Sacred Ruminations: With appreciation and gratitude ...

About Me

1st Blogoversary Post
2nd Blogoversary Post
101 Things About Me
2007 Blog Review
Top 7 in '07 Small is Beautiful Review
My 100th Post
A Milestone Missed?
Why I Blog

My other blogs
Small Reflections
Happily Retired Gal
Bling & Blurbs

My Blog Rolls - have been moved to a Blog of their own.

I appreciate all of you who visit, and I enjoy the comments many of you leave behind. I do my best to respond to any questions in a timely manner if your email is available. In addition, I do my best to visit your blogs and leave comments as time permits.

Click to learn ... How I Became a Blogger

Late in October of 2007, I started playfully exploring possibilities here and at Small Reflections. Initially I published daily on both sites, but in mid-January of 2008, I gave myself permission to rethink things.

Since committing to Blog 365 at Small Reflections, I've continued to publish daily there, but I'm considering alternating days and/or experimenting a bit with a variety of possibilities in an attempt to balance my online activities with my "real life" ... without giving "short shrift" to either blog. Therefore, it's all a work in progress, and I hope you'll bear with me.

Food for Thought

(or reminders for myself)

Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away.
Barbara De Angelis

"Whatever can come to a woman can come to me
Whatever can happen to anyone can happen to me."
Muriel Rukeyser

"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much."--Mother Teresa

"It is better to ask some questions than to know all the answers." James Thurber

"Forgive yourself for everything you did not know in the past but do now. Don't waste any of your precious energy beating yourself, or anyone else, up. Your power to change your life is in the present, regardless of your past."
Dr. Christiane Northrup

"Your purpose is to heal yourself first in mind and intent. Declare this principle to yourself -- I intend to walk the highest path to my awakening. I am fearless in the face of learning to discipline my mind and actions so they are attuned to my true divinity." Doreen Virtue

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in this life has a purpose." Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

More thoughts ...

"It requires a direct dispensation from Heaven to become a walker." Henry David Thoreau

"It is no small task to change one's focus from what can go wrong to what can go right and to empower women to shift from destructive behaviors to those that are generally associated with health. I want to awaken that still, small wise, intuitive voice in all of us, that voice of our own body that we have been forced to ignore through our culture's illness, misinformation, and dysfunction. I want to give you the courage to listen to that voice and act on it." Dr. Christiane Northrup

"No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place." Maya Angelou

"I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well. Diane Ackerman

"No one needs to know that you've shut the world out and are meditating as you stroll down the street. Twenty minutes to a half-hour every day is a good amount of time to restore a sense of serenity." Sarah Ban Breathnach

"One of the marks of an intelligent person is to be able to distinguish what is worth doing and what isn't and to be able to set priorities." Anne Wilson Schaef

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

More thoughts ...

"Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength." Sigmund Freud

"I need to understand the dynamics of effort & success. I will spend my energy on things & and activities that bring me the most fulfillment. I will spend less energy on the "stuff" that ultimately has no meaning to me." Dr. Christiane Northrup

"However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do if you do not act upon them?"
Buddha

"The greatest contribution that you can make is the aliveness that comes from simply being yourself, living your truth, and doing what you love. The passionate expression of who we are will heal the world." Shatki Gawain

"It is in solitude that we discover that being is more important than having and that we are worth more than the result of our efforts. In solitude we discover that our life is not a possession to be defended, but a gift to be shared." Henri H. Nouwen, theologian

"I am ready to supply the earth's needs with my riches. I seize upon my wealth within and give freely as I am replenished." Doreen Virtue

"... perception can be given a new purpose. ... Follow His Light, and see the world as He beholds it. Hear His Voice alone in all that speaks to you. And let him give you peace and certainty which you have thrown away, but Heaven has preserved for you in Him." A Course in Miracles

More thoughts

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it." Rumi

"I believe I'm here to speak my truth and that's all I have to do. I don't have to make people understand it... I just have to speak the truth." ~Anne Wilson Schaef

"A woman is like a teabag-only in hot water do you realize how strong she is." Eleanor Roosevelt

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever."
Mahatma Ghandi

"...We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. ... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Nelson Mandela

“Each of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. If a person does not invent herself, she will be invented. So, to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise.” - Maya Angelou

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”
Rumi

"A good question is never answered. It is not a bolt to be tightened into place, but a seed to be planted and to bear more seeds toward the hope of greening the landscape of idea." ~ Henry David Thoreau

"I have lived long enough to learn how much there is I can really do without.... He is nearest to God who needs the fewest things." Socrates

Welcome to Sacred Ruminations

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

With appreciation and gratitude ...

I accept these awards and pass them along.

The first is from Mike of MJG's Rambling Thoughts (who received it from Jennifer of Dust Bunny Hostage).

I'd like to share with the following friends and encourage them to pass it on as well to share the love.

Betty of Betty's This and That

Chuck at Foster Me Up
Eve of Adamswife's Weblog
Greatfullivin at Gratitude Journal
Hootin' Anni of Hootin' Anni
Joyce at Mom's Musings
Karen at Journey to Authenticity
Mary of Mary's Writing Nook
MPJ and A Room of Mama's Own
Phyl of Scrappy n Happy in Ohio
Sandy at Momisodes
Tina of Tina's Odds and Ends

Yertle at Smile, Play, Dream

The second is from Betty of Betty's This and That who received it from Mercedes at Mercedes World. I apologize to Betty for being so slow to pass it along, but I'm sure she understands because we all get way too busy from time to time ... and that's exactly what' I've been. I know I've been sporadic with my posts here at Sacred Ruminations (have fallen 3 weeks behind on One Single Impression, but hope to catch up in one fell swoop soon). I appreciate each of you 'checking in' periodically and leaving your thoughts when I do publish something. You each keep me going more often than you may realize.

I'd like to share this Super Commenter Award with all of those mentioned above and with the following visitors to Sacred Ruminations who so often Make My Day:

Lisa of Lisa's Chaos
Lucy of Lucy Creates and Diamonds in the Sky
Maggie of Maggie's Mind
Mary Ann of Desperately Seeking Serenity
Mike of MJG's Rambling Thoughts
Paulie of Postcards from Paulie
Raven of Views from Raven's Nest
Reader Wil
Sandy Carlson of Writing in Faith
Vixen of Vixen's Den

Please accept this award with my heart-felt gratitude
and feel free to pass it along to others.

Thought for Today
" A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they're not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they're not so bad."
Arnold H. Glasgow

20 comments:

Carol said...: My first time to your blog and I show up smack dab in the middle of all this linky love. It just warms my wee heart.

Thanks for stopping by She Lives today!; July 17, 2008 at 8:05 AM
Unknown said...: *jumping for joy* I'm so happy for you and me! So nice to stop by, find such a wonderful human being and an award to boot. I'm honored. Thank you. *huggies*; July 17, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Hootin Anni said...: Greetings Storyteller. Wow, thanks so much for thinking of me for the award! If you've not been told lately, I'll tell you now....You're super!

Hope your evening treats you well, and thanks again.; July 17, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Mary said...: Storyteller,

Thanks so much for the awards. It's an honor to receive them from you. Congratulations on receiving them as well. You are most deserving.

Blessings,
Mary; July 17, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Mary P Jones (MPJ) said...: Thanks for the bling and linky love, storyteller! Muah!; July 17, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Karen said...: Yaay! Awards! I've saved them and now I'm off to add them to my album! Thank you!; July 17, 2008 at 4:51 PM
storyteller said...: Carol – Thanks so much for visiting Sacred Ruminations for the first time. I hope you enjoyed what’s here enough to return when time permits. It’s a small but supportive and enthusiastic community of ‘virtual friends’ … and I endeavor to post 3-5 times weekly in addition to my daily posts at Small Reflections and occasional pieces at my new Blog Rolls & Bling Blog. Links to both are in the About Me section of my sidebar.

Chuck – You’re welcome Rhonda. I’m just happy you’re around to collect, enjoy, and share the bling before you head off on another adventure, leaving us without your witty humor until you return just as unexpectedly. I’m glad you’re enjoying REAL life in addition to the ‘virtual’ one!

Hootin’ Anni – Ya know how I enjoy the diversity of interesting things you share … and I appreciate the assistance you’ve provided pointing me in the right direction to teach myself what I need (and want) to know. Thanks for the kudos. I do the best I can … and remind myself it’s good enough ;--)

Mary – You’re most welcome. I’m delighted to share and shall long remember how kind you were to me as a new blogger. I’m hoping to be able to visit again more regularly as life calms down and I get things shifted from my old laptop and functionally arranged on the new one.

MPJ – It’s my pleasure lady … and as I dig myself out the unread posts and emails I’m buried in … things will get better … seriously!

Karen – How fun! I love the way Typepad allows you to ‘display’ awards (now that you’ve figured out how to do it on your own), so I’ll look forward to visiting … but probably not until tomorrow morning. I grow weary and have been at the computer way too long today. I need to fix something to eat and unwind a bit … perhaps take Molly for a short evening walk and soak in a hot tub a while. Yup … sounds good!

To all – I do appreciate you (perhaps more than you know) and am glad you accept me as I am … and my blogging as it shows up. I was hoping to catch up on OSI today … but I guess that’s not going to happen tonight. Maybe tomorrow, over the weekend, or I’ll do 4 instead of 3 prompts one day early next week? Hope you’ve had a pleasant day and enjoy your evening too.
Hugs and blessings,; July 17, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Momisodes said...: Thank you so much! You are such a sweetheart for thinking of me. Congrats to you as well for all the well deserved awards :); July 17, 2008 at 7:44 PM
Eve said...: Thanks for the bling. I'll proudly add these to my awards page. And I'll be sharing it with others soon. Congratulations on all your awards and accomplishments.; July 18, 2008 at 9:25 AM
Betty said...: Thank you so much for the award. I appreciate it so much.

Also, congradulations on your awards. You are very deserving.; July 18, 2008 at 1:02 PM
storyteller said...: Sandy, Eve, and Betty
You’re all more than welcome for the ‘bling’ and I’m glad you found time to drop by ... ‘snag’ and share with others. I appreciate your congratulations and am delighted to pass these awards along to keep the ‘love’ going. Hope you’ve all had a wonderful week and that you have a pleasant time this weekend too.
Hugs and blessings,; July 18, 2008 at 7:13 PM
Mary Ann said...: My goodness. Thank you for the award. I came through here on Wednesday but ended up visiting the blogs of some of those you gave the first award to and never made it further down to where I was listed. Thank you for letting me know. Love your blogs.; July 18, 2008 at 7:51 PM
storyteller said...: Mary Ann – Thanks for the kind words. I’m happy you made it back to this post a second time to find the 'bling,' and I’m glad you enjoyed visiting some of the links because it’s fun to introduce my ‘virtual friends’ to one another.
Hugs and blessings,; July 19, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Unknown said...: You always make me happy, when I visit I never know what I'll find. I thought I had commented and said Thank you a few days ago but apparently I'm rude. :(

Sorry. Hope you're having a great weekend! Thanx for the lovely award!; July 19, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Joyce said...: Thanks so much, Storyteller, for sharing the lovely awards. I would still come to visit, awards or not, as I enjoy reading what you have to say. :)

You DEFINITELY deserve the Super Commenter award. <3; July 20, 2008 at 9:58 PM
storyteller said...: Lisa – I have no idea what’s happening. I created a response to your comment and posted it last night … but it’s not there this morning. Fortunately, I’ve found a copy in my ‘recently used’ folder. I’ve been having some ‘Blogger issues’ recently and am tired of recreating comments when error messages show up, so I keep a Word Doc open as I visit blogs … just in case. This is a case in point I guess. Anyway … this is what I wrote:

“Rude? I don’t think so! Distracted maybe … but then that happens to all of us, especially when I include tempting links, right? I’m glad you enjoy the variety in my posts. There’s some predictability here … but I do tend to write about whatever’s on my mind when I post … and it wanders far and wide. I did have a pleasant weekend, thanks … and you’re quite welcome.”

I guess I'm relieved to finally have 'access' to my blogs finally (even if it is through Internet Explorer rather than Mozilla and it's slower than molasses. I hope you're having a good morning ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Joyce – You’re quite welcome. I’m happy to share, appreciate your regular comments and emails, and am delighted you enjoy reading the things I create and publish. I’m getting more comfortable sharing as a result of feedback like yours. I’ve been having difficulty accessing my blogs this morning for whatever reason, but I’m hoping this comment will publish. Hope you’re having a better day than me right now.
Hugs and blessings,; July 21, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Tina Coruth said...: Thank you, Storyteller! I really appreciate your thoughtfullness and support. I will post it tomorrow. It sure is a pretty one!
I hope you are having a wonderful week! :-)
hugs,
Tina; July 23, 2008 at 12:20 PM
storyteller said...: Tina – You’re quite welcome. I’m busier than I like to be and feeling a bit behind all the time, but that said … life is good and all’s well. I just need to reprioritize and make some decisions to simplify things to catch up.
Hugs and blessings,; July 25, 2008 at 5:20 PM
NicciN said...: Thanks so much for the award. I really appreciate it.; July 25, 2008 at 9:46 PM
storyteller said...: Yertle - You're most welcome. I'm sorry it took me so long to notice and respond to your July comment ... a sign that things continue to 'fall through the cracks' with my currently busy schedule. I finally got around to posting the 'Princess' Quiz at my Blog Rolls and Bling blog recently. It's been in my drafts folder quite a while ... only just rediscovered ;--)
Hugs and blessings,; September 3, 2008 at 10:03 AM