Variations on Peace, llvl

It’s all well and good for me to appreciate the glories of my local life, whether at home or at my friends’ homes. It is good to appreciate. But at the same time, I think, you hold the tension of life where things are not going well… There are always horrifying things, but today there seem to be so many.

With a dear friend, living with AIDS for 23 years now, I’m aware of the huge scientific loss of the Malaysia flight in addition to the humanitarian loss. What, you wonder, would make people think this violent act was a good idea? And then list all the other places in the world where people suffer horrendously for other people’s greed…

I’m grateful to know that a sister UU church is standing up and saying No to the hatred in Texas — And I’m sure there are plenty of other churches along side them… but horrified there are churches standing together on the other side of the street, that the welcome being extended is a counter protest.

So, when life is breathtaking in a little village in Sweden (or a little village in Pennsylvania), I think we must store that up against the horror — store it up so we have fuel to get back to work when the time is right… It was a beautiful day touring around the bay yesterday. The beauty is outrageous. The skies were clear and the temperature was perfect. The whole day was a prayer of gratitude and beauty.

And somehow the intermingled stories of the oysterwoman and her priest brother were just so simple and lovely. So I breathe in the love, the wonder, and the simplicity and let it soothe my soul. And I try to be present to each of the fabulous moments. There are so many right now. I am so lucky. I am so grateful. I am at Peace.

Picnic Peace, llvl

Sitting on the rocks in the middle of the sea, I am certain that I could do this at home.

But, I don’t.

Why is that? Why don’t I take stillness in the midst of the great beauty that is my home ground… indeed my life.

It’s not as if it’s not there to enjoy. Just over a week ago, I was out on a boat in the middle of the Susquehanna with my brother- and sister-in-spirit. and it was quiet and sweet. Not long before that, I was sat in the middle of Penn’s creek. But this absolute do-nothingness, absolute immersion in the elements, day after day, that is not something I give myself. It’s a shame. I know, all of life is not a vacation, but it’s not all work, either.

And this is wonderful. Because here I am, in the company of old friends, marooned on an island and sucking the marrow out of the day. yum. drinks on hotel patio overlooking the harbor. shelling shrimp at 9 at night (or what they’re calling night but is really full sunshine) on the home patio overlooking the harbor. Go to bed. get up. more of the same.

Just a few responsibilities: Be present. Enjoy. Count blessings. Give thanks. I hope I’m succeeding in my assignments. I’m sure at some point I’ll write, but… not for a while… and in the meantime, I’ll savor the Peace. Life is sacred. It is often filled with joy. To live this way is a prayer. I am the among the luckiest women in the world.

So, you heard it here first. Picnics in beautiful spots when i come home. ‘k?

Disturbing the Peace Friends, llvl

I had the most divine trip down one side of the river and back up the other yesterday. I’ve see the river from both sides now from in and out and still somehow… I love this stretch of the river.

And in the center of the trip, along a rushing stream, there was a wonderful lunch with two friends. One’s a long-term friend, my mentor since seminary, who has the astonishing knack of allowing me to mentor or perhaps minister, to her. The other is her niece, a woman with whom I sense potential for friendship, but who at the very least is a charming, charming, insightful lunch companion.

So there was catching up on the life that’s happened since last we saw one another, catching up on the bits of one another’s lives about which we had no idea and oh, more than a little time, dreaming into the future.

It’s such a rush to have those conversations. Talk about our loves and losses, our passions and disappointments, our rages and our curiosity… Intense, irreverent, inane, insane, inspirational and just flat out funny. and, oh, reassuring. Lovely to know there are folks you could get up to great good with and occasionally no good at all!

It’s important to have folks you dream with and folks who call you to account for your dreams. Let us disturb the peace (peace with a small p is just status quo) so that we can make Peace (a new, exciting, just world). Let’s do it locally, and let’s do it on a grand scheme. We’ve got friends. We’ve got the world. And we have laughter. And that’s a lot!

(wow, picking words for word search. all these years of these blogs and FRIENDS has never been a choice for me? where has my brain been?)

Sippin’ at June Sabbath Peace, llvl

June in Central PA. Nothing more beautiful (allergens notwithstanding.) The thing about exquisite weather is that it’s only wonderful if it’s appreciated. Reveled in, even…

And right here there’s much to enjoy. I suspect, if you’re really living your vida local, that there’s much to revel in where you are as well. Every place has treasures. And we have to lift them up, whenever we get the opportunity, because otherwise we forget how remarkable life is. If we’re not filling up, we’re not fueled for the journey.

So right here right now, in this little Valley, we’ve got amazing seasoned musicians and fabulous ascendant ones (and she’s off to Illinois!). We’ve got great restaurants and, you’re fabulous, so I’m sure you have great friends, too!

This isn’t a restaurant I can visit very often. Pretty rich for my budget, but i don’t need it all the time. I wallow in it when I get it and then get back to life. But oh, during the wallowing, it’s wonderful. Add in the music? yay! I get a lot of music married to Steve, but some nights, when everything’s aligned and the right people are in the right places, it lifts right into sacred experience!

So, today’s the Sabbath. Count your blessings and then wallow in them. You’ll count different blessings than i do, but there are so many! Enjoy the Peace, sip away slowly at it. Fill up, because you’ll need them when it’s all about back to work. Thanks for everything — and Kate Anderson, here’s listening to you, babe! Soar.

Halcyon Peace

Once in a while it happens, bountiful, perfect days. When you get them, stop whatever you’re doing and appreciate. Be present to all that’s wonderful. Celebrate even. It doesn’t happen but a few times a season. When they happen it’s time to count your blessings and make some memories.

Life is fleeting and so are summer afternoons at the pool. Heaven on earth… Peace, my friends. This day’s for you!

The Peace Gate, llvl

Are you going out or are you coming in? I have this silly image of some Divine Being standing tapping a foot looking at us like we look at the dogs and cats who either can’t make up their minds or just want us to stand their offering them options. “I don’t have all day, you know…”

Either choice is a good one, but we have to commit. Into the Paradise of Peace. Onto the Peace Path.

Making our lives great, exciting, wonderful, Peaceful. That’s what we’re asked to do — because that’s what we’re given the gift for. One of my more common exhortations to myself (and others) is: Count my blessings and make myself a blessing to be counted.

So whether your prayer is one of homecoming or one of departure: say it, mean it, do it. Life is waiting for your loving hands. Peace needs you.

Purple Peace-Seeing, llvl

This is Beauty in the local life, that’s for sure — all this glorious purple… I’m counting purple blessings as fast as I can!

Let’s all be one-eyed, one horned flying Purple Peace-Makers… (so could not resist!)

And I admit, I’ve been considering whether I might not start working to see if i can’t develop some, i don’t know, 89th sense that allows me to see the color of a word. What the heck, I learned to parallel park, I can do anything! Possibilities abound!

I’m also trying to train myself to see the Abundance as well as the deprivation as a call to Peace. There is so much that we must share, rather than there is so much that we must have it all to ourselves. To fill up and overflow… into Peace-Making. From Peace-Seeing into Peace-Making… Are you with me?

Rainy Day Peace

My corner (or perhaps my center) of PA has been a little dry. We’re three inches short for the year. Which is odd, since March and April are often very wet months (April showers and all that.) Between the dry spell here and some conversations about the California drought — and very scary fires — Water and its lack have been on my mind. All of which is balanced, in a horrible kind of way, with the heavy storms the MidWest has been having.

But I might have looked at the weather before I wrote the poem. Here we were with a front about to stall over us. It rained so hard last night that I kept being awakened by the pummeling rain… I’m so unused to the sound.

But water. We really would do well to remember that it’s a sacred resource and must be treated with respect and reverence. We don’t need long showers to wake up, we don’t have to use a hose when a broom would do. We don’t need to plant flowers that don’t grow easily in our climate. It’s hard; it’s not what we’re used to — and the reverence is what our planet needs.

We all need to learn to share. It seems like we’ve forgotten this kindergarten staple. But your neighbor has pretty much the same needs that you do, and having more money doesn’t make you more deserving. How does the saying go — the rain falls on the just and the unjust? The universe doesn’t care, we’re all deserving of the bath and the blessing!

So, let’s think about water and how we use it. In many many parts of the world just access to Water is Peace.

Grape Hyacinth Peace, llvl

Short one this morning. Gotta get ready for the arts festival. where DID I put my sun screen?

The purple fields were astounding. A birthday treasure. And a sweet coda to the planting of Deb’s trees. I found more of wedding hearts that my friend Lorraine had made for me, and I had copied onto bright pink paper, took them to the park, thinking we could write on them and bury them with the roots… but the tree was planted. A friend said, we can put them on a stick. So we all wrote love, and made a love flag. It was gorgeous.

But it made me aware how sad I still am… so the purple fields were balm. Nature’s got it for us, if we’d only let it give it to us…

So thanks, my dears, for all the love you’ve given me through this… I had a very hectic and exhausting birthday… and one filled with wonder and love. I spent the entire day with my SweetPea, which we never get to do… and now, I wish you Purple Peace and Breakfast Peace and a great day!

Peace of Perfect Days, llvl

However grand we find life most of the time, there are still those astonishing halcyon days, when everything seems perfect. We especially notice them in spring when the weather turns nice for the first time. But every season has them. They are extraordinary days, filled to the brim with Beauty and Love and Gratitude.

Hopefully when these days arrive we can remember to count our blessings rather than demand that all life be that perfect. Into every life a little rain, and all that! These days are beautiful, ephemeral jewels to be exclaimed over, enjoyed, and released… These are sacred days, not mundane…

hmmm. there’s a theme to be explored… life as catch and release…

yep, pretty sure I should stop right there. Peace… Beauty, Love, Gratitude — not much more that’s needed! (except, of course, your appreciation).

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

Tag Archives: blessing counting