Prayer or maybe just showing up?

PRAYER

Feas Forever!
Barbara, Anna, Kim, & Kristie

May today there be peace within you.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of FAITH.

May you use those gifts that you have received,

And pass on the LOVE that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing that you are a CHILD of God.

Let HIS presence settle into your bones, BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT.

And allow your soul the Freedom to sing, dance and to bask in the sun.

It is there for each and every one of you ; )

One of my BFFs from High School sent me this Prayer, in an email in May of 2000. My life was at a crossroads. I was single, finishing up my Master's Degree in Health Information Administration at MUSC and nothing was tying me down, except a silly one year old Golden Retriever pup, named Maggie May. I was trying to figure out which direction I was supposed to go. I was thinking of either heading back to the Tarheel State, maybe towards Research Triangle Park, or whether I would stay in Charleston, the HOLY city, where I felt like my heart had finally come home.

I said this Prayer at least twice a day (excellent timing for teeth brushing!) maybe more, I did alot of BREATHING IN and BREATHING OUT.

My boss apparently got wind that I was thinking of heading North after Graduation, so she made me a job offer, I could not refuse. That sealed it! Charleston became HOME in May of 2000. Life was GOOD!

I did alot of sailing that Summer - I LOVED it - Exhilarating! I bought a "Grown-up" house with a fenced in back yard for my Fuzzy Faced "Child." Soon, I fell in love, got married and we were blessed with an amazing child. We faced some significant losses in our lives. I learned about obedience. Obedience for me is FAITH when you can't see, hear or even feel God's presence in your life. Maybe because of my love for music, I started listening to our local Christian Radio station, HIS Radio 100.5 Even when I didn't feel it, the lyrics spoke to me and were somehow changing me from the inside out. I learned you have to show up, you move forward. I learned what Forgiveness really means and how sometimes you just have to "Do it Anyway."

FORGIVENESS by Mother Teresa

In Her Home for Children, Calcutta, India

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Mother's Day of 2011 was delightful. We were settling into our new home. My nasty Mom-Mobile received a bath with detailing inside and out, as requested. It really is the simple things! ; ) I received a Holy Cow Yoga Gift Certificate and a few other nice surprises. Life was Good!

One week later it felt like everything in my delightful life was now a BIG "?" Humbling. All the things I was so sure about the week before were now different: love, life, family, home, career, honesty, relationships, commitment, faith, future, trust, dreams, goals, etc., EVERYTHING!

So, I pulled this prayer out again today. Or maybe it found me!?!? ; ) It's a good one anytime, but especially uplifting when you feel like you're at a crossroads in life, or when you have more questions than you know how to answer. It's a reminder of our FAITH, even when we don't think we have it ourselves. It's a reminder that it's not about us - it's the JOURNEY, the winding road, even the roller coasters, growing, learning, obstacles we need to overcome, friends along the way, always there exactly when we need them the most, shining OUR Light! We are all gifted, we are all LOVED, we are ALL Children of God and we are ALL connected. You gotta get up, get out - sing & dance (or jump or whine or lean on your friends or LAUGH Out LOUD) and get some Sonshine - it is OUR Birthright! ; )



Photo by Heather Anderson



Mommy & Me - Wining & Whining - Kim, Sara & Karin



Alyssa's BFF, Piper, LEANING - 2008

I also had to include this photo of a 13 year Cicada - even with all the craziness going on in my life, I have been totally captivated by these little creatures this Summer. Maybe it's just because they showed up? Apparently, they burrow deep into the ground and stay there, only surfacing every 13 years. When I heard they would be showing up this Spring. I wanted to find one, so I could take it to my Preschool and show the little children a creature that only surfaces every 13 years. Maybe make a memory? - See a bug they would not see again until they were Teenagers, in High School. Fascinating! This year, I found two - one on my tire in the driveway, trying to camouflage himself about a month ago and one today. I almost stepped on her, when I walked out of the house. She was pretty still, sitting on the sidewalk, and the ants were curious, maybe something was wrong with her? So I jumped at this opportunity to take lots of photos ; ) When I was done, I put her on a leaf and put her up higher on one of our Indian Hawthorn bushes. When I checked on her later today she was not where I put her - hopefully, I will see her again in 13 years. I'm counting on it! ; )