Six word Friday-Refreshed

Hot vapor caves, splashing cold water,

a frigid river in summer heat,

floating on lakes, no time constraints,

the sound of my children's laughter,

people who are real about life

with all its ups and downs,

selflessness, humbleness, kindness, and generousness,

breeze that carries the lilac smell,

people who stand against injustice everywhere

and aren't afraid to stand and

care, act, speak, write, create, love,

unexpected fortune, things coming together,

all these I find very refreshing.

For more words, visit Melissa's blog.

Six word Friday-Warmth

I seek it, these cold months.

I find it in children's snuggles, 

by the warm glow of fire,

under down comforters, in wool socks. 

Hot soup warms up our bellies,

a warm cup of tea in hand.

Long baths are a luxury indeed.

Looking out at snow covered worlds,

from the warmth of quiet indoors.

A blessing I take for granted.

I find it in my heart,

when I cultivate love and compassion.

I see it in empathetic eyes

that truly care and reach out.

I see it in children's smiles,

their innate ability to love unconditionally. 

I feel it in warm embraces,

those real hugs, that mean love,

a mere hand on my back

when I feel like I'm broken. 

Speaking from the heart is warmth, 

sans judgment, protective barriers, and fear.

Warmth is the smell of coffee,

and the sound of certain music,

that take me to some comfort

(even though I don't drink coffee).

Warmth is summer days, far away.

I dream gardens, swimming and this.

I am trying to stay present,

and this reminiscing doesn't help,

but gives me something easier, lovely,

to look forward to, to anticipate,

while I attempt to stay warm

in this storm of my life.

For more words, visit Melissa's blog. 

We finally got snow!

and we are making the best of it.

(ok, this last one is not really relevant, but it's so adorable, with his grumpy face)

Six word Friday- At This Moment

At this moment, I'm on break,

sitting in car, with my macbook

while little ones have outside time.

Time for a little out breath

for this mama and preschool teacher.

At this moment, my tummy hurts,

working at school brings many viruses.

I am thankful for rest time

which comes right after lunch time.

At this moment, the sun shines,

and the weather is pretty bearable. 

These months are my least favorite.

At this moment, I am overthinking.

There are many options in life,

and that is a huge blessing

that many do not have available.

My desire to serve the poor

keeps stirring strong, again and again.

An opportunity will come, I know,

to travel abroad, expand my horizons.

It's been on my mind much.

At this moment, I miss family,

and feel a bit more lonely,

but am so thankful for friends

who see the good in me

especially when I don't see it.

At this moment, there is much

happening in this brain of mine.

Not much different from other moments.

I do stop, and I listen

to the birds chirping in trees,

the children's voices on the playground.

I smell earth under the snow

and feel cool breeze hit me.

I'm thankful, hopeful, stressed and tired,

never really feeling just one emotion.

Life is just so, so much.

Now I go back to work,

little people wait for lunch bell.

My young one is among them.

At this moment, I am blessed,

through it all, I am blessed.

For more words, visit Melissa's blog.

closing doors

She believed that old cliche,

"when one door closes, another opens."

She really did believe it.

Yet putting it into practice

came easily in some areas,

not so much in others.

Some doors she readily closed 

and patiently awaited another to open.

A better one. 

She knew there'd be a better one.

Other doors seemed to be closing on her

and she would not surrender.

Instead she held fast,

like a door stopper

holding open a door that was too heavy for it.

Her fear was that without her there,

it would close.

She wasn't ready for it to close,

and the burden of holding open that heavy door,

all alone,

had not broken her yet. 

Yet.

She knew of the gifts

that come with surrender,

from giving up thine own will

to serve the greater good.

She knew life was hard,

and we all face hard in our own ways.

She knew that hard brings grace,

when you take the time to see it, to feel it.

She wanted to step out of the way

and flow with what came to her naturally.

She wanted to let heavy doors close

and walk through unknown ones

with faith, trust and lightness.

She wanted to use her talents

void of the fear of being misunderstood.

She wanted to know God, personally.

Without all the fear.

Without all the judgment.

'Those are not God,' she said.

God is Love.

She wanted to know Love.

Truth, through no body's egotistical filters,

through nobody's judgmental eye. 

She thought she felt too deeply, 

and let things weigh so heavy.

She didn't understand why others around her

paid no attention 

to the amount of injustice and greed in her world,

their world.

Were they blind to it?

Did they choose blindness?

Why wasn't she content to choose blindness?

Her heart told her 'no way.'

So she prayed, and prayed, and prayed

to be shown the way.

And she was amazed by the ways she's been answered,
by the peace that accompanies the hard.

Never easy, but a beautiful journey.

Wish her well.

Six word Friday-Resolved

Resolution-deemed a dangerous word by me.

 Saying it means meaning it, yo.

Resolutions without actions become empty words,

that annoy even ourselves after awhile.

We mean so well, but discipline

is hard to come by sometimes.

If I say it out loud,

I want to follow through completely.

Does typing it equal saying it?

Ok, here I go, ready.....set....

I resolve to treat my body

like the temple that it is.

No more foods that knowingly harm.

Spending that cash, to nourish myself.

Exercise as a way to escape

the daily noise, worry and stress.

Intaking what truly nourishes these cells.

I resolve to grow and learn

from my mistakes, from my faults,

even if I can't overcome them.

I'll attempt being easier on myself.

I resolve to time for spirit

to fill me with awe, daily.

I resolve to have big faith

in the way things are going,

that good will come of it.

I resolve to let pain transform

into something that is worth it.

I resolve to turn my cheek

at other's little annoyances and faults,

but not at the many injustices

that plague our big, small world.

I resolve to vote with money,

and support what I believe in,

to bring awareness where I can

with integrity and a humble spirit, 

I resolve to softening this heart,

and finding compassion in hard times

where it's easier to find blame.

I will be who I am,

even if it makes some uncomfortable,

even if it makes me uncomfortable.

I resolve to give thanks, daily,

and use the gifts I'm given.

To use them only for good.

With good intentions, come good actions.

I resolve to stop comparing myself,

and my life to other people's.

My story is not your story,

and all of our stories matter.

I resolve to open, honest communication,

to try not taking things personally,

never be too proud to apologize

if I'm acting out of fear

rather than truth, love and acceptance.

I resolve to emptying my ego,

and filling my spiritual self instead.

This will not come so easily,

in this egocentric culture of ours,

but it's a battle worth fighting.

I resolve to loving without fear.

I will repeatedly attemp to anyway.

For more resolution, visit Melissa's blog.

Wishing you a blessed, joyous 2011. 

99 years

My grandmother, turned 99 years old today. She was born in 1912. 1912!!

Can you imagine how different things were then?

This norwegian speaking, lefse making, master hand worker (all things quilting, crocheting, knitting, cross-stitching) woman raised three daughters.

She worked hard as a farmers wife.

She and my grandfather raised up good women, who went on to raise their own families with the strong values that were instilled in them. 

They were married for 57 years before grandpa died, at the age of 94.

I remember going to their house in the summers and playing croquet in the back yard, or strolling

down to the lake for a swim, walking by my mom's old school, and playing at the outdated playground. 

I remember winters in their dark basement on the hide-a-bed by the fire.

I remember playing cards and board games (Hoosker-Doo, anyone?)

and eating my fair share of casserole ("hot dish" in MN speak)

always with bread and butter pickles and bread and butter as sides.

They would say grace in Norwegian. 

Grandma would feed us silly and grandpa would squeeze our arms and say "you're gettin' fat." 

I remember the little tipi that was a lamp, it gave me solace when I felt afraid of the creaky, dark, damp basement. I remember the chest freezer that always held treats, like push ups and popsicles.

I remember that most of the food was home-made, but they did usually have pringles in the cupboard.

And always some kind of sweets. Always.

I have an afghan that she crocheted, and a hand-sewn quilt made by her.

I have some cross-stitched towels and frilly little doilies that she passed the hours working on.

I have really found that there are no better gifts that those you put your time, love, and talents into. 

They hold our essence, long after we're gone.

I've seen my grandma 3 out of 4 of the past summers.

I'm not sure I'll see her another summer, but one can only hope.

She's lived a good life. A long life. 

Happy Birthday, Grandma!