Where 2 or 3 are Gathered … The New Meaning

2 or 3 gathered 1

Today I served as lector for the Palm Sunday mass at our church. This wasn’t unusual, as I have been the lector for this particular mass many times in the past. The unusual part came as I was reading to an almost completely empty church. (Only Father T., another lector, and four members in the choir loft were there with me.)

While this was unusual as masses go, it is the new “normal” for those seeking to take part in celebrations of faith as we seek to stay afloat in the Coronavirus pandemic.

The news of our church broadcasting via Facebook Live may not be headline news, but I believe the impacts of social media-shared services across the globe provides a groundbreaking new definition for “Where 2 or 3 are gathered…”

Matthew 18:20 New International Version (NIV)

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

I know there have been times when church attendance was low and often there are only a handful of parishioners at any one service. The unique element of the social media-shared services is that the two or three in church are joined in spirit and faith by hundreds, maybe thousands, in their homes. The words, actions, prayers, and petitions are all being shared simultaneously via the world wide web. Continue reading “Where 2 or 3 are Gathered … The New Meaning”

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Getting Carded

Getting carded at a store, gas station, bank, or restaurant can be embarrassing or uplifting, depending on your age and situation. Now I know of one carding situation that is a positive any time it happens. These magical moments occur when the mailbox door is opened and a card is inside waiting just for you.

For years I have been a card stamper. I LOVE designing, making, and sending cards to people. For about the last 4 years, I have made it a habit to give or send at least one card a week. The last three or four months I’ve been slacking though.

With the COVID 19 quarantine upon us, I took to my crafting table and whipped up a bunch of new cards. Maybe it was anxiety or fear, maybe it was a need to hide from my cooped up family, maybe it was a desire to get some creative juices flowing before the grumpiness of being stationary set in, I don’t know, but what I do know is that I made almost 20 cards in less than an hour and a list of who I wanted to receive them.

In my creative excitement, I sent pics of my progress to my #1 Stampin’ Up sister Rebecca. (She led our stamping club for the last 10+ years.) I was so proud to share my creations with her and my rekindled flame for bringing joy through cards.

As always, Rebecca was super supportive and followed up with her own flurry of card making. Continue reading “Getting Carded”

Intentergy is 3! Happy Blogiversary!

blogiversary

Happy 3rd Anniversary to Intentergy!!!

How is it that three years of posts are in the past?

When I started Intentergy, I had lots of ideas. Many of those ideas I have put into action. Some I have totally tossed aside. Others are still in the works. And too many to count have made their way into my creative cogs.

Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, liked, shared, and replied to any of my work. Your support means a great deal to me.

Please continue to read and write in response to Intentergy posts. I always want to grow and become a better source for my site. Without your feedback, I cannot do either to my fullest potential.

Intentergy is energy with positive purpose. Sharing my ideas, stories, challenges, and experiences has been one of the most rewarding purposes in my adult life. I will continue to put my version of Intentergy out into the universe and I hope you all will do the same.

Below are a few of my favorite posts from the past. Please enjoy this scroll down memory lane.

Helium (2)Thank you, World Wide Web!

29 Gifts

Require Sunscreen

Positive Pants

Overalls and a Pocket WatchGrandpa Frank

Emergency Room Enlightenment

Are There Toys in Heaven?

Don’t Knock Jokes

Alleluia After Lent

Helium

The Power of Yet

Inking God’s Plan

What has been your favorite Intentergy post?

Happy anniversary to all of you who have followed since the beginning! Thanks for having an open heart and mind and a willingness to share in the positive energy. You are blessings in my life.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. If anyone would like to send an anniversary gift, I love comments, feedback, and shares of posts or chocolate. Chocolate is always good.

 

What Would Your Things Say About You? – The Narrative Assignment

Rocking Chair 001

My sister and I in our rocking chairs. Circa 1982

What would your things say about you?

The narrative assignment for my COM 101 class is not an easy essay. And I LOVE it! It is my favorite assignment to give and to grade.

In this assignment students are to compose a narrative of their life story as told by one object from their life. They are to personify one thing, and, from the perspective of that stuffed animal, tree, table, or whatever item they choose, the students are to share their defining moments from birth to present day.

This is a daunting task for students because some don’t have any one item that has been present for their entire life. Some claim that they haven’t done anything worth remembering. And still others whine that they can’t even remember what they had for breakfast, how are they supposed to remember what they did in grade school?

My response: It’s your story to tell. You better do the research. Your stuffed animal isn’t going to do it for you.

Rocking Chair

My childhood rocking chair today

To help them get started, I share a roughly drafted intro to my life, as told by my childhood rocking chair. I give them a glimpse into what my life was like in the beginning and how to narrate using an item that arrived after my birth. Many find the example helpful.  Some try to copy my words and plagiarize by changing the item and dates. Whatever their approach might be, they all have the same task: Tell their own story while bringing to life a special object.

Have you ever tried to tell your story?

At 19, 39, or 89 it is not an easy task. I have to say, the particular group of students I have now moved me with the tales they told. The stories of self-discovery, loss of loved ones, and the ways they conveyed hope for the future exposed me to raw talent, emotion, and understanding for who they are as individuals.  Continue reading “What Would Your Things Say About You? – The Narrative Assignment”

What do you see? – Thoughtful Thursday

What do you see

When you look at this log peeking out of the water, what do you see?

On a recent trip to the creek, my daughter was walking across a partially submerged log and discovered this cool formation sticking up from the water.

“Mom, what do you see?” she asked pointing to this unusual tree.

After giving it a moment’s thought, I said, “A turtle head sticking out of the water.”

She replied, “Me too!”

My youngest son said it was as lizard. My oldest son said it kind of looked like a horse with a really short snout. My husband said we all had way more imagination than him. 🙂

While this log provided a fun family discussion on our creek exploration, it also created opportunities for a number of Intentergy lessons.

png 1 What do you see? Share this photo with family or friends and strike up a conversation that is based purely on nature and imagination. These can be terrific conversations.

png 1 Appreciate the opportunities nature provides us. If you can stand the heat or when it cools down, get outside. Walk. Journal. Photograph. Play. Nature is free and a wonderful gift to share with your loved ones.

png 1 Take a break from the obvious. Allow yourself to see something new in your surroundings. Whether it is finding fun shapes in the clouds or discovering beautiful new shades of color in the leaves, you are guaranteed to find inspiration and escape in allowing your outlook to change.

png 1 Learn from the different view points of others. When we talk about how we see things differently, we learn about one another and how to communicate effectively. Understanding different view points also develops healthier relationships and fosters kinder and more loving interactions.

Put some imagination and communication into your intents today. Positive energy is sure to flow and you may see things as you have never seen them before.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. I really do want to know what you see in that picture.

 

 

With an Assist from Trisha

With an Assist from Trisha

Assist from Tricia 1

This spring hubby, with help of his buddy J., stepped up to coach our son’s tee-ball team. I inherited the job of secretary, scheduler, and equipment manager.

In struggling through scheduling and what information I needed to share with parents, I also wrestled with what equipment to purchase. After asking around I finalized my list and ordered a good tee-ball tee, 24 tee-balls, a box of band-aids, t-shirts for the team, and three new batting helmets. (We already had one helmet.)

Four helmets seemed like a good start for coach pitch. Helmets are expensive, as far as six year-old baseball gear goes, but six year-old heads are priceless.

I worried. (I worry a lot.) What if we had three runners on, one up to bat, and one on deck? This was clearly going to happen. What was I going to do?  Continue reading “With an Assist from Trisha”

Share, please

Share, please

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JC Rock found at Shiver Me Ice Cream in Linn, MO. JC Rocks is a community activity where people decorate and hide rocks to bring fun into the lives of those who find them.

Sharing is hard. Letting go of something we really like or giving someone time with our favorite items can be very challenging. Telling people how we feel or what we think is another way that sharing is tough. Donating our money or time are wonderful ways to share, but again, oh so hard.

Once we start to share freely, sharing comes so much more easily. It takes away from the unnecessary attachment we give to “things.” Whether those things are toys, money, clothes, time, or words, they are still just “things.” We must find a way to give value to what is really important.

When we allow ourselves to share our time or treasures our lives become so much richer.

6 Monthaversarie.pngSix months ago I set out to share positive daily messages. While I have not succeeded at sending a message via Intentergy every single day, I am so proud and excited about the stories, images, and ideas I have been able to share.

Intentergy is a mixture of intent and energy. Hopefully those that read the Intentergy posts find a bright spot in their day or inspiration to make the days of those around them brighter. Continue reading “Share, please”