Such Pure Joy!!!

Have you had so many sleepless nights that your brain feels hot? Well, I know it's not my "brain" because it cannot *feel*. But, if I didn't know any better, it's been just too cooked. Too much to think about. Too much to do. Too many unknowns! AAAAAARGH! For a person like me, this is like sandpaper on raw nerves. Literally nothing under my control. Choices, but can they be accomplished? I've lost my "vision" and my sense of purpose. I knew I needed to just go play.

At times like this, YouTube never fails me. It's been so long that I've posted to this blog, though, that I can't seem to share this song I really like with you and the amazing video with it. Dolphins flying and leaping through the ocean. Whales that you can almost hear laugh. Utter abandon. Not a care in the world. Watching it, hearing a song I've not listened to in a long time, "Cool Change" brought the temperature of my brain down a few degrees. Phooey. Oh not about the slightly cooler brain, but that I'm not sure I can embed the video here. If you haven't seen it, you'll love it. Who can see this without being amazed, relaxed and released from tension at least for a little while. Going to try it again (embed the video). Hallelujah it worked! Oh take a few minutes, and enjoy!!

New Life Through Lent...Prepare the Way

Yesterday the doorbell rang which of course set off the ferocious barking of Daisy, our Westie wonder watch dog. This isn't unusual as you never know who may be at the door, or what critters might wander across our lawn. Daisy has a huge vocabulary which is different for squirrels, other dogs or cats, people on the street, the UPS guy, people who come to the door and especially the postman. Wow does he get some intense barking. I really believe she is certain it is solely her earnest barking which keeps him from coming right into the house, as our mailbox is just outside the front door.

But this visitor brought two pleasant surprises. One was a jar of maple butter and the other was his annual request to tap the maple trees. "Already??" I asked. "Really?" He seemed a little amused at my inability to keep track of the shift in the season and he smilingly reassured me that yes, now is the time to begin the sugaring season.
When you think of it, there's more than a little irony in the timing of this, as just the day before was Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent and the time we think of some kind of self-deprivation…not "sugaring" and the luscious sweetness springing from the heart of the sugar maple trees.

The concept of choosing something we enjoy and giving it up during the Lenten season is for the purpose of feeling the little vacuum and pang from its temporary loss in order to step a bit away from the world and walk more closely with Jesus…to fill that vacuum with prayer, Bible reading, quiet time, or some other spiritual reading or activity to deepen our relationship with the Lord. The fact that the timing of this coincides with "sugaring season" gives even further dimension to what this opportunity for spiritual growth is about.

Those who have lived in maple syrup country know that the syrup doesn't just flow straight out of the trees, ready to be poured on pancakes or other yummy food. Tapping the trees is just the start of the process which will then involve lots of boiling down to get to the real essence of the luscious, precious golden syrup itself. The sap is strained to remove any little odd bits which have fallen into it and then the boiling and separating into different qualities of syrup begins.

When you think of it, this is very similar to the spiritual process and purpose of Lent, too. Sifting out the things in our hearts and lives which keep us from being closer to Jesus as well as from healthier relationships with others, and enduring whichever deprivation we may choose or discipline we elect to practice in this season in order to become more united with the heart of Christ, deepen our relationship with Him, and experience more fulfilled and joyful Christian living.

If we look even more closely at the tree symbolism, the sweetness of our salvation and eternal life involves trees as well. Beginning with the harsh long spiky thorns of the Hawthorn bush from which the "Crown of Thorns" was woven as a crown of humiliation for Jesus, to the trees which furnished the timbers for Jesus' cross for his crucifixion, death and resurrection, so also is the precious sweet essence in the sugar maple tree brought forth through the intense and completely transformative process it undergoes. Of course maple syrup is a non-essential luxury and a treat. Our salvation and eternal life is a blessed gift to embrace and celebrate.

We people are similar to sugar maple trees. Some have more harsh exteriors with bark which seems impossible to penetrate. Some are gnarled and bent, or have branches which make them appear unapproachable. But inside all of us is the sweetness God put there when we were made. Some of us have either forgotten about it or have broken places in our hearts which make it difficult for us to access or even believe it's there, let alone enjoy it ourselves or dispense it to others.

This year I'm choosing a different path for my Lenten journey. Instead of taking up a special book to study, or give up something I delight in, I'm going to carve out time every day for prayerful "sifting". My purpose will be to ask the Lord to show me the inner things which need to be healed, the broken places as well as the habits which get in the way of more peace in my life, and ask Him to remove them from me. I'll include Bible reading about the time in Jesus' life which Lent commemorates, beginning with Matthew 4:1-11 and expand from there. It's a journey we can all take to sort out and get rid of the things which keep us from our inner sweetness, the love of Christ and His goodness which dwells deep in our hearts to enjoy and share with others. In this way, I'll be preparing the way for new life just as the maple trees are preparing for spring, and as we prepare to celebrate our new life in Christ at Easter. Why not choose to take this journey, too?

January --- Happy New Year ….. EVERY Day!

 

The sky was the kind of brilliant blue you only see in fabulous nature magazines, and all the leaves were fallen and brown, leaving the trees empty and waiting for winter. Around us, somewhere in the neighborhood, we could hear the relentless sound of a leaf blower. We have neighbors who are extremely particular about their lawns, and leaf blowers in the fall and lawn mowers in the grass growing season are very familiar sounds.

Except this time the leaf blower noise was getting closer and closer. Generally we have it down…we can tell when it's the neighbors next door, across the street, a couple houses away etc. But this was definitely different. "Look!" My husband suddenly exclaimed. "It's a guy blowing leaves in our back yard!" Now this was a first, and much needed as we sure had a yard full of leaves.
John has an electric leaf blower but hardly has time to use it.

So, who was this guy and why was he doing us the kindness of blowing the leaves out of our yard? He was extremely diligent, starting on the side, chasing the leaves along the way, out of the large dried daylily bed and ridding them all from the herb garden. When he got to the lower part of the back yard, I told my husband, "You've got to go out there, find out who he is and thank him!" He didn't have any rinky dink kind of leaf blower, either. It was gasoline powered and he had it strapped to his back. Rarely did the man look up, but concentrated on getting every single leaf out of our yard.

Pretty soon I was in the upstairs bathroom window watching John approach the leaf blower man gingerly so as not to startle him. Oh! It was a neighbor! He stopped his machine long enough to receive John's heartfelt thanks and to explain quite seriously, "Well, I needed to pray. And this is one of the ways I do it best". After nodding to John, he started up his machine and went back at it until he was done. He wouldn't accept anything in return for what ended up to be an entire afternoon of work….and prayer. Wow!

It's late in December and the snow is covering everything outside, but still those words continue to stay with me. "I needed to pray…and this is one of the ways I do it best." Think of it. "Praying best" by doing it while working, doing a nice thing for someone. Actually, everything about it makes complete sense. Deep contemplative prayer is best done while the rest of you is occupied with doing something else, or you'll find your mind wandering into other territory than what you're wanting to meditate on or talk with God about. And to combine the praying with doing something for someone else, now that's a triple blessing: you're praying, you feel good that you're doing something nice for someone, and the recipient(s) feel gratefully delighted!

As I've continued to think about this simple but profound notion since that gorgeous fall day, I've found small ways to incorporate this concept into my everyday life. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and I have found it to be a way which not only blesses others but brings peace into my life. It will make you feel that the work of your hands which God has given you to do is something sacred. Bingo! We are called to lead a holy life and this brings us out of the mundane into the observation and peacefulness of things we'd otherwise ignore and involve our mind in worry or other similar things.

More importantly, it gives us multitudes of ways to pray for others in the time we never knew we had! How to do this? Some of the ways I weave this kind of prayer into my life are to pray for the car in front of me (especially at stop lights), to pray for the people in the houses I drive by, to pray for all the people in our church whenever I'm looking at it or doing "ordinary" tasks inside it, to ask God to bring people to my mind to pray for when I'm cleaning, and many other ways I won't share or I'll be disclosing secret kindnesses as well as perhaps keeping you from creating and designing your own methods. Friends, this is a simple pathway to happiness and contentment. In keeping our mind on higher things, in doing small things for others, we are not only happier and more peaceful, but also doing some of the work of God.

Every day is a new beginning, every moment brings us a new start. Although I'm not ready to get a gas powered leaf blower, I'll never forget the wonderful lesson I learned that day. Why not begin to engage in this way of praying for others, as well as continuing an ongoing conversation with God? I promise you you'll be mightily blessed! Happy New Year Every Day!

 

“Gabriel’s Message”…Preparing in this Advent Season

This utterly captivated me. Such a gentle but powerful rendition of the theme of this season, by Sting. So different, yet so familiar and comforting. How unique to use a muted trumpet (among other things), though we associate the angel Gabriel as the bringer of great announcements and with a trumpet.

Enjoy and be blessed.

 

 

Coffee as Meditation – A New Concept for Thanksgiving

"What are these things?" I asked, looking at a small pile of different capsules and tablets next to my plate. I'd just come into the kitchen for breakfast with friends where I'd stayed overnight after working late at the University library, and they'd graciously suggested I stay at their home rather than make the long drive back to the city where my apartment was. "Oh, just supplements", they answered. Another friend who also was there said that with my hit-or-miss style of grabbing meals, this would be the best way of survival and they all heartily endorsed them. A blend of natural Vitamin C and a few other basics were in the mix….and to this day they're still part of my breakfast routine. Just before swallowing them down with my orange drink each morning, holding them in my hand I give a quick prayer of thanksgiving for these friends, hoping they are well.

If I've ever made coffee for you, you've heard the whir of the grinder and seen me pour powdered beans into what might look like an odd contraption. Years ago friends in New York taught me to make coffee by boiling water and pouring it over ground coffee in a Melita coffee maker – a manual filter system with a plastic cone shaped thing holding a filter with coffee into which the water is poured and then drips down into a glass carafe. Back then it was Melita coffee from the can, but other friends later introduced me to the delicious wonder of keeping whole beans in the freezer until you're ready to freshly grind them for each batch of coffee you make.

Comparable to my routine of a quick prayer of warm and grateful remembrance and good thoughts when I take my vitamins, I do a similar thing when I'm by myself in the quiet of the kitchen making coffee. See, the manual Melita system means taking time to gradually pour the hot water in stages over the ground coffee while it drips down into the carafe below. It's actually a gently meditative ritual involving all your senses. The sound of the beans being ground, the fabulous aroma of the coffee in the filter as the hot water works its magic in making something deliciously reviving of both body and spirit, and the lyrical sound of the water as it makes its way through the filter into the carafe. Additionally it requires watching to make sure you don't either under or over fill the carafe for the perfect strength of coffee you desire. While I'm making coffee I use some of this time to not only observe the morning's beauty through the kitchen window and think about my day ahead, but to also offer a quick prayer for the friends who taught me this wonderful method of making the coffee itself.

These are just two stories about how so many of the little things, as well as very large and significant ones, learned from people who've been in our lives are the things which shape who and how we are. Over time, hopefully we've weeded out the things which haven't been helpful and cherish the ones which have literally become part of us and even how we live and think. Perhaps because I'm looking at a "significant" birthday quite soon, I've been recently giving more thought to the compendium of people who've had a large role in the design of who and how I am and think, my habits and so many things I value. I'm glad I haven't waited until now to "give thanks" for them and that it's been a longtime habit to quickly include them among my daily prayerful thoughts.

And friends, while each day is a gift and each birthday is significant, I now have a better understanding of the concept invented by the late Jack Benny of "turning 39" each year. It's not that I don't want to age (the alternative is far less attractive), but I believe there is tremendous value in being "ageless". As a counselor I marveled that clients both much younger as well as those much older than I was related with me almost as peers. Not as "pals" as the whole purpose was objectivity and counseling skills. But "agelessness" to me means not clinging to some caricature of early youth or staying frozen in time. Far from it! It means embracing a larger view which is enriched by wisdom, and values continual self-evolution, learning, and deepening growth into the future.

As we move toward the holiday of Thanksgiving, why not consider this concept of incorporating a daily active attitude of *thanksgiving* and ask God to bring to your mind the people for whom you are grateful for the elements of your life you've kept as parts of who you are and how you think, values you have, and healthy habits you've learned. If this is a new idea to you, it would be a happy exercise to write down the names of those as you recall them and the things they passed on to you. Certain teachers and mentors, friends and family members who've enhanced who you are, and even those with whom you didn't have but a passing acquaintance if what they shared made a meaningful mark on your life. You'll also think of small things which make you smile yet are still habits which are part of your life. For me, for instance, the person from whom I learned to wrap the "string" of my tea bag around my spoon to gracefully squeeze the last drops into the cup without making a mess or using my fingers.

In addition to developing an attitude of thanksgiving, wouldn't it be a marvelous thing to share this concept with your family and have them list people for whom they are thankful and why. Blessings to you all who continue to shape my life!

Another Quiz….going to give it my best shot, you give it a try, too!

1. Do you like blue cheese? Is there a word stronger than NO?

2. Have you ever been drunk? Once. I did not know there was vodka in the Hawaiian punch at the fraternity party. For me, more than a little alcohol = dizzy = sick. Not my idea of fun. A little alcohol if it's tastey is OK, too much -- no way.

3. Do you own a gun? Yes. No further comment.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid is your favorite? The one that tastes like Hawaiian Punch (sweetened with Splenda)

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not consciously. Too busy trying to get everything important ready to talk about in the 4 ½ minutes I might have with the doc. But still my BP is elevated at the visit. Probably due to the pressure of getting ready to launch into what's important to cover at the visit!

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Oh man. I'm glad I never went to the places where they're made! Unless it's turkey or chicken hot dogs, I don't eat them. Used to only eat Hebrew National with hope. Since I don't eat beef, no more.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Although it's not totally a "Christmas movie", I always like to watch "Auntie Mame" when writing Christmas cards or decorating the house (the song "We Need a Little Christmas" is from this movie)…enjoy the story and the Auntie Mame character.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? It has to be coffee…black, no sweetener. And some more coffee.

9. Can you do push ups? In theory, yes. Used to definitely. And when I give it a shot, always still can…a few.

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring, especially remembering what's engraved inside it. Never leaves my hand.

11. Favorite hobby? Music.

12. Do you have A.D.D. ? No. Other things, yes, but not A.D.D.

13. What's your favorite shoes? For a woman this is a REALLY hard question to narrow down. Though I don't get to wear them often, they'd be a pair of black heels I have with bows on them and pink lining. Love those shoes.

14. Middle name? Corser. It's my mother's maiden name. It was the one "mystery" I kept from my high school students when I was teaching. Since I wouldn't disclose it, drove them nuts. But everybody needs a LITTLE mystery!

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? This is a hard quiz, it's late and we haven't had dinner yet, and too many more to name. I'm a woman. We think a ton of things at the same time. Think of a 32 staff orchestral score and you'd be close. They're not necessarily profound thoughts of course, but still…lots.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coffee, Espresso Coffee (also black/no sweetener), Diet Ginger Ale

17. Current worry? I try not to worry. If/when I do, too many to list.

18. Current hate right now? None. Challenges, yes, hates….nope.

20. How did you bring in the New Year? At home with my husband, champagne, watched the NY New Year's Eve thing. Some might think boring, but it was nice.

21. Where would you like to go? Wow…that should be more like where would I NOT like to go (and there would be some places on that list). But within reason, the ocean and I do love Bermuda.

22. Name three people who will complete this? No idea. I got this from Walt.

23. an unusual food you tried? Escargot (enjoy but pretty rich with all that butter) Caviar….really like this on a slice of French bread, little cream cheese, the caviar and squeeze of lemon juice….oh yum! Needn't be Beluga, the black Icelandic Lump Fish caviar is fine with me. Don't care for the large red caviar though.

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? Sort of lavender.

25. Do you like sleeping on Satin sheets? Yes. First had them when we had a water bed. Hooked. Very nice. Even the dog and cats like them.

26. Can you whistle? A little, but pretty lame at it.

27. Favorite color? Blue.

28. Would you be a pirate? No…not so much.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Nothing regular…often a gospel tune or a spiritual…or whatever I've been working on recently.

30. Favorite Girl's Name? Oh this is just too hard! I have no idea! The names which come to mind are the names of my women friends!

31. Favorite boy's name? That would be the same as my answer for #30…except names of my male friends.

32. What's in your pocket right now? Hm…a Kleenex and prayer beads.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? One of our cats deliriously happy lying in the sun in our bedroom window. She turned her head and blinked at me looking really loopy with joy.

34. Best memories as a child? Not such a terrific question. I think it would be practicing the wonderful pipe organ by myself in the church where I regularly practiced and played. Started piano and organ really quite young, so it would qualify as childhood memory.

35. Worst injury you've ever had as a child? Lost both "little" toenails from injury sustained riding my bike barefoot. They never grew back.

36. Do you love where you live? I like it. I don't think I've ever "loved" the place where I lived. Always liked things about those places, but love? Except I did love living in New York City. Idyllic time with no responsibilities in a beautiful place and oh the music, musicians, art and learning….and the FOOD. And I do LOVE the monastery where I've gone on many retreats…need to schedule one soon. Been too long!

38. Who is your loudest friend? This made me laugh! I don't believe I have any really "loud" friends at this time.

39. How many dogs do you have? One…West Highland Terrier…female, named Daisy.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? Other than my husband? I'm thinking no.

41. What is your favorite book? Usually one I'm reading at the moment! Right now it's "A Heart Like Jesus" by Max Lucado. I did love the "Mitford" series by Jan Karon. And I've been thinking of re-reading "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Ecco on our vacation, in addition to a pile of other books I'm bringing.

42. What is your favorite candy? Marzipan….definitely. I mean chocolate is a given, but marzipan….divine.

43. Favorite Sports Team? Not such a big watcher of sports. When any of the Boston teams are winning at the end of their series, I do keenly watch then (Red Socks, Celtics, Patriots and Bruins). The UNH Hockey team has a special place in my heart, though. Went to lots of games when I was a student. Still follow their scores.

44. What is your favorite food at your favorite restaurant? I don't have an actual favorite. There are many I really enjoy with foods from many cultures. But I have to say, it truly pained me when they closed the Russian Tea Room in New York City. Oh the food….and the violinist…he could play anything. But oh the food. EVERYTHING on their menu.

45. What song do you want played at your funeral? I have no idea. I won't "be" there…have played so many funerals, I don't know. But if there was a ton of money to pay for a marvelous choir, it would be Gregorio Allegri's "Miserere mei, Deus". Simply amazing. Like angels singing. Whew! Done! Now, it's your turn! It really was kinda fun :-)

Go With the “Flow!”

A framed cartoon of two angels looking quizzically at one another has one asking, "Well, Bonnie, what do you think the next crisis will be?" and the other responds, "Gee, Karen, I don't know. But if we wait 5 minutes, I'm sure we'll find out!" Does this feel just too similar to your life? Are questions like this one asked often at your home or office? Most Americans these days answer a vehement "YES!"

Terms such as "crisis management", "triage" and "911" used to refer to the exception rather than the rule, the emergencies and the imminent threat to life being separated from the usual and customary of day-to-day living. Are those words part of your everyday lifestyle vocabulary? Perhaps not the exact words, but the feeling?

For some time now, psychologists have been studying something called "flow". You know, as in "go with the flow". This term describes the feeling of being one with something going well or times of feeling both in control and relaxed simultaneously. Stop for a moment and think about when you feel this way, or when the last time was when you felt like this.

People who are able to identify this sensation recall they come the closest to it in moments while driving on a highway in smoothly paced traffic without delays. Other times of feeling "flow" are experienced by people singing in a choir or swiftly and easily doing something mundane like stuffing envelopes. Despite the seeming disparity of these things, they all have the same thing in common: the awareness of what it feels like to do something with ease.

The keyword here is not so much "ease", but "awareness". This is good news due to the demands on our time which require us to manage several things at once, making the concept of "ease" seem insurmountable.

When do people least feel "flow"? If you guessed it's during their vacation, you were correct. In addition to awareness, the other necessary component here is something which is learned. Although it seems odd, we just don't learn how to relax!

At this time of year when the back-to-school commercials prompt us that summer is coming to a close, we often feel wistful and sad that another golden season has passed us by. Once again it feels too late to capture a little something for ourselves. If we had the time, how would we learn that awareness of being in the moment? How could we then know when we have that "ease"?

This peaceful quality can be learned by making small but decisive changes one little bit at a time. Here are some ideas to consider in making this happen for yourself:

1.)Choose a verse or inspiring phrase that sets the tone for the changes you want to implement and start every day with it. An example might be, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
2.)When the telephone rings, let it be a signal for you to stop and take a breath instead of instantly lunging to grab the receiver. Remind yourself of the verse you've chosen.
3.)Make a commitment to take an amount of time every day in which you will be peaceful. Really. If this is only three minutes to start, be diligent in taking the full three minutes each and every day. Think of something that you enjoy. Read that scripture you've been saying you want to start. Remember: just small pieces of time to begin with instead of trying to do too much and being overwhelmed or sabotaging your intentions before you really get into it.
4.)Take a "prayer break". Stand up and walk a bit, (even if it's just to the rest room or to get a drink of water) while lifting your mind for a few moments from the tedium of whatever you're working on.
5.)Instead of becoming tense when the light ahead of you turns red, use this as an unexpected moment to take a slow deep breath and roll your shoulders to UN-tense.
6.)If you usually have the radio on at work, home, or when you drive, try turning it off once and a while and become re-acquainted with the relief and beauty of silence.

 Remember that your life didn't become as hectic as it feels in one fast leap, and that the pathway toward calmness and peace is made of many little steps toward that goal. Instead of bracing yourself for the crises which will inevitably occur, why not enjoy the time in between them! That old phrase, "Go with the flow" can be achieved by looking for the pleasant surprises that are there… just waiting to be noticed. This September, why not learn to Go with the Flow! Not only will you actually become more productive, but you'll have the awareness to discover more of the happiness and fulfillment the Lord intended for you and has planted in your heart.