busy. Being busy helping others sounds noble, God. But, I sadly fear that in my case it covered a reluctance to assume personal responsibility. Yes, that, and a reluctance to buckle down on HARD stuff — like running. Please, God. I need some radical help here.

Tagged with: a helpful word, encouraging others, personal responsibility, running as a love gift
Posted in asking for help for myself, choosing HARD, encourage and comfort, Endurance, exercising, so much to learn, The difficulty of changing, Transitions, words to strengthen

Idilic Evenings and Awesome Hurricanes

Posted on August 28, 2011 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

A lovely Evening on the Water

Good Morning, God!

I can’t help comparing the idilic evening we had last night with the hurricane, Irene, bearing down on the East Coast.

After getting home from a party, I looked at the news via my iPad. I was struck by the almost total evacuation of Cape May in New Jersey. We’ve stayed in Cape May, God. That makes it all seem so much more real.

About 97% evacuated on the Cape? That’s a lot of people. Old people, too. Older people are harder to move. Harder to persuade, God? Or harder to scare? Maybe it is having been through it all before — several times — that makes older folks say never mind!

I read somewhere (Discover magazine?) that for every degree of increase in the average ocean temperature, the power of the storms generated increases. I forget by what factor, God. I suspect that I don’t want to know. The world is littered with things I don’t want to know. Aurgh!

So, back to Irene. I surely do pray that You are softening that storm! She’s gone down from a category two to a one and now to a Tropical Storm. But, I worry about the winds in Manhattan. Here in Honolulu, Kit and I walked though a building complex on Friday night and were almost blown away. The walkway formed a Wind Tunnel! Not a good design when hurricanes come calling.

This morning, God, Kit and I are off to a 5K Fun Run raising money for Japan tsunami relief. As we run, please help us keep our East Coast friends in our Hearts — actually, make that keep everyone in the Palm of Your Hand!

Tagged with: evacuations, idilic evenings in Honolulu, preparations, tropical storm Irene
Posted in climate changes, connecting, connections, Gusts of Wind, Humility or Needing Help!

Off to the Farmers’ Market and Whatevers

Posted on August 27, 2011 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

The Very Busy Coconut Man at the Farmers' Market

Good Morning, God!

I’m up early as Kit needed the alarm to wake up. YAWN! He is off to his TNT training run. On his way down the stairs he said, “Tomorrow you’ll be running, too!” He said it so cheerfully.

I just sighed. I am not yet trained well enough to be cheerful about running. But, at least, when I went down the stairs, didn’t hear from any sore muscles. That’s a good sign, God.

Now, I’m sitting here smiling, God. Smiling because I actually feel pretty good about this “training” thing. I guess that is because I feel that I have both the time and the energy (such as it is) for a little jogging in my life.

And pleasing Kit is becoming more important. Our Time Together no longer seems infinite. Priorities seem clearer. Hmmm. Pleasing myself is emerging as a Priority, too.

Now that I am shaking off Being Responsible — not just for Work but for anything that isn’t nailed down — Life is fluffing up. Time is Decompressing. Maybe this morning, God, I will feel I have the time to wait in the line for a coconut? I can do that because I am NOT the person in charge of the 10:00 a.m. Retreat Meeting at the church. I can be late. It won’t matter. Aaaah!

I forget who said it, God, but it is so true: If Satan can’t get at us through our Vices, he will do it through our Virtues. I can trust You, God! Responsibility belongs to You — not me. You may — if I listen — delegate a few small pieces to me. Call so-and-so. Visit X. Write Y a note. But, to hear and respond, first I have to put “my daily agenda” into Your Hands.

Let’s face it God. What I really want is for YOU to do my will. Sigh. Putting myself on the altar to be transformed (Romans 12:1-2) seems beyond my power to do — I can only offer myself — a wiggling, squiggling sacrifice.

Tagged with: changing, letting Time Decompress and Fluff up, offering my squiggly self as a living sacrifice, priorities, Putting down excess Responsibility, trusting God
Posted in a hand up, A Spiritual Spring Cleaning, an invitation to abundant life, becoming the change I wish to see, Changing, Farmers' Markets, humility

Paddling into Relaxing

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

Ducks in Water

Good Morning, God!

Yesterday was a lovely S*L*O*W morning. After my Thursday morning walk, I set out for a short jog. Kit joined me on the last part and so I went a full 2 miles. I took this photo of the ducks as we crossed what would have been the Hahaione stream — but is now a concrete drainage canal.

Once home, I sank into the bathtub and soaked and soaked. Next I fell into Margaret Becker’s book, Coming Up For Air. I forget, God, which lovely soul recommended it to me. But, I am very thankful!

Becker (Maggie B) is a musician who lived a life “on Tour.” Then in 1995 she woke up in yet another hotel room — trying to remember when she had last taken a vacation. She decided to take a whole month off. The first half of the book is about that month. It is the sort of book that one gobbles up — while wanting it not to end.

She says that the first four or five days of “doing nothing” were hard. She had forgotten how. I wonder, God, if in today’s world any of us truly remembers. Or if our children — in between lessons and games — have time to drift. I am drifting, God. Rather like these ducks, I think. Relaxed.

For Becker, the month was an early mid-life adjustment. Mine feels like a preparation for my third Third. You will notice, God, that I couldn’t bring myself to say LAST third. I’m smiling ruefully, God.

One of Becker’s goals was to have all her teeth at the end. Myself, I want all my faculties! Aaah, but what ELSE do I want, God? Becker went back every year to her “retreat” and sought out Your Plans vs. her plans. Maybe I need to go back to the Snowmass Retreat Center again next year?

Tagged with: changing, Coming Up For Air, discovering I have choices, entering into a new stage and age, entering into God's Time, Maggie B, Margaret Becker, retiring as rebuilding, taking time for transitions, Who Do I Want to Be
Posted in a series of molts and upgrades, A Spiritual Spring Cleaning, Changing, choices, relaxation, Transitions

Am I a Squiggle or a Circle?

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

A friend's garden palm

Good Morning, God!

Last week as we picked up friends to take to the airport, I was fascinated by this palm in their garden. So stalwart! So decisive! And, I couldn’t help but notice, decidedly rigid! They also had a raggedy fishtail palm. Such diversity!

Then this Monday I heard a speaker talking about personalities as represented by shapes. I looked up the website and its more official name is Psycho-Geometrics System. The speaker, Annabel Chotzen, was delightful. We listened as she described the characteristics of people who were cubes, rectangles, triangles and circles. When she added a category called “Squiggles,” we all burst out laughing. When she polled us, I was one of several who identified with Squiggles.

My palm, in my reading room

There was something delightful in finding a “type” I can identify with. As it turned out, after completing the questionnaire, I found a Circle/Squiggle category and I am happy to fall (or place myself) in that category.

So, God, here we all are — palms and people — different in countless ways. The helpful thing about categorizing is the ability it provides to see our assorted qualities. Each quality can be helpful — or not –depending on the circumstances. As I recall, at the end of the Circle/Squiggle description it suggested that I work on “self discipline.”

Hah! Now that I am almost completely retired, I am thinking of moving toward being MORE of a Squiggle and less of a well-rounded Circle. It takes more effort than I realized to keep up a well rounded exterior. I am going to “take back” that energy and let it squiggle out any way it wants. I’m looking forward to that reshaping, God!

Tagged with: becoming more of a squiggle, letting go of responsibilities, looking forward to reshaping, personalities and shapes, psycho-geometrics, retiring, sitting under my palm
Posted in A God given diversity, a series of molts and upgrades, adjusting, an invitation to abundant life, Changing, clapping our hands in joy, JOY, visible turnings

Why Not Us?

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

Sweden's Uppsala University. Home of the newest Rotary Peace Institute

Good Morning, God!

While I was looking through the latest Rotarian magazine, this photo caught my eye.

It was a photo of Sweden’s Uppsala University which is hosting the newest Rotary Peace Center. I think its official name is the Rotary Center for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Conflict resolution — what a good idea, God — training people in how to resolve conflicts peacefully. All of us, everywhere, could benefit from that.

I was really pleased to learn that Rotary International already has seven Peace Centers around the world — one of them at Duke/University of North Carolina,. But, then I asked myself, “Why not US — why not us here in Hawaii?”

For YEARS, God, I have wanted us to have a Peace Academy at Pearl Harbor. I had thought it would be a great way to observe the 50th anniversary of the December 7, 1941, attack. Then, again, I thought it would be a great way to observe the 60th anniversary. And now 2016 will be the 75th anniversary.

I am just putting this “thought” out there, God. We have Annapolis, West Point and Colorado Springs — why not Pearl Harbor? Why not take something horrible and redeem it? So, God, since You are big on Blessing the Peace Makers, I thought I’d ask You for a little help with this. Or, maybe a lot of help. Please?

Tagged with: Blessed are the Peace Makers, Conflict resolution, Creating a Peace Academy at Pearl Harbor, Rotary Peace Centers
Posted in courage, Peace