Chic Galleria » lessons

Sometimes Free, Has A Cost…

Gabrielle & Paul Krake — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:44:00 +0000

I have a master goal list, it has been an ongoing endeavor for 10 years. As I complete something or change my mind I alter the list. On this list are things like publish a book, lay on a beach, finish my never ending renovation and own a greenhouse.

I think of this list as things that encompass my hearts desire. But as I mature or gain wisdom I remove things, grow out of wants or simply decide to omit various goals. But, a greenhouse has never left it’s place in the top five. I have researched them, picked my ideal space and dreamed about the one I love best. Gardening is part of my personal wellness regimen, without the time I spend in my gardens I feel anxious and impatient. Therefore a greenhouse has always been a dream because I could also “garden” in a small way through the winter months.

Well, last week I got one! It’s bigger than I could have afforded and I am overjoyed to finally own a greenhouse. But…

As with anything there is always a lesson to be learned. I’ll step back a bit to fill in some needed details. The greenhouse has been sitting a yard in the neighborhood where I live for several years. I finally gathered the courage to be bold and just ask for it. A friend of the greenhouse “owner” sent an email and asked if I could have it, “since obviously no one was using it, the frame was just sitting in this yard, with no panels in it”. They said yes but that it needed to be moved right away, since the house was being put up for auction right away. We went and got it the next day. Being assembled already presented the first challenge. MOVING an 8′ x 8′ steel greenhouse without a flatbed was going to take some planning. We placed three 14″ x 8′ planks across our small trailer and created a large “flatbed”. We then lashed it all down and drove slowly through the back streets to my house. We only hit a couple of low hanging trees!

Once at my house, we got the ground level and ready for the steel foundation that came with the greenhouse. It never occurred to me that it would be anything but perfect. It wasn’t! It was bent, warped and not level anywhere. That first day it became apparent that I had my work cut out for me. After about 7 hours, we had the greenhouse sitting in place and the brick floor laid with sand spread over the brick to fill in the gaps. I had to take the sand from the sandbox with the promise to my youngest daughter of replacing it ASAP.

At this point I realized that I was missing much of the small parts needed to finish the assembly, including any instructions or even a brand name to look up the maker to order missing parts. I left it and decided to think about the next phase on Day Two. I will admit, I was disappointed to have to devise a new way to make the greenhouse actually function. That night we had the worst wind storm in recent memory. It tore threw parks and neighborhoods, ripping trees from the ground and wreaking havoc on a lot of personal property. I came out in the morning to find the greenhouse moved all the way to my fence and more twisted than ever.

I was so thankful at this point for not having the clips and brackets that I was lamenting only a few hours before, because I would have finished putting it all together on Day One and found it the next day smashed in the street. With the panels and no anchoring it would have been a huge balloon in that windstorm. All the next day I noodled how I could get the panels of polycarbonate to stay in the channels of the frame. I tried many things from weather stripping to double stick tape. Nothing was strong enough. At the end of Day Two I went to the hardware store and bought adhesive caulk with the plan of “gluing” the panels in place.

I worked the next day on washing the panels and getting everything ready. I climbed my ladder with the first ceiling panel in hand only to find that the entire roof and main frame was assembled wrong. It was then that I realized the reason no one had been using it. Whoever put it together had become discouraged with the fact that the panels would not fit etc etc. I was literally bent over my ladder cursing my “good fortune” at receiving a “free” greenhouse. Within seconds of my negative thoughts and realization that I would need to take the entire thing apart and figure it all out without instructions, God asked me “if I was going to be grateful even when things were hard, even when circumstance didn’t work out, even when tribulations were not triumphant?” I quickly adjusted my attitude and replied “YES!” and “I’m Sorry”. He was right I was given a gift, regardless of any difficulty I should be thankful and full of praise!

Within 5 minutes of my willingness to rise to the challenge, the friend who emailed for the greenhouse walked through my gate, very expectantly with everything that was missing! EVERYTHING! WOW, was I amazed and utterly overwhelmed.

God has perfect order, He sees all and knows all. He knew I needed this gift for my wellness, for my general health! But He also knew that I needed a faith building experience to let me know that He is here and with us. My greenhouse was not free but full of rich and costly pearls of wisdom!

Our Sense Of Self!

Christine Spencer — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:01:00 +0000

“I’m selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control, and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best. – Marilyn Monroe “

There will always be people that will judge you for not being perfect, and like to point fingers if you make mistakes. Don’t feel you have to answer to them! We serve a purpose on this earth, and it is not to be liked.

Focus on your path, and true partnerships will follow.

“What really matters is not what function you fulfill in this world, but whether you identify with your function to such an extent that it takes you over and becomes a role that you play. When you play roles you are unconscious. When you catch yourself playing a role, that recognition creates a space between you and the role”.

“So people who are out of touch with the power within or the place where all power resides, the aliveness itself, consciousness itself, then they feel a sense of lack. Why are they not in touch with it? Because they are not present. They are not in the present moment because the present moment is that entry point into that place of power within. If you are not present you don’t realize that there is a source of power within and then you feel that you need to get secondary power from someone or some situation or other people. Then the ego plays roles to manipulate the environment and other people to get what it thinks it needs not realizing that all the thing it thinks will give it the power that it seems to lack, all that is already within you, if you could only be present in the now.” ~ Eckhart Tolle, from “A New Earth”

Some times letting go of that which no-longer serves us not only heals us, but opens doors to that which awaits. To be able to move forward, you must learn to simply let go of the past and surrender. To clearly focus will help us clear some of the resistance caused by the fear and uncertainty around our ability to survive, to weather the storm of life’s lessons.

Change As A Catalyst For Growth

Christine Spencer — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Since the dawn of cultivation, our existence has relied on our ability to cope with, embrace and be inspired.
Whether we (or our egos) like it or not, the truth of the matter is that we live in a world of constant change.

It’s just that from time to time; some of the changes we face tend to be more monumental than others. The economic downturn that we are currently experiencing has left some people with a shaky ground to stand on, bringing up painful emotions.

But what is about change that causes fear? Is it the feeling of losing control (or the illusion of control)? Is it that our conveniently constructed life has to adjust to a new reality? Could we be so wrapped up in maintaining an image of resilience and success that we forget a very important truth-which is that we really aren’t in control of much anyway? Is it simply the uncertainty of it all?

At a time when uncertainty surrounds us, our natural inclination may be to fall into anxiety, fear, doubt and worry. But as bleak as the current outlook may seem for some people, there is hope of a new life-a new world. It may not be easy to remain positive over the next few years as the economy rights itself, but there might be another way- a more encouraging way – to look at your personal experience within the global economic experience.

I ‘m a true believer that big change equals big opportunity. After all, have you ever noticed that when something bad happens, oftentimes we are in a better position than where we initially started?

I’ve had many clients tell me that when they lost their job had to move unexpectedly or were forced out of their comfort zone- looking back- it was the best thing that ever happened to them. Sometimes the unexpected comes as a blessing, and we need to embrace the change and the opportunity that’s presented to us. This is not to say the journey will always be an easy one, but it often can and will lead to bigger and better results for you – in all aspects of your life.

However, embracing change is easier said than done. You see, the problem is that our egos like to think that we’re in control. Whenever we feel like we’re losing control, we unconsciously push the panic button. The lights start flashing. The sirens blaze. Our minds scream, “Look out!”

As a result, it can be difficult- especially when change happens so unexpectedly – to remain positive and hopeful. We’re human, after all. But when we learn to turn the panic around and remain in the moment long enough to realize that we’re breathing and we’re safe, we eventually come to realize that everything is going to be okay.

But how do you embrace change?

Try this: Instead of building a wall to protect yourself from the unknown, take some time to reflect and open yourself up to new opportunities. Listen to the message in your heart. Relinquish total control and ask yourself: what is the universe asking of me now?

To hear the answer, quiet your mind. You may choose to journal your thoughts and feelings, or to meditate on the question. Or you may simply take a deep breath, close your eyes and listen to your inner guidance. When you get quiet enough, you will hear the message on where you are being led- though it may be subtle at first. It may be as simple as having a feeling that something needs to change.

Maybe it’s time for a complete overhaul on your career. Or maybe it’s just time to change companies to a better fit. Maybe it’s time to embrace the gift of being a stay-at-home mom or dad. Or maybe it’s time to launch that business idea that has been in the back of your mind for years, or write that book you’ve always been talking about. Perhaps it’s time to move or to travel, or to get involved in a project or cause that you are truly passionate about.

Whatever it is, listen. This is an opportunity that is definitely worth evaluating, if not acting upon.

Once you hear your answer, trust yourself to act. You may choose to keep things exactly as they are, and that’s okay too. But trust yourself and listen to you inner wisdom – this may be your most important lesson. And remember, you don’t need to know exactly where you’re going or how you’re going to get there. All you really need to focus on is your next step.
By: Annette Sharpe

Reflections on Life & Living

Christine Spencer — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Life is about choices and commitment… It is a great gift…
To be able to give to others…
To help make the world a better place…

Be gentle with yourself in this Life…
Know that you also need to be able to ask for and receive help…

But live your Life passionately…
Keeping your center and balance…

Have faith that through living in and by… trust and love…
Happiness will come out of all circumstances…
This requires willingness and openness…
On your part to see all the possibilities of Life…

The most important thing in Life is…
Human warmth and affection…

How simple… how wise… how human…
Can we be a little kinder… a little gentler…
More loving to those around us?

The meaning of Life… to give to others…
The purpose of Life… to benefit others and the self…

Don’t keep thinking of what happened yesterday and what is going to happen tomorrow. Live in the moment and every situation will seem like the time of your life.

“Your time is limited; don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drowned your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

~ Steve Jobs