A CHRISTMAS TEAR

 Not everyone is filled with cheer on the holidays. I just wanted to take time to honor that part of the holiday too, the part that touches those tender spots in our hearts. Here is my attempt at expressing that experience. I send hugs to all those who are grieving and lonely this Christmas. 

A CHRISTMAS TEAR

A tear ran down her cheek

Red patches decorated her face

From rubbing and sobbing

These decorations we often avoid

On holidays and anniversaries

Thinking ourselves incapable of moving on

When in fact every tear is a baptizing of our love

And every rub an effort to hug those we can no longer touch

Grief is a part of the holidays too

A time when those we have loved so deeply and so long

Are more clearly missing from the family gathering

The stark reminder catches our breath

We can no longer ignore what the hearts wants

So we let go a tear or two or fifty

Breathe deeply into that place in our lungs

Our voice offering “I miss you so much”

Our soul relieved to speak the truth in love

Honoring the whole holiday

Not just the cakes and candles and music

But the quiet, dark, sweetness of our grief and longing

And in that moment, we are finally able to light the candle

And let the gift of this relationship still hold us

Allowing the sacredness of this moment to be enough

 

December 25, 2022

Jules Bonde

GRACE ENOUGH--Part 2

The earth beneath your feet has been absorbing the light since the day it was created. 

Stop for a moment and soak some of it up...there's enough for all.

Look out the window and gaze at the beauty of the sky and trees.

Lean into the Love around you.

There's enough love, enough light, enough peace, enough joy for all.

These are the gifts that no economy can take away or produce.

These are the gifts that no war can destroy. 

These are your gifts!

~ Jules Bonde, December 20, 2014

THE GIFT OF SOLSTICE

The gift of the winter solstice is darkness, night

We are caught for a moment in a sea of black

That seems to have no end, no boundaries

We can only surrender to the mystery of that which we cannot define

Letting ourselves be wrapped in the soft velvety blanket of night

Allowing the gift of it to warm us

The gift of the winter solstice is fire, light

Even as we relinquish control of the shadow,

We reach for the light, turning toward the small flame burning within with new awareness and delight,

We celebrate the brilliance of love and passion

As if experiencing light for the first time

Allowing the gift to fill us and awaken our hearts.

 

12/21/16 jules (photo by jules also)

GRACE ENOUGH -- Part 1

December 20, 2022

Christmas is almost here, or if you celebrate other holidays, those are here as well!

With Christmas just days away, I offer you all this grace-filled word, "ENOUGH.”

Even if you don't bake everything or have a tree, just being together with a few loved ones will be enough. Even if the tinsel is on the floor and the dust bunnies are sneaking around the corner, it is enough. It's great to get things cleaned up and have a reason to. It's great to bake some favorite things and have a reason to. But sharing love and being together (even if only on Zoom) is the reason, celebrating how a little baby could come to a poor mother and turn the world upside down, celebrating how a tiny drop of love can make a whole garden of flowers grow.

I know we want everything to be just right, that we want to gather to sing and celebrate. I want that too, but I think our desire for that is more important than actually getting there. This year I’m offering my heart to this Christmas being enough for me, even in its smallness and to myself being enough.

I just invite you to allow yourself to be enough and allow the plans you have to unfold, with the occasional mess of internet not working or spilled milk. It won't
be perfect but it might be just enough.

Sending grace and Enough,

Jules 

SOLSTICE: FINDING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

A SOLSTICE WISH FOR YOU

Long, dark nights come. It is true.

There is barely time to catch a ray of sun before the day is over.

Long, dark times come in life too.

There is barely a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

Good news is all but eclipsed by the burdens of life.

Sometimes it seems as if the clouds will never move away.

Even so, the light seems to burn brighter in the darkness

the warmth of love seems more determined than ever

The earth keeps turning, hearts keep beating,

Music keeps humming in my dreams

Then one day it is clear we have crossed that threshold

and we're headed back to lighter days

the darkness goes back to its cave

i pray that on this longest night of the year

you can feel the music that connects you

the hearts that love you

the hope that burns on

and a glimpse of the joy

that will grow from this moment

HAPPY SOLSTICE DEAR FRIENDS!

Love, Jules

~ from December 20, 2019

GRATITUDE IS...

Looking forward to filling the table up with my loves!

Gratitude is this moment

when we look out the window
or accross the table and say "wow!"

when we open our hearts
to the beauty of the mess
and finally allow the gift in the door and receive it with open arms

Gratitude is this moment

when we bow with tears of joy
surrendering to the mystery of love and life

Gratitude is this moment

when we pause to see how amazing
this life truly is

Gratitude is a table 
ready to be filled with laughter
and sharing

Gratitude is this moment now

and we say "THANK YOU!" 

in short...

GRATITUDE IS

WOW

ALLOW

BOW

NOW

THANK YOU! 

_______________________

Thoughts on Thanksgiving 2022.

with Love and Gratitude 

From Jules 

 

A SUNSET PICNIC

October 30th was a warm and still evening for us in the city. After a day of singing in church choir and later singing with friends in song circle, I asked my husband if we could have a sunset picnic. We picked up our favorite order at Leann Chin and drove up to what we call "cemetery hill" with our food. After a little walk, we brought our chairs to the top of the hill for dinner and a show! And what a show it was! Keep in mind, this is a sunset in the middle of metropolitan area. I couldn't help myself and my camera agreed! It was too beautiful a show to miss! I'm not sure which tasted better, the fried rice and spicy chicken or the constant display of color and clouds dancing together before our eyes. If you ever get a chance, head up to cemetery hill and don't forget your camera. It's worth the price of admission and then some! Click on the video below to get a taste. Enjoy!

I am so grateful for the abudance of beauty this world provides. 

This is my first entry for Gratitude Month! 

JUST SOME THOUGHTS TO SHARE

 

YOU BELONG HERE

 A writing of mine from August 26, 2021

I think I have shared this quote before but it seems still true to me. I did spend a lot of my life looking for evidence that I didn't belong anywhere. And I found plenty of it. A girl born in Madagscar to missionary parents, a pastor's daughter, a bit of tomboy who loved playing dolls, etc. I had plenty of not-fitting-in evidence. I found lots of distance, both physical and emotional. Another way to say this is "you will always find what you are looking for." It is what we focus on that grows most. Evenso, we have to hold that in balance with the wisdom that comes from looking at the painful parts and finding the truth in them. I am grateful to Brene Brown for sharing her wisdom.

“Stop walking through the world looking for confirmation that you don't belong. You will always find it because you've made that your mission. Stop scouring people's faces for evidence that you're not enough. You will always find it because you've made that your goal. True belonging and self-worth are not goods; we don't negotiate their value with the world. The truth about who we are lives in our hearts. Our call to courage is to protect our wild heart against constant evaluation, especially our own. No one belongs here more than you.”

― Brené Brown, Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone

A Summer Morning View

 

July 1, 2022
8:30 am

Breakfast on the patio.
The air has cooled overnight.
The sun just beginning to peek through the trees.
|Small omelets and fruit with goat yogurt.
Delicious Mauritius tea!
Quiet music in the background from my favorite customized Pandora station.
And my favorite person in the world sitting across the table from me reading today's news.

This is my summer morning view.
Beauty running deep in my heart.
A small moment filled with love and gratitude.
Causing deep cleansing breaths and smiles.
Nourishing hope and possibility in my heart.

May you also find a quiet moment filled with wonder.
And may it fertilize your soul for another day of life!

Love, Jules

STRANGERS IN OUR OWN LAND

I wonder if we're aren't all strangers in our own land throughout our lives wondering,

How anyone could be as strange as we are?

It seems like it takes a lifetime

To accept the embrace of enough

That being ourselves is enough

When I look at you, I never think,

you should be more

I just think, "What exquisite beauty!

What luck that I have met you!"

Perhaps it is time to offer ourselves

the same kindness

to open our arms up to our own strangeness

just a thought...

Love, from jules

April 3, 2014

SUNSET and MOONRISE

March 17,2022--Sunset/Moonrise--Another photography adventure

We often think of the sun ruling the day and the moon lighting up the night. We think these two celestial bodies are separate, that night and day never meet, that light and darkness are not related, that sun and moon have no reason to talk to one another.  But in some ways, they are always doing this dance and almost every tme I take a moment ot be with these two old friends, I am struck by two things: the faithfulness in following their presence and the exquisite beauty when light and dark play together, finding balance in one another.

And so it was March 17^th, here in Puerto Vallarta, Mexcio, that the sun set and the moon rose within almost the same minute, as I attempted to capture this experience with my camera.

With all the photos of the sun and moon I’ve taken, I don’t believe I’ve ever done this before…captured the sunset and full moonrise within minutes of each other. But it happened! 

Our hotel here in Puerto Vallarta is situated so that when we walk out the door of our room, we enter an open corridor. From there we can see the mountains east of us. The full moon rose over that mountain right on schedule, around 7:30pm on St. Patrick’s Day. At the exact same time the sun was going down in a fiery orange glow down the beach and off to the right in front of our hotel, to the West of the bay we are on. Our room is on the 4^th floor. There is a huge swimming pool and several flights of stairs between the two places but somehow I managed to photograph a beginning of the sunset and then hustle over to the hotel and up the elevator to the top floor to catch the moon coming up. Then I hustled back to the beach for the last part of the orange glow. It was a moment of such satisfaction to both get to see these events happen at the same time and also to be able to catch a photo or two or twenty of the event. It was so fun.The result of my efforts that day is the album full of beauty and wonder. Since I can’t bring you here, I am just posting it here to share with you. Enjoy!

I have put that album in a youtube video along with a bit of music, compliments of my son, Luke Bonde. You can watch video here.

To hear more of Luke Bonde's music go to: https://soundcloud.com/lukebonde

SUN & MOON

They've been doing this dance
Through our skies for ages
Each going at their own speed
Yet still dancing with each other
Or so it seems

Sun--Queen for the day
comes in radiance
Burning with firey passion for all of this life

Moon--the King of the Night
Comes cool and calm
Reflecting the light into our darkness.

Both reminding us
Of the light that never goes out 

Let's join their dance
Let's share our light

~ Just Jules, 3/17/22

PRAYING FOR UKRAINE

FINDING HOPE and TEARS IN PRAYER

praying for Ukraine

March 2, 2022

Ash Wednesday for many believers

At 10:00 am Central Time in the USA, the Lutheran World Federation hosted a service of prayer for the war in the Ukraine on Zoom. I had wanted to take time to really pray for this awful situation so I signed on. I was not prepared for how many and diverse a group of people it would be. Wow!

The people offering their thoughts and prayers on  the screen were from many different faith expressions and denominations. I didn't count those, just noted them. The people listening were from 45 countries, as far as I was able to count. See the list i have posted here. So there was translater button at the bottom of the screen so that most of us could hear in our own language. And apparently there were about 2000 people on the call. Wow!

They prayed for 

    wisdom

        kindness

            strength

                courage

                   love

                        hope

                           blessings

                                for diversity to be valued

                                    to love our neighbor

                                        for refugees to find safe homes

                                            for wealthy western countries to get over our egos

                                                and even COVID-19 pandemic

                                                    PEACE!

Many tears were shed on this side of the screen. And I remembered my friend Rena's words the other day--"With all that has happened in the past two years, I would ask you, "Why aren't we crying?" And suddenly it seemed like tears were an apt prayer for this horrible circumstance of yet another country trying to invade another by dropping bombs. Tears for letting go of our abiility to control, tears for the loss and grieving of so many, tears for our inability to be helpful, tears for sleepless nights, tears for the sadness of it all. Tears for the beauty of our unity as some 2000 people from nearly every continent gathered their hearts virtually to pray for peace in the world.  

I come away from that hour and a half with renewed hope. And I just wanted to share with you that this had happened. That there are people who want peace, who want to join their energy with others to make this world a better place. This one day of prayer does not fix everything but it is a good beginning because prayer changes us. When we open our hearts to wondering if there is a better way, to the possiblity that healing and courage and love can grow, we are already making healing and courage and love grow in ourselves and making space for that to happen for others as well.

Let us keep praying--in all the ways that we do--for all those things I listed--for wisdom, hope, strength, courage, love, and peace for all our human brothers and sisters all over the world.

As one of the speakers said today: "Let's commemorate this event by being hope!" Amen to that!

~sharing my thoughts and prayers, just Jules

                                            

What will you talk about tomorrow?

what if,

like the birches

in the forest,

like the pine

laden with snow,

like the oak

lying dormant in winter with naked branches

what if like the trees you already are

all you need to be?

what if you already

are enough?

what then?

what if you really are

all you need to be?

what if all you need to do

is accept who you are

and allow yourself to be you?

then what?

what will you talk about tomorrow?

February 1, 2019

by Jules (Julie A. Bonde)

Tassels in the Sun

 

in winter

golden tassels shine

like the sun

[photo from my front yard]

January 11, 2002

just jules

THE SONG WILL NEVER END

 IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE SONG

A creation story by Julie Bonde, April 6, 2017

This story came to me while singing in a song circle at the fire pit at a friend's house in Northeast Minneapolis.

In the beginning, there was darkness a void and the Great Spirit moved in it. Inside the Great Spirit a seed of love was growing. It grew and grew and suddenly The Great Spirit burst forth in song. The song was so beautiful, so full of LOVE that some of the notes broke off into the dark and created stars and there was light. Some of the notes broke off and created planets. One of those planets was a very special planet called Earth. The Great Spirit’s tears of joy created water. The water fell to the Earth, mixed with the soil and life began to form. As the song continued mountains formed and valleys, oceans and rivers, all kinds of plants and every species of animal and finally people. The song was full of joy and flowers of every color were born, songbirds and giraffe. And from the song came laughter and tears. And the song created friendship and family and community. And the song created hope and peace and joy. And the Great Spirit was pleased with her song and her creation. So the Spirit continued to sing. And she set out to teach her creation to sing the song with her.

That is why to this day, whenever souls are longing for heaven or each other, they begin to sing. That is why today, if you focus your radio telescope into the night sky, you can still hear the stars and the planets singing. It is true. And if you stand by the water, you can hear the stream laughing and singing. And if you listen very carefully, you can hear the wind hum a tune and even the rocks and ice add their voice. The leaves, the butterfly, the weeping willow, and the middle-aged woman telling this story all hold the song in their hearts.

And that is why to this day, we gather around the fire to sing, to remember the song, to share in the joy of it. The Great Spirit is still singing the song with us because the song will never end. Nothing can destroy the song. And the song will never end. The song will never end.