Receiving

Just now,
I hear 
God's voice
within

and

Angels singing
all around.

The message
...love.

The words
... sound
very
simply like,

"receive
love,

today,

sweet
girl"

Love and Forgiveness

"Forgiveness is really hard for me." ~Judy Young

"Forgiveness must be a lifestyle." ~Joyce Meyer

"It's our thinking, not our circumstances, that determines how we feel." ~Richard Carlson

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.” ~Robert Muller

"...perhaps the real expectation needs to be nothing. The highest form of love, perhaps, expects nothing, needs nothing, in return." ~Judy Young

"Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies." ~1st Corinthians 13

I started this blog a few months ago and could not find anything more to say after all the quotes, so it has set in edit mode for weeks. Not surprising. The unfinished blog represents my emotional state over the same block of time. Stuck somewhere between love and forgiveness.

The problem? I didn't know how to make sense of love and forgiveness residing in the same place - for the same person - at the same time. Within my mind, I could not align the two action verbs. If I was having to let go and forgive, was the love ever real.... ever? My heart believes that real love is without end. Perhaps, I clung to unforgiveness to keep the love real... for me. Intellectually, that may not make much sense, but matters of the heart are far, far, far from intellectual.

While I may have clung to the love, I practiced the art of forgiveness over and over and one day, forgiveness felt real. I believe, I have forgiven not just with my intellect, but somewhere deep inside my soul, I let go and allowed forgiveness to reside in peace and harmony beside love... all connected and intertwined.

Combining love and forgiveness in the same mixing bowl is the recipe for life. In both there is a holding on and a letting go which, I have come to believe, is the natural course of energy in my life. There is an ebb and flow in my relationships with others as I travel the road of life together... or apart from others.

Namaste

The Art of Being

With the Holy Spirit within me, Angels surrounding me, and God on His Throne, what is there for me to fear? If control is surrendered, then am I not free to live and be?

I am opening myself up for God to work His Divine Purpose for my life through me. I am surrendering my own plans - for His - to see where God's path is taking me regardless of the world spinning all around me.

And as the world turns (soap opera, remember?) and spins all around me, I am breathing and standing still, firm in my foundational beliefs that are good and kind and loving and compassionate and true and right and honoring and forgiving and peaceful......

And I toss out greed and selfishness and resentment and envy and lack and unforgiveness and strife and control and fear..... I toss them out into the wind and watch them blow ever so gently away from me and my path. The sun glistens off each one as they swirl and dip and rise and swirl far, far, away from me and my path.

The sun shines through the break in the clouds, down through all the trees of the forest, and places a bright, clear light upon my path, and unencumbered, I walk on no longer searching, but rather, just being, the me I was born to be, full of anticipation of God working in my life. 

Namaste

God and Angels

I am so thankful that I am alive.

I believe that God is full of joy and hope and love.

And

I believe that God cries with us when it hurts.

May today bring a special gift to each of us in the knowing that God and His angels are ever present around us and that what they do best is love us right where we are.

May We Receive and Accept His Gift.

Namaste

At the Moment

My VPN is not working this morning, so I am "stuck" blogging. Such a tough morning.

Thought I would just write whatever comes to mind at the moment.

1. I haven't been feeling good. I came home from the cruise with a sinus infection and a bobbing along in the water sensation. Needless to say, that is not a great way to live. Yesterday, I went to the doctor for the 3rd time and she is stumped - sending me to the ENT tomorrow. Lord, heal me with or without these doctors. I am ready to feel good again.

2. The bachelor last night made me want to throw my boots at the screen. Why I love this show along with a large segment of America is rather mind boggling. The women are crying all the time and the guy spends so much time trying to get them to connect with him, that I think he forgets to see who he might really like. From watching, I think this is how to get this guy to connect to you:  enjoy doing things that create fear before and during, cry about anything to him, tell him your saddest story about your past, and come on a bit strong. This is what NOT to do or he will send you packing:  small talk over dinner - he's apparantly, not a fan. Not dating in college because you didn't meet anyone special - he thinks you are incapable of love. Loved someone deeply and well - he thinks he can't compete with that. I think that the women who are crying as they head away in the cars are better off.

3. My horoscope for today says:  "An unexpected letter or call could totally turn your working situation in a new direction. This can be disconcerting, Sagittarius, but it's a very positive and fortunate development. Relations with colleagues should involve new respect and enthusiasm. By the end of the day, you will likely feel very good about the way your life is going. Don't expect it to be the same as it was this morning!" this seems sort of specific. All Sagitarius folks are going to get an unexpected call or letter today concerning our work? Amazing. and first we will feel disconcerted and then move to feeling good abut the way our lives are going by day's end. Really amazing. All fellow Sagitarians:  let's check in tomorrow and report back all these exciting stories. I am ready for such letter or call. Bring it on!

4. Last night in my bed, I stilled myself by thinking of myself as a caterpillar in my cocoon realizing that change was happening and that the twitching and pain and unrest might be how the caterpillar feels as she spins her cocoon around herself. Nature dictates it is time for her to wrap herself up and allow herself to die as a caterpillar, to awaken later as a butterfly. Does she even know why she is wrapping, wrapping herself into her cocoon. Does she feel some fear, some trepidation? Does she want to stop, and yet nature urges her on. Does she have any idea who she is going to become as she wraps herself up and feels the anxiety of change. Does she know that she is headed for something new and better: no longer enslaved to climb the tree, but can fly about with a new found freedom?

 

And so it is. Namaste

Live Well Now

I was talking to my friend by text yesterday and she said, "I am trying to accept the facts of my life are all due to my own choices. Some of them I knew better or should have... others I did not."

I responded, "And so the choices we are making today will effect us years from now. So live well now."

What does live well now mean? My list:

Live well now:
1. Forgive those who changed our lives for the worst.
2. Thank those who changed out lives for the better.
3. Apologize to those we hurt intentionally or unintentionally.
4. Forgive ourselves for imperfection.
5. Eat healthly.
6. Stretch and breathe.
7. Walk, bike or run.
8. Smile at others.
9. Be still and know God is surely present.
10. Love deeply and completely.
11. Fear not.

Namaste