You Are Holding the Key

Salvation happens every time someone with a key uses it to open a door he could lock instead. ~Barbara Brown Taylor

This quote has been with me since I read it a few weeks ago. I'm not really sure why it has stuck with me other than I must need to explore it for myself. My guess it if I need to hear it, maybe you do too. Instead of salvation, I think the beginning word of the quote should be grace. Salvation suggests that there is a deliverance from sin and grace suggests an unmerited Divine intervention that happens. I believe that it is a better fit for the quote.

We are both the person who can open a door and the person who can lock it. We do it all the time to ourselves and others. How often do we lock ourselves out of our own life? The life I am talking about is the life that is there waiting for all of us. It is where we can move into our dreams and aspirations; the place inside us where who we are, aligns with what we do.

Sometimes it comes in the most unusual ways, barely recognizable to us. Other times it may be pretty clear if we stop ourselves long enough to reflect. What are the thoughts going through our head's? That is a good place to start. What we think about is what we create in our life. One of the things I always teach the people I work with is, you have to create it in your head before you can hold it in your hand. I know it takes conscious thought to do this ,but I believe it is very important since you hold the key to your heart. That's right...you hold the key to your heart, not anyone else. There is no lack of opportunities where we can choose to either open the door or lock it.

We also hold the key in our relationships with others. Relationship is about allowing ourselves to give and receive from each other, bringing out the best in the other person, while staying true to ourselves. In a relationship, when have you locked the door by what you have said or done? When have you opened it?

Regardless of where you may be in this, the important part of this is the idea of extending grace by opening a door. When you know how you want to be in your life and relationships, you can move past the thoughts that keep you hostage; you open a door. It opens the perspective to encompass more than what meets the eye. When we can do this we open to the power of Spirit that is all around us. That is grace...it is what happens in us when we open the door to our heart and to our relationships. It allows us to feel what we may not be able to see. Grace may be one of the most important things we can do for ourselves and for others. Rather than letting our fears get in the way, I would invite you to extend grace to yourself and to someone else today. You hold the key to peace and joy, use it to open doors to a grander vision for yourself and others than you ever imagined.

Peace and Joy to you in the New Year!

Sandy

Beholding the Miracle...

Beholding the Miracle

I have always known that the month of December is a special month. For most of us that idea started when we were children with the Christmas Story and the idea of a Santa that delivered in such a mysterious way, what we wanted most. There were other miracles too, an unexpected and undeserved gesture of kindness, or a strained relationship that just seemed to heal. All seemingly miracles of the season. Sometimes as we grew older we become too busy with the "have too's" of the season and the miracles passed us by without much acknowledgement at all. Last night my son that is in college in Georgia came home for Christmas break, and of course there were a few tears of joy...one or two. After a late dinner we settled in to watch a movie...The Polar Express. Many of you know this about me; I love children's books and this movie is based on this book. It is about believing in yourself and the miracles of the season. In the story, a boy rides the Polar Express to the North Pole and receives the First Gift of Christmas which is a bright shiny sleigh bell. He is told that is will always ring for those who truly believe. I'm telling you this because I realized in a heart centered way, that the gift we are all to behold is in us, and when we feel it in within ourselves, we can extend the gift to others. Watching the movie last night reminded me that when my sons were little, I always gave them a gift on December 1st, which was the First Gift of Christmas. It was always a book that held a miracle of spirit. I know it is long past December 1st, but it is not too late to give yourself the First Gift of Christmas. Early this morning I came across the quote by May Sarton..."There is only one real deprivation...and that is not to be able to give one's gifts to those one loves most." This Christmas behold the miracle that is within you...the gift of you. For sure there are beautiful things to buy, but they are just that, things. The most wonderful gift comes from within and is extended out to others. This gift becomes precious because of what is held in your heart, the intentions you hold for the miraculous to be reveled and the mystery of it all embraced through our relationship with those close to us. The time is now to behold the miracle that is within you, a gift more needed and precious than you may ever know. Peace and Joy to you as you go about your day.

Sandy

Please visit our new web site http://www.inpeaceandjoy.org

Passing on the Hope...

Passing on the Hope...

It's very early morning and most of the world is still asleep. I look out my window to see it is still dark and a soft sprinkle of snow covers the ground. I pour coffee into my favorite Christmas mug, light a candle and spend some time alone to reflect and ponder about all that is and all that will be. People tease me that I am not a morning person, but this is a precious time of the day. It is a time when the day is new and we can focus our intentions on how we want to participate in the coming day. But it is also a time to be open to wisdom, guidance. and the awe and wonder of this world.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of December, a month that calls forth peace, joy and light in the darkness of the year. It is also the month of miracles. While these things are always here just waiting for us to embrace them, we often push them aside unable to take them in. But December calls them forth again like a cherished friend.

Not only this month, but this day brings brings gifts and miracles into our lives. Surely the kind that is wrapped in pretty paper and ribbons, but more so the kind of gift we carry in our hearts. The miracle and wonder of the oil that burned for eight days, the royal son born in Bethlehem and the return of light on the longest darkest night of the year and yes, most of all...the light that shines within all of us.

It is time for all of us to get reacquainted with our own light and begin to let it shine for all to see. It is fitting that just as I am witting this, something has called my attention to the window where I see the the first light of the day. It is just a sliver, but it is beautiful as it sits on the horizon. This light is beautiful in all of us and as we let it shine, it brings the gifts of peace and joy, opening us to the place inside us where hope resides.

I would invite you to helps us remind people of the hope that is within them and comes to them. Read the following blessing for yourself and for someone else. Each time you do this you help brighten the light in yourself and the world

A Blessing for Self
Light a candle and say: I give thanks for the light that shines in me from the Source of all Life. Let the light that is within me increase and grow to extend kindness and compassion for all.

A Blessings for Other
Light another candle and say: I give thanks for the light that shines in (persons name) from the Source of all Life. Let the light that is within (persons name) increase and grow to extend kindness and compassion for all.

Blessings to you as you let the light shine within you and extend the light out to others.

Sandy and Paula

If you would like us to add your names to our tree in our waiting room please send their first names by email. We would also love to hear any comments or stories you might have about Passing on the Hope. Feel free to pass this on to others. Click here to send an email

Institute for Peace and Joy 17305 Cedar Ave. Suite 230Lakeville, Minnesota 55044 952-435-4i44

The Wonder and Light of the Season...

Thanksgiving is over, my sons have gone back to their college's and homes, and some of the preparations for Christmas have begun. In our family, we have a tradition to watch the Muppet Christmas Carol on Thanksgiving night, which officially begins the holiday season. I especially like the music, in part because it is happy, but also for the meaning in the lyrics. Toward the end of the movie, a question is asked...How do you keep Christmas in your heart? That is a question worth pondering, regardless of your religious belief. It is true that Christmas is a religious holiday, but I believe it is also a time of spiritual wonder and light.

My heart must have known I would ask how I can keep wonder and light in my heart even before the words were spoken. In reality, it is not really a holiday question, it is a life question. This past week a wonderful children's book was put in my hands...well actually about 10 books. I won't be keeping them all, but I'm sure you will hear about a few of them. The one I want to tell you about is called, Kiki's Hats by St. Paul author Warren Hanson. It is about his next door neighbor who knitted hats for fun and gave them away. When she gave her hats away she always gave two, one for the person and one for them to give away. It caught on like an epidemic and soon people far and wide were giving away her hats because it was a good thing to do.The inside cover of the book says, "We each have the power to create something good that can last a lifetime ~ and beyond. That what happens when we let our own lights shine; we pass hope on to others. I think that is what we are all called to do...to let our inner light shine so that it can illuminate the path for someone else.

With this story in mind, I ask you... how will you let your light shine? How will you let the wonder and light of the season fill your heart? How will you pass on the hope?

In the week to come you will receive more information about how you can Pass on the Hope. We realized the need for hope is on-going and continues long after Stories of Hope ended, so we have idea's that will help you pass it on to others. Look for that information coming soon.

If you would like to hear what others said about Stories of Hope and see pictures of the event go to http://www.counselingandhealing.com/stories_of_hope.aspx

Peace and Joy,

Sandy

A Thanksgiving Blessing

A Thanksgiving Blessing

~I remember with gratitude the fruits of the labors of others, which I have shared as a part of the normal experience of daily living.

~I remember the beautiful things that I have seen, heard, and felt ~ some as a result of definite seeking on my part, and many that came unheralded into my path, warming my heart and rejoicing my spirit.

~I remember the moments of distress that proved to be groundless and those that taught me profoundly about the evilness if evil and the goodness of good.

~I remember the new people I have met, from whom I have caught glimpses of the meaning of my own life and the true character of human dignity.

~I remember the dreams that haunted me during the year, keeping me ever mindful of goals and hopes which I did not realize but from which I drew inspiration to sustain my life and keep steady my purposes.

~I remember the awareness of the spirit of God that sought me out in my alones and gave me a sense of assurance that undercut my despair and confirmed my life with new courage ans abiding hope.

~For all...I am ever thankful~

~Howard Thurman

The Perspective of the Heart~

Have you ever wished that everything in life was smooth and easy? How silly is that question; of course you have and so have I! But what happens when we hit a rough spot, perhaps it is with a life circumstance or a relationship that is not as smooth as we would like. When things get difficult, all of our worst fears come to the surface. Sometimes making it difficult to discern between what is fear, and what is not. It alters our perspective, and as a result we say and do things that are out of alignment with our deepest intentions. Years ago, I learned this little saying about fear using the first letter of the word: False Evidence Appearing Real. Sometimes fear seems bigger than life itself, but is not the only thing that clouds our perspective in difficult times. We all have our experiences and beliefs that inform us, telling who we are, and who we should or could be, but often we forget who we really are.

Difficulties in our life cannot be resolved with the same consciousness that created them, therefore a larger and higher perspective is needed. I believe, that is the exact purpose of the things in our life that are difficult, it is so that we look deep inside to that place of our greatest knowing. This is the place where we can hear more than the words that are spoken and see more than what appears before us. In is the place of our deepest knowing that holds the most transforming power of all, and that it is unconditional love. It is the love we have for ourselves when we fall back rather than stepping up, it is the love we extend to our friends and family when they are not seeing all of who they are. This is the place where can all hold each other in our humanness...how we don't live up to what we are capable of and how we do let our own light shine. In times that are difficult it is imperative that we reside in this place of spirit to heal and transform. In our society, we often just leave when things are hard, we believe it is just easier than figuring it out. When we stay with, using our heart as a guide, we find the true gift of relationship.

The people of Africa are highly relational, and they understand the importance of relationship as a basis for their daily living...it is one of the most important things I learned. They do not leave anything unsettled for long. In fact, after something has been resolved, perhaps a difficulty with a friend, they extend a blessing to each other as they move forward. The relationships we have, are gifts to be treasured. I would invite you to offer a blessing to those who are important in your life, especially if something has been hard. I chose this picture, Angel of Spirit, to remind me to extend unconditional love to those around me, and let the mystery and power of love, guide, heal and transform. Blessings to you this day~
Sandy

If you would like more information about the Institute for Peace and Joy please visit our new website at www.inpeaceandjoy.org

The Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn

I have been thinking for days about what I would write on the blog this week. Nothing really came to mind which is a bit unusual for me... but the one thing I know for sure, is that I always write about what is on my heart and mind.

I have been thinking a lot about hope as we prepare for Stories of Hope on Friday. The question I have been sitting with is, what brings us hope when things get difficult and there is no evidence that everything will be ok? You probably know what this place feels like... when the world you know does not make sense. What keeps us putting one foot in front of the other in a forward movement to what we desire? What keeps us from shrinking back and hiding our head in a pillow? Where do we find hope?

I can't answer that question for you, but I do know that we will not find it outside of ourselves. Hope comes from that place deep inside of us where spirit resides...the place we go to that gives us life even when we we feel lost. It is a homecoming of sorts, when we surrender our need to make sense of it all, to our deepest knowing that the outcome does not rest in our hands. When we know this in our heart we relinquish everything to something much greater than ourselves. In our logical world we may try to understand it, but it is not meant to be understood. When our hearts are open this great mystery guides, enlightens and transforms us.

There is a saying that says, the darkest hour is just before dawn. In the darkest hour we may be scared and not be able to see our way out and then in the middle of what seems black , a sliver of light appears and soon the magnificence of dawn is upon us. We stand in awe of what is before us just like we stand in awe of the spirit inside us that gives peace that passes our human understanding. Blessings to you as you find that place of your deepest knowing.

~Sandy

Transformation

Two years ago I had the pleasure of being a teaching assistant for the Therapeutic Coaching program I had graduated from. It was a remarkable experience as I watched them change and transform every part of themselves throughout the duration of the class. I became very close to these students and we shared a special bond. This weekend I came across a beautiful poem they had written and framed for me. It goes like this...

Transformation

In its very essence...

Creative manifestations with remarkable results, effects and outcomes.

Open ended in how it happens, beginning with an idea or an intention, and continually proceeding with the surrender and reshaping of the self.

Holding surprises, teaching us what we did not know before we began, ever expanding our awareness of our true selves.

Guiding us along the path of our purest unique potential.

As I read this I could not help but think that this is what life does for us if we let it. Our life experience continually asks us for a gentle surrender so we can awaken to something new. John O'Donohue, a well known spiritual writer tells us, " We live between the act of awakening and the act of surrender." I have realized for myself the gentle peace that comes from surrendering all of who I am to something much greater than myself. The gift in that is the gift of grace...the divine assistance given to us for the nurturing of our souls. In this place we can be cradled in unconditional love.

I hope you can join us for Stories of Hope, Friday November 9th, 7 PM at Prince of Peace Church in Burnsville.

Blessings

Sandy

Are we seperate from each other?

My cousin in Tibet is an illiterate subsistence farmer. By accident
of birth, I was raised in the West and have a Ph.D.
The task of our generation is to cut through the illusion
that we inhabit separate worlds. Only then will be find
the heart to rise to the daunting but urgent challenges of

global disparity. ~Losang Rabgey, Ph.D.

I found this quote somewhere in my daily travels and knew it had to show up on the blog. I agree the task of our generation is to not see ourselves as separate from other parts of the world. But we can't start there; we have to start with ourselves first. We are becoming more and more isolated from one another with many people feel isolated and alone. It seems we have lost the art of being in relationship with one another. We hurry from place to place interacting with others only enough to be polite and finish the task at hand. Is it any wonder we feel separate when we connect only on the surface? When was the last time that you looked someone in the eyes and listened to them with understanding as your goal? When was the last time you had a heart felt conversation with someone and really felt connected? Relationship is a bridge that moves you from a place of separation to a place of belonging...and after all that is what we all want, a place where we belong and are loved. When we learn to do this for ourselves it will have far reaching impact on everyone and everything. Then and only then we will feel like we are in community with with the world around us. Blessings to you~

Sandy

A Story of Hope

Dear Friends,
I am sitting here in front of my computer and it is quite early for a Sunday morning but I am in my warm bathrobe with a steaming cup of coffee in my favorite cup. This story has been with me all night and so it is time to put it to print. Many of you know we are doing an event called, Stories of Hope on November 9Th, 7PM at Prince of Peace Church. This universal idea of hope is with me everywhere I go and I see it in everyone and everything. Yesterday, another story of hope was told that acted like a beacon of light to all who heard it. My son is in graduate school to be a physical therapist and yesterday we were invited to an open house and celebration of the program and its students. .It was a wonderful day, starting out with tours of this state of the art facility. I have to admit I was fascinated and my son had to keep reminding me to keep my hands off the equipment. However I did get to experiment in the bio mechanics lab which was a lot of fun.

The afternoon was a contrast to what we had seen in the morning. The morning was all about the academics and the highly supplicated tools that are used with patients. But the afternoon really showcased the human spirit in each of us to be the best we can and sometimes skill is only a small part of that. You can all the knowledge and skill but you all need spirit in your work. That afternoon, 8 scholarships were given out for $8,000.00 each for a total of $64,000.00 dollars by one man. No, he was not rich but he made a commitment to his wife's passion for her life and work.

His wife, Cindi, had been a physical therapist with an commitment to the people she worked with beyond what most people had ever seen. Every where she went she carried a passion for life that extended beyond her and reached every person she met. She died of lung cancer just weeks after being diagnosed at the age of 35. It was not only her husband who wanted to keep her passion for life and excellence in her job alive. Her friends suggested it as well. The scholarship started small with $1,000.00 but a few years ago it was gifted with a million dollar donation. It came from her neighbor an elderly gentleman who looked a lot like a homeless man. This did not matter to Cindi, they became friends. When she died he was devastated and vowed to keep her spirit alive. When he died years later. he left this tremendous gift.

I looked around the room and saw people wiping the tears away, viably moved by what they had heard. What we had experienced in this story was about the power of the human spirit and our capacity to let it move to a new perspective. The people in the room were richer for what he shared, and the students had a idea of the impact they might have with the people their work will affect. I urge you today to keep your ears and heart open to all the hope that is around you and let it move and inspire to to a life where everything is possible. Invite friends and family to an evening of hope and inspiration!

Stories of Hope

November 9th, 7PM

Prince of Peace Church ~ Burnsville

Call 898-6200 for more information or go to

http://www.counselingandhealing.com/htm/stories.htm

Blessings,

Sandy

African Children's Choir

A Story of Hope and vision...

A year and a half ago, I had the opportunity to go on a humanitarian trip to Tanzania, Africa. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about what I learned from the incredible spirit of the people in Tanzania. All I have to do is close my eyes and I can be right back in the villages...I can hear the men dancing with bells on their ankles and bare feet stomping out a beat on the clay earth. The drum resonates in your heart and the song being sung moves you to tears. I am surrounded with women and children with babies on their back, dancing around me begging with their eyes to join the dance. I do, and the spirit just moves in and around us until you forget that there could ever be anything that would separate us. It is clear we are all one.

Last night I had the privilege to see the African Children's choir perform. They are part of a program called Music for life. This program was formed in 1984 by accident when people were fleeing from Rwanda. A few adults were able to flag down a bus in the middle of a mass exodus and started picking up orphaned children so they could cross the border to safety. One of those adults realized that the music that is so much a part of their culture would help them heal but also raise money to support them. The program just grew from there. Each year a large number of orphans from Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Ghana are helped by the choir program. They have set up schools and camps to help care and educate the children. Along with their studies they learn about the performing arts as a way to heal from the trauma of their lives. From all the children that come to Music for Life, 26 are picked to go on tour to America. These are the children I saw last perform last night.

The children are from 7 to 11 years old and sang with enough passion to set your heart on fire. At one point I closed my eyes and imagined myself back in the villages listening as the children sang and I could feel their spirit move in and around me just like when I was there. Each child introduced themselves in English and told what they were dreaming of becoming, and thanked us for whatever part we played in that.. In Africa education is a privilege and not taken lightly. It is your responsibility to do well in school so that one day you will give back to your family and to Africa so they can become self reliant.

I am sitting in this pew with my eyes closed listening to this choir and my heart goes back to Africa. The people of the villages have nothing in the way of money or material things but they have hope and vision beyond our comprehension The people we talked to had a knowing that if they worked hard enough and was persistent enough they could achieve anything they wanted despite insurmountable odds. The hope and vision I am talking about came from deep inside them. This incredible spirit that knew what was possible for them in spite of what seemed impossible.

That is my question to you...where is that place inside of you where your hope and vision comes from? What is the spark that allows you to keep on, even when things are hard? We would love to hear your stories or poems, see your artwork or hear your music that reflects that spark inside you. If you would like to submit your work you can get more information at http://www.counselingandhealing.com/htm/stories.htm

We are having an event called Stories of Hope. An evening of stories, poetry, artwork and music meant to fill you with hope and inspiration. This is our free gift to the community and we would like you to attend. Please feel free to invite others to join you.

Stories of Hope

A Celebration of the human spirit through music, art and story.

Friday, November 9, 2007 7:00pm
Prince of Peace Church ~ 13901 Fairview Drive, Burnsville, MN

Please join us for this evening of inspiration
offered as a gift to this community!

The Institute for Peace and Joy/
Burnsville Counseling and Healing Center
www.counselingandhealing.com 952-898-6200

Ticket not needed for admission ~ Please invite others to join you

Blessings,

Sandy

Spirituality

I am a collector of spiritual quotes and sayings and so they seem to make their way to me. When I am touched by something I will tuck it in a book, always finding it again at just the right time. That's the case today, I was looking for just the right thing, and it appeared. The following is how U Thant, former Secretary of the United Nations, envisions the Spiritual. It is nicely said, and I hope you enjoy it.

"Spirituality is a state of connectedness to life.

It is an experience of being, belonging and caring.

It is sensitivity and compassion, joy and hope.

It is harmony between the innermost life and the outer life,

or the life of the world and the life of the universe.

It is the supreme comphension of life in time and space,

the tuning of the inner person with the great mysteries

and secrets that are around us.

It is the belief in the goodness of life

and the possibility for each human person

to contribute goodness to it.

It is the belief in life as part of the eternal stream of time,

that each of us came from somewhere and is destined to somewhere, that

without such belief there could be no prayer, no meditation, no peace, and no happiness."

We invite you to Stories of Hope on November 9th, 7 PM Prince of Peace Church in Burnsville MN. This is a free and is our gift to you to come and expereince an eveing of inspirationa stories, music and artwork all meant to instill hope and inspiration into our everday lives. We are asking for your stories and artwork that reflect how you have come through a difficult time to a place of greater peace. For more information about submitting a story or about the event go to our web site at http://www.counselingandhealing.com/htm/stories.htm

Blessings,

Sandy

Stories of Hope

Stories of Hope

From the time I was a small child in grade school, I was fascinated with people's stories. As a third or fourth grader, I would go to the library and pick out books about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Mostly they were humanitarians helping to make this world a better place. I was so fascinated with people lives and how they chose to do live their Passion's out in the world. Of course as a small child I did not know that, but in the most basic form, I knew they had much to teach me about life. At the same time, even tho I did not know it, the story of my own life was unfolding. I began looking outside of books for ways to learn about life. My life growing up was traumatic at best and I needed to learn ways to cope. So I listened intently to people as they told their stories so I could learn who they were and what they valued. At an early age I knew if I listened hard enough, I could hear something that would help me find my way. Little did I know that all these years later, I would become a story teller too.

Stories have been around before we had a written language. For centuries it was the only way that traditions and customs of families and villages were passed from one generation to the next. As we have moved on we have found many other ways to tell our stories but none as powerful as when we speak from our hearts. I love to tell stories and almost everything I tell has a story to it. Through the years I have told about my family, my children and the many projects and experience's I have had. Through it all I never once thought I would tell the story of my life that started to unfold when I was a small child. This part I kept hidden away never to be told...or so I thought. Sometimes our life begins to unfold in ways we never imagined and that is what happened to me. As a young child up through high school I was physically, emotionally and sexually abused. This is a story that I had kept under lock and key. I never thought it would be told, but life had other plans. It was a long journey to heal my life but as I did, I started to tell what it was like to go through this difficult time and what it was like to heal from it. I soon realized other people found hope and inspiration for their own lives in what I said. I felt like I entered a holy place each time someone told me thy found a something that helped them see their life in a different light.

That is how the idea of Stories of Hope came about. The idea is that we all learn from each other's life experiences and that gives us hope and inspiration for our own lives. Stories of Hope is an event that will take place on Friday evening, November 9Th at 7 PM at Prince of Peace Church in Burnsviile, MN. The Institute of Peace and Joy, a new non profit in partnership with Burnsville Counseling and Healing Center is sponsoring this event. It is a program of hope and inspiration through people's stories, poetry, music and artwork. We believe in the power of people's stories to inspire and help people find possibilities for their own lives. This program is open for all to attend and is our free gift to the community. There has never been a time when the community as a whole is in need of inspiration.

I am not the only with a story to tell...we are looking for your stories, art work, music and poetry that has lead you through and dark and difficult place to more peace and wholeness. WE want to hear from you and we are asking you to submit your story! You will find more information about this event as well as guidelines to submit your work. You can find this by visiting our web site at http://www.counselingandhealing.com/htm/stories.htm

Of all the stories I have told, and the most powerful I have heard, all came from the same place; that sacred and deep place within our very own hearts. We want you to mark your calendars gather some friends and come to this evening of extraordinary hope and inspiration. See you on November 9th!

Blessings to you,

Sandy

Webkinz...What are we doing?

On Saturday, I stopped by a local gift shop to pick up a few items. As I entered the store I saw a sign announcing they had Webkinz. I had seen the sign in a few other stores so I guessed this must be a popular item, much like the Beanie Babies had been many years earlier. When I checked out I thought I would ask what they were. The clerk was excited to tell me they were small stuffed animals and each one comes with a secret code that you use to log into the Webkinz web site. The stuffed animals, or pets as they are referred to, need to be taken care of. The secret code entitles you to play games so you can earn virtual money to buy virtual food, clothing and other things for your pet.

Well...I just started to laugh almost hysterically at how absurd it was. I was quickly told that the pets teach children to be responsible since they have to be fed and taken care of daily. In one instance a girl became concerned about how she would care for her pet while on vacation because she may not have access to a computer. I knew better than to keep on laughing at the absurdity of it, but I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I simply said, what are we doing and what are we teaching our children? The look on the clerk's face told me I had said enough as she reminded me that they taught kids to be responsible.

I got in my car and as I drove home I could not get this out of my head. We buy children a stuffed animal by which they get a code to play computer games so they can buy fake food to feed a fake pet? What are we doing and what are we teaching our children?

Surely I must have missed the point of this. I logged unto the Webkinz site to check it out and sure enough that is what it is. They even address questions like can my pet die? They assure you that a pet can only get sick from not enough food or attention. If that happens you log on, play more games to earn money to buy food for your pet.

I will stop carrying on about this but I did stop to wonder about some things. What happened to parents teaching their children responsibility? How can we teach caring, love and respect for things when our model isn't even real? Today in our culture we are losing our ability to connect to one another in ways that are meaningful. If we believe certain things are important to teach our children we can't let someone or something else do that for us. I'm wondering if we care for others in a way that is compassionate and loving. There is no substitute or anything more powerful than teaching our children the values we hold dear...that is a sacred task and it belongs to each of us. I understand we can get lost in the craziness if life and lose sight of things but we have to step back and get some perspective. It is important to to ask if our actions are matching what we think is important. So today, take a step back and get some perspective on your life.

Blessings,
Sandy

It's All About Grace...

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost and now I'm found, was blind bit now I see. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved...

As you read these words you can probably hear the song being sung in your head. I have to be honest, this has never been one of my favorite songs. However, it was my grandmother Selma's favorite. As a small child I would sit next to her in church as she sang this song with great reverence. I knew there was something important about it but never really knew what it was. Many years later I sat in that same church and sang this song with great reverence at her funeral. Again, I knew there was something I was not understanding. I have spent much time thinking about it...not the song as much as the idea of grace.

Our year long theme at church this year is Amazing Grace. Everything will revolve around this idea. And So I had to ask myself, just what is so amazing about grace? According to Webster it is unmerited Divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification. When I think about this meaning I can't help but think that alone is pretty amazing! It is true that you will often hear that grace is a free gift from God. It is available to all and does not have to be earned. It is given for the sacred purpose of spiritual renewal to each one of us. I believe it comes to us a peace, joy, understanding at the most unlikely times. So if grace is a Divine and Holy gift given by our Creator...how do we extend it out beyond ourselves....

That is what I want to keep learning about...how to extend grace to others. Sometimes I have trouble putting into words how exactly it is we can extend this Divine gift to those around us. I have a friend who has taught me more about this amazing gift than I could have learned alone. She has taught me what I have come to know about grace

~It comes in the softness of a persons eyes when they speak

~It is not in the words as much as in the spaces between the words

~Sometimes it is no words at all

~It is the unconditional love held for another

~In times of difficulty it is saying, bless you and change me

In essence it is not so much about what is done as what is felt that describes grace. It is a state of being that comes from the heart and enters the very essence of another person with love and compassion. That is what my friend and my grandmother Selma taught me.. just how amazing it really is and how we each can show each other the essence of grace.

Grace to you,

Sandy

Who Are You Most Like?

What an absolutely beautiful morning...it could not be more perfect! I have been sitting on my deck meditating and taking in the nature that surrounds me. I am in awe of this universe.

Many times I include a reading as part of my early morning ritual. The book I am using right now is, The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo. He talks about two people who changed our world, Christopher Columbus-explorer and Carl Jung-psychologist. Columbus set out looking for a new world to claim while Jung looked inwardly with intent for the very same thing. They both found something... Columbus found a new world, fame and fortune and Jung found the inner most places of ourselves; the place of unconditional love. Both men became famous but the path seems quite different. One looked outwardly and one looked inward. One keeps you separate from the universe and the other connects to it. I can see myself in both of these men. The part that wants to conquer and the part that realizes I am a part of this grand universe. I am not separate at all just like you are not. Of course I have choice about my actions, but we are all connected and guided to a force much greater than ourselves. I had to ask myself, who am I most of the time, Columbus or Jung? I would like to say the answer is always Jung but I am human, and sometimes I slip into fear that takes me away from what I know to be true. If you look at your life who are you most like? What if we need some of each...looking inward and then acting outward? That is what living conscious is about. We must learn to look deep inside ourselves for answers, trust in the guidance of that which is greater than us and live our life with passion and purpose. Trust that the unconditional love that available to all of us, is the greatest gift of all.

Blessings to you this day! I hope you are enjoying this Labor Day Weekend...and be sure to have some fun!

Sandy

Living With Integrity

I believe that life always has a way of bringing us what we need to learn, whether we are aware of it at the time, or not. Many times it is only with a little perspective that we can truly see what was there for us to learn. It is not that we don't know it, we may just need to learn it on a deeper level. I think that is what happens when we decide to live in a way that is more conscious, we are presented with life situations that help us do just that. One aspect of that is living with integrity. Do we live our life with personal integrity? A quick overview might say that we do. For the most part we tell the truth, treat others with respect, trust the goodness in others and do the things we say we will. It is important to do more than that...we must look at how we carry out integrity in our lives a little more closely. If we believe treating others with respect is important, we compromise our integrity whenever we lack respect in our relationships with others. In the same vein, we lack integrity when we allow others to treat us in a way that is disrespectful. The same thinking applies to telling the truth, trusting others and believing in the goodness of humanity. The thoughts, words and actions have to match to live with authenticity and integrity. But we are human, none of us can do this all the time. Therefore this idea of living with integrity, is something that takes conscious thought and action. Over the last several weeks I have had many opportunities to look at my own integrity. It is not always easy to stay in truth and respect, especially when that gets challenged, but staying with situations when they get hard, can lead to mutual understanding. If we can stay stay with a difficult situation, we bring a tremendous gift to that relationship. To live our life in aliment with our thoughts, words and deeds, we must look at our daily interactions. In this way, we have a new opportunity to define and refine, how we want to live. We can create the context for how we will treat others and how we want to be treated. Imagine...for just a moment...what our relationships would be like like if everyone gave conscious thought to their everyday interactions. Then imagine the ripple effect of that...this very idea going out beyond us, and how that would create a world that is more peaceful and joyful. Blessings to you as you live more consciously.
Sandy

Our Children Need...

All children need a laptop. not a computer but a human laptop. Moms, dads, grannies and grandpas, aunts, uncles - someone to hold them, teach them. Loved ones who will embrace them and pass on the experience, rituals and knowledge of a hundred generations. Loved ones who will pass to the next generation their expectations of them, their hopes and their dreams. ~ General Colin Powell

I stopped for a Starbucks coffee as I was driving to Georgia bringing my youngest son to college. I have to admit that I was feeling a bit sad about leaving him so far from home and then I read this quote on my latte cup. I have three sons and ever since they were small I wanted them to know their extended family in such a way that they could go to them with anything. It was important to me that they learned about who they are and what they stand for. And now I am about to drop my son off so far away and the only thing that makes this better is that we have family about and hour and a half away. They are so excited to have him closer for another school year. They take good care of him and he enjoys being with them. It is a home away from home. In a moments notice they would drive to Atlanta if he ever needed anything or got lonesome.

So tonight, my first night without him since May, I realize how lucky we both are. He has extended family to to be his family when we cannot. They love and care for him as they would their own children. But most of all he will learn from their experience and listen to their hopes and dreams. Take some time today to connect to people close to your family.

In Georgia, my family said that everyone says, Bless your heart...so I said I would sign off my blog with that tonight. So...Bless your heart and those that are close to you!

Sandy

Trust Your Knowing

Have you ever had a insight or gut feeling about something ? Sometimes this gut feeling even goes against what seems logical or right, but have you done it anyway?, It is hard to trust something that we don't know the outcome of, but we are often asked to do just that. Today at church, I heard that a fellow parishioner had won $10,000.00 in a raffle. When I asked her about it, she told me that a neighbor had asked her to buy a ticket for church event. The raffle ticket was $100.00,not quite the average price of a raffle ticket. They had decided it might not be prudent to purchase a ticket since they had many medical expenses to pay this past year. In addition to the extra medical expenses they were newly retired with a $10,000.00 deductible on their medical insurance. A high deductible they would need to cover! She went on to say that they really could not afford to buy the ticket but knew she had to. Anyway if they did not win, it went for a good cause. After some discussion, the ticket was purchased and set aside. Some time later, the neighbor who had sold the ticket ,came over to present the winnings with much delight to a surprised couple. In talking with her today she just could not get over how sure she was that she need to buy that ticket. Not only that but the winnings was exactly the amount of their medical insurance deductible! She said it was amazing.

This is amazing indeed! Everyday each of us has these knowings and insights that guide us. We happened to know the ending to this story but often we do not. We are asked to trust our insights even we we cannot see the outcome. Today as you trust what you know, also trust that God is really watching over us all.
Blessings,
Sandy

Nothing Is Impossible

I have just finished reading an incredible book called, Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson. Greg was born in Minnesota but at a very young age his parents moved to Tanzania, Africa to be missionaries. At age 11 he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with his dad and is now an avid mountain climber. When is was a teenager he parents moved back and he went on to finish high school and then earned a degree in nursing. When he finished school he organized an expedition to climb K2 in the Himalayas. While on that climb he became separated from his party and thought he would freeze on the mountain. He spent the night with no tent or shelter. Surprised to find himself alive in the morning, he set out to try to get off the mountain. In his condition he became more disorientated. Finally just before nightfall, he was rescued by one of the porters that had been guiding the group up the mountain to the summit. The porter took Greg to his village of Korpe where the village nursed him back to health. While in the village he realized the plight of the people and their need to educate their children. He promised to repay them for saving his life by coming back and building a school in this remote village. He went home, got a nursing job and lived out of his car to save money for the school. He talked with every one he knew to get donations to build his school without much success. Finally when he had given up hope, he was given $12,000 to build the school. He went back and bought the material in the closest town and began transporting the goods to the village. When the villagers heard he had come back they were overjoyed. However he was informed that the bridge could not support getting the material;s to the village. First he would have to build a new bridge that could support the supplies. Discouraged and disappointed, he went home and started to raise the money for a bridge. Finally with money in hand, he went back and built the bridge and eventually the school. In re-telling this story I cannot do justice to the determination of this man and his commitment to the vision he had for the children of the Himalayas. This is only part of the story, he beat insurmountable odds in a very remote part of the world to make his vision happen. In all, he has now build 28 schools and women's centers!

I have been so taken by this book that I can't stop thinking about it. This man defied the odds against him and refused to take no for an answer. I know for myself, I had a great teacher, my grandmother Selma. She believed that nothing could stand in the way of doing what she believed in. What is that for you? What is the vision that is burning inside you?

For me it has been creating a healing center...a place where people can learn to find peace and joy in their lives. That is why we have created the Institute for Peace and Joy...it is the vision that has been burning inside Paula and I. We are getting closer than we ever have before to getting this dream. Sometimes the odds seem insurmountable, sometimes it is disappointing, but most of all it is the passion we have to do this work that will bring this vision to life.

If you would like to talk about what we are doing please give us a call 952-435-4144. Blessings to you this day!

Sandy

We are All on a journey together...

We are all on a journey together...

To the center of the universe...

Look deep

Into yourself, into another:

It is to a center which is everywhere

That is the holy journey...

First you need to look:

Notice and honor the radiance of

Everything about you...

Play in this universe. Tend

All these shinning things around you:

The smallest plant, the creatures and

objests in your care.

Be gentle and nurture. Listen...

As we experience and accept

All that we really are...

We grow in care.

We begin to embrace others

As ourselves, and learn to live

As one among many...

~ Anne Hillman

Nourishing My Soul

In the last several weeks I have read articles and heard news reports about how hard American people work. Many times choosing work over taking a vacation. I listened with intent, as I heard several people interviewed about why they don't take a vacation. The most common reason is because they needed to be at work because of the heavy work load or they might be needed in case something went wrong. The people interviewed all desperately wanted a vacation, but could not imagine getting away. In many countries around the world you are expected to take several vacations a year. Having vacation and leisure time is part of the mind set of the workplace. When you have time to rest and rejuvenate you nourish your body, mind and spirit. As you read this, I will be doing just that. I am looking forward to spending time with my family, enjoying nature and nourishing my spirit. I hope you take some time this week to do that for yourself. Enjoy!

Sandy

When Your Life Is...

" When your life is filled with the desire to see the holiness in everyday life, something magical happens: ordinary life becomes extraordinary, and the very process of life begins to nourish your soul!"

This is one of my favorite quotes and it is by the Rabbi Harold Kushner. Every time I read this it reminds me that there is nothing we do that is not without meaning. Our every thought has within it the possibility to change what is ordinary into something that is extraordinary. It is all a matter of our perception. In essence it is seeing the blessings in everything, even the things that do not appear at first sight to be a blessing.

Everything that God created is holy. Sometimes we can easily see this and other times it is much harder to see. When traveling to the remote places in Africa with overwhelming poverty, I asked myself this question everyday. What is extraordinary today? Where do I see the holiness in everyday life? It would have been easy to get swept up in the extreme conditions and let that be the focus but I would have missed the beauty of the African spirit.

It is like that in our everyday life too, sometimes we struggle to see the beauty, the holiness that is all around us. I'm not sure it is about changing anything as much as it is an awareness that we each day we create our life anew. In this process we have the opportunity to choose our perspective. When we look at life with the desire to see holiness it feeds our very soul. It is as though we look with a new set of eyes.

Blessings in this extraordinary journey!

Sandy

A Common Foundation

I just read about an initiative sponsored by religious leaders in Minnesota called, A Common Foundation: Shared Principals for Overcoming Poverty. In 2004, 35 leaders signed a document that would help people have a voice to help end poverty. They are asking people to start to hold the vision of a Minnesota without poverty become a reality.

Half way across the world a man named, Muhammed Yunus is waging his own war on poverty. He believes that poverty generates hostility and anger and peace is not possible where poverty exists. Yunas is a banker in Bangladesh and a winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. His mission to to provide very small income producing or educational loans that will help people out of poverty. He is pictured above with Mosammat Taslima Begum the first recipient of a loan. She used the money to purchase a goat and now has a small business that feeds her family. In all he has given loans to 7 million poor people, 97% who are women in 73,000 villages! What I find amazing that something so simple could make such a huge impact.

What if we looked at our world from a place of a common foundation? What can you as one person do to make this a better place? Blessings~

Sandy

The Guest House

The Guest House by Rumi

This being human is a guest house

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

Some momentary awareness comes

As an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all

Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,

Who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture.

Still, treat each guest honorably,

He may be cleaning you out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

Because each has been sent

As a guide from beyond.

I found this poem quite by accident but as always it was very timely. Part of my life pattern has been to look at emotions I don't like as negative and then judge myself for having them. In the process of doing that I tap into even more negative thoughts that run rampant. Over the last years it has been a turning point for me to look at what comes my way as a gift. It is not something that has to fought and conquered, but instead something to be embraced and learned from. As much as I know this, I can still let fear get in the way. Paulo Coelho wrote it beautifully when he said, "We are afraid of losing what we have, whether it's about our life or our possessions and property. But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history of the world are written by the same hand. "

Blessings,

Sandy

Elusive Hope

Over the last few weeks I have been thinking and talking a lot about the idea of visioning. The process of looking outward to see what is possible for ourselves, friends and family, our community and world. I love the process because you get to throw out all the rules of how it should be to imagine how things could be. The next step is to explore how that could actually come to be. That's the place we often get stuck, in the movement from what we want to what can be. It is also the place of most opportunity because so much is possible. This is not a place for those who are faint of heart; this is a place to muster all the courage and heart you have and move toward your vision.

In my conversations with people I have heard that maybe we have lost hope that things can be different in our world. You only have to watch the news to see that our world is not at peace and people feel the uneasiness in themselves. The security we once felt on all levels is no longer there and spans from job security to the security of our nation. It makes think me that vision is of no use without hope and hope is not possible without seeing things in a new way.

Just recently I was given this excerpt from a publication and it goes like this: " The world is to big for us. Too much is going on, too many crimes, too much violence and excitement. Try as you will, you get behind in the race in spite of yourself. It is an incessant strain to keep pace, and you still lose ground. Science empties its discoveries on you so fast you stagger beneath them in hopeless bewilderment. The political world is news changing so rapidly that you're out of breath trying to keep pace with who's in and who's out. Everything is high pressure. Human nature can't endure much more."

Does this sound familiar? This was actually written in The Atlantic Journal in 1833! I'm guessing that the author felt hopeless in what was happening around him or her. How this is much different than today I'm not sure, but I do know that hope is one of our biggest attributes.

There is a song by Andre Thomas, an African American poet and writer called, I Dream A World. The beginning of the song goes like this, I dream a world where man No other man will scorn, Where love will bless the earth And peace its path adorn" We are in the very process of asking ourselves this very same question, what kind of world do we dream and how can we dream it together? What do we want for ourselves and our world?

I want to leave you with one final thought and it is from Margaret Mead, " Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. " If you could answer the question I dream a world....what do you imagine? We would love to hear from you! ~Blessings~

Sandy

Expect God...

I am sitting on a crude wooden bench surrounded by red clay mud walls and a tin roof. The floor is dirt and high above my head are wooden beams draped with beautiful cloth and tied to look like butterflies. The altar is simple, made complete with a cross and hand woven baskets. This humble room is a church packed with people dressed in traditional African and Maasi clothing. It is vibrant and colorful. The people who cannot get in are 4 deep at the windows peering in to get a glimpse of what is going on. Inside the people are singing and dancing in such a way that it appears well orchestrated. But nothing is orchestrated, they are simply letting the spirit move them. The harmony of their voices and the beat of the drum seem to reach right into my soul...I cannot help but be moved. The tears are running down my face, I have never experienced God in this way. Many times in my life I have looked for God's presence in my life. But here I am, sitting with some of the poorest people in the world and they feel God's presence...they expect God to be there. They don't even expect it, they just have a knowing that is like nothing I have ever witnessed. I could ask where is God in this monetarily poor country, but it never enters my mind. When asked if they ever asked that question they said, Why should we do that...He is here.

I am in the mountain top village of Idunda, Tanzania. It has been more than a year since I visited this village, but all I have to do is close my eyes and I can be right back there. But I am not there, I am here, in one of the richest countries in the world. I have more than I need of material possessions but yet I sometimes find myself asking, where is God today or looking for signs of His presence. How often I forget that His hand is in everything. I was truly blessed to have this experience of grace and love. What if we just for this moment remembered that there is nothing that God's hand is not in...what if today instead of looking for the places we see God that we could just close our eyes and know His presence. May you be blessed and be a blessing.

Sandy

the dot...ish

Recently, a friend gave me two new books to add to my collection of children's books. I love children's books and these two are exceptional in their message. The first one, The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, is a Christopher award winner. This award is given to films, television programs or books that affirm the highest values of the human spirit. Vashti, the character in the book claims she cannot draw when invited to do so by her teacher. Her teacher encourages her to "Just make a mark and see where it takes you", but she is angry! To prove she cannot draw, she puts a dot right in the middle of the page and exclaims, There! Many more pages of angry dots appeared, but soon Vashti softened and that "dot" marked the beginning of a journey to surprise and self discovery thru drawing dots.

The second book by the same author, is simply called, Ish. In this book Ramon does what makes him happy, which is drawing. One day, his older brother made a critical comment about his drawing. From then on Ramon worked hard to do it right and make it perfect, but he never succeeded. Instead his papers ended up crumpled in the trash can. His sister saw the world in a different way, and helped him see the creative process was more important than getting it right.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? I know I sure can see myself in both of these books. On the inside cover of the books it says The Dot and Ish are books that"shine a bright beam of light on the need to kindle and tend our creative flames with care." I could not agree more! We have forgotten to embrace our creative side and honor the value of creativity in our life, however it is expressed. I will often recommend that people start with crayons and a coloring book or better yet, get out their favorite medium and just start to create whatever comes to mind. We are so much in our heads, organizing and figuring things out, that we need to just break away from our thoughts. Using the creative process allows us access to inner most wisdom that can help new perspectives emerge.

Today, make some time to sit down with a box of crayons and a blank sheet of paper and just allow your hand to move on the paper. Remember there is no" right way" or "wrong way" to do it. It is important for all of us to find ways to get out what is deep inside of us and creativity is one way to that. Have fun and give it a try! If you care to post a comment we would love to hear from you!

Sandy

An Awesome Picture

I came across this picture that was recently taken by the Hubble Telescope, the Spitzer Telescope and the Evolution Explorer. These three telescopes worked together over a span of several years to capture this galaxy. The astronomers were amazed at the depth, clarity and beauty that the use of three telescopes produced in this image. I thought it was such an awesome picture that I wanted to share it with you...however the computer had a different idea in mind. This is the fourth time I have downloaded this picture and written this blog; each time it just disappeared! Even though it was saved it seemed to vanish into thin air. Since this picture is about discoveries and working together I have to assume there is a lesson for me in this. Ok...anyone who is laughing can just quit! I guess I am persistent! Just like the astronomers I was so struck by the beauty of this image. As I look at it, I am reminded of how much we don't know and how much is yet to be discovered. Not just in the world but within each of us. Each time I think I know the next step to take or the right answer I am shown another way. And what I always discover in that process is different than I could have ever imagined. I think this picture is a reminder to me to keep my heart open to everything and remember that the beauty in each of us is brought out by others. As you go through your days be grateful for the discoveries you make and the beauty in your relationships.
Sandy

Everyday Is A Gift

I would like to tell you about my friend Doug. I met him about 15 years ago as we were volunteering in Boy Scouts. You just can't help but like his cheerful attitude, his ability to tell a good story and to see the positive side of life. After our years in scouting ended, I did not have as much opportunity to see him as I did before. He always loved to tell stories and just recently published a book about them. It was so fun to visit with him as he talked about the stories he put in his book. His cheerful attitude, his ability to see everything as positive and of course still tell a good story as well as write one was evident.

There is one thing that has changed and that is his health. He has a degenerative form of MS. When I first met him you never even knew he had it but for many years he has been confined to a wheel chair. With each passing year there has been something lost, a bit of mobility or something he can no longer do. Doug now lives in a group home so he can have round the clock care. As I entered his room, I could not help but be struck by the sign on the wall, Everyday Is A Gift. In my conversation with him, there is no doubt in my mind that he lives that each and every day.

As I left, he told me to come back and visit, but reminded me he is a busy man. It made me know how much richer my life is because I know him and made me wonder about everything he was there to teach me and others. I too, believe that everyday is a gift but often I forget that. I forget that gratitude is a gift and if my friend Doug can be grateful for what he has, it is a powerful lesson for me.

Take time today to remember that everyday is a gift and we have much to be grateful for. Acknowledge the people in your life that bring richness by who they are and what they give to others and remember to acknowledge that in yourself. ~ Remember that each day is truly a gift~
Sandy

A Personal Sabbath

In pursuit of knowledge,

everyday something is acquired.

In pursuit of wisdom, every day something is dropped.

~LAO TZU

This week I have been thinking a lot about the idea of rest and not pushing so hard to get to a destination. To move at the pace of guidance, rather than to "push on" no matter what. The idea of sabbath is not new, but certainly is not practiced in our society. I first learned about the meaning of it when I worked at a church. They felt strongly that the staff needed time to rest, reflect and restore themselves. It was an important part of the ministry there and enhanced all parts of life. It carried with it the importance of self care as we cared for others. Each month, each staff member was given a half day with pay to have a time for a personal sabbath. It was clear that this was not a time to get caught up on house or yard work, or run errands; it was a time to refresh yourself. Not only were we to do it, we had to come back to the staff meeting and report what we did and what we were learning in the process of embracing rest in our lives.

In the beginning this felt odd and foreign to me. I was unaccustomed to having a half day with no agenda or "to do" list. It took several months to really get the hang of it...to learn how to spend time rejuvenating my body, mind and spirit. I had to look at my life and ask myself how I nurtured and took care of myself. Did I rest when I was tired? Did I cram 36 hours into a 24 hour day? Did I take time to nurture my spirit? Needless to say, I had a hard time answering these questions. In the process I realized I had never really learned how to do that. That is the case for most of us, we have not learned how to do that. Like most things, it takes practice to make it a priority. I wish could tell you I am an expert at it but that is not the case! But it is part of my intention every day, to allow myself time to do nothing, to enjoy nature or to be creative.

I would encourage you today to take a look at how you restore yourself. Do you rest when you are tired or push on anyway? How do you care for your spirit? When does your mind shut off? Take time today to find a way to have a personal sabbath whether it is 15 minutes or a whole day? Finding a way to soothe our mind and spirit and rest our body is essential to our own well being. It may be the most important thing we can do for yourself. We would love to hear about your personal sabbath if you care to post a comment or send an email.

The Quilt Makers Gift

I have a collection of children's books that I absolutely love. Each and every book has been selected with special care, either for the story or the pictures, and sometimes both. It has always been an idea of mine that children's books were really written because adults had to be reminded of the simpler things in life. The wonderfully designed pictures and simplicity of the story is a perfect way to do that. Unless we have children to read to, we don't get the opportunity to be around children's books.

I want to share one of my favorite books with you called, The QuiltMakers Gift. It is beautifully written and illustrated and I believe it won a Caldecott Medal for the illustrations. The story goes like this...

There was a elderly woman who lived alone in the mountains. She made the most beautiful and sought after quilts in all the land. Because she put all her effort into designing and picking out the fabric for her quilts, she lived a contended life on the mountain never straying much from home. The exception to this was once a quilt was finished, she would sneak into town at night, finding someone who was homeless and sleeping in the street. She would cover them with the beautiful quilt she made, careful not to wake them. Quietly she would leave to return to her mountain home. Some how word spread about her craftsmanship and beauty of the fabric she used. People started coming to her door and asking to buy them. She always refused, stating that they were not for sale. The king of the village, a man of great wealth and many possessions, made his way up the mountain to purchase one of her lovely quilts, certain she would not say no to him. After several visits from him, she finally tired of telling him no and made a deal with him. She told the king that if he gave away all of his wealth and possessions she would then give him a quilt. He agreed and went about the painful process of giving away his great fortune. When he had emptied his bank and his castle, he proceeded up the mountain to get his quilt. The woman gave him his quilt and asked him to accompany her to the village. When he saw her take one of her lovely quilts and very gently cover a homeless man with it, he was taken back that she would give such a exquisite gift to a man who was sleeping in the street. She very quietly said, he needs it too. In that moment the king had a change of heart and together they made beautiful quilts and gave them to those who needed them.

I love this story so much because of the great care and love that went into each quilt. They could have been sold for a lot of money, but instead she gave them away to those in need, making no judgement. It is a powerful message for all of us to think about. It also makes me wonder what gifts I have that could be given each day just for the sake of humanity. Will you wonder with me? Blessings~
Sandy

An Amazing Discovery...

In the May 7th issue of Newsweek Magazine there is a fascinating article about the new science of death. Researchers found an amazing discovery that changes the way doctors are thinking about heart attacks, as well as death itself. When someone dies of a heart attack, what has happened is that their heart has stopped beating. This is the clinical definition of death and the brain then shuts down to conserve oxygen. The conventional thinking by the medical community has been that if a patient could not be revived within 4 to 5 minutes, the brain and heart would sustain irreversible damage from lack of oxygen to the cells. This went unquestioned until Dr. Lance Becker, an authority on emergency room medicine, decided to look at the heart cells they assumed were oxygen starved and dying. They found that the cells had oxygen and there was no evidence that they were dying. It was an incredible discovery that led them to look farther into the biology of cells. What they found in the cells, led them to look at how patients may be resuscitated in the future.

I found this article so intriguing because I have always loved the idea of wondering and questioning the way things are done or thought about. The idea of doing that opens my mind and heart to a broader perspective that leads to new understandings. Each day we act in accordance to what we think is true, but too often we move through life and forget to wonder and question. What if something we hold as true, turns out after questioning to have shed light on a new perspective? I have experienced that many times in my life. Many of the beliefs that guided my life turned out to be based on old information and when I really spent time with them, realized that I had an opportunity to embrace something new. For me, embracing something new literally changed by life just like this discovery of resuscitating people might actually allow them to live. That is really the truth of it, in order to truly live and embrace life, we have to continually keep wondering, questioning and opening our heart and mind to new perspectives.

One man's courage to question something believed as true lead to this amazing discovery that in fact the cells of the brain and heart live for hours after death with no damage. This in turn led to a whole new way to think about death, but also about how people can live. We have that same opportunity. Everyday each of us has the chance to make these same kinds of miraculous discoveries about ourselves. We can wonder and question and come to new understandings that allow us to fully embrace life. It is not surprising that they found this discovery about the heart. It’s long been known that the heart has its own wisdom and has the capacity to allow our lives to be guided by the infinite love found there. There has never been a time when it is more important to open our hearts and minds to new ways of thinking and deeper understandings about ourselves and others. Imagine living life in the full embrace and love of ones heart. ~ Blessings on your Journey ~

Sandy