My daughter Madison is moving back home.
Soon.
We have missed her presence, her laughter and her tidiness :)
Madison is everything I prayed for in a daughter over 20 years ago...and, so much more.
But, she didn't believe me when I told her this. And, I didn't always tell her in ways she could "hear".
Frankly, at times we "missed" eachother...
She moved out to "figure out her life", to "find herself", to seek peace and I admire that in her.
She found her wings a little earlier than her Dad and I had planned, but I have learned through my daughter to claim those prayers I prayed for her in her youth...I do so now.
I think she would allow me to tell you that some paths she has chosen are the cause of some pain for her and our family. As well, I can say the same..
And, I think she would allow me to tell you that she is not fully "there" yet....nor am I.
But, what I think she would want those who love her is to see her effort, her seeking and her desire to be on the path which God set for her 20 years ago...and, I think she will.
Some of us mature early and for some, it takes a little longer.
Some skate by on life with very little pain...in fact, a minister friend of mine once said from the podium....and, I will never forget this..
"I have had a pretty easy, happy go lucky life with very little pain or challenge to hurt me. I keep things simple and seem to live without the problems life can present"....
Not me. I can remember listening to him say that and thinking, "well, that explains why I cannot relate to you"...for his words cannot be said about my life...nor my daughters.
When I think of those who I feel a kinship for, it is those who have had challenge in their life, who have struggled, who has suffered and who have persevered. Even today, my closest friends are those who have lost children, divorced, battled cancer, left home to find themselves, battled mental illness, etc. They have the ability to touch my soul.....and, I am grateful for each of them. Through their pain, I have learned compassion...
I am glad Madison is coming home. I think she has grown and matured by living on her own in ways she would not have had she not done so.
I am proud that my daughter lives in truth with herself....and with others.
I am grateful she understands that you are ultimately responsible for yourself and your actions.
She "gets it"...and, while she would be the first to admit that she still has a long journey ahead of her...
For today, we are grateful that her jouney is leading her back home....
My challenge to you: Do you walk beside those who are finding their way or do you keep your distance b/c you do not know what to say? Do you reach out to someone who is taking a path of which you do not approve or or do you hold back in judgement?
I think Madison would tell you that those who love her unconditionally, reach out to her in faith, who do not judge but who do pray for her are the ones who have helped her most in life. Unconditional love is Godly love....and, isn't that what "home" is all about?
Blessings,
Lesa
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Home is your dog refusing to die...because she knows you need her to live
Jewel is our family dog.
Her full name is "Jewel a' la Champion"...Jewel comes from Madison's middle name and the rest was based on what we envisioned her to be...she did not disappoint.
She lives today because she knows we need her to live.
She is our friend, protector and guide.
She draws our compassion, our love and our hope for tomorrow right out of our soul.
Jewel should have been dead about a year ago, but she survives against the odds. She is a living miracle.
Jewel was diagnosed last year with sarcoma....soft tissue cancer which will eventually grow into every soft tissue she has in her body.
Madison, "how old do I have to be to get a dog?
We, "old enough to take care of it by yourself"
Madison, "well.....how old is that?
We,, "how old do you think?
Madison, "ten"
We, "ten it it"
So, her Daddy began the search around nine and one half for that special "McKenzie" dog...he eventually found just the one at the Human Society...
It was love at first sight
It was mange, and illness at second sight..
Jewel was a true family labor of love...she had not been well cared for and was frightened, sick and alone.
We all took turns feeding, watching and nurturing her back to good health and she has never once forgotten that...
She is the "best dog ever".
She has been with our family through many trials...and, many successes.
She has guarded two of our homes fearlessly, as she should.
She has celebrated our joys...even kindly wearing silly birthday hats, boas, and clothes which would look silly on anyone but her.
She has been patient during our "ball" years where we were absent from home more than we were there...
Jewel can hold her "needing to go potty" for hours at a time...patiently waiting until one of us gets there to let her out.
Jewel has weathered all types of storms...weather, broken hearts, lost ball games, and family crisis.
Jewel loves to travel...her favorite thing to do is stick her nose out the window of the car to receive the cool air on her face...she loves riding down the driveway in the wagon with the kids. She enjoys a good romp in the mud and the warm bath after.
Jewel is our family's one and only truly forever after through all circumstances, "Best Friend".
As things at our home changed this year, Jewel remained impartial. She did not take sides. She did not gossip with the neighbors, she did not judge.
What she DID do was love us. She lent her back to all of us to hug, she allowed each of us to support her during her surgery bringing out family compassion in a way no one else could. She greeted each of us with a smile on her face and a quick wag of her tail. She still does.
She barked when things got tense as if to day, "stop your silliness"....and, we most often did.
She barked when we would send her to the basement to sleep (her normal sleeping place) and insisted she sleep in the foyer in front of our door...she was protecting the kids and I.
Here, of late, she has taken to sleeping at the top of the stairs...woe to anyone who might attempt a stair climb at my home. She valiantly protects us each night as if her life depended on it...and, I think it does.
Her doctors said she should already have met her maker...tumors grow daily on places of her body which make it difficult to walk...she walks.
Tumors grow so large that the average human would give up...she does not.
The kids and I were discussing her miraculous ability to live and concluded...
She cannot die because she knows, perhaps even better than we do, that we need her to live.
And, she does.
And, we are grateful.
My challenge to you....and me: Do I take for granted the unconditional love of my family, friends and faithful dog? Let's don't.
Let's take time today to reach out to those who give to us selflessly so that we may have a better life....
To our precious Jewel...we are forever grateful...and, forever changed by your example.
Blessings,
Lesa
PS. Jewels lives b/c she is not in pain and has the desire to live. When that changes, we will love her enough to let her go....on that you can depend.
Her full name is "Jewel a' la Champion"...Jewel comes from Madison's middle name and the rest was based on what we envisioned her to be...she did not disappoint.
She lives today because she knows we need her to live.
She is our friend, protector and guide.
She draws our compassion, our love and our hope for tomorrow right out of our soul.
Jewel should have been dead about a year ago, but she survives against the odds. She is a living miracle.
Jewel was diagnosed last year with sarcoma....soft tissue cancer which will eventually grow into every soft tissue she has in her body.
Madison, "how old do I have to be to get a dog?
We, "old enough to take care of it by yourself"
Madison, "well.....how old is that?
We,, "how old do you think?
Madison, "ten"
We, "ten it it"
So, her Daddy began the search around nine and one half for that special "McKenzie" dog...he eventually found just the one at the Human Society...
It was love at first sight
It was mange, and illness at second sight..
Jewel was a true family labor of love...she had not been well cared for and was frightened, sick and alone.
We all took turns feeding, watching and nurturing her back to good health and she has never once forgotten that...
She is the "best dog ever".
She has been with our family through many trials...and, many successes.
She has guarded two of our homes fearlessly, as she should.
She has celebrated our joys...even kindly wearing silly birthday hats, boas, and clothes which would look silly on anyone but her.
She has been patient during our "ball" years where we were absent from home more than we were there...
Jewel can hold her "needing to go potty" for hours at a time...patiently waiting until one of us gets there to let her out.
Jewel has weathered all types of storms...weather, broken hearts, lost ball games, and family crisis.
Jewel loves to travel...her favorite thing to do is stick her nose out the window of the car to receive the cool air on her face...she loves riding down the driveway in the wagon with the kids. She enjoys a good romp in the mud and the warm bath after.
Jewel is our family's one and only truly forever after through all circumstances, "Best Friend".
As things at our home changed this year, Jewel remained impartial. She did not take sides. She did not gossip with the neighbors, she did not judge.
What she DID do was love us. She lent her back to all of us to hug, she allowed each of us to support her during her surgery bringing out family compassion in a way no one else could. She greeted each of us with a smile on her face and a quick wag of her tail. She still does.
She barked when things got tense as if to day, "stop your silliness"....and, we most often did.
She barked when we would send her to the basement to sleep (her normal sleeping place) and insisted she sleep in the foyer in front of our door...she was protecting the kids and I.
Here, of late, she has taken to sleeping at the top of the stairs...woe to anyone who might attempt a stair climb at my home. She valiantly protects us each night as if her life depended on it...and, I think it does.
Her doctors said she should already have met her maker...tumors grow daily on places of her body which make it difficult to walk...she walks.
Tumors grow so large that the average human would give up...she does not.
The kids and I were discussing her miraculous ability to live and concluded...
She cannot die because she knows, perhaps even better than we do, that we need her to live.
And, she does.
And, we are grateful.
My challenge to you....and me: Do I take for granted the unconditional love of my family, friends and faithful dog? Let's don't.
Let's take time today to reach out to those who give to us selflessly so that we may have a better life....
To our precious Jewel...we are forever grateful...and, forever changed by your example.
Blessings,
Lesa
PS. Jewels lives b/c she is not in pain and has the desire to live. When that changes, we will love her enough to let her go....on that you can depend.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Home is the place where you find Truth...
Hit me, beat me, hurt me, yell at me, but
please do not lie to me...........
I grew up with a Mother and Father who told me....tell the truth....we would rather have bad truth than good lies.
This is good philosophy.
I had a "Grandmother" Frances who told me, "Lesa, if you lie to yourself, you will lie to others".
I had a "Granny" who said, "You are such a good girl, keep that"....(yes, Granny, I did eat the last corndog, my 3rd:)
I will go one step further, I LOVE truth tellers...generally speaking, I think you can tell when someone is a truth teller and when they are not. If you are close to that person, you can often have an innate sense when truth is present and when it is not.
It is those who tell the truth that I feel closest to. Even painful truth.
WHY is that?
Because, when you live in falsehood, there is no foundation to your relationships.
I have learned this past year that you can "lie' as well but what you do not say.....
I am guilty of that. I have stood silent on things in my life which I should have spoken up about.
I didn't understand the significance of that until this past year, but I do now.
And, "now that I know better, I try to do better"....
I have had the blessing to be in the presence this year of some very authentic people...and this is what I have learned from them in truth:
Mama......I love you no matter what, Give it to God, I will stand with you through thick/thin....be God's girl.
Daddy....Make yourself ready, for you never know when your time on this earth will call you "home". I am ready. Daughter, I want you to be ready. I will stand with you through thick or thin.
Madison, Kenton and Johnson....We love you Mama...more than the sand at all the beaches, more than all the stars in the sky, more than all the blades of grass in all the fields.
Chuck....I am your big brother, I will be here for you no matter what. I love you.
Jim...it is simple, I'm lovin ya! Give it to God.
Jay...If you hurt, our family hurts.
Jill...I may not understand, but you are my sister.
Melissa...I will hold your hand through this, no matter what.
Kathy....Be real, Lesa...live in truth with yourself, expect truth from others. Your time on earth is wasted if you live in pretense. Go, have your "pity party" about this and then walk forward in truth. (Kathy died December 2010...I miss her)
Mary Virginia....You are God's girl....remember that as you make your decisions.
Rhonda....It's been a season to sit in sack cloth and ashes. But, remember, God brings beauty from the ashes. Isaiah 61:3
God...."Jesus answered, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
I chose Truth...and, in that, I believe I will find the life that we all hope for. I chose to be honest when it hurts, even with myself. I chose to live my life for the one I gave my heart to on October 17, 1971 in baptism at Radcliff Church of Christ.
And, in this choosing, I think I will find "HOME"...
My challenge for you...Are you a truth teller? Do you live in truth on a daily basis and do you require it of others? If not, change......and, change today. For when you do, you will know the true peace that is "Home"......
Blessings,
Lesa
PS. True Gut....I am grateful for the person who has reminded me that truth will set you free...
please do not lie to me...........
I grew up with a Mother and Father who told me....tell the truth....we would rather have bad truth than good lies.
This is good philosophy.
I had a "Grandmother" Frances who told me, "Lesa, if you lie to yourself, you will lie to others".
I had a "Granny" who said, "You are such a good girl, keep that"....(yes, Granny, I did eat the last corndog, my 3rd:)
I will go one step further, I LOVE truth tellers...generally speaking, I think you can tell when someone is a truth teller and when they are not. If you are close to that person, you can often have an innate sense when truth is present and when it is not.
It is those who tell the truth that I feel closest to. Even painful truth.
WHY is that?
Because, when you live in falsehood, there is no foundation to your relationships.
I have learned this past year that you can "lie' as well but what you do not say.....
I am guilty of that. I have stood silent on things in my life which I should have spoken up about.
I didn't understand the significance of that until this past year, but I do now.
And, "now that I know better, I try to do better"....
I have had the blessing to be in the presence this year of some very authentic people...and this is what I have learned from them in truth:
Mama......I love you no matter what, Give it to God, I will stand with you through thick/thin....be God's girl.
Daddy....Make yourself ready, for you never know when your time on this earth will call you "home". I am ready. Daughter, I want you to be ready. I will stand with you through thick or thin.
Madison, Kenton and Johnson....We love you Mama...more than the sand at all the beaches, more than all the stars in the sky, more than all the blades of grass in all the fields.
Chuck....I am your big brother, I will be here for you no matter what. I love you.
Jim...it is simple, I'm lovin ya! Give it to God.
Jay...If you hurt, our family hurts.
Jill...I may not understand, but you are my sister.
Melissa...I will hold your hand through this, no matter what.
Kathy....Be real, Lesa...live in truth with yourself, expect truth from others. Your time on earth is wasted if you live in pretense. Go, have your "pity party" about this and then walk forward in truth. (Kathy died December 2010...I miss her)
Mary Virginia....You are God's girl....remember that as you make your decisions.
Rhonda....It's been a season to sit in sack cloth and ashes. But, remember, God brings beauty from the ashes. Isaiah 61:3
God...."Jesus answered, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
I chose Truth...and, in that, I believe I will find the life that we all hope for. I chose to be honest when it hurts, even with myself. I chose to live my life for the one I gave my heart to on October 17, 1971 in baptism at Radcliff Church of Christ.
And, in this choosing, I think I will find "HOME"...
My challenge for you...Are you a truth teller? Do you live in truth on a daily basis and do you require it of others? If not, change......and, change today. For when you do, you will know the true peace that is "Home"......
Blessings,
Lesa
PS. True Gut....I am grateful for the person who has reminded me that truth will set you free...
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Fork in the Road....leads Home...
First....I am humbled by you who write to comment on my blog and to encourage me via your emails. I am grateful and taken aback by the many of you who seem to find something of value in what I have to say.
I take zero credit. This is a God thing I am doing...this writing. My Precious friend, Tammy who is a prolific blogger says it well...."My Heart...His Words". She is my inspiration...as are all of you. She has changed my life forever with her sharing both in person and "in blog". Please visit her site. You will be blessed.
May I ask a favor? ...please "join" my blog if you would. As someone who tries to blog, it is MAJOR encouragement to see that you have taken the time to join....
But, I digress...
I am at a fork in the road of my life.
Sadly, I have led my children to this particular fork. I take responsibility for that on a daily basis.
Thankfully, my children understand "how" I got here and support me. Thankfully, they are resilient and stoic and loving. It was not me alone who took them to this fork...their Dad assisted.
Thankfully, rather than wither under the stress of our family situation this past year, my children have grown stronger...especially my precious daughter.
But, as a mother, any time you take your children down a path with you which is painful, you have to question yourself....
And, you should.
That is what God requires the minute He places those precious babies in your womb...it is at that moment God requires you to move from a "me" to "them" mentality....
It is God's way of giving you a glimpse of what He does for us.....except the path God leads us down, when we are wise enough to follow Him, is always the right one...no so with us humans.
But, I am learning that going to the fork in the road is not the problem...and, taking your children with you to that fork is not the problem. Having a fork to go to is not the problem.
Life is a challenge and there are forks we must come to every day.
What is the problem is when you fail to take God with you to the fork.....
I am not saying I haven't taken God with me to my personal family's fork, because God (and some of you) know that I have....but, I confess that I didn't keep Him with me at ALL times....I have lost my way at times as I have headed toward the fork....leaving God and children and husband behind.
Why is that?
It is because I left the 'them" thinking and moved to "self"....and, in this particular situation...I sincerely felt it was "survival of self"...so, I justified it in my head, heart and actions.
However, as I slow my pace and allow God back into my walk to the fork, I can see my mistake...
I cannot make this fork decision on my own....I must....I am required....it is mandatory if my life is to be all God intended...to give myself fully over to the only one who can lead me down the right path once I reach the fork....
And, that is what I plan to do.
And, now that I am here...God in hand....things are much more clear on which path to take.
How does this fork mentality relate to "home'...my blog theme?
Of this I am certain...there is only one "prong" on the fork of our life's decisions which leads HOME...both to our earthly home, but more importantly, our heavenly home.
THAT is the prong I plan to take....and, its the one I hope you take as well...
My challenge to you....embrace the forks in the road of your daily life with confidence. Do that because you have placed God in the exact middle of the fork and then allow Him to point you to the way "home"....
And, when you see someone like me who is at the fork, but who has left God behind.....please take the time to stop and help them (as many of you have helped me) and remind them to be bold in placing God back in the center of their fork...so He can point the way home.
Blessings,
Lesa
I take zero credit. This is a God thing I am doing...this writing. My Precious friend, Tammy who is a prolific blogger says it well...."My Heart...His Words". She is my inspiration...as are all of you. She has changed my life forever with her sharing both in person and "in blog". Please visit her site. You will be blessed.
May I ask a favor? ...please "join" my blog if you would. As someone who tries to blog, it is MAJOR encouragement to see that you have taken the time to join....
But, I digress...
I am at a fork in the road of my life.
Sadly, I have led my children to this particular fork. I take responsibility for that on a daily basis.
Thankfully, my children understand "how" I got here and support me. Thankfully, they are resilient and stoic and loving. It was not me alone who took them to this fork...their Dad assisted.
Thankfully, rather than wither under the stress of our family situation this past year, my children have grown stronger...especially my precious daughter.
But, as a mother, any time you take your children down a path with you which is painful, you have to question yourself....
And, you should.
That is what God requires the minute He places those precious babies in your womb...it is at that moment God requires you to move from a "me" to "them" mentality....
It is God's way of giving you a glimpse of what He does for us.....except the path God leads us down, when we are wise enough to follow Him, is always the right one...no so with us humans.
But, I am learning that going to the fork in the road is not the problem...and, taking your children with you to that fork is not the problem. Having a fork to go to is not the problem.
Life is a challenge and there are forks we must come to every day.
What is the problem is when you fail to take God with you to the fork.....
I am not saying I haven't taken God with me to my personal family's fork, because God (and some of you) know that I have....but, I confess that I didn't keep Him with me at ALL times....I have lost my way at times as I have headed toward the fork....leaving God and children and husband behind.
Why is that?
It is because I left the 'them" thinking and moved to "self"....and, in this particular situation...I sincerely felt it was "survival of self"...so, I justified it in my head, heart and actions.
However, as I slow my pace and allow God back into my walk to the fork, I can see my mistake...
I cannot make this fork decision on my own....I must....I am required....it is mandatory if my life is to be all God intended...to give myself fully over to the only one who can lead me down the right path once I reach the fork....
And, that is what I plan to do.
And, now that I am here...God in hand....things are much more clear on which path to take.
How does this fork mentality relate to "home'...my blog theme?
Of this I am certain...there is only one "prong" on the fork of our life's decisions which leads HOME...both to our earthly home, but more importantly, our heavenly home.
THAT is the prong I plan to take....and, its the one I hope you take as well...
My challenge to you....embrace the forks in the road of your daily life with confidence. Do that because you have placed God in the exact middle of the fork and then allow Him to point you to the way "home"....
And, when you see someone like me who is at the fork, but who has left God behind.....please take the time to stop and help them (as many of you have helped me) and remind them to be bold in placing God back in the center of their fork...so He can point the way home.
Blessings,
Lesa
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Long Distance Friends feel like "Home"...
My family and I have had a tough 18 months.
The fiber of our home has changed.
It has been changing for many years, but this past year it has culminated into something different.
There have been times this past year and one half where I wasn't sure we would make it.
But, we did. And, we are.
And, we did so because of Godly parents who loved us, neighbors who were kind.
But, what has touched my heart the most are those faithful friends who reached out from long distance and hugged us with their loving words and whispered prayers.
What is it about being so far away in distance that makes it possible to be so close together at heart?
Tammy, Renee', Dorthi, Suzanne, Ella, Lee, Billie....
Why is it that what you cannot share with people who live in the same town, you can pour out to your long distance friends?
I have thought about this a lot...and, I think I have concluded:
* Long distance friends do not mince words...they get right to the point and they delve deeply into things important for their time with you is brief
* Long distance friends are bold to seek truth and quickly for the same reason above
* Long distance friends listen harder and ask the hard questions, possibly because they know they will be leaving soon or when over the phone/internet..are not at risk of harm:)
* Long distance friends may be far away in miles, but feel like they are next door in heart.
I love my friends who live away...and, with the exception of a few treasured local friends, Melissa, Laura, Sharon, Lisa...it has been those who are not here who have reached out to me and my family the most this past year.
This is not a critique of my local friends....I am blessed by many who have held my hand for a long while. They need the break....
I just find it precious that those who are not in my presence have taken time from their lives to stop and make contact with me in real ways....frequently...and most often when I have needed it the most...
My challenge to you...and me....
Can we take time out of our lives to be that friend who reaches out and "hugs" from a distance?
I know we can....so, let's do.
Blessings,
Lesa
The fiber of our home has changed.
It has been changing for many years, but this past year it has culminated into something different.
There have been times this past year and one half where I wasn't sure we would make it.
But, we did. And, we are.
And, we did so because of Godly parents who loved us, neighbors who were kind.
But, what has touched my heart the most are those faithful friends who reached out from long distance and hugged us with their loving words and whispered prayers.
What is it about being so far away in distance that makes it possible to be so close together at heart?
Tammy, Renee', Dorthi, Suzanne, Ella, Lee, Billie....
Why is it that what you cannot share with people who live in the same town, you can pour out to your long distance friends?
I have thought about this a lot...and, I think I have concluded:
* Long distance friends do not mince words...they get right to the point and they delve deeply into things important for their time with you is brief
* Long distance friends are bold to seek truth and quickly for the same reason above
* Long distance friends listen harder and ask the hard questions, possibly because they know they will be leaving soon or when over the phone/internet..are not at risk of harm:)
* Long distance friends may be far away in miles, but feel like they are next door in heart.
I love my friends who live away...and, with the exception of a few treasured local friends, Melissa, Laura, Sharon, Lisa...it has been those who are not here who have reached out to me and my family the most this past year.
This is not a critique of my local friends....I am blessed by many who have held my hand for a long while. They need the break....
I just find it precious that those who are not in my presence have taken time from their lives to stop and make contact with me in real ways....frequently...and most often when I have needed it the most...
My challenge to you...and me....
Can we take time out of our lives to be that friend who reaches out and "hugs" from a distance?
I know we can....so, let's do.
Blessings,
Lesa
Monday, January 31, 2011
Yoga "Home"....Melissa does it well...
My close friends know I love Yoga....
There is nothing like Sunrise Yoga at 5:30 am as the sun is "rising" (thus the name)...in a quiet room with just your "teacher" or "yogi" encouraging you to the next position....or, evening yoga as the sun sets.
I have friends who find my love of yoga to be odd...they associate it with uncertainty....religion...Ohmming...and things with which they are not comfortable..
That is okay. But, they are mistaken.
While some practices do all of those things, I have never attended such a practice....
What I find during yoga is the sweet greeting of my favorite Yogi, Melissa and her counterpart, Heather. They greet you with positive attitudes and cheerful hearts. Fellow students enter, grab a space on the floor and begin practice...
The room is quiet and calmness settles in the room...
I even like the names for yoga positions..."Child's pose"..."Warrior I" "Upward Dog"....."happy baby" (not sure about this one being a true yoga term or Melissa's made up word), but she is able to lead us from position to position with just a word...a term....and, amazing to me...we all follow.
She does not yell, she is not critical, she is not impatient. In fact, she is opposite all of that...
Melissa is a kind heart and that comes out in the way she leads us in class. Yoga is her passion and her gift...and, you can by the way she uses her gift that she loves being a Yogi...it completes her..
I smiled often when I first met Melissa because she really has a "wild at heart" mentality....she is, let's say, a busy, active girl...:) She is expressive, verbal and quick paced...
But, the moment practice starts, she is all business. She leads us on our mats as if our whole life depends on us letting go of our stresses and living in the moment of breathing, relaxing, bending and posing...she is attentive to the needs of her students...hurt wrist - modify; bad knee - modify; broken heart - let the pain out on your mat...she does this very well because she takes the sixty minutes she is in class to get to know you...not just as a paying student but as a person whom she grows to care about with each practice you attend.
What does this have to do with my theme of home?
Melissa uses her gift to make those in her class feel at "home"....she prepares the way for each of her students gently guiding them with her voice to go places they might not otherwise go...but, she does not force the effort. She is considerate to notice a particular ache or pain and permits you to modify your positions without guilt. She makes you smile when she is ready to be "Yogi Nazi" and asks you to "flip your dog" with her...
But, most of all, she accepts you...cares for you while you are in her presence and you most definitely leave there with the feeling that you are "home".....Yoga Home....
My challenge for you is this: Do I, in my daily living, at my job or in my home use my passion and my gift to help others feel at "home"?
Do you?
Thank you, Melissa....I pray many blessings on your new practice and know those who join you will feel they have come "home" when in your presence...
Blessings,
Lesa
There is nothing like Sunrise Yoga at 5:30 am as the sun is "rising" (thus the name)...in a quiet room with just your "teacher" or "yogi" encouraging you to the next position....or, evening yoga as the sun sets.
I have friends who find my love of yoga to be odd...they associate it with uncertainty....religion...Ohmming...and things with which they are not comfortable..
That is okay. But, they are mistaken.
While some practices do all of those things, I have never attended such a practice....
What I find during yoga is the sweet greeting of my favorite Yogi, Melissa and her counterpart, Heather. They greet you with positive attitudes and cheerful hearts. Fellow students enter, grab a space on the floor and begin practice...
The room is quiet and calmness settles in the room...
I even like the names for yoga positions..."Child's pose"..."Warrior I" "Upward Dog"....."happy baby" (not sure about this one being a true yoga term or Melissa's made up word), but she is able to lead us from position to position with just a word...a term....and, amazing to me...we all follow.
She does not yell, she is not critical, she is not impatient. In fact, she is opposite all of that...
Melissa is a kind heart and that comes out in the way she leads us in class. Yoga is her passion and her gift...and, you can by the way she uses her gift that she loves being a Yogi...it completes her..
I smiled often when I first met Melissa because she really has a "wild at heart" mentality....she is, let's say, a busy, active girl...:) She is expressive, verbal and quick paced...
But, the moment practice starts, she is all business. She leads us on our mats as if our whole life depends on us letting go of our stresses and living in the moment of breathing, relaxing, bending and posing...she is attentive to the needs of her students...hurt wrist - modify; bad knee - modify; broken heart - let the pain out on your mat...she does this very well because she takes the sixty minutes she is in class to get to know you...not just as a paying student but as a person whom she grows to care about with each practice you attend.
What does this have to do with my theme of home?
Melissa uses her gift to make those in her class feel at "home"....she prepares the way for each of her students gently guiding them with her voice to go places they might not otherwise go...but, she does not force the effort. She is considerate to notice a particular ache or pain and permits you to modify your positions without guilt. She makes you smile when she is ready to be "Yogi Nazi" and asks you to "flip your dog" with her...
But, most of all, she accepts you...cares for you while you are in her presence and you most definitely leave there with the feeling that you are "home".....Yoga Home....
My challenge for you is this: Do I, in my daily living, at my job or in my home use my passion and my gift to help others feel at "home"?
Do you?
Thank you, Melissa....I pray many blessings on your new practice and know those who join you will feel they have come "home" when in your presence...
Blessings,
Lesa
Sunday, January 30, 2011
I Rather You Be My Guest......
I love watching my boys play sports. I especially love it when they are both on the same team. When they let their guard down and forget that they are "brothers", their play compliments one another. Yesterday's basketball game was no exception....One was quick to set the "pick" and allow the other to drive in for the layup. One is good to take the ball into the paint and then toss it to his brother at the 3 point line. It is like watching an athletic ballet....
And, when they work together....it is powerful.
Interesting to me at yesterday's game was instead of the scoreboard saying "Home" and "Visitor" it said..."Home" and "Guest". I found that intriguing...and, frankly, more polite...more kind. I would much rather be someone's guest than just a mere Visitor....Why is that??
We discussed in the car on the way home why it is more fun being the "HOME" team.....their are definitely advantages on the court, field, etc. when you are the Home team. Then, we discussed the differences between being a "Visitor" versus being a "Guest".
We mutually agreed that being a Visitor seemed short lived and un-committed, maybe even a "one timer" whereas being someone's Guest implied a relationship which was more involved...both from the "Home" perspective and the "Guest's" perspective. You prepare for a Guest...a Visitor just shows up.
This discussion lasted all of about 5 minutes before they were ready to move to another favorite topic, "girls"...Twenty-four hours later, we are still talking about girls...Home versus Guest long forgotten.
But, at church today, our minister discussed the difference between "Guest" and "Visitor" and it re-surfaced our conversation. I agree with him....I would much rather be a Guest in someone's home...than a visitor.
Being your guest implies that you Want me in your presence, you have prepared for me, you have sought out my company. You prepare for a guest; clean sheets on the bed, nice home-cooked meal (or pizza from Dominoes with your favorite toppings), maybe even a real dessert. When I am your guest, you generally slow down long enough to talk with me...no tv, no texting, no facebooking...you put your best effort into insuring that I feel welcome and cared about.
Mr. Webster says that a Guest is a "companion"...whereas he says a Visitor is "transient"...
Both Guest and Visitor have their value....one might need to be a Visitor...occasions in life make visiting essential; however, whenever possible, I want you to be my treasured Guest...
My challenge for you....take the time to prepare for someone and them make them your Guest.
It may be a weekend guest experience, or it may be what I share with a friend today...the two of us sitting on a pew at church sharing from the heart.....
Blessings,
Lesa
And, when they work together....it is powerful.
Interesting to me at yesterday's game was instead of the scoreboard saying "Home" and "Visitor" it said..."Home" and "Guest". I found that intriguing...and, frankly, more polite...more kind. I would much rather be someone's guest than just a mere Visitor....Why is that??
We discussed in the car on the way home why it is more fun being the "HOME" team.....their are definitely advantages on the court, field, etc. when you are the Home team. Then, we discussed the differences between being a "Visitor" versus being a "Guest".
We mutually agreed that being a Visitor seemed short lived and un-committed, maybe even a "one timer" whereas being someone's Guest implied a relationship which was more involved...both from the "Home" perspective and the "Guest's" perspective. You prepare for a Guest...a Visitor just shows up.
This discussion lasted all of about 5 minutes before they were ready to move to another favorite topic, "girls"...Twenty-four hours later, we are still talking about girls...Home versus Guest long forgotten.
But, at church today, our minister discussed the difference between "Guest" and "Visitor" and it re-surfaced our conversation. I agree with him....I would much rather be a Guest in someone's home...than a visitor.
Being your guest implies that you Want me in your presence, you have prepared for me, you have sought out my company. You prepare for a guest; clean sheets on the bed, nice home-cooked meal (or pizza from Dominoes with your favorite toppings), maybe even a real dessert. When I am your guest, you generally slow down long enough to talk with me...no tv, no texting, no facebooking...you put your best effort into insuring that I feel welcome and cared about.
Mr. Webster says that a Guest is a "companion"...whereas he says a Visitor is "transient"...
Both Guest and Visitor have their value....one might need to be a Visitor...occasions in life make visiting essential; however, whenever possible, I want you to be my treasured Guest...
My challenge for you....take the time to prepare for someone and them make them your Guest.
It may be a weekend guest experience, or it may be what I share with a friend today...the two of us sitting on a pew at church sharing from the heart.....
Blessings,
Lesa
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Fulfilling a promise...and, on the way, finding "HOME"....
I made a promise over a year ago to a friend to re-initiate my writing...she even challenged me to make it public.....life got in the way of that promise, but I am ready now...
For..I have learned much this year and in that learning, I have found "home".....
So, while not an original title (I actually blogged this title and had to change it several times to get "acceptance" via Blogspot b/c the name had been used frequently.) It was not until I added "always leads Home" that it received approval.
Home....my definition of home has changed much this past 18 months. It used to consist of brick and mortar, husband, children, family.....
But, now, I realize that HOME is a place in your heart where those things you love reside. It can be many things: God, your faith, spouse, children, parents, siblings.....
In fact, it should be many of those things.
But, it is so much more.
And, that is what I hope to explore this year....HOME.
I am finding "Home" in the laughter of my children, in the voice of my mother, the warm hands of my father....the reaching out of friends and the faithful protection of our loyal dog ...I find it in the gentle voice quietly reading to me each morning before the sun rises.
I find it in the mentoring by prayer warriors who have traveled this path before me...gently sharing their lessons learned. I find "Home" in the comfort of counselors who live in truth and expect me to do the same.
I find Home in the Word....and, perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all...
The more I search scripture, the more home is made real to me....both this earthly domain and that which is heavenly.
I love this image..."How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty. My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may have her young...a place near your altar,,,,blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
We are all in need of a "Home"....a place of unconditional love, unwavering truth, unfaltering acceptance.
We know that is available through our faithful Father....
I think it is just as important that we make it available through our own lives...
So, this is my challenge to each of you....
Help someone today find the peace of "home" through your life ....be the outreached hand, the gentle hug, the listening ear....the warm cup of coffee.
For that is what we ALL are truly searching for...
HOME
Let it begin with you....
Blessings,
Lesa
For..I have learned much this year and in that learning, I have found "home".....
So, while not an original title (I actually blogged this title and had to change it several times to get "acceptance" via Blogspot b/c the name had been used frequently.) It was not until I added "always leads Home" that it received approval.
Home....my definition of home has changed much this past 18 months. It used to consist of brick and mortar, husband, children, family.....
But, now, I realize that HOME is a place in your heart where those things you love reside. It can be many things: God, your faith, spouse, children, parents, siblings.....
In fact, it should be many of those things.
But, it is so much more.
And, that is what I hope to explore this year....HOME.
I am finding "Home" in the laughter of my children, in the voice of my mother, the warm hands of my father....the reaching out of friends and the faithful protection of our loyal dog ...I find it in the gentle voice quietly reading to me each morning before the sun rises.
I find it in the mentoring by prayer warriors who have traveled this path before me...gently sharing their lessons learned. I find "Home" in the comfort of counselors who live in truth and expect me to do the same.
I find Home in the Word....and, perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all...
The more I search scripture, the more home is made real to me....both this earthly domain and that which is heavenly.
I love this image..."How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty. My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may have her young...a place near your altar,,,,blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."
We are all in need of a "Home"....a place of unconditional love, unwavering truth, unfaltering acceptance.
We know that is available through our faithful Father....
I think it is just as important that we make it available through our own lives...
So, this is my challenge to each of you....
Help someone today find the peace of "home" through your life ....be the outreached hand, the gentle hug, the listening ear....the warm cup of coffee.
For that is what we ALL are truly searching for...
HOME
Let it begin with you....
Blessings,
Lesa
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