Your Treasure

my last entry for 2007 - happy new year!

Go and open the mansion of the soul; when you find the powers of heaven, you shall sit with them.

-- The Book of Coming Forth by Day, translated by Dr. Maulana Karenga

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Where your treasure is there your heart shall be. Your heart is a place of silence and communion. Your heart houses the secrets of your soul; the path of your destiny. Your heart covets your desires and places them strongly in your mind. It is the key to all you want to be. You must have faith in your heart and trust all that it says to you. Never betray your own heart or you will find yourself lost.

Your heart is the gatekeeper to your soul. It will never judge you, never doubt you, for your heart knows exactly who you are. Keep your heart light from grief. Let it guide you in all your ways. When things are not as you know they should be, retreat quietly to the resources of your heart. You make your heart a mystery. You fail to ask its advice. When your heart is heavy about a matter, you believe others can lift you up. If you really knew your heart you would never doubt its value to you. God speaks to us through our hearts because all that God is, is LOVE.

God is in the midst of me. Wherever I AM, God is.

A Reason ..... A Season

"When a Prayer is Answered There is no Need to Cry"

A REASON: When someone is in your life for a reason, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrondoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the "reason" to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need for them has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

A SEASON: When people come into your life for a season, it is because our turn has come to share, grow and learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But only for a season. In the same way that leaves must fall from the trees, or the moon becomes full and then disappears, your seasonal relationships will end at the divinely appointed time. When that time comes, there is nothing you can say or do to change it. There is no one you can blame. You cannot fix it. You cannot explain it. The harder you clutch, the worse it will feel. Keep the memories. When the end of a season comes, the only thing for you to do is let go.

"For Everything There is a Season"

MGHYITPOHH

Being Employed

When you are employed by God, Inc., you never worry about unemployment. When we work to obtain greater awareness, knowledge and understanding of ourselves, we are working for God. God's goal is for us to be the best we can be with what we have been given and to share what we do with the world. When we do the thing that makes us happy to the best of our ability we are working for God, Inc. The only reason we have come to life in a physical body is to work for and serve the true self within. That is the part of us that is all-wise, all-knowing, all-loving and infinitely creative. When we do what we love, we are happy. When we do what we are good at, we are at peace. When we use what God has given us to create our own work, our rewards do not come from man. Every living person has a desire to do or be something. When we follow that desire, using our gifts, talents and abilities, we can never be out of work!

When we are employed by God within us, we are unlimited!

Heart to Heart

When was the last time you sat down to have a heart to heart with yourself? Have you really examined your heart lately? Are you harboring childhood wounds? Are you still nursing a broken heart? Are you frightened? Angry? Guilty or ashamed? Is there someone you need to apologize to? Who have you forgiven lately? If God were to speak through your heart today, what would you hear? In the everyday quest to get through life, we sometimes forget we really do have all we need. It's tucked away safely inside of us. It contributes to our thoughts and motivates our actions. If we clear it out it will actually speak to us and tell us exactly what to do. When was the last time you had a heart to heart with yourself?

With a pure heart, we can be balanced in life!

A Reason

When someone is in your life for a reason, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they are up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer for you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on. When a prayer is answered, there is no need to cry.

Next!

The Path to Knowledge

Most people think they know the answer. I am willing to admit I don't even know the question

- A. Hall

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Life is a series of mysteries we must each unravel at our own pace. Our task is not to solve the mysteries but to use them along our way. No one can tell us what is good for us just because it worked for them. If we allow someone to give us our answers we create conflict deep within. Sometimes it gets confusing trying to figure out what to do. If the confusion is on the inside, the answer is there, too! No human being has all the answers. If they did they would not be here. One of the greatest mysteries we must unravel is our purpose, because that makes us clear. Let us take more time to listen to our hearts, filtering through the offerings that come in. Let us not be so willing to say "I know" when we have no idea where to begin. Let us know deep down that God loves us and use that knowledge along the way. Let us approach the great mystery of the meaning of life with a little bit less to say.

Fruit of the Seeds

If you plant turnips you will not harvest grapes

- Akan proverb

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When we pass a garden and see everythng in full bloom, we don't always think about the seeds that were planted long before we got there. We simply enjoy the beauty of the harvest. Our minds work the very same way.

It is the law of expression that says we must ultimately express in form those thoughts, emotions and impulses we store in the subconscious mind. That part of us does not think. It does not reason, balance, judge or reject. It is the fertile ground that accepts any and everything we plant. Good or evil, constructive or destructive, our lives will bear the fruit of the seeds we plant in our minds.

If we have no faith, purpose or belief in ourselves, we cannot blame the world. We plant the roses or weeds we see in the garden. We can imagine good big things as well as troubling little things, our minds will accept either one. If we want to lay back and sniff the lilies in our valley, we must tend our seeds of thought with constant care.

Think of it this way - We reap a good harvest from the soil of our mind.

Blazing Trails (for others to follow)

Just thinking about something ....

Numerous options exist to move from point A to point B on our path. Some options will fit like exqusitely tailored garments while others simply don't feel right. At times doors to our innermost desires will seem closed. This is when our creativity is most valuable. It takes conviction and an inner certainty of our destiny to create opportunities in the face of adversity. From these necessary creative endeavors, we often discover a lesson or gift that reaps benefits beyond our own personal satisfaction. When we create something from nothing because no other option exists for traveling the path we were born to live, we will find ourselves thrust into the leadership role of a pathfinder or trailBLAZER.

When is the last time you blazed a trail?

Give and Receive

In this world it is not what we take up but what we give up that makes us right.

- Henry Beecher

There is a very simple principle that people cannot seem to get the hang of - as you give, so you receive. People find it difficfult to believe that it is necessary to give first and give righteously. If you only give to get, you will not receive. If you give out of fear, you will not receive. Many people do not believe they have enough to give. That is because they may be thinking in terms of money only. If you do not have money, give your time, talent and energy. Give a smile. Give a prayer. Give anonymously without expectation of reconition. The spirit in which you give determines the manner in which you receive. If you give freely, joyously and willingly, you will receive abundantly. As you give what you have, what you are not using, you make room to receive something else in its place. Give of yourself, your knowledge and the information you have received, then prepare yourself for an outpouring of blessings. And by the way, do not expect it to come back to you from the person you gave it to.

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Thinking for Yourself

Think wrongly if you please, but in all cases think for yourself.

- Louisa May Alcott



One of the many things that drive parents crazy about their children is that children like to think for themselves. Parents do not always like that. Most of the time, parents do not understand why children believe as they do; they may also feel threatened when the children do not see tings the right way - that is, the parent's way. Parents have experience; they may believe children do not. Parents know the dangers and traps in life; children seem not to care. Parents believe that if children are left to their own devices, they may destroy themselves. Parents need to realize the difference between discipline and thinking, disobedience and thinking, disrespect and thinking. Children are just people living through a smaller body. They must learn to express themselves, to understand who they are and grow into who they are through their own thoughts. Just because children do not think as we do doesn't mean they are wrong.

Ideas are children of the mind.

You Don't Always Have to Have Something to Say

Every time we open our mouths we release a powerful energy. If we could learn to hold on to that energy, it could be used to nurture our dreams, heal our bodies and fuel our minds. But we always have so much to say. Talking can take us off the track, knock us off center and kill our dreams when we speak mindlessly. Talking is something we must learn to use, not something we must always do. There is a power in silence that energizes the mind, body and soul. Think of the sun, moon and stars. They all appear silent and never fail their job. There is wisdom in silence. Think of the mountains and trees. They never have anything to say, yet it takes great effort to bring them down. There is love in silence. Think of the development of a new life. Perfect timing, order and completion accomplished in total silence. Silence is an art, a tool of the wise. When we perfect the art of silence, chances are we will get a lot more done.

The Light That Shines

A very special thank you to a wonderful person and friend who shared the gift of this image with me on the occasion of a life changing event.

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Make a prayer acknowledging yourself as a vehicle of light, giving thanks for all that has come today.
- Dhyani Ywahoo

Just for today, allow yourself to embrace all that you are every moment. Know that you are a vessel of light. Allow yourself to release all doubts about your ability to make mistakes of the past, the fear of the future.

Just for today, remember that you have grace. It is called breath. You have a connection to the Divine Mind, the power source of the world.

Just for today, remind yourself, "I am one with God." "I am one with all the power there is." Just for today, be a little child. Know the world is safe. Know that you are loved. Know that just where you are, God is.

Just for today, be free. Be peace-filled. Be loving to yourself and all others. Know that you shall not want for any good thing.

Just for today, give praise and thanksgiving for everything and know that you are ready to receive more.

Let the light shine on you today and give praise and thanks.

Who Is God? ... Look At Me!

If I want to know who God is, I look at me

One good way to know if something is working is to actually see it work. No matter what your philosophy, regardless how much you believe it, if it does not produce, it is worthless. I believe God is the same way. We can talk about Him, sing about Him, pray to Him, for Him and about Him, but if His glory is not produced in our lives, what are we really saying? The only way for God to be seen is through our lives. Our lives must reflect all the things we say God is. We are His hands, feet, eyes and voice. Our lives reflect who and what God is. Are we living a happy life? Are we thinking practical thoughts? The only way for God to demonstrate who He is, is for us to do it for Him. We must demonstrate what we know about God in the way we think, talk, walk and live. God is peace. God is strength. God is mercy. God is forgiving. God is all knowing, all powerful, abundant, radiant life. God is love. To know God is to be like Him. All else is a figment of our imagination.

Standing In the Way of Your Own Good?

The moment you move out of the way, you make room for the miracle to take place.
- Dr. Barbara King


You will never accrue the wealth, experience the success, do the things you really want to do as long as you worry about it. Chances are you are thinking in terms of what you do not have and cannot do. Your good cannot get to you if your mind is filled with lack. You have no room for blessings if your words are laced with limitations. You will not notice or be open to new experiences if you are stuck in the old ones. What you want may be totally new to you. It may be way beyond your highest expectations. How can it get to you if you keep getting in the way?

It's time for you to move, realizing that the thing you are seeking is also seeking you. If not, you wouldn't want it. That is the law of compensation, what you give out will be returned to you. Get rid of your bad thoughts, inferior attitudes and limited behaviors and good will be attracted to you. It's not easy. It's not magic. But it works, miraculously.

Getting Better and Better

Your world is as big as you make it.

- Georgia Douglas Johnson

Guess what? We are not the worst persons in the world! Sure, we've made some bad judgement calls, taken some pretty foolish chances, created some awful situations, but we give ourselves too much credit. Others have done far worse. Then there are those people who haven't done anything to anybody - ever. They are quiet. Go unnoticed. They have flawless characters and records. But you know what? They haven't done anything for themselves either. They are probably just as, if not more, miserable and confused as we tend to be at times.

Think about it this way: The future will be what you make it today. Whether you are a doer or a nondoer, we must work on our future. If we've made a mess, we must clean it up. If we're afraid to take a chance, take one anyway. If we've done things that didn't work, do something else. If we have done nothing, do something. What we don't do can create the same regrets as the mistakes we may have made. In the long run, either we must happen to life, or it will never happen for us.

Step by step, we must believe we are and can get better and better.

Discipline Your Mind, Your Body, Your Being!

Why did you get up this morning? What do you hope too experience by the end of the day? In order to answer these questions and put yourself in alignment with divine purpose in your life, you must have discipline. You must do what you say you will do when you say you will do it. You must consciously and creatively structure your day toward some small intention. You must be disciplined in thought, word, and deed. Consciously train yourself to do those things that are good for you. Breathing. Walking. Eating. Resting. Working. Playing. Listening. Creating. Praying. Meditating. Discipline yourself to speak softly. Discipline yourself to live peacefully. Discipline is the only way to avoid struggle, chaos, and confusion.

When you know what you must do, when you must do it, and why you are doing it, things that are not in aligment with your intent seem to fall away. When you are where you intend to be, doing what you intend to do, for a goal or purpose you intend to realize, you are less likely to be knocked off your center square. Discipline calms the mind, opens the heart, and clears the path away from ego toward spirit.

When you are disciplined in your quest toward peace, joy, harmony, balance, and expansion, you are spared the confines of fear, anger, resentment, restriction, guilt, and shame. Having discipline is like doing one hundred spiritual sit-ups. It builds your spiritual strength and muscles.

Just my two cents!

Speak It Quick

Saying what you really think, feel or believe is often difficult. Usually you don't want to hurt other people's feelings. Even when they infuriate you, you don't want to make someone mad or angry. The real truth of the matter is, somewhere deep down inside, you don't believe your feelings are "right" or that you have the "right" to feel the way you do.

When you hold on to feelings you become angry, fearful and confused. When you don't say what is on your mind you will be prone to gossip, rebel or commit acts of betrayal against yourself and others. The only way to free yourself from the stress of not saying what you think is to speak your truth with love, clarity and conviction. And to speak it quickly with a conscious tongue.

Speak the truth from your heart and with love!

Pull Someone Else Along

No man is free until all men are free. No woman is healed until all women are healed. I believe these are more than profound statements worthy of thought. They are the clues to the moral responsibility we all have for one another. Many of us hold on to our pain, afraid to reveal it. Ashamed to admit it. Others hold on to healing information because we believe it is ours to own. We may fight for the freedom of the disenfranchised, but forget about those who have been cast aside by ridicule because their lives don't mirror what we feel appropriate or forget women and children who are oppressed. We owe it to ourselves and everyone else to see that all people live painless and free. It is our duty to share what we know if it has helped us to move beyond some darkness in life. We can talk it out or write it out, but we must get it out to those in need. We can support someone and encourage someone else to take healing steps or paths or ways. We should think about where we would be if there were no books or people to guide us when we need it. Then, with an open heart and extended hand, we can pull someone else along.

Remember we are valuable tools in someone's healing process. As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal comebody else.

It Begins with Me!

The bell rings loudest in your own home.

~ Yoruba proverb

As you look around the community, society, the world, you probably see many things you would like to change. Recent changes in my life have raised my conscienousness to a higher level and created a deeper desire to make a difference in the lives of others. My path is growing stronger toward a commitment for change.

Injustice, inequality, hatred and poverty probably disturb you. They do me. We may be angered by the lack of respect and insensitivity to people and their needs creating an impetus for us want to speak out and take action -- to strike out and make changes happen, but what comes to mind is that God works from the inside out. I believe we must first look within ourselves to eliminate the fear, the anger, the imbalance in our lives. Then and only then can we move forward to create peacefully and powerfully the changes needed in the world.

The world I want begins with ME.

The world you want begins with YOU!

Unlimited?

Just a short musing for today -

When you are employed by God, Inc., you never worry about unemployment.

When we work to obtain greater awareness, knowledge and understanding of ourselves, we are working for God. God's goal is for us to be the best we can be with what we've been given and to share what we do with the world. When we do the things that make us happy to the best of our ability, we are working for God, Inc. Perhaps a reason we have come to life in a physical body is to work for and serve the true self within us (just a thought). That is the part of us that is all-wise, all-knowing, all-loving and infinitely creative. When we do what we love, we are happy. When we do what we are good at, we are at peace. When we use what God has given us to create our own works, our rewards do not come from man. Every living person has a desire to do or be something. When we follow that desire, using our gifts, talents and abilities, we can never be out of work!

What Do YOU Think?

Stress began the day you learned your were expected to please other people. Parents wanted you to stay clean and quiet. Neighbors wanted you to be respectful and helpful. Teachers wanted you to be attentive and alert. Friends wanted you to share and hang out. Whenever you failed to do exactly what someone expected of you, you weren't good, or good enough. You were bad, weak or dumb. Unfortunately, we began to believe it. Giving in to the demands, day by day, we lost a little of ourselves and our understanding of the truth. The truth is that we are just fine, just the way we are! Perfect in our imperfection! Growing brighter and more brilliant each day, we can accept the truth of who we are. The next time we want to know who we are, what we are or if something is the right thing to do, let's not ask our neighbors - but look inward - and pay attention to the response!

Don't be afraid to look at your faults.

- Yoruba proverb

Even though we know there is always room for improvement, we tend to shy away from criticism. Our egos tell us we are being attacked and quite naturally we may want to strike back. In order to be whole, healthy beings, we need to know all there is to know about ourselves. Sometimes the information must come from others. This may mean admitting that we are not always right, and knowing it is okay to make a mistake. A mistake, an error, a poor choice, or bad decision does not equal "there is something wrong with me." It means we are on our way to being better. We do not make mistakes on the basis of race or color. We make them because we are human. When we acknowledge our errors and face up to our shortcomings, no one can use them against us. Let's NOT be afraid to admit when we are wrong.

Stations of the Cross

Our God is a God of life and being. I can only imagine how it must have been for those people long ago who rejoiced when Jesus came to their city and cried, "Hosanna!" How their hearts swelled with good will and how happily they threw their hats in the air. I can imagine, too, when I look within, how the good will fades, and the rancorous ill will grew into the cry, "Crucify him!"

How capable are we of swinging from praise to denial, from singing to despising? We are not always steady and sure in what we want in our lives and our loyalties.

Yes, we can rejoice when it is time for rejoicing, sing when it is time for singing, and praise when it is time for praising. We can also be grateful that when we forget our Heavenly Father and follow less worthy inclinations ... He does not forget us.

How many times have we been brought back by Him from our erring ways only to be grateful that He did? That His love is as persistent as it is? Let us seek more of a flavor of that kind of love in our lives so that we can be more open to others, more creative and responsive to the beauty and splendor that life can afford.

Since God refuses to give up on us, let us pray that we will refuse to give up on ourselves.

As we move toward the celebration of the great, glad news of Easter, let us lift up our hearts and our whole lives. I've included in this post something I find a meaningful meditation as we enter Holy Week. I hope you do as well.

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In order to view Stations of the Cross - Click on the arrow twice. To view on You Tube - double click a second time. There is sound so please turn it on.

Learning A Little More Every Day

I AM learning a little more every day!

Unless you make every waking hour a learning process, you are wasting a major portion of your life. You can learn from people you do not like as well as from those you love. You can learn from the elders and the youth. You can learn more about the things you know about and fine-tune the things you are good at. You can learn by observing, listening, and serving. You can learn by assisting, completing and forgetting. Never withdraw from the education process by picking and choosing from who you can learn. Keep your mind open, your ears attuned and your willingness to learn in the state of a student.

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The determination to outwit one's situation means that one has no models, only object lessons.

- James Baldwin

If you are facing a challenge in your life, before asking someone else what to do, remember what you did the last time. Nothing is new in life. Everything has been said or done by you. It may look different. There may be new people involved. It may even feel different, but it's not. The key is to recognize the lesson. Ask yourself, "What am I learning in this situation?" Is it patience? Peace? Forgiveness? Independence? What am I feeling now? Have I felt it before? What did I do then?

Remember, no one can learn your lessons but you. And the best teacher you will ever have is experience.

I Need to Listen

This evening I had the final opportunity to meet with the 'Magnificient 7', at least for now. What I do know deep within myself is that I gained so very much from the simple act of listening ... the type of listening when you actually hear and internalize words.

This has been a spiritual time that has allowed me to hold on to what many of us may take for granted. The 'art of listening'. God gaves us ears to hear. Why? I'm not going to attempt to answer that question but rather share a prayer that has meaning to me.

I NEED TO LISTEN

How strange it is, O Lord,
that I should need to feel I need to ask you to hear me.
Is it not I who need to learn to listen? Should I not ask you to jerk me to my feet,
to snatch me out of my drowsy indifference,
to nudge me into alertness?
I am constantly surrounded by sounds I do not hear,
by voices to which I am indifferent.

This is a singing world.
There are voices of angels
and voices of love
and voices of those inviting me to gladness everwhere.
Enable me to hear them, I pray,
and in the hearing be lifted up to gratitude
for the mystery and magic of being human.

This is a sobbing world.
There are voices filled with echoes of hurt and pain everywhere.
There are voices almost choked out by tears
and voices that come out of aching.
There are hollow voices, empty voices,
I would rather not hear them --
the voices of hungry children
and of sorrowing woman
and of desperate men.
But they are all around me.
Enable me to hear them, I pray,
and in the hearing
be able to identify my brothers and sisters.

This is a shouting world.
There are voices of rage and of protest,
of defiance and of contempt,
How carefully I sift out the shouting,
ignore the screaming.
Make me listen, O God, I pray.
For you are the Father of us all,
and sometimes the voices of anger carry messgages from you.

Enable me to be listener, I ask.
For in listening I may find direction and guidance.

Help me to listen to myself --
to still, small voices of conscience,
to whispers of faith,
and to the soft inner humming of hope.

Help me to learn to trust myself more than I do,
trust myself not because I am wise and good,
but because I am loved and wanted.

I remember how the Lord Jesus spoke of your love for me
and went all the way to a cross to show its meaning.
Help me listen to others --
In the persons who are trying to tell me they love me,
and the persons who are trying to tell me
they need my love in return.
Help me to listen to the stranger who may be an angel in disguise,
to a friend who my be lonely and lost.
Help me to listen to the angry and the outraged
who may be saying to me words I need to hear.

Steady me, O God, as a listener.
And when I speak, make me careful lest I use words as weapons
and language as a severing sword.
Enable me to sort out what I hear
and not be thrown off balance
by the careless tongues of others.
Teach me to realize that just because a lie is spoken over and over,
it does not become true.
Just because a falsehood is spoken loudly,
it does not become less false.
So when prejudice and passion weight the words I hear
with divisiveness and conflict,
give me sense enough to reject them.
Give me judgement and common sense to cut through words
that evade and distort lest I be misled.
Steady me, O Lord, as I learn to listen. Amen.

Source: A Book of Uncommon Prayer by Kenneth G. Phifer

Connecting

The Bible says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8). In other words, God is always there, ready for us to talk to Him and seek His direction for our lives - but the first move is ours to make. God's hand is always extended toward us, hoping that we will reach out our hand to His. God will not force His way into our lives, but if we take action and reach out to Him, we will begin to experience His divine presence in our life as He draws closer to us and we to Him. As we each take a step toward the other, our hands finally touch His, connecting and releasing divine power into our life. With that power, our potential for success is unlimited.

All we have to do is approach God with a prepared heart and begin to practice spiritual connection on a regular basis, believing that He really cares.

Just my thoughts for the moment.

Desire

When you have a deep burning desire to to a thing, do it! "De" meaning "of," "sire" meaning Father, is the very thing God wants for you. The urging is from the soul and is the only fuel you need. It is a blessing. It lets you know that you have been chosen for a special task. The Creator knows you can and wants you to do or have whatever it is. It cannot be too difficult! It is not beyond your reach! It is connected to your soul! That's where all the power is! Trust those urgings. They are the best friends you could have. Learn to move beyond what appears to be the essence of what you are. Is it a good thing? Will you and others benefit? If so, go fot it! Don't let others talk you out of your desire. It is not for them to see or know. They cannot feel it the way you do, don't expect them to. Nurture your desire in thought, word and deed; never doubt it will become your reality. If you do your part, the Father will do His part and guide you to the well-spring of your desire come true.

Decisions

We always want to do the right thing, but we do the wrong thing when we do not make a decision about what to do. Decisions have power. Decisions have force. They usually take us to the exact place we need to be, exactly the way we need to get there. It is wavering back and forth that is dangerous. It places us at the mercy of events, we fall prey to the choices people make for us. Since time and opportunity wait for no one, our lives will not stand still until we figure out what to do. The rightness of a decision is based on our ability to make the decision. When we weigh what we want against what we will have to do, a decision can be an effortless event. We must know what we will and will not do, what we can do and choose not to do, and decide in harmony with the things we know. The freedom from making a decision can only come after we have made the decision.

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Guess What? Our world is as big as we make it.

You are not the worst person in the world! I am not the worst person in the world! Sure, we've made some bad judgement calls, taken some pretty foolish chances, created some awful situations, but you and I have given ourselves too much credit. Others have done far worse. Then there are those people who haven't done anything to anybody - ever. They are quiet. Go unnoticed. They have flawless characters and records. But you know what? They haven't done anything for themselves either. They are probably just as, if not more, miserable and confused as you and me. Think about it this way: The future will be what you make it today. Whether you are a doer or a nondoer, you must work on your future. If you've made a mess, clean it up. If you are afraid to take a chance, take one anyway. If you've done things that didn't work, do something else. If you have done nothing, do something. What you don't do can create the same regrets as the mistakes you make. In the long run, either you must happen to life, or it will never happen for you.

Making Something Out of Nothing

God is always capable of making something out of nothing.

"The earth was without form, and void ..." (Genesis 1:2); today it is a multinational conglomerate. Remember when there was a void in your life, seemed to be no way up or out, and then suddenly a way was cleared. What about when you were down to your last dime and didn't know where the next one was coming from; it came from somewhere. When you were at your wits end, the wolves were on your heels and you had reached the end of your rope, somehow you rose above it and lived to talk, even to laugh about it. You may think you did it on your own, by yourself, without help from anyone, but you didn't realize where the help was coming from. So the next time you find yourself in need, ask, who can make something out of nothing?

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Another thought flowing through my mind.

Can you imagine not doing what you're doing in your life right now, but doing something completely different? Something exciting, fun, even risky, like quitting your job and traveling around the world. Or working part-time and going to school full time to study scuba diving or basket weaving. Or owning your own home, business, plane or boat. If you can imagine it, why aren't you doing it? I'll tell you what I think.

The moment you think about it, we think about all the reasons we can't. "How will I pay my bills?" "Who will take care of my family?" "Where will I get money?" "What will people say?" Well, here's another question. How do we ever expect to be happy or at peace if we stay where we are? If we don't allow ourselves to dream, to dare, to move up, out, forward; how will we ever know what we are really capable of? Looking at it this way, what's the worst that can happen? We could end up right where we started, doing exactly what we are doing.

Although I sometimes find it hard, I say, "Oh, what the heck, go for it anyway."

Peace and Blessings!

Connected

We were born with the potential to walk an extraordinarily successful path. On this path, success is about being fulfilled in every area of our life, and it comes more easily and naturally because it is perfectly tailored to our unique gifts, experiences, and passion. We're connected with God, ourself, our values, and the people who matter most to us. Without hesitation, we can answer the questions. Why are we here? The life we live exemplifies that purpose. All the answers we need to live that extraordinary life lie within us ... within me. But to access those answers, we must listen to our life.

Listening to our life is a learned skill that can be refined and then used as a powerful tool for success. It may sound mysterious, but it simply means paying attention to the events, experiences, nudges, and passion that can steer us in the best possible direction - toward the unique path of our life's highest potential. Listening to our life involves connecting with God, ourself, and the people we encounter to get directions for finding and staying on our path. It is about being curious enough and honest enough to answer the important questions that will enable us to grow. It is about using what we hear to create a vision that pulls us forward and open our mind to the creativity that will unlock doors and create experiences at a higher level than we have ever experienced.

Listening to our life gives us both the confidence to keep walking our path even when it seems nothing is coming together the way we hoped and the tenacity to flow smoothly through the twists and turns that threaten to knock us off course. It also opens us to the rich and abundant rewards of living generously and with purpose and passion.

On the path to extraordinary success, failures along the way offer lessons that lead us to victories. The heartaches and pain cultivate drive, compassion, and understanding we need to live at our highest potential. The mistakes, when we learn from them, give us insight that propels us forward on our journey.

Consider for a moment the chain of events that led you to the life you are living right now. Isn't is amazing how one thing leads to another and another until we arrive at one particular moment and place in time? Sometimes it's the place we're supposed to be, and sometimes we simply know that another path awaits us and we yearn to find it. A persistent voice whispers softly but urgently: "You're going in the wrong direction. There's a path over here with your name on it." Even if we are unaware of where our path is, God will find a way to lead us to our destiny - and connect us with the right people who cross our path. This key is listening to what our life is trying to tell us, following the voice of the Holy Spirit, and walking directly onto our own unique path.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your path.

- Proverbs 3:5-6

Figment of Your Imagination? What Do You Stand For?

I would venture to say one good way to know whether something is working is to actually see it work. No matter what your philosophy, regardless how much you believe it, if it does not produce, it may be seen as worthless. God is the same way. We can talk about Him, sing about Him, pray to Him, for Him and about Him, but if His glory is not produced in our lives, what are we really saying? The way for God to be seen is through our lives. Our lives need to reflect all the things we say God is.

We are His hands, feet, eyes and voice. Our lives reflect who and what God is. Are we living a happy life? Are we thinking peaceful thoughts? The only way for God to demonstrate who He is, is for us to do it for Him.

We must demonstrate what we know about God in the way we think, talk, walk and live. God is peace. God is strength. God is mercy. God is forgiving. God is all knowing, all powerful, abundant, radiant life. God is love. To know God is to be like Him. All else is a figment of your imagination. When is the last time you looked at yourself and saw God?

God is as dependent upon you as you are on Him - Mahalia Jackson

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Another thought crossed my mind.

If you had to tell someone in ten words or less what you stand for in life, what would you say?

It might be noble to speak of liberation for all people of color, but what do you stand for? Perhaps you would take up the cause of starving or abused children, but what do you stand for? The freedom of political prisoners? Decent housing? Equitable distribution of food and natural resources? An end to all wars and warlike aggression? Or perhaps it's education? It is good, honorable and very noble to have a cause, but before you can do that, you must be able to stand on your own two feet.

More battles are lost in this life to weary soldiers than are lost for lack of cause. What do you stand for? How about peace of mind, radiant health, truth and honesty, visible use of your God given talents, gifts and abilities, or maybe just plain old love. When you are standing on well-cared-for and rested feet, you can be victorious in any cause.

A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.

-- El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X)

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Truth Is More Than A Mental Exercise

The human mind is always searching for truth. The mind guides us through books. It interprets our experiences. It limits us based on our exposure. The mind searches to find truth, not realizing that truth was never lost. Unfortunately, truth cannot reveal itself in a mind that is busy with personal chatter. That chatter refers to what we think we need or want and what we say.

Unlike truth, our mental chatter may have nothing to do with what is real. The only way to find truth is to go deep within the self and to live from that consciousness and understanding. The truth is the reality of who we are from the inside out, and that is something we rarely think about.

Truth is the joy of living, of being, of having a connection to everyone and everything, without thought of malice or condemnation on any part of us. Truth is the spirit of life.

Affirmation: I will live in the light of truth.

An Idea - How About Love?

The finger of God never points where the hand of God isn't somehow making a way.

- Rev. Alvin Kibble

Giving and receiving are one in truth ... an act of love ... sometimes difficult to do.

In my thouhgts I came to ponder that perhaps there is only one mind.

The mind of the Creator. Each living being is an idea in Divine Mind. We are not separate, as it seems. We are linked through the mighty power of breath. Since we are one, we cannot give anything away, we can only give to ourselves. Whatever we give, whatever we do, we are giving and doing to an expression of the one Mind. If we give good, we will receive good. If we do harm, we will feel its effects. If we understand the concept of Divine Mind, we know there is no such thing as stealing from anyone. We can only take away from ourselves. Whatever the guilt, shame or fear cause the pain, we will take away from ourselves that which we believe we are taking from another. When we give, we receive. When we receive it is a reflection of what we gave up. Since we are all one in Divine Mind, we should make a commitment to always give the best.

There is nothing we need that we do not already have.

There is nothing we need to know that we do not already know. There is nothing we want that does not already exist. There is nothing that exists that is too good for us. There is nothing anyone has that we cannot have. There is nothing more powerful, more intelligent, more sacred than you or me. We are the stuff life is made of. We are the essence of life. We have been chosen at this time, in this place to be among the living. We come from a long line of successful living beings. We are one of the King's kids ... born into the world to inherit the kingdom. We are equipped to handle anything. We live by grace, built by love. We are the cause and the reason of everything we see. We are one with the Source if we let ourselves be. We are creative. We are alive. We have been given a most precious gift of life by virtue of our being loved. What else could possibly matter?

Our crown has been bought and paid for. All we must do is put it on our heads.

Magnificent "7"

Life is full of surprises! That is what I unwittingly experienced last evening. Over the last number of days it appears that life has not been the easiest. In the midst of those days, although thinking I was on track, I had to admit that I was moving from the track ahead of me. This is where the 'Magnificent 7' stepped in. During a meeting of this particular group of spiritually centered friends and supporters, our agenda was not followed and the result was one of putting me back on track, opening my mind to a new way of thinking, and, best of all, providing me with the ability to accept and know that goals, if truly desired, cannot be stopped by derailments. They reassured me and gave good counsel ... something we don't always have the means to do for ourselves alone. Additionally my sisters and mother have been present during these times and I am blessed to have them.

What this vigorously reminds me of once again is that God puts people in our lives for a reason ... in this case I received and in return felt a closer bond to family and those who have now been termed "The Magnificent 7." Laughingly, I know that I am blessed to have support each day of the week in my journey because there are seven of us. Being candid, it has always been hard for me to ask for help ... always had to do it myself (guess in some ways I still do) but isn't that the reason for the people God has put in our lives? I have more to learn obviously ... it is easier most times for me to give than to accept. I'm working on it and know it is not a failure on my part to ask for help because God is, through people in my life, providing the source I need ... when I need it.

Life is going to be a challenge. There will be rough times, difficult situations, things to fall into, major obstacles, hurdles, stumbling blocks, forks in the road, mountains to climb, things to get over, oppositions to resolve, unpleasantness to face, feelings to understand, disappointments to accept, mysteries to solve, wonders to unfold and promises to keep to yourself. Now that I have been reminded of what I should expect (I don't believe I ever truly forgot them), it is time to prepare myself (yourself). Get ready. The only way to get where you want to be is to do what needs to be done to get there. Do it fast. Do it slow. Do it right. Do it up. Do it in the daylight. Do it by the moonlight. Do it alone. Do it with others. Do it for free. Get paid to do it. Do it for yourself. Do it for the world. The moment you give up on doing it, it will never get done.

Lessons learned in life a never really forgotten. Sometimes it takes a reminder when we find ourselves in the valley. Yes, we will make our ways out of that valley, but it is so much easier when we allow ourselves to be open to the help of others. For me, "The Magnificent 7" are truly that ... magnificent!

As two of the "7" pointed out to me I should "Lighten up a little" and "Chill."

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"Life has two rules: number 1, Never quit!; number 2, Always remember rule number 1."

"A problem is a chance for you to do your best."

"Now I can say loudly and openly what I have been saying to myself on my knees."

- all quotes by Duke Ellington

A Pattern of Thinking

There is a story told of a man who many years ago started with his company at the bottom but with determination reached the top. He had unusual abilities and energy and used all of it. Today he is president of his company and he has all the things that go with this position.

Yet, along the way, he left something out, and one of the things he did not achieve was happiness. He was a nervous, tense, worried and a sick man. Finally, one of his physicians suggested that he talk with a minister. The physician wrote out the necessary prescriptions but also an additional one ... the Twenty-third Psalm, five times a day for seven days. Orders were to read it the first thing when he awakened in the morning. Read it carefully, meditatively, and prayerfully. Immediately after breakfast he would do the same thing. Also immediately after lunch, again after dinner, and, finally, the last thing before he went to bed.

It was not to be a quick or hurried reading. He was to think about each phrase, giving his mind time to soak up as much of the meaning as possible. At the end of just one week, his physician promised things would be different for him.

That prescription sounds simple, but really it isn't. The Twenty-third Psalm, I believe, is one of the most powerful pieces of writing in existence, and it can do marvelous things for any person. It can change your lives. If your physician prescribed medicine be taken after each meal or every certain number of hours, I don't believe any right thinking person would take the full day's dose at one time.

Just thinking about the Twenty-third Psalm throughout the day doesn't work. To be most effective, it must be taken exactly as prescribed.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A man is what he thinks about all day long," Marcus Aurelius said, "A man's life is what his thoughts make it." Norman Vincent Peale says, "Change your thoughts and you change your world." The Bible says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).

The Twenty-third Psalm is a pattern of thinking, and when a mind becomes saturated with it, a new way of thinking and a new life are the result. It contains only 118 words. One could memorize it in a short time. In fact, most of us already know it. But its power is not in memorizing the words, but rather in thinking the thoughts.

The power of this Psalm I believe lies in the fact that it represents a positive, hopeful, faith approach to life. We assume it was written by David, the same David who had a black chapter of sin and failure in his life. But he spends no time in useless regret and morbid looking back.

David posses the same spirit that St. Paul expresses: "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark" (Phillippians 3:13), or the spirit of our Lord when He said, "Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more" (John 8:11).

I am not a physician but believe in seven days a new way of thinking can be deeply implanted within your mind that will bring marvelous changes in your way of thinking and put you on a road to a new life.

Just my two cents this morning!

Giving

What you give you get, ten times over.

- Yoruba proverb

We have been trained and conditioned to give gifts on specific occasions. Occasionally we give gifts to those who have a special meaning to us. Unfortunately, this kind of giving is more often for ourselves than for the person receiving the gift. Usually, we tell ourselves, "I don't have anything to give." We have been miseducated about gift-giving. We believe gifts must always bear a price tag or be given for a particular reason or season.

It is this kind of thinking that causes a drought in our giving supply. The real joy in giving comes when we give what we have spontaneously, with no reason other than for the joy of giving. It is this kind of giving that opens the door for us to receive. When we give for the sake of giving, rather than out of duty, we will begin to understand. We give our time, our energy, out thoughts.

We can give a book when we've finished it, something we can no longer wear or use, pay the toll for the car behind us, or give someone we don't know a compliment. We actually have a great deal to give in many ways.

How often can we say, "I give joyously from my heart just for the sake of giving?"

Rock Bottom

In thinking over the past few days I revisited low points in my life. With the help of a wonderful group that I am working with, we shared our walk of faith. I realized some time ago 'rock bottom' is a place to re-energize our faith, reacquaint ourselves with the love of God and learn. It is the very point or place in our lives that our God is the strongest for each of us if we allow Him to be. I believe it is at these very points that we are to seek Him the most.

God isn't alarmed when we hit rock bottom. He made the rock!

There are times in our lives when we feel there is no way up or out. Illness, poverty, confusion, loneliness, desperation. They take us to the place we sometimes refer to as "rock bottom." In these times we may feel weak and vulnerable, and it is easy to lose faith in our ability to go on.

It is exactly in these times that we must turn to the infinite power within us and God ... for the answers and help we seek are all around us. Whatever the answer you are seeking at these times is exactly where we are. The strength we need, the answer we want, the solution that will turn the situation around is right there for us and in us ... opening ourselves to the grace, peace and love of God.

If we can put aside anger, fear, weakness and desperation for just a minute, I believe we can think of "other times" we were at the bottom and how in a moment, miraculously, we were lifted up. That was not by accident!

In some ways I think I've finally got it now.

1. Begin within, take quiet time alone.
2. Trust your head, follow your first thought.
3. Don't be fooled by appearances.
4. Plan prayerfully; prepare purposefully; proceed positively; pursue persistently.
5. Be willing to be wrong.
6. Be flexible.
7. Do the best you can where you are with what you have.
8. Be prepared.
9. See the invisible; feel the intangible; achieve the impossible.
10. Focus + Courage + Willingness to Work = Miracles.
11. Help somebody else.
12. When in doubt, pray.

Just my ruminations of this morning.

There is no spot where God is not.

Tests ... How Well Do We Take Them?

Tests. We've faced them since our years in school and maybe that is what is more easily remembered for most of us. As I think back, some of my schoolday tests I passed with ease and some I didn't. Perhaps the reason for not passing these particular tests had to do with not applying myself. Most were not of a pass or fail nature. Tests were to reason what we've learned and hopefully apply it. Life is the same but not in the easy and comfortable environment of a classroom.

The tests of life are not something to take and cast aside as we are promoted from one grade to another. Life tests us in all we do because in all we do there is a purpose. When was the last time you were faced with a life test? Did you pass or fail? My grandson has a T-shirt on which the following words are written, "Failure is NOT an option." I look at these few words with a different perspective from what the shirt was probably designed to mean.

Getting through life even on the best of days includes facing some sort of a test ... whether it be on the job, in our personal lives, with finances, with our faith, with ourselves. Sometimes we are are own worst enemies and without realizing it continue to come face-to-face with our tests but don't take them seriously and ultimately fail. Should there be blame? Should we just forget about them? I think not.

Our tests in life, for me at least, are the measure of how we accept the hand that we are dealt. Facing them and dealing with them is the key. We may not pass them each and every time, but if we avoid them altogether we have failed. As we mature, the knowledge of facing and taking the tests of this life become part of the innermost being that we are. So my topic of this post still stands .... "How well do you take the tests of life?"

I believe in spiritual intuition and embrace this intuition as the spiritual faculty that does not explain, it simply points the way. You cannot fix what you will not face.

Journey to the Present

From the moment I took my first breath God had a plan for me. Over the years I've learned that and now walk by faith and not by sight. I find comfort in this and believe all journeys are not by accident. What is by accident is that we often don't take time to look back on our life's journeys and see the gifts we've been given along the way. No way, I believe, would I be the person I am today without recognizing my journey thus far.

Along the way, I've been lost as a traveler but have managed to continue this journey (detours and all). We are persons created in the image of God and therefore should understand life is a journey that is not to be taken alone. It is to be taken within the context of community and given back to those we are called to help.

Just as Jesus journeyed to deliver the message of love, peace, hope and finally salvation, that is the journey I am trying to walk as well. Through this blog, I hope that I can share my thoughts and that in some insignificant way you are touched by them.

God loves us and has given each of us gifts. If we don't share them with others, how important is our life's journey? When is the last time you reflected on your journey? Remember we are not alone nor are we limited.

The past is gone .... today is fleeting .... tomorrow? only one knows. Has your journey been the trip you've wanted to take? If not, I pray you join me in being able to take the time to give thanks and open hearts to love and direction. It's not as hard as it may seem.