MY NEW 'RELIGION'

For several years, I spent a great deal of time reading spiritually enlightening books and participating in on-line discussions of them.  I loved it.  It was a beautiful time of awakening and expansion.

I might do that again, someday.  But for now, I am slavishly following a new guru.

Me.

Yep.  That's right.  I said "Me."

"Me" says, "Follow your bliss."
"Me" says, "Seek out...and create...as much joy as you possibly can."
"Me" says,  "Never, ever forget to BE GRATEFUL.
"Me" says, "If you listen to "Me" you will BE what and who you were created to Be."

And peace, love and joy will follow you all the days of your life."

LIGHTING A CANDLE ON SUNDAY

I was driving home from the grocery store yesterday, thinking about a friend who has a critically ill daughter; another friend who is battling cancer, actually, two who are…one is a friend of many years, the other a fairly new e-friend; one sweet friend going through an extremely difficult time financially and emotionally, and of course, other friends and family with their own  problems. Then there is the poor Phoenix area family who lost their 6 year old son, when he was swept away in one of those rain-swollen washes which are so dangerous when the heavy rains come. They were trying to get him to medical help, in spite of road conditions, because he was very sick.


The people of Haiti, and their plight, yes, them, too.  These long, heart-wrenching days, always them.

I keep all these thoughts going in the back of my mind…rather like a candle burning to symbolize my on-going prayers for them all.

I know we all are doing the same because we all know someone who is ‘standing in the need of prayer’ all the time….or at least, most of the time.

We have to be careful not to lose our peace or our joy as we are holding these thoughts. It doesn’t help anyone get less sick, less in pain, less troubled, less afraid or less broke if we get sucked into an abyss of sadness.

So, let’s not let that happen.

Let’s light a candle, if only in our hearts, and send thoughts of ‘all good’ out into our world. And when we do that, let us do it with a heart full of gratitude and joy, knowing that all our thoughts and prayers have power and really do accomplish something…whether we ever know it or not.

I am Grateful for Joy and Peace and Love.

LOOKING FORWARD

I’m going to get out my crystal ball and look into the year 2010 to see what I can see.


Actually, I won’t.

I don’t have a crystal ball.

But I don’t really need one to see what I already know is in my future.

PEACE, JOY AND LOVE.

That’s what.

How do I KNOW this?

Because that’s the road I choose most of the time.

That…and gratitude.

Oh, sometimes I forget for a minute…or an hour…or even a day. But, I’ve learned to come back ‘home’ pretty quick.

I’m not very comfortable anymore with DRAMA, ANGUISH OR FEAR.

I’ve had more than my fill of those, thank you, very much! Most of it was, of course, of my own choosing.

I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions anymore. But, if I did, I would resolve to continue finding even more reasons for gratitude. I’m never disappointed. NEVER. If I look, for even an instant, I can ALWAYS find something to be Grateful for. And in a heart and mind where there is gratitude, nothing negative can take up residence. It might come for a brief visit, but it just doesn’t stay very long.

Gratitude is the house of bricks that the big, bad wolf simply cannot tear down…no matter how much he huffs and puffs.

So, huff away and puff away, you big ol’ bad wolf. You are no match for my house full of PEACE, JOY AND LOVE…..and

GRATITUDE!

AMEN!

And....HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!