PERSEVERE TO THAT END OF A NEW BEGINNING

Oh he never misses! I meant my online friend who always sends me quotes with special instructions that I write. But I tell him that stuff like this are open to interpretations as whatever experiences a person comes up with in his own life journey. Because only when one can see himself in it does he eventually take it for his own. And thus ...do I write. Thanks for this quote, buddy!

"People do not always make breakthroughs because they refused to quit. Sometimes they make them because they know when to quit. When they realize that enough is enough, that old patterns aren't serving them, that it's time to repack their bags."
(Richard J. Leider)

That's a good one. But are we really willing to let of old patterns? Even if we see how they serve more to block us from moving forward with our lives. Some do, some don't, and some take a wee bit longer to decide. We all fall in one or two of those categories. We each have our reasons I believe.

To make sense of our lives at whatever point we find ourselves in, we must learn to sit back and see it for what it is. Objective may be a hard word to use in this, I think, because one can't truly be objective when things are happening to self. But as a friend once said ... 'that's the point when you just have to push yourself harder to step back and reevaluate'.

Well, each of us has his or her own way of going about this. We each as an individual would know what would work for us and not. But it's wisdom to know and understand that change won't happen unless we make room for it. If we need and desire a breakthrough in our life, we need to give it some space to happen. And we can only do that if we learn to let go of old patterns that serve us no more. Of what use is holding on if it no longer is the blessing it's supposed to be?

Change may be slow but given time will eventually take us there to where we individually want to belong. That place where wonderful blessings can and will happen and where our joy is complete. Persevere to that end of a new beginning.

May God bless us all with increased faith, courage, and strength.... and the wisdom to use it.

THE SOUL ON ITS KNEES -- IS A BLESSING

A good friend sent this quote to me in email this morning. I liked it and thought of bringing it here for you to see.

"Certain thoughts are prayers.
There are moments when whatever be the attitude of the body,
the soul is on its knees."
--- Victor Hugo

True, isn't it? Happens in our daily grind. Everyday is replete with its own challenges, both the ordinary and the unique. We try as best as we can to cope, handle, or address it in ways we have learned. But there are moments when even that doesn't work. It then becomes a burden that sits heavy and heavier on our shoulders, more so in our minds and hearts. We soon succumb to its weight pulling us down tired and weary carrying its load.

It is at this very point Victor Hugo aptly describes the magnificence of the soul. --- 'The soul is on its knees' --- Beautiful lines. Have you felt your soul down on its knees? You know what, sometimes we know and sometimes we don't. We often miss it when it happens because we have our eyes set and fixed on other things in our search for immediate relief. Human relief, human effort.

But honestly our help is right there when the soul begins to pray. It's sad that often we forget that a heavenly presence resides within us. But the soul knows this and prays. When it does, be still and know that you are in the presence of the Divine. Stay connected with your soul.

Blessings to you all!

CREATE SPACE FOR MOMENTS OF JOY

"Having more joy does not necessarily
require a life overhaul --
you may just need to create
more space in your life for moments of joy."
-- Debrena Jackson Gandy

"Create space for moments of joy." --- Now isn't that simply beautiful. Or maybe you have forgotten what that means. C'mon, let's admit it most of us do or really have forgotten. This is what we know about life...... or so it seems 

 Life is survival. Survival means honing our talents or skills to survive. It also means being goal-centered. That also means making sure that we get there and won't let anything or anyone stand in the way of our journey. In the process we tend to be protective of our space, territory, function, plans. That also means being discerning of the who or what or when in our lives. Because we know that in this journey we often find out that what we think as friends are truly enemies and that what enemies we tend to see turn out to be friends. There's stiff competition and rivalry. This pushes us to learn to package our self to merit the highest adulation, attachment, favors, opportunity, preference. We seek that figure who would stand as that essential benefactor of those graces. We have learned to understand that because life is tough we would be needing a lot of help.... any help.... to make the journey seem easy and the goal attainable with possibly less or the least of risks. We aim to win.

That's life in the world out there, in huge or small measure, in every person's little corner of the world. And that robs our life of joy. Not much we can do about it really; it is what it is, like it or not.

But I can't live with that. Oh sure been through it all. Maybe that's why I insist on turning up high the spark of inner joy. Because I know it is the one thing that can and will hold you up when all else come falling down. It's there inside of us, maybe hidden for such a long time and maybe we have indeed forgotten how to experience it. Well then, learn again. Create room for it in your life. You need not look far, start right where you are... with the little things which make your weary heart smile. Create the space wherein it can flourish and grow and expand. Don't stifle it. Let it shine through and out. And most of all..... know your God --- the genuine one true foundation of joy. Joy which fills up our existence with blessings way beyond measure. Pure joy which only He can give.

Blessings to you all!

WORK IS NOT ALL OF LIFE - NEITHER IS LIFE JUST WORK

Have been part of the work force before. Loved my job, my boss, my colleagues and friends. Gave work my best shot but never was it in any way above my choice job in the home. My family... my children received the best of me heart and soul and spiritually. I got them covered with prayers and that was and still is the best thing that I ever did and still do.. for them. Sacrifice must have been on the menu too but honestly it never seemed like one. It never is. It's just something you do from the heart naturally. Ask any mother and she will tell you the same. I love my family this big!!

Why am writing this now is to say to someone..... that work is good. We need it. But truthfully it does not need you. Because if you can't do the job, it will find somebody else who can and will.

So...

Work with your very best but do not let life pass you by stuck at your desk. Work is not all of life. Neither is life just work. There's more out there in this big wide magnificent world... there's more you can do with who you are... there are people waiting to be part of your time -- of you (your family is one)... and most of all God didn't say that life should be spent exhausting yourself over one thing alone. He intended you to enjoy life to the fullest (there is a verse in the bible about that). And that means.....

..... savor life's wondrous potential for beauty and good, bask in the glory of nature, connect with good hearts and souls ready to welcome you into their midst, and treasure the moments which your family alone can give you akin to a delicious taste of heaven on earth.... and grow as you should but not only with charts, statistics, reports, data, etc. Grow as God intended you to grow --- a delight to His heart.

So why don't you?

Bless you all! :-)

(Photo courtesy of a good online friend; sent to me today)

HAPPINESS WHEN SHARED BECOMES THE BLESSING IT WAS MEANT TO BE

This is beautiful and means more than a thousand words can say............

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared."
----- Siddhartha Guatama Buddha

Life ain't easy, we all know that. Some of us have it even more so difficult than the rest. Joy and happiness in this situation or condition may seem as elusive as the distant horizon. It easily wearies the mind, body, and soul.

But when you have been blessed with the gift of joy and happiness in your own tiny world, hasten to share it out to those who may have need of it. Perhaps a smile... a warm thought... a kind word... a helpful gesture... a prayer... or maybe just a simple hug. It may perhaps seem little and insignificant ... but to the person you are giving it to ---- it's the whole world.

Joy and happiness is contagious. All it takes is to light up the spark and sooner than you think that tiny spark bursts into a huge flame quickly warming those hearts and souls around you and everyone it reaches with its light.

Give of that gift freely. Share it. You won't lack in it by passing it around. In fact, it doubles up in huge measure and becomes the blessing it was meant to be. For them..... and for you.

Hope you all are having a blessed weekend. Blessings!


(My thanks to a good friend who sent the nice quote to me in email today.)

LEARN WITH YOUR HEART

I was going through my old stuff.. notes taken down some time back meant for writing but never got down to that point I don't know why. Well, I believe that everything has its own time, including scraggly notes that seem not to hold any meaning when first taken.

Anyway I saw this one, a quote -- with snippets of words I've written down below it (but won't be shown here)......

"If we learn to open our hearts,
anyone, including the people who drive us crazy,
can be our teacher."
---- Pema Chedron

I've discarded the snippety words but the quote I bring here. Because it is true. Through the years I have had a huge number of 'teachers'. And they all come from unexpected places, sources, events, situations, and characters (the good, the bad and the ugly).

All these have given me my life lessons, well, part of. Because truthfully a huge portion were lessons from Big Daddy above (and he is not done with me yet). I have learned what to like and not like (being true to myself).... what to believe and not believe in the multitude of opinions presented.... what to appreciate or not of the myriad of diversity of choices.... what my limitations are and what I can do to nurture my own god-given potential (bestowed on all people by a wise God). They, both the living and non-living things, have shown me that not all good things come from great packages but it too can come from the tiniest thing in creation ---- a tiny seed planted in my small pot and which has grown into a lovely flowering plant delighting my heart all through the day. All have taught me that as much as everything is essential to life and living, there is ONE who stands above them all on which my life totally depends on.

These were and are my teachers and always will be because their work continues in me -- a work in progress (just like everybody else is). Life, as they say, is simply one huge university and we its eternal students. It's the wheel of learning that continues to turn..... learning, unlearning, relearning. That, my dear friends, is by God's design. It never stops.

But mind you it will..... if you close your heart.
Be blessed and stay blessed.

WRITE SIMPLY WITH YOUR HEART

A friend once asked me 'what is the secret to writing'? I asked that same question of my teacher long ago. But the best answer I have found is in these words of Edwin Schlossberg...........

"The skill of writing is to create a context
in which other people can think."

And people can understand you better if you write simple. Straight from the mind and heart. No frills. Pure simple strokes of thought and feeling. Don't bother with big words unless you have to. Don't make room for your readers to wrestle with its meaning. Write that which anyone can relate to or associate with in simple terms. Whether it be on honest truths or something else, nothing still can beat simplicity. Let people decide themselves whether to agree with you or not. That itself engages their own thought processes. Thus you have succeeded with your intent.

Remember that we are here to contribute to life. That means giving of yourself with the diversity of talents God has blessed you with. Dancing, singing, painting, designing, teaching, lawyering, managing, farming, building, writing, and lots more. Lest you forget those are not meant for your keeping alone.... but instead are meant to be part of the movement of the universe. They should inspire, encourage, comfort, strengthen, improve, better lives -- yours and others. Everything that you do or say... your thoughts... they matter. Because even the smallest voice has a purpose -- it has something to say. And it will be listened to. By someone, sometime, somewhere. No good thing is ever wasted. You are unique as you are.

If you must write or anything that you do.... make it simple -- make yourself easily understood. Better yet aim to connect with minds and hearts in the simplest truthful manner you can manage. Be honest to your gift and with your gift. That makes God smile so much more.

Blessings to you all. Shine, people, shine!!

IT'S HOW WE SEE... NOT WHAT WE SEE

"Since we cannot change reality,
let us change the eyes which see reality."
-- Nikos Kazantzakis

Life, people, and the world will be what or how you see it to be. It is what you perceive it to be. Perceptions rise up from one's personal history. We all have different stories to tell. Our personal life stories shape us. But it should not be the final count of who we are. Our histories are there simply to give us structure to our lives. But it is us who will determine the directions we want it to go. We are not finished yet. The world has its own set of realities but it is entirely up to us what to make of it. What is there in the heart will define how we see the world. Train your heart so that the eyes will and can see well and better. Life and everything in it is beautiful. That's how God wants us to see it.

(Photo by remography)

PESSIMIST or OPTIMIST -- Which is it going to be ??

Beautiful as life is, it can also be hard. Challenges buffet our journey at every covered mile, with every soul we meet, with every situation we get ourselves into, or with every station we pass. It can be wearying at times. But when the heart is primed to look to the brighter side of things nothing can bring it down. It rises to the occasion maybe at times dragging its feet but still doggedly determined to make it through. A heart which has learned to see and understand that with every sunset comes a sunrise, a long sad night will wake up to a new dawn of possible surprises and blessings, and that Somebody up there will make things right... will walk confidently in the light of hope, faith, courage and strength.

Life is beautiful, no matter what others may say. True, life is not without its challenges but that too is part of the package. Challenge is a friend, not the enemy. It's there to prevent us from being complacent when we become too comfortable where we are. And it's there to nudge us to grow some more.... ferreting out our true potential as intended in the Divine Design.

That being said we are given two choices by the universe. Simple choices. But we can only have one or the other, not both. Whatever the choice we make will define the life that we live.... will define who we are.... will define our relationship with our God.

Pessimist or Optimist..... who are we going to be, which handle are we going to use in and with life.

An optimist is hope-full. An eternal flame burns steadfastly in its heart.
A pessimist thinks hope-less. Its flame never gets to rekindle itself.
Life is short -- choose the right one for you.

WHICH DO YOU FEED

Been away for a bit from writing here; just got busy with things. Anyway in my inbox this morning, saw this from a friend. Am glad that he sent it to me. It's one which should engage our thoughts and hearts. Seriously.

Here's the story........

Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt ........


He said, "I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one."

The grandson asked him, "Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?"

The grandfather answered, "The one I feed."


That's a good one, don't you think? The biggest battles that we fight are those with self. Anyone who says it isn't is not paying much attention to life. Either he has got himself so entrenched in his comfort zones or is feeding something else other than the two choices mentioned in the story..

Remember what has been said about 'you are what you eat'? In the same sense it can be said that 'you are what you feed'.

Maybe we should be asking ourselves which of the two wolves do we feed.... the vengeful, angry, violent wolf --- or --- the loving compassionate one. WHICH DO YOU FEED? In our everyday lives is an opportunity or several to make that choice. Choose that which would make the heavens smile. Choose that which would make you a blessing to others and to yourself as well.