Heaven On Earth

Today is December 31 and for the past 10 days I have had time to be with my sister Katie and her three beautiful children, James, Matthew and Sarah and several other sisters Rebecca, Bridget, one of my brother's Christopher and mom and dad. In our time together we eat, play, eat, play, sometimes rest, play, eat more, laugh a lot and finally fall into deep restful slumber. Children live so much in the present that I am amazed by the moments of joy, sudden out bursts of screams, the play that turns into a knock down fight and then fun again. It happens from moment to moment. In these 10 days or so, I find that the expression "this too shall pass" becomes so evidently true that I learn to just stay present so that it does not pass to quickly and experience life unfold in perfect moments. I could reflect on this past year, alas, my greatest reflection is that life is now and it is now. I take a moment to write a final blog in 2008 knowing deep gratitude for heaven on earth is here in this moment and all of the moments that have brought me to now. Happy New Moment.

Meditation for rebirth

As I sat this morning in quiet meditation in front of my beautiful Christmas tree and lit candles I found the peace that I needed for this day. Life has been going at a hectic pace and even this morning I woke up with many things on my mind. As I began the rush of another day, I chose to slow down, to sit down and to begin a thirty minute meditation. Often my meditation begins as this morning, requesting forgiveness, offering deep gratitude and then silencing the requests, the mental to do lists and any other mental chatter so that I can sit in quiet. I have moments of complete silence and peace and then the to do lists return and then I go back to moments of silence an ebb and flow and being fine with both. This morning was my best present for this Christmas season as it reminded me of the silent night that, as Christians, we believe our salvation was born. For me the mystery of the birth of Christ is my time to rebirth myself into a new way. To become more gentle, more forgiving, more loving and more present to all. Merry Christmas.

Decorations for Jesus

Here it is a time when we see more emphasis on taking God/Jesus out of the world and yet I love that the world decorates for Jesus' birthday. It seems that all of our differences end for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Whether prophet, Son of God, or Jewish boy, all of us want to celebrate His Birthday with great fanfare. Look at all of the lights, the ribbons, the greenery and bows, the music, the gift wrapping.
Is it possible, that the gifts we give to one another are really our desire to give something back to this baby who is the salve to our human suffering and our hope for an eternity of joy. Joyful is this season of celebration and grateful am I that everyone decorates for world is more beautiful.

Finding Joy

Yesterday was the third Sunday of Advent, referred to as Gaudete. The Latin Gaudete is translated as Rejoice, Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice; let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. The holiday period has been known to be stressful and this year it has been particularly stressful. My stress due to very demanding work matters that are unceasing right now, too many commitments with friends that have kept me from time to refresh my energy and the macro conditions in the world that concern all of us. My last guest will leave this morning and sad to say it is with much relief as I believe I have just over done it. I can give with joy when there is moderation in my own life and this weekend was anything but moderation. We all experienced excessive partying, visiting, travelling to events and coming home to more people. This past weekend was too full for me causing me to lose the joy of the day especially on Sunday night when I returned home and was so physically and emotionally drained. I woke up this morning still joyless. My very nature is JOY. However I have neglected the garden of my heart and instead of being a joyful hostess, I was crusty, bitter and joyless. My JOY will return, even now, it is present as I soften my eyes, lift my spine, and smile, my outward movements, an intentional breath- inhale, pause, exhale and there, in this moment my joy is present. What is lost in excess activity is found in awareness of this moment. Rejoice, the Lord is near, in fact She is breathing me even now.

The Moon Followed Me Home

Last night after a long day at the office I began my commute home and there she was big, bright and shining, our beautiful moon. So I drove along 101 south and outside my left window she followed me and she even reflected her glow from the water right into my car. Through heavy traffic we travelled and we smiled she at me and I at her. We, my moon and I exited the freeway and now she was behind me enabling the darkness in front of me to reveal the brightest star in the sky. Was this the same star that led the wise men to Jesus? I thought, hmm the moon, so humble, letting the star shine on our salvation. Often the songs refer to the Holy night when the stars were brightly shining, and tonight I realized that Jesus was like both the moon in her humility and the star in her brilliance. We wish you a Merry Christmas in this season of LOVE and PEACE, the gift of the moon and the stars who shine on our salvation.