Preparing for the Journey

With my 40th year Remembrance practice, 

moving my beloved wooden spiral Advent wreath

to a different table this year.  

🌠   .  🕊

.           *            .

Waiting

Looking to use up the last of our Flexible Spending Account money 

before the end of the year finds us 

sitting in the waiting area 

for darlin' hubby's eye appointment this evening. 

🤓

While this photo doesn't show it 

(out of respect for their privacy 😉), 

it would seem lots (and lots!) of other folks 

are doing the very same thing. 

😎

.            *             .

Still waiting and watching over here

❤️

Advent is for Everyday

"Relinquish expectations for holidays that are without conflict or problems or challenges 

[or sickness]. Christmas [and Advent] is about God embracing human life – with all of its shortcomings, mistakes, and struggles."

~ "Christmas Therapy" 

by Karen Katafiasz

Third Sunday Sojourn

💜💜💗

Second Sunday Morning Adventing

💜💜

And Circles 

#decemberreflections2016

..

December Reflections :: Light

Because the length of Advent is different every year there are only 24 stopping places 

on my wooden wreath.

Knowing this is a season of waiting and practicing patience, it feels right that there's a bit 

of waiting practice intentionally built in to the beginning of each year.

Still, she says with a warm smile, on Dec. 2, the day when it's time for Mary, donkey 

and me to start our actual journeying around the spiral always finds me breathing a sigh of 

relief.

One step, one day at a time feels like a holy thing to me, reflecting and honoring not only 

our Advent journey but our pilgrimage in life as well.

Blessed be. 

#decemberreflections2016

Godspeed, Dear Uncle Tom

My Uncle Tom is on my heart and in my thoughts and prayers this morning. Received 

word that after a very long and arduous struggle with cancer he has been referred to 

hospice care.  

Smiling softly, trusting that his big sister (my Moma), along with so many others that he 

loves and who love him are gathering at the pearly gates, ready to joyfully receive him and 

show him around.  (I take *such* deep comfort in the concept of the Communion of Saints, especially at times like these.)

Your love and prayers would be most welcome at this sad and very holy "thin place" in the 

life of our family.   

❤️

.           *            .

Spring is Coming

Guess who's starting to develop buds?

#mydeartreefriends

.             *           .

Waiting and Watching

.            *            .

3rd Sunday of Advent

.                *               .

2nd Sunday of Advent

.                 *               .

Stark Beauty

(She's ready for Winter)

.             *             .

Patient Poise

She and me.

.            *            .

Breathing thru the "Triggered" . . .

. . . and wanting, 

trying 

to remember 

to trust.

.          *          .

Wordless Wednesday ~ A Quiet Reminder

.           *            .

Praying in Color :: Palm Sunday

.          *         .

Butterfly Spiral ~ Week 4

This week's reminders of New Life

I'm so enjoying doing this!

(So much so that some days 

I *really* want to go ahead 

with making the next day's beauty :) )

.           *            .

One Self care Move ~ Standing in My Light

So, as you may already know, I've been having a difficult time at work for a long while now. Thursday night, hoping I might find some insightful wisdom to hold on to, I picked up a book that has been helpful in the past and started flipping thru dog-eared pages. I stopped when I happened to find (or did they find me?) some starred and underlined words (ah, so they've spoken to me before).

This quote is one of those "lighthouse in the storm" types for me, gently providing a guiding light for a way to "be" with it all, including my deep disappointment at some uninstigated-by-me distance in a relationship I have long cherished. I typed it out yesterday morning and have been reading thru it over and over (and over), and each time I do, I get a little stronger in my sense of self (and worthiness) (and Enough-ness).

It brought a soft smile to realize this quote is all about practicing "Standing in My Light" for me .... it's a gentle example of *how* to stand right where I am (as best I can in each moment) rather than, as Brene Brown says, hustling for someone else's approval.

The words are from "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work" by Richard Carlson and the title of this particular essay is "Accept the Fact that There's Almost Always Going to be Somebody Mad at You."

"And when you know it's inevitable, 

your gut reaction to the disappointment 

is going to be much more peaceful. 

…you'll maintain your bearings and remain 

compassionate. You'll understand that there's 

simply nothing you can do -- other than your best. 

You didn't intend for it to happen, and you did 

everything you knew …, yet it happened. 

And it will happen again. It's time to let it go. 

And in letting go, you will find peace.

(My word for this year is Peace and what a lovely new way to practice)

♥

I hesitate to say this too loudly so this is me whispering....

It seems my friend at work made a small movement back towards me yesterday. While a bit stunned (I just found the lighthouse-for-me quote above 2 days ago and was starting to settle in with it!), it was very nice to have the unexpected surprise of a couple of light-hearted moments with him again. And, for the first time in months, he actually met my gaze with a teensy bit of a genuine smile.

One *very* important self-care move for me is, as best I can, to stay in today (and under my skin) and try not get too caught up in what might or might not happen on Monday (and forever after).

Another act of self-care is to name it here.... to help me remember.

Blessed be.

.              *             .

Wordless Ash Wednesday

.         *         .