4:50 am. And Inspired.

Good Wednesday morning. It’s been a long time in recognizing my favorite posts of the week.  Here we go…

1. JT Weaver with his post titled The Last Visit:  “…This was the last time I would ever be allowed to enter the home of my youth and I knew it…There was still a familiarity when we pulled in and parked the car in front of the garage.  The grass that I had mowed so often as a teenager and the driveway I had swept as one of my chores, all seemed so real and so current to me.  The garage door opened with that same squeaky sound I had known for 50 years…Just entering the kitchen I could feel and smell it.  Not the musty smell from years of neglect while the house was for sale, but those many meals that were cooked here.  I could feel the bustling of dozens of people around a holiday meal with the loud chatter everywhere…Read more at this link.
2. A Busy Mind Thinking with her post titled A Day In The Life – When You Are Trapped In Your Body: “…Prior to illness this was my routine…I worked full time. I drove my children to and from school. I attended all school and sports related activities. Twice a month I would go dancing with my sister. I worked out in a gym 3 to 5 times a week…You would have to see my body to appreciate how it (now) appears. My fingers, hands and arms curl up. My legs are swollen and my toes are discolored. If I can walk a few steps I am significantly bent over. I cannot straighten myself up or be helped to do so. These are the facts. Sometimes, due to the paralysis nature of my illness, it affects my facial muscles and my neck on the right side. This in turn affects my ability to speak, to chew food, to swallow, to smile, to breathe, to not choke…WHEN YOU ARE TRAPPED IN YOUR BODY all sorts of things change. So here is my average day now…”  Read more at this link.
3. Renplus with her post Reflections at 30,000 Feet on her trip and back to Vermont: “…I had the exceptional fortune to be seated where I could witness the sunset from the airplane window. The sky was nearly cloudless, and I have never seen anything that describes the beauty of what I saw. Did you know that there is a hint of green in the sunset? The color bands start with the reds and oranges near the earth, then turn to yellows that fade into the blue and indigo of the sky. Where the blue and yellow meet is the tiniest hint of a band of green. As the sun sank, the tiny clouds turned black against the vivid reds and oranges. I had classical music playing on my earphones, and it was the most sublimely lovely sunset I have ever seen. I doubt that what I saw could have been seen from the ground, and I would never have witnessed it if I weren’t sitting still with a calm mind and open soul. I thought about diving for my camera, but that little inner voice that I can only call God told me to sit still and simply witness…”  Read more @ this link.
4. Michael @ We Move Together with his post titled Lift Your Horizon: “…It is tough these days finding focus, meaning and moving forward at work...I find myself adrift at times.  Today, was one of those days. With this mindset, I was eager to read his advice. Indeed, wise words and advice … touching on a 450 year old tradition, the power of the Examen…a daily ritual developed by St. Ignatius.  WIth this process we pause and “examine” our day…Time to slow the noise or push aside the unwelcome quiet.  There are three steps in the process and it need not take more that several minutes to complete…”  Read more @ this link.
5. Perpetua @ The Seeker with her post titled I Spy With My Little Eye: “…Where’s My Belly Button?  Where’s your Belly Button?…”  Read more at this link.
6. Brenda @ Space2Live with her post titled Moving at the Speed of Introversion: Living with a Slow Richness and Loving It where she kicks off her post with a poem from Mark Mallman and shares some wonderful thoughts:

You know sometimes I try

To take it fast in this life

But it gets me down

And I fall to my knees

I take it wisely

There’s no time, no time

I got no time to keep up with you

Have a good day.

Credits: Creative surreal waterfall image from Mme Scherzo via helychartlotte.  Monkey image from themetapicture.com