Pups for Peace

Pups make Peace with every moment, don’t they?

They’re such good role models. Look, here we are and life is grand!

There was one of those sad stories on FB about a dog who had been brought to the animal shelter. Two months went by and the dog just got sadder and sadder. They posted the sad tale. You looked at the dog and wondered, will he ever recover if he does get a new home. (I refuse to say re-homed… whatever the hell does that mean… somehow making up for deserted?)

And then a couple days later there were pictures of him going home with his new Mom. It’s such a lovely story, he’s going to get to go to work at a nursing home and make lots of people happy. Sure there may be problems in this pups future, but at the moment, riding home in the car with the new person, the dog looks happy. Doggone happy! That look at how everything’s right with my world happy.

It’s hard to argue with. Whether or not you want to live with dogs, It’s always a good idea to know a couple who are glad to see you coming.

It’s also good to remember to be a bit more like them. After all, it’s not as if dogs don’t sense when something’s off. But the rest of the time? They’re all, “ok… here we go! Isn’t this great? Look food, let’s eat! And oh, what a great place for a nap!”

Both the keeping an eye out and then the joyous giving of self to the moment are great characteristics for Peace. Be like a pup… Find the Peace that’s right in front of your eyes and live into it. And occasionally look at someone like they hung the Moon! it makes life sweeter! Embrace the moment! Embrace the Joy! Embrace the Peace!

Great Leaping Peace!

It’s funny when it’s chilly outside to think of cheery dolphins leaping, but of course they don’t care what the weather is.

And their joyous leaping is something to remember in our own lives. They do it for a lot of reasons, they look for predators, they get more air, they find direction… but they also leap in play — for the sheer joy of it. What if we allowed ourselves to be that joyful?

And what if after our leap we fell back into the waters of Peace and could luxuriate there?

It’s Leap Year. Perhaps we ought to spend it leaping into Peace… Perhaps during Leap Day, we might court Peace, invite it to be our Beloved…

Think about it, why don’t you? and what the heck, leap, if only a tiny little bit for Peace, into Peace. Peace every day. Everyday Peace. It matters.

Joy in Advent Sabbath Peace

Today we light the third Advent Candle Joy. Let us welcome Hope! Love! Joy!

It’s the Sabbath. Today it really feels true. Tonight we’re having an Anti-Gun-Violence Vigil. It’s such a solemn thing — such a needed thing. So much to learn. So much work to do. Too much death. And yet, even this will be a thing of beauty. There are religious folk from 6 different traditions and many denominations assembling tonight. There will words of reality, words of hope, words of dedicating ourselves to what is needed.

And yet the word for today is enjoying. And somehow we need to balance both. It is the holiday season, filled with memories and tradition and hopefully Joy.

Today I remember my year in Sweden and I treasure the family and friends I found there. So many lovely traditions that still linger in memory and sometimes grace my table or my tree or my winter windows. Lucia is one of them. She brings the promise of returning light.

Apparently back in the old calendar, the 13th of December was the solstice. Somehow they counted their days differently. Today families sing of Nighttime’s heavy plodding around the yard… and they fight that with Lucia princesses and star boys. And those wonderful, wonderful saffron rolls. Oh, yum. And I think that may have been my introduction to whipped cream in my hot chocolate rather than marshmallows. On the whole, a rather wonderful trade off!

And so my friends, find joy in this celebration of waiting in the Dark. Enjoy the parties and the connections and the traditions. Stop for a moment on the sabbath so you get to recall what this season is really about. And Peace. may it be with you. May you be with Peace.

Alternative Advent – December 13: 5¢ for every meal with meat this week. Vegetarian? How will you give today? Because the point is NOT to escape giving, the point is to feed kids. What richness do you have that others would be so happy for?

Remembering the Peace of Advent

One of the hard truths about this time of year is that we are forced to confront what we may have missed, or have lost. For some of us, those of us who are very privileged, the holidays have been sweet, families have been united and traditions have traveled between the generations. But even those people have lost beloved family members who are no longer there.

It takes a while to recalibrate. It takes a while to decide to focus not on what i don’t have but on what is there. It’s important for me to honor the heart of the holidays, both religiously and communally. But it’s also time to cut out the pieces of the holiday that no longer fit.

I love to think of the root of the word remembering … to re-member, to piece back together. To take the remnants of the good and to make something beautiful from it.

It takes a while to demand (of yourself) the space to celebrate holidays in your image in a fashion that suits you. But you are worthy of that. If you’re alone, find other people who also are. Or celebrate another holiday and make that yours until you can reclaim your own for yourself.

Remember the holidays… Feel free, not to long for what you once believe you had, but to create that which celebrates the deepest possibilities of life. Savor the Dark. Explore the Mystery. Be amazed by the Wonder. Gather with those who love you as you are — even if that means you’re alone and loving yourself fiercely.

Allow your holidays to be filled with Peace. Share that with others. Remember. Make that cloak of beautiful memories and move forward with joy. Peace be with you. Peace be with us all.

Alternative Advent December 12 – 15¢ if you have dishes in your house. There are actually people in our Susquehanna Valley who do not. So be generous. if you have more than one set, try 15¢ per set.

Cherishing Advent Peace

Here at a time in my life when so much of my family has died, I have had to make decisions about what and when I cherish. What do I bring forward from that life with them? What do I call out from my time in California? How do I incorporate the people in this life whom I’ve come to love and their celebrations? And how do I leave myself room to “mind the gaps,” to drift away from what is still too painful to touch?

This is some of Advent’s important work I think.

Many of us, for reasons far sadder than death, don’t have the family they want. So how do you celebrate and cherish the family you do have? How do you make holidays that matter with who you are and what you have.

The Dark is a precious gift and so are the holidays that come with it. And there are so many. Can’t do the one you were born with? Can you do it differently, or make a home in another one?

And can we all acknowledge our responsibility to cherish life? This is a time of new beginnings, celebrations of tiny scraps of God among us and light returning. Can we sing sleep in heavenly Peace in December and mean it in January? Can we light candles and remember the past and look forward to the future and providing defiant light to the world?

We’re the people to do that! We’re the people to cherish our own traditions and to invite people over to share the festival foods. We’re the people to become curious about others’ feasts and fests and learn about what makes us different and celebrate the urge to come together to with our families and communities to make new memories.

We’re the people to create Peace. We’re the people to cherish it. May it be so.

Alternative Advent today is 10¢ for every flush toilet. That should be a dollar! These are precious!

Sabbaths, Cycle of Life, Peace

My morning started in Beauty. I rolled over, and there was Miz Moon shining in my window. Hello, Thanks for dropping by. Thanks for watching over us.

I’ve had a busy week, so I’m happy to consider a day at home. It’s all been wonderful. But — enough. So today, Sabbath. Reclaiming my space from the detritus of travel and finding my rhythm at home.

Starting Advent. hmmm. not set up for that, but oh so ready… This afternoon the first candle will be lit:

Advent’s first candle is Hope. As we share the dreams we harbor for our lives, our families and for the world, let us reassure the world and one another: We are called to carry Hope in our hearts. Let us be those who offer visions of a better world and who work to make those visions reality. Blessed Be.

Today is a jumble of thoughts isn’t it? Moon? Reclaiming? Advent. (Hurrah, White Christmas!!!! Favorite Christmas Movie EVER!)

And lastly, I am so grateful to do the work I do. This week, in particular, I’m grateful for the celebrations of the cycle of life. I love it all. The brand new babies. The joining of lives. The new homes. The retirements. Even the memorials.

Such Peace as we begin my favorite season. I hope there’s Peace at your house and in your heart as well.

Thanksgiving Peace

It’s a pretty miraculous thing. A whole day dedicated to giving thanks. A sacred holiday. A sacred season.

Which means being aware of just how lucky, how blessed we are.

It feels so luxurious, so delicious.

Which, I guess is part of the reason that I don’t get the whole shopping thing. Here’s a day to be dedicated to just being. MMMMMM. Well, being and being aware.

There’s a long and luxurious list of things and people for which I am grateful. For my love. For my family and friends — for each and every one of you. For music. For fun. For my work. Oh, I’m so grateful for my work. All of it.

Today, in particular, I’m grateful to be the family priestess, grateful I’ve honed this craft so that the wedding I’m about do will reflect the Love this couple feels for one another.

I’m a bit grateful that the mourning is far enough back that I can think about how happy i am that those people were part of my life. Grateful for the love of so many.

And so I give thanks. I hope you have a wonderful time doing the same thing. I hope you’re engaged in making many lovely memories! Happy Thanksgiving. Blessed Peace.

Long Night Moon, Lunacy, Peace

It’s the Full Moon. Only this one and one more Full Moon this year. Only one more time to be infected with the joyful Lunacy of 2015.

The Full Moon is a time to dare. It’s a time to accept encouragement. It’s a time for boldness.

Every Full Moon that happens, i say, Oh, this is my favorite one… and sure enough, this is my favorite one. (at least this month!)

It’s cold, it’s clear, and it’s beautiful. I am full of energy and thanksgiving.

Tomorrow, I get to do what may be my favorite wedding of my entire time. My 71 yo cousin is marrying her 78 yo beau and they are as giddy as any 21 year olds. And ain’t Love grand!

Peace be with you. Safe travels to all who are on the road this weekend. Safe home when it is over. And Hurrah! and Peace! and Joy! ‘Tis the season!

Busy Weekend (Sabbath) Peace!

What a rich weekend. Friday night at King Street Coffee House and great friends playing. Doing ceremony — a sad tribute to a lovely woman. An evening all about friends and listening to a dear friend who just gets better and better.

Today is jam-packed. Church (preceded by choir!). A friend in a play (and the reviews have been great.) And then more friends in another short road trip to hear EG Kight sing again.

A couple years ago EG Kight came very close to dying. And did not. But they didn’t know if she would ever sing again, let alone write, let alone tour. She’s back, her voice is better than ever, and although the touring is hard work, she packed a three hour show. Never less than her best.

And she is so encouraging. She’s played with one local musician before, and she brought him up. But she’d heard about a young man called him out of the audience and handed him her guitar. And then coaxed the best out of him and let him coax the best out of her. It was lovely. Such generosity.

So you know me. I’m a bide-at-home kinda girl. But once in a while, you have to make the effort to enjoy the bounty. And doesn’t that seem ridiculous.

I know this area is rich. But every area is. Feast and give thanks.

You can’t help but be at Peace when you’re sitting in a crowd listening to someone belting out the blues. (Most of the time I could even let the young talking kids in the front off my indignant that’s-no-way-to-listen-to-a-concert fuddiduddiness!) Music. Theater. Ceremony. Community. Faith. It’s a weekend worth celebrating and a Sabbath worth indulging, and making sacred. Oh, and there were moments of sublime beauty. It’s Peace if we give it a chance.

Unexpected Peace

It helps to remain open. You never know what’s going to come along.

And when it comes, you must have left room for the miraculous, or you won’t recognize it.

It’s not all about love affairs, although this particular story was. It can be about jobs, or houses, or friendships, or new paths in our lives.

I think it helps to have a full life — and to appreciate what you have!

The practice of gratitude leaves openings; it allows you to see wonderful things when they happen along.

But being able to see isn’t enough. You have to be able to act, to dare.

Things don’t always work out well. But failure is simply information about better ways to try again. Hearts were meant to be risked (although let’s be clear, there’s nothing wrong with some calculations in those risks.)

But when they do work, the rewards are enormous. Love ensues. Joy does its happy dance. Peace gets its hopes raised. And people work together for both, which increases the odds tremendously, that someday there might be Peace. Both Peace or Magic require hard work and hopeful hearts.

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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