November 26

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)

 ¹ If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part,¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I regret that I have not blogged in many weeks, and that some of my faithful followers have been missing my words.  Thank you for your encouragementJ

The path of love is not always an easy one.  But where I seem to fail, I come back to 1 Corinthians.  It is used in an almost cliché way sometimes, but everytime I hear it, I am confident that I am hearing the truth about love.

There are people that I love very much who are suffering right now, and it saddens me.  It saddens me, because I feel that the suffering is being caused in the name of, or place of, love.  If REAL FORGIVENESS (think love keeps no record of wrongs) if difficult, then imagine that REAL LOVE can be so much more difficult. 

Or is it really? There are things that have happened to me in the past that I didn’t know if I could forgive,  but as I sit here now, and time and strength have gathered…. I can truly say that I can sit in a place of total forgiveness for all wrongs of the past.  Because my commitment to LOVE is so strong, I will MAKE A DECISION to forgive.  Can it really be that simple? I think it can.  It may need to be a choice that I make time and time again, when emotion and hurt return, but I do believe it is as simple as that.  It is the choice to move on…. Not to dwell in pain and resentment… Not to live in anger and hurt… but to simply walk forward in love.  The truth is clear.  There is no room for unforgiveness in the path of love. 

Maybe that is why hateful, angry, bitter, negative people are so abrasive in our lives…. They are resounding gongs and clanging cymbals…. But in the orchestra of life, we have THE CHOICE to make our own music, and I believe, to influence others in a deeply powerful way.   

I see many unhappy every day, who are unhappy because they do not receive the love that they are looking for every day in their lives.  Here is what I have come to believe.  Love attracts love.  To be loved, we start with being loving. 

On my journey, I feel blessed that new and wonderful people are entering my life every day.  Love attracts love… and WOW there is actually a WHOLE IMMENSE WORLD OF LOVE out there taking root and flowering.  In random acts of kindness, kindly made gifts, sharing of food and laughter, giving of friendship, thinking of another before one’s self….

Every act of patience, kindness, compassion, generosity, modesty, respect, selflessness, temperament, forgiveness, joy, truth, protection, trusting, hope and perseverance toward love is an act of love itself. 

It is not length of life, but depth of life.  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

We can live forever…. But if we live without love…. We have not lived at all.

Aloha,

Emily

October 30

Halloween... for all that is dark and spooky and creepy about halloween... it has become a family favourite time of year.  We have so much fun and so many laughs... I feel so blessed.  Maybe it is just that it is fall... my favourite time of year... a time of thanksgiving.  We decorate the house... plan costumes for weeks... Invite friends to trick or treat with us... Last night we carved pumpkins... and had a family dance party in the living room.  I hope I will be lucky enough to remember it forever. 
Family... where love blooms and grows....

October 19

I'm not sure yet what has made the change, but I am feeling much better about my life today.  I'm thinking it is likely that I have had a fabulous overdose of great company over the past 5 days.  I have seen so many friends and family members - it has been so energizing and uplifting:)

I realized today that love is truly an enduring thing.  I shared an evening the other night with a family who was a very special part of my life two whole decades ago... and even though we hardly see each other anymore, they took time to spend time with me and my sisters and we had a really cool reunion.  Love forges bonds that last a lifetime. 

Tonight I am compelled to blog about random acts of kindness.  My friend Karen gave me the gift of a handmade pair of mittens tonight, and I have felt emotional about it ever since.  I LOVE handmade mittens.  And, the fact that she took her time, and thought of me, and handcrafted a pair just for me made me feel so special and loved. 

I have to confess that I do not often commit random acts of kindness, but I know now that I will start doing it more often. 

Today, I am grateful for all the love that I have in my life.... and the lessons that I learn from those who love me. 

I am also grateful for all of my friends on Facebook who shared their kind thoughts and words in helping me to solve a problem for my daughter.  I love her so much and hate to see her suffer.  It is such a relief to know that I am not alone as a parent, and that I literally have a whole community of friends and family who care about both of us.  I am grateful for everyone who took a moment of their time in the last 24 hours to share their warm thoughts and encouragement with me.

Aloha,
Emily

October 13

Many years ago, I found that this poem inspired me.  For some reason it came back to me yesterday and I looked it up.  Perhaps it will inspire you.....

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

Read more: http://www.inspirational-short-stories.com/desiderata-poem.html#ixzz1afTTocUx
Lovely, inspiring products! Inspirational Short Stories products

October 12

I don't like living like this...
Always feeling behind,
Just trying to get through
Day by day.
But I hope that by planting
seeds of gratitude...
Love will blossom
and grow.

I am grateful that my life is so abundant
that I can be so busy.

I am grateful for my family.
I am grateful for my friends.
I am grateful for health, safety, and abundance.
I am grateful for the opportunities that mean that I
never have to feel stuck where I am....

Aloha,
Emily

September 28th

I'm having one of those moments.... where guilt about how long it has been since I last blogged nearly kept me from signing on tonight.  I feel like I have nothing to say, but again recognize that having nothing to say, but staying engaged in the process, is more important than having something profound to say everytime I show up here.

So... in the spirit of living love.... I supported my sister today to be brave.  I snuggled both of my children and made them laugh.  I showed genuine support to a client living on the edge.  I am working on developing more meaningful relationships.  I am working to get out of my own head and to offer better service to others. 

I am grateful for my newly painted family room which feels so comfortable and peaceful to me.  I am grateful for my husband who has spent countless hours completing this project.  I am grateful for a warm, safe bed to sleep in tonight.  I am grateful that my children are excited to go to school tomorrow.  I am grateful for a job which pays me well enough to live comfortably.  I am grateful that I can make a difference in people's lives.  I am grateful that it is fall, and so cool, and colourful.   I am grateful that I have friends who are worth missing when I can't spend the time that I want to spend with them.  I am grateful for my mom who called to encourage me tonight.

I am grateful that I embraced love tonight instead of hiding because I felt so much less than perfect. 

Aloha,
Emily

September 12th

Hello!!

Sorry it has been so long since my last blog, as I have had some big things happening in my life, and some limitations to my internet access.

In and around all those things, my mind keeps returning to the idea of living love, and I am excited to see that I believe this journey is already yielding positive results! Thank you to all of you who have provided feedback and are enjoying the journey as well.

Four things have struck me recently:

The first is the idea of being good “for” people, and not just being good “to” them.  I have noticed that there are many times when I have been nice or polite to someone, but withheld the truth in my heart because I didn’t want to hurt their feelings.  So, I have stayed superficial in my relationship or conversation with them, for fear that true expression of my feelings would result in rejection.  I am learning that being honest and loving is a hard road to walk, and I’m not always sure yet where the line is between speaking the truth in love, and just speaking my understanding of the truth because it serves another purpose.   I am learning…

The second is the idea of love being perfect.  It is not new that I would be hard on myself for being less than perfect, and so learning to live love has meant that I am learning to love myself and others in all of our mutual imperfection.  That is a hard row for me to hoe, since I have pretty high expectations of myself and others and can be quick to judgment.  I realized that I had developed the idea that learning to live love would help me to be more perfect…. DUH!  How ridiculous is that really?  I imagine that most people would already agree that only God’s Love is perfect, and I can’t imagine there being such a thing as perfect human love, given how imperfect we are as human beings. 

Thirdly, someone I love shared this with me, and I wanted to share it with you:

Center for Action and Contemplation <cac@cacradicalgrace.org>

BREATHING UNDER WATER: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps

We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.  ~ Step Five of the Twelve Steps As any good therapist will tell you, you cannot heal what you do not acknowledge, and what you do not consciously acknowledge will remain in control of you from within, festering and destroying you and those around you. When human beings “admit” to one another “the exact nature of their wrongs,” we invariably have a human and humanizing encounter that deeply enriches both sides—and even changes lives—often forever! It is no longer an exercise to achieve moral purity, or regain God’s love, but in fact a direct encounter with God’s love. It is not about punishing one side but liberating both sides. This is the way that God seduces us all into the economy of grace—by loving us in spite of ourselves in the very places where we cannot, or will not, or dare not love ourselves. God shocks and stuns us into love. God does not love us if we change; God loves us so that we can change. From Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps, pp. 37, 39, 40-42

So – how profound is that??? I loved the last paragraph especially, and the timeliness of this article fit nicely with my musings about love being perfect.  The pursuit of perfection seems to be a personality trait for some of us, and a cultural overtone for the rest of us.  Imagine what the world would be like if we redirected all the resources we spend on the pursuit of perfection into the pursuit of living love instead?  Surely we would encounter love and God’s Love on a whole new level….

Lastly, I am pleased that my goal to live love prevented me from raising my hand against my five year old son this week.  When he carelessly broke the window out of my car at a highly inopportune time, the first thought that went through my head was to beat the crap out of him.  I am not proud of the thought, but am proud of the courage that I had to walk away and deal with my anger in a more productive way.  Afterward, it led me to all sorts of contemplation about parenting with love.  To be honest, I had no idea how to effectively punish him.  He sat in time out, helped me to clean the mess, and to at least partially compensate for the $360 loss to the family finances, he will not be granted any special treats or gifts until Thanksgiving.  Any other ideas??? I am certainly open to them.  I foresee reading some parenting books in my future, and if anyone has some titles to recommend, I would be grateful.  My kids are both now school age, so a whole new world of parenting has begun.

My blog today is dedicated to my hubby who has loved me through 11 years of marriage as of this past weekend, and 14 ½ years total.  Thank you sweetie, I love youJ

Emily