A New Years Wish for us all - Peace

Do you think peace requires an end to war?

Or tigers eating only vegetables?

Does peace require an absence from your boss, your spouse, 

yourself?

Do you think peace will come some other place than here?

Some other time than now?

In some other heart than yours?

Peace is this moment without judgement.

That is all.

This moment in the heart -

space where everything that is, 

is welcome.

Peace is this moment 

without thinking that it should be 

some other way;

that you should feel some other thing;

that your life should unfold 

according to your plan.

Peace is this moment 

without judgement.

This moment in heart-space 

where everything that is,

is important.

Dorothy Hunt

Just stop

Sabbath is not dependent upon our readiness to stop. 

We do not stop when we are finished. 

We do not stop when we complete our phone calls, 

finish our project, 

get through this stack of messages,

 or get out this report. 

We stop because it is time to stop. 

Sabbath requires surrender. 

If we only stop when we are finished with all our work, 

we will never stop—

because our work is never completely done.

Headed 'Up North' to start the New Year with family and friends;

and to enjoy some snow.

I wonder if there'll be enough to try some of these?

 Now those are MY kind of snow people!

And, speaking of my kind of taste...

don't hate me,

but I think I want one of these!

If I see one on sale,

there's no telling what I might do!

Don't judge!

A last look

at some of my favorites - 

before they go back into hiding.

All of them bring me

Living Simply

Because if you're not happy without it,

you won't be happy with it!

Presents for three of us -

because we know 

'stuff' isn't what makes life
worthwhile!

International paintings of the Nativity -

along with some powerful words from a wonderful young woman

(who writes here)

He came to us in the dead of night;

 to a place where almost no one was watching for him.

He came small without a word.

He could have made such a big splash.

But he hid in his own magnitude and begged us to remember; 

begged us to hold close to his dusty welcome 

and the missing fanfare 

when our hearts beat small 

and we're twitchy in the shadows.

He came to us in all his glory.

He came in a way that still has us scratching our heads.

He came as an example to live so much lower than what our flesh craves.

He came with nothing else; 

a reminder that all we need is simply Him.

We reconsider the way we live

and do our best to honor and remember the moment 

his breath kissed our world.

I'm here in full on party mode, 

doing my best to feel the weighty pulse of my rescue.

Its tricky and messy, 

like all of life.

And that's why he came.

Waxing nostalgic

and remembering 

all the years 

of reading these

 to two little boys.

It flies by, my friends.

Savor every moment.

Peeps out of season

Yup, 

they made an appearance this holiday!

Don't get used to them, though.

They won't be back until Lent!

Just a reminder

Don't you love those days when you feel good?

When you're stylin'?

When the grays, purples and blacks of your outfit actually match - 

and you don't discover 

halfway to work that you're wearing navy blue pants?

When your scarf actually looks like a scarf 

and not like you got up from the table too fast 

and took the tablecloth with you?

 I was doing great - 

until someone remarked that my scarf looked like

camouflage for depressives!

Thud...

note to self:

enjoy your small triumphs but be prepared;

there's always someone ready to take you down...

IF you let them!

The trigger

At least she had the nerve to ask what, 

I KNOW, 

so many others were (and are) thinking...

"Can you afford to retire?"

My response was immediate,

and true,

"I'm not sure; 

I only know I cannot NOT retire if I want to live."

Here's what I know...

it will work out;

money isn't everything;

I'm not afraid of hard work, 

I can work again,

in a different capacity,

 if I have to have additional income;

and

a way will be found.

Here's also what I know...

her question triggered anxiety
about the 'realities' of this decision

that kept me tossing and turning 

much of the night.

There are still days

when fear trumps faith.

Luckily, they're fewer and further apart

and relatively short lived.

I think it was the realization

that I'm down to double digits days

remaining at work

that made the impending change

real in a whole new way!

How has the time gone so quickly?!

Apparently we can't get enough of Nativities...

two more "won't ever be having" Nativities.

A Spam nativity.

(Actually, I've been to the Spam factory and museum 

in Austin, MN -

and got kicked out 

for laughing so hysterically 

over some of the items...

no doubt,

THIS would have gotten me kicked out 

even sooner!

The beauty below is, sadly, from the lobby of the hospital where I work:

let me just say that one of my pet Christmas peeves 

is when the Jesus doesn't match the parents...

(A First World problem, I know)

But come on...

the scale of this set of figures is SO off

that they're either from two different Nativities

or its a blatant suggestion from our Endocrine department

that Jesus was part man, part God and part Baby Huey!

I mean, really?

His head is bigger than Josephs!

And I don't for a second believe that both parents 

would be kneeling in adoration...

give a sister a break; 

she just delivered a baby!

That must be why I love MY Nativity!

It's not the most delicately carved or painted,

but the body language of all the figures feels real to me.

Its carved from one piece of wood -
and there's something about it NOT being
separate figures
that appeals to me too.

 I can believe they're tired 

and in shock from all that's happened to them!

I also love the intimacy of the relationship
it hints at between Joseph and Mary...

yup; it's a keeper;

at least for me!

Just wait...

it will probably end up on someone elses' list 

of Ugliest Nativities next year!

To each her own, I guess!