The Arts of all sorts.

Went out of town to visit my friend Annie and to see her son K in a play at church. What a great job they all did. We've seen many childrens plays and this was one of the best so far. Beading was another acitivy to look forward to while down there. I learned new techniques and suggestions that make your projects look a little more profesional. Annie let me borrow a jewlery making book that have some awesome bracelets in it. I have to make one. Then there was this wire weaving type of necklace that is so cool, I made one of those. In fact I have made three as of today. My jucies are flowing! Thanks Annie!

Our homeschooling group is getting ready to do just the wood scenes of "Midsummers Night Dream" in the next few weeks. Parts were chosen on Friday. The girls are very excited about their parts. Now we need to work on costumes (Yikes) and lines. The downtown library will let us use the auditorium, so we get a real stage for the kids to experience. Friends and family will be invited to come and watch. In the meantime we will be seeing Midsummers Night Dream at the Morris on the 23rd of April. Not to mention the stage production in Chicago on Navy Peir in May! Maybe a bit of an over load but to view different styles is a good thing. (not Martha Stewart)

I'm hoping to get on my bike this week. I look forward to time to myself. Lately I have been grumpy and I think it's because I need space. All kinds of space. Space in the bathroom alone! Space in my house alone! Space in my mind alone! I feel a bit claustrophobic. Okay, alot claustrophobic. This nice weather gives me a sense of urgency I haven't quite figured out yet. I need to meditate on it and try to release it.

Well, on to another day of learning something new!

~A desire to be in charge of our own lives, a need for control, is born in each of us. It is essential to our mental health, and our success, that we take control.--Robert F. Bennett

Transformations

Spring is a transformation of energy. Healing is a transformation of energy too. As the destructive energy associated with negative emotions is released, the life-enhancing energy of new, positive experiences flows in.

My favorite lesson of spring is about power. The maple tree comes into leaf slowly. Its progress is so subtle and so gradual it happens imperceptibly.

The process is exquisitely gentle. The new growth is fragile and vulnerable.

Yet, in six weeks time I looked out at a magnificent tree, it's branches clothed with strong leaves that can withstand gale force winds.

All that strength, brought into being by slow, subtle, gentle, gradual energy.

The energy of spring. The energy of healing.

The power of life.

© Sally Scott, M.A., R.C.C.~Spiritual Sisters

This is exactly where I have been for a few days. I'm going through some kind of change. This change puts a welling into my throat. I'm not sure if it is a good thing, this change, or not.

"All the others arts are lonely. We paint alone--my picture, my interpretation of the sky. My poem, my novel. But in music--ensemble music, not soloism--we share. No altruism this, for we receive tenfold what we give."--Catherine Drinker Bowen (Friends and Fiddlers)

Looking ahead with great excitement, for music will enter my life again this year in a form I most desire; with my life long friends. What great joy it is to be a part of something that doesn't need whistles or approval from others but just together enjoying each other in humility and grace. I hope we can keep a cap on what is real and important.

Been Around Lately?

Yes, I am still around.

I have been reading other blogs, but writting nothing on mine. I have been spending my time reading these days and boiling sap for maple syurp! Five Gallons and all we got was a pint. But what a neat experience. I am reading an old classic version of The Swiss Family Robinson. A bit rough to get through but and very enjoyable adventure. It amazes me the amount of provisions they had on that ship. But the part I love the most is the on going knowledge the Father has to offer his boys on a daily basis. This might have been one of the first real pioneers of homeschooling!

Sunday school is winding down. We have one more fund raiser. This one is for Habitat for Humanity We are having a coffee cookie hour call "Eating Healthy for Habitat." No cookies! Just healthy foods.

Heifer sent me a matching coupon, so we will beable to double what funds we did raise this year! The kids will like that, but they won't like the fact they won't beable to pick out the animals this time. All proceeds are going to Tanzainia for dairy goats.

One of the christian Ed. people asked me if I had any thoughts about sunday school this summer. I was surprised to hear that. I just assumed I would have the whole summer off and someone else would do the VBS stuff. I don't want to . I don't think we will be there all that much this summer. Not to mention others won't be there on any regular basis either. In fact it is down right depressing the lack of numbers you have in the summer time, not to mention the rest of the year! So I told her that I had not thought about that yet and that I would have to get back to her. I could have sworn that I saw a "chicken look" or a " I can't believe you won't .....or "Please......I know what that means." LOL. Yup, it means No way Babe! We have selfish plans of our own and it doesn't include this church! Sorry I won't be there for your children, but most of the time they will be the only ones in the class!

What keeps us at this small church. What does it really have to offer my children? They hate chimes, but they do it because I ask them to. The woman who heads it has been doing it for a century. She won't be around much longer. Childrens choir has gotten a little better, but.........
Sunday school is what it is. Not by the book by any means but a good thing. So outside of all that the church doesn't offer much. I want my kids to have life long friends from the church experience. But the only friends are those from this woman who asked me what my thoughts are for sunday school this summer. That's not enough. I would like my girls to experience more. More firends their age, more activities, more retreats, more hands on community outreach programs. Camp Mack sucks! It is so boring. The good stuff doesn't really happen until you are a teenager in the Brethren church....at least at our church. So why do we go? Why do I teach sunday school? Why do I want to be a stephen's minister? I just don't know anymore. Maybe it is time to draw back for a while.

~Always remember the distinction between contribution and commitment. Take the matter of bacon and eggs. The chicken makes a contribution. The pig makes a commitment.--John Mack Carter

Good Morning Life!

"Sometimes when you think you are done, it is just the edge of beginning. Probably that's why we decide we're done. It's getting too scary. We are touching down onto something real. It is beyond the point when you think you are done that often something strong comes out."--Natalie Goldberg

BAM! Isn't this the truth? Being afraid and scared. Facing it head on! This is where things get moving. It's amazing how paralyzed we get with our fears. Sometimes we stay that way for years, maybe even a life time before either moving through it or surcoming to it. To be a victim of our own fears isn't a way to live life joyously and with love. Especially love for ourselves! Wow, it sure pays to get up early!

"It was on that road and at that hour that I first became aware of my own self, experienced an inexpressible state of grace, and felt one with the first breath of air that stirred, the first bird, and the sun so newly born that it still looked not quite round."--Colette

My ability to love another for life!

This past Sunday, the 7th of March was our anniversary! 12 years that went by so fast. So much life has been lived and so much more to continue. I embrace it all. I came from a family where divorce was second nature to buying next season clothing. I am the only child of six who hasn't been divorced and I am very proud of that but sad to see so many divorces in my family. But as usual, I fear that boasting about it will only jeopardize my wealth of happines so I'll stop.

The 19th of this month will mark the day of our first date back in 1987. This was the date we wanted to get married on, but we had only spring break from College in which to do this. This weekend we will go out and celebrate our years together. Hopefully talking only about us. I understand that making great strides to having a date once a week with your spouse can only benefit the relationship. We don't make this time for ourselves. Why not? Because my friends I have to initiate it!!! I have to be the one to suggest it. Arrange it and make it happen. sometimes even force it to happen because other things seem more important. "Everyday life will still be there honey weather we go out or not." Sounds like a normal marriage to you? We all have complaints, but when it come right down to it, Life is good where it is dispite some "lack of initiative issues." Which I will keep working on until the day I die!
I Love you Thomas. I hope someday I will truley believe that you love me too.
{pms talking].

Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to this country and to mankind is to bring up a family. ~George Bernard Shaw

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee."
~Marian Wright Edelman

The gift of dying

“All of us need to give our love to a dying person, but if we have come in touch with the nature of our mind, stabilized it through our practice of meditation, and integrated it into our lives, then the love we have to give can only be deeper, because it comes from a different source, from our innermost being, the heart of our enlightened nature. It has a special quality of freedom. This kind of love, beyond all attachment, is like divine love. It is the love of all the buddhas, the love of Christ, of God.

In that state, without contriving, and even without thinking, we can feel the presence of the Buddha or of Christ. It’s as if we become their ambassador, their representative, our love backed by their love, and infused with their blessing. Love that springs truly from the nature of the mind is so blessed that it has the power to dispel the fear of the unknown, to give refuge from anxiety, to grant serenity and peace, and to bring inspiration in death and beyond.”


~ Sogyal Rinpoche

Oh how this touched me............

Self esteem not happening

Spring is nagging at me.. I'm not ready for it yet. I feel I have much to do and time is running out. When the weather gets nice all things must stop to incoporate nature into our daily routine which, to me has just gotten into a nice rhythm. I feel the pressure of not enough weight loss has happened in order to be "ready" for swim weather. I feel the pressure of not having any clothes to wear because I haven't lost enough weight to feel good enough to buy any. This Sucks. I'm being so superficial. But I thought if I said it out loud, that maybe I could move on. Thanks for listening.

~No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Mom's Night Out

Once a month the mothers from the homeschooling group have a mom's night out. This enables us to plan with out interruption. Last night was Shakesphere's " MidSummers Night Dream" and Book Group planning. We also look ahead to see who birthday is coming up and possible fieldtrips. Once all the dates have been filled we move on to more personal thing sometimes. Kind of a "what can the group do for you". One of the mothers had some spiritual concerns about her ability to trust her guide when meditating. Guide? I had no idea what she was talking about! One of the other mothers knew exactly what she was talking about. It sounds as though you have several guides depending on your immediate need.
These guides have names and a look, like angles, god like, floating spirits. I have never meditated. I am very interested in it though. I could use all the help I can get. Can't we all.


~All techniques and methods of inner development have a common goal. They all aim towards freedom and enlightenment. 
~Sucess Consciousness