I felt totally overwhelmed yesterday, so naturally, I browsed the internet, spent some time on facebook, and otherwise wiled away my hours. Today, I feel more ready to tackle my “to do” list. This post by Keri Smith helps.
…there is a point where you have to push through and get past the “stuckness”. you can also apply this concept to creating something, as there are often block that come up that make you want to quit. you get overwhelmed at some point and think “this is not working”, I’m not very good at it. but what you don’t know at the time is that the place you have to push through to is very close, just inches or minutes away. it might be a simple as moving one item. but you don’t know that because you’re stuck on the side of uncompletion which feels bad (read: self criticism). those of you reading this who have given birth may recall that the moment most women want to quit is right at the point of “transition”, (when the body is coming through the birth canal). But at that point you are almost done!
this is why it has become so helpful to me to perceive everything as an experiment. because the next step then becomes about trying anything.just make a move no matter what it is and a different conclusion than the one you are faced with will arise.
If someone should ask me, “What does the soul do?” I would say, It does two things. It loves. And it creates.
Now we will have our opening hymn. Please join me in singing, Many the Miles. The words are on your insert in your order of service. (If you don’t have an order of service, you can just click here.)
Now is the time in our service when we share our Joys and Concerns. Please come up to the front if you would like to share.
[First person to share:]
Sappho, the ancient poetess is often depicted jumping off of a cliff. In reality she probably lived a long life. In this picture she is depicted on the cliff, despairing because she has put down her lyre.
That was beautiful music. I actually heard the first song on A Prairie Home Companion on Sunday. I was driving over to the nursing home where my Granddad is staying and even though I was late, I had to pause in the parking lot to hear the whole song. The music expressed so well the despairing? weird? numbness? I’ve been feeling? I’ve been unconsciously out of sorts and I don’t know exactly why.
Later this week I was shaken out of my self focus when a tragedy happened in my family. I have a deep sorrow to share. My cousin died this week. She was a year younger than me. She had 4 little girls. and a husband. and two parents still married to each other. and a brother. and a sister. And she must have had a deep sorrow, and pain, for she killed herself. I just can’t believe it. You just never know how people really feel on the inside. I would never have guessed it.
Lots of people will have their ideas about why… and some may be right, but none of us will ever really know for sure. I never ever had any idea that she was hurting. I would never have guessed it. She was always beautiful and had so much. Her brother killed himself about 11 years ago. That must have hurt her so much… I don’t know the kind of anguish her parents must be feeling and I hope I never do know. Please reach out your hearts to them.
I was crying and crying when I found out about my cousin. Because she is not in my life on a day to day basis, the grief comes and goes. My mom wisely told me to find happiness when I can find it and not hold on to the sorrow. My mom held me on the couch and she said a beautiful prayer for my cousin. She asked God to take her in his arms and comfort her, wash away her pain. She prayed a lovely long prayer.
I do have a few simple joys to share. I’m glad for little Henri the baby bird who arrived just in time to be a sweet little distraction from pain, and a reminder of life, who needed to be fed every half hour and liked to cuddle. I’m glad I got to hang out with my mom and have toast and jam and tea and read from On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’m SOOO glad that I get to hang out with my dog P.J this summer. I’m glad for the crickets and the locusts. I’m glad for the trees and the big window through which I can see them.
Thank you for sharing. I light a candle for all the joys and concerns of those here today, those spoken and those unspoken. I light a candle for all the people hurting in the world, the ones receding into themselves, not reaching out, not sharing. I light a candle for all your hearts to remember that your kind words, your smile can make a difference. I light a candle so that you remember that when you are hurting, you can reach out. And when you are celebrating, we can celebrate together. I light a candle for all the joys and concerns today, those spoken and those that remain in our hearts.
[Meditation]
Please join us in our moving meditation which will be led by Karel. Please stand if your physical body and spirit allows, or join us in the movements from your chair.
[Announcements]
Some of your hearts have lost their songs. We’ve also found several clipped birds wings. If you have lost the song in your heart, please pick it up today. We need all hearts singing. Also, there are several bird wing repair kits on loan in the library, so please come by if you need one.
[Offertory] This Sunday we have a special offering. We will be donating our offering to the world today. Please search your wallets, purses, back pockets, and sleeves for any spare talents, wisdom, and well wishes you have. Please don’t be stingy with your creativity, even if you are feeling like you don’t have enough. Every little bit you can share will make a bigger difference than you can ever imagine. Those little projects you’ve thought would be fun? That card you though you might send? Now is the time. Now we will pass the candlesticks. Please get off your bushels, put your candles on the candlesticks, and let your candlelight shine.
[Sermon]
We are so pleased to have His Holiness The Dalai Lama the 14th with us today to talk about Inner Peace and World Peace. Click here to listen to the sermon.
Thank you so much, your Holiness. That reminds me of what one of our recent speakers, John Lennon, was saying. Our happiness and inner peace are inextricably linked to world peace and happiness for everyone.
[Sing A Hymn]
Now we are honored and thrilled to have John back with us and joined by Yoko to sing Give Peace a Chance. Please join in on the chorus with us. “All we are saying is give peace a chance.”
I’ve always thought
that I would love to live by the sea
To travel the world alone
and live my life more simply
I have no idea what’s happened to that dream
Cos there’s really nothing left here to stop me…
While my heart is a shield and I won’t let it down
While I am so afraid to fail so I won’t even try
Well how can I say I’m alive
Our lives are meant to unfold, to evolve, and that’s good. The only wrong thing, perhaps, is permanently hesitating on the verge of courage, which would prevent this process from taking place…
If someone should ask me, “What does the soul do?” I would say, It does two things. It loves. And it creates.
Hi all you Mothers, mother-to-be, women wishing you were mothers, women just finding out that you are going to be mothers, women taking steps to not be mothers after all, and aunties, grandmas, and friends,
This is a little late night Mother’s Day post about moms.
Links: This week at Postsecret all the posts are about moms.
Thoughts about being a mum: Can you imagine birthing a child into the world? I wish I had at least two hundred years to live because I want at least three lives. I could have a whole life without my own children. I could have adventures and travel the world and flirt and have lovers well into my old age.
I also want to live the life of a mom in a small cottage with at least 4 kids, kids spilling out of the cottage, and a hot husband who loves just me, well, just me and the kids and the whole wide world, and a farmer’s market and a garden and a bike that I ride by the sea. Since I’m not sure how long I’m going to live, I know which life I choose
Loving/Hating our mums: How are you with your mom? I have a starry eyed little girl admiration for my mom right now. I think she is so pretty and so smart and does so many good things. I’m so proud that she’s my mom. It wasn’t always this way. I used to hate my mom, even while I loved her, and for many years I didn’t think I would ever have a good relationship with her. So, I feel so lucky to admire her and have a good relationship with her now. It is very amazing how our lives have changed.
If you have a good relationship with your mom, I’m so glad. If you don’t, I hope for you a positive change that you can hardly believe now, or, at least, peace within yourself about your relationship.
Forgiving our moms: I know it can be hard to forgive our moms because they mean SO much to us, and because of that, we can be SO hurt by them. I never tell people to forgive, because that is your own business. Only you can decide if you want to forgive a “debt” or not. And even if you decide you want to forgive, it might not be so easy; it might take years and years. Being able to forgive is probably my one true experience of grace.
“We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”
Happy Mother’s Day!
Wishing you all peace, inside and out.
Oh my gosh! Awesomest Wordpress Plugin ever! Check out Photo Dropper
It lets you search for Photos on Flikr that are Creative Commons licenced photos, and insert them into your blog post with one click. Very cool.
Lyrics
Will somebody wear me to the fair?
Will a lady pin me in her hair?
Will a child find me by a stream?
Kiss my petals and weave me through a dream
For all of these simple things and much more a flower was born
It blooms to spread love and joy faith and hope to people forlorn
Inside every man [...]
Our Week O’ Comedy begins with Ellen Degeneres. There are some great moments in this special called Here and Now! If you only have time to watch one clip, I reccomend Clip #4! HILARIOUS!
Here & Now 1
I found a few articles today about giving yourself permission to succeed
Learn How to Give Yourself Permission to Succeed by Noah St. John
Forgive Your Inner Gollum, a blog post by Horse Pig Cow, via My Curious Life.
A Room of Her Own by By Karen Houppert is a A beautiful, beautiful article about a teacher who [...]
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