Monday, December 6, 2010

Blessings...


                                                  4.bp.blogspot.com

"A blessing is a short meditative exercise in which a person focuses on the goodness of something in a way that it creates an opening for God." This weekend, two of my favorite grad school friends came to our house and we lit the candles on the menorah for the fourth day of Hannukah. Though our religious views may vary, it was a blessing. All of us experienced God's presence, though the three of us were Jewish, Congregationalist and Unitarian.

                             commons.wikimedia.org

On Sunday night, we were again visited by Cathy Crooks, our dear minister, whose presence is such a balm to the two of us. At the end of our meeting, we held hands and she prayed about the goodness of many things in our life...the gentle caring of the "little white dogs," the healing nature of the act of breathing, and our community of loving friends who were bringing us food. We each felt very blessed to be in this sacred space and feel the goodness of God.

                                                                                                                     quanyinhealings.blogspot.com                                                    

This week we will visit dear friends who practice an Eastern traditions. Their home is a center of calm and I know I will experience a sense of peace when we are with them. God is certainly present in the goodness of the lives of Susan and Gary. We will meditate together and when we will practice times of silence in our own home, we will think of them. It will be a blessing.

                                                                                             sowhatchayoubeendoing.blogspot.com

At our neighbor's home, we sang the Johnny Appleseed grace with our grown children this weekend, as we have done for thirty years. Each one tries to sing louder than the next. I hope God knows this cacophany is a blessing. I think he does and maybe He is laughing.


We ask you to bless us, in your own way, as we go visit another set of doctors at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. Cathy prayed that we ask for help to open that door with the doctors, the clerical staff, the secretaries, the radiology technicians so that this can be a time of blessing for Jud. Help us open the doors for God to slip in.


"When we offer up blessings, we raise up sparks of holiness, releasing the God-light housed in our world back to its Source. We receivers become givers and the nurturing flow is sustained."


The circle comes around. Thus, we also, will be blessing you.




(Thanks to the work of Julie Neraas and Cathy Crooks. Quotations are from"Apprenticed to Hope" by Julie Neraas.)

14 comments:

  1. Prayers and blessings are upon you at every moment. May you find clarity with each visit and all the knowledge you persue. Knowledge is power. (((Hugs)))

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  2. My prayers will be with you. Hugs!

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  3. Sending you both the blessing of prayer support as you travel to Stanford. Xo

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  4. This is so lovely. You are embraced by love.

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  5. Beautiful thoughts, Suz...I'm keeping you both in my prayers and thoughts. Best of luck at Stanford.

    Julie

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  6. Praying for you both. I know God is with you...and the angels are walking ahead of you opening the doors.

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  7. You and your husband are in my thoughts. I hope your visit to Stanford will be a blessing in disguise. I have a friend who had stage 4 cancer who was given a new lease on life by the doctors at Stanford. Bless you both.

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  8. Oh Susan,
    I hope you know how my thoughts & prayers go out to both you & Jud & of course your beloved Kat!!
    I wrote a little something to Jud the other day on his on-line journal, I wanted him to know people all over the world, even people he has never met or spoken to before, are all pulling for him & praying for God's blessings to open the right door at the right Drs office who will help him get well!!
    Big Hugs friend, I'm so glad that your best friends came & gave you support & peace for a moment or two...
    Love is pouring out all around the 2 of you...can you feel it?
    Bless You...
    Susie

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  9. Dear Suz,
    I`m happy for you,that you had a beautifull week-end with your friends, and wishes you an equal beautifull experience with your friends ,this week-I hope you together will feel the peace, and blessings,coming from above,-and from loving friends being together.
    And I so wish the apointment with new doctors, will give you hope of a better treatment for your husbond.
    Hugs, Dorthe

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  10. Just stopping in to remind you that you are being held close in my heart and prayers.

    Your post is wonderful. I feel the peace.

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  11. may you continue to feel the Love ... Peace and Blessings all around you and may these continue to hold you up on this journey

    thank you for another beautiful uplifting post dear one!
    oxoxoxo

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  12. Just wanted you to know I am thinking of you guys tonight!
    Kate

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  13. oh suz, i've been so absent from blog-visits that i didn't know all that you've been going through. it looks like there's good news for jud though, right? i will be praying and sending warm thoughts to you.

    love your many holiday celebrations. we're a "christmakkah" house here and it's nice to see others embracing different traditions.

    thank you so much for your sweet and comforting words on my recent blog post. i'm so touched.

    don't forget to take care of suz, too, 'kay?

    xo
    elyse

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