 |
| Seen on the door exiting the exam room at Michiana Hematology and Oncology... |
The African Proverb, “When you pray, move your feet,” has
often been used to encourage Christians, or other people of faith, to take
appropriate actions in the world. In fact, faith is intended to guide our
choices in ways that is consistent with a greater meaning of life.
As with other things, the truth of this idea is reflected
in our physical world. All movement consists of two distinct (and seemingly
unrelated) processes: relaxation and contraction. Relaxation is only half the
equation for a meaningful life, because contrACTION is also needed. Here are the words
to Mountain Top, by singer/songwriter, Amy Grant:
I love to sing and I love to
pray
Worship the Lord most everyday
I go to the temple, and I just want to stay
To hide from the hustle of the world and its ways
[Chorus:]
And I'd love to live on a mountain top
Fellowshipping with the Lord
I'd love to stand on a mountain top
'Cause I love to feel my spirit soar
But I've got to come down from that mountain top
To the people in the valley below
Or they'll never know that they can go
To the mountain of the Lord
Now, praising the Father is a good thing to do
Worship the Trinity in spirit and truth
But if we worshipped all of the time
There would be no one to lead the blind
[Chorus]
Now, I am not saying that worship is wrong
But worship is more than just singing a song
It's all that you say, and everything that you do
It's letting His Spirit live through you
[Chorus]
Worship the Lord most everyday
I go to the temple, and I just want to stay
To hide from the hustle of the world and its ways
[Chorus:]
And I'd love to live on a mountain top
Fellowshipping with the Lord
I'd love to stand on a mountain top
'Cause I love to feel my spirit soar
But I've got to come down from that mountain top
To the people in the valley below
Or they'll never know that they can go
To the mountain of the Lord
Now, praising the Father is a good thing to do
Worship the Trinity in spirit and truth
But if we worshipped all of the time
There would be no one to lead the blind
[Chorus]
Now, I am not saying that worship is wrong
But worship is more than just singing a song
It's all that you say, and everything that you do
It's letting His Spirit live through you
[Chorus]
Worship is more than just singing a song, and if you are
to develop a life that has meaning, you are required to do more than to
meditate in a vacuum. So as I prepare to reenter the world of my life back in
Michigan, here are three actions I intend to take as a way of honoring the
relaxation I have been so thoroughly enjoying this winter on Pine Island, here
in Florida:
1. Get
involved with the new Hospice at Home “No one dies alone” program
2. Work
to bring Art/Poems (collaboration pairing visual artists with poets) to our
area
3. Join
and/or create a writers group/s to keep me inspired and writing
 |
| Patty Reddy representing Stories at the Women's Expo in South Bend. |
It is exciting to face the changes that greet me on my
return, one of which is welcoming my sister, Janis Smith, to the office space where
I practice at 815 Main Street. She has a massage therapy practice and has rented
the room right next to mine. I look forward to being on her massage table, and
to our walking downtown together, and sharing life. What gift that we get to be
neighbors! Additionally, I will start getting our home ready for sale and start
looking for a mobile/modular home in the park on Glenlord Road. We plan to
downsize and make it easier for us to continue to enjoy spending winters in
Florida.
The
only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it,
move
with it,
and
join the dance.
Alan
Watts
