We just are

Be in the now, ever present, where there is no right or wrong, there just is what is. In that moment, we just are, as we were always intended to be.

06031991

Don't be afraid

When you are afraid,you see and hear things that have nothing to do with what is. You open a door to a world of darkness that is hard to find your way back from once you cross that threshold. Let love light your world and extinguish your fears.

06041991

Give your best

Give your children your best. Share with them what you know, and let them make their own choices based on what you have shared. When they falter or fall, be there for them without anger, fear, or judgement.

Take the condition off your love. Stop looking for mistakes in your children's actions. When it is all said and done, the best thing you can do for your children is to stop believing that there is anything wrong with the way you or they turned out.

06051991

Blowin' in the wind

The gale force winds blew through the night and still continue today. The birds cling to the trees with hearty grasps, swaying with the big oak. The decks have been cleared of any husks and debris. One bird feeder was a casualty, the one for the hummingbirds which apparently came crashing down and the plastic insert shattered.

I might be able to replace that piece, we'll see. The snow started blowing about eight this morning, furiously changing directions with the winds, sometimes hard and heavy, and then tapering off but the wind itself is constant, powerful, and threatening.

There is no point in putting food out on the deck for the birds and squirrels as it would be blown away immediately and only one squirrel made a brief appearance anyway.

I am grateful for my double paned windows and to the well-braced doors. Some birds, including the quail, have come to the front hill and to visit the feeders, many now lining up on the front deck while the cats keep watch.

The snow turned into a blizzard, burying everything in its wake but when the wind let up to a tolerable level the squirrels came, having missed their breakfast, wanting lunch. Pesky was begging and scratching at the window and he ate shivering all the while, nut by nut, but grateful.

I filled all the bird feeders as well as they too were hungry, trying to fly to the feeders but being blown sideways in the wind but determined none the less.

The raging storm caused a power outage and the cable remained off for hours. My neighbor attempted to call me but I could locate by plain jane phone, so I hiked over to his house up the hill, and down the road.

He was pleased to see me and to have a little company besides just his cats. I'm blessed to have such wonderful people around me as well as one of the most beautiful places in the world to live.

I will have plenty of snow to shovel when the storm is over. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the show that nature has been giving me. What a blessing just blowin' in the wind.

03042001

Today's Gratitude

Is your cup half full or half empty? Do you get tired of snow when it has just begun to blow and can't wait for spring and the flowers it will bring? There's a gift in each new day if you can look at it that way.

When spring time comes around and you're planting new seeds and bulbs into the ground do you grumble and complain and say you're tired of the rain, or can you watch the rain and see its life-giving necessity?

Each season has its flow, its time to plant and time to grow, its time to play or shovel snow. It's all the same if you could see God's daily gifts for you and me.

In springtime are you impatient like the flower for the summer sun and each hot and golden hour? Do you see it as a precious time to play wishing springtime would hurry up and go away?

You say you're tired of working and want to reap the fun that awaits you, you're sure, beneath the summer sun. When summer comes and it's not warm but hot do you take this as another reason to complain a lot?

Do you stay indoors, air-conditioned and fan-blown saying it's much too hot to even cut the lawn, or sit upon the beach in sand reflected glare, which would probably damage your skin and fry your hair, you're not going there!

For you, summer is no gift but you're sure that fall will bring a lift. You've survived winter and the spring and can't wait for summer's ending. You want the kids back into school and autumn to come, crisp and cool.

You forget, autumn is also fall, when those leaves of gold, orange and brown begin to blow in the winds and drop in piles on the ground, and you're so tired of raking and cleaning and your back is really screaming.

Do you bother to collect one or two leaves to press them between pages of a book for you to bring out later on when the autumn days have come and gone?

Are you the one with face aglow who now starts talking of the pristine snow, who can't wait for fall to end so that winter's beauty will come again. Each cycle and each season God has given us for a reason. Each is a glorious thing of beauty if we see them with eyes of love, instead of wishing it away. Be thankful for each season and each day, these gifts from above.

04082001

Thoughts on God

Imagine the important questions are not how often you went to church but how much did you love. Not how much did you tithe but how much did you give, not just in money but of self, of being there for others in the bad times as well as the good.

How much did we appreciate the blessings received and acknowledge gratitude and did we pass it on. To me God lives not in a building but in the world, within each of us, in our hearts and our spirits.

He is as close as a thought or a heartbeat. God wants to know if we tried to make a difference, did we uphold our values, did we use the gifts and talents He bestowed upon us, do we honor our friendships.

I don't believe God ever sanctioned us going to other countries to pillage and persecute in His name. I believe God is more about love and less about judgment. I believed God cares more about who we are and not what we have.

I believe we are all hee, not at random, but for a purpose. Life is not just about living but learning and to know our purpose. I believe that we need to give back to the universe for blessings received.

I believe God loves not just all people but all things. God loves not just the righteous, but the meek and the weary, the simple not just the grandiose. I know that God loves me and guides me.

God especially loves the children and their innocence. God loves variety, that is why He created so much of it, from the rainbows, to the flowers, to the color of our skin.

I believe God wants us to concentrate more on being forgiving and less on being right. Not just to be tolerant but loving and accepting in the truest sense. I believe that it is not so much that might makes right, as understanding and love conquer many obstacles.

I thnk it is important not only in how we live but in how we give. It should be a thing from the heart and not just from the pocketbook. I believe that one person can indeed make a difference just as the sun rises each morning, each day is a new beginning.

I start off each day acknowledging God and to focus my intentions, to be open to change and ask for guidance along the way. At the end of the day, I reflect upon my many blessings and give thanks for them.

04092001

Learning

We react to the actions of others. Saying they were right or wrong doesn't change the fact of the action being what it was. Truth teaches us when we learn to see and listen with the heart and soul, in faith.

06041991

Right and Wrong

People do what they do based on who they are, what they believe, and the information they have at the time that supports these feelings and beliefs. Right and wrong and things we're guided through and we grow in faith.

06041991

Night and Day

There is nothing like the night stars on a clear cloudless sky in the mountains. Set against a backdrop of a black border with tree and house shapes along the horizon in all directions. The world seems so vast up here and yet it is a fairly small community.

The peace at night is something I treasure as well as the chatter of nature during the day. The wee birds who nest on my deck in a corner to catch some sleep or in the flowerbeds and the dirt along the sides of the house, their head tucked beneath a wing and their eyes closed to the light, but always alert to what is going on around them. At night they all return to their safe havens to await the morning until they return for more seed.

There is a rat nesting in my wood box and he has chewed a corner for easy access in and out and of course leaving droppings all around it. I am going to have to take action against it as it will not move out and it is unhealthy so close to the house and may try to chew its way in.

I know rats are God's creatures too, but I cannot tolerate them. I do not know if it is eating in the bird feeders or what. I am appreciating the warmth of the past few days. I have actually been able to wear a tee shirt and to put away the sweater until evening.

I have been very tired and suffered headaches lately. I do not know if it's sinus related or what. I have concentrated on my family genealogy obsessively, working through the confusion of timelines and family ties to make progress on it. Could be the reason for the headaches. So much to learn, tracking the family back and forth and losing my place temporarily.

My cousin keeps trying to send me a GEDCOM file from France without success, both to me and my son. He even tried to put it on a drive unit for me but was unable to load it. He had problems when I tried to send him my copy when he crashed his. Technology is another cause of headaches.

The snow is beginning to melt off. The driveway is clear as are the flowerbeds and more golden flowers are opening during the warm days. I have planted two small blueberry plants and will wait to see if they take root.

The three little roses that have survived the winter indoors I planted on the hill and said a prayer that they too will prosper. It is just a small spot but is a beginning for to in creating a garden sanctuary on a mostly barren hill. Together, me, my garden, and my cats. This is heaven, both night, and day.

03132001

Sit in judgement

People do what they do based on their feelings and beliefs, and not based on what's right or wrong. Only in the end will they understand their actions as they sit in judgement.

06061991

Monologue on squirrels

The squirrels are full of their antics and feel it their duty to rob every bird feeder of its treasure. I found the new feeder on the ground, chewed through its heavy rope and in three parts down my back hill. First the lid, then one plastic side shield, and finally the body totally emptied and the rope gnawed.

Now I will have to find a way to fix it that its use not go to waste. Cheaper is definitely not better. The best bird feeder is the one I bought up here that was lovingly handmade by a local craftsman. Though Pesky, the squirrel, has finally found out how to breach it.

He climbs up the side of the house and with a leap and some faith, jumps off and lands on its side and both he and the feeder swing wildly for awhile as he tries to steal as much seed and nuts as he can. He will empty it if possible.

When I hear him scrambling up the wall and realize what he is up to I go out and scold him, which usually causes a quick retreat on his part, but often I find him peeking over the top of the roof to see if I'm leaving so he can repeat his raid.

Of course, while he is there the birds lose out and often times another squirrel will be at the other feeder on the front deck. This after they have already finished the pan full of treats I have already given them. They are little piggies for sure.

If you walk around the side of the house and check the feeders in the trees a squirrel can be found stretched out on a branch with his little paws filled with seeds, stuffing his mouth. The neighbors say I have the busiest house in town and often come out to watch the show.

I have taken to throwing seeds on the hill again to accommodate the birds and as I scatter it around their chorus becomes louder. I have a good section of hill cleared of melted snow and I study it like a painting, deciding best how to terrace it and to hold the dirt back from running down the drive.

I imagine poles of bird houses, statuary, maybe a bird bath among the trees and plants that will fill some of the open space with a rambling path through it. I will have to carve each step out carefully and find a way to anchor those bird houses. Maybe a few wind chimes to lend a soft melody to the air would be a nice touch. It's so nice being this close to nature.

02142001

Salvation

There is no right or wrong way, there only is the way. Finding the way will lead us to salvation.

06061991

An example to follow

I did not like myself for being in the system. I made pretty decent money, but it wasn't enough to bring me joy or peace. I was not serving. I was collecting a paycheck.

Do what you love, the money will follow. That really says a lot, and teaches us about the value of having passion for what you do. Service, doing what you love, has rewards that money cannot buy.

When you give yourself over to acts of love, passionately spending your time giving of yourself, you are never at a loss or lack for the things that you need.

We need much more in life than money. We need a sense of purpose. Purpose keeps you from being burnt out. Service gives you purpose. We need a personal mission that will help us focus our time and energy.

When you are on a mission, you have passion, there is an internal fire that keeps you alive. Service keeps you alive and well. We need a sense of connection that makes us feel worthy. When you feel worthy you know you are valuable, and you intuitively want to take care of yourself.

You give what you have because it makes you feel good. You give what you have because you know that the unique way in which you do what you do will make someone else feel good.

In situations when your service is not rewarded by monetary or public recognition, you are not depleted or defeated. You are encouraged to take your service to a higher level.

You are inspired to pour more love into your work. Jesus Christ mastered the art of service. He gave of himself for the evolution of others. He had no vested interest in the outcome. His joy came from serving others for a higher purpose. His purpose was his own spiritual growth. He is the example to follow.

06191991

When you trust

Love sparks the fires of passion. Passion leads to spontaneity and creativity. Spontaneous creativity is a supreme act of trust. When you trust, you can love and be one with the universe.

06151991

Mistakes

There is no one who does not make mistakes. Mistakes are a way of human life, a way of growth. We mistake what we see for the truth. We do not realize that there is always more to life than we can see and that the truth is not always visible to the naked eye.

We mistake what we know for all there is. We don't always know the whole story. When you do not know the whole story, almost any conclusion you draw from observation will be mistaken.

We mistake our experiences, particularly bad ones, to be indications of who we are and what we deserve. Even when we know we deserve better, we mistake our experiences for the obstacles that can keep us from experiences more.

Sometimes, we make the mistake of thinking that other people have the power to control or alter our destiny. It is our beliefs, mistaken and otherwise, that ultimately determine what we will do or be in life.

06101991

Free again

The truth is that you are divine. All good beings are. The truth is that the divine source of life made you perfect and complete, and nothing anyone does can change that. The truth is we all forget that we are divine and act out of our human fears, beliefs, and perceptions.

In doing so, we offend one another and numb our sensibilities. We ignore one another's boundaries, we lash out, strike out, and in uncompassionate ways dump our pain on one another. And yet, at the core of things, it does not change who we are.

It makes us believe we are less than what we are. This makes us mad, and undermines us, and in holding on to our anger, we refuse to forgive. This blinds us to the possibilities of life in tragic ways. We need to learn to see this and we can begin to set ourselves free again.

06081991

Believe differently

As long as you hold on to the belief that anyone on earth can do anything to you, you will be unable to let go and forgive. People cannot change who you are and what you were born to be. They can create obstacles in your path.

Ther can do things that make you believe you are other than what you are, but people cannot change, or alter, or in any way hinder the truth of your being. Know and believe this and you're stronger for it.

06081991

Give and Get

When you withhold forgiveness or love from anyone, for any reason, it diminishes your awareness of the abundance of good in life. You are stuck in so much old stuff, new stuff has no way of getting to you. In essence, the good that you withhold from others will be withheld from you and all lose as a result.

06071991

Become Free

Most people believe when they forgive someone they've done something for them, when the truth is they've set down the road to freeing themselves. All is good when we realize this.

06061991

Embraced lives

When you tune into the energy of the creator, the finite portions of you suddenly become free to manifest greatness in this lifetime. Embrace this and it will affect all your other lifetimes, past and future, and you'll become one with the now.

05311991

An offering

Offering another the forgiveness they need strengthens the spiritual nature in us. It is this nature and our consciousness of this that reaps you the benefits and joy of life.

06071991

Learning to forgive

Let us learn to forgive, to give up what we don't want in order to make room for what we do. You must give up pain, anger, resentment, and fear in order to experience goodness, joy, peace, and love.

06071991

At last

At last
I've put away
my past
so it matters not
all those things
I forgot

12040616

Do it for yourself

Most people believe when they forgive someone that they are doing something for that person. The truth is, when you forgive, you're doing it for yourself.

06061991

Let it go

Forgiveness is a release, letting go. The process of removing errors from the mind in pursuit of harmony. The release of what is false for what is true. The giving up of a thought or emotion in order to facilitate change in thought, emotion and ourselves.

06061991

Beyond the universe

You are not the limited human beings that you think you are. You are Divine energy which has access to all the multiverses. At this moment in time, you simply have chosen this universe, and life on this particular planet.

Yet, you are greater than the finite experiences of this earth. In order to know yourself, and perceive the subtle levels of things, you need to realize what a great being you are. Made in the image of God, with souls meant for eternal and perfect love.

05311991

Up to God

I always judge others by the judgements I have made of myself. Judgement closes the mind and heart to new levels of understanding. We need to realize no matter what it looks like, God is the one in control, not us. So we must learn to forgive ourselves and leave judgement up to God.

06061991

Jagged Pieces

I'm broken by the past
jagged pieces of yesterday
until I breathe my last
have too much to say

07400616

Little Bird Friend

Pink fingers of dawn are edging their way up behind the mountain ridge pushing the dark gray clouds ever higher, illuminating the homes along the pinnacle. Occasional lights go on and you know neighbors are awakening to the day and soon a bird song is sending out its own greetings and praise.

It's a warm and sunny day in the mountains. The oak tree is filled with a variety of birds, big blues, small brown wrens, salmon and coral finches, pine grosbeak, northern wheatear, a few towhee and titmouse, sparrows and lots of Oregon juncos.

The cats are enjoying watching the activity in between naps. The snow has melted off the front flowerbed and the golden fuschias are again in bloom, one little sparkle, but there are more bulbs thrusting up their heads.

An old feral cat carries on a conversation with the birds. A young sparrow as sitting in my flower bed and didn't move when I walked around. It just tossed around empty shells as if it could find something to eat in them. It seems to have adopted me, and that's just fine with me. What better way to spend the day than with a little bird friend.

03012001

Divine Plan

I am now ready and willing to receive the perfect presence of spirit in my life. I now open my mind and heart to the divine understanding of spirit.

I now forgive everyone for every thought, word, and deed they have embraced or undertaken that has kept them from the realization of the truth about themselves and me, and the perfect unfolding of the divine plan for our lives.

I forgive all! I release all! I am now free from all except the perfect and divine plan and purpose of my life.

06141991

Time to forgive

When being hurt and angry and believing you are less than you are does not get you what you want, it is time to forgive. When you cannot move beyond the memories of what someone else has do to you and those memories keep you hurt, angry, or in any way limited in life, it is time to forgive.

When the only thing you remember about someone is what they did to you and not the fact that they are a human being prone to make mistakes, it is time to forgive.

If you don't like yourself, it is time to forgive. If there is anyone, anywhere on the planet you can honestly say that you do not love, it is time to forgive. Start with yourself and move forward from there.

06121991

Cleansing the soul

If we did not make mistakes we would not learn what works and what does not. Each time we make a mistake we are provided with an opportunity to be corrected. The divine spirit of life is self-correcting.

It will show us our mistakes in the form of the pain and suffering that we endure, through mental unrest and emotional dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, when we encounter the results of our mistaken beliefs, choices, and perceptions, we blame other people.

We hold others accountable for what we think, feel, or believe. We believe our experience makes us who we are in life, and then we blame the players in our experiences. The biggest mistake we all make is believing that other people can hurt us.

When we believe they have done so, we are unwilling to forgive them. That is a tragedy as forgiveness is the key to cleansing the soul and finding our way to heaven.

06111991

Missing Love

When you subdue your passion to focus on reward and outcome, there is no expression of love. Our foundation is built on love. We crave love. We grow in a loving environment. It's not the money that's missing to make the workplace whole. It's the love.

06171991

Service

We are rarely taught to serve in life. We are taught to work. Work is that act of doing what needs to be don in order to acquire the things that we need.

Work, we believe, is necessary to our ability to survive in life. Work is the ultimate measure of our value in life, or so we think. The more we earn as a result of the work we do, the higher value we place upon ourselves, deserved or not.

We work not for the pleasure of it, we work for the reward and recognition. Our attention is generally focused on what we get and the outcome of what we do. This is not service.

Service is the act of doing what you love for the sake of loving it. This is the highest work you can do in the world. Service is Divine. When you perform and act of service, giving of your time, energy, and resources as an act of love, the universe will multiply what you do and reward you with greater than expected results.

06151991