The Bliss Of Inner Fire

Each day in my email, I receive several inspirational messages. I read this one from Daily Buddhist Wisdom several days ago. I liked it so much I wanted to share it with you.

Try to be reasonable in the way you grow, and don't ever think it is too late. It is never too late. Even if you are going to die tomorrow, keep yourself straight and clear and be a happy human being today. If you keep your situation happy day by day, you will eventually reach the greatest happiness of enlightenment. (Lama Thubten Yeshe - The Bliss Of Inner Fire)

I say to myself almost every day, "Judy, today is the only day you know you have." It helps me be conscious of the moments whether I am enjoying the company of family and friends, working, doing laundry, cleaning house or any other special or mundane activity. I just know I want to live each moment and feel the bliss of inner fire.

I took this picture of the sun setting and two skywriters over Medicine Lake near our home in the spring of 2004.

Something To Think About

I found something on my desktop this morning that I didn't remember I had. Every now and then I click on the multiple icons on my desktop and find something of value. This morning I found something by a fellow named Walker Moore. I don't know Walker Moore, but I like what he has to say.

"As I get older, I realize there are things I didn't appreciate until it was too late. I didn't appreciate the naps they used to make me take in kindergarten. I long for the days when someone says, 'You can't work anymore until you take a nap.' I guarantee you, I won't argue."

I wonder why it is children are so excited to grow up and why adults so often long for the lost days of childhood?

Yes, something to think about.

I'm On The Top Of The World

Hi Davey! I hope you always feel like you are on the top of the world, because you surely bring joy to everyone you meet. You have a joy that fills not only a room, but the whole world! I love you! Love, Gamma xoxo

Sometimes It's A Stretch

Blogs are interesting things. Somedays you have lots to say because lots is happening. Is that a proper sentence? And, somedays, a girl just has to find something to put on her blog to keep people coming back. That is what my son, Adam, tells me. Today is one of those days. I am s t r e t c h i n g!

While talking with my friend, Joe, yesterday, he said a quote that I just loved. His version of it was...."The difficult takes time...the impossible takes a little longer." Come to find out I might be the last person in the world to hear this quote. It turns out it is an old army saying and there are several versions of it that have been around for years. It is a good thing I don't mind being the last person to hear these things. I guess I have hope that by my saying it here today someone else might not have heard it yet and enjoy it as much as I did yesterday.

The picture is from a visit Tom and I made with Adam and Sara Beth a few years ago to St. Simon's Island. The sign in the lower left corner says No Exit To Parking Lot and in the lower right hand corner, it appears Tom could be reading something that might help him find the parking lot. The maze of tree branches could be (in the mind of other imaginative people) simply an obstacle to get where he is going. This, of course, was the perfect picture to go with the quote. Will finding the parking lot only be a difficult task that takes time? Or, will it be an impossible task that will take a little longer? (Just so you know, I am writing this from home a few years later and I can hear Tom uptairs.)

All I know is, no matter where the quote came from or how long it has been around, I liked it! It obviously spoke volumes to me.

Fleeting Spring

After perhaps two full weeks of beautiful spring weather with temperatures in the 60's and 70's, I awoke to what I hope is a very temporary return to cold weather. When I checked the thermometer outside my kitchen window this morning, it said 32 degrees. If you live in Minnesota, you KNOW the month of April does not mean spring is here, but boy, you surely hope it is. The sun is making a determined effort to warm things up and I can only hope the return to cold weather is not enough to keep my snow tires on my car!

As spring smiled on us the last two weeks, I remembered something a friend said to me several years ago. I have always liked it. Here it is.....

"Hear the seeds rubbing the winter out of their eyes and getting ready to awaken."

Great Grandpa Enjoying Derek And Davey

My dad has always loved children. I have always known that. It was wonderful to be his child. I learned many things from him. I learned patience, generosity, gentleness, strength, the importance of inclusion, the importance of not hurting feelings... especially with words, and how to approach life situations with a certain confidence....that if you approach life situations with thought and a certain deliberateness, things will get done. Yes, it was wonderful to be his child and I hope I have passed on to my children and grandchildren the things I have been given.

Sharing A Moment With My Great Grandpa

Boy, he sure is fun to talk to! I am one year old and my great grandpa is 93. We are getting a kick out of each other, as you can see!

Happy Birthday Derek!! You Are One Year Old Today!

Happy Birthday Derek!! We love you, honey! May you always know the meaning of what I am about to write next. "Love the moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries." (Corita Kent) Yes, Derek, if I can give you any birthday gift, it is to know and experience the beauty of each and every moment, each and every day of your life! Love, Gamma xoxo

What More Can I Say?

Sweet Dreams Parker

Adam and his family arrived this afternoon. They will only be here for a couple of days, and I am going to enjoy each and every moment I have with them. I came home in between clients so I could spend an hour with them. In that hour I hugged and kissed them all and had the wonderful opportunity to put Parker to sleep before I had to go back to work. There is something about holding a sleeping child that makes the whole world feel good!

Why? I Don't Know

I have never seen a copy of my birth certificate until the last week. I thought I knew what to expect. I thought I would see facts of my birth such as the names and ages of my parents, place of birth, name of attending physician, etc. And, I did see those things.

In the past, I have asked my mom and dad what time I was born. By the time I asked, neither of them could remember. I expected to see the time of my birth, but I didn't expect my reaction when I saw it. There is a line on the certificate that says....

I hereby certify that I attended the birth of this child who was alive at the hour of 7:30 p.m.

I kept looking at the words alive at 7:30 p.m.
and touched them as if I were touching my mother. Why? I don't know....I just know I did and it made me want to cry tears of closeness and tenderness. I hope I have made you proud mom!

Just So You Know

I have tried to put up a new post tonight, but have been unable to post the picture or pictures I want to post. I have my idea, the pictures I want to use and the music. But technology is thwarting me. What shall I do? What shall I do? I know! I will relax and wait until tomorrow! Good night all! I hope you enjoy the lullaby. I am!

As Long As I Can Remember

As long as I can remember, I knew one of my mother's favorite songs was K-K-K- Katy. She taught the chorus to me when I was a little girl. The picture today is of my mom when she was a little girl. When I ran across the song the other day I knew I wanted to share it with anyone who would listen and enjoy a piece of history. Aren't old pictures wonderful? The version I was originally playing was from 1918. My mom would have been four years old. I figured that would have been the version she would have heard. But, honestly, it drove me nuts to listen to it. So, I have put on a version I like better for everyone's listening pleasure. I taught the chorus to my children and to my grandchildren. So, kids....there really is a song called K-K-K-Katy. If you join in on the chorus I bet you would see grandma smiling. Every now and then, I think God puts something in my life that makes me touch my mom.

Reach Out And Touch Someone

The picture I have posted today is a picture of the early morning fog in Ireland. It was sent to me by my friend Joe, who lives in Ireland. He is being visited today by two of his sisters, Freddy and Biddy. I have just spoken to all three of them over the internet using the pc to pc long distance calling feature in Yahoo Messenger. Talk about reaching out and touching someone! I felt like we all reached out across the miles and touched each other. It was so nice to meet you Freddy and Biddy! Thank you for making it possible Joe!

Someone Blossomed In The Last Week

Derek will be one year old on April 18, 2006. In the last week he has begun crawling up a storm. We watched him yesterday. There seemed to be a key to getting him to crawl...find something he was not supposed to have, and he made a beeline for it! It was pretty cute! It appears he has also learned to read. While the rest of us talked and laughed at Josh's 16th birthday party, Derek found the shelf with all the magazines on it. He was perfectly content lying down and reading about Health and Nutrition. I wonder how he learned to read upside down?