Maybe you have guessed that I am loving that song. I heard a simple instrumental version recently and really loved it.
Years ago, in another life, I was living in Riverside, CA. I went to midnight mass at St. Catherine's Catholic church with my family. It was very crowded with standing room only and the family was not all together because of that. I love being in a big crowd like that and singing because there is this energy and reverberation that can only come with that situation. It also allows you to sing really loud which I was doing and whatever song we were singing had Hallelujah in it. The man standing next to me told me I sang beautifully which makes me laugh. I can sing, but not beautifully. It was the joy of the moment and singing really loud, but I still feel good when I think about that moment.
I am sitting here in the last hour of Christ mas eve so I can be here in the quiet of the house and the dark of the night while I anticipate the moment the clock clicks over and Christ mas arrives. The tall dark handsome one has gone to bed and my two four legged friends are snug in their beds.
I went out to the grocery store today and realized exactly what a mess we have ourselves in over this one day. People are either very happy or grouchy. I like the happy part more. I just don't think this is what God/dess had in mind for this day. I am still working on my Christ mas cards and probably won't put them out to the mail box until Friday or Saturday. Some people would tsk-tsk me because I am late, but my theory on Christ mas is this....the 12 days of Christ mas begin on Christ mas day and end with the epiphany which means I have all that time to accomplish my goal, visit with family and friends and enjoy the heart of the season. Most people rush around thinking everything has to be done by the 25th of December and they make themselves crazy trying to meet that goal. I used to do that when I had small children, but I learned.
Christ mas is so much more than just shopping and wrapping and pleasing tiny people. I love that it is a time for bringing families together, thinking about what they want or need, breaking bread together and making new memories. Even though we all logically know it is to celebrate the birth of Christ, I still think that gets somewhat pushed to the back in all the hustle and bustle.
I don't belong to a formal religion nor do I want to, and I don't attend any particular church. What I do do is celebrate the wonderfulness of the world around me everyday. I cannot help myself. Nature is amazing. That is only a small portion of the wonder of my day.
I have friends and family in almost every faith, yet today when I was walking around the grocery store the thought popped into my mind that when peoples of the world started moving to this place called America, they were mostly Christians and Jews. Now they are so many faiths walking the city streets that being politically correct dictates you say "Happy Holidays". The young girl that works at the FedEx store even said that to me. Can't go there. I don't wish to offend anyone, but think about it....the world still mostly revolves around the thought of Christ mas. So I'm going to say it. Merry Christ mas. I even got to say Feliz Navidad to someone today. All the years I was growing up, having children and moving into middle age, I don't know of any Jewish friend that was offended by all the Christ mas goings on. They were happy in their own world celebrating life and faith in a way that is centuries old. Yet there you are.....being a Christian is also centuries old. No matter how many Christian religions there are, celebrating Christ mas is the same. Same same, not same as an old friend of mine would say.
So this is Christ mas, what have I learned?
I want to wish you a Merry Christ mas from the bottom of my heart during a tequila sunrise. Okay, you can laugh now. It was just the order of music on my radio, but it made me laugh at the thought.
From my heart to yours.....Merry Christ mas. Be abundantly blessed, creatively divine, exceedingly fun, gregarious, helpful, intentional, joyful, kind, loving, meditative, natural, ordinary, playful, quiet, rested, serene, true, understanding, valiant, wise, Xtra of everything I've mentioned, yourself, and zany. No zombies allowed.
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Thanksgiving 2014
Well, it hasn't been a full year since I posted last, but almost.
Here I am on Thanksgiving again thinking about what I have to be grateful for this year.
I could be grouchy and talk about the things I didn't like this year and fill up my page with thoughts on my old tenants. I saw a quote this morning that said "Karma has no deadline". I am hoping that is true. They earned a lot.
Instead I am going to ponder other thoughts.
I always have the usual things I am grateful for such as sunrises, sunsets, running water, hot water heater, a comfy bed, food everyday, love, a warm home, every mistake I ever made....etc. Within all those things are deeper moments of gratitude.
I am actually grateful every morning upon awakening. I sometimes forget to be thankful, but in fact I am. I am awake in the world and I hopefully have another full day here on earth to enjoy the things that capture my soul.
A lot of things in our day are so normal and always there that we almost forget about them. The sweet greeting from the cat (who wants treats), the joy filled dog, birds outside, the view from the big kitchen window that always brings visions of horses and trees. A long embrace and a kiss from my husband before he goes off to work. A peaceful, tasty cup of coffee before starting the day with chores or work.
One of my co-workers lost her partner recently. I cannot imagine my life without my partner. I continue to be grateful that I have a loving partner and a good life with him. I am thankful for the serendipitous moment that brought him into my life and all the moments we have had since.
I recently had to buy heating oil. Although the cost is outrageous, I am thankful I am warm and comfortable. I contemplate the plight of homeless people and how they manage, but I cannot even begin to fathom being cold and seeking a place for rest. My bed is warm and comfortable. I appreciate and am thankful for the person who invented mattresses. I wish warmth and comfort for all.
The truth of Thanksgiving begins with the beginning of our country and immigrants. This land existed and was occupied with it's native peoples. Immigrants (our forefathers) came along and began to co-exist with natives. This country has always been about immigrants. It is very interesting to watch the news and the controversy regarding immigrants. No, we can't take everyone in, and they do need to work and pay as we all do, but we would not exist without them now or ever in our history. Not perfect in the end, but, the beginning started with high ideals. I cannot imagine living elsewhere in the world even though I have tried hard. I am thankful that I am free to be me and you are free to be you.
As you maybe contemplate shopping Black Friday and having a spending hemorrhage, consider purchasing something for a homeless shelter, the food bank, or a foster child. My work has a giving tree. I pulled a boys wish off of there for an iTunes card and a small t-shirt. I am grateful that I have work and the ability to honor that wish.
As I mentioned at the beginning of my post, our tenants that lived in our house in Salt Lake moved out. We went to Salt Lake for almost 3 weeks to work on the house hoping to sell it. We have family that live there and we are grateful for the help that we received everyday and that which we have received since then.
May you enjoy the many morsels of the day.....food, thoughts, love, comforts, happiness.
Bless the food before us this day, the family and friends beside us, and the love between us. Amen.
Here I am on Thanksgiving again thinking about what I have to be grateful for this year.
I could be grouchy and talk about the things I didn't like this year and fill up my page with thoughts on my old tenants. I saw a quote this morning that said "Karma has no deadline". I am hoping that is true. They earned a lot.
Instead I am going to ponder other thoughts.
I always have the usual things I am grateful for such as sunrises, sunsets, running water, hot water heater, a comfy bed, food everyday, love, a warm home, every mistake I ever made....etc. Within all those things are deeper moments of gratitude.
I am actually grateful every morning upon awakening. I sometimes forget to be thankful, but in fact I am. I am awake in the world and I hopefully have another full day here on earth to enjoy the things that capture my soul.
A lot of things in our day are so normal and always there that we almost forget about them. The sweet greeting from the cat (who wants treats), the joy filled dog, birds outside, the view from the big kitchen window that always brings visions of horses and trees. A long embrace and a kiss from my husband before he goes off to work. A peaceful, tasty cup of coffee before starting the day with chores or work.
One of my co-workers lost her partner recently. I cannot imagine my life without my partner. I continue to be grateful that I have a loving partner and a good life with him. I am thankful for the serendipitous moment that brought him into my life and all the moments we have had since.
I recently had to buy heating oil. Although the cost is outrageous, I am thankful I am warm and comfortable. I contemplate the plight of homeless people and how they manage, but I cannot even begin to fathom being cold and seeking a place for rest. My bed is warm and comfortable. I appreciate and am thankful for the person who invented mattresses. I wish warmth and comfort for all.
The truth of Thanksgiving begins with the beginning of our country and immigrants. This land existed and was occupied with it's native peoples. Immigrants (our forefathers) came along and began to co-exist with natives. This country has always been about immigrants. It is very interesting to watch the news and the controversy regarding immigrants. No, we can't take everyone in, and they do need to work and pay as we all do, but we would not exist without them now or ever in our history. Not perfect in the end, but, the beginning started with high ideals. I cannot imagine living elsewhere in the world even though I have tried hard. I am thankful that I am free to be me and you are free to be you.
As you maybe contemplate shopping Black Friday and having a spending hemorrhage, consider purchasing something for a homeless shelter, the food bank, or a foster child. My work has a giving tree. I pulled a boys wish off of there for an iTunes card and a small t-shirt. I am grateful that I have work and the ability to honor that wish.
As I mentioned at the beginning of my post, our tenants that lived in our house in Salt Lake moved out. We went to Salt Lake for almost 3 weeks to work on the house hoping to sell it. We have family that live there and we are grateful for the help that we received everyday and that which we have received since then.
May you enjoy the many morsels of the day.....food, thoughts, love, comforts, happiness.
Bless the food before us this day, the family and friends beside us, and the love between us. Amen.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Yikes!!!!! My procrastination is profound
Oh my goodness. My procrastination is superb. I just logged in for the first time in, well, let's just say forever. Not that I haven't thought about you because I have, I just can't explain why I haven't written.
Things change it seems and we go from one routine to another and some things get lost or forgotten along the way. It seems this has been one of them.
The last bit of 2012 found us putting our beloved pit bull Abby down. It turned out she had mammary cancer that when it presented itself was too late to treat. She was the best dog. Sweet, gentle and big loving eyes. She never gave us grief over anything. She did however want to be a lap dog which was a bit impossible at 72 pounds. This caused a few problems between her and the little dog, but they were still chums to the end.
Life with just the one dog has been interesting and gets better all the time, but we still miss our Abby girl.
Since I live on a horse farm where approximately 35 horses are boarded, 2012 and 2013 found many of my old or medically infirm friends racing off to meet Epona and have eternal grazing. Each horse had it's own personality and things I loved about each and every one of them. If you have read any previous posts then you know how it breaks my heart when they leave.
The biggest loss has been of Fire this past fall. Fire has always been in our family for the most part. My eldest sister bred some of her fine horses to get her. She was fostered out for awhile until the next sister bought her and has had her ever since. She was best friends with Diva my sisters other mare that departed in the fall of 2009. Fire was 34 and the most elegant Arabian I have ever seen. She had a beautiful prance and fanned her tail in the loveliest of ways in order to poop. I spent every evening with her during her last 3 months or so and it still seems strange not to see her in the barn.
This is Fire and me looking out from her barn during our nightly visit/walk-about.
We did have a darling filly born at the barn the day after my birthday. Gaia is a spark of fun. Fire was the first to know she was coming and trumpeted it to all the others at the barn. I feel like she waited to leave this earthly plane until Gaia was born and she could get to know her.
I started to work at Ben Franklin's art and craft store and it seems like the rest of the fall and the holiday season just went poof!!. But here I am. I shall come back for a visit soon.
Things change it seems and we go from one routine to another and some things get lost or forgotten along the way. It seems this has been one of them.
The last bit of 2012 found us putting our beloved pit bull Abby down. It turned out she had mammary cancer that when it presented itself was too late to treat. She was the best dog. Sweet, gentle and big loving eyes. She never gave us grief over anything. She did however want to be a lap dog which was a bit impossible at 72 pounds. This caused a few problems between her and the little dog, but they were still chums to the end.
Life with just the one dog has been interesting and gets better all the time, but we still miss our Abby girl.
Since I live on a horse farm where approximately 35 horses are boarded, 2012 and 2013 found many of my old or medically infirm friends racing off to meet Epona and have eternal grazing. Each horse had it's own personality and things I loved about each and every one of them. If you have read any previous posts then you know how it breaks my heart when they leave.
The biggest loss has been of Fire this past fall. Fire has always been in our family for the most part. My eldest sister bred some of her fine horses to get her. She was fostered out for awhile until the next sister bought her and has had her ever since. She was best friends with Diva my sisters other mare that departed in the fall of 2009. Fire was 34 and the most elegant Arabian I have ever seen. She had a beautiful prance and fanned her tail in the loveliest of ways in order to poop. I spent every evening with her during her last 3 months or so and it still seems strange not to see her in the barn.
This is Fire and me looking out from her barn during our nightly visit/walk-about.
We did have a darling filly born at the barn the day after my birthday. Gaia is a spark of fun. Fire was the first to know she was coming and trumpeted it to all the others at the barn. I feel like she waited to leave this earthly plane until Gaia was born and she could get to know her.
I started to work at Ben Franklin's art and craft store and it seems like the rest of the fall and the holiday season just went poof!!. But here I am. I shall come back for a visit soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)