On the 4th of July we celebrate Independence Day. It is a day of fun and festivity, food and family. It is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 by the Continental Congress. This document declared that the original 13 colonies of America considered themselves a new nation, called the United States of America! (from Tech Notes).
As we celebrate this year, let us remember to take care of the 4-footed family members. As evening draws near, please take extra precautions for our furry friends and make sure they are inside, preferably in the house with windows closed and a TV or radio going to help block out the outside noise. Loud noises, such as that from fire crackers and fire works, frighten animals and they tend to run. And when they run, they often get lost. So please, enjoy your holiday, but think about fido and fluffy before you leave for the day. Make sure they have what they need to keep them calm and secure during the Festivities! Happy 4th!
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This week I was reminded of the story “Our Town” about a young woman, Emily, who died young and was given the opportunity to “go back” and witness a time in her life. She chose her 12th birthday party. At the party she watched as everyone around her was so busy, busy making arrangements for the party. At one point she pleaded, mom, look at me, don’t you see me? Then later that day I was at a restaurant and I watched as four people, possibly two young couples, sat down and promptly pulled out their smart phones, busy looking up something or other and not paying attention to each other, not talking with each other, not noticing the windy day, not looking like they were enjoying themselves on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. In Ecclesiates 3, it reminds us that there is a time for everything. The verse outlines a variety of things we need to make time for – to mourn and to dance, to weep and to laugh, to love and to hate. It reminds us there is a time for everything, but not everything at once. One line says, “What do workers gain from their toil? 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart…” What do you suppose is meant by this? I once took a trip to Alaska and when I arrived I finally understood the meaning of the word “awesome.” Everything around me was so grand, so beautiful, so breathtaking. The sky was the bluest blue, the mountains so strong and tall and the ocean, all visible from one place. Yes, the trip was magnificent. But, I think that’s the meaning of the above passage, we need to take the time to absorb the everyday moments. It is about the awesome beauty in the everyday world that will pass us by, if we don’t take a moment to notice. You get nothing out of being too busy. We don’t always get to go on a trip where everything is incredible and the magnificence hits you over the head to make you realize the beauty in the world. We need to make memories when we sit down to dinner with friends, enjoy a simple birthday party, or walk on the beach. Nothing is mundane. Life will be mundane only if you let it. Stop multi-tasking and make memories instead. Blessings and Namaste, Vicki Pictures of our rhododendrons in bloom - Awesome!
Several months ago I started a “gratitude practice.” Each day before I get up and again before I go to bed, I say a small prayer of thanks for three things I am thankful for.
This past weekend I experienced a strong dose of the results. I had to prepare for a procedure for two (2) full days. Two days without solid foods. It didn’t take me long to realize how lucky I am that at any time I can go to the cupboard and find something I want to eat. I said a small prayer of thanks. And as the days went on I was grateful for my sister-in-law who kept tabs on my attitude via text and email. And said a second small prayer of thanks. Finally, I was so very happy that my husband kept everything else under control without complaint while I was incapacitated. I said a third small prayer of thanks. That night, even though I would be under anesthesia the next day, I went to bed and repeated these things that made my day, and the most peaceful feeling came over me. In the end I was thankful that the medicine worked this time and the procedure went without incident. There’s a surge of information about how practicing gratefulness benefits the human body. A gratefulness practice helps lower stress, increases alertness and enthusiasm, it shifts our focus to the positive so that we can see the abundance already present in our lives. Research shows that people who practice gratitude daily are happier and more content. Dr. Robert Emmons, a psychologist at the University of California at Davis, has been studying gratitude for almost 10 years and is considered by many to be the world’s leading authority on gratitude. Dr. Emmons says, “To say we feel grateful is not to say that everything in our lives is necessarily great. It just means we are aware of our blessings.” Reflecting on your blessings every morning when you get up sets the tone of your day. When you set the tone of your day in a positive way, you’ll walk through the day more open, more relaxed, and better able to respond to each and every situation of the day in an appropriate way. Sometimes we can’t see the gift in a situation at that moment. Sometimes the realization comes a little later. But when you trust that you are strong enough, smart enough, open enough to weather any storm, any situation before you, you can be grateful for every moment of life. Appreciating and being grateful for the things that happen in life prepares you to live your life fully. Once you start practicing gratitude, it will be easier to recognize the little things that bring you joy but are often take for granted. Practicing gratitude gives you the ability to see the beauty in everyone and everything even during stressful situations. Practicing gratitude helps keep you centered so that you can fully experience – the gift of life. Try this simple practice. Just think about three things you are thankful for each day. Think of three things that make you happy and say a little prayer of thanks. Then see what happens. Blessings to you. The title of this post came from the book, 100 favorite Bible Verses. Passage 15 in this book tells us that "the Psalms are a tapestry of human emotions.” The poetry of prayer in the Psalms weaves together anger, fear, joy, longing, despair, praise and passion. All emotions we feel every day. But this psalm “Be Still and Know that I am God” is God’s answer to us. “It is brief and straightforward: Stop and remember who is on your side.” But if you look closely at the psalm, it is anything but calm. It talks of mountains collapsing and earthquakes. All of these images are reflections on how we sometimes feel, especially when we feel like our lives are out of control. But when the Psalm mentions to “Be still, the whole tone of the passage changes from outside chaos to internal rest." We can do the same. I loved what Pastor Jerry said this Sunday that red is the symbol of Joy and Fire. And the fire begins with the Spirit in us. And, the fire, that Spirit changes us. When we are grounded in love, strengthened in inner being, we get a sense of peace. He said that the Spirit is the energy of the heart of God, that transfers from the heart of God to your heart. We get this when we step away from the distractions of life and look inward. And this is what the practice of yoga is all about. It is about learning how to live in the world while at the same time seeking God. When we practice yoga we are practicing and re-instilling our connection with God. When we practice, we can "Stop, and remember who is on our side." Blessings and namaste, Vicki We hear it all the time, from friends and family. We even say it ourselves sometimes. I'm sooooo busy. It's true, we are busy people. Our lives are filled to the brim, over-packed, and scheduled to the max. And when that happens, when all the “To-Dos” build up, we often lose sight of what’s important. We lose touch with ourselves, with love and compassion. Instead we get worried and stressed, and the stress stays with us in our bodies. When the body is tight and tense, it is harder to relax, to settle down and to be quiet. When we take the time to unwind we can feel the peace that God so wants us to experience. This past Sunday, Pastor Jerry said that "God breaths on us" and into us the Holy Spirit and once filled, we experience peace. Not the simple kind of peace you find when someone is noisy and you ask them, “Can I have some peace and quiet, Please?” But the deep peace, deep within you peace, peace that fills us to the brim, utterly – peace that almost overwhelms us with its fullness. The fullness of God’s love - that kind of peace. This week's practice will be about peace. Quieting ourselves enough to that we can feel God's peace, God's presence. Blessings and namaste, Vick We hear it all the time, "I am so busy." It's true, we are busy people. Our lives are filled to the brim, over-packed and scheduled to the max. And when that happens, when all the “To-Do’s” build up, we often lose sight of what’s important. We lose touch with ourselves, with love and compassion. Instead we are worried and stressed. Stress stays with us in our bodies. So, having a fit body is important. When the body is tight and tense, it is harder to relax, to settle down and to be quiet. When we take the time to unwind we can feel the peace that God so wants us to Experience. Yoga helps us do just that. This past Sunday, Pastor Jerry said that “God breathes on us and into us the Holy Spirit and once filled we experience peace.” Not the simple kind of peace you find when someone is noisy and you ask them, “Can I have some peace and quiet, Please?” But the deep peace, deep within you peace, peace that fills us to the brim, utterly – peace that almost overwhelms us with its fullness. The fullness of God’s love – that kind of peace. So take a little breather. Take a few moments out of your busy schedule and take a deep breath, take two, and feel the peace that comes along with that breath and remember that each breath is a gift. Breathe deep and share God’s love today. Blessings and namaste, Vicki Faith & Yoga will be starting at CRC on April 26th. We'll start at 6:30 p.m. so come early to set up and sign in!! Doors open at 6:15. Come to the lower level. Bring your yoga mat and a friend. We will be active for about 50 minutes then spend 20 to 30 minutes in a guided relaxation or meditation. Please read the Tips page for more information.
See you there! The Winter session of Faith & Yoga will begin November 29th! Come and join us.
Join us for a 2-hour class on November 15th. We will practice asana (poses) for about an hour. Then we will relax and restore with a variety of poses that promote relaxation and close the class with a half hour of Yoga Nidra. Come and enjoy - just in time
The next session of Faith and Yoga will begin on August 16, 2012. Class will begin at 6:30 and last until 8:00 pm.
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Schedule Notice!Classes at back at CRC Archives
December 2017
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