It’s a humble holiday, tucked in between Christmas and New Year’s, but it’s really keen. Things look a little bedraggled, it’s true The tree’s a little droopy and no longer new
The movies and music of the Christmas season Are getting on our nerves now, and we’re seeing no reason To eat even one more sugary oversweet sweet It’s time for broccoli and carrots (maybe hold on the beets)
The pressure for perfection comes off on this day, The toys have been opened, and it’s come time to play. And if before we were wearing faux holiday cheer To blend in with the others and not Scroogey appear
It’s time now to be genuine, and honest and real The food banks are empty, people still need a warm meal The homeless and hungry and jobless and alone Still need love and caring, still need a home.
So maybe we can celebrate the day after Christmas – By keeping the spirit of hope alive, we might make that our business. – Karen Molenaar Terrell
Why would I choose bitterness and deny myself the peace of forgiveness? Why would I choose anger and deny myself the joy of kindness? Why would I choose hate and deny myself the healing presence of Love? -Karen Molenaar Terrell
May the peace, joy, and presence of Love fill your hearts and home this Christmas!
I went for a drive as the sun was rising this morning and pondered the concept of Love. I put in a CD of Alison Krauss’s music, listened to her sing the Beatle’s “I Will” – and let the music lift me up into that magical place where there’s no anger or fear, enemies or hate – where all of creation knows nothing but joy and good will. This poem and these pictures are what I brought back…
If I open myself up to Love I avail myself of all the power of Love – the warm, healing presence of Love.
Love isn’t some fragile thing. It’s not destructible. It’s not pretty in a Christmas tree glass ornament way. It’s enduring, dependable; as solid as a mother’s lap; as strong as a father’s rescuing arms; as beautiful as the sound of Beethoven’s “Joy”- indestructible, and perfect.
Love fills all space – every corner, hole, and crevice – the collective consciousness of universal compassion and kindness nurturing and reaching out to the love in all of us. And the love in all of us can’t help but respond.
And that’s how we heal. -Karen Molenaar Terrell
Click here for a link to a video I filmed of the sunrise.
Photos of the sunrise over Skagit County, Washington, this morning. Photos by Karen Molenaar Terrell.
Wrapped up cozy in a downpour on this winter solstice day Rain patter-tapping on my bumbershoot as I slosh along the way
I feel Love reaching out – ever-here, ever-there, everywhere – embracing me in Her gentle calm. What choice do I have but to share?
Home to dry clothes and a fire in the wood stove. Soon a pie in the oven – filling our home with baked blueberry smells – my contribution to the solstice feast of peace. .-Karen Molenaar Terrell
There may come a time – a sacred and holy time –
when Malice and Jealousy will holler and yell
and make efforts to get our attention. We will be
living through a rare opportunity, full of challenge
and uplift – transition and transformation, birth
and rebirth – and as the angels of Love gather
around to support us – Envy may demand
to be the focus, center, and star of the story.
Ego may stamp its foot, and spread rumors
and lies, and play the victim. Thoughtless
and oblivious to the challenges we’re facing,
Envy may push you or me aside
to stand in the spotlight, or expect us
to entertain it and invite it for dinner.
And if this should happen – let’s keep thought
focused on what is true and holy and important –
honor what is worthy of our time and heart.
Don’t let’s be distracted by Hate or Greed
or Envy – these things are not deserving of our energy.
Love will lead us through the wilderness – will help
us address the lies that need to be addressed,
quickly, without fanfare and waste, and lead us
upward to meet angel-thoughts. Hope, Peace, Joy.
– Karen Molenaar Terrell
I’m thinking I’m not the only one to experience the craziness that seems to foist itself on us just when we’re going through the most intense and powerful experiences of life. I’m guessing a lot of you have experienced this, too – people choosing to intrude on your time and space just when your whole being is focused on something life-changing and powerful . And – thinking back on the times when this has happened to me – it occurs to me that the craziness couldn’t have come at a better time for me, actually – when would I have been better fit to deal with it? The birth of my sons and the passing of my mother put everything else in clear perspective: This matters; That doesn’t.
If you’ve ever seen The Waitress (that wonderful movie about the abused and pregnant waitress who discovers her strength in the birth…
Tenaciously trying to tug tattered traditions into my December – there WILL be jangling jarring carols on my CD player! there WILL be cheesy Christmas movies! And then it suddenly hits me – my real life is so much better than these ridiculous stories of make-believe!
I’m missing out on the Christmassy magic going on right now, in this moment, when I’m spending my energies and focusing what I see on what came before instead of what’s right in front of me. -Karen Molenaar Terrell
Here’s the beauty of it – the whole Christmas thing You don’t have to go anywhere to find it waiting You don’t have to be anyone special or rare Christmas doesn’t depend on a who, when, or where You can be at the North Pole, or on the equator – at the bottom of the deepest sea, or in a volcano’s crater – it might be mid-July or it might be December but Christmas is right now if we only remember to open our hearts wide to the love all around to witness the beauty, and feel the good of love abound -Karen Molenaar Terrell
T’was two weeks afore Christmas and all through Eff Bee not a creature was stirring – not a they, he, or she We were frozen in place – old traditions wiped out – finding it hard to remember what it all was about
There’d be no parties this year; no off-line celebrations (some of us contemplated months-long hibernations) Some of us would be zooming, others face-timing (those of us without working mics would be doing some miming)
There were still cookies to bake and gifts to send out but this year we’d be masked-up as we moved about Gone were the handshakes, the hugs, and side kisses – replaced with tapping elbows as we went about our business
And as we forged on – made what we could of twenty-twenty – we began to unfreeze and realize there was still plenty of beauty all around us – joy and peace and kindness We saw that gratitude brings us Christmas and Love it is that binds us -Karen Molenaar Terrell
I came upon two earthworms on the sidewalk today – their noses suspended in the air, frozen by the heat of the sun – dried out and stiff and I reached down and plucked up the first and carried him to the dirt. I dug a little hole for him and covered him with earth – a grave to bring him back to life. Gently I used my fingers as tweezers and pulled the second worm from the sidewalk and lifted him to the moist soil, laid him down, and covered him with a wet leaf. Fare thee well, my new friends – May you revive and spend the rest of your days happily leaving a trail of rich earth in your wake
I am also the author of The Madcap Christian Scientist series. The first book in the series, Blessings: Adventures of a Madcap Christian Scientist, has 33 reviews and 4.7 stars! Here’s the beginning: : Years ago an old boyfriend said to me, “I can’t see that Christian Science has made you any better than anyone else.”
“I know!” I said, nodding my head in complete and happy agreement, “But can you imagine what I’d be like without it?!”
He raised his eyebrows and laughed. What could he say? He was looking at a self-centered, moralistic, stubborn idealist who saw everything in terms of black and white. But I could have been worse. I believe without Christian Science I would have been worse.
Let’s get one thing clear from the start: I am not the best example of a Christian Scientist. I’m not as disciplined as I could be. I have fears and worries and doubts. I’m a little neurotic. I am the Lucy Ricardo of Christian Scientists…
At the age of 51 I went insane. I did not like it so much. But I learned a lot from it…
If somebody had tried to talk to me about mental illness before I’d had this experience, I wouldn’t have had a clue what they were going on about. Mental illness was something that happened to “other” people. Mental illness was not something a madcap Christian Scientist would ever know anything about, right?
Two years ago I would never have been able to guess where I’d be today, what I’d be doing, and what new people I would be calling my friends and colleagues. Two years ago my youngest son was close to graduating from high school, my 20-year career as a public school teacher was winding down, and I was looking for a new job and a new purpose to fill my days. Two years ago I was starting over.
It was scary. It was exhilarating. It was absolutely awesome! *** To find any of these books you can go to my Amazon Author Page.
The fourth Thanksgiving without Moz at our table, the first without Dad and the first without a turkey – we went vegan this year. We forged ahead, making it up as we went – creating new traditions: a yellow and red pepper dish; a bowl of mushrooms sauteed in olive oil – which we used as our gravy on the mashed potatoes; Broccoli steamed to a brilliant green; and orange squash made for a colorful plate. I was yearning for something old to bring to the feast – something from the past – and remembered Aunt Junie’s dishes with the blue flowers around the outside. Scott reached up and pulled them from the top shelf for me and put them on the table. Much looks different this year. But this hasn’t changed: Love is still here. -Karen Molenaar Terrell
Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist 