SOUL CrossTraining

Today I finished filling the pages of this particular journal.  As I look back and recount where I've been I realize the necessity of journaling.  Page 1 --  South Africa - May 4, 2011 (visiting a township school) Even writing these words seem unbelievable.  Today was our first full day here.  From a distance the children here appear to be like the children I see at home, dressed in their school uniforms scurrying between classes.  But as I come closer, as I step toward them and only slightly deeper into their world I begin to see the evidence of their hard lives.  A scarred face, a deformed hand, the blind eye that wanders.  Some of their eyes are dulled by what they have seen.  The hearts ache because of what they have endured.

When something has been lost we become more aware of its significance.    Today, I choose to sit down and take a lunch break before allowing the urgent to-do list to crowd out the thoughts of my morning.  As I grabbed my to go lunch order, the empty patio table placed in the warm sun caught my eye and begged me to sit for a spell.  What I now realize is, my soul needed a moment to rest and reflect.   As I sat I noticed numerous elderly mothers and their middle aged daughters.  Some seemed to be enjoying a light-hearted conversation, talking about the next stops they would make checking off their to do list.  Some seemed to be planning and dreaming about the upcoming family celebrations.  While others seemed to hold a strained expression from possibly a past hurt or difficult circumstance being faced.   My morning entailed a visit to ...

Ran across this blog this morning.  Well worth reading the WHOLE thing...  I am reprinting the entire thing lest you choose to only read my soundbite.  http://communicatingacrossboundariesblog.com/  by Marilyn (who I admit right upfront I do not know at all --yet this is blog entry is well stated) here's the rest of the blog entry... I recently commented on an article that a friend had posted on a social media

Unrelenting drought conditions and searing temperatures prompted federal officials Thursday to declare more than half of Indiana and nearly a third of the nation a natural disaster area for ranchers and farmers, who have watched their crops wilt with each dry day.   Indianapolis Star   Let me start with the fact that although I live in Indiana, I am not a farmer.  I simply care for an assortment of perennials surrounding my patio while adding a few pots of annuals for a splash of color. And this year, that's been quite difficult.  I can't imagine the impossible task of trying to sustain acres and acres of crops when I am struggling to keep these small patches alive.  I miss the green grass and the variations of color and depth as my patio flower garden transforms itself throughout each season.  To be honest, I've pretty much given up on the perennials for this year... but I keep at the daily practice of watering my pots daily.  I'...

Been thinking about a sermon I just heard on  Self-Indulgence .  It's a BIG topic no doubt and  indulgences come in many shapes and sizes. There seems to be at least one indulgence that  fits each of us at one time or another.  It could be chocolate, caffeine, sweets, snacks, spending, irresponsibility, alcohol, fantasy, etc... I think you get the picture. The problem with  indulgence is the degree to which someone yields to a specific desire or inclination.  It's when you cater to a whim -- when you take action based on an immediate desire and seek gratification with little thought to the consequences or long term impact. Mostly the message was about honoring our bodies by eating and exercise. An encouragement for BALANCE in our diet coupled with EXERCISE or ACTIVITY.  It's a complex subject especially for those who struggle with weight and overall health--and in no way do I want to disc...