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Weekend Report

  My front window is in dire need of a cleaning.  Birds smash into it leaving smudges and feathers.  It collects road dust from the truck traffic that goes by.  It looks as though a cat with muddy paws walked across it???  I have a window washing arsenal.  BUT there was no window washing this past weekend.  There was no lawn mowing either.  It was seriously cold.

I bundled up and went for a long walk on Sunday.  There are white caps on the mountains.  My son did a bike ride at the Trapp Family Lodge on Saturday.  He told me they were riding through six inches of snow.  I hope it all stays right up there on the mountains.

My sister-in-law loaned me a copy of Proof of Heaven by Eban Alexander, M.D.  I read that this past weekend.  I liked it so much that I went to the bookstore and bought myself my own copy with a new Afterword.

I wish that he had not used "Proof" in the title, but "an anecdotal record of my own near death experience" wouldn't be nearly as catchy I suppose.  However, his story is convincing--all the more so at a time when I am starting to want to believe.

I watched Oprah's Super Soul Sunday interview with Annie LaMotte.  She is so genuine about her religious beliefs and I enjoyed listening to her point of view.
However, it was the interviewee just prior that gave me my "Aha moment."  I only caught the last five minute of that one.  I think her name was Shapiro, but I know nothing about her.  Anyway, she described God as the fabric that holds the universe together.  I have struggled so much with religion and even belief in God, but that resonated.

And the BIG news for New Englanders...TADA...the Boston Red Sox won the 2013 World Series of Baseball.  I am pretty sure that Mike was forced to watch with his two brothers.  The image makes me smile.

Comments

  1. I struggle with religion also. I have abandoned the 'church' form of religion, but like to believe a creator is behind all of this. I will have to read "Proof of Heaven" I've read Heaven is for Real, and the Shack.. I recommend both, as they are good reads. Hope it warms up, so you can make those windows sparkle!!1

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  2. I think human version of God across all religions is what I find so imperfect. If there is a God it much bigger and more integrated than we can imagine and the search for such is good thing...go for it!

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  3. I died on the operating table on December 18, 2003. My brother, a minister, asked me if I saw a light at then end of the tunnel. I told him "no" and he responded, "I was afraid of that." lol

    I did sense "the peace that passes all understanding". While religion is controversial, faith is tattooed in our hearts....that "fabric" God uses to hold us together so to speak. Those gone are okay, those left behind are the only sufferers.

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  4. I have my own spiritual inclination and conviction, but not a religion. I have found a faith community that supports my spiritual journey without a required dogma. I love it.

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    1. I pray to the big question mark, but I do feel the need to link up with a community at times.

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  5. Window cleaning is not on my list of fun things to do -- neither are cold and snow on a favorites list!
    My own spirituality and faith have evolved over the course of time. I don't share much of it on my blog because it's just a part of me, and I don't need to defend it or explain it. My family instilled in me what God and my faith mean, and while I explored, researched, and grew, I never lost that seed within me. It brings me great peace.

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    1. My parents had that kind of strength of faith. I know that they were very disappointed when all four of their children left their church, but they did accept independent quests and I am grateful for that. I can't imagine what it would be like to be disowned or shunned.

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  6. Yep. Hubby is taping them and watching them in the morning. I have to not tell him the scores.
    I know what you mean about wondering about the other side. I have had many signs, though, that there is one!

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    1. I have had two signs that were so timely and so personally specific that I cannot do anything other than believe they were direct communications from Mike.

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  7. I have that book on my Kindle but haven't read it yet. I have read a lot of other material on NDE and believe the experience to be genuine. It seems to be a universal, cross cultural, cross religious, cross-national experience. The nay sayers explain it all away of the last gasps of neurons etc, but I don't think so.

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    1. I absolutely believe, but Dr. Alexander was preaching to the choir. I don't think "I'm a neurosurgeon so if I had a NDE, they must be real" is going to be convincing proof for the skeptical. I found the book quite comforting though in that it tends to validate what I already feel to be true.

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  8. You are on an important journey. I appreciate that you are taking the time to walk through it. The windows will wait. They will only get dirty again. Feed your soul. Hugs.

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    1. Feeding my soul is what is important to me right now.

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  9. I have always wanted to believe in near death experiences but when my Dad had one I became convinced, My dad was an atheist prior to the experience but could quote scripture and verse after.
    Sorry, not yet for Boston. They are tied at 2 games apiece right now.

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    1. Oh, well, I just heard they won and thought it was over...not much of a baseball fan, I'm afraid.

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  10. I read Alexander's book, too. In fact, I try to read all near death books when they are published, because I simply love the concept of everlasting love after death.

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  11. Here is a video of the show you were talking about. The person's name is Dani Shapiro.
    Here is a three minute clip with the fabric quote:

    http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/Best-Selling-Author-Dani-Shapiro-Sits-Down-for-Soul-to-Soul-Video

    Here is the entire show, 42 minutes. The quote you mentioned (same as the clip above) is in minute 35 directly after the fifth commercial:

    http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/Full-Episode-Oprah-and-Dani-Shapiro-Video

    Shapiro wrote the book Devotion, which is about her spiritual seeking:

    http://www.amazon.com/Devotion-Memoir-Dani-Shapiro/dp/0061628352/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1382992894

    She also has a website with a blog:

    http://danishapiro.com/category/blog/moments-of-being/

    Thank you for tipping me off about this writer. My own personal quest could use a bit of a tune up. I downloaded her book to my Kindle.

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  12. I like the image of Mike and his brothers watching the Red Sox, Olga. And - I always like snow on the peaks.

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  13. Congratulations to you New Englanders and your Boston baseball team. Hmmm. What were they called?

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  14. Am I asking for trouble? (Go Dodgers)

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    1. You are not asking for trouble from me...I did not even know who the "other" team was.

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  15. It sounds like an interesting book. I believe there is something beyond this world, though my experiences with organized religion have been more painful than uplifting, so my believe is more in the existence in another place rather than in the heaven/hell.

    Perhaps your birds would be frighted by a small set of chimes in front of the window. I did that putting the chimes on shepherds hook. It looks a little odd, but this summer I've only one bird fly into the window. If only it worked that well with dust!

    Take care!

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  16. I have to repeat what the Retired English Teacher said -- Feed your soul -- and it looks like you are. Good luck with your journey.

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  17. You're on an interesting journey, and I'm so glad to hear you're finding words that resonate, words that make you seek further. Best wishes on finding peace and comfort... and hope.

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  18. I really like the idea of. God being the fabric of the universe. I really don't like window cleaning at all. If you left it to me, I'd go ahead and hire somebody to do it. On the second thought, that could be too expensive. I guess I'd always have dirty windows.

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