Four Somethings – Winter Edition

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I love to occasionally share my Four Somethings – things I have read, seen, experienced that made me stop and savor life. One practice I frequently promote is reflection – pausing and pondering where you are, where you have come from and where is God inviting you into next.  I share bits of wisdom in four categories. Gathering Four Somethings makes me aware of all the blessings often hidden under busyness, worries, and distractions. These “somethings” become markers in our spiritual journey. With so much pivoting and uncertainty in our lives right now, being grounded in a simple practice like this guides my way.  Something Wise “The real enemies of our life are the “oughts” and the “ifs.” They pull us backward into the unalterable past and forward into the unpredictable future. But real life takes place in the here and the now. God is a God of the present. God is always in the moment, be that moment hard or easy, joyful or painful. When Jesus spoke about God, he … [Read more...]

Hey, You Are Great!

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A few weeks ago, a friend said to me, “Wow the color of that shirt looks great on you. That definitely is YOUR color!” I smiled all day and certainly will be wearing that shirt again with lots of confidence. “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”  Mark Twain When we hear phrases like “You are great!” and “Thanks for being you!”, if they are sincere, the words boost our self-esteem, lift our mood and fill us with energy and joy. Did you know January 24 is National Compliment Day?  I had never heard of that day before and think it is a wonderful way to remind us all of the power of positive words in our lives. My mom would always say, “Pay attention to the good things happening around us and pass those along to others. There is so much negative in the world. People need to hear the positives things about themselves.” Compliments are powerful words and when offered with honesty, are empowering for those on the receiving end. They build confidence and … [Read more...]

Blessings

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Blessings come in many forms. We use this form of prayer in a variety of ways. I had a friend bless me the other day. She prayerfully raised her hand. Said my name. Acknowledged gifts God had given me. Thanked me for giving them to her and to others. Then reminded me who I was – a beloved child of God. A moment of peace, holy ground between us and love.  God’s presence was very strong in that room and in our hearts. Blessings – we may use this word all the time.  What is a Blessing? A blessing is a special prayer given from one person to another, as in sincerely wishing the best for somebody.  Another way of defining blessing is an unexpected, perhaps undeserved gift.  Or to give someone your blessing is to give them your permission, an approval to go ahead with their plan, such as when a young man asks his girlfriend’s parents if he can marry their daughter. Blessing can be the words we say before a meal to express our thanks for the food … [Read more...]

Word of the Year

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Each year I choose a word of the year that walks with me, guides me, forms me, teaches me lessons along the way. This is a spiritual practice I have enjoyed for more than 10 years and find it deepens my self-knowledge, adds clarity and meaning, and helps me grow closer to God. Some years the word is fun; some years it is challenging. Some years I find a word easily; others I have to dig, wait, search for just the right one. But occasionally the word finds me. That happened this year. I usually begin in late fall listening and looking for what words sound interesting or keep reappearing. I start a list and keep it handy on my desk and jot down possibilities. Later I write them in my journal and begin to prayerfully consider each one, seeing if one bubbles more to the top. I may circle a few that draw my attention. I may write down a couple of new ones. One morning mid-December I quietly sat with my journal open staring at the words: hope, now, behold, walk, near…all circled. … [Read more...]

Entering the New Year

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God of all time,help us enter the New Year quietly,thoughtful of who we are to ourselves and to others,mindful that our steps make an impactand our words carry power. May we walk gently.May we speak only after we have listened well. Creator of all life,help us enter the New Year reverently,aware that you have endowedevery creature and plant, every person and habitatwith beauty and purpose. May we regard the world with tenderness.May we honor rather than destroy. Lover of all souls,help us enter the New Year joyfully,willing to laugh and dance and dream,remembering our many gifts with thanksand looking forward to blessings yet to come. May we welcome your lavish love.May we cast off the small, vindictive god our fears have made.May the grace and peace of Christ bless us now and in the days ahead. Vinita Hampton Wright … [Read more...]

Anchor

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Being on the cruise ship for 30 days gave me lots of boat and ocean metaphors to dance in my heart. One of the strongest images was ANCHOR. Three times the cruise ship didn’t dock in the port but anchored off shore and we “tendered” on smaller boats to the islands.  “Tender” is another interesting word as they use the ship’s lifeboats to transport us back and forth from the boat to the shore and it is NOT often very tender to board these smaller ships from the larger ship with all the rocking and rolling of the waves up and down.  Yes, they had several large crew members standing on both sides of us, steadying us as we entering the smaller tenders to head to shore. But it was sort of scary to take that step from one side to another on such uneven, precarious shaking surface!  What an adventure. Like an amusement park ride thrill! As we enjoyed our time on the islands the large cruise ship waited, anchored in the port. ANCHORED but not still. The waves slowly moved … [Read more...]

Travel Treasures

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Traveling offers treasures that enrich our lives and stays with us even after the trip is over. I have often said vacations come in three parts: the first third of the fun is the planning, imagining, creating all the arrangements. I love that preparing and dreaming about an upcoming vacation. Afterall I am a planner! The second part is of course, going on the vacation: enjoying the present and discovering surprises and the unexpected. Being in the moment. Savoring the time. But often the best part is the grand finale: the final third: coming home: ahhh, the comfort of home, and then the enjoyment of the memories that no one can take away. That someday you will look back and say I am sure glad we took that trip. No regrets! Where did we go this time and what treasures can I share? Here are a few tidbits: The Trip My hubby and I took quite the adventure this time: a 32-day Viking cruise from LA around Hawaii and French Polynesia and back to LA. Yes 32 days. Yes, lots of … [Read more...]