Candles have been used for more than 5,000 years, yet little is known about their origin.
I read that the first candles were developed by the Egyptians, who used rushlights made by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat. However, the rushlights had no wick like a true candle.
The ancient Romans are generally credited with developing the wicked candle by dipping rolled papyrus repeatedly in melted tallow. The resulting candles were used to light their homes, to aid travelers at night, and in religious ceremonies.
Historians have found evidence that many other early civilizations developed wicked candles using waxes made from available plants and insects. Early Chinese candles are said to have been molded in paper tubes, using rolled rice paper for the wick. In Japan, candles were made of wax extracted from tree nuts, while in India, candle wax was made by boiling the fruit of the cinnamon tree.
Today, lighting candles signals celebration, marks romance, defines ceremony, and accents décor. Candles certainly mark milestones in my own life. Playing cribbage under candlelight with Bruce in our first home (which we weren’t suppose to occupy until the next day) or years later, three young boys in tow, candles lit a Jenner vacation house during a terrible rainstorm that knocked the power out.
But what about unlit candles? Do they signal the same? My response is no. An unlit candle takes space – it gathers dust - and is not serving the purpose that it was created to serve.
Don’t be an unlit candle. Ignite. Fill whatever room you are present in with light. Whether it is for celebration, romance, ceremony or merely décor. Glow for all to enjoy.
-Stacy
Intrigued by the history of candles? Read more here at the National Candle Association: http://www.candles.org/about_history.html
Monday, October 27, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Live with Intention
Walking through the streets of Cannon Beach as an adult was much different than as a child. With my adult eyes, I now was aware of shops and restaurants that were never my concern before.
After my grandmother’s death, a trip to Cannon Beach proved significant for many reasons. One that I will share is the discovery of a little shop near the bakery which contained the poetry of a local artist. I wasn’t committed to walking into the shop, even though it was raining. So from the window I peeked in and the first thing I saw was “Live with Intention.” It was enough to get me out of the rain and into the store.
Months later, I came across the card I had purchased from the shop with the poem on it. I read it over and over. I even looked up the word intention in the dictionary and found that it means “a determination to act in a certain way”
Mary Anne Radmacher made living with intention sound so simple. And the more I thought about it, the more I resolved that it is simple. Living with intention is a personal choice.
The shop no longer sits across from the bakery, but Mary Anne Radmacher’s writings continue to have a powerful effect on me. When I find one that is significantly important, I put it in my journal or the story line (as Anne Warfield calls it).
I read somewhere that Mary Anne credits her inspiration from hearing a leader named Ray Stedman say that people have three different kinds of effects on others: some provoke no impact at all; some make others bitter and some make others better.
Commitment allows us to truly live with intention. Intention allows us to “begin each day as if it were on purpose.” Purpose allows for reach, collaboration and celebration.
Which effect will you have on others? None, bitter or better?
-Stacy
After my grandmother’s death, a trip to Cannon Beach proved significant for many reasons. One that I will share is the discovery of a little shop near the bakery which contained the poetry of a local artist. I wasn’t committed to walking into the shop, even though it was raining. So from the window I peeked in and the first thing I saw was “Live with Intention.” It was enough to get me out of the rain and into the store.
Months later, I came across the card I had purchased from the shop with the poem on it. I read it over and over. I even looked up the word intention in the dictionary and found that it means “a determination to act in a certain way”
Mary Anne Radmacher made living with intention sound so simple. And the more I thought about it, the more I resolved that it is simple. Living with intention is a personal choice.
The shop no longer sits across from the bakery, but Mary Anne Radmacher’s writings continue to have a powerful effect on me. When I find one that is significantly important, I put it in my journal or the story line (as Anne Warfield calls it).
I read somewhere that Mary Anne credits her inspiration from hearing a leader named Ray Stedman say that people have three different kinds of effects on others: some provoke no impact at all; some make others bitter and some make others better.
Commitment allows us to truly live with intention. Intention allows us to “begin each day as if it were on purpose.” Purpose allows for reach, collaboration and celebration.
Which effect will you have on others? None, bitter or better?
-Stacy
Live with Intention by Mary Anne Radmacher
live with intention.
walk to the edge.
listen hard.
practice wellness.
play with abandon.
laugh.
choose with no regret.
continue to learn.
appreciate your friends.
do what you love.
live as if this is all there is.
walk to the edge.
listen hard.
practice wellness.
play with abandon.
laugh.
choose with no regret.
continue to learn.
appreciate your friends.
do what you love.
live as if this is all there is.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Darksly and Hell's Demon by Devon
It was a beautiful night.
I looked out at the night sky and saw some stars. It was nine o’clock and it was warm. I felt a perfect breeze of air blew on my face and I put my head down and quickly went to sleep.
“Is it him? Is he the one?” Said a voice.
“It has to be. He has the birthmark just like the Lightsly did!” Another voice said.
“Wake him.” The first voice said, “He needs to know who he really is.”
I woke up. I tried to open my eyes, but it was so bright and overwhelming. I opened my eyes just a little to see what was happening. Then I noticed that I was not in my bed, but I was in the sky. As I was looking around there were bubbles in the sky and I was being carried on top of one. They took me to a city in the sky. I could tell because the clouds were forming houses, gates and trees.
Suddenly there was a small smoke screen and a man came out of it. I looked at him for a second or two and then I realized that before me stood Michael – the angel who bound the devil down in Hell!
I backed away in fear but the floating bubble stopped me.
“Stay Darksly,” Michael said, “you need to know what has happened.”
“Darksly?” I said, “My name is not Darksly, it is Kekoro!”
“Darksly! Calm down,” said Michael. “We need to tell you something.”
“Okay, Okay!” I said.
“The devil has created a monster so deadly that if it breathes any where near you – you die instantly.” Said Michael.
Then he took me to a house and when he opened the door there was a table inside. On the table there was a little bottle full of blue stuff.
“This is a Nonfoger Elixir,” said Michael picking up the small bottle. “If you drink this you will be able to survive his breath without dying but it will only last for 24 hours.”
Suddenly a door appeared in front of where they were standing.
“Go Darksly, you must slay Hell’s Demon!”
I walked to the door and Michael gave me a glowing yellow sword.
“Slay the beast with this.” Michael said. “Cut its throat and it will die immediately.”
“Why can’t you fight with me?” I said.
“My job is to bind the devil back down in Hell.” Michael explained. “I’m not supposed to slay his demons.”
I opened the bottle and drank it. Then I entered the door it was a foul place with spiders crawling all over. I looked through a window on a door to my right. It was the devil himself drowning souls in a pot of boiling water. I snuck past and went through another door.
“Gggrrrrrr!” growled a beast.
I kept walking until there was a room full of darkness. A beast jumped out of the darkness and attacked! Luckily, I dodged it and took a look at it. It was the ugliest thing I had ever seen. It had jagged and sharp teeth. It also had four eyes and legs like a centipede. The beast attacked again and this time I stepped aside before it hit me. Its head hit the ground so hard that it got buried into the dirt. While its head was stuck, I drew my sword and sliced its head off.
I knew my job was done. I left and opened the door that lead me back to heaven. Then there was a light brighter than any of the lights I had seen before.
God appeared and sent me back down to earth and dropped me back at my house. He raised his finger and awarded me with health and money. Then I knew who I really was. I was Darksly, the slayer of Hell’s Demon.
I looked out at the night sky and saw some stars. It was nine o’clock and it was warm. I felt a perfect breeze of air blew on my face and I put my head down and quickly went to sleep.
“Is it him? Is he the one?” Said a voice.
“It has to be. He has the birthmark just like the Lightsly did!” Another voice said.
“Wake him.” The first voice said, “He needs to know who he really is.”
I woke up. I tried to open my eyes, but it was so bright and overwhelming. I opened my eyes just a little to see what was happening. Then I noticed that I was not in my bed, but I was in the sky. As I was looking around there were bubbles in the sky and I was being carried on top of one. They took me to a city in the sky. I could tell because the clouds were forming houses, gates and trees.
Suddenly there was a small smoke screen and a man came out of it. I looked at him for a second or two and then I realized that before me stood Michael – the angel who bound the devil down in Hell!
I backed away in fear but the floating bubble stopped me.
“Stay Darksly,” Michael said, “you need to know what has happened.”
“Darksly?” I said, “My name is not Darksly, it is Kekoro!”
“Darksly! Calm down,” said Michael. “We need to tell you something.”
“Okay, Okay!” I said.
“The devil has created a monster so deadly that if it breathes any where near you – you die instantly.” Said Michael.
Then he took me to a house and when he opened the door there was a table inside. On the table there was a little bottle full of blue stuff.
“This is a Nonfoger Elixir,” said Michael picking up the small bottle. “If you drink this you will be able to survive his breath without dying but it will only last for 24 hours.”
Suddenly a door appeared in front of where they were standing.
“Go Darksly, you must slay Hell’s Demon!”
I walked to the door and Michael gave me a glowing yellow sword.
“Slay the beast with this.” Michael said. “Cut its throat and it will die immediately.”
“Why can’t you fight with me?” I said.
“My job is to bind the devil back down in Hell.” Michael explained. “I’m not supposed to slay his demons.”
I opened the bottle and drank it. Then I entered the door it was a foul place with spiders crawling all over. I looked through a window on a door to my right. It was the devil himself drowning souls in a pot of boiling water. I snuck past and went through another door.
“Gggrrrrrr!” growled a beast.
I kept walking until there was a room full of darkness. A beast jumped out of the darkness and attacked! Luckily, I dodged it and took a look at it. It was the ugliest thing I had ever seen. It had jagged and sharp teeth. It also had four eyes and legs like a centipede. The beast attacked again and this time I stepped aside before it hit me. Its head hit the ground so hard that it got buried into the dirt. While its head was stuck, I drew my sword and sliced its head off.
I knew my job was done. I left and opened the door that lead me back to heaven. Then there was a light brighter than any of the lights I had seen before.
God appeared and sent me back down to earth and dropped me back at my house. He raised his finger and awarded me with health and money. Then I knew who I really was. I was Darksly, the slayer of Hell’s Demon.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Pause and Reflect
This weekend the bookshelf spoke to me. I had finished The Alchemist: A Fable about Following Your Dream and was not wanting to start Born on a Blue Day. Walking by the bookshelf, Onyx’s tail knocked over the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff trilogy and the work version poked out from the sleeve. Whether you believe it was a coincidence or omen doesn’t matter, however the book reminded me of the need to stop, reflect and celebrate.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work discusses this in chapter 36. Richard Carlson, the author, says “At times, it’s important to stop what you are doing and pat yourself on the back. Take a few moments to reflect on what you’ve been doing and on the nature of your intentions and actions. Mentally review your accomplishments. Think about how hard you work and how much you are contributing to your goals, and to the people you are working with.”
With midyear premiere performance reviews complete, I wanted to take a moment to pause and reflect and celebrate the 1Q, 2Q and 3Q of this wonderful year.
-Stacy
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at Work discusses this in chapter 36. Richard Carlson, the author, says “At times, it’s important to stop what you are doing and pat yourself on the back. Take a few moments to reflect on what you’ve been doing and on the nature of your intentions and actions. Mentally review your accomplishments. Think about how hard you work and how much you are contributing to your goals, and to the people you are working with.”
With midyear premiere performance reviews complete, I wanted to take a moment to pause and reflect and celebrate the 1Q, 2Q and 3Q of this wonderful year.
-Stacy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
