Lost in Translation

Often I will hear a word, a conversation, a story and immediately infuse my thoughts, my experiences and my beliefs into what I hear.  I think we are all wired that way.  It comes natural because this is the only way we can relate to another human being.  Bring it back home to something we have knowledge of or understanding of.  Feelings of empathy may surface because we can relate.  We nod saying that we have walked in similar shoes or perhaps we have walked in THOSE shoes. 


Then with good intentions there are times we try to bring an understanding to what was said by entwining our definition with what was shared because we can't relate; we haven't been there.  It is during these times the best we can do is to just listen, just trust, and just accept. 


What it all comes down to is this: how we relate to others, to our life's experiences, and better still how we develop our own self awareness is largely based on what we believe, what we think about God, life/others, and ourselves. 


I have heard it said that this life is a battlefield.  For me, I believe that the battlefield is actually the mind.  The best defense we have in this life is to be prepared mentally. There is a constant war raging on what will take up space and reside in our minds.  We can always trace sinful behavior back to the things we mediate on (ponder), the things we read, the shows, movies, and  the programs we watch, and the people we engage with. The more we digest thoughts and ideas that are not true, or noble, or admirable, or lovely, or pure, or excellent, then we are acting (or I should say reacting) from a base of distrust, disrepute, and unwholesomeness.


God's truth, His Word, is my anchor.  I trust, believe and hope in God and His ways.   I acknowledge and accept that I will never understand all of God's ways and the reasons behind His ways.  I also know that just because His ways are above my own it doesn't mean that He isn't at work or doesn't love or care for me. 
 

When I first read or hear God's Words of truth, sometimes I have to admit it sounds foreign.  I have questions; I don't understand.  Through so many, many, years of striving and forcing understanding and then questioning in disbelief - I have decided to just trust and come to Him as a child.  Acceptance doesn't mean that I have stopped seeking wisdom or understanding - it's just that I seek HIS wisdom and understanding.  Not my own.  Children enter rest through believing.  So as a child of God this is what I believe: God will translate and apply what's in my head to my heart. 


Each of us can decide what to believe or not believe about God, about life, about ourselves.  That is our choice.  We hold that key.  For me that vital key was to put my trust in God through the person of Jesus Christ.  Since I made that choice, my life has changed. I have experienced a tangible joy through this faith.  The language is more and more discernible and understandable.  Outward experiences over which I have no control no longer wreck havoc over my soul.  I have a confidence and an ability to navigate successfully through the circumstances and influences that I do have control over.  My inward attitudes, beliefs and thought patterns are the admirable expression of a whole being: body, soul and spirit.


The challenge to us all is to remain pure in thought - to guard our minds. To be careful about what we entertain. Am I going to believe the God of the universe who has proven trustworthy and faithful or believe my own version of 'truth' based on my lack of understanding? It's your choice, too. I pray you choose well.

 

"For as he/she thinks in his/her heart, so is he/she." Proverbs 23:7

This Present Moment

"The meaning of our earthly existence lies not as we have grown used to thinking,
in prospering, but in the development of our soul."  

~ Alexander Solzhenitsyn 

as quoted in the book, The Good and Beautiful Life

If you were like me, you probably did at least a cursory evaluation of this past year - even if you didn't make any New Year's Resolutions.  As I reflected back on 2012, I recognized successes and failures, gains and losses.  Each have taught me so much and from each experience, I do believe I have grown wiser.  Or at least, I hope I have!  And for that I can release this old year with a grateful heart.  One of my resolutions is to be grateful not only for the good times in my life but also the hard times. And to eat more vegetables.

In contemplation of 2013, I pray that I will be more teachable, more humble, more generous, more kinder, more patient, more forgiving, more hopeful, more inquisitive (to my husband's dismay, perhaps!), more graceful, more understanding, more repentant, more accepting, more loving, more trusting, more accountable, and certainly more open and transparent.

Three years ago, I would have not prayed for all this.  Instead, my attention was on my definition of a 'good and beautiful life'.  Definition: I could be happier I had fewer problems or heartaches - I even talked myself into believing that everything status quo was better than the mountain top.  I was wise enough to know I couldn't stay on the mountain, but I sure as heck didn't want to go into the valley any more. Middle ground.  That's safe.  Right?  We all believe the lie that life isn't worth it or doesn't even resemble beautiful if raddled with heartache, pain, problems or suffering.  Or perhaps this one: God must not care or love me if I have all these struggles in my life.  But the reality is that no matter where we are in life, there will always be the problems of this world, the heartaches of our lives, and the suffering.  NO one is excluded. BUT the other side of that is a more powerful truth.  God is our refuge and our strength.  An EVER PRESENT help in our troubles.

Whether you are excited or full of apprehension of this coming year, remember that God will empower you to meet every situation with confidence and strength.  With this embedded as a vital part of your foundation, you can release any of your concerns about your future to Him.

Perhaps you don't believe this or you just have serious doubts.  That's OK.  God is a tender God.  He approaches us with gentleness and care.  Let your unbelief or your doubts be the door to His Presence in your life.  He cares for you and will keep pursuing you with His Love. Just be open to the possibilities that await and see what happens!  Allow Him to shape and mold your soul into who He designed and created you to be - a person living in joy and freedom in His Presence despite life's circumstances.

Today, I am ready to stand tall in this present moment.  I appreciate the now - perfectly balanced between the blessings and the afflictions in my life. This is the moment of power and action!  Release and let go.
My resolve is to be ready to make the most of this present moment.  Are you ready to join me?

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12
                                       
                                                                                                                               ~ Shalom,
                                                                                                                                   Pamela

A New Home

I am back from California and ready to settle into my physical new home in Monument, CO!  I am grateful that I have the opportunity to refresh my design skills with some remodeling and updating.  But while we wait to move in we are still out of sorts, so to speak, as we are living in a hotel in Broomfield, CO....it is a testimony that with Christ, we can be at home anywhere.  In the meantime, I am enjoying yoga for myself and hope to be back teaching next year!  

If you happen upon my blog and are interested in Christ-centered yoga classes in Monument/Co Springs area, contact me, and I can point you in the direction of some wonderful teachers.

                                                                                                              Shalom!



"I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the LIVING. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." ~ Psalm 27:13-14

I read these words this morning. I find it interesting that the place where I wait for the Lord is in the land of the LIVING. I am not waiting on Him where my heart is dark and dead. I am not waiting on Him where my my heart is an empty shell of humanity. I am not waiting where I believe there is no purpose, hope, strength, resolve or abundant Life. These places are indeed dark; dimming my ability to see God's goodness and righteousness. My heart is full of every discouragement, complaint, and negative belief that embraces hopelessness. IF I am in this place of waiting then I trust that I would NOT see God Himself if He stood right in front of me much less His goodness!

I can see God's goodness in me and all around me when I wait in the place of abundant LIFE, the land of the LIVING. Jesus Christ - He is the LIFE - the LIGHT that illuminates all that is beautiful, hopeful and truthful. He brings purpose and beauty to my life. He gives me the strength to wait in hope, and He encourages my heart with His truth.

Where does your heart reside today? Where are you waiting when you face heartache, trouble and despair? Are you in the waiting rooms of emptiness, weakness, hopelessness, or even the grave room of nothingness?

Take time to reflect and evaluate where you are. Then make a brave decision and choose to MOVE. Yes, we can all be confident that He is all that we need, and He is our very LIFE itself. I believe there is nothing more good than this! This is where I want to live; don't you?

Celebrating Friendship

"Friends are For-ev-ah!"

Well, I have always wanted it to be so.  Helen Keller once said, "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."  If you are like me, you too, have sought a kindred spirit to share in life's joys and sorrows.

In this technical age when many draw into themselves, being or having a friend appears to be more and more difficult.  Perhaps life's worries have consumed so much energy that it seems too much effort. However, if we take all of these possible factors out of the equation then perhaps on a level playing field we can start by just showing some basic kindness to those whom God places in our lives.

I know at times in my life, when I have been fearful or struggling with my personal woes, reaching out to others has been the perfect medicine for me.  Offer a smile, a helping hand, a phone call.  I won't deny it is hard to do the very thing our soul rejects when feeling down and blue, but these acts of kindness while experiencing human contact lifts our hearts and eyes beyond our desperation.  If you are lonely, chances are someone else around you is too.

There are many ways to meet others.  Think about what moves you and join a group.  Have you ever checked out  http://www.meetup.com? You may discover others with common beliefs and interests.  And it may surprise you that the very person whom you felt couldn't possibly be friendship material, happens to be the very one who could be your new very 'best' friend!

We all have value, and there is an indescribable potential in all of us.  No one is better than you, and you are no better than anyone else.  Resist the impulse to judge someone who appears to be different than you.  Keep an open mind when meeting new people, and watch a marvel happen.  Better yet - I believe if we keep our hearts accessible and refuse to set specific expectations many doors will open to promising friendships!

"There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear...
We love because He first loved us."  

1 John 4:18a -19

California - Week One, Conclusion

This has been the longest week of my life. :-(   It was full of 'nothingness'...some of it good. Well, mostly good. Rest is good. Recovery is good. Discovery is good!  So 'nothingness' is an exaggeration.  Forgive me.

I wonder how I will fit into the movement of California life to serve, to bless? I am not my happiest just receiving...although, I realize there is a time and purpose for everything "under the sun"...there is no reason to complain. I hope it doesn't sound like I am. This is just a 180 degree turn from where I was a mere four weeks ago. 

I am waiting to see where God wants me and what I am to do here. If it is PURELY for reflection, recreation, reconnection then I need to embrace that. And I have a impression, that this time, this is REALLY WHAT it is all about. OPEN. RECEIVE. I often have to remind myself. :-))  God's gift of fun. 

My first weekend here was spent driving with Kurt south on Hwy 1 along the pacific coast.  We ventured through small towns, stopping in Pescadero for french bread, salami, and cheese.  Blackberries, strawberries and cherries at a local farmer's stand completed our fare for the day. 

We stopped in Santa Cruz for a walk on Sea Bright beach with views of the board walk in the distance.  We saw a light house, sand crabs, crashing waves, seagulls, and there swimming out not far from where we stood, seals and porpoises as they seemed content in their race against one another.  Our feet received a proper exfoliation from the hot sand as we walked to and from our parked car.

We concluded our drive in Carmel where again we walked to the beach.  This time the sand was whiter, the sky bluer, and the ocean more forceful.  Pebble Beach was also in distant view.  (I had no idea it was one of THE most famous golf courses in the USA!)  We surprised ourselves by 'attending' an open house in a residential area that caught our eye.  I can say this $5 million dollar home a stone's throw from the beach had nothing on our lovely home back in the Black Forest.

If you are in Carmel, one HAS TO go to The Hog's Breath Inn, where the owner is Clint Eastwood.  So sorry, Mr. Eastwood.  But service was extremely poor, and those hanging petunias are in desperate need of some water.  At least we can say we have now been there!  And Carmel is indeed a heavenly place - just not so much The Hog's Breath Inn.

Turning around and heading back at 5:30 pm awarded us the delightful treat of a clear bright sunset over the now still ocean expanse.  The hot coal of color dissolved on the horizon in minutes.  The afterglow lasting about an hour longer before darkness enveloped us.  Singing 70's hits, one after the other, kept us occupied until we rolled back into the hotel parking lot in San Rafael at 9:00 pm.

I would say yoga classes, expansive daily breakfasts, two drives to Sonoma, two movies, coastal drive and church on Sunday morning complete a very relaxing FUN first week.

Speaking of Celebrations

I have traveled far away.  In space, in mind, in heart.  I feel the pull of a Divine Force that is taking me to a place where it is NECESSARY for me to trust.  For all the mountains I have climbed, the high leaps I have taken, the fearlessness I believed I possessed, I am humbled in realizing that fear still resides in me.  I am not as brave as I had thought.  All the courage, even my ability to trust is given to me.  I can't not conjure these strengths on my own or even will them into existence.  They are simply what they are: gifts.

I left Colorado on Sunday, September 2.  Journeying with my husband to California where he is working on a project for the next two months.  I am without a home, a job, friends and family, and my passion.  All these things I left behind.  Or did I? 
 
I have often thought of Christ these past few days.  In the three years of His earthly ministry, He was also without a 'home'...Yes, perhaps a physical home, but I venture that what He needed to survive in this world was available and accessable within.  He showed us how it can be done...how we can live our lives, full of meaning, full of joy, with celebration by tapping in to the Divine nature of a Great God whose Spirit dewells within us.

So speaking truthfully to where I am and what I am facing, I will share with you my journey these next two months.  Maybe you can relate; maybe you can learn; maybe you, too, will find your voice - and speak of your celebrations.  For now, I desire to find mine.

Shalom,
Pamela

Last Summer Month for Reflections Yoga

Due to the incredible amount of work that I have to do for our upcoming move, the yoga hiking schedule has been altered. There will be only one hike left this summer so grab your hiking shoes and join us!! Also, I will be teaching this month at simplyYoga, Chapel Hills Church and the Westside Community Center. I hope to see you all at a class soon! My prayers are with you all! Shalom, Pamela

Yoga Classes:

**SimplyYoga in Castle Rock

504 Perry Street, Castle Rock, 80104

Please register at http://simplyyogacastlerock.com/scheduleregister

Mondays: August 6, 13, 20, 27

5:45 - 6:45 pm - All level CAY (Christian Alternative Yoga) ~ $13 per class / $55 for 5 classes

**Westside Community Center, 1628 West Bijou Street, Old Colorado City, 80904
Tuesdays: August 7, 14, 21, 28

9:15 - 10:40 am - All Levels ~ $6 per class
10:40 - 11:30 am - Chair Yoga ~ $4 Senior Discount

** Chapel Hills Church

2025 Parliament Drive Colorado Springs, 80920
Wednesdays: August 8, 15, 22

5:30 - 6:30 pm - All Levels ~ Drop-in Fee $10 per class

Last Yoga Summer Hike:
This will be an evening hike! RSVP by email or phone no later than Thursday, August 9th.

Husbands, friends, and kids welcomed! Mats are not necessary! I will send out directions to meet at the trail head. We will begin hiking at 6:30 pm. Bring your mat, light snack, and water is a must. Wear Sunscreen, hat, sun glasses, comfortable shoes and clothes. Pack a light jacket incase of inclement weather. ~ FREE

**Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space, Larkspur
   August 10, Friday

Yoga in the Park:

**Down Dog Days of Summer
Instructor: Donna Carlson, Holy Yoga

Saturday: August 18 / 10:00 am til 11:00 am ~ FREE

Limbach Park, Monument

**CorePower Yoga Park Series
Instructors: Various each week; Live music by Austin Richman

Saturdays: August 11, 18, 25 / 10:00 am til 11:00 am ~ FREE

Monument Valley Park, behind the Fine Arts Center, 30 West Dale Street, Colorado Springs