Debra Basham

Living and Loving

Tag: spirituality

  • A New Home

    This morning as I am so grateful for making time to get my fingers on the keyboard as my “to-do-list” grows longer and my time-table grows shorter. I notice how relevant that is to all those who are in their later years. I have lived 67 years, and in this body probably do not have 67 more. We have our home of 40 years scheduled to go onto the market today and have purchased an 1120 square foot home in a 55 and over park literally right around the corner. The simultaneity of the sacred and the mundane dancing across the moments we call time have my eyes leaking and my heart aching in its perfection….

    As we paint, clean, pack, (See Garage Floor!) we witness miracle upon miracle in the journey of John’s brother, Jim, who is journeying through metastatic cancer. From the ease and timing of finding of our new home to a vivid pray without ceasing demonstration the lines blur between now and then, here and there, alive and dead, mortal and immortal.

    We are living Harry Chapin’s Circle song. I hope you will take time to listen.

    As I have said before, we are living a charmed life. Last evening we said goodbye to an antique china cabinet that had sat in our kitchen for 25 years. It belongs to a friend, Doris. We kept it for her when she went through a divorce and had no place for it. That cabinet had belonged to her grandmother. There is now floor space in my kitchen, and I can feel my mother smiling to see her carnival glass gleaming in the light of our new home.

    Yesterday afternoon my yoga teacher and another friend met me at the new house for yoga. We offered gratitude for Ursel, the woman who had made that house her home for 31 years. We reminded ourselves we were on holy ground. After I packed each piece of glassware carefully in washcloths (no need to wash the dishes like you have to if you pack them in newspaper) John brought his guitar and played and sang as they were moved into the built-in china cabinet at the new house. Every action is intimate with thoughts and prayers regarding Jim and the unfolding of our shared destiny. The best way to share this holy thought is to let you read a journal entry by Krista Meyer, Jim’s daughter, posted about 7:00 pm Saturday, the 4th of July, 2017.

    Blessings

    Sometimes God just surprises you with an unexpected miracle.

    After nearly 48 hours of not being able to speak or communicate with anyone, Dad suddenly started talking this afternoon! Kurt and Heather and Sam and Ben were here, along with Uncle Jerry and Aunt Jeanne, Uncle John, and some of our kids. We had an amazing time of talking and laughing and visiting! I’ve attached one of the videos I took of Dad talking to our nephew, Craig, and Hannah and Jonny.

    I sent this message to my cousin:

    Everyone else left and I was sitting in the room with mom and dad. Mom went over to Dad’s bed and said, “I’m so proud of you! Are you proud of me too?” Dad replied, “Yeah!” Mom asked why he was proud of her and he said, “Because you’re the best wife in the world!”

    I can’t get over what a huge miracle this is. Over the past couple of days, my heart was hurting for him because I wondered if he had things he wanted to say to mom, especially, but hadn’t said them before he lost the chance. And mom said this morning when she went home for a bit, she had a meltdown and was telling God she missed hearing Dad’s voice and wished she could hear him talk again. She came back an hour later and he was talking!

    However long it lasts, whatever lies ahead, we are thanking God for this amazingly wonderful gift. Trying to remember to carve our blessings in marble and write our trials in sand. ❤️

    Once in a while, we witness what has been there all along. The blessings we carve in stone today are of a new home and moments of life spent with those we love. Rabbits hop in my backyard now. May rabbits hop in the yard at the new house, too.

    Here are the lyrics to Harry Chapin’s Circle:
    All my life’s a circle;
    Sunrise and sundown;
    Moon rolls through the nighttime;
    ‘Til the daybreak comes around.
    All my life’s a circle;
    But I can’t tell you why;
    Season’s spinning round again;
    The years keep rollin’ by.
    It seems like I’ve been here before;
    I can’t remember when;
    But I have this funny feeling;
    That we’ll all be together again.
    No straight lines make up my life;
    And all my roads have bends;
    There’s no clear-cut beginnings;
    And so far no dead-ends.
    I found you a thousand times;
    I guess you done the same;
    But then we lose each other;
    It’s like a children’s game;
    As I find you here again;
    A thought runs through my mind;
    Our love is like a circle;
    Let’s go ’round one more time.
    I found you a thousand times;
    I guess you done the same;
    But then we lose each other;
    It’s like a children’s game;
    Songwriters: Harry Chapin
    Circle lyrics © Harry Chapin Foundation

  • Visit from Lora

    Sacred Stories

    Her professional colleague and friend, Lora, had recently passed.

    Lora got my attention in a big way this morning! I had just walked into my office and was standing inside the doorway talking to the person across the hall from me, when I suddenly heard and felt something drop by my feet. I thought I dropped something I was carrying but it turns out that one of the angel figurines I have on a high shelf fell off the shelf and on to the floor in front of me –right by my feet. There was no way for it to fall – no one was close to the shelf.

    I knew immediately it was Lora. A message followed:

    “Please give this angel to my angel of a sister who was one of those that cared for me so unconditionally. Everyone needs to know that I am an angel that is present and helping all of you. I picked this angel to depict me because of the pink flowers on the apron and in the basket. I am absolutely wonderful in my spiritual state without a body – and I am so grateful for all of you that I shared life with when I was in body. My dad helped me when I died and he said that’s why he had to go first. We both love you all so much.

    Pay attention when you see things out of place in your homes – that is me letting you know I’m still around. Pay attention to butterflies when you are outside – that is another way I will let you know that I’m present. Also, tell Jim and Caroline they should get a hummingbird feeder because it will be a reminder of the joy and sweetness of life – something I am helping you find again at a level much deeper than you’ve ever felt before.

    Grieve but do it with gratitude and joy. Grieve but know that I am still with you – only my body is gone. Grieve but also be hopeful and excited about the future. Grieve and trust the process – you have all the help you need – including help from me. I am one of your angels and so is my dad.

    All is well. God is good. I love you all.”

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Soul Friends

    Sacred Stories

    She ordered a new book entitled, Soul Friends, and was told by Amazon that it would be shipped in two weeks.

    Three days later she received a package from her terminally ill friend who was giving some of her precious belongings away, and at the very same time also received the copy of Soul Friends from Amazon.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Garage Floor!

    Everything and everyone will teach you something.

    What did you learn yesterday?

    What will you learn today?

    Anything that angers you is teaching you FORGIVENESS and COMPASSION.

    Anything that causes you frustration or discouragement is teaching you PATIENCE and ENDURANCE.

    ~Based on the Law of Attraction

    As is so truly the case, as you go about the business/busyness of life, life is presenting you options of learning. That was certainly the case with our garage floor. I have hated our garage floor since we moved into this house in 1977. That is 40 years ago now in April. I have information saved from internet research I did on April 1, 2015: “Fix Your Garage Floor Like the Pros.” Nothing in that article came close to addressing the multiple issues with our floor, and I am very sorry I did not take a photo before DAY 1, which was installing backer core, filling cracks, and patching concrete. This first photo came 30 days later, after the concrete had been allowed to cure, and after powerwashing.

    Let me say here how much I appreciate the information people provided along the way. I had never heard of foam backer core to fill the cracks and it is so much more controllable than spray foam which has a tendency to start out like a lamb and end up like a lion. I even made a home visit to see a garage floor which had been done the way we ended up doing ours. It is encouraging to know a real human being has been successful at something you want to do. (Note, “Insert Smiley Face Here”)


    The first step (unless you count filling the cracks as number one and waiting a month before power washing number two) is to etch the floor. I am not talking about the classic Etch A Sketch where you could turn the knobs and have everything disappear, I am speaking of using citric acid and a ton of elbow-grease to remove any oil or dirt from the floor.


    The next step was to apply KILZ primer to imperfections. Our entire floor could have been considered an imperfection, but I used all I had and said, “This is good enough.” It makes sense to let yourself be content with the way things are. Best not to overthink.


    The next step was to paint the concrete block foundation. I spent a lot of time down on my knees. Each step has had its own challenges and learning but is part of the total transformation.

    Working in four-foot sections, we rolled on the epoxy coating and applied the paint flecks. Even the directions says not to try to do it alone. In addition to the two of us, I invited a host of angels.


    We have to wait a couple of days before putting stuff on the floor, but all through the process I just kept saying, “I love it!”

    How like life. Maybe my next book should be “I Learned Everything I Needed to Know in Life from my Garage Floor.”

  • Clover

    Sacred Stories

    Her grandma always had a knack for finding four leaf clovers. It would have been her grandma’s birthday. Out for a walk, her mom found one. She says, “I love those little hello messages.”

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Namasté

    Namasté can be spoken both when greeting another and when taking leave. The spoken word is most often expressed with a slight bow while holding your hands in prayer pose — hands together, fingers pointed up, and pressing your thumbs slightly into the xiphoid process. I love the word, but the meaning behind the word is even more special. In Hinduism it means, “I bow to the divine in you.”

    Even if you don’t yet have a regular yoga practice, you will likely appreciate a recap of our first Yoga/Meditation retreat with Kathy Zerler. We opened the retreat with the foreword from her new book, Creating Love, Joy and Peace, soon to be available!

    Creating Love, Joy and Peace combines the culmination of Kathy’s wonderful life’s journey—skillful teacher, gifted writer, and committed human being. She shares brilliantly the philosophy of the yoga of life. Healing, inspiration, information, and hope are woven on to the pages in such clarity they are palpable.

    Please join me and let Kathy’s words speak to your sweet spirit. Find yourselves lulled—body, mind, and spirit—back into beauty and balance:

    This is your yoga. You are invited—more than that—you are expected to take good care of yourself. Every move is from the inside out.

    We’re working every muscle group. Every body part. Gaining flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and peace of mind. Remember, you are encouraged to stop whenever you feel like you’ve had enough. There’s nothing in this class that is mandatory. There are no grades. There are no pop quizzes. This is for you, right now, and so honor how you are feeling, and do what’s right for you.

    You have it all. We have everything we need to take great care of ourselves. Breathe. Let all thoughts pass through as you take a few moments for quiet reflection, allowing your lips to lift up into a smile that is only for you. And let that smile reflex flow through your entire body. You have done well. (long pause…) ~ Debra Basham

    A formal hour of practice was followed by a walking meditation, ending up out-of-doors enjoying the Memorial Garden at Caring Circle. The volunteers do an amazing job with the planting and weeding, and the garden contains a peace pole and this incredible wind feature:

    Lunch was beyond delicious because of the mindfulness that went into co-creating our vegetarian potluck, including a beautiful and yummy birthday cake for Kathy provided by her sister, Karen:

    After our reclining meditation, Kathy led us in a mindful eating exercise using mini “Her-She” chocolate bars. We mindfully selected the variety, holding it and smelling it, unwrapping it slowly, and allowing tiny morsels of chocolate to melt in our mouths. One participant said she had never been so intentional with chocolate!

    Kathy provided each of us with a special stone, to keep as a reminder of the benefits of the day of yoga and meditation and mindfulness.

    Our day was honored and ended by group sharing and although not everyone was still there when we thought to take our group photo, you can easily see we each lifted our lips up into a smile and let that smile reflex flow through our entire body. Thank you to our wonderful yoga teacher, Kathy Zerler, to Diana Collins from Caring Circle, and to each of these amazing women who took time to take good care of ourselves in body, mind, and spirit.

    (Note* Kathy teaches Gentle/Restorative/Hatha Yoga at the YMCA and at 815 Main Street in St. Joseph. Let me know if you would like more information about her classes, the next retreat, and/or her new book!)

  • Appointment

    Sacred Stories

    February 8 she received an email message requesting a session. When would she be back in town? She was not due back until early April.

    March 22 she sent a response: “Hi. Wondering if you want to set up your appointment for soon after I get home.”

    The reply popped in right away: “You won’t believe this. Oh, yes, YOU will. I was thinking just ten minutes ago about texting you to see when you will be back home! LOL.”

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? If you have a story to share, send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • UPS

    Sacred Stories

    She was intending to drive to the UPS store after her doctor’s appointment, but she needed to return directly home to ice packs. Halfway home on her country road, she said out loud, “Sure would be convenient if a UPS truck was in the neighborhood to take my package.”

    A UPS truck rounded the corner heading directly toward her!

    She waved to him to stop next to her car and handed him her package.

    It’s the littlest things that can make the biggest difference. That week her life had gotten very dark, sometimes scary, lonely, and pretty heavy.

    She says, “I felt heard. Ask and you will receive.”

    It was just what the doctor ordered.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? If you have a story to share, send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Candy Striper

    Sacred Stories

    Her son was two-and-a-half. Friends had come to swim. Just before dinner, she bathed her son and was bathing her daughters when her husband screamed her name. Her son had been pulled from the pool unconscious!

    Water poured from every orifice in his body. She rode in the ambulance, praying.

    At the hospital, she stood by helplessly as they were unable to revive him. She was led to a room to wait.

    The woman in a pink candy striper uniform came in and told her, “Your son is screaming bloody murder.” They prayed together, and the woman in pink stayed with her until someone came to get her. They needed her help to calm her son so they could run some tests. He was alive!

    After the situation calmed down, she wanted to thank the woman who had stayed with her. No one knew anything about a woman in a pink uniform. This hospital did not have candy striper volunteers.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Casey

    Sacred Stories

    Casey was a bit of a handful. She was one of those dogs who refused to stay in her own yard. For weeks now, Casey would disappear every afternoon. Her owner had no idea where she was, but Casey would come back home by dinnertime.

    Quite the surprise, one day Casey stayed home all day.

    The following day, a man came to the house, asking if the Alaskan malamute lived there. He said he just wanted to thank Casey.

    The past few weeks Casey had been spending every afternoon with the man’s father. He said his father had Alzheimer’s and had been very agitated and fearful. Petting Casey kept him occupied and calm.

    Casey had not come to visit yesterday because somehow she knew!

    The man’s father had died peacefully in his sleep two nights previously.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.