ROMANCING THE CANVAS

WELCOME TO OUR HOME....

PRAYER FOR PEACE

May we see the day when war and bloodshed cease,

when a great peace will embrace the whole world.

Then nation will not threaten nation,

and mankind will not again know war.

For all who live on the earth shall realize

we have not come into being to hate or to destroy.

We have come into being to praise, to labor, and to love.

Compassionate God, bless the leaders of all nations

With the power of compassion

Fulfill the promise conveyed in Scripture:

I will bring peace to the land,

And you shall lie down and no one shall terrify you.

I will rid the land of vicious beasts

And it shall not be ravaged by war.

Let love and justice flow like a mighty stream

Let peace fill the earth as the waters fill the sea

And let us say: Amen

LOVING GOD

Samara

STAYING AWAY FROM THE MEDIA.....

IS SOMETIMES ESSENTIAL!

Right now, the Commander of the Canadian Military is on trial for the gruesome murder and 82 other counts of violence. Many people in my town (the neighbouring town of the Canadian Military Base where the fallen soldiers come) are close to the radio and TV or attending the trial, which actually ended a few days ago, with assureness Russ Williams will never get out of jail.

I find, for mysef, just like another Canadian case of Paul Bernardo, I had to protect my ears and eyes from details of this case, and read my own chosen books, engage in "up the spiral" conversations, and continue on with the (I must admit) stressful task of planning my son's Bar Mitzva.

It is an interesting thing to ponder. How do you spend your time when such details are all around you, everywhere you look - papers, TV's, people's stories and experiences...

What I created below is how I spent my time.

LOVING GOD

Samara

LIVING WITH THE ABSURD....

REMEMBERING TO "LIVE" GOD

The power of this struck me many years ago in a song by Billy Gilman, then a tiny child of 10 years old, called ONE VOICE. This song came to me last night, at a time when the most wonderful Rabbi's wife spent almost 3 hours of her precious time with me on the phone...helping me to REMEMBER...at a time when I felt swallowed up by the absurdity around me! God Bless This Woman's Loving Soul, for reminding me who I am, so I can remember who others are. This post is dedicated to "you" G.E. Shalom.

ONE VOICE

Some kids have and some don't

And some of us are wondering why

Mom won't watch the news at night

There's too much stuff that's making her cry

We need some help

Down here on earth

A thousand prayers, a million words

But one voice was heard

A house, a yard, a neighborhood

Where you can ride your new bike to school

A kind of world where Mom and dad

Still believe in the golden rule

Life's not that simple

Down here on earth

A thousand prayers, a million words

But one voice was heard

One voice, one simple word

Hearts know what to say

One dream can change the world

Keep believing

Till you find a way

Yesterday while walking home

I saw some kid on newberry road

He pulled a pistol from his bag

And tossed it in the river below

Thanks for the help

Down here on earth

A thousand prayers, a million words

But one voice was heard

One voice was heard

My friend helped me to remember "GOD" can hear us "always" - happy, sad, mad and glad. God will protect us while we sit in absurdity...until we can make it out again, just like he did, historically, for his people over and over.

LOVING GOD

Samara

INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT....

WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

It is an interesting inner question that I find myself in weekly with a person, be it in Starbucks, Sears or Montana's.

INTROVERT: A person who recharges their batteries while being alone.

EXTROVERT: A person who recharges their batteries while being with a crowd.

Then there are those of us who are socially either one or the other but truly, in our "real" self, either one or the either.

It is an important thing to identify which one is, in order to not burn out, in order to be "in balance" and in order to "stay on one's purpose."

Worth pondering?

FROM AN OFF THE EDGE INTROVERT

BUT A TOTALLY SOCIALIZED EXTROVERT

LOVING GOD

Samara

MY DAUGHTER THE ARTIST....

HOW PROUD CAN A MOMMY BE?

My daughter Ayla left on Monday for another year travelling around the world, having just finished her last year of her Honors, straight A's BA in Australia, (segue - yay Samara's 3 straight A's children - bragging rights - wink wink), and having travelled the world already once. She and her Eric are now travelling together and exploring the world "together!"

She worked all through school, saved her money and is a wild (takes after her mom) and wonderful (takes after her dad lol) womyn!!! I am dedicating today's blog to her...My daughter "the artist" (takes after HERSELF!) Ayla is "her own womyn!" and she is my forever Goddess, named after Ayla from the book Clan of the Cave Bears. She lives every single day true to her name.

Her business card says:
Ayla Mandel
Imagine. Explore. Create.

I think you will see why...

This is a picture of Ayla and her Eric.

This is a gift for her brother, Jordan, who is a musician.

This is a picture Ayla painted of a location in Spain that her brother, Jordan, visited while taking a music retreat this summer.

Hmmmm...Don't know the history of this painting but I'm thinking from her trip to New Zealand last year.

This is a gift that she painted for her Eric.

This is a gift she painted for Jordan's Fiance, Our Laura.

Ayla is also a photographer.

And has a "good posing audience!!!"

This is a pastel that Ayla created many years ago and will likely give me heck for posting!!! Oh well, Proud Mommy is just that...Proud Mommy!!!!

Interesting! I just realized that creating this post helps me to see Ayla within the work I do (my blog)...I need that...I miss her so! I only have 11 months and 29 days left! haha

She has her own blog:

http://www.aylagoesaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/

BE WELL MY DARLING

BE SAFE MY DARLING (oy!)

TAKE CARE OF MY GODDESS ERIC!

TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER

LOVING GOD

MOMMY

xox

THIS SAYS IT ALL.....

FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR A CONTEMPLATIVE DAY:

Please double click to enlarge pictures...

The FEARLESS art is by Papaya Art and something I use daily.

LOVING GOD

Samara

LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND...

LOVE NEVER ENDS. 1 Corin.13:4,8
RELATIONSHIP STRUGGLES

DEAR MENDER OF HEARTS,
   you are friend of all and foe of none.
Your goodness is seeded in everyone.
   including those with whom we struggle.
Enter into our hearts and soften its hardness.
   Erase any ill will and anger abiding there.
Help us to reach out with openness,
   to speak when we prefer to hide in silence.
Teach us how to listen with loving ears
   and to not cling tenaciously to our opinions.
Instill hope of reconciliation in our hearts
   and help us to not give up on one another.
Be the Patience within us that resolves issues.
Be the Love among us that seeks forgiveness.
Be the Faith amid us
   that strengthens our bonds.
Be the Truce between us
   that brings us peace.
Amen

I SO apologize for the photo below showing up sideways...blogger changed their uploading of pics format and for the life of me I have tried and tried to get this to upload "right side up!" I'm sure Blogger will work the kinks out...
It is ironic, I might say, it is the "happy" photo that turned out sideways, when the prose above is about RELATIONSHIP STRUGGLES! OK GOD...you and your shenanigans! I guess the point is, we work daily, minute by minute to achieve the type of "happy" that is authentic and doesn't have masks surrounding it, or is "sideways" or "upside down!!"

GEEPERS GOD, I LOVE YOU!

Samara

GIVING OURSELVES AWAY....

GRATITUDE!

When we realize how much we have been given - life, a beginning -we are moved, almost naturally it seems to want to give away some of our things. Grateful people tend to give away their things, even their time and talents, and to become happier in the process. In giving away, the craving that holds us captive begins to loosen its grip. There is such a difference when living simply or serving others is done out of a spirit of gratitude rather than guilt. A given life is different from a driven life. Gratitude seems to replenish itself: as more is given, more is received. Guilt, in contrast, rather quickly exhausts itself in judgments.

From: Radical Gratitude by Mary Jo Leddy

Double click for larger image please

LOVING GOD

Samara

SILENCE....

But isn't the purpose of all ministry to reveal that
God is not a God of fear but a God of love? And
couldn't this be accomplished by gently and carefully
converting the empty silence into a full silence, the
anxious silence into a peaceful silence, and the restless
silence into a restful silence, so that in this converted
silence a real encounter with the loving Father could
take place? What a power our word would have if it
could enable people to befriend their silence!

In Way of The Heart, by Henri J.M. Nouwen

Hobo Digi Stamp from Digi Doodle Shop - A must go see with a great sale right now!!!

LOVING GOD

Samara

A WOMAN'S SPIRIT...

More Meditations for Women,
from the Author of

Each Day a New Beginning
Karen Casey

Almost everyone wants something for nothing. - Marsha Sinetar

Bargains attract. Finding a good value excites us, and we share the news quickly. Wanting anything for free is human nature perhaps. However, many of us have had to learn again and again that you get what you pay for. This is true of human interactions too.

Why do we think that others will be there for us if we aren't available for them? Having friends means being a friend, even if it's time-consuming. Although friendship's rewards are indisputable, we still tend to wait, letting the other person make the first move. Getting the other person to commit first reduces our effort, perhaps, but we will still receive according to what we give.

Knowing and utilizing this principle simplifies our lives. Once we master it, we never forget it. And what we bring to our relationships will be given back to us.

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I am willing to give to others what I want in return today. Their efforts will match my own.

(all the above taken from September 18th).