Monthly Archive for December, 2010

Hidden Gems

Sometimes, things aren’t always what they seem.

Like rocks.

Most rocks have a plain, rough exterior and easily blend with the landscape. But not all rocks are alike – inside some rocks are beautiful gems.

This Christmas, a friend gave me a geode. On the outside, the stone was coarse and gritty, but inside, a beautiful blue crystal blossomed.

Ironically, the man who gave me the geode is one himself.

When I first met Marion, I was unsure what to think. He was such a big guy, with broad shoulders, a bushy walrus mustache and hands that were calloused and stained from years of welding pipe.

And he grunted a… Continue reading

Published on Thursday December 30, 2010 in Blogs and Self. 4 Comments Tags: , , .

Cathedral Building

Life Sculpture (excerpt)
 by George Washington Doane

Chisel in hand stood a sculptor boy
With his marble block before him,
And his eyes lit up with a smile of joy,
As an angel-dream passed o’er him
He carved the dream on that shapeless stone,
With many a sharp incision:
With heaven’s own light the sculpture shone –
He’d caught that angel-vision.

Last week, I was moved to tears at the sight of stone.

I was visiting the Sagrada Familia - the beautiful cathedral designed by Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona. I fought tears as I gazed up at the ceiling. Towering pillars of stone, beautifully shaped to arch and branch out, created the illusion of standing beneath a canopy… Continue reading

Published on Monday December 20, 2010 in Blogs and Spirit. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

A Child Shall Lead Them

Every now and then, life gives you a delightful surprise – like a summer ripe peach in January, or snow flurries on Christmas. Last Saturday, just as the Strong & Wise Workshop began, my niece walked into the room with her 6 year old daughter, Kaelyn. Megan looked flustered and apologetic for her lateness. Due to unforeseen circumstances, her babysitter fell through.

To be completely honest, I had a fleeting moment of concern. I was worried that Kaelyn might become bored, or the daylong workshop would be too long for such a young attention span. But I trusted that all was well and started the workshop.

As it turned out, having Kaelyn in the workshop was like driving down a scenic road… Continue reading

Published on Monday December 13, 2010 in Blogs, Love and Parenting. 2 Comments Tags: , .

The Meaning of No

One night, just before drifting off to sleep, I started giggling.

My husband muttered from his side of the bed, “Wanna share?”

“I was just thinking about the emails I sent asking people to send announcements about my web site launch to their friends. I noticed that I was getting upset at the thought that people might say no. So I realized something, because it’s hard for me to ask for support, I expect people to say yes when I do ask for something.”

And that made me giggle at my outrageousness.

Asking for support is a familiar challenge for me (and I know I’m not alone). I’m a classic “do-it-myself” person. You know the type. But there comes a time that we all need… Continue reading

Published on Monday December 6, 2010 in Blogs and Parenting. 2 Comments Tags: , .