Moon River Brewing Company

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St. Augustine & Savannah Photo Book

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Start your own Shutterfly Photo Book today.

I got a promo photo book from the National Park Service when I purchased the America The Beautiful annual pass this June.  I just threw together this book when I realized my promo was expiring the next day.  So here is a photo preview of the book I put together :)

Since re-birthing my blogging, I had every intention of keeping up to date with it.  However, shortly after the initial posts, a deeply sad event happened in our lives.  It pained me too much to write about it, and so I held back for the time it would take. I do know that if I want to really work on this blog that I can't ignore it, and I do not want to avoid writing about the happenings in life.

On Monday, August 12, my husband Ryan was informed that his ailing mother was back in the hospital, fighting an infection.  Her immune system had been drastically weakened by her cancer and chemotherapy.  The prognosis wasn't looking good.  Ryan's was picked up by his sister Melanie and his sister Stefanie, who had flown in from California.  They drove up to Logan together to be with their parents and other sister Amanda.  Discussions with the doctor revealed that the cancer had unfortunately spread throughout her body.  His mother, Patty, asked to be able to go home.

She was brought home Tuesday, and her son Rodney had arrived from Arizona.  All of her children, as well as her husband, were there with her.  She was able to be in their loving company through the moment of her passing on Thursday, August 15. 

It is hard for me to write this.  Thinking of it all brings me to tears.  I am so very saddened of her passing, of her suffering, but at the same time immensely struck by the beauty of love.  She was blessed by such a wonderful, loving family. To have them at her side for this moment is a blessing few get to have. 

Her family had a viewing for her on Sunday, as well as another on Monday that was held just shortly before her funeral.  It was amazing to witness all of the people come to show their support, love, and grief.  Her services were lovely.  Her daughters had some wonderful readings of memories and character, her sons sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" which was a request she had, and Ryan shared a poem he wrote for her.  It was all very touching. 

Honestly, I'm not sure what else to say.  I have so many feelings about the circumstances, but my words fail me.  In the near future, I will compile and post some of my favorite memories of Patty Egan.  Be at peace.

Hello, Kitty

Today is International Cat Day.  I thought it would be a great time to write an update about my cat, Tiger Lily.  When importing old entries from another blog of mine, I noticed I last wrote about her a few years ago when we had to give her to a new home.  Well, events have transpired since then that have brought her back into our lives.

In the spring of 2012, my friend Jen, who I affectionately refer to as Tiger Lily's social worker, informed me that the family that adopted Tiger Lily from us was moving and could not take her along.  I jumped at the opportunity to take her back into our home.  She no longer had the problems with pooping in the house. I am certain she was doing that because the previous home owners' dog soiled the carpets and they didn't bother changing them.  Yeah, that is pretty gross.  We replaced most of the carpet in our home, and in the process of removing the carpet we found stains in places that our cat would use, as well as additional spots that she didn't even have access to.  It was a shame to discover that we could have kept her all of this time had we just changed the flooring.  Anyway, a few years and new flooring later, we welcomed Tiger Lily back home.  My children have loved having her around, and, of course, so have I. 

The saga doesn't end there, though.  We moved out of our home in Tampa, Florida this past May.  My husband took the cat out to Utah to be fostered by another dear friend of mine, Rachael.  She volunteered to take care of her while we looked for employment and subsequently a residence.  It has now been 3 months since then.  We do have a place to stay, as I mentioned in my last post.  The home we are staying in currently houses 2 schnauzer dogs.  More than likely they would not get along.  Rachel needed to part with our cat as she is selling her home.  In need of another foster family, our dear friend & housemate Frank suggested a neighbor who may be able to help.  Ryan went over there to introduce himself and explain our situation.  Graciously, our neighbors & new friends agreed to help out by housing Tiger Lily.   We actually brought her to their home today.  I was able to see her for a short time, which was nice.  I'm just so grateful for all of the people who have helped to take care of her. Hopefully soon we will be able to have her back with us for good.  She is one very loved cat!

Faith Facet Q & A: Christian Science

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)

This post is to illuminate the facets of the Christian Science faith.  The answers for this Q&A are provided by Bob Clark.  He is the Christian Scientist media/legislative contact for the state of Florida. 

Christian Scientists worship one supreme and infinite, all good God. "God, our Creator, is a power we see as completely loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-active and ever-present. The synonyms we use to describe and understand God are Life, Truth, Love, Soul, Spirit, Principle, Mind.  We see this God as an infinitely available source of healing for all mankind and for all time."

SF: Does your religion teach that divinity exists outside of humanity, within, or both?

Clark: We believe that God is available 24/7 to heal, bless, uplift and redeem humanity. No exceptions.

Christian Science does not teach of any supernatural beings.  In regards to a system of good vs evil, Mr. Clark elaborates that they, "believe that good is more powerful than evil. When the absolute all-ness and reality of God's love is understood, evil and fear lose their reality and their grip on human thought. Healing is the natural and necessary result."

"We teach that man's true spiritual identity is eternal, completely outside of body. We see man as the immortal expression or reflection of God or Soul."

SF: Does the soul have one manifestation or many?

Clark: God, Soul, is manifested in human experience in an infinite variety of ways.

SF: What happens to a person after they die?

Clark: Since the real, spiritual man is never contained or confined within a physical body, when the physical body ceases to function, that real man continues to exist.

SF: Do you teach of a pre-life soul existence, and if so, what was it?

Clark: We believe that man is created and maintained by God and actually has neither an ending nor a beginning.

SF: Do you have sacred scripture/s? 

Yes. We love and study the Holy Bible daily. Our religious textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, helps us to understand the Bible and put its teachings and wisdom to use in everyday life.

SF: Are these scriptures absolute, or interpreted by the individual? 

Clark: The spiritual truth contained in The Bible is absolute. As individuals study and understand this absolute truth and learn how to apply it and live it, healing is the inevitable result.

SF: Do you have a creed? What is it?

Clark: Below are the important points or tenets of Christian Science, as found in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures:

1. As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life.

2. We acknowledge and adore one supreme and infinite God. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in God's image and likeness.

3. We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts.

4. We acknowledge Jesus' atonement as the evidence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man's unity with God through Christ Jesus the Way-shower; and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ, through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcoming sin and death.

5. We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eternal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter.

6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.

SF:Are there commandments/codes, and if so, what are they?

Clark: We cherish, study and try our best to live by Moses' Ten Commandments in The Bible, as well Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Jesus is our example in all things.

SF:How do you worship?

Clark: We have two church services per week. Our Sunday service is performed by lay readers, elected democratically by the church members. They read a prepared Bible Lesson Sermon from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. The 26 Bible Lesson topics, repeated twice per year, were chosen by Mary Baker Eddy, discoverer and founder of Christian Science. A Bible Lesson Committee at our international church headquarters in Boston, MA, chooses the citations that form each Sunday Bible Lesson and are read as part of the service. 

Our Wednesday evening testimony meeting also utilizes readings from The Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. The lay reader conducting this service chooses the topic each week. The congregation is invited to share experiences of healing, brought about through the study and practice of Christian Science. At both the Sunday and Wednesday services, there are hymns, silent prayer, an audible repetition of the Lord's Prayer from The Bible, and musical selections. 

Mr. Clark illuminated that Christian Scientists have no rituals.  They also do not have any sacred sites.   

SF: Are all forms, or part, of worship available to public, or only members? 

All of our services are always open to the public.

 
SF: Do you have any holy days? What and when are they?

Clark: We have a special service on Thanksgiving Day. Our services at Christmas and Easter are aimed at helping congregants and visitors deepen their understanding of the significance of Jesus virgin birth and resurrection. We also have a Communion Sunday aimed at a a deeper understanding of Jesus' last days with his disciples and their significance for us, as modern day disciples. 


SF: Does your religion acknowledge holy people? Prophets, teachers, saints, gurus, etc. Please list them, or a few prominent people if the list is long, along with any particular aspect or teaching attribution.

We love and revere the patriarchs and prophets in the Old Testament of the Bible as well as Jesus and his disciples in the New Testament. The discoverer and founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, is greatly loved and deeply appreciated, but never worshiped.

SF: What is your religion\'s pastoral structure? What terminology is used for church service people/leaders?

Clark: We don't have ordained pastors in our church. We find pastoral comfort, guidance and healing in The Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. Our Sunday sermons are read by lay readers from those two books. We have a board of directors in Boston which oversees the administration of our church and its worldwide branches and activities.

SF: What morals does your religion value?

Clark: Our moral guides are The Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. Addictive habits of any kind make it difficult to practice Christian Science, so we avoid those. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) in the Bible gives us a solid basis for living a moral life. 

SF: How does practicing your religion personally enrich your life?

Clark: Practicing Christian Science enriches my life by bringing me a constant source of comfort, joy, hope and healing.

---------------

Many thanks to Bob Clark for his submission for this interview.  For further information on Christian Science:

Christian Science official Site

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

Energy: With-in and With-out

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)

I tend to refer to spiritual energy often, and here is an elaboration of this concept.

Energy at its most basic source is neutral.  Much in the way of the Dao (Tao), what is just is, and life energy is simply flowing.    For a human to be perfectly content, aspiration towards this neutral form of energy would be best.  However, humans are quite complicated, and our energy is equally complicated.  Our conscience awareness, and perception of differences, reflect on how energy fluctuates.  We are aware of generosity, love, happiness, togetherness, selfishness, separation, anger, etc. It is through actions and intent that manifestations of this energy gain a life of its own.  Neutrality is simple as it is the basis, yet it is complicated because balancing in the realm of neutrality can be difficult in modern life.  There are internal and external actions that help to deem what energy has the most influence on us at a given time. 

Connecting with existing energy can make a person spiritually stronger, or dark.  If a person repeatedly causes harm, whether to others or to themselves, they get caught in the negative energy from that harm.  One can even seem to be stuck in a perpetual loop of negativity.  This can manifest physically, mentally, and/or spiritually.  Everyone has their moments of negativity, though we must be vigilant to not stay stuck in that track. 

Likewise, a person can work toward positive energy.  Doing good for others and oneself can bring one further into this realm of energy.  One must take care with doing good for themselves as to not make it selfish, but rather that the good he does also causes no harm to others.  As the positive actions grow, the positive energy outside of them responds and connects to the individual.

To quote Albert Einstein, "Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another."  What energy we put out of ourselves continues to exist.  It may transform into other manifestations, but it will never end. What we put out we attract.  In this way, happiness seems simple: to be happy, act happy.  Even manipulating your body to smile when you don't feel happy can cause your brain to release a small amount of hormones that you feel when you are happy, and therefore may cause you to start to feel happy.  The same is for the opposite: frown, and you may start to feel upset. 

There is a spiritual effect that is similar.  Spiritual focus in particular direction will cause you to feel that spiritual energy.  It is taught by some gurus that mantras, or chants, are "words of power".  A particular mantra for an aspect of spiritual focus would have been previously chanted by many people for many years.  Some mantras are ancient.  It is believed that the energy from the chanting has its own life in the universe, and by chanting the mantra the individual connects directly with this energy aspect that is in existence.  This gives the mantra power, and therefore the chanter can begin to absorb this power.  Most are focused for worship, some for healing, higher-self/love connection, and other purposes.  Prayer, rituals, spells, hymns, and ritual dancing all work in a similar manner.  Its like turning on a radio to a particular station, hearing the song, then singing along and becoming a part of the music.

Energy can also have its own imprinted existence in physical locations.  A location used for the focus of positive work, like a church or other sacred ground, will have a positive energy that can be perceived even when the work is not presently active.  Locations of dramatic events can maintain the energy of that event for quite some time.  Because we are beings of energy, what happens in our lives can be left behind as energy residuals.  This is the cause of some locations being haunted.  There may not be any spirits or ghosts present, but the energy residual is still there, and at times even repeating the event like a scratched track on a vinyl record.

Energy is constantly being manipulated, simultaneously created and absorbed in a flow of impermanence.  Our Universe is expanding, using this created energy in its growth.  In turn, we humans can also use this energy awareness in our spirit growth.  Connect with the energy for that which you want to grow, through repeated acts that work for you, and by visiting locations that give you a sense of spiritual strength.

Challenging "The Devil"

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)

A modern view of the Christian devil as a ruler of evil is reflects several various beliefs also found in other religions.  References in the Bible can be viewed as describing separate characters, rather than each reference describing one and the same embodiment.  Passages that are attributed to one being include characters such as the famous serpent in the story of the Garden of Eden, satan (Hebrew for accuser/adversary), and a devil (from the Greek word for slanderer), among a few others.  The term I find the most interesting is "prince of this world".  This could be allegorical for a person that is entirely materialistic, with no regards for spirit.

A religion based on dualism, Zoroastrianism, was one that was going strong during the birth of Christianity, and was still being practiced in some areas of Persia that had not become entirely Muslim in the middle ages.  Zoroastrian scripture holds that gods of good and evil were twins born out of chaos.  The battle between the two is ongoing.  This belief may have been absorbed by ancient Hebrews, and then strengthened in Christianity during the crusades.   

This type of polarity between good and evil is largely a West Asian / European ideal.  From what I have gleaned of the majority of Eastern and indigenous American religion, the idea of good and evil is more neutral akin to the way nature is neutral. 

Good and evil are subjective.  The actions of 'evil' are complex.  We do not know what life a person may be living, what strife and problems they have had to endure.  Just the slightest variation of brain neurons can change a personality.  It can make a person more prone kindness and compassion, or more prone to anger and hatred.  If a very hostile person is given a brain surgery that causes them to become docile, does that mean their spirit has change from evil to good?  Likewise, if a kind and generous person suffers brain trauma and becomes short tempered and hostile, does that mean they have gone from having a spirit of light to a spirit of darkness?  For years, ignorant people attributed mental illness to demonic possession, or to the consequences of devil worship.  Humanity is just now beginning to understand the complexities of our brain and its influence on personality and actions.  Perhaps there is no evil, but improperly developed brains and damaged society.

Within that, however, is the acknowledgement that we do have choice.  While few individuals may not have a great ability to choose their behavior, the majority of people do have that ability.  People have a responsibility to themselves and others to work hard against their own adversaries of positivity.   It is a step by step process to work and gear ourselves to focus on light, rather than get lost in the darkness of negativity.  A prince of our world may be the brain.  Should it be corrupted, it will be difficult to work for good, but not impossible. 

It is the in the dark side of humanity in which evil exists.  Darkness is within and without, just as light.  It is the individual's choice as to where he or she focuses that energy.   Should one maintain focus on negativity, it will grow, just as if one is to maintain focus on positivity, it in turn will grow.  Truly, Hell exists in the living, among people who turn away from the light of positivity and love, and focus on the darkness and shadows of hate.