Wonder of the World - 4

Truffle, my miniature schnauzer wonder of the world

I'm an animal lover.  I'm crazy about dogs.  In fact, I can't remember a time when I wasn't enamored with all canines. 

I've had all sorts of animals as pets -- it started simply enough as a small child as a puppy beagle (Snoopy) and I tumbled and grew up together.  Then I had an assortment of rabbits and fish.  Finally Mom gave in to Dad and I and we brought home my little brother -- an all black Cocker Spaniel named Mr.  I cried on him, played endlessly with him, he got me through high school and more, Mr. was a wonderful dog.

As an adult, I've had llamas, goats, chickens, more dogs, fish, turtles, cats, rabbits, and perhaps another here and there.  Some are just pets that I enjoy, but others I've had incredible and rather uncanny relationships with.

In some traditions animals are understood to bring or represent certain divine powers.  There are those who believe that a relationship with a chosen animal provides a powerful connection to a source greater than one without said animal or pet.

 I'm blessed to say they I have experienced that holy connection on several occasions.  I'm not particularly a cat person, but I had an almost human relationship with a mama barn cat in the past.  She would nap with me and a chicken outside on the hammock, and she even told me where to find an injured animal.  She and I had a relationship that filled me with wonder.

There are so many animals that delight me.  Giraffes are a particular favorite, as I love feeding them and having that 18 inch black tongue wrap around my hand in search of a biscuit.  Dolphins are common favorites and I had a chance to swim with them and be mesmerized by their beauty.  I adored the baby goats who made their nursery on our back porch--they made me giggle as they sprang straight up in the air.  Animals are a gift to amaze us.  Animals are to be treasured and respected.

My two year old miniature schnauzer,  Truffle is that animal with whom I have a strong bond presently.  She and I spend every day together.  It amazes me how loving and loyal she is, how patient and tolerant she is.  Some day I should try to count how many times she makes me smile and laugh.  Truffle provides me with a sense of calm in the midst of each day.  If she isn't within reach, I stopped what I'm doing and search for her.

My fourth Wonder of the World is the relationship we are privileged to have with the four legged beings surrounding us. 

My Wonders of the World -- Number 3

Dad and Mom, Dick and Marylin Knight during the year of my birth. 

 Mom and I were on the phone and I was attempting to describe the love I have for my children. I was overwhelmed by the depth of love,  my heart was so full, it was brimming over.  As is often the case, we are at a loss for adequate words when it comes to the subject of love.  This moment was intense with emotion and I fumbling for the right words.  I wanted my message to be heard and understood.

The was a silence on the other end of the line.

"Honey," Mom began gently. "Do you realize that's how much I love you?'

There was another silence. I didn't know what to say.

My Mom full of life and love.

What an epiphany.  I knew my parents loved me -- blah, blah, blah -- they have to say that.  They are required to love me.  Somewhere during adolescence and early adulthood I'd lost touch with that connection between parent and child with me still in the child role.  Even though I was a parent, I was still a daughter.

I was completing lost in the love I had for my children -- I was confident in that love -- I would give my life for theirs without an hesitation.

For the first time, I was realizing that someone had that same love for me.  Wow.  It was a wonder -- a great wonder to behold.  It was a wonder that I had walked right into the middle of and had never opened my eyes to see it.  Now that my eyes were opened, I couldn't believe I had missed it for so long.

"Oh ... wow," was about all I could say in response to Mom's comment.  "I'd never thought of that before."  She didn't say a whole lot more, but I could just hear her smiling wide, pleased that I'd finally figured out her gift of wonder to me.

This wonder is the other side of My First Wonder of the World, but it is important enough, and life changing enough to have its own number.  Whatever our age, we were still the son or daughter of someone, and they love(d) us with a great love.

My Wonders of the World -- Number 2

Falling deeply, madly, passionately, totally in love  and the completeness that brings a person is the second Wonder of the World from my perspective.  Certainly that are several components of romantic or erotic love that are intoxicating -- from the first glance of attraction, time and attention directed your way, a proposal of marriage, the first tender kiss, to the surrender of love making. 

I remember is 7th grade I had progressive crushes on three different boys named Jim.  All my free time was spend mooning for each one.  I wrote "Jim" over and over again on my school folders.  It came in handy that I didn't have to purchase a new folder with the beginning of each new crush.

It took me a lot of year and a herd of failed relationship to learn that a long term relationship/marriage/partnership requires physical, emotional, social, spiritual and sexual connection.  When all those attractions and combinations are present -- that's a love to savor. That's a soul mate and a relationship to surrender to.

My husband in my precious best friend who supports me, balances me, attracts me, is proud of me, makes me laugh, and makes me proud.  After 11 years of marriage, my heart leaps when Dave comes home.  My heart melts when he embraces me.

There is an intimacy deeper than sexual and its a profound sharing of the emotional and spiritual awareness of self and one another.  When it is present, it is palpable.  When it isn't present, we often try to create it from lesser attractions.  Truly making love requires attraction in all the areas of relationship.

My Wonders of the World -- Number One

 




My two teacher of that which is wonder-filled -- my daughter, Arden and son, Nicholas.

 Without a micro second of hesitation, my first thought of what in all of life is a wonder of the world, is having children.  No wait a minute, don't think I'm being all emotionally gooey and saying what a mother of two is supposed to say! From the moment I knew that I was pregnant with my first child -- that was March 17th of 1992 -- I was also pregnant with a great sense of awe in the creation of life.  I carried with me a true sense of the sacred when my children were "being knitted together in my womb" as the Christian scriptures beautifully describe.

During the process of birthing itself, I will save you from any vivid descriptions or thoughts.  Dr. La Fleur did have to spend some time convincing me that women do, indeed, live through the process and have for some time.  I will never forget that moment of delight when I was told each child was healthy and beautiful.  Each new born was placed in my arms immediately after that initial check.  My heart melted and I haven't been the same since.

Arden

 At each stage of their lives, my life has been touched in ways that are beyond summarizing in this tiny space. Now they are young adults who have my respect as well as my love.  I am filled with wonder.

Nicholas

A Wonder of the World

A view of magnificent proportions

 It is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World -- now I know why!  The Grand Canyon in Arizona is truly amazing.

With two cameras around my neck, sensible shoes on my feet and my mouth open with unabashed awe -- I wasn't ashamed if I look like the tourist that I was.

My husband and I took a week to visit his daughter and family in Arizona -- a great time with our grand daughters -- Alexis and Megan.  For this visit I was determined to set my eyes on this place that is to not be missed in one's life time.

I did find myself wishing that I'd paid more attention to Professor Corliss in Geology 101 as it would have informed my understanding of the ancient history that was unfolded, layer by layer before my eyes.

After a couple of vantage points, I'd taken in all that I could


Dave and I with the Canyon in the background/

and we set out to meander through some souvenir shops -- the tackier the better. We weren't even to the truck before I began drafting my own list of wonders.  Who made up these lists, anyway?  The Seven Wonders of the World -- The Seven Geological Wonders of the World -- The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.   

I am grateful to say that I have seen another wonder or two -- I've stood in awe on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, I became separated from my husband and a bit lost for a while when I saw the Parthenon on the Acropolis of Ancient Greece and I've stood before the massive pool that reflects the exotic Taj Mahal in India.  These were all experiences that literally took my breath away (especially the getting lost part).

 

But as I continued to ponder what I would place on my list of seven wonders, I'm not sure I would list those wonderful destinations.  In the next few days, I'd like to share with you the wonders that made my list.  I hope you will be inspired by The Seven Wonders of Karen's Corner of the World.

 

 

One Perfect Word

A prominent book on my shelf this year.

The fresh slate enabled by the coming of a new year is a welcome reward after surviving yet another year.  It is good to turn the page, start a new chapter, or perhaps even close the book and begin something completely new.  Though I wouldn't consider myself a junkie, I am always on the look out for the next book or program that might inspire.  For the last two years, a sale table has provided such a book.

During the first week of 2013, I meandered my way down the aisles at T.J. Max, one of my favorite places to find hidden treasures.  I have enjoyed 2 or 3 of Debbie Macomber's novels and saw her name on a nonfiction hardback for only $3.  I used to think that cheap meant it was a dismal failure -- not true, just perhaps under appreciated.

The first novel of her massive collection of works I discovered was "Twenty Wishes," a tale of hope and excitement about the future I can highly recommend.  I wondered how her nonfiction would be.

Even with a 20 plus year background in Christian ministry, I find most religious self help books insulting, fluffy and downright useless.  I was afraid Macomber would go the same direction, but she surprised me with a powerful read.  She puts forth her Christian beliefs in a simple matter of fact manner that attracts and disarms rather than the usual "shoving it down one another's throat" approach.  Thank you Debbie.

The gist of this book is that you find a meaningful word that you can live closely with for a year.  You put the word places where you can see it daily, study it, use it, live with it, chew on it, needlepoint it -- discover the depth of its meaning for you in a profoundly intimate way that takes you further on your spiritual journey.  Macomber shared from a number of years of her experience with having one perfect word each year.

I am a word person.  The power of words is unarguable. The power of one word can be razor like.  The power of a word that one has been inspired to grow with can be life changing.

With endless possibilities before me I couldn't wait to find my word for all of 2013.  I pondered the words-- "family," "journey," "love," and a few more.  Much of what I hope to do this year requires me to create and to fully engage in that act.  My perfect word is CREATE.

My perfect word, placed gently in a nest, waiting to be hatched, ready to grow with me.

 So create I shall!  In a multitude of ways I will create.  Already I have begun to see those six letter penned everywhere.  I suddenly hear it in sentences with implications bearing forth that I'd never seen before.  I do love an adventure and there is one being created to last me more than a year.

Post Christmas Thoughts

I love Christmas.  I mean I really love it.  I love most everything about Christmas -- the festive gatherings, giving gifts, receiving gifts, baking, eating what I've baked, eating what everyone else has baked, going to a party, making special gifts and on it goes.  As a rule, I get so busy and so excited over the holidays I get sick.  Out of my 50 Christmases, I may have been healthy for five of those.  I just get so wound up and burnt out, that I crash and burn at some point in December.  I really wish I didn't do that, but I don't foresee me changing much at this point in my life.

Even as a kid, I'd get so excited and sick that my parents would give me an early gift on my Dad's birthday (December 16), just to try to let off a little bit of the steam of excitement.  In retrospect, I really could have worked that even more to my advantage.

Not a single post got made regarding the Christmas season and I had a hopper full of ideas.   Here's some of the thoughts I've been hanging on to--

Christmas Thought #1

I haven't watched the children's movie "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" since my kids were small, but I just delighted in letting myself watch the whole thing.  I hadn't remembered that reindeer could be as nasty as pre-teen girls with an attitude. What I did remember was that it wasn't Rudolph that had to change for his uniqueness to be celebrated -- it was the attitude of everyone else.  Once Santa realized what the one thing was that glowing red snozz could be used for, all was well for Rudy. 

So let's not wait for someone to name our worth, let's name it and claim it for ourselves!  I'd wager we each have something that we are harassed for or about, everyone has something about themselves that causes them to not quite fit in to the mainstream.  I say -- let's put the fun back in and figure out what gifts we have to offer.  We, you and I, have something no one else can bring to the world -- what is it?

Christmas Thought #2

Gift buying is both a blast and an awful experience depending on who I am buying for.  There are some people who will love whatever you give them because they are just thankful people who can see the treasure in the gift and the giver.  And then there are those people who won't like what you give them regardless of the amount of time, energy and money you spend on them.  These are the people that keep me up at night!  I've finally decided that this is their problem and not mine.  I do my best to choose something that is appropriate to that person and their likes and I offer it with love.  That is my end of the exchange and I hope for the best.   I'll move my energy on to something a bit more edifying.

Christmas Thought #3

Believe what you believe and embrace it.  I spend so many years trying to keep Santa out of my Christmas because others made me feel guilty.  As children came along, I agonized over the role I would give Santa in their holiday.  I celebrate the whole darned package and love it.  I believe in Jesus as the divine Son of God and I believe in the place of Santa as a chapter in the story of Christmas. 

There's a resale store in Fenton that I love!! I try to visit Fratz once a week just to see what treasures are new.  As a lover of nativities and Mrs. Claus, I kept close tabs on the Christmas section.  Early on I spotted a 2 foot tall Mary and Joseph that looked to be outdoor statues.  But there was no Baby Jesus to be found.  By the time Christmas was over, you could purchase this very nice 2/3 of a nativity scene for about $7.00.  It was a great buy, but a significant part of the set was missing.  Who wants a Mary and Joseph? It's not a bargain if it isn't what you want!  If you don't believe it, there's no use trying to buy into it.

Christmas Thought #4

Be fully present where you are -- not only during the holidays, but always.  It is difficult to fully enjoy a gathering with friends when you are already worrying about the plate of snacks you are taking to another party in two days, and so on and so forth.  One of the biggest challenges in life is to learn this lesson -- to savor each moment when you are in it.  Life will be so much tastier this way!!

Now we are on to the New Year.  This is a time full of new beginnings and new possibilities.  I'm ready.