"Being Overweight is NOT the most interesting thing about me!"
-Kelly Grace Loeb 2008
I HEARD THIS QUESTION ASKED ON A RADIO STATION THIS MORNING AND THOUGHT IS WAS WORTH ANSWERING. . .
The flies at Olathe Lake are an assorted and hearty bunch, darting in and out between the crowds of other insects that inhabit the trunk of an old tree that I sometimes supply with mixed yummies during the warm months. Unlike the black ants who spend a huge amount of time chasing off intruders who happen upon their bounty, the flies have no problem sharing the goodies they find nestled within the cracks and holes of that old tree. They even sometimes scooch over to accommodate other insects as they enjoy the tasty treats.
Okay, a new year has slipped up on me. Wasn't ready for it, but since its here- might as well make good use of it. So I am thinking to myself; what will I do as a challenge this year? Sail in a hot air balloon- I would love that! Get back into photography, I take some darn good pictures! Go to seminary and see where that will take me.
I am Laurie, and for a long time I really didn’t know what that meant. Laurie. . . hum, she was quite a mystery to me. I have found bits and pieces of her in many unexpected places. My memory, in the memories of relatives and friends. I have found pieces of her in photographs and school books, scrap books and diaries. Pieces have floated to me in my dreams and nightmares and even through the eyes of a loving dog.
My dog Panda (Princess Pandora Ruth) passed away this year in August. Panda meant a lot of different things to me she was of course my friend, confidant, walking buddy, we were car ride enthusiasts, she was a protector, comforter, and hugger.
I first met ReLoris as she tumbled into my car window, fling in by a strong summer breeze. She was a magnificent display of orange, yellow, red and blue tinges sprinkled with black dots and scores. She began walking slowly across my lap, fluttering her wings and inspecting the area where she had haplessly landed. She stood quiet for a moment seemingly trying to get her bearings. I watched as she spread her brightly colored wings and did a slow recovery flutter and dance. ReLoris continued in a half circle on my lap and then stood perfectly still. She lifted her bright wings and held them high in the air and froze. I watched patiently waiting for her next move, which never came. It seemed ReLoris had found my lap to be a comfortable and safe place to take a quick snooze. Perhaps fighting the summer gusts had exhausted her to the point that any windless place was a treasure find. So there she stayed steady, still, asleep on my lap. I felt very honored that she had chosen my lap in which to find comfort and peace. And I wondered where could I go to get away from the harsh winds of my day, week, year?
It then occurred to me that my lap had not been chosen by ReLoris, that she had been whisked into this posture by no will of her own. Maybe, I thought, that is where one finds peace. When we are being carried away by the heavy unforgiving winds of whatever storm we are in the midst of, those same winds we battle against place us sooner or later in the lap of peace. The end result being the place we have searched for all our lives. A quiet berth of serenity brought to us by the strong, uncontrollable winds of life.
Members of StaytheCourse, I would like to ask you to join with me in making a group New Year’s resolution....... That this year, we will NOT focus on weight loss. We will not make any promises or plans, join any diets or workshops. We will resolve to take our godlike reverence off our weight and place it on something so much more worthwhile- ourselves.
We have done the same things year after year, made the same self promises, the same defeatable goals. We have worshiped this god of weight long enough, and he has not given us anything good or useful in return for our avid devotion.
So I therefore resolve, NEVER again-
Let’s promise to let go of our quest to FIND perfection for ourselves and turn our efforts into recognizing the perfection that is already in us. Quoting from the book Spiritual Economics by Eric Butterworth. . . "Realize that you do not change your self image by rejecting what you are, but by DISCOVERING what you are."
Let’s live in our perfection, just think about how you would live your life if all the flaws that you see in yourself just disappeared. How would you walk and carry yourself. How would you enter a room or meet new people. How would you present your ideas or go for your dreams? Live in your perfection. . . God does not make mistakes or errors. God made each of us exactly has She/HE would have us. We are perfect in God’s eyes, let’s discover that perfection in our own.
I will walk and talk and greet in my perfection. I will love and grow and give in my perfection. I will dwell and soar and exist in MY perfection. God has created us Larger than other people. . . to whom MUCH is given, much is expected!
Ring in this New Year by celebrating self- your perfect, wonderful, generous, beautiful, bold, dancing, living, wondrous self! Let’s leave the burden and worry of weight loss in 2008, it WILL come, when we are ready for it.
God’s gracious love and comfort to you and yours in the coming year. Happy Holidays and much Love to you all!
A Great Blue Heron was walking quietly at the edge of Olathe Lake slowly lifting one knobby kneed leg and settling it down, then the other; her gaze lowered towards the water she barely caused a ripple. Suddenly she stood statue still in pause. Without warning her bill swooped down towards the water and as she lifted her head there in her bill was a small wiggling fish; helplessly caught in the circle of life. The Great Heron lifted its beautifully long neck and positioned the small fish, then swallowed. The fish, caught sideways and sliding down the birds neck, squirmed fruitlessly. As he was literally consumed in his tragedy, knowing that all his struggling would not make a difference, I wondered what regrets he may of had once he understood his time was ending. Did he wish he had kissed his beloved mate goodbye that morning? Or wished he had hugged his kids, or had remembered to take out the garbage? Was he angry at the Heron or at God, or possibly himself as he struggled against absolute? I suppose we will never know if he took a moment to ask forgiveness for his life’s misdeeds or simply cursed God.
I could imagine how panicked and afraid he must have felt alone, powerless no one and nothing to save him from his fate.
I thought about how I live my life; skipping along not stopping to think that this may be my day, my time to be consumed within the circle of life.
What will I wish I had done differently at that moment of realization that I will soon exist no more? I want to imagine that my answer will influence the way I live my life from this moment forward.
Realizing I have no promise of tomorrow, that I too will die one day, I want to be remembered for the person I was and not for the wealth I amassed or the fleeting fame I fell into.
Remembered for the life I touched or may have changed, unknowingly, just by the way I loved God and walked in community.
All of these things would be worth my finale moments of breath and breathing, to be able to believe the way I lived may have impacted another person. And to have that other person. . . remember.
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