Recall the expression, “different strokes for different folks” isn’t this adorable, It’s a little build in Holland, The Veenpark,Banger-Compascuum*
We are all unique, in our own personal way, that is what is so wonderful about meeting and getting to know another person. I grew up in an age when we were encouraged to have pen pals. With the electronic age, snail mail seems to have gone the way of the 10 cent phone call.
Yet, the internet now provides us with opportunities that would have been unheard of in days gone by. The meetings can be more frequent, and more direct if not face to face, they are still person to person. Respect becomes key, we may appear to be different, we may dress, walk, talk in a different manner, but we are still connected, We all feel, we all have needs and wants, even though our experiences/challenges differ, we came to “be” in the same way.
Intriguing build isn’t it. So are the people around us. Each person in your life, is a whole new landscape waiting to be discovered. Accept and respect differences, strive for harmonious relationships.
Namaste – Oyashikiri
*Flickr,mad_madchen
** Zaanse Schans, Holland (full of traditional crafts and architecture) found on goamsterdam.about.com
*** Reflections in Alesund,Norway by waynekorea on Flickr
Now is always the time to start something “new” – That is what the PL lesson was for me t his morning..( ahhh Just in time. =^_^= Taking a breather, we are going to drive down into the States to explore). Everyone needs to open the door to a new beginning and start a new day. Clears the cobwebs away.
Use today as a starting point. Move forward towards a path that will lead you to improvement and progress. Negativity, in our live can drain us. Rain or shine, we need to continue and persevere to make our wishes and goals come true.
Namaste – Oyashikiri
Love is healing
*Brazil -blossoming Piuva,CorumbamMato Grosso Do Sul – Walfrido Tomas
If you have been watching any of the FIFA games, then you have to be someone who appreciates the game of football/soccer. To be honest I have only discovered the game in the last couple of years. Prior to that it was beyond me why anyone would want to watch men at sport. I thought it to be like any other sport game I’d seen over the years. NO. Not so. I actually found myself sitting in front of a television one day while a game of soccer was on, Italy was playing at the time, I can’t tell you who the other team was, I was mesmerized by the athletic prowess, the dexterity, the passion and determination that was unfolding before my eyes. The sound wasn’t on, all I saw was the ballet, the execution of movements that were almost unreal in the performance that played out before me. The game was fast, the colours on the screen were constantly moving, the effect was so artistic. Like an abstract painting come to life.
Now of course I watch with the sound on, and I get involved with whatever team I am taken by. My husband who understands the game and can tell you details that are lost on me, shakes his head at my excitement and sometimes very loud cries of encouragement to the players who can’t hear me. For me it is not a sporting event, it is a game of magic and dance, of fantastic energy that gives pleasure and excitement as you are drawn in the dynamics of the event. I decide on a team by the performance and their skill at capturing my imagination with their art form. If it is just a game of technical ho-hum plays, its boring I walk away. Does anyone else see it my way?
Isn’t Orange a dynamic colour? LOL what a game they played. I tell you ladies, turn off the sound, and watch a game, the energy and focus these guys have when they play is phenomenal. No hands, footwork bodies and head.
Have a good day everyone… Nederlands plays Australia today! You not going to be around, tape it!
Are you ready for the start of another week? My wonderful friend Mollie ( co-minister at the Baptist church in a community near here), has been happily posting in a shared file we have .. I’ve been so “busy” researching and “working” away at my desk, that I see she is being busy, I get a notice that she has posted, but I don’t often get to see what she has been adding. Hmmm sound familiar. Reminds me of the expression, about being so close to the trees, that often we don’t see the forest itself. Or .. is it the other way around, we are so far in the forest we no longer see the forest,or is it the trees. OH my, maybe I’m not fully awake yet……. smiles. …. Thanks Mollie for the above saying, with the cute picture.
Today’s PL lesson is about being making time to express our true selves. To express ourselves with honesty and integrity If we ask for help, we do so with sincerity in both words and actions. The #1 Principle in PL is – I will live paying careful attention, putting Makoto (sincerity) into all I say and do.
Trust that you will receive all you need to get through today, then believe it will be the same for tomorrow. Focus on your feelings, express them honestly, there is an inner joy when we express ourselves with makoto (sincerity) The surest way to be blessed is to appreciate all the blessings in our lives, and to give thanks for them. Appreciate life, renew your connection with God/Tao every day, share your smile with others today. Your day will be blessed. … Smile….. Oyashikiri
Wouldn’t it be nice if our lives could be all planned out in neat little rows, That we could organize, sow and cultivate, knowing that our wants and desires would line up just the way we want them to. The above picture is lovely, it took hours of work, and many people working together to produce this “garden” of colour. Realize that all of their hard work, planning and efforts came to fruition, because they had a clear vision of what their goal was, & what they wanted to achieve The unspoken here, but the obvious, and this dear reader is what we need to remember in life.. without the input and unseen help and support of Mother Nature the outcome could have been much different. We take for granted the air we breathe, the rain that washes over and cleans our planet. Nature is a force that is a constant in our lives – sometimes we rejoice in the sunshine, – we love it and want it all the time, but without the rain our crops would fail, rivers and lakes would run dry, When you cry, you wash away the dust in your eyes, the sadness in your heart grows lighter. Appreciate all of life.
This tranquil setting is in Den Bosch,Nederlands. I invite you to spend a few minutes with me in silent meditation Take a nice easy breath in, ahhh … hold it for just a few seconds, feel it open your lungs, and now… slowly let it out… let your gaze relax, follow the ripples as they slowly meander through our view and into the beyond. See how the stillness in the water captures the images that are beyond our immediate sight….. just because we don’t see them, doesn’t mean they are not there……………………. enjoy this brand new day……………………make it count ……………..I so appreciate and love sharing these moments with you…………………..peace and prosperity be with you…..………….Oyashikiri
In the last couple of years, many churches have closed their doors, Driving in the country we will often drive by a deserted church. I’m happy to say that I have seen none in this sad state the above church was in when this picture was taken. Here, in Canada, and I hope in other countries, some of these smaller churches are being bought and rejigged to house a family and or be a home for a couple or a single person….Whether home or studio, they are reborn, given a new lease on life. In my research it was a rather poignant discovery that there were just so many of these wonderful buildings now in a state of ruin.
From the state of many of these buildings, the changes happened over a period of time, not overnight. Life is amazing when you think of just how many skills you once had, are now perhaps not as honed. Take letter writing for instance, I was an avid pen pal correspondent when I was younger. In school we were encouraged to meet and write to new friends in another Province, State or country. I loved writing a letter, drawing and enclosing small pieces of artwork to share with my friend. Looking back I’ve had several from Holland (Nederlands) with the age of social media, and internet, our letters became less and less as we discovered the instant gratification of an e-mail. Soon my mailbox took on a look much like the above picture. If I didn’t write a welcome letter did not come back. where once my penmanship was art in itself. now my husband has trouble reading my grocery list.
When we stop doing something, the joy/fun and learning from that activity begins to recede, other activities take its place. Are they as fulfilling? Only you can answer that …For me I think I will sit down and write a few letters today. I will do so with enthusiasm, my journey is coming full circle, I am again interested in the Nederlands, and I am reminded of my earlier friendships ones that, shame on me, I let fall away.
This is a picture that someone titled – Determination – it shows how “Nature” will always have its way, we may struggle in life, and feel that we are locked in a place we are not happy with, but in time, you will reach through the windows and doors of your confined space and find open skies and warm sunshine. It is the “Way” (Tao) “God” – What will you do today… whatever you decide to do, walk with God! Be ONE with the Universe.
Friendships like gardens need to be tended and loved if they are to survive.
Today without the sun shining brightly through my office window, I went in search of a picture of flowers. When I chanced on this picture of the Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands, it was a BINGO the moment I saw it.( a WOW moment). The riot of colour is laid out in such a symmetrical pattern. The synergy holds one eye. The attention to detail, the planning that had to be executed to give these results, mind-blowing to someone like myself an abstract artist and a lover of the natural landscape. The picture held me in utter fascination. Art comes in many forms, this picture gave me an appreciation of the work /labour that had to take place for me to be able to behold and enjoy such man-made beauty, using nature’s provisions.
Today’s PL lesson is about how our smile/expression can make everyone around us happy. It makes sense, if we do everything with a smile, we feel good, but we also spread that happiness to those around us. I’m smiling now and I share it with all of you.. Be Happy! A smile is contagious! Oyashikiri
Good Morning everyone, its Sunday, YAY!!! Another week begins. I began my day by wrestling on what picture to share with you today, then decided that I would share both. Why not, these are both wonderful, photographs that show true artistry with a camera and presentation. Both pieces of “art” were taken in the Nederlands.
I personally fell in love with this photo because of the atmosphere and mood that the photographer created, the life he/she gave it. Photography is an “art” that gives the viewer not only a look at what possibly the artist was seeing, but it talks to the viewer and allows us to see that moment captured in time, and reflect on the moment in a place and time that otherwise we would have missed.
This is the second offering of the day, it took my breath away, talk about being at the right place at the right time, and having the skill and perception to capture the moment so that it could be shared. Misty Posbank-National Park Velluwezoom, Rheden, Netherlands was taken by Patrick Strik
Always look at choices as opportunities, whatever you decide will provide you with rich and rewarding possibilities.
Blessings for a grand and wonderful day!! Wherever you are, whatever you are doing….. Oyashikiei…..
photos are also on my Pinterest board..Qyhat Harbour
Rev. Tiago is a young minister from Brazil who is now serving in the Ottawa church of Perfect Liberty. Reflecting on creativity and “happiness”, he shares the following. (I have kept his text and wording, Rev. Tiago speaks Portuguese,Spanish,French, is learning Japanese and English, my time spent talking with him, has always been bright, and informative, he is so enthusiastic!, his door is always open, if you live to far away, you can e-mail Rev. Tiago, or call)
One of those days, after I finish my missionary work, I went to my place to spend some time with my family. After a while, I was surfing online, reading some news and checking on several websites when I saw something that attracted my attention. It was a link for a video on youtube of an audition for The Voice show in Netherlands.
I saw this guy standing in the middle of the stage, an ordinary guy to be honest, that like so many others, was trying to be accepted in that contest show. But, from the moment that Mitchell Brunings opened his mouth to sing, the mood of the judges and the audience completely changed. After the first two lines of the song, all the judges pressed a button and turned to see who was singing. (Pressing the button means that the contender was accepted into the show). Mitchel Brunnings made everything seems to be so easy to be done. It was really incredible.
He was singing this incredible song, Redemption Song, by Bob Marley. But, his voice was so incredibly similar to Bob Marley’s that everyone was in shock. However, what really amazed me was that, it seemed to me that the song was not coming out of his mouth but from his heart.
I consider myself a fan of Bob Marley, but somehow, I never listened to that song before. The lyrics was so meaningful, so strong, so damn good!!! I was very grateful that I had the chance to watch this marvelous video.
But this situation made me think about something. In all fields of art, there are some genius who are capable of creating the same kind of good emotion in our hearts. Those people are capable of creating such a masterpiece that can make fill our hearts with joy, hope or even make us cry like little babies.
In that sense, in our lives, there are wonderful examples of people who are doing their best, living their lives in a masterful way. Living in a world like and being able to notice that we can be happy at any time is a wonderful thing. Just now, I remember part of this famous song:
“And I think to myself, what a wonderful world”
I had prepared this post last night before heading to bed. I had a very musical evening of sleep, =^_^=…
This morning I was reading a post by Deepak Chopra, if you are interested this is the link.
TAOIST Life is Art (Perfect Liberty precept #1)
contact info.- via blogs
--- there are two energies, Yin and Yang = ONE
---to have balance we must live each moment
of our lives.. with Makoto (sincerity)
The only constant in life is change. I am grounded in the reality of Living.
This is true, in all worlds. RL or virtual. I am me and only me.
dymoonblog 
Written
on October 8, 2013