Sunday, April 25, 2010

Speaking Your Truth




"Speak your mind.......even if your voice shakes."

~Anonymous

It would seem that speaking your mind and your truth is harder for women than men but lately I am running across a lot of the male gender who have this problem as well. I am wondering if that is because more women are stepping up to their power and men are just not used to it.
More women are speaking up and speaking out. It is getting easier to say "no" when necessary or "that is just no acceptable."
I say get used to it because women everywhere are stepping up to their power and are just not happy being everything to everyone forgetting themselves in the process. Too many of us don't know where we begin and others leave off. It is very freeing to your spirit to speak your truth and get on with the process of life.
God wishes you to be authentic in mind, body and spirit and get back to self.

Making Hard Choices



Making Hard Choices

Most of us like to find our comfort zone and build our lives around it—but for many this is the beginning of a slow death into a life of boredom.
It is the nature of all things to change, so why is it we are in a hurry to find our comfort zone? For many, it is the way we have been brought up, and we do it for others. People want us to settle down for their convenience. They want us to gather in groups so we fit into their comfort zones. Governments, organizations and those who would control us would prefer us to be easily accessible and assimilated.
In the beginning of humanity the world was divided into five continents and five races. Over time all races have become intermixed. It is humanities instinct to explore, to discover new lands and peoples. For those who never settle down they have found their comfort zone and making changes and it is never a hard choice—but a welcomed one. Change is the only constant in life. At some point in our lives many of us will make a choice to settle down, not the other way around. From the time we are born we live for change. We wonder about what is out there, about our adulthood and what is waiting for us, and if we are encouraged by our parents, change becomes our goal.
The longer we stay in our comfort zone, the more difficult it is to make a decision to change. We have become root bound and there are many forces which would have us remain where we are—we are swimming upstream and moving very slowly or we are swept backwards.
For those who have become bored or aware of their stagnation, the break away may be very difficult. In our zone we have established barriers not to be crossed. Fear has crept in and taken a firm hold on our egos and we are convinced we will not survive. We have told ourselves it is better to remain where we are than face the uncertainty of the unknown. Where others find comfort, we find fear.
It is because our ego is afraid of extinction that we cling to what is known and ego will fight any change. For some, there is the fear of not being able to return to what is known when we fail. Relationships with family and friends are for most the hardest to leave.
Being alive and living are not necessary experienced as the same thing. For amongst the living dead in relationships where there is no growth, living is pure hell. I think one of the most foreboding feelings of doom is being alone in a relationship. The feeling is the ego going down for the third time and knowing he has drowned.
We become overwhelmed by fear, guilt and a sense of responsibility and we talk ourselves into staying. If one has died in a relationship, there is nothing to give back except for that which is already expected of us. In the process of moving from a dead relationship one brings a new opportunity for life into it, change has to be made for all those involved. By disturbing the status quo there is cause and effect or change, and change is all that life is.
Because we are raised to be selfless, we consider the well being of others first, however, this is our own death sentence and we become co-dependent in a relationship that is going no where—selflessness brings hopelessness. In the greater picture it is wise to be selfish and consider yourself first. If you have nothing, you have nothing to give. If you think of yourself first and follow you dreams you gather things and you have things to give away—all others benefit from your abundance. There is little gain from one who has lost everything except for an opportunity for you to give. Change brings abundance, new thoughts, new ideas, and new opportunities to share yourself with others. Fear is a crippling companion not to be trusted.
If you find yourself in a crippling relationship, what is it you are contributing? If it is your body or what you can do for another and you do not feel gratified—you have given a lie. You have contributed unwillingly from obligation. Obligation is a denial of self if it is not willingly given. The body is not life—life is what animates the body. Giving you body to another without the spirit of life is bringing death close to them—they will die and so will you from your disease.
In the greater picture the decision to live always works in the best interest of all those concerned. Leaving a relationship brings heartbreak and sadness, but it also brings new life. Life is what you feel when you leave. Liberation is what you feel when the hurt is gone. Freedom is what you will experience and freedom is life, the words are interchangeable. You will always survive any relationship even if you are not certain of the future.
Without the chains holding you back you will be free to make new choices and you will experience being alive. Choice is life and you have no choices when you are dead. In considering leaving your present circumstances, embrace the fear you are feeling—know it is part of the first steps you are taking. Acknowledge the awareness of it and you will overcome it. Fear not, and you have probably not taken a step. Your lack of fear is acknowledgement of a step not taken. Fear is not your enemy—it is your decision not to experience it, that is.
Freedom is not freedom unless it is exercised. Choices are not choices unless they are made. Freedom, choices, and unconditional love are what you are. You are not alive unless you experience them. Meaningful choices are hard to make. They require moving from your comfort zone, but they also promise the highest rewards. The creator did not know he was alive until he found a way to experience it—he does this through you. It is his nature to experience life in all its aspects—you are the creator experiencing. It is also your nature to change, to evolve—to experience everything life has to offer. There is no life in the box.
You are life itself. With this awareness, it will make your decisions less disturbing and painful. But it is not intended that you not feel anything. You will however, make better decisions which work for you, and you will give more to others through your experience.

This is an incredible video and will give you much to ponder over.


Disclose.tv Underwater Pyramids 5000 Years Older than Egypt Video

Monday, April 19, 2010

What is a good day?



Yesterday was a day to be thankful for. I was in good spirits and just happy and feeling blessed. The weather was so beautiful. Cool air prevailed with lots of sunshine. I went to a service at Unity Church and after lunch drove home. I quickly changed clothes, gave Hector his doggie cookie and went outside to just sit and soak
it up for a while.
I was joyous for no reason at all except that I could be that way. I could choose joy.
I know now through my spiritual journey that life is a constant series of choice every single day and no single choice is unimportant. Every choice leads to another experience and another.
I have greatly decreased my television watching and only watch around two hours a day. most of the day the screen is dark so my days are a lot more productive. This is one of my choices. This particular choice has positive results. I am more in a state of awareness in my days without this particular distraction.
I planted a few more things in my garden and admired it for a while. Later on I went to bed early and felt a good tiredness that took me to dream land quickly.
Now some would say that my day sounds boring but I was full of peace and joy all day and if that is boring then I will choose it anytime.
I felt God close to me all day as if he was right by my side and I knew it was because of what I was emotionally expressing through my heart.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Just what is evil?



Today I want to address the use of the word evil. I think it is overused and misunderstood in the proper context of the word. I cringe when I hear someone call a person evil because they don’t like them, or feel good in their presence or because they have done some bad things and made bad choices. If this is the case, if people are evil because they are perceived in this way then I could be called evil as well. I have made bad choices in my life and unintentionally hurt others through ignorance and lack of understanding. There was a time on my spiritual path when I was very self-centered and wanted things my way. There was a time when I lied indiscrimately for selfish gain. There was a time when I was deliberately cruel and full of grudges and thoughts of harm towards others. Forgiving someone was out of the question. Judgmental could have been my middle name. I wasn’t born with my spirituality intact. It was a journey through all the negative and positive of who I am. Along the way I went through hell of a sort. I was creating the hell. We have free-will and I used mine terribly.

Along the way I felt and thought like a victim, had little to no self-esteem, bullied others and allowed myself to be bullied and controlled. I got angry and depressed easily, thought God didn’t care, thought people didn’t care so I put forth a persona
that I was more than I believed myself to be. I felt like a fraud and that someday people would see me for the fatally flawed person that I was. Because I believed all these things about life and myself all my experiences were trials of fire. I was not at peace. I was always waiting for the other shoe to fall. I didn’t trust happiness because it was fleeting and I believed suffering would inevitably follow. Therefore I never enjoyed any happiness I may have had to the extent that I should have. I wonder if anyone ever called me evil. I certainly didn’t think very much of myself and the world at large.


According to M. Scott Peck
an evil person is someone who
• Is consistently self deceiving, with the intent of avoiding guilt and maintaining a self image of perfection
• Deceives others as a consequence of their own self deception
• Projects his or her evils and sins onto very specific targets (scapegoats) while being apparently normal with everyone else (Peck, 1983/1988,p105))
• Commonly hates with the pretense of love, for the purposes of self deception as much as deception of others
• Abuses political (emotional) power ("the imposition of one's will upon others by overt or covert coercion" (Peck, 1978/1992,p298))
• Maintains a high level of respectability and lies incessantly in order to do so
• Is consistent in his or her sins. Evil persons are characterized not so much by the magnitude of their sins, but by their consistency (of destructiveness)
• Is unable to think from the viewpoint of their victim. (scapegoat)
• Has a covert intolerance to criticism and other forms of narcissistic injury
By Pecks descriptions it would be fair to say that when I was ignorant of God and myself that I was evil. Is this true, absolutely not! Believe me when I tell you that a few of these things mentioned above are right on with what my life was like.

So why am I unzipping my soul so you all can take a peek inside? I am doing it because with every single soul you meet you are meeting a child of God and should think twice before you call them evil. Some people go so off path that you think there is no redemption for them but you are wrong. People change all the time. Whatever it is that you are seeing in another and calling them evil for is something
that you are supposed to understand and develop compassion for.

We all have dark places inside that we shouldn’t express but we do.
It doesn’t mean we are evil.

So just what is evil then? I call it the dark side of life. Negative is dark. There is no light of wisdom in being negative. There is no peace or joy. The dark side is full of greed fear and hate towards others. The dark side is full of judgment.
After all, Adolph Hitler thought that any one who was not of what he called the Master Race was less than human. The truth is those who participated in this inhuman atrocity became less than human. Because he chose this judgment millions died horrible deaths.

People who kill others with no conscience because they enjoy it are evil. Those who molest children in any way are evil. There are evil corporations. There are evil politicians. There are evil groups. Evil does exist. I have no doubts about that.

Take care of your use of this word before you call someone evil. This word has its place. How are you using it and why?

"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it." Proverb 3:27

What I am calling for is more understanding for others and a lot more compassion.
Calling your mother-in-law evil because you don’t get along and she has some big issues is not true. She is not evil. Calling someone you are uncomfortable with or just don’t like, evil, is not the spiritual way. None of us is perfect. Don’t hold your growth and goodness over anyone’s head because you are spiritually further along than they are.
If you perceive them as an enemy then that is what they will be. You will call it into being with your words and thoughts. The power of the Golden Rule to do unto others as you would have them do unto you means exactly that. It is not supposed to be selective in any way. Get it? I hope so. Sow love and peace and embrace your biggest fears and show them compassion. They do not know what they do not know.
This is just something to think about.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Being Love Able



How many of you have said that you want to be loved? You want to be loved for yourself
just as you are. What if what you are is not lovable? What unlovable traits do you have?
I came to realize that I have some not so compatible traits myself. I am far from perfect. I cannot expect someone to love me unconditionally. It is just too unrealistic. The only creature that loves me that way is my dog. A human being is far more complex and cannot be expected to accept me this way. Who am I kidding? Who are you kidding?
We all know what our unlovable traits are. Anyone who is trying to love us will point it out to us at every available opportunity. We will keep getting the clues we need for personal change. If for instance we are a terrible listener and hog the conversations going on, someone sooner or later
will tell us and then tell us again. Maybe we are a sloppy untidy housekeeper. Someone will tell us eventually and then another person and then another one. Ignoring these subtle and not so subtle comments will cause problems with our personal relationships if we don’t take heed. We are essentially being told we are unlovable in these areas. We are being told every day in a lot of ways what it is about us that is unlovable. The trick here is to pay attention.
I have heard all my life that it is the little things that have a lot of impact in our lives. The little things can make or break a relationship in terms of love ability. Let’s say that you are a guy who early on in your relationship was well groomed and fresh shaven every day. After a while you sort of forget to shave when you are around her. Maybe you let the shower go as well. When you try to hold her or kiss her she tenses up and tells you that your beard breaks her face out. She may tell you flat out that you stink. You ignore it to your own peril. It won’t be long before your lady isn’t responding to you at all.
Using another example to be fair to both genders, let’s say that you are a woman who kissed your guy every evening and asked about his day. Then you changed into asking him if he picked

up the dry cleaning and reminded him to take out the trash all the while talking to your girlfriend on the phone. It wouldn’t make him feel very important in your life, would it? How about those ratty old t-shirts you wear to bed. It is not very appealing is it? I bet he has mentioned it to you by buying you some pretty lingerie that you haven’t bothered to wear. I would consider this a strong message.
We are also unlovable to our children and friends, parents and co-workers in so many ways.
It is time to pay attention to what we do and say to those around us. If you want to be loved then be love-able. You have to be able to love in order to love another. To be love-able we have to be prepared to listen and respond when we are getting clues verbal or otherwise that we have some traits or habits that are unlovable. If you are constantly yelling and criticizing everyone it won’t be too long when your victims aren’t around to abuse.
The biggest goof of all is to take for granted the love we already have in our life from whatever source. There are so many levels of love. The highest level of love is the love that God has for us. Are you taking God for granted too? Are you trying to keep your spiritual house in order or are there a lot of mental cob-webs that need to be cleaned out? Have you prayed or meditated lately? The good news is that even when we are being unlovable, God still loves us anyway. You can’t expect this kind of love from human beings. We want to be appreciated and valued. What are you doing that makes it difficult to be appreciated and valued? You are the only one that can make changes in your life. This is just something to think about.

www.makeachoicenow.com

Friday, April 9, 2010

Title...Into The Pink... Acrylic



I was in such a grateful state this time and I kept hearing spirit tell me to create a tree and the pink moon came later. The tree felt like it was in a state of winter waiting to bud out at any moment...still very much alive. This painting is available.
Click to enlarge!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Acrylic medium...title Forest Floored! This was a happy piece to do.



I meditated and prayed before this piece started and I felt all the blues and greens before and this is what the painting wanted to be. Click on painting to enlarge!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Queen For A Day


I have observed that too many of us women just do not take time for to pamper up a bit, read for a while outside in the swing, take a bubble bath or a nap. There you are Johnny on the spot for anyone else but when it comes to you...tsk! tsk!

If you take just a little bit of time for you on a daily basis, you will feel so much better. While you are at it, learn to say no to those things you should say no to. Repeat after me. NO! It is a funny thing that the more you do for people the more they expect. That is because you have taught them through your behavior that you will do almost everything. I have a news flash for you.

YOU ARE NOT A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE!
You are a spiritual being with human needs.

Monday, April 5, 2010

It is a long way down off that cliff





I like to think from the back end forward when I have a fear of something happening.
I go to that dark place of possible dire circumstances and many times find that facing the fear down takes its power away. I call it out and give it a name and go a few rounds with it.
I am so over allowing any fear to rule my life. After all it is me that brings the fear into existence with my thoughts. So I pretend that the worst has already happened and face it down out of the dark corners of my mind.
God empowers me to not let fear rule my life if I just let God help. There is a story I have heard that illustrates this point beautifully. A man is looking out over a canyon and takes a step to far and over the side he goes. It is two thousand feet down and at the last moment he grabs a tree root and is hanging on crying out to God to save him. "Help me God," he cries over and over in a panicked voice. Finally He hears God's booming yet sweet voice speak to him and say, "just let go child and I will catch you." The man quickly responds, Is there anyone else out there?"
There have been times when I have cried out to God to help me and then didn't listen when the help arrived. I didn't trust it because my fear was so powerful that it made me not trust my union with God. Believe with every fiber of your being that your creator is there to help you solve everything.
www.makeachoicenow.com

Sunday, April 4, 2010


You do not have the right to complain about something...if you have the power to change it and didn't!
Out of about 60,000 thoughts a day how many of them are complaining thoughts? How many of them are spoken into being?

Faith is a muscle that gets stronger and stronger the more it is applied to your life experience unalike rubber that gets weaker the more it is stretched.

BE STILL



Today, I have been restless all day and I am trying to come to center again and it is simply not working.
I have used all the spiritual tools I have and still I am in a sour mood. This is not like me and I have asked the creator what is going on? I keep hearing "be still." I have been pretty still and quiet all day.

When this has happened before I get busy but today I have little to no energy. I look outside at the flowers blooming and this incredible weather and it does little to change my mood. In some ways it feels like some of the ascension changes that I have read of and studied. If that is it then it will pass soon.

In the meantime I will pray. With no energy I can not use a task as a distraction. So, I sit with myself
and stay in the stillness and the quiet. I know that God sits with me and is quiet too.

No guidance or messages have been forthcoming from God as it usually does. I only received the two words,
"BE STILL."

Allow, Allow, Allow....Watch this to make instnat changes in today!

Abraham on complaining...do you see yourself here?

Broken Toe and Water In My Basement







This has been a very interesting weekend. For starters there was a big storm
that came through a few days ago and dumped a lot of rain in this area. The result of that storm front was water in my basement studio and a subsequent broken toe and this morning my coffee maker stopped working. I had a moments irritation when I realized I couldn’t make coffee. I am a coffee person. I have a little sign in the kitchen that says, “just give me the coffee and no one gets hurt.” Adhering to what I teach I started practicing gratitude. I gave up being concerned about my coffee. Gratitude teaches you to think upon what you do have not for what you don’t have. I had tea and lots of it. I made a strong cup of tea with honey and am just fine now. I have noticed that every day you are given opportunity after opportunity to flex your spiritual practices and use your new found skill. The spiritual toolbox is yours to use.
Now, backtrack to the water in my basement. While it was raining all day and night on Friday, I decided to do some laundry. I will grant you one guess as to where the washer and dryer are located? There it was; water in my basement and in my art studio. There wasn’t a lot I could do until it stopped raining. The next day was beautiful…sunny and
cool with a soft breeze. It was perfect to start cleaning up the water and collecting my thoughts. It wasn’t that bad and I determined that I needed to get extenders to my down spouts and get the water farther away from the house during rains. I was led to buy some and put them on that day. I did just that. During the mopping and vacuuming that went on for a while I went into the kitchen and had no shoes on because I didn’t want to track water into my kitchen. I rammed my little toe into a chair. If I had worn my shoes it would not have happened. By the way, am I the only person who thinks that we don’t need a little toe?
I knew instantly that I had broken it again. This is probably the third time this toe and I have tried to part company. My consciousness immediately registered great pain.
I sucked in my breath and did not let it out for at least thirty long seconds.
I make a funny sound when I have hurt myself in some way and it is the only time I do it.
It is a clicking thing I do with my tongue. I sound like some kind of chicken that has gotten itself in trouble. My first thoughts were I had things to do and it would not hurt that much and it hasn’t. It looks terrible but it will heal. There is not a lot that can be done to heal a broken toe except to stabilize it and gimp about for a week or so. Practicing gratitude is not impossible at times like this. In fact, it is more important at these times of trying circumstances to use your spiritual practices and skills. All throughout the long hours of cleanup and limping around I practiced gratitude. I found many things to be grateful for. A neighbor offered to come over and help and I gratefully accepted. I owned a wet dry vacuum and I was grateful for that. I was very grateful I had not broken an ankle or worse. There was very little damage. I had put my art supplies on shelving that kept almost everything off the floor! I spoke the words that my foot will not hurt much and it continues to be almost pain free for the most part. I am so grateful.
My point to all of this is my stress level during all of this was almost zero. I felt closer to God when I was going though my little ordeals. I know that I am never given anything that is too hard for me to handle. I continue being tempered through allowing God’s grace to appear and fill me. I am filled with such gratitude. Truth is I wasn’t miserable. I am not complaining or thinking like a victim. I am at peace.
I used to be such a whiner and a cry baby when things went a little weird in my life. Most of my role models had been complainers when I was younger and I had followed the footsteps of how they lived their lives.
There is no benefit to complaining and thinking like a victim…none whatsoever. You only feel progressively worse and peace is far away. You push away peace when you think and act in negative ways. In the center of a hurricane is the eye of the storm. The eye is calm and all the fury stops for a while until the storm crosses the rest of the way over land. I become like the eye at the center of the storm. In the eye of the storm is God
calling you to take shelter.
I am reminded how some people handle losing their entire homes to hurricanes and in some cases their loved ones. They feel blessed that they are alive and start rebuilding their lives while they are grieving their losses. Now there is a role model for you. A little water in my basement and a broken toe was not a big deal and I knew it. How many of you would view such issues by ranting and raving about it for days?
Now dawns a new morning and I think it might rain today so I will be able to test out my theory with the downspout extenders. It has only been two days since I broke my toe and I continue to feel very little pain. I purchased a new coffee maker yesterday. As I limped around Walmart, I noticed a few people in those mobile carts that couldn’t walk and I was grateful that I could walk although very slowly.
When I got home I sat outside for a while and watched the birds and soaked up some sunshine and talked to God and was filled with happiness and peace that God is always with me and that I now know this without any doubts. I had become one of those people
that I used to scratch my head over. I was one of those people I thought knew some kind of great secret that I would never know because they were so peaceful. Now, I know it is no great secret at all. What I needed to know had been there all along and that is that God is with me every step of the way. I am not sure where he was when I broke my toe! I just had to find my path to the creator my own way.
He was there the whole time waiting! Imagine that! This is just something to think about.

Non-attachment and why it is important in relationships



The key to bringing out the best in others is non-attachment. When we realize that we have total control over our response to any situation, and we give up our right to be invalidated by others or control them, we will possess a new freedom that allows us to exit the drama of conflict in favor of understanding, compassion, and love. Decide now to be grateful for the challenges you will encounter in your life and business. See the problems that arise as opportunities for your personal development. Look for these challenges as you go about your day, be grateful when you encounter them, and seek out the gifts awaiting your discovery.

Angels In Service




There are a lot of people in this world who are called in service to become a caregiver to someone in need. People step up to the plate either because of family needs or to be of service to another. It makes no difference if you are a volunteer or not, care giving is a tough job on all fronts. It is emotionally upsetting, physically exhausting and financially draining even in the best of circumstances.
The scenarios are different but the bottom line is when there is someone who needs care someone somewhere has to step in and help.
This article is primarily for those who are taking care of someone who is either, elderly, terminally ill, or is helpless in some fashion. It makes no difference if they are sweet natured or mean tempered. You are an unsung hero.
Some years ago I made the decision to take care of my mother who was failing fast. Her addiction to anything that smacked of painkillers, valium or muscle relaxers had reached a peak. Her health from years of this abuse had gone downhill and had affected her heart and liver function. Her house was falling apart and my siblings were creating distance with her. She was not an easy person to be around. I sold my business and packed up everything to go to her and was planning to live out my life in Texas. This was without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever done. She was not very nice to me. In fact, she was mean and hurtful.
Long story short, I went through a lot just to get the doctors to detox her. Her health was so bad I think they were concerned that she wouldn’t survive detox. She did and I discovered that I had created a monster. I was the one that doled out her medications and took her to her numerous appointments. I was the one that sat through emergency room visit after emergency room visit. Her heart was weak and failing. There were so many things wrong with her that she was a walking medical textbook. She had a clear mind due to the detox and now that she was thinking clearer she took out her frustrations on me.
She decided that she didn’t need me anymore and the things that she did to get rid of me caused me great pain. I now know why someone goes to the store and is never heard from again. It was hard for me to believe that the mother that I loved so much could be so horrible to me. She did everything she could to malign and discredit me.
My siblings were no help to me at all. Out of sight, out of mind was pretty much how they handled the situation. I don’t really blame them for that and I have forgiven them for not being there for me.
This was so isolating to me. I felt that I was on my own and I pretty much was. The stress came close to killing me. I suffered a conjunctival hemorrhage, heart palpitations and stomach issues while I was with her. I went to her doctor for these ailments and she told me it was stress related. She advised me to put my mother in a nursing home and run for my life. She was very aware of how my mother related to the world. She told me it could kill me. I still hung in there. There were no caregiver support groups in the area.
Many people are concentrating on the person who needs care but not the caregiver. I am telling you that is an extremely tough job.
If you are a caregiver find a support group and go to the meetings. If there isn’t one in your area, start one. If your brother or sister or dad or whoever is taking care of someone, offer help. Take over for a day or even a few hours. You have no idea how much this could mean to them. Call often and see what you can do but do something. Don’t abandon them.
During this time in my life I talked to God a lot to make it through another day. I wept with frustration, anger, sadness and a feeling of hopelessness.
If your health is failing because you are overwhelmed with someone’s care think about an alternative plan. Many families have broken apart because of these issues. The point is that the person in question gets care, no matter what organization or person gives it.
Don’t sit back and breathe a sigh of relief that good ole ___________has taken over ____________’s care and now you can get on with your life. Fill in the blanks.
I have talked to my creator about this care giving issue. I received guidance to remind everyone to support and love the supporter. Lift them up and show compassion.
My hats off to all of you who have stepped up to the plate but remember you need care too!
To all of those who are supporting the care givers of this world…kudos to you! I also want to remind everyone that someday you may need care too! We are all God’s creations and would do well to remember that! Don’t just think that you should help out and forget it.

Do something.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

A Sleepless Night


Last night I had a very hard time getting to sleep. I remained in that state between sleep and awake for hours. Finally, I got up and went downstairs to read. When I came back to bed sleep alluded me for another hour so this morning I am tired and groggy yet here I am writing something.

What came to me is how prayer is the hidden source of power. I don't think we give prayer the attention it deserves. Prayer is talking to our source in a focused way and allows us to tap into the universal mind.

There are times when I envision my troubles to be little balls of lead in a basket and I just lay the basket at Gods door and leave it. I trust God to help me dispose of what is not for my highest calling.

There are other times when I just lay myself at Gods door to help me look within and fill myself with peace for this day.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Odd One Out



From the desk of Rev. Diannia Baty ©

Do you ever feel like the oddball in the bunch? Do you feel as though you just don’t fit in? I want to let you in on a secret. Everyone feels this way sooner or later. We all go through periods when we wonder if we came from a different planet. When all the others are going left, we go right. It is a very uncomfortable feeling for many of us. I have heard the statement “there is something different about me.” If you feel that way it is cause for celebration and not something to feel bad about.

It would be a very boring world indeed if the only flowers that existed were yellow tulips. Imagine a world where we all had green skin. There was no red or purple, only green. A world full of people with green skin looking at only yellow flowers, how awful!
If you are a little different than other people it should be a wonderful feeling but sadly many of those who feel like the fifth wheel or the odd duck out feel less than, not worthy.
They feel as though there is something wrong with them. In our cookie cutter society being odd is difficult because of all the comparisons that exist. We have a class system.
There is lower class to upper middle class. Then there are the rich folks. They have a class all to their selves. The gulf between the rich and the poor in this country grows wider every year. How about weight class? There are the model thin people, height/ weight proportionate, overweight and obese. I am in an age class known as the baby boomers. To describe myself by class I would say I am a middle class, height weight proportionate baby boomer. This would give you a generic idea of who I am by class description. A generic idea is all you get from this because I am a far more complex creature than this. Each one of us is such a wonderful creation, simply perfect and perfectly simple. We are complex, diverse, creative, intelligent entities made of love, for love and to be love.
God has no class descriptions, no prejudices, and no concerns about how much money you make or don’t make, isn’t wondering if you should lose or gain a few pounds, putting you last in line or sending you to the back of the bus. You are accepted and loved just as you are. If you are a little different you are that way for a very good reason. Remember, God doesn’t make any mistakes. God didn’t invent the red rover game or tug of war or wars for that matter, we did. If any of you remember the red rover game that we played in school we had two captains and got to choose by turn from a group of children to be on your team. As the choices dwindled down there were always a few of the same children left standing toward the very end. You could see the pain in their eyes at being at the very end of the culling process. They were considered the least desirable. It was a hurtful way to choose. The teacher should be the one to do this or another method used.

In any event, I think you know that the diversity in our world is a wonderful thing and no one person should be excluded from the game of life. If you are the odd duck, go celebrate your uniqueness. If you are looking at, living with, working with or loving an odd duck…how wonderful. Get to know them; you just might have some fantastic surprises and insights in store for you.

Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t have some kind of spiritual red rover game?
If he did, when do you think your name would be called? Kind of scary, huh?
I am so happy that God loves me just as I am.

Changing Lanes


Sometimes while driving, I observe other drivers and their driving behavior. There is always one driver who is constantly changing lanes in an effort to get to their destination a little faster. Then you arrive at a stop light and there they are right beside you. They didn’t get any closer or faster to their destination than anyone else. They worked harder to get to the same place. All the while, I try to stay with the flow of traffic and enjoy the scenery and stay alert to what is going on around me. I know I am not on the road alone. Any one of these drivers is a precious someone to a son, husband, wife, grandchild etc.
The lane changers are doing their thing almost without regard to what is going on around them.
I wonder what their big hurry is.
Some lane changers cause accidents in their haste to get wherever they are going faster. These accidents are fatalities for some. All of this because they were in such a rush to get somewhere.
My point to all this is slow down and pace yourself. If you are in a rush it is hard to stay focused on anything. We miss the beauty of our life by rushing around and changing lanes, relationships, houses, jobs etc.
Spiritually speaking it is very important to stay focused on the road and the tasks ahead. We give up too easily. If for example we are told that we must learn to meditate, we may give it a brief try and then tell ourselves we can’t do it. It is too hard. Meditation is like anything else and requires a commitment to the process. I tell most people to just sit quietly and concentrate on their breathing for a few moments and just observe their surroundings. That in and of itself is a form of meditation.
If you desire peace in your life then you must stay focused on the road and the signs along the way. You can’t be constantly changing lanes. Peace is a verb. To have peace you must first become peace. Practice peace. If you feel negative feelings and emotions rise up within allow yourself to become peaceful instead. In any given moment and circumstance you can transform an outcome by staying focused and peaceful. All you have to do is choose peace and the rest will follow. You cannot by-pass this step or you will never arrive at your spiritual destination. Peace is where God resides and where your connection to God is strongest. If you desire guidance and messages from God you cannot change lanes on this. Don’t leave God behind in a cloud of dust as you hurry on in your busy world. Someone gave me a little medallion to put on my key chain a while back and it was a strong reminder to stay the course. It said, “Never drive faster than your guardian angels can fly.” It gave me pause for thought. Every now and then on a two lane road
there are the double yellow lines that expressly mean not to pass under any circumstances. It could mean the end of your life if you ignore it and you could take anothers life in the process.
Spirituality is sort of like that road with the double yellow lines. Stay focused. Stay in your lane and look and make sure there isn’t someone coming at you from the other side of the road that ignored the yellow lines. In other words practice discernment, be aware and stay in the now with God as your co-pilot.

I love road trips through the countryside and before I leave I ask my creator for protection and I am always excited as I know I am going to see some beautiful things and arrive home with new insights. I have the intention for guidance and messages to come through. I don’t change lanes unless it is absolutely necessary. I am not in a hurry and many times have to pull off the road to let the other drivers past me so I will not hold them up.
This is just something to think about.

A Passion For Passion



To have passion for something or someone as the case may be means it becomes almost the most important thing in your life. I have a passion for writing and art but right now in my life, writing is number one. Art has taken a back seat.

I think about my passion all the time. What am I going to write next? I see a potential story or article in my daily life and the experiences I have. I allow myself to go back in memory and write about the past and how it applies to life in a spiritual empowering way.

I am a word smith. I love words and their definitions. I love the power of words.
I love the sound of a word. Words have such symmetry and beauty. Words can slice open or heal a broken heart. Words can build and educate a nation. Words can convey an emotion or feeling. They have the power to pull the reader along into the writers mind. I want people to feel my words and see them and go to the places in their minds that I am trying to introduce them to. When I receive testimonials I am overjoyed and grateful. The words have been seen and heard on a deep level. We have walked into each others world so to speak, the reader and I.

I desire to feel good and to feel happy. It is a wonderful addictive feeling to just be happy. I choose it. I get past things that happen a lot faster these days. People think if you are a spiritual teacher and life coach, you never have any issues or problems.

Wrong! I just choose to stay in contact with my creator and the wisdom of the ages.
I try to remember to choose to be happy, speak my truth and be of service.
Along the way I learned quite by accident to develop a passion for myself and my life. I am finally the director and the star player in my life and I know it. It is about time.

I also have a passion for God...to know God in a deeply profound way and I have found that in that passion God knows me.
Where is your passion? What is your passion? Do you know? It is your passion that
drives you and sustains you.
Find your passion and you will find a part of you. Are you feeling and seeing what I am sending you now?