Dogs Dig Out (again)

Just one of the boards they chewed on to get out.

As I got out of the shower this morning, the phone rang--CB was calling me from the Habitat site to tell me that the dogs were OUT! All three had been outside in the fenced-in yard. Maisie and Cisco had dug out again. I blogged about their digging awhile ago here.

BUT how did CB know this when he is across town doing construction? Our nice neighbor, who sometimes takes care of the dogs when we are gone, called him, since I was not available to answer the phone.

When I went out the backdoor, I was surprised to find Maisie there! Only later did I learn from our neighbor that he had hauled her by the collar into the backyard and then blocked the hole, but he said Cisco would not come to him. By the time I got a treat and the leash and went out the front door to find Cisco, Cisco was sitting there waiting to be let in! Cisco always comes back home, but not Maisie (yet).

Here is Maisie sniffing at the blockage to her hole:

And here are tired Cisco and Maisie:

Friday Five: TX Summers

Songbird brings this Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals. This is what Songbird suggests for today's Friday Five:
"But I don't want that to ruin summer for the rest of you. So I invite you to share five things you love--or don't--about summer. The tone is up to you!"

1. HEAT and HUMIDITY! Living in south TX, our summers seem present for half the year, so I am biased. In fact, I have a blog label entitled Texas Heat that has rants and cartoons about how hot it is here.

The lethal thing about living on the coast in warm/hot weather is the humidity. In the winter the humidity helps keep our skins hydrated. Now they really are wet! In fact, my friend KK has a cute story about her young nephew who arrived in town yesterday from WA State--he'd been running around the airport on arrival and suddenly stopped and said: "It's hot. I'm all wet!" He looked at his dripping self in surprise, never having gotten so sweaty up north (which I know is possible, but is not usually a daily event).

I remember in high school and college in Bellingham, WA that we would go out sunbathing and in shorts when it hit the upper 60's. Now that seems "wintery" here.

2. NO SCHOOL! The relaxed atmosphere of having no school has been with me since I was an elementary school teacher and then having four children of my own. With only one (MJ) still in school (college), I like having her come home more often.

Without school in session, I can see teacher friends more frequently. Also, there is less traffic in the early mornings on our streets.

3. VACATIONS! Ever since we got married, we usually have vacations back home in WA State. It was always wonderful for our children to explore parks and do all sorts of outdoor activities up there, as well as getting to know their grandparents. Since both my parents are dead, I am grateful my kids had the opportunity to visit every summer.

AND this summer, CB and I are going to ALASKA! This is a big vacation for us; formerly most of our vacations were to visit relatives. We will have the third week in WA to see our daughters AE and KA, plus a few days in Bellingham to see CB's parents and other relatives.

4. FRUIT! There is more fruit, especially berries. They are more plentiful in stores, as are also grapes, peaches and nectarines. Such abundance is helping me to eat more nutritiously. In WA, the strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries are brimming with flavor, as they are growing there. My parents grew them in their backyard, so the kids loved to pick them themselves. I have been surprised this year that the raspberries and blackberries available for purchase here have had more flavor than in years past.

5. HURRICANES! This is a scary prospect every summer--June 1 to Nov. 1. That's the period when the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean have temperatures that are warm enough to spawn and nurture the growth of big tropical storms. Corpus Christi has not had a big hit since Celia in 1970. We did not live here then; we have heard graphic stories of the damage and difficulties from that storm. Friends who were teenagers then tell us what it was like to have two weeks with no electricity; I would not like to be here for that! And today's water temperature in Corpus Christi is 87 degrees F. Not good.

Will you ever?

Will you ever understand how near God is to you?

Lalla, fourteenth century C.E.

Lalla was a great saint and mystic from the Kashmir province of India. She lived in the 14th Century, which was a period of great religious upheaval and change. Go here to read more about her.

To receive such quotations every day, subscribe to Word for the Day at Gratefulness.org.

My wish for you

Every Day

No, no, there is no going back.
Less and less you are
that possibility you were.
More and more you have become
those lives and deaths
that have belonged to you.
You have become a sort of grave
containing much that was
and is no more in time, beloved
then, now, and always.
And so you have become a sort of tree
standing over the grave.
Now more than ever you can be
generous toward each day
that comes, young, to disappear
forever, and yet remain
unaging in the mind.
Every day you have less reason
not to give yourself away.

~ Wendell Berry ~

Belief before and now

I finally finished reading The Case for God by Karen Armstrong. I strongly recommend it! I need to refine my understanding of all she says, because I want to share a lot of it with my children. Also, I am making a list of books Armstrong refers to in the end notes of each chapter for future reading.

Since I am in a rush, I am going to copy one of the paragraphs from her "Epilogue":

"We now understand basic religious terms differently and in a way that has made faith problematic. 'Belief' no longer means 'trust, commitment, and engagement' but has become an intellectual assent to a somewhat dubious proposition. Religious leaders often spend more time enforcing doctrinal conformity than devising spiritual exercises that will make these official 'beliefs' a living reality in the daily lives of the faithful. Instead of using scripture to help people to move forward and embrace new attitudes, people quote ancient scriptural texts to prevent any such progress. The words 'myth' and 'mythical' are now often synonymous with untruth. 'Mystery' no longer refers to a ritualized initiation but has been routinely decried as mental laziness and incomprehensible mumbo jumbo. The Greek fathers used the word to describe a truth that could not be put readily into words, could be understood only after long immersion in ritual, and, as the understanding of the community deepened, changed from one generation to another. Today in the West 'dogma' is defined as 'a body of opinion formulated and authoritatively stated,' while a 'dogmatic' person is one who 'asserts opinions in an arrogant and authoritative manner.' We no longer understand Greek theoria as the activity of 'contemplation' but as a 'theory,' and idea in our heads that has to be proved. This neatly demonstrates our modern understanding of religion as something that we think rather than something that we do."

Armstrong, Karen. The Case for God. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. 323-324.

(I added the emphatic bold font, because I want you to pay attention to at least that much!)

A Co-Dependent Fable

Are you familiar with Edwin H. Friedman's book, Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue? That was recommended to me to read when I was in the UMC ministry process. It is a good, good book.

Recently, my friend KK told me about a story Friedman relates in Friedman's Fables, which keeps resonating within me as I hear of and/or encounter difficult situations with particular people.

A Nervous Condition

from "Friedman's Fables"

When little Johnny was about a year old, his parents noticed that small hair-like fibers were extending from his skin. As the months passed, they saw that the fibers grew and curled. Somewhat concerned, mom and dad took little Johnny to the doctor. He told them that it was an unusual condition. Ganglia, nerve endings, were growing on the outside of Johnny’s skin. He was in good health otherwise, so mom and dad watched him, and were instructed to be very sensitive. Years went by and Johnny grew. His ganglia grew, too — it was very long and trailed behind him. His parents were very careful with Johnny and his ‘condition’. He learned that people always accommodated his condition, and he would plow a path through any group of people. They recognized that He needed special treatment — he might be wounded terribly if someone were to step on the mass of nerve endings! He was just so vulnerable. (It’s best to give that last sentence a bit of whine as you read it.) People moved from him and for him. If some did not immediately know of his condition, he informed them, “I am very sensitive, easily upset, and easily wounded.” Then they would accommodate him.

Some of his classmates and even siblings felt handicapped by his handicap and felt resentment. John went through school doing less homework than others. He got a job without having to qualify. His boss required nothing of him because of John’s condition.

John met a woman he liked. Her pity grew into love. She lived to help him avoid pain. He was so sensitive! But her lifetime of service to one who expected so much without having to contribute anything became very tiresome, and she began to feel less sensitivity. She confessed this to a professional counselor who sympathized with her, but encouraged her to be more patient! She began to have physical and emotional symptoms of excessive stress and even considered suicide as an escape from her bondage.

One day John’s wife noticed a mother cat suckling her kittens. One was small and weak, the runt of the litter. The mother cat did not force the strong kittens to make room for the runt. She, in fact, pushed him away, forcing him to fight for survival. When John met his wife at home that day she stood at the door resolved not to let him pass through. “Why don’t you make way for me? I have a condition, you know.” She did not move! “You’re playing with me, but now you need to make way for me, or I will be hurt if you do not move!” Then she moved, but not out of the doorway, rather she moved toward him, cornering him. “You almost hurt me,” he cried. She stomped on the ganglia and he yelled, cried and screamed, then ran howling. She chased him, stomping his nerve endings. They wore themselves out, she stomping and he reeling. They slept. She woke relaxed and pain free! He woke without his ganglia - they had recoiled within his skin.

A Dog's Thoughts

BJ's dog Troy was here for about 40 hours, much to Maisie's delight. Troy runs and runs and runs, always looking UP.

Troy must be a bird dog. He'll run looking up, then stop and look up, and go off again running. I feel like he's always saying in his mind, "Bird? Bird? Bird! Bird!"


Imagining that Troy is thinking mostly about catching a bird (or a squirrel) reminded me of the wonderful children's book Barney Bipple's Magic Dandelions by Carol Chapman and illustrated by Steven Kellogg, which unfortunately may not be readily available for purchase. Barney's book has his dog voicing his canine thoughts!

Barney is given three magic dandelions by this amazingly eccentric woman named Miss Minerva Merkle. He wishes to be eight years old like his big brother; he wants his dog Snoozer to talk; and wishes for a big, shiny car to drive. The funniest part is about his dog's thoughts:

Barney asks him, "Wouldn't you like to tell me about some adventures?"

"What adventures? All I do is eat and sleep. I did have an interesting dream about a steak once," said Snoozer.

Steven Kellogg's illustrations have images of Snoozer's thoughts that go like this:
eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, sleep. . . . . That's what I remembered when I imagined Troy's chasing thoughts. When I reminded both BJ and MJ of the book about Barney Bipple, they both remembered it!

In contrast, I think Maisie's thinking might be more sophisticated in that she skitters among many topics: eating, drinking, chewing, running, playing, chewing, sleeping, on the couch when no one is around (to be repeated over and over again).

Maisie sneaks up here, which is supposedly not allowed. But our kids let their animals on the furniture more than we do so Maisie has gotten used to doing that, especially with MJ.

Four Dogs!

Baillie, Maisie, Troy, and Cisco

BJ and MJ came home this weekend, so BJ brought Brittany Spaniel Troy. This is the first time I've ever managed to get all four dogs in a picture together, as they collapsed after being outside in the heat. You can also see our two computer desks; mine is the messy one on the left, where I am typing right now.

A wish for my children

"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."

~Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991

No new shoes

I haven't bought any new shoes for a long time, but with our upcoming trip to Alaska and WA State, I decided I could use a good pair for walking. CB already has his pair from Zappos and is very happy with them.

I am delighted with Zappos, but disappointed that the pair and color I wanted do not fit. The story of getting TWO pairs of Tevas happened in the last three days. The day after I ordered a size 9, they arrived--too big. So I quickly printed out the USPS postage label and took the box to the post office. This was Thursday; I ordered a size 8, because the color I wanted (chocolate) was out of stock in size 8.5. Yesterday the next pair came and were almost all right, but my toes hit the front of the shoe when walking; I know that would end up hurting when walking a long way.
So vanity of vanities, I will not get the chocolate pair. (Is this to replace the chocolate candy I am not eating these days??) I will soon mail that box back to Zappos. Still wanting to try the middle size, I may opt for the light green.

BTW, Zappos was bought by Amazon last year, but is remaining its own business dedicated to service. I love Zappos service and selection!

And here are the Core Values of Zappos, which could guide many of us to a better life:
(Chart of values is from Rich's Blog)

Friday Five: Running LATE!

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late for a very important date!

As I opened up my computer this morning, I directly went to my blog and RevGals to see what the newest Friday Five would be! Nothing was here, which seemed odd. Then I went to look at the calendar and counted the Fridays, and it is the THIRD Friday! How did that happen so quickly? It's my turn, so here's a quickie:

1. Do you tend to be a late person or one who is timely, arriving on time or earlier?
I am more likely to be a timely or early person. Living in slower South TX culture for more than 25 years has sometimes caused me to show up a few minutes late, but that does not happen too often. Having a Marine for a father had me learn the importance of timeliness when I was growing up.

2. Have you forgotten anything of importance lately?
First off, I forgot about this being the third Friday of the month!

I slept through a walking date with a friend last month, which now means I do not forget on Thursday mornings to show up at the mall at 7 am. That was a good teaching moment!

Over the years, I have forgotten a lunch date because I have not written it on the calendar--OR haven't looked at the calendar!

3. Is procrastination your inclination? Why or why not?
Yes, I admit that I tend to procrastinate. As I am continuing to put off those looming papers, I think it is due to my "all or nothing" outlook--for perfection. I am trying to learn that writing is a process with expected inadequacies; I would learn more quickly if I wrote every day (and not just on my blog!).

4. Do you like schedules or spontaneity? Which works best for you?
I'm in the middle here. Being an introvert, I function better with schedules, especially for meetings. I have some extrovert friends who espouse spontaneity, but they arrive late and talk excessively. That is not what I think of "spontaneity." A middle ground works better for all concerned.

5. How do you stay on track with the various things you need to, people you must meet, etc., etc.?
Keep my calendar up to date! Lately, I need to write myself notes, too.

One practice that keeps me on task is recording friends' and family's birthdays on the calendar so that I can send them birthday cards. When I was a teenager in Japan, I started writing those dates on the new calendar on January 1st. I still do this every year.

Alaska in one month!

One month from today, on July 18, CB and I are flying to Seattle and then to Fairbanks! We are going to take two different trains: the Denali Star from Fairbanks, with an overnight in Denali (at Talkeetna), and on to Anchorage. From Anchorage we will take the Coastal Classic to Seward and back in one day.

Then we will fly to Juneau and take the ferry to Bellingham, WA, where CB and I are from and where CB's parents still live. We will spend three nights on the ferry, which is the first time I have slept on a boat since we took a U. S. Navy ship from Yokohama, Japan to San Francisco in June of 1964.

After this 11 day adventure, we will have one more week in Washington to visit in Bellingham and in Seattle (where daughters AE and KA live). MJ will join us then.

It will be here before we know it! I have always wanted to visit Alaska!

Penguin or Seagull?

By Steve Kelly

Go and read this article by Bracken Hendricks, Kate Gordon, and Tom Kenworthy:

Fix the Real Problem: End America’s Energy Vulnerability

And here's something Brian McLaren wrote:

An Oil, Slimy, Putrid Epiphany

Now here's a video that Cynthia posted from the Environmental Defense Fund:

99 Things About Me

Sarah and Cecilia put this on their blogs to "re-enter" the blogosphere. I never left, but needed something to post today.

99 Things About Me (Everything that I have accomplished is in bold)

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii (I had a stop over when we returned from Japan to the USA)

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to DisneyWorld

8. Climbed a mountain (more like a hill, but a mountain by TX standards!)

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (I've stood by it)

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch-hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person--BUT I have visited and seen Victoria Falls!!

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors-

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing- kind of.

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted (from a photograph)

48. Gone deep sea fishing

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business –

58. Taken a martial arts class (Does tai chi count?)

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Got a tattoo

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Maisie has a new toy!

Remember how Maisie was shredding her tug-of-war rope? She does that with any rope toy, so today I bought her a new one that is a nyla-bone, which is supposed to be tough. She already is gravitating towards the orange cloth that holds it together, so that may disappear soon.

When Maisie and Baillie got to pulling at each other the first time we brought the toy out, they lasted for over 15 minutes without letting go! This is going to keep old Baillie (almost 14 years old) young!

Up in Heaven?

With thanks to Mad Priest

My Confession

I put off phoning people. I like people to call me, but somehow the act of phoning someone is a leap I do not often want to take. The image above shows how I seem to view the act of calling people, even friends--It's like a long walk out in the heat and humidity where I need the correct change. I make it into a daunting task when it is not.

Today an old friend called me up, which I greatly appreciated. It has been months since we talked, and my guilt for not calling or visiting kept mounting to bury me under a cloud of apathy. I called her back and we shared the exciting news of me becoming a grandmother and her only child newly engaged on her birthday. A baby and a wedding may be happening around the same time!

By my sin of omission (NOT calling), I lost contact with this friend and hurt her feelings. I am sorry; apologies do not count unless they prompt changes in behavior (my behavior). I've lost contact with other friends through this avoidance of the telephone. Today I am grateful that this friend called me; I will try to reciprocate.

Could it be a spiritual discipline to call one a friend each day? That might be too extreme to begin with. Any suggestions for my rehabilitation?

Questioning, looking, wondering

I always enjoy Sherry's thoughts at A Feather Adrift, especially when she puts interesting links to go along with her remarks. Today I have been following her referrals, as well as others, so I am going to put some of them here for you to look at, too.

Frank Rich of the New York Times has a good piece entitled "Two Weddings, a Divorce, and Glee." That's where I learned that Elton John sang at Rush Limbaugh's fourth wedding (for $1 million), which is probably not news to you but surprised me. The article discusses and gives examples of marriage and the inequity for same-sex couples, and highlighting:

"That’s why the most significant marital event of June 2010 is the one taking place in San Francisco this Wednesday, when a Federal District Court judge is scheduled to hear the closing arguments in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the landmark case challenging Proposition 8, California’s same-sex marriage ban. A verdict will soon follow, setting off an appeals process that is likely to land in the Supreme Court, possibly by the 2011-12 term." (Frank Rich from above article)

Mompriest at Seeking Authentic Voice gives us a beautiful quote by Francis de Sales about how to live. She got it from Tripp, which got me to look at his blog and find this video about atheists' feelings, beliefs, and difficulties, which probably describe my two oldest daughters' feelings:



I think the comments made by those people in the video are valid. I've wondered some of those same things. However, for myself, I continued to seek and question, reaching a faith in the Mystery of God, which translates into Love and energy. Contemplative prayer has brought me to a stronger belief in the Presence, which is not magical but is eternal and is Life. And all I can say is that I am happier believing than not, and that my life and our married life (which my husband agrees) is much better than in years past. I am grateful.

The perceptions shared in the video made me think of the book I am currently reading A Case for God by Karen Armstrong. The author is going through history showing how humanity experiences a powerful inner experience through practices and living which might be described as "mystical," but which eventually degenerate into stilted and unreflective ways of acting, which evoke little. This cycle seems to continue over and over through time, which corresponds to what some are currently calling the "emerging church"--a paradigm shift as described by Phyllis Tickle and others.

Sherry's links today range from a wacky experiment with three psychotic patients who believed they were each Jesus Christ to 10 things the Right Wing of the USA are worried about.

Friday Five: Working Out!

Result of being outside in humid South TX

Mompriest brings us this energetic Friday Five for RevGalBlogPals:

For this Friday Five let's ponder the various ways we work out (or not), physically, spiritually, and/or psychologically.

1. Do you work out physically, spiritually, or psychologically? (I'll let you define what that might mean to you)
The only time I physically worked out were the years I walked 6-12 miles each day when I was struggling with depression and anxiety. That's the only way I managed. That is also the thinnest I have ever been, but I could not enjoy it.

Unfortunately, that excessive image is what I seem to think exercise "should" be, so I do not. I know I need to exercise more, especially since I am trying to lose weight. The only committed physical exercise I do is walking with different friends, three times a week! Tai Chi is a weekly commitment, but I keep being gone on weekends lately, and the class meets on Saturdays.

Personally, I am more inclined to work at spiritual and psychological development/growth. I think they go together, as I learned in all my years of therapy and participation in Al-Anon.

2. Are you more inclined to join a gym, or a book club?
For the past year, I have thought of joining an athletic club, but past history reinforces my denial of this thought. The one I had thought of going to is across town, but I'm tempted by its large swimming pool. I am not ready to commit to that though.

I would rather be in a book club. In fact, I facilitate one that meets weekly--The Wisdom Class. That goes along with spiritual working out, with out interesting discussions. Currently we are reading together Into the Silent Land by Martin Laird.

3. Are you more inclined to read self-help books like Gail Sheehy's "Passages" or spiritual books like Richard Rohr or Theresa of Avila? And if so, what is your favorite?
In years past, I read more self-help books, though some still grab me. Spiritual books are my love. I do like Richard Rohr's books; with his (and others) I find new books through the footnotes and bibliographies.

4. Are you a loyal fan of a sports team? Or do you join the bandwagon when the local team is winning? And, if so, which one?
No

5. Or do you lean more toward having a favorite theologian/Spiritual writer or self help author and if so, who? And, why.
I go through phases of certain writers, usually returning to them. The first one that helped me was Richard Foster with his classic Celebration of Discipline; that was the source that brought me to so many theologians and books to read and follow. The single author of the largest number of books in my shelves is Thomas Merton. Lately, I have been reading books by Cynthia Bourgeault, Richard Rohr, Ken Wilber, and Karen Armstrong. I want to go back to those written by Beatrice Bruteau.

Running in Circles

"And so we run in tight, little circles. . . ." (20)

"When pummeled by too many thoughts a long walk would cure me of the punch-drunk feeling of lifelessness. The normal route led along open fields, and not infrequently I would see a man walking his four Kerry blue terriers. These were amazing dogs. Bounding energy, elastic grace, and electric speed, they coursed and leapt through open fields. It was invigorating just to watch thee muscular stretches of freedom race along. Three of the four dogs did this, I should say. The fourth stayed behind and, off to the side of its owner, ran in tight circles. I could never understand why it did this; it had all the room in the world to leap and bound. One day I was bold enough to ask the owner, 'Why does your dog do that? Why does it run in little circles instead of running with the others?' He explained that before he acquired the dog, it had lived practically all its life in a cage and could only exercise by running in circles. For this dog, to run meant to run in tight circles. So instead of bounding through the open fields that surrounded it, it ran in circles.

"This event has always stayed with me as a powerful metaphor of the human condition. For indeed we are free. . . . But the memory of the cage remains. And so we run in tight, little circles, even while immersed in open fields of grace and freedom.

"The mind's obsessive running in tight circles generates and sustains the anguish that forms the mental cage in which we live much of our lives--or what we take to be our lives. This cage can be comfortable enough; that dog wagged its tail all day long. But the long-term effects on humans can still be pretty damaging. It makes us believe we are separate from God. . . ." (19-20)

Laird, Martin. Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation. Oxford: University Press, 2006.

What thoughts keep your mind going around and around? "I'm not enough." "I'm always late." "I'm better than him/her." "They don't like me." Around and around we go again and again.

Kissing Feet?

Our scripture for Lectio Divina today was the beginning of the Gospel selection for this Sunday, Luke 7:36-38:

7:36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table.

7:37 And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment.

7:38 She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.

I kept thinking about kissing calloused, dirty feet. The only feet I have ever liked to kiss were the sweet little ones of my babies. I cannot imagine kissing my husband's feet or anyone wanting to kiss my feet!

As I continued to pray and ponder over this short text, I tried to imagine Mary Magdalene kissing Jesus' feet--in her love and anguish, vulnerability and surrender.

Just as last week's scripture about the Widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17) showed Jesus going beyond the code of behavior dictated by Torah and culture when he touched the bier and dead man, so did Mary Magdalene exceed the strictures for a woman of that time by showing up at a Pharisee's home, being a woman and known sinner, and excessively displaying emotion and using expensive ointment on a man unrelated to her. These excesses brought forth sanctity and holiness--first in bringing forth life in the son of the Widow and secondly, the expression of love and repentance brought forth forgiveness and new life for Mary. Such abundance going beyond the norms of society and religion are echoes of the magnanimity of God.

To surrender so totally to God is epitomized by the image of Mary weeping over Jesus' feet, wiping them with her hair, and kissing them.

I ask myself, "Whose feet will I kiss?" Where will I go beyond the ordinary to serve someone?

Maisie shreds ropes

Maisie loves to play tug-of-war; she also likes to chew and unravel the ropes. When MJ was home last weekend, she got this rope out from its hiding place and started playing with the puppy.

You can see where the rope is starting to fray by Maisie's mouth.

Maisie and Baillie, just because Maisie looks so pretty.

Look at the rope now, as Baillie and Maisie pull at it.

The end of the rope, right before it was thrown away.

You've all watched Maisie grow up with us, ever since she was left in our backyard the day after Christmas. She is about 7 months old now. She is getting very long.

Into the Silent Land

I am trying to remember where I first heard about this book. I've thought that it might have been at Carl McColman's blog but could not find it; I found that Robin was reading it in April, but I first read it before then. Maybe I read about it at The Mercy Blog.

Despite when I first read it, I am reading it again along with the Wisdom Class, a book study that meets weekly at All Saints. Since I facilitate the group, I am the one who gets to choose the books to read! Fortuitously, Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation by Martin Laird has seven chapters, which was the number of weeks until I left on our Alaska trip. We have read and discussed the first two chapters thus far.

The stories and images the Laird describes stick with me. In the first chapter he wrote about each of us being like a mountain peak. We're the mountain but NOT the weather that surrounds it: clouds, sunshine, fog, rain, snow. These are like our emotions, which we so identify with that we do not realize they are not WHO we are, but a passing state.

"The marvelous world of thoughts, sensation, emotions, and inspiration, the spectacular world of creation around us, are all patterns of stunning weather on the holy mountain of God. But we are not the weather. We are the mountain. Weather is happening--delightful sunshine, dull sky, or destructive storm--this is undeniable. But if we think we are the weather happening on Mount Zion (and most of us do precisely this with our attention riveted to the video), then the fundamental truth of our union with God remains obscured and our sense of painful alienation heightened. When the mind is brought to stillness we see that we are the mountain and not the changing patterns of weather appearing on the mountain. We are the awareness in which thoughts and feelings (what we take to be ourselves) appear like so much weather on Mount Zion.

"For a lifetime we have taken this weather--our thoughts and feelings--to be ourselves, taken ourselves to be this video to which the attention is riveted. Stillness reveals that we are the silent, vast awareness in which the video is playing." (16)

Laird, Martin. Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation. Oxford: University Press, 2006.

Twenty Questions

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? I need to brush my hair. And why did my hair look so WHITE last Friday when I felt sick and doesn't so much today?

2. Do you miss anyone right now?
I do. I miss all four of my children and my two daughters-in-law. I miss friends even here in Corpus Christi, some of whom I rarely see. In the Wisdom Class, I miss Helen, who died, and Georgia, who moved away. Like Katherine, I still miss my mother at times, even though she died 18 years ago.

3. If you could move anywhere else, would you?
If I could move anywhere, I'd like to have a house on the coast of Washington State or Oregon, right on the beach. I've always wanted that, but will only get to occasionally rent places thus situated.
4.
4. If you could choose, what would your last meal be?
Hot fudge sundae, with my fudge sauce! The RECIPE is here.
5.
5. What famous person, dead or alive, would you want to have lunch with?
I would hope that I would have the confidence to talk with Thomas Merton.
6.
6. What was the last book you read?
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson
7.
7.What was the last movie you watched?
In the theater, How to Train a Dragon
Via Netflix, Trade, with Kevin Kline, about sex trade across the TX-Mex border
8.
8. What was the last song you heard?
A Beatles song on the drive home.

9. What is your dream vacation?
Going to Scotland again. I've always wanted to go to Greece.
1.
10. What is the next trip you will take?
Going to Alaska on July 18 with husband CB. We'll be there for two weeks!! The third week we will visit relatives in Washington State, including daughters AE and KA.
11.
11. Did you ever go to camp?
No, I never did. My father was in the Marine Corps and did not think it was recreational.
12
12. Have you ever been in love?
Yes, I have. Still am. We've been married over 38 years now.
3.
13. What do you want to know about the future?
I would like to know that the gulf eco-system will not be ruined and will come back and thrive again.
14.
14. Where is your best friend?
Longest best friend is Nancy in California; she went to NM with me in May. Terry is in Washington State. Other good friends in Washington and in Texas.
5.
15.How is your best friend?
She's happy that school is over this week, and her son graduates from high school!

16.Who is the biggest gossiper you know?
I know some folks who gossip, but I certainly wouldn't name them here!!

17.What does your last text message say?
I do not text.

18. What are 3 things you've always wanted to do, that you still plan to accomplish?
Write my papers, clean out closets, become contemplative.

19. What is one thing you learned from your parents?
Be punctual.20.

20. What is one thing you hope to teach to your own children?
I hope they've learned to care about other people.


I got these from Katherine at Meaning and Authenticity, and I think the rules are that if you copy these from me and answer them on your blog you are supposed to let me know....

Life Is a Bridge

Life is a very narrow bridge between two eternities.

Be not afraid.

~~Rabbi Nachman of Braslav (1772-1810)

great-grandson of the famous Baal Shem Tov

Storm Damage 2

You may (or may not) recall that CB decided not to cut the fallen branches that were weighing down the power and cable lines from our house.

I kept worrying that the branch would break, bearing all that abrupt weight upon the power line and break it. The thought of having no air conditioning was horrifying with the extreme humidity and heat here.

On Saturday afternoon, CB decided to tackle it. He slowly cut through the morass of branches one at a time.
On the ground, we could see the extent of the branches connected to the broken limb. Strong and persistent CB carried all the branches outside this morning before church. That was fortuitous, because the city waste crew went down our street in the past hour picking up the huge piles of brush.

Books, books, books!

Ever since I wrote a post asking if reading is a waste of time, I have been reading and reading. In fact, on May 30th I saved these book covers for writing about the TWO books I was then reading, which differed greatly in subject matter: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson and The Case for God by Karen Armstrong.


My original intention was to write about each book, but I became too captivated with Lisbeth Salander and cast Armstrong's book aside. After reading the third book in the Larsson trilogy, I decided that I needed to re-read the first two to get the characters and stories straight in my mind. I tend to read too quickly and thus forget easily what I have read.

I also forgot where the first two books were in my house! It was maddening, because I knew I had bought them last year: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire, and I could not find them. I so desperately wanted to read them that I decided the cheapest and quickest thing to do was to read them on my Kindle!

That is what I have been devoting my life to in the past week. After reading those two, I wanted to read The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest to complete the trilogy in my mind. I just finished reading that on my Kindle tonight, because I had loaned the hardback copy to a friend soon after I had read it. Now I have all three books on my Kindle; I hope I'll want to read them again someday.

AND I learned last night from son BJ that I had given the first two to him to read at Christmas time. I completely forgot; no wonder I could not find them!

So now I'll finally get back to Armstrong's book about God. She is going through history, showing how humankind finds the Divine through experience and practices and not through dogma. When I get back to the Greek philosophers, I'll then go forward to find out what she does with the rest of time. (And now my life will have other aspects to it than "just" reading.)

Don't pass this by!

Please don't pass this by. Say a prayer and click on this link that my daughter AE sent me of amazingly graphic and sad images of the effects of the Gulf Oil Spill. David W. Dunlap also wrote this "Putting a Face on the Gulf Oil Leak."

Storm Damage

There was a severe thunderstorm here last night around midnight, with high winds 75-80 mph (which are hurricane force winds). The dogs were very frightened and our power went off briefly.

This morning we discovered that a large portion of a tree next door fell onto our fence. When CB and the dogs went outside this morning, Cisco and Maisie soon found the hole in the fence and were off! When I woke up, I found Chuck trying to clear off the driveway and cart the debris away. Later, he and our neighbor put up four new boards to patch the hole in the fence.


Throughout the day we lost our internet connection, but we have been fortunate to keep our electrical power, especially for the air conditioner to continue pumping cooler air into our house. Sadly, portions of our area are still without power, including Trudy's mother's house down the block from us.

In our backyard there is still a large limb leaning down over the powerline leading from our house to the pole. CB says the line has too much voltage for him to attempt to cut the branches. Eventually, the power company will take care of it. I hope it doesn't fall before that is possible.

Saturday Barbecue!

BBQ chicken to help feed hungry people

here in Corpus Christi—

Come and get it!!

On Saturday, June 5 from 10:30 am until 2:00 pm at the MCC Church of Corpus Christi.

We will be serving barbecue chicken and beans and potato salad.

The cost will be $5.00.

The church is located at 501 S. Staples. Please come and invite friends!

I am planning to get three orders to bring home!

It's hot!

Hot Cisco and Maisie

Summer is here. The long hot summer in Corpus Christi, TX usually has high temperatures in the 90s and lows get stuck at about 78 degrees F. I'm glad that we'll be going to Alaska in 6 1/2 weeks!

It is almost always a good day to hang clothes outside on the line. They're already dry today.

Happy Song!

Katherine posted this and so here it is, too, because this is such a happy song and video!