Sharing Christmas Blessings
Whole Life Network Release
“With God all things
are possible” is the philosophy of life of Frank and Mary Koenig. This verse appears on their business card
and on the wall at the office of Sharing Ministries Inc. Food Bank at 121 N.
Rio Grande in Montrose. In 1996 this
family had a vision of sharing their lives by creating a Food Bank for the
needy in their community. They had no
funds, no facilities and no experience in the conduct of a Food Bank. But, they had a dream and the faith that,
“With God all things are possible”.
Nine years later Sharing Ministries serves more than 14,000 people each
month in southwestern Colorado.
Moreover, they proudly announce that they have purchased land and have
building materials available to start construction on a new warehouse and office
space that will enable them to serve even more people more efficiently. At this time, a groundbreaking date has not
been set, but all is in readiness to proceed.
Sharing Ministries is
not connected to any one church affiliation.
It has no paid staff, operating with about 80 volunteers, and
relies solely on donations to pay operating costs, including: rent, utilities,
insurance and facility and vehicle maintenance. You can share your blessings this holiday season and, in so
doing, contribute assistance in improving lives, restoring dignity and
providing hope for thousands of fellow southwestern Coloradoans. Send your tax-deductible
donation to Sharing Ministries Inc., P.O. Box 1883, Montrose, CO 81402. If you share the vision of Frank and Mary
Koenig, you may also want to volunteer some time and talent to the food
bank. Right now more volunteer truck
drivers are needed (CDL required). For
more information on how you can help, call 970 240-8385. After you have opened all of the presents
under the tree and have enjoyed a bountiful dinner, you can keep the wonderful
feeling of good will and peace on earth alive by knowing that you have made a
donation to assist your neighbors to share your Christmas blessings.
Back
to Top
Annual Whole Life Fair
Whole Life Network Release
The 12th Annual Whole
Life Fair, A Journey Into Conscious Health and Living, will be
held this year in Montrose at the Montrose Pavilion on Saturday, February 18th.
This event is our showcase of progressive health practice and remedies for the
Western Slope. The doors at Montrose Pavilion will open at 9:30 am and you'll
be able to browse for hours. We ask one and all to mark your calendars now so
that you won't miss this fun-for-everyone event.
As last year, attendees
will be asked for a $2 donation for entrance to the Fair. It's not much, and we
feel justified to ask for an exchange of energy to match the energy and love
expended by volunteers of our network. Here's a short list of what your $2 gets
you: door prizes every hour, free presentations, networking with old friends, latest
in holistic products, live music, and you can purchase great beverages and
lunches right in the Pavilion.
If you are interested in
what you can learn about your health care issues and/or would like to improve
the quality of life through a healthier life-style, we urge you to see what
your community has to offer at the Fair. Your body/mind/spirit can spend the
day to find pampering, thought provoking ideas and an energized spirit. The
early response from health practitioners and purveyors of a great assortment of
holistic care essentials has been heartening. We expect to fill the Pavilion
with approximately 50 exhibitors offering a great variety of services and
products supporting a healthy lifestyle.
As always, space is
limited. Remember last year? So, if you have a service or product that would be
of interest to the growing “Cultural Creatives” segment of the Western Slope
population, you need to submit a registration to reserve your booth at the
Expo. Registrations received by January 10th will be listed in the official
Vendor's Guide that will appear in the February issue of Connections.
Don't have a registration? Look on Page 2 for a 2006 Fair Registration Form,
and you can reserve your space at the Expo.
Back
to Top
Remembering Aztlán
A Column of Poetry, Culture & Spirit by Art Goodtimes
SHI SHI BEACH … For
folks who live in the center of the country, the ocean has a great allure.
Especially for kids for whom the surge and suck of the sea’s edge is a foreign
concept. Traveling to the West Coast of this great country on vacation this
fall was a special treat for our family … We visited a friend in Port Townsend
at a place called Beckett Point – a spit of land tucked into a nook of
Discovery Bay. His beach house home afforded us close-up views of sea gulls,
oystercatchers, sea lions and herons. I found shaggy mane mushrooms (choice
edibles!) growing along the road down to his house. We ate Scow Bay oysters –
the best – and grilled a whole salmon for dinner one night … When we left
Beckett Point, we drove out to Neah Bay on the Makah reservation at the
northwesternmost tip of the Olympic Peninsula. Our quest? Shi Shi beach. My
teacher, Dolores LaChapelle of Silverton, had spoken of this magical and rugged
bit of coastline for years. And so we were determined to reach it. But a late
start and the exigencies of a large entourage – we were two families and three
cars in caravan at that point – brought us to the trailhead at dark, a thick
fog enveloping the forest canopy … Undaunted, the kids and I rashly struck out
along a cedar plank boardwalk into the Sitka spruce woods. By the time the
plank walk turned to mud track, with puddles the size of swamps, night was fast
closing in. All the kids but my plucky seven-year-old turned back. I carried
Gorio on my back as a I plodded barefoot through the darkening muck, sometimes
knee high. Finally, we too had decided to call it quits when Mary and her
friend Christy showed up with flashlights. So back we went, and eventually we
made it to Shi Shi. The full moon rising behind us, casting a refracted glow on
the sand and the surf. Gorio ran excitedly into and out of the waves, a dervish
devotee of the tidal pull, singing, dancing, ecstatic. Eerie headland shapes
and rock stacks hammered by combers poked through a distant mist. We sat on
huge log driftwood piles and ate a late snack of cheese, salami and sourdough …
Sand dollars and shiny rocks. Exposed starfish and anenome pools. We were
entranced. We stayed for an hour or more, losing track of time and all
responsibilities. Shi Shi! … The walk back in the moonlight, barefoot, Gorio’s
hand clasped in mine, was as magical as any hike I’ve ever taken. My boy
animated, walking into the night through all but the deepest mud holes.
Chattering, non-stop, of dreams, driftwood and the dance of sea and dunes.
VISITING DAD
… One of the focuses of our trip to the West Coast was seeing my father,
Vincenzo Bontempi, out in Mountain View, south of San Francisco. He’s 85, a
widower living alone, but at home, still feisty. Still smoking a couple packs a
day … Maybe it was the hard work that keeps him going. A lifetime of labor.
Jacking. Nailing. Delivering mail … Out of the service, where he’d risen from
buck private to first lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, he started working as a
mechanic. Maybe that had something to do with the legendary trip his family
took from San Francisco to Los Angeles back in 1933. His dad, a typesetter for
La Italia, the Italian-language newspaper in North Beach, had just abandoned
the family one day -- up and left his six kids and wife and headed back to
Italy. The two older brothers went to work, and his mom took the rest of the
kids south to L.A. to get Vince into movies. Her brother was a bit-part
villain-type in the silents – Albert Prisco. And she was convinced her thirteen-year-old
son was handsome enough to be a star … About half-way down the California
coast, the Model A Ford ground to a halt on a hill. A gear malfunction.
Somehow, Vince figured out that he could substitute the working reverse gear
for the broken forward gear, and got the Model A going again. It made it all
the way -- with my under-age dad at the wheel, three kids and his mom as
passengers. It wasn’t until they got to L.A. that the car seriously died. So,
in the open-air parking lot of the motel where the family stayed, Vince
meticulously took apart the engine piece-by-piece. He didn’t have a manual, so
he was careful to keep the parts in order. He fixed what was worn or broken.
And put it all back together again. And it ran. Unfortunately, Uncle Prisco wasn’t
much help, and the Hollywood dream didn’t pan out. But the Model A made it all
the way back to San Francisco, where it died shortly after crossing the city
limit … Mechanic work in foggy San Francisco proved too hard on Vince’s lungs.
He got pneumonia three times. So he moved to the Peninsula and started working
on hardwood floors. Installing them in new homes. Hard work. But he was good at
it, and by the late Fifties had his own subcontracting business. Three trucks
and nine men. Then a series of calamities struck in the Sixties, and he lost
the business. Got divorced. Struggled to start over. But then remarried. Eventually getting a steady job with the post
office. A union job. He had always been a union man. His business had been a
union shop. And for 20 more years he labored, this time walking hundreds and
hundreds of miles, delivering the mail … By the time he’d retired, he’d worked
his way up to editor of the postal union newsletter for his local. Even at 85,
he still proofreads the copy. And keeps up on union business. And while he
never made it to Hollywood, he did become an accomplished semi-professional
actor on the Peninsula, starring in a number of community plays, including the
leads in Waiting for Godot, Dylan and the musical Fiorello. Of course, his
acting days are over now, but he still keeps a garden. And his recipe for
Biscotti is famous among all his friends (and even in Telluride where it
appears in the Ah-Haa Cookbook) … The only thing that gets him upset these days
is any mention of the current president and that administration. Then, his
language turns blue. And he rails and rants and can’t believe the American
public has elected someone so incompetent and downright malevolent to run this
country. He laments all the good young men and women lost for a war built on
lies … It’s convinced him to put this epitaph on his tombstone. In fact, it’s
already made and paid for: “Born and died a Democrat.” And, as you can tell,
proud of it.
THE TALKING GOURD
Christmas Eve
let's buy one she said
but every tree in the lot
stood nailed to a wooden stand
& Jesus I began to weep
© 2004 Art Goodtimes
Back
to Top
Dea's Kitchen: Keep it Simple
by Dea Jacobson
As the winter holidays
approach, the days shorten, with less outside time for chores and play. We tend
to spend more time around the kitchen table, that universal gathering
place. And, while the commercial
holiday madness might keep some running to the mall or Walmart, I enjoy making
some goodie to give as a gift, or wrapping up a jar of precious homemade jam or
jelly to send to family members back east.
The kitchen is the heart
of the home in winter, and can be both a beehive of activity and a haven of peace.
I love to hear the stories of meals shared over the years, and enjoy the spirit
of animated conversation with friends and family. Together we have solved all
the world’s problems, over and over again!
Experimenting with new
recipes, along side of the old favorites keeps things interesting, don’t you
think? You know…change is good, right? So, my gifts to you are two recipes this
month, and hope they become favorites with you. The first one is called “Corn
Fiesta”. My good friends Scott and Brenda Mavor turned me on to this yummy “hot
dish”, and every time I make it, the pan is scraped clean. Corn is an
indigenous grain to the Southwest, and
with the spices and colorful vegetables it feels right for a Colorado holiday
feast.
Corn Fiesta
1 can creamed corn
1 can regular corn
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup tortilla chips,
crushed
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup red pepper
¼ cup minced carrots and celery
¼ cup green onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
or parsley
½ cup grated cheddar
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
paprika
powdered cumin and chili
powder to taste
In a saucepan, sauté
onion, celery, carrots, pepper, and greens lightly. Combine in a baking dish
with the corn, beaten eggs, butter, and tortilla chips and seasonings. Spread the cheese over the top, and a few
more crushed chips for fun, and then sprinkle paprika over that. Bake for about
35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. This recipe lends itself to variations, so
feel free to get creative with the spices and vegetables.
Now for a sweet treat…Scottish
Lace Wafers. It is from the kitchen of my teacher, Rebecca Wood, who calls it
“a great classic recipe that is perfection in its utter simplicity”. I plan to
make these for my friend Judy’s cookie swap this year where a dozen or of us
get together, each with about 6 dozen cookies to swap. Sounds like fun,
eh? These cookies have a wonderfully
chewy butterscotch flavor, with the butter and sugar lightly coating the oat
mixture to create a crispy glaze. Here you go!
Scottish Lace Wafers
Preheat the oven to 350
Degrees. Butter two baking sheets and set them aside. This recipe makes about
24 cookies.
1 ¼ cups oatmeal
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tbs. unbleached flour
½ teaspoon vanilla
extract
4 tbs. melted unsalted
butter
1 large egg, beaten
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup shredded
unsweetened coconut
½ cup sucanat or light
brown sugar, packed
Combine the oatmeal,
sucanat, coconut, flour, salt and nutmeg in a medium sized bowl. In another
bowl, combine butter, egg, and vanilla. Mix the wet and dry ingredients
together and drop from a teaspoon in rounds on the baking sheet, about 2 inches
apart. Flatten with a fork. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until brown. Cool on the
sheet for 2 minutes, to become firm. Then remove to a wire rack to cool.
May you enjoy food,
friends and fellowship, in a relaxed atmosphere, and be thankful for all the
blessings we have here in our mountain and valley communities. Namaste!
Dea Jacobson, RYT, is
the owner of Blue Heron Yoga in Cedaredge, Colorado. She is a graduate of Naturally Grand Cooking School and a
Licensed Religious Science Practitioner.
She holds classes and therapeutic sessions in Cedaredge, Grand Junction
and Delta and can be reached at www.blueheronyoga.com, P.O. Box 95, Cedaredge,
81413 or at 970-856-4905.
Back
to Top
Making Pear Crisp on New Year's Eve
by Jill Burkey
My grandmother passed
away last week, so I wanted to share this piece I wrote about her last year...
My knife slips downward
through the Royal Riviera pear just underneath the skin, releasing large veins of
juice as if it can barely contain itself in its bursting ripe condition; a
pear's highest aspiration. I cut the naked pear in half and gently trace around
the core, urging it out with my knife. It is the only resistant part of the
pear, the rest melting away with my touch.
As I go, I get better at coring out the centers those pears so wanted to
save for the right time and the right piece of earth. As I work, I think about
my center, what I'm hiding there, and where I want to plant it.
This is the first Pear
Crisp recipe I've tried even though we've been getting the pears for years,
maybe since we were married. Pears have never been my favorite, but I've
learned how to let them ripen perfectly, and I look forward to their appearance
on our doorstep more every year, with the card on the box that says,
"Merry Christmas! Love,
Granny," the Harry and David return label reflecting her class and sense
of style. I don't know why I never cooked with them before. Maybe they were too
perfect to be diluted with other ingredients. Maybe it's my newfound sense of
thriftiness, trying to use up what I have, something Granny would do, like
saving every bit of leftover food, no matter how small the amount. Or is it
that I don't know how many more years these pears will be waiting for me at my
doorstep? How many more letters saying, "Take good care of each other and
a kiss to all of you. Loads of love, Granny."
My box of pears is empty
now. I will save it under Brooke's crib until July when I'll fill each of the
twelve diamond shaped openings with local Colorado peaches, replace the green
foam on top, and send it to my grandmother in Virginia for her ninety-first
birthday.
I take the pear crisp,
brown and bubbling, from the oven and wish Granny were here to try it with me.
To hear her say, "Now, then," while she putters around the kitchen,
pausing to dry her hands while she decides what should be done next. To watch
her expertly peel a tomato or section a grapefruit in a way that always made me
believe when I was young that her hands were resistant to the sharp edge of a
knife. To hear her sweet giggle grow into a light laugh after retelling a silly
family story.
At least as I sit down
with my first bite, I know that in this yearly exchange of fruit, this small
attempt to scatter our seeds, we nourish each other and know we are loved.
Jill Burkey is a
freelance writer & stay-at-home mother of 2 children. She has a B.S. in
English, Business, and Secondary Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University
& provides professional writing services through Word Wise, Ink. Contact
Jill at 255-7348 or at burkey@frontier.net.
Back
to Top
Peaceful Contributions for the Soul
by Kathy Gates
Tis the Season of Love
Enjoy the Christmas tree
lights, the fresh smell of pine, songs of peace, love and joy and the gifts
that Love brings to everyone you meet.
Tis the Season of Love,
the many gifts of Christ flowing through all mankind, all sons, all daughters
everywhere. We all have the same
Creator as Jesus, it doesn't matter what you call It.
We were all born
innocent and free from guilt, born of love, wholeness and perfection we are
each a great idea of our Creator.
It is within everyone
and everything that has ever been. A Christ like shine in every smile, in every
song of peace, in a simple hug or good deed.
It is in you to share with Life.
It is the purpose, right here today and everyday. Trust in It.
Look for the goodness It
is there, open your inner eyes and see the truth that Christmas brings. Be joyful in knowing we have the free will
to choose Love, to choose Peace, to choose Wholeness and Goodness in our own
lives and in others. We do not have to
be remarkable or famous, we can just be who we are and that is enough. It is
the greatest gift our Creator gave us. The Love we are brings heaven on earth.
So give that part of you as your treasure.
See how happy you feel about yourself and your world when you give. Then
you will have experienced Life to It's fullest. It is awesome, It is freedom. Enjoy the gift of yourself to
everyone you meet. Enjoy the gift of them too. Laughing all the way. Know that
It is possible to experience Heaven on Earth all year long, not just on Christmas
day.
Peace and Blessings to
you and Merry Christmas
Visit our website at
www.womensspiritretreats.com or you can
email wsretreat@aol.com for updates on workshops, or programs being
offered. Silent retreats are being
offered through November and December call Kathy for more information.
Blessings to all living
beings. Kathy
Back
to Top
Easing Colds and Flu
© Anne Calzada Herbalist
A lot has been written
about preventing the cold and flu virus, but what about after you get it? A
cold or flu is actually a virus that has an affinity for the respiratory system
and that includes the head and chest. There are actually over 200 viruses that
can cause the cold or flu. Viruses continue to change and mutate within the
cellular level, making Influenza vaccinations less than ½ accurate in their
success rate. Keep in mind that antibiotics are truly useless against viral
infections such as Influenza, so the best way to get rid or prevent a cold or
flu is to strengthen your immune system and the ones of those you love!
Fortunately natural
medicine offers many remedies to promote good health and prevent sickness. Here
are a few suggestions besides adequate rest, nutrition, hydration and proper
hand washing!
*Zinc—a mineral that has
potent immune stimulating qualities, nourishing the cells. Very helpful in the
treatment of sore throats.
*Vitamin C- known to
increase white blood cell count and interferon, an antiviral compound in the
body.
*Vitamin A - protects
the mucus membranes from infections.
*Garlic and Onion - high
in antibacterial and anti-viral compounds.
*Ginger - a warming
circulatory tonic with diaphoretic properties.
*Shitake, Maitake and
Reishi - anti-viral, antibacterial, stimulation of white blood cells. Deeply
immune stimulating and health enhancing.
*Horseradish - an
expectorant and diaphoretic that helps to clear congestion of the lungs and
sinuses.
*Peppermint - a cooling
expectorant with diaphoretic action.
*Licorice - demulcent
properties w/decongesting action.
*Echinacea - this plant works best when used at the first sign of illness. It
contains both anti-viral and antibacterial properties. Increased white blood
cell count.
*Mustard - a warming
circulatory diaphoretic with expectorant action.
*Horehound - expecting
qualities with decongesting action.
*Elderberry - an
antiviral and febrifuge, rich in A and C. The flowers are diaphoretic.
*Muellin - a demulcent
with antispasmodic action while decongesting the bronchial tissue.
*Marshmallow - cooling
and coating, a demulcent.
*Astragalus - antiviral,
it is strengthening to the immune system.
*Yarrow - a diaphoretic
and febrifuge.
*Wild Cherry - an
expectorant that also calms bronchial tissue in acute respiratory inflammation.
*Coltsfoot - a demulcent
with anti-inflammatory actions upon the respiratory system.
~ Please be aware that
Slippery Elm, Lomatium, Osha and Yerba Santa are at risk in the wild, use
cultivated sources whenever possible. ~
To Bring Down A Fever
Tea
Combine equal parts of
Peppermint, Yarrow and Elder flowers.
Add 1 tsp. per 1 cup of
boiling water and steep.
This classic blend will
help you to sweat out the fever.
Mustard or Ginger Bath
Add 1/8 of a cup of
Mustard or Ginger powder to the bath.
Will warm you and help
break up congestion.
Calm Cold and Child Tea
2 part Lemon balm
1 part Echinacea
1 part Catnip
1 part Fennel
Combine and infuse 1
tsp. per 1 cup of water. Use 1 tsp for little ones and ¼ of a cup for older
ones up to 3 times a day as needed.
Onion Broth
Slice 2 yellow onions
and as much garlic as you like to 1 quart of water. Simmer for 20 minutes and
drink as much as desired throughout the day or have homemade chicken soup on
hand.
Eucalyptus Rub
Add 25 drops of
Eucalyptus essential oil to 2 oz. of an oil of your choice. Massage over the
spine, chest and feet. Eucalyptus will help you to breathe and is a potent
anti-viral. Add some to your bath!
Anne Calzada is a
Certified Herbalist and founder of Healing Heart Herbs. Her products can be
found at Food For Thought in Ridgway and at other fine natural health outlets.
For consultations or classes she may be reached at 626-5663 or by email
annecalzada@aol.com.
Back
to Top
ReConnections: A Look Back
The heritage of The
Whole Life Network from the pages of Connections.
One Year Ago**From
the headline article, Dematerializing Christmas: “We can become better
consumers for the holidays. We can
resist getting swept up in all of the commercialism and take it easy on the
credit cards”.
**Kathy Gates had this
advice: “Forgive and be freed from bad memories and unacceptable from others
toward you. By forgiving you can move
yourself away from the chains that hold you to the past and be set free”.
Five Years Ago**”Rev.
Arlyn Macdonald shared this holiday wisdom: “Take time amid the bustle of the
coming days to just sit quietly with yourself, calming first your body, then
your mind and then your emotions, and enter that place of Peace within you”.
**A wrap up on Symposium
2000: “New ideas are being explored for 2001 and already we have accumulated a
long list of possible leaders and presenters, a list that includes…Paul Ray and
Sherrie Anderson”.
Ten Years Ago**”(New
Years Eve) All members, friends and families are cordially invited to join us
for a special reflection on the old year and the creating of the new year
through intention, ritual and music.”
**Carol Paradis wrote in
The Dark Side of Goodness: “The path of goodness is a daily trek, not
just during the seasons of Christmas and Hanukkah”.
Back
to Top
The Ancient Lore on Stones
by Susan Palmer
Pearls
In the seventeenth
century, it was commonly accepted that pearls were created when shellfish
sipped pure crystal dew on cheerful mornings! The more dew they sipped, the
bigger the pearl grew. Well, at least they understood that pearls are created
in layers.
Science today labels
pearls an aggregate of calcium carbonate, easily dissolved in vinegar. Black
pearls have the greatest hardness, and rainbow pearls are the most rare. Most
of today's pearls are cultured and grown in pearl farms at the edge of the
ocean. Cultured pearls are created with a central bead, inserted into soft
tissues of the oyster, where layers of nacre are applied by the oyster until
harvest time. Even though the center of the pearl may be of glass or ceramic,
the natural nacre of cultured pearls is still effective as an energy element, able
to affect humans emotionally and physically.
In Aruvedic medicine,
the pearl is assigned to water, air, and ether. They are advised for cooling,
calming, and blood purification, and to promote vigor. For these purposes, a
single pearl should be worn in a sterling silver ring on the right hand ring
finger.
In ancient lore, pearls
were assigned to Neptune, Venus, and the moon. They assist the pituitary in
times of stress, softening the emotions and intellect. In more recent times,
pearls were believed to have the highest vibratory rate next to amethyst, and
be the most spiritual of all gems. They absorb and then emit negative energy
patterns when used for healing. However, if they are worn merely for pleasure,
they serve as a mirror, exposing one's own emotional and mental attitudes so
that corrections and adjustments can be made. If used for healing, be sure to
cleanse them with energy methods before reuse.
There have been some
reports that pearls assist in relieving travel sickness, especially over water.
Practical matters; do
not apply makeup while wearing pearls, as they are porous and will dull with
makeup contaminants. Keep pearls well protected when not being worn so they are
not exposed to dust and sunlight, which will break down their exterior layers.
To clean your pearls, rinse with plain warm water, then apply a light cooking
oil, gently rubbing the oil all over each pearl. This dissolves matter that the
pearls may have picked up from your skin over time. Then apply a mild shampoo
or body wash gel, and in warm water, wash the oil off the pearls. Lay on a dry
towel and let it stand for half a day so the string in a necklace is completely
dry before putting the pearls away or being worn again. Wet string will fray
more easily against the rough edge of the holes drilled in the pearls. If your
pearls need restringing, Susan can do the job for you, or teach you how.
Susan Palmer is a new
resident of Montrose, most recently from Oregon. Previously she has lived in
Colorado Springs and on Maui. She is the author of several volumes of poetry
and a research text The Gemstone Healing Amulet, Making One That Works For You.
She offers private and public sessions for groking stones. 240-3605.
Back
to Top
Preparing For the Good News
by Dr. Jerry Overton
In the Christian
liturgical calendar, there is a four-week season called Advent which is
typically seen as a time of preparation for the coming of the good news of the
Christ event. One might wonder why anyone would need preparation to receive
good news. The answer is simple: the good news rarely comes when and how we
expect it.
Consider the Christ
event. For hundreds of years, the people had been waiting on God to send them a
savior—one who would free them from enduring the pain and suffering of slavery
imposed by Roman occupation. And most envisioned this savior to be a new King
David, who would, with legions of soldiers using power and might, defeat their
enemy and set them free. To say the least, they were not prepared for what
actually happened—a would-be savior in the form of a tiny, helpless,
defenseless infant, who they would have to protect! Nor were they prepared for
what would happen some thirty years later when, instead of finally calling down
the powers of heaven and defeating their enemies, this would-be savior chooses
to let them crucify him—surely not what they expected! Of course, the point is
that hind-sight it surely was the good news for which they had waited, just not
when and how they expected!
So, as you can see, if
we are to be able to truly receive the good news as it comes to us, we need a
season of preparation in which we can do the hard work of preparing ourselves,
or we might just miss it altogether. The question is, how do we go about
preparing ourselves. Again, the answer is fairly simple: we must turn loose of
all our preconceived notions of when and how we think the expected good news
will come to us.
For example, when I was
in my mid-twenties, one of my preconceived notions was that I would find the
good news of a happy life through marriage—after all, that was what I had
learned from all those popular fairy tales of childhood. After nineteen years
of being married, and looking daily for it, the good news of happiness still
had not showed up. Of course, my conclusion was that I simply had not found the
right woman. Then after a whole series of relationships with other women while
living in Dallas, I wound up in a tiny cabin in Ouray, all alone, only to
discover that my happiness had nothing to do with other women at all. It had to
do with being willing to receive the good news in rather unexpected ways—in the
midst of my aloneness and only from within myself.
Of course, I’ve had
other experiences of the good news showing up in unexpected ways, like the
first time I was fired from my job. At first, I thought the worst—anything but
good news, because another of my preconceived notions was that it is never good
to get fired. But then, I began to realize that I had never really liked that
job anyway, and now I was free, with severance pay, to discover what I did
like!
So, the goal here is to
prepare ourselves to receive the good news of life when and how it will show
up. And the surest way to do that is to begin to examine and turn loose of our
preconceived notions of how life is supposed to be. It’s all quite
simple—although it may not be easy, because some of our preconceptions go deep,
and may take some time to unearth. However, the payoff is surely worth it as we
allow the good news of the happiness of life to wash over us daily. So, let
this season of Advent be your start to a lifetime of good news. You deserve
nothing less!
Copyright 2005 Dr. Jerry D. Overton
Jerry is a therapist,
Master Certified Coach, and director of The Center for Personal & Spiritual
Growth, 600 S. Park. He can be reached at jerry@jerryoverton.com.
Back
to Top
2006 Board Elected
Whole Life Network Release
On Friday evening,
November 4th, the membership of the Whole Life Network met at the
Pavilion Gardens Clubhouse in Montrose to review the activities of the past
year, ponder future directions of our network and to elect the Board of
Directors for the coming year. Without
a dissenting vote, directors for 2006 that were elected are: Donna Sue Carter,
Sylvia Conda, Tria Eshelbrenner, Roland Holzwarth, Lorraine Johnson, Larry
Lemser, Sue Lemser, and Susan Palmer.
All of the members of the new Board are eager to begin the 17th
year in the life of the Whole Life Network.
At the next board meeting on December 5th, at the Pavilion
Garden Clubhouse, the new board will elect officers for 2006 and set the date
for the annual retreat. The Whole Life
Network wishes to thank our going board members Christopher Blair, Jennifer
Halback, and Jody Nixon for their service and dedication to the mission of our
network. Sylvia Conda has agreed to
become the Chairperson of the 2006 Whole Life Fair. (please see the article on page one) If you would be able to assist Sylvia in having a successful Fair
on February 18th, please call 970 249-9718 or sylvia.l@bresnan.net.
Back
to Top
