What I've learned so far
It's better to contribute than to compete.
A sense of childlike wonder is an important part of appreciating life.
Appreciating life is key, and you must appreciate it in its daily, small details as well as its bigger, more dramatic times.
The profoundly effective can be found in any moment~ great or small, it doesn't matter ~ the profound is its own milestone, and comes through whatever moment God pleases, be it a tiny detail or a big event or something in-between.
A happy life may come from 'good health, good food, good wine, good books, good conversation, good friends, fresh flowers', yes~ but it also comes from inner peace, joy, contentment, gratitude, love, creativity, and hope.
A happy life consists of a balance of physical and spiritual things.
The feminine power is an indirect power, and is just as strong as direct power~ you just have to be more savvy, to know how to use it well!
That power is also mysterious, veiled, rather secretive.
The Romantic Ideal for the feminine power is for it to be left hidden until it's earnestly sought~ because then and only then can the seeker show themselves worthy of seeing and treasuring its beauty.
When they tell you that your body is a temple, they mean it. Hating your body or not taking care of it is a sure and certain way to tear down what is holy in you.
Tears of gratitude over the kindness of God are diamonds of peerless value to God~ those tears come from the purest core of the spiritual heart, now opened as trustingly as a fawn to a brook.
28 September 2007
26 September 2007
25 September 2007
100 Day Challenge, so far
I'm actually surprised by how much I've 'learned', so far~
I specify 'learned', in quotations, because I see that it's just a hint of learning starting up ~ just the beginning, a vulnerable part of a new concept for me....I step into the water gingerly.
That's also how I was when I was learning that God really does love me. Hesitant, cautious, hopeful, skittish, easily influenced by God's perceived actions to me, during that time of questioning...
I have listened to much of the audio book of "the Secret," and see how it agrees with my own observations and viewpoints. ~
Though the author doesn't talk about Faith, that's there.
I noticed the 100 Day Challenge women talking about Gratitude, so that's there.
And meditation~ quiet time~ time I use to focus on God in solitude!
And to me, the Good in the universe will always be the God I see, no matter what name it's given.
And Love and Faith together make a most powerful voice in the universe of my God.
All these things are basics to me, so I'm not at all opposed to 'the Secret', though I see how it could be used for selfish, arrogant reasons. ~
But then, the Church itself and the positions within it could be used for those reasons, too. Nothing is really safe from that on the Earth.
I feel we each have to take responsibility for our own motives, in everything we do in our lives, and not blame it on the things we use to act out the awfulness.
What I want
I alter the usual procedure of the Law of Attraction/the Secret slightly, by claiming my own limits ~ I myself don't know for sure what will make me happy, or even happier.
I have opinions on that, of course~ but I see that God knows more than me about what will happen and how I'll react to it and all that, so I like to leave it to God. I tell what I want, then I leave it in Divine, Smarter hands!
I'm a strong woman, but I'm also wise enough to like staying under God's wing and direction as much as possible! I have my 'rebellions', my independent ways~ but for the most part, I choose to let God take the lead in creating my life.
I feel certain that only the best of things will come to me, if I do that~ only the things specific to my true needs and true wants~ those things that uplift and strengthen and clarify my very being! As a beloved child of God, I'll receive the best, the best for me and my own personal growth.
The trials will come. They'll sneak in, regardless of how much good stuff I'm given. That's just life, and I'll learn about the God of Love from all of it.
But I feel sure that God wants to give good things to us, so I want to be open to receiving whatever the Divine Creative Spirit of my God comes up with for me!
Renegade
Another thing I'm consciously doing differently, after observing others, is to take it slow, start small. Keep humble, keep under God's care. Let God direct the things that come.
And remember that there's no harm in asking ~ God loves to be trusted with my wishes, even if they can't be fulfilled, right now!
This stuff is all new to me, and I'm still testing and looking around and generally keeping my hand squeezed into God's! My prayer is that I do nothing that would upset or offend God, believe nothing that would upset or offend this God I've come to know better and love more.
I go carefully towards my aim of opening myself up completely to the good things God wants to give me.....I hope Love can use this to shape my life and refine it into the wondrous, extraordinary thing that my gut instinct is telling me is the hoped-for design for my life!
An extraordinary life
We can all become extraordinary, just by trusting in God and living our faith and belief in the possibilities from God, things we couldn't imagine, beforehand ~ and remembering all that is possible with an all-powerful, loving God.
A great leap of faith, yes~ but I intend to keep leaping, keep giving my faith that kind of workout, until it's strong enough for me to LIVE the belief that "with God, all things are possible."
I'm actually surprised by how much I've 'learned', so far~
I specify 'learned', in quotations, because I see that it's just a hint of learning starting up ~ just the beginning, a vulnerable part of a new concept for me....I step into the water gingerly.
That's also how I was when I was learning that God really does love me. Hesitant, cautious, hopeful, skittish, easily influenced by God's perceived actions to me, during that time of questioning...
I have listened to much of the audio book of "the Secret," and see how it agrees with my own observations and viewpoints. ~
Though the author doesn't talk about Faith, that's there.
I noticed the 100 Day Challenge women talking about Gratitude, so that's there.
And meditation~ quiet time~ time I use to focus on God in solitude!
And to me, the Good in the universe will always be the God I see, no matter what name it's given.
And Love and Faith together make a most powerful voice in the universe of my God.
All these things are basics to me, so I'm not at all opposed to 'the Secret', though I see how it could be used for selfish, arrogant reasons. ~
But then, the Church itself and the positions within it could be used for those reasons, too. Nothing is really safe from that on the Earth.
I feel we each have to take responsibility for our own motives, in everything we do in our lives, and not blame it on the things we use to act out the awfulness.
What I want
I alter the usual procedure of the Law of Attraction/the Secret slightly, by claiming my own limits ~ I myself don't know for sure what will make me happy, or even happier.
I have opinions on that, of course~ but I see that God knows more than me about what will happen and how I'll react to it and all that, so I like to leave it to God. I tell what I want, then I leave it in Divine, Smarter hands!
I'm a strong woman, but I'm also wise enough to like staying under God's wing and direction as much as possible! I have my 'rebellions', my independent ways~ but for the most part, I choose to let God take the lead in creating my life.
I feel certain that only the best of things will come to me, if I do that~ only the things specific to my true needs and true wants~ those things that uplift and strengthen and clarify my very being! As a beloved child of God, I'll receive the best, the best for me and my own personal growth.
The trials will come. They'll sneak in, regardless of how much good stuff I'm given. That's just life, and I'll learn about the God of Love from all of it.
But I feel sure that God wants to give good things to us, so I want to be open to receiving whatever the Divine Creative Spirit of my God comes up with for me!
Renegade
Another thing I'm consciously doing differently, after observing others, is to take it slow, start small. Keep humble, keep under God's care. Let God direct the things that come.
And remember that there's no harm in asking ~ God loves to be trusted with my wishes, even if they can't be fulfilled, right now!
This stuff is all new to me, and I'm still testing and looking around and generally keeping my hand squeezed into God's! My prayer is that I do nothing that would upset or offend God, believe nothing that would upset or offend this God I've come to know better and love more.
I go carefully towards my aim of opening myself up completely to the good things God wants to give me.....I hope Love can use this to shape my life and refine it into the wondrous, extraordinary thing that my gut instinct is telling me is the hoped-for design for my life!
An extraordinary life
We can all become extraordinary, just by trusting in God and living our faith and belief in the possibilities from God, things we couldn't imagine, beforehand ~ and remembering all that is possible with an all-powerful, loving God.
A great leap of faith, yes~ but I intend to keep leaping, keep giving my faith that kind of workout, until it's strong enough for me to LIVE the belief that "with God, all things are possible."
21 September 2007
Let me count the ways
Joan of the Joan's Journeys blog has a Sept 21 post that will rock yer socks right off~ she's quoting a guy I've never even heard of, about God's love.
And you know how big I am on that!
You can visit her and read the post here.
All about the Love
I pretty much devote the entire course of this blog towards convincing you, my hapless reader, of the pretty and mighty and truly wonderful Love of God for you (and me, too, of course!). There seems to be some resistance to the idea, lying in wait in our minds~ that resistance comes from fear, from pride, from disinterest, from not-knowing, and sometimes from not taking the time to find out. Or a combination of all of those.
The thing is, getting acquainted with God is available to us all, and is exactly what we're needing to fill the huge gaps we run across in ourselves, when we least expect it.
We want to be loved by the Greatest Love, out there. Some don't even realize that that's the universal, foundational need.
And we're all looking for it.
"Before me, even as behind,
God is, and all is well."
- John Greenleaf Whittier, "My Birthday," 1871
The wrath and the way
We seem to mix up respect with fear, when it comes to God. Our English translation says, "fear the Lord", but "perfect Love casts out fear".... and most stick with the first one, just to be on the safe side. Just because God doesn't seem very trustworthy, to them. Not that they know much about "Him", besides what they've read and been told by other humans.
We seek God's face at God's invitation~ to take up that invitation is to sweep open the heavy curtains, to find a stand of awe and respect and deep, deep humility and thrilling peace and a tremendous love that defies words, and the waning of fear.
You fall in love with God, not through hearsay, and not through your knowledge of the thoughts of man, but from your gut, your spirit, your soul, your heart ~ the heart that can somehow still sing a pure song, inside it. Your being suddenly understands what all the ruckus has been about, and you'll never be the same, again.
You want more.
Squinting in the Cloud
And God, in God's turn~ may I be so bold as to tell you what I experience, my own impressions of the God I meet?
This God is beyond our concepts of good and evil. Just above and beyond all that. Evil keeps us away from God, and good brings us closer, and that seems to be the only reason they concern the God I experience.
This God I see is beyond the love I could know. This Love isn't a he or a she or not even an it, but somehow all that and none of that~ my words become frustrating and futile, none do justice to what I see in the Holy.
This Love is heartbreakingly strong, It forgives past what we would consider "right" to forgive ~ It puzzles when I try to use my logic and intellect to unite the views of God~ how could the Old Testament God be this God?
What goes on in this mysterious God, that we should fear such Perfect and True and Giving Love for us?
God seems pleased to forgive that which has not been formally pleaded for~ those who don't confess their sins in public or even in distinct ways. The Heart of God, of Heaven, looks into the heart of the apparently-unrepentent, and sees something there that no other can gain access to. If the right things are found, the forgiveness and grace cover the rest.
We are often crippled by a sort of blind, stupid, aggressive pride, often mixed with the feeling that we aren't worth forgiving, so why bother asking? 'I'll just get blown away for asking, because I don't deserve to be forgiven!', it says in us.
But the God I've sat with in silence is a God that is tender, and sees our complicated emotions and reactions for what they are, and readily forgives all but the most rejecting of evils.
God is pushed away~ God doesn't push away. If you persist in rejecting God in your heart, not just your actions, God will go. But not before.
God is constantly wooing.
Love doesn't give up until someone pushes to be forgotten. Those who long for It will find It.
God wants you to find this Powerful Love, more than you can imagine ~ pleading with you to seek the Great Creative Love that is God.
Joan of the Joan's Journeys blog has a Sept 21 post that will rock yer socks right off~ she's quoting a guy I've never even heard of, about God's love.
And you know how big I am on that!
You can visit her and read the post here.
All about the Love
I pretty much devote the entire course of this blog towards convincing you, my hapless reader, of the pretty and mighty and truly wonderful Love of God for you (and me, too, of course!). There seems to be some resistance to the idea, lying in wait in our minds~ that resistance comes from fear, from pride, from disinterest, from not-knowing, and sometimes from not taking the time to find out. Or a combination of all of those.
The thing is, getting acquainted with God is available to us all, and is exactly what we're needing to fill the huge gaps we run across in ourselves, when we least expect it.
We want to be loved by the Greatest Love, out there. Some don't even realize that that's the universal, foundational need.
And we're all looking for it.
"Before me, even as behind,
God is, and all is well."
- John Greenleaf Whittier, "My Birthday," 1871
The wrath and the way
We seem to mix up respect with fear, when it comes to God. Our English translation says, "fear the Lord", but "perfect Love casts out fear".... and most stick with the first one, just to be on the safe side. Just because God doesn't seem very trustworthy, to them. Not that they know much about "Him", besides what they've read and been told by other humans.
We seek God's face at God's invitation~ to take up that invitation is to sweep open the heavy curtains, to find a stand of awe and respect and deep, deep humility and thrilling peace and a tremendous love that defies words, and the waning of fear.
You fall in love with God, not through hearsay, and not through your knowledge of the thoughts of man, but from your gut, your spirit, your soul, your heart ~ the heart that can somehow still sing a pure song, inside it. Your being suddenly understands what all the ruckus has been about, and you'll never be the same, again.
You want more.
Squinting in the Cloud
And God, in God's turn~ may I be so bold as to tell you what I experience, my own impressions of the God I meet?
This God is beyond our concepts of good and evil. Just above and beyond all that. Evil keeps us away from God, and good brings us closer, and that seems to be the only reason they concern the God I experience.
This God I see is beyond the love I could know. This Love isn't a he or a she or not even an it, but somehow all that and none of that~ my words become frustrating and futile, none do justice to what I see in the Holy.
This Love is heartbreakingly strong, It forgives past what we would consider "right" to forgive ~ It puzzles when I try to use my logic and intellect to unite the views of God~ how could the Old Testament God be this God?
What goes on in this mysterious God, that we should fear such Perfect and True and Giving Love for us?
God seems pleased to forgive that which has not been formally pleaded for~ those who don't confess their sins in public or even in distinct ways. The Heart of God, of Heaven, looks into the heart of the apparently-unrepentent, and sees something there that no other can gain access to. If the right things are found, the forgiveness and grace cover the rest.
We are often crippled by a sort of blind, stupid, aggressive pride, often mixed with the feeling that we aren't worth forgiving, so why bother asking? 'I'll just get blown away for asking, because I don't deserve to be forgiven!', it says in us.
But the God I've sat with in silence is a God that is tender, and sees our complicated emotions and reactions for what they are, and readily forgives all but the most rejecting of evils.
God is pushed away~ God doesn't push away. If you persist in rejecting God in your heart, not just your actions, God will go. But not before.
God is constantly wooing.
Love doesn't give up until someone pushes to be forgotten. Those who long for It will find It.
God wants you to find this Powerful Love, more than you can imagine ~ pleading with you to seek the Great Creative Love that is God.
20 September 2007
100 Day Challenge~ Arms flung wide
(this system is pretty neat!)
Every day, I start off (as soon as my groggy morning brain clears up enough to gather my wits about me) by emotionally and mentally opening my whole being up to whatever God wants to bring to me.
I can't begin to describe the 'toning' feeling this gives my spirit!
It's another form of prayer, another way of loving, and trusting, having a good faith in the sound and complete Good of God.
I would love to align my heart with the wishes of Divine Love! ~ That way, my heart's desires will be the same things that Love desires for me, and I wouldn't waste time chasing after things that only promise me a better life, without delivering!
Good Love
I'm beginning to trust that God will bring more good to me, wants very much to bring more good to me. I hope to become completely trusting that the Love of God wants me to have a full, happy, amazing life, filled with all the things, both physical and spiritual, that make me happy and give my soul contentment.~
I'm starting to believe that we have more unpleasant surprises than pleasant ones because we're more prepared for and are expecting the unpleasant ones, more. We're open to the coming of the unpleasant surprise! I know I am!~
So, that's what I'm working on~ giving God the opportunity through my faith to give generously to me, making room for the thought of pleasant surprises coming to me~ and God always keeps in mind what is best for my spirit.
I know I won't be given anything that will make me spoiled or feed any greed in me, or anything like that!
All things that God/Love wants to give are beneficial to the spirit.
Catching the grace-ful Flow
I was wondering if things would change, in my daily life, as every day I opened myself to whatever Love wants to bring; so far, it's been about having a wonderful, wonderful sense of well-being!
It seems to put me in the flow of God's will, to be purposely open to the possibilities.
I'm going to focus on my goals for 100 Days, but I realize that the whole process may take longer to complete; and I give Divine Love all the room necessary to make things happen in the best manner possible!
(this system is pretty neat!)
Every day, I start off (as soon as my groggy morning brain clears up enough to gather my wits about me) by emotionally and mentally opening my whole being up to whatever God wants to bring to me.
I can't begin to describe the 'toning' feeling this gives my spirit!
It's another form of prayer, another way of loving, and trusting, having a good faith in the sound and complete Good of God.
I would love to align my heart with the wishes of Divine Love! ~ That way, my heart's desires will be the same things that Love desires for me, and I wouldn't waste time chasing after things that only promise me a better life, without delivering!
Good Love
I'm beginning to trust that God will bring more good to me, wants very much to bring more good to me. I hope to become completely trusting that the Love of God wants me to have a full, happy, amazing life, filled with all the things, both physical and spiritual, that make me happy and give my soul contentment.~
I'm starting to believe that we have more unpleasant surprises than pleasant ones because we're more prepared for and are expecting the unpleasant ones, more. We're open to the coming of the unpleasant surprise! I know I am!~
So, that's what I'm working on~ giving God the opportunity through my faith to give generously to me, making room for the thought of pleasant surprises coming to me~ and God always keeps in mind what is best for my spirit.
I know I won't be given anything that will make me spoiled or feed any greed in me, or anything like that!
All things that God/Love wants to give are beneficial to the spirit.
Catching the grace-ful Flow
I was wondering if things would change, in my daily life, as every day I opened myself to whatever Love wants to bring; so far, it's been about having a wonderful, wonderful sense of well-being!
It seems to put me in the flow of God's will, to be purposely open to the possibilities.
I'm going to focus on my goals for 100 Days, but I realize that the whole process may take longer to complete; and I give Divine Love all the room necessary to make things happen in the best manner possible!
19 September 2007
18 September 2007
Renegade 100 Day Challenge
I ran into a video on youtube.com of something called "the 100 Day Challenge", which turned out to be about living the principles of things like the law of attraction, of manifestation and that sort of thing (from the movie, "The Secret," which hadn't really hit my radar, before), for 100 days, to see how well they worked if you focused on them for that length of time.
As a general idea, I found this interesting and useable, adaptable to my own beliefs and hopes and aims, two of which are to get as close to God as I can, become as open to God's flow as possible, while still living life fully. ~ To give God the benefit of the doubt at all times; to believe in a nice God, not a morally-mean God looking at me.
So, I made my goals. I'll write some of them down, here, at some point in the coming days ~ they're carefully worded in my journal at home.
I haven't made a "vision board", which I may do, it sounds like so much fun, because I dearly love an expressive, creative project; but I've got the basic, ideal goals in place.
Trust
I felt this was a good way to work on strengthening my belief and trust in the goodness of God, to trust God to provide in all areas of my life, and to be completely open to any divine gifts (and trials) that may come.
I'm used to the trials~ that idea has been covered fully! But the gifts, I've been thick and slow on my belief in God's generosity, when it came to giving me things. I've been open only to certain kinds of gifts, and I would like to change that, to give God free rein and reign in my life.
That will only come through mental changes and processing, so journaling is key to this, for me. I've got one of those new kinds of Composition books, the ones that are a color and black, instead of the classic black and white ~ mine is lavender and black (apparently, a very rare thing~ I haven't been able to find even one image of it on the internet).
That will be my journal, instead of one of the smallish, pretty journals you find at the stores, because the Composition journal has lots of room, lots of pages, and was inexpensive~ I usually use Composition books for just those reasons, so it will be an excellent tool in this process! Plenty of room to grow!
Though, being female and creative, I might do some decorating on it.... :) Just to clarify that this composition journal is for the purpose of my 100 Day Challenge.
And because it's fun! :D
Undecided
They have a website where you can join (free) and give them a link to your videolog (which is the usual way people do this) or your blog (which is how I will be tracking this in public, though most of the work will probably be in my hard-copy journal).
Although I'm not doing the principles from the film, "The Secret", I like the personalities of the women who head up the Challenge, and I don't find their general beliefs distasteful; and I know they want to get lots of people doing this, that's one of their goals. They hope this will inspire many, many others to reach for their dreams and improve their lives.
So, I would like them to be able to 'count' me as one of those many others, at least off the record.
I hesitate, though, because I'm not sure they'll like it that I've personalized their Challenge idea to this extent.
But it IS their idea, so I'll probably let them know I'm out here, using it to expand my spirit!
Controversial Christ-following babe
Actually, I'm sure I've already slipped over the edge, for many Christians~ we've talked about this, before ~ being thought a bit crazy is the price you pay for taking that 'seek God's face' thing seriously, and drawing closer to the Godhead. You learn things that astound and change and transform everything you knew before, and there's no going back from that.
Getting to know God better has necessarily changed and is changing my viewpoints, my outlook, what I thought I knew and what I've been concerned about~ everything.
It changes everything.
I didn't know what Love was, before. How could I? There's no way we can bring in the Real Thing, in all its radiance. It's overpoweringly good, way too strong for us to mimic very well.
Our own versions of love, however noble or selfless, are as weak echoes of that Love, our forgivenesses pallid and restricted. I still see that I'm merely guessing at its meaning, its depth, its cover, its grace, its superhuman, not-possible capacity to forgive, to redeem and to redeem and to love like crazy.
Crazy from the heat?
Coming in contact with that, you can't help but be changed forever, even if you don't become just like it. The purer the fire, the hotter the flame~~ God's Love? wow.
I drop away from judgemental, militant spirituality, because I've come to be acquainted with things about God and Love and Forgiveness and Grace that I wouldn't have believed, before (which makes me less critical, more tolerant of others~ which is not considered a good thing, to many Christians); my hands have woken up to Reiki, which is brand new for me, and I'm not sure where it will go or what I'll do with it, my view of what facets the Godhead contains has expanded (there is definitely a very feminine aspect, in there), I use visualizations as one way to draw me closer to God (it works), and I'm generally happier and more peaceful than I've ever been.
Check 'yes' or 'no'
Not to mention, I'm more in love with the Amazing, Astounding, Miraculous, Clear, Perfect, Adoring and Adorable, Holy, GIVING God that I would've thought possible.
And there's something about feeling the presence of God's giant, lavish Love for me that is endlessly comforting and awe-inspiring and calming~ a very secure feeling, a stronger faith.
So, I know I'm on the right track.
I ran into a video on youtube.com of something called "the 100 Day Challenge", which turned out to be about living the principles of things like the law of attraction, of manifestation and that sort of thing (from the movie, "The Secret," which hadn't really hit my radar, before), for 100 days, to see how well they worked if you focused on them for that length of time.
As a general idea, I found this interesting and useable, adaptable to my own beliefs and hopes and aims, two of which are to get as close to God as I can, become as open to God's flow as possible, while still living life fully. ~ To give God the benefit of the doubt at all times; to believe in a nice God, not a morally-mean God looking at me.
So, I made my goals. I'll write some of them down, here, at some point in the coming days ~ they're carefully worded in my journal at home.
I haven't made a "vision board", which I may do, it sounds like so much fun, because I dearly love an expressive, creative project; but I've got the basic, ideal goals in place.
Trust
I felt this was a good way to work on strengthening my belief and trust in the goodness of God, to trust God to provide in all areas of my life, and to be completely open to any divine gifts (and trials) that may come.
I'm used to the trials~ that idea has been covered fully! But the gifts, I've been thick and slow on my belief in God's generosity, when it came to giving me things. I've been open only to certain kinds of gifts, and I would like to change that, to give God free rein and reign in my life.
That will only come through mental changes and processing, so journaling is key to this, for me. I've got one of those new kinds of Composition books, the ones that are a color and black, instead of the classic black and white ~ mine is lavender and black (apparently, a very rare thing~ I haven't been able to find even one image of it on the internet).
That will be my journal, instead of one of the smallish, pretty journals you find at the stores, because the Composition journal has lots of room, lots of pages, and was inexpensive~ I usually use Composition books for just those reasons, so it will be an excellent tool in this process! Plenty of room to grow!
Though, being female and creative, I might do some decorating on it.... :) Just to clarify that this composition journal is for the purpose of my 100 Day Challenge.
And because it's fun! :D
Undecided
They have a website where you can join (free) and give them a link to your videolog (which is the usual way people do this) or your blog (which is how I will be tracking this in public, though most of the work will probably be in my hard-copy journal).
Although I'm not doing the principles from the film, "The Secret", I like the personalities of the women who head up the Challenge, and I don't find their general beliefs distasteful; and I know they want to get lots of people doing this, that's one of their goals. They hope this will inspire many, many others to reach for their dreams and improve their lives.
So, I would like them to be able to 'count' me as one of those many others, at least off the record.
I hesitate, though, because I'm not sure they'll like it that I've personalized their Challenge idea to this extent.
But it IS their idea, so I'll probably let them know I'm out here, using it to expand my spirit!
Controversial Christ-following babe
Actually, I'm sure I've already slipped over the edge, for many Christians~ we've talked about this, before ~ being thought a bit crazy is the price you pay for taking that 'seek God's face' thing seriously, and drawing closer to the Godhead. You learn things that astound and change and transform everything you knew before, and there's no going back from that.
Getting to know God better has necessarily changed and is changing my viewpoints, my outlook, what I thought I knew and what I've been concerned about~ everything.
It changes everything.
I didn't know what Love was, before. How could I? There's no way we can bring in the Real Thing, in all its radiance. It's overpoweringly good, way too strong for us to mimic very well.
Our own versions of love, however noble or selfless, are as weak echoes of that Love, our forgivenesses pallid and restricted. I still see that I'm merely guessing at its meaning, its depth, its cover, its grace, its superhuman, not-possible capacity to forgive, to redeem and to redeem and to love like crazy.
Crazy from the heat?
Coming in contact with that, you can't help but be changed forever, even if you don't become just like it. The purer the fire, the hotter the flame~~ God's Love? wow.
I drop away from judgemental, militant spirituality, because I've come to be acquainted with things about God and Love and Forgiveness and Grace that I wouldn't have believed, before (which makes me less critical, more tolerant of others~ which is not considered a good thing, to many Christians); my hands have woken up to Reiki, which is brand new for me, and I'm not sure where it will go or what I'll do with it, my view of what facets the Godhead contains has expanded (there is definitely a very feminine aspect, in there), I use visualizations as one way to draw me closer to God (it works), and I'm generally happier and more peaceful than I've ever been.
Check 'yes' or 'no'
Not to mention, I'm more in love with the Amazing, Astounding, Miraculous, Clear, Perfect, Adoring and Adorable, Holy, GIVING God that I would've thought possible.
And there's something about feeling the presence of God's giant, lavish Love for me that is endlessly comforting and awe-inspiring and calming~ a very secure feeling, a stronger faith.
So, I know I'm on the right track.
13 September 2007
Celebrate the quiet lights
Live your moments. Live right now!
You've heard it before~ it becomes more important as your time on this planet lengthens!
Those sweet moments that come, hold them close~ they will come no more. Each one is a perfect little gift, unique and dang near impossible to ever replicate, even a little.
I fall into bed at night and think,
It went too fast.
This day went too fast.
I was not hurried, it was not hectic, I held on to each moment that was good, I savored it fully,
and yet, there isn't enough time to really take it all in~ not completely! There is no way to slow the moment down long enough to enjoy it as much as I want to enjoy it....
Ephemeral
They will leave on fleet and silent feet, as cat-like fog, but they'll be replaced by other sweet moments to savor. I realize that, and it has comfort to it, yet I am greedy~ are you?
I want to keep each one that comes to me, melt into it and merge with it in such a way that it stays forever with me.
Substance
My belief is that the core, real, genuine substance of life is those small moments so sweet. ~ And going from moment to moment, hopping from one pinpoint of light to the next, like stringing pearls on a thin chain...that's the essence of living a life.
Am I right?, I wonder.
I wonder that often.
It seeeeems like the truth of life...~
I've found nothing more substantial and filling than the times when layered waves of nuances, unique to the moment, flow over and around and through me, and I soak it in, and it seeps in me slowly, and all I ask is that the Earth stops moving and the sun stops sliding by, and just for a little while, that moment stays~ long enough. Just long enough.
Sometimes, it does.
Live your moments. Live right now!
You've heard it before~ it becomes more important as your time on this planet lengthens!
Those sweet moments that come, hold them close~ they will come no more. Each one is a perfect little gift, unique and dang near impossible to ever replicate, even a little.
I fall into bed at night and think,
It went too fast.
This day went too fast.
I was not hurried, it was not hectic, I held on to each moment that was good, I savored it fully,
and yet, there isn't enough time to really take it all in~ not completely! There is no way to slow the moment down long enough to enjoy it as much as I want to enjoy it....
Ephemeral
They will leave on fleet and silent feet, as cat-like fog, but they'll be replaced by other sweet moments to savor. I realize that, and it has comfort to it, yet I am greedy~ are you?
I want to keep each one that comes to me, melt into it and merge with it in such a way that it stays forever with me.
Substance
My belief is that the core, real, genuine substance of life is those small moments so sweet. ~ And going from moment to moment, hopping from one pinpoint of light to the next, like stringing pearls on a thin chain...that's the essence of living a life.
Am I right?, I wonder.
I wonder that often.
It seeeeems like the truth of life...~
I've found nothing more substantial and filling than the times when layered waves of nuances, unique to the moment, flow over and around and through me, and I soak it in, and it seeps in me slowly, and all I ask is that the Earth stops moving and the sun stops sliding by, and just for a little while, that moment stays~ long enough. Just long enough.
Sometimes, it does.
07 September 2007
getcher mojo back
(this will appear on both blogs)
A lot of you have been fighting depression or are in need of a little lift, so I'll tell you what I found to be cheering, recently.~ Might seem a bit odd, but it's worth a try, right? It helped me!
I was pleasantly surprised to see how much better I felt, after doing this.~ And I didn't feel all that bad, to begin with!
Think of ways to describe how your spirit would look~ if your outside looked like the best part of you~ your spirit~ how would it look?
We're not talking about the way you would want to look if you looked nothing like yourself~ this is about picturing yourself the way you would look at your best~ the Improved, Intensified you, with all your personal style and inner spirit revealed wonderfully!
Write it down. Get as lyrical as you want~ in fact, it's probably best not to get too specific about how you want Nicole Kidman's nose, or Tyra's eyes, or whatever. This is more about imagining how a reflection of your true self would look~ it would be rather close to how you look, now, only more poetic and inspiring than looking in the mirror can be!
Try using characteristics found in nature~ if your hair is red, for instance, you could think back to the very prettiest burnished russet leaf you ever saw, to describe how you envision the way your hair would look on your TRUE self!
Use the wind, the rain, the sun, the moon, the ocean, the night~ whatever you've come across that really captured your imagination and made you want to be just a little like that~ get creative~ have fun! It's all about fun!
Just remember to respect your human spirit as a positive, good thing, holding the very best of you~ no way can you get away with seeing your spirit in an unflattering way!
I'm gearing this mostly towards women, I realize, because I've never been a guy, and so don't know how I would go about describing my masculine spirit! But I'm sure the courage of a lion or the eyes of an eagle or things like that would be involved, if I were a guy describing my inner image!
I think this could work to lift anyone's woes, regardless of whether they're male or female. It's nice to see ourselves in better, more-flattering terms than we often use, in daily life.
I think it's the way God sees us, through the eyes of Love~ as a work of art.
(this will appear on both blogs)
A lot of you have been fighting depression or are in need of a little lift, so I'll tell you what I found to be cheering, recently.~ Might seem a bit odd, but it's worth a try, right? It helped me!
I was pleasantly surprised to see how much better I felt, after doing this.~ And I didn't feel all that bad, to begin with!
Think of ways to describe how your spirit would look~ if your outside looked like the best part of you~ your spirit~ how would it look?
We're not talking about the way you would want to look if you looked nothing like yourself~ this is about picturing yourself the way you would look at your best~ the Improved, Intensified you, with all your personal style and inner spirit revealed wonderfully!
Write it down. Get as lyrical as you want~ in fact, it's probably best not to get too specific about how you want Nicole Kidman's nose, or Tyra's eyes, or whatever. This is more about imagining how a reflection of your true self would look~ it would be rather close to how you look, now, only more poetic and inspiring than looking in the mirror can be!
Try using characteristics found in nature~ if your hair is red, for instance, you could think back to the very prettiest burnished russet leaf you ever saw, to describe how you envision the way your hair would look on your TRUE self!
Use the wind, the rain, the sun, the moon, the ocean, the night~ whatever you've come across that really captured your imagination and made you want to be just a little like that~ get creative~ have fun! It's all about fun!
Just remember to respect your human spirit as a positive, good thing, holding the very best of you~ no way can you get away with seeing your spirit in an unflattering way!
I'm gearing this mostly towards women, I realize, because I've never been a guy, and so don't know how I would go about describing my masculine spirit! But I'm sure the courage of a lion or the eyes of an eagle or things like that would be involved, if I were a guy describing my inner image!
I think this could work to lift anyone's woes, regardless of whether they're male or female. It's nice to see ourselves in better, more-flattering terms than we often use, in daily life.
I think it's the way God sees us, through the eyes of Love~ as a work of art.
05 September 2007
I think I'm on to something
Looking back at my life, I noticed that some trials were fruitful, in the end, and some trials were just a strain. Some I learned something from, gained something valuable from, and some were just trying. Wearing, wearying.
I thought that over, fitting it in with another lurking consideration~ that all trials are not ordained by God for us to suffer; that some trials we suffer due to lack of faith, and not because of God's will.
I suspect the trials that seem to have no grace to them are the ones that weren't intended for me to suffer through~ it just so happens that they're the same trials that coincide with my areas of weak faith.
Funny thing, that~ in some areas, my faith is already stronger than I would've imagined it could be; while other areas are still quite weak, rather dormant.
It's the dormant ones that have surprised me~ I had no idea~ I thought I was trusting God pretty much, certainly more than I had; and these suddenly made themselves visible to me, these areas where I don't see God as kindly as God deserves. Places my fears and doubts and dreads and distrusts still linger.
When God seems bratty
For a while, it seemed totally wrong and just plain ol' mean-spirited to me that lack of faith would bring on experiences that would make it even harder to have faith! That just seemed wrong~ where was the support?
But then I saw it as a way to build a real faith, a strong one~ you have to be not-messing-around in order to take that leap, take that risk, and go with the whole Faith thing. You have to endure that whole eleventh-hour, last-minute save, staying strong even as time runs out. You have to go against your past experiences, go flying out into the dark without a net, with no surety beyond the thought that maybe this whole faith thing was right, maybe God would catch us before we hit the ground.
Well, it's not good for the nerves, but eventually, it brings on a particularly strong, steady, road-tested faith.
Which, in turn, brings on more good things, like freedom from worry, peace of mind....
You've been led to a soft, grassy bank by still waters. Enjoy!
An open mind
I've been trying to open my mind to having Faith in all areas of my life, as you know if you've been reading this. I hope you don't think I'm beating a dead horse~ this is a subject that commands a thorough investigation, and I write things down ...
I've been working and working on it~ I've used tons of loose-leaf paper, just writing down the same things over and over (just like the "morning pages" Julia Cameron wrote about, really), trying to get my mind to process the ideas and get used to the concepts of trusting God in new ways, I've had long talks-and-listens with God, I've been forming new brain grooves and trying to figure out ways to practice these new places of faith. ~
And how useful is that "help my unbelief" phrase?? Let me tell you, I've definitely taken advantage of that one! Totally grateful to a God who won't smack yer beak off, when you don't have good faith, but will help you gain it! I soooo need that one!
Looking back at my life, I noticed that some trials were fruitful, in the end, and some trials were just a strain. Some I learned something from, gained something valuable from, and some were just trying. Wearing, wearying.
I thought that over, fitting it in with another lurking consideration~ that all trials are not ordained by God for us to suffer; that some trials we suffer due to lack of faith, and not because of God's will.
I suspect the trials that seem to have no grace to them are the ones that weren't intended for me to suffer through~ it just so happens that they're the same trials that coincide with my areas of weak faith.
Funny thing, that~ in some areas, my faith is already stronger than I would've imagined it could be; while other areas are still quite weak, rather dormant.
It's the dormant ones that have surprised me~ I had no idea~ I thought I was trusting God pretty much, certainly more than I had; and these suddenly made themselves visible to me, these areas where I don't see God as kindly as God deserves. Places my fears and doubts and dreads and distrusts still linger.
When God seems bratty
For a while, it seemed totally wrong and just plain ol' mean-spirited to me that lack of faith would bring on experiences that would make it even harder to have faith! That just seemed wrong~ where was the support?
But then I saw it as a way to build a real faith, a strong one~ you have to be not-messing-around in order to take that leap, take that risk, and go with the whole Faith thing. You have to endure that whole eleventh-hour, last-minute save, staying strong even as time runs out. You have to go against your past experiences, go flying out into the dark without a net, with no surety beyond the thought that maybe this whole faith thing was right, maybe God would catch us before we hit the ground.
Well, it's not good for the nerves, but eventually, it brings on a particularly strong, steady, road-tested faith.
Which, in turn, brings on more good things, like freedom from worry, peace of mind....
You've been led to a soft, grassy bank by still waters. Enjoy!
An open mind
I've been trying to open my mind to having Faith in all areas of my life, as you know if you've been reading this. I hope you don't think I'm beating a dead horse~ this is a subject that commands a thorough investigation, and I write things down ...
I've been working and working on it~ I've used tons of loose-leaf paper, just writing down the same things over and over (just like the "morning pages" Julia Cameron wrote about, really), trying to get my mind to process the ideas and get used to the concepts of trusting God in new ways, I've had long talks-and-listens with God, I've been forming new brain grooves and trying to figure out ways to practice these new places of faith. ~
And how useful is that "help my unbelief" phrase?? Let me tell you, I've definitely taken advantage of that one! Totally grateful to a God who won't smack yer beak off, when you don't have good faith, but will help you gain it! I soooo need that one!
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