Twinkle, twinkle little star
how I wondered what you were
when I was young and did not know
and experienced all of life
for the first time and
everything was new.

Today I wonder with my students
and the young people in my life
who are discovering life and
sharing their wonder with me
and reminding me to see
the wonder in all things new.

I may no longer wonder about the stars
but I can appreciate the joy and mystery
of those who are discovering
things for the first time,
just as my elders are discovering
with me
the mysteries revealing themselves
in this stage of my journey.

MY PLAYMATE

One of the things I love most
about you is that you are always
there to come play with me.
You are the one who reminds me of
Melanie singing I have
a brand new pair of roller skates,
you have a brand new key.
You are my playmate.

You are the one who when I
am pausing,
is my best friend and
says lets play.
You watch cooking shows with me,
listen to music with me,
makes me laugh,
brings me joy, and
says let’s play again.

You bring out my inner child.
and remind me you like to have fun too.
You love when we say
let’s play,
let’s laugh,
let’s be silly,
and have a good time.
I am so glad you are
my playmate.

You remind me to pause,
say I have the key
do you have the roller skates.
we have swung on swings,
read books,
splashed in water,
made blueberry banana bars
and hidden under the covers
we call tents.
Thank you for being
my playmate.

STAY FULL

I love how children
find such wonder in
opening a present
a new toy
or discovering the
mysteries of life

Then they grow up
and we teach them
how to lose that sense of
wonder,
creativity,
joy, or
mystery

We, as adults
need to stay full of
wonder,
joy, and mystery
so we can help our
children stay full
keep their sense of wonder,
joy,
and mystery.
Together, we can share
and rediscover the
world in which
we live.

BECOMING THE TREE

Dear God,

I know you never put more on us then we can bear, but this year has been filled with challenges. If I had to pick a word for that I have learned this year, it would be tenacity. I have learned to have the determination to rise about difficult circumstances. It does not mean it has been easy, but I am making myself rise. I am finding the strength within myself to keep on going.

There have been days when I felt so deeply and did see my own strength, but I would remember to release the fears that were obscuring my vision. You found your way of reminding me to be like the Tree of Heaven, the tree Betty Smith wrote about in her novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She wrote, “Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first time or last time. Then your time on Earth will be filled with joy.”

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“Do you ever wonder why things have to turn out the way they do?” What would happen if you did? What moments of wonder will you discover?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

If wonder is the beginning of wisdom, are you working on becoming wise or are you focused on walking away from your wisdom

SONG OF THE WEEK

I know this is a children's song, but I love the questions it asks. It makes one stop and wonder, which is why I picked it as our last song of the week for this theme of wonder https://youtu.be/XwAd8QZb9Ok

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Where are you focusing your attention, on the wonders of the world or the taste for destruction of the environment.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Have you ever wondered about how the Divine keeps you from getting what you think you want? How many moments of wonder have you missed

OPEN MY EYES

Years ago, the spiritual director I was working with talked with me about a Japanese form of self-defense called aikido. She talked with me about how when we are surprised and thrown off guard, we want to fight or free. We want to narrow our world and our vision to create this protective force around us. Rather than do so, she suggested I practice what she called “soft eyes.” Practicing soft eyes meant that I challenged myself to expand rather than contract my view of the world.
When we open our eyes, and allow ourselves to see the greatness of the world and the grace which surrounds us, it softens our heart, mind, and soul. Rather than want to resist or run when taken by surprise, practicing wonder allows us to open ourselves up to the great mystery of the world.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is the magic and wonder of what lies ahead which has the potential to keep us together when we want to give up and walk away. So wonder!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Have you ever stopped to wonder at who you are and how you have grown and evolved into the person you are in this moment of time?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Do you have eyes that can see? Ears that can hear? Senses that can sense? If not, are you missing the wonder in your environment.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It takes grace in our time to keep our minds open to wonder, but if your mind is not open you cannot receive the gift

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Do you see the wonder in which you live? Do you see it in the elements which surround you? It is not down the street, it is where you are.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

How would you interact with others differently if you thought about them as worthy of wonder? Would you marvel at who they are as a person?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

When you encounter wonder, you encounter your Higher Power. So how do you stand when you are in a state of wonder?

WONDERING

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

As you pray are you remembering to take notice of the wonder? Have you even considered how wondrous it is to even be able to pray?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Is Spirit still waiting for us to recognize the abundant wonder in the world. What is keeping us from seeing the abundance of women there is

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