"Many voices ask for our attention. There is a voice that says, "Prove that you are a good person." Another voice says, "You'd better be ashamed of yourself." There is also a voice that sways, "Nobody really cares about you," and another that says, "Be sure to become successful, popular, and powerful." But underneith all these very often noisy voice is a still small voice that says, "You are my Beloved, my favor rests on you." That's the voice we need most of all to hear. To hear that voice, however, requires special effort; it requires solitude, silence, and a strong determination to listen.
That is what prayer is. It is listening to the voice that calls us "my Beloved." (From Henri Nouwen: Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith.
The voices I hear on the phone are loud shrill tattle-tales over ones atheism, the other's mental illness, and finger pointing insinuations. Now they are tattling to He Who Must Be Obeyed with 'she said.' They are gifted at shifting blame onto me. Apparently listening without accusation is taken for approval.
It is the small still voice of love that I listen for in contrast to the cacophony on the telephony.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
A Day of Sighing
Memorial Day is one of those bitter-sweet days when we sigh with the memory of our honored dead; and we swell with pride for this country they died for. From the Department of Veterans Affairs:
"Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Major. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30.
It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.
The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation. As Moment of Remembrance founder Carmella LaSpada states: “It’s a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day.”
Sometime today we will take peonies to my mother's grave in Omaha. She was interred with 55 others who donated their bodies to the Nebraska Anatomical Board in 1996.
"Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Major. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30.
It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.
The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation. As Moment of Remembrance founder Carmella LaSpada states: “It’s a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day.”
Sometime today we will take peonies to my mother's grave in Omaha. She was interred with 55 others who donated their bodies to the Nebraska Anatomical Board in 1996.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Hiatus
Being away from my friends and readers hasn't been by choice. My sweet little heart slowed down and quit beating long enough Friday morning to land me on the floor. He Who...bundled me up in my bathrobe and drove me to our hospital five minutes away. "We have a "Red" here," I heard shouting down the ER hall. I was very soon on an external pacer. "We are going to give you a little 'something' and use the paddles on you." Twice. Nothing. 95% of the time it works. Just like an INFP..I have to be that 5% anti-average.
The little machine zapped me over and over for almost six hours until the permanent one was put in place in surgery.
No more of the whirling dervishes for me. I will now enjoy working on Aunt Liz's biography without having to hang on to the computer table just to stay on my chair. That didn't keep me from hitting the floor Friday morning.
An Aside: there have been so many hits here on the poem by ee cummings regarding my entry of his "In Just." I approved a comment today by someone pointing out my ignorance in poetry analysis. Naivety might be my middle name. I am guessing that the universities are assigning this poem to students as the hits are increased at the beginnings of semesters. Apparently this is an evil and perverse poem, lilting on the tongue as it is. But isn't that the way of persons that prey on children...or the elderly.
The little machine zapped me over and over for almost six hours until the permanent one was put in place in surgery.
No more of the whirling dervishes for me. I will now enjoy working on Aunt Liz's biography without having to hang on to the computer table just to stay on my chair. That didn't keep me from hitting the floor Friday morning.
An Aside: there have been so many hits here on the poem by ee cummings regarding my entry of his "In Just." I approved a comment today by someone pointing out my ignorance in poetry analysis. Naivety might be my middle name. I am guessing that the universities are assigning this poem to students as the hits are increased at the beginnings of semesters. Apparently this is an evil and perverse poem, lilting on the tongue as it is. But isn't that the way of persons that prey on children...or the elderly.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Thanks for the Advice
According to "The Power of Paying Attention" by Laura Rowley, "If you want to be happy, pay attention."
She goes on, "Perhaps first and foremost, "you have to choose your target." "...If you don't choose a target, your brain will choose one for you -- the brain is out scanning around and saying, 'Let's stare at that screen, let's listen to that infomercial.' When you focus on something, your brain photographs that sight or sound or thought or feeling --and that becomes part of your mental album of the world. So it's important to make those choices count."
That is great advice. Once-upon-a-time my parents helped me with that habit. Teachers were good at it. Babies were the best. One had to pay attention to them or they would remind you what time it was, the younger they were the better. Now, I am on my own with it and sometimes I am hopeless. Some tasks take all of my attention, all of my brains, and a huge amount of discipline. A helper that taps my knuckles with a stick, so to speak, when I dilly-dally only annoys me and I go eat ice-cream.
"What makes you happy is paying rapt attention to something that interests and absorbs you," Rowley says. Paying attention sounds like a no-brainer, but it's similar to the platitude "Live within your means" -- it makes a gigantic difference in your well-being, yet many people can't figure out how to do it."
She goes on, "Perhaps first and foremost, "you have to choose your target." "...If you don't choose a target, your brain will choose one for you -- the brain is out scanning around and saying, 'Let's stare at that screen, let's listen to that infomercial.' When you focus on something, your brain photographs that sight or sound or thought or feeling --and that becomes part of your mental album of the world. So it's important to make those choices count."
That is great advice. Once-upon-a-time my parents helped me with that habit. Teachers were good at it. Babies were the best. One had to pay attention to them or they would remind you what time it was, the younger they were the better. Now, I am on my own with it and sometimes I am hopeless. Some tasks take all of my attention, all of my brains, and a huge amount of discipline. A helper that taps my knuckles with a stick, so to speak, when I dilly-dally only annoys me and I go eat ice-cream.
"What makes you happy is paying rapt attention to something that interests and absorbs you," Rowley says. Paying attention sounds like a no-brainer, but it's similar to the platitude "Live within your means" -- it makes a gigantic difference in your well-being, yet many people can't figure out how to do it."
Saturday, May 02, 2009
My Shepherds.
The old photo is much like the tasks of my shepherds.
It comes from a rich source, the American Memory collection at the Library of Congress.
Tonight our Pastor spoke on the Old Testament Lesson, Psalm 23 which we read responsively. It has a calming effect on a lot of us. The Gospel reading was John 10:11-18 "I am the good shepherd," which is about sheep herding and hired men.
He pointed out that there is only one person in his congregation that has had experience as a shepherd, and that of course being He Who Sits Beside Me in Church. Needless to say I loved the service. My father was a herder when he was young. I think our Pastor is a gifted shepherd.
Our dear, dear Elsa is in hospice and no longer sits beside us in her chariot. My shepherd herded it with her, to the communion rail for several years.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Squeeky Cheese
My grandmother, Jennie Haivala Tuovinen, made what my cousins called 'Squeeky Cheese.' I never learned to make it. One of my cousins, either second or once removed, did though and I admire her for it.
It, as well as the familiar cardamom bread, was served on the refreshment table in Astoria during a play performance during the FinnFest 2004 held there.
It, as well as the familiar cardamom bread, was served on the refreshment table in Astoria during a play performance during the FinnFest 2004 held there.
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