seeing through Laura's eyes

Spiritual resource to share:  renewal

I was starting to feel a bit dull about my life here.  After all, I have lived here for over six years, and I haven't lived in one place for over six years for a long, long time.  I was looking for a change.  Not anything major, mind you, but I was just wanting something different.

Then, my buddy Laura came for a visit.  Laura and I met through work during one of the most exciting work projects I had ever been on.  Although we had different jobs pioneering different tasks, we were both working on the same goal.  It was thrilling.  But then our jobs ended, and that's when our friendship bloomed. 

Laura was always the one to get new ideas started and going, and she took on Herculean tasks. Her energy, focus and determination was palpable.  I could feel her jolt just talking to her on the phone when she called to see if she could come for a visit.

I wondered how she would repond to my quiet life up in the Northwoods.  This is where it got interesting. 
The day came when she arrived and entered my house.  "I love this house!" she burst out, "It is so you!"  I had to agree. Later, we hiked one of my favorite trails.  "Oh, this is just gorgeous," she commented looking over the lake reflecting its fringe of colored leaves.  I realized she was right.  Another time, we cruised the main street of my town known for its tiny shops of antiques, clothes, tea and chocolates, hand-made quilts from the Midwest, and imported pottery from Italy and art from local artisans and more.  "This is fascinating," she oohed at a hand thrown bowl.  I could see I was starting to wake up.  "Oh you are just so beautiful," she said.  Yes, I am, I nodded in agreement.

On one of our hikes, I pointed out the remnants of several art installations that were put on the trail years ago.  We were so engrossed in our talking that we missed a major art sculpture just two feet from the trail. After a couple of days of non-stop conversations, she left to go back home, leaving me with the reminder of how good life is, and how precious and connected we all are to one another.  She left me seeing things in sharper focus with a brighter light, and I got to see the wonder that lives right here with me right now.

Love never loses sight of loveliness. 

Its halo rests upon its object. 

One marvels that a friend can ever seem less than beautiful.
-Mary Baker Eddy



Mocha sits next to the art sculpture
on the Raven Trail in Minocqua

Part of the Forest Art Wisconsin Native/Invasive Events by Edgardo Madanes of Argentina right in my neighborhood

         

break time!

Spiritual resource to share: renewal

St. Martin's in London

For over 25 years, I have been taking off around this time to go for some spiritual sustenance. For many of these years, I have gone across the ocean, joined with other Christian Science healers and friends, and participated in an all-day seminar on Christian Science healing.

The time before and after is all mine and I spend a lot of it walking in the city, maybe visiting a friend or two, but seriously giving myself space to be with myself and to renew my relationship to God, my commitment to healing, and my commitment to be selfless in sharing Christian Science with mankind.

So, all of this to say I won't be online until September 10th! But until then, I hope you all find time for yourselves to renew, reflect and rejoice!









To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

the joy of cleansing and renewal

Spiritual resource to share: renewal

Happy New Year, kind of - Thai style! Our new exchange student daughter from Thailand, Taew, has been bravely dealing with our continued snow and cold, windy conditions.

However, these last three days, her very large family and countrymen have been whooping it up with the Songkran Festival - a national celebration whose main theme is renewal or rebirth.

"The idea is that as the old year gives way to a new one, it is a time to give thanks to elders and others who have bestowed acts of kindness upon you in the past year, and conversely, to expel all the bad luck and look forward to the good times the coming year will hopefully offer." Everything old and useless gets thrown out and people are drenched in water as a way to celebrate cleansing and renewal.

On learning of this, I poured through the internet, if not just to find pictures of people in extremely hot weather and sigh.

But, I thought further, what time is NOT good for renewal and rebirth? Now is a good time! Now is a good time for gratitude and appreciation and repentance and new ideas!

• Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
• II Cor 6:2 Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
• Rev 21:5 Behold, I make all things new.
• Lam 3:22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

So in honor of this most fun festival, get wet, throw out your garbage, kiss your grandparents and great aunt and uncle, and look forward to all of the infinite possibilities for good that lie ahead!



To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.