This is where we share monthly affirmations from our Year of Wishes Calendar. With much love, Lori and Lisa
May 2012
May I be the presence of LOVE; and wish only good to everyone I meet.
It’s easy to be the presence of love with our peeps, our tribe, like-minded friends… But what about at the grocery store, or in the traffic jam, or with someone who hurt us in the past?
Maybe we should start in our homes this month, and practice being the presence of love there. When we have that down let’s take it to the post office, the gym, the DMV… wishing good to strangers, aquantainces, those giving us service. And when we’ve really mastered it, we can try what Elizabeth Lesser proposes in the TED talk below, and take “the Other” to lunch.
We had fun today talking about what places challenge us to maintain our loving thoughts, who gets us riled up, and what “Others” we would take to lunch.
Here is who we think we would be challenged at lunch with. Could we be the presence of LOVE, and wish them only good – if we met for lunch?
Lisa:
- A fundamentalist Christian who believes Jesus is the only way to God
- Hydrofracking proponents
- White supremacists
- Mitt Romney
Lori:
- A hunter who kills animals for sport (fun)
- Homophobic/anti-gay marriage activists
- Rush Limbaugh
- A person with patriarchal beliefs about women and their bodies
How about you? Where are you going to practice being LOVE, or who are you going to wish good to this month?
April 2012
May my work bless the world.
I was a teacher for years and I loved it for a long while. Then I started working with Early Intervention and I loved that too. There was a lot of flexibility and I was doing evaluations on children- it was a good change. I loved the kids. But, I knew it was not the work I was supposed to be doing forever. I knew I wanted to have a job that was more creative and less clinical. I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I started to take classes in art and make art and sell art while I still had my day job. I went back and forth between feeling hopeful and empowered, to confused and scared. A lot of the time I felt terrible. I felt like I was doing something wrong because I wasn’t doing work I loved anymore and it seemed to be taking me so long to make a change. I felt guilty because I was working an important job with kids and parents while I really wanted to be doing something else.
Then something changed. I realized that there was reason that I was still in my job. I decided that it wasn’t the right time for me to leave until it was the right time. In the meantime, there was good work for me to be doing. I started praying to be of service. I worked hard to change my attitude. Some days I was really successful with a new improved attitude, some days I wasn’t. But overall, I knew I was in the right place in that moment and I found peace as much as possible.
I started working with a family that I felt a sort of magical connection to. I adored the whole family. I thought when I met them that the reason I was still in this job was because I was suppose to work with them. It turns out that there was an important meeting that I attended and I think my presence in the meeting changed the outcome for the future placement of this child. The parents were so grateful for me and I was so grateful for them. I knew this family was why I needed to be in my job a little longer.
The timing of finally leaving my teaching job was a really important experience for me. It taught me about the right timing of things. It taught me that everything is unfolding exactly as it should. It taught me to take action towards the work I wanted while at the same time, being grateful for the work I was doing.
Now I am doing work that I love but it is still a challenge and I constantly want to be further along than I am. I know that I just need to stay clear and focused about what I want and work towards that, but also have gratitude for where I am in this moment.
Lisa wrote this prayer for a work day. I love it so much.
Prayer for a Work Day
Divine Spirit, please guide me today.
I am about to go out among the people.
Help me to remember that every interaction is a holy meeting,
That using my gifts and talents is a privilege,
And that if I have nothing else to offer,
I can smile,
Or listen,
Or hold still
and feel You in my heart.
Help me to be open to what you want me to hear,
To all you want me to see,
And to Your Grace in unexpected places.
May I serve with love and gratitude today
In my little corner of the Universe,
And may it somehow bless the world.
March 2012
May I be true to myself.
Lisa and I talk this month via Skype (using Skype recorder, my new favorite thing!) about how we are learning to be true to ourselves. I was brought up to be a super nice girl. For years my truth was often silenced as I worked so hard at being good. Thankfully this is changing for me. Lisa talks about how she runs from pain and this has helped her to stay true to herself. Much love to you all this month!
February 2012
May My Mind be at Peace.
Wow, this is a good wish for me this month. Just incase you think it is always happiness through art over here, um, I’m here to tell you it isn’t (just ask my husband!) But I am finding peace in my mind and heart. I own my mistakes and am learning to laugh at the silliness of it all. Learning to take life not so seriously helps my mind be at peace. Here is a little story…
January 2012
May I Appreciate My Body.
A Year of Wishes Calendar
An 8 1/2″ x 11″ calendar, 12 gorgeous art prints (6″ x6″), 12 beautiful wishes for yourself and the world (complete with prayer cards to use liberally), all packaged with care and sent to your door, plus a year of wishes and love from us (join us on the blog each month!)… What more could a person want?!
Watch the video below to hear how it came to be. Stay to the end for the outtakes… We think they’re pretty funny. :)
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy, Abundant, Love-filled, Peaceful, Magical year,
Lori and Lisa
Check out Lisa’s blogsite:
