one meal

i just finished cooking a meal for my dear friend who is being stretched to the limit

such a simple thing, really, fixing a meal for a friend

{but i know, from being on the receiving end, it IS a huge gift}

the past few years i've thought if every person simply helped the people standing in front of them, the world would be a better place

i guess, based on the ancient letter below, my thinking isn't original

one meal, one phone call, one conversation, one carpool, one smile...

chicken divan, help the world?

Theophan & I think so

I would guess that among your friends are progressive thinkers, or that you have joined a society having such people in it, and they have scattered your good sense.  Such people usually rave in this manner. 

Phrases such as “the good of mankind” and “the good of the people” are always on their tongues….the progressives have in mind all mankind or at least all of its people lumped together. 

The fact is, however, that “mankind” or “the people” does not exist as a person for whom you could do something right now.  It consists of individual persons.  By doing something for one  person, we are doing it within the general mass of humanity. 

If each one of us did what was possible to do for whoever was standing right in front of our eyes, instead of goggling at the community of mankind, then all people, in aggregate, would at each moment be doing that which is needed by those in need, and by satisfying their needs, would establish the welfare of all mankind.

Theophan the Recluse, Orthodox saint (1815-1894), in a letter to a young woman who had expressed confusion about her purpose in life.

grOwiNg

when i was in college i took a lot of english classes

because i loved english and each course was an easy "A" for me

until i got dr. demott for american lit...my lazy ways didn't fall under his radar and i did not love his english class

a "d" on a paper!  and when i rewrote it (with little effort), a "c"

but i became a better writer, a better thinker because of dr. demott

and i felt better about that "B" in his class than all my "A's" put together

i am reading two books right now whose authors may just be related to dr. demott


i've been praying for a kick in the pants on behalf of my expanding backside {i love to eat, hate to exercise} and on behalf of my lukewarm spiritual life {how my mind can wander to such great lengths during prayer is beyond me}


from author paul e. miller:


oddly enough, many people struggle to learn how to pray because they are focusing on praying, not on God


and this...


so don't hunt for a feeling in prayer.  deep in our psyches we want an experience with God or an experience in prayer.  once we make that our quest, we lose God.  You don't experience God; you get to know him


miller has called my bluff (which seems to be the bluff of a lot of people, which is comforting) and is teaching me to re-think prayer


and from a most surprising author {DJ from "full house"} i am rethinking how i go about weight loss


{her book is getting great reviews}

i nearly laughed out loud when a few nights ago i read this


remember, the heart will deceive us with all sorts of negative thoughts: ..."you're getting older and people can't take the weight off" 


{i have been using this excuse a lot lately!} 

i suppose the biggest lesson i'm gleaning from candace's book has nothing to do with food or weight

but everything to do with willpower, delayed gratification and moderation

{things i already knew...but candace reminds me that it's all about body, mind and spirit together}

i hadn't really planned on reading either of these books 


but i'm glad they have found their way onto my nightstand


i want to grow spiritually and shrink physically {grin} this year


so on this sunny, but wintry cold, day


i leave you to curl up by the fire to read


happily welcoming more wisdom


from unexpected places

working my brain

i like big photos on my blog.

the way i have always done it is not working.

new ways are not working.

{"code" is a bad, bad word.}

until i figure out a new way...

{in between doing life}

i'll be gone from this little corner of my world

but i'll still be visiting you

carry the tulips

i wanted to carry tulips on my wedding day

but the florist told me they were "too fragile"

and so i walked down the aisle carrying roses

which were beautiful {and expensive}

but they weren't tulips

i'm so glad that one of Age's dearest friends is Wisdom

because if that florist told me the same thing today

i would tell him that life is fragile...

"now please hand over the tulips, bud"

{florist pun by accident}

*

happy monday ya'll --- carry the tulips!





tulips brought to you by....{should I really tell you?}...ok, hold on to your hat, Mildred (and Mrs. Dunbar)...HomeGoods.  WAY!


Be honest, could you tell?!