Inspirations

The challenge this week for us folks participating in Gretchen's Spin Cycle is "inspiration".  Being an almost  OCD personality, a list can be very inspiring for me.  So here goes!

• My family inspires me to be better than I was yesterday.  To be kinder, more patient, more active, more available and more fun.
• Watching the dynamics of young families either at church or reading about them in blogs gives me inspiration to work for a better future for them.
• Reading the mission oriented magazine of United Methodist Women, response, fills me with inspiration.  Seeing the works of so many good people, seeing the needs and plight of so many good people inspire ideas for ways I can be a part of the good works of love, hope and faith in action.
• Watching an elderly, 90 year old woman joyfully report that she has cut over 1,000 9 inch squares since the first of the year.  The squares are used by a local organization to make quilts for the homeless in our area.
• Watching a child take a first step inspires me to be less fearful to try new things.
• Sunsets, mountains, nature, whales, well, in short God's creation.
• Enya's music.
• New inventions inspire me to think out of the box.  What I miss about the work I did for 20 - 30 years is not being around cutting edge technology on a daily basis.
• Complainers.  Now that may be strange to some but complainers can inspire me to look into a "problem". I have learned a lot about every thing from acoustics to taxes and weaponry.  I have, also learned there really may just a person needing some attention!  And that can inspire me to te good work of just being there and listening.
• The "middle of the night awakened by something time" is almost always ripe with inspirations.  You know that time.  When you are soundly asleep and suddenly you are awake, thinking and mind running wild with ideas to inspire others or answers to problems.  Being a person looked to for ideas, answers and leadership, the middle of the night seems to be the best time for my friend, the Holy Spirit, to have my attention, to guide and inspire my faith actions.
• Quite time for reflection followed by time to converse with others is inspiring.
• Experiencing other cultures!!!!

Ok, that is enough inspiration from me.  But if you need more, click on over to the Spin Cycle for others' take on Inspiration.