Dr. Dean Ornish and Thomas Merton

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

A Quote from Thomas Merton

Good Morning, God!

Sometime during my Centering Prayer last night two thoughts came to me. The first related to a powerful talk by Dr. Dean Ornish on our ability to make positive changes.

The second thought came from this quote from Thomas Merton (at left), which is on the front door of the Snowmass Retreat Center. I knew as soon as I saw it that it was meant for me.

But, in listening to Dr. Ornish talk about preventing and healing most chronic diseases through Lifestyle Changes — I just didn’t think about BEING BUSY as a key factor.

Of course not, God! I thought about the changes I had already made, relating to eating, exercise, close friends, meditation. Naturally, I didn’t think of the ONE BIG CHANGE that I had yet to make — ELIMINATING BUSY-NESS! Was that Willful Blindness? You bet, God! So, please help me as I go over the key sentence in that quote once AGAIN!

“To commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence. More than that, it is cooperation in violence.”

I haven’t bounced back from the bug I got upon arriving home so I’ve been “forced” to cancel important commitments. And, that has shown me 1) that the world is doing fine without me and 2) I actually LIKE a slower pace. Yes, God, some of us need a Whack on the head to help things come together.

So, today, God,help me do more puttering, and more praying. And Thank You for time to play games with my Mom.

Posted in Centering Prayer, Changing, healing, health

Looking Forward to a Day of Puttering and Praying

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

Diamondhead and Shower Trees

Good Morning, God!

I awoke to find Kit down watching tennis at Wimbledon. Later he and Suz will enjoy chatting about it.

As for me, God, there is something delicious about two slow sabbath days ahead! Days to pray and putter about.

Praying again and again, God, for our dear Lum Family in far off Swaziland. And praying, too, for our beloved grandson Ian in Arizona. Ian has been brave enough to go off to a Young Life camp — but he finds noise and excitement deeply distressing because of his hypersensitivities. I remember going with Sandy and Ian and Mark to Ian’s Audio Integration treatments. Those treatments did help reduce Ian’s hearing sensitivities. Thank You, God, that we now understand that behavior has physiological components. That it isn’t just about “character” the way it used to be.

I am thankful, God, that You want us to Pray and to Love and to Care. Thankful that our lives are filled with family and friends. And, now, God, I find myself thinking of large families — families with eight children and 34 grandchildren, etc. Oh, my. However do they do it?

Love, Love, Love! It is all about LOVE! And, love involves time and attention — hearing and seeing — and being WITH. I am becoming aware, God,that Our Bodies do communicate beyond our senses’ ability to convey. And, perhaps, that is true of Prayer, too? Prayer is so much MORE than we humans can grasp.

Please, God, today — in amongst my tidying and puttering — please reach out and grasp me! Please, God, envelop me in Your Love — Your incredible love for us all.

Posted in a prayer for healing, Prayer, processing on deeper levels, sabbath rest, sacred space, setting my life in context

A Yellow Royal Poinciana and the Joy of Living

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

Yellow Royal Poinciana blossoms

Good Morning, God!

What fun! As I was looking for what photo I wanted to share, I was listening to Dr. Dean Ornish speaking about Sustainable Changes. His main point is that changes that make us joyful are sustainable.

And it turns out, God, that You have designed us to heal fairly quickly — when we give our bodies a chance to heal.

I know You know this, God. But, it was really a delight to hear a doctor say it. Dr. Ornish points out that fear of death just doesn’t motivate us. Even telling a person they can live to 86 instead of 85 doesn’t motivate us — it doesn’t even motivate 85 year olds. But, when people realize that small changes can make us feel better — bringing more joy into our life — they change more. And the more they change their life style, the better they get!

Eating right and exercise — those we kind of understand, God. But Dr. Ornish showed how Meditation can turn off “bad” genes and turn on “good” genes. Hmm. I think, God, I need to watch this video twice. Maybe three times?

What I am taking away from his talk, right now, is that focused attention on positive things not only feels good it is good for us. I am pretty sure, God, that walking all around this beautiful big tree was really good for my health. Focusing on beauty — focusing on Your Creation — appreciating and enjoying — all of these are good for our Health.

I’m very thankful for Dr. Ornish’s empowering message, God! I hope You will help everyone click HERE to watch it.

Posted in appreciation, Enjoyment, healing, health, JOY, Motivation

Interspecies Communication and Trust

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

The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

Good Morning, God!

Sometimes I get discouraged about our species, God. There are so many good individuals — but, in aggregate we seem to be busy destroying ecosystems and pushing animals into extinction.

In fact, looking at the elephants on this book cover, my mind takes me back to the display of stuffed elephants at the New York Museum of Natural History. As I recall, they were shot by Teddy Roosevelt. Sigh.

Elephants are another species — created by You — worthy of respect. In fact, God, it seems to me that most of the troubles in our world have at their root, lack of respect. Oh that we would respect ourselves and others more! And not just human “others.”

So, yesterday, seeing this book, The Elephant Whisperer, in the library, I took it home and devoured the first half of it.

The author was starting a private game park when he got a call asking if he would “take” a herd of nine elephants. The herd had a very smart matriarch who had figured out how to break through electric fences. If he didn’t take them, the elephants would be killed. So he took them. When the elephants arrived they were ANGRY. And who could blame them as they had seen their matriarch killed!

The author describes how he camped out near their holding enclosure (boma) to feed them and try and keep them in. If they escaped, they were doomed to be killed as too dangerous. He actually stood in front of the new matriarch every morning at 4:45 when she was about to break through the electric fence — talking to her, pleading with her to stay. She understood enough to turn back every morning — finally trusting him.

Communication is far more than words, God. Please help me with this!

Posted in Communication, interspecies contact, Trusting God, web of life

And whence is Courage . . .

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

South Church, Andover: Just before the singing of Patty's poems

Good Morning, God!

I have BEGUN!

The day before yesterday — while I was sitting in Centering Prayer — I realized how FRIGHTENED I was about creating a website for Patty. I had bought the site, Mango-Days.com the day before.

And now, I was terrified of doing a bad job. Frightened of failing to do it “right.” As I sat there — I let the feelings of fear wash through me. Then I thought, “Of course I will not do it well enough! But I will do it!”

Marianne Moore’s lines ran through my heart: And whence is courage . . .that in misfortune, even death, encourages others and in its defeat, stirs the soul to be strong.

So yesterday, I began. Why, God, after years of being thankful to let Kit do everything connected with Patty, have I felt called to share?

I think it is because of “hearing” Patty’s poems sung . . . set to music. The music let me “hear” FEELINGS from deep inside Patty. It was as if Patty, herself, was finally FREE to cry out and fully express herself.

I guess, God, that I have been set free too — or, at least I am BEING set free — slowly, slowly, bit by bit. One of the things I have done — getting ready for the website — is to post a “recitation” of one of Patty’s poems by the beautiful young soprano, Rebekah Alexander. I didn’t use one of the wonderful musical numbers — which will be recorded this July in the NPR studios in Boston –because the musical numbers had a substitute clarinetist playing. . . ah well.

Thank You, God! Thank You for wanting us all to be set free to feel and to share.

Posted in courage, Creating, fears, Feeling our feelings

The Moon and Tides and Drifting

Posted on June 29, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

An almost full moon over Hawaii Kai

Good Morning, God!

I think, today, I shall just go to my Women’s Prayer Group and then come home. I’m amazed that I am not “well” yet! Still, I am better than I was — for which I am thankful, God!

I do have an appointment with my dermatologist in the afternoon. Oh well. Sigh.

DRIFTING through the day, yesterday, was lovely. It was made even easier because Kit, too, is under the weather — with vertigo. So, we have been home, together.

A dear friend likes to speak of “puttering” about the house, but this has been several gears down from puttering — definitely drifting.

I am pretty sure, God, that my Body loves it. Gosh, now that I think about it, I have been Very Purposeful for most of my life. My Mind — which loves dichotomies — wants to suggest that if I am not “purposeful,” I must be aimless. And, that would be the opposite. But, that sort of either/or thinking strikes me as quite judgmental.

I don’t feel aimless. I feel as if I am being carried by a Current that hasn’t yet chosen to share our direction. Ah, God, Continuums are lovely things to drift in! Thank You!

Posted in Continuums, Possibilities, rest, small mysteries

Stress Reduction: Think SMALL

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

Our New Key Hooks

Good Morning, God!

After pondering BIG social structures, I thought it might be productive to ponder some VERY SMALL stress reducing changes.

This is our most recent “structural” change, God. For some time I have hung my keys on the key hook at the right. It worked fairly well.

I had tried to get Kit to have a place for his keys — without success. But, in a little shop in Kennebunkport, Maine, I saw this fish key hook and bought it! When we got home, I asked Kit where would he like it. We realized it had to be placed just as we got up the stairs from our garage below. Of course, God, we needed it CLOSE to the garage! We had been trying to get our keys UP to the second floor! That was just too far for us on some days.

Gosh, God, that sounds pitiful — but that’s the way it is. Realizing our limitations, we are both doing better at “remembering” where are keys go and where they are!

Now I am going downstairs to fetch the coffee I just made and take it back up to bed. That is another small “stress reducing” change we instituted many months ago — having our first cup of coffee together in bed.

As a stress preventer it is even better than our repositioned key hooks. Normally, Kit is The Coffee Maker, God, but he is still having a bit of vertigo so I am filling in. Like the key hook placement, it’s a matter of proximity. Chatting, right next to each other, is quite different than chatting at a table.

Posted in Changing, slow incremental change, Stress

What’s wrong with this picture: Part Two

Posted on June 27, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Good Morning, God!

This morning, out of the blue, Kit asked me about Queen Marie Antoinette and her remark about “Let them eat cake.” Was she being sarcastic? he asked.

I did a double take, then thought about it, and replied, “No, she just couldn’t imagine that bread was all that poor people had to eat and that without bread they starved.” The more I thought, the more I realized that there was a total disconnect between the top 1% and the bottom half. It was Abysmal ignorance. And I fear ignorance is endemic to the people at the top.

Actually, God, looking at these graphs comparing average household income and share of income in 1979 and 2007, it hits me that I, too, have been abysmally ignorant. I’m peering at the graph above right. Does it REALLY say that 80% of Americans have a substantial smaller share of America’s wealth than they did in 1979? The bottom 40% of us are WAY DOWN? IT DOES! Dang! That is quite a drop! Let’s look at another graph to double check.

Sheesh! This graph is even worse! I can barely see those two blue lines on the right that represent the bottom 40% of Americans. I see Dan Ariely who wrote Predictably Irrational is involved in the study that showed what Americans THINK the economic reality is. Hmm. It looks like my abysmal ignorance is widely shared.

This is from the article, “It’s the Inequality, Stupid,” in Mother Jones. I don’t think “inequality” is quite the right word, God. Inequality makes it sound like children squabbling over who got the bigger piece of cake.

This looks pretty darn STRUCTURAL to me, God! In fact, it looks a bit unstable. Sigh. It looks as if, maybe, we’ve been looking at “profits” when looking at “the Prophets” might be more instructive.

Posted in a matter of scale, caring for the widows and orphans, Haves and Have Nots

A Day at Home — in Dry Dock?

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

Looking last night out our kitchen window

Good Morning, God!

A day at Home! I would like to go to the 7:00 a.m. church service . . . but My Whole Being cries Stay HOME.

Perhaps, this is because I am not back to full strength? Or maybe it is just that three Mainland trips in two months have made me into a homebody?

Are You Laughing, God? Perhaps I would weary of being home all the time. The “going out” from Home and the “coming back” brings to mind, God, a book by Dr. Archibald Hart calls Safe Haven Marriage. His point is that our Home should be just that — a Safe Haven — free of criticism and stress. In my mind, I’ve been calling it Safe Harbor. I guess I’m thinking of boats returning at the end of the work day to a safe harbor.

It sounds so OBVIOUS, God, when I think about it — the idea of Home being a place where we are Safe, Secure, and Protected. Hmm. Dr. Hart is talking about marriage — but, what about people living alone, God? How does one go about setting up the “Breakwaters” and “Wharfs” that make for a safe and productive Home Harbor?

Ah, perhaps, that is why so many cultures have “A Sacred Space” in their homes? A “place” that is set aside for You — or set aside to acknowledge You? Hmm. There is a quote from author J.K. Rowling about the good thing about hitting rock bottom is that it makes a good foundation for the rest of our lives. You ARE my foundation, God — my Context.

I do feel secure and loved — but it also seems to me that You run a Dry Dock — as well as a Safe Harbor. And, yes, it does feels as if I need to have barnacles removed — please, God!

Posted in accepting my need for help, asking for and accepting forgiveness, asking for help for myself, being FORGIVEN by God, being repotted, Maintenance

Kawai’nui Marsh, Maintenance and My Wetlands

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

Kawai'nui Marsh with birds in flight

Good Morning, God!

Such a lovely day, yesterday! While I was driving a friend over to Kailua for our haircuts, she asked if we could check out an upholstery shop. We stopped, Googled, called, drove down a very narrow lane — and there it was.

My friend was happy visiting the upholstery shop. And I was surprised and thrilled finding Kawai’nui Marsh at the end of the lane. I had heard about the marsh and its maintenance troubles. But I had never seen it.

I had no idea that wetlands could be so beautiful, God! I took over 30 photos from various angles. And, “Thank You” for my good luck in catching these two birds in flight. That was a special treat!

The early Hawaiians’ used the marsh for flood control as we do today and they also used it for fish ponds and irrigation control for the taro beds. According to Kailua historical records, “About 500 years ago, early Hawaiians maintained the freshwater fishpond in Kawai’nui, which was joined by a stream to nearby Ka’elepulu Pond (Enchanted Lake). The fishpond was surrounded on all sides by a system of canals (‘auwai) bringing water from Maunawili Stream and springs to walled taro lo’i.”

The Department of Land and Natural Resources is responsible for keeping the marsh free of “trees” and maintaining the canal out to the ocean. Recently the levees were raised. Sediment keeps coming, doesn’t it God.

It makes me think of the “waterways” of my life. I, too, need to be aware of “trees” taking root and of canals needing dredging. Busy-ness — carrying countless small tasks and duties — does deposit silt in my waterways. Perhaps, God, You use “illness” as an opportunity for “dredging?”

Posted in healing, Maintenance, Removing the Root of Bitterness, responsibility