For this Sacred Sunday we are doing it on the memorial we did for our friend Eric Olney who passed away on September 7th. I took a lot of time looking up different rituals that different religions do when someone they love passes. I found some really great one that we decided to use.
We laid a picture of Eric in the middle of the table and surrounded it with all 4 elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. We used the rock for earth, the feather for air, the incense for fire, and the sea shell filled with water for water.
We had a little box that we wanted to use in place of an urn or casket. This would hold wax from the candles and the ashes from the incense. We started by lighting black candles to represent death of someone we love. Then we lit white candles to represent rebirth and moving on of the spirit.
We told stories of Eric and said a special silent prayer. Then we wrapped everything in the cloth and buried it. We made a special place in the garden for all of this. My oldest son built a cross and it was very beautiful.
Please see the pictures below to see what we did and say your own silent prayer for anyone who has ever lost someone.
Lots of peace and Love
<Amanda>
Rainbows
A while back I saw a gorgeous rainbow while driving to work... and it gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. You might wonder why something so beautiful would make me unhappy? This is something that I have struggled with for a long time now. I grew up LDS, and I grew up with certain items, and topics having certain symbolism and meanings. In LDS as well as Christian teachings the rainbow is a symbol of God's promise to never wipe out the earth with a flood as he did in Noah's time. I was taught that every year you see a rainbow, it is not last year of the earth, and it is not the year that Christ will come. As far as teachings go, this isn't a negative one. So you might still be wondering why this would make me unhappy. To me, it is a reminder of the things I grew up learning. Now, I mean no disrespect of any kind to my LDS family, or anyone else. They are wonderful people in general, who have great love and belief in their God. I can't and won't fault that. But for me, remembering the things I learned, good or bad, also remind me of the years of loneliness and shame I felt at never being good enough, and not feeling close to or loved by my God. Since I have found Wicca, and embraced the Goddess, I have felt loved and accepted exactly as I am, not as I should be, perfectly following the tenants of this book of scripture or that. I have made a connection with a higher power that loves me wholly, in my imperfection, and doesn't judge or leave me because of my choices.
I decided that I wanted to learn a new symbolism for rainbows, that will remind me not of my past, but of my present and future. Something that will make my heart happy, and my tummy less grumbly.. :)
I found many beautiful references to rainbows in mythology, but the one I chose is a Sioux belief that rainbows are 'where all the bright flowers stay before and after their brief blooming period on the earth.'
I hope that from now on when I see rainbows, this is what I will remember, and be happy.
Kristina
xoxoxoxo
I pulled this post off my personal Irish Goddess Blog that I don't really write on anymore. This happened a while back but it still is one of my fondest moments so I figured I would share it with you.
OK so I had to add this because Kristina and I were talking about beliefs today at the farmers market. I came a crossed this lady who was selling those rocks that have little motivational sayings on them and they had a ton of different ones and I was trying to find one I wanted. The lady asked me if I was looking for something specific or something that grabbed me. I told her I was looking for something that grabbed me and that when I told Kristina that through out my search for my true beliefs I go where I am pulled and not where I am told. She loved that and told me I should add it on here because it was good. Oh and by the way I picked a long skinny purple giggle rock. I thought it fit me.
We are really wanting to point out through our blog and website that we want to be respectable to all religions and beliefs because each person who believes what they do has a very special reason for doing that.
We will be starting a section in the village on Beliefs and having testimonials on all sorts of different beliefs. If you or anyone you know would like to do a testimonial on what they believe please let us know.
I will starting this sacred Sunday with a testimony from my step mom June who is Christian.
 I think the most profound time for me, during my Christian walk, was when I was in Thailand, during the tsunami. Just minutes away, the waves were crashing into the town, but we had no idea it was even happening. Once I realized what happened, I ran and got my Bible and turned to Pslam 91. "Though a thousand fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, it will not come near you". I was amazed at God's protection and faithfulness. While I grieved for the lives lost, I was humbled to realize that God had spared us.
by June Graham
Happy Sacred Sunday everyone, I have thought long and hard on what to write about on this sacred Sunday. Kristina suggested I write about what is sacred to me but I today I didn’t feel like I was being drawn to write about that and as part of my beliefs I don’t go where I am told I go where I am drawn to go. On that note this Sunday I want to write about God.
I have always believed in God and never questioned if there was a God. I have question lots of things in my life but always knew that there was a higher power way greater then me. I didn’t grow up in a family that was dedicated to going to church every Sunday or having any real beliefs. I was always told what to believe and I did. Why? I don’t really know maybe it was just easier that way.
One day about 6 or 7 years ago my step mom June asked me to come to church with her and listen to her sing a special song. I went and I took with Lisa with me. Lisa is Kristina little sister who is a Christian and at the time Kristina was still Mormon so she was at her own church function. Anyway Lisa and I went and June sang this song I had never heard before called, When God Ran and it was the most beautiful song I had ever heard that I literally cried through the whole thing. Now if you ever get the chance to hear my step mom sing you will cry to because she has such a beautiful voice and I remember growing up listing to her sing all the time and it one of the best sounds in the world. Unfortunately I do not have a tape of her singing the song but I have copied the lyrics down for you and attached a video so you can hear it yourself. June changed the word son to child. I like it that way.
Lots of love!
*Amanda*
Don’t forget to come back often as we are updating with all new fabulous thing that you don’t want to miss
 June, Me and Kristina Almighty God, the great I am
Immovable rock, omnipotent, powerful, awesome Lord
Victorious warrior, commanding King of Kings
Mighty conqueror, and the only time
the only time I ever saw Him run
CHORUS:
Was when He ran to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice He said,
“Son do you know I still love you?”
He caught me by surprise when God ran
The day I left home I knew I’d broken His heart
And I wondered then if things could ever be the same
Then one night I remembered His love for me
And down that dusty road ahead I could see
It was the only time – it was the only time I ever saw Him run
And then He ran to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice He said,
“Son do you know I still love you?”
He caught me by surprise as He brought me to my knees
When God ran – I saw Him run to me
BRIDGE:
I was so ashamed, all alone and so far away
But now I know He’s been waiting for this day
I saw Him run to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice I felt His love for me again
He ran to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice He said, “Son”, He called me Son
He said, “Son do you know I still love you?”
He ran to me and then I ran to Him
When God ran
We have decided to dedicate a few days a week to special topics. The first of these is Sacred Sunday. Every Sunday we will post about topics that are sacred. These might be specific religions or beliefs, or a special tradition specific to a certain culture. This is a very broad topic and it may become more specific over time...
The other days we are introducing are Monday Night Recipes, Top 10 Tuesdays, and Fabulous Fridays. Look for introductory posts for these this week. We are both very excited to share so much more with you!
XOXO
~~Kristina
It's only a short time until the official launch of The Sacred Village! Look for all the details in the next week! Click on the tab to the left for The Sacred Village for an introduction!
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