Becoming Fire

Settling into the darkness of winter, I have been introduced to FIRE.

“No one but me by the fire, my hands burning red in the palms while the night wind carries everything away outside.” David Whyte – “The Winter of Listening”

“…she would burst into conversation that must have startled listeners, at times, like heat lightning in a distant summer sky.” Robert McDowell

“I am the fire of the world burning with desire.” Feminine World

“When prayer and attending to the Sacred have become so deeply integrated into your life that you are consumed by a love of God and all things, you have become fire.” Christine Valters Paintner

I am fire. Images dancing through my mind during my season of Advent. The flame. I am the fire of the world. I am flame. Light. Maybe the word is not light. Perhaps it is flame. Fire. To burn and not be consumed. Reaching toward the light. Becoming flame. Feeling that during centering prayer. Be Fire. Be the flame.

I am the fire of the world burning with desire. Desire does not consume. It encompasses and spreads. With motives of fear, it can be destructive and take out everything in its path. But desire and delight spreads – nourishes – overflows. The chalice. The flame. You cannot look away from the flame.

Today I was fire. The other warmed by my flame, not wanting to look away. Radiant – engaging. My truth shining through. Lovely. Kind. Free. Delightful. I am fire. My mantra for the year – the new year. Welcoming this into my life. Naming what is there. A spark. A light. The flame is coming into fruition. Ablaze. I am fire.

“Let your light shine. Let your love show.” Keb Mo

adapted from morning pages 12.30.08
photo - brazos de dios 1.06.09

Fire

FIRE is my word for 2009...Watch out world!!!

photo © h3images

2008 Restrospective

No matter how many times I review the year 2008 and think of all of the things I did, saw, experienced and lived, it will always be The Year I Went to Paris!! On the other end of the spectrum, it will also be remembered as the year my beloved Curry died. My oh my, what a full year! Here are a few of the highlights to help synthesize my own memory ☺. In 2008:

lucy creates!!! was launched.
My trip to Paris was born via another blogger’s Sunday Collection
I took my first official art class @ Pratt Institute – Beginning Collage
Dreaming in French found its way into my nights
More than two dozen books made my completed reading list
Completed the co-authorship & facilitation of The Paradoxical Dance – a workshop for couples
Experienced lots of extraordinary ordinary time
Swam with the dolphins
Played and traveled with my sister
Missed my brother
Lots of Soul Collage
Had my first birth chart reading & later a current cycles reading
Took the Baby Road Trip (1975 miles)
Said good-bye to Curry
Experienced Sabbath with friends
Walked my first labyrinth (& my second)
Went on a Contemplative Yoga and Art Retreat
Was introduced to Photoshop Elements
Walked and walked and walked in the December snow
Enrolled in a Memoir Writing Course for 2009
Bought my own djembe & signed up for drumming lessons (beginning in two weeks)
Birthed a new collaboration for Group Spiritual Direction Supervision
Posted 362 blog entries
Filled half a dozen composition notebooks
Dreamed
Played
Cried
Laughed
Lived

Wow! Bring on 2009!!! Happy New Year!!!

reaching for solitude...

garbage trucks rumbling. therapy fan humming. utensils clinking. sigor ros strumming. where is the quiet? starting the day at a run. restless nights. Tylenol p.m. offering me sleep and then carrying me into mid-morning. phone ringing. husband puttering. cleaning people coming. I need to go. bath running. meeting waiting. candle burning. solitude calling.

this is not how I want to begin a day…or end a year. but this is what I have. this moment right now. music climaxing. gentle now. God is here. here with me in my little corner. my old blue chair. breathe. you can have this moment. carry it into the day. be still and know that I am God. ahhh. awe. beautiful. blessed.

it only takes a moment to breathe. to be quiet. to be still. my bath beckons. my friend awaits. 2009 here soon.

photo by lucy 12.18.08

Four Calling Birds

There is much bubbling and brewing going on here at “Diamonds”. It has been (and continues to be) a glorious Christmas season. The blanket of snow that covered our city the week leading up to Christmas Day proved to be a beautiful and wonderful gift to me. It allowed for much slowing down and a peacefulness to settle over my soul.

I say it ‘continues to be’ a glorious season, because even though the snow has melted, I am allowing the quiet to continue to envelop me as I luxuriate in the blessings of God with Us which has readings through January 6 or Epiphany. Not coming from a tradition that celebrates The Twelve Days of Christmas, this is a new experience for me to not sit down on December 26, collapse with exhaustion and say, “Phew! I am so glad Christmas is over!!!” I still feel in the thick of it, so to speak, and have truly relished the whole season while keeping it incredibly simple.

Today, this Fourth day of Christmas, my mind goes to the traditional song and I think of the four calling birds that were gifted on this day. (Is the song running through your head now?) During my quiet time today, I began to synthesize some of the bubblings of the last days, weeks and months in anticipation of what I see ahead in the New Year. The “calling birds” seem to be speaking somewhere along these lines:

1) Making my own way
2) Taking my professional expertise to the next level
3) Working on relationships
4) Sharing my voice (more) with the world.

As far as I can tell, “making my own way” means developing my own unique practices out of the gifts I have been gathering along the way. And in that regard, dear readers, I call upon you for input ☺. I would love to know what keeps you coming back here to read. What are the gifts that you receive or notice here? (I hope there are some ☺!!!) I, naturally, have a few ideas, but your help in my discernment would mean a great deal to me!

It is my strong sense that the topic of these calling birds will continue throughout the coming weeks. I hope you will join me in sharing the adventure. I sign off today with these two questions: What keeps you coming back to visit here? What are the “birds” that may be calling to you as we enter a new year?

Peace and blessings on this 4th day of Christmas!!!

p.s. You can visit the three french hens here.