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9. Day 14: Joy In “Muddy Boots Welcome”
One of the biggest surprises in coming to England has been in discovering walking; what I thought it was, what it is here and the huge gap in between. You may remember that I started walking daily as inspired by Holy Spirit, long before even deciding to go on this trip. Not ever registering as an athlete of any kind, walking suited me in that I do it naturally therefore “walking” as health encouraging exersize seemed an obvious next step (pun intended;). I have been walking 2-3 miles a day for over six months. My walking...
read more9. Day 13: Joy On Ice
So there we were, hand brake fully ON yet sliding and slipping down the narrow lane, ever closer to the police car blocking the path to the previous car who spun out of control on the suddenly appearing ice at the bottom of the lane. “STOP!!” I cried in futility. There was nothing to be done. No words. No actions. Just trust and waiting. And sliding. The car did stop and we then had to figure out what to do next. The police had closed the road (sadly, after we started down it) and told us to turn around and take another...
read more9. Day 12: Joy Is Not An Afterthought
I am feeling joy in so very many areas yet feeling joy within my body lags behind. I try to listen, notice and be aware of what my body needs but the thrill, excitement and wonder of the moment leaves me ordering a second glass of mulled cider and another mince pie. We are doing plenty of walking yet my lumbering pace rugged up against the weather makes for very slow going which is not quite as beneficial. However, I am doing lots of stairs (at the moment we are staying with friends in a glorious four story turn of the century house),...
read more9. Day 11: The Joy Of Two Foreign Butlers
I tasted a long forgotten joy today; that of caring for a baby. What a delight to get to be the two “foreign butlers” and pitch in on a busy day of work, appointments and much sanding (click here to see what his momma is doing). This being said, my post is quiet short day (all parents etc will understand). The joy I noticed today was how lovely it was (and is) to have the privilege of playing and caring for the baby without any other responsibilities (something you rarely get to experience). To be off from work, away from home...
read more9. Day 10: Joy Coughs Up The Truth
I have heard joy is an inside job which is true and reasonable yet still is a bit challenging to find/see/be aware of joy when circumstances say otherwise (pain, sadness, cold, coughing fit). It is not so much that I am not joyful it is just that the pain/cough etc is so loud I don’t hear joy. Since I am really noticing my awareness (or lack thereof) of joy this month I quickly notice if I am not feeling joy. Yesterday we went for a glorious walk on the moor to a place called Boot’s Folly, a four story stone structure built in...
read more9. Day 9: Joy Relaxes
I am residing in the epicenter of marvel. Because of technology I have easily communicated this morning with my daughter in California, Dad on the way to Hawaii, our incredible staff holding the fort back in the office and our beautiful hosts two stories down. I am sitting in a kitchen that surely must have been shown in Architectural Digest or The English Home, my tea is piping hot and my fuzzy socks and slippers are keeping my feet toasty. We met our dear friends sort of through technology via work and became fast friends of the heart....
read more9. Day 8: Let Your Joy Be Whole
I must confess that I feel a bit naughty or selfish even choosing joy, or living joy. I mean, there is still so much pain and suffering in the world at large and even in my local vision (the homeless man outside the SPA Grocery selling a magazine). Why do I get to be full of joy if there is still pain? This has actually been a question that has plagued me in many ways for years. Why do I get the nice family and pleasant circumstances when others are so unhappy? I naturally took this to Holy Spirit and was heartened, as always, with the...
read more9. Day 7: Joy Is A Loving Use Of Money
I have been concerned with money on this trip. Did we overextend? Will there be enough? Everything is so much more expensive than I anticipated (everyone said this would happen). And add to this a 20% VAT (Value Added Tax) on everything; hotel, fuel, food, all purchases, even BNI memberships and plumbing costs. It is easy to either panic and buy more than I need or go to ground and withdraw and not fully experience our time which has been truly gifted us. It has been good to have a more working week just gone. Events, meetings,...
read more9. Day 6: Joy Is The Red Balloon
I had the most incredible experience yesterday. Our dear friend who we are staying with in Norwich took us to tour the Red Balloon Learning Center of Norwich of which he sits on the Board. This is a place where the victims of severe bullying (the children who are unable to return to school because of being so traumatized as a result of terrifying bullying incidents) are educated in a curriculum which includes the standards of English, Maths and Science but also gentle therapy, a loving environment and a new way to see themselves. The Red...
read more9. Day 5: Take Time For Joy
I recently came across a quote by Geneen Roth that said: “Enough isn’t an amount. It is a relationship with what you already have.”—Geneen Roth I believe she was using this in the context of eating, nourishment and awareness of the body but I think it is true in all things. I am just beginning my month of extending love to the fear of Living Joy. Joy has always been how I take my temperature. If I am feeling joy, life is good. When I do not feel joy, life is flat and charmless. I used to see joy as something I...
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