SKY WATCH FRIDAY

View from Hiway 18, San Bernardino, Ca mountains

For beautiful pics from around the world go here: http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Thursday June 11, 2009


HARMONY

Last week, to celebrate spring, renewal, and my birthday, we purchased a juicer. The idea of having our own fresh juice appealed to us in this time of searching for ways to promote new healthy growth and harmony in our bodies. I keep my eyes and ears open to ways to optimize the remaining good health I have. And for ways to build on that health.
Other than some decrease in stamina and some shortness of breath that is more asthma than anything else, I have no obvious signs or symptoms of the battles being waged in the inside of me.

Fruit juice is heavenly tasting and I thoroughly enjoy a large glass of fresh juice, especially on a hot day. It really seems to quench my thirst better than anything else. But vegetable juice is another story. I have never liked it, having tried it many times in my life, always thinking, Its been a long time since the last foray into juice conciousness. Always, one small sip and I was done. Too, way too veggie dull broccoli tasting. And that was that.
So I plugged in my new juicer and did the oranges, apples, grapes, and a couple of small carrots as a bow to the veggies.

But I had promised my self I would do whatever it would take to improve my health. Because it was a promise to myself, I had to keep it.
I put a few handfulls of spinach leaves in the juicer, a large group of broccoli, some celery stalks, some carrots, and an apple for sweetness.The juice dripping out of the juicer spout was as green as green can be. I thought, oh yuck, why did I make that promise. Now I have to keep it. Darn!

The moment of reckoning had arrived. I dipped my spoon into the green liquid and thought about the wicked witches brews.Green dragons blood, with werewolf tears and bats eyes, and other creepy things floating around crossed my mind. I closed my eyes and took a sip. Hmmm.
I took another sip, and another and then dipped my cup into the bowl, and drank the green glop.
The creepy stuff was kinda good. Not as good as fruit juice, but OK.
What a pleasant surprise.The apple sweetened the juice so it was more palatable to my sugar jaded taste buds.
So I am geared up and healthy for my Reality Show date with the chemo brothers this week.
With Gods help, I will be the winner, the # 1 best contestant in the Reality show this week and every week.

Just call me 'Juicey.'

I am learning to accept Gods promise. He promises He will answer my prayers for a healed body

ONE PERSON

One person can make a difference. Nowhere is that more evident than with the story of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life®, which began in Tacoma, Washington, as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.
In the mid-1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon, wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed—running marathons.

In May 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma for more than 83 miles. Throughout the night, friends paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him. He raised $27,000 to fight cancer. That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Klatt's friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course.
While he circled the track those 24 hours, he thought about how others could take part. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Months later he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.
In 1986, 19 teams took part in the first team relay event on the track at the colorful, historical Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000. An indescribable spirit prevailed at the track and in the tents that dotted the infield.
Since that first Relay For Life® event, millions have joined the cause all over the world, making Relay the largest fundraising event in mankind’s history.
My children, ( Larry, Sherrie, and grandaughter Autumn ) have a Relay For Life team dedicated to me called Ray Of Light. That Relay race will be held in Chico, Ca. April 25-26 2009. Many other Chico teams will participate, also.
I had planned on joining them for the festivities next month, but I don't know if that will be possible this year. I am supposed to start chemotherapy at about that time in April. That is the most important activity for me right now.
So never think that because you are just one person, that your little contribution won't make a difference. Anything you can do to make the world a better place is important , from helping to clean up the oceans and beaches, to walking in Relay marathons to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
I'm sure there is a Relay For Life near you. Google it and find your town or city.

HOPE

Hope is a belief in a positive outcome. Hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had, or events can turn out for the best. Hope can be passive such as a wish or a prayer. Or it can be active, as in a plan, sometimes against all popular belief, but with a persistent personal action to execute the plan. Consider a P.O.W. who never gives up hope for escape, and against all odds, plans and accomplishes his escape.
So we make our plans and say our prayers. And build our Hope.
We must, regardless of the obstacles life puts in our path, continue to bolster and encourage Hope. To make it of primary importance, and to keep Hope strong, and not let it diminish. We must make our plans for our escape from whatever demon has us by the throat, whether physical, mental, emotional or imagined.

So, day by day, say a prayer for the accomplishment of your plan for escape. Write it down on a piece of paper, and review and update it often. Have a clear plan of action, and stick to that plan of action.

Part of your plan could be to communicate more with people that are like-minded, that are uplifting and are positive thinking. People that can give you support, and caring. Friends that understand and Love you.
If your goal seems impossible, the more important it is to build on that Hope.And to build your network of caring friends.
Finding a group for survivors of your demons, is extremely beneficial, and can be a good learning experience.The support and verbal exchange is phenomenal, and would be well worth your effort.
The time you spend in prayer is of utmost importance, and the conversations with God will help save your life.

'With God all things are possible.' Matthew 19:26

ZEN-ZAGGING THROUGH LIFE

My posting is a comment about Roz Savages latest blog entry. Her article titled, "The Ocean-Rowers 5 step Programme to Zen Acceptance" provoked my interest.

Here I quote Rozs' 5 steps:
1. Indignation that "it shouldn't be this way!"
2. Frustration and anger as fight against reality escalates
3. Crisis and catharsis (yell therapy is good for this - and in the middle of the ocean, nobody can hear you scream...)
4. Grudging acceptance
5. Recognition that there is something positive to be found in every situation, and that the greater the suffering, the greater the learning. To grow you have to get outside your comfort zone, and getting outside your comfort zone is (duh!) UNCOMFORTABLE!

And that invaluable sixth stage.... telling the story over a pint of beer afterwards - which we can call celebrating one's achievements, and saying, "Well, hey, haven't I come a long way."

Read her article first, then come back to this page for my comments.
http://rozsavage.blogspot.com/
The Ocean-Rowers 5 Step Programme to Zen Acceptance


My comments:

ZEN-ZAGGING THROUGH LIFE

Hi Roz, I just read your 5 steps to Zen acceptance, and was really struck by how those ideas fit into my life and learning right now. Thought provoking to say the least. I am a cancer survivor, although I recently discovered I have lung metastasis. So acceptance is a BIG part of life right now.
Lets see how the 5 steps fit in my life:

1.Indignation: it shouldn't be this way. I should NOT have cancer because I don't deserve it!

2.Frustration and anger as fight against reality escalates: I have not noticed a lot of anger. Doesn't mean its not there; I just haven't noticed it. Yet. But I have a great deal of frustration. Frustration with the medical system. Frustration with myself for being 'ill.' Frustration with cancer, frustration with the waiting game...etc.

3.Crisis and catharsis: I have had several 'meltdowns' and did some screaming and yelling. Some crying too. It seems to help at the time, but right around the corner, there is always a new level of crisis and a new challenge to work through.

4.Grudging acceptance: I love this phrase. It describes me and my attitude after a yelling/crying session. I feel it doesn't matter if its done grudgingly.' Acceptance is acceptance and will carry you safely through to the next crisis.The grudging part moderates some with time and becomes acceptance.This is where I can begin to look at the positives.

5.Recognition that there is something positive to be found in every situation, and that the greater the suffering, the greater the learning. To grow you have to get outside your comfort zone, and getting outside your comfort zone is (duh!) UNCOMFORTABLE: Is it ever, makes me antsy and squirrely and sometimes stubborn as a mule( I WILL do it MY way). I will, with Gods help, find a way to live and thrive and share my story.Looking forward to chemotherapy will start the whole process over again.

6.Celebration: YES!I've made it this far(14 months after diagnosis)so I will continue to 'make it.'

Thanks Roz, for these ideas. They are a concise view of the process we all go through at some time or other. If our most important thing in life is inner growth, then this road map will help us stay on the path.

Sunset in the San Bernardino mountains

I am a sucker for a sunset picture.

HAPPINESS BARRIER #6: NAVEL-GAZING

SOLUTION:CONNECT WITH OTHERS

From WEBMD.com

How important are social networks to your happiness? Perhaps even more important than you realized. A recent 20-year study of more than 4,000 people showed that happiness is influenced not just by your immediate friends and family. The happiness of a friend of a friend of a friend -- someone you’ve never even met -- can also influence your happiness. It turns out that happiness can spread through social networks, like a virus.

Unfortunately, many people spend so much time by themselves navel gazing, they don’t benefit from this positive “contagion.”
The more self-absorbed you are, the more your world closes in, and the less realistic you become, all of which produces a vicious circle. “You become oblivious to the needs of others, and the world shrinks still more, making you less able to see outside yourself.” If asked, ‘Why are your problems so special?” says Jinpa, you might respond, “Because they’re mine!”
“If you have such a huge ego, you’re setting yourself up as a huge target, which can easily get hit,” Jinpa says. But using a “wide-angle lens” instead helps you see connections you wouldn’t otherwise see, such as the universality of suffering. All it may take is having a loved one diagnosed with a serious disease to realize how many people are grappling with similar challenges. Feeling joined by others on this journey provides some comfort and happiness.
The straightest path to making connections like these? Compassion and caring for others.
Even primates seem to understand this, says Robert M. Sapolsky, PhD, author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers and research associate with the Institute of Primate Research at the National Museum of Kenya. Primates that groom each other after a stressful event experience a reduction in blood pressure. The clincher? Grooming others has a greater impact than getting groomed, says Sapolsky.
Compassion engages us with others, removes isolation, builds resilience, and leads to deep fulfillment, says Doty. “Without compassion, happiness is simply short-lived pleasure.”
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, may have said it best: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion; if you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

HELLO GOD, I HAVE A PROBLEM........

RECOVERY

I have a friend that gets down on himself and is easily thrown into the self-disgust attitude, because he is not doing recovery 'right.'

Recovery is only recovery, a part of life, and can be kept in perspective. Its not easy but it can be done. My recovery is up and down as with anything in life. Mostly its moderate, no terrific highs, but alternatively not much of the lows.

But what defeats me, what is my demon, my enemy, my disaster always, sooner or later, is my..........computer.
I got my first computer in 1995, and it has been a love/hate romance ever since. I really love this personal friend, helpmate,tedious task doer and efficiency expert.
But sometimes, sometimes I hate this machine, this devil, the scourge of my life, this destroyer of my inner peace, slaughtering my equilibrium and my happiness. Partly it is because the mechanics of learning and trying to keep up-to-date on all the computer gizmos and gadgets, shows me in stark detail how incompetent I feel when dealing with this wonderful product of miniturization.
My son, while trying to teach me the basics of computing, always said, 'The computer only does what you tell it to do,' but I guess I often tell it the wrong things to do, because thats exactly what it does. The wrong things. And I spend hours trying to figure it out. Simply because I am usually too stubborn to ask for help. Since tech support has gone mostly out the window, I have to rely on family and friends. What a quick way to ruin a nice, friendly relationship.
I was just trying to put some of my INTENTIONS on itunes, so anyone can access them. But NO!! I followed the directions, many times, over and over, but no change in the status. I kept getting a stupid error message.
And thats the way life is, I feel. A serious challenge rears its ugly head and we are stuck.We try and try, to do everything ourselves and not 'bother' anyone with our problems. Then finally we get to the bottom of 'our' barrel and begin calling friends, neighbors, family, until they are thinking about disowning us. They see our phone number on the caller ID and quickly walk away.
Times like this when we seem to be clueless, and are floundering, is the time to call tech support:
'Hello, God, sorry to bother you, but I have this problem.......
Works everytime.

THE PATH

Feb 22, 09

With a really white wonderland visible on all sides, it became apparent as soon as we tried to walk to our car that an immediate fix was needed. We have 4-5 ft of snow in our yard and driveway and more than that on our decks. The snow that has fallen off the roof and onto the deck, has piled up so high we can only see snow and the tops of the trees when we look out our windows.

When we went to a doctors appt a few days ago, we had to walk on top of the snow, because our path was nowhere to be found. The snow was fresh and very soft and powdery, and we would sink almost to our hips with each step. Since our driveway is about 100 feet long and steep, the journey was not a walk in the park. Then when we got home we had to walk up the driveway to get in the house.

Yesterday David grabbed the shovel and said, I'm going to fix this problem. So with due diligence, he began shoveling snow. Snow was flying.
Today, he is again shoveling for all he is worth to clear a safe path to the car.He would call out to me periodically to check his path. He wanted to make sure he was still going in the right direction.
We all have our own path to travel in this life, whether it is a short path or a lifelong path. We all need to make sure we are still on the path and haven't wandered into the deep snow, where you may get stuck. Call out for direction. Call out to someone in charge, someone that knows more than you , someone that can see the whole picture.
Call out to God. He knows the whole story and has a direction for you.

'Never will I leave you.
Never will I forsake you.'
....Hebrews 13:5


Many Years ago, David played keyboards with The Ides Of March. Ides was Jim Peteriks band. Then Jim went on to later, start the band, Survivor. David wasn't with that band,
But he DID play some of the keyboards on Survivors 'Burning Heart'.

THE BUTTERFLIES SONG

One of the most beautiful sights in the world is a butterfly, flitting from flower to bush and back to the flowers. Legend mixed with myth has made this little insect a powerful visual influence.

The sheer beauty of a whole flock of butterflies is prominent in the Butterfly Children Legend of the Papago Indian tribe of the Sonoran desert of Arizona and Mexico.According to this myth, the Creator felt sorry for the children of the tribe, when He realized that their destiny was to grow old, and become wrinkled, fat, blind, weak, sick.So He gathered beautiful colors from various sources – the sky, sunlight, leaves, and all the flowers of the world.He put these colors into a magical bag and gave the bag to the children of the tribe. When the children opened the bag, brilliantly multi-colored butterflies flew out and circled around the childrens heads, singing their lovely songs. The children were enchanted, as they had never seen anything so beautiful. The singing of the butterflies was lovely and that further delighted the children.
But the songbirds complained to the Creator because they were jealous. So the Creator withdrew the songs from the butterflies. Now they are beautiful but silent.

The butterfly with its different stages reminds me of my stages of growth – first the egg - knowing nothing, seeing nothing, then the caterpillar, spending its life eating everything in sight. Next, the chrysalis, just hangin out. Then when the time is right, metamorphosis into a spectacular being of brilliant colors and form. My metamorphosis at this time in my life, is into a colorful, healthy, Loving servant of God in human form.

You can focus on images of the butterflies in a meditation or quiet time, and imagine the brilliant colors are healing and calming to you. Picture the butterflies flying around your head and sending you colors of pure Love. Breath in this Love and send all the colors moving through your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Then exhale this multi-colored Love, sending it around the world to heal and to relax and calm all of the distressed people in the world. They need your Love.
To learn more about our beautiful friends:

http://butterflywebsite.com/

FEELING ANXIOUS?

I've noticed lately that I am more often anxious, short tempered, easily agitated, dejected and have trouble staying positive and upbeat. I am quick to put myself down, rag on my actions. I am not enough, or I am wrong or even, just plain stupid. Stupid is my favorite word for myself lately. Especially when I let myself get into this negative frame of mind.

I promised myself I would not let my thinking go down this path anymore. Putting myself down while recovering from cancer is not the best way to heal
So what do I do? How can I get back to my healing state of mind? I will share a few of my simple solutions with you. If you are having any of these symptoms, whether illness induced or just life induced, this exercise will help get you back to a gentler frame of mind.

First for a short while, go with it and look in all the dark, dusty corners of your mind for hidden secrets long buried, forgotten or denied. Where do these putdowns originate? Is it words your family or friends used to say to you? Or some trusted authority figure's conveyed judgements? Look deeply and search for negative agendas. Whatever you find take the time to decide if you want to keep that idea of who you are or trash it.

Second, focus on your breathing. We have a habit of taking short, shallow breathes. Oxygen is so important to cell health and mind clarity and overall optimism.

Breathe slowly and deeply. Watch your breathe go in and out. Feel your breath going into your lungs and then traveling all thru your body. Visualize colored breath or count the breaths. Anything to put your focus on breath for a minute or 2. Whatever you can do to refocus your mind to more positive thoughts.

This exercise helps me, and a few minutes spent this way will help you, too.

But I also have to remember that life WILL intrude on my ideas about how I should be during healing. I have to honor life and at the same time honor my body's health.

Sometimes it is very relaxing to listen to beautiful music.My favorite piece of music in the whole world, and always calms me, and takes me to another place, is Clair De Lune by Debussey.