So many thoughts, so little time.... pt. 2

Well, here we are. Thanksgiving is done. Other than 15 more pounds of turkey of course. Also, of course, there's been a revolving door of kids around due to Rhia being home so food goes much quicker LOL. We had a large fire last night so the smell of smoke still lingers in the air. It feels like the first time we've been home alone for days. Cory's upstairs playing the guitar and singing, Rhia randomly joins in from the living room, Barry's putzing around the yard and I just got out of the shower and am deciding which direction to go in. Everywhere I look there is some work to be done but I don't feel any great pressure to do it. So I blog.

Home. aka Sanctuary. The place where occasionally you look around and realize your past, your present and your future. What's real. What's important. The place where you can exhale.

Sometimes life feels so hurried. I tend to feel like I have to do this so I can do that which will make this happen so I won't have to have that happen. You know. Every now and then I get a moment where I don't have to do anything. And then it's impossible to decide. Well, if I don't have to do anything, what would I do? It's perplexing.

Feels like in a perfect world, if you could do whatever you wanted to do without consequence, you would just sit and eat and drink and laugh and love. Which is what I do. Well except there are consequences. Sigh. So then the shoulds come in.

I should exercise.
I should eat better.
I should meditate.
I should get my work done.
I should clean up the kitchen.
I should think of something for dinner and go get it and make it.
I should finish the Christmas decorating.
I should, I should, I should.

So Rhia and I watch the birds. And wander around. And I go to the windows where Barry is working and make faces at him. ........

So... yeah... we just slithered on the ground and hid behind the wall to the window he was working on and waiting an interminable time for him to get involved in his task so we could jump up and SCARE HIM!!!! Only it didn't. So dejectedly, we walk away.

And yes. This is what we choose to do with our time....

The Challenge continues

Peyton Conway March once said,

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"There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life - happiness, freedom and peace of mind - are always attained by giving them to someone else."

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It never ceases to amaze me how true this statement is. Take yesterday, for example. I posted the Grateful Challenge in the hopes of giving other's the opportunity to feel gratitude in their hearts, to take a minute and realize that no matter what your circumstances, you can always find something to be grateful for.

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What I didn't expect was how heartwarming it would be to see the answers. One girl wrote 100 things, right off the bat. And she's just 22 years old. Imagine at that age being able to have the ability to REALLY look beyond yourself and be happy for what you have received. I don't know at 22 if I could have done that... unfortunately, I was probably more concerned with what I didn't have :( than all the riches that I did have. Thank goodness God is forgiving. Anyway, here's some of the answers I've received:

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1. my breath2. my family3. my friends4. red wine5. chai6. yoga7. the Earth’s bounty8. a heart that somehow manages to remain open9. moving beyond the pain10. meditation (I’m thankful for it, but it doesn’t mean I love it - it’s excruciating sometimes.)11. the healing arts12. organic dark chocolate13. my path14. lessons learned the hard way15. learning hard lessons the easy way16. sushi places that use brown rice17. heart to heart conversations that lead to “aha” moments18. turning points19. reduced cynicism20. openness to see the world through different lenses21. folks who have the courage to put themselves in harms way for the greater good22. the shift I believe is happening in the Collective Consciousness23. America growing into her potential greatness24. the rhythms of nature25. clothes that fit a little looser this year1 Family2 friend3 freedom4 choice5 being able to trust in people6love8 laughter9 chinese food10 my bedroom11 good boots12 the snooze button14 warm blanket15 church16being able to learn17 bullet proof glass18 being able to call home19 cheezits20 dvd's21my sense of humor22 the internet so i can talk to those i love23 people who will send cookies to a random soldier24 honor25 the ability to love1 My husband Bruce2 My 3 wonderful daughters3 My friends4 My home5 My work6 My homeschool group TLCI7 Our cat Princess8 My family in The Netherlands9 Barely being affected by the economic slump10 Getting a new President (yeah!)11 Church choir12 Running, even when the weather is below freezing13 Nice meals to cook14 A glass of wine in the evening15 Making real wood fires in the fireplace16 Volunteering at the food bank17 Taking long walks (like Volksmarches if you know what they are)18 my PT Cruiser19 Stamping cards20 Playing Bananagrams21 Watching Becca perform in the Nutcracker22 the many blessings I receive every day24 God's amazing presence 25 inner peace 26. blogs27. blog buddies28. my "daughter"29. finding balance30. hassle free hair31. the holiday spirit32. synchronicity33. books34. internet access35. my Blackberry (what would I do without it?)36. flex time37. my body surprising me in yoga class38. 4 day weekends39. ginger peach candles40. knowing the value of "elbow grease"41. not having to use it42. Whole Foods43. Trader Joe's44. My Organic Market45. the surprise of finding favorite products at Safeway46. not having to do Black Friday this year47. Linda (wow! sorry it took so long)48. laughter49. Tonya (my holistic health counselor and mentor)50. Phoenix Rising1. Matt2. My parents3. other assorted family4. the whole Miller family5. my puppy6. my cats7. a warm house8. cell phone9. a working car10. laughter11. knitting needles12. yarn13. my imagination14. renn fest15. tissues16. snowball17. technology18. my brain19. doctors20. being able to have a choice21. healthy food options22. not so healthy food options23. warm sweaters24. long walks25. a misty weathered day26. twilight (the time of day and the book series)27. yoga28. cozy blankets to snuggle in29. inside jokes30. theatre31. dance32. text messaging33. freedom of expression34. farmers markets35. downtown annapolis36. christmas trees & hanukkah bushes37. hugs38. family values39. a strong belief in what's right40. a voice41. being loved42. small children43. intelligent conversations44. cameras45. picture frames46. sales (on anything)47. the media48. recordable cds49. movies50. mostly clean air51. gwynne and kyle52. those overseas who should be home 53. health of my family (especially my father)54. tears 55. reiki56. medication to heal ailments57. a good massage58. books59. vegetables (but not peas or beans) (or brussel sprouts)60. italian food61. homecooked food62. being able to smile63. swimming pools64. hairbrushes65. campfires66. moving body parts67. motivation68. teachers69. knowledge70. learning new things71. cookies72. artists73. disney princesses74. leaves75. mentors76. greenmen77. faeries78. airplanes79. police officers80. nutcrackers81. ramen soup82. warm summer night83. fresh picked flowers84. daisies85. getting my back scratched86. life87. the possiblity of giving life88. the air we breathe89. multiple choices for the clothing on my back90. linda's margaritas91. kisses92. acorns93. firefighters94. ice cream95. The Helfers96. The Connolly's97. The Thorpes98. being able to love99. friendship100. All of my friends and loved ones1. my husband2. my beautiful boys3. my big sister4. family and friends5. God6. a nice warm home to come to7. a job8. Love9. food on the table10. medications that work11. the warmth of my fireplace12. my dog13. my car14. laughter15. snow16. quiet17. movies18. my computer19. the ability to taste, smell, feel, see, etc.20. flowers21. red wine22. seafood23. beaches24. mountains25. Heaven

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Wow. Sorry for the way Blogger copies and pastes but it sort of seems right somehow.

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Wow. By giving I have received so much. How heartwarming and delightful people are.

Today's Challenge: Name 25 Things you are grateful for by Thursday!

My 25 (not necessarily in any order :) ):

1. My Life
2. Barry
3. Cory
4. Rhia
5. God
6. Reiki
7. Yoga
8. My Students
9. My Friends
10. My Family.... where ever they are
11. Suki
12. Wine
13. Insights
14. Great Books
15. Trees
16. The Big Beautiful Sky
17. Turkeys
18. Wind
19. Therapy
20. Health
21. Tarot
22. Knowledge
23. Empathy
24. Jenny
25. My Home

Now, where's yours? The challenge is 25-- Bonus for 100!
Love to All!

While the Mice were Away....

So, Cory went to get Rhia at Montreat this weekend. While they were away:

Barry & I hung out on the couch....

I played London Bridge with the animals.


Barry smudged the house with our new Smudge Sticks...

Dude. What'd you think?

So many choices, so little time...

I find myself still in unable to get motivated mode. Fortunately, lots of people have been wanting Reiki and coming to Yoga so I've been crazy busy. Trouble is, when I'm not crazy busy I have trouble making myself crazy busy. You know?

The concept of my work distracting me from my work is silly. It's that putting on this hat and that hat thing. My to do list is never gonna to be a done list. It's interesting that I used to be able to manage a 25 person office and know on any given day what was in any persons to do list and now I can't even FIND my own list. This old age absentmindedness combined with the hormonal silliness (don't EVEN get me started) combined with all the electronic hoo ha to take care of and my parenting now spread all over the country (umm, ok, slight exaggeration) and the "go with the flow" lifestyle that yoga and meditation are so good at producing has made it extremely difficult for me to complete a single task completely.

You know the drill. You sit down to check your mail, which can be an all day thing somedays just trying to respond to all the email and blogs and comments but sooner or later you have to eat and you notice there is no food so you go to the store but while you are looking for your purse you realize you haven't been to the bank so you need to get your deposit ready but when you pull the drawer with all your banking stuff you realize it is stuffed with well.... stuff... so it is in immediate need of being organized so you begin that but just as you are surrounded with 25 piles of well.... stuff... you get a phone call that you MUST take that ends up being an hour long and you find yourself doing laundry and washing dishes but just as you get the piles of laundry sorted you realize it's time for your next class so you leave the whole big mess to teach which completely chills you out and then you come home and need to just check your mail real quick which turns into a quick glance at Facebook and the next thing you know 2 hours has passed while you are desperately trying to save the rainforest by taking care of everyones green patch and oh my lordy, it's time for dinner. But you never made it to the store... so it looks like it's gonna be pizza which reminds you that you REALLY need to work out so you begin to put your exercise clothes on but you didn't get to do the laundry so you don't have any clean ones and ewww, who is gonna exercise in previously exercised in clothes? so you go back to the utility room to finish the laundry but guess what? Of course, there's no laundry detergent. And you never went to the store. So you decide to make a list. Which brings you back to the drawer... and you see the piles of unorganized stuff and you feel overwhelmed so you decide maybe gardening would clear your mind...

So. Um...Honey? That's why the house and yard look the way they do.

But I don't have time to take care of it right now cause I have to make some new eye pillows cause I promised Fabian House I would get them there today. Or tomorrow. Sigh.