Yes, it’s yet another Savannah-in-bloom posting. Like nothing blooms anywhere but in Savannah. But I simply MUST share this post with you.
Walking out to my own Washington Square, I saw …
Huh? What?
Someone had taken the time and made the effort to pick up fallen camellia blossoms and arrange them thusly.
And around benches.
So cool. See how the blossoms fall?
Someone’s work made marveling so easy.
Colorful, marvelous Monday to you all.
For this week’s Saturday Evening Post, I share with you excerpts from today’s weekly email from Billy Hester, the pastor of our church here in Savannah — Asbury Memorial.
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Dear Asbury & Wesley Oak Family,
I write you with a heavy heart due to the tragedy occurring in Europe. For the first time since World War II, Air Raid Sirens are going off in Kyiv. We are seeing the worst of humanity as Russia invades Ukraine, destroying the lives of countless men, women, and children. More than ever, we need to come together in prayer. I hope you will join me in church this Sunday as I lead us in prayer for the people of these two countries and for the world.
When I was a teenager I was a percussionist in the Savannah Youth Orchestra. But honestly, I wasn’t a very good drummer…as in the snare drum. But I played a pretty mean bass drum. My real speciality was playing the cymbals. I could clash with the best of them! And I got to play the cymbals on my favorite piece of music that we performed, a song called, “The Great Gate of Kiev.” It is one of the most majestic and inspiring songs ever written. Kiev is another way of spelling the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv. The song was written to celebrate the Golden Gate that was built to protect Kiev in 1873.
Here is the song. It’s about 9 minutes long. I invite you to pray for the people of Ukraine as you listen to it.
After you spend this 9 minutes in prayer, go back to the 8:00 minute mark of the song and watch the orchestra play the last part of the song. This was my favorite part. It’s when the cymbals really take over. Watch the cymbal player, and imagine little Billy Hester clashing away on the stage at the Civic Center!
Love & peace, Rev. Billy Hester
May there be Peace on Earth.
Lord in Your Mercy, Hear our Prayer.
This blog category is the journaling and journey-ing of my quest to say (with cautious sincerity) “Hello, Anxiety” and to take a look at the condition from my “me-andering” views.
NPA — NEAL’S PROTOCOL FOR ANXIETY
As I have explained in previous posts, my therapist ”Rubi” suggested that I think about the various strategies I employ to help with my anxiety, an Anxiety Protocol, if you will. He said to make sure I begin each of my strategies with “intentionality,” that I need to be deliberately attentive and to intend that each strategy or effort be effective.
Again, as I have explained, I divided my protocol into three parts. The first deals with strategies which can help with both the physical and mental aspects of my anxiety. The second with mental, and the third with physical. Of course those divisions are academic only. The mental and physical ebb and flow into and through each other. I struggled a little categorizing my strategies.
Part One dealt with strategies I use to help with both mental and physical. Today’s post, Part Two, looks at the mental, with three simple but effective strategies.
II. FOR THE MENTAL PART.
(How I can attend to the experience in my mind.)
• Recognize anxiety as a part of my experience right now.
Maybe even speak to it: “Hello, anxiety.” This strategy has been SUCH a challenge. I don’t want anxiety to be part of my experience! Who would? But as I have experimented (with test tubes boiling over), I’ve come to realize (when I’m not anxious, that is) that anxiety IS part of my life. It’s there. It’s here.
This strategy helps me to be real. “Hello, anxiety. I see you. I hear you. I feel you.” This deliberate act of anxiety recognition also helps me to grasp and understand that anxiety is NOT all-consuming, that it’s not “all of me,” but just a part of my life experience. What a revelation!
• Assign anxiety a number from 1 to 10.
This strategy was/is a jewel from Rubi. With the simple act of assigning a numerical value of intensity to my current anxiety, I step “outside” for a moment. And “outside” helps me realize, again, that my experience with anxiety is not the totality of me. It’s just a part. Which I can see. And not be completely consumed by. That truth is empowering.
Most of the time, my numerical anxiety assignments are 5 or less. But for some reason, each time I think they are going to be 10 plus! Until I remember my protocol.
TIB (Truth In Blogging): 75% of the time, when I’m really anxious, I forget all of the above. Well, and the below.
• Verbal self messages/affirmations.
I LOVE affirmations, declarations, proclamations! And this strategy has proven to be one of the most powerful for me.
“I have felt this way before, and I always make it through.”
“My anxiety level is at a six, but it is not at a 10.“
“This anxiety is like the tides, ever changing. In and out.”
“If I keep breathing, which I will, sooner or later, I will feel better.”
“My anxiety is like the clouds — it comes by and then it passes on.”
Easeful Calm & Peace to Us All.
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NPA Part Three and printable outline coming soon.
O God of many names
Lover of all nations
We pray for peace
in our hearts
in our homes
in our nations
in our world
The peace of your will
The peace of our need.
— George Appleton, The Oxford Book of Prayer (Oxford University Press, 1985)
“Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.”
1. Walking over to Sorry Charlie’s here in Savannah for a dozen oysters.
2. Speaking of walking, walking through Savannah’s February blooming.
3. Still speaking of walking, Robert, recovering from Covid-related pneumonia, now able to join me for short walks (with his portable oxygen).
And intently taking a picture of this “it-may-be-nearly-spring-but-I’m-not” brown October-looking leaf.
4. Pausing to be thankful for always having enough food to eat. Everybody doesn’t.
5. Opening night of Cinderella last night at Savannah Country Day School— with Grandson Daniel playing the Prince.
Have a magical weekend!
Hello out there. I did this blog post quite a while ago, but thought in today’s adversarial political and cultural environment, it might be relevant. We (okay, I!) judge others much too quickly.
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Let’s try, in this new year with relatively few mistakes in it so far, to give each other the benefit of the doubt, to refuse to label somebody or some thing based on initial interactions or our preconceived notions.
What an incredible truth! (And, oh gosh, how it indicts me.)
I LOVE this short video about labeling:
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Let’s try to make it a label-free year (at least for you and me).
A blog category about finding “art” in unexpected places and situations.
Savannah sun through the fronds on this morning’s walk.
“Floored.”
Our old floor (creaky, leaky, squeaky and drafty but beautiful) from the mid-1880’s in our small Savannah Historic District Abode.
NealEnJoy 