50 All Over Again

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." ~ Oprah Winfrey

I had a marvelous gift awaiting me when I arrived home tonight. On my birthday, I gathered with good friends at a restaurant just outside the city. One of my friends videotaped the event and sent me a Youtube link to the piece he edited and created. I loved it. One of the guests had mentioned to me that I was quite articulate and I laughed. I had told stories off the top of my head that night about each guest. Watching it now, I concur that I did not do too bad of a job in honouring most of my friends.

I think Oprah’s quote above is true. As I watched the video, I chuckled at some of the “surprises” that went on without me knowing what was happening—a levitating angel??!! At the same time, I was touched all over again by how many magnificent people that I have in my life.

I have lots to celebrate in life and am grateful for this reminder. If you want to have a sneak peak at the video, drop me an email and I will be happy to pass it on to friends and family.

Celebrate and praise!

Peace,

Suzanne

Wise Stewards

"We owe it to our children to be better stewards of the environment. The alternative? - a world without whales. It's too terrible to imagine." ~ Pierce Brosnan

As I was flipping through materials yesterday, I came across some photos of my time with German friends, Susanne and Jurgen, in Cape Cod. We had an AMAZING whale watching tour one day. I had been on whale watching excursions on both the east and west coasts but I had experienced nothing as spectacular as what we saw that day—breaching, spy hopping, flipper slapping, and tail extensions left everyone breathless.

I cannot imagine what a world without that awesome creature would be like. It would be too terrible to contemplate. Be a good steward of the environment. We must be like the wise women in the Gospel today, not the foolish ones, who are ready and progressive in their thinking. We cannot just think of ourselves but of the generations to come. The next generation must be able to see whales playing in an ocean that is not toxic.

Peace,

Suzanne

Gifts of Memories

“The thing that has made the deepest impression on me about you is the value you place on people—each and every person. It’s as if you know the innate value of the individual regardless of their behaviour and qualities, their strengths and weaknesses. You just seem to know that they (we) are part of the holiness of life and holy just by our being.” ~ Ginny Earnest

Tonight I was sorting through some boxes, trying to find something, when I came across one that held letters from friends the year I lived in Washington, DC with the Sojourners Community. Within the box were the cards that each of my roommates and my two supervisors gave me on our last retreat together.

I pull them out sometimes because they are dear to me and tonight I took advantage of stumbling across them to reread them. Ginny, one of my supervisors, opened with the above sentences. I still get teary reading them. I am in awe of how each of those folks really saw into the depths of me in those 12 months we shared together. We did a lot of activities together but this one is the gift that continues to give abundantly.

It took me forever to figure out that conflict resolution was something that brought me life and yet tonight as I read these cards for the first time since graduating, I see that each of them has a comment about who I am in this regard. Bob, my other supervisor, wrote “I have seen you take risks, and step into pain—others and your own—when with ease you could have avoided it. For others, with others, you share your strength. And give away a piece of it, I think, because I don’t feel that people walk away aware of your strength as much as they walk away aware of their own and God’s.”

To me, these notes are such a gift. I treasure them. I don’t always see my own goodness. Like so many people, I see where I fell short, where I failed to extend grace, where I pray that God would redeem. Tonight, these cards were once again a balm to my deepest soul. I thank God for the wisdom of my two supervisors who came up with this concept and for each person who took the time to write a note of blessing to me. I pray that you too may encounter such a blessing at some point in your life.

Peace,

Suzanne

Breathe A Wee Bit Deeper

"Listen, are you breathing just a little and calling it a life?" ~ Mary Oliver
Today, I traveled in the beautiful sunny weather just south of the city. That corner of my province has some pretty spots to breathe in. The signer at the school is open and keen to learn. She breathes deeply, takes risks, learns much.

Tonight, I decided to stay home though there was something I wanted to attend. The week has been busy and I just needed a break. I decided that I needed to breathe just a little instead of gulp air madly while dog-paddling quickly to stay afloat. The weekend has a number of social events planned. I find I am tired this week and must be proactive about taking care of myself.

I am feeling blessed tonight as I think about turning off my computer and heading to bed. A friend from high school was in touch via Face Book and in my response I said to him something to the effect of, “My life has had many blessings and I am grateful.” It is over 30 years since I have seen him and so much has happened to me in that time. We used to walk home sometimes together because he lived up the street from me. Two of my friends dated him—at different times. We could never have predicted where life would lead us. I call what I do a life and thank God for the blessings received.

Breathe…as deep as you can. Life is meant to be inhaled.

Peace,

Suzanne

See the Miracle

"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.
But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin
air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle
which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green
leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes.
All is a miracle." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh has some amazing writings. I could not help but think of my life vision as I read this today—that every day I awake expecting a miracle to happen. Today I had several. I saw people passionate about the interpreting field again. I heard four snow geese honk as they flew low over my head, indeed a beauty to marvel at. I easily resolved a problem with the help of a colleague. I even managed to fit in a walk at the end of a busy and long day. Not only that, I was stopped in my tracks by this magnificent tree in my neighbourhood that seemed to be on fire—a tree still fully clothed in November. That alone is a miracle where I live!

Every day we have the opportunity to recognize at least one miracle in our midst. Every day, I want to see that all is a miracle. Walking on earth is a profound mystery. Just open your eyes and heart and you will see the joy that awaits.

Peace,

Suzanne

Milk and Cookies

"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.” ~ Robert Fulgham

I made double ginger crinkle cookies for tomorrow’s staff meeting. I wonder if we might just have cookies and milk, followed by a nap instead of a meeting. Month three of school begins and the pace is still frantic. I should be in bed perhaps rather than typing this.

I had the day off today and still was baking cookies at 8:30 at night. The rest of the day was filled with church activities…no time for napping. How disappointing! However, I can say I accomplished many good works today and so will soon head to bed with a feeling of a job fairly well done.

Peace,

Suzanne

Spectacular Sunrise

"Let God's promises shine on your problems." ~Corrie Ten Boom

Sometimes God surprises us. Today was one of those days. God took a couple of problems I was dealing with and took care of them in ways that I could not imagine. God promises to be there. God is pure Light. God’s light entered several conversations today and that changed everything. Who better to know this than someone like Corrie Ten Boom? Or the people of Kenya where this photo was taken? These are reminders too that God's light can shine in a dark world.

When was the last time God’s promises shone on your problems?

Peace,

Suzanne