Dad

Happy 85th Birthday Dad!  I hope I'm doing as good as you when I get there!

I really hate this but it's true.

Surrendering to Singleness http://t.co/L6uv4HmG via @RELEVANT

peace and love...

I simply cannot focus on work today!  sheesh.  headache, yucky stomach... Could it be because i'm trying to quit coffee and carbs at the same time?  I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead this weekend, then Food Matters.  Wow.  Time to pay attention to what I'm putting in my body!

But that's not what I came here to say.  I just noticed that when I used to leave people, I would say 'Peace'... and now I've started saying 'Peace & Love'. 
(Well, depending on who I'm talking to... wouldn't want anyone to think I was flirting... ah. hell.  but aside from that little neurosis...)
What does that mean?  I'm happy for it, I do wish everyone peace and love, and I should let them know that.  That being said, I'll come back when I really have something to say.

Peace and Love,
~t.

What are you doing ?

Wait, wait,” God says. “Let me get this straight…”

“I gave you a body able to swim oceans and climb mountains…and you sat in a cubicle?” “Right.”

“I gave you creativity, and you made widgets?”  “Yes,” the guy says.

“The one thing I withheld from you–the only thing you could never get more of, time–you traded away for…?”

“Money,” the guy says.

I saw this on some website yesterday, and had to have it.  I tried to look for who to credit, but couldn't find it again...  I think it speaks for itself...

Another Point of View

Or is it?  This article is rather lengthy, but such good stuff.  I have strived for these exact same things - only with different terminology.  What they call 'the Divine', we call God.  Namaste - another way to say love, grace, acceptance.  


http://www.yesyoucanchangetheworld.com/info/namaste


Everything is connected - I really believe that.  There is a paragraph in this article that speaks exactly to what we've been learning in the TrueFaced study.  This sounds so much like the realm of Pleasing God, rather than Trusting God.  It speaks of beginning to act out of pure love and compassion, rather than a learned script of actions.
 
We get so focused on doing and thinking that we don't see the Divine that is right before us..."I think the reason we want to learn what to do and what to think is that doing so makes us feel safe. It gives us a sense of control. If someone gives me a 'proven' process or a step-by-step formula, it feels a lot easier, a lot more accessible, a lot more achievable."

If God is trying to teach me something, it comes at me in many different ways until I get it.  Or, he simply speaks in a way that I will understand.  I was taught all of my life that Eastern religions were wrong, and we should run from them in the same way we run from witchcraft.  I'm just not seeing it.  Everything in this article makes sense to me.  Nothing I've heard in my yoga class is anti-Christ.  In fact - it's brought me closer to God, by reminding me to be quiet, and listen, and pray.

I know only 2 or 3 people actually read this, but I welcome comments.  I would really like to know if I'm getting way out there, or if it makes sense to you, too.

Avett Inspired

OK, I know I'm supposed to be working... I'm just feeling a little 'off'.  Not sure why, maybe it's an illness, maybe just plain tired.  Complete lack of energy.  So I was surfing...
 
I ran across this article by Scott Avett today.  (Oh yeah, I'm a huge fan.  I feel like you can tell alot about people from their lyrics - and wow - a whole article!  He IS cool like I thought he was!  Here's proof. )

There's also a sermon by his grandfather, and a review of his book of sermons. 

http://museandspirit.org/winter2010.html

This takes you to the table of contents, and you have to click on the articles.  I dig it.  I thought my artist and musician friends might as well...

I love this quote from the book review "There are people who have many masks but no face of their own" - Rev. Clegg Avett

~~~

We came for salvation
We came for family
We came for all that's good that's how we'll walk away
We came to break the bad
We came to cheer the sad
We came to leave behind the world a better way
- The Avett Brothers 'Salvation Song'

Lessons from Shiloh...

You can learn so much from kids.  Shiloh will be 1 in two days. 

On Sunday, she was standing looking out the slider at my sister's house, and I was across the room, and I rolled a giant exercise ball (you know, the kind you sit on) towards her.  I guess I have really bad (or really good) aim - because I realized it wasn't going to end up close to her, it was going to hit her!  I was too far away to stop it, and I was freaking in my head, thinking - I'm going to hurt this child that I love - and she's going to be sad, and cry, and it will all be my fault...  I started towards her just as it rolled right into her.  Mind you, this thing is almost as tall as she is. 

Then, the coolest thing happened.  She turned to see what it was - and smiled and started playing with it.  She was happy.  I was happy (and relieved!).

I've just been tripping on what we can learn from that.  hmmm...

 - she was open to whatever it was that was interrupting her

 - she embraced it (literally!)

 - it ultimately brought her joy

I've been thinking lately about how everything is in our perception.  If I see the ball (or whatever) coming at me as an intrusion or threat, because I have my agenda - it's gonna screw up my whole day.  If I get interrupted, or things don't go as planned - and I am open to it - a whole new world could open up to me.

Let's look at every thing with awe and wonder, and embrace it, whatever it may be - change, loss, trials, random people striking up a conversation, anything that is unexpected.  I believe joy will follow.

Shiloh and her mommy.