Saturday, June 30, 2012

Just Checking In

Well, it's a day or two beyond the mid-point of my AA experience...

and so far, it's been super!

I've gotten to see so many people, revisit places I love, and enjoy the slow pace

that comes with being here for more than just a few days, including:

Two wonderful nights at the "Cluck Resort"

which included a fun lunch with Marilyn and Pam

(aka 3/4 of the First Ladies Trio...we miss you, Mary!)

at Hickory Street;

two nights at Wisteria Place with Mother and the FUN BUNCH at her table, including worship at FBC and visits with lots of wonderful people there;

Three nights with Sister Sus, just hanging out and enjoying sistertime...

which included a grand reunion with the "Sisterhood" at Coco's,

Behind the Red Door;

Monday with Marsha, scooting over to San Angelo and back with lots of redeco goodies;

The best of times at Rolanda's on Thursday for a gathering of HMC girlfriends

for hugs and laughs and lots of story-telling;

Friday with Karla in downtown Abilene, with lunch at the Loft,

a tour of all things Seuss at the Cockrell and the CCA,

a great time at Abilene Printing with forever friends, Susie and Harlan, a spontaneous drop-in at the little Riverside house and a laugh-filled visit with Rob and Linda, and good times with more precious neighbors, Newt and Carol on Elmwood;

Then a rendezvous with Rob AND Rich and Deb,

straight from San Antonio for dinner at Abuelo's
and then out for a hooting good time seeing "Bernie" at the Century.

So, can it get any better than this?

Well, we'll see.

So far, recovery has been very, very good to me.

Stay tuned!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

AA

When I go to my blogsite now, I think,

"justemmyhere",

does that really fit anymore?

And then I remember where it all started:

November 24, 2010

It's the day before Thanksgiving, and for reasons I cannot fully explain,

I've decided to create a blog site.

Before I think myself out of it, I'm going to trust M.E.

(that's my new grandmother name) and just go with it.

I've had the pleasure of spending the past several days with my older grandson,
Caleb, and it's his recent spelling of my grandmother name
that prompted this blog site.

I've gone by Emmy since he was a baby,

but when he created a piece of artwork for me the other day, he wrote, "For M.E.".

I like it! As the saying goes, "Wherever you go, there you are."

In fact, the older I get, the more comfortable I am with the M.E.

that just keeps showing up to be present, aware, and grateful for what is.

So, today, among so many things, I am grateful for Caleb and his innocent wisdom

in reminding me of who I am...just M.E.

It's usually enough, you know.

Just M.E. I am, always have been, and will continue to be.

So, as I leave for AA,

(Abilene Adventure)

and 2+ weeks reuniting with friends and family,

today's NEPO seems oh so appropriate:

The Presence of God

I looked a hundred times and all I saw was dust.

The sun broke through and flecks of gold filled the air.

"Consider how the sun continually lights our daily world, yet

we cannot see light except in what it touches.

In the same way,

the presence of God powerfully moves between us unseen,

only visible in the brief moments we are lighted,

in those enlivened moments

we know as

love.

Our gentleness of heart allows us to see and be seen.

It makes our search for love a humble one.

For what is there to do but

grow in the open

and wait."

Yes, there are so many sources of LIGHT in Abilene,

people and places that represent the loving presence of God to me,

and these two-and-a-half years in Lubbock have given me

the time and space

"to grow in the open and wait",

eventually finding LIGHT here as well.

Returning to my roots now feels like my next great

ADVENTURE!

Wow! Thanks, Rosa...

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Air after Pain

Live for the air after pain (time-out)

and there will be no reason to run (resist).

Mark Nepo

(M.E.'s take)

Today Mark hits the nail on the head for me when he talks about

how we attempt to escape the inevitability of pain in our life.

He says:

So many times, in our despair, we see our pain as

something that will never end.

In fact, this often defines our moments of despair: when we believe

that our pain contains the rest of us.

In contrast, there is this sense of peace to work toward:

the belief that our life contains our pain.

I like to think of Jeff Foster's use of oceans and waves as the analogy here.

My life is the ocean.

Pain is the wave that appears from time to time.

But pain is not the ocean.

The ocean is the big picture, and pain-waves do arise from time to time.

And yet, they are NOT and never can or will be

THE OCEAN,

the bigger picture of my life:
Where
GOD
IS.

Here's the meditation for today:

Center yourself and focus on a physical or emotional pain that is with you.

As you inhale, bring in all that is larger than your pain.

As you exhale, release the pain into the larger air that is pain-free.

As you repeat this, focus on the moments that are pain-free,

and invite them to expand.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Fun Class!

Free slideshow design customized with Smilebox

Even this!

Miracle? Syncronicity? Just LIFE happening?

Whatever you want to call it...it's pouring in today!

Everyone has a song in their heart.

Everyone has a reason for being here and a season for making their highest, greatest most auspicious contribution.

No one knows what that is or when that is for anyone else. Only our own heart knows what and when it is for us.

Your heart wants to sing. Don't die with your music still within you.

There is a reason for everything and a purpose to your life.

Too many fail to listen to the song in their heart and therefore fail to find their purpose and their part.

What makes your soul sing and your heart dance? Actually you heart is your soul and you are both! Ask this one question of yourself but don't be in a hurry to answer it.

Live in the question for a day, a week, a month. Let it invite your heart to speak to you.

And when you are absolutely sure what your heart is saying is true then begin to invoke the changes necessary in your life so that you live in alignment with your song. Be patient with this.

''I trust that everything happens for a reason, even when we're not wise enough to see it ''Oprah Winfrey.

Thanks, sister Susan, for another JUST-in-TIME message for today!

And then...this! Talk about a wider view...thanks, Nienie, for making it real!

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2012

Just yesterday I expressed my concern to Lucy about how

I was not looking forward to the weather getting warmer.

While it is true it is super uncomfortable to have burned skin in the sun,

I also feel super self-conscious about it too.

Just last summer was I able to free any concerns I had with my arms.

I am finally wearing short-sleeved shirts with little worry,

but my legs are a different story.

I am not there yet.

The burns were so extensive that they actually changed shape.

They are smaller and kind of disproportionate to the parts on my legs that were not burned.

In other words, they kind of look funky.

But I have a few wonderful mid-calf skirts that I am dying to wear

and I am dying of heat in jeans everyday.

Today I decided to put one on.

I wasn't planning on going out so no one would see me.

Then Mr. Nielson wanted a sandwich,

then it was reveled that we had no bread.

I decided since it was later in the day not many people would

be at our favorite bread store to see my uncovered legs.

Just as I suspected, not too may people buying bread at that time.

I was in and out in minutes. Perfect.

Then I opened the back door of the car to put the bread in and the

vase that I was going to return to cousin Katie fell out and shattered. (sorry kate).

Within seconds a very nice guy came over and began picking up the pieces;

the pieces right under my feet where my bare legs were.

I was super self-conscious and I felt super stupid.

He was so very nice and then I thought it wasn't that big of a deal.

After, I was reminded of the great conversation I had with Dr. L. just a few minutes earlier.

He called from Phoenix to let me know he had seen this interview and he thought I looked great.

I felt happy he took the time out of his busy life to call and tell me that.

I joked with him and told him I looked so good because they had caked the make-up on me.

On my way home I stopped at Jamba Juice to get the children a smoothie.

Just my luck, no one was in line. I ran out of the car and up to the front of the line.

Just as I ended my order a bigger man and his ten year old daughter came up to me.

His voice was loud and he boldly said to me:

{my legs in a mid-calf skirt}

"My daughter wants to know what's wrong with you.
She wants to know why you look that way, and I want to educate her so she knows about different people. I don't mean to embarrass you, but I think its important she knows about people who look different than us."

I wanted to call Mr. Nielson and have him come rescue me, then I wanted to cry.

After trying my nicest I explained what had happened, he turned to this little girl and said:

"See, she is normal just like us"

After that, I grabbed my smoothies are ran out the door.

I was so sad.

I was super worried about showing some "skin",

and then pretty much decided never to go out alone again.

I came home nursed Lottie and made Mr. Nielson hold me.

Lottie doesn't care what I look like. I am Mama to her and always will be.

I asked Mr. Nielson to take me for a ride up the canyon on the motorcycle,

I needed to blow off some steam and have a good cry.

{Thanks LK for watching Lottie!}

I called niece Lindsay Kay to come up and watch the children.

As we drove the curved roads I let the worries, frustrations, sadness,

and disappointment blow away.

I have Mr. Nielson who loves me so much and actually thinks I am beautiful-seriously.

I have loving doctors who are genuine and so caring and a

family support system who would beat anyone up if I asked them to.

{I wouldn't do that!}

I came home to five beautiful children.

The house was a mess and dishes in the sink.

Dinner needed to be prepared and children bathed.

And it was wonderful.

POSTED BY STEPHANIE AURORA CLARK NIELSON

T Angel

Always showing up, just in time!

Thank you, Tenna

A Wide Horizon

The eyes experience less stress

when they can look upon a wider horizon.

--R. D. Chin

"So when you see someone stumbling forward

with a stone in their heart,

simply go near them and listen.

When the pains of living feel sharp,

open up your attention and give it freely,

and the connections will even out the sharpness.

When things feel heavy,

reach out to whomever is near

and distribute the weight."

Mark Nepo

June 19 Reading

The Book of Awakening

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Daddy's Day

What a tribute to daddys and the little people who love them!

http://www.maniacworld.com/stay-calm-dad.html

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Art appreciation...

At home in Rita's kitchen...

CutUps by Sarah Revisited

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo Book Tip: Create an adventurous travel photo album at Shutterfly.com.

Click here to view this photo book larger

The new way to make a photo album: photo books by Shutterfly.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Start your own Shutterfly Photo Book today.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Click here to create your own Shutterfly photo book.

GNI

Fun pizza and movie night with new friends...

Humble friend with her salad on a pedestal!

YUM! (Still humble...)

Wine tastings

Friday, June 15, 2012

Last C-Day in June

Photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox

For Daddy...by Caleb

Create your own ecard

Amazing Grace!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Courtesy Photo

Artist Sarah Mulkey will present a free workshop "Enhanced Photo Art 101" at the Heritage House, June 19.

Enhanced Photo Art 101 Workshop

June 19, 6:30 p.m.

Published June 12, 2012 @ 3:06 p.m.

A free workshop, “Enhanced Photo Art 101,” will be presented by Sarah Mulkey at the Heritage House, 109 No. Avenue N in Post, Tuesday, June 19 at 6:30 p.m.

The workshop will help participants learn how to transform photos into original works of art. Come and learn this technique and use it to create original gifts – it’s not too early to begin planning for Christmas!

Sarah Mulkey is a musician and artist who lives and works in Lubbock. “The possibilities are truly limitless,” Mulkey said, explaining her process for creating art with her computer. “I teach a few simple steps and techniques that can ease photographers/artists/human beings into this playground of photo-transformations. It is not rocket science!”

The free workshop is open to anyone in the community; however, you must be 16 yr. or older to attend and there will be no accommodations for children.

This is the second in a “Summer Learning” series sponsored by the Caprock Cultural Association and made possible by a grant from Xcel Energy Foundation. The next workshop will teach participants how to repair/restore vintage photos. It is scheduled for June 26, 6:30 p.m. at the Heritage House.

Call 806-495-4148 for more information.