Spiritual Growth; Writing, Discovering New Ways of Prayer & Meditation; Ritual and Worship; Leading/Teaching Classes and Small Groups; Reading; Leading Worship; Friendships; Working in the yard; Metaphysical Discussions About the Nature of the Universe, God, The Application of Spiritual, Philosphical and Religious Guidance to Real Life; All Things Celtic/Gaelic; Renaissance Festival; Belly Dance; Poetry Readings; Hiking; Camping; Music (live and otherwise); Dancing...doing my little bit to make the world a better place..."On Earth As It Is In Heaven" or "As Above, So below."
"Writers write!" ~ Anne Lamott
A Tiny Little Way We Can Make A Small Difference:
Save The World - One Click At A Time!
On each of these websites, you can click a button to support the cause -- each click creates funding, and costs you nothing! Bookmark these sites, and click once a day!
"...what keeps me on my knees is the difference between grace and karma." Bono, U2
The Soundtrack of My Life
An enigmatic collection, in no order at all ~ Flyleaf, Red, Nils Lofgren, Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam, Kira Shane, Led Zeppelin, Tarkan, Enya, Lorena McKennitt, Fleetwood Mac, Clannad, Godsmack, Traveler, Metallica, DIO, Flogging Molly, Bruce Springsteen, Switchfoot, Jars of Clay, Bob Dylan, Uncommon Grace, Rebecca St. James, Newsboys, The Beatles, Thurane, New Jerusalem, Stevie Nicks, Renaissance, Leonard Cohen, Stan Rogers, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, bagpipes and other Celtic sounds, Tartanic, ThouShaltNot, Joe Satriani, Billie Holiday, Joan Baez, Tori Amos, Barlow Girl, Toby Mac, Jewel, P.O.D., Native American Flute & Drums, Alanis Morrisette, Sebastian Bach, Hanoi Rocks, Jimmy Eat World, Faster Pussycat, The Bringers, U2, BB King, Johnny Cash, Black Tongue, Leslie Fish, Kenny Klien, Gentleman After Dark, The Beat Angels, S.O.D., Portishead, Korn, Tom Petty, Jackson Brown, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, Hans Olson, Alice Cooper, Madam X, Surgical Steel, Rob Zombie, Blue Oyster Cult, AC/DC, Poison, Jon Bon Jovi, Doors, The Ramones, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Rasputina, Executioner, Marilyn Manson, Stevie Ray Vaughn, System of a Down, Sordid, Eroticide (W/Joel on drums), Nuclear Death, Dead Kennedys, JFA, Rabid Rabbit, Thai Pink, Authority Zero, Jimmy Bain, Three Legged Dog, Disturbed, Tool, NIN, Ozzy Osbourne, Jane's Addiction, old classic country & bluegrass, Therion... I love music of almost all types!
I am a lyricist. Most of my earlier pieces were written with heavy metal or hard rock in mind (Rocking Horse, Woman of Principle and Queen of Cruel). However, the pieces that have been set to music are totally different - they include My Heart is on Fire, a Rock Praise song with music by Garrett Cranmer Ellington, Katee Sharp & Marc O’Brien, performed by Solemn Vow in worship services;
Sweet Jesus in the Sunshine, a Country/Bluegrass/Gospel song with music by Bill Moseley and performed by the Housers and Gang in church services; This One Hour, a meditative/contemporary piece with music by Douglas J. Benton, performed in church services; and the latest piece, Christ Jesus with music by David Bos and performed by praise band Uncommon Grace.
Movies
There is NO WAY I can put these in order: Ghandi, Schindler's List, Lars and the Real Girl, Juno, Across the Universe, Ingmar Bergman's films, Anything about Robin Hood or Arthurian Legend, Obscure Old Films What the Bleep Do We Know?, The Secret, Billy Jack, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, RENT, Fight Club, The Full Monty, Chocolat, Lord of the Rings, The Wicker Man (original), Donnie Darko, Dogma, A Mighty Wind, Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Secret of Roan Inish, Practical Magic, The Lion in Winter, Braveheart, Rob Roy, Tristan & Isolde, Pride & Prejudice, The Doors, The Song Remains the Same, The Crow, X-Men Series, The Matrix, Zandalee, National Treasure, I Remember Mama, The Notebook, Casablanca, Cleopatra, The Bells of St. Mary's, The Poseidon Adventure (original), Passion of the Christ, The Rapture ....again, I could keep on going on and on...
Don't watch much anymore, but when I do...Medium, Monty Python, Law & Order, Heroes, Midsommer Murders, and all kinds of archaeological, anthropological, Biblical, mystical and other educational shows on various networks.
Books
IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER: Without Buddha I Could Not Be A Christian (Knitter), Eat, pray, Love (Gilbert), Encountering God (Eck), Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Tolkien), Harry Potter series (Rowling), The Mists of Avalon (Zimmer-Bradley), Why Christianity Must Change or Die (Spong); The Essential Jesus (Crossan), Twilight Series (Meyer), Tales from the Flat Earth (Lee), The Vampire Chronicles (Rice),The Power of Myth (Campbell), The Hobbit (Tolkien), One River, Many Wells (Fox), just about any Arthurian Legend, Stanger in a Strange Land (Heinlein), Anything by Ray Bradbury, Ethics for a New Millenium (Dalai Lama), Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (Borg), Dear and Glorious Physician (Caldwell), Jesus and the Buddha as Brothers (Hanh), One Witch's Way (Torgerson), ElfQuest (Graphic Novels by the Pini's), Ray of Hope for Peace (Madagheile), Anthem (Rand), The Return of Merlin (Chopra), Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Pirsig), Electric Koolaid Acid Tests, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Kesey); Siddhartha, Earth's Children series (Auel), Collections by Poe, House of the Seven Gables (Hawthorne), Dragonriders of Pern (McCaffrey), Diary of a Witch (Leek), Dharma Bums (Kerouac), On the Road (Kerouac), Practical Magic (Hoffman), Voodoo Dreams (Rhodes), The Drifters (Michener), The Source (Michener), Green Darkness (Seton), Wuthering Heights (Bronte), Plan B (Lamott), Christmas without Johnny (Carroll), Some Children's Series: The Happy Hollisters, the Little House books, the Betsy, Tacy & Tib series, Rakkety Tam; and...The Bible and other Sacred Writings - including Gnostic and Apocryphal Books as well as non-"Book" Holy Texts and legitimate books on alternative spiritualities. And again, the list could go on and on!
Heroes
Jesus; Susanna Wesley; John Wesley; William Wilberforce, Rosemary Radford Reuther; Bishop Carcaño, Queen Boudicca; William Wallace; Bono. My children - Betsy for her independence, talent and abilities; Heidi for her strength, patriotism and drive; and Ian for his creativity, determination and acceptance of his "differentness."
Veterans of the US Military and those currently serving. It is important to recognize that to support the troops is NOT tantamount to supporting this so-called "war."
SUZY'S FAVORITE QUOTE COLLECTION..
"By doing, I learn what to do. By going, I learn where to go. One day, by dying, I'll learn how to die, and leave the world and hope to land in light." Odd Thomas in Odd Hours by Dean Koontz
"The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals." ~ Kahlil Gibran
"The pain of war cannot exceed the woes of aftermath." ~ Led Zeppelin, The Battle of Evermore
"Blind obedience undermines the faith and discipleship of the body of Jesus Christ for it leads the church to a stagnant place of thoughtlessness." ~Bishop Minerva Carcano, I Believe in Jesus
"Truth is not totally contained in present human experience, but is a cosmic experience beyond the limitations of time and space." - Robert T. O'Gorman, "The Faith Community" IN Mapping Christian Education, Ed. Jack L. Seymour
"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work, and you don't give up." ~Anne Lamott
"We are profoundly small but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things." ~ Stephen Hawking Character in biographical film, “Hawking.”
"It's only after you lose everything that you're free to do anything" Tyler Durden in Fight Club
"Back of the starry heavens above, under the earth beneath, in and through the energies of the whole universe, and in the life we're in there is the living God." Mack B. Stokes, Major United Methodist Beliefs
"Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose." Kris Kristofferson, Me & Bobbie McGee
"Lyra marveled at the effect hope could have." ~ The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman
"All United Methodist churches should be reconciling!" ~ Rev. Janet Wolf at SOULfiesta
"Perhaps that was the worst of all. Not having someone to remember things with." Rosamond Pilcher, Winter Solstice
"For the coming of that day I shall fight. I and my sons and my chosen friends. For the freedom of Man. For his rights. For his life. For his honor." ~ Ayn Rand, Anthem
"Let the beauty we love be what we do."~Rumi
"Every lover has in his heart a madman, and in his head a minstrel." ~Neil Gaiman in Stardust
"I recalled little but good...The painful things...seemed like the knots on a beautiful necklace, necessary for keeping the beads in place." Anita Diamant The Red Tent
.............."Severus & Suzy" by Heidi...............
"I do take my work seriously and the way to do that is not to take yourself too seriously." ~ Alan Rickman
"The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible." ~ Severus Snape
"The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure." ~ Severus Snape
Arizona State University-Main Campus
Tempe,Arizona
Graduated: 2003
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: Religious Studies
Minor: Anthropology
Clubs: Theta Alpha Kappa, Alpha Beta Sigma Chapter ~ The National Honor Society for Religious Studies/Theology.
Graduated Cum Laude
Holyoke Community College
Holyoke, MA
Graduated: 1983
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Associate's Degree
Major: Medical Secretarial Science (Grad 1981)
Minor: Liberal Arts (Grad 1983)
Clubs: Staff Writer for Newspaper
1979 to 1983
Conestoga Valley Shs
Lancaster,Pennsylvania
Graduated: 1976
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
Major: College Preparatory Curriculum
Clubs: Literary Magazine
U.S. Air Force Lackland AFB, Texas; Lowry AFB, Colorado, Anderson AFB, Guam US Cook Mission Support Group
1976-1977
And before and in-between, I've been a From Minnesota to Massachusetts-Florida to Arizona, All Over US See above newspaper writer, a waitress, a cook, a retail clerk, a cashier, and a childcare specialist
Since age 15 to today! Working all the way....
SuzyB. thinks sleep would be a good idea. view more
"Do No Harm. Do Good. Stay in Love with God." John Wesley
"Faith is the highest passion in a human being. Many in every generation may not come that far, but none comes further."
.................... Søren Kierkegaard
A Prayer for Discernment
Praise God who is
The all knowing reminder
of all who are forgetful;
God who remembers
and touches the heart
that I may recall,
as well,
the dreams God laid upon
my mind
so long ago
Praise God!
for as the Lord's blessings
flow, so shall my path
open to show
my feet the way
upon which
they must walk
........(c) 2 February 1998
............by Suzanne B. Jacobson
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
"As Above, So Below"
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The front cover of Phoenix from the Ashes, with artwork entitled, "Phoenix," a Mixed Media Piece by Cecilia O'Brien
Phoenix from the Ashes is a unique memoir of the author's years as a domestic violence victim and subsequent time in the rock-n-roll world, before becoming a Survivor. This combination of story and poetry juxtaposes the stark realities of domestic violence with the hope inherent in a strong and creative spirit.
Praise for Phoenix from the Ashes - "I've just finished [it] and I can assure you, I feel like I have been on the journey of a lifetime! I love the candor...I must say, this book has all the elements one could hope for It brings on anger and sadness...and yet such a glorious ending (beginning)..."
Rosemary G. Anderson, Pastor
Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida
NOTE: Phoenix from the Ashes is now available for FREE download in pdf format. If you would like a copy, please message me with your email address. If you'd prefer a hard copy, just send your mailing address.
Suzanne Jacobson's first book, In Silent Meditation, was self-published in 2007as a gift to her congregation. It has recently been submitted to a publisher.
Ars gratia Deus et Populus
I can't help it - I think this Mary Magdalene is AWESOME!
My Art
God Who Art Parent
O God who art Parent
And companion to us all
God of day and of night
Of Earth and of sky
God who is ruler of
Land and of sea
Creator of Seasons:
Light of our hearts
Bring to us these four gifts
Upon the winds of autumn, O Lord
Upon us, O God, blow the
Breeze of patience that
We may learn the value of time
Kiss us, O Lord, with the
Wind of honesty, that we
May understand the heart of Truth
Fill us, O Redeemer, with
The breath of faithfulness, that we
May remain steady in You
And finally, O Light of the World,
Touch us with the air of
Forgiveness, that we may
Know the gift of being forgiven
Thank You, O Beloved of Life,
For these Thy blessed gifts bestowed.
Amen
(c)2005
Chamomile Dreams
Dreams in Chamomile,
Drapes of lace
Old woman’s tea cups
Cracked, and placed
Amongst old poetry,
Portraits and songs
Of chamomile dreams
And hand-made lace
In chamomile dreams
And rocking chair
She weaves yet spells
For others’ fare
She sighs for love
She’d had and lost
She cries for her
Loneliness – the cost
Of dreams of chamomile
And lace
She thinks of the young girl
She had once been
And the beautiful boys;
The kindhearted men
Destined, like treasure
To slip through her hands;
Diamonds scattered
Upon her place
Of chamomile dreams
And worn-out lace.
In 10 years, I see myself working as a United Methodist Deacon in the area of Christian Education and Spiritual Formation, working with both adults and children. I would like to take part in interfaith dialogue regarding Social Justice issues. I wouldn't mind teaching some form of Comparative Religion classes as well as writing both theological nonfiction and artistic prose and poetry, preaching and speaking at times; married to a like minded man who is both supportive of my work and whose work I could support equally; spending family time with my grown children and grandchildren if there are any (no hurry, kids) as well as extended family and friends; and having quiet times at home or out in nature with my husband - whoever that may be.
Today, I am a Certified Candidate for Ordination as a Deacon in the United Methodist Church, and am working on my Masters in Divinity with Claremont School of Theology. I know that God has called me to serve in some way. Thus far I have discerned that I am called to be someone whose heart is open to all; called to serve those in need - the least, the last and the lost; and called to help others to hear the call of God in their own lives. I am interested in knowing that Truth which is in the heart of all, and knowing that Truth intimately.
Still, I'm a woman with the same insecurities, self-perceptions and deceptions as any other semi-artistic female. I love my kids, work a day job, burn the candle at both ends, can't keep my house clean, hope everyone thinks well of me, and write as if my life depended on it. I write poetry, prose, lyrics, public service announcements, advertising, editorials, human interest stories, essays and stream-of-consciousness... I write in my head when I'm driving and lose it all before I find a pen and paper. I sing my lyrics to myself then farm them out to musicians who can read music and carry a tune in a bucket. I've made little money on my words, but find fulfillment - or release - in the action of writing and satisfaction of many types by seeing my name in print. I don't believe in the "vanity press" business, but do believe in self publication. I write because I must, it's like breathing or drinking water, a necessity. Whether my works are published or not, I shall write - I shall write until the end of time... and somehow, I believe, this all wraps up in the Call I'm hearing...It's no longer, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" Now it's "Here am I, Lord...Send Me."
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1
My Spirituality
I am a Spiritual Being...
I am a United Methodist Christian. As a Wesleyan, I have the tools of Methodism to help me - Scripture, Tradition, Experience and Reason. I'm not blindly following anybody in my spiritual practice. Through discussion, study, prayer/meditation and education, I am becoming the person I was meant to become. The one Commandment that Jesus taught as being all important was to "love the Lord thy God with all your heart, with all thy soul and with all thy might; and love thy neighbor as thyself." This direction has been given to practitioners of many of the world's religions. To follow that commandment will cause all other commandments to be followed without much effort. Of course, following that one well takes a lifetime.
My spiritual life has been adventurous. I've made pit-stops in Unitarian, Unity and various Methodist and Lutheran churches. I've woven my Path through Kabbalah, Mysticism, Wicca and undifferentiated Paganism. I've visited Druidism and Buddhism; New Age and New Thought. I have known Jesus all along the erstwhile Paths. I love the concepts of the Buddha, Sarasvati, and Kwan Yin as well. I respect the image of Kali-Ma and embrace the feminist inspiration she brings to western thought. Throughout my spiritual and spatial travels, I discovered similarities in all religions. It became a passion to seek and find that which runs through them all. Lest there be an erroneous assumption that I have been superficially eclectic, I admonish the visitor to my profile to consider the multivalence of genuine spiritual experience. God is boundless and simply won't fit into the tiny boxes marked "religion" into which we humans try to force God. I have made the conscious decision to claim Christianity as a Progressive Christian. If there's anything that I've learned along my meandering path, it's what poet "Solomon Grundy" commented recently: "When you study religion it all finds its way into your head." Having returned to a denomination after a foray into spiritual adventure, I cannot let go that which I have learned along the way. I continue to learn; there is so much to discover in the quest for spiritual enlightenment. The "new" theologies intrigue me: Liberation Theology, Feminist Theology and Pluralist Theology - I had no idea there were so many others who felt as I do; many have stayed in their traditions, building strong ideological foundations within existing parameters. I have breached the boundaries; for me, the lines are fuzzy. Still, though I thrill to recognize the similarities in traditions, I recognize and respect the differences.
My Home FaeHaven
FaeHaven is the name I gave the home I purchased a couple of years ago. FaeHaven is a modest modular home with an extension that sits on 1/4 acre of land in a county pocket in Mesa, Arizona. The human inhabitants of FaeHaven share the space with dogs and cats and an assortment of outdoor critters. The grounds are inhabited by feral cats, rabbits and other wild creatures who roam in the night. We aren't in the country, but we still see a coyote wander through every once in awhile. There are birds nesting in the cacti and the palms. ...And who knows, perhaps there are a few of the Fae folk for whom I have named this sanctuary.
I'm working on building a simple spiral labyrinth - it's going to take ages, as I still need stones for it. Some day, I hope to garden a little. In the meantime, I'm working on fixing up the insides, making repairs, and generally working toward making FaeHaven a model for responsible living. We recycle and use as many earth-friendly products as possible. We gather and donate clothing and other items, at this point as a result of our constant effort to simplify. We sometimes sit together at dinner, where we first bow our heads-or raise our hands-in thanksgiving for our food and for all the blessings we have encountered throughout the day. At times, we pray for more peaceful hearts! Along with the normal struggles of a difficult time, I like to think that we are doing our best to make our little corner of the world a good place to be.
Spiritual Activism This is my website, a sort of "referral service" with links to ways to serve those in need, find assistance yourself, and read some of my more serious writings.
This is my Church and My Workplace ~ Gold Canyon United Methodist Church
Who I'd like to meet:
Jesus, Some of my new online friends; John, Charles and Susannah Wesley; Marcus Borg, Shelby Spong, John Dominic Crossan, Mary Magdelene, Alan Rickman, Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Matthew Fox, the Buddha, William Wallace, Starhawk, William Wilberforce, fellow Maitland Clan members, Joseph Campbell, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Don Dokken, Sully Erna, Alice Cooper, Sharon Osbourne, Steve Vai, Dave Navarro, Katharine Hepburn, Patricia Telesco, "Severus Snape," like-minded people, my Lifemate...and all the people we've never heard of because they are too busy doing good in the world
Ever wondered what to do in the event of a nuclear threat?
A while ago I found stuff that inspired me to make this film:
Living Under the Shadow of the Nuclear Umbrella
Both artistic (ensure you get the background music!) and educational, it primarily comprises official British government civil defence advice.
Though source materials are quite aged, much remains relevant today.
I encourage all to visit the YouTube page to learn more (Show support! Rate! Comment!) and responsibly circulate as widely as possible, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaIim3Rj7L4
Hello Suzi-B. I am very happy to meet you. I cherish all my friends! Please do drop me a line from time to time. I do pic4pic, bulletin4bulletin, check out my new book, subscribe to my my blog, and make yourself at home! I promote all who promote me! Once again, thanks for being my friend. Andrew London ~novelist~
Good to have you as a friend! So great to see the internet in action this way, shortening distances between people.
I hope all's well with you and that you enjoy checking out my web site some time.
For occasional, new, refreshing, insightful and (possibly?!) valuable content, I encourage you to sign up for my free newsfeed/email newsletter (using the form on site at page right - high quality, low quantity, no spam!).
You might enjoy watching some of my films (use the on screen controls to skip between them):
♥ Foot Prints of Friendship♥ YOU HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED ONE OF MY SWEETEST FRIENDS ON MY LIST. ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN TAGGED, YOU HAVE TO TAG 5 OF YOUR SWEETEST FRIENDS AND LET THEM KNOW THEY ARE SWEET.
FAKE FRIENDS: Will ignore this Send this to at least 5 people including me if you care for me.
...oooO............... ....(....)................ .....)../....Oooo..... ....(_/.....(...)........ .............(_/......... .......................... .....oooO............... ....(....)................ .....)../....Oooo..... ....(_/.....(....)....... ..............)../........ .............(_/......... ................ .....oooO............... ....(....)......... .....)../....Oooo..... ....(_/.....(....)...... ..............)../........ .............(_/......... .......................... .. I WAS ............. ......... HERE ...... .
Leaving my ....... Footprints in your SAND
If you wake up in a red room with no windows and doors, DON'T panic... you re just in my heart!!
If you have walked in the heart of the Greenwood and have bathed in the light of its living force remember what you have felt; and whenever you pass a tree whether it stands alone in a wilderness of human making or in the depth of woodland, give a moment of your time to listen to its voice. For in many parts of the land the trees are dying only the hearts that know something of the true wisdom can save them. (Anon)
Time to welcome in the Summer, health and happiness.
Si usted ha paseado por el centro del bosque verde y se ha bañado en la luz de su fuerza viva recuerde lo que usted ha sentido; y siempre que usted pase al lado de un árbol si está parado solamente en un yermo de fabricación humana o en la profundidad del bosque, dé un momento de su tiempo para escuchar su voz. Porque en muchas partes de la tierra los árboles se están muriendo solamente los corazones que tengan algo de la sabiduría verdadera pueden salvarlos. (Anón)
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