Author: Sarah Tauber

Have you ever personally experienced a miracle? If you are over the age of 18, chances are you have. Before the miracle occurred, did you feel hopeless? Were you all but certain that the outcome was going to be the worst case scenario? And then, seemingly out of nowhere, a miracle happened and instead of the worst possible case, you got the best. You are amazed, delighted, thrilled but also bewildered. How was that possible? Did I just get lucky?

Recently I was asked to join a prayer group for someone who was fighting for his life in the hospital. Someone who would be considered young, with a wife and children. A pillar of society, a good man. Things looked very grim. After considering all possible outcomes, the one I believed most realistic, the one Las Vegas would bet money on, was the one in which he didn’t make it. “This will take nothing short of a miracle,” I thought out loud. Although I did not personally know the man, I felt an extraordinary sadness for him and his family. What a terrible time this must be for them.

In the midst of my sadness, a great awareness came over me. I am human. Although I consider myself to be intelligent and an optimist, it dawned on me that my vision of the situation was limited by the constraints of my existence. I can’t see beyond my own experience or my narrow vision of what is and what is not possible. I am not God!

The phrase that entered my mind at this point was one I have heard all my life, “With God all things are possible.” If you believe in God, you probably have heard this and most likely believe it. I believe it but in this instance I had forgotten its powerful and deeper meaning. That realization stopped me in my proverbial tracks. Wait a minute! As a human being I can only see this man’s story from an earthly point of view. I am not privy to what God sees, what He knows or most importantly, what He can do. He can perform miracles! If anyone can turn this frightening, doom-filled situation into a blessing, He can!

As it turned out, the man in the hospital fighting for his life had a lung disease and needed two “new” lungs. On January 12th, he had successful lung transplant surgery. Now the prayer is for his body to accept the new organs and recover to live many more years as a loving husband, father, and as it turns out, pastor. Praise God!

Understanding that not all prayers are answered, I know that the larger picture holds what is best for us. I end all of my prayers with “thy will be done.”

The next time you find yourself in a situation – large or small – where you feel defeated, lost and hopeless, in need of a miracle, don’t let your limited vision dictate the outcome. There is “someone” with unlimited vision and unlimited power in charge. Don’t give up, look up. Pray, knowing that the ultimate miracle worker is beside you. You are not alone, but in the best company possible. Amen.

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I don’t know if it’s even possible to find out how many people read my blogs. And that’s okay with me. I write because I love to. I imagine lots of people reading them and hopefully feeling something positive as a result.  That is my goal.

It dawned on me just yesterday that I need to let you know (whoever you are) that I appreciate you, whether you read one of my blogs or are a faithful reader who receives them via email. Thank you for taking the time to read what I write.

Years ago I wrote letters and sent packages to soldiers and marines in Iraq. I didn’t know any of them. Only once during that time did I receive a response, even though I was told not to expect it. I have to say that was very difficult for me. I desperately wanted to hear from them. Writing to these men and women soon began to feel like I was sending my letters into space where they would eventually disintegrate, as if they never existed. The enthusiasm I had in the beginning dwindled and soon I was writing to no one.

You might think it would be the same case here, but it isn’t. Well, not anymore. When I first began my blogs (almost two years ago!) I anxiously awaited feedback and was disappointed when it didn’t come. I have since changed my attitude. I still think comments are wonderful gifts, but I’m fine if I don’t receive any. It is okay if five people are reading my blogs or 55 or 105! I will keep writing them because I enjoy it. Hopefully you will continue reading them for the same reason.

We all have busy lives filled with many things to accomplish. Keeping up with emails and social media can be a challenge at best and a nuisance at its worst. Even taking the time to read one long email (or blog) takes effort and the willingness to stop what you are doing,  even for a few minutes.

And so I say “thank you” to whomever is out there reading this. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!  :))

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I was catching up on Facebook the other day when I came upon a post from a friend of mine. It stopped me mid-Christmas cheer. She said we need to be aware of the fact that not everyone is joyful during the holidays. Not everyone has family or close friends with whom to celebrate the season. Some people are struggling just to make it to January 2nd. Wow.

This is my favorite time of year and always has been. I am usually bursting at the seams with merriment. But then I have a loving husband, two amazing sons with equally amazing wives, several grandchildren and many special friends and family. I can honestly say I have never been lonely or sad during the holidays. Count me blessed.

There are many people like me. What I forget is that there are also many who are not. This is not about bringing you down at Christmas time but I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you that some people are in pain this time of year. Some people may be hurting due to their personal circumstances. Maybe they just lost a loved one or received frightening health news or a breakup with their partner or spouse. Hmm.

Have empathy for these people. Reach out in ways that serve, in ways that help or even heal. We are all in this life together. Share yourself, share love.

Knowing that at least one person cares may be enough to change the season for someone. Most churches this time of year adopt one or more families (my old workplace did this every year) and purchase much needed gifts including toys and clothing. My new church will be providing for hundreds of families. It is a wonderful opportunity for those who are “wealthy” to give to those who are “poor”.

Being fortunate does not mean you get to dance around in your merriment by yourself. It puts you in the honorable position to pay it forward, to give back, to reach out to those of us who aren’t dancing for joy. That is our calling as human beings sharing the planet.

This year, be aware of those around you who aren’t feeling joyful. Smile at a stranger who seems lost. Give of your time, your talent or your treasure where it is most needed. Wealth is meaningless unless we spread it around.

God bless you and Merry Christmas!  :))

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• Deck the halls with boughs of holly
• Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
• ‘Tis the season to be jolly     and so on…

Are you jolly this time of year? With the exception of my son and his family, whose last name is Jolly, maybe not. It is without a doubt a stressful time of year, more so for some. There is the pressure to buy gifts for everyone on your list, wrap them, decorate your house, buy a tree or bring the fake one down from the attic (if your holiday calls for a tree). You are spending more money than you normally do but  still have the same income. How do you make that work without going into debt?

It seems that every year since I was a child, Christmas and the holiday season in general has become more about spending and less about why we celebrate. Not breaking news. We complain about the commercialism but have no control over it or its impact on our lives. Try as we may to avoid the pressure, it finds our hiding places and we are inevitably caught up in the whirlwind of the season.

A couple of months ago I was looking at my budget and thinking, maybe I should suggest to my family that we not buy presents this year. Let’s focus on how blessed we are, not about buying. Well, I never said anything to anyone, probably too embarrassed to make the suggestion. I managed to come up with some money and now I am planning my gifts accordingly. So much for shedding commercialism.

We all know that Christmas is not about how much you spend. It’s about remembering what happened two thousand years ago in Bethlehem. If you are not one who thinks about that, then think about this. You are still here. You have family, friends and a roof over your head. You have some money in the bank and you have your health, maybe not perfect health, but you woke up this morning. These things that we all take for granted on a daily basis, are truly gifts and we should acknowledge them as such and be grateful. They will not last forever. Some day we will be gone.

This holiday season try finding joy in little things. See the world as you did as a small child, if only for a few minutes at a time. Be aware. Be amazed. Be joyful outside of the mall. Be grateful. Deck the halls and then deck your heart. ‘Tis the season. Share yourself. Focus on what matters to you.  In other words, give love. Everything else takes second place.

It is with this sentimentality that I leave you to ponder the season. Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!    Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.    :))

 

                                                                                                       

 

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This is Camille, my cat. She is one of two. As I was running around this morning trying to get ready before I had to leave my house, I glanced over toward our sliding door and this is what I saw.

Oh, to be a cat! My busy day was facing me and this would be her day, with a few walks to the litter box and to the kitchen for food and water. Have you ever wanted to trade your day with a cat’s? With the holidays rapidly approaching (next week is Thanksgiving!) I find myself increasingly stressed as the days tick by. “But you’re retired!” you say.  True. But my days are overflowing as it is, minus the holidays. Where do I find the time to figure out Christmas, let alone Thanksgiving?  So much to do. Today I would like to be Camille.

I am a very organized person, which is most helpful this time of year. I can’t imagine navigating these two months without a few lists or calendars. It still brings stress, however. Napping on a soft carpet in the sun sounds so much more inviting than creative financing, time to shop, still getting to the barn, groceries (every week!) and housework. Did I mention laundry, book promotion, reading the bible, reading my other books, meeting friends for lunch, watching the few shows that I tape? Need I go on?

But if I were a cat, I wouldn’t possess all the joys of being human. It’s not all about stress. And, by the way, stress is usually imposed upon us, by us. Being human allows for a life full of richness, beauty, challenges (some met, some not), powerful emotions, complicated relationships, anger, sadness, joy, love. The whole ball of wax. (Where did that expression come from?) I love being human and experiencing all of it, even on days like today when I might want to be Camille, even for just a few hours.

Do any of you remember the commercial, “Calgon, take me away?”Calgon was a box of soothing bath beads or bubble bath, I can’t remember which. There was a woman in the commercial and she was stressed out. The implication was that taking a nice long bath would carry away, at least in the short term, all of  her problems and the stress that went with them. I never tried it, but I am a fan of baths.

Taking a bath, enjoying a glass of wine, listening to your favorite music, reading for pleasure, meditating, going for a walk, are all good temporary escapes from the stresses of the day. They are an important means to an end – retaining your sanity and good health. I would highly recommend doing one of these things or something similar at least once a week during the holidays. It will bring your focus back to what is important in your life. It’s not the busyness of life that counts. It’s what you think about when you are not busy.

So today I will complete what is on my schedule and let Camille do what she does. I wonder if she ever wants to be me?  Nah, probably not. :))

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I’m looking at a square of light on our pale bedroom carpet. In the middle of the square is a shadow tree, reflected from the window above our bed. Its branches are dancing in the morning breeze. Beautiful, I think to myself. And the prettiest part of the square is the shadow. Too bad shadows get such a bad rap. Why is that?

People are afraid of what might be lurking in the shadows. You can’t always see what’s in them, which makes them frightening. The unknown is disturbing. Years ago there was a gothic soap opera on television called “Dark Shadows”, that ran for five years in the mid sixties.  I think I watched it once. Some people enjoy being scared. I would not be one of them.

Some shadows are friendly, like the shadow Ruby (my horse) and I might make in the arena on a sunny day. Shadow puppets aren’t the least bit frightening. My hand is creating a shadow now as I write this blog in my notebook. Interesting, but not scary.

There are shadows and then there is the dark. I’m not crazy about the dark. As our seasons change and winter approaches, days are shorter and the darkness is around for a longer period of time. For me, darkness is far scarier than a shadow. In the pitch blackness of a room you cannot see what is there. I read once that whatever is in the darkness will be there in the light. But in the dark, your imagination can create all kinds of monsters that could be hiding there, waiting to jump out at you. Unnerving, I say. When I walk into a dark room, I try to be brave, challenging myself not to turn on the light. But I still feel relieved as I exit the room . In the dark we are forced to rely on our hearing. In the light, it is our sight that guides us, something more reliable and therefore comforting.

Darkness and shadows are frightening because of their unknown characteristic. What could be hiding there? People who are comfortable with not knowing everything can probably navigate dark spaces better than I. They are brave souls.

Shadows are created by light, whether natural or artificial. I remember one of the first nights we slept in our home. I was glancing at our sliding door, covered by light curtains, which faced the back yard. Suddenly, a large shadowy figure passed in front of the ground level lamp my husband had set up next to a bush. I jumped up and told my husband what I saw. “Something big just crossed by the sliding door. You need to check it out – NOW!” Well, it turned out to be a rabbit or some other similarly sized rodent. In front of the light, it was as tall as a human being. It took several minutes for my heart to regain its normal rhythm.

Here are some of my favorite quotes about darkness:

Light can only be understood with the wisdom of darkness.    Ka Chinery, Perceptions from the Photon Frequency

The value of sunshine is just because of the existence of darkness.   Samar Sudha

Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that.….     Martin Luther King, Jr.

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.    Frances Bacon

People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.    Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

What are your thoughts about shadows and darkness?

 

 

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