Confident and Beautiful

Confident and Beautiful by cindieponabri featuring clutch hand bags

Ocean Beach Vacation

Ocean Beach Vacation by cindieponabri featuring flat sandals

This reminds me of the beaches on the Oregon coast.

Inspired By The Oscars

Inspired By The Oscars by cindieponabri featuring long skirts

Message

Shine

glitter-graphics.com

Dreaming of Summer

Dreaming of Summer by cindieponabri featuring a straw hat

Orbs of Life

Orbs of Life by cindieponabri featuring hair clip accessories

Newly Vintage

Newly Vintage by cindieponabri featuring a swing dress

I believe in all -- Rainer Maria Rilke

I believe in all that has never yet been spoken.
I want to free what waits within me
so that what no one has dared to wish for

may for once spring clear
without my contriving.

If this is arrogant, God, forgive me,
but this is what I need to say.
May what I do flow from me like a river,
no forcing and no holding back,
the way it is with children.

Then in these swelling and ebbing currents,
these deepening tides moving out, returning,
I will sing to you as no one ever has,

streaming through widening channels
into the open sea.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~

(Rilke's Book of Hours:Love Poems to God, translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy)

Web archive of Panhala postings: www.panhala.net/Archive/Index.html

To subscribe to Panhala, send a blank email to Panhala-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Presence

And to paraphrase this from a different perspective...

If MY presence doesn't add value to your life, MY absence will make no difference either.

Improvements

I had surgery this morning to remove the port-a-cath that was in my shoulder. This was used to as the delivery system of the chemotherapy and was very much worth it to have there. Removing it is a very good sign that my cancer days are behind me.

But it was after surgery that I realized how much things have improved for me. For the past three years the doctors have harassed me to try to get me to take high blood pressure medication. I KNEW I didn't have high blood pressure, but I couldn't convince them other wise. I knew that my blood pressure would some times read high for several reasons.. the "white coat" syndrome, anger and frustration of fighting with them, and side effects from the other medications I was taking. Now, four months after going off of all but 3 meditations (9 out of 12);

I am sleeping better and without the need of sleeping medications;

and while my sleep schedule is still kind of wonky and I still sleep for a long time, I can fall to sleep usually very quickly;

I don't have the really awful nightmare kind of dreams (just some really strange, but interesting ones);

the sleep seizures are gone (they were convinced they were due to apnea and were pushing for me to use a CPAP machine;

I have lost weight while also getting back an appetite and a taste for food again;

I am starting to get more energy and ambition, an interest in life again and a desire to do things...

But most of all, was my blood pressure. Before surgery, they took my BP and it was... "drum roll, please": 105/70. Hardly high blood pressure numbers.

Normal blood pressure is about 120/80.

I have always had low blood pressure, and I know my body. I have been trying to learn to trust my intuition and this was one area that I was not going to give in to. I did once, and I became so sick after about just a week of being on them, it took me 2 months to recover.

All of the problems that I have been having for the past 10 years, most are due to side effects of medications. I don't have a problem taking a medication if it is something I really need. And to take it for just as long as the problem exists. But I'm not going to take a drug "for the rest of my life"... "just in case". With the terrible side effects that most of them have, it's just not worth it.

Hearing that I needed to take a drug for the rest of my life just never made sense to me. The human body changes, almost on a daily basis. How to the doctors know what I'm going to need in 20 years, 10 years or even in one year?

Each drug usually causes at least one side effect that becomes a problem and might require another drug to counteract the side effect, and that drug will have at least one side effect that may require yet another drug to deal with that side effect. It ends up becoming a vicious cycle. And these don't include all of the medications that I was prescribed for problems I didn't even have, for illnesses that were misdiagnosed.

I was on Synthroid for a year before I learned I never had a thyroid problem that I was told I had.

The side effects from these medications were causing me to feel worse than the original problem did. And for me, it just wasn't worth it.

I am feeling so much better now, for the first time in years. I know there are many things that are responsible for this, but I think getting all of drugs out of my system, that I no longer needed, and maybe never needed in the first place, is the primary reason for feeling better.

The most important thing I learned from all of this is that I am responsible for my own healthcare. I can no longer put all of my trust and responsibility on to doctors, for many reasons. I need to know what is going on with my body, what the causes are, what my treatment options are, what the alternatives are, and what I can do myself to help me heal and stay healthy. I trusted my doctors too much to ask questions, so I didn't and they didn't take the time to answer questions that I didn't know I should be asking. And I am doing a better job at trusting my own intuition and the signs my body is giving me. Whenever I did that, I've almost always been right. When the second tumor started growing just before the first one, everyone else thought that it wasn't possible for a second tumor to grow in the radiated area. But I just "KNEW" that it did, and the biopsy proved me right. So now I know that my absolute trust was on the wrong area. And I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen again.

Chocolate Dippers

Dip each of the following things in melted chocolate or white candy
coating. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate until set:

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: Dip half way in melted chocolate or white candy coating.

Coconut Macaroon Cookies: Dip half way in melted chocolate or white
candy coating.

Shortbread Cookies: Dip half way in melted chocolate or white candy
coating.

Marshmallows: Use the party toothpicks that are extra long and have a cellophane frill on the end. Use them to hold the marshmallow while dipping and as the holder when they are eaten. Can roll in candy sprinkles after dipping.

Fortune Cookies: Use small tongs to dip the entire cookie in melted
chocolate.

Pretzels: Dip half way or all the way in chocolate or white candy
coating. Dip one half in chocolate and let set and then dip the other half in white candy coating for two color dipped pretzels. Use "stick" pretzels or "knots."

Potato Chips: Dip half way or all the way in chocolate.

Coffee Beans: Place flavored coffee beans on waxed paper on a baking
sheet. Pour melted chocolate over. Chill until set. Flip with spatula an and pour more chocolate to coat other side. Chill until set. Eat like candy.

Ice Cream Cones: Dip the top 1" or so of an ice cream cone in melted
chocolate. Roll in candy sprinkles, if desired.

Chinese New Year

It's the year of the Dragon, but I am the year of the Tiger...

The Year of the Tiger

Years: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

Characteristics: A brave individual, the tiger is competitive and unpredictable. Willing to accept any challenge, the tiger is very concerned with maintaining his honor. The tiger is a born leader but can be a bit selfish. The tiger is also very intelligent and alert, generous and well-liked.

Life: Because he is quick to jump at opportunities and is always taking charge, the tiger tends to get exhausted. He bounces back pretty quickly, however, but this can affect his health. The tiger is always looking for a challenge and may go from job to job. A fast learner, the tiger is best suited for a leadership position. Careers the tiger should considre include an advertising agent, travel agent, actor, writer, pilot, flight attendant, musician, comedian or chauffeur.

Love: The tiger is very passionate and will never bore his partner. While the tiger is often the dominant partner in a relationship, he is also trustworthy and polite. A tiger's partner should be active and adventurous, just like the tiger. The tiger is most compatible with the Horse, Dragon and Dog

Famous Tigers: Tom Cruise, Emily Dickinson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jay Leno, Karl Marx, Marilyn Monroe, Marco Polo, Groucho Marx, Queen Elizabeth II and Jon Stewart

http://www.chacha.com/topic/zodiac-signs/gallery/1914/the-mystique-of-the-chinese-zodiac/14508

Panhala

door of being, dawn and wake me,
allow me to see the face of this day,
allow me to see the face of this night,
all communicates, all is transformed,
arch of blood, bridge of the pulse,
take me to the other side of this night,
where I am you, we are us,
the kingdom where pronouns are intertwined,

door of being: open your being
and wake, learn to be ....

~ Octavio Paz ~

( Sunstone/Piedra de Sol, translated by Eliot Winberger)

Web version: www.panhala.net/Archive/Sandstone_I.html

Web archive of Panhala postings: www.panhala.net/Archive/Index.html

To subscribe to Panhala, send a blank email to Panhala-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Diane von Furstenberg Mikhaila fringed leather biker jacket

Diane von Fürstenberg jacket (see more cropped biker jackets)

Seeing, in Three Pieces

Seeing, in Three Pieces

Somehow we must see
through the shimmering cloth
of daily life, its painted,
evasive facings of what to eat,
to wear? Which work
matters? Is a bird more
or less than a man?

*

There have been people
who helped the world. Named
or not named. They weren't interested
in what might matter,
doubled over as they were
with compassion. Laden
branches, bright rivers.

*

When a bulb burns out
we just change it--
it's not the bulb we love;
it's the light.

~ Kate Knapp ~

(Wind Somewhere and Shade)

Web version: www.panhala.net/Archive/Seeing.html

Affirmations Are Working!!

"Today, or at least this morning, I feel calm, peaceful and loving."

"I spend lots of time thinking delightful thoughts. I truly love myself."

The affirmations are working very well.

While I'm still detoxing, it is going much easier and I am feeling so much better.

I actually am "thinking delightful thoughts" and feel "happiness".

The tumor wound has scabbed over and I'm trying hard to leave it alone and keeping it dry.

While my leg looks worse, it actually feels much better; less pain and tightness.

I've lost 12 pounds in the past 13 days. My body appears to be healing on many different levels, and finding it's balance. I am not on a diet and I'm not trying to loose weight, I'm just letting it happen.

Numerology: I noticed these times just before getting up at 1pm (after going back to bed at 6am, after getting up at 1pm to write the notes about a new book idea)

12:12

an indicator of great understanding and wisdom...

knowledge is gleaned from life experiences which enables a sense of calm to prevail...

considered to be the ancient number of completion as it signals the end of childhood and the beginning stages of adulthood (Yes!! It only took me 60 years to become an adult!)

12:32 (2, and 3 in addition to 12)

2: Balance (two sides); stability; reflection; Represents the dual nature of the human being. As One represents a point, two represents a length. Two is theory and practice; wisdom and method. Two is Yin; Two is The life-force. Two is Spirit.

3: Creative power; growth (emotional and mental). Three is a moving forward of energy, manifestation. It is The Triad, being the number of the whole as it contains the beginning, a middle and an end (something that has been a challenge for me; finishing things). Body, mind and spirit. Three is birth, life, death (death can also mean an ending to one project, chapter, etc). It is past, present, future (I had a tendency to get stuck in the past). The symbol of three is the triangle (which is one of my personal symbols, another is spiral).

12 minutes before 1

1: Unity, the sum of all possibilities. One springs forth, upsurges.

Twelve:

Cultural References (because my belief system is quite Eclectic, I related to all of these)

There are twelve fruits of the Cosmic Tree. It is said that there are twelve days of return to chaos at he Winter Solstice, when the dead return celebrated in the Saturnalia in Rome. There are twelve days of Yuletide and Christmas; these celebrations are also found in Vedic, Chinese, Pagan and European symbolism. The days are said to forecast the meteorological pattern of the twelve months of the coming year.

Buddhist: There are twelve members of the council of the Dalai Lama.

Celtic: There were twelve paladins or peers of Charlemagne and twelve knights of the Round Table at King Arthur's court.

Chinese: There are twelve Terrestrial Branches:

(chih) Boar

Cock

Dog

Dragon

Goat

Hare

Horse

Monkey

Ox

Rat

Snake

Tiger

These are the Beasts of the Constellations and are under the six branches of the Year Tree; there are six wild,---Yin and six domestic---Yang animals represented.

Christian: There are twelve Fruits of the Spirit; Tribes of Israel and there are twelve Apostles. There are twelve gates and foundation stones of the Holy City. There are twelve days of Christmas.

Revelation: Twelve indicates God working in the world through man as in the twelve tribes of Israel and twelve apostles. The woman of 12:1 with a crown of twelve stars on her head represents the Old Testament people of God who bring forth the Messiah (cf. Gen 37:9). We have the new Jerusalem with twelve gates and on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (21:12). The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (21:14). Both these indicate that the New Jerusalem has saints from both the old and new testaments. Also associated with the New Jerusalem are the numbers 144 and 12,000 which are multiples of twelve. 1,260 days, 42 months, time, times and half a time, three and a half days. These numbers are either three and a half years or three and a half days or in other words a half week (of years). When these periods are used in Revelation they indicate either persecution or protection.

Graeco-Roman: Herodotus says there are twelve gods and goddesses of Olympus. Hesiod mentions there were twelve Titans. Twelve is also the number of the Tables of the Law and the days and nights is Saturnalia.

Hebrew: There are twelve fruits of the Tree of Life and twelve gates of the Heavenly City. There are twelve loaves of the Table of the Temple, which represented the months of the year. Aaron had twelve precious stones in his breastplate. There were twelve sons of Jacob.

Hermetic: There are twelve months of the year and there were twelve torments.

Islamic: Twelve descendants of Ali, the Imams or directors rule the twelve ours of the day.

Zodiac has six northern (wet) and six southern (dry) signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius are fire, hot and dry, East. Taurus, Virgo, Capricorns are earth, cold, dry, South. Gemini, Libra, Aquarius are air, hot, wet, West. Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces are water, cold, wet, North.

Mithraic: Mithra had twelve disciples.

Sumero-Semitic: There are twelve days of duel between Chaos and Cosmos.

Source for numerology: http://www.crystalinks.com/

Artwork is from Josephine Wall

Never Ever Give Up!

by Jane Powell

“Small victories are worth celebrating.”

We’re a results oriented society, so we tend to hold off celebrations until we’ve reached our final goal. But the truth is that every day holds wonderful successes and important victories. I’m talking about celebrating progress.

Progress can be realizing mini-goals that lead to your ultimate goal, or it can be something more subtle or unexpected, something that happens that has meaning for you. For example, perhaps you were blamed for something at work that was not your fault. Instead of remaining quiet, you confidently stood your ground. Maybe you received a compliment and were surprised by how good it made you feel.

The really wonderful thing about moments like these are that they can happen anytime and sometimes when you least expect them. They can also turn everything around. Just when you begin to second guess yourself, you’re reminded of your progress.

Don’t give up. You are making progress!

A Polyvore Set from A Friend

Life is too short so I'm gonna..... by kateo featuring long ball gowns

Weight

I know a lot of people will resolve to loose weight for the new year. This is a picture of me when I was 23.

I was always told how fat I was and how much better I'd look if I just lost 20 pounds. I wore a size 12, walked several mile everyday, danced every night.

I finally did loose 25 pounds and I was miserable.

When I look at this picture, I don't see a fat person. It's too bad I did when I was that age.

Now that I am fat person, I am learning to accept myself the way I am. I lost 50 pounds when I got cancer and had to have chemotherapy. Then I got in trouble for losing weight!

This is the way I am, the way nature made me. I think of all of the time I wasted trying to fit into someone else's mold of what I should look like. I know a lot of people who have biases against other people because of their weight. I've even had some backhanded compliments concerning my weight. And some that were not so complimentary.

I found this "Daily Om" article and it seem to back up my feelings. People look at a fat person and assume that they have heart problems or diabetes. But I don't have either of those. I have family members who have diabetes, and it's not due to their weight. It's sad that people judge others based on how they look.. their size, their health, their color, their lifestyle. And then you add their belief system and political stance, and you almost don't have a chance. My wish for the new year is that people do what is best for themselves, no matter what that may be, and that everyone would be able to accept those differences. And if those differences trigger some kind of problems, then maybe we could identify what they are and learn now to cope with them. Goddess knows, that I have several of my own, and I'm now working hard on how to handle and understand them.

So, here is my first step.

Redefining Health
Throw Away Your Scale

No matter what our weight, we can use the cues from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we are.

Health is not a numerical concept and cannot be defined using statistics. Human beings, however, tend to want to quantify well-being into easily understandable figures. We feel compelled to ascribe numbers to every aspect of wellness, from the qualities of our food to our fitness levels to the physical space we occupy. As a consequence of social pressures, we turn our attention away from health and focus instead on the most contentious of these figures—weight—checking our scales to see how we measure up to our peers and role models. Yet each of us is equipped to gauge our relative healthfulness without any equipment whatsoever. When we have achieved a state of wellness, we feel buoyant and energetic. Some of us are naturally slim, while others will always be curvy. No matter what our weight, we can use the cues we receive from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we really are.

When you throw away your scale, you commit to a lifestyle that honors the innate wisdom that comes from within your body and within your mind. It is logical to examine how you feel while considering your health—a strong, fit, and well-nourished individual will seldom feel heavy, bloated, or fatigued. If you have concerns regarding your weight, remind yourself that at its proper weight, your body will feel buoyant and agile. Movement becomes a source of joy. Sitting, standing, walking, and bending are all easy to do because your joints and organs are functioning as they were meant to. When you are physically healthy, your mind will also typically occupy a place of well-being. Mental clarity and an ability to focus are two natural traits of whole-self health. Surprisingly, promoting this type of easy-to-discern wellness within yourself takes no special effort outside of satisfying your hunger with nourishing, wholesome foods and moving your body.

The numbers you see on the scale, while nominally informative, can prevent you from reaching your healthful eating goals by giving you a false indicator of health. You will know when you have achieved true health because every fiber of your being will send you signals of wellness. When you choose to listen to these signals instead of relying on the scale, your definition of well-being will be uniquely adapted to the needs of your body and of your mind.

~ Daily Om

Happy New Year

‎"I don’t really have a New Year’s resolution. I am who I am, and I don’t want to be somebody else." ~ Karolina Kurkova

I don't make resolutions, I make goals instead.

Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland by cindieponabri on polyvore.com

Snow Funny

First Day of Winter?

One thing that has always bothered me about the modern calendar is that it calls December 21st as the first day of Winter, when it's actually Midwinter. December 21st is the shortest day of the year and the night is the longest and then the days start to get longer until we reach Midsummer, on or around June 21st, when we have the longest day of the year and shortest night (in the Northern Hemisphere).

Many Pagans celebrate three harvest holidays; Lammas, or Lughnassah, the First Harvest, on August 1st (the actual first day of Autumn); Mabon, the Second Harvest on Sept 21st (traditionally called the first day of Autumn; and Samhain, the Third Harvest, on October 31st, also known as Halloween and the Celtic New Year's Eve. Although in some cultures, they only recognized two seasons.. Summer and Winter, and Samhain was considered the end of Summer.

I don't know if they thought of the "harvest" as being an Autumn event, or that it was just the stepping stones to the end of the growing season of plenty. Winter was the season when they huddled together, repaired and made new tools, told stories, and hoped that their food supplies would last until summer arrived again. By the time of the longest night, the ancients went from being afraid that Summer would never return and created rituals to encourage the Sun God to bring back the warmth and sunshine to creating celebrations that honored the fact that "he/she/they" did.

Why call the solstice the beginning of the winter or summer season? Many Celtic tribes considered the first day of winter to be around November 1st, just after the Feast of Samhain. Winter peaked at the solstice and then ended around February 1st, when Spring began. Even today, many farmers start planting crops in February and March, before, according to the calendar, it's actually Spring. Essentially, the first day of Spring, which is the Spring Equinox, could be considered the mid point of springtime, or mid-Spring.

In many cultures, the Winter feast celebrations took place from the beginning of November until February 2nd, also known as Candlemas, Groundhog Day, St. Brigid's Day, and Imbolc. Imbolc means "in the belly" and refers to the birth of lambs. Most cultures consider the birth of baby animals and new growth as events that happen in the Springtime, so it kind of makes sense to me that the first day of Spring would be on Feb 2nd.

"Among agrarian peoples, Imbolc has been traditionally associated with the onset of lactation of ewes, soon to give birth to the spring lambs.... this could vary by as much as two weeks before or after the start of February." (Nora Chadwick "The Celts")

It probably shouldn't be a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but maybe acknowledging that Winter started in early November, would take away some of the surprise of cold, snowy weather that blanketed much of the Northern hemisphere while we still have Autumn decorations up. And psychologically, thinking that spring arrives in February instead 6 weeks later on March 21st, no matter what the groundhog might say, allows people to cope with the possibility of 6 more weeks of snow. After all, since it is technically Spring, warm weather, sunshine and the first sight of crocuses could be right around the corner.

You Matter

“Every piece of the universe, even the tiniest little snow crystal, matters somehow. I have a place in the pattern, and so do you!”
~ T.A. Barron ~

Friendship

glitter-graphics.com

Winter Ball

Winter Ball by cindieponabri featuring long gowns

Life Is...

Life Is... by cindieponabri on polyvore.com

A Set Made for Me By My Friend Kate

The Art of Gifting with jcpenney by kateo featuring a striped shirt

Panera Bread Grilled Steak Salad with Giant Croutons

Panera Bread Grilled Steak Salad with Giant Croutons

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds 1" thick beef tenderloin steaks
1 Panera Sourdough baguette
extra-virgin olive oil
blue cheese sprinkles (optional)
1 10oz bag baby spinach leaves
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 16oz can mandarin oranges
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup sliced almonds (about 3 ounces)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings
Your favorite Poppy-seed salad dressing

For the grilled steak, rub both sides of each steak lightly with
vegetable oil, and then season with salt and pepper. Grill steaks
on one side, turn and finish grilling to desired doneness. (About 5
minutes on each side for medium rare.) Transfer steaks to platter
to stand until cool, about 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until
well chilled. Just before serving, slice each steak diagonally into
thin pieces.

If you prefer, coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with 1
tablespoon of vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. When
the oil is hot but not smoking, add the steaks and cook on both
sides to desired doneness. (About 5 minutes on each side for medium
rare.) Prepare the steaks for serving as above.

For the giant croutons, cut bread into slices 3/4" to 1" thick.
Place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake
slowly in a 300° F oven until they are lightly browned and crisp
(approximately 25-30 minutes). For extra flavor, lightly brush each
slice with olive oil after they have baked for 15 minutes. If you
wish, sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the slices for the last
minute or so of baking, just until the cheese softens.

For the salad, mix all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.
Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad equally and arrange on
six plates. Top with slices of grilled beef. Add a giant crouton to
the side of each plate and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Source: Panera Bread

Religious Lies

It's amazing how two different groups of people can come up with two completely different meanings for one word. Take the word "Yule", which many people celebrate this time of the year. Instead of Christmastide, they celebrate Yuletide, while some of us celebrate both.

Yule is a very old word, although no one is quite sure when it first was used, it is certain that it is much older than Christmas or Christianity. Many Christian sites insist that "Yule" is an old Babylonian word for infant, baby or child. But that isn't true. Most Pagan sites will say that "Yule" is an old Nordic word meaning wheel. But this isn't true either. Recent research by linguists say that the word "Yule" is much older than the development of the wheel, which was not known by the Celtic and Nordic people until after 2500 BCE. They say that it simply was a name for a 12-day festival that took place during the longest nights of the year, possibly coined just for the event.

I wish all people would do their research and check many places before they post something and deem it to be the truth. Because there really isn't two definitions of any word simply based on your belief system. I constantly see this, especially during holidays, and especially at Christmas, (the origin of candy canes and the meaning behind the 12 Days of Christmas specifically come to mind).

A while back, I stumbled onto a very angry Christian website that practically was screaming at readers about how evil Halloween was and that no one, especially not Christian believers, should ever celebrate it, He "confirmed" for his readers that it was evil devil-worshiping witches who promoted this awful so-called holiday in an attempt to corrupt young innocent children. When I questioned the website owner and writer about where he found this information and how much research he had done, he assured me that he spent an incredible amount time on research. When I pushed him further for his sources, he said he read several versions of the Holy Bible. When I pushed even further, he said he also visited other Christian sites. When I asked if visited any Pagan sites or any unbiased educational sites (such as Religious Tolerance), and I could almost hear him gasp.

You can only get a true answer to any question if you consult a variety of sources. If you only read sources that back up your claim, especially when they give the answer practically word for word, you are not getting the whole story, and it's possible that you are giving out incorrect information.

I've had some people ask me why does this matter? If they want to think and believe that Yule means infant (or that Halloween is evil), what's so wrong with that? Because it's not true. It's amazing how many people think it is okay to say whatever you wish and call it the truth. They feel if they can get enough people to believe it, then it will become true. Like the museum that shows dinosaurs roaming the land with the cavemen, even though there is absolutely no evidence that this ever happened and much evidence that shows that dinosaurs died out a long, long time before man arrived.

Yes, I know, people are going to say, 'but she is a Pagan, so of course, she will say that the Pagan definition is correct.' Wrong. Go back and read what I wrote and you'll see that I said that Pagan definition was incorrect too. Plus, I was a Christian before I was a Pagan. I didn't leave Christianity because I didn't like them. I became a Pagan because it was a better fit for me. I still study Christianity and read the Bible and other Christian books, as well as books from many other religions, I've been a student of world religions for over a decade. I have been a member of many churches of different denominations including Methodist, Unitarian, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Catholic and Evangelistic. I found many things that I loved and enjoyed about each of them.

I feel that everyone should just be honest and truthful about information, especially when it comes to religion and "especially" when you are writing about someone else's belief system. Spreading misinformation about other religions is not going to make your religion and viewpoint look better, or even good. If you are going to lie about that, what other things could you be lying about as well?

All religions have their good, beautiful and loving attributes and also their mistakes, bad history and skeletons in the closet. While all religions are inspired by a higher power/creator/deity/God, they are all created by man, and "man" makes mistakes. Wouldn't it be better to admit those mistakes, correct them and treat everyone else the way you wish to be treated, you know, like the Golden Rule suggests?

I've never quite understood what is so terrible about people, groups or organizations borrowing or incorporating ideas from other people, groups or organizations? It happens all the time. In most cases it is a compliment because someone thought it was a good idea to begin with. But could it be in this competitive culture that we now find ourselves in, that it's more important just to be first?

That is going fairly hard to achieve since no one really knows who or what came first, since we can only depend on artifacts and the written word. In regards to religion, it's known fact that there were religions long before Christianity was started. Since Christians know and for the most part accept this fact, why is it so necessary to "teach" incorrect concepts to their followers about other belief systems? Are they afraid that if they knew the truth that their followers might be more interested in a non-Christian church and leave their pews and collection plates? Those who might be so inclined will eventually discover that their church was not telling the truth about other belief systems and will leave anyway. But maybe something good might happen and surprise the church leaders. Their followers just might be impressed that a church body who is so keen on the finding the truth was actually teaching the real truth about other religions, or even other churches. Instead, born again Christians would be calling Catholics and Mormons true Christians and teaching that Pagans are not godless, unchurched satan-worshiping heathens. Oh, for the record, "Heathen" simply means "of the hearth" which indicates home and family, and "Pagan" means "of the country"... because we honor the earth and nature.

So, why not just teach and share the truth about all of the people of the world, no matter their belief system? That's what Jesus would do, that's what Jesus taught. Even Pagans know and honor that.

Some of My Favorite Christmas Movies

Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) — Teenager tries to find romance as Christmas approaches.

Bachelor Mother (1939) A department-store salesgirl finds and begins to care for an abandoned infant at Christmas time.

Meet John Doe (1941) — A newspaper reporter turns a bum into a national hero, but the man threatens to commit suicide by leaping from the town hall after he's exposed as a fraud. The climax takes place on Christmas Eve.

Penny Serenade (1941) — Tearjerker includes a child's Christmas pageant scene.

Holiday Inn (1942) Musicians prepare for a white Christmas at a cozy lodge.

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) Hobbled, self-centered New York wit makes Christmas unbearable for the family whose Ohio home he has commandeered.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) — A Missouri family has itself a merry little Christmas, as well as three other seasons.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Attempting to commit suicide on Christmas Eve, a man is rescued by a guardian angel and shown what his hometown would be like had he never lived.

The Bishop's Wife (1947) An angel helps a bishop rearrange his priorities.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Macy's Santa, with help from the U.S. Postal Service, restores a little girl's faith. Remade for television in 1955, 1959, 1973.

Little Women (1949) Starring Elizabeth Taylor

The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) When the Lemon Drop Kid (Bob Hope) accidentally steers Moose Moran's girl away from a winning bet at the racetrack, he is forced to come up with $10,000 to repay the angry gangster. Fortunately it is Christmas, a time when people can be persuaded to part with money for the right cause.

White Christmas (1954) As in Holiday Inn, musicians bring Irving Berlin's lyrics to Vermont lodge. (The story is not a remake, however.)

Desk Set (1957) — TV network researcher and computer expert clash, then find romance.

Babes in Toyland (1961) Apprentice toymakers Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee rescue Tom Tom and Bo Peep from Bogeyland in this Disney adaptation of Victor Herbert's operetta.

(Mr. Magoo's) Christmas Carol (1962) — An animated and musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' famous book, A Christmas Carol, with Mr. Magoo as Scrooge.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) — Stop-motion adaptation of the popular song. Rudolph, and Hermey the Misfit Elf, overcome rejection for their differences and help Santa Claus make his Christmas Eve trip.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) — 28-minute animated special in which Charlie Brown searches for the true meaning of Christmas, by directing a Christmas play while shunning the hyper-commercialization of the holiday.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) — Mean and stingy green creature wants to ruin Christmas. (Animated; musical)

Frosty the Snowman (1969) — Animated special. Magic hat brings snowman to life.

Love Story (1970) — Romance blossoms between wealthy law student and doomed schoolteacher.

Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974) — A mouse and a clockmaker try to appease a disgruntled Santa after he has received an insulting letter.

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977) Jim Henson's telling of the true meaning of Christmas based around a struggling mother and son who each sacrifice an item of great importance in order to give the other the perfect gift for Christmas.

A Chipmunk Christmas (1981) - A sick boy makes Alvin realize the true meaning of Christmas.

A Christmas Story (1983) All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB gun.

Trading Places (1983) A rich man and a poor man switch classes as part of a social experiment through the holiday season.

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (1984) — After suffering a fatal heart attack, a man (Mickey Rooney) is granted a brief return to life so that he can show is California-bred grandson his first white Christmas in New York.

The Night They Saved Christmas (1984) — An oil company dynamites in the North Pole in search of an oil field, unaware that they are endangering Santa Claus.

One Magic Christmas (1985) At Christmas time an angel shows a young mother the true meaning of the holiday.

Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) Big-budget "biopic" for the fat man in the red suit (David Huddleston).

The Christmas Gift (1986) — A widowed architect and his daughter visit a town where everyone believes in Santa Claus.

A Smoky Mountain Christmas (1986) — A singer retreats to an isolated mountain cabin for a quiet holiday, but finds seven orphaned children there.

Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (1987) — Two truck-driving brothers attempt to transport a load of Christmas gifts from California to an economically strapped Alaska town.

Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) Ernest Worrell helps Santa.

Scrooged (1988) Modern, dark-humored interpretation of Dickens' story, with Christmas spirits visiting a cynical, selfish TV exec, played by Bill Murray.

Funny Farm (1988) — A couple buys their dream farmhouse in the country, but a series of disasters lead them to plan a divorce. They attempt to sell their farmhouse by bribing the local townspeople to create the perfect fantasy Christmas to impress prospective buyers.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) The Griswold family plans turn to disaster, this time at Christmas.

Prancer (1989) Girl nurses a wounded reindeer.

Home Alone (1990) Kevin is mistakenly left home alone by his family on Christmas.

All I Want for Christmas (1991) Two kids plot to reunite their estranged parents at Christmas.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) Kevin mistakenly travels to New York City without his family on Christmas.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Jim Henson's creations tackle Charles Dickens' festive favorite.

Sleepless in Seattle (1993) — Woman responds to plea from lonely widower on Christmas Eve radio program.

Miracle on 34th Street (1994) Department store's Santa, with help from the U.S. Postal Service, restores a little girl's faith.

The Santa Clause (1994) When Santa falls off his roof, a harried ad exec is required to assume the mantle.

Little Women (1994) Starring Kristen Dunst

The Ref (1994) — A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.

The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue (1996) — A Family Channel TV production: Three children travel to Washington in the hope of convincing President Hoover to release their wrongly convicted father from jail in time for Christmas.

Jingle All the Way (1996) Dad, while searching for season's hot toy, finds season's true meaning.

The Preacher's Wife (1996) Remake of The Bishop's Wife.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) A furry green creature wants to ruin Christmas for denizens of Whoville.

A Christmas Visitor (2002) — A family decides not to celebrate Christmas for 11 years after their son dies, but when a stranger visits them for Christmas, they realize he is the miracle their family has been waiting for.

The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs Clause (2002) Sequel to The Santa Clause; Santa must find a Mrs. Claus.

Christmas with the Kranks (2004) When a suburban couple decide to forgo Christmas festivities, preferring to take a cruise to the Caribbean instead, their neighbours refuse to allow such Scrooge-like behaviour.

Noel (2004) A series of events link five disparate strangers in New York on Christmas Eve.

The Polar Express (2004) A magical train takes a boy and other children who stop believing in Santa Claus up north to meet the man himself.

Surviving Christmas (2004) A smug, cynical young millionaire pays a family to spend Christmas with him.

Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004) — A wealthy girl visits an orphanage during the holiday season, and tries to house them.

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) Santa battles Jack Frost to keep his title.

A Grandpa for Christmas (2007) — During the Christmas season, an old-time film-star/singer/hoofer, who is estranged from his daughter and 9-year-old granddaughter, suddenly finds himself bonding with his granddaughter when her mom is hospitalized.

Moonlight and Mistletoe (2007) — A man runs a year-round Santa Town.

The Santa Suit (2010) Drake Hunter, the president of Hunter Marketing, has the perfect plan to boost sales for his father's toy company over the holiday season--hire department store Santas to promote his father's merchandise. When the real Santa Claus turns Drake into a Santa lookalike, Drake finds himself working as a department store Santa.

WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT LIFE CAN BE LEARNED FROM SANTA

-Encourage people to believe in you.
-Always remember who's naughty and who's nice.
-Don't pout.
-It's as much fun to give as it is to receive.
-Some days it's ok to feel a little chubby.
-Make your presents known.
-Always ask for a little bit more than what you really want.
-Bright red can make anyone look good.
-Wear a wide belt and no-one will notice how many pounds you've gained.
-If you only show up once a year, everyone will think you're very important.
-Whenever you're at a loss for words, say: "HO, HO, HO!"

Flash mob at Copenhagen Central Station. Copenhagen Phil playing Ravel's Bolero.

Best Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is a creation of mine based on the kind my mom and grandma used to make. I get a lot of compliments on it.

Cindi

1 cup small elbow macaroni
2 T. butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground dry mustard
1/4 t. pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, chopped

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in large nonstick pan over low heat. Cook onion until translucent. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Cook over low heat 20 seconds, stirring constantly, until butter is absorbed; remove from heat. Gradually beat in milk with wire whisk. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Stir constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in cheeses until melted. Stir pasta into sauce. Pour into a casserole dish and sprinkle with a bit of paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes and until bubbly and golden brown on top. Serve hot.

Interesting Thought

The glass is always full. It is the ratio between air and water that changes.

Message from the Universe

Taking massive action on massive dreams amidst massive uncertainties, Cindi, is pretty much where everyone had to start.



And then things got way easier.

Massive love,

The Universe

Twilight: Forbidden Love

Twilight: Forbidden Love by cindieponabri on polyvore.com

I still love the series, and I did like the first part of Breaking Dawn.

German Star Ornament Wreath

Holiday Wreaths - Easy Holiday Wreath Ideas - Good Housekeeping (clipped to polyvore.com)

In two weeks, siblings suddenly lose both parents

I was reading an old issue of a magazine from 2004 that had a story about the Scott-Cadigan family. They lost both parents in two weeks and they ended up on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and got a beautiful new house. I was wondering if there was anything online that might be current about how they are doing, but couldn't find anything. Anyway, here is their story from 2004....

Cindi

In two weeks, siblings suddenly lose both parents

LIVERMORE, Calif. — The first call to 911 was a shock: A mother of eight had died at home, her heart suddenly giving out. Two weeks later, another call from the same quiet street: The father had collapsed.

In just two weeks, the eight children of the Scott-Cadigan family, ages 12 to 22, had lost both parents. Seven months later, the shock lingers, though the family is still together, sibling looking out for sibling.

"How do you go on after something like this has happened to you? I honestly don't know how all of us are doing it, but we are," says Janice Scott, 21.

"We have each other's back," says Jennifer, 22.

Others, too, are pulling for the family. In the past year, a grocer has donated food and volunteers have worked on fixing up the family's modest home. A trust fund has been created to help pay monthly bills, with a couple of out-of-town relatives overseeing major withdrawals.

"It's amazing what people have been doing," says Sherri Plamondon, the 911 dispatcher who took the call when Diane Scott-Cadigan died suddenly of a heart condition last June.

Plamondon, who lost her own father when she was 21, was already working on getting help for the family when the second call came in two weeks later. Diane's husband, Mark, had died of undiagnosed heart disease, aggravated by the stress of his wife's death. Both parents were 43.

Dispatchers are trained to stay distanced from the tragedies that pour into their headsets, but this one was different. Plamondon called a firefighter who was at the scene, needing to know how the children were coping.

"Sherri, you can't imagine their faces," he told her. "You just can't imagine the grief."'

Dolly Scott-Cadigan, 14, made both 911 calls.

"It's like a nightmare," Dolly says. "You couldn't even make a movie out of it because it's so horrible."

For the next few nights, the children dragged mattresses into the living room and slept together. No one wanted to be alone.

Within days, Janice and Jennifer, both of whom had moved away from home before their parents died, moved back into the family house in Livermore, 50 miles east of San Francisco.

Did they ever consider splitting up?

"No," Jennifer says.

Plamondon and colleagues at the fire and police departments helped coordinate support that has ranged from free amusement-park tickets to a new minivan.

But there are years yet to navigate. Three children — Dolly, Theresa, 12, and Jackie, 16 — are in school; the other five work at various jobs. Jennifer is a preschool teacher; Janice, a pharmacy clerk.

"I worry about them," Plamondon says. "What's going to happen in a year? What's going to happen in two years?"

As the oldest, Jennifer resists the idea that she's the "new mommy."

"My one and only job is older sister," she says.

Old routines have reasserted themselves, with older siblings taking care of the younger children and younger siblings pitching in as much as can be expected.

"If they get home first, and they see there's no dog food, they give the dog food," Janice says.

"If they come home and see a mound of dishes ... they don't do them," she adds, laughing, although she's quick to add, "They're all really, really good kids."

The eight children are a blended family, Jennifer, Janice, Daniel, 19, Rachael, 18, Jackie and Dolly are Diane's children from a previous marriage. Kelli-Ann, 19, is Mark's daughter from a previous marriage, and Theresa is Mark and Diane's child born after they got married in 1990.

After Diane died, the children grew even closer to Mark as they shared their loss. And after Mark died, they were reminded again of how much he had loved their mom.

Weekdays tend to be one long to-do list: get up, make breakfast, drive people to school, to work, fix dinner, check homework, bed.

Mostly, they just try to keep going.

"I want to be strong for my sisters," Jennifer says. "I have kind of like the sink-or-swim attitude. I can move on and make this work for my family or I cannot. I'm sure down the road there's going to be a huge explosion in my head, but for right now I'm trying to hold it."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001856150_family120.html

Christmas Charities

Unicef
Buy Christmas cards
http://www.unicefusa.org

St. Jude
Buy gifts
http://store.yahoo.com/stjudecatalog/

Toys for Tots
http://www.toysfortots.org/

My Two Front Teeth
Sponsor a child
http://www.mytwofrontteeth.org/

Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Secret Santa
http://www.SecretSanta.org/

Donate a bag of food
http://www.volunteersofamerica.org/

Stand Up for Kids
http://www.standupforkids.org/scontribute.html

Runes

Years ago, even before I became a Pagan and learned about divination, there was a shop in town called the Blue Star Center. I found a set of runestones and was immediately drawn to them. It was a few years later before I finally bought myself a set. They still intrigue me.

When my daughter died, my niece, Alexis, put a rune necklace in Courtney's casket to be buried with her. It was "Raido" rune that looks like a letter R. It means "a journey", which seemed very appropriate for Courtney. She was definitely going on a new journey.

An Alphabet of Enlightenment
Runes

When casting the Runes you will find illumination in the unlimited possibilities laid out before you.

Many millennia ago in northern Europe, ancient peoples sought a means to understand their roles in the world at large. They created runes—an alphabet of symbols that served both as a functional writing system and as a unique system of divination. Though the symbols themselves were little more than varying combinations of straight lines carved on natural mediums such as wood, stone, or bone, these individuals devised a method of comprehending the past, making sense of the present, and interpreting the future using the runes as guides. The significance of each symbol was a product of its general orientation once cast and its location with respect to other runes. In the present, runes can play the same role in our lives that they played in the chronicles of distant history. Through them, we open ourselves to a form of universal guidance that helps us help ourselves.

There are many casting styles, each of which serves an individual function. Casting a single rune can help you answer specific questions or choose a daily meditation subject. Three runes, cast during confusing or distressing situations, provide you with insights into the past, present, and future—as represented by the first, second, and third runes cast, respectively. A nine-rune cast can help you understand where you are on your spiritual path. The runes that land face up relate to your current circumstances and the events leading up to them, and any runes touching are read as concurrences. Rune readings, however, are by their very nature subjective and open to interpretation. Your casting style should reflect your intuitive knowledge of your needs. Grabbing a handful of runes to cast at random can be just as effective as choosing a set number to cast.

Whether you buy your runes or carve them yourself is less important than your sincere desire to understand the messages conveyed to you via this alphabet of enlightenment. Your intentions will have a direct impact on the wisdom you receive while casting. The runes are representative of forces outside of the realm of human understanding, so your intent will act as your anchor. By simply reading the runes, you will find illumination in the unlimited possibilities laid out before you in each new cast.

~ Daily Om

Not Photoshopped: Beam of Light Shines on Fallen Soldier’s Miracle Dog

Reported by ABC News’ Kimberly Launier:

It was an overcast day in Newport, N.H., when a simple “20/20″ shoot turned into something that made me wonder about life after death.

I was filming soldier Justin Rollin’s parents Skip and Rhonda playing with their dog Hero, whose rescue from the Iraq War zone where Justin died was nothing short of a miracle.

Sometimes when Rhonda hugged Hero she would softly pet her face and coo, “Justin, are you in there?” It was Rhonda’s gentle way of remembering their son and his last living connection to Hero. At one point, Hero wandered off and took a stroll in the backyard. All of a sudden, the clouds broke and a light began to solidify in a beam directly down on Hero — a kind of vertical halo.

(Kimberly Launier/ABC News)

As this dramatic ray of light was shining on Hero she turned to look at me, and it was all I could do to hold the camera steady and not drop it in astonishment. It was an unforgettable moment, and made me wonder if in fact Justin was in there. Then the light vanished.

I couldn’t wait to check my camera’s playback to see if it caught the stunning beam. When I saw that it did, I was so happy that I burst out dancing. It was a great moment to share with Justin’s parents. We all laughed together, and wondered if perhaps this had been a sign from Justin.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/11/not-photoshopped-beam-of-light-shines-on-fallen-soldiers-miracle-dog/