Category Archives: Uncategorized

Emotional Health, Goals and Dreams, Health and Long Life, Uncategorized

A Bucket of Joy

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Numbers 4 and 5 on the bucket list were: Bring joy to others and; have joy in my life. I think these two goals, or life ambitions, are inseparable. Ifs pretty hard to live a joyless life and have any joy to bring to others. Conversely, if one’s own bucket is full of joy, it is easy to splash dippers of joy all over the surrounding people. Joy is a thing that just spills out, so I don’t think there’s any point in hypothesizing a miserly person who keeps all their joy to themselves. Real Joy spills out.

I do think it is possible for a joyless soul to try hard to conjure up a false joy by dedicating themselves ceaselessly to others. In this case one’s joy, or mood, is dependent on the response or lack thereof in the receiving party. Real joy is not dependent on something as fragile as mood or response; nor is it synonymous with happiness or laughter – though I would like plenty of those in my life also.

OK, I’m off to gather a bucketful of joy so I can splash it liberally on others!

Emotional Health, Family, Goals and Dreams, Health and Long Life, Home and Hearth, Music and Theatre, Uncategorized

Leave a Legacy

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The Grandmas and Selah 2

Originally uploaded by sarahgrace

Its number three on the aforementioned Bucket List; but right up there with number one on mine.
My three children are by far the greatest thing that has come out of this challenge and chaos called life.

They are not mine to buy and sell and use and own; but, they are mine to love, and to provide wings for. They are the primary recipients of the LEGACY I long to leave. A legacy that includes:
1) Plenty of music and musical opportunities
2) A classical education
3) Rewarding work ethic
4) The proper tools and gifts to help the tree grow in the way it is bent
5) Freedom to be oneself, who one is meant, by the Creator, to be
6) A well of memories and experiences to grow on
My professional friend has a large matted gold frame on her office wall. The frame proudly displays all the major accomplishments of her life: diplomas, professional licenses – and a portrait of her three children. I could not illustrate it better. Children are a heritage from the Lord. They are my life’s magnum opus. Children’s Children are the crown of old age. I must be old, because I have a three jeweled crown.

Emotional Health, Family, Goals and Dreams, Health and Long Life, Home and Hearth, Music and Theatre, Uncategorized

Leave a Legacy

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The Grandmas and Selah 2

Originally uploaded by sarahgrace

Its number three on the aforementioned Bucket List; but right up there with number one on mine.
My three children are by far the greatest thing that has come out of this challenge and chaos called life.

They are not mine to buy and sell and use and own; but, they are mine to love, and to provide wings for. They are the primary recipients of the LEGACY I long to leave. A legacy that includes:
1) Plenty of music and musical opportunities
2) A classical education
3) Rewarding work ethic
4) The proper tools and gifts to help the tree grow in the way it is bent
5) Freedom to be oneself, who one is meant, by the Creator, to be
6) A well of memories and experiences to grow on
My professional friend has a large matted gold frame on her office wall. The frame proudly displays all the major accomplishments of her life: diplomas, professional licenses – and a portrait of her three children. I could not illustrate it better. Children are a heritage from the Lord. They are my life’s magnum opus. Children’s Children are the crown of old age. I must be old, because I have a three jeweled crown.

Emotional Health, Family, Goals and Dreams, Health and Long Life, Home and Hearth, The Cabin, The Petty Pace, Uncategorized

Reflect (#1 on the Bucket List)

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Grandma MM

Originally uploaded by ein feisty Berg

“Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants…….The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word. But the worries of this life…choke it, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:7 and 22.”

Over the past several years, I have repeatedly heard speakers lamenting and pointing out the fact that houses are no longer designed with front porches on which to sit and talk with family and neighbors at the end of the day. Companionable reflection rarely happens in our activity laden or television choked lives.

When we moved to the cabin, the porch, or deck, was rather rickety and precarious. Doug reinforced and replaced the pile and beam supports. I bought two patio benches for our anniversary the first year. For a few years we made a nightly habit of sitting and reflecting on the trials and successes of each day. It was a good habit. Reflection is healthy; for the individual and for relationships. By and by the worries and cares of life choked out this reflection time. Once again the struggle to survive became all consuming.

Now I am once again in a place, a time, of reflection as I work on my book and “feel my pain.”

In a previous post, I quoted Christian Counselor, Maryellen Stipe as saying (in part)
“When you fill your life and brain with obsessing … fixing …you mood alter on that (worrying, catastrophising, planning to control the chaos, etc) and you do not feel your own pain, or take care of the issues in your own life. You are so busy living someone else’s life that you don’t live your own life or dreams or purpose”

Reflection.  Reflecting on the pain and the joys in life.  Getting emotionally, mentally, spiritually healthy.  Definitely on my list of 10 things I want to do before I die.  How about this year?

Emotional Health, Family, Goals and Dreams, Health and Long Life, Music and Theatre, Religion, Uncategorized

The Bucket List

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Definitely, it goes on my list of movies I want to see.  It is also reminiscent of my thinking and Blog writing of last year at this same time, Ten Things I Want to Do Before I Die. 

On Sunday morning I heard a “Bucket List” message at church, complete with trailers from said movie.  The speakers said that a survey was taken of folks in their 90s. Following are the top 5 items on the bucket lists of those elders:

1)       Reflect more

2)       Live life like it is an adventure

3)       Leave a Legacy

4)       Give other people Joy

5)       Have Joy in my own life 

Not bad.  I kinda like that list; in fact, I think I will reflect on it in the coming days and see how well it fits my current list of Ten Things I Want to Do Before I Die.  

Emotional Health, Goals and Dreams, Poetry and Prose, Uncategorized

Writer’s Irony

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Cherry Quill 2

Originally uploaded by ein feisty Berg

In the desert town where I grew up and where I am now domiciled; there is an old Indian legend which says that the Native Americans (Ute tribe), as they were being pushed out by white settlers, left a curse that anyone born here might leave; but would always have to return.

Well, here I am, back home again and living a writer’s irony that rivals that of a science fiction author. I have heard repeatedly that good science fiction is like prophecy and tends to come true in the future. I do not write Science Fiction so I presume I am exempt from living my plot, digging my own grave, or pre-engraving my own tombstone.

Good fiction of any nature is often based on fact or experience; so you could say that my narrative came true in the past rather than the future. I think of relational, narrative, fiction as a sort of unknown author’s memoir. Much more is probably true than the reader imagines (only the names have been changed to protect the innocent-or the guilty).

I am now 136 pages into my novel, and I know the final page. The main character hops a plane and moves toward her future in Seattle. My original plan had been to spend these 5 months writing in Seattle. I have always loved Seattle and thought it would be rather quaint to wrap up the plot there. A sudden turn of events rerouted me to the desert. Rerouted me on the heals of scripting the protagonist to say, “I promptly joined the Symphony Guild.”
Guess what I did this morning, gentle reader? I knowingly, intentionally, joined the Symphony Guild – the new and improved, 22 years more experienced, but none the less, same guild that was the model for that chapter of the book. I have been here before, I know the script. Now I see it with the eyes of the next generation. Last week my old friend Charlie commented on this very blog site. Guess whom I had just caricatured and morphed into someone else in the preceding pages?

So explain to me again how I ended up here in déjà vu land?
I WASN’T BORN HERE. I AM NOT UNDER THE CURSE.

Emotional Health, Goals and Dreams, Music and Theatre, Poetry and Prose, Uncategorized

Happy New Year!

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May You Achieve a Substantial Percent of Your Goals and Dreams!
2007 has been a very GOOD year in many ways; despite lots of shake-ups.
I have succeeded musically this year: In the classroom, in the private studio, in the church and volunteer category, in encouraging my own offspring in their chosen musical endeavors.
I have succeeded in my writing goals in that I really did start the novel, and work on the novel as many days as not. I have changed drastically and dramatically; but my basic character, world view, and moral fiber has not altered course; it has strengthened. What has changed is what I know; what I have apprehended and am cognizant of; and, more importantly; what I DO, what action I take, with that knowledge. I am still Eine Feisty Berg; only more mighty and more feisty.
Ironically and providentially, my cognizance has increased through my writing as I get inside the characters and understand what they think and why they act as they do. I have gained tremendous insight in conversations with counselors, a couple of cousins, a dear SIL, other close family and friends, and great books.
May your new year be filled with courage; and resolve to do what you are called to do!

Family, Home and Hearth, Music and Theatre, Uncategorized

Launch

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launch

Originally uploaded by ein feisty Berg

A Golden Birthday
My youngest just turned 17 on the 17th and therefore dubbed it a golden birthday. He even asked if he happened to be born at 1700 hours – I told him “yes, somewhere in the world, I am sure it was 1700 hours. 1743 to be more precise.”
In 17 short years he has accomplished many things that still remain only a dream for me: performing internationally, singing on TV, soloing on the stage of Boettcher Concert Hall with the Symphony, creating movies, playing bass, jamming, forming, and performing with a band…
He has also done many things I have never dreamed of doing and will probably never attempt: back-flips on a trampoline, wall flips in a school hall, snowboarding, skateboarding.
He is also very tech savvy. As we were downloading this picture from his cell phone camera, he ran into a snafu and called, “Dad, what do I do now?” Doug (who can figure out anything computer or mechanic when given time enough) said, “Here, let me see,” and reached for the mouse. We all groaned (given time enough is the key word here), and said, “No.” Doug exited the room and Philip figured out the problem and had the pictures downloaded and accessible in 15 seconds…..Sometimes you only have to offer unwanted help to a teenager to get results

Family, Home and Hearth, Music and Theatre, Uncategorized

Launch

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launch

Originally uploaded by ein feisty Berg

A Golden Birthday
My youngest just turned 17 on the 17th and therefore dubbed it a golden birthday. He even asked if he happened to be born at 1700 hours – I told him “yes, somewhere in the world, I am sure it was 1700 hours. 1743 to be more precise.”
In 17 short years he has accomplished many things that still remain only a dream for me: performing internationally, singing on TV, soloing on the stage of Boettcher Concert Hall with the Symphony, creating movies, playing bass, jamming, forming, and performing with a band…
He has also done many things I have never dreamed of doing and will probably never attempt: back-flips on a trampoline, wall flips in a school hall, snowboarding, skateboarding.
He is also very tech savvy. As we were downloading this picture from his cell phone camera, he ran into a snafu and called, “Dad, what do I do now?” Doug (who can figure out anything computer or mechanic when given time enough) said, “Here, let me see,” and reached for the mouse. We all groaned (given time enough is the key word here), and said, “No.” Doug exited the room and Philip figured out the problem and had the pictures downloaded and accessible in 15 seconds…..Sometimes you only have to offer unwanted help to a teenager to get results