Having A Little Chat with God

Today I was reminded of the saying, “God won’t give you more than you can handle”. It startled me as I remember people saying that to me 6 years ago when I was initially diagnosed with Rheumatoid. The intention was to make me feel better and compliment me for being able to cope with difficulties. However, I remember perceiving the statement as me being punished for being a strong person ~ because I could endure a lot, I should receive more hardship. This didn’t seem right or fair to me, and it made me angry. I, like those who attempted to empathise with me with this saying, always thought that being strong and brave was a virtuous thing, and now God was telling me that because I was courageous he would give me more pain to deal with.

I don’t believe this is God’s plan. I envision God as a loving being who wants only the best for me. It is not any higher being’s choice to punish or see how far we can be pushed before we self-destruct. The entire universe was created in balance with the intention to continue the cycle of peace and calm. Unfortunately, we as a race decided to push ourselves to endless limits. These heights have created a human race that literally needs to “race” around to keep up with unimaginable standards and expectations.

So, when you hear the phrase, “God won’t give you more than you can handle”, remember that God gave us exactly the right amount to handle but, we chose to handle more, and more, and then even more than that. We are now on a treadmill that doesn’t want to stop and is difficult to jump off of. In the end, it really is a choice, albeit a difficult one, to slow down the race and enjoy the scenery. However, once you move a little slower and look around at what you have been missing, you may find it easier than you thought.

And so, I close by letting you know that I am taking a 2 week vacation from all things technological and work related. I am going to spend some time soaking up nature, and every morning I hope to sit on the dock by the lack and have a coffee and a little chat with God.

"Talk of Life"

"Daring To Go On The Dream Road Trip"

http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3227325

"Wake Up Little One"

My friend, “Suzie”, has moved through such an incredible evolution in such a short period of time that her head is literally spinning. Three months ago, she mustered up all the courage she had to face her destructive demons, and there is nothing holding her back now. For years she experienced many highs and lows on her way to figuring out what she wants in life. In the end, it all came down to simply getting to know herself and then being that very unique person without feeling guilty about it.

Getting to this point was not easy. She had to dig deep into her soul. This soul had been beaten and damaged so severely that she wasn’t sure what it resembled when it was healthy, if ever. She knew that it wasn’t dead because there was a little flicker of movement in there that kept tempting her to get to know and nurture it back to health. It was “do” or “die”. Suzie knew there was something more, and so she took a deep breath and became brave. She started asking herself important questions like “when I’m not taking care of everyone, who am I?”, “If I had nothing else to do, what would I choose to do?”, and “besides my family and job, what brings me joy?”

These questions seem easy when you hear them for the first time. However, when you actually sit at a table and need to start writing the answers, everything shifts; you suddenly feel numb by your inability to move the pen. You wonder how you managed to reach the ripe age of 40 or 50 without knowing “who”, not “what” you are or what you were put on the earth to do. And then there is the “joy” part. You know that you are generally happy, but “joyful”? Most people think of “joy” in the sense of “jumping for joy”. When was the last time you actually “jumped” for joy?

Twelve weeks ago, Suzie couldn’t answer these questions, and this scared her. It put her in such a state of shock that she dared to go where not many dare to go; to the depths of her soul. “Wake up little one”, she called to it, “It’s time to come out and play”. And so began this woman’s road trip to her destiny. It wasn’t long before she realized that her soul had been calling her for a long time. It had been teasing her through day dreams, tiny visions and other little clues along the way. Unfortunately, she didn’t listen because she was busy with other things. But, she was now awake and ready to follow her intuitive guide; the GPS of the soul.

It has been an interesting couple of months filled with triumphs and tears. There have been great gains and some surprising losses. The gains are easy to take and quite motivating, while the losses are disappointing and sometimes hurtful. Suzie has crossed the threshold of balancing all of the good and bad as she recognizes that the benefits of knowing who you are, doing what you want and experiencing joy far outweigh the losses of anything blocking their achievement. Suzie has decided to continue her road trip, push aside anything that blocks her and enjoy the scenery along the way.

Celebrating My Mother's Birthday at the Spa

80 Years Young

Yes, my friend, Janet and I made inukshuks in 40 degree temperatures today.........



and we survived!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disappointments Made Simple

There is so much greatness in the world, and yet, we are still faced with daily disappointments. It seems to be life’s way of balancing everything out. Perhaps, the intent is to allow us to experience the uncomfortable stuff so that we can remember to appreciate the goodness that always and eventually comes our way. When a glitch does present itself, we seem to get immensely absorbed in it, and it takes our focus away from what we really want to pay attention to. We make everything complicated while spending more time being upset about something that went awry than just allowing it to run its course. Sometimes we make problems worse by trying to solve them with over thinking and doing. Maybe we just need to bring it down a notch and make it simple.

Recently, while chatting with a friend of mine who is attempting tirelessly to lose weight, we came to the realization that she was trying too hard. Counting every calorie she ate, ensuring that she performed 45 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength training every day, measuring out her daily water consumption and food quantities with every meal and fretting over what would happen when she went on holidays was creating a toxic environment for her soul. She was so stressed out that she became ill and threw her back out, both within days. It may be God’s way of sending a message to “go with the flow”, or just a gentle reminder to ourselves that everything can be accomplished slowly and with ease.

I could relate to this person as I used to get caught up in the intricacies of delving head on into complicated and overwhelming solutions. I now consciously opt for the path that offers simplicity and allows me the time and pace that I need to be well and calm. We are all looking for a healthier lifestyle along with a decrease of stress and chaos. You have the ability to seek the simple option, the one that allows you to breathe and enjoy most of your day. Doing more doesn’t always mean you are worth more; in fact, sometimes doing less proves how much you believe yourself to be worthy.

Cataraqui Club Champion 2011



Off to the Canadians in Manitoba in August



Club Championships at Cataraqui

Simon leading by 1; heading into the 4th and last round today

Retrieving his "Hole in One" on the 2nd hole!!!!



Birthday Wishes for Jocelyn

She is known for outer beauty, her hair, her eyes, her grace.
But her soul is where her smile lays, a deeper, calmer space.
This is the Jocelyn that I know, a person filled with hope,
She lives in life’s great moments, and can see its broader scope.


She sweeps into a silent room; it lights up with her voice.
She thinks of all the things to do, then tries to make a choice.
I love her indecision, and her ability to change.
She goes with what the day presents, and moves within its range.


A feeling or a fleeting thought, her trusted inner guide,
That’s who Jocelyn really is; her want for joy helps her decide.
Her love for all who cross her path is shown when passing by,
A quick “hello”or friendly wave, a deep and loving sigh.


She has shown me how to age while evolving with great speed,
How to take a day, do nothing, and enjoy the beauty of that deed.
It’s an art to wake up careless, and go with it as it comes,
A workout, then an errand; a walk, a talk, and then some fun.


She shows gratitude for family and her friends with loving ease,
One thing Jocelyn’s sure of is that happiness is finding peace.
She shines when Rocky prances in, her pup and her great pal,
He gives her great companionship and removes any block or wall.


I wish that you could hear her laugh; it’s crisp and true and dear,
I wish that you were blessed with how she listens, so sincere.
I wish her much more laughter and a fun and joyous birthday ride,
The greatest gift I wish for her is receiving back what she provides.

 

happy birthday sweet friend xoxox

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of

My husband and son, Simon, are spending the week at the Ontario Amateur Golf Championships in Brampton, Ontario. This is a qualifying tournament for the, ever so daunting, Canadians being held in Manitoba in a few weeks. Making the first cut yesterday after the second round provided him with a bit of a breather, but I know that he is not letting his guard down just yet. He must remain focused and present for two more rounds while still finding joy in the game that he so loves. He made it to the Canadians once as a junior, and it was a “dream come true” for him. This week is filled with nervous excitement and joy as he plays one hole at a time moving slowly toward the "big dream".

Yes, Simon has a dream, and he never questions whether or not he will achieve it. He lives it, breathes it, and takes it to bed with him (when he was young, he slept with a new putter he got for his birthday). This is the stuff of someone so passionate and driven to do what makes him happy that he will do whatever it takes to accomplish to get there.



We’ve all had dreams, and when we were young they seemed so attainable. The possibilities were endless, and just thinking of them brought us joy. We believed in the “happy ever after” and infinite opportunities. As we move through life and all that comes with it, some of us get wrapped up in other things; the mortgage, the cooking, the cleaning, the kids. The practical stuff gets priority over the dreams that we still yearn for, but don't seem as attainable now.

Watching Simon work tirelessly on his short game and then continue practicing for hours on the driving range proves to me that dreams still exist. How or why we lost our dreams, or if we just tucked them away for a while, doesn’t matter. They are not lost; they were just set aside for the time being. Remembering that a dream doesn’t need to happen overnight, but that we can see it come to fruition in little bits. Much like the process of moving through our daily evolution, the step by step process of achieving a dream can be just as fulfilling as finally reaching it. However, we do need to make the choice to move in its direction.

We need to make the decision whether or not we are willing to do what it takes to achieve a dream.  How much do we want to have it, live it, and then enjoy it. It is not too late. We can still shift toward the dream we had or create a new one to look forward to.

I called my son this morning before he headed off to the golf course to warm up. We didn’t talk about his previous score or how well he played. I didn’t mention the one bogie he had on the last hole of his first round or the higher score of his second. Instead, in my own way, I wished him a day filled with his dream. “It’s a beautiful day to golf, Simon; the sun is shining and there is a bit of a breeze; enjoy the walk sweetie”.

A Road Trip to Remember

Today was the final day of the final group of the final week of the "Authentic Road Trip." Twelve women who delved deep into their souls with all the courage of warriors on a mission were so determined to figure this whole “authenticity” thing out that they never missed a week, a page or a thought. Morning pages (journals) were written with a vengeance and work books were filled to the brim with feelings and thoughts and, eventually, such clarity that epiphanies flew through the room like fire works on Canada Day.

These women were simultaneously brave and vulnerable as they stepped out of their comfort zones to the point of no return. They now recognize and accept that being oneself does not require perfectionism or strength, but rather, flaws and weakness. Each one of them brought their fears to the table and shared them with people, some whom they had never met, but with whom great friendships were created. They trusted in the safety of the room, and followed their inner guide as it took them on a road trip of the unknown. They are now Authentic Leaders as they are committed to modeling a new way of thinking and, thus, a new way of life.

As they each gave hugs to me and then to one another I couldn’t help but feel like a mother bird pushing them out of the nest one by one. I needed to let that need to protect go, trusting that they had as much faith in themselves as I had in them. Although the 12 weeks are labour intensive and emotionally challenging for them, the most difficult time is now as they move through their daily lives being “tested” at every corner. The question will be asked with every decision they make, “how authentic am I being?” When someone tries to slant their perception of authenticity into theirs, they will know how committed they are to this new way of life by the path they chose. They will figure out how true they can be to themselves while living at ease instead of dis-ease. Some will take it only so far, and then back it up a bit. But most have had the taste and are hungry for more.

It’s all good. We take small steps and are granted large gains with them. Small steps allow us to live with more comfort. Large steps can be daunting and stressful. Moving slowly and with peace provides us with the ability to see and enjoy what is happening. It is a process to be experienced, and not just something to be accomplished like an errand on a to-do list.

My last thought for these very deserving women is to stay “awake”. Enjoy the mystery of your imagination, and listen to how you feel. Remember that your intuition, your inner guide, your soul, your heart and your God are all one in the same as they provide you with messages and clues to who you are and are not meant to be. Following the thoughts of Julia Cameron, “be dutiful to others and die, or be bountiful for yourself and live”.

To my devoted blog readers...I am taking a few well needed days off from work and all things "written".  My brain is tired and I need some play time!!  I will be back next week so, stay tuned.......xoxoxoxo

Authenticity Prayer

As sure as my physical self stands on this earth,
So will my emotional and creative self give birth
And inspire others through this path I’m on,
Will be my goal, my dream, before I’m gone.

May we all be led by the greatness of the soul,
As we listen to feelings that move us to evolve.
The power of intuition, the empowerment that appears,
And creates a sense of hope that diminishes our fears.

I pray for many more to awake,
To all the possibilities there are to take.
For them to hear their inner voice,
And take the step to their true choice.

For love and compassion to overcome,
The lack of kindness that resides in some.
May we all receive the courage and strength,
To help us find joy and love at length.