Last weekend's retreat...almost heaven!

..good company..twinkling lights...art..books..good food..sharing..caring..frosty windows..roaring fires..crisp walks..poems and prayers..Thanks Pad! (and the gang!) xmo mox

A prayer....

Help me to make you the center of my inner life. Give me the grace of prayer. Show me how I am fooling myself when I fail to make you the center of my life and my prayer. Let me understand that in and through you all my little concerns will be taken care of. You do not despise my worries, but you ask me to trust that you will deal with them when I simply keep my eye on you and your kingdom. Teach me your way, O Lord. Amen. (Henri Nouwen)

...a couple more pictures for Markie...get your gloves out...and a scarf...and ear muffs...see ya next week!

mx

Maybe winter isn't so bad after all!

...went awalking through the Belfast Market the other evening with the lights twinkling and the big wheel looking amazing in the moonlight...not a bad way to end a day!

I also saw the cutest thing on the bus to work this morning...three little sisters - probably around 7,5 and 3ish...all with short blond hair...all wearing the same brown coats, fur trimmed hoods up and they reminded me of those sets of little Russian dolls where one is smaller than the next!

Have a nice wintery day!

Longing for the summer!

On these dark, cold mornings as I wait for the bus...I remember the heat of August and thought I'd cheer myself up with a posting of some Greenbelt Festival photos...ahhhh....sunshine!

thanks for Saturday!

A good friend and I took a long walk around Mountstewart Gardens last weekend and it was a joy - leaves crunching...blue sky...birds singing...just beautiful. But in the midst of the day there was a certain sadness as he remembered a special person who had passed away... who had loved the lake..loved seeing the seasons change and in a way - seemed to be with us as we walked. Thank you for sharing this special time with me my friend. These photos are for you.

Up with the lark...

There's something to be said for starting work early...this morning I was greeted with the most gorgeous sky...just so amazing and gone within five minutes! It was a moment of beauty to focus on...

I read recently...sometimes you pressure yourself into taking it all in, when grasping one small detail can be so rewarding. Right now, you need to focus on one single aspect of your life --- how can you improve it? Instead of your overall health...just focus on your teeth! Instead of making more money...just focus on saving a penny at a time! Instead of find a true love...focus on just finding someone you can have a really great conversation with! The best way to move forward is simply one step at a time.

Have a blessed weekend...

The people in my life....

See how that works? Your people are much more than people. They are a community of cheerleaders, therapists and treasured advisors.
I don't remember where I found the quote above...but it's so true. I've had a number of retreats in the past year and each time I have space to think about my life...there's one thing that makes me smile as I'm walking around the lovely country lanes ...and that's the family and friends I have in my life. Each one is special to me...each one adds a different colour to my week..they cheer me on...they listen to my woes...they feed me with words as well as food! I've also realised that behind each smile...each look...each gesture there is a world of hopes, questions, insecurities, dreams - each person's life is a story just waiting to be heard. I'm fortunate to have a whole library of friends and family - I wish the same for you.

Good friend...good day!

At Lynn & James' wedding last week...a wonderful time was had!

...a lovely evening...

...spent with some lovely people last night - and cute little one month old girl who was very well behaved!

Sorry this blog has suffered some lately because of an especially hectic September - hope things are well in blogland with you!

I am now looking forward to a delightful weekend ahead - a silent retreat - ahhhh...bring it on! Words are wonderful but sometimes silence says much more! If anyone still tunes into this wee blog...let me know and leave a comment! Bye for now...

I love this!

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

...photos take by my 12 year old niece!

....I think these pictures taken last weekend are amazing! She obviously has a great eye for composition and when she gets my camera...she won't give it back!!

they say...

they say she's stitched together
with dreams
and when it seems she's reached the edges of her day
she quilts with kindness
where it's frayed
and prays
beneath the sapphire sky

I'm back!

...and a great weekend was had by all...thank you my friends xxx

...12 days of freedom!

...my last day at work for a little while! I have this week updated all my work files...archived all the old stuff...fixed the purchase orders...de-cluttered my office...made hazelnut coffee...sent payroll details off for staff...updated our transport lists...had lunch with the main office staff...put in a stationery order...phoned new nursery parents...received flowers from a old parent...fixed the photocopier....listened to classic fm...made up consent form packs...emptied the bins (I'm not proud!)...and now...in 1 hr 15 mins...I shall leave the desk with a smile of contentment on my face!

I'm so looking forward to going to the Greenbelt Festival next weekend...lots of great speakers...music...art...and friends (old and new)- ahhhh lovely!

Clouds...and angels...

I loved these clouds I saw yesterday...and they made me think of a favourite poem...


Questions About Angels
by Billy Collins


Of all the questions you might want to ask
about angels, the only one you ever hear
is how many can dance on the head of a pin.


No curiosity about how they pass the eternal time
besides circling the Throne chanting in Latin
or delivering a crust of bread to a hermit on earth
or guiding a boy and girl across a rickety wooden bridge.


Do they fly through God's body and come out singing?
Do they swing like children from the hinges
of the spirit world saying their names backwards and forwards?
Do they sit alone in little gardens changing colors?


What about their sleeping habits, the fabric of their robes,
their diet of unfiltered divine light?
What goes on inside their luminous heads? Is there a wall
these tall presences can look over and see hell?


If an angel fell off a cloud, would he leave a hole
in a river and would the hole float along endlessly
filled with the silent letters of every angelic word?


If an angel delivered the mail, would he arrive
in a blinding rush of wings or would he just assume
the appearance of the regular mailman and
whistle up the driveway reading the postcards?


No, the medieval theologians control the court.
The only question you ever hear is about
the little dance floor on the head of a pin
where halos are meant to converge and drift invisibly.


It is designed to make us think in millions,
billions, to make us run out of numbers and collapse
into infinity, but perhaps the answer is simply one:
one female angel dancing alone in her stocking feet,
a small jazz combo working in the background.


She sways like a branch in the wind, her beautiful
eyes closed, and the tall thin bassist leans over
to glance at his watch because she has been dancing
forever, and now it is very late, even for musicians.



Billy Collins, “Questions About Angels” from Questions about Angels. Copyright © 1991 by Billy Collins. All rights are controlled by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Reprinted with the permission of the University of Pittsburgh Press, www.pitt.edu/~press/.

Source: Questions about Angels: Poems (1991).

...memories...

A few evenings ago - when a group of friends began talking about school days - it amazed me how many stories and emotions came flooding back. Some stories being told about certain teachers and situations were so funny my sides were sore from laughing. Some other stories made me upset even now. I was transported back to the smell of chalk and echoing corridors and it was quite unnerving. I guess we all have highs and lows connected with our school days - 'just wondered how the school children today cope with all the stress...sort of glad I'm working!!

five things that make me happy...

1 a smile from a friend
2 being given a card when it's not my birthday!
3 someone phoning out of the blue for coffee
4 a second hand book bought just for me
5 a loving family

...pics below...

...forgot to say...you can click on any picture to enlarge it.

Hope you're having a good week. I'm in the middle of a massive clear out of my work space! I'm surrounded by floppy disks...bin bags...and dust!! ...cough!

...a few recent photos....

...enjoy the weekend!

...Hope your weekend is a special one!

One question.... what are you reading at the moment? I want some ideas as I'm between books...ta!

...when words are not enough...

...in the past day or two - three people have shared their feelings of grief with me.

One girl lost a good friend three months ago and he would have been 26 this past weekend...she texted me with the following verse...

'the grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it, surely the people are grass...but the word of our God will stand forever'...


One of my best friends shared last night how the loss of his mum has affected him during the past year..how he misses her words of encouragement...her look of total acceptance...her touch.

I wanted to cry.

A work colleague wept today over the death of her dad this month...he was 60.


....I feel privileged to be alongside these people...to listen...and to hold them when words are not enough.

...I'm still here!!

Sorry no blogs recently. I've been on holiday to beautiful Dorset (this is not my photo but it gives you any idea of the lovely houses!)
and not back to work - as most of you know I don't possess a computer at home...yes...strange isn't it!? But I hope to get back with a longer posting very soon. Hope all of you out there are well and enjoying the summer months! Bye for a little while.

...Hello? Can I speak to the real me?

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss

God has given you one face, and you make yourself another. ~William Shakespeare

We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves. ~François Duc de La Rochefoucauld

...lack of posts...abundance of workload!

...apologies for not posting more...but I usually pop a little thought on during lunch time at work and work is just so hectic right now...it's impossible - well almost impossible as I'm clearly posting right now!! There's light at the end of the tunnel though with a couple of holiday weeks coming up in July...horray!

I had a lovely wee time over this past weekend...meeting up with Keli, Gail and Sarah over a coffee at St George's Market (a great little market in Belfast open each Saturday). I read recently that it's the oldest covered market in Ireland - who'd have guessed!? I just love the atmosphere...the food stalls...herbal teas...jewellery...and bumping into whoever happens to be there!

Well...folks...that's all for now - until next time - take care and if you feel inspired - leave a little comment! Mo

..before the rains came

...some shots from my garden...you can see the images clearer if you click on them!

...my symphony

I've never been one for 'keeping up with the Joneses' - it doesn't really matter to me if a neighbour gets a new car...I never lose sleep over someone having a better salary...it doesn't annoy me that my clothes haven't a designer label. I listen to people whose aim in life is to better themselves...to get the best and be the best (and sometimes that's not a bad thing)...but it seems that they are so sad and stressed all the time! Though I have to admit it's sometimes very difficult not to get sucked into the whole materialism thing...I want to be content with my lovely life...my family..friends...job...health...home...books...art...coffee...faith...music...whatever is happening right now...I want to be thankful and content...that's what I'm aiming for.

I read this recently and adored it...

“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony."
William Henry Channing's Symphony