Andrea Bocelli - Lord's Prayer

Jump into the video 50 seconds if you want to get to Andrea and the beginning of the prayer.

Quiet Saturday

amazing the way...

a familiar voice can settle

a prayer can swaddle

a simple joy can permeate

Drawing - colored pencil on black paper, 9 x 12.

The Mystery of Presence

Although in all of us there are wounds,

there is above all in each person the mystery of a Presence.

-Brother Roger

Taken from:
Seeking the Heart of God -- Reflections on Prayer
Mother Teresa & Brother Roger

Photo: A tiny sculpture given to me by a childhood friend.
Sadly, I don't know the artist's name in order to give her credit.

TV Watching & Coloring

I am a little pencil

in the hand of a writing God

who is sending a love letter to the world.

Mother Teresa

Back Alley

“Truth is a deep kindness that teaches us

to be content in our everyday life

and share with the people the same happiness.”

- Kahil Gibran

Photo - In my town, there are many streets of old, historic homes. It is the alleys behind them that have been amusing to me. Visual delights are waiting to be discovered and enjoyed! This painted plywood was one such discovered treasure while on a walk with a friend.

Little Light

little light

Big Light

Peace

Steady

Forward

Thankful

Thankful for the things that grow deeper.

Thankful for the things that grow closer.

Thankful for the things that grow away.

Photo - My sunflower as of this morning. HERE is where it began.
Also, my Prayer Draw for today.

Asleep Upon Your Bed

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart,
and you shall see that in truth you are weeping
for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow,"
and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits alone
with you at your board, remember that the
other is asleep upon your bed.

-Kalil Gibran

Unraveling

I

am

unraveling.

Silly me.

I thought

I was

done for

a while.



Often I write in my ambiguous poetry or I say what I can through my art. I leave little threads, hoping someone will pick them up and see.

Today I will be blunt.
My heart is shifting again and it hurts. In the past 4 days I have found myself in deep, hot tears, forced to my knees sobbing.
I am riddled with fear.
I fear that who and what I love will be taken from me. I fear I won't know what to do if I can't label myself as a mom. I fear I won't be able to find a job in a few weeks when I no longer have one.
Another round of growing and healing leaves me unfocused and disconnected. Lost.
Last summer I went through this...the first layer.
Autumn and winter were peaceful. I floated.
Now I am messy.

I surrender again and again.
I learn acceptance...again and again.
I have so much to learn!
I unravel and pray I am rewoven more gently, more humbly...more peacefully.

I know this won't be resolved with a solution.
I open to a Soul-ution.

Little Red Riding Hood

Sometimes I am like Little Red Riding Hood: sweet.
Sometimes I am like Grandmother: loving and tender.
Sometimes I am like the Big Bad Wolf: unpleasant and rotten.

The Hunter comes and cuts me out of myself when the wolf has taken over. It is a side of me I must accept, but it is a side of me I will choose not to live from.


Photos - I was recently reunited with one of my favorite childhood dolls. My sister recently moved and we found her in the back of a closet. I thought she was long gone! This is a flip-flop, topsy-turvy doll. Grandmother once had a sleeping cap to wear to hide her wolf-y edge.

Love Wears No Clothes

I can dance in my skirt of pettiness.
I can tie the sash on my robe of bitterness.
I can dodge gentle stones about to be thrown
by recoiling into to a place of solitude and narrowness.

I can.

But love can undress.
And love can pour humility on pride
stinging
piercing...
and then peaceful.
Love lays your head down gently on a pillow of forgiveness
even as the voice holds the hiss for just a moment longer.
Once again,
love forces you to arrive naked, willing to try again.

Artwork - Early 2000's, colored pencil on artboard.
(I think I may have shared this in the past year?? But it was fitting for today.)

A Prayer Called Home

There is a prayer called Home

where there is a hand to hold

and a smile to give

and a chair to sit...

where there are stories to share

colors to see

and laughter to flow through your bones...

where there is quiet afternoon

and music that lifts from a back room...

where mess are made

then cleaned up with gentle, tired hands...

where a weary head can rest

and there is a hem to hold

with bread to feed your soul...

in a prayer called Home.

Photo - me and my grandpa, 1976. I am 5.
He died of cancer when I was 14. Several weeks before dying, he told me not to forget who I am. It wasn't long after that I promptly began to forget...silently look the other way.
I have been remembering. I am remembering.
...the past 4 years, one year, six months...
I am remembering. It hurts my belly. I laugh. I cry.
I am coming home.
I am!

Felt Shapes...

Live with intention.

Walk to the edge.

Listen hard.

Practice wellness.

Play with abandon.

Laugh.

Choose with no regret.

Appreciate your friends.

Continue to learn.

Do what you love.

Live as if this is all there is.

-Mary Anne Radmacher

Image - Playing with felt shapes.
Sometimes I wish I had a felt board like
the one I remember from kindergarten.
Hmmm...what am I waiting for??

Little Bird

little bird

away from her nest

loving peace

on the blooming branch

of a pink prayer

Artwork - 2.5 x 3.5 inches, drawn last night with colored pencil,

pen and a wee bit of paint pen.

Roar

Courage doesn't always roar.

Sometimes courage is

the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,

"I will try again tomorrow."

-Author Unknown

I want to be ready to roar.
I woke up ready to roar.
But I have a feeling that come bedtime,
I will simply be willing to try again tomorrow.

Another Prayer Draw

Jennifer of One True Self asked about my marker and paper preference.
Just this past Monday I treated myself to the multi-pack of PaperMate Flair markers. I hadn't had any since I was a kid. I remember getting frustrated with them because I would try to color with them; finding the marker beginning to eat the paper. Well, it is still true...so I recommend you keep these markers to line drawing only.
And I love HP's Injet Bright White printer paper. It is truly white and weightier than copy paper.
Together, they make a wonderful pair.
But really, any marker or paper will do if you want to try putting color and image to your meditation/prayer.

Click my latest prayer draw if you would like to see more detail.

Prayer Draw

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

-William Wordsworth

Prayer Draw - 8.5 x 11 inches. Drawing my prayers: relaxing and invigorating.
I was inspired by the quote, my natural inclination, and a book called Praying in Color.
Sadly, I donated the book to the library but I think I am okay without it. Click the image to see a wee bit more detail.

The Lonely Twin

Doubt

is a pain

too lonely to know

that faith is his twin brother.

-Kahlil Gibran

Photos - A mosaic I (along with help from family and friends) made 4 years ago.

Fun. Messy. Time consuming. 6' x 8'

Love Grows

What is asked of us in our time

is that we break open our caves and find each other.

Nothing less will heal this anguished spirit,

nor release the heart to act in love.

- Author Unknown

Photo - My sunflower sprout.
I was going to blog about my oatmeal experience Saturday morning and how grumpy I was, and how when I typed OATMEAL I really typed OATMEAN. Appropriate.
I was going to blog about shedding old layers, Mystery, growing, anger and release, but like an obstinate child I don't wanna!
Instead I share the joy of my tiny sunflower seed that has sprouted. For many years I have been too scared to grow anything. I am trying. Love grows.