The Egg by Andy Weir

My dearest darling soul sis Cora posted this on her blog at the beginning of the month at it just blew me away! Touched my heart. I loooove it. 

Go read and get the wind knocked out of you too! :)

The Egg by Andy Weir

Love& Light,

Quaker Testimonies

Ah, those...! :)
...or perhaps your thinking which ones?!
'So, who are these Quakers anyway?' provide a good explaination to them here. :)

A while ago I suggested to Cora that she would post about her views on the Quaker testimonies. She and I have talked, a lot, about most things Quaker so I sorta know where she stands on things - I am (on most occasions) right there beside her. :) :) :)
But...her words are not mine and neither are her thoughts (I wish I was as that brilliant!) sooo I'm going to try (with references to the British Faith&Practice and 'So, who are these Quakers anyway?') to sort out the jumble of thoughts that are floating about in the Space that is my head. ;p

First things first, when it comes to the testimonies...at least as I have understood it - there are no set, set of testimonies! ;D They can differ some from Quaker to Quaker but also between countries and continents... In the Swedish Faith&Practice they're not at all as clearly 'stated' as they are in the British one, for instance.

I strongly believe in cause and effect - that what we say and/or do (or don't!) has a ripple effect that we can't even begin to imagine. This envelopes all things...from a 'small' thing - like smiling at a stranger to the bigger things like what kind of car we choose to (or not! ;)) to drive...

Good begets good. The not-so-good begets more not-so-good.

All things, everyone, would benefit from figuring this 'balance thing' out... and, in my opinion, the testimonies are a good Guide to getting there.

Love&Light,

Dinner Challenge!

So here's a 'challenge' for you!

Who would you invite to dinner?
Choose 6 people, living or dead, that you'd like to invite over for dinner. Choose freely, they can be friends and/or family, famous or infamous ;) people.

'All' I want from you is a motivation as to why you've chosen these people, both on a personal level as well as what you think the individuals might add to the group.

Tag as many or as few people as you like.

Don't forget to let me know in the comments when you're done with the challenge! :) :) :)

If you've read this post you've been tagged for the challenge! :)

A special 'honourary tag' goes to DMG, Cora, Gumbo Soul and Kelly who I'll 'personally' hunt down and tag on their blogs! ;p

Edited to add: OhOhOh! Why not add a little note of what would be on the dinner table too?? :D That'd be fun to read about too. :)

Image is linked and borrowed from pinkofperfection.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'm inviting:
Khalil Gibran
Jesus (as in Christ)
Paulo Coelho
Cora
Muhammed (as in founder of Islam)
Dalai Lama (as in the 14th)

This was not an easy choice...I could easily have added another 3-4 people to the table! OR invite a whole new group of 6 people. (I would have loved an all-girls-table! ;)) Sure, I guess I could have changed the rules too to suit ;) but my reason for 'only' inviting 6 people is so that we'll all have time to have a good chat with each other before the night is through. (Cora's an overnight guest just so ya'll know! ;)).

The reason for inviting these people over is, if you haven't already figured it out, to talk about religion, spirituality and faith. I'm curious to meet and discuss with each individual his/her point of view on these things but I'd also think it'd be sooo cool to see Muhammad chatting with Jesus and the Dalai Lama talking with Gibran etc. and so on. :) I think that the group conversations at the table would be very interesting too and I'd like to believe that they're all 'well-behaved' and wouldn't start a fight. ;)

Added after editing: I'm not a very good cook so I don't have a ready recipe in mind but I'd serve something vegetarian for sure. I think it'd be the best option considering the guest. A nice stew of some sort perhaps and definately a soul soothing sweet-something for dessert! ;)

So, tell me! Who would you invite to dinner?? :)

Cora: Deep thoughts

My soul sis Cora wrote an awesome post yesterday! Made my heart yell Yes! Go here to read it. :) She's just the bestest! ;) Go, go, go!

Hey Soul Sister!

Heart and Soul
Open hearts, sharing souls, trusted friends.
I've got a soul sister. She's a one-of-a-kind-awesome-woman who speaks the words of my soul, she moves me and inspires me. We've know each other for a looong time now. :) We've never met face-to-face as I'm over here in snowy (nooo it's not snowy over here all the time! ;)) Sweden and she's waaaaay over on the other side of the planet (almost) in sunny (yeah! all the time! ;)) California. We're close despite the physical distance between us and we 'talk' all the time via facebook, blogs, mail and even old fashioned letters. :)

Yesterday was the first time that I picked up the phone and heard her voice. :) :) :) After about 5 seconds on the phone I'd forgotten all about what she's sounded like in my head for all these years ;) and now I hear and feel her even more true in my heart. ♥

For a fantastic 2, and a bit, hours we were talking in true girlfriend-style, :D about everything! ;) We touched on subjects like American history, genealogy, cookie baking, democracy, U.S (and international) politics, socialism, geography, education... and that's on top (or at the same time as) of all the 'usual' family stuff. :) FAB!! :D Just exactly what I'd imagined it to be... ♥ Perfect.

Thanks for the chat sis ♥ and thank you for being the awesome you that you are! ♥
Speak to you again soon!
♥

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY
(or more correctly TONIGHT)

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.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

(our front yard)

Joined in on this lovely idea I found on Cora's blog. Original idea found at The Simple Woman's Daybook. :)

One Word for 2011?

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.

Where to begin...?

A new blog with new ideas of what I want to do but not really sure where to start... :)

Haud Ignota Loquor - I speak not of unknown things, sort of sums up my thought about this blog... I don't believe I'm a carrier of any new knowledge or revolutionary ideas, but I do believe that words have power and that all things are connected in some way.

I have many times 'by chance' come across thoughts, words and inspiring deeds that have changed, or more correctly deepened and given more colour to my already existing knowledge. I LOOOVE reading, learning, figuring things out, trying to get the why's and what for's of things.

I believe that I know myself quite well and that I'm good at reading people but I aspire to constantly learn more...to grow.

That's what I want to do here! :D I want to wonder, question and talk about lots of different issues with the aim of growing...!

By sharing what inspires and guides me in life perhaps I in turn might give someone else another variation of colour to their own ideas... Possible?? I don't know! :) There a very few things in life I know for sure...so maybe this blog will end up being a load of nonsense babbling about nothing and everything! ;)

My soul sister over on The Postulations of an Iconoclast wrote an awesome post a while back, about what she knows now. She spoke words right out of my own heart, I guess that's why we're soul sistas! ;) She wrote "the more I learn, the more I don't know" "I don't know shit. And I'm okay with that. Really. Because that means there's still room in my Brains for New Learning, New Thinking, New Ideas." (forgive me Cora for butchering your post!) and the sum still being the empowered "I don't know shit, but I *know* my shit" :D and that's SO true for me too!! ♥

And that brings the "If Anthem" to my mind!! :D Nonsense babbling-warning! ;) From the National Geographic Channels "Live Curious" 'campaign'.



If you are, you breathe.
If you breathe, you talk.
If you talk, you ask.
If you ask, you think.
If you think, you search.
If you search, you experience.
If you experience, you learn.
If you learn, you grow.
If you grow, you wish.
If you wish, you find.
And if you find, you doubt.
If you doubt, you question.
If you question, you understand
and if you understand, you know.
If you know, you want to know more.
If you want to know more,
you are alive.

I am alive! :) ...and this place is mine... So join me or leave me to my nonsens... ;)

Be safe,