Haiku Friday - Message in a Bottle

For my second 'Ku
I shall write of dif'rent things
than I did this morn,

but there are awards
at my other blog for friends
so please check this out.

Message in a Bottle Meme

Recently I've seen
many bloggers leaving a
single message in

bottles like this one
washed upon the shore and now
I shall take this on.

If you wish to do
something with this on your own
blog, the 'rules' below

offer guidance and
I hope you will leave a link
here so I can see

for myself what thought
you decide to share in your
bottle on the sand.

Here's mine!
Here are 'the rules'

Mimi the Queen of Memes started a new Message in a Bottle Meme and suggests, "You are about to send a virtual Message In a Bottle across the Blog Ocean. Leave a message in the sand or on the bottle. Write anything you wish. Be a pirate or a poet. Serious or silly. Anonymous or not."

What message would you like to send out to the universe?

Directions:
1. Compose a message to place in your virtual bottle
2. Right click and Save the graphic above
3. Use a graphics program of your choice to place the message on the picture
4. Post the meme and these rules on your blog
5. Return your “Message In a Bottle” to me via email ~ mimiwrites2005 at yahoo.com, sign the Mr. Linky at Mimi’s site and leave a comment THERE telling her you’ve finished. IF YOU WANT YOUR MESSAGE TO BE ANONYMOUS PLEASE SAY SO.
6. Tag a minimum of five people - or your entire blogroll - to do the same. Notify them of the tag.

By now you know how I feel about 'tagging' ...
so I'm breaking rule #6 (no surprise there, right).
I do, however, invite and encourage
all who are so inclined to
participate.

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story.

Haiku Friday Volume 17 is here.

To see my previous Friday Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post
or on the link About Me in my sidebar.

Wellness Wednesday - Choices

"Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. So practice happy thinking every day. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast." Norman Vincent Peale

Since life is about choices then I choose to:

1. Cultivate and practice daily habits of meditation, prayer, and reflection.
2. Accept myself just as I am right now and trust that all is well ... that I'm where I need to be ... doing what I need to do at all times.
3. Joyously release the past and embrace calmness, serenity, and peace in the present.
4. Free my mind, heart, body, & spirit to discover, soar, create, love, and live my soul's purpose passionately.
5. Let go of old habits that no longer serve myself or the greater good and experiment playfully with new ways of being.
6. Open my life to guidance from the Universe and trust myself to listen and follow through.
7. Live joyfully in the moment, mindful of the choices I'm making, the goals I've set for myself, and the results I'm producing.
8. Share generously of my time and talents wherever possible.
9. Enjoy the days as they come and minimize stress whenever possible.
10. Be authentic and genuine with myself and in relationships with others.
11. Smile, dream, work, play, and laugh every day.
12. Make the effort to learn new things and assist others with cheerful spirit & a grateful heart.
13. Practice forgiveness and kindness with myself and others.
14. Exercise regularly, eat healthily, and rest as needed.
15. Be honest, humble, and serious ... asking that only God's purposes be served in every situation.

“In the real world, those of us who are most productive, successful, and satisfied focus not on fixing feelings or manipulating thoughts, but on what needs to be done—and then doing it—no matter what thoughts or feelings arise.” Dan Millman

Monday Motivator - Prayer for Achievement

In ILLUMINATA Marianne Williamson
writes about Achievement in a chapter entitled
"Prayers for Work and Creativity"

"Many times, we are held back by a sense that we are simply not good enough, talented enough or smart enough to do what we want to do. We pray for God to free us from the internal chains that bind us. Self-confidence stems from confidence in Him. It is not we alone who do the work. The work is done by Him who is within us."

then she offers the following prayer
that I've found helpful.

"Dear God,
I feel that my life is less than it should be.
I cannot find my freedom or my passion.
I have so much inside me that stays shut down, that isn't free.
I hurt so much to know I am not living at full force.
My talents are not used as I wish.
My abilities are not fully formed.
My energies are so suppressed.

Dear Lord, I do not know how to break free of
the ways I constantly negate myself.
I hold myself prisoner somehow.
I know I do.
I know it is my own illusion,
this prison in which I live,
yet I cannot break free, though I try so hard.

Please, dear God, break down the walls that surround me.
Melt this prison.
Free my soul that I might be as You would have me be:
Free to live,
To soar,
To create,
To love,
To feel passion for good,
To do the good with passion.
I wish to fly.
I wish to feel Your full abundant spirit in me.
Give me this miracle.
Thank You.
Amen

Note of explanation: Lest you've visited in the last 2 days and wonder how you missed this, I'm chagrined to admit that somehow I created it on Monday (after visiting Yertle's blog and realizing I'd forgotten to do it at Small Reflections), but neglected to publish it (sigh) ... and only just discovered the error this morning when logging on to create my Wellness Wednesday post (on time mind you even though I've been following up on Wordless Wednesday at Small Reflections all morning). I guess it's always something ... and I forgive myself!

Sacred Life Sunday - Nine Really Good Things

1. Some of my bulbs are starting to bloom

and all of my rose bushes have started
to come back so Spring is on it's way!

2. I've had more visitors than usual to both of my blogs
and enjoyed the supportive feedback
left in comments.

3. I had a wonderful time
celebrating my 63rd birthday this week
with friends in the real and virtual world!


4. I joined this nifty group of Grateful Gals who
practice gratitude daily and share
by posting in a journal online.

5. A friend made me
laugh this week by sending
this funny photo with the caption
"I can't respond to my email today because
something has crashed on
my computer."

6. I discovered this sweet picture online
of a newborn giraffe feeding from a bottle.

7. I followed through with Claudia's Tag to do the Kind Fives Meme and encouraged others to tag themselves and link back to this blog when they've posted, leaving a Spread the Love award for those who participate.

8. After several months of frustration caused by my inability to access my MSN email account, I was able (finally) to log on briefly this past week and forward a few things to my g-mail account. The problem isn't resolved, but at least I've found a way around it for the moment. One surprising discovery was an email was from a classmate in my 8th grade graduating class at Junior High. Through some brief correspondence I've discovered that he's in touch with a close friend with whom I've been out of touch for a couple of decades. Hopefully he will be able to put us in touch soon.

9. I've followed through with posting Wellness Wednesday for the 2nd week (albeit late), and made steady progress toward some personal goals. I am letting go of old habits I no longer want and/or need.

Thought for Today
"The answers within me come to my awareness with ease."
Louise Hay

Saturday Edition - Belated Wellness Wednesday

I see my patterns of thought & behavior
and I now choose to make changes.

I used the following meditation
from Louise Hay all week long to keep myself
calm and centered ... focusing on letting go of old habits
and experimenting playfully with new behaviors.


"In the infinity of life where I am,
all is perfect,
whole
and complete.
I now choose
calmly and objectively
to see my old patterns
and I am willing to make changes.

I am teachable.
I can learn.
I am willing to change.
I choose to have fun doing this.
I choose to react as though I have
found a treasure when I
discover something else to release.

I see and feel myself
changing moment to moment.
Thoughts no longer have any power over me.
I am the power in my world.
I choose to be free.
All is well in my world."
Blessed Be

One of my challenges this past week arose on Wednesday when I realized I'd run out of time to create and publish a Wellness Wednesday post as planned. It took a while for me to decide to give myself permission to just let it go for the day. I intended to publish one on Thursday (after doing my usual "T-13ing" at Small Reflections) ... but was unable to follow through because of my early birthday celebration that afternoon that extended into early evening.

I attempted to write a Wellness Haiku but after several drafts I came to the conclusion that it wasn't going to happen ... so instead I committed (in Friday's Haiku) to sharing on Saturday (today). Once again, however, the day hasn't gone as planned. My sister called from Florida to wish me a Happy Birthday and catch up just as I sat down to write today, and catching up with her felt more important than blogging because we've played "telephone tag" most of the week.

Since what I have been doing all week is using this meditation (and since it's been working for me), I decided to share it briefly here and get on with the rest of today's activities since it is my current wellness practice. In doing so, I'm choosing to let go of my "perfectionistic" tendencies and let this be good enough. And so it is.

Thought for Today
"Only a few things in life are really important."
Marie Dressler

Haiku Friday Volume 16 - Best Laid Plans

Funny how life goes!
Good intentions oft way-laid.
Wellness Wednesday's post

started promptly, but
didn't come together when
Wordless Wednesday at

Small Reflections brought
traffic unexpectedly
causing me to spend

time & energy
visiting new bloggers and
responding to all

those who commented.
Balancing two blogs can be
difficult at best.

I shall not complain
since it's all a glorious
new experience

meeting others who
venture forth into this space
called the Blogosphere.

Maybe I shall write
and post Wellness Wednesday late?
I've done that before

with a Haiku here
and it worked out famously.
Yes, that's what I'll do!

Saturday I'll share
what I meant to post before,
and for now I'll be

visiting a few
more who join the Friday fun
posting in Haiku.

Volume 15 is
all about my birthday and
you can find it here.


For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story.

Haiku Friday Volume 13 is here.

To see my previous Friday Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post.

Thought for Today
"The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running." Simone Weil

Kind Fives Meme from Everyday Kindness

A while back Claudia of Everyday Kindness
tagged me with a "Kind Fives Meme"
and today I'm going to
give it a go.

Directions:
1. List five kind things you do for yourself.
2. List five kind things you do for your closest friend, partner, or child.
3. List five kind things you have done for a stranger.
4. Tag five people

Easy? Right! So ... here I go. Since I have difficulty following "rules" I've substituted categories for my "fur-friend" and "neighbors" and omitted "friends & family" ... so feel free to modify as needed for your life.

Five kind things I do for myself
1. Eat healthily, walk daily, attend Weight Watcher meetings each week, drink the water and keep track of my food choices.
2. Pay attention to my body so that I rest when I'm tired, eat when I'm hungry, socialize when I'm in need of connection, and retreat when I need solitude.
3. Accept myself as I am ... forgive my mistakes ... make friends with my inner critic ... and take appropriate risks to stretch myself.
4. Abstain from watching violence on television and/or in movies, listen to uplifting and upbeat music, and read widely in a variety of genres.
5. Take time to meditate, pray, and write in my journal daily ... for as long as feels right.

Five kind things I do for my 3-year old Labrador Retriever, Molly. (Note: I do similar things for my feral cat, but will not elaborate here)
1. Spend the extra money required to feed her IVD Duck & Potato Kibble (and/or IVD D&P canned food) purchased from my vet to keep her healthy. Give her healthy treats, an occasional Greenie, and lots of Nylabone and Kong toys for her to chew on safely.
2. Play her favorite games (fetch, tug of war and keep away) with her several times each day, walk her daily around the neighborhood, arrange "play dates" with neighbor's dogs she enjoys, and take her to Dog Beach a couple of times each week when weather permits.
3. Give her Revolution monthly to keep her healthy and visit the vet as needed for check ups & shots.
4. Bathe her myself after beach visits and/or take her to the groomer periodically.
5. Leave her in a safe, fun, cage-free environment with loving handlers where she can interact with other dogs, swim, play and enjoy herself when I need to travel.

Five kind things I have done neighbors
1. Save them from parking tickets on street-sweeping days by knocking on their doors to remind them to move their cars on 1st & 3rd Mondays and Tuesdays before 10 AM.
2. Move their collection bins on "trash day" when they forget to take them out or put them back. Pick up newspapers and fliers left in the yards when neighbors overlook them and/or are away.
3. Share the lemons and limes from my citrus trees.
4. Feed, water, and exercise dogs (and/or cats) while owners are away.
5. Visit as they pass by on their way to and from the ocean, offering them a place to sit & rest on my patio when time permits.

Five kind things I have done for strangers
1. Make eye contact, smile, and/or speak to people I meet when I'm walking with (or without) Molly.
2. Donate "goods" to organizations like the Salvation Army, Red Cross and Goodwill.
3. Pray regularly for the world, our leaders, my county & community, and for individuals whether or not I know them.
4. Pick up trash and/or glass at the beach ... (yes even dog poop) ... so that it's cleaner and safer for children to play there. I always have extra bags with me and share those with dog owners who find themselves unprepared.
5. I try to share uplifting, inspirational, and/or interesting information here and at Small Reflections. I pass along "awards" that have been given to me, and I endeavor to leave thoughtful & supportive comments when I visit the blogs of others.

I don't wish to tag anyone specifically, but I hope that readers will choose to tag themselves and/or at least give thought to (some or all) the questions and consider how you might respond.

If you decide to take this "tag" back to your blog and post there, please leave a link back here and to the original post at Everyday Kindness so we can read your Kind Fives and (as an incentive) you're welcome to snag the "award" below when you do so.


If you wish share an idea in comments, that's fine too, and if you'd like to visit others participating in Everyday Kindness you'll find that list at Blog Rolls, Bling, & Blurbs.

Thought for Today
"Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think." Buddha

Monday Addendum to Saturday's Surprise

On Saturday when posting the
award of Excellence,
sadly I neglected sharing
"rules" ... thus common sense
dictates I now remedy that
situation so
here is what I should have added
then, just so you'll know.

The Rules
(as shared by Lucy when she awarded it to me
feel free to break them if you choose)

By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you agree to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find Excellent Award worthy. You can give it to as many people as you want but please award at least 10. You deserve this! Feel free to award people who have already been awarded.

As a recap here are the 11 Bloggers that I chose
to bestow this award upon.

His Girl Friday at Wellied on Life
Lucy at Diamonds in the Skywith Lucy
Karen at Journey to Authenticity
Ladybug at Living in the Light I Find
Mama Zen at the Zen of Motherhood
Mother of Invention at Spilling Out!
MPJ at A Room of Mama's Own
Peajay at Mórán cainte ar bheagán cúise
Talking Bear at Sleepy Bear Hollow
Yertle at Smile, Play, Dream
Yolanda at Perfectly Imperfect

As I indicated on Saturday
I appreciate ALL my regular readers & visitors
(even those who "lurk" w/o commenting)
and today I'd like to offer this new award
(shared by Lucy on Sunday)
to everyone who leaves a comment
on this post!

Thought for Today
"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love." Sophocles

Sacred Life Sunday - On Prayer and Transformation

As a child, my parents taught us to say "Grace" before meals and to recite prayers before bedtime. My favorite was not "Now I lay me down to sleep" but rather ...

"Jesus tender shepherd hear me.
Bless this little child tonight.
Through the darkness be thou near me.
Keep me safe 'til morning light."

At the age of 44 ... when I found myself alone at night in the house (except for my 2 year old Keeshond-Terrier mix pup) for the first time ever (after my husband of 21 years decided he didn't wish to be married any longer and left), I cried myself to sleep nightly for months ... reciting this simple childhood prayer over and over ... substituting the words "aging woman" for "little child" ... and as I type this now I'm startled by the lump in my throat & the tears threatening to over take me as if I'm reliving this difficult time in my life here and now.

Interestingly my writing buddy called just as I finished typing the previous sentence and we've been chatting for about an hour. I'm grateful for the interruption & interaction with her (allowing me to recenter myself) and the "verbal hugs" she always leaves me with at the end of our weekly calls. Hopefully I'm ready to continue writing and publishing this post before Molly and I go for an afternoon walk together. Last week I shared a couple of prayers that I find personally meaningful and helpful. Today I intend to provide a context for them after the fact.

I opened this post with this story from my past because I'm vividly aware that no one ever taught me how to pray ... until I encountered Marianne Williamson's lectures, tapes, and books. Each time I have attended one of her lectures, she uses a variation of the "visualization" that follows (and that appears at the beginning of ILLUMINATA) entitled:

A WAY IN

"I see in my mind a little ball of golden light.
I watch this light as it begins to grow larger and larger,
until now it covers the entire inner vision of my mind.
I see within this light a beautiful temple.
I see a garden that surrounds the temple
and a body of water that flows through the garden.
I see that the inside of the temple is lit by this
same beautiful golden light, and I am here,
For I have been drawn here by the power
and in the presence of God.
I dedicate my days and my relationships
and experiences to You.
May Your Spirit, which is within me,
so guide my thoughts, my feelings,
and my perceptions of all things
That I might grow into a happier,
more peaceful, more loving human being.
Illumine my mind, illumine my life.
Amen

I'm grateful for the example of her plain yet familiar prayers that seem like conversations with God, and I return to her words even now when I need a kick-start for my own prayerful meditations.

In ILLUMINATA Ms. Williamson writes of a "Spiritual Renaissance" occurring in the world, and she encourages each of us to seek "daily renewal" through prayer & meditation as a means of "cultivating a sense of the sacred" so that we might be "transformed" in such a way than we can in turn be spiritually ready to "transform the world" ... suggesting we take into account the following principles:

1. Invite God's spirit into every situation, which means to ask for the highest level of thought, guidance, and unfoldment to occur for all concerned.
2. Ask God to remove from your mind all thoughts that are not of Him.
3. Ask God to show you the love and innocence within all people.
4. Ask that only God's purposes be served in every situation.
5. Be honest. Be humble. Be serious.

... and she concludes by suggesting that we remember always that "God is not our judge, but our healer."

If, as many have come to believe, we're on the cusp of a significant evolutionary change ... and if our individual minds create not only our own reality but also a collective reality ... then might we not be wise to at least consider the possibility that Marianne Williamson is correct when she writes:

"...we may be ready to take responsibility for the world by taking more seriously our individual contributions to it. Personal transformation can and does have global effects. As we go, so goes the world, for the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is ultimately a personal one."

And so .. on this Sacred Life Sunday, I choose to express my gratitude to each and every one of us engaged in "personal transformation" ... As we each honor our discomfort and shed the oppressive weight of cultural nonsense, may we each respect ourselves (and one another) enough to equally honor what we know within ... allowing our hearts to lead the way to becoming who we are truly meant to be.

"You have two types of energy. One is physical; the other is mental and spiritual. The latter is by far the more important, for from your mind you can draw vast power and strength in time of need." Napoleon Hill

Blessed be ... and so it is!

Saturday Surprise

Wandering the Blogosphere
this morning as I tried
to catch up on reading here,
surprisingly I spied
this award at Lucy's followed
by the name of my
Sacred Ruminations blog
and now it seems that I
have the honor of bestowing
it upon a few
other blogs of "excellence"
and that's just what I'll do!


His Girl Friday at Wellied on Life
Lucy at Diamonds in the Skywith Lucy
Karen at Journey to Authenticity
Ladybug at Living in the Light I Find
Mama Zen at the Zen of Motherhood
Mother of Invention at Spilling Out!
MPJ at A Room of Mama's Own
Peajay at Mórán cainte ar bheagán cúise
Talking Bear at Sleepy Bear Hollow
Yertle at Smile, Play, Dream
Yolanda at Perfectly Imperfect

*Please see Monday's "addendum
for the "rules" I forgot
to provide here.


In truth, I enjoy
the blogs of all who visit each of my blogs
and if you haven't visited Small Reflections this weekend,
everyone will find additional awards there to snag and share.

Thought for Today
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." Pablo Picasso

Haiku Friday Volume 14 - Windy Weather

Windy morning has
sucked the moisture from my skin ...
Everything doth itch!

Soon the headache will
settle in as sinuses
react to this change

in the weather here
at the beach where usually
dampness doth exist.

I don't know how long
winds will last this time. I'd so
much more like some rain!

Watering the yard
isn't easy when the winds
blow. I wish I had

let someone install
sprinklers after all. Alas ...
hindsight is most clear!

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story.

Haiku Friday Volume 13 is here.

To see my previous Friday Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post.

Thought for Today
"It is the mark of an educated man to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle

Wellness Wednesday - A Brief Introduction

For some time now I've intended to make Wellness Wednesday part of my posting regime. Health and healing have been central to my life for decades, but sharing my journey from excellent health to physical collapse and back again doesn't come easy to me. I sense today will be no exception since I've been sitting in front of the computer staring at the logo for more than 15 minutes without typing a word. I've done this repeatedly during the past 4 months, and invariably "dump" the post rather than publish it. I'm hopeful today will be different. We shall see.

I've always been a private person and, for the most part, my posts offer mere glimpses of who I am beneath the surface of the "competent capable woman" I was carefully taught to be; however there are bits and pieces of my life experience scattered about. In 101 Things About Myself, I mention "weight-related" issues in #31-32, "health-related" issues in #38-41, "emotionally-challenging" life issues in #30, 33-37, 61-64, and on Day 17 of My Sacred Life in Allowing Myself to Receive, I write of how I learned eventually to admit I needed and to accept help from friends. Finally, the Visual Poetry piece presents a rather specific "spiritual" picture of me.

These days I see physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual issues as integrally related and seek balance in all things, realizing that "the center is not always the point of balance" ... but rather in the place where "there is no conflict and everything rests without strain" as I wrote about on Day 19 of My Sacred Life. I've read widely on the mind-body connection and believe I'm able to live healthily because of what I learned from authors like Louise Hay, Joan Borysenko, Christianne Northrop, and Merriam Nelson. For my T-13 at Small Reflections last week I posted Thirteen Healing Affirmations from Louise Hay's book, YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE. Tomorrow I intend to share more of her ideas that I believe have helped me. (See T-13 #12 Healing Beliefs).

In closing this first Wellness Wednesday post, I would add that I've been a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers for more than 21 years ... currently close to (but not quite at) goal weight, so I'm paying for the privilege of attending meetings until I'm back to goal. I've belonged to a local women's gym for more than a decade for "weight training" to maintain "bone density" and I walk with my 3 year-old Labrador Retriever Molly daily for "cardio" exercise. I've avoided all kinds of "fast food" for the last 20 years or so, buy "organic" foods where possible, drink plenty of water, and generally eat healthily. My one lingering "vice" is coffee (with half & half), but I mix decaf & regular beans 50-50 in the morning and drink decaf only when I have coffee in the afternoon occasionally with friends.

So ... now that I've got a "baseline" post about my "wellness" ... I'm hoping to make this a regular topic here at Sacred Ruminations as I continue to visit others who participate in this activity.

Affirmation for Today
from Louise Hay

In the infinity of life where I am,
all is perfect, whole and complete.
I recognize my body as a good friend.
Each cell in my body has Divine Intelligence.
I listen to what it tells me,
and know that its advice is valid.
I am always safe,
Divinely protected and guided.
I choose to be healthy and free.
All is well in my world.

A Blessing and a Morning Prayer

Recently at Perfectly Imperfect, Yolanda shared this "Blessings award" together with a call for prayer for those affected by last week's tornados & an amazing Tribute from Union University. I encourage you to watch this video when time permits, offer up your own prayers, and pass the award and information on to readers at your own blog.

In 1994's
ILLUMINATA
Marianne Williamson shares
"Thoughts, Prayers, and Rites of Passage"
and this is one of my favorite
prayers for the morning.

"Dear God,
I give this day to You.
May my mind stay centered on the things of spirit.
May I not be tempted to stray from love.
As I begin this day, I open to receive You.
Please enter where You already abide.
May my mind and heart be pure and true,
and may I not deviate from the things of goodness.
May I see the love and innocence in all mankind,
behind the masks we all wear
and the illusions of this worldly plane.
I surrender to you my doings for this day.
I ask only that they serve You and the healing of the world.
May I bring Your love and goodness with me,
to give unto others wherever I go.
Make me the person You would have me be.
Direct my footsteps, and show me what you would have me do.
Make the world a safer, more beautiful place.
Bless all Your creatures.
Heal us all, and use me dear Lord,
that I might know the joy of being used by You.
Amen."

Sacred Life Sunday - Prayer for the Evening

In 1994's
ILLUMINATA
Marianne Williamson shares
"Thoughts, Prayers, and Rites of Passage"
and this is one of my favorite
prayers for the evening.

"Dear God,
Thank you for this day.
Thank you for my safety and the safety of my loved ones.
As I enter sleep, may these hours give me peace.
May they bring healing to my mind and body.
While I sleep, dear Lord, please bless the world.
Where there is pain,
where there are people who have no place to sleep,
who suffer and who die,
may Your angels come unto them and minister to their hearts.
Dear Lord,
Please let the light stream in.
Please use my hours of sleep.
Please prepare me, during these hours of rest,
for greater service to You.
May the light that surrounds me, tomorrow shine through me.
Soften my heart.
Thank You, Lord.
Amen."

A 2nd Belated Friday Haiku - On Change

Volume #12

Once again I'm late
writing this Haiku today.
Thinking here of change

how we dare to dream
following these visions with
action can feel strange.

Habits hard to break,
I must substitute a new
option for the old

choosing daily 'til
well established pathways and
mental patterns shift.

Starting where I am
taking one step at a time
gradually change

an adventure brings
joy unlooked for ... what delight!
Rather than a curse

or a burden, choice
brings new ways of seeing and
believing. Success

happens all the time
when I notice little things.
I am good enough

as I am right now!
My desire points the way,
yet it's not the goal

but the journey I
focus on these days because
life is much too short

to berate myself
or blame others foolishly.
Everything's a choice.

Procrastination?
Seems a harmless choice, and yet
all I have is now

I don't choose to waste
precious moments any more!
"If not now, then when?"

My new mantra is
helping me to embrace change
rather than resist.

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story.

Haiku Friday Volume 11
"Email Woes" is here

To see my previous Friday Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post.

Thought for Today
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." ~~ Aristotle

Inspiration in Times of Trouble

While checking out Google Gadgets this morning, I happened upon "The Don't Quit Poem" and decided to pass it along. Clicking on the link takes you to an inspiration video presentation of the text that follows. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and I wish you a delightful day! If you haven't already done so, feel free to take a copy of miss*R's "blogging friend" award to post on your blog and pass along to all who visit you.

The Don't Quit presentation is based on a famous poem which was written many years ago. The author of this poem is unknown. Sadly, in recent years a number of people have claimed ownership of the poem and some have even claimed to have written it themselves!

Here is the original poem in it's entirety:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown

FYI -- If you didn't watch the video, there is a free "Dare to Dream" newsletter with articles, inspirational stories of perseverance and success, audio interviews with successful people, and motivational quotes. I've signed up to see what's there because you know how I love this kind of thing.

Sacred Life Sunday - Reflecting Again

As I do from time to time, today I share
Five Really Good Things Once More.

1. I'm feeling much better today and think I'm over the flu/cold bug from last week. I'm glad I gave myself permission to do less than usual, choosing instead to focus my attention on recovering as quickly as possible ... allowing myself to rest. I'm especially grateful for Zicam, Vitamin C, chicken with wild rice soup, Gatorade, and lemon tea.

2. Today's rain was a gentle drizzle with light winds, rather than a repeat of the gusty deluge of last week that blew my patio furniture out of my front yard. It stopped in time so that Molly and I could enjoy a walk together along the beach.

3. Today I completed my list of 101 Things About Me at Small Reflections and finished the Friday Haiku Volume 10 at Sacred Ruminations albeit belatedly. As of this morning, I was caught up with Blog-related email and comments, although I'm still behind on my visits to others' blogs. I hope to remedy that next week.

4. I always enjoy my weekly telephone chat with Jan, my Taos Writer's Retreat buddy, but today I'm inspired by the goals I've set for myself and believe they'll help me accomplish some specific tasks I've been putting off for too long. In addition, enjoyed lunch with my friend J last week and a wonderful phone visit with Kara yesterday. I plan to call my sister when I finish posting tonight.

5. Because the passing on of awards to some (rather than all) sometimes results it hurt or sad feelings for those who may be overlooked at times, miss*R at Tales of Inglewood has created this "blogging award" to share with every one who visits there. She encourages us to take, post, and pass this award on to every single blogging friend who visits our blog(s) ... and so forth so that it gets shared with love to all in the hope that no one will feel left out again. Here it is for you to take, display on your blog, and pass along to YOUR readers ... and I hope you'll encourage them to do likewise .

Thought for Today
from NATIVE AMERICAN WISDOM
edited by Kent Nerburn and Louise Mengelkoch

"Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it. We must have it because without it we become weak and faint. Without love our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love we can no longer look out confidently at the world. We turn inward and begin to feed upon our personalities, and little by little we destroy ourselves. With it we are creative. With it we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others." Chief Dan George

In case you missed it the 1st time around
to everyone I offer this brief but powerful video
May You Be Blessed

Belated Haiku Friday - Volume 10

(Started on 2-1-08 at 5:22PM but
finished and published on
2-3-08 at 2:43 PM)

Better late than never, right?
Cloudy skies foretell
rain is on it's way tonight.
Drizzles starting now

yet the weatherman
says tomorrow will be clear.
Sunday comes the rain.

My brain does not work
right when I am sick and so
this will have to wait!

Sunday Continuation
Better now I feel
so I will continue this,
posting this one late.

Rain and wind arrived
early in the morning, but
currently a break

in the storm allowed
Moll and I to take a walk.
Rough the ocean is!

Wet-suited surfers
sit upon their boards and wait
for the perfect wave.

We are back at home.
I have put the kettle on
for a cup of tea..

Soon I will be warm
and I'll write a 2nd post.
Sacred Life Sunday.

I have finally
finished my One Hundred One
Things About Myself!

For a Mr. Linky to other Haiku Fridays
go to A Mommy Story.

Haiku Friday Volume 9 is here.

To see my previous Friday Haikus,
click on the Haiku Friday label below this post.

Wellness Wednesday Links

Links to my Wellness Wednesday posts

1. A Brief Introduction

2. Saturday Edition - Meditation for letting go of old habits

3. Choices

4. Living for Ourselves