Okay.  It’s been a week or so since posting.  Life has a way of presenting obstacles as we try to get through the “to do” list.

I am sure you know what I mean.  We have great intentions of doing something and get sidetracked, sometimes kidnapped.

As I type this I’m watching CNN and seeing the heartbreaking video from Puerto Rico.  Nine days since the hurricane and people are getting more and more desperate.  Water, medicine and food are in scarce supply.  There is no power. Line ups for gas are hours and hours long.  Two weeks ago, these folks were going about their day, just are we are doing.  Today, they are struggling to survive.

This is happening in places around the US, Mexico and around the world.  People just like us, faced with incredible hardship and challenge.  The power of our prayers is needed more than ever before.

But, even in the midst of all this sadness and I am seeing smiling faces on the screen.  Yes, there is a great deal of pain and frustration, but there is this message: “We have no food, but we have our life!  We have hope!”  One elderly woman whose home was devastated is being cared for by neighbours.  People are reaching out, sharing what they have.  There is much gratitude, even in the face of such life changing circumstances.

This holds a lesson for us.  Our challenges are valid too.  We may not be hit with a hurricane but there are many ways life can throw wrenches in our plans.  We can get paralyzed by fear and doubt.  It can sap every bit of happiness and leave us drained and sad.

Try this.  Ignore the worry.  Ignore the what ifs.  Close the door on fearful thoughts.  Just refuse to entertain them.  Instead turn your thoughts to the blessings you have, the love around you, the support in your life.  Think happy things.  Read uplifting books.  Watch funny movies.  It is okay to laugh even when there are problems.  This is a way to solving them, believe it or not.

As we focus on good and trust that answers are coming, things reframe.  And, as we bring an attitude of joy and lightness, it affects everyone around us.

Be a transformer:  Pray for those in need.  Share what you have.  Refuse to entertain worry and fear.  Know that you never walk alone.  On this feast day of St. Michael and All Angels on the church calendar, we are reminded that we have very busy helpers working on our behalf.  Let them do the heavy lifting and do something that will lighten your heart.

Blessings,
+Deb

“The first time people show you who they are, believe them.” Wisdom born from experience from Maya Angelou that resonates with our own.

This is a phrase I have heard a lot lately.  Perhaps it stems from the current climate of “fake news” and the search for what is true and real.  We have a lot of information coming at us all day, all the time.  We need, at heart, to know who to trust for ourselves and for others.

I have always gone with my gut, being an intuitive kind of person.  I tend to give the benefit of the doubt, go the extra mile, do the Christian thing when dealing with people, even if my first impression has been a little mixed.  We all get a little star-crossed at times, wanting to see the good in relationships -especially blooming romances.  Alas, time has a way of revealing what is beneath the surface and we sometimes find our true love is actually a toad, not a prince/princess or that a friend we have trusted doesn’t have our best interests at heart. Those situations bring lessons and help us in our quest to find those whom we can trust.

Sometimes it is easier to see the red flags in someone else’s life.  As a mom, I saw the “Eddie Haskells” in my sons circle of friends.  I saw them like they were coated in neon paint.  I learned along the way that they had to learn for themselves the cost of poor decisions even after I warned them to be careful.  We meet with our friends and our Dear Abby gets tagged.  So much easier to see things transpiring elsewhere.

There are times in our lives when it is important to do a little stocktaking, an inventory of our journey.  Are we happy?  Are we doing what we love?  Is someone blocking us? Are we being true to ourselves?  What needs to happen for us to move forward?

As we focus on the people in our lives, there are questions to consider as well.  Are we getting the support we need?  Are we free to be who we are?  Are we feeling loved and appreciated?  Are we feeling resentful or trapped?  Are there feelings that need to be aired?  Do we need to let go of those people who are toxic or negative?

How do we live out Jesus’ commandment to love one another?  How do we protect ourselves from those who would take advantage of our good nature?  How do we find our own truth and our direction forward on the path?

Rule #1.  You deserve respect.
Rule #2   You are not a doormat or someone’s venting post.
Rule #3   Your  experiences and opinions are valid.
Rule #4   If your first impression is not favorable, listen to your early warning system.
Rule #5   Talk to a trusted friend if you are feeling unsafe in any situation.
Rule #6   If something seems to good to be true, it probably is.

Well, that was very interesting. To be honest, this isn’t where this blog was going in my mind when I began.  I offer it with love and hope the message is helpful.

Now, off to finish the notes for tonight’s class.

Blessings,
+Deb

This morning I woke up with Psalm 23 in my head, a psalm I find greatly comforting. It has been a very stressful time on this planet and I went to sleep last night praying for the world and those commended to my prayers. 

With news of another huge earthquake in Mexico and another hurricane bearing down on Puerto Rico and other islands, along with other distressing challenges that come our way, it can be difficult to find peace these days.  It may feel as though we are living in a snowglobe and our lives are being shaken up.  A lot. We can feel helpless against uncontrollable circumstances, raging storms that we cannot control – like an actual hurricane or disaster — or the situations that muster in own lives that exhaust us.

We want to steer our own ship.  We like to be in control.  We like to stack the deck so that things go our way.  We want to know the end of the book. Being in control helps us feel confident and capable.  It is a very human tendency.  Not many of us like the unpredictable snowglobe effect or dealing with the struggles that pop up in life.  We long for peace, for relief, for hope, for restoration of heart, mind and soul. For space and grace.

We can feel very lonely, wrapped up in our distress and fears. We don’t want to burden another or reach out.  At some point we might reflect on our reluctance. Why? Why do we feel we have to be super people? No one ever said that we have to go it alone.  No one ever said that asking for help makes us weak. We often get in our own way,  desperately bailing the water out of our boat while trying to fix the leak and trying to keep our hand on the rudder.

Sound familiar?

Take a moment and read this familiar Psalm.  It was written thousands of years ago by a servant of God named David.  David was not perfect.  He liked to be in control.  He wanted what he wanted.  His journey can speak to our own lives.  David had humble roots as a Shepherd and in his life, he came to understand that God was taking care of him, just as he had taken care of his flock.  This psalm is deeply personal to David and speaks to many of our hearts as well.

When we give over and let God help us steer the ship of our lives this is what happens:
we are protected, we are comforted, we are cared for, we are given what we need, we are known and we are loved.  We are anointed -blessed- and we are always under the watchful eye of the One who has our very best interests at heart.

Maybe today it is time to get out of the leaky boat and walk over to the tablecloth at the side of the little stream. Maybe today it is time to take a break and regroup, to see what gifts are waiting as we accept the invitation to let the Divine Shepherd assist us and take the load for awhile.  There, beside the still waters, may we find peace of mind, answers to our prayers and deep restorative rest for our aching souls.

Peace.
+Deb

I always find it challenging when I witness an argument.   I heard an exchange between a couple walking along the street as I was following behind.  They were hot and tired and started sniping at each other.  He stopped, turned to her and blasted her, using a few words to describe her that should not come out of the mouth of anyone, let alone a person who was supposed to be her significant other.

I was directly behind them and saw his words hit her like arrows. She continued along, head down, embarrassed and humiliated.  I glared at him. He looked at me.  A bully caught in the act. Truthfully, I bit my tongue. I suddenly felt vulnerable, even on the crowded street, unsure of what he might do if I spoke up. He strode on and passed her, telling her to hurry up.

I have regretted not intervening or at least offering support for her in some way. I pray for that woman — and for him as well.  An argument is one thing, but if that was a taste of their life together, then I pray she finds her voice, and perhaps, her hiking boots.

I think most of us have been on the receiving end of hurtful comments at some point in our lives.  We may have let our own anger get the best of us and said something that we wish we could take back as soon as it was spoken.

Words have power.  When we say to someone, “I love you,”  there are more than just words at play.  There is emotion and intention behind them. When that persons hears those words, there is a reaction to our feelings as well as the words.   That person will know whether or not we are sincere.  Our emotions fuel the meaning of the words.

If we want to see a kinder, gentler world then we have to be careful about the words we use with one another.  We must work hard to build one another up, to compliment, to encourage, to speak words that support and nurture tender hearts.

I am not saying that it is easy. To match our feelings with our words can be challenging sometimes.  There is wisdom to the notion of not saying anything if you can’t say something nice.

This I know:  words are powerful.  They can be used as weapons.  I still hear those negative comments fired at me over the years, stinging even now.  I am sure you can hear harsh comments voiced in your past too.

Our words can be used as to transform someone’s life.  Let’s use our voices to speak words of love and encouragement and watch what happens.

(Oh, and the words of our prayers are powerful too!  Our intentions and our loving thoughts for others and the world are immeasurable. More on that soon.)

Blessings,
+Deb

It is a wonderful fresh new week.  I like the idea that it is filled with possibilities and promises – the notion of keeping it all flowing and open-ended is very appealing to me.
I was speaking with a few folks who are feeling overwhelmed by life lately.  We all get there at some point or another.  Too much too do, too many pressures, too many hands out looking for help, too many tasks to fit into one day… add into that mix a financial challenge, a relationship issue or an illness and you’ve got a lovely stress cocktail.

Let me tell you.  Most things on your list can wait for an hour while you go sit in the park or take a time out to drink a cup of tea and read a magazine.  I don’t know where we got the idea that we have to be “on” all the time, ready and available for the next call or request.  You count too.

I am preaching to myself here too.  I took some down time over the weekend because I had a virus and I couldn’t push my way through any longer.  I cleared the calendar and puttered, creating this site and catching up with paperwork.  Today, I have catching up to do, but I feel ready for it again.  And, I have promised myself that I will take my vitamins and get to sleep earlier.

How about you?  Are you taking time each day for pleasure and enjoyment?  Are you catching time to sit and do nothing?  Does that suggestion bring up a feeling of guilt or “I can’t” in your head?  You are overdue!

Take a deep breath.  YOU matter.  As a dear friend used to remind me, you can’t give a boost to others if your battery is run down.  Recharge the battery.

Have a wonderful day.  Thanks for checking in.  Now go play! 🙂
Blessings,
+Deb

It’s been a busy day spent tweaking this site and learning the mysteries of WordPress.  The day started with uploading the Sunday worship service and now, supper is ready and it is time to relax and let the day go.

Have a beautiful night.  Remember to send love to Mother Earth and  to send prayers to all people and creatures a comfortable, peaceful and gentle night.

Peace,
+Deborah