Category: Uncategorized

“Act as if”

by worrylessjourney, posted in acceptance, aggravations, change, choices, control, feelings, habits, perspective, Uncategorized

why_holding_a_grudge_can_ruin_your_health_600xSometimes it is difficult to let go of a grudge against someone. Over time our church has had difficulties and unfortunately we (my husband and I) tend to feel some of them were because of some bad decisions on the part of someone.

We have struggled with this and know it is time to let it go. However just deciding that and actually doing it are two different things. I read something years ago that we don’t really let go until we can think about the issue without emotion

Act-as-if.

We will work on that. I like to use “act as if” to help change a pattern or habit so I will begin to “act as if” there are no feelings attached to this. Eventually it will go away.

“Act as if” works really well for lots of things. If I am feeling down I will try to act happy. Many times it works. Just setting your mind to change things can make a real difference.

Try it!

God’s creatures

by worrylessjourney, posted in animals, belief, compassion, connections, death, empathy, feelings, God, grief, sadness, Uncategorized

butterfly-effectThis morning as I was driving out of my driveway I saw what looked like a small creature lying beside the drive. As I passed I could see it was a small, possibly baby, raccoon. It lifted its head and shook in fear as I went by. It was obviously hurt. I assume it was hit by a car. As I paused and watched it gave a last breath and was gone. Sitting for a moment to be sure he/she was gone and then went to my appointment.

This quick incident really bothered me. I felt so much empathy for the poor creature that tears were close. It had such a short life. I really saw it as one of God’s creatures and said a prayer for its passing. I saw the same imagery as with the dogs and pictured it moving over the rainbow bridge. I can’t help experiencing grief over any creature I see in pain. I wish I could have helped but there was nothing to be done. We will give him/her a decent burial.

Rainbow-Bridge-heaven

I can’t help but see all of creation being linked and the death of one creature, flower, tree, insect being part of the whole. I know I am epathic and can feel pain for the smallest thing but we all should feel that loss. It is what we have ignored for too long.

Go little raccoon, over the rainbow bridge and join those who have gone before you.

 

Somewhat normal?

by worrylessjourney, posted in appreciate, children, commitment, community, compassion, connections, giving, life changes, moderation, perspective, Uncategorized

love-warming-your-soulThis is the first day that things have felt somewhat normal. We put everything back on the porches and cleaned up some of the mess. There are small tree limbs and scattered pine and oak stuff everywhere.  It will take a while to get it clear but we are lucky that’s all there is.

 

It is nice to see the sun today. Sunshine always makes me feel better. Now I have some catching up to do with my Community Conference case for next week. Back to routine.

How-To-Help-Teens-After-Rehab-676x400This volunteer work really is important. Everyone involved is hoping that it will help to keep kids from the courts and keep their lives on a better track. It gives me a good feeling to try to help. The schools have become so strict regarding what kids can do that sometimes it is overkill. We have had children sent to court for drawing a picture of a gun. Hopefully the program will be able to see if this is a truly troubled child or just one who wasn’t thinking. After all, they are still children. Maybe some who need help can be sent to the right people.

It is nice to be thinking about this instead of constantly watching the Weather Channel and the storm. I hope the storms showing up now don’t affect anyone.

Hurricane coming

by worrylessjourney, posted in acceptance, aggravations, consequences, coping, danger, expectations, perspective, Uncategorized

Just thought I would check in tonight. So far we still have power here in Savannah. We usually lose power in ever the lightest storm so I am really surprised it is still on. We do have a generator and hope that it works if the power goes off. If you click on the video it should right itself.

So far just lots of wind and rain impossible to tell what it looks like without video. Hopefully the worst will be by us by tomorrow. I will only be able to post with my phone if no power so it may be a few days.

Mastering Silence

by worrylessjourney, posted in acceptance, calm, centering, choices, comfort, commitment, contemplation, control, habits, learn, meditation, persistance, silence, Uncategorized

There is so much noise in our daily lives that silence is almost unknown. When I worked for the church I would occasionally ask people to sit in silence for one minute. I actually timed it and after 30 seconds the fidgeting would begin.

silence power

There is not only no silence on the outside but there is little silence on the inside. Most of us have not learned how to shut off the voice in our heads. Since we have been so little exposed to quieting that voice it requires time and effort to learn how to do it. We decide that we want to try meditation and we can’t seem to settle and so we quit. It really is difficult to meditate in the beginning on your own. It is so much easier if there is a voice directing you. There are many Amazon Alexa apps that will take you through a meditation but even those aren’t always enough.

quiet-mind-meditation-quote (1)

The best meditation I ever did was in a group with someone walking you quietly through the process. A really good leader can help you explore more depths that almost any other way. I have not found many meditation experiences except in yoga classes and most of them don’t meditate long enough for you to get into the place where you can let everything go.

I am hoping to start a group but I don’t know if I will have any takers. It remains to be seen.

Are all churches like Coventry Cathedral. — susiesopinions

by worrylessjourney, posted in Uncategorized

This is absolutely worth reading.

We are handed our bulletin with the order of service when we arrive at St. Alban’s Church in St. Petersburg. The back page often has articles that might be of interest to the congregation. This was in Sunday’s one, and I love it. ” A Welcome borrowed from Coventry Cathedral in Coventry, West Midlands, England. […]

via Are all churches like Coventry Cathedral. — susiesopinions

Unbelievable weather

by worrylessjourney, posted in Uncategorized

I hardly slept at all last night. I don’t know why there was no reason.

It is a beautiful day here it’s in the low eighties high seventies. It is so nice that I decided it was the perfect day to work outside.

I was able to stay outside longer than usual. I didn’t get as hot. However, I forgot how tired I was and now I am so sleepy. From here on the porch I can see ships going in-and-out of the channel. It is a beautiful sight.

It is a blessing to have a day like this when it is almost August. It is usually so hot and humid that we can’t stay outside for long.

I hope everyone is having a beautiful and wonderful weekend.

Music, music, music

by worrylessjourney, posted in beauty, calm, celebrate, choices, comfort, connections, coping, fun!, listening, music, Uncategorized

Music is very important to me. I took piano lessons for years and studied with a concert pianist. It was there I discovered that I didn’t want to be a concert pianist. I just wanted to play for enjoyment. I sang in choirs and for 10 years was a choir director. I think that music moves me more than anything else. I can sit in church or in the car or wherever and find tears rolling down my cheeks. Once, spending three weeks in the hospital, only the Brandenburg Concerto would comfort me. This has a wonderful explanation at the beginning.

I cannot stay still when the rhythms of music move me. I have to tap my toes or move my hands. I MUST do something! I don’t understand people who sit perfectly still. I know that their enjoyment may be equal to mine but they are STILL!

My father was the same way. He loved Dixieland Jazz and took me with to bars as a child to listen to the greats. No one said anything. I think they knew he wasn’t plying me with liquor but with music.

There is so much wonderful music in the world. I know I will not live long enough to absorb it all. I want to develop a playlist for when I am fading out of this world. I want to hear the music I love and take it with me.

Fast money = big interest

by worrylessjourney, posted in advice, choices, consequences, danger, decisions, learn, mistakes, money, Uncategorized

Today has been calm and a nice break. The weather is hot but after all it is summer. Today I did another mediation. It is amazing to me the terrible fixes people can get themselves into. Sometimes I just want to say “what were you thinking?”

loans

So many of the mediations are about loans. Not today but I have seen cases where people borrowed money and I’m sure they had no idea how 25% interest would affect them. You can quickly end up owing so much more money than you started out with. Money management is one of those things that should be taught in school. Someone should show them how if you borrow money at that interest rate you will be in trouble fast.

I have heard some educators recently talking about things that should be taught. It seems that people need education on practical matters. I don’t know what happened. Are parents not teaching money management or cooking at home any more. My parents made sure that I understood about life issues. I may not have wanted to hear it but they told me anyway.

life skills

Sometimes I feel so sorry for the people who end up in a legal problem because no one explained the basics to them. Quick money = big interest. It is important to pay attention and know what you are doing.