Observing Strategy

February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 / law2374 / Leave a comment

If your household is like ours, February is one of those months that has you wondering a lot of things. Who is keeping track of the weather because we seem to be stuck on rain, freeze, snow, repeat? What does grass look like, and will we know it when we see it again? Can Lent please hurry up and get here so we can get to spring? Where are all these birds coming from and why on earth are they insisting on staying here despite the cold? How can the sun be shining, yet the skies still filled with snow? Why in the world am I out here running around in single digit temperatures when I could be doing something else? Why does the full moon look brighter above the snow covered fields? Is the sun shivering along with us as it rises to meet the day? These and many more questions and ponderings led us to the topic of this week’s post, and we thought we’d share some of our adventures that came along for the ride.

“A season of suffering is a small assignment when compared to the reward. Rather than begrudge your problem, explore it. Ponder it. And most of all use it.” –Max Lucado

Theme of the Week: God is a Good Sport, Indeed!

Our theme of the week started with our Sunday readings, which were about finding answers, meaning, and strength in life. We also read about Jesus and his disciples fishing for men. As I set out on my run that morning, I contemplated the fishing analogy and what it meant. Shortly into my run, I started to pray to help pass the time and clear my mind, but found myself struggling with words. I remembered reading about praying with one’s heart and not one’s mind, and given success in the past doing so, decided to just look at what was before me and allow my heart to lead me.

Well, what came next was probably one of the most creative, heart-felt, honest, open, truthful conversations only the eight-year-old within me could have with God. And it was amazingly wonderful for the adult in me to experience it. So, though we have already shared this with some close friends and family members, we are going to share it again:

Winter Fishing

My child, My child, today I send you on a mission to spend some time winter fishing.

My Lord God, winter fishing? You have got to be kidding! The ice is thick upon the pond and the frost is high on the ground’s fronds.

My child, this is not fishing in the sea but rather within thee.

Oh, My Lord, I don’t know; I’m not sure I can go.

Well, My child, you can and you will. now I ask you to scan the hills. Do you see all the sparkles through the trees? Those are water caught up high waiting for the sun’s offer to fly and take the leap of faith to the ground where with the rain it will bring about nutrients to fortify many in and throughout this life. See too the light of the sun emanating through the skies above?

Yes, My Lord, I do.

Every day it is poured out to steer and guide and uplift the life it finds deep within. Like the water and the light, so, too, can you offer what you have inside.

My Lord, My Lord, someday soon can you take me winter fishing again with you?

My child, My child, I can and will do! It is not a sport with a certain season in time, you can do it twenty-four-seven-three-sixty-five! Winter fishing is just a name I made up so that you would pay attention. Now go and cast your line so that you can catch My grace divine and share the water and light of faith with anyone you find along the way.

To put this into perspective and connect the dots to our theme of the week, here are some additional details about that morning:

It was COLD that morning, not very inviting, save for the hint of the sun coming up.
Given the conditions, I did not plan to run more than 6 miles, but ended up running 11.2 miles.
The week prior had been rough on many fronts, leaving us wondering what in the world we were doing wrong in life.
We were on a time-crunched schedule that day with all our to-do lists, so the “luxury” of time appeared on the surface to be out of reach.
We were in need of a game plan not only for the day, but the coming week, and very low on resources.

The strategy I had in mind to help conquer the challenges of the day had merit, but it blew up, and that is okay because the strategy God had to help us get through the day was far more superior with the added bonus of enlightenment. Therein lies one of the benefits of strategy—it can always be changed, improved, and grown into something larger if necessary, especially when the intention is to do good in life. It also unites us and invites us to be more than who we are individually.

“A person is a person through other persons.” –African idiom

Lesson of the Week: Always Remember Plan G

Our lesson of the week stemmed from this experience of “fishing” with God. When you fish or participate in any sport, it helps to have a strategy in mind, along with a backup plan or strategy when what is anticipated does not transpire. We have learned to call this backup plan Plan G (God’s plan) and that it should really be our Plan A and not a backup plan because it will prevail 100 percent of the time no matter how much effort we put forth into our own little strategy.

Perhaps that is what February is in nature and life—the manifestation of strategy by God to get us humans and other creatures here on earth through our days. You know, test our mental and physical strength dealing with snow and ice. Push us in a different direction with the change in the time of sunrise and sunset. Give us the moon and stars on cold, clear nights as hope for the light to come. Offer us a few moments of quiet listening to or watching the snow fall while wondering how we are going to accomplish whatever it is we have deemed necessary to accomplish. Let us run on what we think is our own strength then wake us up with a blast of cold morning air as the snow is sparkling all around us in the silence of the dawn. Maybe it appears too subtle on the surface to be a strategy for life, but there is a simplicity to it that makes it beautiful, profound, ever-encompassing, and successful.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” –Leonardo da Vinci

Song of the Week: Symbols Please

Our song of the week is a play of sorts on strategy. In sports, many strategies are mapped out as X’s and O’s with dotted or solid lines and arrows to define the play or plan. This week’s song is an old favorite from Trisha Yearwood that describes how a young girl made her strategy to live through life’s ups and downs.

X’s and O’s

Phone rings baby cries TV diet guru lies
Good morning honey
Go to work make up try to keep the balance up
Between love and money

She used to tie her hair up in ribbons and bows
Sign her letters with X’s and O’s
Got a picture of her mama in heels and pearls
She’s going to make it in her daddy’s world
She’s an American girl
An American girl

Slow dance second chance mama needs romance
And an live-in maid
Fix the sink mow the yard really isn’t all that hard
If you get paid

Well she’s got her God and she’s got good wine
Aretha Franklin and Patsy Cline

She used to tie her hair up in ribbons and bows
Sign her letters with X’s and O’s
Got a picture of her mama in heels and pearls
She’s going to make it in her daddy’s world
She’s an American girl
An American girl….

Treat of the Week: Familiar Sights to See

Our treat of the week came in seeing flocks of robins and blue birds; male and female cardinals; a large number of deer; a variety of squirrels including gray, red, and even black; and the full moon, also known as the Snow Moon. The full moon appeared very bright in the cold, clear sky on the 12^th. Seeing these sights was a good reminder that nature and God are at work every day, behind the scenes working on strategies for learning and growth in all creatures.

There is also a bit of strategy in seeing a welcome sight after months of gray and sparse wildlife populations. The strategy is that of surviving the lonelier times of life, and in that strategy comes the realization we are never fully alone, but rather just not seeing what is before, behind, beside, or within us.

“The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” –Aristotle

Question of the Week: Why Not Challenge Thee?

In experiencing the inner angst of the week, we came up with some challenges for ourselves. Our life experiences tell us that challenge is a great growth mechanism (though it may be hard or downright daunting at times to feel as if one is making progress) and helps deepen one’s understanding of the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life’s many relationships.

It helps to have a strategy when facing challenge. The following is a strategy we have found to be most helpful in facing challenge, change, and adversity: Do five healthy things for five minutes or more for five days in a row. The healthy can be physical, mental, or spiritual in nature. Physical health options may include walking, running, biking, yoga, spinning, lifting weights, or any activity forcing oneself to move. Mental health choices may include things like doing a crossword puzzle, coloring a picture, reading, listening to music, petting the dog, or learning something new. Spiritual options can include prayer, meditation, singing a hymn, reading the Bible or devotional, thanking someone, or doing an act of kindness.

The strategy is to become fully engaged in life, not only to benefit oneself, but also others around us. The more we practice doing these healthy things, the more apt we are to incorporate them either consciously or subconsciously into our daily routines. This helps establish good habits, positivity, and even peace (albeit fleeting at times depending on circumstances). It also helps us learn how to deal better with things like stress, negativity, differences, conflict, and change.

“Every challenge you face today makes you stronger tomorrow. The challenge of life is to make you better, not bitter.” –Roy T. Bennett

Words of The Week: Plans For the Journey

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional included: dominion, prosperity, letting go, energetic, talents, and joy. Dominion does not necessarily imply being in control, but rather having the choice to control our thoughts. As we learn to deal with our thoughts, we find prosperity, which in turn gives us the confidence to let go a little and allow God into our inner beings. This in turn gives us an energy we cannot otherwise find, allowing us to dig deeper to find and share our talents, leading ultimately to the joy of the shared effort. These words and their outcomes are all part of God’s and nature’s strategy to lead us upon our journey.

“To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist.” –Gail Sheehy

May we take pieces from all aspects of life in order to build our strategy for living life to its fullest. May we come to accept ourselves and others along the way for both our strengths and weaknesses, and may the ultimate end result be one of peace in time.

Strategy

Strategy

Take what you have, what you see,

Rearrange it so that what comes to be

Adds to the experience shown,

Teaching along the way

Enriching beneath the rain

Good seed sown rising up to be

Yet another gift of strategy.

Strategy

Test all that comes above and beneath

Reflecting growth,

Adding hope,

Taken toward the song and the light

Engaged in the long of the tide

Gyrating in the song of the sea

Yet abating along with the breeze.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to the people who inspire us despite the challenges we face. These individuals offer us good examples of how to live and accept life for what it is—a gift.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Structures

February 13, 2022February 13, 2022 / law2374 / Leave a comment

Editor’s Note: This post was to appear February 3, 2022, but was delayed.

The recent deluge of snow and ice in our area had us busy shoveling snow and marveling at nature’s power and beauty. Cold temperatures added challenges to our activities, but we did our best to keep positive and definitely active. Our adventures had us out in the elements at all hours of the day and night, which allowed for some great sights in the skies and more than an extra load or two of laundry given all the layers of clothes and rags needed to clean paw-printed floors. As we went about our activities, we noticed the snow with its tiny crystal structures catching our attention more often than not. These little structures gave us much to think about, question, and ponder. We thought we’d share some of our findings in this week’s post.

“Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another.” -John Muir

Theme of the Week: Building Thee

Our theme of the week started with the hymns sung in church. Each hymn in the mass acted as a building block of sorts to help solidify the readings’ topics. The hymns included Seek Ye First, Open My Eyes, and Be Not Afraid. These songs are favorites of mine (and many others in the world) and tend to resonate deep in the heart.

Seek Ye First is based on verses from the Gospel of Matthew (6:33, 7:7, and 4:4). The hymn lists the steps required to find what one needs: seek the kingdom of God, ask for God’s forgiveness, and do not live by bread alone, but by God’s word. Open My Eyes asks to open the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to love. These are the steps required to fully accept a life of and in faith. Be Not Afraid lists the many places one travels literally and figuratively in life and what one can expect in crossing the barren desert, but not dying of thirst; wander far though we don’t know the way; speak to foreigners yet be understood; pass through raging waters but not drown; walk amid flames but not be harmed; stand before the powers of the world, yet never be truly alone.

The words and concepts to these hymns stayed in my mind throughout the week, allowing for better perspective when facing the challenges of the weather conditions, work schedule changes, and other life factors. Reflecting on the words not only allowed for a better thought process, but also a bit of reassurance that in time things would be just fine. And honestly, this is how life is no matter what day, week, month, season, or year we are in.

The key to surviving it all is to keep on building the structures of our minds, hearts, bodies, and souls. We do this by exercise of some sort, and sometimes the exercise comes in the form of hard work. Other times, we may find the greatest exercise in the form of rest or relaxation, allowing our entire being to be built up by the process of nature. Most times, it takes a combination of efforts and inputs to achieve the necessary and desired results.

“Predicting rain doesn’t count. Building arks does.” Warren Buffett

Lesson of the Week: What to Keep

Our lesson of the week actually came to us as more of a question while working through a challenging set of circumstances. We will spare the details, but offer the cliff notes to help make our point. At any given time in life, we have a choice to keep or let go of our notions, ideals, beliefs, expectations, goals, dreams, etc. What we keep often acts as the building blocks to who we become and what we accomplish. If we keep fear and doubt, we deny ourselves the opportunity in the unknown. If we keep an open mind, we have no boundaries save for those of time and space. Granted resources play a factor in any situation and outcome. Options are great, but too many can be more constraining than not enough.

In our case this week, we could try to keep up with our to-do list or let go and let things fall where fate deemed best. While keeping a routine was more appealing to us, we decided to be more flexible and help others first. Though we fell way short on our to do list, we allowed others to move ahead with their own lists. What did this get us in the long run? Well, that is yet to be determined, but we can tell you it allowed for some relationship building and better understanding of our own strengths, talents, limitations, and abilities. Letting go allowed us to find and keep a sense of purpose, which in turn gave us renewed energy and hope. We learned a lot by tearing down pre-conceived notions and routines and building up new ideas and ways to accomplish things.

“Education is all a matter of building bridges.” –Ralph Ellison

Discovery of the Week: Stages to Stories

Our discovery of the week came in a reflection reading about the four stages of spiritual exercise, which was a new concept to us (though we realize in hindsight we—and many others—do these stages subconsciously most days). The stages include reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.

We thought we’d expand on what we learned a little bit by offering up some life experiences. We all read something at some point of the day. The reading may be in books, online, in communications, or even just looking at what the skies and nature have to offer us. Reading does not have to be of words, but can be of signs like light, rain, clouds, winds, etc. Reading stimulates the mind to some sort of action. This action in turn leads us onward. So with reading, we start building our structure for any given event.

The stimulation from reading has the potential to meditate or at least consider further the topics or questions at hand. Through meditation, consideration, and/or reflection, we form plans, processes, and steps. This adds to our structure and has the potential to allow us to help others build their own structures, and in doing so a relationship is formed. All relationships are built upon something, and often the something is not physical, but rather unseen, such as trust, love, faith, courage, determination, etc.

Building relationships gives us the chance to grow in faith, for often these relationships and their maintenance require some sort of prayer, or spiritual input. The prayers may be said aloud or silent in the heart. No matter the prayer form, it has the power to change us, our situation, and/or those around us. This is where things can get difficult, for now we have this structure being built with moving parts that may or may not be in our control. Hence, the next step of contemplation.

Contemplation can be scary, nerve racking, challenging, and downright draining. However, it can also lead us to paths and opportunities unseen. Along these paths we find addition materials (ideas, concepts, facts, etc.) to help build our structure, which is really our life story. In building our story, we come to find the answers we seek, though the answers and understanding of them may not be immediately known.

“Revelation accumulates in the relationships, interactions, and interplay between statements…”-Brian McLaren

Science Lesson of the Week: Let the Numbers Speak

One of our reflection readings this week was about the number pi, which begins with 3.14159 and goes on continuously. Pi has been used for generations to determine the circumference and area of circles. Pi is known as an irrational number, for it cannot be expressed as a fraction.

Other types of numbers include:

Natural numbers, also known as counting numbers, not including zero (1, 2, 3…)
Whole numbers, which include all the natural numbers and zero, but are not fractions or include decimals (0, 1, 2, 3…)
Integers, which include the counting and natural numbers, plus the negative of these numbers (-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3…)
Rational numbers, which can be expressed as fractions (1/2, 2/3, 5/8,)

All the number types can be used in the formulas that help us decipher how things work or are built. From area to volume, speed to power, wavelength to period, the numbers input to the formulas determine the outcome. In essence, the numbers give voice to otherwise silent aspects of life.

“To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live in the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Words of the Week: Build Peace

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include: World peace, grace, blessing, expectation, free spirit, guidance, and inner peace. In order to have inner peace, we often need guidance for our frees spirit and expectations. This guidance allows for blessings within and around us, given by God’s grace. The combination of these things has the power to lead to world peace. Like many things in life, we must take one part or element and build upon it to get to the next level. The structure build along the way is not only built by us, but for us and others.

May we take the changes encountered in life and build upon them to create new cultures. May our creative building blocks lay a solid foundation, and may the foundation hold and sustain the structure it supports.

Structure

Sparkles all around

Glistening art in folds upon the ground,

Flashing in the sun’s light

As time’s passing takes flight

From the here and now

To the clear about

The revelation coming to be

In every structure running in the sea

Of God’s grace divine

In and through the love of life.

Little snowflakes united as one

As the ice takes the shape it is to come

On the ponds and in the fields,

Casting frost that reveals

Every nook and cranny, crevice and crack

In the brooks to the seas, to the mountains and back,

All part of the structure being built

Through nature’s art and God’s will

So that all may become

Before the rise and fall of the sun.

Sunlight textured across the clouds

As the dawn rises above the ground

Greeting the day to come

In the ways won

By nature’s constant ways

To find the resources unrestrained

Building the structure of the road

That we venture not alone

But rather in the love of the Lord

As life comes to be all the more.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week is simply for Gods grace, which allowed us to get through the challenges and building of character we had to go through in order to learn and grow.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Winter’s Heart

January 30, 2022 / law2374 / Leave a comment

We are now a little over a month into the winter season in our area. The weather has been traditional for a change with bitter cold temperatures, snow storms, and mixes of clear sunny and gray cloudy skies. The bitter cold has hampered our activities outside to some extent, but we’ve managed to alter our thought process and rearrange project priorities at home to keep things in perspective and moving. This has not been an easy task, however, we have come to view it as part of winter’s heart, offering us a different sense of purpose for both the season and our physical, mental, and spiritual development. We thought we would share a few highlights of our events and learnings in this week’s post.

“To be human is to seek to live well—to give our personal best to whatever craft and station we have been called to, and to life a life of dignity and graciousness. A life that is lived in that way is both joyful and useful, and makes some corner of the world better.” –Keith C. Burris

Theme of the Week: Heart Within Thee

Our theme of the week is one that grew as time and the days passed. It started off with a work schedule change for me that made attending church in person a bit of a challenge. Though I tried to make it to mass, the weather and events simply did not align. As a result, I ended up running at home on the treadmill while trying to block out the rest of the world for an hour of peace with God. We also had a heating issue going on, so running on the treadmill was a good way to stay warm in a quickly cooling house. The experience forced me to look within my heart, which can be uncomfortable at times for any person, for that is where the truth waits and asks us to meet it face to face.

I really wanted to run outdoors that morning, but conditions were less than stellar and I needed to stay safe between work shifts. So, I found myself glancing often out the window at the snow falling like rain and wondering a lot about my direction and purpose in life. Things were not bad by any means, but they were not great either. What was missing? Was anything really missing, or was my mind trying to outwit my heart? As the question flowed and the timer and miles on the treadmill ticked by, a few prospective answers came floating by. It was quite possible that the only thing wrong was my perspective. It may also have been possible that whatever was missing might simply not be apparent or readily seen for reasons known or unknown. It was also possible that it was all just my mind or nature or even God just testing my faith through what was unseen.

The theme of what sat in the heart of anything continued as we observed the weather. The bitter cold and snow were relentless, true to a historic Southwestern Pennsylvania winter. The heart of the cold temperatures came from the fact the jet stream had dipped way down into the lower United States, ushering Arctic air across the country. The physical reason of all the snow could be attributed to both the amounts of moisture in the air and the temperatures cooling the moisture into crystal form, leading to white flakes everywhere.

The theme of purpose came to the forefront in an article we read along with some reflection readings. All the information presented was very informative and thought provoking, but no overbearing. The questions were simply to consider one’s actions, be they at home, work, in relationships, or within our minds and hearts. The exercise really put an exclamation point on the purpose of life, weather, and nature.

“The purpose of all wars is peace.” –Saint Augustine

Lesson of the Week: Serve As You Seek

Our lesson of the week came as we continued to ponder the nature of winter weather. We tried our best to help some others in need by shoveling snow, offering assistance, and simply checking in to make sure those we knew were safe. These acts were simple and not cumbersome by any means. However, in talking with and praying for others, we found a sense of purpose. No, we were not moving mountains, curing the pandemic, or solving the many woes of the world. However, we were going about life with a bit of intensity, spark of curiosity, sense of service, and manner of independence.

The simple act of doing something, be it small or large, offered us renewed energy and faith. Maybe it was just sending a note card or opening a door, but the fact we were taking the first step to make the way easier for someone else was uplifting. Maybe we did or did not get thanked for our actions. The point of the matter was not to receive thanks, but to be thankful for the opportunity to do something, anything, constructive with our time. Perhaps that was the most enlightening part of the lesson. The time may have been two seconds or two hours or two days, but the fact remained it was time granted to us to do with it as we chose (or in some cases felt obligated or simply had to fill a required need–emphasis on need and not want here).

Our activities this week reinforced our long-held belief that doing is the best way to heal the inner angst and stress that can paralyze the mind, heart, and body if one stays stagnant. While winter does force us into a different level of activity, it does not have to freeze our mind, heart, soul, or body. Granted, we may feel stuck or cold or less energetic due to lack of sunlight, but we can still do something small (or large if we are ambitious) each day.

As we go about our doing, we have the potential to find different perspectives, develop character, build stamina, and find our way in life. Our actions and interactions cause more actions and interactions to occur, thus continuing the natural weave of life in, around, before, and beside us. We may not be aware of this at any given time, and maybe it is a good thing we are not aware in some cases, for if we realized the impact, we might become concerned, scared, or lose heart.

“An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Song of the Week: Silent Symphony

Our song of the week came to us through nature. While shoveling snow early in the morning and late at night, we noticed a song of silence around us. The falling snow acted as an insulator, muffling or negating sounds in the distance. Combined with the fact not many other people were out and about at the same time as us, the end result was an intimate concert with the skies above offering glimpses of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. The very early morning hours were most peaceful with the horizon just starting to beam, the stars and moon fading, and the clouds slipping past.

Venus and the crescent moon were especially stellar the past two mornings, sitting in the southeastern sky. Their shapes appeared crisp and clear in the very cold air. The crispness and clarity were enlightening to us, offering a renewed energy with the light being so bold and bright. With sunrise at 7:33 AM and sunset at 5:35 PM, we now have just over ten hours of daylight, which is encouraging. However, we still need to be reminded at times of just how far we have come in winter’s journey from the solstice in December until now. We have learned that these reminders may appear small in nature or appearance, but great in effect upon the soul, just like a song upon the breeze.

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” –Aldous Huxley

Words of the Week: Cues in Time’s Speak

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include pray, happy, divine order, healing, desire, forgive, and care. We are going to look at these backwards this week, for we find they tie into our theme and lesson better in this order, instead of forward. When we care about others (and ourselves), we find ways to forgive. This forgiveness inspires the desire to heal, which in turn ties into the divine order of life. This divine order is meant to allow for both happy and sad parts of life. As we go through the happy and other emotions along the way, we learn to pray, which in turn really starts the cycle all over again. All this is the heart of life, of which winter’s heart and purpose play a part.

“The heart that loves is always young.” –Greek Proverb

May we come to view the seasons of life for their positive qualities and allow the negative to fall behind us in time. May we learn to appreciate all that life has to offer us, no matter the outer appearance of the gift, and may we find the light of hope, faith, and love in winter’s heart.

Winter’s Heart

Venus giving the crescent moon

A goodbye kiss in the dawn’s swoon

As the snow on the ground sparkles from afar

Blanketing the sounds of life’s many parts

With a freshness and clarity

Only love’s exceptions can verily

Define and extend

In time spent

With nature’s inner art

Of winter’s heart.

Sun in the distance appearing fresh and new

After the night’s existence dissipates through

The cold breeze blowing

And hold of the seas flowing

From shore to shore

In the lure of more

To come and to see

Within God’s love that bleeds

Even from the dimmest spark

Of winter’s heart.

Come, oh, come My Lord’s love

In the sun, the rivers that run, and the moon

In the water and the fields

That offer places to reveal

Wisdom and knowledge

Of the depths within nature’s college

So that the soul may continue on

As life unfolds and sings its song

In the splintered dark

Of winter’s heart.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to my late Great Aunt Theresa, whose birthday was January 26^th. Aunt Theresa was a role model of how to spread light into the world, often going to great extents to make sure others were cared for and loved. Her claim to fame in our family (in addition to her baking skills) was her letters and cards, which most likely kept the postal service in business given their frequency to family members, friends, acquaintances, and numerous others. Some of the small things we did this week were things she taught me to do as a young girl, and we hope she is smiling down upon us from heaven for our efforts to help keep the postal service running and others knowing they are loved.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Aspirations

January 21, 2022 / law2374 / Leave a comment

With sunrise at 7:40 AM and sunset at 5:24 PM, we are starting to see the turning point away from the winter solstice toward the vernal equinox. Though we still have a number of days to go until spring begins on March 20^th, there are still a number of natural wonders to ponder, lessons to learn, goals to achieve, and events to anticipate in the interim. This past week we saw a significant snowfall, along with very cold temperatures and the nastier side of winter’s offerings. Despite all the chaos that ensued after the major snowfall, we managed to find some positive things to focus on instead of the negative the rest of the world seemed to be fixated with. These positive aspects of life were found with the help of perspective and some really intellectual readings we happened to stumble upon. We also had some very honest conversations with family and friends in our inner circle, which allowed us to both learn and teach through stories. We thought we’d share some of our findings in this week’s post.

“Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one’s level of aspiration and expectation.” –Jack Nicklaus

Theme of the Week: Aspire to Be

Our theme of the week started Sunday morning while I was running. It was cold, the sky was rather gray, and our schedule for the day had gotten mixed up quite a bit. While we try to be flexible with our plans, we do enjoy and seem to function better under a routine. I was contemplating how best to rearrange the daily plans and feeling rather incompetent and unsure of my abilities. Taking a bit of advice from an inspirational talk I had heard recently, I decided to break things down a bit into short term goals.

The first order of business was to calm down, so I used a mantra I discovered while running in a race years ago. “Settle in. Settle in. Just settle in,” I said.

Before I knew it, the mantra had turned into a poem in my head. Now this was a bonus, for when I had set out on my run, I really wanted to find some words to inspire and share with others I know going through some difficult times. Nature and running are my best helpers when it comes to such matters, or in this case, aspirations. Maybe it was a tall order or a lot to ask given the circumstances, but it never hurts to try (another mantra I’ve used for years now).

Trying turned out to be a really great starting point. In trying, I was able to “settle in” and accept the present moments as they came. This “being in the here and now” so to speak and being grateful for the present, be it good, bad, or otherwise has proven to be a really effective tool in our household lately. It can be a paradox at times, allowing us to achieve more by seemingly doing less, but we have come to accept it as a byproduct of faith and hope.

The next order of business was to negate some increasing inner frustrations. This would have been harder to do had I not been able to settle in and had not discovered the words to my poem going on in my head. There is this balance of science and art that can be found in and through nature’s ways, and I was experiencing it to what I think might be the fullest extent possible here on earth. The science of the mind and how nature’s beauty can invoke the mind to be creative is one of those mysteries in life that may or may never be fully resolved, for there is always more to learn, see, and do, and in going through the process, the cycle feeds itself in an infinite loop.

“Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” – Neil Armstrong

Lesson of the Week: Hold Still Please!

Our lesson of the week came to us in a number of trying moments of frustration, mostly centered around some not-so-great dog behavior. The colder temperatures and amount of snow made it difficult to have Leo and Lena outside with me while doing our normal chores and tasks. This resulted in some pent up energy and more than a few mishaps in the house. While I was definitely not upset at or with them for their behavior, I was frustrated with myself for not being able to come up with a way to combat this escalating situation.

At one point while trying to brush the dogs before feeding them, I had to chase both of them in circles. Things got a little crazy with paws, teeth, and my fingers, and I ended up in pain. Trying not to lose my composure, I said in a loud voice just short of a yell, “Hold still, please.”

Of course I got the sad-eyed what-did-I-do-wrong face from both Leo and Lena. This made me feel guilty, for they were just being the kids at heart they are. After some negotiating, we managed to accomplish the task.

A day or so later while I was rushing around trying to get ready for work and finish house chores, Lena grabbed my arm in her mouth and started to bite down. It hurt, so I asked her to stop and the intent stare on her little face seemed to say, “Hold still please, just for a minute to love me.”

So, we were officially tied in the game of who needs to stop for a minute and just be grateful for the moment. Leave it to a dog to teach a human what is most important in life, and you will get one heck of a lesson in compassion and love for both parties to remember until God deems otherwise.

We all have aspirations in life, strong desires to achieve something high or great, but it is in achieving the little things that we find the biggest value which no sum of money can buy.

“The lure of the distant and difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are.” –John Burroughs

Song of the Week: Praise as You Seek

Our song of the week came to mind as I was running Sunday and really has been playing in the background ever since. We listened to different versions of it all week via YouTube since we don’t have a copy of it on CD. Each artist or group has a different way of doing this church hymn, but the message is made clear every time—as we seek and aspire in life, we must remember to be thankful and grateful.

Glory and Praise to Our God

Glory and praise to our God
Who alone gives light to our days
Many are the blessings He bears
To those who trust in His ways

We the daughters and sons of Him
Who built the valleys and plains
Praise the wonders our God has done
In every heart that sings

Glory and praise to our God
Who alone gives light to our days
Many are the blessings He bears
To those who trust in His ways

In His wisdom He strengthens us
Like gold that’s tested in fire
Though the power of sin prevails
Our God is there to save

Glory and praise to our God
Who alone gives light to our days
Many are the blessings He bears
To those who trust in His ways

Every moment of every day
Our God is waiting to save
Always ready to seek the lost
To answer those who pray

Glory and praise to our God
Who alone gives light to our days
Many are the blessings He bears
To those who trust in His ways

God has watered our barren land
And spent his merciful rain
Now the rivers of life run full
For anyone to drink

Glory and praise to our God
Who alone gives light to our days
Many are the blessings He bears
To those who trust in His ways

Questions of the Week: What Lies Beneath

Our adventures this week trying to achieve our aspirations led us to some philosophical questions that really made us think about where we were, are, and may be some day. The first question stemmed from the overwhelming number of cloudy, dreary days we have had so far this year. Visible sun has been a luxury, leaving us to wonder what 2022 has as its aspiration. Are all the clouds meant to challenge us to find the light despite the dark? Is all the precipitation sent to cleanse us through deeper inner thought? Are we missing the message of the year by fixating on the clouds instead of the light behind them?

There are many ways to view these questions centered around the weather, and we thought we’d offer up some possible answers. As for the aspirations of 2022, perhaps the year wants us to learn and grow through some unorthodox methods. Maybe we have become so stubborn and stuck in our ways that 2022 is saying, “Fine. Be that way and see where it gets you relying on your own strength.”

Whatever end of the spectrum we choose to view 2022’s aspirations, we find opportunity to prove ourselves. Wrong or right, strong or weak, wise or foolish, we will be learners and teachers to someone, somewhere, some day in 2022. We probably want to put our best efforts forward to rise to that call.

Perhaps the clouds of 2022 are meant to slowly unveil great, bright, clear skies. But maybe these great, bright, clear skies are not in the heavens above, but rather within the confines of our hearts, minds, and souls. Maybe the physical clouds are nature’s way of showing us what we are showing the rest of the world when we continue to be closed minded, prejudiced, sinful, or lacking self-restraint. Perhaps the clouds are reflecting the dim inner light we are harboring, and we should try harder to let our light shine through compassion, understanding, patience, and sense of responsibility for our actions. Maybe the inner light of one person will be reflected off another and then another and then off the clouds and all the light together will overcome the gray, allowing the blue of courage to show.

As for the message of the year, perhaps it is simply opportunity. Some possible areas of opportunity may be:

To live better, healthier, lives by getting back to basics of faith, hope, and love.
To get out there and be physically active, allowing our bodies to heal through the growth of strength, stamina, and endurance.
To humble, honest, and true to ourselves and others.
To keep trying, no matter the circumstances, and allow the wonder of nature to prevail.
To be who we are, where we are, how we are with the perspective of being open to all possibilities.

“The possibilities are numerous once we decide to act instead of react.” –George Bernard Shaw

Words of the Week: Come to Be

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include: rise, aspire, inner peace, jubilation, and mindfulness. In rising each day to the opportunities offered, we learn to aspire to greater heights. As we accomplish things small along the way, we come to find inner peace. This inner peace leads to shared jubilation in lessons learned, which in turn allows for the mindfulness required to start the process all over again.

May we come to find our way through each today. May the challenges faced lead us to the inner strength we did not know we had, and may we look to the skies as well as within to find the echoes of aspiration.

Echoes of Aspiration

Long in the morning, far off in the east,

The song of glory in life comes to be,

From the silence of the dawn

Upon the violets and the frost

To the caw of the crow

Along the road

With the shadows come the lights’ emancipation

In the echoes of aspiration.

Long in the night, far off in the west

Across the divide in hold of the heavens

There lie the stars

Whose light from afar

May come and go and just be

As the notes to the melody

Float on the undulations

In the echoes of aspiration.

Through it all, nature waits

Offering the call to grace

Across the fields and over the hills

Past the lost to the fulfilled

Part of the journey where

What is learned is shared

Through growth and foundation

In the echoes of aspirations.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to our inner circle of family and friends who keep supporting us despite the missteps and hard lessons learned along the way. Thanks also to our teachers who helped us be better learners, and to the many unsung heroes of the world who give all they have every day without asking for anything in return.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Revelations

January 14, 2022 / law2374 / Leave a comment

The new year has been very slow to reveal itself in nature in our area. Gray skies and thick clouds with minimal sun have the landscape looking rather drab and void of life. However, experience tells us the beneath the façade lies life teeming with energy. Somewhere out there, something is living and growing and giving its all to add to the whole of life and nature. This state of seemingly hidden treasures got us to thinking about how things come to be and how we learn. We thought we would share what we observed and researched in this week’s post.

“The revelation of thought takes men out of servitude and into freedom.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Theme of the Week: Discovery

Our theme of the week started on Sunday morning while I was driving to church. The weather was cold but rainy, so I was trying to be careful though the roads appeared passable and fine for navigation. On the way to church, I heard a favorite song that has resonated with me since its release in 1996. The song was You Can Feel Bad by Patty Loveless. The lyrics tell the story of a relationship gone awry and how each person is moving on in their own way. One takes a more cautious, determined path while the other appears to be taking a care free habitual path to nowhere.

Contemplating the lyrics and life, I thought about how everything is related somehow, though the connections may or may not be visible. These connections have the power to unite or divide us, leading to varying degrees of life lessons. These lesson in turn lead us to, through, and beyond relationships with others to the relationship we have inside between the heart, mind, body, and soul.

Father Bob’s homily at church that day also talked about how moving away from the Christmas season into the new church liturgical year can have an effect upon our thoughts, feelings, and even actions. We anticipate for so long the coming of the season, then it is gone in a few short days. Often during such times, we discover more than we anticipated about ourselves and others. These discoveries can lead us forward or pull us back, but if we remain willing to learn and grow in faith, we eventually find our way.

On the way home, road conditions had changed rather drastically in some areas with patches of ice and slippery surfaces. At one point along my route, the Jeep started to slide and I felt for sure I was going to wreck either into the oncoming traffic or the vehicle ahead of me. Life lessons and driving school years ago gave me the knowledge I needed to help navigate the event, but in all honesty, it was my faith that saved me for at one point all the knowledge exerted was fruitless against the road conditions.

Returning home, I decided to run on the treadmill instead of in what I call nature’s church because I really did not want to risk falling or getting hurt on the ice, and the drastically dropping temperatures combined with increased winds made the prospect of running outdoors less than inviting. The treadmill is new to me, a gracious gift from a friend who no longer had room for it in her home. I’ve only used the machine minimally since bringing it home and am still learning what all the buttons and functions do. Through I was both disappointed with not being able to run outside and a little frustrated trying to figure out which settings would best emulate my running route, I was also grateful. The experience gave me time at home with my dogs Leo and Lena, who had fun watching me run. (Actually, Lena had way too much fun and managed to chew to bits a vacuum filter and one of my socks).

Normally, I write poetry in my head based on what I see in nature while running on Sunday mornings. I wondered if I could still write something in my head while monitoring the treadmill readout and the dogs. It took some time, but as I ran some words came to mind and then the verses started to form. It was a nice way of being reminded that though conditions in life may not always be conducive to the desired outcomes, we can still find a way if we give ourselves some time and open our minds to the possibilities staring us in the face.

“Every science begins as philosophy and ends as art.” –Will Durant

Lesson of the Week: Enlightenment’s Beams

The colder temperatures continued through the week, leading to the first significant snowfall of 2022 in our area. Despite the snowfall, travel conditions were not as treacherous, and my running route was clear enough to tackle. The freshly fallen snow made every tree branch, twig, leaf, and surface in the landscape appear frosted. This was a welcome sight to me, much more colorful reflecting the sun’s rays than the olive drab sea of days prior.

As I ran and even biked that day, I thought about how the snow can cling to everything it touches. The snow can also melt away without notice. How can this be? How can snow have such paradoxical properties?

The answer is based on the fact snow is a form of water, which can exist as a solid (ice), liquid (water as we often refer to it), or a gas (vapor or steam). In its solid state, the ice crystals of the water molecules create little structures that have the capacity to build upon each other. This in addition to temperatures that allow the snow to stay in a solid state are what makes snow accumulate. If, however, ground or air temperatures are above freezing, the snow falls and melts. The change in temperature from the snow clouds in the skies through the air to the ground melts or breaks the ice crystal structures apart, allowing the snow to seemingly disappear upon impact.

We did get a bit of a reprieve from less than stellar weather midweek. The sunrise was amazingly beautiful in deep orange and red under the clearing skies. While running outside that day, I felt like a bird set free. The absence of the darkness and lack of confinement of the treadmill were most welcome. While running that day, I realize the freedom found made the physical exertion seem less taxing. How could this be if I was running the same distance?

The answer lies in our mind’s perceptions and how we break down our feelings and tasks before us. If we dread doing something, we have the potential to defeat ourselves before even tackling the task at hand. If, however, we keep an open mind or even try to envision ourselves enjoying a seemingly mundane task, we have the potential for greater success. The mind is extremely powerful and can work for or against us. What we do with our thoughts and feelings is what allows us to overcome the minds’ power upon us.

Similar to the sun’s rays, the mind sends out signals to our bodies on a continual basis. These signals can become blocked by our feelings like clouds blocking the sun’s light. What is hidden still exists, we just have to work a bit harder to find it. This work may appear discouraging or frustrating at times, but if we keep pushing, we can clear the path.

A book I recently read used the analogy of clogged pipes to illustrate the mind’s flow of thought and emotion. If the pipes become clogged, either by ignorance, negative feelings, or some other obstruction, the inner flow is disrupted. This leads us to less than desired outcomes in relationships, goals, tasks, and daily life. How can we keep our pipes from being obstructed?

Listening, investigating, and learning more are ways to keep our inner workings in order. If we listen, we learn, and if we learn, we can use the experience to gain knowledge (facts or information). Increased knowledge has the potential to lead us to wisdom (knowledge in action).

“Learning never exhausts the mind.” –Leonardo Da Vinci

Words of the Week: Pathways to Seek

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional are guidance, free, friendship, zeal, letting go and letting God. Seeking guidance does not mean we are weak or ignorant. Guidance allows us to become free from the ties and chains of our minds. Once free, we can share our experiences with others, leading to friendship not only with others, but within ourselves. These outer and inner friendships create zeal in life, allowing us the energy, determination, strength, and confidence to move forward. Moving forward offers us the choice of letting go, and in letting go, we find faith in God. So, by asking, we both learn and teach. Like many things in life, the first step is hardest, but once we do it, the rest falls into place eventually.

May we come to know life through life itself. May our interactions with others and our willingness to share what we learn and feel lead us to better relationships. May the combinations of events, people, learnings, and teachings lead us to both seen and unseen revelations.

Revelations

Revelations

Enlightening meditations

Vacillating in the mind

Encompassing all of life

Lost and found

As Gods grace resounds

To clear the way

In the near escape

Of where one must be

Nodding as one wonders to improve

Sorting out the ponderings of age and youth.

Revelations

Emancipating proclamations

Visiting the here and now

Enveloped in the where and how

Looking to come to be

As the sun rises and blows the breeze

To and from where one has been

In the love God has sent

Over hill and dale

Nestled in the will that prevails

So that one can find one’s path in time.

-Lisa A. Wisniewki

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to the many teachers in our lives. Whether by given profession or by default of being there for us when needed, every person we meet has the potential to be a teacher to us. We especially thank those who are not given the title of teacher, such as mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, and coworkers, who are willing to impart and share their knowledge with us. It is through this sharing that we come into the revelations in life that lead us to where we need to be. Good teachers never stop learning. Good learners never stop teaching that there is always more to learn.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing the First Light

January 7, 2022 / law2374 / Leave a comment

The first few days of 2022 were rather gray and cloudy, so when the skies cleared on Monday and the first visible rays of sun cracked the horizon, it was amazingly beautiful. Add this to the fact that the days are getting longer with sunrise at 7:44 AM and sunset at 5:09 PM and you have a really slow but natural beauty in the unveiling of the new year. This slow unveiling has started our household off on a different yet familiar and enlightening path. We thought we’d share some of the things we have encountered so far on this path in this week’s post.

“Self-improvement, squared, is enlightenment, which is what life is about.” –Keith C. Burris

Theme of the Week: Epiphany Ease

Our theme of the week aligns with the celebration of the Epiphany, observed in remembrance of the sighting of the star in the east by the Magi when Jesus was born. An epiphany is an illuminating discovery, oftentimes occurring with striking or natural simplicity. Sunday morning this week started off with issues in our household, which forced me to miss going to church. As I was running later that morning, I thought about how the mass usually begins with the announcement of what Sunday or feast is being celebrated and pictured the lector saying, “We celebrate today the Feast of the Epiphany…”

The inner eight-year-old in my piped up, “Don’t we do that every day with God?”

Oh, the beauty and wisdom of that inner child!

Next thing I knew we had ditched our prayer intentions and started a conversation with God, marveling at the offerings of the day in nature. Given it was overcast, raining, and not all that wonderful looking outside, along with what I had been dealing with all morning at home, I thought it was a pretty nice diversion. It was also a challenge of sorts, to see the light in the dark and dreary and remember as well as be thankful for every dawn of every day the opportunities that await us. We have the choice to choose on most occasions (though we may initially feel or view it otherwise) and the grace of God to be our guide in and with and through it all.

That’s pretty special, and all we really have to do is say yes to it all. The rest falls into place (though we may need to be very, very patient with the order of the events) and somehow we wind up at another day and more opportunities. This cycle goes on no matter what else is going on in the world around us. Time takes us along without us asking.

So many times in this fast-paced, more modern world of technology, we forget that behind all the algorithms and computerized programs there lies the simple building blocks of life. These building blocks turn on or turn off the actions required to perform tasks or processes. On or off, yes or no, light or dark, it is that simple. And behind it all are the powers of nature and God.

So with all these thoughts in mind, the eight-year-old and I had our own little epiphany. This allowed us to come up with a poem to share with others we know and a new way to view the first days of the new year. Our first light was not a physical, visible array, but rather a mental, spiritual awakening.

“Another year is dawning! Dear Father, let it be, in working or in waiting, another year with Thee…Anther year f progress, another year of raise, another year of proving Thy presence all the days.” –Frances Ridley Havergal

Lesson of the Week: Action Please!

Our lesson of the week stems from our insatiable appetites for activity in our household. Though Leo and Lena enjoy a few moments lounging on the couch or the floor, they really prefer to be moving or doing something, even if that something is staring off into the fields around our house or skies above and barking their heads off at whatever it is that caught their attention in the first place. As my mother can attest, I have never been one to sit still. Combine the three of us in this little pack and you have one really flowing (albeit not poised or graceful) poetic motion that takes the words life experience to a whole different level.

We started off this year with the intent to learn and grow more physically, mentally, spiritually aware of life. The only way we know how to do this is to live it, and living to us means doing. Doing whatever, whenever, however, why ever, with or without whomever may choose or not choose to join us. This does lead to some consternation at times, sort of a paralysis by analysis, which frustrates all of us. (Honestly, I get the most frustrated because I really do not like wasting time).

This year, we are also trying to prioritize some projects and goals, which is a little difficult given our active lifestyle and my work schedule. However, while looking at our list, the enlightening thought came that maybe we don’t necessarily need to change the priorities, but rather our approach to them. Bingo! Really big difference between what we view verses what we do.

There is a science behind this, a number of studies that indicate our choices and priorities in life are based more on what we feel than what we know or are capable of. So if we can alter how we feel emotionally or even physically, we have a better chance statistically and in reality of achieving what is required, desired, and all points in between. Where we humans fall short on all this is our patience and tolerance levels. Today’s society of I need it now with every thing in life does us no favors. However, if we can separate ourselves for just a moment and focus on needs first, we soon find the rest drops out of the picture. This is not to say we become self-centered or egotistical, but rather we recognize the value within us that helps the values of those around us, which in turn has the power to add value to all of life.

So by being active, we learn to focus and can build better (or worse if we focus on the wrong things) habits. To change a habit, one must change the mindset, and to change the mindset, one must take action. In other words, change takes work, but this work can buy a lifetime of growth to fill the inner needs of all.

“As long as we’re in honest and loving relationship with what is right in front of us, the Spirit can keep working in us and through us and for us.” –Richard Rohr

Song of the Week: Dust Only

Our song of the week is one of my all-time favorite Patty Loveless songs. Written by Tony Arata, the song reflects on the fact we are just dust, but if we add one thing to that dust, we have life, and when we have life, we have light.

A Handful of Dust

Break us down to our elements
And you might think he failed
We’re not copper for one penny or
Even iron for one nail
And a dollar would be plenty
To buy twenty of us
Until true love is added to these handfuls of dust

Handful of dust, handful of dust
Sums up the richest and poorest of us
True love makes priceless the worthless
Whenever it’s added to a handful of dust

However small though our worth may be
When shared between two hearts
Is even more than it would ever be
Measured on its own, apart
And our half what it could be
Is now twice what it was
When true love is added
To these handfuls of dust

Handful of dust, handful of dust
Sums up the richest and poorest of us
True love makes priceless the worthless
Whenever it’s added to a handful of dust

Handful of dust, handful of dust
Sums up the richest and poorest of us
True love makes priceless the worthless
Whenever it’s added to a handful of dust

The song never released as a single or received radio play, but it is part of the album When Fallen Angels Fly, which was a CMA album of the year, making Patty only the second female artist to win this award at the time (mid 1990’s). (The first female to receive CMA album of the year was Barbara Mandrell). Loveless also included a bluegrass version on her later album, Mountain Soul II.

Science Lesson of the Week: Cardinal History

Our science lesson of the week actually came from sighting a blue jay that reminded me of a prior reflection reading about cardinals. Cardinals are songbirds, able to sing up to twenty-four different songs. Named by colonists in North America due to the similarity of the male birds’ crests with that of the biretta, or Catholic cardinal’s red cap, these birds came to symbolize both the birth and death of Jesus.

The male cardinals are bright red with black around the eyes and bill. Females are brownish-yellow with red on the wings, tails, and tip of the head. Originally a southern bird, the habitat has extended northward and westward in the United States, from Florida to Texas and Maine to Michigan. Their songs consist of alternating whistles in different pitches. Like many other natural manifestations, they take a simple element of a whistle as a building block to construct masterpieces. This whistle requires them to do something, to work, to take action so that their inner beauty and value can be fully appreciated.

“Action is the foundational key to all success.” –Pablo Picasso

Words of the Week: New Year’s Speak

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional are clarity, joy, protect, prosperity, and epiphany. We often obtain clarity in life from the light around us. This clarity leads to a sense or acknowledgement of joy. Our gratitude for such joy leads us to feel protected and obtain prosperity not necessarily of a financial form, but rather of a life value form. When we recognize the lights within others and ourselves, we come to the epiphanies of life.

“Knowing others is wisdom, knowing your inner self is Enlightenment.” –Lao Tzu

May the first lights of the new year, be they visible or of other forms, lead us onward. May the trials and tribulations found upon the journey make us stronger and more compassionate, and may we find the true light of life in time.

First Light

Frist light of the dawn

Stretching wide the yawn

Of the day starting anew

Full of faith in what time views

As an exercise in the necessary

To get all of us in life where we

Are to become us

Though God’s love.

First light in the lesson learned

Opening the mind as it turns

Through and within time’s seas

Across the labyrinth that comes with activities

To reveal all life has to offer

Deep inside time’s coffers

Where mysteries and drama, art and science collide

To lead us upon the adventure of a lifetime.

First light in the here and now

Sometimes a gee, I wonder how

I missed that in the first place,
Other times a gift given for work gave,

Still other times a whistle in the wind

That collides with the thistles of life given

So that the music that is heard

Becomes the foundation to which we turn.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to our friends Loretta, Beth, Joyce B., and Michelle T. for sharing their life experiences and knowledge to help us as we navigate through our challenges of the year. We appreciate and value these women for who they are, not only intellectually, but down-to-earth in thinking with a twist of fashion and modern art, creating the wonderful science of life through the positive light they offer everyone.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing The Year That Was…

January 1, 2022 / law2374 / Leave a comment

Well, we are ten days into the winter season in our area and just about to start a new year. The events of the past week in our household have been quite the adventure. As we look back at the week and the months prior, we see a pattern of order and disorder, good and bad times, and a variety of blessings presented in simple and complex ways. What we see is life itself. What we feel in retrospect is grateful to have survived it. What we know from having gone through the experiences is we have built a lot of character along the way.

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. –Helen Keller

Theme of the Week: Let It Be

Our theme of the week came through a rather hard lesson and some disappointment. An unexpected issue with my vision left us unable to do holiday traditions, and honestly a bit sad. However, as we contemplated the facts and circumstances, we realized that we had to accept what was the truth and allow it to work its way through so that we could move on.

Now, this is not to say that we did not try to change things. We tried and got trumped by what we call Plan G (God’s plan). Our seemed lack of success versus God’s plan was viewed as more of a challenge to align with Him instead of give up entirely. You see, when one realizes the weakness that leads to the failure, one gains strength and wisdom. In exercising this strength and wisdom, one finds a way around or through the issues at hand.

Sometimes, we need to study the situation, allowing time to unfold not only the events, but also understanding, compassion, and contemplation. If we understand, we can find compassion, and it is through compassion that we learn contemplation of all views of the matter at hand. All the views present the issue in its entirety, not just a few points to get all worked up about.

Our canine friend Sadie, who passed away on June 15^th this year, was great at studying. Though she may not have liked what she saw or learned, she allowed it to play out. She was patient when it came to the important things in life, which allowed her to be compassionate. Once she saw the entire picture, then she acted, but not until she had contemplated every aspect of the matter.

As I was going through the vision issue this week, I thought a lot about Sadie and the many good examples she provided. These thoughts allowed me time to process some lingering grief over her passing, and though I could not see physically, I was allowed the grace to realize the larger picture of my situation. This in turn led me to probe or study facts. The act of studying led to discovery of feelings I did not know I had. This discovery took me to a different level of compassion, leading me forward to contemplation and reflection.

“It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgement.” –Marcus Tullius Cicero

Lesson of the Week: Only Then Shall You See

Our lesson of the week (and actually the year) came to us through experience. Only after going through each day do we come to the clearer picture or focus. This lesson is one that requires some patience, determination, and a bit of faith. Often, what appears on the surface is only part of the whole. Only through the work of digging deeper does one find the heart of the matter and therefore the truth within.

The weather this past week offers an illustrative example of this lesson. The skies were full of clouds and rain most of the days. If the rain had been snow, we would have been buried up to our knees in white fluffy flakes. If the skies would have been clearer, we could have seen the stars, planets, and moon moving to the cadence of their respective formations. However, we mostly saw just gray shades of the many clouds moving through the area.

After several days of cloudy skies, we finally saw a sunrise, clearing blue skies, and the sunset. It was on this day that we noticed the days growing longer with more daylight and the shift in the sunrise from the far southeastern side of our property towards due east. This shift is very subtle, but we have enough trees and other markers to allow for measuring the change. Similarly, the sunset in the southwest moved more towards due west.

We look forward to this shift each year, for we know when it occurs that we have passed the shortest day and are now moving towards the longer days of spring. However, we must go through the shortest day to get to the longest day of summer. Only in going through the cycle of the seasons and the weather do we come to the here and now with the knowledge of the past to help us see the gift of the present.

“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers.” –Rainer Maria Rilke

Song of the Week: News Release

Our song of the week is a favorite Christmas song that I only came to know about ten years ago. The song is actually a hymn whose words are simple. For our household, it not necessarily the words that speak to us, but rather the way the music unfolds, as if actually releasing the lyrics without the words.

Go Tell It on the Mountain

Refrain:

Go tell it on the mountain,
over the hills, and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light. [Refrain]

The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Savior’s birth. [Refrain]

Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn. [Refrain]

Question of the Week: Must One See?

Our question of the week stems from my vision issue, which set us to some deep thought and inner contemplation as the dogs and I rested on the couch one day. We were lying there listening to the seemingly unending rain and wondered if one must see in order to observe. After a lot of contemplation, we came to the conclusion that no, it is not necessary to physically see something in order to observe. We can still observe through actions and inner reflections, and though this type of observation may lack clarity in the short term, the long term effect is one of true vision and not just sight.

“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” –John F. Kennedy

Words of the Week: Remember These

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include faith, comfort, release, world peace, ease, and order. Faith is the unseen light that guides the soul within to comfort. Once comfort is met, one is able to release the old and move forward to an inner world peace. This does not come with ease, but does lead to the realization that sometimes one must allow the order of nature to lead, which turns the battle within around.

“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” –Francis Bacon

May the year that was lead us to embrace the knowledge accrued in time. May the tides that turn and the waters that flow in the current of life continue on the journey to the shores of peace.

The Year That Was

Sunrise to sunset

Through this life and back again

Around the paths woven

Of what has been chosen

By God’s grace to be

In the next dawn’s breeze,

Ever leading the soul

Of the mind needing to unfold

So that the fear that come

Be lost in the year that was.

Morning dove on the wire

Before the love of the light’s fire

Casting shadows over the dew

While tapping the shoulder of truth

As the clover comes to life

Over and over beneath the skies

Rolling onward beneath the heaven’s watch

Over the ponds and the crops

To cheer the seedling young

Past the year that was.

Ever changing mystery

In the rearranging of what comes to be

Ever present gift of time

Sent to bend and stretch the mind

So as to open the eyes within

Through the experience given

Of work, rest, and play

From the chords beset by the sun’s rays

Held dear in the Lord’s love

In and through the year that was.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to the year that was 2021. During the year, we were able to collect what we call some vital statistics in our household. Some numbers that stand out from the rest include:

5, the number of months Lena has lived with us

6, the number of years since Leo was born

13, the number of years Sadie graced my life (still love you Sweet Pea!)

50, the number of blog posts written in 2021

118, number of poems we wrote in 2021

350, number of days I went biking in 2021

1868.7, number of miles I ran in 2021

Though many may remember 2021 as being not so great, we will recall it as a year of great growth physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Thanks to all our viewers for hanging in there with us.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Grace

December 30, 2021 / law2374 / Leave a comment

Editor’s Note: This post was to appear December 23^rd, but was delayed due to technical issues and life circumstances.

We’ve been riding a bit of a roller coaster as far as weather in our area with both cold and warm temperatures, rain and snow mixes, and even some clearer, sunny moments. These fluctuations are not always easy to navigate, especially when trying to prepare for holiday events or even just get through each day under extenuating circumstances like being in the midst of a pandemic or economic or political unrest. What we discovered this week was the true definition of grace, being able to navigate through things with the help of faith and not so much worrying about what it looks like in the short term, but rather the long term outcome.

“If we only believe and ask, a full measure of God’s grace is available to any of us.” –Charles Swindoll

Theme of the Week: Grace’s Seas

Our theme of the week is one that kind of build up over time. We kept reading about grace in our devotional and mass readings for each day, and one day every single article or passage was about grace.

Well, then that settles what our blog post topic will be, doesn’t it?

One of the readings was especially poignant with the author writing about an experience with clogged pipes in his house. The man tried chemical clog removers to no avail. Finally, he broke down and pulled out his tools to take the pipes apart. The physical experience was not exactly pleasant (which is the case with most plumbing issues as we can attest to from our share of such chores). However, it was through the physical experience that the man realized the connection between his feelings and the situation. Internally, he had been harboring resentment, anger, fear, and bitterness over a period of time. He found no relief from his feelings when using the human quick fix reactions of yelling or not forgiving. However, once he took a deeper look and reflected upon his feelings, realized he was in his own way of getting relief.

We all have similar experiences in life when things get out of hand and our desire to be in control of life aspects backfires. The many offerings of society’s quick fix schemes only help the façade, but leave the remaining support structure crumbling. If we are fortunate to realize the depth of the issue AND willing to do the work required, we can not only make the façade better, but also build a better foundation so that the next time issues start to clog up our minds, hearts, and time, we have the wisdom and energy to not only do what is required, but also be grateful for the experience.

This is grace. Recognizing, acknowledging, letting go, and working through the issue first hand, in real life with or without the support of those we love. Yes, sometimes we have to move on and recognize the unhealthy relationships so as to build healthy relationships. This is not an easy task, but it is doable if we keep the most important relationship in our lives in focus—our faith relationship with God.

“The amount of power you experience to live a victorious, triumphant Christian life is directly proportional to the freedom you give the Spirit to be Lord of your life.” –Anne Graham Lotz

Lesson of the Week: Poise One Does Not Need

Our lesson of the week is a tag-along to our theme of the week. As we navigated through some tricky life situations, we felt like we were fumbling along. Despite all the flexibility and strength training exercises we do daily in our household, we still end up on the clunky side most days. This is frustrating, but this week, we learned we don’t need poise to experience grace. Actually, it is when we are the most discombobulated in life that grace shines best. Perhaps this is because in comparison to our life gymnastics, grace’s simple presence appears perfect. It is not trying to outdo anyone or anything, not trying to win a contest or prove a point; grace is simply there, and in all honesty, that is enough.

We had another lesson in the grace of learning this week. While the full moon appeared on December 18^th, the moon actually looked fuller on the 21^st. Wondering why this was set us to some research and the discovery of what is known as the moon illusion. The moon illusion is one of the oldest psychological phenomena, dating to ancient China and Egypt. While this scientific puzzle remains fully explained, there are some theories behind it.

One of the more scientific explanations is based on the moon’s position in relation to the horizon. When the moon is near the horizon, the ground and horizon make the moon appear close. Since the moon changes its apparent position in depth while the light it emanates remains constant, the human brain’s size-distance mechanism alters the perceived size, making the moon appear larger.

So, once again, we have learned more by simply asking a question and doing a little leg work to find some reasons why. It is the why’s of life that lead us to the grace of life. Asking sometimes takes courage, and not knowing can make circumstances seem more dire, but the beauty of learning is part of the wonder of grace.

“Courage is grace under pressure.” –Ernest Hemmingway

Question of the Week: What Comes to Be

Our question of the week is based on our lesson of the week. Is what comes to be grace in disguise?

Though we have no proof or scientific experiment to reference, our experience has been that yes, what comes to be, be it deemed in the short term as good, bad, indifferent, or somewhere in between, is indeed grace in disguise. You see, grace is not an instant panacea. It is a patient, understanding, tolerant essence that takes time to fully encompass the circumstances and slowly move all the messiness of the parts into a more recognizable art form.

“Grace comes into the soul, as the morning sun into the world; first a dawning; then a light; and at last the sun in his full and excellent brightness.” –Thomas Adams

Sight of the Week: Grace in the Dawn’s Deep

Our sight of the week was a most welcome one. While running early one morning, I watched the sun rise between the scattering clouds. The colors and movement of all the parts was most magical and calming. It was poetic and fluid, like the Holy Spirit drawing water from heaven’s light to pour down upon the weary soul watching all that was transpiring.

A number of my runs lately have been long, eight or ten miles, and I have found that the added miles allow for some extra time not only to destress, but also listen to nature and God. This listening has been most helpful in calming the inner eight year old, who has been both anxious and excited for Christmas to arrive. It has also helped the adult in me better understand Advent, the season that occupies the four weeks prior to Christmas in the church calendar.

Prior to this year, Advent remained a real mystery and misunderstood concept to me. I did not have any luck historically sticking to an Advent structure, always getting sidetracked by holiday happenings, illness, or some other crazy life issue that seemed to need all my attention and energy. This year was different, perhaps because of all the running and truly taking a few moments each day to just listen. Again, there is no conclusive evidence to my experience, save for the experience and following inner feelings of finally getting somewhere spiritually after spinning in circles for so many years.

In addition to my running experiences, the dogs and I had several occasions in the wee hours of the morning to stand outside, breathe in the cold air, and watch the stars fade in the rising sun. This time of day has always been a favorite for me, and Leo and Lena appear to be catching on to the magic and wisdom nature offers at these times. By watching and listening, we find an inner energy that allows us to get through the circumstances of each day.

“An appreciative listener is always stimulating.” –Agatha Christie

Words of the Week: Let Grace Speak

Our words of the week from the Daily Word were: joy, letting go, light, happy, and grace. Joy is one of those things that can feel elusive in today’s world, but if we let go a little, allow the light to shine in our hearts, and not get hung up on what appears to be the definition of happy in society today, we can not only find but really experience grace. Grace is really God’s gift to us all year, not just during Advent or Christmas.

May we learn to find our way by letting go in life. May the experiences we have lead us to the gift that keeps on giving, grace itself.

Grace

Grace be yours, grace be mine

Grace before and after the night,

In the sun and in the rain,

In what is to come and what remains,

In the dawn and in the dusk

Across the pond and through the trust

Of faith in God above

Through His ways and His love.

Grace be yours, grace be ours,

Grace in the storm and the rainbow’s showers,

In the earth and in the water

In the dirt and in the fields’ coffer

Over the hills and the valleys

Where spills the galleys

Of love unrestrained

From heaven above throughout our days.

Grace be yours, grace be mine,

Grace before and after the light,

In the skies and in the clouds

In hands of time round about

Beyond what is seen and understood

In what comes to be deemed as good

Through the hope that carries on

As time goes, so comes another dawn.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to our late canine friend Luke, whose birthday was December 21^st. Luke taught me a lot about grace in his own artistic way. It was not the most graceful relationship between Luke and me (or anyone else in our lives who came to know Luke through his raucous behavior), however, time led us to a mutual understanding.

In addition to Luke, we thank our buddy Leo, whose birthday is December 12^th. Yes, just flip the numbers and you have either one of their birthdays. Leo is what I call a vanilla version of Luke, much less of a rebel and more a gentleman (but with a curiosity that would give Luke a good run for his money).

Thanks guys, for helping us come to know grace in life!

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Every Little Thing

December 19, 2021 / law2374 / Leave a comment

Sunset inched back to 4:55 PM this week, though we are still losing daylight with sunrise as late as 7:37 AM. The slight shift in time was another reminder of how little things in life can have a huge impact. One minute in our household (and most likely many other households) can mean the difference between success and catastrophe. We also moved to the third Sunday in Advent, with a focus on rejoicing in all things in life, whether good or bad, big or little, simple or complex. These miniscule details in the short term may seem trivial, but when combined and reflected upon can lead to a number of life adventures and discoveries. We thought we’d share some things we learned about the seemingly little aspects of life in this week’s post.

“Practice is an essential reset button that we must push many times before we can experience any genuine newness.” –Richard Rohr

Theme of the Week: Little, Well Maybe…

Our theme of the week started on the way home from church. I was contemplating why I could not find a good song on the radio. Normally, this is an easy task, for there are two stations that play the songs I like, two more stations that I tolerate, and a “wild card” station I have programmed in the Jeep that is a mix of all genres of music. Surely, one station should have something worth listening to right after early mass. Nope. All commercials this morning. Wondering what was going on, I glanced at the clock and saw the time was 8:23 AM, a full seven minutes before our normal dismissal time of 8:30 AM.

Well, that explains a lot. It is too early for the two radio programs with the retro playbacks I like, too early for the two country countdown stations, and the one time the wild card station plays commercials instead of music. Wonderful.

The CD player in the Jeep broke years ago when I had no extra money to get it fixed, and well, one day lead to one week, to a month, and here we are years later with the same condition. So, my predicament was my own doing, though not really under my control. While having no music to listen to is not the end of the world, it can be frustrating for busy people who work a lot and don’t get much time to do things they enjoy for any length of time unless maybe it is squeezed in with another task (like driving to and from church or work).

Normally, I would have tried to focus on a hymn from mass, but focusing had become difficult lately. After much thought about why this was suddenly the case, I faced the truth that I had been cramming everything possible into life lately to avoid the grief I’ve felt inside since my dog Sadie passed away in June. You would think six months would be adequate to get a handle on such a matter. Nope. Not in this case. Not after almost thirteen years of beloved devotion by both parties through thick and thin, right and wrong, hope and fear, and every combination of emotions and life circumstances possible.

Well, I guess I could pray, but I don’t feel like talking,

Well, you don’t have to talk to pray, you can just listen.

Then that’s what I’ll do. Just listen.

So, I got to hear the rattles in the Jeep, hum of the tires on the road, other traffic, silence when stopped, and yes, even God. Little things that one could easily overlook, dismiss, forget, or simple not acknowledge. How much do we miss when we miss the little things?

“To know how to say what others only know how to think is what makes men poets or sages, and to dare to say what others only dare to think makes men martyrs or reformers—or both.” –Elizabeth Charles

Lesson of the Week: Every Little Thing Do Not Leave…

Our lesson of the week came from our beloved Lena. Being only nine months old, she is going through a chewing phase. Now, not just any chewing phase, but an everything she can get her paws on chewing phase. You name it, she’s figured a way to get it into her mouth. Everything from pens to spoons, drain covers to alarm clocks, batteries to drywall, and yes, even things she is allowed to have like toys. Given the situation, I have tried to be vigilant with leaving things on the counter or desk. However, the inevitable happened the other night when I was in between work and getting ready to go to a special Advent church service.

I entered the kitchen and found Lena in the doorway chewing my wallet. Oh, Good Lord…

As I gently pried what was left of the wallet from her mouth (and tiny, sharp, white teeth), I noticed something shiny on the floor beneath her paw. Oh, no!

Oh, yes. She ate my watch, too.

“Lena, I’m not sure what to say except Santa is not happy right now,” I said in my calmest voice, which admittedly was a bit tired also.

What else could I say that would make a difference? What was done was done and now we both had to live with the consequences and move on. Consequences are little things that can grow into big messes if left unchecked. Then again, anything can turn into a big mess if left unchecked. We have examples of that every day in life all over the world.

Upon reflecting on this, we have concluded that while it is best to allow certain things in life to pass as they are, other things need attention. Attention now. Not in a while or when we feel like it or if the stars align and we win the lottery (which will not happen in our house because we don’t play the lottery). Attention to the little things allows us to leave this life with a clear conscience, but the little things left unattended have the potential to haunt us forever.

“Little things console us because little things afflict us.” –Blaise Pascal

Song of the Week: Little Things Tell the Story

Our song of the week is an old favorite that did eventually come on the radio Sunday. The song is a story song, telling how a love came to be. The lyrics are a bit different, especially at the beginning of the song, making the listener wonder what the ending will be like. (Until of course you play the heck out of the song and know it by heart). The song also speaks to how the little details affect us in life and how their consequences find a way to fruition.

She’s in Love With the Boy

Katie’s sitting on the old front porch
Watching the chickens peck the ground
There ain’t a whole lot going on tonight
In this one horse town
Over yonder, coming up the road
In a beat-up Chevy truck
Her boyfriend Tommy, he’s laying on the horn
Splashing through the mud and the muck

Her daddy says, “He ain’t worth a lick
When it comes to brains, he got the short end of the stick”
But Katie’s young and man, she just don’t care
She’d follow Tommy anywhere

She’s in love with the boy
She’s in love with the boy
She’s in love with the boy
And even if they have to run away
She’s gonna marry that boy someday

Katie and Tommy at the drive-in movie
Parked in the very last row
They’re too busy holding on to one another
To even care about the show
Later on outside the Tastee Freeze
Tommy slips something on her hand
He says, “My high school ring will have to do
‘Til I can buy a wedding band”

Her daddy says, “He ain’t worth a lick
When it comes to brains, he got the short end of the stick”
But Katie’s young and man, she just don’t care
She’d follow Tommy anywhere

She’s in love with the boy
She’s in love with the boy
She’s in love with the boy
And even if they have to run away
She’s gonna marry that boy someday

Her daddy’s waiting up ’til half past twelve
When they come sneaking up the walk
He says, “Young lady get on up to your room
While me and junior have a talk”

Mama breaks in, says, “Don’t lose your temper
It wasn’t very long ago
When you yourself was just a hay-seed plowboy
Who didn’t have a row to hoe”

“My daddy said you wasn’t worth a lick
When it came to brains, you got the short end of the stick
But he was wrong and honey, you are too
Katie looks at Tommy like I still look at you”

She’s in love with the boy
She’s in love with the boy
She’s in love with the boy
What’s meant to be will always find a way

She’s in love with the boy
She’s in love with the boy
She’s in love with the boy
What’s meant to be will always find a way
She’s gonna marry that boy someday
She’s in love with the boy

(Written by Jon Ims, performed by Trisha Yearwood)

The lyric that sticks out most in this song for us is “what’s meant to be will always find a way” for that is the truth of life.

“Almost everything comes from almost nothing.” –Henri Frederic

Sight of the Week: Behind the Clouds and What May Come to Be

Our sight of the week is actually something we did not see, but wanted to share as a little science learning thing. The yearly Geminids meteor shower peaked this past Tuesday. This meteor shower occurs when Earth encounters the dusty path of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Phaethon is named after the son of Helios, the sun god. It is made of mostly rock, and heat from the sun causes sodium on the surface to fizz, creating a comet-like tail. While other meteor showers are caused when debris from comets are encountered along earth’s orbit, the Geminids meteor shower origin is an asteroid. It is a little detail, but one of significance when it comes to understanding the intensity of the meteor shower.

We also have a sight of the week to report that we actually saw. This sight was most welcome, for it means we have much to look forward to in the coming year. We found tiny buds on the lilac and buckeye tree in the yard while walking this week. The buds will remain dormant until spring. Some may fall off or not be able to recover from the upcoming winter (which officially starts December 21^st) weather, but most will become lush leaves in spring.

“The pleasure isn’t in doing the thing, the pleasure is in planning it.” –John Green

Words of the Week: Rejoice in Deeds

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional are love, healing, give, prayer, and free. Love has the power to creating healing. As we heal from past wounds, it becomes easier to give. Through giving of ourselves to others, we offer and may receive prayers of hope. It is in giving that one becomes free from the anxieties of life. And it all starts with love, a little word with a lot of little details that affects everything on earth. Amazing!

“Love many things, for therein lives the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is don in love is done well.” –Vincent Van Gogh

May the little details of life encountered every day lead us to live with a deeper love and appreciation for others and ourselves. May what we encounter, be it painful or joyful, be viewed as building character, and may our character building lead us to and through every little thing in life.

Every Little Thing

Every little thing, every little detail

Is what love brings as it comes to sail

In and through the blue of the skies,

The truth of the light,

The depths of the valleys walked,

The rest that rallies the limbs’ stalks,

And the trials and tribulations

That come in the style of salvation.

Every little thing from seed of the earth

To the reed in the dirt,

From bird and bush to bee and hive

Comes to push, weed, and divide

The wheat from the chaff in the wind

From what one has and has not lived

So that what is shared in kind

Prepares for life.

Every little thing, seen and unseen

Leads the song to sing as the soul is set free,

Free to fly in time

Across the skies in the light

Past the fall and winter cold

To the all of spring and summer’s hold.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week is for our church community, which reminded us to rejoice always in whatever life offers. While it is often hard to rejoice (like when the dog chews your wallet), we must also realize it could be much worse (without the dog, you may not know love).

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Vision

December 17, 2021 / law2374 / Leave a comment

Editor’s note: This post was to appear December 9^th, but was delayed due to technical issues.

With sunrise at 7:34 AM and sunset stuck at 4:54 PM in our area, we only have nine and a half hours of daylight this time of year. This makes seeing certain things difficult, especially if one’s activities and work schedule occupy or take away time from the daylight hours. We are also in the second week of Advent, which has this year led us to ask some questions about how well we see things in life, and how good our vision really is at any given time of the day. We thought we’d share some things we learned about vision in this week’s post.

“The best vision is insight.” –Malcolm Forbes

Theme of the Week: Well Let’s See

Our theme of the week started on the way home from church. The radio was playing some songs I really enjoyed, each one very different from the other. At one point, I asked myself why I liked each song.

Well, let’s see…Each one talked about relationships and brought to mind different people I have known in life. Each one spoke to emotions within me. Though only one song was by a favorite singer, the other songs still had something to offer either through an uplifting beat or a touching lyric.

Looking at what was before me, I thought about how we see both visually and perceptually in life. Why I thought about this was kind of a mystery to me, save for the fact the curious eight-year-old never ceases to amaze the adult in me (or others who know both her and me) with the level of details and insatiable appetite for knowledge. Vision is one subject I’ve always been curious about since I have a medical condition that limits my vision severely in one eye. The condition is due to a birth defect, so there is no cure or way of changing it.

For a very brief time in my life, I remember asking God why He created me this way. The condition made learning difficult and an additional issue with a cataract for a period of seven years made me a huge target for kids who liked to tease in school. Quite frankly, there was a point when things got so bad that I wanted to just disappear to avoid the teasing. I also worried about all the things I was missing or not seeing due to the condition. This created extra stress and anxiety, often clouding my perception of matters. Add all this up and you have a huge mess inside a broken heart.

All these thoughts and memories flashed before me as I drove along looking at the sky, houses, and yards along the way home. It hit me hard how far I had come with not only seeing but also perceiving things. What years ago caused me to pretty much unravel really did not phase me now. (Though admittedly I do still wonder how things would look if I could see with both eyes instead of just one). I also realized how much physical, mental, and spiritual exercise it had taken to get to this point in life. This was often hard work, not necessarily in the action but more so in the facing of the truth and the decisions required to move onward. The path ahead if often far from clear in such matters, and it is only when we really look the issues we have in the eye that we find the reasons why along with the song that gets us by.

“Your vision will become clearer only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” –Carl Jung

Lesson of the Week: Hope Seen and Unseen

Our lesson of the week was a tag-along to our theme of vision. Going about our tasks this time of year can be a challenge with the lack of daylight and all the “holiday” distractions. It is easier to get off track than stay on the course, but being the determined posse we are, we keep trying, even when the odds and statistics are not in our favor.

There were several days where the weather cooperated, allowing time for work, play, running, biking, and holiday preparation. There were also days when not much got done despite all the efforts. The common denominator between the days was the hope each morning brought. Whether visibly sunny or cloudy, the sun was still shining somewhere. Maybe not in front of us, but somewhere light was flowing in streams of color and with great intensity.

On a particularly challenging day, I looked at both dogs and asked, “How is it we can still believe what we do? I mean, this is nuts…”

Four innocent, watery, deep brown eyes stared back at me with a love no words can describe.

Well, that’s how. Guess that answer was obvious.

“True confidence is really a blending of both faith and hope. I don’t understand the alchemy of that union, but I know when it is present and when it isn’t. It often feels like something which I have accidentally discovered, something given from nowhere…” –Richard Rohr

Question of the Week: What We Really Need

In going through our activities this week, we came upon some very well-written and interesting articles. Like the songs mentioned earlier, the subject matter and presentation methods varied. However, each article had a distinct and clear message regarding what we see and need in life.

One article was about a woman who had an accident that left her unable to do her favorite activity—running. This accident happened later in life, so the odds were very much against her, along with additional health issues discovered during her recovery. However, it was the determination built up by all those years of running that allowed her the will to walk again after years of therapy, trials, tribulations, questions, and longing for a sense of normalcy. The woman reported that she can walk, swim, drive, do most household chores, and yes, even run, albeit at a pace not much faster than walking. What struck me most was this woman’s vision. Not just an apparition or dream of what may come to be, but a planned course of action that she carried out with dogged determination despite tears and dissuasion from others (including her own doctors).

Another article was about neighbors helping neighbors. The author explained the painstaking process in her area of collecting enough fire wood for the winter and how each neighbor helped the other with equipment, labor, and nourishment in forms ranging from food to good thoughts to prayers. The task for each household was monumental, but when every neighbor and family pitched in, became not only easier, but enriching for the lives of all involved. The article resonated with me from a work ethic perspective. Often in life, we encounter tasks that may challenge our vision (along with other characteristics), but we need not view these tasks in a negative way. We have a choice to find the positive (in either our own efforts or with help from others).

Also this week, we celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The mass readings that accompany this feast in the church calendar speak of the vision of God and how the path was prepared for both Mary, the Virgin Mother, but also Jesus. Both Mary and Jesus had vision beyond the circumstances around them. Mary’s answer to the circumstances was faith and willingness to do what God asked. Jesus responded similarly, but with more questions for those challenging Him. He had the vision to ask in order to help others see from a different perspective.

The articles and readings led us to ask what is vision? It is not only sight, but belief. Not only physical in nature, but with mental and spiritual ties. Vision is simple and complex, shared and unshared, real and imagined. It is what keeps us going physically upon our paths, mentally with dreams and goals to accomplish, and spiritually with the questions that build our faith, hope, an love. Vision is what the world needs yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.” –Proverbs 4:25

Memory of the Week: Dr. Pettapiece

In addition to the articles and readings this week, we came across a tidbit of information that put an exclamation point on our theme of the week. The tidbit of information was about Dr. Milton C. Pettapiece, Jr. Dr. Pettapiece was the doctor that diagnosed my vision condition was I was but a child. Every summer, my mom had to trek to Oakland with me in tow to see him. It was always an adventure for I was a handful and more than once needed six people to hold me down so Dr. Pettapiece could put eye drops in my eyes. After many years of struggling with me, he came up with the idea of tilting my head back with my eyes closed, putting a puddle of fluid in the corner of my eyes, and allowing me to “blink in” the drops. Oh, how much better that was!

Dr. Pettapiece was always patient and kind when describing the latest state of my condition to my mother and me. He also had great toys to play with in his huge waiting room, the best Tom and Jerry cartoons to watch, and the spiffiest sports jackets I ever saw. His favorite jacket was a rose colored one that he said he liked because his wife had given it to him. (He was way ahead of the fashion times with that jacket).

He was my ophthalmologist for over twenty years and the person who helped free me of my vision anxieties by removing the cataract that complicated matters when I was fifteen years old. I remember the summer day vividly, going to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh at the wee hours of the morning, scared about losing my vision altogether. Dr. Pettapiece reassured me all would be well. (Little did he know that I would have an allergic reaction to the anesthesia and stop breathing in the middle of the procedure, almost giving him and my parents a heart attack).

The surgery was ultimately successful, allowing me to see physically better, but not enough to alter my condition. However, the process we went through as doctor and patient through the years gave me a different kind of vision, one that comes with maturity, hope, and faith.

Though he practiced pediatric ophthalmology, he continued to allow me to be his patient until he retired. During our last visit, he was wearing his favorite sport coat and beaming about spending more time with his family. At the time, he was in his mid 60’s, and I was in my early 20’s. That day was a turning point and moving on for both of us, each one with a clearer vision of the potential before us.

Sadly, the tidbit I was reading was Dr. Pettatpiece’s obituary. He passed away at age 85 after serving his patients and family and even his country.

“If I find myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” –C.S. Lewis

Words of the Week: Vision’s Means

Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional were peace, guidance, protect, strength, blessing, and prosperity. If we have vision in life, we can often find a sense of peace, though it may take some time to feel the peace inside. The guidance of nature, relationships, and faith can help clear our vision, allowing us to see not only peace, but the protection, strength, and blessings granted to us each day. These gifts lead to prosperity not necessarily in a monetary or economic sense, but in an overall sense of good health.

“Hope’s home is at the innermost point in us, and in all things. It is a quality of aliveness.” –Cynthia Bourgeault

May our relationships in life lead us to better perspectives and perceptions. May we share our experiences along the way with others, allowing for increased faith and vision.

Vision

Vision

Intraspective seen and hidden

Sent from heaven above

In the tethers of love

On the wings of the wind

Never leaving, always a friend.

Vision

Inspection

So that options may be viewed

In a variety of ways in pursuit

Of and in and through our days

Needing and being and finding new ways.

Vision

In grace given

So that all might see

In the dark and light’s beams

Opportunity through faith, hope, and love

Nestled in the days granted us.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to Dr. Pettapiece for his care and concern of the many people he met and helped in life. May he rest in peace with the other angels and saints in heaven.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Natural Deltas

Exploring nature's changes by Lisa A. Wisniewski

poetry

Observing Strategy

Observing Structures

Observing Winter’s Heart

Observing Aspirations

Observing Revelations

Observing the First Light

Observing The Year That Was…

Observing Grace

Observing Every Little Thing

Observing Vision