Advent

The Christmas season is nearing. Advent has started. A sense of Christmas is starting to spread through my soul. Last week, I attended "A Christmas Carol" at Theatre Calgary (the poem I posted last week was from the play). On Friday, there will be a little Hallelujah Chorus happening as I head to hear Handel's Messiah. I am taking a friend who has never heard it live. I love taking people to their first performance of this amazing music. My mom did that for me years ago and it is one of my favorite Christmas memories. I even remember what I wore for the concert - I think my mom bought me a new dressy outfit for the occasion.

Tonight, while listening to Elvis Christmas and Boney M, I finished decorating my home with Christmas baubles. However, I have yet to spend any real time contemplating the Advent of Christmas. But I have about 7 or 8 days off before the holidays so I hope to take some moments to truly anticipate the celebration. I am not sure if I blogged about this last year but the Advent Conspiracy is a great movement to re-new the true Christmas meaning. I hope to share with you what I am learning this holiday season.


This year, for my annual Christmas brunch, I decided to do a "party with a purpose" and will be asking for a donation to the YWCA of Calgary and their work with women and children in need. A fabulous organization in our city. If you are looking to give back this season, I humbly suggest this charity. Or for my family, if you are wondering what to get me for Christmas, a donation to the YWCA would make my day.

Ring Out Wild Bells

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light;

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more,

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,

The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,

But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be.

-Lord Alfred Tennyson

Benefit of the Doubt

I read a line recently that essentially said "...if you trust someone, you will give them the benefit of the doubt. But if you don't trust people, you will immediately think the worst."

You know those times in life that Oprah calls an "aha" moment - this was one of those moments. I realized my lack of trust towards a good friend and that there just may be another side to a situation. In fact, with this particular friend, I had created a whole story to support my theory about how they were out to hurt me. I used justifications, examples...you know, hard evidence showing how I was so hard done by. After reading that line about trust, I realized I never did fully trust them (well, for that matter, anyone). At that moment, a wise voice from within led me to call this friend and hear the story. As it turned out, the reasons for their actions and the reality of the situation were nowhere near my theory. In fact, their actions really had nothing to do with me. Not only an "aha" but a humbling moment.

Life Lesson #4543* - trusting people allows them the space to share their story. Their actions still may not be right or appropriate but perhaps understanding why they did it will save a friendship.

* random number because I feel like I am always learning something about life

Forgiveness= strength

A photo from the U2 concert

Gandhi said the weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. The idea of forgiveness seems to go against our very nature as humans. It feels as though we are surrendering power to another. For me, there is a struggle between knowing that forgiveness actually frees me versus wanting someone to pay for the hurt I feel. And then I think about how much I am forgiven and one would think that would be enough to convince me to freely forgive but the struggle continues. I was recently in Vancouver for the U2 concert. It was an amazing concert with numerous highlights but one in particular was when Bono started singing Amazing Grace and then all 55,000 people in the stadium sang with him. If only those words were always lived out in my life. Why is extending grace to others so difficult despite the immensity of grace bestowed on us? Here is a clip from the concert (I apologize for the quality of sound and image).

long time gone

During the past month, I haven't been able to afford the luxury of writing on my blog. Mostly my busyness is around work events, wrapping up year-end and getting prepared for the Olympic torch relay (we are sponsors). This work thing sometimes can get in the way of my real life but it does provide some exciting opportunities. Below are some high-lights and low-lights that I may blog about in greater detail at a later date. FYI - there are no photos because that is another luxury time did not afford me.

Film Premiere - What Are We Doing Here? - interesting film on aid to Africa asking the question - is it really helping? I left the film with more questions than answers but that was the point of the film.

Trip to Yellowknife - What a beautiful city in the fall. I gave away a $40,000 grant to an after-school program, announced a torch bearer team and attended the Champions for Children Gala. Hung out with Donovan Bailey, Adam Kreek, Ben Rutledge and Fiona Smith-Ball - you know, the usual life stuff. Also had the Yellowknife cultural experience at the Gold Range bar.

Girls Night Out - Bollywood Style - a fundraiser for "Room to Read". Best event I have attended in years. I go to many events each year with my job and this one surprised, thrilled and energized me in ways I did not expect. I can't wait until next year.

Trip to Lethbridge - yummy thanksgiving food and lovely family time. Just love those people in the 'bridge. They pour love into my life and my cup overflows.

Mars Hill Bible Church podcast on "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." - Can't get enough of this sermon. I have listened to it four times now and am filled with gratitude that God is with me in my ache for all that is not right in the world and in myself. God is not waiting for me to get it all together and be holy before blessing me. God is blessing me in my questions, my doubts, my yearning for the redemption of this broken world. Download the podcast on itunes and listen.

Obama's peace prize - all I have to say is that peace is not an achievement but a way of living and on-going understanding and love of those who appear to disagree with us.

"One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means."

Trip #1 to Edmonton (& Edson) - work related - v. little excitement besides the advent of winter driving on terrible icy roads.

Trip #2 to Edmonton - a day after returning from Edmonton trip #1, I turned around and drove back up for a funeral. A dear friend's father passed away. It is hard to wrap your mind around the fact that I am in the life phase where we begin to say goodbye to the generation before us.

Leadership Calgary - am fully into the program now and am devouring the reading requirements as we begin to think about our thinking [aka "existential outward bound"] Recently finished "Deep Survival" and am currently reading "Mistakes Were Made (but not by me)". I am really enjoying getting to know the people in the course - they want to change the world. Great conversations!

As you can see, I am still alive but ready for a break. I am looking forward to a few days off next week when I head to BC to see my boyfriend Bono, my sister Wendy, my parents and some good friends. However, before I leave on my short break, I am volunteering for the Arab Film Fest and attending a grant making conference. So, just a quick glimpse into my life these days...I hope to blog more often but we shall see.

Peace.

Stand By Me

With the International Day of Peace on Sept 21 approaching, I hope you enjoy this hopeful music. Peace to you today.

One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means. - Martin Luther King Jr.

You can't shake hands with a clenched fist. - Indira Gandhi

just a quote today

"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing & rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there." -Rumi

I am loving this quote these days. It reminds me to choose grace.