On A Different Note

Image from Twin Muses.com

Found this invitation in my inbox today. Am intrigued.

Perhaps this is just what I need right now.

In my efforts of Not Buying the current political and economic climates - I had already intended to take October as a personal retreat month. I feel that is really what's needed to maintain my spirit and sanity during these trying times.

Care to join me?

Are We in Nazi Germany?

In follow up to my last post, I am heartbroken to report this story.

Again, I ask, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO OURSELVES? AND EACH OTHER?

Please pray.

Please work for unity within your own town.

Please educate yourself and those you love to overcome prejudice and hatred.

Please keep Dayton in your thoughts as we struggle to form a loving, healing, unifying response to this atrocity.

Indeed, we have met the enemy.....and it is us.

(Ed. Note Sept. 30th In today's update, there is apparently no evidence that this was a hate crime. Thank goodness! However, it does bring to light the need for more unity, tolerance, patience, and understanding during these trying times. (And a hesitancy to repeat what we hear or read - or even believe it(!) - until all the facts are known.) )

FDR said it correctly, "This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

Go hear to see more insightful, relevant wisdom from his 1933 Inaugural Address.

IF YOU'RE NOT OUTRAGED...

YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION!!!!





A lot of us here in Ohio are in an uproar over this week's mass propaganda campaign. The DVD "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" was inserted into our newpapers and mailed to us FOR FREE! (see the NY Times site and this one for more info)


Smacking of blatant fear and war-mongering, I am not taking this lightly. Outrage barely begins to describe it!!!



Needless to say, this is one more thing about our country that I AM NOT BUYING!



There are SO many things WRONG with this attempt to polarize voters that it leaves me shaking my head in disgust and despair. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO OURSELVES?????



So...if you're in a swing voter state and you received one of the 28 million free copies that were sent out...please write and let me know your thoughts. Even if you didn't receive a copy, please do your part to participate in non-violent protest of some sort to let the people behind this crap know we will not fall into their trap.

I've been really trying hard to maintain my sense of peacefulness, hope, optimism, joy, gratitude, and balance during these past few months. When I got home last night and saw this in my mailbox, I must admit, the scales tipped towards righteous anger and indignation.

People, WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD!

So, today I will continue to focus on love, peace, justice, tranquility, equality, truth, happiness, generosity, etc. I will channel my frustration into loving nonviolent works of service...

Damn you John McCain, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and your war-mongering cronies!!!

Endings and Beginnings

In a way I'm glad we have examples of fiscal years rather than calendar years. This provides an option for a different perspective on finances. A new beginning, of sorts.

In my last post I mentioned that my initial experiment has gotten a bit off track as the year has progressed. This is, of course, mostly due to the fact that my spending as not adjusted to the new reality of my greatly reduced income. And while the things on which I choose to spend money have indeed changed, I still slip back to my old ways of rationalizing, grasping, acquiring unnecessary stuff.

So, I'm counting this month as another ending (of my 'old' ways) and a new beginning. Fiscal regrouping. Back on the horse of simple abundance and less materialism. Wise choosing from my higher self.

Will you join me?
More be-ing. Less do-ing.
More in the now.
Less in the past or future.
Enjoying what I have.
Indulging in the goodness of life.
Not necessarily more as better.
Living with less 'stuff' but far richer.
Will you join me?

And, just for reinforcement, here are some harvest photos from the new source of richness our lives this summer. Enjoy :-)

"Beauty is food for the soul."
~by Christine at BlissChick

The Wheels Are Off the Wagon

Oy!

These days it seems the best I can do is to monitor my spending while I watch the money fly, fly away.

Don't get me wrong, good (no, VERY good) things are happening in return. But the balance isn't quite there. I'm still looking for it desperately. Have you see it?

Summer travels. New, exciting friendships. Promising business directions and opportunities. Soaking in the simple, quiet, close-to-home moments and also the expansive experiences of feeling connected to everything that is. Wow.

Intense stuff is happening here.

And in the midst of it all, the spending. The finances. The mortgage. The gas. This bills. (They're all paid, whew!) And a brand new 12-month 0% interest credit card that will soon contain my newly acquired (once again) debt. :-0

This living La Dolce Vita is not without its cost. But, man, is it ever worth it!

How are things in your corner of the world?

Practice

I'm leaving today for BlogHer in SanFrancisco. Another chance to practice what I preach.

To be aware of my spending, my consuming, my acquiring...

I want to live in the present and soak in the experience. I want to come home full of memories and stories and photographs and tribal wisdom...not trinkets and souvenirs and stuff that will stay in the bag.

I will be selective in my choosing.

I will be mindful of my practice.

May joy, abundance, and simplicity be my traveling companions.

Peace to you,

Lisa

Empty Handed

Last night, for the first time in..well, I don't *know* how long...I left a bookstore without buying anything. And it felt wonderfully liberating!

I didn't even want to *go* to that store, but my husband requested we do so after dinner. I obliged. And you know what, I really didn't want to be there. This is huge for me!

I looked for one book I've been wanting. It wasn't available.

I walked back to my favorite part - the clearance section - where any number of treasures could be waiting for under $3.00. My eyes scanned the shelves and I actually picked out three or four books that I thought might be a good addition to my collection. But they did not resonate with me. I looked through them again. All three would have cost me less than $5.00. And I probably could have even asked my husband to pay for them. But, in the end, I decided they did not need to come home with me.

"Is there someone else who would be better served by owning this book right now?", I found myself asking. "This one, on love and relationships, do I need it? Or could it be a blessing to someone who is *really* struggling with love and life?"

The energy shifted. I *did*not*want*those*books.

It was an amazing moment.

Making the conscious choice to let go. To pass on. To freely, knowlingly make a choice for my higher good. Wow!

I actually did a little dance out in the parking lot. I threw my hands in the air...opening my arms wide...and twirled around. "I left a bookstore empty handed!", I announced to the world.

I gazed up at the rays of the sun bursting through a dark summer storm cloud. And felt tremendous joy, relief and liberation.

You see, my focus right now is on other things:

~The joy, pride, and satisfaction I will derive from spending time with female friends today as we gather for brunch, chatting, and crafty fun (we're making garden troughs!).

~The amazing feeling I will have preparing and sharing my homegrown salad. (I carefully, deliberately, ritually clipped, washed, rinsed, spun, and refrigerated the ingredients last night.)

~The tremendous peace, excitement and anticipation I feel about going to San Francisco this week (THIS WEEK!!!) for BlogHer.

~A sense of 'right-ness' and contentment with my life - even in the midst of many messy unresolved things and relationship. Knowing I am on the right path and *owning* my part of the journey.

Yes, my hands may have been void of books last night, but my arms and life are so full of others treasures. I am blessed beyond measure. Hallelujah and Amen!


Value is not made of money,
but a tender balance of expectation and longing.

~Barbara Kingsolver
in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle