Contemplative Haven

Soul Service

Thanks be to God for people whose nightmare becomes a dream to help others fly. Pia, you are, and will continue to be, a blessing to so many.

Direct to YouTube is HERE.

02 Nov 2007 gabrielle

27 Responses to “Soul Service”

on 02 Nov 2007 at 6:09 am 1Pia

Oh Gab… :’-)

Is it appropriate on blogs to say I love you? Whether appropriate or not, it’s true.

I’d heard that song long ago, but I didn’t know the words. You’ve touched my soul. All I can say is, now I have my theme song for the new blog…
on 02 Nov 2007 at 6:10 am 2Pia

The smiley was supposed to have a tear in the eye…but maybe it’s good to get a little laugh…?
on 02 Nov 2007 at 10:16 am 3JustMe

Oh, it’s wonderful !
on 02 Nov 2007 at 11:06 am 4Gabrielle

Appropriate ssshmopriate. I love you too, Pia, and you too, JustMe. You’re like sisters to me - soul sisters.

He will wipe away every tear, every last one of them. We wait in joyful hope.
on 02 Nov 2007 at 1:34 pm 5JustMe

Oh, golly..just this.
on 02 Nov 2007 at 1:50 pm 6Ann

Looks like it’s one of those days here when everyone is talking to everyone’s heart, and most of it without words. Wonderful stuff…and justme….that’s one of my all time favourites.
on 02 Nov 2007 at 2:26 pm 7gabrielle

Me too, Ann. Thanks JustMe. And just look at (or listen to) today’s Bible verse in the sidebar, 1 Peter 2:9 “…that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

[Edited to add: Oh my goodness, I just listened to the whole passage, and it is like I am hearing it for the first time, with new ears.]
on 02 Nov 2007 at 4:52 pm 8Pia

Me, too.
on 03 Nov 2007 at 12:03 pm 9kristin

I think that Cat Stevens was (and is) and John Denver was a philosopher, poet, minstrel, lover of the earth & of humanity (even in its darkest moments). Their music has touched my heart & mind so many times over the years (I used to drive down the road, when I was in college, singing John Denver and Cat Stevens tune, at the top of my lungs….albiet with my windows rolled up…I can bear my own singing, but that doesn’t mean that everyone else has to try). After watching these 2 videos, I’ll be humming BOTH of these songs throughout my day today.

Of course, its “appropriate” to say “I love you”….anytime - anywhere. Life is too short, too mysterious, and love is too rare, precious & wonderful, NOT to say it! It’s SO ironic that today was the day that I stumbed across these posts/comments. Earlier today, I discovered a folded piece of paper, from 3 - 4 yrs ago now, that contained a quote by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It goes something like this: “Always say what you feel, and do what you think is good and right. If I knew that today would be the last time I’d see you, I would hug you tight and pray that Lord be the keeper of your soul. If I knew that this would be the last time you pass through this door, I’d embrace you, kiss you and call you back for one more. If I knew that this would be the last time I would hear your voice, I’d take hold of each word to be able to hear it over and over again. If I knew this is the last time I’d see you, I’d tell you I love you, and would not just assume foolishly you know it already.”

So, to my friend Gabrielle, whom I have only met thru cyberspace, but whom I believe is a genuine person, with a true heart and a loving, giving spirit, I am humbled to have crossed your path, and to have found a sister in Christ. And, in this spirit of friendship and holy unity, I am grateful for the ways you (& your blog, and your other blogfriends) have blessed my life. I love you, and pray for you often.
on 03 Nov 2007 at 1:27 pm 10Pia

Amen.
on 04 Nov 2007 at 12:02 pm 11gabrielle

Kristin, I know I’ve said this before, but - “I wish you had a blog!!!” I should have collected all your beautiful emails over these many months and turned them into a blog for you!

I suppose we’re possibly embarrassing and alienating the three or four men who sometimes glance at this site, but, what the heck, I love you all!!!

Oh my yes, my years of Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, Gordon Lightfoot, and on, and on, and on. Music soothes the soul of the savage beast, as they say, and of lonely and soul-achy children, teenagers, young adults, middle-agers, seniors…

Hi, Pia!
on 04 Nov 2007 at 12:56 pm 12JustMe

Perhaps the men are looking for appropriate video responses, too.

Ah, music. Those you’ve mentioned above are often sweet conduits, but would you believe that I have found a bit of the holy even in a Guns’n'Roses songs (Sweet Child o’ Mine)? In some Beatles’ lyrics, too, and tho’ a bit corrupted, some in Staind et al as well. It’s pretty hard to find it in the emo stuff, tho’, lol. Indeed, teens of all ages are looking for that which set their hearts on fire. They stop too short. Even “Up With People” stops too short. Sometimes just a bell ringing one to Mass best says, “I love you.”

This Kristin has no blog? Have I been confusing her with another Kristin all this time? Oh gosh, sorry!
on 04 Nov 2007 at 1:25 pm 13lucy

women of beauty and strength…pia, gabrielle, sad lisa. thank you for sharing your wounded, magnificent hearts!
on 04 Nov 2007 at 1:41 pm 14gabrielle

JustMe: Oh yes, I didn’t mean with the video or with Pia’s new endeavour, because we all know it concerns men as well as women; I just meant with our “affectionate” comments here.

Kristin “with an i” doesn’t have a blog, but we became online friends through Penni’s combox many months ago. Kristen “with an e” is in my blogroll (Small Treasures)! And I can certainly believe all you say re songs that have touched your heart - I have a very wide range of musical loves.

lucy: thanks so much for coming by - you and many others have been so patient while I’ve been away a bit, without much visiting time. I hope to remedy that asap.
on 05 Nov 2007 at 10:39 am 15Pia

Thanks for your kind comment, Lucy.
on 05 Nov 2007 at 12:39 pm 16WeirdAlsSister

Amen, Lucy.

Yes, G, I, too, meant only insofar as our “affectionate” comments.

It has seemed like eons — too few and far between — when my feed list is bolded to signify an update. And my discipline doesn’t have knotted cords, rather, it is in the shape of unsubscribing, because a rss feed (for me) is a very selfish thing, and I allow its holy musings to deflect me from doing some physical work.. However, I keep re-subscribing at least to a few, because like Blanche, my life has always depended upon the kindness of strangers, too–tho’ none of you are strangers anymore.

Thanks to all for coming in when they can, and sharing. I am toying with the notion of beefing up of my rss feed, but I really should not — I should rather happen upon this or that of yours by grace, so please know that if my isp# doesn’t show on your sites’ meters, it’s a sign of my own mortification, not yours! Lord, I feel so stupid to have said that, but I don’t want anyone feeling badly.

God bless you. Have a great day, all.
on 06 Nov 2007 at 1:42 am 17Gabrielle

Well, I don’t even know anything about the RSS feed thingies. I just try to visit the people I have in my sidebar whenever I can manage. Some weeks are good, some are terrible (re being able to visit), but I think everybody deals with the same time-constraint issues!
on 06 Nov 2007 at 8:54 am 18Pia

You beat me to it Gabrielle…I confess, I am totally ignorant of RSS feeds and IPS…or is it ISPs…
I do the same, and that’s why I have a blogroll now.
on 06 Nov 2007 at 10:32 am 19JustMe

Every computer has an ID number which is revealed among other info in sitemeters, and most websites now have RSS or Atom or XML feed capability - you can build a list of sites that will reflect when they are updated. Gosh, I must’ve had 20 at one time. For those who don’t know about any of it - don’t bother looking into it. Seriously - it’s like having dark chocolate covered raspberry creams delivered to your door: Hard to resist!

Yes, everyone deals with the same time constraint, but I am weaker than most. Indeed, it is the best idea to just click on blogs when one can.
on 06 Nov 2007 at 6:38 pm 20gabrielle

Hey, laaaaaady - (Pia) - how come I’m not on your new blogroll? Wasn’t it only four days ago you told me you loved me? I’m going out in the back yard to eat worms now, as my mother always used to say.

JustMe, well, I guess it also depends on the nature of the blog. I mean, if the blog is generating income for yourself or a charity, or if it’s like a Catholic News kind of blog, of course you’d want to treat it in a more businesslike way, and take advantage of every resource possible. And there’s nothing wrong with that; business is business is business. But for me, I like just popping in on people!
on 06 Nov 2007 at 6:45 pm 21Pia

Omg, Gabrielle, sorry!!

I took the addresses (ISPSSS?) from an old post instead of using my favorites file to copy and paste the addresses, and your address was the old one, so I was supposed to find it in the favorites list, but I….FORGOT! Can you forgive me?? I’ll fix it (but not now, it’s almost one AM!!) tomorrow??
on 06 Nov 2007 at 10:29 pm 22Gabrielle

Ha, ha, ha. Guilt. I love it! [Note to myself: much easier overcoming shyness online than in real life. Keep up the good work.]

Now Pia, you used to scold us for being on the computer at 1:00 a.m. and beyond… please don’t go picking up our bad habits…
on 07 Nov 2007 at 5:32 pm 23Pia

After spending the whole days wearing a sack and pouring ashes on my head, reciting “mea culpa” etc, I have finally made amends.

Off to bed, and at a decent hour I must say. This time.
on 07 Nov 2007 at 8:19 pm 24gabrielle

Oh dear. I hope you didn’t frighten the boys or the in-laws! Pia, thank you - but I do hope you know I was only teasing you! The only reason I even looked was because you made a little announcement about it. Would never have noticed otherwise!
on 08 Nov 2007 at 6:49 pm 25Pia

ha ha ha. Guilt…I love it!
on 09 Nov 2007 at 2:14 pm 26gabrielle

If you’d been here, you would have heard one of those snort-laughs that I’m trying so hard to overcome. Have mercy, now, Pia; look out your window, way, way in the distance and you’ll see a white flag waving (it’s me, with one of hubby’s clean handkerchiefs).
on 09 Nov 2007 at 4:28 pm 27Pia

SOL!!

(snorting out loud!)