My Mother’s Stout Cat — and Other Stout Animals

My Mother's Cat -- on my Mother's Bed

Good Morning, God!

My Mother’s Cat  has morphed from a svelte and agile Princess Katrina — to a rather stout Queen Katrina. But she has never for one minute doubted that she is the Alpha Female in the apartment. This seems to be just fine with my mother, who takes it all in stride.

I can remember the vet saying that “cats are too smart to overeat.” But, I have not noticed much of a correlation between intelligence and weight in humans, God. Perhaps Queen Katrina overeats because she is confined to a one bedroom apartment? I do let her out in the hall, God, but there is little of interest in the hall — except for the time she discovered another cat living a few doors down. All she did was hiss outside the closed door. But,the neighboring cat was terrified, later that day escaping and hiding behind the dryer down the hall. Cat and owner subsequently moved.

But, back to overeating, God. While I was at the Silent Retreat, I bought The Slow Down Diet: Eating for Pleasure, Energy and Weight Loss. It was a prescient purchase, God! The next three week trip — followed by three weeks of being sick and with low energy — is showing up around my midsection.

So far, God, I am working at putting two ideas into action. The first is to eat slower and more mindfully. The second is a bit harder and that is to eat EARLIER. Apparently, that gives out bodies time to digest the food before we sleep — leaving our bodies free to rebuild and repair over night.  Aah! Sleep is a nightly “sabbath” of rest and restoration!

Please help me live in harmony with Your Design, God!

Posted in God wants to nourishes us, God's Provision, living within limits, mindfulness

It Was a Happy 4th of July!

Fireworks at Princeton in late May

Good Morning, God!

We had a Happy 4th of July . . . a quiet day at home. Well, quiet up until it got dark and we heard (and saw from our bedroom) the fireworks show at Maunaloa Bay Beach Park.

The Fourth was also the day a dear friend’s grandson came home from Afghanistan — wounded — but alive! Thank YOU. God!

Ah, God. Surely, our Species can do better than we are doing? So many GOOD people in the World, God. Why then . . . is there so much trouble?

I am half way through the book The Body Never Lies: the Lingering Effects of Cruel Parenting in which the author, Alice Miller, states that cruel parents produce cruel despots. Probably true. But, somehow, I don’t think it’s that simple, God.

Actually, I suspect that nothing is ever simple. The recent issue of the Atlantic has an article, “How to Land Your Kid in Therapy,” about the fragile “teacup” young adults who have been so protected all their lives that they never had a chance to develop resiliency. They had parents that were “too good” instead of “good enough.” But, then, just how do we define “good?”

Perhaps, God, it is more a question of balancing assorted “goods” like Freedom and Responsibility? Children need to be free — free to have a certain amount of failures and falls. At the same time, children need to develop a sense of responsibility and limits. Hmm. We adults are still grappling with this “balance thing,” aren’t we God?

Please, God, help me today to Practice Your Presence — in all the myriad activities of my Mind and Heart.

Posted in Balancing and adjustments, Celebrations, embedded in God's Time, growing toward up

Dr. Dean Ornish and Thomas Merton

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

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

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

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 . . .

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

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

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

 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

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No Days Adhesives

Stained Glass, Glass Fusing and Mosaic Adhesives

Brené Brown

chatting and sometimes, listening

Rachel Naomi Remen

chatting and sometimes, listening

A Moment with God

chatting and sometimes, listening

Sacred Dance Guild Journal

Since 1958 articles by members & guests offer news about activities, history, Sacred Dance practices, profiles of Sacred Dancers, choreography, images & illustrations.

Victoria Paulsen

How to Step In -- Substitute Teaching