ABUNDANT GRATITUDE

“The starting point in the religious experience is wonder.”

Seymour Cohen

“If the only prayer that you say in your entire life is ‘Thank you,’ that would be enough.

Meister Eckhart

“Treasure the gift of spendthrift heaven.”

James Kirkup

“For all that has been – Thanks!

To all that shall be – Thanks!”

Dag Hammarskjold

“Before me,

Even as behind,

God is,

And all is well.”

John Greenleaf Whittier

“Your daily life is your temple

And your religion.

Whenever you enter into it

Take with you - your all.”

Kahlil Gibran

“Meditate in the morning and evening and at night before you go to bed. Sit quietly for about two minutes. You will find everything in your life falling into place and your prayers answered.”

Yogaswami

Wherever you go today, whatever you encounter find gratitude.

Even in the worst of all experiences there is hope.

When all is confusion there is a collective clarity within reach.

Write down the five things that you are MOST grateful for.

Share them with the person whom you think would be enlivened by them.

Thankful for my family,

Grateful for my friends,

Lifted by the people whom I’ve met,

Touched by blessings known and unknown,

Glad for my voice … and YOURS.

Vivian

THE PERFECT DAY

Who are you?

Who have you become?

Who tells you what you are?

And what you can be?

Will your past ever be over?

Will you ever be able to let go?

What would it look like if you said, “No”

to everything

and everyone

that would try to limit you?

What would a day look like if you became your authentic self?

What would one day of stillness, acceptance and sacredness look like?

“Innocence” ~ by Avril Lavigne © *

Waking up I see that everything is ok

The first time in my life

And now it's so great

Slowing down

I look around and I am so amazed

I think about the little things that make life great

I wouldn't change a thing about it

This is the best feeling

This innocence is brilliant

I hope that it will stay

This moment is perfect

Please don't go away

I need you now

And I'll hold on to it

Don't you let it pass you by

I found a place so safe

Not a single tear

The first time in my life and now it's so clear

Feel calm

I belong

I'm so happy here

It's so strong

And now I let myself be sincere

I wouldn't change a thing about it

This is the best feeling

It's a state of bliss

You think you're dreaming

It's the happiness inside that you're feeling

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's a state of bliss

You think you're dreaming

It's the happiness inside that you're feeling

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

This innocence is brilliant

It makes you want to cry

This innocence is brilliance

Please don't go away

Cause I need you now

And I'll hold on to it

Don't you let it pass you by

Think of all of the messages you have been given in your life.

Now, think of only the positive messages.

The messages that told you that you were special.

That you were loved.

That there was only one person in the world wide world just like you.

Messages - that told you that you were wonderful just the way that you are.

Messages - that said that you belonged.

I dream for you – a perfect day.

You deserve it because you are the very imagination of the divine.

“Piece of It All” ~ by Jann Arden © *

right now somebody loves you

right now somebody dreams about you

right now somebody needs you

right now somebody is proud of you

proud of you

right now somebody is calling your name

right now somebody is hoping you’re well

right now somebody is feeling your shame

right now somebody cares if you live

right now somebody hears you

right now somebody knows who you are

right now someone is praying for you

right now someone believes in your heart

right now somebody wants to be your friend

right now somebody is thinking about you

right now someone is wondering where you are

right now you are a piece of it all

a piece of it all

a piece of it all

you are a piece of it all

Imagine your “perfect” day.

Really.

Take a moment, now.

Close your eyes and envision it, in every detail.

“A Perfect Day” ~ by Jann Arden, Richards/Russell Broom © *

You can do it

I know you can

I know you will

You can make it

I know you can get up the hill

You can be anyone you want

Just close your eyes

You can picture a perfect day inside your mind

You’ve gotta pull your head up

Stand your ground and face it all

You’ve gotta hold your heart out to the universe

If you believe in who you are my shining star

If you believe in who you are my shining star

All you weary

All of you on your own

Listen clearly

Follow your voice back home

All you broken

All of you without love

You’ll be fine

You’ll see when the morning comes

You’ve gotta hold your head up

Throw your shoulders through the wall

You’ve gotta count your blessings

Count your lucky days

You’ll never know unless you try

Until you risk it all

If you believe in who you are my shining star

All you weary

All of you on your own

Listen clearly

Follow your voice back home

All you broken

All of you without love

You’ll be fine

You’ll see when the morning comes

All you weary

All of you on your own

Listen clearly

Follow your voice back home

All you broken, all of you without love

You’ll be fine

Wishing you a perfect day.

*Please note that these lyrics are used for educational purposes only.

CHRISTMAS EVE MEMORIES

RIU RIU CHIU

I have a sparkling visceral memory of my tenth Christmas Eve. My Mom and Dad and I had just come home from the snowy evening’s Candlelight Church Service (my absolute favorite service of the year)!

I remember tearing downstairs, two steps at a time, JUST in time to switch on the TV – and agonizing as it warmed up to receive the signal – on the floor in my brand new neon practically glow in the dark pink pleated mini dress with WHITE fishnet (real) stockings no less!! to watch The Monkees’ Christmas Special.

I loved The Monkees Show. It was "out of the box", fun loving, silly, carefree and sweet. I expected that this Holiday program would deliver the same that night.

But that night something drew me into the centre of the known world. I heard something more Holy, and more mystical than anything I had heard at church just an half an hour before.

I was moved desperately and deeply to tears when I heard - for the first time in my life - the 17th century carol, “Riu Chiu”, sung in 4 part harmony a capella by my beloved boy band (…we too had boy bands - even in 1967).

In my shocking pink mini dress, sprawled on my parent’s basement floor, I taped this beautiful song with my miniature reel-to-reel tape recorder, with my knees akimbo leaning on my elbows holding the old style microphone.

I had no idea what was being sung. I didn’t know the language at all, not one word - but the SOUNDS they were making! The melodic conversations tumbled over one another like cashmere wool rolled into soft balls. Time was arrested. The snowflakes flew up against basement window’s black night sky. It was a Sacred stillness, a mystical moment that has never left me. Its resonance has stayed with me for 40 years. No exaggeration.

By complete chance I happened to find this very sublime moment captured sailing in the ether, floating smoothly like a wide satin red prayer flag after all these years…

Imagine that it’s Christmas Eve and YOU are ten years old…waiting…waiting…

http://wn.com/Riu_Riu_Chiu

The Monkees singing, “Riu Chiu” (c. 1967) ©

Arranged and adapted by H. Diltz, C. Douglas, C. Faryer and J. Yester.

What are YOUR most profound Holiday memories?

What songs, smells, sounds take YOU back to the innocence of wonder?

What moment would YOU love to relive?

And if you could, how would that make you feel?

Joy to the World.

Peace is WITH YOU.

Ten...again...

Vivian

http://wn.com/Riu_Riu_Chiu

Roaring, roaring river,

The riverbank protects it,

As God kept the wolf from our lamb

The rabid wolf tried to bite her

But God Almighty knew how to defend her

He wished to create her impervious to sin

Nor was this maid to embody original sin

He who's now begotten

is our mighty Monarch Christ,

our Holy Father, in human flesh embodied

He has brought atonement by being born so humble

Though He is immortal, as mortal was created

A thousand singing herons

I saw passing,

Flying overhead, sounding

A thousand voices

Exulting, "Glory be in the heavens,

and peace on earth,

for Jesus has been born."

http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/p005rpRiuRiu.htm

Joy to the World.

Comfort Service

Jerrett’s Funeral Home, Vaughan Chapel

Thursday December 1st, 2011

at 7:00 p.m.

Director, Blake Brooks

Music, Alex Cheung

Reflection, Vivian Carter

For some, the glittering artificiality of electric lights

Only pierces the haunted shadows of lost love

Or worse, the loss of self.

Hold on.

Hold on.

Falling backwards deep into the frozen flakes of snow

Throwing your arms up in a blessing

You sweep your limbs close and away

Until you leave - in your place

An impression of angelic joy.

Tonight, in the cold, dark, winter’s snow

We will remember our loved-ones

And discover the snow angels that

They have left behind...

In this time of metallic tinsel and canned Christmas music, of artificial trees and artificial smiles, of presents and pressing engagements, we find that we are struggling with deep, deep loss. This time of the year is different for us now and we fear it might never, ever be the same. Christmas lights don’t bring us joy and the happiness that surrounds us, seems unfamiliar.

But there is a mystery in the winter; there is the beauty of the snow. Each snowflake is a miracle. Each tiny snowflake is fragile and dazzling. Each snowflake sparkles in the sunshine and twinkles with colour in the glow of the Christmas lights. Each snowflake is different from all of the other snowflakes. They huddle together to make puffy clouds of sparkling powder for us to play with.

The mystery of grief is like this. Our grief for our loved-ones is different and fragile, too. Sometimes our memories bring colour and light into our lives. At other times, we feel the icy breath of reality stop us in our tracks. We are like the snowflakes in this cold time – joining together to make something beautiful. And each of our loved-ones are just like the snow crystals...we can see them sparkle but when we try to hold them too tightly they melt away.

So, we must play with the memory of them, the lessons we have learned and the memories they have left us and throw ourselves deeply into the snow drifts of love and loss and make snow angels – letting the snowflakes tickle our noses and allow the snowdrifts to cradle our souls. Memories are the impressions of life. Snow angels are the impressions of souls.

Tonight, we remember. We remember our mothers, our aunts, our sisters, our daughters, our grandmothers, our wives, our best friends, our co-workers, our neighbours, our babies, our stillborns, our toddlers, our teenagers, our fathers, our uncles, our grandfathers, our sons, our brothers, our husbands, our buddies, our mentors, our confidents, our inside jokes, our favorite meals, our struggles and our triumphs, our holiday traditions, we remember our loved-ones. We remember our snow angels.

As this calendar year draws to its end and we are meant to reflect upon its gracious abundance.

What angels are left in the snow for you?

What do they look like?

Who made them?

Just know that when the snow has melted,

The angels will still be there.

To love and be loved

Is to feel the sun

From both sides.

David Viscott

In the rising of the sun and in its going down

We will remember you.

In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter

We will remember you.

In the opening of buds and in the rebirth of spring

We will remember you.

In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer

We will remember you.

In the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn

We will remember you.

In the beginning of the year and when it ends

We will remember you.

When we are weary and in need of strength

We will remember you.

When we are lost and sick at heart

We will remember you.

When we have joys we yearn to share

We will remember you.

Yes, we will remember you.

So long as we live, you shall live,

For you are a part of us. AMEN.

A Season of Waiting

Vivian Carter, November 26, 2011

Crieff Hills Retreat Centre

1. THE PERPETUAL PRAYER BOOK (A booklet cut into three sections – horizontally - with three parts to a prayer – one part on each third of each page.)

2. SPIRIT OF WAITING - LOCATOR WHEEL (Draw a circle. Draw pie slices like spokes in a wheel. In the slices, write or draw the things that you are waiting for in life.)

3. ONE SYLLABLE WORD – POEMS (Using only one syllable words write a sentence describing your own circumstances.)

4. FINGER LABYRINTH (Draw your own! Look on the Internet for many different patterns.) http://www.yfc.co.uk/labyrinth/online.html# http://www.lostinwonder.org.uk/labyrinth.htm

5. DEFINITION VISION (If we were able to look up your name in the dictionary what would it say? How would you want to be defined?)

6. “SmoKe and SaLt” A Literary Theological Art Journal (Using this resource as a reflective tool, ask how might I use art, photography, or the written word to reflect spiritually?)

Suggested Recourses - Internet

“1000 Awesome Things” - http://1000awesomethings.com/

“Come Sit By My Fire” Blog - http://comesitbymyfire.blogspot.com/

“Do Nothing for Two Minutes” - http://www.donothingfor2minutes.com/

Don Shields’ Blog, “Observations of Life ~ Seeing Soulfully”

Experiencing life through the lens of a Markham Chaplain’s digital camera and his observations in the form of poems and prose. Image and reflection at its spiritual best!

http://e-shields.blogspot.com/

“Follow Your Bliss” Compass (interactive) - http://www.oneletterwords.com/bliss/

iSerenity – Online relaxation sound streaming - http://www.iserenity.com/environments/

Joyce Rupp, “The Circle of Life” and “The Cosmic Dance” - http://www.joycerupp.com/

Joyce Rupp, “A Prayer to Be Free From Tizzies” -http://www.joycerupp.com/ordinary.html#tizzies

Joyce Rupp, “The Perfect Cup” - http://www.joycerupp.com/cupofourlife.html

Life Interview Questions - http://www.legacyproject.org/guides/lifeintquestions.pdf

Macrina Wiederkehr’s Blog. http://www.stscho.org/macrina-wiederkehr/

Spiritual Direction with Vivian Carter

http://spiritualdirectionwithviviancarter.blogspot.com/

SmoKe and SaLt: lyrical art and dappled shadows, literary art journal

http://smokeandsalt.blogspot.com/

Books

“This is Not a Book”, by Keri Smith, Penguin Group (U.S.A.), 2009

“Fabulous Friendship Festival”, by SARK, Three Rivers Press: New York, 2007

“No Death, No Fear”, by Thich Nhat Hanh, Riverhead Books: New York, 2002

Prayer and Practice

“Praying Our Goodbyes”, by Joyce Rupp, Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame: Indiana, 1988

“The Flowering of the Soul: A Book of Prayers by Women”, edited by Lucinda Vardey

“Wellsprings: A Book of Spiritual Exercises”, by Anthony de Mello, Image – Doubleday: New York, 1986

Opening to the Heart of Autumn

Lynne P. McNelly and Vivian Carter, October 30, 2011

Celeste Shirley, Host