CHAPTER 1

STOP and SEE – PART I


The journey goes on,
This one step along the way
in the journey of my life,
the overall journey.

The journey goes on,
the journey to see the
Beauty of God in each person.


* * *

The fiber of life,
Slow and easy,
this day,
Guide me.

Gently see the beauty outside the window,
this moment.
Instead of the future or the past,
this one moment,
Simply running versus for time.
Simply living,
breathing in and out.
No need to rush on in compulsion.

What if a person could get in touch
with that Rhythm that is playing
inside,

And these things are a manifestation of that ... music,
art, golf, tennis, sports.


* * *

No points to make,
enjoy the trip,
be thankful,
leave it all up to
God.

Rather than pass the test
in the doctor's office,
it is how we live our life
each day.

Instead of trying to be someone
or live up to an image,
tend to with love and chart
one's own course.


Having veins and arteries flexible and supple ...
nimble like a little bamboo chute. So the blood can
flow instead of being constricted, clogged up with
resentment and hatred – too tight, ... seeing
the ball too tightly versus with love and care.


* * *

Everything is a gift from God – everything in
my life. Tend to each moment with care and love.

* * *

"... and service humiliates you. It is 'humble charity
to help others."

Pope Francis

An idea from Adoration ...
  "Feed my people."


* * *

  One's life –
  Little steps –
  little steps – little/moments to build on,
  Each moment, a moment of love,
  Each moment, to tend to with love.


* * *

An idea from a movie ...
"out of focus" –
  back to basics,
  breathe,
  breathe in.
  breathe out.

"It is great to be alive ...
doing stuff that is fun."
  Mr. Reed, an artist on Art Rocks


* * *

Perhaps our adversities are our crosses,
And then there is the larger cross ...
the cross of Jesus.
Everything for thee God today.

instead of to impress someone,
wait for the bounce of the ball,
use "bounce, hit",
Notice the seams of the ball,
use my strokes,
and the joy of hitting a ball,
get back to the spirit of hitting
with someone as we did at City Park.

We all have our adversities.
Some are more obvious.
Some are less visible.
Still they are there.


* * *

Where there is love and giving
out of love,
rather than pain ...
rather than trying to be someone.


* * *

Success and failure,
defined by what I want,
versus what they want,
Instead tend to with love,
winning and losing defined by
what I want versus
... tend to with love.

One needs to exercise the heart muscles and heart
like one exercises the other muscles. No one can live
inside out of fear all the time.


* * *

We are all walking this path together to God ...
all walking along together ... helping each other
out ... sometimes passing the time playing
games like tennis ... still learning how to walk
with each other as we are all walking with each
other.


* * *

This one moment,
like a sphere ... a bubble ...
this moment,
gently bring my mind back.

My whole purpose needs
to be for you God.
My whole life needs to
be for you today God.

* * *

"God will make a way. You keep your hand in God's hand, you won't go wrong."

a gentleman at the Cracker Barrel Store parking lot on Sunday.

* * *

"Taking care of children and the elderly is the only choice of civilization."

Pope Francis.

* * *

We are on this journey and God places us together for a time ... to walk with each other ... to help each other. His timing ... God has a plan for us all.

To spend our life on what is really Fundamental ... a real foundation ... on God, on Jesus, on helping others without looking for something in return.

I hurt, yes. God is with me and for us to have a heart like Jesus ... allowing people to come and go ... and being for them always.

What can I do ... love God with all my heart. Everything for Thee God.

* * *

"Have a good day. It ain't free, you got to work on it."

Bob from church.

* * *

A coach goes down the road with his or her student ... his player.

* * *

It is simpler if everything I do is to love God ... if everything I do is to give praise to God.

* * *

Thy will be Done What is the Will of God here? God is the teacher here, what does He want them to learn? What is the Will of God here? What would God do?

* * *

The prayer of St. Francis has ideas of the Will of God ... of what God would do ... of what He wants us to learn and what He wants us to do ... to love God and to love others today.

We have a spirit of God inside us. God planted the spirit ... God planted the song ... that song as Father Jerry says.

The idea is to align the cells in our body with that Spirit of God. It is to take things away so the cells can align instead of ... to force the cells and to put things into our body so much.

The same thing can be with a tennis stroke. It is already inside ... under throwing, catching, our mind, and targets, the idea is to let it come out naturally.

It is to remove the resentments ... the stuck energy so the energy can flow ... the words and thoughts that get in the way of the love ... so it can flow ... so the love can flow ... to re-connect with Jesus ... to reconnect with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

need a purpose -- a target form follows function

* * *

Think about the marvels God has done for us in our life. Think of the marvels He has done for us. Grateful for what He has done. Thankful.

* * *

Getting angry because I?m trying to keep the status quo ... I will always be angry because life is change ... a spiral change.

the truth is ...
me and the ball ...
the feel of the ball
... and targets ...
and getting the ball over
the net and in bounds
... and a game with others.

each word ... focusing
on each word ...
singing one word at a time.
writing one word at a time.
one thought at a time.

* * *

Where I am an instrument
of Your peace today ...
a little bamboo chute bringing

Your love to others.

* * *

Right relationships in
all our relationships.

the opportunity to play the ball
... the joy of playing the ball.
Serving like breathing,
Refrain from comparing ...
instead follow one's own path,
chart one's own course.
God has got a plan for me.
Gently go along my life.

All the cells aligned to
a task like the runners,
so too me in tennis.
Above board,
A total commitment – this
tennis. My hip, my blood pressure ...
a work in progress ... walking along
the path.

Balance of yen and yang.
Where blood pressure too high – too much
yang, need more yen.
When blood pressure too low – too much
yen, need more yang.

A balance.
Still when blood pressure too much
– then breathing, quiet meditation.

Also where a thought constricts
the blood vessel to cause high blood pressure ...
too tight ... seeing things too tightly ...
seeing the ball too tightly.
Thoughts of the future may bring fear.
Thoughts of the past may bring anger.
Then I need to be more in the present moment ...
to gently bring my mind back to the present
moment and to the task.

And it is possible to turn our adversities into a way to help carry Jesus' cross ... our cross as Father Josh said.

It is possible that our adversities are opportunities for us to see differently and opportunities in which we can help others and ourselves and help carry out Jesus' work. Jesus encourages our generous side as Father Randy says. Maybe this is our consolation.

* * *

Among beautiful flowers,
breathe in and out,
all are witnesses of
God's Beauty and Love.

* * *

Love ... let it flow versus
to cut it off and bottle it up.
To bring God's love to others.
Holy Communion is that.

This moment,
now,
where my mind and eye are together
at this moment – a sphere,
this precise moment of contact ... a sphere.
idea from Benjamin An

* * *

Every cell in my body
I align with God.
To live my life quietly and serve,
To go back to the core,
intuition and listening to one's body versus
all the technology.
Tending to with love where all the cells
line up and align with God.
Each one singing the song God put into them.

Slow and easy,
build up my flexibility
and strength,
my endurance,
and play the game.

Live my life quietly
and serve,
The difference is
purpose.

Father Josh encouraged us to bring all our stuff to God ... our hurt and our sins towards others. And Jesus, God the father and the Holy Spirit transforms us ... transforms our hurts so we can give to the world again.

* * *

?Ultimately, self-will becomes a solid wall that helps keep others out and ourselves walled in.?

Eknath Easwarn

"Think only about the needs of the whole and forget your own problems – they will be included when you pay attention to the needs of all, in which group you are included."

Eknath Easwarn

Hidden agenda and internal motivation,
Playing the ball and staying out of their
Personality,
Stick to the task,
Once I start playing to the crowd,
I am leaving my attention from
my opponent.
I am less aware, less sincere.
Instead breathe in and out.
Connect my breathing with the
stroking of the ball.

"... a life that proclaims the original goodness in all of creation."

Eknath Easwarn

Dear God,

Take the gifts I have ... gifts that You have given me ... and make them into something ... use them for Your plan ... Your will.

E.C.

CHAPTER 2

STOP and SEE – PART II

"Each of us enters this world with a special song, a mission given to us by God which is our special way of giving and receiving love and life."

Father Matt Linn

"If God, in the Christmas Mystery, reveals himself not as One who remains on high and dominates the universe but as the One who bends down, descends to the little and poor earth, it means that, to be like him, we should not put ourselves above others but instead lower ourselves at the service of others."

Pope Francis

Dear God,

Help me to have your love come out of me to the world, to others ... that your beauty shine out on to others ... that my life become the beauty that it is already as it is in each person ... that it be evolving, doing love and beauty ... right where I am ... that I take this yearning I have inside and transform it to a love for all in a wholesome sense ... that I enjoy being with the person ... no hidden agendas ... that I go back to seeing the good in people and yet I use the game to treat everyone fairly ... neither coddling or overdoing ... that I let go of my ego and be with people in some way. This I pray.

Sincerely, E.C.

Sincere to God the Father,
Sincere to Jesus,
Sincere to the Holy Spirit,
And to serve others and
  all of creation.


Overt game,
Covert game,
Refrain from hidden agenda,
instead love all people,
and take care of myself
in a simple way,
live simply.


tennis –
the song,
the breathing,
the letting go of tension,
the breathing into the ball ...
breathing my song into the ball
... at one with the Song of
Life.

"... a life that proclaims the original goodness in all of creation."

Eknath Easwarn

"... that deep down is original innocence – that spark of divinity, the seed from God, (that song.) ... that is our true nature."

Eknath Easwarn and Father Matt Linn

May I show up with you today. May I love you with each step today.

* * *

I need to move on versus just sitting and waiting ... to live, to tend to, to help carry the cross where I am.

* * *

Each person has a tennis stroke inside of them ... a way of playing. To help that person get that unique stroke out ... to help them find their song.

Life is messy at times. Life is like cooking ... needs a little ingredient here and another there. Each day is different, so too in learning and playing tennis.

God has got a plan.
Quit trying to force it.

* * *

Andrea Bocelli has a gift
and he uses that gift to serve
others.

* * *

To do something,
to help relieve people's suffering
versus to put in time.


From Church

"When we have nothing,
we still have God.
There is no losing God.
God will succeed.

God's will is going to prevail.
Remember God's love is
  Still there.
God's care never ends.
God's love will prevail.
"My words will not pass away."
In God there is no losing."

Our Lady of Mercy Church


The Holy Spirit is inside me. Jesus is inside me. There
is no need to give myself to the powers of others.

* * *

What is important --
Focus on that,
do that, now,
cut away things less important --
and forgive.


When one cleans up one's hidden games,
then one is more aware,
more sincere,
then one is focusing more on the
task at hand.
One can play in a better way.

* * *

"Life is messy, stay with the cross. Walk with a friend,
with their cross, their messiness. Stay with the cross
with them."

Father Josh

* * *

Dear God, open my heart to all people.

E.C.

"to let go of my 'stuff' and get on with God's 'stuff'."

Father Josh Johnson and Father Bob Stine

* * *

"... gifts given freely out of love is what Jesus intended."

Father Edward Hays

* * *

How can I love Thee God?

... in little things.

* * *

Each day is a gift ... a blessing ... one day at a time.

Father Than allowed God to work through him. That was his gift.

* * *

To live a beautiful life to God,
To live a beautiful life for God,
To live a beautiful life of God,
To live a sacred life to God,
To live a sacred life for God,
To live a sacred life of God.


Right Relationships

I can look into another person's eyes,
I can listen,
I can talk about my life,
I can hug,
I can play tennis,
I can walk and see nature,
I can write, listen,
I can pray.
I need to keep my desire pure
and refrain from overdoing it.

"Each of us comes into the world with a unique song, a special way of making a better world by giving and receiving love and life as only we can do."

Father Matt Linn

From Father Henri J.M. Nouwen's writings ... "You are my Beloved ..."

"... we were chosen by God before we were born and will last through eternity."

Father Henri Nouwen

"... precious in God's eyes ..."

"that I am a chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes called the Beloved from all eternity, and held safe in an everlasting embrace."

Father Henri Nouwen

"When we keep claiming the light, we will find ourselves becoming more and more radiant.

When we decide to be grateful, we will see more things to be grateful for.

Gratitude begets gratitude, just as love begets love.

Father Henri Nouwen

"... Real care means the willingness to help each other in making our brokenness into the gateway to joy."

Father Henri Nouwen

"Our greatest fulfillment lies in giving ourselves to others."

Father Henri Nouwen

"Just as bread needs to be broken in order to be given, so too, do our lives."

Father Henri Nouwen

"... breaking bread together "where the breaking and the giving are one."

Father Henri Nouwen

"More surely than ever before, I know now that we are called to give our very lives to one another and that, in so doing, we become a true community of love."

Father Henri Nouwen