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Thursday, September 12, 2024

WholeHearted Spiritual Journey

It's a warm, breezy September day and at this moment, I am enjoying the quiet. I feel nature's slowdown pause, a signal to breathe in and out. My thoughts are inspired by a single word, wholehearted, which is this month's Spiritual Journey topic. Ruth Ayres, writer, author, and researcher is our host and offers various questions for us to ponder before writing. Since I am recuperating from the medical trauma of surgeries and infections, I want to learn more about wholehearted living. 

Ruth asked, What does it mean to live wholeheartedly?  Since I didn't understand what that entails, I did research. Noted author, researcher, and professor, Brene Brown, speaks on the issue of Wholehearted Living and offers 10 signposts. "Wholehearted Living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the Courage, Compassion, and Connection to wake up in the morning and think, no matter what gets done and home is left undone, I am enough." I admit I have oodles of paperwork stacked in my office so I often feel I cannot finish what I set out to do each day. This bothers me and leads to frustration and anxiety.  

One of Brene Brown's signposts attracted me. "Cultivating calm and stillness and letting go of anxiety as a lifestyle". When I calmly stay in the moment of stillness, I feel refreshed but during the next part of the day, other feelings may interrupt and lead to anxiety. Therefore, I need to cultivate calm, pause, and stay in a moment. 

My garden is a restful place but during the summer the season offered heat waves and turbulent rainstorms. I did not spend much time in this tranquil place. I patiently waited months to see my ornamental grass sporting beautiful wheat and purple hues alongside butterfly bushes and two specimen magnolia trees. When the end of August and early September brought different temperatures and soft breezes, I spent more time admiring the outside patio. The sight of my gardens and a song, Wholehearted, energized me to write a Golden Shovel poem. The line from the song that I used is "I need grace. You give it wholehearted."  Grace would help me see life in a better framework.  

"Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly ..." - Colossians 3:23-24
My goal for September is to be enthusiastic and mindful, to open my heart to positivity, and not let worry overwhelm me. I will start now because I just returned from the doctor's office. Instead of telling me I have an allergy or upper respiratory issue like my husband, I heard the word COVID. I was surprised with the outcome but knew I had to wholeheartedly accept the new detour on my spiritual journey. I am thankful that it appears to be a mild form of the new COVID virus. Maybe, now, I will have more quiet time to understand the cycle of life and wholehearted living with my one word, pause. 

My Commitment: 
I choose to fully engage in life during the next season and walk the spiritual pathway with faith knowing that my heart must be open and giving.
"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  Corinthians 9: 6-8

Thank you, Ruth Ayres, for bringing your one word, wholehearted, to our attention. I look forward to reading what other members of the Spiritual Journey community write from their cheerful hearts. You can link in to read other posts here.

8 comments:

  1. Carol, it's Patricia... Such beautiful reminders of encouragement -- to slow down, breathe, cultivate calm, and seek the grace we need to bring whole-hearts to whatever we do. The scripture passages you chose are reminders - to not give (or even be present) reluctantly or under compulsion -- something that is difficult for me sometimes. Daily grace!!

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    1. Patricia, I feel a sense of peace this morning as I read your comment. COVID interrupted my sleep last night many times but the sky is filled with blue and the sun is shining so I shall sit outside to find peace and continue to bring my whole-heart into a sweet day of quiet. May you have a blessed day.

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  2. Carol, it's Ramona. I'm hoping this will post since I can't post on Ruth's linkup.
    I love your research into being wholehearted. I have Brene Brown's book, The Gifts of Imperfection which is a guide to the wholehearted life. Thanks for reminding me of this resource. I feared that it might have been culled in the big move, but I found it still on my bookshelf.
    I love your Wholehearted golden shovel.
    And the song is lovely . . . "When I need grace, you give it wholehearted!"
    Thanks for your thoughts. Prayers that your bout with Covid is short and mild.

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    1. Ramona, even though COVID interrupted my sleep last night, your comment and post brought me a peaceful wakeup. The Lord gave me your thoughts to mull over. It seem thought I have not seen you face to face in a long time that your friendship is close by. It is a beautiful relationship to share the love of fellowship and the sweetness of Grandmotherhood with you. Enjoy your day. My bout with COVID is mild so I thank the Lord for that.

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  3. Carol, with all of the hecticness in the world I think many of us have a difficult time finding and staying in that peaceful place we all so desperately want and need. It is difficult, at least for me, to empty my mind and not let the troubles of life and the world in to disturb my peace. To me, the key to wholehearted living is commitment. It is this commitment that defines us and gives us purpose. May God's healing grace help you recover quickly. Bob

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    1. Bob, thank you for joining me. This morning I woke from strange dreams and weird interrupted sleep but that is probably from COVID. I am happy to say that finding comments from my SJT friends is calming. "Commitment defines us and gives us purpose" is a truth that I need to remember when the going gets rough. Thank you for your wishes of healing grace. I am thankful that I am experiencing a mild form of COVID which is such a blessing after the traumas from my May hospitalization.
      Sorry that I have not been a regular at TWT. I started PT and trying to comply with my commitment to bring my body to a state of wellness. I send wishes for a blessed day for you and Kathy.

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  4. Hi Carol. My heart goes out to you during this time of recovery. It can be so hard to let go and let God. Best wishes to you.

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    1. Karen, after a strange night of weird dreams and interrupted sleep, I am delighted to wake to loving comments from you, Bob, and Ramona. Our fellowship brings peace into my heart. May your day be blessed.

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