Changing Your Perception

In the Bible we are told not to ramble on when praying.  We are to say our piece and get on with our lives.  Short, precise words are the ticket.  The more confusing the prayer, the more chance that it can be confused!  That’s not to say Our Creator would confuse that, but if you, like many others, believe your power is in your thought, then confused thoughts breed confusion of action!  One of my favorite spiritual teachers and authors, Ernest Holmes, taught that thoughts are things, and when put out there are acted upon.  To change your situation, you need to change the way you THINK about it.

Some of us wonder why we are in the positions in which we find ourselves.  “What did I do to end up like this?  God must really hate me for this to have happened to me.”  Sometimes it is over the death of a loved one.  Sometimes it is a financial situation.  Sometimes it is a relationship.  Sometimes it’s a loathed job.   Why do we automatically assume God had anything to do with that?

There are a couple of things we must understand.

First, you only control you…You cannot control the thoughts, decisions and deeds of another.

Second, Our Divine gave all of us free will.  We each have the ability to act and react.  And, again, we have the responsibility for ourselves.

Thirdly, we either take control of our lives or we don’t.

At any time we feel ready, we can start a journey of discovery to find out how we came to be where we are in our lives.  If we find ourselves in a particularly rough spot, we need to ask ourselves some particularly hard questions.  But we MUST be honest to get useful answers.

What decisions did I make in my life to bring me to this particular place?

Is this place in which I find myself beneficial in any way?  Are their lessons needing to be learned?

Can I make a new decision right now to change the course of my life?  Will I follow through on that decision, once it’s made?

Am I willing to make a new determination, at any time, if the previous one proves to take me in a wrong direction?

Again, remember, you are only responsible for you.

Many times, before a long journey by car, I visualize the entire journey to my destination, the drive, the potential stops, and the arrival, usually the day before I am to leave.  That visualization is comforting, as I see exactly what I want it to be.  We can do the same in our lives.

Maybe you are unsure what you want to lie ahead of you in your earthly journey, but you can visualize calmness in your decisions and spirit.  You can realize that whatever comes up for you is an opportunity, either to grow or to change a thought or decision for a better growth.  Throwing your hands up in the air in despair should never be an option.  Why?  Because THAT is the condition you are putting on your day…despair.  That is the thought that goes forth from you and becomes something.

Many people meditate and others pray.  Others believe in energy and others believe in other things.  There is no wrong way to go about your desire to see results, except one, hurting another expression of Our Divine.

The key to getting where you want to go is to simply start…Many teach to pray without ceasing, and like I have said before, the more you think positive thoughts, the more you will find your mind just goes with it.  It becomes automatic in your subconscious.

As an expression of Our Creator, you are a blessing to humankind that carries a piece of Our Creator inside your very being…Do you understand how awesome you are?  Better yet, do you understand the power you possess?  Go into the world every single day knowing you have the power to change your life…Live your expression to the fullest.  If you find yourself on a path that is distasteful, unproductive or brings loathing, change your perception?  You CAN make that change.

May the many blessings you seek be a catalyst for your upward growth and may you relax into these blessings and allow them to fill up your life and heart.  May you always carry the love of our Blessed Creator with you and wear it proudly…May your love of Our Creator shine forth so brightly that those around you have no choice but to take notice…With Divine Love in our hearts, we truly are the ones we’ve been waiting for…Much love and light to you…

Growing Lessons

Hope your day is shaping up to be a rather nice one!  It’s hotter than usual here in the mid part of the country, as we are going on our 11th day of over 100 degree temps.  For some of you from the south, this is nothing new, for here it is…well…different.  And we have had no rain, at least where I am, for weeks.  Again, unusual.  BUT, the interesting thing is that as I was watering my plants this morning, I noticed something encouraging…New growth on all of my pepper plants!  Also, my tomato plants that I planted REALLY late are actually taking hold and growing nicely.  If I can keep them alive in this heat, they will grow and produce in the fall…so, again, nice!  My garden area does not get the proper sun, but I am thinking since the sun is so much hotter, that might not be such a bad thing!

Gardening, even in small ways, is such a learning opportunity!  And, from today, the lesson for my journey is this, even in the face of adversity, we can grow.  Even in the face of what appears to be a lull in our lives, we can still move forward.  The only thing holding us back is ourselves.  Truly, if the plants, in the face of such drought conditions, can continue to grow and even add new growth, then we, as brothers and sisters to the plants, can do this too!  (All life is all related, you know!)

It’s easy for me to imagine that the plants don’t over think things like we do.  It’s easy for me to see that, while things are rough for them now, they just say, “Yep it’s hot, but that won’t stop me from doing what I was put on this earth to do…grow!”  And we can learn from that!  Did we wake up this morning?  Yep!  SO, that gives us another day to work towards our goal…Yesterday is in the past.  Keep the lesson from yesterday’s decisions and live in the now, knowing you can change your way of thinking, the things you are doing and the influence with which you let others influence your life.  Your decisions can start over every single day, and if need be, find a different path that offers you different results, every day…

Don’t be a slave to old thoughts, past actions or past decisions.  Challenges are not obstacles unless you allow them to be… Wake up in the morning with a renewed sense of awareness…The knowledge that you CAN change your mind, do things differently and interact with life on this planet in different ways.  You are the key to YOUR future…If you have given up that power over you to someone else, well, take it back!  You truly are the one you’ve been waiting for and your world will open up for you when you embrace yourself.  So, what are you waiting for!?!

Blessings for your day, and weekend, next week, and always!  Much love and light to you and your family…May the blessings of Our Creator rain down on you until you have had your fill, and may it all happen for you again on every tomorrow!

Peace be with you

Simply Be…

Waking up and breathing in the newly created day,
imagination runs wild with visions of possibility.
Aware of my own self and my part in this creation,
Moving with my own purpose at hand…
To be the best me I can be.

Doing what comes naturally, I simply am.
Many will read far to little, or far too much,
into that innocent notion.
And yet, I can’t help but wonder why?
We’ve have been told who we are from the beginning…

Many teach it a different way, causing doubt, fear,
desolation, and even the need for repentance.
I assure you, though, that is not it…
The way is vastly less complicated…
We’ve been told it’s more child-like…

So be who you are, there’s no need to fear…
Harming none, respecting all,
as the many great sages of old have taught.
Embrace your potential, Divine in your birth,
Glory and Honor await your recognition!

The love of my life…

Looking in your eyes today,
I saw baby staring back.
You are so grown up, now,
and such a joy to behold!

It seems like forever
since you were young, just a babe,
but there’s my little one
looking through your eyes…

Sometimes, I tend to forget,
because you are so grown,
how vulnerable you are.
How you still look up to me.

I would take your pain, if I could.
Protect you from sorrow and strife.
Make your life perfect, flawless.
Spectacular…but it’s not up to me.

You have to find the courage within,
to seek out your dreams.
Have faith in yourself…
because you are amazing!

I love you, my child, more than you will ever know.
All I can do is hope you learned something of value
during your time with me.
Something that can get you through your life here.
It isn’t always easy, but it can be you joy.
Only you can make those decisions…

But if I could…I would…

Life, Mended

Out of the depths, wandering free,
Soul’s first adventure on Its own.
Death and destruction, mayhem and madness.
“Who would want this?” ” What have I chosen?”

Don’t want to turn back, the light, it still shines.
With some, comes some more.  This one I can win!
Lessons are learned, as hard as they are.
Other choices are made, the difference is clear.

Darkness moves from sight, into the corners.
Slinking away and hiding with guilt.
As Soul takes charge, clearing the mess
left by a life that was lived by default.

Life gives up the suffering, learning to love,
not only Itself, but others alike.
Becoming more kind, gentle and clear,
The prize is at hand, Life sees past Its fears.

More sure of Its host, Soul rejoins the Body.
Loving thoughts They do think, together as One.
Helping the others, family and friends,
mending the fences and broken bridges.

New is the Creature, tranquil and sure
Life springing forth, no longer in doubt.
Pristine and perfect, glistening bright.
Giving forth much, and so mends the Life.

Visions of Happiness…

I had a “dream” one evening…I say “dream” because I was not asleep.  I had asked most humbly for the power to know what would make everyone happy, and them the ability to do it.  I reasoned, during my bedtime mediation, that if I knew what would make everyone happy, and could provide it, wouldn’t the world be a much happier place?

To my astonishment, I was “whisked away” to a room that went on forever, literally I could not see the ends, sides or top and bottom of this room.  It was a completely white place.  In this sterile looking place, there were vials floating in rows of five  about to my eye level, glistening in the brightness of the well lit white room, and I was standing in the middle of them.

I was not sure what to do there, just watching them glisten, when all of a sudden I got the urge to run my hand over the top of one…Instead, not thinking, I ran my hand over the top of several.  These vials, you see, held what people THOUGHT would make them happy.  It shocked me to “see” what several people thought would make them happy and I realized that some of the thoughts were those of people I knew…and I KNEW those thoughts would certainly NOT make them happy…As I realized what I was “seeing”, and all this registered with me, in shock, I yanked my hand back.

I have never, since, been able to revisit that “room.”  Maybe it was because I yanked my hand back, scared of what I saw.  Maybe I wasn’t yet ready for whatever I was asking…I may never know, but the one thing I DO know is that happiness, generally, does not come from “things.”   Many people think money can buy happiness.  Someone once told me that , hey, he sure is happy on a jet ski…in fact, he has never seen anyone frown while riding a jet ski.

In acquiring the things we THINK makes us happy, what are we giving up?  For most of us, those things would be nice, but they would also keep us working so much that we would loose site of what is REALLY important; our family, and by extension, our friends.  After all, in many families, it takes both parents working to pay the bills…which means someone else is raising our children…Or, both parents are working different shifts so they don’t need someone to watch their children, yet they never have time to spend together.  Is that really what makes us happy?  Is “stuff” worth that?  What has happened to our family dynamic?

Not only that, and I have seen this first hand, someone has something you feel is better than yours, so you go out and purchase something better than theirs, when what you had was fine…What happened to ” do not covet?”

Even at that, family is not the only thing we give up.  What about ourselves?  The more things we acquire the more stuff that has to be maintained, the more money that costs, not to mention the headache, the more bills, it never ends.  And, of course, these days, with most stuff, it becomes obsolete nearly the minute you purchase it, so we feel compelled to upgrade…which keeps us stressed.  What happened to living a simple life?

Also, people, whether men or women, who want to stay home with their children while the other parent works are looked down upon.  Why?  What is this urge to “be somebody?”  Aren’t you already “somebody?”  What happened to respect for self?

But there is more to it than even that.  To find true happiness, you must first be happy with YOU…that comes from inside, not from something, or someone, outside of you.  If you give someone or something power to “give you happiness,” what have you done?  You have given up control of a huge part of you!  Why would we even THINK of relinquishing any power over ourselves?

My challenge today is for you to give some thought to what would truly make you happy.  If you are there, with no stress, then, fine.  Stay there.  But, if you take a good long look and find you are not happy, with too much stress, then consider making changes for the better…and don’t let anyone push you into being something or pursuing something that doesn’t interest you.  Today, I challenge you to take charge of YOU!  Be mindful of who you are, a perfectly Divine creation, and be yourself.  After all, you will never know what happiness that will bring you until you try!

Respecting Self and Others…

Respect seems sorely lacking these days…between Adults, Parents & children, spouses, children, both in families and in school, co-workers and even for our own self.  Even with the multitudes of churches, intolerance for bullying on school campuses “diversity training” in the workplace and efforts to raise self-esteem, respect has dwindled to nearly nothing.  (And I am from the South…land of hospitality!)

I can’t say what first started the decline, but it is truly annoying!  Why can’t we respect ourselves and others?  What has changed to cause the lack of respect?  And, when will we get it back?

I do not have the answers to these questions, but I would like to put forth some thoughts.

You are the face to the world of the Ultimate Self, and that position demands respect.  You are a sacred treasure, prized by Your Creator…yet, unfortunately, we lose sight of that.  We get caught up in the worldly.  We forget just WHO we are, and we act with disregard, neglect, apathy…towards ourselves, and towards others.

Respect is defined as high or special regard or to consider worthy of high regard; esteem.  And to esteem someone means we place a high value on him or her.  So…strictly speaking, if we no longer respect someone, we no longer find value in them…they are no longer special.  That goes for us, as well.

We must first regard ourselves highly before we can expect that treatment for ourselves or return the regard to others.  This is not a pep talk on how to be good to you, it is a fact.

If you have no respect for yourself, why not?  Answer the questions honestly, why DO you feel you are of little worth?  Can you change it, and if so, why wouldn’t you?  What is holding you back?  Is it lack of education?  Is it a weight issue?  Is it something you were told or how you were treated, or not treated, by someone you respected?  Would it help to know that you are not the only one with these issues?

Many people feel like they lack education and they either do not have the money or time to invest in higher education.  BUT, that doesn’t have to stop you!  There are many great books out there on many a great topic.  You can find books on nearly everything.  If books do not interest you, there are always DVD’s.  I have seen them on nearly every subject, as well.  You can take charge of that concern.

Many people have weight problems, too.  Sometimes we stress eat, sometimes we don’t eat the right things, sometimes we don’t exercise, and sometimes there are medical issues to be found and cleared up.  All of these things can be taken charge of, as well.

Many people are also treated disrespectfully by those they once held in high regard.  Whether that person is your parents, teachers, preachers, siblings, boss, whomever, you cannot give them charge of you.  By succumbing to their bad treatment, you give away your own power.  Chances are, these people have been treated badly at some point, as well, and while that is no excuse for bad behavior, we must learn to take charge of our own situation.

With respect for you, however, if you are in a position of deep depression or possible destructive behavior and you feel you can see no way out, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with seeking help…nothing.  Talk to family or friends, or seek outside help if you need it…remembering that realizing you have a problem is the first step…

We are worthy of the utmost respect; to be highly prized…we are VERY special.  As unique expressions of Creation, we are worth SO much…but then, so is everyone around us!  It’s time we started acting like the valuable, prized beings we are…Truly, until you are happy with your self, it will be hard to be happy with those around you.  See where and what you can make changes to help you feel treasured by you…then, spread the love…What happens might be surprised you!

Expression Unfolding…

Moving toward the unknown,
away from the comfortable,
Adrenaline rushes, emotions scatter.

Fear of the unfamiliar,
heightens as we progress,
but we’re not turning back.

Our adventure begins,
moving slowly, at first,
as our elation wells.

There’s only one way to continue,
Swallow pride, forget the past,
catch our breath and press on.

Forage our own way, something we can respect.
Nothing desolate or dark, desperate or lonely.
More souls than you know are seeking the same.

Tranquility ushers forth out of the depths of the chaotic,
Only now do we comprehend our journey’s purpose,
as the truth penetrates deep into our core.

We awaken, one day, to the truth of our purpose.
A notion more powerful than yet we’ve envisioned
Only then do we become what we’ve been created to be…
An emaculate expression of the passion of Our Beloved…

Ever-Changing…

We all seem to be experiencing stressful times.  As I have said before, this blog is as much about passing on “wisdom” to our selves, helping us learn something, as it is helping someone else realize…We are just NOT alone in our challenges!

Today, there is a whole lot of unnecessary strife in the world and some of us are looking outside ourselves for the answers…maybe waiting on someone else to “do the fixing.”  While the “unnecessary strife” does seem to come from without,  with corrupt governments here and around the world making every wrong decision they can, our families and friends, and sometimes even ourselves, doing the same thing, everyone is looking for a quick fix…something to take the edge off.

Sure, we can look at everything as negative, but what if we turned that around?  What if we looked at everything as an opportunity for change?  Maybe there is something we have been needing to change and maybe this is your “wake-up” call?  Ever wanted to do something different?  Make another choice?  Change things around?  Maybe we should take advantage of the opportunity to change our lives…

I am sure many of us are saying, “But make changes now, with so much going on already?”  Well, why not?  We just have to be willing to take the first step or two!  Nothing will ever change if you stay in the same spot…You have to be willing to make that first step…

So…that all said, is there anything you have ever wanted to do differently?  Anything that might need to be eliminated?  Beefed up?  Added to?  Or, maybe just tweaked?  You are an amazing expression of Creation with gifts that you have yet to even embrace!  make the most of your experience here!  Why not vow to start creating a change or two…see where it takes you…then, if need be, create some more…lighten up, get out there and make a difference in your own life.  Don’t be afraid to become ever-changing and see where it takes you!  Who knows?  You might just be making a difference in the lives of every one around you!

Awakening to Spirituality

My early childhood was spent in basic rebellion of the church by my parents.  My grandfather was a well respected United Methodist Minister, but my parents did not care for some of the standard “church” teachings.  So…my dad and mom taught us at home…Kind of like homeschooling, but for church…

In High School, one of my teachers at school asked the class to what church they go…I was the only one who would admit I didn’t go to church (mid seventies…Most people in the South would not admit they didn’t go to church!), which startled her, and led to a barrage of fellow students trying to “save my soul” thoughout the remainder of high school.  Never mind that I didn’t drink, smoke, curse and sleep around.  I was respectful, minded authority figures (for the most part 😉 )  and in general, caused very little trouble…yet I was the one in need of saving…

Dad and mom thought that if siblings and I were to make an informed decision regarding religion, we would have to be exposed to it formally, so we joined a church.  To be sure, there were things, even when I was 17 years old, that made absolutely no sense to me, but I stayed the course, mostly because, in my mind, “society demanded it.”  I drifted in and out of church for a long time, married and had children.  My husband was not impressed with the United Methodist teachings and insisted we go to a Baptist church, so we changed denominations.

To make an unnecessarily long story shorter, the Baptist church, while I went through the motions, just didn’t cut it for me either.  I found it very difficult to think that, from a Christian perspective, all other religions are inferior or somehow bad.  After all, Christianity was, in the scheme of things, a relatively new religion.

It has been my experience that, while the bible holds MANY great teachings, many are also condescending and suppressive.  It was not until I moved away from my hometown and didn’t feel the need to “impress” people coming into my life that my spirituality took the most amazing turn…and I started understanding the teachings in the Bible in a whole different way.  My readings of spiritual things became very diverse and I realized there are many really great teachings out there that make much more sense and put together with what I now understand the bible to say, make for a whole better sense of self and spirituality.

In church, things like energy medicine and meditation, altered states, as well as other religions, and, depending where you attend, other Christina religions, are “evil,” of the “devil.”

I Corinthians 12 tells us right off the bat that there are many gifts…given by the One spirit, and that the “manifestation of the spirit” is given to all for the betterment of all.  These gifts are wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, the ability to work miracles, prophecy, the ability to discern spirits, speaking in tongues and the interpretation of same…then it goes on to say the body is one with many members and in the diversity of the body lies its strength. Those are very powerful words!  So, how is it that we can say that God does not approve of people different from ourselves, if all is FROM God, to begin with?  There are many ways to follow our Divine Creator…MANY…

Today, I challenge you to think about what you have been taught all your life about religion and spirituality.  Who’s to say exactly what path is THE path to Our Magnificent Creator?  Let’s remember that religion is “man-made,” while spirituality is Divine Magnificence, God unfettered, if you will.  Remember, also, that man wrote the religious teachings of the world, inspired or not (and we KNOW how things can be manipulated using words and ideas!!!)…Who among us was around “from the beginning” before the invent of writing to witness for ourselves the splendor of creation?  Just a little food for thought!