This Little Light of Mine

Disclaimer: Please indulge my repetitious claims of abundance. I affirm my awe and appreciation daily, and strongly encourage you to proclaim it for yourself. You will soon find it unquestionably manifest in your life. 
I am oh, so blessed. I have a very hard-working, talented husband who has provided our family with a very comfortable lifestyle. I tell our kids repeatedly how lucky we are not to have to worry about money. We are not exorbitantly wealthy, but we do have plenty, so as Forrest Gump says, "that's good, one less thing" (to worry about). But, now that we have a daughter in college, we are forced to be much more careful with our budget. It has been an adjustment for us, however, I have discovered a huge unexpected benefit. I am proving to be a strong and faithful servant, more fully aware and appreciative of all that I have. When I find myself worrying, or catch myself thinking or saying "we have no money", I stop and I tell myself, "we have plenty".
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8
I have always led a charmed life, and wondered how I would hold up under adversity. I still have a charmed life and I know that I am ridiculously blessed. I can only imagine what it would be like to really deal with poverty, hunger, abuse or tragedy. Those are real problems that affect people everywhere, every day. My wounds are only superficial, requiring no invasive procedure or intensive therapy, still, I am empowered by the small hint of resiliency within myself. It is giving me the means and the desire to aim higher, and accomplish more than what I had previously thought possible.

Reap Your Rewards

Yes, the Plan is good. God radiates from my center and I see God radiating within you, no matter what you are centered on. I am unceasingly thankful for the extraordinary people in my life who challenge me to be real. They light my path and fuel my conviction to make the world a better place. In an earlier entry, I mentioned a growing attraction to taking a vow of silence. Upon review of this idea, I have developed a more accurate term and put into practice, a 'penchant for shutting up'. I still love the idea of a vow of silence and I will effectuate it God knows when, but for now I am reveling in this kind-of-being-quiet thing.
“Every person in this life has something to teach me--and as soon as I accept that, I open myself to truly listening.”, -Catherine Doucette
I am learning a fantastic amount about myself just by listening. Even better, opportunity is percolating and I can just feel it, something is happening. Something really good. I hope you are at a point in your spiritual journey that you have faith that something sensational is happening for you too. Let us, in this passage of Thanksgiving, open our hearts and our minds to harvest the bounty of our spiritual gardens. Give thanks for all the good that is in store.

No Turning Back

When's the last time you went to church? By various definitions, 'church' may refer to a building, a program of religious service , or a body of people. I'd like to add my very own definition: a verb meaning, 'to be spiritually uplifted'. I'm about to get righteous here and tell you, when you've been to Renaissance Unity Church in Warren, MI, you've been churched. In addition to the phenomenal, outstanding, and just utterly awesome music you will hear, Rev. Jim Lee will move you with his heartfelt, insightful, and witty messages. (Picture Chris Rock meets the Dalai Lama.) As the supreme cherry-on-top, RU offers a range of classes that will blow your mind and broaden your spiritual horizon.
This is my story, written for a class I'm currently taking:

My hope is in Knowing*. Every lesson I've ever learned is leading

me to a place that I can rest in the Knowing. I no longer have to

'try', worry, strive to do more, know more, or be more.

I am everything, and I am nothing. I am one word in the Master-

Piece that God has written. He knows my meaning and my intention.

It is independantly grand, yet shaped by every single word that

He has authored, Past, Present, and Future.

My identity is not in my thoughts, words, actions, or my

physical body. I am an infinite expression of God's love that is

inextricably woven into His Creation. My Knowing will bring

hope and peace to others.

I am the light of God.

for more information, go to www.renaissanceunity.org/

*Knowing the Truth, that God lives in me and through me. He lives in and through you, and all that He has created. "It's all God, it's all Good."

 









You're All Right

I always forget how excited people get at election time. Tomorrow we must make a crucial decision that will determine the course of our near future; quite reasonable causation for a certain level of hysteria. I am truly awed by those who passionately declare their alliance and are willing to step in the ring for their beliefs. However, I choose to remain passive and open, gleaning information from various sources until I have a sense of who I best relate to.
Both sides advocate tolerance, and would agree on the surface that "it takes all kinds". More aptly expressed by American author Benjamin Hoff, "it takes all kinds to make a mess." Too often, we put our personal beliefs ahead of a sincere desire to contribute to a Utopian paradigm. We are so 'right' that we forget to connect as children of God, all ultimately hoping to raise our children and grow old in a compassionate and prosperous commonwealth. 
All campaigning aside, we must have faith that our leaders share our hopes and dreams. No matter which side of the issues they land on, no matter the path they take to get there, we all will converge in a place of shared  ideals.
I am not nearly educated enough to plead for any cause save one: You can affect change tomorrow by checking off a box, but you can affect change everyday by understanding how we are all connected.  Historically, socially, politically, -and humanly.