Observing the Presents of Presence

Present of the Dawn

While going through some closets and preparing for Christmas this year, we came across a book that a friend had given us last Christmas.  For reasons we do not know, the book ended up under other items on a shelf, hidden until discovered this past week.  Receiving the book was a gift in itself, a kind gesture from a caring individual. Reading the book, though literally a year later, was another gift, a well-written message received at difficult time in our household.  In reflecting on the order of events, we came to the conclusion that it must have been divine intervention for the timing of what transpired.  Had we read the book last year, we most likely would not have gotten A) the same message, B) the most value from the message, C) the wisdom or perspective offered in such a meaningful way, or D) a better idea for a blog post than what we originally planned for the week.  So, once again, Plan G (God’s plan) is what we are going with as an explanation and course of action.  We hope you enjoy this week’s post and all it has to offer.

Unlocking Insights

“Time unlocks insights.” –James Clear

Theme of the Week: Gifts in Life’s Tapestry

Our theme of the week started with Father Chris’ homily in church about the anxiety of waiting or doing things that are foreign to us.  He gave the example of preparing for a trip and how packing and planning can lead to so many consternations.  However, once we are on our way or have arrived at our destination, we find ourselves feeling much differently, almost oblivious or even forgetting the anxiety once held in our minds. 

Advent can be full of waiting and anxiety for many people.  The final days leading up to Christmas have a tendency to be filled to the brim with much to do and perceived little time to do it all.  Two truths we rediscovered in this week’s events include 1) not having to do it all perfectly and 2) that we are not in control of very much in life anyway, so really we are all truly winging it no matter how many times we’ve “done this before” or how much education, money, time, or other resources we have.  What we often fail to see in going through our holiday (or any other day preparations) is it is all a gift, given to us to experience in different ways at different times in our lives.  If life and we were perfect, the gift would not exist.

This theme continued when we found the book mentioned above.  The book is titled The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy.  It is a quick read with many illustrations to accentuate the points made in the dialog between the characters.  Each character has a number of questions, answers, opinions, and unique way of expressing themselves.  The art of the relationships displayed is that we are all different, yet have much to offer to each other. 

One of the concepts that struck a major chord with me was in a conversation between the boy and the mole: “What do you think is the biggest waste of time?”

Great Freedom

“Comparing yourself to others,” says the mole.

Wow. Simple question, simple answer, powerful message both ways.  That is the gift that happens in relationships when we have the courage to ask and to respond truthfully.  Another gift in such a relationship is the presence of each person (or spirit or thing).  Let’s face it, we all have times when we feel left out or lonely, and nothing accentuates this more than holiday times when many people are planning social events and still many more people are left out, excluded, or even removed by their own doing for any number of reasons.

“One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things.” –The Mole

Lesson of the Week: The Present of the Unseen

Our lesson of the week came about through the weather and more dialog in the book.  The weather was bitter cold, frigid at best, with winds gusting 25 to 35 miles per hour and snow blowing all over the place.  Such conditions forced us inside for the better part of two days.  I figured we would make the most of the time inside by doing a house renovation project that has been on our to-do list for some time.  The renovations entailed taking down ceiling tile in order to put up new ceiling boards, fix an electrical issue, and make the room more functional.  Upon removing the ceiling tile, we discovered another layer of wooden boards covered in tar paper that was part of an addition to the house prior to my grandparents purchase of the house. 

The added layer did not deter me, for I had literally ripped apart and redone 90% of the house since purchasing it and through every remodeling project have discovered layers (upon layers, upon layers in some cases) of “hidden” construction for lack of a better description.  So, I figured we’d just remove the next layer, which was not a bad decision, but which did uncover the fact there was no insulation or ceiling joists above the room.  Instead, the joists found were those of the next layer up, meaning the roof joists.  Not exactly what one wants to find with the temperature plummeting at the rate it was or the winds blowing at the speeds they were.

OK, Plan B (or maybe really Plan G, God’s Plan) was needed.  Quick assessment said we had to work our tails off to stop the wind from A) entering the house and B) making the house any colder than it already was even though the furnace was running non-stop.  The other issue that surfaced while making our assessment was the outer wall only had some wall board insulation on it (which I knew about because I had put it up during a “face lift” of the room back in 2004).  Given the winds were so cold, it was easy to discern that the wall board insulation was not really effective.  Since we were ripping things apart anyway, we might as well take down the inner portion of the wall, insulate everything, and then start putting things back in order.

Calm Before the Storm

Which was an ambitious plan on any day for anyone, but an even more ambitious plan given our current state of affairs.  Removing the inner portion of the wall turned into an even more time consuming task than anticipated, not to mention it generated a pile of knee high debris across the entire room.  Great.  So now we not only had a mess, but also had to get the mess outside of the house quickly in order to keep moving and get back to the original intent of the project.  On a normal day, this would not have been an issue, but the winds, snow, ice, and plummeting temperatures turned it into a bit of a chore.  We did the best we could with the resources we had, using the insulation board to block the doorway into the adjoining room while I propped open the exterior door and ran armfuls of debris across the driveway to the wagon where it could be stored temporarily.

As soon as the debris was cleaned up, I quickly cut rolled insulation to fill in the spaces between the wall studs and stop some of the air from coming into the house.  Of course, the wall studs were not on standard spaced centers, so I had to piece together the insulation in order to work.  Which was fine, but added time that I really did not think I had to the project.  The fortunate part of all this was the wall was only a little over 12 feet long, and contained a door and a large window.  The unfortunate part of the fortunate part was more cutting of materials in order to get the wall covered top to bottom.  Then came the fun part of trying to carry three sheets of drywall from the detached garage across the driveway to the house with the winds whipping fiercely. 

The first sheet ended up taking off like a kite with me hanging on for dear life.  I let go and the sheet dropped to the ground.  Quickly, I dragged it across the driveway, lifted it up the one icy step onto the porch, and slid it into the room.  “One down, two more to go,” I said aloud adjusting my tossle cap and gloves for the next sprint across the “frozen tundra” before me.  After getting all three sheets into the house, I had to do some ingenious setup to cut the 4’ x 8’ sheets of drywall in a room that is less than 7’ x 12’ in size with some real estate being taken up by a cupboard and a ladder that would be needed to put the upper pieces of drywall in place.

Diligence

Had I not been so busy thinking of solutions and options to each next challenge, I probably would have felt very alone.   (I was already way beyond cold despite moving around frantically to stay warm and make progress). The dogs by this point had resorted to curling up on the couch in the living room where it was warmer and they did not have to “help” in any way other than being present for reassurance that all would be well in time.  Though I could not see them, I knew they were there, waiting patiently (though probably thinking that I had bitten off more than any of us could chew with this project) for me to be done. 

The room did feel slightly warmer once I had the drywall up along with the paneling I was reusing to cover the wall.  However, the air coming in from the roof was bitter cold.  At this point, I had spent ten hours of the day working on this project.  It was getting late, I desperately needed a shower and something to eat, but I really needed to stop the air from coming into the house.  After some quick assessment and two more trips across the frozen tundra to the garage to get some 2”x4” boards, I was measuring and cutting the wood to make what would have to do for ceiling joists.  This took about an hour and ten trips up and down the cellar steps to cut the wood where I had set up the miter saw in the basement.  At least I was getting my physical, mental, and even spiritual exercise for the day given all the moving, thinking, creating, and praying I was doing.  More presents in the unseen! Woohoo!!!

Once the joists I had made were screwed in place (another adventure given the age of the house and petrified wood that is harder than concrete it contains), I cut thick mil plastic bags and stapled them to the joists.  Though the wind block was not the best, it did provide some protection and a lot of mental relief.  The dogs were now curious (and wanting a snack), so they came to inspect while I hurried to clean up.  Looking at the clock, I realized I had spent 12 hours working on this project.

It was 12 hours well spent on a frigid winter day in my opinion, though I was quite spent at the end of it.  The next day, the roads were better and I was able to get to the local home improvement store to get a different kind of rolled insulation to staple to the ceiling joists.  I also rewired the electric in the room and after ten hours had things looking and feeling much better.  Though the time frame and efforts were greatly different than I had planned for the project (not to mention I had yet to get to the original intent of putting up new ceiling boards), there were many gifts received throughout the process, and we still had  one day left before Christmas actually arrived.  Yes!

Planted

Some words from the book came to mind as we got started on cutting the ceiling boards.  “Isn’t it odd we can only see our outsides, but nearly everything happens on the inside.”

“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried but you’ve actually been planted.” -Christine Caine

Song of the Week: Past the Deep

Our song of the week ties into our theme, lesson, and title for this post.  It is a favorite hymn that we’ve been singing in church for Advent. The song speaks of what lies beyond, what we need and find if we seek, and the many gifts offered to us in life each day.

Beyond the Moon and Stars

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night,
So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.
The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing,
So may we come to rest where angels sing.

Our eyes have longed to see your loving face,
To live within your courts for all our days.

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night,
So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.
The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing,
So may we come to rest where angels sing.

Upon our darkness, Lord, a light has shone.
You choose to dwell with us in flesh and bone.

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night,
So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.
The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing,
So may we come to rest where angels sing.

When life’s great journey ends, and day is done,
Then may our eyes behold your Holy One.

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night,
So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.
The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing,
So may we come to rest where angels sing.

Beyond the Moon and Stars

While our lives may feel out of control much of the time, they still contain presents in the presence of others, including those we love and care about, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  We may or may not realize the reasons of who, what, when, where, how, or why, we can find solace in reflection and being honest with ourselves.

“The greatest illusion,” said the mole, “is that life should be perfect.”

Words of the Week: Powers That Be

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include joy, light, presence, flow, grace, and faith.  Joy may be hard to see in our lives, but if we look to the light, acknowledge God’s presence, reflect on nature’s flow through the seasons, we find the great gift of grace.  This grace takes our faith to higher levels than ever dreamed possible.

May we come to see the many gifts life offers us no matter the time of year or holiday season.  May these gifts be shared with others to fully receive the presents of presence.

Presents of Presence

In the here and now
Through fears and doubts,

Blessings and grace

Dressed in each day

Presents in the Skies

Ever changing yet all encompassing

Through rearranging and running

Upon the journey’s winding road
Twisting and turning with the sun’s glow

In every moment meant to be

Lies the presence of the Lord’s peace.

In the occasion, on the special day,

Time raises the bar of faith

With the running waters to the sea

Where the shores offer what one needs

Beneath the moon and stars above

Before the blue fades in the rising sun

So that each moment moves one forward

Sometimes unknown, renewed, or even more than

We ever dream,

Thank You!

In the present wrapped for thee.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to some of the people who have given us books to read and to the people who have taught us to read and interpret the words.  Special thanks to Jackie T., Joyce B., Loretta, Aikens, Tognarina, Julie, Dorothy, Miss Guckert, Mrs. McCaskey, and Mrs. Zacherl for sharing their gifts of knowledge and wisdom, love of reading, and sense of wonder and faith in their own ways with us.  Thanks also to God for giving us the determined spirit to keep on learning throughout life’s challenges and circumstances, the grace to survive it all, and the love to share our adventures with others. Thanks to everyone who reads our posts each week no matter how long, short, or what the subject matter may be. 

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Winter Gifts

Observing Auras and Lights

Sunset Light

We try very hard each day to find and accentuate the positive in life.  This week was a bit of a test for us to do so, for many of the days contained some rather dreary, gray skies with rain, wind, colder temperatures, and even snow and ice.  On some days, we turned to other sources for our “light” given the sun was not visible.  These sources include relationships with close friends and family members, music, and learning new things either through reading or actual practice.  Our experiences this week set us on a path to wonder and enlightenment.  We thought we’d share some of our learnings in this week’s post.

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality.  To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” –Buckminster Fuller

Theme of the Week: Auras Seen and Unseen

Raindrops on the Berries

Our theme of the week stemmed from two experiences, one rather pleasant and the other most painful.  The first experience was during Father Bob’s homily in church.  He told a short story about a convention or gathering where a group of people seemed very negative toward each other, and despite the negativity, the group leader decided to go ahead with a planned exercise on the final day.  The exercise entailed blank pieces of paper taped to each person’s back.  The exercise was for each attendee to write something on the other attendees papers. 

Surprisingly, the leader found the comments to be very positive.  The findings overall concluded that despite all the negativity between the group attendees each day, they found something positive to share about every person.  Father Bob tied this to the readings at the mass, which were about uncertainty and doubt.  Though John the Baptist knew he was to prepare the way for the Messiah, he at one point wondered if Jesus was the right person. 

We all have doubts at times, and when this happens, it can be hard to see or feel the positive things going on within us and around us.  Advent is a time where we may question our faith or life events and how we fit in to all that is going on.  Even our best made plans can turn out less than stellar, and when this happens, we need not focus on what went “wrong” but rather that we tried, which is really opening our hearts and minds. 

This opening can create different auras, or fields of energy or atmospheres in which we find renewed hope.  It can also be a “light” for our path out of darkness, creating an atmosphere for growth, development, kindess, concern, care, faith, hope, and love.

Making the Most of Winter’s Landscape

The second experience of the week happened on Tuesday when I woke up with one of the worst migraine headaches I have ever experienced.  The symptoms included an aura, or period where my vision was impaired by flashes of light, making seeing anything else impossible and creating a feeling of severe nausea.  It was not a fun experience at all.  However, I took it as a sign God wanted me to rest and clear my head, heart, and soul of anything that was negative.  So, clear away I did.  Between the nausea and all the thoughts I either dumped out on paper or sent up to God in prayer, I lost five pounds.  Also rested more than usual and somehow fell asleep despite the raging pain.  Upon awaking, I felt a sense of freedom. During the experience, I kept thinking about Father’s homily and how good things can come from even the most negative life experiences.  Well, we sure proved that to be correct.

“The world is how you see it and what you make of it.” –Satish Kumar

Lesson of the Week: Let the Light Be

Our lesson of the week came through nature and our experiences with it.  With sunset at 4:54 PM, there is not much light to help us or look forward to in the evening hours after work.  This can be depressing, but it can also challenge us to appreciate the light we have when we have it.  Be it in the sunrise, during the middle of the day, at sunset, or even after sunset just before twilight ends, the light is there to help us not only to see, but to feel its warmth and learn from the paths it takes.

One rather cloudy day while running and biking after work, I noticed the sky brighten despite the continued cloud cover.  Scanning the horizon along my routes, I realized the light was actually the sunset, but it was veiled by the thick cloud cover.  Looking to the opposite sky in the east, I could see a pink glow, which was from the clouds reflecting what little sunlight from the sunset was actually passing through the atmosphere.  The glow reminded me that God’s love is ever-present, and sometimes we have to look to see it or feel it. 

Hope in the Present

If we let the light be what it is in whatever form it presents itself to us, we come to experience not only the light, but also learn more about the inner self.  What makes us tick, what drives us crazy, what dreams and goals we have, what we really need to know and face within us in order to get past our sins, pasts, demons, mistakes, and missteps.  We have to face the light and all it illuminates if we are to find our way past the darkness and negativity of the world around us.  Perhaps this seems too simple an answer to our many questions and that is why we fail to not only use the light, but also to be grateful for it and all the potential it possesses.

“Hope is not only hope in the future.  Hope is in the present.” –Karen Baker-Fletcher

Song of the Week: Light Melody

Our song of the week is newer, recently released by country music star Dierks Bentley.  Like many other hits by Bentley, the title is one word and the instrumental portions are full of guitar chords that touch the soul.  This song really struck me personally, for it speaks of references to nature and how what we really need and want in life can be found by simply being thankful for what we have.

Gold

It ain’t easy
Nobody said it would be
You finally find that greener grass
But you’re still in the weeds
Ain’t it crazy
All the time that you spend
Driving through the rainbow for the pot at the end

Rhododendron-Rainy Day Gold

I got some rust on my Chevy but it’s ready to roll
I got a rhinestone sky and a song in my soul
It ain’t a smooth ride, life, it’s a winding road
Yeah, it might be gravel, but it feels like gold

I’ve been climbing
Trying to get to the view
I’m at the bottom but the sky’s still pretty darn blue
They say heaven
Is somewhere on the other side
But I ain’t waiting
Well I’m thinking, it’s a state of mind

I got some rust on my Chevy but it’s ready to roll
I got a rhinestone sky and a song in my soul
It ain’t a smooth ride, life, it’s a winding road
Yeah, it might be gravel, but it feels like gold

Yeah, it feels like gold
Yeah, it feels like gold

Song in My Soul

Got my baby sitting by me
Shining like a diamond
Only silver linings in the clouds
And if it starts to rain
I don’t worry ’bout a thing
I pull my rose colored Ray-Bans out

I got some rust on my Chevy but it’s ready to roll
I got a rhinestone sky and a song in my soul
It ain’t a smooth ride, life, it’s a winding road
Yeah, it might be gravel, but it feels like gold

Yeah, it feels like gold (yeah, it does)
Yeah, it feels like gold

It ain’t a smooth ride, life, it’s a winding road
Yeah, it might be gravel, but it feels like gold (one, two, three)

The chorus fits our household perfectly.  We have rust on our Chevy truck, but are always ready to roll. Though we may not see the rhinestone sky, we always have a song in our soul.  Our ride has been a most winding and circuitous path, far from smooth.  We definitely have a lot of gravel under our feet each day, yet the miles traveled are more valuable than gold.

“Your calendar is a better measure of success than your bank account.” –James Clear

Science Lesson of the Week: Glowing Fungi

Shaking the World

Our science lesson of the week came through an article about mushrooms.  There are 71 species of mushrooms that are able to glow in the dark.  The glowing fungi is possible due to a natural reaction between enzymes and chemicals known as luciferins.  Luciferins also are also responsible for making fireflies and certain ocean animals glow.  The ancient Greeks called the glowing fungi “cold fire” or “fairy fire” since the glow was visible at night.

Mushrooms follow a circadian rhythm in a 22-hour cycle.  Since mushrooms cannot move, but need to spread spores to repopulate, they rely on this nighttime glow to help attract insects.  The insects then carry the spores away to other areas, helping to keep the cycle of light and life going.

 Like the mushrooms, we humans have much to share in order to help populate thoughts, feelings, ideas, concepts, and even faith.  However, under certain conditions, we become taxed and may not be able to convey what we have to share.  In these instances, we may turn to others or other environments to help us not only share, but also learn and grow.  Perhaps in these final days of Advent, we can help the light of others shine forth by fostering environments that are healthy for the well-being of many.

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” –Mahatma Gandhi

Words of the Week: Life Leads

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include love, guidance, forgiveness, prosperity, beautiful, protection, and comfort.  Love exists in many forms and in various degrees in each relationship we have.  As we learn the different forms love takes, we come to see it as a form of guidance, which can in turn lead us to forgiveness and prosperity.  When we forgive, we prosper, which creates a beautiful environment, allowing others a sense of protection, and all participants an aura of comfort. 

Aura in the Sky

May we use the final week of Advent as an opportunity to both create and foster light.  May we allow ourselves the time to see the light even in the dark, and may we express thankfulness for the auras and lights in and of our world.

Auras and Lights

Auras and lights,

Plethora to find

See, hope, and dream,

To make known and express deep

Appreciation for what has been given

In the sands of time’s living.

Auras and lights,

Adored moments inside

The heart and the soul

Allowing one to embark and uphold

The faith that forms

Restored Light

Each day through the storms

That come to be and then pass

Allowing for the calm within thee to come back.

Auras and lights,

Restored in the night,

In the deep of the day,

In the energy that is saved

And set free

In the onset of being

So that the seed may grow

The reed may blow,

And the skies may clear

Thanks From Leo and Lena

All because the light is near.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to the many people trying to foster environments of light and life.  Whether through art and science, expression or impression, fact or suggestion, or living and dreaming, there are more light sources out there than what society and the media portray.  Be the light, even if it is a flicker of a flame, for every light has the potential to overcome the challenges faced.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Light of Life

Observing Remembrances and Memories

Advent Memory

This week was one of great discovery in our household.  We came across a number of interesting and intellectual articles that brought not only new information and things to consider, but also remembrances of lessons and facts learned through some very important relationships.  These remembrances led us to contemplate memory and how the brain works.  The contemplation set us on a bit of a journey, which ties in with some of the concepts of faith.  With sunrise at 7:31 AM and sunset at 4:54 PM and less outdoor chores to do this time of year, we have more time to read and do research, so we thought we’d share some things we read and learned about remembrances, memory, and faith in this week’s post.

“Evolutionary thinking agrees to knowing and not knowing simultaneously.  It sends us on a trajectory, where the ride is itself the destination, and the goal is never clearly in sight.  To stay on the ride, to trust the trajectory, to know it is moving, and moving somewhere always better, is just another way to describe faith.” –Richard Rohr

Evolution

Theme of the Week: Remember Me

Our theme of the week came about as we read the obituaries in the newspaper.  Several years ago, I noticed that there are more obituaries at the end of the year than at the beginning or middle of the year.  As has been the case this year and in years past, a number of popular or well-known people have passed away, leaving behind great legacies to contemplate.  Some of the legacies are also tied to tragedies, missteps in life, and a newfound path afterward.  If we are honest with ourselves, we all make mistakes and take missteps upon our journey.  While conscious or unconscious, if we have faith, we eventually find our way back.  Sometimes people not claiming to have faith or a spiritual side are influenced by others who are spiritual in nature.  This type of enlightenment can be very humbling and inspirational to those who know the story behind the journey. 

In addition to the number of well-known people who have passed the last few weeks, we also had some people we know from our community take the journey to heaven.  Some of the passings were not necessarily expected, but rather anticipated at some point given illness or circumstances in these people’s lives.  Others were surprising in nature.  All had us recalling time spent with these people, ways these people influenced us, or how we came to know these individuals. 

One of the passings that touched me rather deeply was that of Christine McVie, well known from her work with Fleetwood Mac. Though I did not know her personally, I had read and watched many interviews she had done through the years and listened to countless songs she wrote or co-wrote.  A very talented and somewhat sophisticated individual was the persona she presented on stage, yet she had a humble, very realistic view of life as disclosed in the interviews.  Her voice was one of the few voices outside of country music that touched my soul at a young age. 

Art of Attention

My first memory of hearing her was on a popular music count down show in the 1980’s.  I vividly recall her playing the keyboard as she sang her hit song “Got a Hold on Me”.  Though I was too young to fully understand all the lyrics, the music and her voice captivated my attention.  My sister and I used to imitate the performances we saw on the show the next day.  After hearing McVie, I was up early the next morning building a makeshift keyboard from an old shoe box that I could use as a prop for my re-creation of her performance.  How is it all these years later that I remember this?

“The true art of memory is the art of attention.” –Samuel Johnson

Lesson of the Week: How Can This Be?

Our lesson of the week offers answers to how we remember.  Memory is actually a system built into different parts of the brain.  The frontal lobe directly behind the forehead and the hippocampus buried deep inside the brain play key roles in memory.  The frontal lobe is activated when one thinks. The hippocampus is important for long-term memory, such as remembering facts or information. 

Working memory (WM) is the ability to hold onto and process pieces of information.  It is activated when we experience and remember life events, learn new facts, talk to others, read, and do math.  Brain cells called neurons become active and deliver electrical impulses or signals as we remember things.  Working memory cycles typically range from three to eight cycles per second.  There are also sensory memory cycles, which can be up 30 to 100 cycles per second.  Sensory memory is stimulated by things we see, hear, and smell.  The brain processes working memory and sensory memory cycles simultaneously, which is called multiplexing. 

Like a song made up of rhythms from guitars, drums, and other instruments, working memory and sensory memory combine to create the “song” of total memory.  The input of sensory memory helps us tie together working memory information to the stimuli of sights, sounds, and smells.  Each memory input has its own rhythm, or cycles per second.  By coordinating patterns of activity, the human brain holds onto and processes information.

Remembrance of Seasons Past

“Chunking” or grouping together pieces of information allows us to remember multiple things at one time.  Based on the wave functions of working memory and sensory memory, the optimum number of things the human brain can process at one time is seven.  Timing of events can help with chunking and overall memory.  Creating stories is one way to keep the timing in order, and sharing the stories can help remember the events or facts we need or want to recall. 

Songs are like stories, which may be why we tend to remember events tied to when we first heard them.  The fact that songs contain music, which we hear as part of our sensory perception, is by nature tied to sensory memory impulses.  Combine the sensory impulses with working memory impulses, and you have the requirements that allos us to remember the song, the words, and any events tied to any of the components.

Additionally, since the brain holds onto pieces of information through cycles of repetitive electrical activity (firing of neurons), memory improves with repetition.  As we continue to tell stories we reinforce the memory behind them.  This helps explain how we remember song lyrics.  We hear the song, it captivates our attention, we tie a working memory impulse to it and to the sensory impulse the music provides, and we replay it many times.  So, yes, a song can literally get stuck in our heads for a given period of time, to be recalled whenever stimulated to do so.

“Every man’s memory is his private literature.” –Aldous Huxley

Song of the Week: Light for the Journey

Our song of the week is a favorite hymn, which we sung in church this past Sunday.  The song speaks of light for our journey, light to help us create the memories and mindset we need to sustain and strengthen us. 

Private Literature

Christ Be Our Light

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has power to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.

Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.

Our Light

Though I do not recall exactly when I first heard this hymn, I can say the words and the music have grown to be a comforting reminder.  I do recall a particularly dark time in my life and going to church for an evening service.  Singing this song with the church only lit by candles and a light above the alter added a magic to the experience, solidifying the hymn as a favorite.  Though we may not always recall our first memories, life offers us opportunities to create memories through experiences and relationships.

“Life is not an error, even when it is.” –Christian Wiman

Science Lessons of the Week: Neat Lessons Indeed!

In addition to music, intellectual articles have always fascinated me.  As a young girl, I remember my mom getting my sister and me a subscription to My Big Back Yard, a nature magazine, for Christmas.  When we outgrew My Big Back Yard, Mom got us a subscription to Ranger Rick, which we read into our teenage years.  When we outgrew Ranger Rick, Mom got us a subscription to National Wildlife.  These magazines had great photos and were packed full of facts for young minds to ponder, explore, and reflect upon. 

As an adult, I found articles in the newspaper about nature that really fascinated me.  Such articles made me want to be a science or nature writer at one point.  With the demise of printed newspapers and rise of online articles, such writings are more difficult to find.  However, this past week, I discovered two articles about different subjects that brought back memories of reading those treasured magazines many years ago. 

The first article was about polymer chemist Kurt Olson, who spent 38 years with PPG as a product researcher and developer. He helped develop a coating that keeps objects painted dark colors as cool as objects painted white.  The coating, known as eggplant coating, is based on the fact that eggplants remain cool to the touch even when in the sun for extended periods of time. 

Sunset From One of Uncle Bill’s Favorite Views

The eggplant’s make up allows visible light to be reflected back to the eye, but infrared light (also present in the sun’s rays) passes right through the deep purple skin, hitting the light interior of the eggplant.  This is by nature’s design, and the science of trying to mimic such designs is called biomimetic chemistry, or biomimicry. Chemists study the wonders of biology to obtain hints on how to develop products like the eggplant coating, which is currently used on Southwest airline planes to keep the interior of the planes from getting too hot.  Use of the coating reduced the need for air conditioners on the planes, helping to lighten the load and save on fuel.  So what started out as simply a search for a coating turned into a major resource savings. 

Reading the article reminded me of my late Great Uncle Bill, who was an avid gardener.  He always had the biggest onions and tomatoes in his garden.  One thing he claimed to have difficulty growing was eggplant.  He used to express his frustration to me when I would visit with him in the garden.

“I don’t know why I can’t grow eggplants the way Jimmy used to,” he would say, making reference to my late Uncle Jim, who had great success growing eggplants, but not other vegetables in his own garden. 

In recalling Uncle Bill, I wondered if he ever realized the eggplants were cool to touch even when picked in the sun, or if he ever imagined what science would do with the help of nature.  Being a faithful man, Uncle Bill often relied on God for answers in life.  He would say, “I guess it’s how God wants it,” as an answer to my questions of why things were the way they were.

The article went on to describe another project and product developed with the help of biomimicry. The product is based on the fact plants such as cabbage, broccoli, and collard greens shed water and do not get dirty. The water shedding is called the Lotus effect and is due to the roughness of the plants leaves.  Coatings with similar roughness have been developed to promote “self-cleaning” features.

Succession of Lessons

Uncle Bill also grew cabbage and broccoli in his garden. The cabbage heads were the size of soccer balls and the broccoli floret clusters were as big as my fist.  Years of being outdoors on his farm and working in his trade as a stone mason left Uncle Bill’s skin rough like that of the cabbage and broccoli leaves. Perhaps this rough skin is what helped him shake “the dust of the world” off, allowing him to be a faithful servant through much of his life as a husband, father, grandfather, great uncle, friend, and leading example to many in the community. 

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.  All is riddle, and the key to a riddle is another riddle” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Words of the Week: Looking at Memories

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include peace, believe, laughter, free, healing, and wonder.  Our sense of wonder can lead us to questions and answers that allow us to find healing.  This healing sets us free to some extent, enabling us to discover laughter.  Sharing laughter in turn leads to relationships that help foster and form what we believe.  What we come to believe has the potential to transform inner angst and conflict into peace.

May we take the time of Advent to remember what matters most.  May we recall others in our lives who helped form our beliefs and our memories through stories and songs.  May the recollections and reflections we experience become valued even when the song is done.

When the Song is Done

When the Song is Done

There is a voice that resonates through many a soul,

Strong, poised, ever in control,

Floating like the breeze,

Ever-knowing and sleek,

Ever so fine,

Through every line

With lyrics eloquent speaking of life’s ways,

Endeared, benevolent, bridging time and space,

So that the listener and the voice are one

By the end of the music when the song is done.

There is a musician, a creator of many a song,

A spirit deep within, ever true moving along

With a melody like poetry,

A harmony like the river flowing to the sea,

Time’s Living

A rhythm that bleeds everlasting love,

A symmetry whose vision sees beyond what has come,

A way through an art with a science hidden

Given from the heart through time’s living

Such that the listener and the music together become

Smitten with the groove when the song is done.

The voice and the music live on in time’s sea

Rising through the ever-flowing pages of history,

Through time and space, life and afterlife,

Every rhyme a place to find and redefine

What is known and unknown,

Ever seeking to sow and to grow

So that the fruits of the labor become

Thank You Very Much

What the heart pursues when the song is done.

In Memory of Christine McVie

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to my late Great Uncle Bill mentioned above, who passed away December 5, 2018. Though at times he exhibited a tough exterior, he had a gentler inner soul that I was fortunate to get to know.  Thanks also to others who have passed through our lives, leaving lasting legacies to strengthen and guide us, especially our late canine friend Princess, who would have celebrated her 32^nd birthday on December 7^th; my late grandmother, affectionately known as Gram, who also had a rougher exterior by a much sweeter inner self, who passed away December 14, 2013; and to Christine McVie for sharing her many musical talents literally and figuratively with the world throughout her life. 

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Sunset Memory

Observing Advent’s Time and Our Guide

Light of the Season

The start of Advent was always a rather confusing time for me when I was younger.  I am not sure why, but I never really got the concept despite many attempts by Sunday school teachers and others in my life to explain it to me.  Last year was probably the first year in my life that I felt any understanding of Advent or why certain sectors of the population celebrate it.  This year, I found the changes in nature from November to December to be most helpful in starting the season with a more open heart and mind, which are key concepts in many Advent rituals.  Leo’s and Lena’s antics during the week added emphasis on some of the concepts as well.  We thought we’d share some information about Advent and nature in this week’s post.

“I have a lot of ideas.  I have a lot of opinions. But I am not my ideas and opinions, and if I allow myself to be captive to my current ideas and opinions, my horizons will be really limited.” –Brian McLaren

Unlimited Horizons

Theme of the Week: Learn to See

Our theme of the week started on Sunday with Father Bob’s homily. Father told the congregation about an old fable regarding three devil apprentices. The apprentices were conversing with Satan, telling eagerly of their plans upon encountering humans on earth.  The first devil apprentice stated that he would say there was no God.  Satan replied that would not work, for people know God is real.  The second apprentice stated he would say there is not hell.  Satan said that would not work either for people already know the world down under exists.  The third apprentice stated he would say that there is no hurry.  Satan said, “You will ruin them by the thousands!”

The moral of the fable is that one should not wait or waste time, for we do not know how much time we have.  While Advent is typically promoted as a time for slowing down and getting away from the holiday hustle and bustle of life, it is also a time not to waste doing idle things that do not promote the goodness and grace of God.  Perhaps this paradox of sorts is what led to my misunderstanding of the season years ago.  I did not understand what I was supposed to be doing, so while I did try to be open to God and do good deeds for others, I failed miserably at listening and seeing what was most important—growing in faith.

Nature offers us some good examples of staying the course so that we get to where we need to be.  The seasons are one such example.  This time of year in our area is still autumn, though we are quickly approaching winter. The sun still shines each day, although for fewer hours and sometimes is not visible behind the clouds ushering precipitation in the form of rain or snow.  The winds also still blow each day, sometimes with such a whisper one can hardly see, feel, or hear the wind.  Other times, like this past week, the winds blow so hard one feels lost in all the swirling and turning.

River in the Sky

Our life experiences help us learn to stay the course through faith, hope, and love.  These experiences may show us through some hard lessons, which is what happened in our household this past week.  Rather than get upset about what we cannot change, we decided to take what happened for what it is—a lesson learned, a grace given to us, and an opportunity to help others by sharing our learnings. 

“What makes a river so restful to people is that it doesn’t have any doubt—it is sure to get where it is going, and it doesn’t want to go anywhere else.” –Hal Boyle

Lesson of the Week: What to Keep

As mentioned, some of our learnings this week were not easy or easily embraced.  However, words from  two good friends helped remind us that these things happen and allowing such things to annoy, stop, or hold us back really does no good.  One friend advised not to ruminate on matters too long.  This is good advice and ties in to living with a sense of purpose and time.  If we allow life to paralyze us, we do not reach any milestones upon the journey.  If all we focus on is a certain destination, then we may get there, but we may also miss many important matters or learnings along the way.

Another friend reminded us that sometimes we have to try multiple times and things in order to learn what works best.  While this can be frustrating and take time we may feel we do not have, if we are open to the learning each day and each effort offers us, we can find more wisdom and knowledge than we anticipated or expected to learn. This wisdom and knowledge is important in keeping us from getting stuck or from holding ourselves back from the activities we either need or want to do in order to find our way through life.

Moving On…

Nature offers us some examples of moving on despite what happens.  The seed that sprouts, grows, bears fruit, and ultimately dies is one such example.  If the seed stayed dormant, then there is no sprout to beautify the landscape, no growth to help foster other wildlife and humans, no fruit to sustain life’s cycles, and no future seeds to keep life going.  With the fields in our area harvested and most of the trees, grasses, and plants dormant in our area now, it can be hard to find beauty or even signs of life on some days.  However, if we turn over the soil, move the fallen branches, or examine the plants and trees more closely, we see much activity still going on in time’s moments.

“Every thought a person dwells upon, whether he expresses it or not, either damages or improves his life.” –Lucy Mallory

Song of the Week: The Place to Be

Our song of the week is an old favorite hymn that we sung in church this past week.  It speaks of building a community that fosters light, hope, faith, and love.  These things are most important to sustaining every soul through the darker days of autumn, winter, and even Advent. 

City of God

City of God

Awake from your slumber
Arise from your sleep
A new day is dawning
For all those who weep

The people in darkness
Have seen a great light
The lord of our longing
Has conquered the night

Let us build the city of God
May our tears
Be turned into dancing
For the lord
Our light and our love
Has turned the night into day

We are sons of the morning,
We are children of day.
The one who has loved us
Has brightened our way.

The lord of all kindness
Has called us to be
A light for his people
To set their hearts free.

Something as simple as a verse to a song or the first light of the morning can help us not only stay the course, but also keep the faith and help us see what is most important in life.  Breaking the cycle of negativity in today’s world may seem like a daunting task, but it can be done, and in doing so, can keep us and others on the right paths in the journey.

Five Minutes Please

“It only takes five minutes to break the cycle.  Five minutes of exercise and you are back on the path.  Five minutes of writing and the manuscript is moving forward again.  Five minutes of conversation and the relationship is restored.  It doesn’t take much to feel good again.” –James Clear

Science Lesson of the Week: Colors in Nature’s Sea

Our science lesson of the week came via observing the deer in our area.  The coats of the deer this time of year are a darker brown or gray color.  Over the summer months, the coat colors are more red or rusty. The red or rusty color reflects the sun and keeps the deer cooler in the warmer months.  This time of year, the darker coat colors help keep the deer warm.  The winter coat of a deer is also made up of two layers instead of one.  The guard hairs are long and hollow, allowing for an insulating factor. The undercoat is very dense and soft, adding to the insulation factor. 

With sunrise at 7:49 AM and sunset at 4:54 PM, we do not have much daylight to observe the deer, but fortunately the deer don’t care about daylight and are out and about any hour of the day.  The deer are feeding on the remains in the fields, fallen acorns and other nuts, the last of the apples and pears from the trees, and of course any bush or shrub in the woods or the lawns that is to their taste.  The deer do not appear to let the change of the seasons or the world around them affect their activity.  They rely on natural instinct to survive.  This natural instinct is much like human faith, there beneath the surface (and in the open if we allow ourselves to see it) to guide and protect and lead us on through both the dark and the light of and in life.

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” –St. Francis of Assisi

Forever’s Candle

Words of the Week: Let the Light Be

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include hope, yes, give, pray, vitality, compassion, and divine order.  As we learn to hope through the dark times of life, we learn to say yes to faith.  Saying yes in turn leads us to the opportunity to both give and pray.  The giving and praying we do leads to vitality, which fuels our compassion for and toward others.  This cycle is one of divine order, which is a source for hope to keep the cycle going.

May we come to see Advent not only as a time to slow down but also as a time not to waste.  May what we learn either with others or by ourselves allow us to find the light upon our way, and may this light be our guide.

Our Guide

Looking for the light in the east,

Looking for the ray bright to lead,

Seeking solace in the silence,

Seeking all that is meant to be,

Searching for the truth,

Searching for innocent youth,

All different, yet similar just the same

As we begin and learn the extent of our faith

Deer Grazing

Sent to heal and to inspire

Through love concealed in the darkest hours

So that when the light comes

Life and us are one

Led to find

By the lens of our guide.

See on the horizon, the sun’s rays,

See the red and orange and melon waves,

Seek the meaning in the colors

Deemed redeeming and stellar

By the angels and the saints,

By the hands that dealt us grace,

Light to Come

To be, oh, to be,

To seek, oh, to seek,

To be blessed in time

By the guest of our guide.

Hear the silence all around

That cares without a sound

And yet rings without end

As sings the song of Advent

In the light to come

In the right that runs

To free and to give

To all in need, to all to  live,

Thanks From Us Everyone!

Live in faith and trust and hope

Through the days that come and go

Through both wrong and right

By the song of our guide.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

 A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to several people in our inner circle for their support and words of wisdom.  Thanks to Joyce B. for giving us a better understanding of Advent and great perspective on life; to Michelle T. for being one of our greatest cheerleaders and sharers of wisdom; to Dorothy T. for always listening and being able to offer up guidance and prayers no matter the issue or stage of life; and to Buffy J. for keeping us grounded with common sense and faith.  Thanks also to my mom, a model of staying the course, finding the light, and making the most of every day.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Our Guide for All Time