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Heartspoken

Photo of Elizabeth Cottrell

Elizabeth Cottrell

The heart can speak when oft the tongue is mute.
Its sighs and longings wait to be expressed…
So trust thy still small voice to speak them true,
And know heartspoken words are ever blessed.

Elizabeth Herbert Cottrell
“RiverwoodWriter”
© 2009

“The incredible surplus of digital data means that human actions, generosity and sacrifice are more important than they ever were before.”   Seth Godin

“Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith”

September 6, 2010
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Book Review: Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott Just reading other reviews of this book took me on an emotional roller coaster–since I agreed with much of the praise as well as the criticism–so you can imagine what reading the book did. Anne Lamott is one of the most gifted writers I’ve known, [...]

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“Everyone Communicates, Few Connect”

September 4, 2010
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Book Review: Everyone Communicates, Few Connect by John C. Maxwell John Maxwell is a great communicator–especially as a public speaker–so when this intriguing title crossed my radar screen, right at the time I was developing this blog about the Power of Connection, of course I checked it out. At the time, it was not yet [...]

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The Beauty of the Wild…

August 26, 2010
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Let the beauty of the wild leave footprints on your heart.” Peggy Anderson Sometimes my need for the wild…for touching the natural world…is so overwhelming, I just have to stop and go outside for awhile. I am blessed to live in the Shenandoah Valley, where my ability to do this is just a few steps [...]

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Take a Laughter Vacation

August 25, 2010
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Sometimes I take myself too seriously. I’m trying to remind myself to take breaks during the day and remember: 1) Smiling, even when I’m alone, improves my mood, makes me more beautiful, and puts the right kind of wrinkles on my face. 2) If I am what I think, I need to think thoughts of [...]

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Mindfulness leads to Wisdom

August 22, 2010
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Book Review of Jack Kornfield’s The Wise Heart You don’t have to be a Buddhist to love The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology. In this truly wise book, clinical psychologist and Buddhist monk Jack Kornfield weaves together real-life stories with spiritual insights to show how to live with greater [...]

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Musical Visions of the Land

August 10, 2010
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Connection Messengers: Matthew Lyon and Christine Dickinson… “Earthpassage” My friend Mimi Meredith sent me a beautiful gift last winter to thank me for being part of her blog community. It was a wonderful CD called “Quiet Paths: Journeys Through the Forest,” by Matthew Lyon and Christine Dickinson. As soon as I heard it, I was [...]

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Self-Connection in the words of others

July 16, 2010

Just by being ourselves we are borne toward a destiny far beyond anything we could imagine. It is enough to know that the being I nourish inside me is the same as the Being that suffuses every atom of the cosmos. – Deepak Chopra If we are incapable of finding peace in ourselves, it is [...]

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Connection through Compassion

July 9, 2010
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Book Review: Still Alice by Lisa Genova “This is a phenomenal book,” my friend Kay said as she loaned it to me. “Oh, good,” I replied. “What’s it about?” “Well, it’s about a woman with early onset Alzheimer’s.” She paused, knowing how unappealing that must have sounded. “I promise you, it’s worth reading.” If ANYONE [...]

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When did you awaken to Nature?

July 2, 2010
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Nature Connection Messenger April Moore had a beautiful post on her blog today called “Awakening to Nature.” In it, she looks back to try to identify when it was that she caught the spark of her now-passionate love for Nature, and it got me thinking about my own long relationship with Nature. I was one [...]

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Prayer offers a less busy heart

June 30, 2010
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BOOK REVIEW: A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller I wish I had read this book 30 years ago so that by now I would have re-read it several times. As faithful as I have tried to be to my spiritual habits, personal prayer has often eluded me [...]

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Salute to the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalantas)

June 27, 2010
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I made a new acquaintance today. She was there on the outside of my porch screen again this morning, the second morning in a row, just basking in the sun and seemingly luxuriating in its warmth and light. Most of the time, she had her lovely wings outstretched, and seemed not to mind when I [...]

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When you want to give up…don’t

June 21, 2010
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There are times in our lives when we’ve got to summon untapped reserves of strength, courage, and resolute endurance in the face of adversity. If we’re lucky, these times are few and far between, but sometimes we face a chronic or long-term situation–terminal illness or disability in ourselves or a loved one–in which these reserves [...]

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My attitude informs my actions…

June 17, 2010
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Heartspoken is an attitude…a frame of mind…an inclination of the spirit. I’ve found that when I can be Heartspoken in the essential connections of my life…Connection with Self, Connection with Others (personal and professional), Connection with Nature, and Connection with God…these connections are nurtured, sweetened, and strengthened. It’s not always easy; it doesn’t always come [...]

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Are you an artist?

June 17, 2010
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I explored this question in a guest blog post today for AvoLead, the Abundance Leadership consulting company (I’m proud to add that my sister, Sarah Albritton, is a co-founder and principal of AvoLead). It was inspired by reading Seth Godin’s Linchpin and its e-book companion Insubordination. Read my post here. And then embrace your inner [...]

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Book Review: The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer

June 16, 2010
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I read The Pursuit of God on my Kindle, and my 14 pages of highlights and notes are testament to the fact that I found it highly interesting and helpful in my understanding of how to have a personal relationship with a living God. According to the book description, Tozer was so inspired that he [...]

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Heartspoken gift for Father’s Day (or any time!)

June 14, 2010
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A letter recently to Dear Abby from “Dear old Dad in Maine” told of a truly “Heartspoken” gift that he had received from his adult children who lived too far away to celebrate with him in person. It was a wonderful reminder that the best gifts are often the least expensive. His four children gathered [...]

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Exercise yourself unto godliness

June 13, 2010

Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to exercise himself unto godliness…and the results will exceed anything he may have hoped in his leaner and weaker days. A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God I don’t know about you, but I’m really bad about making things harder than they need to [...]

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More housework, more sex…who knew?

June 13, 2010
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I am not kidding (but I read it twice to make sure it was for real). According to a recent study of almost 7,000 married couples1, when husbands and wives both do work around the house, the likelihood of having sex together is increased. Possible reasons? They’re spending more time together. Their work signals a [...]

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It’s a small world after all…

June 11, 2010

What happens when you mix the Power of Connection with technology? This amazing five-minute video featuring “Stand by Me” (Ben E. King) is one answer, and I want to thank my cousin Alice in Louisiana for sharing it. It features  “musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it traveled the globe.” [...]

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The Magic Connection Tool

June 8, 2010
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I was reminded today of a powerful connection tool that’s easy to use and absolutely free: the pen and small notepad. I first was impressed by the use of this simple, low-tech tool years ago when used by Warren B. French, Jr., retired President of Shentel and an international leader in the telecommunications industry. He [...]

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