*lol!* And here I thought I wasn't up to blogging right now...! This'll be my fourth post today!? :D Must be a new record! ;) It's another book post, I read about One Thousand Gifts over on Kindred of the Quiet Way and it made me curious.
I seems to be just the type of book I love to read so I hunted about on the net for more info about it. I found an excerpt of the book here. Oh my goodness, I bawled my eyes out reading that first chapter and now just have to read more. I looove reading about interesting life journeys, especially spiritual ones, and Ann Voskamp seems to have made one. :) I think I should be able to read 'past' all the bible references (which are not really my cup of tea) and still enjoy the journey. :) Ann also has a beautiful blog - A Holy Experience where her faith, grace and gratitude shine bright...
The library had to buy it in as it wasn't available in any library in 'all' of Sweden. :) I've only read the first few pages but I'm already deeply intrigued. Hope it'll turn out to be a good read. I'll try to remember to return with a review. :)
Here's another song/lyrics I really really like. Where is the love?
Lyrics: What's wrong with the world, mama People livin' like they ain't got no mamas I think the whole world addicted to the drama Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism But we still got terrorists here livin' In the USA, the big CIA The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK But if you only have love for your own race Then you only leave space to discriminate And to discriminate only generates hate And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah Madness is what you demonstrate And that's exactly how anger works and operates Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight Take control of your mind and meditate Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all
People killin', people dyin' Children hurt and you hear them cryin' Can you practice what you preach And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us Send some guidance from above 'Cause people got me, got me questionin' Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love) Where is the love (The love) Where is the love The love, the love
It just ain't the same, always unchanged New days are strange, is the world insane If love and peace is so strong Why are there pieces of love that don't belong Nations droppin' bombs Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones With ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin' in Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug If you never know truth then you never know love Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know) Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know) Where's the love, y'all
People killin', people dyin' Children hurt and you hear them cryin' Can you practice what you preach And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us Send some guidance from above 'Cause people got me, got me questionin' Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love) Where is the love (The love) Where is the love (The love) Where is the love (The love) Where is the love, the love, the love?
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder Most of us only care about money makin' Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction Wrong information always shown by the media Negative images is the main criteria Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity Whatever happened to the fairness in equality Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found Now ask yourself
Where is the love? Where is the love? Where is the love? Where is the love?
Father, Father, Father help us Send some guidance from above 'Cause people got me, got me questionin' Where is the love?
Sing wit me y'all: One world, one world (We only got) One world, one world (That's all we got) One world, one world And something's wrong wit it (Yeah) Something's wrong wit it (Yeah) Something's wrong wit the wo-wo-world, yeah We only got (One world, one world) That's all we got (One world, one world)
This song came up on my playlist today and although I don't really 'get' Kid Rock I love this song! I think (most of) the lyrics are fantastic(see below, I've put in bold my fav lines.) Enjoy.
Lyrics: It's another night in hell Another child won't live to tell Can you imagine what it's like to starve to death
And as we sit free and well Another soldier has to yell Tell my wife and children I love them in his last breath
C'mon now amen, amen, amen
Habitual offenders, scumbag lawyers with agendas I'll tell you sometimes people I don't know what's worse Natural disasters or these wolves in sheep clothes pastors Now God damn it I'm scared to send my children to church And how can we seek salvation when our nations race relations Got me feeling guilty of being white But faith in human nature, our creator and our savior, I'm no saint But I believe in what is right
C'mon now amen, amen I said amen, amen
Stop pointing fingers and take some blame, Pull your future away from the flame Open up your mind and start to live Stop short changing your neighbors Living off hand outs and favors, and maybe Give a little bit more than you got to give
Simplify, testify, identify, rectify
And if I get high stop being so uptight It's only human nature and I am not a stranger So baby won't you stay with me tonight
When a calls away to break the sound I'm faden down, I need someone Oh to be someone They just sinken down, and holden back I hold the dawn and run They don't save a child Oh, to save a child
It's a matter of salvation from them patience up above, So don't give up so damn easy on the one you love, one you love Somewhere you got a brother, sister, friend, grandmother, niece or nephew Just dying to be with you You know there's someone out there who unconditionally, religiously, loves you So just hold on 'cause you know it's true And if you can take the pain And you can withstand anything, and one day Stand hand in hand with the truth
I said amen, I said amen I said amen, I said amen,
FOR TODAY Outside my window... Frosty, misty, cold & snowy
I am thinking... I wish Spring would hurry up and get here! :) I hope I don't miss out too much in school whilst I'm home with feverish little miss.
I am thankful for... Little miss just having a stubborn cold and nothing worse. I send Thanks every day for the health of our little ones.
From the learning rooms... Still a bit unsure what 'the learning room' is, but at uni we're currently going through the national curriculum for math, Swedish and English and it's making me realise truly how much little people are supposed to learn in school! :) AndI'm going to be the one in charge of making that a reality!?
From the kitchen... Oh! Don't make me think of the kitchen! It's in a right state at the mo! :P
I am wearing... My grey sweats, baby pink tee with white polka dots and my grey sheepskin slippers.
I am creating... more mess by not tidying while little E. naps?
I am going... to take little man to swim class later on this afternoon.
I am reading... lately, not enough just for the pleasure of it. Course litterature can't be classed as 'fun', even if it can be interesting and inspiring.
I am hoping... for a lot of things...
I am hearing... the hot air fans blow (its too cold to go outside to fill up the pellets. MrMan can do that when he comes home!), little miss's snoring and a re-run of ANTM on the TV in the livingroom.
Around the house... Cat hair, always the bleedin' cat hair! :/
One of my favorite things... is to blog in peace, to sit on ponder over my own thoughts and how to convey what I think/feel to others... :)
A few plans for the rest of the week: prepare for my workplacement next week, stress over not feeling prepared enough and meeting family at the weekend. I want to see if I can find some one-on-one-time with my BFF too. ♥
Here is picture for thought I am sharing... Beautiful artwork by Audrey Kawasaki(if nude young women bother you, don't follow the link, but you'll miss out on some amazing art!)
her secret bird
Oil and graphite on wood 19x24
'Mayoi Michi' @ Copro Nason Gallery
2008
I just love it, her secret bird is a Pheonix! (or...! :) at least that's what I interpret the bird to be. :)) Go to The Simple Women's Daybook to read what others have been up to.
When and how do you make them? What/when/who decides what/when/who does whatever is to be done...? How do you ever know when the right time is, or that the right choice has been done?? Every choice has a consequence, every action an effect and what has been done can't be un-done.
I guess what I've been doing, so far at least, is by following my gut and my heart feeling quite certain that things will work out, and they always have (and will?) so that "plan of action" had worked out quite well for me, so far... Yet...here I am, and have been for quite a while, needing to make a move rather than just follow a feeling... and I'm feeling strong&weak, lost&found, confident&insecure all at once! I need to make a choice, make my move, make a change and I can literally feel a Force behind me urging me to dare, to go, to do. And still here I stand, where I've been standing, teary eyed like a lost child knowing that once I make that move, whether it be right or 'wrong', I can't take it back. I won't be able to un-do it...
I've always been...strong... An opinionated do:er, the one who manages whatever Life tosses her way. I'm a person who people look to for answers like I was some kind of oracle. I realise that sounds harsh perhaps and it isn't how/what I mean, I merely want to state it sort of matter-of-factly... Why is that? Why do people asume I know when I don't know! Not any more than the next person anyways...! Why do I cope? Why don't I break? Why? Why are things still so hard...? Why can't someone choose for me??
Why can't I have a mad rant without the answers to my questions starting to form at the back of my head?! I don't want to know, don't want to cope and manage... I wanna break...just a little bit...so that I don't need to be strong all the time...
Walter "Walt" Whitman (1819 – 1892) an American poet, essayist and journalist.
Whitman was a religious skeptic: though he accepted all churches, he believed in none. God, to Whitman, was both immanent and transcendent and the human soul was immortal and in a state of progressive development.
"This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, Despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, Stand up for the stupid and crazy, Devote your income and labors to others, Hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, Have patience and indulgence toward the people, Take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, Or to any man or number of men, Go freely with powerful uneducated persons, And with the young and with the mothers of families, Read these leaves in the open air, Every season of every year of your life, Reexamine all you have been told, At school at church or in any book, Dismiss whatever insults your own soul, And your very flesh shall be a great poem, And have the richest fluency not only in its words, But in the silent lines of its lips and face, And between the lashes of your eyes, And in every motion and joint of your body."
"I am as bad as the worst, but, thank God, I am as good as the best."
"In the faces of men and women, I see God."
"When I give, I give myself."
"The future is no more uncertain than the present."
"Be curious, not judgmental."
"Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?"
"I am of old and young,
of the foolish as much as the wise, Regardless of others, ever regardful of others..."
'I'm sorry.' 'I want to be better.' 'I love you.' 'You mean everything to me.'
Wonderful words aren't they? But. What does 'I'm sorry.' mean? What does 'sorry', 'love' and 'better' mean if there isn't an action and intent behind them? What does 'love' mean if you can't feel it?
I'm of the opinion that when one says 'sorry' there should be a thought, an action, behind it too. An intention of trying to correct what went wrong, whether it was bumping into someone in the street (i.e. I'll try better to look out for other pedestrians) or hurting someones feelings (i.e. I'm going to try to be more careful with my words/actions).
A 'sorry' without that intent is just empty words, and I can't stand empty words...! An empty 'sorry' will only cause more hurt and more bumping into people. Why say 'sorry' if you have no intention of at least trying to changes the mistake(s) made...? You have to be sorry, if you say you're sorry.
Be the words you speak. Be the intention behind your words!
The same thing goes with 'I love you'. It must be one of the most wonderful things to say to, and hear from, friends and family...but...it too can be empty. Don't say you love me if you don't intend to act towards me with love. If you act with love, in love, then the words no longer need to be spoken. The feeling of love will be felt. The same goes with 'sorry', if you truly mean you're sorry and act like you have understood the hurt caused then sorry will be understood, felt, and the words are rendered unnecessary.
Be love. Be sorry...
Sure, it's always nice to hear the words too! :) But! The important thing is the feeling of being loved, respected and most importantly seen.
Because I believe that is was everyone longs for, to be seen. See the people you talk to, whether it be a stranger on the street or a loved one at home. See them and make them feel the words you speak...and always, always, try to speak with love.
Talking/thinking about this made me think of this 'old' song. Extreme - More Than Words
Thought I'd share a little bit of music with you this Friday.
My beautiful soul sister Née shared this video on facebook a little while back - Jewel's "Satisfied" and now I'm sharing it with you. :)
I just absolutely LOOOOVE it! It made me cry the first time I heard it and gives me goose bumps every time!
Satisfiedlyrics: If you love somebody You better let it out Don't hold it back While you're trying to figure it out Don't be timid Don't be afraid to hurt Run toward the flame Run toward the fire Hold on for all your worth Cause the only real pain a heart can ever know Is the sorrow of regret When you don't let your feelings show
So did you say it Did you mean it Did you lay it on the line Did you make it count Did you look 'em in the eye Did they feel it Did you say it in time Did you say it out loud 'cause if you did hun Then you lived some That feeling inside That's called satisfied
Busy people walking by Can't help but worry some With so many things to do So little love gets done Empty hearts everywhere Drowning but dying of thirst If you want love It's not that tough Start by giving it first It's so easy to give Baby can't you see Just close your eyes open your heart And do what comes naturally
Well did you say it Did you mean it Did you lay it on the line Did you make it count Did you look 'em in the eye Did they feel it Did you say it in time Did you say it out loud 'cause if you did hun Then you lived some That feeling inside That's called satisfied
Horses are built to run The sun is meant to shine above Flowers are made to bloom And then there's us We were born to love
Not really being a Jewel fan I still found myself enjoying her tunes looking around on YouTube. :) "Stronger Woman" made me smile. The line "from now on I'm going to be the kind of woman I'd want my daughter to be" gave me major goose-bumps!! :) :) The goose bumps are always a good guide to my 'likes'! :)
So, I thought I'd post the YouTube links here and perhaps make you cry and smile too... :)
Stronger Woman lyrics: I guess you could say I'm one of those girls That's always been with one of those guys You know the type Like right now, he sleeps while I write
But it's better than crying I'm worn out from trying From loving a man who always makes it clear I'm not welcome here Just when he's hungry or frisky or needs something cleaned And you know what I mean
But not tonight 'Cause come the morning light, oh I'm gonna love myself more than anyone else Believe in me, even if someone can't see The stronger woman in me
I'm going to be my own best friend Stick with me till the end Won't lose myself again, never, no, 'Cause there's a stronger woman, A stronger woman in me
Light bulbs buzz, I get up And head to my drawer I wish there was more I could say Another fairytale fades to gray I've lived on hope Just like a child Walking that mile Faking that smile All the while Wishing my heart had wings
Well from now on I'm going to be The kind of woman I'd want my daughter to be, oh
I'm gonna love myself more than anyone else Believe in me, even if someone can't see A stronger woman in me I'm gonna be my own best friend Stick with me till the end I won't lose myself again, never, no 'Cause there's a stronger woman, A stronger woman
This is me, packing up my bags And this is me, headed for the door And this is me, the best you ever had I'm going to love myself More than anyone else Believe in me even if someone cannot see There's a stronger woman in me I'm going to be my own best friend Stay with me till the end Won't lose myself again, never, no 'Cause there's a stronger woman A stronger woman There's a stronger woman, A stronger woman in me, Yeah...
At a certain point during my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, we came to a flat, monotonous field of wheat stretching all the way to the horizon. The only thing breaking the dull landscape was a medieval column with a cross on top, marking the pilgrims’ way. Petrus – my guide – put down his backpack and knelt down.
– Have pity on those who pity themselves, and think life has been unjust to them – for they will never manage to engage in Good Fight. But have pity on those who are cruel to themselves, and can only see evil in their own acts, and who consider themselves guilty for the injustices of the world. For they know not Your law which says: even the strands of hair on your head have been counted.
Have pity on those who command and those who serve many hours of work, and sacrifice themselves in exchange for a Sunday, when everything is closed and there is nowhere to go. But have pity on those who sanctify their work and go beyond the limits of their own madness, and end up in debt or nailed to the cross by their own brothers. For they know not Your law which says: be as prudent as a serpent and as simple as the pigeons.
Have pity on those who eat, drink and are merry, but are unhappy and lonely in their abundance. But have more pity on those who fast, censure, forbid and feel saintly, and who preach Your name in public places. For they know not Your law which says: if I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.
Have pity on those who fear Death and do not know the many kingdoms they have crossed and the many deaths they have died, and are unhappy because they think that everything will come to an end one day. But have more pity on those who have known their many deaths and think they are immortal, for they know not Your law which says: he who is not born again may not see the kingdom of God.
Have pity on those who cannot see anyone but themselves, and are shut in their limousines, locked in their air conditioned penthouse offices, and suffer in silence the solitude of power. But have pity on those who go without everything, and are charitable, and seek to overcome evil with love only, for they know not Your law which says: he who has no sword, may he sell his cloak and buy one.
Have pity on us, Lord. For we often think we are dressed when we are naked, we think we commit a crime and in reality save someone. Do not forget, in Your mercy, that we unsheathe the sword with the hand of an angel and the hand of a demon gripping the same hilt. For we are in the world, we continue in the world and need You. We always need Your law which says: when I sent you without bag, pouch or sandals, you lacked nothing.
Petrus stopped praying. The silence continued. He was gazing at the wheat field around us.
I'm not too sure how I will translate my one word into action, into being and into reality so I thought I'd start by finding some quotes :) about and around Light...
I found a great deal of inspiration and reasurance in my little evening quest. Sure, it's easy to find the answers one is looking for but these following words confirmed my choice. :) I think Woodrow Wilsons words settled me the most and Ilovedthe Maori proverb.
"Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue." - Buddha
"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong." - Abraham Lincoln
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our Darkness,
that most frightens us." - Marianne Williamson
"You cannot, in human experience, rush into the light. You have to go through the twilight into the broadening day before the noon comes and the full sun is upon the landscape." - Woodrow Wilson
"Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished." - Michael Strassfeld
"Turn your face to the sun
and the shadows fall behind you." - Maori Proverb
As you know I was initially a bit little apprehensive about this. Mainly because I know 2011 is going to be a year of change in my life and I didn't want to 'jinx it' the "wrong" way... Change is good, necessary even, it's just that I'd like to, if I can, skip any detours that a 'wrong' word would lead me on. ;)
Not sure if I should mention the words that came to me that I didn't choose...? Well, there was a few before the 'right one' hit me. :) The first words were of the type that I was concerned about...from an emotional origin rather than one of progress and growth... (wondering if I'm making too big of a deal about this!)
The word I chose I've been 'tasting' for the better part of the week, thinking about what it means to me and what I'd like for it to bring. Its versatility really appealed to me. Its content is both emotional, physical and spiritual.
This is my word for 2011:
Light
- Illuminated (aglow, bright, clear, radiant)
- Not heavy(agile, graceful, slender)
- Content(mild. moderate, modest)
- Simple,easy(effortless,smooth) - Funny, cheery (lighthearted)
- Luminescence from sun or other source
In bold you have what the word Light means to me, what I want to focus on and what I hope it'll to bring in the coming year.
Here's for a Light(er) 2011! Can't wait to read Cora's word...! :) My Friday arrives a bit sooner than hers and I wanted to post this before the weekend "madness" began. :)
Outside my window... Snow, snow and a freezing wind.
I am thinking... if I've chosen the "right" word for my One Word "challenge" and wondering what Cora's word will be. :)
I am thankful for... my healthy, recently quite trying, children and Life with its trials and glorious moments.
From the learning rooms (if this applies)... not sure what "the learning rooms" mean but I'll interpret it as "lesson's learnt today" and a quote from Albert Einstein sums up todays lesson learnt perfectly. "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
From the kitchen... sound of the dishwasher and the shine of the christmas lights in the window.
I am wearing... my lounge-about-sweats, a pink tee with white polka dots and my grey wooly slippers.
I am creating... Chaos?
I am going... to try and get through.
I am reading...Reality and radiance: The life and autobiographical works of Emilia Fogelklou (in Swedish) by Emilia Fogelklou
I am hoping... I get through and do so without regret.
I am hearing... the children finally fast asleep and (I think) an airplane (or is it a car?) in the distance, the kettle boiling for my evening cup of tea.
Around the house... our semi-organised chaos. Toys, lego and train tracks spread across the floor (I had no energy to get little ones to tidy up before putting them to bed)
One of my favorite things... hearing the little ones sleeping. :) So beautiful, peaceful and innocent...drains me of any lingering frustration after a loooong day.
A few plans for the rest of the week... finish my essay due Friday. Visiting my best friend to view their new house and going to Disney on Ice with kids my mum, sisters and nieces (courtesy of Mum ♥) at the weekend.
Information cropped from Wikipedia. John Dewey (October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer. The overriding theme of Dewey's works was his profound belief in democracy, be it in politics, education or communication and journalism.
Dewey continually argued that education and learning are social and interactive processes, and thus the school itself is a social institution through which social reform can and should take place. According to Dewey, the teacher should not be one to stand at the front of the room doling out bits of information to be absorbed by passive students. Instead, the teacher’s role should be that of facilitator and guide.
He was one of the original 34 signees of the first Humanist Manifesto (1933). Kinda cool in my book. :)
I'm inspired by some of his educational ideas in my own studies to be a teacher and hope that some of his quotes might inspire you too.
"Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination."
"We only think when we are confronted with problems."
"Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes."
"Skepticism: the mark and even the pose of the educated mind."
"The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action."
"Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is, not a preparation for life; education is life itself."
"The teacher is not in the school to impose certain ideas or to form certain habits in the child, but is there as a member of the community to select the influences which shall affect the child and to assist him in properly responding to these influences."
There's a few, perhaps a lot, of blogs (see Cora, DMG, AliE etc.) writing about using a word to shape, lead and perhaps guide you through the year.
I first read about this over at Cora's blog and my initial reaction was...divided. :) I thought it sounded like a fun, interesting and different idea instead of the usual new years resolutions (that I've never really understood or ever managed to keep! ;)). On the other hand I was a bit hesitant of/if I dared to join in too, 'cause I feel that words are so powerful. If one chooses the 'wrong' word and charges it with all ones possibilities of the coming year it might not be such a fun, interesting and positive but rather negative and...wrong... :/ or...? In just reading through Cora's post I had a handful ok-words-that-could-turn-'bad'...but...I might just be taking it too seriously too...? :)
And! :) Being a lover of words I am intrigued by this idea and also aware that choosing the word must be allowed to take some time. It is the intention you have with the word you choose that determines the outcome...positively or negatively charged... Yes? :) Cora will give herself, and us who'll join her, a week to think about it. I'll do the same, let the idea settle and then decide if I'll join in and with what word.
