La Montagnas

The waters gradually fell until the tenth month when, on the first day of the tenth month,
the mountain tops appeared.   
- Genesis 8

Many years ago, we took a family trip to Colorado to visit with some dear friends, and the image of the rising massive mountains in front of a beautiful setting sun while driving west out highway 70 is ingrained in my file of inspiring memories. It is an image of hope which I bring out when times get tough, and I need a reminder of God's power and peace. La montagnas are my New Jerusalem where God's purpose for my life becomes clear once more.  It doesn't matter which mountain range.  They all speak to my soul. 

The formation of mountain ranges involve mighty forces and enormous amounts of energy through the crashing of Earth's tectonic plates or sliding and uplifting of Earth's blocks along fault lines.  The power involved is unimaginable, but we get a glimpse at times when we feel the ground shake under our feet. To me this power represents only a fraction of God's power in our lives, and many days go by without us even acknowledging His presence. Boy, aren't we giving God honor when we feel the ground shake or experience any tragedy, loss, or other negative experience in our lives. Why can we not recognize his daily presence in our lives? What keeps us from praising His power? I suppose if I had a mountain in my backyard, then I would have an obvious reminder of God's constant influence in my life's tribulations, calm waters, and joyful moments......but unfortunately, I don't.  In the midst of my busy exhausting work and home life, I have had to make praising God's providential presence in my life a habit every morning.....slowly it has become an overwhelming endearing part of my heart....my soul. I am absolutely humbled by the power of His providential presence.

 

"I shall be with you," God said, "and this is the sign by which you will know that I was the one who sent you. After you have led the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."   - Exodus 3..... During good times...when you reached the summit of your challenge....your mountain....which you had been struggling with the climb...., it is easy to worship God....but how about praising Him during the climb...or when you haven't left the valley of doldrums and blues?  

What are you supposed to do once you reach to the peak of your la montagna?  You should do several things. You should praise Him with your heart, soul, and mind for helping you reach the peak safe and sound. "Exalt Yahweh our God, bow down at his holy mountain; holy is Yahweh our God!" - Psalm 99 ....You should take the opportunity to rest with God. Quietly communicating your love and appreciation allowing Him to restore you. Jesus did this numerous times while he was preaching and teaching with his disciples.  You should also listen to God's Word for guidance in the direction down the mountain. Unfortunately, you are not meant to remain on the peak of la montagna. The peaks are times for exhilarating joy and praise, but that is not our sole purpose for our paths. It seems God's plans are worked out and delivered through our travels in the valleys....along the plateaus.....and up our ascents of the summits.

Now it happened in those days that he went onto the mountain to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. - Luke 6 ..........
To me, prayer is a necessity at all times along my travels of my path, but the most exhilarating time for prayer is at the peak of a mountain.....in peaceful communion with God. It refreshes and revives my soul, but since I don't have a mountain in my back yard and I haven't made it to a peak very often, I find myself pulling out my inspirational memory of the Rockies to meditate in my mind's eye.  It helps me catch my breath for next leg of the path.

We all have peaks and valleys during our life times. No two peaks or valleys are alike for each of us are unique in our being, purpose, and experiences. If you compare the world-wide mountain ranges, then you would find none of them are like....oh, how they were formed is very similar, but the beautiful end results are so unique....each landscape of magnificent inspiration. That's we are supposed to be to each other.....magnificent inspiration....helping each other climb out of our valleys to the the next plateau....to the next peak of a mountain.  

St. Raphael, guide me through my valleys to the peaks of la montagna.

St. Francis de Sales, pray for my honorable intentions in my state of life.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for my family.
St. Florian, pray for the safety of all fire and emergency responders.
Many heart felt thanks to those inspirational friends in my life who encourage and support my climb up the summit of my la montagna.

- little petunia

Esausto!

Have you ever run of gas when you are already late for a meeting?  Have you ever run of funds while Christmas shopping and you still have several more gifts to purchase for family members?  Have you ever attempted to communicate something to someone for the umpteenth time, and it seems that they never hear you?  How many days have you attempted to start a day with a positive grateful feeling and then in a wink of an eye some unexpected drama brings you down leaving you with a feeling of being smothered?  Have you ever organized yourself and the details of your life to only be dumped on with more unexpected responsibilities, and then not given any more time to accomplish the tasks leaving you with a feeling of swirling down a toilet bowel?  Do you have people in your life who you can not figure out how to please?  Do you give 100% at everything you do, but still don't seem to receive respect?  Have you ever attempted to change your lifestyle by becoming physically fit; but then the weight doesn't seem to fall off, and you don't seem to experience the higher level of energy which others promise that you will achieve?  As more and more of these types of experiences occur, the more spent you may feel.  This is EXHAUSTION.

Exhaustion is a huge problem for many people. It means to be drained of strength or energy; being worn out; or fatigued greatly. Exhausted human beings feel used up and completely consumed. They feel like a pile of ashes in a fire place. Being exhausted can include the consumption of your emotional and mental states along with your physical energy.  Emotional and mental exhaustion can be due to some physical ailment or deficiency, but is the stress of being emotionally and mentally exhausted affecting your physical state? .........It's like which comes first?........
the chicken or the egg?

An old Irish Proverb recommends that the best doctor cure for what ails ya is a good laugh and a long sleep.  I find this to be true, but only temporarily.  If the elements which are inducing exhaustion remain in your environment, then the cycle will continue. You will continue to go around in circles till you are all used up.  Somehow, a balance needs to be achieved......a balance between the stressors in your life and how you handle the stressors.

B.K.S. Iyengar, a yoga instructor and philosopher, states that your health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit, and adds that when you are free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.  If exhaustion remains for long period time, then one's quality of health and life could reduce to microscopic proportions.  It is imperative that a change occurs in order to balance your emotions, mental state, and physical being. How do you change? How do change the direction which you are traveling?  How do open the gates of life for your soul?  I don't have the answers, but my studies have taught me that through time spent in prayer and meditation, God will lead you to those gates if you listen and watch for his winks. Have I eliminated my exhaustion? No. I am better at changing my ways.....I am better at adapting, but till my environment changes, I am stuck in a vicious cycle of exhaustion.....so I continue with my regiment of eating properly; regular exercise; prayer and meditation; and finding time for more laughs and naps.  

There is a Buddist saying which states that if we are facing in the right direction, then all we have to do is keep walking.  Well, what if you don't have the stamina to take one more step?  Or what if that next step feels like it may lead you off of a cliff? How do you know if you are in the right direction? I suppose if the path which you are on doesn't seem like dire straits, then you are probably on the right path. The right path shouldn't make you feel like you are in a maze with no exit leading to high anxiety.  One thing that I have learned as of late is that if you accept your current path as the path which God's desires for you then peace finds you. You can always make a prayer request for a different path, but sometimes the request is left unanswered....so we think.  Thinking that your life should be different than what God allows can produce exhausting feelings of doubt and sadness.

 With all due respect, I apologize for any overwhelming negativity in my writing today, but it is an effect of exhaustion.  On a happy note, I want to add a comment by Persius, a Roman poet.  He stated many centuries ago that you conquer what you endure........so hang in there and don't give up.  Look at the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals
.........Their story this past baseball season involved many exhausting hurdles over and over again.....With positive changes, lots of hope, and a steady dose of humility, they endured against all odds to win the World Series.  Your happy miraculous ending is right in front of you.....just allow God to lead you and accept whatever He sends your way.....the good, the bad, the ugly....or the wonderful!  If you accept whatever God sends your way, then you will always be happy with what is going on in your life.  Sound easy?

Well.....remember the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals' greatest achievement this year was earned through lots of hard work........

.....practice, practice, and practice. Albert Pujols wasn't born swinging the bat in the way he does and Yadier Molina wasn't born with a catcher's instinct and rocket arm.  They've endured, persevered, and practiced.....gaining increased skill with each throw and swing......so don't give up! If David Freese had given up on baseball, then he would never had earned two MVP's this year. 

The amazing thing thing about exhaustion is that it can lead to joy! .....When I looked at the faces of the Cardinal players at the end of game 7, I saw joy and exhilaration. After all of the physical and mental toll on their bodies over the past month of postseason games, they were on top of the world. They were floating on clouds last night and that's where I want to be.....I am looking forward to when all of my exhaustion leads me to that cloud of joy! I expect miracles in my life, so the joy must be delivered for Psalm 65 states that His miracles bring shouts of joy to the gateways of morning and evening.

May St. Raphael lead me through my exhaustion to accepting a path of peace and exhilarating joy!
St. Francis de Sales, pray for my honorable abilities with my state in life.
Blessed Mother Teresa, pray for my soulful intentions.
St. Florian, pray for the safety of fire and emergency responders.

- little petunia   

 

Stranezze

Life can have long casual bends in the road....and other times, life can have unexpected dangerous turns that cause reflection on whether you on the right road.  Are these dangerous turns warning signs or winks of detours?  I don't know the answer, but I certainly believe that any dangerous weird turns in the road are cause for reflection and meditation.  Don't ignore the signs. Things happen for a reason. Take the signs and turns seriously. Use the signs to fulfill your purpose in life.  Don't waste your time on the road of life. You might miss an important exit if you aren't paying attention.

The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
- Robert Byrne

May my guardian angels help me recognize the sign posts of my life. - little petunia

Boomerangs

Coming down from the up of a retreat experience.....I find that life is hard.....A physical property which can be an attribute to some pieces of matter.....but I find hardness to be misgiving......devouring.....consuming. Hardness is a force that rarely changes course.....forcing you to bend to the ways of the world. Is there a way to survive the ravages of the stubborn hard properties of this world?  Those of you who have lived lives full of challenging spouses, children, careers, and other relationships know that sometimes you get to a point where you have to choose to sink or swim........you pack and run.......or your life will make the choice for you.

My life has taken me down a white rapids course where I chose to swim, but recently, I have been experiencing this all consuming feeling of drowning in currents which were out of my control and I began to sink.  My recent retreat enlightened me to the purpose of my life.....which is about letting go.....letting the currents carry me to living for others.  Prayerful methods led me to the acknowledgment that a property of my life is to be a life line for others to keep them from sinking.  God is calling me back to intercessory prayer and love.

What a surprise it was for me to hear through my meditation that as I was sinking.......drowning........that God wants me to save others from the hard perils of their lives.  I accepted this challenge with joy.  There is nothing more joyful than to realize your purpose in this world!   As this morning presented a harsh, hard eye-opening experience, a dear friend reminded me of the truth of the matter and as I was feeling the strong drowning currents of my situation, my friend's words pulled me to the surface of the wake of the white rapids.....and saved me from the perils of my thoughts and melodramatic emotions.  God used a friend whom I had been praying for a while........to save me......The words shared where life-saving.

So like a boomer-rang..........prayers and love sent out through faith will come back to you ten-fold.  It has better returns than our current economy. Soften the properties of this hard world with a few kind loving prayers and words for the people in your life. No other investment can compare.

Che Dio le grazie caduta su di voi.........dear friend.

St. Francis de Sales, pray us.
St. Theresa the little flower, pray for us.
St. Raphael, pray for us.
St. Michael, pray for us.
St. Florian, pray for all emergency responders.
Spirit of Jesus, come into our souls.

-little petunia