life: acoustic & amplified

poetry, quotes & thoughts about life

Archive for the category “Lonely”

06 Dec 2012

vulnerability of caring – we are all connected

“The miracle is this – the more we share, the more we have.”
– Leonard Nimoy

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Isaiah 58:7-8

Maritta Terrell

Thoughts are also posted at:
http://thoughtsaday.blogspot.com/

20121206-075741.jpg

Marisa Haedike illy

Posted in attitude, awareness, beloved, Blessing, determination, find art at pinterest, giving, Gratitude, Growth, intimacy, kindness, Life, Lonely, Love, Miracles, People, Proof, Relationships, soul and spirit, touch, Vulnerability | Leave a comment
26 Jul 2012

…feel it deeply…but don’t get stuck…

Dealing with Disappointment
A Bridge to Acceptance
by Madisyn Taylor

The gift of disappointment is to bring us into reality so we don’t get stuck in the realm of how things might have been.

Whenever we do something in life with an expectation of how we’d like it to turn out, we risk experiencing disappointment. When things don’t go the way we had envisioned, we may feel a range of emotions from slightly let down to depressed or even angry. We might direct our feelings inward toward ourselves, or outward toward other people or the universe in general. Whether we feel disappointed by ourselves, a friend, or life in general, disappointment is always a tough feeling to experience. Still, it is a natural part of life, and there are many ways of dealing with it when we find ourselves in its presence.

As with any feeling, disappointment has come to us for a reason, and we don’t need to fear acknowledging it or feeling it. The more we are able to accept how we are feeling and process it, the sooner we will move into new emotional territory. As we sit down to allow ourselves to feel our disappointment, we might want to write about the experience of being disappointed—the situation that preceded it, what we were hoping would happen, and what did happen. The gift of disappointment is its ability to bring us into alignment with reality so that we don’t get stuck for too long in the realm of how things might have been.

As we consider other disappointments in our life and how we have moved past them, we may even see that in some cases what happened was actually better in the long run than what we had wanted to happen. Disappointment often leaves us feeling deflated with its message that things don’t always turn out the way we want. The beauty of disappointment, though, is that it provides us a bridge to its other side where the acceptance of reality, wisdom, and the energy to begin again can be found.

www.dailyom.com

Posted in attitude, awareness, Becoming Yourself, Beginning, Beliefs, beloved, Burnign Bridges, Change, Choice, courage, determination, Dreams, Encouragement, Faith, find art at pinterest, Gratitude, Grieving, healing, inspiration, Letting Go, Life, Lonely, Losing, Love, People, Prayer, Quotes, Relationships, Respect, soul and spirit, Tears, thankfulness, Thoughts, Today, truth, Writing | Leave a comment
16 Apr 2012

It’s more…

WHEN GOD IS SILENT

Gentle Pilgrim,

do not be anxious in those times

when your prayers are struck dumb

and God falls silent.

Do not worry when you walk among ruins

longing for an explanation,

when you break your questions

against the hard darkness,

when the ears of your heart

stop up like wells of clay,

when you listen and hear

nothing.

Take heart: you have not

been cut off,

you have fallen into the

deep green pool

at the center of the world

where there is no language,

only presence.

You have passed out of the

market of words

and into the hands of God.

Wrap the silence around you

like a prayer shawl,

this communion with mysteries too great

to be compressed into the paper cups of words.

Be still, and trust God’s mute embrace,

God’s sigh too deep for words,

God’s presence,

beyond all explanation.

_______________________________

Copyright © 2009
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com

http://songsfromthevalley.com/September-09-2.18-Alone.pdf

Posted in Adventure, Alone, art, beauty, Becoming Yourself, Beginning, Beliefs, Blessing, Choice, commitment, confidence, courage, determination, do, Dreams, Encouragement, Faith, find art at pinterest, Freedom, Glory, Gratitude, Growth, Habits, inspiration, Letting Go, Life, Lonely, Love, Miracles, nature, Newsletter, Patience, Peace, People, Poetry, Prayer, quiet, Quotes, Reality, Reflection, Relationships, Respect, Solitude, strength, success, Tenderness, thankfulness, Thoughts, time, Today, Trust, truth, Vulnerability | Leave a comment
13 Apr 2012
1 Comment

Into the silence

I am still
I wait
I pray
I clean
I am alone
– for the most part
Solitary
– even in a crowd

I wish for it
– interruptions come
some enjoyable
some annoying
I am present, yet not

I know the answer will come
I know movement is coming
but for now
It is the silence
That I embrace
and endure
with patience
and courage
at other times I have even been cheerful during this time
but not this time

This time,
I am in mourning
Grief surrounds my heart
heavy sadness
– for choices made
– being made even now

I long for intimacy
I long to be the choice
I wish I could help
but I can’t

Only God can do what needs to be done
– and He can only do it if the choice is made by you
– to ask, seek, knock – even the slightest opening He can transform
the choice is personal and must be freely made

and so we wait –
me and God
Jesus puts his arm around my shoulders
and pulls me close
I feel the Spirit holding my heart and bringing me comfort
I close my eyes and hear his promise,
‘I will never leave you or forsake you’
and my sadness is blurred
with the surge of peace and joy

The silence is good
we know each other here
in the waiting
we have been here many times before
I have learned to wait
– Even enjoy this path
the answer will come soon enough
this is the place of intimacy and trust
where we know each other most

Life will move forward
and I will spring into action
and do what is being set for me to do in my waiting

I do not question the way
– I am a willing vessel
Mine was a shattered life
which has known your healing touch
you, so lovingly, put my pieces together again
and mended me with love

My God knows the way
– mine is a heart of thankfulness
I am the grateful follower
waiting to love you and share with whomever I can
Not for any other reason except love

You have allowed me to glimpse
My belovedness
My value
The value of each soul you have created
The depths of your love is unending

I desire only to please you
My creator, my savior, my lover, my friend

I long to share this love
with the ones you allow me to

And so I wait
I stay in the silence
until my answer comes
and God speaks
I am listening, Lord
As You have before,
Speak when you are ready

AL 4/13/12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTu_DXowgx8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Posted in Alone, Becoming Yourself, Beginning, Beliefs, Blessing, Career, Change, Choice, commitment, courage, determination, do, Encouragement, Faith, find art at pinterest, Freedom, Gratitude, Grieving, Growth, Habits, Happiness, healing, inspiration, Joy, Letting Go, Life, Lonely, Losing, Love, Miracles, Passion, Patience, Peace, People, Poetry, Prayer, Purpose, quiet, Reality, Reflection, Relationships, Respect, Solitude, strength, success, Tears, Tenderness, thankfulness, Thoughts, time, Today, Trust, truth, Uncategorized, Vulnerability, worry
11 Apr 2012
2 Comments

No matter what – Jesus will still be there

This morning I am reading Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis, and the words of Laura F. Winner resound in my heart –

And again, to church. Sometimes I cannot say much about why I go to church other than what people who go to the gym say: I always feel better once I’m there; I feel better after; it is always good for me, not in a take-your-vitamins way, in a chidingly moralistic way, but in a palpable way. Perhaps this is to turn religion into therapy. But church is therapy, that is one of the many things it is, and as my friend Mike once told me, the real problem lies not in recognizing the therapeutic balm of the gospel; the real problem is going through life thinking that the health you need can be found anywhere else.

http://thecripplegate.com/

Posted in beauty, Becoming Yourself, Beginning, Beliefs, Blessing, Change, Choice, commitment, courage, determination, do, Encouragement, Faith, find art at pinterest, Freedom, Gospel, Gratitude, Growth, Habits, healing, Hope, Impossible, inspiration, Letting Go, Life, Lonely, Losing, Love, People, Prayer, Reality, Reflection, Relationships, Solitude, strength, thankfulness, Thoughts, time, Today, Trust, truth
17 Mar 2012

We are never Alone…

Last night we ended up at the hospital with Chris’ mom. We got in bed at 4:57 AM this morning. We left Bernice in the ICU and came home to get some sleep and will head back there in a bit.

The Dr. (who looked more like a waiter at a TGI Friday’s) was really wonderful and explained her condition in very simple layman’s terms for us – her arota , the large vein coming out of her heart is enlarged and they will need to decide a treatment plan – hopefully not surgery – but that is not his expertise and he couldn’t tell us what the surgeons would decide. I thought it was nice he explained to her that surgeons usually have a ‘God-type’ complex and are not ‘people’ oriented and may not have a great bedside manner, but are very much experts in surgery and they are the best people to correct what is happening to her heart.

I understand what he was saying, but I wanted to tell him that’s not how, or who, God is – that is just the idea that people have decided is who God is!!!

As the night wore on and we waited for tests, waited for a room, waited for news, waited to sleep, waiting…waiting….this morning as I think about the coming days of unknown. I am reminded, and encouraged by this song, which I love! Thanks to Mandisa! We are never alone – He is with us – always – no matter what!

Posted in Alone, Beliefs, Blessing, confidence, courage, Faith, find art at pinterest, Letting Go, Life, Lonely, Love, Mother, People, strength, thankfulness, Thoughts, Trust | Leave a comment
23 Feb 2012

Can you feel the music?

A lot of the daily messages I get right now are about Lent. I didn’t grow up with Lent and so I find it somewhat exotic. Over the past several years I have observed the practice and have found it so beautiful and beneficial. It is an important event, and it is a time to go deep into some tough issues. The messages I get in my daily inspirational doses are great (for the most part) and present Lent as both difficult, but joyous! Which I believe is true. We must begin to be vulnerable to our brokenness, if we want to feel our deepest joy!

It is interesting to me the contrast of when I hear people talking about Lent in everyday conversation. Like at my job, or in a restaurant. It seems a lot of people feel like Lent is about deprivation and punishment. I over hear them dreading ‘giving up’ chocolate, beer or meat and wondering if it will interfere with their entertainment schedule, or if is just too hard. Most of them seem to be dreading it. When I can, I try to insert myself into their  conversation (I hope they appreciate it at some point! ha) and assure them that is not what Lent is about – we are not called to punishment! We are called to a deeper experience of life. We are called to freedom, love and joy! Life is beautiful  – that is the message!

I try to encourage the people who feel this way to turn it around this year. Don’t be punished by ‘giving up’ use the 40 days to ADD something special. Write a 40 day journal and concentrate on looking for one good thing a day to be thankful and write about!

Lent is about reflection about deepening our lives in every way. Let’s try to get the message out that Jesus never wanted religion – his beautiful life and death was because of love to give us truth and freedom. He wants our love, relationship, communion, fellowship, passion. Yes, it’s all about love.

 

Posted in Adventure, Alone, art, beauty, Becoming Yourself, Beginning, Beliefs, Blessing, Career, Change, Choice, courage, create, Dancing, Death, determination, do, Dreams, Encouragement, Faith, find art at pinterest, Freedom, fun, Gratitude, Grieving, Growth, Habits, Happiness, home, Hope, Imagine, Impossible, Joy, kindness, laugh, Letting Go, Life, light, Lonely, Love, Miracles, music, Party, Passion, Patience, Peace, People, power, Prayer, Proof, Purpose, quiet, Quotes, Reality, Reflection, Relationships, Respect, Smile, Solitude, strength, success, Sweet, Tears, Tenderness, thankfulness, Thoughts, time, Today, Trust, Vulnerability, words | Leave a comment
18 Feb 2012
1 Comment

Be Sure to Take A Beautiful Path

The Road Not Taken
Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

More options for inspiration at http://pinterest.com/al513/the-path-we-take-makes-all-the-difference/

Posted in Adventure, Alone, art, beauty, Becoming Yourself, Beginning, Beliefs, Blessing, Career, Change, Choice, courage, create, Dancing, determination, do, Dreams, Encouragement, find art at pinterest, Freedom, fun, Gratitude, Growth, Habits, Happiness, home, Hope, Imagine, Impossible, Joy, laugh, Leadership, Letting Go, Life, light, Lonely, Love, Miracles, music, Passion, Peace, People, Poetry, Prayer, Purpose, quiet, Quotes, Reality, Reflection, Relationships, Respect, Seasons, Smile, Solitude, Spring, Stars and Moonlight, strength, success, Sweet, Tenderness, Thoughts, time, Today, Trust, Vulnerability, Winning, words
16 Feb 2012

love sets free

Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. – C.S. Lewis
Today is a ‘Freedom Anniversary’ for me! It is a big deal! My life has been a progression of stepping towards freedom.
The battles have been long, dangerous and hard to win in order to free myself. Both physically and spiritually. I am not completely there yet – it is a life-long exploration and journey to free myself. The chains and bars in my prisons, because I find they are legion, are very strong. My Alcatraz type barren -rock islands were such a long way from shore, with many snipers, predators and sharp rocks in the water and on all sides of the shores. My guards were very alert and ready to shoot me, or keep me locked down and in solitary for my whole life. They were gleeful when I fell and happy over my pain and destruction.
And yet, the love, the words, and truth, of God were so much more powerful than any of these things, that no prison in this world could not hold me and, for 22 years now, I keep walking out of my prisons into the brilliant light and sunshine of the free!!!!

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage|
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.

http://songsfromthevalley.com/July-09-2-14-Freedom.pdf

Posted in Adventure, Alone, America, art, beauty, Becoming Yourself, Beginning, Beliefs, Blessing, Blog, Burnign Bridges, Career, Change, Choice, courage, create, Dancing, Death, determination, do, dominance, Dreams, Encouragement, force, Freedom, fun, Gratitude, Grieving, Growth, Habits, Happiness, Happy Holiday!, home, Hope, Imagine, Impossible, Joy, Judging, kindness, laugh, Leadership, Letting Go, Life, light, Lonely, Losing, Love, Miracles, Mother, music, Newsletter, Party, Passion, Peace, People, Poetry, politics, power, Prayer, Proof, Purpose, quiet, Quotes, Reality, Reflection, Relationships, Respect, Seasons, Smile, Solitude, Songs from the Valley, Spring, Stars and Moonlight, strength, success, Sweet, Tears, Tenderness, thankfulness, Thoughts, time, Today, Trust, Uncategorized, Vulnerability, Winning, words, worry, Writing | Leave a comment
15 Feb 2012

Words That Feed Us

When we talk to one another, we often talk about what happened, what we are doing, or what we plan to do. Often we say, “What’s up?” and we encourage one another to share the details of our daily lives. But often we want to hear something else. We want to hear, “I’ve been thinking of you today,” or “I missed you,” or “I wish you were here,” or “I really love you.” It is not always easy to say these words, but such words can deepen our bonds with one another.
Telling someone “I love you” in whatever way is always delivering good news. Nobody will respond by saying, “Well, I knew that already, you don’t have to say it again”! Words of love and affirmation are like bread. We need them each day, over and over. They keep us alive inside.
Posted in Adventure, Alone, beauty, Becoming Yourself, Beginning, Beliefs, Blessing, Blog, Change, Choice, courage, create, Dancing, determination, do, Dreams, Encouragement, Freedom, fun, Gratitude, Growth, Habits, Happiness, home, Hope, Imagine, Impossible, Joy, kindness, laugh, Letting Go, Life, light, Lonely, Love, Miracles, Mother, music, Passion, People, power, Prayer, Proof, Purpose, Quotes, Reality, Reflection, Relationships, Respect, Smile, Solitude, strength, success, Sweet, Tears, Tenderness, thankfulness, Thoughts, time, Today, Trust, Vulnerability, Winning, words | Leave a comment

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