MINDSIEVE STUDIO - Check it out!

Image by aldenjewell via Flickr

MindSieve blog posts are going to be taking place over at ye olde MindSieve Studio Website from today forward.....so please if you've been a follower of MindSieve for some time, pack up your stuff and come on over to the much improved and expanded website - there's a truckload of stuff to explore and I'd love to see you there on a regular basis!  

As always, thanks for reading!  

Mount Kilimanjaro

I wrote this past week of choosing to live in hope - the attached link below is one of the reasons I live in hope.

Young people of today don't just talk about accomplishing things for themselves and for others, they DO accomplish things for themselves and for others - check it out - one of these hikers is Sarah in the midst of  a climbing team from the NIKE Corporation on a Kilimanjaro jaunt - check it out:)

 

Preparation and Surprise

Image by MarcelGermain via Flickr

So many fun and exciting preparations will take place in this final countdown week prior to the big ocean adventure/trip/pilgrimage/voyage thing!

I've wakened the last few nights with thoughts of the next day's chores and checklists.  I'd say lost sleep is not a good thing but as I lie awake checking items off my lists, I eventually become bored with that and then turn to prayer (a good thing) for some anxiety relief!  Succumbing, I call upon my "alphabet prayer list" - seems to calm and lull me back into dreamland.  (The alphabet prayer  A, B, etc. naming those names that come into my head for each letter and then adding a prayer for that person.  The name can be a first name, a family name, a famous person name - for example a first name like granddaughter A with a calming prayer for her back-to-school anxiety, or proceeding with the B's, a last name as in daughter K's last - with a prayer for her writing skills, or a family name like McM - with prayers for everyone's safe travels, a J name - a recently scooter-injured person's name comes to my mind with a prayer for healing and less pain, sometimes the deceased seem particularly prominent during the alphabet roll call.  As I said, the alphabet prayer ultimately soothes my anxiety and I'm off to sleep with often the last amusing thought of "wouldn't Oprah be surprised to know I pray for her occasionally when I "hit the O's?"

Missing a little sleep, feeling a sense of excitement or maybe anxiety during the day, I sometimes think I'm over-reacting to the excitement of this trip planning.  On the other hand, how can I resist to prepare as fully as possible in order to then let what happens, happen!  It's like wrapping one's own surprise birthday present - sort of knowing what's inside the package, loving the outer layers of shiny colored paper and ribbon, ultimately removing the outer layers to find an amazing, "just thought I knew what it was," surprise!

Do you ever remember preparing for such a journey or such an event? Maybe it was a graduate school

diploma in your hand, or the amazing foreign face of the child you had longed for, or how about renewed acquaintance with a long lost friend or cousin?  These are amazing gifts we think we know are coming to us - but can never really imagine the actual thrill of the unwrapping!   If you have a minute I'd love to hear a sharing of something for which you prepared and then had to let it happen...........

 

Pilgrimage/Journey Ideas

Image via Wikipedia

Most of MindSieve's readers know that there's a big voyage for me beginning later this month.  In preparation, I've been reading fiction regarding the South Pacific, Michener, Melville, etc. and a book on pilgrimage mindfulness; being in the present moment, being conscious of the sacred that surrounds a traveler on the journey.

I'm currently pondering thoughts of some small, meaningful treasure that I will take along in my luggage to leave on each island that we visit.  Has to be non-harmful to the environment, not showy, ornate or obvious - just something that I will know I've left behind.  Any thoughts or brainy ideas that come into your head(s) regarding the item?  Have you left treasures as you've made especially meaningful journeys somewhere in your life?  I would love to hear about those treasures.

I'm planning to prepare several soul collage pages to fit in my new journal - pages that I'll "listen" to from time to time while we travel.  The journal - oh, yes, I have a new journal and of course, I have several books downloaded on my Kindle for those days at sea made for relaxed reading, napping, reading.   I'm wondering about a daily book of readings/devotions/contemplative writing for the trip.  I know that you readers have favorite "reads" that you use seasonally, yearly, daily and I'd love your suggestions about a small volume (I might just Kindle it).  So, please give this some thought and send me your list of favorites - there must be one out there that is just yearning for my attention.




Now, lest you think that I'm overworking this pilgrimage stuff, you're probably right.  On the other hand, the planning is so delightful and it seems to be putting a couple of my creative activities in gear - i.e. the writing and as it happens, the painting as well - so I'm letting the planning do its thing and I'm going along for the ride:)

Again, put on your thinking caps and send me a few thoughts about the treasures to be left behind and the volume of daily reading.......I look forward to the thoughts that come from you!

Photo - Wikipedia - Storm in the South Pacific

Blankie anyone?

Image by MarkOMeara via Flickr

I went to my favorite American Heritage Dictionary today to check out the word blankie or blanky and there was no record of the word.  Thinking it impossible that no publication has picked up this common toddler term, I typed the word in at Wikipedia's Dictionary site and sure enough - here's their definition:
A blanket, especially a security blanket; often spelled blankie in this context.
 

Now, you may be wondering what the MindSieve is up to today with a discussion of blankie......well, as a matter of fact, last night as I was tucking that extra pillow firmly into its position next to my body curvature, I chuckled a bit and thought oh, isn't it funny that we adults presume that we gave up our blankies years ago?  Did we?

I had a young female sales executive who sent her husband home from the hospital delivery room to fetch her blankie - it was going to be a long labor and she needed it.  She had then, and may to this day, a scrap of her favorite baby blankie (blanket) that was always with her at night - at home or away.  I suspect her babies, now maybe teens, still have a remnant of their toddler years as well.  I know people who hold something in their hand all night, a handkerchief, a tissue, a grasp of a silky pillowcase.  Once on a NYC Midtown bus, I watched a young teen work and work and work what looked like a piece of yarn - over and through his fingers again and again - not frantically, but caressingly.  As we approached his stop, I observed him carefully rewind what looked like a piece of dirty yarn and place it deep in his jeans pocket.  I KNOW in my heart of hearts that that piece of yarn was what was left of his blankie.


I think many children attach themselves to a soft silky stuffed toy early in their lives.  My kids had blankies or substitute blankies - one of my daughters had a Raggedy Ann doll that I had to capture and wash in the washing machine occasionally - it was a stinky little thing but she loved it to pieces - literally to pieces!  I'm not sure when it made its last appearance.  I made the absolutely wretched mistake of throwing out one of my step-daughter's blankies in her early college years.  I had asked that her room be cleaned - she said that she had made a pile of keeps and a pile of throwaways.  In her absence, I mistakenly threw away the "keeps."  Oh my gosh, I'll never live that one down!......but the raggedy, green blanket was awful and I didn't know it was a treasure! 


So how about you?  Did your kids have blankies and did you?  Do you still have a blankie of some kind - something you never travel or sleep without.  An extra pillow is occasionally missing in a hotel room or a friend's guest room - I substitute a bath towel in my pillow's place if necessary.  It's not nearly as comforting or sleep-inducing as the real thing at home but I honestly can't see myself tucking my own feather pillow under my arm on every journey....well, maybe - there are certainly a lot of teens with pillows in their arms boarding flights these days.  Maybe not under my arm, but in the suitcase?
So tell me some blanie stories or disguise them as though they're someone else's blankie and not really your own.  Oh, come on, pleeeeaaassseee!:)

Piggy-Back Post....

Image via Wikipedia

Thursday of this week while reading from one of my favorite blogger's site, I came upon this quote from author, Phil Cousineau -

 " If we truly want to know the secret of soulful travel, we need to believe that there is something sacred waiting to be discovered in virtually every journey. "

I made note of the thought and was prompted to write my own post about journey;  I too have read Mr. Cousineau's book entitled "The Art of Pilgrimage," yet when approaching the subject I found the muse was content with what Lucy had to say about her upcoming travels and I decided to just, well to just - borrow/steal/piggy-back - yes, I seem to think piggy-back is the nicest term -  so please, to legitimate my piggy-back, visit Lucy's site and read her thoughts of travel, noting only that coincidentally, if there is such a thing as coincidence, we are leaving on the same day for extended travel adventures.  The difference being while she sits astride a stately camel in the midst of the dry, dry desert, I will be aboard a Holland America oceanliner visiting the South Pacific Ocean! The stories from both adventures, I'm hoping, will be entertaining, surprising and very worth sharing; I expect some of those tales will end up both at the MindSieve and at Lucy's favorite hangout.  

I know that both of us have great expectations for the beauty and mystery of both the desert and the ocean.  I'm confident neither of us will be disappointed.  The departure date is not for a few more weeks but we are anticipating the journeys with great expectations so the subject may surface here OR there again before the final liftoff!

Photo - Wikipedia, sunset over Pacific Ocean from space

Fat - Definitely Food for Thought

"No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat.  

Without a brain, you might look good, 

but all you could do is run for public office." 

-George Bernard Shaw-

I lifted GBS's quote from one of my favorite blog sites.....thought some of you readers might enjoy the thought and the blogsite.  

The public office/politician smiling thought, for me, is that no matter what party we vote for in whatever country we love and live in, all politicians have the ability to surprise, shock and dumbfound us - even when they are from OUR OWN favored group:)

Why Facebook?

Image by Raymond Yee via Flickr

I found an interesting article in our most recent copy of "Christian Century" by theologian Barbara Brown Taylor.  She was questioning our lives "Before Computers" - not denigrating the tools - but reasonably questioning what we did prior to email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. She states her concern to be "with those who have lost their freedom to decide when to use the media and when to turn it off."  Continuing on to say "Does anyone remember what people did with the hours we are now spending in front of screens?"

The author then lists many wonderful things that she remembers doing in that time.  I admit that I related to many of her same memories, yet, I'm personally acquainted with friends who were and still are perfectly happy to spend their time in front of something other than a computer - and that's a television set.  I suspect many of those same folks would never relate to the pleasure of having written long, newsy letters to their friends and family, nor thought of enjoying quiet time on a plane, nor even having lunch with friends to catch up on the news.  Their interest just didn't, nor does it relate to communication with other human beings.  I don't mean to say that everyone I know is a dreary, boring individual.  On the contrary, I find my life full of fabulous friends,  family, and acquaintances met through business and travel experiences - so many people that it would be nigh impossible to either eat or sleep if I tried to correspond with them via the USPS and long, newsy letters.

Continuing in the author's vein of letter writing, I'm afraid I never did develop the habit of ordering beautifully monogrammed stationery nor fountain pens to communicate with friends and family.  I used the telephone if the family was particularly close and I dutifully penned notes of condolence and regret or RSVP replies, but seldom newsy, lengthy letters.  Of course, my parents and in-laws, under a totally unknown situation to me of long time separation due to World War events, had occasion to communicate through letter writing.  They had no other means of communication.  Their thoughts, concerns, love, anxiety and daily news out of pure necessity needed to be sent via the postal service to far off destinations.  So, yes, I can understand how my parents would not understand today's method of communication nor are many of them or their contemporaries still living interested in attempting it on a regular basis.  Just too much trouble and too impersonal.

My counter to that argument, and something I consider a plus, is that through the aforementioned mediums of email and Facebook contact, I've recently found friends from 50 years ago, my high school graduating class.  I found them prior to attending an amazing class reunion a couple of weeks ago and, due to Facebook communication, we kind of had a headstart on our face-to-face reunion.  I've made connection with cousins and their children, with new blogging friends - whom I've never met in person, yet feel connected to via our  personal post exchanges.  I'm in contact, or shall we say,  in communication with a niece in Kyrgystan, a nephew in NYC, and two in MN, I know about birthday parties and celebrations of nieces and nephews that I haven't seen in years but feel I know their families through snapshots of what's happening in their lives.  I've seen the beautiful figure of a niece expecting her first baby, the glowing pride of their mothers and fathers about the events in their children's lives that they would never think to write me about in a letter.  Why would they think I cared to know that?  Mundane details of daily life?  How much more connected am I with my loved ones and even with those I don't love soooo much, but still am somewhat curious about where life has taken them.......!  

You might ask what difference does all of that make - short sentences over full-blown correspondence?  A big difference - there's an instant connection - there's an "I'm here, I'm listening to you, I'm offering up my prayers for your ailing parents, for your children recovering from surgery, for your recent divorce, for your broken heart, for your new job, for your vacation, for the birth of your first grandchild, for the wedding of your second daughter, for the launch of your last child to college, your first grandchild's steps or first ballgame or first swimming award!  I care and can pray for these persons rather than wondering some time later, where was I?  Where was I when these folks needed my love, my prayers, my support in their sorrow, in their losses, in their thrill of new birth, in their celebration of each day?

Still with all of the communication tools I have, I may still miss LOTS of important events in the lives of those I love but I do have a fighting chance to know the news before it's old and cold news.  I can get carried away in writing a blog, in surfing on Facebook, in rejoicing in the silly and arcane but it's a way of life that I wouldn't trade for the non-communication, the non-knowing, the non-connection of friends and family. 

 

In closing I think it amusing, along with Mrs. Brown Taylor, to ponder the items of the past that my grandchildren will never experience......touring last summer through a local historical museum depicting the heritage of our community, my 9 year granddaughter, Ella, spied a very old typewriter in a showcase.  She quickly summoned her brother, age 4, and pointing at the machine, said, "Look Henry, there's an old-fashioned computer!" By the way, same Henry, has started answering SKYPE calls at their home in Asia...........so, yes my grandchildren will certainly probably never enjoy the pleasure or habit of writing or receiving letters (although I must admit I do try to send off a letter now and then to perhaps pique an interest in lettered communication) but perhaps they will be in closer communion with each other, their families, and their loved-ones - I don't know.

But one last thought, probably to be expanded into another post - maybe our thoughts in prayer and conversation with God have always been somewhat internet/electronic in nature?  I mean we send them out there in space and hope for a returning answer, that is, an answer that we'll like...........

Biography II

Reading another person's biography, specifically the one I posted about yesterday,  by a woman, about a woman, I think of my own life experiences;  the place I was born,  the childhood and teen years with a cadre of similar lives and situations surrounding me, the totally overwhelming experience and loneliness of college, the mistake of teenage marriage, the floundering of a young wife, the desperation of post-partum depression - oh oops - I shouldn't give you the whole plot here and now, should I?

Could there be an autobiographical book written about my family, my life, my friends?  Of course anything is possible and such a book could be written, with the expectation that the most copies of such a book would be of interest to my children, grandchildren and to those friends that inhabited the book along with me - a book of a few hundred pages and most probably a good family read - rather than a worldwide best seller.  Naturally my story would reflect upon an American culture, small town girl raised by small town parents, first loves, college, marriage, kids,  foreign travel and residency, tragedy, divorce, business, happiness, loss, abundance, love, joy.....hope and optimism for a happy ending, faith and confidence in the Resurrection.....there's a lot that could cut and pasted into an auto-biography.  

Yet, would I want ALL of my life to be, shall I say - exposed - naked to criticism, examination, judgment, disdain?  Probably not but in my personal examination of it today, I wouldn't change any of it.  I'd still be happy with my sheltered, small town beginnings, my wonderful friends - many of them still in my life today - my travels, adventures, and work in big cities, with fast and crazy friends  too in those places; my children of a first marriage, my stepdaughters from a second marriage, a wonderful spouse, good health and as above my optimism for a happy ending to my life here on earth......I could read my biography and be content - and you?  

What would you count as your achievements?  Fame, fortune, parenthood?  I'd count among my top accomplishments not my business engagement that yields me a nice pension now (for which I am most grateful), nor my volunteer Board positions, nor even my rather interesting artwork that gives me great pleasure to produce.  No, my top accomplishments would have to do with engaging with my Creator in the best way I can, living among friends - old and new - who know they can trust and count on me, my joy at having good health at least through today's date, my loving relationship with my spouse of 25 years and the total and unbelievable joy of being Mother, Step-Mother, and Grandmother.

And how about you - a quick survey of the biography in your head - take a look.  Could you write a book that would pique someone's curiosity, that would bring a tear or a smile to a stranger's face?  Who would your readers be, your biggest fans?  I believe that we've been born into this life to do the best we can with the gifts that God has entrusted us to use wisely.  I believe that many, many, many people I know and particularly have recently revisited, embraced, and counted blessings with have done just that and continue to do that daily.  Have you used your gifts wisely - if not today - there's always tomorrow......script up that biography in your head, live it and love it - all we have left is all we have left!  Best seller anyone?

Biography

Image via Wikipedia

I read Pearl S. Buck's novel "The Good Earth" this past spring and recently began reading a biography of her entitled - "China's Daughter: Journey to the Good Earth" by Hilary Spurling.  Having personally lived in Hong Kong for several years, a British Colony at the time, and having traveled a bit on the Mainland of China in the late '70's and again in '07, I have an inclination of the history and the specificity of how an everyday Chinese person might view the world.  My best opportunity to observe and to understand the Chinese people was gleaned through business contact with factory owners, factory workers, Chinese administrative staff in my office, live-in household help, drivers, and dignitaries.........having encountered the dignitaries while living in New York City and meeting them through my spouse's work - he working with them, I engaged in the meeting/greeting stages of receptions and dinners. (Also in '07 we had exposure to Chinese culture at close range while visiting a daughter currently residing and working in Taipei.) But the point is, with my brief history of exposure/immersion to Chinese culture, I was fascinated with the story of "The Good Earth's" protagonist, farmer, Wang Lu, his family life, etc. ..... part of Chinese life that I really was NOT exposed to is outlined beautifully by Buck.  I found the crossover from the farmer's life into his exposure to city life real enough to see in my mind.  She was a marvelous story teller.

In the biography mentioned above, I've learned that "The Good Earth" outsold any novel of its time by 100s of thousands of copies, its writing won Ms. Buck a Pulitzer Prize, as well as garnering Chinese Chairman Mao Tse-Tung's disdain and exclusion from the country, thereby  preventing her return to China on a trip with Richard Nixon in '72.......a trip she desperately wanted to make, a trip in essence to return to her home - denied as Mao described her as an American cultural imperialist! The biography clearly outlines the details of Buck's growing up in the Chinese culture, her relating more to that environment and people  than to her own American birthplace and her citizenship of the United States.    In fact, as a child Pearl was so indoctrinated and steeped in the culture that her  first and most comfortable language was Chinese.  Her blonde hair and blue eyes were considered "ghost like" by the Chinese she encountered on a daily basis.........her Amah kept her pigtails stuffed into a small round cap preventing as much of her frightening appearance to be disguised as possible.....the blue eyes, well she just had to live with those.  Her attire was that of Chinese children of the time.

The biography further reveals Buck's marriage to a missionary engaged with the Chinese "heathens" and so steeped in his religiosity that he had little time or, in fact, personal interest in the life, emotions or survival of his wife and children - a cruel partnership for any woman to bear.  Yet, bear it she did for many years losing herself in the missionary work, the birth defect of her only child, Carol, and her adopted daughter, Janice. (In many ways Pearl's life imitated that of her parents - the father preoccupied with his work, and the mother devastated by the deaths of several of their children to various diseases that decimated the Chinese population with whom they resided.) With occasional trips back to the States, Buck realized that her true home was China.  Her love for the Chinese people was manifested in not only "The Good Earth" but in many books, magazine articles, and lectures that she churned out often from thinly disguised experiences of her personal life.

If you've ever had any curiosity about China, I highly recommend both "The Good Earth" and Hilary Spurling's "China's Daughter: Journey to the Good Earth."  No curiosity for China - well take a quick look at my reading list on the right - I've fed my personal curiosity in the past year with some great books - enjoy!  By the way, I'd love to hear your recommendations for good reads as well.  My curiosity extends to what my readers find interesting and also where they've traveled or lived for a period of their lives.




*photo from Wikipedia of Pearl S. Buck

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56 Things You Can Toss Out Now by Christine Kane

Image by veesees via Flickr

 I've never featured another blogger's writing on MindSieve - other than quotations - but this being a "light weekend" (not an original thought in my head) in some ways and maybe in other ways a "heavy lifting" weekend - cleaning, yard work, moving, etc., in case you're taking a rest and browsing, I hope you'll enjoy this post from CHRISTINE KANE.  She's a talented young entrepreneur, songwriter, poet, life coach, many gifts in her repertoire.  I often read her words of wisdom and hope you'll enjoy this delightful sample of her wit and  charm.  Christine's contact information is at the end of this article.............

 

56 Things You Can Toss Out Now
by Christine Kane

We hold onto our stuff for two reasons: Love or fear. We either love things. Or we fear letting them go.
We cherish them and know they have value to us.

OR...

We fear that we'll need them someday. We fear that we wasted our money on them. We fear what others will think if we let them go. We even fear making the decision to release our mistakes, so we don't make any decision at all. Instead we passively hold onto stuff out of guilt.

Well, guess what?

When you begin to make choices from a place of LOVE and EXPANSION, then your world will change. Love is the clearest reason to do anything.

If you don't love it, toss it. Give it away. Your abundance and energy will increase when you begin to live by love, and not by fear.

Here are 56 things you can toss out (or give away) right now...

1. All the hotel key cards you forgot to turn it when you checked out.

2. The doilies your Aunt Missy crocheted 45 years ago that got handed down to you.

3. CD's you haven't listened to in three years or more.

4. The boxes of cassettes you've been meaning to transfer to CD's.

5. The bread maker you haven't used since 2003.

6. Your wedding dress.

NOTE: You can say you've been saving it for your daughter, but here are three signs that your daughter doesn't want to wear it:

a] she's already married and wore her own dress, b] she's been roommates with a woman named Pat for nine years, or c] you don't have a daughter.

7. Credit card bills from 1995.

8. The Allen wrenches from every piece of IKEA furniture you ever assembled.

9. The jacket you spent way too much money on and never wore.

NOTE: Keeping it around just to punish yourself for your bad choices is like going to parochial school all over again.

10. Every scratching post or toy your cat doesn't like.

NOTE: Your cat didn't go to parochial school so there's no sense punishing him.

11. House plants you no longer love.

12. The stacks of O Magazine you swear you'll re-read.

13. Every little zippy bag that came with a Clinique purchase.

14. Every unopened perfume that came with a Clinique purchase.

15. Leftover scrunchies in case you grow your hair long again. (Or in case the 90's return!)

16. The "Cherries Jubilee" flavored lip balm that makes you nauseous.

17. Every single regretful lipstick color you bought on a whim. ("Cherries Jubilee" is probably there, too.)

18. Your last four cell phones and all their chargers and blue teeth.

19. Single socks.

20. The Spode Christmas plates and mugs you don't like. (Along with the Christmas bath towels and welcome mat.)

21. The framed posters you had in your college dorm room.

22. Old stereo wires.

NOTE: If your husband refuses to let go of any of these mysterious wires, try this: Put them (not him!) in a bin and label it "Random Cables and Wires." After two years, bring it out of storage and kindly note that no one has thought about it in two years. Ask if it would be okay to let go of half of them. Repeat process until all mysterious cables and wires are gone.

23. The nails, screws, anchors, and cup hooks rusting in the bottom of your tool chest.

24. Remote controls that don't remotely control anything you own.

25. Lamps, toasters, blenders, coffeemakers that no longer work.

26. The notion that you will ever be one of those moms that makes beautiful scrapbooks.

NOTE: Put your photos in boxes. No one will judge you.

27. Old blankets and linens you keep in case you suddenly have 27 sleepover guests.

28. College text books.

29. Any boring decorative item that does little more than fill space.

30. Vases you don't loveor use.

31. Candle holders you don't love or use.

32. Picture frames you don't love or use.

33. Class notes from college.

34. The idea that you have to save every last piece of your children's artwork and school work because it might mean you don't love them if you don't. (Save your favorites that have meaning to you!)

35. The "good silver" you don't use that was passed down to you.

36. Old VHS movies.

37. Unlabeled VHS tapes. (And don't waste your time watching them just in case.)

38. The stationary bike that got even more stationary after you got it.

39. The fabric pieces you've been collecting in case you ever become a quilter.

40. Flashlights that dimly light up only after you bang them over and over on your thigh.

41. Old keys that open some door somewhere in the past.

42. Suitcases you don't use.

43. Old computers.

44. Old stereos.

45. Promotional duffel bags with ugly logos and bad acronyms stitched all over them.

46. Anything that makes you say, "But I got such a good price on it!"

47. Anything that makes you say, "But I paid so much for it!"

48. Half-full cans of paint.

49. Extra baby items/Old baby items.

50. Record albums.

NOTE: Don't spend your extra hours in a day trying to figure out if someone will buy them. Really. They won't. They can buy the BeeGees on iTunes.

51. Gifts you never liked.

52. All the cross-stitch, knitting, or sewing projects you never finished.

53. Any glassware or dinnerware that is a "memorabilia" item from proms or sororities or sports events.

54. Old information packets you no longer need or that you can easily find on line.

55. All the hotel soaps that you took with you. (And stop taking them. You've got plenty of soap!)

56. The belief that you only have to go through the de-cluttering process once and won't ever have to do it again.


WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.
WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?

See Christine's blog at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Our public faces

As regular readers, or anyone within shouting distance, you will know that on last Saturday I entered my first ever 5K Run Event.  I won't bore you here again with the details but, as you might guess, thoughts of that day are still very fresh in my mind.

After the race, a short rest,  and a shower, my spouse and I headed off for our local farmer's market to shop and to visit.  One of the "visits" I most enjoyed was running into one of my favorite stability ball/strength training teachers, along with her children.  I, of course, immediately told her of my glorious and successful a.m. and after a great high five, I stooped down to visit with the children.  Rebecca's son, in a stroller, had a mouth covered in blue and yellow stains from the snow ice he was consuming and daughter, Tallulah, who I believe might be about 8 or 9, was also involved with a snow ice - albeit not as noticeably having smeared it all over her face as her brother had done.  After an intro and how are yous, Talullah turned her face up to me and said, "I really like your lipstick color:)"  I returned her compliment with a polite and enthusiastic thank you and then her mother went on to explain that she and Talullah were both into women of fashion and that my red lips had obviously piqued Talullah's appreciation:).............lest you think that I agree with the push on fashion being necessarily or not important to a young girl, I need to explain what thoughts crossed my mind at that moment.

Rebecca had introduced me to her children as a friend and "a physically strong, determined woman" who sometimes participated in her classes (she's a sub for my regular great teacher at the YMCA, Christy Druffel).  I, in turn, was praising the child's mother for her energy, strong body, bright mind and totally active and competent mothering skills.  I felt that in praising each other over one another's accomplishments of both physical and mental activities, there was a quick example there for her kiddos of how friends support each other in their various activities, of how praise can be given, shared, received.  Also, the example of a woman, obviously much older than her mother, (although I'm not quite sure if children lump ALL adults into the older category?)  who was in relationship with her and with her mother on levels of work, play, and fashion.  I believe that how we act and react with other people in public and in private is so important for the socialization of children and for their attitudes toward adults other than their parents.

A gifted theologian and scholar by the name of Ellen Charry once spoke to a church audience I was in (St. Paul's Riverside, CT) about the fact that church is possibly the only other place (aside from a school classroom) where children are, in effect, in relationship with adults other than their parents.  I think it's easy to overlook that kids know their parents along with possibly a small circle of their adult friends, and other than that, that children in general seldom inter-relate with adults.  I believe, along with Ms. Charry, that a child's mental capacity for love, for maturity, for exchange with others is influenced by the positive (and negative) experiences they encounter growing up - even small exchanges in our outdoor farmer's market.

So that's it, just an observation about what we, by example, teach our children and grandchildren through our own behavior with them and through our behavior with and about other adult friends and strangers.  Whether a parent or not, have you ever thought about how your personal behavior could possibly affect the life of a child that you know and love and even, perhaps, affect a child who may only observe you in a public place?  I think it's something to think about and consider whether you're a parent or not.

  

Tricycle to bicycle - six short decades

Tricycle to bicycle in just 6 short decades - I mean, who knew?  

About a year ago I was at a workshop retreat session participating in an exercise to engage sensory perception, along with movement and memory.  Vividly recalling a childhood event with joy and action, I had my body careening around the workshop space in an energetic re-enactment of me  on my childhood bicycle.  

Bicycle memories flooded to the surface of my memory as from about fourth grade up until maybe ninth, I loved the freedom of riding my bike - in the neighborhood to friends' houses, to school, home for lunch, back to school for a quick game of softball - the bike was my mode of transport; that is until it was replaced by the empowerment of age 16 and my driver's license.   After that, I expect the bike was in the garage for a while until my mother sold it - (she had a pattern of quickly selling anything that was no longer useful in her opinion) to one's everyday life.

Back to the workshop experience, I was so moved by the memory exercise that I started immediately planning a summer bike purchase.  Then the doubt began to set in - what if I couldn't really ride that well anymore, or what if I took a spill, or a car hit me, or that ugly helmet that's now a real requirement for bike riding  kept my hair a mess all of the time?  I didn't need a bike or even really want a bike, probably I just imagined that fun more brilliantly than it had ever been....probably, maybe.

So that bike was NOT purchased last year and it seemed no big loss; EXCEPT, the bike thing kept coming back to me and particularly after a session with my friend and coach, Tonya, when we had discussed decision making out of fear versus out of confidence and love.  So, of course, you can probably guess the ending to this little story.  My spouse and I made a "just looking" trip to the bike shop on Saturday.  A soft spoken, knowledgeable, could answer all my questions young guy came out to the bike showroom and asked me questions about how I would be using a bike - did I want comfort and/or speed, mountain biking, strolling - did I want something a little on the "edge" in order to push me a little farther in line with more experience after I had it for a while?  He picked out a couple of bikes he thought seemed appropriate to my answers, suggested I take them for a spin and launched me out the door.

I must say that my mouth was dry, I felt somewhat uneasy as I flung that right leg over the saddle like I was getting on a horse and then I was "there" ......  even as I felt that first couple of pedals, I knew that "the bike thing" was real. There was nothing to fear about what other people might think of me purchasing a bike at my age (yes, I had thought about that), it was unlikely I would be risking myself with daredevil trick riding, nor group racing any time soon. There was nothing to be done but to get on with it.  So after decades of not being on a bicycle except for a couple of short days on a vacation years ago, my beautiful new bike is in the garage and will be out today for its second spin.  The first one was the afternoon of the purchase and I was in position two, spouse in the lead.  Today, it'll be me, my bike, and the helmet, of course:)  No doubt there'll be a photo here soon of all three elements of the seamless rider and her equipment!

So, anything you haven't done in decades that you're considering taking up again or trying for the first time?  I'd love to hear about it and remember, often things that one might not have thought possible can and do happen.......usually all it takes is one's decision to make it so.


Photo - Sunrise Sister tiny age 4?, on her huge tricycle - very happy!

A horse, a cow, a CAMEL?

This morning on our way to church in a nearby town, we were somewhat surprised to see a camel munching away in a roadside barnyard, I might add, comfortably munching away as though he/she lives there now.  At first we just laughed but then on reflection later in the day I became very concerned......

I mean, where did this camel come from, who were his parents, who allowed him into Waitsburg, is he going to replace one of our local cows or horses or sheep in some way?  Will he take away some unsuspecting animal's livelihood?  Do the local yaks and alpacas (oh I remember when THEY arrived), tut! tut!) know he/she's here? Did this intruder steal into town in the night and now flaunt its presence as though it had always been here?  Will he be cheaper to maintain than some of our native animals, taste better, work harder, and just why did he come here anyway?  Is this the beginning of a camel invasion?

I don't know....you need to be careful these days.  One easy intruder and there goes the neighborhood!

Where do you think this animal's credentials are anyway?  Someone needs to investigate, don't you think?!  Have you seen any of these creatures in your neighborhood, it could be a conspiracy that should be investigated......oh, I hate to get involved in these upsetting immigration issues - I mean, I was just on my way to church, an innocent Christian bystander to this probable invasion of outsiders!

The Pen, the Paper, the Gift

The pen, the paper, the bounty,
the magical trick
The pen - the wand in motion, consummating the word

Planted, pregnant, bursting
Feast or famine, the mind issues the fruit of its labor

The pen, the paper - the Benevolent or the magical -
 your wrist and pen dancing, scratching,
exposing your meek or plentiful harvest

Click the "unsubscribe" button

I've been involved with a rich online program of Lenten study this season that has taken me, so far, on a path of contemplative and centering prayer and meditation practices. Some of the self-awareness that has been stirring in me, through participating in this study, is in regard to how and why I spend time, where and when I do and for whom.  I believe in giving back to the community which so richly supports my life in this small town, so I am involved in community projects - occasionally, I feel overwhelmed and am tempted to throw up my hands and quit them all.  On the other hand, I gain much from outreach with fellow citizens and organizations and am blessed to share their dedicated service. 

Also as I support others, I am supported and strengthened spiritually by a wealth of blog and online friends that I might never meet or know in person.  Furthermore, childhood friends whose presence in my life is undeniably important to the person I am today, even family members that are not close by are met and interacted with through the wonderful internet communication opportunities that we have today.  I wouldn't give these opportunities up for anything.

Yet, while living this gift of life and gift of choice..... choices rich and varied - simple and complex, I realize there are those things in my life that draw me away from the importance of spiritual thanksgiving, prayer, meditation.  For example something as irrelevant to my existence as an email inbox is littered every day (and I do visit it every day, regularly) with offers and pleas from political entities, charitable organizations, marketing and merchandising ploys begging me to buy their goods - even a surfeit of spiritual offerings that is, at times, tiresome and overwhelming in their pleas for the "me now, most important, you can't live without this message" advertising.  I've built that inbox by allowing these day by day, step by step distractions to accumulate and populate my computer and thereby distract my mind often from that which is productive, positive, wholesome, and life-giving.

I spent some time this week scrolling to the bottom of senseless information crowding my space and head, searching out those little, teeny, tiny promises of not bothering me again, labeled "Unsubscribe" and clicking those buttons with fervor!  Often, a box appears with the question of why I am unsubscribing - I seldom write a reason but the explanation could be - "you're killing me with junk, I'm exhausted from reading your claims, your gripes, your guarantees.....etc. You're distracting me from time better spent with God, with my family, with my friends, with my writing, with my own creativity."

So, I guess my question to you today might be - what do you want to "unsubscribe" from?  What's draining your energy, your imagination, your time for family, prayer and meditation?  Why not join me today in finding that little "unsubscribe" button and clicking it..............

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

Virtual Office Visit

Over at Lucy's place last Friday, she offered us a view of her personal blogging/creative space. As well, she invited each of us to share photos of our workspaces. I hesitated a bit as my space is rather "nesty" - shall I say, lots of sticks and twigs, and feathers all around - all of the time! But with not too much tidying up - I present - tadah!~~

Computer ground zero. As you can see, I'm surrounded - my devotional books for the a.m. on one corner, little books of notes and reminders strewn around the desk with always many too many pens and pencils or not ONE in sight when I need it! On the right side of my desk where it makes an "L" turn, a family photo, along with my beginner's stack of Soul Collage Cards, my Kindle, Netflix and this week a beginning art project with a young girl that I visit with once a week....we're working on a photo collage together. If you squint you can probably see that I have art tables and easel across the room from my desk. When I'm not behind this computer, I like to be working in one of those spots - the room looks like a hurricane hit it during painting/cutting/pasting/collage time!

And lastly, behind me is a handy filing case that gets filled with the overflow from my desk with things I'm going to get around to, or are meaning to, or will start soon, or want to read next.....stacks. I've lowered the height of the stacks for easier viewing - use your imagination.

Summary, I like LOTS of stimuli surrounding me and my mind does whirl from spot to spot and that works for me. Sometimes I put LOTS of things out of sight, as I do have some lovely cabinets for that purpose, but mostly I keep what I like to use, to contemplate posts and to construct art projects close at hand! Thanks for visiting:)!

Ownership vs. Stewardship

Image via Wikipedia

Do you own your house or condo? Have you ever thought about what that means to own your property? Does it mean that it is yours until the end of time or does it mean that it is yours until your end of time and then somebody else will own it? I expect it means the latter but have you thought about that before? While you update the bathrooms or the kitchen, paint the garage door or plant spring bulbs, are you in the "I'm saving this for someone else mode" or the "I'm just fixing these things so that I can enjoy the home while I'm in it mode?" Does it matter to you whether another person will be buying your property or does that thought never cross your mind because you own your property and are staying in it as long as you want?!

Well, get a grip - the house is NOT yours even if you've a paid mortgage in hand. Whether you like it or not, the home in which you live is probably going to outlast you and no matter how much you declare that you own it - you don't. You just have it for the time being. Your children may inherit it or not but sooner or later, it's going to belong to someone else.

With that vision of ownership in your mind - what do you really own? Anything? Something? Your pearls or your watch or your new leather shoes? It's unlikely you own those things either. At some point in time, you'll tire of the possessions, perhaps, once more, bequeath them to your children or friends. Your precious things may not be precious to others - the pearls may not be genuine, the watch may rust and the new leather shoes may end up on someone's feet in another country - whoops, there's that we'll be dead and gone thought again.

Well, if it's just for the time being then why do I mention the word stewardship? Don't you like or maybe even love your home and/or at least some of your possessions enough to care for them while they are in your hands? Wouldn't it be a little part of you that would endure in this world if your worldly possessions were to survive into ages to come?

Oh, you could see this coming I'm sure.......what about this world, this planet, this water, this air - aren't they ours for the moment and don't we want to share them with our future inheritors - share them in as at least as good an order as we can possibly manage? I cannot understand those of our time who can only think of their own wealth, their own possessions, their own time as though what they leave behind will be of no consequence anyway. But it will be of consequence won't it? Our stewardship is ever so much more important than our ownership, isn't it?

I expect that most of MindSieve's readers are good stewards of their lives, their property, their planet and if you're reading today and you're not a good steward......well, I ask you to consider why you are not and ways that you could become better at stewardship. In essence, I believe that ALL we have is given into our hands by a Creator greater than we can even imagine. For me, it is part of my life to leave this earthly home I treasure a better than a worse place into which I arrived decades ago. How about you - do you need ideas for better stewardship or maybe you just need to think about how to steward a little better? O.k. think about it and thanks as always for reading!

The cold Christmas season

Image via Wikipedia

My emotions are running high and low these last few days. The lump in my throat and the tear in my eyes simultaneously catch me unexpectedly when living into the joy of the Lord's coming, alongside the reality of today's daily events.

The paramedics pager that lives in our house (no paramedic lives here, rather a chaplain always on call) is not quiet this a.m. There is a sheet of ice on our local streets and totally iced roadways leading into town. Just now a roll-over victim has been released from an accident and is on their way to the hospital. I pray for the victim and for the paramedics who've risked their lives to venture out for rescue.

My mind lingers on the young family that lost their home to fire last week as well as a business devastated by fire. Why am I reminded so clearly NOW of the tragedy around my small town and that of the world. Certainly tragedy occurs all year long; children never stop starving or dying from malaria, nor crazed suicide bombers think not to cease their activity only continuing to claim as many innocent lives as possible, and electrical fires and kitchen fires still flare up on the coldest days of the year.

Perhaps it is the cold that brings these images so close to me in this season or maybe it is the promise or frightening aspect of God, our savior, being born into the coldness of our collective hearts; all the while attending beautiful worship services in my warm clothes and reading scripture that admonishes me to "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you."

Has it? Do I live in a way that says the glory of the Lord has dawned upon me? Do you? Should I do something and am I doing something to raise the temperature of the coldness that permeates daily lives in our cities and in our "can't avoid it/connected" world?