A Fresh Look!

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

I’ve used the quarantine time to read more books, touch up things around my house, review some old journals, have my house repainted and yard spruced up, and let my hair grow a bit. It’s been fun to freshen up. Took away some of the boredom and uncertainty and helped me feel more positive about my surroundings. It’s fun to share this update with you.

Part of my yard overlooking the prayer garden my husband Charles created for me when we moved here in 2006.

Freshly painted front porch furniture.

Front of the house.

Driveway power washed and garage.

I’m also aware of how peaceful I feel knowing that God is in charge and will watch over us no matter what is ahead.

And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

Yes, yes, and yes.

What have you been doing during this time? I’d love to hear from you.

The Gift of Your Presence

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

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I’ve been attending a lot of recovery meetings on Zoom during this time of quarantine and I’m so grateful for these connections with people I know and some I’ve never met before.

I’m aware of how important it is for me to meet with human beings in whatever way I can, especially since I live alone and spend many hours by myself.

I also realized that having someone listen to me share what is going on with me and in turn my listening to others when they share what is going on with them is actually a GIFT. So many people are caught up in worry and fear and anguish these days that it’s difficult sometimes to stop and concentrate long enough to be present to another.

I ‘chaired’ a meeting this morning and when we all said ‘good-bye’ at the end I closed out with a great sense of peace and balance and will carry those gifts with me for the rest of the day and throughout the week ahead.

Such a gathering is free of charge, free of judgment, and free of comparison. It was simply a group of like-minded people eager to talk about their joys and sorrows (one person at a time) and anything else they wanted to put into words and be assured that twenty or more people were listening attentively and sending love and virtual hugs their way.

Such gifts are often rare when life is going along as we once knew it. But today when we must keep our physical distance from one another, and pause and reflect, such a gift is available to give and to receive.

I invite you to give your special gift of being present, to someone this week. Each one of us can make a difference in our own unique way and what a blessing it will be.

 

Nature Prevails

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

This past week has been a very difficult one for our country and for people of all races, beliefs, backgrounds and colors in wake of the murder of George Floyd. I do not have any words to add to the thousands that have been spoken already except to say I stand in prayer and solidarity with everyone of us who suffers because of this.

‘If one part suffers, every part suffers with it;’ Corinthians 12:26

I’m at home as most of us are these days so I decided to go back to my nature journals to remind myself of the amazing blessings and wisdom I received over the years while camping and hiking and hanging out with the birds and the trees. Nature always soothes, comforts, and provides space for prayer and peace.

Photo by Karen

Photo by Karen

 

Here’s a part of an entry from August 21, 1998.

In taking home the “glad tidings” of the mountains, of which naturalist John Muir wrote so eloquently, I want to proclaim what the mountains have given me:

Mountains are messengers of strength, joy, peace, steadfastness, challenge, risk, beauty, surprise, unpredictability, welcome, rest, conquest, home.

Photo by Karen

 

Their flowers fulfill, fascinate, delight, edify, glorify, and praise God.

Rocks provide steps to ascend, benches to rest upon, ‘tables’ for a picnic lunch, blocks to climb, fire rings for holding a campfire under the stars.

Photo by Karen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trees offer themselves as shelter from the sun and rain, branches for drying wet laundry, perfume from the scent of pine, sculpture for the artist, log benches for the weary.

Praise God for these gifts that we can enjoy while here and take down the mountain with us as we return home.

“You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” Isaiah 55:12.

 

A Different Kind of Warrior

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

Photo by Justin Casey on Unsplash

Memorial Day was created to honor the many American men and women who died in military service.

This year, however, I also want to recognize and honor the many people who are on the front lines of our battle with Covid-19.

It’s a war of a different kind and yet just as important, as I see it, as any war we’ve engaged in. It’s on everyone’s turf around the world, not just on a distant battlefield.

So today I join in celebrating everyone everywhere who has put their lives on the line to protect us and to open our eyes to the kinship we share with all of humanity.

Happy Memorial Day!

Memories…

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

This week I’m going through some of my travel journals. I finally have the time for such things. It’s been so much fun. I’m grateful that I took detailed notes because now as I read the day-to-day itineraries I’m reliving those precious weeks on the Rhine, in Viareggio, Italy with my sister and family, in Ireland and England and Canada and Mexico and more.

I knew there would come a day when I would treasure these pages!

My husband Charles was a part of all these travels and as I read the things we did together–dancing onboard the Viking Sun, climbing a hundred steps to the top of a fort, standing in front of Buckingham Palace and touring the home of C.S. Lewis, as well as finding Charles’s ancestral  home in Switzerland, I am awash in smiles and tears.

Huffing and puffing 100 steps to the top of this fort–but we made it!

In front of Buckingham Palace.

Charles in front of a photo of Charles Fort Historical Monument near the entrance.

 

In front of the home of C.S. Lewis.

 

If nothing else, I am reminded of the swift passage of time and how precious is each moment. Charles is gone now and my overseas travel days are over (stateside only from now on) so the reality of my life and experience are front and center in my mind. May I live each day for what it is–a gift from God.

 

 

How about you? Do you have some special memories of moments in your life that you’d like to share with us?

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

Despite the quarantine for humans, creatures in the wild are moving on with their lives….blooming where planted and giving hope to all who stop to enjoy them.

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” Lady Bird Johnson

“Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.” – Helen Keller

“Flowers are like friends; They bring color to your world.” – Unknown

“Earth laughs in flowers.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these” (Luke 12:27.

Little Things Mean A Lot!

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

Note from Karen:

Hi friends. Last week’s blog had a glitch in the delivery system to your email. The link didn’t come through but the blog did post on my website: karenoconnor.com (click on Blog.) If you wish to read it check there. You’ll find it just below this current one, which I hope will reach you correctly..

Thanks for your patience.

—

Being home all these weeks is stirring up lots of thoughts and memories and conversations that have meant so much to me over the years.

Going to the library for puppet play and story time and building blocks with my great grandson Massey. I haven’t seen him in weeks and it’s been so hard to be away from him.

Walking with my friends and stopping for coffee or lunch or to enjoy the flowers we see along the way.

 

Line dancing in person instead of on Zoom (which is still better than nothing). Hugging the family members in person who live nearby instead of using hearts on text messages and emails to signify our love.

I’ve also looked through my clothes closet and fingered some of the items that I’m holding onto even though I rarely wear them anymore. I have a treasured shirt from my husband. My favorite of all the shirts he wore. I have a skirt I like for its ruffled hemline but it’s too cold to wear it where I live now, and I discovered anew a sweater-coat that is perfect attire for a lovely outing–but I don’t have lovely places to go.

     

My hair is too long, my feet need a pedicure and polish, my eyebrows could use a plucking and my makeup just shelters alone in a drawer.

But I have a pretty mask I wear everyday!!

It’s a new time–for me to reflect and pray–and let go of the externals, at least for awhile. Today I am content right where I am.

How about you?

“At some point, you gotta let go, and sit still, and allow contentment to come to you.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert

 

It’s Raining; It’s Pouring

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

As I write this blog it’s raining–pouring, blowing. Oh how we need this cleansing relief. I will stay tucked inside today and read, dust, cook, and watch a movie. Sounds good to me. I love ‘tuck-in’ days as I call them.

It’s a chance to settle, to hunker down, to think and pray, and simply to BE.

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So that’s what I’m doing today and while doing so I found this little poem that brought a smile to my face.

 

Do Nothing?

Karen O'Connor Posted on by

A friend had this cup made for me so I am reminded of the guidance I often receive but sometimes ignore.

 

I recently finished a class with a group of women committed to facing and dealing with some of the painful relationships we’ve had in the past and present. Each of us experienced a myriad of emotions during the three-month weekly sessions. Anger, grief, sadness, disappointment–you name it. But we worked through them and discovered our part, even if as little as one percent. We also learned the beauty of forgiveness toward ourselves as well as others.

I was surprised to realize one evening that as much as I wanted to ‘do’ something–like face the person and share my feelings and my side of the story–wisdom was telling me to ‘do nothing’–to leave it to God.

From that point on I carefully considered each and every decision and choice to be made–before doing something. As I see it now, doing nothing is actually doing something. I hope that makes sense. My point is that in my rush to ‘fix’ and ‘change’ situations I often mess up big time.

So now I am stopping, looking within, and listening for the guidance that only God can give, and more often than not I hear, “Do nothing,” and the answer I long for comes….

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14