However, these two poems are very representative of me, my style and one of my biggest influences, other than Seuss.
Therefore, I hope you enjoy your Sunday and some Shel Silverstein.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Sunday Shel
Today's post is two of my favorite Shel Silverstein poems, as an ode to honoring the Sabbath and not feeling so much like writing anything of my own today.
However, these two poems are very representative of me, my style and one of my biggest influences, other than Seuss.
Therefore, I hope you enjoy your Sunday and some Shel Silverstein.
However, these two poems are very representative of me, my style and one of my biggest influences, other than Seuss.
Therefore, I hope you enjoy your Sunday and some Shel Silverstein.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
This poem represents the wisdom of my grandmother, the insight of my mother and the realist in me.
It moved me - so I thought I would share it here - with you.
♥ Ms.Panda
For My Daughter
By Sarah McMane
Never play the princess when you can
be the queen:
rule the kingdom, swing a scepter,
wear a crown of gold.
Don’t dance in glass slippers,
crystal carving up your toes—
be a barefoot Amazon instead,
for those shoes will surely shatter on your feet.
Never wear only pink
when you can strut in crimson red,
sweat in heather grey, and
shimmer in sky blue,
claim the golden sun upon your hair.
Colors are for everyone,
boys and girls, men and women—
be a verdant garden, the landscape of Versailles,
not a pale primrose blindly pushed aside.
Chase green dragons and one-eyed zombies,
fierce and fiery toothy monsters,
not merely lazy butterflies,
sweet and slow on summer days.
For you can tame the most brutish beasts
with your wily wits and charm,
and lizard scales feel just as smooth
as gossamer insect wings.
Tramp muddy through the house in
a purple tutu and cowboy boots.
Have a tea party in your overalls.
Build a fort of birch branches,
a zoo of Legos, a rocketship of
Queen Anne chairs and coverlets,
first stop on the moon.
Dream of dinosaurs and baby dolls,
bold brontosaurus and bookish Belle,
not Barbie on the runway or
Disney damsels in distress—
you are much too strong to play
the simpering waif.
Don a baseball cap, dance with Daddy,
paint your toenails, climb a cottonwood.
Learn to speak with both your mind and heart.
For the ground beneath will hold you, dear—
know that you are free.
And never grow a wishbone, daughter,
where your backbone ought to be.
It moved me - so I thought I would share it here - with you.
♥ Ms.Panda
For My Daughter
By Sarah McMane
Never play the princess when you can
be the queen:
rule the kingdom, swing a scepter,
wear a crown of gold.
Don’t dance in glass slippers,
crystal carving up your toes—
be a barefoot Amazon instead,
for those shoes will surely shatter on your feet.
Never wear only pink
when you can strut in crimson red,
sweat in heather grey, and
shimmer in sky blue,
claim the golden sun upon your hair.
Colors are for everyone,
boys and girls, men and women—
be a verdant garden, the landscape of Versailles,
not a pale primrose blindly pushed aside.
Chase green dragons and one-eyed zombies,
fierce and fiery toothy monsters,
not merely lazy butterflies,
sweet and slow on summer days.
For you can tame the most brutish beasts
with your wily wits and charm,
and lizard scales feel just as smooth
as gossamer insect wings.
Tramp muddy through the house in
a purple tutu and cowboy boots.
Have a tea party in your overalls.
Build a fort of birch branches,
a zoo of Legos, a rocketship of
Queen Anne chairs and coverlets,
first stop on the moon.
Dream of dinosaurs and baby dolls,
bold brontosaurus and bookish Belle,
not Barbie on the runway or
Disney damsels in distress—
you are much too strong to play
the simpering waif.
Don a baseball cap, dance with Daddy,
paint your toenails, climb a cottonwood.
Learn to speak with both your mind and heart.
For the ground beneath will hold you, dear—
know that you are free.
And never grow a wishbone, daughter,
where your backbone ought to be.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Mandinella - Part 2
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST...
Revived with energy, we ran to him.
"Look!" he said as he pointed under the only chair left standing.
"Is it food?" Bubba begged leaning his head over my shoulder.
"No, it isn't food, Bubba," I said as I touched the found treasure delicately and placed it in my lap.
It was the most beautiful suitcase I'd ever seen in my whole life. Diamonds, sapphires, rubies and every other precious gem decorated its entire area. Gold rope chains embroidered the sides and every edge was marked with a precision cut of black onyx. Its radiance was so breathtaking and mysterious that it would fit well in an Egyptian tomb. The latch on it was made of pure gold, and it had a tiny engraving of a flower on it.
"What is this flower, Billabong?" I inquired.
B-Bong studied it briefly and answered, "It's a princess Willow - a flower symbolizing good fortune and prosperity." He cocked his head, "Hmmm. That's odd."
"What's odd?" Mr. T asked.
Billabong explained, "That particular flower has been extinct for over 2,000 years."
"Well, what are you waiting for? Open it!" Fabioli insisted.
I pulled lightly on the latch, lifted the case slowly, and found only one occupant inside. A single lamp of the same caliber of beauty appeared and as the sunlight hit it, rainbows and prisms shined everywhere around our gang.
"Ooooh, I want to see it!" Bubba whined as he snatched the lamp from its priceless home. Seconds later, the lamp gained life and hummed in the air. It began spinning and a purplish smoke rose from its long, narrow spout.
We all stood motionless and watched the miracle unfold before our eyes. The lamp lowered to the ground and the most awesome womanly being levitated above it.
Noticing the four lower jaws of the men surrounding me nearly touching the ground, I greeted our new guest, "Wh-wh-wh-what's your name?" I finally spit it out after a few moments of actually realizing that the spectacle was, in fact, real and not a desert mirage.
"Hello there, my name is Mandinella, and my soul purpose here is to grant my master three wishes. Thou shalt not exceed this maximum and shalt make the wishes respectfully, " she said.
A moment later she added, "and what is your name might I ask?"
"My name is Amanda, and my friends here are Bubba, Billabong, Trykelor and Fabioli," I told her.
Bubba chimed in, "So we get wishes?"
"Yes," she answered him humbly.
"Well then, I wish for..." and before anyone could stop him, he finished, "every kind of food in the whole wide world!"
And so it was done. For the next few hours, we stuffed our faces with every delicacy known to man. As we ate we discussed our next wish.
"I think we should wish for a big jumbo jet with five Tempurpedic beds inside, so we can sleep on the way home," Bubba offered his two cents.
"No, I think I am pretty much done with airplanes. Why don't we ask Mandinella for her help?" I said.
She agreed to help and we simply wished for a way home, leaving the mode of transportation completely in her hands.
Out of nowhere, a magic carpet flew down and swooped us right off the ground into the air!
The trip over the Atlantic Ocean brought us close to all different species of sea life, from whales to sharks and she even dropped us off at a secret secluded island for a mid-flight swim. We flew swiftly home, with the wind in our hair and smiles spread wide across our content faces.
We arrived back in our city, safe and sound, and thanked Mandinella numerous times for taking such amazing care of us and honoring our trust in her. But, before we said our final goodbyes, we needed to make our final wish.
Our group huddled together a few moments like a football team, arms laced over each other's shoulders and after a quick gathering we emerged with smiling faces.
Simultaneously, we said, "Mandinella, we wish for you to become human!"
And in that very instant, a huge purple cloud covered us all and the winds blew and the earth rumbled. Once the smoke and dust cleared, we found ourselves at the steps of a huge mansion, built with the same ornate beauty as the jeweled case and the genie lamp. Mandinella stood in the doorway and invited us all inside to stay forever - happily ever after - each with our own room and Tempurpedic beds.
THE END
Revived with energy, we ran to him.
"Look!" he said as he pointed under the only chair left standing.
"Is it food?" Bubba begged leaning his head over my shoulder.
"No, it isn't food, Bubba," I said as I touched the found treasure delicately and placed it in my lap.
It was the most beautiful suitcase I'd ever seen in my whole life. Diamonds, sapphires, rubies and every other precious gem decorated its entire area. Gold rope chains embroidered the sides and every edge was marked with a precision cut of black onyx. Its radiance was so breathtaking and mysterious that it would fit well in an Egyptian tomb. The latch on it was made of pure gold, and it had a tiny engraving of a flower on it.
"What is this flower, Billabong?" I inquired.
B-Bong studied it briefly and answered, "It's a princess Willow - a flower symbolizing good fortune and prosperity." He cocked his head, "Hmmm. That's odd."
"What's odd?" Mr. T asked.
Billabong explained, "That particular flower has been extinct for over 2,000 years."
"Well, what are you waiting for? Open it!" Fabioli insisted.
I pulled lightly on the latch, lifted the case slowly, and found only one occupant inside. A single lamp of the same caliber of beauty appeared and as the sunlight hit it, rainbows and prisms shined everywhere around our gang.
"Ooooh, I want to see it!" Bubba whined as he snatched the lamp from its priceless home. Seconds later, the lamp gained life and hummed in the air. It began spinning and a purplish smoke rose from its long, narrow spout.
We all stood motionless and watched the miracle unfold before our eyes. The lamp lowered to the ground and the most awesome womanly being levitated above it.
Noticing the four lower jaws of the men surrounding me nearly touching the ground, I greeted our new guest, "Wh-wh-wh-what's your name?" I finally spit it out after a few moments of actually realizing that the spectacle was, in fact, real and not a desert mirage.
"Hello there, my name is Mandinella, and my soul purpose here is to grant my master three wishes. Thou shalt not exceed this maximum and shalt make the wishes respectfully, " she said.
A moment later she added, "and what is your name might I ask?"
"My name is Amanda, and my friends here are Bubba, Billabong, Trykelor and Fabioli," I told her.
Bubba chimed in, "So we get wishes?"
"Yes," she answered him humbly.
"Well then, I wish for..." and before anyone could stop him, he finished, "every kind of food in the whole wide world!"
And so it was done. For the next few hours, we stuffed our faces with every delicacy known to man. As we ate we discussed our next wish.
"I think we should wish for a big jumbo jet with five Tempurpedic beds inside, so we can sleep on the way home," Bubba offered his two cents.
"No, I think I am pretty much done with airplanes. Why don't we ask Mandinella for her help?" I said.
She agreed to help and we simply wished for a way home, leaving the mode of transportation completely in her hands.
Out of nowhere, a magic carpet flew down and swooped us right off the ground into the air!
The trip over the Atlantic Ocean brought us close to all different species of sea life, from whales to sharks and she even dropped us off at a secret secluded island for a mid-flight swim. We flew swiftly home, with the wind in our hair and smiles spread wide across our content faces.
We arrived back in our city, safe and sound, and thanked Mandinella numerous times for taking such amazing care of us and honoring our trust in her. But, before we said our final goodbyes, we needed to make our final wish.
Our group huddled together a few moments like a football team, arms laced over each other's shoulders and after a quick gathering we emerged with smiling faces.
Simultaneously, we said, "Mandinella, we wish for you to become human!"
And in that very instant, a huge purple cloud covered us all and the winds blew and the earth rumbled. Once the smoke and dust cleared, we found ourselves at the steps of a huge mansion, built with the same ornate beauty as the jeweled case and the genie lamp. Mandinella stood in the doorway and invited us all inside to stay forever - happily ever after - each with our own room and Tempurpedic beds.
THE END
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Mandinella
"Amanda!" echoed the voice of my roommate, Nellie. She was doing laundry and didn't know the difference between whites and darks, therefore, I knew something was wrong. I hurried to her aid and upon arrival, I saw her holding a pink, once white, tank top in her hands.
"What happened," she wondered with an unexplainable, yet terrified expression on her face. Gazing at her, I could feel her emotional distress and was taken back in time to a situation where I'd felt the exact same.
"What happened?" I asked as I awoke with the feeling that I'd just been hit by a Mack truck!
"You were just in a plane crash," answered on of the strangers standing in a circle above me.
"We're the only ones left," said another.
I opened my eyes wider and all I could see was sunlight blinding me from every possible direction. The temperature was almost unbearable and as I sat up, I could taste tiny grains of sand in my mouth. At that moment, I realized I'd been stranded in a desert with four complete strangers.
The other survivors were the strangest acquaintances of my life. First was Bubba Keith, the roundest guy I'd ever seen. He must have housed at least one hundred meals a day, which was good at that point, for his massive belly shaded the sun from my eyes.
Looking to the right of Bubba, my eyes encountered Fabioli, the God of Love. Not literally, but his perfect bone structure radiated through the glory of his silky, blonde locks and plush red lips. My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest and sweat dripped from my temples.
"You need some help getting up?" he asked.
"Yes!" I blurted out like a yelping dog having puppies. As my height reached his, I nearly drowned in the crystal clear blue oceans that were his gentle eyes, and melted into his subconscious vibe. I was weak.
"Thanks," I said nervously.
He spoke, "It's alright. Don't be nervous. Most chicks dig me and my totally studly appearance."
Right then a cold chill shot up my spine and Fabioli quickly turned to Fabdouchi, the biggest ego in the desert, and I looked away in sheer disgust. What a disappointment! If only he hadn't kept his mouth shut!
As soon as my eyes finished rolling, Mercury lined up with Venus and I fell in love once more. This time was different though. It wasn't Fabioli, but rather a down-to-earth, cool dude with long, curly locks of hair flowing wildly around his face. The sun cast shadows on his face, bringing out a dark, mysteriousness. Mystery was the word for this one.
Noticing my admiration, he introduced himself, "I'm Trykelor, but don't be alarmed by my name. My parents were super hero freaks!"
I returned his welcome, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. T."
We both laughed and after our eyes locked curiously in a gaze, we grinned solemnly at each other.
Last, but certainly not least, I met Billabong, a flower and herb specialist. His remarkable knowledge of herbs sounded very impressive, but what herbs grow in the desert? Billabong wasn't all "plant" brain though. He always had a time consumed thought or insight to add to the running conversation. He was a man of pure opinion, and I think that's what I admired about him so much.
As I started walking toward the scattered debris of the plane, numerous questions aroused in my head. I turned to the diverse group of men behind me and asked, "So, where are we?"
"I don't know, but the sun is really perfect for bronzing my super juicy bod. I always say, 'When the sun's out, the guns come out," replied Fabdouchi as he took his shirt off and began flexing his biceps.
Bubba unphased by the scene, began heading into what was left of the cockpit of the plane, "Do you think there are any peanuts left in these cabinets?"
I pleaded, "I don't know, Bubba, but let's get our heads together here! Where are we?"
Billabong stepped up and precisely calculated, "We're almost in the dead center of the Sahara Desert, probably along the border of Algeria, which puts us about 500 miles to the nearest city." He headed over to the airplane and began rummaging through the luggage shelf.
"What are you looking for?" I asked.
"A radio or cell phone. At this point, it's our only hope." Billabong bluntly stated, "If we can even get reception out here."
For two hours we searched every inch of that plane. Our backs were aching and no sign of help drained us of any hope we had left. We had to find something, anything! I wasn't meant to die like this! My life hadn't even really started yet. This trip was my first venture out of the country, a chance to see some of the rest of the world for once!
Just then , Trykelor screamed at the top of his lungs, "Guys, Come here and look what I found!"
To Be Continued (tomorrow)
"What happened," she wondered with an unexplainable, yet terrified expression on her face. Gazing at her, I could feel her emotional distress and was taken back in time to a situation where I'd felt the exact same.
"What happened?" I asked as I awoke with the feeling that I'd just been hit by a Mack truck!
"You were just in a plane crash," answered on of the strangers standing in a circle above me.
"We're the only ones left," said another.
I opened my eyes wider and all I could see was sunlight blinding me from every possible direction. The temperature was almost unbearable and as I sat up, I could taste tiny grains of sand in my mouth. At that moment, I realized I'd been stranded in a desert with four complete strangers.
The other survivors were the strangest acquaintances of my life. First was Bubba Keith, the roundest guy I'd ever seen. He must have housed at least one hundred meals a day, which was good at that point, for his massive belly shaded the sun from my eyes.
Looking to the right of Bubba, my eyes encountered Fabioli, the God of Love. Not literally, but his perfect bone structure radiated through the glory of his silky, blonde locks and plush red lips. My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest and sweat dripped from my temples.
"You need some help getting up?" he asked.
"Yes!" I blurted out like a yelping dog having puppies. As my height reached his, I nearly drowned in the crystal clear blue oceans that were his gentle eyes, and melted into his subconscious vibe. I was weak.
"Thanks," I said nervously.
He spoke, "It's alright. Don't be nervous. Most chicks dig me and my totally studly appearance."
Right then a cold chill shot up my spine and Fabioli quickly turned to Fabdouchi, the biggest ego in the desert, and I looked away in sheer disgust. What a disappointment! If only he hadn't kept his mouth shut!
As soon as my eyes finished rolling, Mercury lined up with Venus and I fell in love once more. This time was different though. It wasn't Fabioli, but rather a down-to-earth, cool dude with long, curly locks of hair flowing wildly around his face. The sun cast shadows on his face, bringing out a dark, mysteriousness. Mystery was the word for this one.
Noticing my admiration, he introduced himself, "I'm Trykelor, but don't be alarmed by my name. My parents were super hero freaks!"
I returned his welcome, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. T."
We both laughed and after our eyes locked curiously in a gaze, we grinned solemnly at each other.
Last, but certainly not least, I met Billabong, a flower and herb specialist. His remarkable knowledge of herbs sounded very impressive, but what herbs grow in the desert? Billabong wasn't all "plant" brain though. He always had a time consumed thought or insight to add to the running conversation. He was a man of pure opinion, and I think that's what I admired about him so much.
As I started walking toward the scattered debris of the plane, numerous questions aroused in my head. I turned to the diverse group of men behind me and asked, "So, where are we?"
"I don't know, but the sun is really perfect for bronzing my super juicy bod. I always say, 'When the sun's out, the guns come out," replied Fabdouchi as he took his shirt off and began flexing his biceps.
Bubba unphased by the scene, began heading into what was left of the cockpit of the plane, "Do you think there are any peanuts left in these cabinets?"
I pleaded, "I don't know, Bubba, but let's get our heads together here! Where are we?"
Billabong stepped up and precisely calculated, "We're almost in the dead center of the Sahara Desert, probably along the border of Algeria, which puts us about 500 miles to the nearest city." He headed over to the airplane and began rummaging through the luggage shelf.
"What are you looking for?" I asked.
"A radio or cell phone. At this point, it's our only hope." Billabong bluntly stated, "If we can even get reception out here."
For two hours we searched every inch of that plane. Our backs were aching and no sign of help drained us of any hope we had left. We had to find something, anything! I wasn't meant to die like this! My life hadn't even really started yet. This trip was my first venture out of the country, a chance to see some of the rest of the world for once!
Just then , Trykelor screamed at the top of his lungs, "Guys, Come here and look what I found!"
To Be Continued (tomorrow)
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Poetry, Children's Stories, Playwriting and more...
"Any powerful idea is absolutely fascinating and absolutely useless until you decide to put it to work."
-from the Messiah's Handbook by Richard Bach.
I began blogging last March to build my creative writing platform and since then, I've veered off course quite a bit. Today, I am roping myself in. I want to stay on track and buckle down.
In the Blogathon 2012 blog roll my name and blog appear high on the list, which is great for driving traffic to my blog, and the description that follows is: "Poetry, children's stories, playwriting, and more..." I examined the description for a minute, thought about my actual blog, and came up with a simple conclusion. I am here to tell stories. Whether they come out as poems, plays, kid's books, or simple life accounts, that is what I do.
Therefore, today I am going to tell a story. I consider it a Part 2, to the story of her jumping out of my car six months ago. That moment literally changed my life course forever.
So, without further ado...
Lucy's Surgery
by Amanda Steinhaus
Meet Lucy.
Lucy is my four and a half year old pure bred, black lab.
She was the runt of the litter, but still managed to grow up big and strong!
She weighs almost 75 pounds and loves to eat! There's nothing Lucy won't do for a treat!
She can sit, lay down, roll over, shake, high five, and even says "I Love You!"
Lucy loves hiking, chasing squirrels, going for rides in the car and she especially loves swimming!
Well,
one day when we were driving to California from Missouri, a picnic basket fell in Lucy's seat in the car, and she got spooked! She couldn't get out from under the picnic basket, so without thinking, she JUMPED OUT OF THE WINDOW AT 80 MILES PER HOUR!!!
You can read that story here.
This is the story of what happened next.
Lucy healed from all of her wounds from that tragic jump in about three weeks - all except one. Lucy partially tore her anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, that day and anytime we would go to the park, or the beach, Lucy would limp around on that leg for the remainder of the evening. The vet gave me some pain pills to give her when this happened, and that was the routine for about five months.
Well, one day when my nephew was visiting me for his Spring Break vacation, we took Lucy to the dog beach to play with us. All was going well, until Lucy emerged from the ocean limping more than usual, and when I took a closer look, she was NOT using her back right leg AT ALL!!!
We went straight to the vet and did x-rays. The vet also sedated Lucy and did a special "shelf" test, in which he moved her knee in ways it shouldn't normally move. The news was bad. Lucy tore her ACL.
I searched all over town and found the best place to have surgery - VCA Animal Specialty Group. They did surgeries like this all day, so I didn't feel so scared when I took Lucy in for her exam. In fact, I was already prepared to leave her in case they had an opening to do the surgery that day!
The specialist looked at her x-rays, felt her knee and confirmed my family vet's diagnosis. Lucy needed surgery. I said a prayer and left her there. It was hard, but I knew she was in the best care possible.
Here I am saying, "bye" to my baby girl.
When I picked Lucy up the next morning, she was wearing a seriously cool bandage, that looked more like a cast and had a sweet little butterfly sticker on it! Lucy could care less, since she was on plenty of pain medicine and just wanted to go home and lay in her bed.
Here she is when I got her home,
The recovery time for an ACL surgery is 8 weeks! Lucy is not allowed to run free, walk without a leash, jump or play until she is fully healed. After one week, we got her cast off. After two weeks, we got her stitches out. At four weeks, we got an x-ray of her healing and the vet specialist told me that I could start taking her on ten minute walks!!! We have been doing that for almost a week now.
Here's what Lucy's knee looks like in the x-ray - full of screws and hinges to help it move. The vet calls it a "bionic knee."
Pretty cool, huh?
Lucy is starting to use it when she goes on her walks, and I even saw her itch herself with it last night, which is good because she is using it!!!
She has begun to grow her hair back where they shaved it off for the surgery and her scar is starting to look less like Frankenstein everyday!
We have about three more weeks before our final set of x-rays, so until then, Lucy must lay low, go on her short walks, stay on a leash and avoid stairs at all costs.
She is doing good, is still getting used to her new knee, but is on the road to recovery!
As hard as it is to see those sad brown eyes begging me to go play, I know that this period of recovery is very important for the quality of life she will have for the rest of her life.
One thing is for sure...
Lucy is a survivor!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
New Beginnings
So... I signed up for this Blogathon 2012 thing.
It's a challenge - organized by seasoned freelancer, Michelle Rafter - to get writers to blog every day in May - with no holes or gaps.
This year I am excited and feel confident about completing the task, since even though Blogger went down midway through the challenge last year and I had to jump ship to wordpress, I completed it.
That reminds me... the NEW BLOG I started that day is a really good idea and I need to get back to it!! Of course it has to do with PANDAS! But this time, it is from the perspective of the PANDA!!!
Anyway, this year I have lots of different ideas to post about, especially since there are so many individuals involved in this Blogathon community to read and bounce my thoughts around with, but also our host has a Calendar of Events, like May 21st, which is "Haiku Day." That day is, of course, my favorite day.
Here's a link to my Haiku Day post last year, which I wrote from overheard dialogue - specifically a Sunday sermon!!! My Haiku post made it into the weekly recap by the Blogathon facilitator and I remember feeling so proud of myself, like a pre-schooler getting a gold star for being good. It felt soooo rewarding.
So I am back! And I am excited to write, to share my thoughts, to outline more of my goals, and to meet other awesome writers! It feels like a family reunion and a rebirth all at once.
My final thought for the day comes from a book I randomly pulled off the shelf called, The Power of Positive Thinking, by Norman Peale, who writes:
"The secret is to fill your mind with thoughts of faith, confidence and security."
Peale encourages us all in all of our endeavors - instead of being haunted by insecurities and fears, focus on courage and confidence and radiate magnetism!!! It's May 1st, a new beginning to a month in Spring, which is also a time of rebirth. May God bless us all with smiles, attitudes of extreme joy and such excitement and energy that anyone and everyone is drawn to be near us!!!
It's all about the present moment and what is important today! Rejoice in this day and be glad in it! For we have no time to maintain regrets when you think about how much He loves us!
The last line comes from an awesome Christian song, "He Loves Us," by Kim Walker, which I find so moving and strong, that I had to share! Hope you have a wonderful MAY 1ST!!!!
HAPPY BLOGATHON 2012!!!!!
xOx,
Ms. Panda
It's a challenge - organized by seasoned freelancer, Michelle Rafter - to get writers to blog every day in May - with no holes or gaps.
This year I am excited and feel confident about completing the task, since even though Blogger went down midway through the challenge last year and I had to jump ship to wordpress, I completed it.
That reminds me... the NEW BLOG I started that day is a really good idea and I need to get back to it!! Of course it has to do with PANDAS! But this time, it is from the perspective of the PANDA!!!
Anyway, this year I have lots of different ideas to post about, especially since there are so many individuals involved in this Blogathon community to read and bounce my thoughts around with, but also our host has a Calendar of Events, like May 21st, which is "Haiku Day." That day is, of course, my favorite day.
Here's a link to my Haiku Day post last year, which I wrote from overheard dialogue - specifically a Sunday sermon!!! My Haiku post made it into the weekly recap by the Blogathon facilitator and I remember feeling so proud of myself, like a pre-schooler getting a gold star for being good. It felt soooo rewarding.
So I am back! And I am excited to write, to share my thoughts, to outline more of my goals, and to meet other awesome writers! It feels like a family reunion and a rebirth all at once.
My final thought for the day comes from a book I randomly pulled off the shelf called, The Power of Positive Thinking, by Norman Peale, who writes:
"The secret is to fill your mind with thoughts of faith, confidence and security."
Peale encourages us all in all of our endeavors - instead of being haunted by insecurities and fears, focus on courage and confidence and radiate magnetism!!! It's May 1st, a new beginning to a month in Spring, which is also a time of rebirth. May God bless us all with smiles, attitudes of extreme joy and such excitement and energy that anyone and everyone is drawn to be near us!!!
It's all about the present moment and what is important today! Rejoice in this day and be glad in it! For we have no time to maintain regrets when you think about how much He loves us!
The last line comes from an awesome Christian song, "He Loves Us," by Kim Walker, which I find so moving and strong, that I had to share! Hope you have a wonderful MAY 1ST!!!!
HAPPY BLOGATHON 2012!!!!!
xOx,
Ms. Panda
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Heaven on Earth Event
When I lived in Kansas City, I worked with a man who managed all of the happenings at the KC Masonic Temple. He offered me much advice back then, like an angel to me, and when one of his suggestions to me was to plan an event for his extremely ornate space, I immediately began planning a, "Heaven on Earth" event.
The following notes are a rough sketch of what I envision. These are simply my notes. An event has yet to occur, so feel free to take my ideas, add to them, offer your suggestions, plan your own event, etc. The greatest compliment to me would be to gain wind of the fact that you hosted your own "Heaven on Earth" event, inspired by my notes and vision! I am available and at your service!
HEAVEN ON EARTH EVENT
Created to cater to all of the senses simultaneously.
SIGHT:
*Guests are to wear all white, encouraged to wear wings to add to the appearance of heaven on earth.
*A huge replica of God's hands -either made from light or from real, tangible materials, placed near the entryway and designed to greet/hug you when you enter.
*Pearly gates to Heaven.
*Installation of light, to appear like heaven.
*White furnishings all around.
*Fog machines/dry ice mindfully placed to create the appearance of a place in the clouds.
*Cross centerpiece in room.
*Altar made of gold with burning incense.
*White doves, Angels, suspended above.
SOUND:
*DJ plays continuous ambient sounds.
*Live performances by harpists, vocalists, flutists, etc who interpret God's love through their instrument.
*Reading of Psalms.
Prayer.
SMELL:
*Incense: Creates the ambiance of Heaven - Sandal wood, Frankincense possibly.
From Revelations, "Another angel came in holding a censer of gold. He took his place at the altar of incense and was given large amounts of incense to deposit on the altar of gold in front of the throne, together with the prayers of all God's holy ones. From the angel's hand, the smoke of the incense went up before God, and with the prayers of God's people.
Psalm 141: Let my prayer come like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.
TASTE:
Wine - for the Blood
Bread - for the Body
Tea by Tea Drops - Heavenly tea
TOUCH:
Fuzzy blankets/pillows draped on the furnishings
Hanging silk curtains
Cotton "clouds" everywhere
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