After the Garden...

Sunday, January 2, 2011
Genesis 3: At that moment, their eyes were opened and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.



And so it begins. Sin + Conviction = (Repentence and Rest) or (Self-Sufficient Striving). The choice faces me daily and is a temptation common to all.

Neil Young’s “After the Garden” ends with this age-old deception of futile effort … Sounds good… Seems right to a man… but in the end, it leads to death.

"After The Garden"

...What will people do? After the garden is gone
What will people say? After the garden

Won't need no strong man
Walkin' through the night
To live a weak man's day
Won't need no sunshine
Won't need no purple haze

After the garden is gone. After the garden is gone
After the garden is gone, Where will people go?

After the garden is gone, What will people know?
After the garden. After the garden is gone
After the garden is gone

(We live in the garden of Eden, yeah
Don't know why we wanna tear the whole thing to the ground
And we've got to get ourselves
Back to the garden)

For Today, I will live through this day only and not tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do something for 12 hours that would appall me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

1-1-11

To fully enjoy the beautiful Cuore di Sabbia, please pause the music player to the right of page ...



Just in time, this YouTube video found its way into my Facebook today, thus mirroring thoughts I've entertained this past week.

My reflections have been not so much resolutions (as in, "I resolve to ___" ), for past experience has taught me I'll never keep such pseudo-promises.

No. Rather, my musings are more aspirations (as in, "I aim to ___ "), for it seems that more than resolute drive, i need gentle intention that may be reset --- or even re-oriented daily.

That said, here are those aims toward which I am setting my sights:

I aim to:

Be Fully Present in Today... not the shame/regret/guilt of yesterday, nor the fears/expectations/projections of tomorrow... simply right here, right now.

Answer the Knock at my door, inviting in the Ones Who desire to be with me here and now.

Resign from Debate ... ie, mindfully abstain from meandering down Argumentative Lanes or Negative Avenues. (my husband will be so thankful!) Particularly, these areas in which I am choosing to Live and Let Live include those oh-so-inflammatory subjects of church, religion, and politics (although i may, as a function of #1, be allowed the occasional indulgence!).

Live with just a tad more awareness and sensitivity to the body (both individual and corporate) and environment (with all its people, places, and things) that I inhabit... more greenly and serenely, if you will.

Finally, continue those intentions set in years past: Be-Loved, Believe, Speak Truth and Love Well.

To these, I can honestly and whole-heartedly sign my LifeSong in 2011. Amen.

Refined

… dew drips down window-panes.

Condensation that clouds vision so I cannot see true.

Coloured shapes, largely blurred, out of which stand

tiny bits and pieces sliced sharp by refractive dew-drop lenses.

Like life.

Clouded by my own and others’ shortfalls, vague visions surround

slivered sightings focused by Spirit In-Sight.

Living Water sharply refracts my skew, refining blurred vision to Truth.

Taking it Key-sey May 2010

 

Love you forever, Mama ... Happy Mother's Day!

Create a digital greeting card

Spring (Jump) Break

March 2010

Airports
TJMAXX firsts
NightSpending
Bed Sharing
Cape Canaveral
Sipping Starbucks (wish) w/Sistah on soft sand
Jump Zack Jump
Family full
Car Talk
Mommas, Sisters, Daughters
MONGO
Let's Dance
Good-Bye-Great Visit-Good-Bye

>

Here is the international breastfeeding symbol, created by Matt Daigle, a stay-at-home dad from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. You can read more about Matt here and download the graphic here .

Citrus Breastfeeding Coalition is off to its second year. I am excited about our new projects for this year: a webpage... a webinar event for professionals... and continuing support for breastfeeding mothers, babies, and their families.

Christmas 2009 Neely News

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Make a Smilebox slideshow

NEW ENGLAND

-drive thru autumn in 2 days
-eyes straining to catch next sight
-backroads winding with anticipation
-pure joy shining on faces
-surprise windmill farm sighting
-head hanging out to smell the cold
-Wally-World in historic Gettysburg
-miles of imperfect navigation punctuated with laughter
-disembodied Brit voice once again "recalculating"
-pumpkin pie from McDonalds (and it was tasty!)
-colored leaves... scarlet, burnt umber, buttercup yellow
-noses dubiously overwhelmed by used toilet cleaner (shouted laughter)
-icy cheeks *touched* by tears mingling with snow melting
-sharp smell of snow coming
-porch time
-Beede Falls & Boy Scouts
-unexpected covered bridge critter (is that Bo???)
-laughter loudly echoing through the fields
-falling asleep with the stars winking down and bff in the next room
-morning chats over tea
-afternoon revivals over suprisingly good convenience store coffee
-evening lounging
-good food
-candles lighting the early dusk
-squeezing every possible minute out of daylight
-old houses... old pictures... old graves... old memories
-ocarina music drifting through the trees
-places to lie down
-implement of death--- oops, i mean healing
-contagious, uncontrollable hilarity
-Aunt Bunny
-fried dough (whaaaaat???)
-search for the perfect Christmas Star
-white water
-evergreens replete with Christmas tree essence
-red berries, apples, and noses
-blue blue blue skies... and eyes
-time to meander
-Pothole Fun
-Squam Lake drives
-very big rocks
-upset proper New Englander propriety by picayune picture-taking
-Bob's ever-present reassurances
-more porch time
-silent morning light moving s-l-o-w-l-y across bleached floorboards
-Quaker Meeting House
-breath catching awe
-barefoot in soft grass
-red-tailed hawk feather for far-future funeral
-imagining
-lost... and found keys
-crouching by the Cold River picking out *just* right granite pieces
-laughing and laughing and laughing!

GRACED...

Our first night in New Hampshire, we had a couple of inches of snow... as we exited the covered bridge, first flakes fluttered forth... later, we walked to Molly's Barn, flakes feathered, fattened and fluffed... Standing with face to sky, I felt each snowflake kiss my face... Each icy tingle said "I'm Touching you"... and again, "I'm Touching you." Hot tears on cold cheeks as His Delight in bestowing the desires of my heart overwhelmed me. Early the next morning, Love-Laden Boughs testified to God's Grace--- a Gift just for me...

Drenched...

...cold, lonely, unsure how (why?) to proceed, You met me.

You came to me dissolved in tears on the floor of my room and met me.

Your Word washed over me. You rained down on me amidst the storm of my tears.

I was drenched in Your Compassion over me. I soaked.

That is where I belong.

This is where I intend to stay.

Soaking Wet with Living Water.

Yes.

(photo courtesy of synthman19872003 on wunderground)

Because of my very nature as an imperfect being, F.E.A.R. is a part of daily existence for me... I misperceive people, situations, circumstances so that F.alse E.vidence A.ppears R.eal. I also have an enemy who prowls like a lion seeking to devour and destroy... what better way than to cause me to live in F.E.A.R.

I've heard it said that "Courage is not the absence of fear... rather, courage is fear that has said its prayers."

It is my Father's Answers that keep F.E.A.R. from controlling every aspect of my life.

Grace again.