Hear your soul

"How can you hear your soul if everyone is talking?"

- Mary Doria Russel, Children of God
(thank you again, Carl, for the great quote)

Indulging

In the April 2009 issue of Journal of Consumer Research professors Juliano Laran of the University of Miami and Chris Janiszewski of the University of Florida Gainesville report on their findings into why some people overindulge in fattening foods, buy more than they want, and party more than is good for them — and why others seem immune to such weaknesses. Using the temptation of eating truffles (subjects were given choice of eating or not) they found that once the indulgence began folks were more likely to continue, and that subtle cues can change people’s desires.

Seemingly the cues can come from what someone else suggests, even covertly:

In some of the experiments, subjects were “primed” – a technique of unconsciously creating a goal – with words like “delightful” to create an indulgence goal (eat and/or keep eating the truffles) and “appropriate” to stoke a resistance goal (don’t eat or stop eating even after just one).

And cues can come from what we tell ourselves:

If we tell ourselves we value health, our choices tend to reflect that. But if we make a healthy goal and then reach it, or someone says “good job” for resisting, the researchers found we rebound; that is, we allow our indulgence goals to surface as we let go of the healthy goal. [Kinda like ‘I worked hard, made goal, and now I want to play!’] The secret to avoiding switching back to an unhealthy craving is to keep redefining the active goal so you never really reach it, researcher Laran says. “Instead of celebrating the 10-pound loss, renovate the goal to losing inches, or performing better in a physical test.”

They conclude that resisting tends to create more self-discipline in general — people who resisted the truffle also tended to indicate plans to do more homework in the coming week (study done among college students), for example. Indulging only made them crave more indulgence. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28298157/)

Can’t say I’m excited about this research – I like the sense of meeting goal and love indulging in bites of chocolate occasionally. Still, I know that what I tell myself is crucial: maybe if I don’t think of eating chocolate as an indulgence then I won’t be so tempted to eat lots and lots? Suppose I’m missing the point? Hmmm, I think I want a truffle…

So tender

"When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?"
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Day of memories

It's Memorial Day. Though the US Memorial Day tradition began in earnest after the Civil War, memorial days upon which the graves of the communities' heroes were decorated with flowers and garlands are ancient customs originating in Greece 2,500 years ago.

Since I don't have an immediate connection to a veteran who is gone, I tend to think of non-veteran loved ones who have died, still heroes of a sort. Today my dad comes to mind, and I want to share an ode written by our precious family friend Jane Juhl Sharar Evans.

Ode to George
We always connected, George and me.
We became friends back in 1963.
"Oh yoo hoo, new pharmacy man,"
I said as I filled the empty peanut can.
"I'm the student that works after school -
if you need anything, ask for Janie Juhl."
I went to college and moved away but home on visits, I'd stop and say:
"Yoo hoo George, how's the business of pushing pills?"
He just grinned, "Ooofda, if pays the Appleseth bills."
Time passed and to Storm Lake I moved back,
I needed to get a job, for money we lacked.
"Yoo hoo, George, I heard you have a backyard pool.
How about letting me run a private swimming school?"
George decided it just might work, and he thought up an added perk;
his four girls could help me teach every day.
That's how I met Cindy, Dee, Kathy and Kaye.

One night I stopped by to say hi
and George happened to be the birthday guy.
"Wow" - George was FIFTY - his t-shirt said 'Ain't that nifty?'
"George," I said, "you're so old!"
He said, "Ooofda, Jane, you're so bold!"
We talked about life going by quite fast and he reflected on his past.
Life had been good to him so far
but his dream was to go to Europe to get a car.
"Go for it, George." I said that night -
and he exclaimed, "Ooofda, I just might!"
So off he went, just like that. Soon, in his German VW he sat.
'Dream, then do the dream.'
That was my friend George's scheme.
Travel was always on George's mind
and plane ticket deals he seemed to find.
George and Addie needed someone to watch their gang -
"Oh yoo hoo, George, I'll be your kid-watcher," I said.
"Yoo hoo, George, how'd all your kids turn out so good?"
"Well, I just told them to be the best they could.
I loved each one in a special way -
what else is there for a Dad to say?"

George... you too, were special to everyone.
We loved your Norwegian humor and sense of fun!
It has taken me a while to figure out what ttis ode is actually about.
It's not just a story of George, you see.
It's really what George gave to me.
My 'yoo hoo' friend shared with me
what he loved most... his great family.
I thank my friend for letting me be me -
another "apple" on the Appleseth tree!

Gardened

Yep, I love to read 'facts' such as this, since I fit the bill and it gives me an excuse to be outside in lovely spring weather:

"In one study, women 50 and older who gardened at least once a week had higher bone density than those who jogged, walked, swam or did aerobics."

- Source: “Gardening: It’s Good For You!” National Gardening Association
http://www.nationalgardenmonth.org/health.htm

But little

I don't think I want lots, but am aware that I want more than a little, so this quote inspires me.

"My greatest skill has been to want but little."
- Henry David Thoreau

What they say

"I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions."

- Dorothy Day, 1952

Speech is for the convenience of those who are hard of hearing.

-Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and author (1817-1862)

Love song for God

As I am out in creation – was just outside playing in the dirt – I am drawn to the Creator. The awakening of spring and sprouting of seedlings reminds me of the smile of God. I’m thinking he must love it when we enjoy His wild world, and delight when we enjoy and need and love Him. Reminds me a love poem that a friend wrote:

Love Song for God
Could this desperation be called love?
like lungs love air ~ like tongues love water ~ like my skin loves touch
without you
I die.
You speak my name and I exist
You see me and there is light for seeing.
You smile on me and
the seas swim with fish
the air flutters with birds
the ground thunders with hooves.
Your live is my wild world and
I am Eve
walking in the brightest
light that has ever shown through unsmeared air
Into all that leaping, laughing, living earth.
Eyes full of your blue sky
hair moving in your wind fingers
feet deep in your lush green.
Oh, this Eden of being yours
believing what you said
filling with your desire
breathing your goodness
always naked when you look at me
my breast full
my belly round
my thighs soft
And I,
unashamed.

- Jonna Fantz

Frankincense

I recently returned from a retreat where I got to lead in prayer using frankincense. I love aromas and the many benefits essential oils impart! Here's a piece I came across a few days ago about some good of frankincense, even apart from its spiritual applications which are oft acknowledged.

(The following is from www.aromaconnection.org March 21, 2009)

"Frankincense Oil may be a treatment for bladder cancer: according to a study published this week in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2009, 9:6.

'Frankincense oil derived from Boswellia carteri study induces tumor cell specific cytotoxicity” scientists at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center have found in vitro evidence that frankincense oil (probably its constituent boswellic acid) can kill bladder cancer cells without affecting non-cancerous cells. In order to determine that frankincense was the effective oil, they compared it to sandalwood, fir, palo santo and hemlock oils which did not differentiate between the types of cells.' [They used a commercial frankincense oil that was not specifically controlled for origin and constituency, and the authors suggest that future studies should be more rigorous in determining these details.]

The study references numerous other studies that have found that frankincense has potential in treating cancerous cells.

[The abstract can be accessed at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/9/6/abstract and a PDF of the full article is at http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-6882-9-6.pdf]"

If all you can see

We all have a picture of God. Most of them are not the same. Hold on to your picture loosely. Not only because it isn't all that right, but because you may not recognize God when he does show up if all you can see is your own little picture. - Palm Sunday sermon.... Iona Abbey (passed along via Carl’s great quotes)

“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

–Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past, 1923

Prayer of hope

My daughter, in her blog, shares some profound thoughts via a prayer written by Oscar Romero. On this Mother's Day it reminds me too of the dreams and intent of the parent. We parents get to witness some of the flowering of seeded potential as our kids grow. But we will never see it all, no we may never see the end results, and we cannot do everything.

Still, the beauty is that while I as parent work and minister, I get to trust the master builder to be messiah and grace, doing whatever s/he desires to build his/her kingdom – in my kids, and in this wide world.

A Prayer of Hope
by Oscar Romero
It helps now and then, to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work. Nothing we do is complete which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness, no program accomplishes the Church's mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about. We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further developments. We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for God's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.

We are the workers, not the master builders, ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future not our own. Amen.

Nature and God

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.

– Anne Frank, author of The Diary of a Young Girl

Natural high

"While 83 percent of Americans say spending time outdoors makes them feel refreshed, healthy and excited, 61 percent admit they don't take enough advantage of the restorative powers of nature.” (a statistic from, not surprisingly but rather humorously, a Miracle-Gro survey)

Not long ago Gregg and I treated ourselves to some time in the Appalachian mountains: it was a natural high! Here’s a few statements and quotes highlighting some of the good resulting from time in the wonder-full created natural.

~~~

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." - Albert Einstein (physicist, 1879-1955)

Benefits to the body/mind

*Being in natural settings restores ability to direct our attention and increases working memory (The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework, by Stephan Kaplan. J of Environmental Psychology Vol 15, Issue 3, September 1995).

*Studies also show that nature in forms as simple as a plant at work or trees in front of an apartment complex help reduce stress, improve coping skills, and develop self-discipline. (http://www.floridagardening.org/download/BenefitofPlants.pdf)

*Even merely having a view of nature speeds recovery from surgery, improves work performance, increases job satisfaction. (Ulrich, R.S. (1984). "View Through a Window May Influence Recovery From Surgery." Science, 22, 42-421)

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." - John Burroughs (naturalist and essayist, 1837-1921)

“Wilderness to the people of America is a spiritual necessity, an antidote to the high pressure of modern life, a means of regaining serenity and equilibrium.” – Sigurd Olson, 1946 (nature writer & conservationist, 1899-1982)

Benefits to the soul/spirit

*Nature bestows a sense of connectedness, meaning, purpose.

*Observing the natural teaches that each is unique but also part of the larger whole, and contributes to an appreciation of the world as alive, fascinating, and meaningful. [A recommended article]

*And for me, pondering the created leads to the Creator, the fountain of life.

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find that gong to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.” – John Muir, 1914 (early conservationist and promoter of national parks)

O LORD, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions. – Psalm 104:24

Spring in Minnesota is a lovely time to be outdoors: comfortably warm daytime temps, buds and blossoms, and no bugs!

So gaze out the window, get yourself outside, enjoy the grounding beauty of nature – treat yourself today to a natural high!

Will endure

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”

– Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1956

Dark chocolate

I latch onto any excuse to eat chocolate. I know, it needs to be in moderation - two bites pack about 50 calories - but I read in my Health May 2009 magazine that "the dark kind may help you feel fuller," says University of Copenhagen researchers. "They found that people who ate dark chocolate had fewer cravings afterward than those who ate milk chocolate. The reason: dark chocolate's bitter taste might help the body regulate appetite, or its higher amount of cocoa butter (it has stearic acid, which can slow digestion) may make the stomach stay full longer.

One of my favorite kinds of chocolates...