Small Lent Offering

I gave up Facebook for a week of Lent. I know, I know, Lent is 40 days, but although I am not a beginner at observing Lent, I am a baby novice at giving up things for Lent. A few years ago, I tried it: I gave up beer and made it about 3 weeks before throwing in the towel one Saturday night while having dinner with my friend who just happens to be a minister. That was a few years ago and made me think that since I wasn't Catholic and I come from "up North", I didn't really need to observe Lent in this way... anyway.

So, Sunday I decided to give it a try for one week. Whew! This has been hard. I spend quite a lot of minutes a day checking in on Facebook by reading posts, updating my status and most recently checking myself in when I go for out for fun and then tagging friends who are with me as well as taking a picture to add to the collage.

Does anyone care what my status is or where I am at the moment. The answer is yes. I know they care because they read it and mention it. And I know, because I care about my Facebook friends status and where they are.

Anyway, I have given it up and it's been hard and that's the way it's supposed to be, right? So, when I want to go on Facebook, I am to think Godly thoughts, and perhaps reflect on all that Christ suffered while hanging on that cross.

I'll be honest with you. I don't like pondering, thinking about, or reflecting on the cross experience. It makes me highly uncomfortable and anxious (and angry). It is beyond my imagination how any one person, let alone a group of religious leaders, could commit such an evil and horrendous act to any human being regardless of what they believed about him. And to think that God somehow did this on purpose is again, beyond my thinking. I can, however, believe that God works in even the most difficult, uncomfortable, anxious, scary, and sad times. For I believe, He is the Great Comforter, and I have experienced Him personally in this capacity.

This week I have needed that comfort and to know that He is working in all the situations of my current life situation, as well as my sisters', my parents', my friends', and other countries' current life situations. There are troubling things happening everywhere and some of those things are happening in my very heart.

I am on a quest for transformation, but it is hard work, for going back to what is familar whether it worked in the past or not, is the easy way... Falling back on old ideas, old habits, old ways of doing things is easy to do even if I have decided to go a new way. And going the new way is on purpose... for purpose... to become who I was born to be... to give to the world the gifts I was purposed to give. And to do that, it seems that clutter has got to be kept to a mimimum. My fear? that I don't know the difference between clutter and treasure. And because of that, I trust that God will help me know the difference. When am I leaning into something or someone that is keeping me from my purpose and when am I running from something or someone that is part of my purpose. God, help me know the difference, and I trust you do and always have; I only need to learn to listen and then trust with my whole heart as I take my picture off another wall.

So, while I stay away from posting my status on Facebook or reading everyone else's status's, and while I don't see who is friending who and who is "in a relationship" and where everyone is eating dinner, I reflect on how much God is at work in the world and I ask what can I do to help?

What happens now?

Namaste

Love Just Is

Love doesn't always sing joyfully.

Sometimes, love cries
      and holds
           and gasps for breath.
Because sometimes,
     those we love
          leave our world 
continuing on
     to their next destination 
          without us.

The part they leave behind
     is the love,
for love
     never dies
It just is.

I have seen pain
     in the eyes of the bereaved
I have felt pain
    in the arms of their grief
I have held on tight
    praying for the love,
         the love,
              the love,
to rain down from above
     swirl from around
          burst up from below
               swallowing us up
                    for a moment of sweet relief.

And if nothing else
     that maybe
          just maybe
we find each other
     matter.
For, of course,
     we do,
          we always did.

For love knows no time
     no boundary
          no reason
for being present
now.

~Judy Morrill Young
     3/20/2011
     First Day of Spring


Namaste
    

Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter ... | Video on TED.com

Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter ... Video on TED.com

I will blog tonight or tomorrow, but for now, take the 18 minutes and listen to Sarah. Wow!

10 Minute Break

Somedays when "it" feels all knotted up inside, I just have to stop what I am doing, breathe, stretch... while smiling.... the smile is very important.... and then remember again to stop. Stop thinking, stop worrying, stop problem solving, stop wondering what if, stop wishing if only.... just stop, smile, breathe and stretch!

And when that is over and "it" feels a little bit better, I remind myself to write.

Writing is the place where I can be myself without hearing anyone else. :-)

And it is a place where I realize just how much is going on inside my head and heart and soul. It is too busy in there.

Aw, the simple life. Would I have it, if someone handed it to me with a big red bow on it, or would I instead opt for this crazy, fast-paced, crowded schedule where it is hard to fit in that which I love the most? For perhaps the truth is that I do love busy-ness ----- or perhaps it is just such a habit that I am awkward and uncomfortable within my own serenity.

For these 10 minutes, I am alone at my keyboard with soft bell ringing music coming from my i-phone and the office desktop sitting on hold for just these 10 minutes. 10 minutes of being with myself and the God who created this me who is wound up just a bit too tight today.

Some of what is going on in the world is sad and scary. Some of what is going on in the world is the most beautiful. I prefer to concentrate on the beautiful, but the destruction weighs heavy on my heart.

My troubles seem small and trivial. My house still stands. My air is still clean enough to go outside, and the ocean is not at my feet in a place where it does not belong.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Peace come to me no matter what is going on around me.

I love you. Thank you. I am sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you. I am sorry. Please forgive me........ and on, and on, and on....... peace, perfect peace.

Namaste

Wednesday Love

Wednesday, while waiting
      on a green left arrow
White tall pickup
      In the straight-through lane
      to my right
Handsome man on a cell phone
      beginning a wave.

Wondering
    was it just a gesture
While on the phone?

His animated smiling face
     seemingly
     for the one
     on the other end of the line.
    
His window
     rolled down
     his waving arm
Coming out     
     the window; and
His face lit up.

And it dawned on me.

His wave;
     His phone call;
     Were both for her.

She was here
      crossing
      in her car
      in the intersection.

His hand
     went back into his truck
His hand
      brought up to his lips
      and he kissed
      the inside of
His hand
      pressed it to the windshield
As his head turned
His lips gently smiled
      watching her go by.

I never saw her
But I saw her Loved
Wednesday.

~Judy Young 3/2/11

Namaste,
Judy

Today's Blessing

I received an email today from someone whom I have never met, but has shared a similar heartbreak. She spoke of a bond that we shared.

I thanked her for taking the time and energy to reach out to me. What a gift not only from her, but I suspect there was a divine intervention working within all of this.

I believe that love is what God is made of, and I found her letter to be filled with love and nothing else. Thank you!

I told her I was getting better and stronger. I hoped she could see that as she read through my string of blogs. I was touched that she had read them. My writing is my outlet, but it is also a way for me to reach people's hearts: namely women's hearts. I loved that she has read them.

I told her that recovering from a very broken heart is not easy, and I know, as did she, that it doesn't get easier when it happens a 2nd or 3rd time..... or more. I think it actually can get harder as it brings up all the past heartaches and can multiply the pain.

There are life lessons learned even in heartache, and I have learned some valuable things to carry forward with me into my future.

First I have learned that Love is always the answer to every question. Love does not always feel good, but I must love even though... And part of love is letting go and letting it be and loving what is, even when it hurts... love.

Secondly, I have learned that trust must be with God, that no matter what happens, I will be OK, and so will my world. I am loved beyond measure by God, and I am completely surrounded by His goodness no matter what is going on around me.

Thirdly, I have learned that I am capable of loving deeply and completely. And I can again.

I do believe that her email was a blessing in my life today.


I thanked her for sending it. It was a very loving thing for her to do. I am grateful.


This woman encouraged me today. And I believe through her, God encouraged me too.


She ended her letter to me with, "God is good." I agree completely with her.


I am grateful.


Namaste,
Judy