Simplicity

         The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more  importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.  The simplicity of beauty is the beauty of simplicity.

Be Open

       One of the most basic spiritual principles in many philosophies is the idea of opening your heart to "what is" instead of insisting that life be a certain way. This idea is so important because much of our internal struggle stems from our desire to control life, to insist that it be different that it actually is. The greater the surrender to the  truth of the moment, the greater will be our peace of mind.  I must learn to accept the moment for what it is. This for me, will take patience and practice to accept moments that can unravel , upset and create moments of uneasiness. This peace of mind has been disturbed in the last twenty four hours, and my reaction was non acceptance. I must remember everything is the way it is supposed to be, and that we as humans can not control events, situations, conditions, or others. It is in this wisdom that one finds the peace to let life be the potential teacher. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to practice such living moments because these moments are sent to us for practice, and so many of us need these lessons sent time and time again.   

Merry Christmas 2013

"It is good to be children sometimes,

 and never better than at Christmas,

 when its mighty founder was a child himself."

~Charles Dickens~

Tattoo

 

 

     Several years ago our grandson attended a Scottish Tattoo Festival with
 us. For those that are wondering what a tattoo is-- it's a British / Scottish tradition of music played by a corps of drums and bag pipes. This practice was first encountered by the British Army when stationed in Flanders during the War of Austrian Succession.(1740-48)
      After a time of increasing frustration mid loud noises and shooting of canons, our grandson cryingly said, "I want a pretty day! " I want a pretty day!" Remembering that incident, I'm struck again by the aching poignancy of that cry. There is a self-awareness in it, an attempt to articulate a frustration that remains wordless in many of us. But what  makes it particularly sad, is our understanding that his awareness of self is clearly not yet balanced with an awareness of reality, of other, of place, culture or responsibility; with the discovery of that, not only do we not get to live in our "pretty place" but for the most part society doesn't  really care if we are not in that space or place. His cry is the cry of all of us wanting to find the balance between what is, and what we want it to be. Between dark and light, between "pretty" and ugly, between self and other. I think it may be in that balance that the truest, richest, deepest most saturated moments live. I suspect that working to achieve that balance is the work of a life time. I find many "pretty" moments when behind my camera, just as the image above depicts the truest, richest, deepest saturated moment for me; for however brief, there is that balance of inner peace.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Image taken at St. John the Divine in Denver

                              "And He shall be named Emmanuel"
                                               ~Isaiah 7: 10-14~

Gratitude

WHAT IF

you woke up

TOMORROW

with only

What you were

GRATEFUL for

TODAY?

A little Bit of Wonderful

 

Christmas Joy

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons.
It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more"
                                        ~Dr, Seuss~

Gaudete Sunday: The Third Sunday of Advent

"Like the crocus it shall bloom abundantly,

and rejoice with joyful song."

 

Image from file 2012

Isaiah 35: 1-10

Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Advent

Image from the book: Bonhoeffer Pastor Martyr Prophet Spy

  "A prison cell, in which one waits, and hopes does various unessential things and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent."

 

  After reading several books about Dietrich, I have a deep feeling of admiration and inspiration for what he stood up to and for. His intellect, background and love of God brought to a Nazi Germany a way of seeing evil that was imperative to defeat, so that freedom could embrace all of humanity. He is an inspiration and a symbol of what goodness and hope can bring to a suffering world. And this very inspiration, goodness, and hope is what Advent brings each year.  Reading what he has to say is refreshing.



The Greatest Gift

    The greatest gift you will ever receive will never be found under a Christmas tree. It is far too valuable to be stored in any other place but in the depths of your heart.

Nelson Mandala

“No one is born hating another person
because of the color of his skin,
or his background,
or his religion.

People must learn to hate,
and if they can learn to hate,
they can be taught to love,
for love comes more naturally
to the human heart
than its opposite.”
~ Nelson Mandela~
     From Long Walk to Freedom

The eve of Nelson Mandela's funeral. December 9, 2013

Paying it Forward

 

 

 

The life I touch for good or ill

 will touch another life,

 and in turn another,

 until who knows where the trembling stops

 or in what far place my touch will be felt."

 ~Frederick Buechner~
from

The Hungering Dark

Second Sunday of Advent

 

 

                         And John the Baptist began preaching throughout 
                          all of Judea.                

Nature in All

 Nature is so powerful

So Strong

Capturing its essence is not

Easy ~ Your work becomes a

Dance with light and weather

It takes you to a place within

yourself.



First Sunday of Advent

Come Let Us Walk In the Light of the Lord

Isaiah 2:5