Sacred Life Sunday - Comfort Food

It may be a little late in the day to talk about comfort food since Spring has almost sprung, but we had chili and cornbread for dinner tonight and I want to sing its praises; not mine specifically, but comfort food in general.

It reached a balmy 52 degrees here today which was a welcome relief after below zero temps and bitter winds in the last few weeks. It seemed a little strange making this meal with the weather so lovely outside; almost like a last hurrah for winter.

There's just something about chili and cornbread, warm soup and crackers, mashed potatoes, casseroles (hot dish here in MN) and anything cheesy or gooey that comforts us and lifts our mood. I don't know that you could call it sacred but comfort food is definitely a happy place for many.

I've made a promise to myself to try to eat healthier foods this year but I don't think that means excluding these foods. Moderation is key, right? And many of these foods do hold nutritional value. During my few months with WeightWatchers, I learned oodles about portion control and that it is okay to enjoy what many would consider "non-diet" foods as long as it isn't too often. When you do decide to splurge, enjoy every minute of it. Turn off the television, put on some lovely music, light the candles, and savor every bite of those chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmmm....

Now that we're heading into Spring and salad season, I doubt that cornbread and chili will be on the menu again soon. I raise my wineglass high and salute the goodness of comfort food...until we meet again. (Okay, so I'm a little silly today.... sue me.)

Sacred Life Sunday

Tonight,

I need a little down time.

No,

Sacred Time.

Tomorrow,

I'll be back with bread.

Sacred Life Sunday - Quiet Moments

Weekends can be such fun, going to a movie or museum, hitting the shops, dining out and getting together with friends and family. There is one part of the weekend, however, that I cherish beyond measure. Those peaceful moments after waking when my husband and I can cuddle and talk quietly about our day, our week, our plans for the future, dreams, hopes and desires are sacred to me.

I felt it shelter to speak to you. ~Emily Dickinson

My husband works every other weekend and on weeknights we're always busy having dinner, running errands and hanging out with our son. Any quiet time we can share together before the craziness of the day takes over blesses our relationship and gives us what we need to carry on.

I pray that no matter how crazy life is, no matter what it throws our way, we make these moments a priority.

Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow. ~Swedish Proverb

Sacred Life Sunday - Me Time

Orange Sunrise by Petr Kratochvil

Sacred.

One definition: Reverently dedicated to some person, purpose,

or object: a morning hour sacred to study.

I love my men, my husband and son, but everyone needs a little time to themselves.

On the weekends that my husband works and my son is with his dad, I get a good 7 or 8 hours to myself. I always look forward to this time and dream about the creative projects I can work on and hopefully complete. The problem is, I rarely get to those projects.

I usually end up either out at the shops or planted on the couch with one or both kitties curled up on my chest. I don't usually watch much T.V. so when I have the time to myself, I like to watch a few hours of HGTV or a chick flick that my husband might not appreciate. I know I should be writing or drawing or even doing laundry or cleaning the house.

I guess I just really need that down time of doing nothing.

The absolute best part is when I come home after dropping my husband off at work to an almost empty house (kitties are home). I've secured my latte and banana bread and can now enjoy them while I catch up on emails and check out my favorite blogs. It's wonderful thinking about the day ahead when I can do everything or nothing. It's time to push away the guilt and just enjoy the day.

Sacred Life Sunday #2

(All art by Elena Ray)

I'm still new to Sacred Life Sunday and mulling over exactly what the word sacred means to me. I guess I think of it as something we set apart and hold in the highest regard. It is something so special that we will not allow anything to interfere with its place in our life. I believe it is also something we deem to be holy.


Dictionary.com defines it as:

• Dedicated to or set apart for the worship of a deity.


• Worthy of religious veneration: the sacred teachings of the Buddha.


• Made or declared holy: sacred bread and wine.


• Dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use, purpose, or person: sacred to the memory of her sister; a private office sacred to the President.


• Worthy of respect; venerable.


• Of or relating to religious objects, rites, or practices.

So, by these definitions, what do I hold sacred; especially on this particular Sunday?Moments. There are those moments when the clouds of everyday thought begin to part, and true clarity becomes real. Some bright truth is suddenly clear and we wish to take a snapshot to forever preserve that moment in our mind and memory.

Like when in the midst of chaos, you realize you'd better cherish the moment you're in with your children because they will grow up before you know it. We all know this in our head but this truth has a way of piercing our heart when we least expect it.

Or, when it becomes clear that all the fussing and fidgeting in the world will not change what another thinks of us and that we must not change who we are but become even more us. I can't count the times I've tried to become someone else in the hope of receiving love from men who were not right for me.

There is also that moment when we know we must finally go after our dreams because they're unlikely to just fall into our lap.

Some people don't seem to struggle with this very much but I know I do. I've always wanted to be a writer, artist and dancer. What do I do? I'm a legal assistant at a law firm. A great law firm, mind you, but this is not exactly what I set out to do. Finally, in my 40's, I've decided to push back the fear and chase after those dreams. Well, at least two of them. Its unlikely I'll become a professional dancer at this point but I can still shake my thang with the best of 'em!


As for the writing and art, I've been blogging for over a year now, have written some flash fiction and poetry, and plan to write some short stories for submission. I used to draw way back in school but haven't done much since. The tendonitis in my right hand gives me trouble off and on but I don't want that to stop me from drawing again. When I'm unable to do that because holding the pencil hurts too much, I can try art journaling, digital art and photography. I've been so inspired by the work of the artists I've linked to in my sidebar along with many other artists, like Elena Ray, I'm just itching to try some new things!

A sacred moment might also be when we are completely at peace and accepting of our place in life. We might plan to make changes in the future; and if we don't, they'll most likely still occur. But during those sacred moments, we are happy with the foundation we've built (family, friends, beliefs, values) and know we can survive whatever the winds of change might blow our way.

Our minds hold so much that we tend to think of many of these truths in a "yeah, yeah, I know" surface only way. The sacred moments I refer to here are the ones that reach our hearts.

I look forward to my next sacred moment and pray that my heart and mind are open to receiving it.


May you experience a sacred moment soon!

Sacred Life Sunday #1

If you scroll down the page a bit, you'll see a beautiful badge with the words "Sacred Life Sunday" on it. Some time ago, I stumbled upon the Zena Musings blog and immediately started feeling calmer as I looked over the page and checked out Carla Blaze's Zena Moon website. Carla is the creator, candle-maker and sole proprietor of the Zena Moon candle-making business.

Back at the blog, I read about her 30-day personal journey she called My Sacred Life wherein she posted daily a photo from her daily life capturing something that connected her to Spirit, like her prayer beads, candles, family, her garden, etc. Others joined the project and it became Sacred Life Sunday. It seemed like a wonderful idea to me but I already had so much on my plate that I never really got started with it. After checking back to her blog several times, and feeling the pull to take this journey myself, I finally decided to give it a go. So, here goes...

It may seem strange to some people, but I find an exquisite peace when I'm visiting a cemetery. Both of my parents passed on in the last year and a half and I felt the pull to visit them where they rest.

I enjoy walking or driving the paths of the cemetery no matter what the season. In winter, there's a chilly stillness and the trees show off their majesty.

The cemetery in spring and summer feels like a garden with the pretty flowers, winding paths and leaves fluttering in the wisp of a breeze. Autumn is my favorite time to visit. I love the riotous display of colored leaves playing the perfect contrast to the dark and sometimes decaying headstones. The cool breeze has a faint burning scent and everything seems so rich; just dripping with vibrancy. It's an odd word to use when talking about a cemetery but that's how I see it.

It's always interesting to walk around and look at the names and dates on the headstones and wonder about the life that person led. Can you tell anything from a name?

I'm glad I went to visit my parents today and I'm glad their site is not far from where I live. I don't think their spirit is there in that cemetery, no matter how romantic that would seem. I believe their spirits are soaring elsewhere and I hope to see them again one day. I'd like to let them know I appreciate their efforts with me and that I understand that as parents, we don't always know what we're doing, we just try to do our best. I want them to know that I'm trying my best with my son.

The Sacred Life Sunday objective is to get us thinking about what connects us to Spirit and I have to say that spending time in cemeteries, especially this one, helps me connect.