a writer's desk


My niece, Sophia, left me some beautiful new artwork. Thanks, pumpkin!

thankful (still)


It was a busy, but glorious, Thanksgiving, so I never had a chance to post.

We had my brother and his family join us for a fabulous dinner with friends and a couple of days of fun and then Scott's birthday on Saturday here with another house full of dear friends. To kick off the festivities, both "my boys" won pies in the Tenth Annual Run 4 the Pies in Tequesta on Thanksgiving morning. I was so proud of them! They had to finish within the first wave of runners to get a pie, so it is a pretty darn big deal (and a REALLY yummy apple pie).

I hope your holiday was filled with Love and Pie as well...

a calendar quote on my dentist's wall this morning

"Be with those who help your being."
- Rumi

Monday, November 29, 2010

a different kind of Golden Ticket


I spent two hours of my life today waiting in line to renew our car tags. When they finally called my number, I felt like I'd won the lottery. Yet despite not planning to spend my entire afternoon at the courthouse, it was really an interesting and enlightening day....

I was fascinated by all the beautiful faces around me: people of all ages, races, and walks of life waiting together.

There was absolutely no way to hurry the process.

You could watch the "newcomers" as they paced and resisted the process at first. They were checking their cell phones, surfing the net, complaining, and watching the monitors constantly for their numbers to appear. Those of us who had been there an hour or more exchanged knowing glances as we watched them. Our cell phone batteries had long since died. Our purses were already re-organized. Our checkbooks were quite well-balanced. All we had on our hands was time, time, time....

I watched one lady sleep quiet peacefully while sitting straight upright and was totally impressed. I calculated the height of the woman's heels across the aisle - nearly three full inches. I marveled at the young teenage couple finally get their toddler son to fall asleep. I read every sign around me and enjoyed some quite wonderful artwork by Goodwill Industry employees and local young artists.

Every once in a while, someone's number would be called and rather than irritation and jealousy, we all felt genuinely happy for that person (mostly). Every once in a while, someone would ring the Golden Bell by the exit to signify they had received excellent service. Every once in a while, a seat would become available near the monitors and rather than rushing to fill it, we would look around and wait for an elderly person to have a chance to sit down first.

Every once in a while, I was truly thankful to be there in that flourescent-tiled room with that odd band of brothers and sisters - strangers - but who I knew as neighbors for just a bit.

It was two hours I would gladly spend again in just the same way....

THE place to be in Palm Beach County today

"now serving....A223....pleases proceed to Station 7."

Learning patience on the Path today. Meeting some other nice (and procrastinating) neighbors. It's all good! :)

Sort of feels like surviving a hurricane....only in air conditioning with WiFi.

for whom will the bell toll?


Even I gave it a little jingle on my way out. Thank you Clerk at Station 11. You were very kind. Peace for your Path, Robin

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

welcome to one of my favorite places: Grassy Waters


Please support this amazing non-profit nature preserve. It is a treasure....Learn more on their website today

If you visit, you truly will feel the peace on every path....

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Third Thursdays on the Labyrinth is TOMORROW!

Come walk with us anytime between 11am and 1pm at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Tequesta, FL!

If you are not able to join us locally, find a labyrinth to walk in your own town on The World-Wide Labyrinth Locator.

Peace for your Path,
Robin

The Merton Prayer

In Thoughts in Solitude, Part Two, Chapter II consists of fifteen lines that have become known as "the Merton Prayer."

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

- Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"
© Abbey of Gethsemani

Visit The Merton Institute for Contemplative Living's website to see this beloved prayer translated into many languages. Please support their valuable work in the world....

Monday, November 15, 2010

iTunes tips for podcast fans

If you are new to podcasts, this is a great resource from iTunes where you can learn more.

Hey, here is a great idea....why don't you subscribe to the WISDOM OF THE LABYRINTH on iTunes?!?

It's totally free and you will helping a really great show stay on the air! :) Thanks!

My Miami Man


So proud of my triathlete....

Some really BAD FROGS


Meet just a few of the wonderful BAD FROGS of The First Presbyterian Church of North Palm Beach. These athletes compete with the motto "BEYOND ALL ELSE, FULLY RELY ON GOD!" Each of these great folks had an awesome day yesterday at The Miami Man Triathlon. So proud of all of them...

Learn more online and become a BAD FROG today!

Enjoy the BAD FROG BLOG, too, and join the TEAM BAD FROGS group on Facebook.

Third Thursdays on the Labyrinth is this week, November 18th, from 11am to 1pm

Join us! Check my website for more info or visit The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd online! Everyone in the community is invited. Always a free event but donations are welcome to support the labyrinth ministry at the church. Thanks!

Please support THE WISDOM OF THE LABYRINTH on iTunes!

If you have an iTunes account, please do this (takes like one to two minutes):

1. Click on our iTunes preview page link: http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-wisdom-of-the-labyrinth/id318360647

2. Choose the blue highlighted "View in iTunes" button

3. Scroll over to the 5th gray star beside "Rate this Podcast" toward the bottom of the page (under all the show episodes) at the CUSTOMER RATINGS section.

4. When you click the gray 5th star it will then turn blue and say "It's Great!" and then "Thanks!"

4. An iTunes window will pop up and it will ask you for your password to sign in so that it will accept the star rating you just selected

5. That's it!!!!! Bless you for your help!


Now...if you have two more minutes please also write a super quick CUSTOMER REVIEW for me. See a couple of examples listed by "turtleseagirl" and "mertonite" to see what I need. After you write a review, be sure and click "Submit" so it registers.

Last month, our archives were accessed over 23,000 times. WOW! Help us keep this valuable show on the air. THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!!! Your support of THE WISDOM OF THE LABYRINTH show is so appreciated!
Peace for your Path,

Robin

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Labyrinths and Horses: A Special Preview of The Labyrinth Society’s 2010 Gathering

Labyrinths and Horses: A Special Preview of The Labyrinth Society’s 2010 Gathering

Listen to this special episode to hear all the exciting details regarding this weekend's special 2010 Annual Gathering of The Labyrinth Society in New Harmony, Indiana.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

GreenFaith



We took our son with us to the voting poll yesterday as school was out for the day. He stood at my husband's elbow as he filled out his ballot. He got his own "I Voted" sticker. Before that, he saw me on the computer for two straight days researching candidates' voting records on key issues. He watched his dad and me reading all the amendments carefully that were up for vote. He prayed with us as a family before we went to the polls. He went with us to the beach afterwards and prayed with us again later that night as the early returns were coming in on TV. We talked about personal ways we can make a difference in the world regardless of the outcomes of these elections.

Peace for your Path, today....

where there is doubt....

The Prayer of St. Francis



Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy;



O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.



For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

election night prayers for our planet earth

Holding onto Faith that our country's votes will show we care...

Monday, November 1, 2010

Project Vote Smart



This video and this project truly make me proud to be an American today. The embedding feature was disabled so simply double-click the "Watch On You Tube" underlined link to view.

Peace for your voting path tomorrow everyone. We are all so truly blessed to have the right to vote...

May we all pray, do our OWN research, pray some more and then vote with our hearts. We have each been given an important gift and a responsibility. May we use it wisely and act accordingly with Love.

Then, remember to pray daily for all our elected leaders no matter what the outcome. There are no "winners" and no "losers". We are all ONE.

Love,
Robin

Project Vote Smart - About Project Vote Smart

Project Vote Smart - About Project Vote Smart

If you are still praying through some of your voting decisions today like I am, and if you have turned off your TV, stopped reading the newspaper, stopped reading the negative campaign mailers, stopped answering the phone, and stopped listening to everyone else trying to tell you what to do and if you simply want to quietly research the candidates in your area of the country in a fair way, I highly recommend this site.

I loved "VoteEasy" as I could take a survey in twelve different categories and then see which candidates lined up with the majority of my views (which do not fit into a tidy little box with any single "party platform" but which reside purely within my heart). This is a non-partisian, non-profit website manned chiefly by volunteers which operates on non-political, private donations.

Very, very, very cool....I think our Founding Fathers would approve!

blessings to you and your loved ones on All Saints Day

Remembering with prayers and love today all the Saints who have gone before us....Peace for your Path.