Category: Grandmothers

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Hope… it’s a Mom-thing!

Posted on by sue boardman

May 10 is a big day at our house. It’s our wedding anniversary every year. (36 years so far, if you’re curious!) It’s also the anniversary of the day I graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary, the first time! And, sometimes, as it was in 1990, it’s also Mothers Day.

At the moment, I’m missing generations of Moms and Grammies. I’m missing my grands and their dear Mom & Dad. And, there’s part of me that’s missing the feeling of Hope.

Here’s the thing, though… Hope is not just a Hallmark-y feeling. Hope is a choice!

A choice I’m choosing! Even in the face of the all the chaos and news. And, I’m planting symbols of hope, like sunflowers. (We’re a smidge late, due to a couple of cold snaps but, again, I’m hoping.)

I’m hoping, with my painting friend, for Peace.

I’m hoping that, like the star glyph in the painting, we will rise from the chaos. And, if you squint a bit, you might notice that the phoenix is rising from love!

There are two more hopeful things going on in my world, today. Prayer dots, which are no surprise, I suspect, and also help me a lot.

And, soup! A body-mind-spirit thing for me. With huge help from my anniversary buddy. (In case you missed the recent easy version of the recipe, just click here!) Shopping with local, sustainable farmers spreads the hope even more!

For this moment, Mama Bear and I are sending you hugs and Hope!

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More Real Truth???

Posted on by sue boardman

One of the reasons I write is to help me figure out the chaos of our world. Chaos which often takes over my dreams. To externalize it and watch for patterns.

Punctuation helps, too, in an odd sort of way! You know… intentional pauses and emphasis.

And, Morning Pages help a lot. Actual pen and paper. Texture and motion and causing newness to appear in manageable chunks. Tea, too, of course!

Here, though, is the real secret for me. Morning Pages happen right after Dream Time! Last night was a really big time for that. Well, early morning, really.

With some help from my old teacher/friend, Walter Brueggemann, I had wandered off to sleep pondering the notion of speaking with Creators.

From my tattered copy of Walter’s book, Finally Comes the Poet:

…it is the voice of human hurt and hope that evokes the presence and response of God (p.51).

Here’s the thing, though…

What I heard in my dream was the connection between all the lunatic evil of our time and the desire of proudly fallen humans to be more than Creators. To be controller-in-chief. Owner. Maker of all choices.

To own people and to decide who matters.

Which brought me, of course, to the voices of the paintings on the wall. Yep! The one you see, above. A very early work of mine, called Codex. I put the brush down and signed the back in 2018. (Maybe 2019 – it’s too big to get off the wall to check!)

An adventure of claiming Creation and – for me, at least – my place within it. Symbols. Lots of prayer dots. Claiming the Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine next to each other. El and Asherah.

The core problem of the Epstein gang, and those who continue to support and shield them, is their unwillingness to be part of something greater…. where everyone matters. Instead, we have way, way too many people wanting to be like him!

You’ve heard me quote this before…I matter. You matter. We matter. And knowing that THIS is the kind of mattering that matters!

ps… want to help your Littles start learning this now? Begin with Creation… words and images! Just click here and the elves will transport you to WingedEye Wisdom where Daphne will be delighted to get you your very own copy of A Creation Poem. And even a bit of extra art with orders of more than one book shipped to the same address!

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From Deep Within the Cave…

Posted on by sue boardman

I slept. Well, sort of. Mostly, I wandered in dream-land, sorting — apparently — the chaos of our time. When I began to wake, there were six words in my awareness.

Black Saturday.

Now I know more.

Between times. Deep, deep loss. Fear. Darkness. Massive uncertainty. Not just the old, old story on which huge numbers of humans have chosen to focus their identity, but also the context of this time.

I suspect many, many of my ancestores — our ancestors — knew this feeling. This un-knowing.

How long will the darkness last?

Will we have hears to hear?

For this moment, I’m choosing — again — to follow her.

And hope!

ps… want some company on the Hope-path? Sensing a call? Hunting magic for your basket? Let’s talk! Just click here and ask the calendar elves to hook you up with 45 min. My gift. The world needs all of us it can get!

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Scrap Quilt Brain Day!

Posted on by sue boardman

My conscious day began with a scary sound. You know the kind! Oddly high-pitched, and coming from the direction of the front window, which is where the TV lives.

It wasn’t chirpy bird sounds, though I was hoping it was. It was quite regular. Drippy. Peeking out the windows & front door didn’t help. Nothing likely happening next door. My next thought was the dreaded basement. A bit of Hardy Boys help from the Legendary Husband ruled out – you know – floods.

About that time, I decided tea was in order. And, news! Frankly, the potential flood was more more fun!

The US Supreme Court, battling over Birthright Citizenship. Let’s start with the reported presence of POTUS in the public gallery during the oral arguments, for the first time, ever. Intimidation springs to mind, and I object… but let’s move on from that!

The next thing that sprung into my mind was a song from the Broadway play, 1776, probably because the current Attorney General is a guy named John Sauer. Thus…

Sit down, John! Sit down, John! For God’s sake, John, sit down!

In the play, the reference was to John Adams who was, at least, making sense back in the day.

Apparently, today’s actual event got boring because MS NOW reported that POTUS headed back to the gold (Oops! White) House with nothing resolved.

I, however, have more words in my head. You’ve probably heard me quote the ones from my Intentional Creativity® heritage, before.

I matter. You matter. We matter.

And, my own addition to them…

Mattering Matters!

And, that, dear friend, is what this whole us and them debate is about. “Leaders” who want to matter MORE than everybody else. To decide who matters and what the only right things are to think. Kratos!

I, as you’ve no doubt guessed, OBJECT!

And that takes us straight to the scrappy notion of MetaModern… the place where many things are true and not all of them get along very well. The place where we live! The place where we can choose what to create out of all those scraps. So… off with the news!

I’m off to research geese which live in Florida swampy places. Really! It seems my #Mother Nature painting has requested the symbolic presence of the Holy Spirit! And such geese apparently have pink legs and feet! (Patience, please… photo to follow!)

It’s kind of an odd way to matter, but it feels better and that, as the old saying goes, ain’t nothin’!

Love it if you’d leave a comment, below, and let me know how mattering is happening in your world! (In a scrap quilt world like this, it’s going to take a whole bunch of us!!!)

ps… want some more info on the whole MetaMod thing? Check out my Wisdom Cards… Survival skills for here & now!

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Creation Continues!

Posted on by sue boardman

I’ll bet I’m not the only one who’s noticed that the world feels bat-crap crazy! In fact, I’ll go so far as to be pretty certain that you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t feeling it, too. And, just between us, I’m not enjoying it!

I can’t help in all the ways I’d like to. Marching on No Kings Day is not a practical option just now. Neither is demanding leaders who actually care and think, though supporting the ones who do helps. Food bank contributions. Also, prayers. The kind where everybody has a choice to matter! And the constant connection reminder of the Red Thread on my wrist.

Here’s a thing I noticed, today. Learning – intentionally – helps! Making space for useful newness.

Earlier, I was watching a video discussion that talked about the on-going nature of Creation. Not just the violets and dandelions blooming out front, or the wonder of making it clear to three spears of asparagus.

Instead, claiming that we – as created ones – are still in progress!!!

I’m not sure I even have words for how much that helps! I did hunt up some words, though, that are helping me share it, wandering in the Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

This is why the good has come into your midst. It acts together with the elements of your nature so as to reunite it with its roots.

(p. 7, 20-22)

I am receiving that assurance with huge thanks. You, of course, are hearing through your filters, and I’d love to know what arises for you!

For this moment, my canvas is calling again. Creation of a different sort. Two owls beginning to appear amidst the cypress trees. And, blessedly, bringing hope. Hope for wisdom. Even now.

ps… want some company on the road? Let’s talk! You and me and an amazing new take on a favorite tool! Just click here and the calendar elves will hook you up. 45 min. My gift. Your adventure!

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The stories we carry…

Posted on by sue boardman

Oh, dear friend… the memories are insistent this day!

Tuesday, August 7, 1990. The beginning of the first Gulf War.

And the need, in my personal, very new pastor universe, for something to put in the church bulletin for Sunday. Yet another thing they didn’t cover in Seminary! Or, maybe they did, and I just didn’t have a filter for it yet! Let’s call it a huge lesson in CONTEXT!

I don’t remember much of what I actually said. Probably something somewhat related to whatever the Lectionary passages were for that day. Here’s the part I pray that I will never forget…

It was time for the benediction, at the close of the service. The usual choices seemed out of place. I scrambled, deep inside, to find my voice and all the truth I knew:

May God have mercy on us all.

I’m going with that now, too. Along with some other voices in my soul, in this moment of diverse spiritual holy-days…

One of my name unknown Jewish Grandmothers, from 2,050-ish years ago, is whispering Sabbath prayers:

Blessed is the Lord, Our God, King of the Universe…

My Beguine Grammies, Begga and Itta, and all the Aunties, including the ones from Salem, are praying and working for the person-hood and rights of women and girls.

My Cathar Grammies are whispering fairy tales to their Littles, passing along precious stories of Hope in the midst of persecution and terror.

And there’s another story I’ve learned… my Intentional Creativity® ancestors have long said I Matter. You Matter. We Matter.

In January of 2025, I dreamed the next line…

Mattering Matters.

For me, and I think I can say for us, the kind of mattering we’re talking about is inspired by the Great Mother. It’s not about gold-plated bathrooms and feeling ludicrously cool on the world stage.

Instead, it’s way more about mercy. The Hebrew word suggests a mother’s instinctive, womb-like compassion for her children.

Let’s matter like that! In fact, if you’d like some help along that road I’m ready, with tools and em-power-ed questions and deep faith that YOUR journey matters, now! Curious? Let’s talk. 45 min. My gift. Just click here and the calendar elves will hook us up!

For now, though, Glinda, my #wip, is calling for more prayer dots and I’m taking tomorrow off! Mattering also involves rest!

ps… Destiny Joan wants you to know that now would be a great time to sign up for this mailing list. Just go back to the bouncy thingy at the beginning and the elves will be delighted make it so. (Changes are afoot!)

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Choices!

Posted on by sue boardman

So, I kind of broke my own rule. Too much news!!! Too much, as in way more than my nervous system finds helpful. And too much of that on Facebook, which is a whole other ball of wax!

As much as I wish I could, I can’t change all the sad, tragic, infuriating, ludicrous stuff at once. And even really, really dark chocolate only helps so much. (Well, maybe less than it seems!)

Blessedly, I got tired enough to sleep!

Then, it happened. A visit from Glinda – my #Alchemist painting – in my dreams. And she was in a mood to spread some magic! You see, we’re making progress on our book, she and I, enough that she’s even made an appearance, below!

I’ve been working on beginning steps like the table of contents and cover art. She, on the other hand, is in full-on adventure mode. In this case, the adventure called choice!

Choice, as in turning off the news and picking up a paintbrush. Joan Baez is, of course, part of the team!

Also choice, as in what we’re trying to accomplish. You know – big picture!

And choice, as in being gentle with my exceedingly cranky right wrist.

And choosing – again – to walk the talk from Pope Leo XIV, during this Lenten season:

… let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media, and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace.

Side bar: I just got off the phone with the GrandTeen who’s turning sixteen. Exactly the reminder I needed for why all our choices, in this moment, matter so much! They’re all counting on us, and my biggest choice is to stay all-in, doing whatever I can to follow in the footsteps of Our Lady of Fierce Compassion in these days.

ps… If you’re feeling the call to bringing your kind of magic into the world, let’s talk! You, me, and Glinda – even in the midst of the chaos! Just click here and the calendar elves will hook you up with 45 minutes. Our gift. It’s the next right thing!

pps… I’ve you haven’t yet, now would be a really good time to get the annoying pop-up thingy to add you to this email list! (More choices are on the way in my world!)