Links to A Few Enjoyables -

Empowering

Worth the effort, if you have Facebook. I couldn't find it on Youtube:

https://www.facebook.com/ForestHillWaxhaw/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf

Tender

Just Plain Funny

Catnip, Fatboys, and Orgasms -

Oh my goodness, I'm still laughing, and I'm trying to figure out how to write about this experience without laughing at my patients. Here's my attempt -

Patient with no energy is living a "cat's life" right now.
Asking for clarification - eat, play, sleep, wake-up, eat, play, sleep, repeat.
"Is your morning Ritalin helping with your energy?"
"Well . . ."
"Isn't that what catnip is for cats, Ritalin?"
"Actually I've never understood what catnip does."
"Oh, well, we know. Catnip for a cat is like a fantastic orgasm for humans."
"So when cats are in ecstasy from catnip, they're really having an orgasm?"
"Yes, that's what cat lovers say."
Biting lip to try and quit laughing. "Oh."
"So, how are you feeling?"
Conversation continues on a somewhat normal tone.
"But does Ritalin give you an orgasm?"
"NO."
"I'm buying catnip on my home from work tonight."
"I didn't know you had a cat."
"I don't. I'm going to give it a try!"
Burst out laughing, then attempt to get serious.
"Two last things. I love . . .  and Fatboys."
Thinking large men here, following the orgasm strain. "Oh?"
"I take one bite and my mouth is just filled with goodness, ecstasy, fireworks, tingling. I feel warm and fuzzy and delighted and good all over. All I need is one bite."
Conversation is now out of control and two people are cracking up laughing while two others are serious.
"So kind of like catnip?"
"Yup."
"Well do whatever makes you happy."
End of conversation - for the most part.

Signatures - Great Quotes to End an Email -

Do you have a quote at the bottom of the emails you send out? I'm a fan of inspirational, motivation, funny, seasonal, etc. quotes. My father was a quote man - he loved sayings, metaphors, tongue ticklers, and he had files and files of them, paper and electronic. I think I owe my affinity for them directly to him - they're all over my house, my office, my computer. I have paper and electronic files. I love these words - they are art to my voice and to my eyes and to my imagination.

One year for Christmas my father gave each of his seven children three discs - one with inspirational quotes, one with secular quotes, and one with talks that inspired him. I have them, I did download them, but I'm saving those discs, even though their obsolete, because they're a physical reminder of my father's love for good words.

So when I send out a message I end it with a quote. The font styles change to fit my interpretation of the message, and I change them based on my mood, the season, or my temperature gauge of the climate. This year they've been:

Amazing: “Don't be afraid to be amazing.” —Andy Offutt Irwin (1957-); storyteller

Cave: The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.

-Joseph Campbell

Christmas: “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” 

- Hamilton Wright Mabie, American essayist, critic

Complexity: Complexity is your enemy. Any fool can make something complicated. It is hard to make something simple. Richard Branson

Doors: “The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” Flora Whittemore -

Friendship: The happiest business in all the world is that of making friends,

And no investment on the street pays larger dividends,

For life is more than stocks and bonds, and love than rate percent,

And he who gives in friendship's name shall reap what he has.
Anonymous

Happy:  “Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.” Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918); poet, playwright, art critic

Kindness: Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness.

Know how to give without hesitation,

how to lose without regret,

how to acquire without meanness. ~George Sand

Kuan Yin: I tell you, recognition and awareness will come in time. Kuan Yin

Lifetime: The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are. - Joseph Campbell

Manning: "We give glory to God by simply being ourselves." Brennan Manning

Peace: Peace is always beautiful.  (Walt Whitman)

Time Wasted: “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” Bertrand Russell (1872-1970); Philosopher, Mathematician

To:  “Vision is not enough, it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.” —Václav Havel (1936-); playwright, essayist

Share Happiness: “I don't want to live in the kind of world where we don't look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hand. I can't change the way anybody else thinks, or what they choose to do, but I can do my bit.” -Charles de Lint (born 1951); Writer

Sweep: “Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) 

There are two ways: There are two ways to get enough: one is to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.    G. K. Chesterton

Tunnel: “The light at the end of the tunnel is not an illusion. The tunnel is.” ~Unknown

Way Out: Sometimes the only way out is through -

Christmas Day Reprise -

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world 

in a conspiracy of love."

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service -

Going on 6 years at the hospital where I serve, is our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Last year, and tonight, I'm in charge, with the assistance of 2 lovely families and mine - who see tonight as an opportunity to serve those who can't leave the hospital to be with family - employees and patients and their guests. There are 2 services this evening, to accommodate schedules.

Typically I write a Christmas Eve sermon and prayer. Today I was blessed with a visit from a friend, whose Christmas gift to me was a loan of her book, Ceremonials of Common Days, by Abbie Graham, published in 1923.

Thankfully - tonight's sermon will come from this book and by poetry by Robert Louis Stevenson and Mabel Jones Gabbott.

For your enjoyment:

Christmas Prayer
by Robert Louis Stevenson

"Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake, Amen!"

When Love Came Down

Mabel Jones Gabbott

1. The night was still, and then a song awakened shepherds ’round their fire,

And hastened them to Bethlehem! Hosannas from a heav’n-ly choir!

[Chorus:]

This was the night when Love came down, as promised in God’s holy word.

The angels heralded in song the blessed birth of Christ, our Lord.

2. This was the night the King was born, as stars foretold in distant space;

And three who watched the skies were led to Bethlehem, that holy place.

[Chorus:]

This was the night when Love came down, as promised in God’s holy word.

The angels heralded in song the blessed birth of Christ, our Lord.

3. This was the night, that holy night, when Love came down to bless the earth,

And men and angels worshipped Him this night, the night of Jesus’ birth.

[Chorus:]

This was the night when Love came down, as promised in God’s holy word.

The angels heralded in song the blessed birth of Christ, our Lord.

On Christmas Eve love is clothed with visible vestments, with gifts and written words, with wreaths and flowers and candles. The love that through the years is silenced by busy-ness is expressed in terms of tangible beauty. Christmas Eve is for the gifts that are given to explain something the heart cannot say.

As we watch the Christmas candles burn, we see in them a symbol of the Great Love which dipped a lustrous spirit into human form that the world in its darkness might be illumined and made beautiful.

And if tonight, Father of Light, there are people standing out there in darkness, may we be to them the shining symbol of your light, a winged flame that shall rekindle in their hearts the light of joy and hope and love.

We pray for those who are walking through the intricate patterns of life. Wilt thou watch over our safety throughout the night.

We would not forget that there may be tired, hungry, hurting, lonely, hard-working ones amongst us tonight. Some face great sorrow; others face joy. Use our hearts to illuminate the birth of thy Son, and to reveal the reality of His presence. May we understand each other’s suffering, and each other’s joy.

Wilt Thou, in thy love remember the loneliness of our own hearts. How didst Thou trust us to give us the loveliness of human presences? Our hearts are gladdened by thy trust.

And before we usher in the calm of the darkness, we thank Thee for the stars, for the light that calms our fears, accompanies us when we are alone, guides us to Thee.

Lead us into light – where we can be joyously aware of life, of beauty, and of the spiritual presence of those whom we love.

Amen

Merry Christmas to You -

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world 

in a conspiracy of love."

A Safe Place to Vent - Confidantes -

Everyone needs a safe place (friend, therapist, confidante) where they can go to just let things out. Whether that's news of glad tidings, pain, anger, frustration, fear.

I don't know what I would have done for the past 30+ years without good friends and exercise - both ways to let frustrations out and walk away a little more calm.

Friends such as Renae - a little older than me, kids older, a little more life experience, but someone who helped me develop my talents by teaching me about my weaknesses and strengths. When I was a young mother we both bought long phone cords, so we could clean our houses and visit, at the same time! We can go months without talking and pick right back up.

Friends such as Debby - someone who didn't look at our differences as faults, but as blessings, who taught me as I taught her. And she never judged - she listened, showed by example, and then allowed me to create myself, incorporating some of her teachings. She provided me a resting place at a turning point in my life - emotionally and physically. We haven't seen each other in many years, but I count her as one of my best.

Eve - taught me that playing with my children, on their level, was the best thing I could give my kids.

Beulah - much older, much wiser, blunt, honest, and by voicing her regrets she taught me how to live without regrets. And how to be true to myself.

Shirlene - heard more than her share of my anger, frustration, marital woes, as we walked and walked and walked and talked. She did not turn her back on me, even when I screwed up big time, but wrapped her arms around me and trusted me.

Karin - taught me language. She says she just opened the door and gave me permission. But I believe she gave me words for my feelings, then validated these feelings. And we've been through so much in our years together, and I love her, admire her, and owe so much of me to her generosity, and frankness.

Cody - kicks my butt every morning, listens to my yapping, and teaches me; even though she's younger than me, she's much wiser in so many ways; I cherish our friendship. We dive right in to push ups and intense conversation. She saw me through cancer - and she saw me!

Holly - respects my bluntness, and we share similar life choices. Without judging. She is generous.

Irma - we don't need any introduction, ever.

Sisters - everyone should have a sister, or two or three or six, like I do, who will listen, call me out, laugh, cry, and they know what "Can we have a sister craft day" really means. They understand family dynamics and can quickly understand where I'm headed.

These are some of my tights - although my friendships are typically that - I go deep, not shallow, I keep friends who are comfortable with this.

Just a few - and I'm finding every day that not only do I have safe places to share, but that I am also a safe place - there is reciprocity in all of these relationships. These women - it's not all me whining or them whining that's the key to the safe place. It's that we are safe with our thoughts, which may or may not result in actions, but the point is - no judging, no edging toward solution, but creating a space where tinkering with identity, dignity, beliefs, choices, definition are just fine - and the conversation will go no further. We don't talk about people (well, spouses and kids sometimes), but rather life - and all the crisis and conflict that come with living life on life's terms, and on our terms.

In a seminal article written in the late 90s (abstract here) research showed that women "tend and befriend," while men "fight or flight." One is not better than the other. But we do have differences.

I've spent some of my time tending to my friend's needs - caring for their words and thoughts, just as I would a friend who was sick, a child who was hurt, even a grandchild whose parents were on a date. Women tend for each other in a similar fashion - we take each other, figuratively or literally, in our arms and hold on tight, providing that safe space, when safety is all that is needed. We won't let go of these confidences, we don't compare our dirty laundry to each other's clean, won't let them run into the street, or eat too much candy, or stay up late playing video games. We nurture, love, cater to, mull over, and then let them go back to their owners when the time is right. We have each other's backs, and there is never a fear of betrayal. We are true and honest and brave.

I am grateful for my girl friends - those who share with me and who allow me to share with them. We all need that safe place - male or female.