Have you ever wondered how to make a wise decision? how to know which direction to go when faced with more than one possibility? how to discern the will of God?
You’ve reasoned. You’re sought the advice of others. You’ve prayed. You’ve looked at every angle you could possibly think of. You’re still not certain which answer is the right answer for you at this particular time, which ‘way’ is God’s way, which road will be the wise choice.
Like everyone, I’ve found myself in situations seeking wisdom, wanting to hear God’s Voice, hoping to discern wisely. Whether the situations have been simple or complex, each time I’ve learned that *listening* is the key.
The next time you are faced with a decision, give this a try.
Listen to your heart: If it soars with excitement … it’s a ‘yes.’
Listen to your body: If it is relaxed about going in one direction … it’s a ‘yes.’
Listen to your mind: If it is at peace and you are not still trying to figure it out … it’s a ‘yes.’
When all three are ‘yes’, surely the Universe/God is sending you a message
that evokes harmony: harmony of body, mind and spirit aka – wise road – right path – good decision.
The things one sees when out for a walk! Two pieces of lumber on a roof with a sign on a piece of paper attached to one of the pieces of lumber that reads “I miss being a tree.”
‘Someone’ thought this up. Then that ‘someone’ printed it out on a piece of paper. And then that ‘someone’ posted it on the lumber.
Dear “someone,”
You deserve … an A+ for creativity … an A+ for environmental awareness … and an A+ for sense of humour.
Paper and Lumber “missed” being a tree.
Is there anything you miss being? … a certain age … a certain size … in a certain relationship … something else?
So much is happening in the world and instead of
… talking … sharing concerns … giving love … receiving love … expressing love in action, word, thought
fear and feelings of helplessness permeate conversations and thoughts.
Oh, to be this kitten embraced and protected by the dog. Oh, to be this dog
taking comfort in the gentle breaths of the kitten. Ahhh … peace … love … sweet friendship. Human animals can learn so much from non-human animals.
May we be open to learning from them. May we be willing to put that learning into practice. May it be so. Amen. May it be so.
An unexpected gift from a friend in Ottawa brought a huge smile to my face
as I opened the parcel and discovered a package of “Canada 150 Tulip” bulbs … the official tulip of Canada’s 150th anniversary.
I excitedly planted the bulbs and eagerly awaited their beautiful white bloom with red flames that would remind me of Canada’s Maple Leaf Flag and the Netherlands which gifted Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs in 1945 as a postwar gift of gratitude for the role that Canadian soldiers had played in the liberation of the Netherlands in WW11. They would be a constant reminder of the birthplace of my DH, Hans van der Werff.
This morning, the tulip blooms began to appear on the tulips in the front yard and I was excited! I immediately took their photo and planned a daily journal of the tulips to send to my Ottawa friend so she could see how they were growing. I came home this afternoon eager to see if the tulips had opened. I don’t know if they had or had not because the plants had been cut. Who would do that? Why would they do that?
Though I try to make sense of this senseless act I realize that I cannot. And perhaps that’s what lies at the crux of much of the angst in the world. We cannot make sense out of insensitive acts that lead to confusion, suffering, broken trust. We cannot make sense out of unkind people who only look out for their needs and their wants without consideration of the consequences of their actions on others.
I wanted to react at this insensitive act. I wanted to confront the unkind person who did this. Instead, I made a cup of Crystal Tea and decided to blog about it all. I could have gone for a walk around the block – if it hadn’t started to rain and the temperature hadn’t quickly dropped. I could have headed into the tub with the book I’m reading – if it had at least been 8:00 pm and a little closer to bedtime. I could have made time to meditate or pray or …
I needed to de-stress and having ways to de-stress from the little and bigger things in life is important to our emotional well-being. We don’t have to have the same or even similar ways to de-stress each time. But it’s important that we do … “have ways”.
Today was a dark day in the United States.
A day where … greed trumped compassion … power trumped integrity and truth … and lives will be sacrificed because a small group of very wealthy, powerful people in Washington voted on a Bill they were desperate to pass
even though they didn’t read the Bill ahead of the vote and had no knowledge of its contents, let alone its consequences.
In Native American folklore the owl represents ‘sacred knowledge’ and is a symbol of being able ‘to navigate any darkness in life.’ Where, O Owl, is the ‘sacred knowledge’ in all of what has been happening? How can this darkness be navigated? “Owl,” said Rabbit to Owl “you and I have brains.
The others have fluff. If there is any thinking to be done in this Forest, you and I must do it.” <A.A. Milne>
What can I do … living in a country that is not the United States?
If I feel so helpless and can’t imagine what people living in the United States are feeling, what can I do?
I can add my small voice to the growing international voice of outrage. I can let my neighbours to the south know that they are in my thoughts and prayers. I can move my thoughts to possibilities and not dwell on the darkness. Those are some things I can do.
What can be done by those living in the United States?
They can pray. They can blog. They can contact their local Senator and let them know their thoughts and implore them to not vote to accept the Bill when it gets to the Senate. They can add their signature to petitions that have begun to circulate. They can write their local newspapers and speak up at Town Hall meetings.
We must remember that we have brains and … the others have fluff. Together, may we be owls … wise owls … who possess sacred knowledge
and are able to navigate “any darkness in life.”
Tomorrow … what will you be doing tomorrow?
Here’s what will be happening in the world: The Queen of England is making a major announcement tomorrow ... why call it an ’emergency’ meeting when it’s only announcing Prince Philip’s retirement?
The Republicans are going to try and put their version of the ACA to a vote tomorrow in Congress … why scare people when even if it passes, it is most unlikely to pass a Senate vote.
The President of the United States is apparently going to sign at least one controversial Executive Order ... why do this at all?
And the local meteorologist has indicated that the sun will come out tomorrow. We all want sun to come out! We all want a “tomorrow” in our lives.
I don’t know about you but … whatever the Queen announces … whatever decision is made in Congress … whatever Executive Order is signed, I am going to sing, whistle, hum or at least ‘think’ the words to Annie’s “Tomorrow” song; and “hang on ’til tomorrow come what may!”
because tomorrow is always “a day away.”
That “day away” gives me hope that there will be another tomorrow
and another and another.
So we hold on … do what we can do to allow the sun into our lives and wedon’t let the clouds roll in to the point that they occupy our hearts or our minds or our souls.
It would be easy to allow my feelings to determine who I am.
It would be easy to blame life’s difficult circumstances on bad luck, genetic inheritance, family, the government, others, God.
But that would be putting energy “out there”
when I need to focus on rebuilding energy “within” to continue to heal, learn, grow and continue my journey of ‘becoming’ the person I am meant to be.
It’s taken time and work and energy … in the yesterdays of my life … and in the todays of my life to refuse to put energy ‘out there’ on blame
in spite of experiences of rejection, hatred, envy, poverty, pain, betrayal, being on death’s doorstep, and experiencing deep loss.
And it will take time, and work and energy in the tomorrows of my life.
But I will choose to do so because those times have taught and continue to teach that each day is a privilege a new beginning an opportunity to make choices.
Choices about who I will be that day, how I will act / respond that day, who I am becoming.
To quote Carl Jung “I am – what I choose to become.”
I am still in the process of ‘becoming.’ I am still in the process of Choosing.
Choosing To Be … the very best me I can be.
As Andy Warhol said “Don’t think about making art … just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad … whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding … make more art!”
Ahhhh, Andy Warhol
… such wise advice.
When we create
we are
… being child-like
… moving further in our process of “becoming” … growing spiritually.
Making … creating … playing … being
Imagine the spiritual possibilities
… when we make time for each of these.
And when they are woven together
into something tangible
it’s art!
Yes, even these “Four Funky Kids” cards
… made out of cardstock, paper clips and yarn snippets.
Let’s create.
Let’s make art.
Let’s play.
Let’s “Get It Done!”
Need a break … from the stress of life?
Need a break … from the news and threat of war?
Need a break from … busyness … anger … fear … confusion … sense of helplessness … something else?
When that happens for me what happens is to intentionally open my eyes and heart and to consciously seek beauty around, above, below, within
helps in some way … like these cascading blue pansies in the yard with their smiling faces and open mouths singing their sweet “Welcome Spring!” song.
May renewal come our way through the gifts of Mother Nature when it’s “time for a break.”
how do i know … when … if god speaks? – is god … the voice deep within … the thought that flits through my head … the heartbeat that races … the questions … the answers – is god … any of these … none of these … all of these – is god really god – holy other – creator – spirit … or is it simply me
when god speaks … do i know for certain what i must do? am i certain it is god who speaks? not really and yet … yet i cannot remain inactive or unresponsive
higher power – god – spirit – holy other – creator – invites me to live,
to risk, to move forward, to respond to that quiet inner voice, to trust the source whose Name seems hidden … in mists of confusion … in voices of doubt … in shadows of uncertainty, expectant that what lies ahead will nurture and challenge and bless and believe that the true voice of spirit
will not lead me to chaos or confusion
It’s been quite a weekend! Only way to describe it was to create a neologism: … one word combining two words. SERENDINCIDENCE
serendipity (serend) … “a pleasant surprise” … + co-incidence (<co-in> incidence) … “accidental events that might have been arranged but weren’t”)
It began yesterday when I went to the shed to get the compressor to put air into the utility trailer so garden branches etc. could be taken to the recycling depot. When I opened the shed, I heard a “twittering” sound
… a bird had somehow become trapped inside the shed. But it wasn’t a bird.
It was Mama Raccoon.
I checked the shed again and she was still there … menacing, ready to strike. “Babies – she’s protecting her babies” I thought. Leaving the door open, I hoped she’d make her way out with her babies. No such luck.
I want to get rid of them … humanely … so I googled, posted on FB, made phone calls and learned a lot (!) about raccoons and how to get rid of them:
… leave door open … put bright light inside … play talk-radio (they don’t like human voices) … “disturb” their “den”
Last night … the shed door was left open … talk-radio was played, but a recent shoulder injury meant I couldn’t hang the light or move things out of the shed to disturb the “den.”
And then co-incidences: … I left my scarf in church this morning … a friend came by to drop it off … I told her about the raccoons in the shed … and that I couldn’t hang the light because of the shoulder injury.
Before heading home, she noticed a neighbour unloading his car, told him about the situation
and then serendipity … he hung the light … emptied the shed and cardboard that Mama Raccoon had used as a nest for her kits.
If the co-incidences hadn’t happened, I’d not have had the serendipitous pleasant happening of Mama and the Kits leaving. They’re gone!
And I’d never have had the fun of creating a neologism SERENDINCIDENCE.
Tulips are beginning to appear in fields and yards and stores and homes
like the little pot of tulips placed in the kitchen window.
As their petals gently unfolded in the morning’s light, their reflection in the kitchen window called “Take our picture!” and a smile came to my face. It was a wonderful way to begin a new day. But I almost missed it!
I almost missed that moment of awareness of … something grace-filled
… something beautiful … something holy. I almost missed it, but didn’t,
thanks to two little tulips reflected in the kitchen window.
Thank-you, Mother Nature, for this gentle reminder to … make time for
… be open to … become available for Spirit to touch my soul in grace-filled, beautiful, joy-filled, awe-inspiring, wonder-filled, holy ways.
Ever have a day when memories of someone who is no longer living, surfaced in your heart and mind? It’s not their birthday, or any particular occasion that would bring them to mind, yet you feel their presence and find yourself grateful for the ways, lessons and moments they touched your life.
That’s me … remembering my dad, Albert Edward (Eddie) Mack. Born in England in 1903, he died in Canada in 1981. He had little formal education because he had to go to work when he was only eight to help support his family. Yet, in spite of only having a grade three education, he became a voracious reader, stock broker, owner of an antiquities store, art historian and consultant to the National Art Gallery in Ottawa.
Dad was a gentle man (and gentleman!), a loving man, a kind man, a romantic … ohhhh, the love letters he wrote my mother! … and a wonderful ballroom dancer. When he would turn on the radio and take my mom into his arms in our living room, magic happened and we all knew it.
Dad was a polymath. His expertise spanned a significant number of different subject areas, thanks to his voracious reading, deep sense of curiosity, ability to reason, and eagerness to learn from others. At the same time, he was a humble man whose love of his wife, children and grandchildren (as can be seen by this photo of Dad and my son Tod when he was a toddler), were foremost in his life.
Dad wasn’t always home as he often traveled for work, but he was always “with us.” His wisdom, lifestyle, mentoring (even when we weren’t aware of it), contributed to make each of us the people we now are. When we all gathered around the dinner table, we would share how our day had gone and would have conversations about all sorts of things including ‘life after death’.”
Some religions state there is life-after-death. Some cultures believe there is life after death. Many people hope there is … in some way. No living person knows for certain. But, if experiences of the presence of loved ones, long after they have died, in ways that are not understood, is any indication, then life after death does exist.
How? I don’t know. Yet I choose to believe that when our mortal life on this planet earth ends, our spirit continues to live. And life-after-death becomes our reality. That is my belief, my hope, my prayer. And in the meantime, in the remembering of loved ones who have died, in the silent conversations with loved ones who have died, in the memories that bring gratitude and smiles and joy, they live.
The photo is of my son Tod Edward Maffin and his Granddad Albert Edward Mack. Life-after-death.
In days of uncertainty and fear
may application of the lubricating Hand Lotion of Prayer
soften hearts
and provide space for wisdom
to seep through the soul-pores of politicians
calm hearts and provide space for peace to seep through the pores of our own souls.
And may the dryness of dissension and fear and the roughness of rancour
be soothed
by the healing balm application of the moisture of
the Hand Lotion of Prayer.
When Mr. Rogers entered his tv home, he would sing “Won’t You Be My Neighbour.” Neighbour. Who is my / our neighbour? “Are you my neighbour?” “Am I your neighbour?” “Are people who live far away my neighbour?”
What about people who … have a different skin colour … commit murder … speak a different language… who are addicted … are differently-abled … have a mental illness … hold to a different political view … have vision problems … are in prison … have a form of dementia … live on the street … interpret religious teachings from a different perspective … have differently-shaped eyes … lie … aren’t in the same ‘class’ … betray confidences … and the list goes on
As the questions boiled down to one: “Who is my neighbour” this acrostic emerged from my meditation: N – Not so-close (because of separation by physical, emotional, geographical distance) … are my neighbours. E- Elderly (of all ages, religions, nationalities) are my neighbours. I – Inconspicuous (in the decision-making society because of disability, poverty, “ism,” addiction, homelessness, mental illness, terminally-ill, etc.)
are my neighbours. G – G (at the library, stores, post office, traffic, bank, garage, hairdresser, trades, schools) are my neighbours. H – Hobby friends who share my interests (in crafts, sports, recreation, volunteerism) are my neighbours. B – Born recently; born in the future <aka future generations> (of all races, religions, nationalities, countries) are my neighbours. O – Occupational (people I work with; people I study with; volunteer with) are my neighbours. U – Unaware of (the Creator, the Holy, Divine, God, By-Whatever-Name) are my neighbours. R – Related to me (by blood, marriage, law) are my neighbours. S – Society’s alienated (because of race, sexuality, religion, gender, ability, addiction, illness) are my neighbours.
If all people are my neighbours, issues of injustice, discrimination, care of the environment, abuse, “ism” will surface for me. If animals are my neighbours, issues that affect their health survival will surface for me. Native spirituality refers to trees and plants, water, environment and land as ‘neighbours.” The call to care for these has inspired and continues to inspire generations of people.
That one word … neighbour … can be a wonderful starting-point for conversation, prayer, action about … “who is my neighbour” … “how am I to treat my neighbour” … “how do I want my neighbour to treat me” … “why do I not treat all neighbours in a similar way” … “am I my brother/sister’s/*neighbour* keeper”
Ever have “one of those days” where nothing seemed to go
as you had hoped? as you had anticipated? as you had planned? Likely yes.
Me too.
On “one of those days, “I sat quietly in my special chair with gentle music playing in the background. As I tried to put it all in perspective, an image of the Milky Way came to mind, helping me not only to realize but to accept the reality that the things, people, situations, encounters, news that made that day … “one of those days” … were infinitesimal in the cosmic scheme of things.
Why did I let them bother me … so much? Why did I let them build
… one upon the other? Why did I give them power … over my thoughts Why, instead of making the time … to centre myself … to do some deep breathing … to think, pray, whisper, sing Dame Julian of Norwich’s prayer “All shall be well. All shall be well. And all manner of thing shall be well,”
did I become … more frustrated … more disappointed … more upset with each encounter, and activity, and person and myself?
It would be easy to find an excuse. But the reality is I had a choice and I had chosen to be a human do-ing rather than a human be-ing.’
So that evening I was quiet … intentionally focused on ‘be-ing … thinking that if I were blessed to awaken the next morning, I would do so with gratitude in my heart and mind for the privilege of … learning … and growing … and evolving
And every morning since that time that’s what I try to do
… even if I have been having “one of those days.”
These days, it seems as if more and more, people are experiencing
a hardening of physical arteries … when blood vessels become narrow … hardened cholesterol clogs physical systems … and physical health is seriously affected.
These days, it seems as if more and more, people are experiencing
a hardening of spiritual arteries … when minds become narrow … when hearts become hardened … and spiritual health is seriously affected.
It seems that the ‘narrowing’ of minds and the ‘hardening’ of hearts
is not only affecting the spiritual health of individuals, but the spiritual health of nations.
Oh, to return to the place where … kindness and consideration of others
… truthfulness and acceptance of differences … hopefulness and child-likeness … playfulness and peacefulness … the ability to reason and listen
are part of the daily life-experiences of adults, children, youth, elders, professionals, religious leaders, business people, politicians.
Medical professionals remind us that when life’s blood begins to clog,
physical arteries close, we become ill. We may even die.
Not surprisingly, when stress, negativity, hopelessness, despair, fear fill our thoughts, Spirit begins to clog, spiritual arteries close,
we become ill. We may even die.
But when physical arteries are open, life’s blood flows through our veins.
We survive.
When spiritual arteries are open, … compassion and truthfulness … joy and peace … patience and kindness … love and goodness … thoughtfulness and self-control flow through us. We thrive.
Winter storms have been happening and continue to happen. “When will it stop?” “How much damage will it do before it passes away?”
Political storms have been happening and continue to happen. “When will it stop?” “How much damage will it do before it passes away?”
While I don’t have the answers, I do have hope. Hope that “this too shall pass.” Eventually. Hope that “new life is on its way.”. Eventually.
This morning a glimpse of hope was evident in a pot of earth where, tucked inside were spring bulbs. Nothing appeared above the earth yesterday. This morning, a sign of hope.
How will that sign become reality … meteorologically? … politically? I do not know. This I do know, Hope is around us.
I want to see signs of hope. I want to experience signs of hope. I want to be a sign of hope.
Thank you, Mother Nature. In spite of the reality that the snow has not yet gone and it’s still really cold outdoors, three little bulbs are my sign of hope for today.
We’ve heard the expression “Have a nice day!” We’ve heard it from family, friends, store clerks, strangers. When someone greets me with it, I reply with something like “You, too” with a smile on my face.
But one day, I said those words to my employer and he barked back “Don’t tell me what kind of day to have!”And no, he didn’t have a smile on his face or a joking tone of voice when he said it. He was going to have the kind of day he was going to have, and did not want to be told to “have a nice day.”
Walking along the boardwalk, I noticed a plaque on a bench that read “Have a Plain Day.” While I just ‘know’ there’s a story to the plaque and would love to know it someday, in the meantime, I can’t help but think what response my former boss would say!
All of this brings me back to today. THIS day.
What kind of a day will it be for you? Will you “have a good day”? Will you “have a plain day”? Will you wake up “expecting something wonderful will happen” or will it be something else?
The calligraphed words by artist Trish Taylor, as she describes it, are an “as- is” early morning sketch which she did while awaiting lung transplant surgery. She made her choice about the kind of day she was going to have
Whatever kind of day each of us has on THIS DAY, may there be … a moment of peace … a glimpse of hope … an experience of grace.
“Whatever the future holds … we’ll be each other’s strength.” Those words spoken by a very special man on our wedding day and often repeated to one another throughout the years were true. True then … for the two of us. True now … even though he has died. True … for us all. In this world of uncertainty, we can be … we must be … “each other’s strength.”
Before closing the blinds last night, the wondrous silver beam of light
shone brightly in the sky and brought a reminder of those words and a hope that in spite of troubling news and times, there will be a tomorrow.
When clouds began to form and the moon became hidden; when its light diminished and seemed lost as sometimes happens to us when clouds
of fear, isolation, loneliness, sadness, grief, self-doubt begin to form and cover us and it feels as if our light has gone out; like the moon we are still here, simply covered up, waiting for the time, when the cloud passes, and the light shines through … hope.
The words written and spoken by one man to one woman and back to him,
can be the words written and spoken by us all … to one another.
“Whatever the future holds we’ll be each other’s strength.”
(Hans van der Werff) Rest in peace, my beloved. Rest in peace.
I excitedly planted the bulbs and eagerly awaited their beautiful white bloom with red flames that would remind me of Canada’s Maple Leaf Flag and the Netherlands which gifted Canada with 100,000 tulip bulbs in 1945 as a postwar gift of gratitude for the role that Canadian soldiers had played in the liberation of the Netherlands in WW11. They would be a constant reminder of the birthplace of my DH, Hans van der Werff.
© June Maffin
