I can see it now. My children and grandchildren will probably be rolling their eyes if they have their sound turned up as they read this! No soppy songs for me about the love of friends. My experience is one of joy and enthusiasm when I am with a dear friend or two. This song reminds me of an old movie -- maybe one with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Anyway, the only version of it I could find on my music website was this oldie by Kay Kyser. He was even before my time, although I heard him on the radio and maybe in old musicals when I was a little kid.
Joy, enthusiasm, and unconditional love. That's what my little house was full of this past Friday when my former (though she will always still be in my heart) minister at Unity of Denton (now New Hope), and dear friend Pam who so graciously let me live in her spare bedroom at one time. These two delightful beings were on their way to a Women's Retreat, and accepted my invitation to lunch. I had not seen Ellen in quite a few years, although Pam visited me in Ballinger. The time flew by way too quickly as we talked as fast as we could -- and tried to eat lunch as well! I finally put my spoon down, saying I can eat after they are gone... and continued to chatter away.
Someone recently asked me how I managed to be so upbeat and optimistic. I'm going to tell you a little story about how I came to this point in my life.
In 1988, I went through an extremely traumatic separation and subsequent divorce. During about a six month period, I was seeing a counselor, trying to make some sense out of the mess I'd made of my life. My youngest child had just flown the nest, my oldest had just got married, I was going through menopause, IRS tried to seize my property for my ex-husband's back income taxes (which resulted in a 5-year battle), and now another divorce! I didn't think I could bear it.
I really struggled with depression. For the first time in my life, when I looked for employment, I could not find a job. Texas had the highest rate of unemployment in the nation for a year or so during that time. An employment counselor told me that where once she had only ten applicants to send for each job opening, she now had hundreds in line for each job! That shook me to my toes. To survive, I sold most of my treasured antiques that I had collected for years for a new home we had been building. At times, I would go to a local flea market with boxes of my smaller items, and manage to sell enough to pay my electrical bill. (That wouldn't work now at today's electrical rates!) I was seriously considering driving my ancient little Sunbird down to the woods at the end of my property, putting a hose from the exhaust through the window. I did not want to do that to my children or to my aging parents, but I thought there was no other way.
Then, serendipitously, I came across several books at the library that gave me a new look at what was happening in my life, and a possible way to cope. The most important one turned out to be a book by Deepak Chopra, M.D. called Quantum Healing. Among other things, he espoused meditation as a way to get in touch with our spiritual self and perhaps accomplish healing in our life and body. As Chopra is of the Eastern tradition, he recommended Transcendental Meditation (TM). This was best learned through a teacher, who would give one a mantra of their own to assist them. I had heard of this in the past, so I set off to find a TM teacher. I located one in Dallas, and went for a "free" consultation. Turns out this was a very expensive method. They wanted something like $1,500 to teach me and give me my own personal mantra. They even asked me if I had any good jewelry I could give them in lieu of cash! I was devastated. I'm not sure if this is the case of all TM teaching methods but as it turned out, it was to my benefit that it wasn't free.
I was determined that I was going to learn to meditate. I talked at length to my counselor and she was eager to assist me. At one point she told me that there was a church that taught meditation, but she wasn't sure if it were Unity or Unitarian. She checked into it for me and said it must be Unity, as the local Unitarian Church consisted of a lot of UNT professors sitting around discussing how to save the planet from a nuclear holocaust. (A noble cause, but not what I wanted at this time.) We got the Unity address, and that Wednesday night I ventured into a small storefront church.
I had always tried to attend church of differing denominations during my different marriages. After a bad experience with one church when I was divorced with children to take care of, when the church sent me a bill at the end of their fiscal year for the balance that I had not tithed.. well, I was not excited about attending a church again.
I walked into this small "church" and was amazed. There were spiritual books for loan or sale that I had read, as well as a small booklet called "Daily Word" that my grandmother of all people had been subscribing to for me for years. I realized I had been being prepared for this "Unity" experience without my knowledge. I was tingling with excitement as I met Ellen for the first time! When she led us through my first Unity meditation, I knew that I had come home. Ellen, my dear sweet minister friend, (although it would be years before she was actually ordained a Unity minister -- she was a licensed Unity teacher at the time), you never knew that you were the one responsible for perhaps saving my life. I even remember the little metaphysical book you gave a talk on that night -- "Illusions" by Richard Bach. It was a favorite of mine. More proof to me that I was in the right place, at the right time!
The teachings I learned through Unity were always of a positive nature. No guilt or shame attached. And everyone was welcome... one didn't even have to give up their church affiliation somewhere else. We had at least two I knew of who attended both Unity and their original church. There was no creed.. and no condemnation. All was loving and supportive. Unity principles are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, but do not preclude teachings from other spiritual disciplines. While I attended, we even had a Buddhist monk as a guest speaker. I learned Sufi dancing as well as how to make a Native American dreamcatcher and a talking stick. I participated in World Peace meditations. We had holy communion; once a year we held a bowl burning to rid ourselves of any negative aspects in our lives; and I saw many instances of prayers answered! What we hold in our thoughts we do create in our world! I now try to put all that I learned into practice -- and as a result I feel my world is beautiful. After all, I thought and prayed a lot of it into being! (With a little Divine help, of course!)
You can see that I feel having Pam and Ellen visit even for a short time was like having a blood transfusion! I am re-energized, and making plans for an even more creative and positive future! Thank you, ladies.
There is absolutely nothing like a Little League baseball game to get the heart racing! Especially when it's a game of 6- and 7-year olds! A lot of these kids are the first in their family to play sports, so their relatives turn out in numbers. I think I cheered as much for them as I did when I was in school. Youngest grandson Travis was a thrill to watch, as he had three hits this game, batting in two runs. (Notice the baseball pants that are supposed to stop at the knees.) I think he was pretty proud of himself, too. Mommy and little sister Kelly played cheerleaders, as Daddy coached from the dugout. The sun was shining beautifully this day, and I was still full of warmth and love from the visit with my friends. It seemed like perfection.
That night we all trooped to the grade school Travis attends, where Amy is a den mother to his Cub Scout troop. I got a couple of good videos of the Award ceremony, as well as some cute
photos. Amy makes a great looking scout, and she was especially recognized for all the volunteer work she so generously supplies. (I just had to show how cute you looked in your scout uniform!)
While Amy received recognition and Travis "walked across the bridge" to receive his Wolf badge, I think Daddy deserved an award for letting Kelly wiggle and jiggle and giggle in his lap for nearly two hours!
Joy, enthusiasm, and unconditional love. That's what my little house was full of this past Friday when my former (though she will always still be in my heart) minister at Unity of Denton (now New Hope), and dear friend Pam who so graciously let me live in her spare bedroom at one time. These two delightful beings were on their way to a Women's Retreat, and accepted my invitation to lunch. I had not seen Ellen in quite a few years, although Pam visited me in Ballinger. The time flew by way too quickly as we talked as fast as we could -- and tried to eat lunch as well! I finally put my spoon down, saying I can eat after they are gone... and continued to chatter away.
Someone recently asked me how I managed to be so upbeat and optimistic. I'm going to tell you a little story about how I came to this point in my life.
In 1988, I went through an extremely traumatic separation and subsequent divorce. During about a six month period, I was seeing a counselor, trying to make some sense out of the mess I'd made of my life. My youngest child had just flown the nest, my oldest had just got married, I was going through menopause, IRS tried to seize my property for my ex-husband's back income taxes (which resulted in a 5-year battle), and now another divorce! I didn't think I could bear it.
I really struggled with depression. For the first time in my life, when I looked for employment, I could not find a job. Texas had the highest rate of unemployment in the nation for a year or so during that time. An employment counselor told me that where once she had only ten applicants to send for each job opening, she now had hundreds in line for each job! That shook me to my toes. To survive, I sold most of my treasured antiques that I had collected for years for a new home we had been building. At times, I would go to a local flea market with boxes of my smaller items, and manage to sell enough to pay my electrical bill. (That wouldn't work now at today's electrical rates!) I was seriously considering driving my ancient little Sunbird down to the woods at the end of my property, putting a hose from the exhaust through the window. I did not want to do that to my children or to my aging parents, but I thought there was no other way.
Then, serendipitously, I came across several books at the library that gave me a new look at what was happening in my life, and a possible way to cope. The most important one turned out to be a book by Deepak Chopra, M.D. called Quantum Healing. Among other things, he espoused meditation as a way to get in touch with our spiritual self and perhaps accomplish healing in our life and body. As Chopra is of the Eastern tradition, he recommended Transcendental Meditation (TM). This was best learned through a teacher, who would give one a mantra of their own to assist them. I had heard of this in the past, so I set off to find a TM teacher. I located one in Dallas, and went for a "free" consultation. Turns out this was a very expensive method. They wanted something like $1,500 to teach me and give me my own personal mantra. They even asked me if I had any good jewelry I could give them in lieu of cash! I was devastated. I'm not sure if this is the case of all TM teaching methods but as it turned out, it was to my benefit that it wasn't free.
I was determined that I was going to learn to meditate. I talked at length to my counselor and she was eager to assist me. At one point she told me that there was a church that taught meditation, but she wasn't sure if it were Unity or Unitarian. She checked into it for me and said it must be Unity, as the local Unitarian Church consisted of a lot of UNT professors sitting around discussing how to save the planet from a nuclear holocaust. (A noble cause, but not what I wanted at this time.) We got the Unity address, and that Wednesday night I ventured into a small storefront church.
I had always tried to attend church of differing denominations during my different marriages. After a bad experience with one church when I was divorced with children to take care of, when the church sent me a bill at the end of their fiscal year for the balance that I had not tithed.. well, I was not excited about attending a church again.
I walked into this small "church" and was amazed. There were spiritual books for loan or sale that I had read, as well as a small booklet called "Daily Word" that my grandmother of all people had been subscribing to for me for years. I realized I had been being prepared for this "Unity" experience without my knowledge. I was tingling with excitement as I met Ellen for the first time! When she led us through my first Unity meditation, I knew that I had come home. Ellen, my dear sweet minister friend, (although it would be years before she was actually ordained a Unity minister -- she was a licensed Unity teacher at the time), you never knew that you were the one responsible for perhaps saving my life. I even remember the little metaphysical book you gave a talk on that night -- "Illusions" by Richard Bach. It was a favorite of mine. More proof to me that I was in the right place, at the right time!
The teachings I learned through Unity were always of a positive nature. No guilt or shame attached. And everyone was welcome... one didn't even have to give up their church affiliation somewhere else. We had at least two I knew of who attended both Unity and their original church. There was no creed.. and no condemnation. All was loving and supportive. Unity principles are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, but do not preclude teachings from other spiritual disciplines. While I attended, we even had a Buddhist monk as a guest speaker. I learned Sufi dancing as well as how to make a Native American dreamcatcher and a talking stick. I participated in World Peace meditations. We had holy communion; once a year we held a bowl burning to rid ourselves of any negative aspects in our lives; and I saw many instances of prayers answered! What we hold in our thoughts we do create in our world! I now try to put all that I learned into practice -- and as a result I feel my world is beautiful. After all, I thought and prayed a lot of it into being! (With a little Divine help, of course!)
You can see that I feel having Pam and Ellen visit even for a short time was like having a blood transfusion! I am re-energized, and making plans for an even more creative and positive future! Thank you, ladies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is absolutely nothing like a Little League baseball game to get the heart racing! Especially when it's a game of 6- and 7-year olds! A lot of these kids are the first in their family to play sports, so their relatives turn out in numbers. I think I cheered as much for them as I did when I was in school. Youngest grandson Travis was a thrill to watch, as he had three hits this game, batting in two runs. (Notice the baseball pants that are supposed to stop at the knees.) I think he was pretty proud of himself, too. Mommy and little sister Kelly played cheerleaders, as Daddy coached from the dugout. The sun was shining beautifully this day, and I was still full of warmth and love from the visit with my friends. It seemed like perfection.That night we all trooped to the grade school Travis attends, where Amy is a den mother to his Cub Scout troop. I got a couple of good videos of the Award ceremony, as well as some cute
photos. Amy makes a great looking scout, and she was especially recognized for all the volunteer work she so generously supplies. (I just had to show how cute you looked in your scout uniform!)
While Amy received recognition and Travis "walked across the bridge" to receive his Wolf badge, I think Daddy deserved an award for letting Kelly wiggle and jiggle and giggle in his lap for nearly two hours!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know you all have heard about the earthquake in Chile over the weekend. They were such good neighbors in helping the Haitian victims after the earthquake there. They sent search and rescue teams, as well as supplies, and even set up field hospitals. Now it is their turn to receive help. As of this morning, I could not find a particular organization who will be assisting them other than the United Nations. Many have offered, I'm sure, but so many are stretched thin by the ongoing efforts in Haiti. I would say to continue to send money if you can to the Red Cross, and indicate on your check that it is for Chile. Chile was hesitant to accept help, but finally agreed that they will need some assistance. Not only did they suffer severe damage -- although, fortunately, not as much loss of lives, from the earthquake, but many coastal villages and towns were destroyed by the resulting tsunami.
I've been watching the developments in the efforts to rebuild the Haitian cities. One company has designed, and is donating 1,000 free, a type of prefabricated structure for inexpensive residences that can be expanded upon as needed. These buildings are hurricane and earthquake resistant. What a great company... and what a blessing for the Haitian people. A home that will sleep eight can be constructed for as little as $4,000. They are looking for financing for a massive effort to rebuild there. I will keep you informed.
Continued loving thoughts and prayers will help work the miracles necessary for these people to resume their lives.
I've been watching the developments in the efforts to rebuild the Haitian cities. One company has designed, and is donating 1,000 free, a type of prefabricated structure for inexpensive residences that can be expanded upon as needed. These buildings are hurricane and earthquake resistant. What a great company... and what a blessing for the Haitian people. A home that will sleep eight can be constructed for as little as $4,000. They are looking for financing for a massive effort to rebuild there. I will keep you informed.
Continued loving thoughts and prayers will help work the miracles necessary for these people to resume their lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am planning to make a quick trip in the morning to see if my little fledgling eagles (eaglets) have "fledged"! I missed the last couple of weeks because of the cold, snowy weather we had. I hope they are still hanging around.
I also need to give you an update on my neighboring Great Danes. Piper in particular has had quite a time the past few months. She was punished and imprisoned in her pen by an electrical wire, which made me very sad and feeling responsible.
Until next time, let me hear from some of you. I am always eager to hear your stories as well as mine. And with your permission, I will be thrilled to share them!
Love and peace,
Marilyn
I also need to give you an update on my neighboring Great Danes. Piper in particular has had quite a time the past few months. She was punished and imprisoned in her pen by an electrical wire, which made me very sad and feeling responsible.
Until next time, let me hear from some of you. I am always eager to hear your stories as well as mine. And with your permission, I will be thrilled to share them!
Love and peace,
Marilyn
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