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Follower of the Month for March: Don Scrooby

Our follower of the month for February is Don Scrooby. Don Blogs at Candid Impressions. Take a minute to stop by and say hello.

A Woman and a Woolly Necked Stork

She was a wonderful woman, full of compassion and a good friend. One morning she stepped out of her kitchen and there standing in the doorway of her lounge, was a Woolly Necked Stork. She thought she was dreaming, but the Stork was as real as the porridge she had just made for herself.

Why had the Stork come? Was it a sign? Was it an omen of some sort? Was something good or bad about to happen? Merle (not her real name) being a practical woman, knew it was none of these. The bird had arrived because it was hungry. The drought was taking its toll. Birds do strange things in times of drought. Merle turned and went back in to the kitchen and came out with a piece of cheese. Giving its wings a shake the stork stepped forward and pecked the cheese from her hand. An unforgettable moment for Merle.

And so started a year- long relationship with at least two visits a week. Then, as sudden as the Woolly Neck arrived, she stopped coming and never returned. Something of Merle departed as well.

Eventually Merle went and lived in England. It was hard for her to leave. Just before leaving she composed a poem about her visiting stork. I was deeply touched by a haunting and beautiful last line, “Will the Woolly Necked Stork remember me.” Merle died in December last year.

I often think of those two, Merle and the Woolly Neck. I wonder if those moments of meeting are inscribed on some universal and invisible hard drive just waiting to be experienced again. I can’t believe that moments like those are ever lost.

About Don: “I’m a fellow observer and struggler through life, an avid reader and always seeking to discern the underlying beauty and naturalness in all of life. I also enjoy photography and the mixing of images with words.” Stop by and visit Don at: http://candidpresence.wordpress.com/

Thought for Today

“My aspiration does not consist so much in defending my truth but rather to live it out”. —Raimon Panikkar

Thought for Today

Compassion (Photo credit: Lawrence OP)

“A religious man is a person … whose greatest passion is compassion.” — Abraham Joshua Heschel in New York Journal-American (5 April 1963) [Source: wikiquote]

Healthy Living A to Z: E is for Exercise

Physical movement and exercise are essential for the proper functioning of the human body but it can be easy to go overboard. We’ve all experienced that after the initial pain, endorphins kick in and exercise not only starts to feel good, you might not want to stop.

The good news is healthy exercise does not have to involve training for a marathon or lifting weights, although I do enjoy weight machines when I have access to them. There are so many physical activities available that get you up and moving, from walking, running, dancing, tennis and golf, to soccer. If you’ve always enjoyed team sports join a league or start a team where you work. This adds a social component to your exercise. If you really enjoy classes sign up at a gym or community center. It will be easier to engage in physical activities that you actually enjoy.

There are immense social pressures to be fit and thin. It is always a good thing to get up off the couch and move. Just remember life is a balancing act. Don’t let your exercise routine throw you off balance.

Thought for Today

Paramahansa Yogananda as depicted on the cover... — Paramahansa Yogananda as depicted on the cover of Autobiography of a Yogi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“To commune daily with God in deep meditation, and to carry His love and guidance with you into all your daily activities, is the way that leads to permanent peace and happiness.” — Paramahansa Yogananda [Source: Self Realization Fellowship]

Thought for Today

“We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and God is shining through it all the time.” — Thomas Merton [Source: The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University. http://www.merton.org%5D

Thought for Today

“For all of us in this world, there is a purpose. None of us is less valuable than the others. Value just takes a different form. We are all God’s children. We are all special. — Ralph Showers [Source: Reach for the Rainbow]

Many summers ago I had the honor of attending a conference on disability ministry at Green Lake Conference Center in Wisconsin led by Rev. Ralph Showers. Ralph is kind of like the energizer bunny, he just keeps going and going. It was hard to keep up with what seemed like his endless source of energy. It was a wonderful week of fun, fellowship and learning with conference participants from across the U.S. and Canada. I suggest you find a copy of his book Reach for the Rainbow that tells his personal story as well as the story of his ministry. You will be blessed. When Ralph says we are all God’s children, we are all special, I believe him.