You know that all-encompassing “they” that direct and control your life course, your choices, your happiness?
The “they” in “what will they say?” or “what will they think?”
But, they don’t live your life, do they?
Then why should their opinion matter as much as they do, or at all?
‘Cause, the reality is this:
If you spent your entire life aiming to please “they”, you still could not accomplish the feat. “They” have an insatiable/unquenchable appetite of opinions that you will never satisfy.
So … how do you get around these notoriously-negative-opinionated “they”?
First, with knowing you are uniquely you.
The path you take will be influenced by what is intrinsically you—your internal compass.
Second, love and trust yourself and your judgment.
Operate from that intuitive knowledge about who you are (starting with you’re a child of the Most High God) and what you really desire, then live by those terms.
And to top it off, add a good dose of perspective on the opinions of “they” and …
Dress—for you
Post that selfie—for you
Do that workout—for you
You get the picture, right?
Do you, not “they”, ‘cause only you have to live with the consequences of your decisions.
This poem celebrates love as the source of both feeling and creativity—the rhythm at the center of the heart, where emotions reverberate like music.
—what can I say … LIFE! you’re a giver you’re a taker you tear-down you build-up you bring smiles you bring tears
—what is it about you … LIFE? you keep me guessing wondering what lies around your curves beyond your corners up your hills down your vales
—what makes you … LIFE: your beautiful mysteries your spiraling unpredictability your anxious uncertainties your known past your unknown future your unending surprises
Before-word: This is a paraphrase of a psalm penned by my best-Bible-friend, David (King of ancient Israel), as recorded in Psalms 139.
Dear God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to You; even from a distance, You know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of Your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and You’re there, then up ahead and You’re there, too— Your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful— I can’t take it all in! Is there anyplace I can go to avoid Your Spirit? to be out of Your sight? If I climb to the sky, You’re there! If I go underground, You’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— You’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, He even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to You; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to You. Oh yes, You shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank You, High God—You’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! Like an open book, You watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before You. The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with You! Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.
Beforeword: Y’all know that kiss, right?! The one that flutters your heart in the moment and each moment after when you think of it?! The one that leaves you bounding on cloud-99 and simultaneously stumbling about all discombobulated on ground-0?! Yeah … this piece is about that kiss.💋
First published 2 November 2023 All rights reserved Designed by Canva Photo by Pexels
I am worthy of my own time, my own attention, my own love. I honor my spiritual, mental, emotional, physical needs. I show up for myself 100% committed. Period!
In the quiet sanctuary of reflection I find solace In the depths of my being I come to know I’m worthy
Each heartbeat a testament To the value of my existence I am worthy of my own time Amidst the chaos of life’s clamor
My essence whispers softly Echoes of self-compassion reverberate I honor my spiritual, mental, emotional, physical needs Crafting a symphony of self-care
In the labyrinth of my mind I navigate, seeking balance With each step, I affirm: I show up for myself, 100% committed
I start from the point of knowing In the sacred embrace of divinity’s grace I am a child of God Born from the essence of infinite love
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Heart-eyes covered in love not seeing Lies sweetly wrapped in roses masking Revelation in actions there’s no denying Supple flesh like petals up-curling Heart breaks like cardiac arresting Chambers swirl blood fast pumping Soul from soul separate disconnecting Emotions escape like petals free-falling
In the early 2000s, when online dating first became popular so did the term SBNR. The dating platforms asked people to identify by religion, and one option was “Spiritual-but-not-religious” and voila! Folks checked that box and SBNR was a thing!!
Today 1 in 5 Americans identify as SBNR. That’s 64 million people, the majority of whom are from the Christian tradition and are mostly young.
The reasons why SBNR resonated so strongly and caught on so quickly are many. I won’t go into those but one distinction that this shift made clear, is that religion and spirituality are not synonymous. They aren’t diametric opposites, but neither are they the same.
In the Christian tradition that is guided by the Bible, there’s no where in the Bible that you will find a verse or any inference to indicate that “religion is the way to heaven.” But somewhere along the road of Christianity from the way Christ lived it to the way it’s practiced today, a lot of rules and regulations, isms and dogmas snuck in.
Jesus didn’t say, “I’ve come so that you might have religion.” Or rules, or regulations, or rituals for that matter. He said,
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
And notice, it’s not to know about God but to know God.
Let’s just say I’m a huge fan of Michelle Obama (and, by the way, I am). I know a lot of things about her. Things I’ve gathered from the news, from magazines or from what her husband, Barrack, says about her. But does that mean I know her? No! What if I know someone who knows her and they tell me everything they know about her. Does that mean I know her? No!
This is what philosopher David Matheson calls impersonal knowledge noting that there’s an intuitive distinction between knowing someone in a detached manner—impersonally—and knowing someone in a more intimate fashion—personally.
What am I driving at? Knowing the facts about God—even from firsthand knowledge from my pastor or my mother—does not equate to me knowing God.
Then what would it take to know God?
Well, the same thing it takes to know someone, say your child, your spouse, or your BFF—COMMUNICATION and RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING!
For instance, my BFF became known to me because we shared information—particularly intimate, private information. And, we’ve spent time together developing a relationship wherein we got to perceive the truth or nature and the essential characteristics of each other. In the process, we developed a great deal of trust and vulnerability.
That’s what Jesus was alluding to in His definition of life as recorded in the Book of John.
To know God is to have life.
And not just to have life, but to have it more abundantly.
“Abundant” in the Greek is perisson, meaning “exceedingly”, “beyond measure”, “a quantity so abundant as to be considerably more than what one would expect or anticipate.” And in knowing God we get all of this and more—the more-abundant life!
Does this mean abundance of material things? No! It means a life of spiritual abundance. Material blessings are but a byproduct of relationship with God and not indicators of one’s standing with God.
Why? Because God liberally extends His “doing”/His blessings, such as providing sunshine and rainfall, equally to the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45).
Jesus calls us to a RELATIONSHIP and that makes real faith more than an unconditional acceptance of a religion’s teachings. Yes, going to church and reading the Bible are means to getting to know God, but my journey is experiential—not decided on for me.
In this way, Christ is the subject of my worship and devotion, but my worship is not an objective experience that has a greater focus on the externals (rituals or observances). Instead, it’s based upon the practical application of Christ’s teachings to my life. And that’s the distinction I make between being religious and being spiritual.
To this end, would I say I’m SBNR? No, only because I don’t define myself by labels except to say that: I’m a daughter of God, a follower of Christ and I live my life by the principles of Christ not by the traditions, rituals, creeds or doctrines (unless biblically based) of a religious institution.
Shabbat Shalom. May you come to know God through a deeper spiritual experience.
Basing your happiness on anyone besides yourself is giving people way too much power over your life. Period!
Happiness is subjective, stimulated from within. It won’t be achieved based on acquiring things but the extent to which you’re satisfied with and grateful for what you have and use it to the benefit of others.
This means happiness can be cultivated. What is does not mean is that all is well in your world and the world around you, but it’s how you choose to react.
Thank you for journeying along. First time to the site? Welcome! Feel free to “like” or drop a comment, I love hearing from you.
So, in talking about Jehovah Nissi today I wanna focus on something that’s plaguing our world—suicide—it’s a pandemic within a pandemic, really. The times are as the Bible described:
But the Bible doesn’t leave it there, thank God, it encourages us to “…stand, look up, lift up your heads [to God our Banner/Refuge]; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)
I think of the very first time God revealed Himself as our banner/refuge—the children of Israel were up against a formidable, well-seasoned warrior tribe, the Amalekites. It was to be their first-ever battle. In fact, the Amalekites terrorized the Israelites for centuries—that first battle was the beginning of the war.
This first battle plan was simple, but foolproof and a guaranteed win—their leader Moses was to stand up on a hill and lift up the rod of God. The people could see the banner raised. When it was lowered, the Amalekites got the upper hand. But when it was raised, the children of Israel pushed the enemy back and regained the upper hand. So Aaron and Hur, who were with Moses on the hill, helped to keep his hand up and the rod of God aloft for the duration of the fight.
This was a clear indication that:
The battle was theirs to fight, but the war was God’s to win.
In every battle we need supporters—the lifter-up of our hands, and our heads.
The children of Israel’s role was: Show up. Raise the banner. Keep the banner raised. Look up. Defend yourselves.
Following this battle plan God won and Israel prevailed over their enemies. When it was over, Moses showed that he recognized the Lord as the source of their victory and so: “Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner” (Exodus 17:15).
Nissi comes from the Hebrew word “nês” which means banner. So, Jehovah Nissi—the Lord is My Banner
Today, the war continues.
Listen, the truth of the matter is this: life comes with battles because the enemy of God is in an all-out war with Him and the fight is over us—God’s children. The devil’s plan is to annihilate us, but God ain’t having it! So, it’s war on!!!!!
In this war we must choose whose banner we’re under. God’s banner is an illustration of His protection, His redemption and His salvation. God’s banner identifies those who choose to belong to Him.
The Bible assures us:
“We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners!” (Psalm 20:5).
“You have raised a banner to . . . save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered” (Psalm 60:4-5).
The battle plan is the same and it’s still foolproof and a guaranteed win—look to Jehovah Nissi, our banner/refuge.
As the war intensifies, many many hearts are failing of fear. But God doesn’t leave us defenseless.
💥💥If you feel like you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911 (or your country’s local emergency line) or go to an emergency room to get immediate help.💥💥
Thank you for journeying along. First time to the site? Welcome! Feel free to “like” or drop a comment, I love hearing from you.
Some times it feels unreal, but we’ve actually been hunkered down for almost two years. Can you believe it?!
Just about every aspect of our lives have been constrained and in some instances crippled by an infectious agent that is so small it requires a microscope to visualize it. Yet, here we are on the cusp of 2022 and this virus is still threateningly looming over us so much so the year hardly feels new.
The message in the cartoon below is fitting to get us started: “What will the new year bring us? 365 opportunities!”
I think this year, in particular, we will need to be very intentional about finding those opportunities.
Governments and private sector organizations, they’re seeking those opportunities to advance recovery efforts. We hear terms like “build back better” and “new normal”. On the personal level—be it physically, mentally, psychologically or socially—we too have had to find new ways of being and living.
God also had something to say about seeking new opportunities and new ways of being under difficult circumstances. Because, of course, nothing takes Him by surprise. So, over 2000 years ago He gave the prophet Isaiah a “new thing”—in other words a “new normal”—message for His children that is most fitting for this time.
He starts off with:
Behold [in other words, it’s as if God was saying come, see something especially remarkable and impressive], I am doing a new thing; NOW it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
What are the “new things” God is doing under this pandemic? What opportunities will God open up as pathways in the wilderness-like circumstances we will face as we traverse 2022? Will we have the insight into His will to be able to perceive it, and the will power to take ahold of those opportunities as they spring forth?
As I pondered these questions for myself, I reflected on the children of ancient Israel as they were journeying from the land of their bondage to the freedom land God promised them. They too were filled with trepidation about what the land holds.
In the same way God consoled ancient Israel, He also encourages us today. To them He spoke about the “land”, to us He’s speaking about the “year”.
The land/year you go to possess, it is a land/year of hills and valleys [meaning it won’t be smooth] and it drinks water of the rain of heavens [meaning it will be bountiful]. … The eyes of the Lord your God are always on it from the BEGINNING OF THE YEAR to the very END OF THE YEAR”.
God, in His wisdom, does not show us all that lies ahead, but He assures us that He has His eyes and hands on it all.
As we enter this new year, let us follow more courageously, more daringly, more faithfully His lead. And, as you do so I pray this blessing will be yours:
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
~ Irish blessing
Shabbat Shalom
May you find peace in knowing our God has His eyes on where you will traverse from today, the beginning of the year, to the very end of the year.
And so my friends,
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace [for the 365 days, 8760 hours, 525600 minutes, and 31536000 seconds of this new year].
The joys of the season are all cleverly brought together in this beautiful decor design. No trick and nothing spooky here, just the beauty of nature exemplified.
When the Most High God created us, He gave us a most powerful and beautiful gift—choice!
The power and beauty of choice is that it’s predicated on there being more than one option or possibility; and, the path taken will over time make you, you. In other words: you make choices, choices make you.
We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.
Khalil Gibran
If based on hope and not fear, choices will create room for exploration, growth, learning and overall self-development.
Presenting MsFoxglove, fashionably adorned in a lavender-polka-dotted-glove-like ensemble taking the 1st place award for the “most delicate” in the garden.
Doing something a little different this week. No poetry. No prose. Instead I’ll be posting a series of snappy one-liners that are as good as a mouthful like:
Love isn’t forced, if s/he’s wrong for you, s/he can’t love you the right way.
Long before I met you I knew you And every counterfeit who came before you I tried to dress them in the image I had of you But they would never fit because they were not you
You who saw beyond what can be seen You who saw me in my flaws, my vulnerabilities, my full truth You who saw me completely, and You loved me, as I am—intentionally
Your love is unexplainable, it just is It is the essence of you It is your soul It envelopes me completely, as you love me intentionally
To say that there’s a lot of sadness around us, is an understatement. And sometimes joy may be found in the simplest of things and in the most unexpected places like with these two fairy penguins looking over the Melbourne skyline.
Widowed penguins appear to comfort each other in nightly embrace
The lighter penguin is an elderly female whose partner died this year. The darker one is a younger male who lost his partner two years ago. Biologists have followed them as they meet every night to comfort each other. They stand for hours together watching the lights.
Photographer Tobias Baumgaertner captured this image of two widowed fairy penguins looking over the Melbourne skyline. It has won an award in Oceanographic magazine’s Ocean Photography Awards 2020
This story made my heart smile. Sometimes all we need is a hug. Or someone to be there just because—no words, just be there. Or maybe you can be that someone for someone else.
There she was—perched precariously, as squirrels often do. She was maneuvering her way across a black unevenly-spiked fence in a quaint little garden off the Brooklyn promenade.
She’s poised. Graceful in her moves. Tail elongated she floats about with seamless acrobatics atop this fence.
I stayed a non-threatening distance away to capture as much of the action without scaring her and forcing a retreat into the protective layers of the tree’s plush foliage. So, with my trusty iPhone I zoom in for a shot that will appear as though I’m in close proximity to this cute little creature of the wild.
She seemed content with me in her space and so I moved in, slow step by slow step. Camera still aimed directly at her. And that’s when she did it …
… she nestled herself between two spikes at the fence’s apex; wrapped her tail around the central/biggest spike while settling her hind legs on the narrow bar of the fence; she then raised up on her hind legs, lifted her front legs even higher and gently placed her paws inches off the rail. Once in position she stared directly into the lens with a confident and proud demeanor as if to say, “I’m all that and I’m ready for my shot”.
I was ready. Click. Got it!
Others walking by who saw this 10-seconds exhibition unfolding—which felt more like a full-length fashion shoot—joined in my exclamations of pure joy.
I have a feeling she’s done this before! Don’t you?!
This was such a splendiferous nature experience. It gave me a heart smile. Let’s be kinder to Mother Nature. She apportions her joys equally to all. Let’s appreciate her more, be gentle with her offerings for she totally rocks!!
Before-word: this piece was commissioned for a Director’s retirement. Was my very first acebedarian and submitting it for Looking for an August Scavenger Hunt challenge!
After all’s been said and done, another milestone achieved
Besides the odds you made the choice to act as you believed
Calmly and courageously, you made the bold decision
Dedicated time for family and friends, that is your new commission
Everything your heart desires, and then abundantly more
For family, friends and loved ones, time spent like none before
Grandchildren romping, laughing, and prancing all around
Happy to have their grandpa there, their gentle spirits abound
Inspiration is our wish for you to carry on your mission
Just because you have retired don’t minimize your vision
Know that you have changed the lives of many along your way
Listening with intention, with wise counsel fears allayed
Many staff were blessed to see the softer-gentler you
Never a moment missed to ask: “and how do you do?”
Open and inviting, you are kind and empathetic
Present ever focused, your leadership is copasetic
Quiet is your strength, calm is your secret weapon
Resolutions reached in spite of complex situations
Starbucks coffee? No! No! No! You had your private brew
Taste and smarts, standout you are, among the talented few
Undeniable will be your impact, long past your adieu
Valiant you have been, a mandate champion tried and true
We will miss you more than a poem can fully say
eXpect to hear from us, we promise, not every single day
You, dear Director, receive our thanks for your leadership of our Division
Zillions of blessings we invoke for a lifetime of family love and devotion
One of the positive things about movements being restricted by this pandemic is that it freed up time and so I picked up new hobbies. In addition to blogging (you may like “Why I Created This Blog”), I also started gardening over the past 2-3 months and it’s been pure JOY!
So before I lose them all, I froze the remaining ‘blooms of my labor’ in photo memories which I’d like to share with you.
Space 1: The rhododendrons now have the company of a range of other perennials like fox gloves, roses, daisies & tickseeds. Space 2: For this space I had to take out a couple evergreens, broke my heart to do it; but, that gave the room needed to add color, texture & dimension to the space.
Today’s photo reflection is a mix of photos accompanied by quotes from others who are equally captivated and inspired by nature as I am and said things I’d say myself but they got to it first so now I get to quote them😉😉.
David Hobsongot it right when he said— “I grow plants for many reasons: to please my eye or to please my soul, to challenge the elements or to challenge my patience, for novelty or for nostalgia, but mostly for the joy in seeing them grow.”Phyllis Theroux— “I think this is what hooks one to gardening: it is the closest one can come to being present at creation.”George Bernard Shawyou nailed it— “The best place to find God is in a garden. You can dig for Him there.”“God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.” —Francis BaconGertrude Jekyll got it right when she said— “A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.”“Life begins the day you start a garden.” —Chinese proverb [my life has just begun 🥳]Alfred Austin, the only thing I’d add is “sweat on your brow”— “The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.”Rudyard Kipling, it’s tue— “Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade.” —Gardens are made by heart-work!❤️Many evenings I just sit still in the garden, and you’re right Ruth Stout— “Working in the garden gives me something beyond the enjoyment of the senses. It gives me a profound feeling of inner peace.”Stoufer I absolutely agree, a garden must be like heaven on earth— “When heaven falls to earth it becomes a garden.”“Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas.” —Elizabeth Murray“The home gardener is part scientist, part artist, part philosopher, part plow [woman]. [She] modifies the climate around [her] home.”
—Thank you John Whiting! You totally get it!! A garden has powers to shift the atmosphere.
Before-word: On this historical day in US political history, I’m trying my hand at the Haiku (5-7-5 syllable, 3 lines form)in tribute to Kamala Harris. Haiku are usually written about nature, the seasons, a beautiful moment in nature, an emotional experience while in nature, or change. A haiku should share a special moment of awareness with the reader.
A collection of writing by Dominic Riccitello — intimate conversations, personal essays, and poetic reflections on relationships, loss, and self-discovery.
Poems & More 