The Gift of looking back..

Sometimes one has to look twice and maybe even more at a situation, event, or experience to draw forth all of its fruit. When I was challenged to take the time to look back over my life I found two particular situations that were more like miracles when I looked at them again. The first being the fact that, even though I had not taken the college prep program in High School, I went on to not only graduate from college but to earn a Masters Degree in Education and teach elementary grades for over twenty years. The second situation was my quest for a drivers license. At sixteen I was not given the opportunity to go through the process of getting my license. From family and friends my having Cerebral Palsy raised all kinds of "What would happen if" questions with regard to my driving. The door closed until..the father, of a wonderful family that I did child care for while I was in High School, taught me to drive as we went back and forth from their home to mine. I now had the basics, but the door remained closed until 1980, twenty years later. I was preparing to go into a new Ministry in a rural area, and would need to be able to drive. Wanting to end the "What ifs" once and for all, I called and asked if a driving school instructor would be willing to "Test Drive" me and evaluate my driving skill. When I got behind the wheel of the car, for the first time since high school, that day of the "Test Drive" I drove with ease and confidence, as if I had been driving all my life!! At the end of our session, the instructor said, "You did fine.. you just need a little more practice"! I got the practice and my license in time to begin my new ministry. I have been driving ever since. Yes, I went beyond my limits..but did not fully appreciate the magnitude of the events until I took the time to look back! What other miracles wait to be recognized and appreciated in our lives?

Beyond Limits...!

Looks can be deceiving..this little bird is not physically challenged but gives the appearance of being so because of the angle of the shot. From my own life experience having lived with Cerebral Palsy all of my life..often times the appearance of limits..and limits themselves, often served to label or define someone, closing the door to undeveloped potential and gifts. We all have limits and some of us are willing to admit them and some are not. For a long time my identity was wrapped around "having CP" and I allowed it to define me. Until.. a very special awareness was given to me as I prepared a retreat talk in which I was talking about "my CP". Gently and quietly from within I heard "You are so much more than CP. You are a 'Golden Being of Light'. I was touched to the core of my heart and from that moment began to let go of my limited and narrow identification of who I was. I believe we are all so much more than we name ourselves to be.. May each of us see the "light that we are" and choose to move beyond limits into the fullness of our potential and our many Gifts.

Enough...

As we have struggled with all of the rain and flooding in the last few days many of us are saying Enough!! According to the local news this has been the worst flooding in 100 years. Enough!! This is rain and flooding to the extreme! As my heart goes out to all Beings affected by this extreme rain, I can't help wondering if Mother Earth is trying to give us a message about extremes from Her point of view. A message that says.. Enough as well. Enough..of the extreme measures taken by the human members of the family in our desire to live the good life. Measures that totally disregard the space, health and well being of Mother Earth. Truly, Enough is Enough!!

Have you ever?

If you are not an outside person ... you may have missed some great fun.. Climbing a tree.. sliding down a hill on a piece of cardboard..creating something unique with a cardboard box..jumping through a sprinkler on a hot day..planting your own vegetables or flowers and watching them grow..making music with a blade of grass between your fingers...laying on the ground to watch the stars at night... flying a kite on a windy day...blowing on the white puffs of a Dandelion...making piles of leaves and jumping in them... walking in the woods..crossing a brook when the water was low...jumping the waves at the beach..playing dodge ball till the lights came on outside...riding a bike to explore the neighborhood...blowing bubbles..the bigger the better!...watching a Caterpillar become a butterfly.. having a small bird sit briefly on your open fingers to eat bird seed...playing marbles..using your camera to log the growth of a flower from bud to bloom... Taking closeup pictures of the bark on the different trees in your neighborhood..identifying the different animals around you by their calls..putting up a bird feeder and enjoying the music and the playfulness of the birds.. And of course it's always more fun with friends.. I dare you..What are you waiting for??

"Mother Earth"..

Most of us have not grown up thinking of Earth as Mother Earth. We have lost or never known that sense of intimate relationship and awareness of all that our Mother Earth provides. Mothers nourish in so many ways..giving food, water, care, sensitive touch, joy, laughter and often silent presence especially when we are ill, or afraid. I see Mother Earth offering us the very same gifts... Diverse foods..the many varieties of apples, pears, squashes, greens and nuts.. (and the various soils that nourish each of these) water; rivers, lakes, ponds, puddles, warm and cold oceans..give us health, joy and calm. sensitive touch..hold the petal of a rose..see the gentle non glaring colors of a sunset..hear the gentle chirp of a small bird!! Joy and laughter.. watch the antics of a squirrel as he/she tries to navigate a bird feeder.. or a dog as he/she gives you a long look of love as you hold food or treats in your hand. silent presence; The strength of a tall old tree, the steadfastness of the Mountains, the stillness of a quiet meadow; your pets presence either on your lap, at the bottom of your bed, or sitting next to you as you read. What Gifts our Earth Mother gives.. And... there is so much more..

I am waking up..

For so long I have feared God more than truly Loved God..Thanks to growth, honesty and an openness to new understandings, over time, the fear has lessened. Today however, was a turning point. "I have been awakened to see with new eyes the Fullness of God's Love for Me!! and I say YES and Thank You. After reading a book by Joseph Prince, called UNMERITED FAVOR I was challenged to open myself up to and welcome in the Love that God has for me and let the Glory of God shine in my Life. I was hesitant to pick up this book as I had judged it as fundamentalist and not for me. As I began to read, however, I found that I was being blessed with a new understanding and realized that too often I close the door to blessing by "labeling" an Author or text prematurely. I have always loved the quote from St. Irenaus that says.. "The Glory of God is Man fully Alive"; of course being a woman and a lover of Mother Earth, I have adapted it to read, "The Glory of God is All Creation Fully Alive" Yet I have been reticent to risk living Fully in a manner that reflects the Glory of God in my own life. I have made progress and after finishing this book I am ready and willing to pull out all the stops, and live life to the full.. Rooted and anchored in God's Love and Abiding presence in my life. One of the quotes, from the text, that I keep repeating to myself, as a reminder of how God wants me to see myself is this: "I am greatly Blessed.. I am highly favored..I am deeply Loved..!! So Today..I begin a new chapter in my journey of reflecting God's Glory in Living my Life Fully!!

The Energy of Life..

Our God has many names and when I began to think of God as Energy, "The Energy of Life" the way I looked at everything changed. If the blades of grass, the emerging buds, the towering trees, the insects, clouds, puddles, stones and pebbles all hold the Energy of Life.. how can I not consider all that Is as Sacred and Holy?