Retreating

I am the person God created me to be

                  when my mind peaceful

                  when my body is disciplined

                  when my appetite is bridled

                  when my thoughts turn outward

                  when  my hands repair the tears of the world

                  when my heart acknowledges all my blessings

                  when my feet walk slowly

                  when my eyes look and really see

                  when my ears listen and really hear

                  when my mouth utters encouragement and offers mercy

                  when my spirit soars

                  and my soul finds peace and rest in Thee…

            

World Book Night

Today is World Book Night and I was an official Book Giver!  World Book night began in the UK and migrated to the US last year.  It always falls on April 23, the UNESCO International Day of the Book, and WilliamShakespeare's birthday.  It was also chosen in honor of Miguel de Cervantes, who died on April 23.  In a certain region of Spain, that day is celebrated by giving a book and a flower to a special someone. 30 books are selected by a panel of librarians. Booksellers and authors waive their royalties and publishers donate all the copies special editions of the selected books.  In mid autumn, potential book givers apply to personally hand out 20 copies, with the targeted audience being light readers or non-readers.  It is an amazing project--giving away books to share the love of reading.

I first read about World Book Night on Facebook, learning more about it from their website.  When I discovered one of the books available for distributing was Vanessa Diffenbaugh's The Language of Flowers, I knew exactly who I wanted to give it to.  Diffenbaugh's book begins with the emancipation of 18 year old Victoria who has spent her entire life in the foster care system.  The book is about her life of loss and her struggle to grow beyond her painful past.  It is a book that doesn't sugar coat the life of disenfranchised kids or the system designed to protect and guide them.  Despite the rawness and roughness of Victoria's life, there is ultimately hope and redemption in this story...an inspirational story for the great group of young women who live at Stormbreak, a group home for girls here in my hometown.

Tonight, we gathered around the familiar dining room table, chattering and chatting about books, stories, life, reading, writing, and the language of flowers in this book.  We read the first chapter together....

Since 20 copies is about 10 too many for Stormbreak, I thought perhaps another good delivery spot would be the local women's shelter, only a few houses away.

They were happy to get them too, and I was so very happy and so very honored to give them.

Stillness

He leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul."  Psalm 23

The news sounding from the radio, streaming through my computer, and radiating from the television has been unendingly urgent this week--bombs exploding in Boston, tainted letters in Washington, and reasoned gun legislation thwarted in the Senate.  It really all seems too much...

In contrast, life this week here seems slower, less chaotic, quieter, more contemplative.  Perhaps it is because I am coming off spending two days with Yogini Kaliji last week, followed by an inspirational evening with writer Sandra Cisneros this week.  Even though each of these women walks a uniquely different path, they both share a common message, perhaps the common message of wisdom throughout the ages--live in the present, be aware of the divine presence, meditate, notice, see and seek the light, and step slowly on the path illuminated before you. 

This morning when I opened my devotional, the passage to read was the 23rd Psalm.  Gosh, I thought, what else is there to meditate upon in the 23rd Psalm....but then two words stopped me at a spot never noticed before. Still.  Waters.  Still waters is a place in the interior landscape of life and while quietude seems to run counter to the urgency of lives fueled by Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram feeds, stillness and slowness are what ultimately do restore our souls.  Being lead beside still waters is a good place to be. 

Another birthday

It is so hard to believe that my baby now has a baby of his own!  34 years ago our youngest, our Robby, was born.  His presence in the life of our family has added lightness, laughter, and love ever since.  He was, and still is, an answer to our prayers....Happy birthday, my dear son.

April has actually more than begun

...and this is my first post of the month, at almost the halfway point. I guess life here has been just a little busy.  Can you tell?