Communion Conundrum

When I was at the annual church-in-the-woods service this past Sunday, I realized that I couldn't receive communion after the service had started. The bread may be unleavened, but it's still bread. I couldn't very well go up and whisper to the minister, "Do you have any gluten free body of Christ? No? Then I'll just have the blood. Thanks, very much." I managed to chat with her after the service and she said that I could bring my own cracker-whatnot next time. I have these horrible GF rice crackers--horrible! And then I thought, well, there's the GF ice cream cones. And they're more like the communion wafers. Wouldn't that be funny? Take this ice cream cone, it is my body which was given to thee. Eat it in the remembrance of me.

Oh the flames are licking my heels. Back tomorrow. ;-)

A Different Kind of Labor

This Labor Day weekend, Mum & I watched The Business of Being Born, Ricki Lake's documentary on birthing in America. I feel so fortunate to have grown up with a midwife mother. Through the years, there was a steady stream of pregnant mothers getting my mother's wise counsel. Mum was licensed in VA, so on occasion, mothers from WV crossed the state line so that they could deliver in our home. If we were lucky to be there, we were invited to attend the birth. Birth was a relatively calm, quiet, natural event. "Babies come when they're ready," Mum says. "It's when you interfere with nature, that you have problems."

30% of births in the U.S. are C-sections; more in certain hospitals. Often they are performed based on convenience; convenience to doctors, mothers, husbands. A C-section is MAJOR SURGERY! And it has become so routine that it is considered normal.

There's a wonderful hormonal cocktail of oxcytocin, etc. that mother & baby receive thru the birthing process. These biochemicals create bonding. That final push when baby enters the outside world is the euphoria that erases the labor part of labor. Does this happen with a C-section? I do know that C-sections prevent all the dermatones from getting stimulated as they do in a regular delivery. So this is what I'm wondering: How does this affect the mother-child bonding? How does it affect the neurological development of the child? Could C-sections be connected to the rise in learning disabilities? The more you interfere with nature, the more problems you have. Something to get curious about on this Labor Day.

Day of Rest

Mum & I are going to the annual Church-in-the-Woods service. Sorry no post yesterday, I went to a flea market. Back tomorrow with a post of all my fabulous finds.

In Love

That got your attention! ;-) I've been sifting thru Petfinder & I found this:


2 labweiler gals, much like Barkley & Remi. Look at that face. Ah, Mickey Mouse. I know Mum is looking at the photo and thinking, "Look at that hair." I never resented vacuuming everyday with B & R. It was just part of the daily ritual and I thought about how much I loved them. And here's another confession: Since they died, I've never washed the windows where their noseprints are. Really? I'm sentimental over dog snot?! Apparently I am.

I emailed Miss Ruthie for her advice. She was with me when I picked out Barkley at 3 weeks old, And she held Remi just hours after Barkley had her puppies. She is my expert on all creatures great & small, including children. She said that M & M remind her of Barkley & Remi & to go visit them. So I'm waiting to call . . . and in the meantime, I've got many busys on my Bevy List.

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. ~Anatole France

Swinging for the fences

Results

The bottom line is that only results count. How you arrive at them does not. ~Mark Burnett

My book reading for the beach was Mark Burnett's Jump In. Mark Burnett, creator of Survivor, The Apprentice, the other Martha Stewart Apprentice, (which I LOVED!), etc. Anyway, it was the perfect book to be reading as I've been scheduling the fall John Morgan Seminars season. One thing I learned early on from John was that it doesn't matter how many hours I work, or everything I have to do. What matters is did I get the market and ultimately, did we have a successful event? Whether it takes me 2 hours or 20 is irrelevant.

The other thing I've learned is that No doesn't really mean No. It means no for now. Later could be a yes. If I'd known more about the radio business before I started, I would have had lower expectations for myself. I didn't know that what I do is considered impossible by some people. It's only impossible because they don't do it. It doesn't stop me from doing what I do. Mark's premise is Jump in, even if you don't know how to swim. Which is what I sort of did. Or rather, I had a friendly push from John Morgan. Go on in! The water's fine! ;-) He told me I could, and I believed him. A final quote from Mark:

Be an optimist and a dreamer. Expect greatness from yourself, and the best kind of unexpected surprises will find their way into your life.

Can you see it?

View from the labyrinth yesterday. Can you see the moon?

Here it is:

View off front porch this a.m. Can you see the turkey?

No? Trotting down the driveway? Here it is:

See the bear in there? Kidding. No bear. Back tomorrow!