Wordless Wednesday 12.20.17
A time of gratitude and appreciation..
PL Precept # 14 World Peace is Everything
Oyashikiri
Archive for the ‘Taoist’ Category
chop suey 12.11.
No, not my birthday, but I am sure it must be somebody’s birthday, somewhere. With my husband’s surgery fast approaching, I am finding that playing in my studio is a distraction that I find “restful” In the truck I have been listening to a story about King Henry the VIII’s last wife, Catherine Parr, and the court life she led. Interesting enough I guess, but I have decided I can do without the court drama.
The radio is either Holiday music, or if it is talk radio… the news, happenings of the day, budgets, politics and again, not what I call ambient for a soothing companion while I travel around doing last-minute errands.
On Sunday, the church was all festive with a decorated Holiday tree, even had lights. That was a nice surprise, I realized that each year, my husband has put up coloured lights on the garage, of course, this year, that hasn’t been done. Seeing the lights, reminded me that yes, it is the holiday season… but… for us… we will miss it all, it will be a quiet and hopefully healing one.
Snow is in the forecast, starting early evening, and, on into the night and most of tomorrow. For everyone wanting a white Christmas, looks like you just might get your wish.
May the joy of the holidays fill your homes with glad tidings. The merriment of shared laughter and tender moments be the ingredients of your days, and peace and serenity the balm of your nights.
Oyashikiri
art work and photos- mine
dare you not to smile
Diva Pippa, sitting pretty for the photographer (her Mom).. all she is missing is a poodle skirt. Loved the picture and once again, asked permission to share,
pippa_g_thats_me found on Instagram
For some reason I thought of the actress Sandra Dee, she also has a bit of Audrey Hepburn ?? maybe someone out there remembers the beach movie..from way back when… Did you smile?
Keep the smile, spread the happiness around.. Pippa’s is an award-winning smile giver. =^_^=
Oyashikiri
ps. my two, look at me with eyes that say, don’t you even dare think of it. LOL Pippa is a born model. Of course we have to acknowledge her costume and set designer too. winks and waves…
PL Church
Good morning everyone. Tuesday, Dec. 5, and it is a mild day with rain. I heard that the mild weather will stick around for a couple more days. Somewhere I saw a big sun in one of the forecasts showing on most of the days of this week.
To me, our church here in Ottawa is beautiful. Clean lines, no clutter, you could be walking into a clinic, it seems so bare compared to the buildings I am entering especially at this time of year. As I walked towards the front of the church to pray, I caught a glimpse of colour. I paused to looked over.. WOW simplicity making a statement. Whether it was just the time of day, sun streaming in from the large windows but the play of light and shadows was such, that I rushed to get my phone.
A minister’s wife is someone in the PL ministry that supports and works with the minister at maintaining and providing a “home” for its members. This current minister’s wife is very quiet, speaks little English and never misses the opportunity to give you a warm welcome when she sees you. She is also creative and talented, there are little touches everywhere that turn up like the arrangement above, when you least expect it to. These little offerings are not only “a breath of fresh air” they brighten a day, and for this we really appreciate her silent gifts.
Her understanding of how to help a worn out or troubled “soul” whether with a cup of coffee, in my case, unlike everyone I only drink iced coffee, black. Yet, like magic a cold glass of ice with coffee will appear where I am working/sitting. It is humbling to experience such generosity of SELF. Over the time I have known her, I appreciate her goodness more and more. Could I be so selfless, so caring, to live every day for the good of others, in a country where the language is so different, never mind customs and cultural differences.
She makes me realize what I know, but don’t always practice, that “actions speak louder than words” In PL, it is said.. “Church is a spiritual home away from home” and a “place to find your Inner-Self”. I was at the church to pray and to ask for help in the coming days. I came away with such a wonderful feeling of “happiness” yes the praying was good, but the flowers touched me.. the knowing and recognition of what a blessing she is…Today is about saying thank you to a beautiful lady.
Without saying a word, this arrangement, spoke volumes.
Oyashikiri
PL Precept # 21 Live ink Perfect Liberty
the door, the fence
You can see it, you can hear it, but you just can’t get to it. The door is there, it opens, but even when it is just a short distance away, there is no access.
Life holds such moments at every turn. We can look at attaining access to the door, there is a way in, but the time, or the moment is just not right
You can walk closer, but the fence is still there, the door is still there, but at the moment in time while you are standing there …you can only look and contemplate. How badly you want access to that door, will determine what actions you will take. Even if you obtain access to the door, what then, the operation of the plane is in someone else’s skill set, not yours.
Such situations when they occur, bring to our attention how well we do with waiting, being patient, and learning to appreciate that this is a lesson that is important. We may not know why it is, not at the moment, we are looking through the fence… but as sure as night follows day, why the delay, or why the opportunity presented itself, will be known.
PL Precept #18 Each moment is a turning point
PL Precept # 5 One’s Self is lost by being Emotional
Being upset by something we have no control over, nor change is a waste of energy. Instead, be grateful you are alive to live the moment, and that in doing so, life is progressing, and from the experience, you will gain inner strength.. focus on the positives… the fence will stay there, but you will find a way, it is only at that one moment, that access is not possible. If there is a fence, there is a gate, if there is a door, someone will eventually come to that door.
Change is the only constant in life.
Oyashkiri
my heart!
What started out as a very nice day, time with a friend, finding a stamp I needed for a series of cards I’m working on. Asked I would have said, life is good.
A short time later, we got a phone call, one that changed the “colour” of the day. A clerk from the hospital, left a message that due to what they saw as a heart problem, the scheduled surgery (coming Tuesday) was cancelled, lots to discuss, please call>?? You can understand, this was a rather startling and disturbing message.
We called back, only to discover, that the young lady, had not really gotten her information all updated and ready to dispense prior to calling. For months now we have been going for treatments, followed and taken every required tests asked for. Now 5 days away from the 1st surgery, they had found a heart problem. Never had we even had an inkling of a heart problem, not even a murmur of one. Needless to say, it was not a very quiet inducing conversation.
What we discovered was that, at the time my husband was there for the tests, they should have asked for a cardiologist right then and there to have a look. With a week-end looming, we are on hold. That a heart problem would surface over night, is rather puzzling. Anyway, we wait.
My head tells me that if his entire life, he has not had one symptom, or whisper of a heart problem…then… I have to trust that precaution is important. this is a very serious, major operation, the positive, is that they are making every effort to cover all bases.
Please join me in prayer and positive thoughts. His main surgery date of Dec. 13th. is still in place. There is an urgent request that he been seen as soon as possible. We wait. We pray. PL Precept #11 Always be with God.
Oyashikiri
PL Precept # 17 Grasp what is most essential..
PL Precept # 16 All things progress and develop
PL Precept #18 Each moment is a turning point.
Warning ##|\!
I have stopped listening to the audio recording of Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosserr I simply could not listen to another CD. Not because it was awful, the truth is, it is an interesting and well researched book/CD. “Part investigative journalism, part social criticism,” it was a New York Times bestseller and has been critically acclaimed.
On the back cover, it says ” a fine piece of muckraking, alarming without being alarmist”.. my sensibilities just couldn’t take anymore.. I got up to CD 5 and couldn’t listen to anymore. “the dark side of the all American meal” The laws in Canada are not the same as the USA, never-the-less… There is a lot of common sense, and ah ha moments. If you are not aware of this book, or this author, then if you are interested in something different.. please check it out. I got mine at the public library, I thought it was something else, I really didn’t peruse it… I just thought it was a quick and easy…. NOT!
The news these days has been so repetitive, bleak and often shake your head, sad.. that I thought it would be a change.. NOT!
Time to find a feel good holiday movie to watch, or simply listen to music, if I thought I could go to sleep, wake up and the world would be different… nah.. that is wishful thinking…
Time to find a quiet world, where the air is clear, thoughts are able to chill, and time for a while, floats in a happy space.
Oyashikiri
2nd pic, SL Second Life
audio by Rick Adamson (excellent)
genuine heart
We are fast approaching the month of December. A fellow blogger wrote to me today, and used the above two words, “genuine hearts”. I loved the sound of the two words, saying them felt like a modern mantra.
I have found myself watching made for the season, movies on one of the networks, it seems they are playing one after another, and so far they have all been the feel good romantic movies that pop up at this time of year. Boy meets girl or girl meets boy, one is full of the holiday spirit and the other is not.. storylines are similar and we are assured of a happy ending. As my sister pointed out, I don’t have to watch them, I can either watch something else or get up and do something productive.
I tell myself, I’m being productive, I’m being entertained, while I watch human behavior play out in front of me. After all, someone had to put this storyline together, then gather the assortment of actors, set designers, technical crews, etc. to pull it all together. The one I watched last night, even had my friend’s son in it. Ah Ha!!! Canadian content… It had to have been done awhile back, cuz he is now the “face” on Canadian Tire commercials, and has been for several years now.. So you see, I’m not just being lazy, I’m acquiring information that I can store away for when I need to spin out some pearls of “wisdom” or something =^_^=
Ok back to the words, caring, genuine hearts…………. I reacted because I do believe that in each and every person on earth, there beats a genuine caring heart. However I also feel that sadly, it is often on pause, and that we are often treated to a facsimile and not the genuine heart.
If you have any comment or feedback on this, I’d love to hear it. The world is constantly changing, more and more automation and the use of social internet for communication, is dulling the way humans interact. Machines have no feelings, and viewing life on a screen, is not “real” … it is scripted… Hello? what say you!
Another friend gave sock monkey a nip and tuck… now that is heart, when he comes home, he will have a genuine caring heart. =^_^=
Oyashikiri
chop suey Sunday 26th
Today, was a day of errands. After church I was busy gathering ingredients for a soup, and then to a craft supply place that still had their special sale on. With the holidays around the corner, I have once again, begun to work at my “work table.” I want to finish cards that I have promised for a few “retail” outlets, and want to make a few personal greetings that need to be posted soon.
To accomplish this, I wander and look at everything that I discover along my path, one never knows when an idea or a creative moment will present itself. Funny I go into a shop looking for a very specific item or theme, and come out with way more than I had anticipated. Anyone else, know this curious “happening” it is as if an elf is putting things in our basket when we aren’t looking. When we do see it, we realize that ..”wow! that is a great ^whatever^ guess I will keep it.”
Fortunately, more often than naught, these are the items that will be the first to be consumed or used in the creative process.
If you are someone who delights in homemade soup… then you are likely familiar with the above utensils… maybe not these, but a strainer of some kind.
I start my soups with bones, for me the most delightful of tastes is the meat that is closest to the bone. Exquisite flavour can be obtained by combining the oddest ingredients, then after hours of slow simmer, straining the broth, only returning to the liquid ambrosia, the jewels you want to feature. Sometimes they have absolutely nothing to do with the making of the broth. But their taste, harmonized perfectly to offer up a feast not only for the eyes, but for your taste buds … not to mention the aromatic teasing of your senses
All this to say… I’ ve got a soup on the back burner, and I steamed my veggies to put on my rice, in a Pad Thai sauce. Hmmm must be time for me to eat.
Hope you all had a great week-end. Tomorrow we start a brand new week! Soon a new month will appear too… YAY!!!!
Make every moment count, and enjoy all that life has to offer.. The more you succeed, the merrier life will be.
Oyashikiri
Thanksgiving
Cranberries and turkey ….stuffing and mashed potatoes ….gathering of friends, sounds like holiday cheer. My sister was telling me about her menu, for today’s Thanksgiving feast (she lives in the States). It was interesting to learn that mashed potatoes were not just “mashed potatoes” as I know it, but, how she specially prepared the potatoes for guests on this special evening of sharing.
Potatoes being carefully peeled and cooked, so they could be mashed and presented in a certain consistency etc. The care and thought she has put into serving up a dinner for her friends I found heart warming. Just listening to her explain the shopping for, and the prep done days in advance, the settings, the placement of chairs to accommodate the gathering so that all would be comfortable and feel welcome, was all “new” to me. Our family has our own “Martha”… I was impressed.
My long time personal friends, will all chuckle and know that “yours truly” does not share my sister’s flare. I felt really proud of her, as she went on about her dinner today. These were/are her friends, and she for years now, has them over to share in a now, “traditional” Thanksgiving in appreciation and love for their part in her life. My little sister, gave me a warm glow of love and appreciation for HER, I am still basking in it today.
LOL she will be busy today, and seldom reads my blog.. so I can get away with saying nice things about her today…hahahaha
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends…. let us ALL embrace and share the meaning of Thanksgiving, in our lives today and always.
PL Principle #3 I will live with a mind of appreciation towards others and things.
dymoonblog 