Threshold

I just crossed the threshold of a transition into the unknown. Reflecting, giving thanks, and looking forward. Celebrating endings and beginnings. Taking a leap of faith and setting foot in a curious direction.

The Creator knows what’s up, and what’s awesome is that the Spirit knew that I needed to receive this blessing from a friend (unbeknownst to him) just a few days before my last day at work… So I’m taking these steps and embracing these words to guide me.

The gift of the labyrinth walk:

At the entrance, may you sense a renewed invitation to enter into an unknown corner of God’s kingdom. May you have the courage to accept this subtle calling you hear in your interior self.

As you follow the twists and turns of the labyrinth, may you have peace to handle the frustrations of life, clarity to remember you’re on the right path and tenacity to continue the journey,

In the center of the labyrinth, may you know exactly what you need to do: receive a dose of divine grace, or feel the warm embrace of love, or let go of unnecessary baggage.

As you walk back through the labyrinth and reach the exit, may you feel the renewal, experience the refreshment of purpose and offer a word of thanks for the experience.

And now slowly walk back into the world ready to be the human being that God has made you to be… that unique self that has so much to offer the world: love, compassion, kindness, goodness, gentleness, understanding and joy.

words of hope

A friend framed and gifted me with these words 2 years ago... and they are worthy of mention and inspiring others, again and again:

HOPE

is courage and joyfulness in God!

(Martin Luther, rephrased)

is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul 

and sings the tune without the words 

and never stops... at all.

Emily Dickinson

is faith holding out its hand in the dark.

George Iles

is putting faith to work

when doubting would be easier.

Author Unknown

is patience with the lamp lit.

Tertullian

May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace 

as you trust in him,

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit

you may overflow with 

hope.

Paul, Romans 15:13

take courage

at the end of her two-and-a-half-month stay in Malawi, our new friend Brittany shared with us this very insightful quote from Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis (170), and since suffering (in its many forms) has been weighing quite a bit on my mind lately, i thought i'd share it here, too.

"Ultimately our gift to the world around us is hope. Not blind hope that pretends everything is fine and refuses to acknowledge how things are. But the kind of hope that comes from staring pain and suffering right in the eyes and refusing to believe that this is all there is. It is what we all need -- hope that comes not from going around suffering but from going through it."

inspiration on the fridge

i don't know the story behind it, but i just noticed this new little magnet on our fridge and thought i'd share it with the world... supposedly it's an "apache blessing."

may the sun
bring you new energy by day,
may the moon
softly restore you by night,
may the rain
wash away your worries,
may the breeze
blow new strength into your being.
may you walk
gently through the world and know
its beauty all the days of your life.

you deserve this!

here's an old link that a friend sent me a while back. i just came across it again and thought i'd share it with the world. type in your name at in the window that pops up. it will make smile.

http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~geoffo/humour/flattery.html

fahrenheit

i have never felt QUITE the URGENCY that i feel right now to DO SOMETHING about the political (and selfish) state of our nation. Fahrenheit 9/11 is a must-see for ANYone and everyone who wants to know what actually went on, not just what our biased media filters out for us to see (including the right-wing's critical reviews on this "controversial" film). PLEASE read river's blog for some well-written commentaries about the film. then, let us harness our energy collectively and DO SOMETHING!! (besides VOTE--obviously)

inspired to return

I know, it's been an eternity since I've blogged, but I'm still here... and I hope to get back into the circuit again. In the meantime, check out my loving friend Ashley's blog. She is an amazing woman with an amazing talent for creative and inspirational blogging.