TWITTER - I don't get it

Image via Wikipedia

O.k., I'm way under the learning curve on the subject of Twitter......

I have an account - whoopee!  So now what?

I can post my writing efforts there by just clicking on the icon but so what?  Do I have to have a ready-made audience who'll read, retweet, or what?

I don't know - I just don't get it!
Tweet!!!

Turtle Time

Image by Mike Rodriquez via Flickr

This a.m. at Lucy Creates! I read a beautiful piece of poetry by author, Judy Brown, entitled "Trough" - I encourage you to read it.  The poetry reflected on the mystery of water and brought to mind an experience I had yesterday with a Maui turtle.

Snorkeling off Kapalua Bay Beach on Maui and  having thoroughly enjoyed the time I was in the water,  I decided to head back in from fish viewing for a while.  Swimming or I should say floating in saltwater is the easiest place anyone would ever want to "experience" the water as there's a natural bouyance that one cannot find in fresh water.  (It took my spouse about 15 years to convince me of that fact.)  Soooo, I just paddled a teeny bit with my flippers and let the waves carry me toward the shore.  My idle plan was to float over any rocks that popped up unexpectantly and cruise into a nice soft, sandy landing.  

As I relaxed and drifted, expecting nothing more than to be caressed and deposited on the shore by the rhythmic waves, I found an unexpected treat almost at my fingertips - a massive green turtle was feeding on the small rocks close to the shoreline.  He was certainly aware of my presence but went about his business and other than my heart beating loudly and a silly smile trapped inside of  my  snorkel mask apparatus, I tried to remain still in order to view him for a while.  I couldn't resist though as my ears came above the water a bit, I could hear people shouting - "there's a turtle, where, where?"  Only for one second did I hesitate to raise my arm above the water and point to my aquatic pal's location.  He swam around as if he was a wind-up turtle for the tourists' pleasure and indeed  many, many smiling faces came out of the water beside and right after me!

As I read Lucy's post and reflected upon the influence of water in our lives, drinking, bathing, swimming, sailing, etc. my "water experience" focused me on this.  I was floating, I was enjoying the embrace of a miracle of life, the water, the fish, the sunlight - expecting nothing more than acceptance of my thanksgiving.  Was it a bonus I received?  An act of nature? A synchronistic happening with me and the turtle - maybe more.  For a second I thought of not sharing my good siting, keeping it only for myself rather than lose the moment.  But that was only a second as I wanted to share the goodness and the thrill of my discovery, my smile with those around me.  It was almost as much fun to see the happy faces laughing and exclaiming as they returned to the beach as it was to spot the turtle!

Isn't life like that for you sometimes or maybe all of the time?  The sharing of one's gifts, the sharing of the Good News, the sharing of love and relationship?  It's such a good thing why don't we do it more often?  Maybe today's the day you and I will share something more important than a turtle siting....but perhaps during or after that sharing, we'll both think of the hard-shelled creature that inspired me yesterday and smile:)


See photo inscription for photographer credit

SAVOR - check in

In January, along with thousands(?) of other bloggers, I selected a word and wrote about its meaning to me as my "word of the year."  I did a journaling exercise yesterday to check in and and see how I'm doing living into that word and maybe, I think, it's working for me. 

SAVOR is turning out to be a perfect word for the this year as I am blessed with existing and near future opportunities in which I can relax, relish, and wallow in the word.  Opportunities of love, travel, mind expansion, improving my well body image for my age (there's a lot of rhetoric about age/activity/what's normal, what's acceptable - wrapped up on that last phrase, but I won't digress into that subject right now!) I want to savor the goodness which I am steeped in every day.  Life is too good to forget!

Embracing and living the word savor on a daily basis means, for me, that my inner self is capable of shining and expanding.  That growth and shine undoubtedly reflects, even if only a little, on those I meet on a daily basis, with their pleasure in receiving often being reflected back to me and maybe even to others.  It seems a small effort with a big return result.

I attempt to live and embody this word by sharing it verbally with those I encounter in and through my blogsite.  By savoring the goodness of one's life, I believe I/we/you can expand and heal ourselves both inwardly and outwardly - literally strengthening our personal brain's capacity and power.

In reflecting upon savoring, I wonder why I would ever shrink from such a word, a concept; perhaps these reasons?

Carelessness, ennui, selfishness, lack of awareness for all the goodness in which I am surrounded; shrinking from the word and idea, for me, is to be unappreciative, ungrateful.  Perhaps I can take steps to raise my awareness  by slowing down, stopping, assessing where I am; by taking those deep bellows breaths that my yoga instructor is always touting; by smiling, my favorite of all exercises.  Smiling, meaning it and offering up a thanksgiving prayer for the ability of recall

I've been given a golden opportunity this year and am living it now; a wonderful time away from home and the cold to being here on the island of Maui.  What more delightful savoring can be done than just being here, sharing physical intimacy with my beloved spouse, feeling the soft breeze, hearing and seeing the ocean, snorkeling with fishes and the huge turtle of the day this a.m., then sharing those delights with you and with each other.

I hope that even if you are still seeing snow come down, or maybe you even have a cold, or as so many are right now - out of work - that somewhere in your day you can find a moment to savor that which is good in your life.  Savor for yourself, share with others, offer up thanksgiving.  

If you have any personal savoring experiences of today or this week or this year, I'd love to hear about them.  In the meantime - enjoy and SAVOR.

Prayerful thanksgiving -

For the beauty of this earth

Amen

Water Walking

Being surrounded by water here on Maui, I find my mind drifting to one of last week's lectionary verses about Jesus coming to the disciples on the water, ostensibly "on top of the water."  Not only do I drift to those verses but to a thought I've had many times in my life and a thought you  may have entertained as well.  That is - have you ever thought personally about your own walking on water?  I know silly, but have you?

Back to the Pacific Ocean I'm seeing from the condo, not a small sea, but still it's water, the wind is howling, and the ocean has white caps on it; a similar situation I think that Jesus' disciples might have found themselves in.  A little more sea than they'd bargained for, wondering if they would perish or at least lose their boat and livelihood, what must they have thought to see Jesus coming toward them?

Did they fear it was the end for them, that they were hallucinating, that perhaps they were already dead with an apparition of God appearing before them?  Did they swear or pray or cry out for mercy?  Were they speechless with fear and anxiety?  Did it occur to them that Jesus was coming to them  and would calm the waters, save their lives? 

And of Jesus - did he really "walk" on the water, was he wearing his sandals or was he barefooted with sandals in hand or pocket?  Did he glide like a curling stone or was he more like Michael Jackson gliding smoothly as though in a heavenly moonwalk stride?  Or did he simply float above the  tumultuous sea like a hover craft?  Were his hair and robes in total mad man-looking disarray, soaking wet, or dry as though insulated by a heavenly plastic shield?  See what I mean, there's a lot more to Jesus just walking out and getting in the boat.....did he step gently over the side with a long stride or did he sort of lunge and trip into the middle as if crash landing off a wave?  Is that when he decided to command the sea to be still?

However he navigated the waters, barefoot or sandaled,  Jesus accomplished the walking and it looked so simple that Peter confidently stepped out of the boat to join Him.  Quickly realizing that no matter how much faith he had to step over the side of the boat, he did not have enough of it to keep himself at Jesus' level of ability, Peter cried out at once for Jesus' help.

So, have you ever thought of walking on water or is it a world record, a never-since gold medal honor that you've always left for Jesus to hold on his own?  And other of Jesus' examples and teachings such as loving our neighbors as we love ourselves, or just trying to love ourselves - is that even too hard for us to accomplish, giving it up as impossible rather than even giving it a try. Surely there is so much faith, example, and story in the telling of Jesus' water walk that it has lasted 2000 years.  

What would Jesus' water walk look like to us today or what does it look like today when our boats are in danger of sinking, our faith is in need of resuscitation, our lives are not on the even keel that they're supposed to be?  Are we willing to take one step toward Jesus in order to ask for his help, his hand, his love or is it a fairy tale story to even imagine.....I mean, do you really think he walked on the water?

Astounded anyone?

Image by Mark Cariaga via Flickr

What astounds us these days?  Anything, something, nothing?  How about the weather?  Seems by now we should be used to the changing air, sky, and earth conditions but still we chat of the weather  regularly as though it's some profoundly amazing subject.  Amazing or common?  The weather is internationally reported - its changes, global warming.....are you old enough to remember when there was no "Weather Channel"?  I remember the first time I heard a friend declare that the WC was his favorite channel!  The weather and its conversational value - boring, mundane but perhaps astounding for more than one reason.

The news - murders, accidents, embezzlers - both on large and small scale, haven't they always been with us?  Yet we're still astounded at their seeming frequency, shaking our heads and muttering "what were they thinking?" Or have we become hardened to the more gruesome happenings of our day and think them not astounding at all? 

Perhaps we've developed protective shells that serve to shelter against that which is astounding.  Peeking out of those shells purposefully or by accident, we may perchance be tempted by the coo or smile of a passing baby, the wonder of caressing smooth, velvety dog's ears, a kitten's purr, or by glimpsing two persons who though seeing each other nearly every day for 25-40 even 60 years, glow in the sight of one another's faces.  These glimpses of life might be and I think can be considered astounding.

Commonplace, every day - the every day where we live?  What places or times can we find creation, civilization, or spirituality touching our lives in new astounding ways?  Maybe we can't or don't - maybe we could if we listened, paid heed, and intentionally noticed the miracle of life all around us every moment - so a guided exercise:).......take a deep breath - give thanks for that breath, feel that heartbeat, imagine all the parts of your body that are coordinated in order for you to be reading this post............astounding!

This post may seem irrelevant to you at this moment - remember - ASTOUNDING this evening and tomorrow;  you may find yourself surprised.  I'd love to hear from you if this word resounds for you in a new and different way in the next 24 hours.

Image by Mark Cariaga via Flickr