Changing Spring Sabbath Peace

Things are what they are, I suppose. Things change as they do. Sometimes as with wardrobes and flowerbeds, we’re the change agents. Sometimes we’re the acted upon. Sometimes we’re just the observers.

All of those things require decisions on our part. Do we choose to pull out the Spring clothes now? Are we willing to be sidelined by history and simply maneuvered? When does what we see require us to act? These are all good questions.

But some days, they’re good questions for another day, and today is for celebrating what is and enjoying the changes as they develop. The lilacs are in bloom and there are still, still!, some violets on lawns. Pretty heavenly.

Today, in my household, I’m hauling off yard sale donations and reclaiming space, fighting fracking with music, (how great is that?) and eating with a friend. Sweet Sabbath Peace in a Changing Spring. Next year will be different delight. But that’s for next year. Today this is what we have, let’s enjoy it.

I hope there’s space for delight in your day as well! Enjoy!

Mother’s Day Sabbath Peace, llvl

The life of the diminished i… I’ve gone through many periods in my life where I wrote i (i wrote I?) with a little i…

At this point, some of my non-capitalization is laziness. When i’m facebooking, which i do far too much of, i’m typing quickly rather than accurately (damn the capitalization, full speed ahead). I try to pay more attention to what I’m saying… and to not saying too much.

But I think there’s an interesting exercise in this a way of measuring my importance in what I’m saying… In the face of something wondrous, i’m pretty small. Engaging with Thou, any piece of the interconnected web of life, we are both to be marveled at.

Thinking of a favorite shrink who talked about being self-centered as a goal for everyone, knowing where I am in the question vs. being selfish, thinking I am the center of everything and oh, not so much. And this is, perhaps, not a big thought and a passing one. Some thoughts aren’t worthy of LOTS of reflection, just a hmmmmnnn and a moving on.

Today I hope you move on to a beautiful day, whether you’re celebrating with your mom or mourning her, celebrating being a mom or figuring how you will mother, Hooray for you. Yesterday, in the midst of the Mother’s Day wind-up to frenzy, I thought, well, at least Deb will not have to go through another Mother’s Day mourning her children and missing being a mom. I think too about the mothers in Nigeria, and in other parts of the world, missing their children and hoping they will be rescued. A sad Mother’s Day for too many. But I honor and celebrate these women on their journey as well… and wish you Peace and joyful reunion.

I’m going to take advantage of this beautiful day and go hang out with my friend Emily. I’m sticking the champagne split in the fridge and we can toast Betty and Nadine. Thanks for the memories, girls. We’ll live a glass to the kids in our lives as well. Thanks for the future. We’ll be sitting under her umbrella enjoying the sun eating food off the grill. Then I get to hang with the kids from church and their families. Pretty fun.

Peace!

So, whether you’re celebrating or just hanging out, I wish you Sabbath Peace.

Community Sabbath Peace, llvl

When I lived in a big city, on those rare occasions I had a weekend off, when I headed out to do something, I went far and rarely saw anyone I knew.

But here in my little town, when I go to walk the rail trail, I see my neighbors. I may know some of them well, with others, I may just be on nodding acquaintance. Same thing at the local ice cream stand. Every line is an option to catch up: “Hey, how are you. I haven’t seen you for a while (since the last time we stood in line for black raspberry ice cream.)

I confess, I like it. It’s not like I can’t get away. It’s just that rural living means the green encroaches on the town. And that’s a lovely thing.

So enjoy a slow day in your lovely community. That’s what sabbaths are for. What the heck, it’s on me! Make Peace by loving the land and getting to know your neighbors better.

Spring Sabbath Peace, llvl

Oh, another beautiful Spring Day — clear and cool and sunny. Having “weathered” Winter, it’s lovely to have Spring linger and not just toss us into Summer.

The longer it’s cool, the longer my beloved violets will hang out. And that makes me happy. Sometime today, whatever else i do, I’m finding time to cram a neighborhood walk in to admire the violets dancing in the lawns.

I’ve had a particularly busy week. It’s been fraught with emotional ups and downs and loaded with things to do. They’re finished, they were mostly successful! and me? I’m exhaustipated! So today, I’m claiming the rest the sabbath offers. despite the beauty, there’s a nap in my future, I’ll eat things that are good for me, and maybe, even, pick up my room so it doesn’t make me crazy. Maybe later, I’ll read a book — if I can find one that asks nothing of me. Because nothing is just what I have to offer!

We don’t have a lot of days when the weather is so delightfully comfortable; so take advantage. I plan to indulge myself in the Sabbath. I’ll be pushing the pause button — ahhhhhhhh. relaxed. I wish you the same Joy and a full measure of Sabbath Peace.

Forsythia Sabbath Peace, llvl

I love the promise of forsythia (can violets be far behind?). All that sunny, beautiful yellow. It simply hollers Spring.

Happy Easter (Western and Eastern Easter are on the same day this year!). Glad Pesach. Happy Spring (we’re actually a month after the Equinox, but the weather’s staying chilly, hence the late April forsythia in Central PA.). Much of the world will be celebrating sacred holidays today all of which have Hope in common. May that Hope spill out on the rest of the world.

The turning of the seasons brings back such memories and such opportunities to make more memories. Remember. Re-member. Piece Back together the times that came before.

So much to look forward to, so much to enjoy right here. I’m going to go sit beside this river and eat breakfast with my sweetie — it will be a fine start to a wonderful day!

What ever you celebrate may you be filled with Hope. And may you have a wonderful Peace-filled Sabbath, reveling in the Beauty and the Possibility. And what the heck. I’m up and on time on East Coast time!

West Coast Sabbath Peace, llvl

Last night we sat at dinner with Steve’s kids and their kids and Steve’s ex and her husband. It was a great dinner in so many ways. First the food. One daughter in particular is a great cook, so yum. One of the sweetest things about marrying Steve, and there are many, is the gift of his family.

But to sit and hear the kids tell stories about growing up was lovely. It was great to hear Steve and Shirley laugh together about life starting out. It’s what family’s meant to be, I think, easy… The two of them are long past their split and their differences and able to remember that they cared for one another. Kids deserve that.

It all made me very happy… particularly watching the littles get doted on by many of their grands. We’re not sure how we missed inviting Gary’s parents, but next time!

I couldn’t help being sad, however, that big assemblies around tables are not really in my family of origin’s future, they’re in my past. We did this a lot — all of us gathered around Deb’s table. So while I was rejoicing in having the crowd there and being part of maneuvering to get everyone together… I was also mourning…

Isn’t that just what life is the richness of today (if you’re being smart and persistent) and the richness of the past. All of that leads to the possibility of a rich future… but in the moment, as I sit here writing with my grandson snuggled in beside me, thinking about last night’s food and laughter and love… I miss Deb (and Betty and Sam) and Deb’s family gathered with Tom’s family in laughter and Peace. Sabbaths to remember. And now? New Families. new Peace. new Work: Got to keep making more sweet Sabbaths! Peace be with us all in our open- and our broken-heartedness..

Techy Sabbath Peace, llvl

Ah, Grandma May… you taught me a lot about watching over the neighborhood and being a fierce warrior, protecting it. You lived there and nothing was going to harm it on your Neighborhood Watch! True of you, true of all the Queens of Aileen Street. You taught us to take care, to stand up straight and to acknowledge every single person on the street.

Even the most sullen teenage boys were sure to say hi and smile at you as if they meant it. It was sweet — and it was a good model. They learned; we all learned.

Today I watch your “kids” from the Facebook Street. They post their pictures, they open their hearts. I get to applaud their successes, commiserate on their losses, and be stunned by their beauty and sweetness. We visit a little back and forth. Because of Facebook, Aileen Street still lives in me. And oh those girls are gorgeous! And better yet? kind. And the community continues.

And there are other streets as well, and that’s so wonderful. A couple of those streets are across an ocean, some across a continent, some spread across a region, and some right here. Come Sunday, it’s time to sit out on my stoop (both real and virtual) and pass the time of day. Good day. How’re you doing?

Sitting on the virtual stoop means when I visit in real time that we can just pick up chatting and visiting where we left off. Sitting on the local one means getting to know and love the neighbors. (only once in a while can I hear May’s voice saying, “Who told her she could wear that?” and “If her grandma could see the way she keeps that lawn!” But always there was the love.

Tech Peace. Local Peace. Sabbath Peace. How wonderful when they work. Finding the balance is the key!

Circle Singing Peace Sabbath, llvl

Yesterday I sat with 15 people and we sang together. No one knew what we were going to sing until a leader started the song. Every song started slowly and tentatively until we’d really learned it and then it would soar and weave until it died away.

This morning, I can’t actually remember anything we can sing, but I can clearly call to mind (heart, body and soul) how it felt to sing.

We started the process with listening. Wonder as the singing started, and then with attention as we learned the song line by line. And then, the great unfolding. Oh, to sit still and sing, sing, sing. It was lovely…

When I lived in California and A Communion of Women met weekly, we sang. Chant after chant. Chants and songs I’d written, chants and songs others had. It was healing! And back here, I haven’t done that much. These songs were songs most of us didn’t know and we went and went and went. Those songs were songs we didn’t… sometimes that meant that the singing was extended, sometimes it meant it was curtailed, and still we sang.

Often my focus is on the world’s Peace, or my community’s. Yesterday, the work was inward facing… and I loved it. Thanks Wendy Luella Perkins for your visit from Ontario. Thanks friends for the singing Joy/singing Peace. What a way to bring in the Sabbath.

Speaking Sabbath Peace, llvl

I continue to be astonished by the journey. Having declared that this year’s journey was all about living locally… my world continues to unfold. People drag me off to do local things because I’ve said they’re important. So I get to see a snowy owl. I’d have been happy before to know they were there, but I wouldn’t have gone out of my way… but someone made that happen.

All of a sudden I’m taking a course about geography (and geology), things about which I have a somewhat, shall we say, intellectual interest. Mother Earth & Nature are not so much about their actual dirt for me… (ok, i’m shallow, what can I say?)

In my word scramble that says what my important key words are, the word Sabbath keeps getting larger. As I click it every Sunday, after I’ve written about trying to be aware of it, I work to honor and enjoy the day — to infuse it with a joy that is slower and more aware than my usual dash-through-the-day enjoyment of life.

And living here, truly here, I begin to be aware not only what’s right and wonderful, but what’s broken and in need of our loving hands. This was a clear and painful conversation we had at class… painful because we were all poking at the rough spots in our love for where we live.

So, as you go through your day today, take some time, think about what makes your world wonderful… and where your duty lies… Duty, not a very 2014ish word, is it? But our duty is what moves us toward Peace. oh, this being conscious is hard.

Sabbath Peace, Local Possibilities

It seems appropriate to me, to be back here in my life in time for the Sabbath. I spent so many years outside the church, so to realize that I define not only who I am but how I live by it seems odd to me. I like it. But it’s not how I envisioned spending my life. Yet here I am, living richly. (It’s good to remind myself, because having been shorted on sleep yesterday to catch the plane, I’m going to take a moment to catch up… Losing sleep does not make for a cheery, healthy Ann. au contraire!)

Just in time for Spring, our community is going to start gathering funds for feeding kids on the weekends. We want to lead the Valley toward a life where No Child Goes Hungry… wouldn’t that be amazing? so, it’s time for the seedlings to start poking their heads above the soil — along with the crocus!

So, as the world thaws and the waters start to flow… look out… Love will be Flowing as well… Check in, see how you can help.

The Possibility of Peace… and then the Realities… let’s go!

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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