Meet the Neighbor

My neighbor in New Port Richey.  Isn't he handsome?  Christmas colors!

Keeping Faith

We're in the second week of Advent, and I want to share this wonderful little essay by James Dillet Freeman on Keeping Faith. Upon reading it, I was inspired me and strengthened, and I hope it will do the same for you.

"Christmas is a way of keeping faith in the power and love of God and the goodness of things, even when we see only small evidence of their presence in the world around us. Christmas is more than just a festive celebration, a tinsel time for getting gifts and having parties. It is a declaration that there is an element---divine, isn't it?----in us human beings which is stronger than all our weaknesses, braver than all our fears, surer than all our doubts---something which in the darkest days proclaims its faith in the advancing light and, even through the worst of winter lies yet ahead, keeps confident that spring is on its way.

Let the snow fall as it may, and let the short days hang on dark and cold; there is that in us which refuses to submit to icy season or gloomy reason, but stops forth into the wind and snow and says in a cheery voice to the world and every passerby, 'Merry Christmas!'"

I Pray You Enough

A friend passed on this story.

Overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport.. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged, and the mother said, 'I love you, and I pray you enough.'

The daughter replied, 'Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I pray you enough, too, Mom.'

They kissed, and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'

Yes, I have,' I replied. 'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?'

'Well...I'm not as young as I once was; she lives so far away & has her own busy life. I have some challenges ahead, and the reality is - her next trip back will be for my funeral,' she said.

'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I pray you enough.' May I ask what that means?'

She began to smile. 'That's a prayer that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I pray you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'

Then, turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear..

I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Then, she began to cry, and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.

TAKE TIME TO LIVE.......

To all my readers, I PRAY YOU ENOUGH.......

Sending Super-Powered Christmas Cards

A dear friend asked me if I knew of any reliable websites selling Christmas cards that benefit good causes. What a great question!

My answer is yes, and here they are. I welcome any other ideas from readers...let's encourage one another to support good works, in the name of Jesus.

Here's a great place to start: http://www.cardsthatgive.org/

And few personal favorites: the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the oldest Peace promoting organization: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2507/t/12047/shop/shop.jsp?storefront_KEY=943

Another remarkable group is the mouth and foot painters association. Yes, these folks paint the art for cards, holding a brush in their mouth or foot:

http://www.mfpausa.com/

If you are interested in preserving endangered species...how about Florida's manatees?

http://shopsavethemanatee.org/holiday-items/2011-holiday-cards/

You can never go wrong with the sweet drawings made by the world's children, published as cards by UNICEF:

https://www.shopcardsandgifts.unicefusa.org/group.aspx?grp=7F9C1F03-EFCA-4372-B568-879AD07940C7

MAY YOU FIND GREAT JOY IN WISHING EACH OTHER HOLIDAY JOY!

Letting Go Creates Space for the Unknown

Even God cannot make two mountains without a valley in between.
— Gaelic saying

Taking time between....what a lovely concept. Autumn provides such a break in the calendar year...between our Vermont summer and Florida winter.

October has become a valley, by choice. I am enjoying the time to deepen down into my yoga and meditation practices.

This weekend, I grounded myself with a welcome stay at the Sivananda International Ashram and Yoga Camp in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. The fall colors were as healing and beautiful as the yoga classes, satsangs and talks by a visiting Tibetan monk, Lama Tenzin Yignyen, instructor of Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Hobart and William Smith College in New York. What a grand time to visit the Ashram...Thanksgiving weekend in Canada!

Yes, I gave thanks. And will continue to for this valley of earthly delight.