Focus on the Stars

 

Even though I am not Catholic, I was brought to tears by the transition and selection of the new pope. He has such a strong voice in the world that I was thrilled with the choice. Pope Leo can bring so much hope and light to the world in so many ways. His voice can help to sooth the souls of a broken, dark world. I am already impressed by what he has shared.

 

In his first Mass as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, at the Sistine Chapel, urged Catholics to be a light in the darkness and focus on faith over material things. He knows my heart.

 

Then I came across this quote by Pope Francis, "Don't let your hope be stolen."  What an amazing way to think on hope, my word for the year. We cannot allow others to take our hope away, no matter what. We must hold on even in the darkest night.

 

My hope for Pope Leo is that he can contribute to peace throughout the world. With peace comes gentleness, truthfulness, and love. Just what my spiritual doctor would prescribe.

 

 I hope everyone here had a lovely Mother's day weekend. My afternoon involved a walk with family in the neighborhood where I found these wild roses in full bloom and baby duckling chasing their mama around the pond. Just the perfect sort of day to celebrate mama's.

 

Have a terrific week, sending love,

Marilyn

A Personal Altar

A local tea shop had a class last Saturday on how to create a personal altar.

I thought the example above was quite lovely.

Bonnie at https://www.instagram.com/somepinkflowers/ often shares mandalas,
which I find are the same feel as creating an altar.

I have followed Bonnie for a long time as a blogger and now on Instagram

and have always been fascinated by her creativity making mandalas.

The one time I tried making one I did it on my front porch on a windy day.

Well you know how that turned out, it immediately blew away.

So I decided to take the class.

I had no idea what would greet me when I walked in the door,

but loving flowers I was thrill with flowers in abundance.

There were herbs and stones too.

It was like channeling your inner spirit/child and playing.

I had brought along a few things that had significance to me

and added them to my altar of remembrance.

The seashell with the gaping hole was given to me many years ago

by a boyfriend that died in a car accident.

The concrete with green paint is from the Berlin wall and

reminds me of walls people try to put up around themselves or a country.

There was coral, seashell, and rock with lines reminding me of the

grounding I feel when I walk by the sea.

Stones to point the way forward.

And acorn empty of it's nuts representing my love and protection of nature.

And always rosemary for remembrance, heart shaped leaves, and the centerpiece color

and delight of a flower.

The chrysanthemum petals just because they needed to be sprinkled about.

Have you ever done something like this?

Does it bring remembrance or signify something in your life.

The teacher talked about intentionality in making an altar,

a way of meditation and thoughtfulness to pay attention to those thoughts

that signify something in your life.

I may not do this regularly, but I can see it as a time to gather scattered thoughts

and be quiet for awhile.

A Place at the Table

This song, which we sing at my church, touches my heart today. 

For Everyone Born

A Place at the Table

“A Place at the Table” was evoked by the UN Declaration of Human Rights and my involve-

ment with Amnesty International. It should be sung at a spirited pace. It’s a matter of choice

whether the refrain is sung between stanzas 2-4, or not.

Shirley Erena Murray

Words © 1998 Hope Publishing Company

For everyone born, a place at the table,

for everyone born, clean water and bread,

a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,

for everyone born, a star overhead,

and God will delight when we are creators

of justice and joy, compassion and peace:

yes, God will delight when we are creators

of justice, justice and joy!

For woman and man, a place at the table,

revising the roles, deciding the share,

with wisdom and grace, dividing the power,

for woman and man, a system that’s fair,

and God will delight when we are creators

of justice and joy, compassion and peace:

yes, God will delight when we are creators

of justice, justice and joy!

For young and for old, a place at the table,

a voice to be heard, a part in the song,

the hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled,

for young and for old, the right to belong,

and God will delight when we are creators

of justice and joy, compassion and peace:

yes, God will delight when we are creators

of justice, justice and joy!

For just and unjust, a place at the table,

abuser, abused, with need to forgive,

in anger, in hurt, a mindset of mercy,

for just and unjust, a new way to live,

and God will delight when we are creators

of justice and joy, compassion and peace:

yes, God will delight when we are creators

of justice, justice and joy!

For everyone born, a place at the table,

to live without fear, and simply to be,

to work, to speak out, to witness and worship,

for everyone born, the right to be free,

and God will delight when we are creators

of justice and joy, compassion and peace:

yes, God will delight when we are creators

of justice, justice and joy!

 Happy Weekend, dear Friends!

Pictures taken in 2018 at Kruger Farms on Sauvie Island.

Two Tea Times this Week

On Saturday there was a special tea tasting at the Lan Su Chinese Gardens.

Brian from theasophie.org was visiting and sharing his lovely puerh teas.

The first tea was from 1980's and quite delicious and full of flavor.

I so enjoy watching others pour the water and make the tea.

What a treat to hear Brian share of his experiences living in China

and beginning to grow tea in the Yunnan Province.

In the cup is the first tea, so rich and dark, definitely an aged tea.

Then we moved to the second tea, which Brian's new bride

and her parents made for their wedding in 2016.

He called it the Wedding Tea, also a puerh, but much less

ripe and tended more to have green notes to it.

Again he pours the water, steeps the tea, and shares

with each of us around the table.

Quite a difference in the cup also.

Sitting there sipping and listening to the stories

was so peaceful.

Brian talked about the name of his business

having meaning in the divine feminine,

a balance achieved in the making and living with tea,

being aware of the tea internally, and

expressing nature through tea.

Sitting and sipping becomes a spiritual experience,

a free flow of energy throughout the body.

Then connecting with others also becomes an experience

both blessed and delightful over a cup of tea just yesterday.

Cheryl, that won my book give away recently, happened to

live in Portland; so we met yesterday over my cup of tea latte

at Smith Teamaker's tea shop. It was fun to meet Cheryl for the first time.

In the cup was a seasonal black tea latte with hazelnut.

Isn't it pretty?

So many ways of celebrating with tea.

New friends, peaceful moments, and sipping are just the best.

Linking to Bernideen at http://blog.bernideens.com/

Santa Fe Churches, Delight the Soul

Each of the three churches we entered was beautiful.

This first one is the oldest church in the Continental US,
built in the 1600's.
San Miguel Mission Church.

And then as we walked we found the Loretto Chapel,

built in the 1870's.

It is now used as a wedding chapel.

The main feature of this chapel is the mystery staircase.

I understand that the story goes that the nuns prayed

for someone to come and build a staircase.

A carpenter came one day and built this free standing staircase.

Upon completion, the carpenter disappeared without payment.

Then the final church, which is actually the only one

we originally planned to visit, is St. Francis Cathedral.

It was built in 1886 and from the main plaza of Santa Fe

you can see it just at the end of the road.

Do you search out churches when traveling?

I find that in the hurry, rush season of cramming

in as much sight seeing as possible,

a pause, a breath, a prayer

in a church centers me.

It refreshes and delights my soul.

What do you Do?

When you are walking that path of troubled waters, sadness, and mourning, what do you do?

Do you take a little breather once in the while?

A time alone to think, cry, laugh, and remember?

This is where I walked to remember and mourn the loss of my mother-in-law.

To rejoice that she was now at peace.

To release her to walk her own path.

Life is not only laughter, but sometimes tears.

We can delight also in the tears.

Celebrating the life of my aunt last Saturday

and my mother-in-law soon after.

They would both say they are resting in the arms of Jesus.

Monday's Quotes

"Faith is a bird that feels dawn breaking and 

sings while it is still
dark."
-- Rabindranath Tagore

Monday's Quotes

 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and love
and of a sound mind.

1 Timothy 1:7 - from the Bible

Walking in the Light

Have you heard the terminology "Walking in the Light"?

Unless you are a Quaker/Friends, you probably haven't heard this.

It means to walk in the light of God and

the light will guide your path.

I think it could also for today mean it is time for me to

take a walk in the sunshine.

We have had so little light lately

and the sun is shining so beautifully.

I have found this labyrinth here and now

I will be combining the two.

I am off to walk in the light of the sun

and the light of meditation with God.

Have a delightful weekend, dear friends.

Take time to walk in the light however you translate that.

Spirit Whispers

For those of you that are new to my blog, today I am resuming
a series called Spirit Whispers.
For me and others I find that we don't take the time to sit quietly
and just listen.  I encourage you each Monday to take that time.
I often run a series for awhile on Monday's and this one sits well with
me for now.  When the time comes for a closure, I usually have a give away.
Today's sharing is the words from a song we sometimes sing at the church that
I attend, but I think the words can touch the heart of you too.
Sit with a cup of tea and a few moments of silence as you read.

Teach Me to Stop and Listen

by Ken Medema

Teach me to stop and listen.

Teach me to center down.

Teach me the use of silence.

Teach me where peace is found.

Teach me to hear your calling.

Teach me to search your word.

Teach me to hear in silence

Things I have never heard.

Teach me to be collected.

Teach me to be in tune.

Teach me to be directed.

Silence will end so soon.

Then when it's time for moving,

Grant it that I may bring

To every day and moment

Peace from a silent spring.

Light Shine

 Shine

Glow

Illuminate

Fill our lamps regularly

Let our lights shine!

 View for inspiration:

http://www.oilyourlamp.com/?cm_mmc=CheetahMail-_-MO-_-12.6.10-_-OFYLMovie

(as seen on Cheryl Richardson's weekly newsletter)

Random Acts of Kindness

Today I am celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Day.
I just stopped for the past hour to meditate and pray for each of you.
The thought that came to me at the end of this hour was:
And may my words mix with sunshine and be at peace
May each of you celebrate and be at peace.
Sit in silence and feel the peace today.

For more Random Acts of Kindness visit the links at the Necessary Room.

A Quiet Place

A quiet place, a time to commune with nature and talk to God.
A special time alone is sometimes needed.
Recently I spent the day here in this quiet place.
Do you make opportunity for quiet times?
Sometimes I forget to do it and my heart longs for a time of refreshment.
Take time today for refreshment.

Creative Dreaming

Funny, but when I thought of showing you my collage and explaining what came to mind in explanation was "work'n it out". Have you ever done a collage to "work it out", to help you figure out your next direction or what is in your heart? This was my collage I made at the beginning of the year. I hadn't looked at it for awhile; so it is fun for me to see where I am in my year and see if I am on track. I am a very visual person and seeing pictures helps me along life journeys. I am beginning to scan magazines now for next year and after Christmas I will work on my collage for next year. But for this year I think I am on track, at least I am working on it.

Taking Flight

As a young girl I would watch the bird's flying and dream of flying.
My hearts desire was to soar through the air like a bird.
Building airplanes out of boxes, I would climb to the top of the garage roof, get in the airplane, slide down the roof, and for a moment fly through the air.
I would climb high into trees and swing in the branches hoping to be propelled into space.
Needless to say, our neighbors feared I would break my neck; but for moments I would fly.
There is something so freeing for the spirit to soar. How can we take flight and soar?
My heart still rejoices each time I take flight in a plane. Can we only soar in our dreams, in a plane, or in our spirit? Flying is a feeling of laughter, no worries, freedom to be who we want to be, taking risks. Take flight with me today. Let out that breathe we have been holding in, breathe deep and leap! Leap into the unknown, be daring, do that thing you were afraid to do, and rejoice in the trip. Will it be a short trip, a failed trip, or one that takes us to new heights? Whatever it is, for a moment we flew and our hearts soared.

Come fly with me!

In the Moment

Picture is of my favorite spring teacup sitting in a bird nesting box made by my husband.

*****

I have been thinking alot lately about being "In the moment". What does that mean? I understand that when drinking a cup of tea. I can sit quietly, holding a warm cup in my hand, and pause in the moment. Then I read in Simple Abundunce a couple weeks ago about paying attention when we are embracing and talking to others. To stop, look them in the eyes, and take in what they are sharing. How often do you or I really do that, when we are rushing around trying to get just one more thing done? The book says to speak softly, listen attentively, and act as if every conversation you have is the most important thing on your mind today. In Quaker circles we are told to "center down". Bring our core thoughts down to focus on God. A friend gave me an old article from the newspaper and the title was "Take timeout with tea". Am I being told to focus and center, paying attention to each one that crosses my path? This is something I am struggling with right now, as my life sometimes gets very busy and I rush around. I believe many of us probably find ourselves in this state of rushing and not paying attention. Let's all take time today to slow down, sip a cup of your favorite tea, and look in the eyes of those around you. Give full attention to those around you, whether it is petting your dog or cat, talking to your spouse, or returning a faulty computer to the store (as I am doing today). Now this will be the real test for me today. Let me know how it works for you.

******

Don't forget the give away mentioned on Monday's blog. Leave comments this week to be entered into the drawing.

Godly Play

This is my dear friend, Caryl. We met last week at the Tea Zone for tea. This was the beginning of my month of birthday celebration. What a special way to start celebrating.

Caryl is my friend, but has also been my pastor over the past several years, and now is moving forward with her new position as director of training for the Godly Play Foundation. Caryl loves children, she has five of her very own. When I met Caryl she was raising her five children as a single mom and struggling to find her way. Her husband had committed suicide. She started working at our church and ended up attending then graduating from seminary. She became our pastor.

Godly Play Foundation is an organization that trains people to tell Bible stories in a very gentle manner. From greeting the children, sitting on the floor, and having props to illustrate the story. The children are the focus and carried into the story by participation. Caryl has a real talent for this work and I am so proud of her.
Visit Caryl's blog: http://godlyplayfoundation.blogspot.com

Ironing and meditation

Meditation is simply about being yourself and knowing about who that is. It is about coming to realize that you are on a path whether you like it or not, namely the path that is your life.

~Jon Kabat-Zinn

from the book, Simple Abundance

*******

Many of us do not like and avoid cleaning the house. I certainly don't like cleaning the house. Crazy to say, but I like ironing. When I was 17 years old I cleaned house for the doctor and his family that delivered me. I learned to iron his shirts and learned to enjoy ironing. The only time it wasn't fun was when his little daughter would come up behind me and knowing my hands were busy, she would pull down my pants. The above picture are the fruits of my ironing this week. I ironed some fabric to prepare for quilting, a vintage linen table cloth, and vintage pillowcases. I love freshly ironed cotton pillowcases. Oh they feel so nice when I climb into bed at night. Now you are saying, what does that have to do with meditation and spiritual? For me ironing is a time for reflection and meditation. The rhythm of the iron moving back and forth centers my thinking and helps me to focus. With each movement of the iron I see the results of my efforts, but also it clears my mind to think about my life journey. For me it is a time of meditation. What do you do to help in your time of reflection and meditation?