"Small Step" Walking

I don't know about you but when I set a goal I tend to go all out. I want to make all the changes I need to make right now to get to my goal. No step one, two, three, let's just do all the steps in one. I am anxious for results. And I never get the results I want because taking 3 steps in 1 is just too much change to manage at once.

I am learning to take small steps. I am learning to focus on "what one thing can I do today to keep me walking in the direction of my goal"?  I think that one small step each day will lead me to my goal's manifestation. It may take longer than my human patience likes but I believe it's the way to success. So when you are setting your resolutions/intentions keep in mind that a plan you can work each day with ease will take you a long way.

Pic.. For a long time I had wanted to visit Michael Beckwith's church in LA. It is in a warehouse. He calls it an "aware house". Anyways, in the pic, that is me to the right as a blurred flash. I had just left the stage. Not only did I visit his church, I was his guest and was on the platform with him re-presenting him with an award he'd received at the Unity conference a few days before. It was a thrilling experience!

Visioning

Today I'll be viewing a video broadcast by Mary Morrisey about visioning for 2013. She is a very inspirational lady and blessed many people who participated in her Prosperity Plus 10 week program at Unity.

It is important to keep the "wheel primed"(?) Not sure if that is the correct expression except that I mean we have to keep positive and inspiring information in front of us at all times it seems or else we get distracted by the negative.

What can you do to prepare yourself for 2013? Perhaps this year as well as setting  monetary goals, work goals, relationship goals how about a spiritual goal? That would be about your daily spiritual practice. How much time are you willing to invest in that each day? It really is the foundation for all else in your life.

Pic.. There can be many roadblocks on our journey. Getting ourselves into the right frame of mind and having plans for how to deal with them when they come up will help us tremendously. Let's create a great vision for 2013.

Time to Reflect

Many people make New Years Resolutions that often don't last past Valentine's Day. Why is that I wonder? Why is it so difficult to stay focused on our dreams and goals, our resolutions? Is it that we choose what we really don't want? Is it that we lose interest in our goals? Is it that what we "want" requires actions we aren't willing to take?

May I suggest you take time in the next four days to think about your dreams and goals? Mary Morrisey, on Saturday Dec. 29th at 1pm eastern time will be broadcasting a 75 minute workshop on visioning.

On this videocast, you will discover:

• A powerful and simple visioning process that will help you clarify exactly what you want to generate in 2013
• The 3 most significant universal laws for manifesting your heart’s desire
• The main reason New Year’s resolutions FAIL and how you can avoid that.
• 3 things you can do to increase the likelihood you will move from wishing about your dream to living your dream.
• How to unlock the difference between living by design and living by default
• An easy way to keep mentally and spiritually motivated each day
• And so much more!

Unity will show it on our large screen and invites anyone who would like to watch it together to join us. Let's really be intentional with our resolutions and goals for 2013.

Pic.. A beautiful expensive hotel in Europe.

Empty

What do you do when you feel empty? When the joy of the season seems way beyond your reach? What do you do with family members that are challenging to deal with?

May I suggest you find a friend or spouse to sit down with and share your feelings with? When the storm of tears finishes its rage, breathe. When your breathing has calmed maybe now you can sit and reflect on what this all means. How is it so easy to let others get under your skin? What do they reflect for you about yourself? Darn it, this is a tough one. Relationships can be challenging. Overcoming the challenges can be very rewarding.

Pic.. Climbing can be a struggle.

It's the Day before....

It's the day..

before the day.. before Christmas

and all through the land

people were scurrying to buy popular brands.

Jimmie wants this and Sarah wants that

Mommy and Daddy with no time to chat

instead they are busy, tired and sad?

that the joy of Christmas has become something bad.

Well, not bad so much as

it's meaning is lost

the joy of the season all but tossed

out with the shopping, where is the joy?

it can't be found within even one toy.

READERS.. WHAT COMES NEXT??

Happy Birthday

Today ushers in Birth 2012, a day where we begin a new Great Year. The Great Year that just ended with the Mayan calendar took 26,000 years ... it is the time it took for the Earth's wobble to go around the sun. The earth is like a spinning top as it revolves and it has a wobble. I'll leave it at that because I don't want to guess at the full explanation. Suffice to say we have come to a new beginning.

We can no longer live unconsciously and as if life happens by chance. It is time to live consciously and to know that we direct the intelligence of life. So take a few moments today and ask yourself how do I want to direct my energy? What would an awakened me look like? What would I keep doing, stop doing and start doing?

Pic.. Cross the bridge that can take you from the old you to the new consciously living you. Only you know what that bridge entails.

Alive and Changing I Hope

The old expression is "alive and well". Today is the day that marks an ending of an age. Barbara Marx Hubbard calls it the end of our "local self" that person in us who is "me" centric. Birth 2012, tomorrow, marks the birth of our Universal Human. Our new self will awaken to compassion, love, peace and a new way of doing things. Our new self will embrace our Oneness with every person everywhere.

The tragic events of Newtown have signalled in a very physical way that the old ways must change and new ways be born. We cannot repeat the patterns we have lived. To have a different world we must be different people, end the violence and embrace the power of love to heal and end personal and global conflicts.

Today is about endings and tomorrow about beginnings. What in you do you wish to put an ending to to get ready for the new you?
Pic.. What is up ahead?

It's Beginning to Look....

A lot like Christmas, so the song goes. However it may be that this is not your favorite time of the year. Perhaps you've lost a loved one and this is your first Christmas without them. Perhaps you've been busy with parental concerns that have taken your attention away from the season.

I've had my tree up since December 1st and my Christmas shopping was just completed. Yet the season has escaped me in a way because my focus has been on my mom and her care and needs. Now we learn she won't be home til Jan 3 or 4.

Christmas is found in the lights, the trees, the trim and I'm thinking the most important place is to find it in our hearts. Like everything, our thoughts are creative. We can create a wonderful experience or a sad one. It's okay to be sad over the absence of a beloved one. Feel the sadness and then move to the joy of Christmas pasts and bring that into the moment. Your beloved is happy in their next experience of life and they want you to be happy in this one.
Pic.. I look happy here.. and that is the feeling I want to bring alive in me today. Will you join me?

More Tao

Tao never stops. Why?
Because it isn't trying to accomplish anything.
The Masters hang back.
That's why they're ahead of the game.
They don't hang on to things.
That's how they manage to keep them.
They don't worry
about what they can't control.
That's why they're always satisfied.

Readers...your thoughts on this wisdom?

Pic.. What doors open for us when we understand?

Happy Sunday!

It may seem as if we cannot be happy because of the tragic news of the Sandy Hook Elementary School. Perhaps you might step away from the constant coverage of the story and open your heart to a higher view of the situation.

The children, I believe, are in a place where violence does not exist. Where schoolrooms are safe places to be. Myrtle Fillmore, co-founder of Unity, writes about this. If the children were at a summer camp where everything is provided for them, we would not worry. She says they are in the loving care of our Mother Father God in another schoolroom, in another dimension, cared for and loved.

We do not all come to this earthly experience with the intention of staying to the age of 103, like my mom's husband. Most leave before then, at all different ages. We come for short journeys and long journeys. Theirs was a short one unfortunately for their families.

So for today, hold them in your heart, know they are fine. Hold their families in your heart praying they can one day feel at peace.

Finding the Truth amidst the Speculation

The horrific event that unfolded yesterday in Newtown is being reported on with so much guess work in the absence of facts. Reporters are sent to scrounge up any tidbit of information they can find. I saw one woman on CNN who'd known the shooter when he was 8 or 9 and hadn't seen him since. Can her perspective really add value to the conversation?

Over this week new details will surface, some true, some not. We are insatiable when it comes to wanting to know something. We are yearning for that piece of information that will make it all make sense. "Oh, okay, THAT'S why he did it!" We want to understand how a human being can kill children, his mother and anyone who gets in the way.

The Truth is we will never know what was in that young man's mind. We can't know how he experienced the world or why his pain was so great or how it made sense to him to inflict pain on others as relief to his own pain.

What we do know is all those who have made their transition have gone on to a different experience of life. Life does not end, it transforms itself. And the grace of God allows those, who have left loved ones behind, to look forward and not so much backwards. The grief is felt by those left here without their child, sibling, parent, grandparent, friend.

I pray that the world can wake up to another way of being. That those who hurt can be identified and given help. That guns will be taken out of the hands of the average American. I pray that the "New" in Newtown will mean something will change and we will stop doing the same over and over.

Bedtime

When my Jenn was little I would cuddle with her at her bedtime. As she grew older it happened less often but I've always found that as we lay together in the dark, it was a rich time of sharing. We would have our best talks there together.

Last night when I visited my mom in the hospital she was already in bed. She'd had a challenging day. Rather than leaning over the bed rail to hear her I got into bed with her. Laying beside her, holding her hand, we talked.

If you haven't tried this with your kids, or haven't done it for a long time, try it. There is nothing better than connecting with those you love.

Pic.. Unity Village another place that opens my heart.

More Tao with Your Tea?

Tao Te Ching

it ain't Tao.

If it has a name,

it's just another thing.

Tao doesn't have a name.

Names are for ordinary things.

I find the Tao very thought provoking. What are your thoughts about this?

Let's Look at the Tao

Tao Te Ching

The Masters get the job done

without moving a muscle

and get their point across

without saying a word.

When things around them fall apart,

they stay cool.

They don't own much,

but they use whatever's at hand.

They do the work

without expecting any favors.

When they're done,

they move on to the next job.

That's why their work is so damn good.

What does this mean for you?

Less than 1%

In London in 2011 there were 2580 males over the age of 85. My step dad is 103! Stats Canada doesn't show how many people are over the age of 100 and still living in London.

It becomes relevant information when making long term plans for an elderly couple. This is what is happening for me. My family is looking for a good living plan for my mom and her husband that covers both of their needs. And therein lies the challenge. At 103 he is remarkable. He has his memory, is mobile and still drives. Mom on the otherhand has greater physical care needs. They want to stay together.. To stay in their home would probably mean a move for mom down the road. To move both of them now settles her for the future.

When you are facing challenges like this or others, call for your angels to help you, guide you, lead the way to a solution that works for all. Somehow they make the way where there seems no way. At least that is what I have discovered in the past and have faith will happen again.  Pic.. beauty, we all need to see the beauty.

Christmas Shopping

Today I am going shopping for gifts for my beloveds. It is my intention to make it a fun day and to enjoy the moments deciding who would love to receive what. Bob is planning to join me but he is thinking it will be torture. Attitude is everything. Who is going to have the better time, Bob or me?

Our attitude sets up our experience. So whatever you are doing today set it up in advance as something you can move through with ease and grace, maybe joy, depending on what you are doing. This day is a gift, right? Not everyone has it, so those of us who do, let's treasure it.

Pic.. Mom and Jenn years ago when mom was disease free.

Music Opens the Heart

Our soloist, Emilio Zarris, sang at Unity today. Christmas music is so heart opening. He sings with such enthusiasm that the music comes alive not only through his voice but his body. Music is very therapeutic and can shift our mood from sad to happy; angry to peaceful, warm to hot and much more. So too can words, thoughts and actions shift our mood.

Birth 2012 is a movement of consciousness that has an awareness that our world and its people are shifting. December 21st the Mayan calendar ends and on December 22nd we begin anew, not again, but a new. We are shifting from a "me me " focus to a "we we" focus. We are seeing our common Oneness and showing compassion for one another. As we each birth our higher consciousness into expression the world will certainly become more loving, less fearful, more forgiving and freeing for all of us. Join the shift!

Pic.. We CAN all get along.

There Is An Answer

Sometimes I tell my challenges to a friend, wanting them to have an answer for me. But I realize that my answers are within me. In Unity's Advent booklet, yesterday's reading, commented on this. That when a friend hears your challenges a true response would be, "There is an answer. I am as confused as you are, but I know there is an answer."

Our friends can only share what they would do from their perspective. Sometimes that is helpful. Mostly I think we know what we need to do but just don't want to do it. We look for someone who will agree with us.

The greatest friend I can commune with is God or Spirit within me. The guidance I can receive is priceless if I'll just take the time to listen. Just for today make time for God, to listen and know that there is an answer there, waiting for you.

Pic..Challenges can seem HUGE until we back up from them a bit and gain a new perspective. It's then we see they aren't so big after all and that there is an answer.

Hope

Today's Advent reading is titled Hope.

"Hope springs from within us with amazing swiftness. It only takes a positive word of encouragement for the prospect of constructive change, and we are hopeful again. This positive surge of thinking is a prelude to the as yet unspoken promise of a brighter future."

If you come across someone today who needs hope, don't hesitate to share the positive you see in them. Take the opportunity to be a person of increase, lifting those around you and leaving where you've been greater than when you found it. You can do it!

Pic.. These guys hunt for themselves and yet every once in awhile they fly together to great heights.

Do You Know?

Beloved One,

Do you know how powerful you are? That your light shines brighter than the sun and reaches out into the Universe? Do you know you have the abilility to change your thought, your mind, your life? Your inadequate thoughts about yourself keep you so very small, unhappy and unsure.

When you are feeling small, turn around on the spot, and ask yourself, "Okay, what is the real Truth about me?" If you are very still you will hear your Spirit telling you what I have written here. There is no mountain too big for you to climb, no pit too deep that you cannot climb out of and no mirror that won't reflect your beauty. You just have to have the eyes to see it.

Just for today... see it!  Pic.. You are always held by a magnificent invisible Presence.

Stop Wanting Stuff...

The Tao Te Ching ...

Stop wanting stuff;

it keeps you from seeing what's real.

When you want stuff,

all you see are things.

Those two sentences

mean the same thing.

Figure them out,

and you've got it made.

During this Christmas season, this is a good message to contemplate. What does it mean to you?

Pic.. a Christmas past.

Do You Know When to Rest?

I guess after all the coming and going to visit mom at the hospital; the Hisson family Christmas and church, it is not a surprise I am dealing with a cold. So today is a rest day. I am still in my jammies and Bob is taking care of me.

I don't know how to do self care when life is busy. Do any of us? As women we are used to multi tasking and do all that needs to be done. When there is no more energy left to do another thing, we do that last thing. What we do need to do is rest when we've gotten sick. That is not the time to push on, right?

When illness comes I affirm health. I know there is a perfect pattern of a healthy body within me. I call it forth into expression. I hope if you are busy or tired that you will give yourself the gift of rest.

Pic.. My sweet angel figurine that says so much.

1st Sunday of Advent

Today's Advent theme is Faith. In our Advent booklet it is written,

" Most of us have become so conditioned to suffering that we believe it is normal, along with illness, deprivation and a sense of isolation. But Jesus had a different view of how the world worked. He wanted us to understand that we always have the power to expand our definition of what is acceptable.

Because we have faith in a loving, all sustaining God, we can start to entertain a different concept - even in the face of bleak circumstances and seemingly insurmountable odds."

Faith is the ASSURANCE of things hoped for. Our role is to know our Oneness with God and the availability to us of all that God is. Believe in all that is of God instead of what is in the world.

Pic.. Part of the Banff Springs Hotel

Merry Christmas!

Today is our Hisson family Christmas and I am hosting it. You can imagine it will be a busy day. Our company is arriving from Bowmanville, Mississauga and Goderich. We will have 2 little ones. One aged 2 1/2 years and the other 6 months.

So I have little time to blog and need to get setting my tables. Going into this day I want to remember to have fun. I want to enjoy my company and relish our time together. We are family sharing in common our heritage and history with one another.

Like any day really, we are invited to remember our Oneness. That there is no them and me. There is only us. Everywhere you go today look into the face of those you interact with and know you are one with them. The same spirit that is in you is in them. Loving others is loving yourself.

Pic.. Our Christmas tree.

It Was A Dark (and not stormy) Night...

Have you ever been woken by a noise you could not identify? Four thirty this morning I was awakened by a beep, beep, beep. I lay there wondering what could it be? The oven timer? The alarm clock? I got up and discovered it was our Carbon Monoxide Detector. Having just had a gas stove installed two day before I was concerned.

I alerted Bob to this, he got up, looked at the detector while I went downstairs to Google CO Detectors. When I came back upstairs Bob was in bed! I'm like, "You can't go back to bed!" He responds, "It's 4:30 in the morning!" I respond, "If the house was on fire would you go back to bed because it's 4:30 in the morning?" He got up.

Carbon Monoxide is colorless, odorless and regarded as a silent killer. We called 911 and the fire department came out with their CO meter. It recorded zeroes everywhere while we stood outside on the porch. It was concluded that our detector needed replacing. Apparently they are only good for five years. The things you learn, standing outside in the cold, with four firemen.

So the lesson for today is to LISTEN. Not only to the outer noises that alert us to something not right but to the inner voice that tells us to check it out, whatever that "it" might be. In this instance, in hindsight, it looked like we had nothing to worry about but there is always a blessing in every circumstance. Maybe it was just to buy a new detector today. And maybe it is to respect the monitors we have in our home.

Intuition

I was watching a video by Mary Morrissey where she is talking about intuition. I loved what she said when asked, "How do you know the voice?" She said the more you listen to it the more familiar it becomes. Like the voice of your friend or sibling when they call, you know their voice.

Each voice is unique, which is amazing in itself. So the voice of your intuition is one you can come to know when you spend time listening. You also know it is your intuition when you realize it's message is ALWAYS for your greater good. It does not encourage you to hold a grudge, to get revenge, to overeat or take that drink... .well unless you are stranded in the desert and need water. And let's face it, how often does that happen?

So just for today, listen. Get to know the voice of your inner guidance. Then like an old friend you'll recognize it as soon as you hear it!

Pic.. Would it be easier to be a chipmunk?

Breathe

I was recently reminded when the going gets tough, breathe and go to your core. Your core is that place aproximately a couple of fingers below your belly button. You focus your attention there, you breathe into that space and calm yourself.

I also remember reading that we should deep breathe every day. I know when I do that I feel calmer as well. Remembering to breathe consciously brings us to a peaceful place. Stress is a part of all of our lives. We read Jesus handled stress by "going apart". He would step away from the crowds and his disciples and be alone. He focused on reconnecting consciously with God within, with "The Father", Abba.

Really,this is so important for self care. So, just for today, if you feel overwhelmed, stressed, annoyed etc. find room alone, close the door and breathe. One of my favorite affirmations at that moment is.. God is, I Am.

Pic.. I love this picture. It reminds me to let go and let God. To surrender to the power of God within me. "Less of me, more than thee".

Tired?

If you are tired, lay down and have a nap; decongest your calendar; lower your expectations and create space in your day to slow down and take care of you.

It seems to me there are a lot of tired, busy people walking around wishing they could slow down. So here is the thing. We are the ones who fill our calendars; say yes when we really want to say no and stand when we want to sit down.

We are the creators of our experiences. We have choices.

Pic.. from six years ago when I had a gratitude gathering with a few friends. Laugh...when you are tired or anytime at all. It seems to do the trick.

Christmas Preparation

Tis the season... dare I say it is less than a month away? It seems so much farther away than that somehow. Yesterday we put up our tree and added the lights to it. Today the decorations. We are having the Hisson family Chrismas this Saturday.

Our family has come to a place where we no longer exchange gifts. That works fine with everyone because whatever we need we purchase for ourselves. The gathering now is about family, good food and sharing. One thing that has bothered me about past gatherings is that we never really hear how people are doing. It is often surface stuff.. I went here, did that.. but not about personal journeys.

So I am proposing this year that each person "check in" and share what the past year has been like for them. The highlights and low lights etc. I am not sure how that will be accepted. But I think it is worth a try. Would this be accepted in your family?

Pic.. Bob opening up a gift from his brother. Now this one was useful.. a flashlight you keep plugged in, always ready to go and you always know where to find it!

Bondage or Liberty?

When God called the people out of Egypt, they were being called out of darkness and ignorance. God heard their cry by "reason of their taskmasters". What were their taskmasters? Sickness, poverty, divorce, any negative thoughts that were holding them in bondage. Then they were told they would be brought to a land of milk and honey. To a land of right consciousness, a place of liberty.

Today's message is about our power. We do not have to live in bondage and we are the ones who can free ourselves. No one else can think your thoughts, shift your thoughts or bring you out of Egypt. That is your work to do.

I am thinking about when I left my mom yesterday after visiting her at the hospital. I started to cry (again). As I walked to my car in bondage to the pain of my story about her life and how that affects mine I realized I can shift those thoughts. I could think about the movie I was going to and the anniversary celebration with my husband. It is not easy, for me at least, to make THE SHIFT. But I have the power to do so. That is the point. I have the power, you have the power to move from bondage to liberty.

Pic.. A few years ago I stood on the glass floor of a tower in Calgary. One of those that extends over the building and when you look down there is nothing but the earth  a zillion floors below. Standing there it is my choice to be in pain or pleasure... bondage or liberty.

39 Years Ago

Thirty nine years ago this day I woke up excited and happy. It was my wedding day. Like most girls I had dreamed of my wedding, the white dress, the handsome groom, the walk down the aisle with my dad and a fun party afterwards.

I remember my sweet dad being in no hurry to get to the church. Oh, he liked Bob, so it wasn't that. He wasn't feeling too strong. He was recovering from an emotional time when he wasn't so interested in the world. I was lucky he was there with me that day. He told me that they couldn't start without us, so no hurry. Ugg... I wanted to get to the church on time. And we did mostly.

I had four bridesmaids, though one of my best friends wasn't in the wedding party. The ceremony was in the Catholic church with both a priest and a United minister presiding. That was a stretch in those days. The dinner and party followed and then a honeymoon in the Bahamas.

So what have I learned from 39 years of marriage? What is "the secret"? It's really not so secret, but just as simple as love one another in the good times and the bad. Know you will go through times when you question your love and other times when it all makes so much sense. Give, give, give and then give some more. Compromise and save your "grand standing" for the really important issues, let the small things slide.

Pic.. I couldn't have imagined then what our life would be like. All the pleasures and the pain, but it's been worth it. I love you honey.

Circle of Life

When I was a little girl my mom meant everything to me. She did everything for me. In my teen years I never wanted to admit that I needed her and then in my 20s 30s etc. I was glad to listen to her sage wisdom. Her opinion has always been valued and her approval always desired. Perhaps most of you can relate?

She was a worker all of her life. At the age of 17 she married my dad in Digby Nova Scotia. He was stationed near there during WW2. When the war ended he brought her to Ontario. Away from her family, shy, and living with inlaws who wished they weren't, it was a tuff beginning to married life. Her first job in Ontario, which became her career, was working at Mrs. White's Flower Shop. Here she learned how to design flowers in an atmosphere of love. Mrs. White became like a mother to mom.

Scan forward 67 years and mom is using a walker, sometimes a wheelchair, difficult to understand and in need of support. My role has reversed and now I am caretaking. It is difficult to see her this way. Such a vibrant, energetic woman, who had finally reached a point in her life to enjoy travel, now dealing with Parkinsons.

Okay, I don't want to depress you, sorry. But here's the thing. I'm learning I can do things for someone else I never thought I could. I am learning compassion and to go slower. I am learning that it is so essential to do today and not put off til tomorrow... travel, visits with family, anything at all you've said.. "I'll do that when... I retire.. etc. DO IT NOW! Tomorrow is not guaranteed and your health isn't either.

Just for today, live fully!

Pic.. My mom is on the right in this picture with her sister who has since passed on. My mom was the oldest girl of 9 children!

New York's Thanksgiving Parade

Two years ago today, my friend Suzanne and I, were amidst the crowds of people waiting to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. We were amazed by the number of people! We couldn't get a good spot to see what was ahead of us but rather more of a "sky view". We could see the fabulous balloons but not what was on the ground. There was joy in the air, children on their fathers shoulders and all of us trying to stay warm.

Canadians have had their Thanksgiving Day and while it is good to have a day where we focus our attention on thanksgiving, everyday is a day to give thanks. That isn't always easy.

Last night I stood in the street with a dear friend who'd had a car accident. It wasn't her first one and the question in the air was, "Why?" We don't always get to know the "why", right? What we do know is we have to keep taking the next step. We can learn from our actions. We can look for patterns. We can trust there is a divine order unfolding bringing us to our greater good. In the moment it only looks bad. When we use only our five senses we can only see, hear, taste, touch, smell the physical. But science has proven and Truth students know, there is so much more beyond all of that. We can be thankful for that and thankful she walked away from it.

Pic.. People, police, kids and a caterpillar balloon.

Look for The Heroes

My first Unity church experience was at Unity of Overland Park in Kansas. I loved the music, it was a large church attended by hundreds and I was in awe of the minister's message. Rev. Mary became my role model. I loved the way she languaged her ideas and the way in which she shared them with humor and wisdom.

Many years later, after I became an ordained Unity minister, she and I ended up serving together on the Convention team for Unity Worldwide ministries. A new friendship began. I now have the opportunity to "pick her brain" so to speak about church growth. She has grown a number of ministries that she has served at. And of course I can't duplicate Rev. Mary. I can only learn to be the best Rev. Lori that I can be. I am happy to be teachable around her.

That's the trick I think. To ask ourselves just how "teachable" are we or do we think we have it all figured out? When we are full there is no more room for growth. And I believe we are only done growing when we leave this earth to keep growing in another dimension yet. (so I guess we are never done)

Just for today be open to be teachable by the circumstances and people you encounter.

Pic.. What could these two learn from each other I wonder?

I Won't Be Held Hostage.. and neither should you

Something happened the other night when mom was in the hospital. She told me about it and followed the story with, "don't say anything". I sat with that for the afternoon knowing that it did not feel right to keep quiet. What was the fear about finding out the story behind the event? Her view was that she did not want anyone to get into trouble.

Last night I told mom that my responsibility is to her. So I sought an explanation for the event and heard the other side of the story. While it didn't totally justify, in my mind, the series of events, I let it go knowing there are always two sides to every story. The thing to remember is that each person involved feels they have the whole truth. The Truth is that somewhere between your version and mine there is the real version.

And the point is that I won't be held hostage and neither should you. I won't be quiet for fear of retaliation. I won't live that way. I hope if you can relate to this experience that you will speak what needs to be said.

Pic.. Cats have it simpler, don't they?

Directions... Do YOU Listen?

I was at Parkwood Hospital's Information desk on the phone to the Parking office. I wanted to buy a month's parking pass and the lady on the other end was giving me directions to their office. It wasn't in the same building. I noticed, and this isn't the first time nor do I think I am alone, that I tuned out after the 3rd "turn here, go there". Couple that with her seeming annoyance with me perhaps because she's had to describe their location one time too many.

Is it that our brain can only handle so much? Why do we tune out? I know when I'm with someone else and we both are listening to the directions being given, we leave, and discover neither of us heard the same thing or anything passed the third "turn here, go there".

So just for today let's tune up our listening skills. Face the person who is speaking and focus on their words. Do you think that would make the difference? I sure hope so.
Pic.. An Italian scene.

32 Years Ago

At this moment 32 years ago I was in labor with my daughter Jennifer. She was born at 10:49am, 6lbs 7 oz of beauty and love. Many of you can relate to the labor and the love of giving birth. Bob was with me all the way and as thrilled as me at her arrival.

Where have the years gone? I really don't know. It seems like they've gone by in a flash and yet there was a lot of living in those years. From baby to toddler to first grader. Then there were the school years, the dance lessons, the swimming lessons and Original Kid acting. She was on the radio advertising our flower shop and the TV advertising the Original Kids play, Scrooge. She lived through life threatening illnesses and joyful recoveries, thank God! Then there were the romances and finally the marriage in sunny Mexico.

No one walks their life alone. We walk with our children, we witness their life, we carry the memories of their growth and maturity. It's not all icing on the cake either but I am glad we brought this beautiful soul into the world to bless others, us for sure. Thanks Jennifer for being you and making us a family.

Pic.. our family in front of the Vatican maybe 6 years ago.

Hoping for Improvement

I am taking my mom to Parkwood Hospital today. She is entering the Geriatric Rehabilitation Program and will be an inpatient for 4-6 weeks. There is hope the program can help mom find her voice and build her strength.

We all need support at one time or another. Sometimes we get it and sometimes we don't. So when the door opens and the opportunity is there I think we should grab it. It can be scary, right, because you don't know what is involved? Courage to take one step at a time is needed and the support of those around us as we walk the journey. 

If you can, please hold my mom in prayer that this program helps her to have a better quality of life. Thanks.

Pic.. My mom about 5 years ago before Parkinsons.

Cloud Atlas

I saw the movie Cloud Atlas yesterday. Maybe 30 minutes into it I was thinking, "Whatttt???" and then at some point that changed to, "this is interesting". It's a movie that has a number of stories and is constantly switching from one to another. Add to that the different time periods and one age where the english is a version of our english. "Summer" becomes "sumson".

There is a message for sure and a vision of a scary looking future where there is a definite class system. I'm not sure what else to say. It's one of those movies that stays with you and reveals itself long after you see it. I think, I hope.

Pic... This world has so much beauty.

Remembering

Today we enter into the memory of the destruction of houses and homes brought on by the 1st and 2nd world wars. Of course this same destruction continues today in different parts of the world as people insist on violence as a means to an end.

After the 1st world war the sentiment was "never again". But that never didn't last very long. The Truth is that as long as we see ourselves separate from "them" or we paint an entire race or countrymen with the same brush "all germans are our enemy"; things will never change.

We can only kill when we lack empathy for the other person. When we don't see their face. When we look at thousands of people as one big enemy, we aren't seeing people who have families, hopes and dreams just like us. Empathy allows us to see and feel each others experiences. It allows us to see people. It's the only thing that will make "never again" true.

Pic.. The Prayer flags at Gampo Abbey Cape Breton Island sending prayers for peace across the lands.

Tethering the Jumping Monkey

There is a Budhist phrase, "tethering the jumping monkey". You may be familiar with your own "jumping monkey". It is that part of you that some may call ego. It is the voice that like Samson's Delilah tempts you away from what is good for you.

It will have you believe you aren't as good as others; that you should have that drink you swore you'd never have or eat that sugary treat you vowed this morning you would abstain from. It jumps around vying  for your attention, "look at me, look at me!" It tempts you to forget the intention you have to move to your greatest and highest good. It says, "there's always tomorrow". The monkey feels like a gorilla on your back.

I am a non violent person so I cannot suggest you shoot the monkey, though at times I've been tempted. The monkey is merely a distraction that needs to be tethered so that you can focus on moving into your greatness which means letting go of what keeps you small.

Pic... Well I didn't have a picture of a monkey so I thought this would do to remind us we don't want to look at a horse's ass endlessly just like wevdon't want to listen to that darn monkey.

Disappointments

It would seem we cannot get through life without

disappointments. If that is the case then it would seem wise to learn how to handle them.  A few tips:

1. Realize that disappointments often occur because we had expectations of other people. Who are those expectations about? Us, wanting others to be a certain way is about us. They can only be who they are. Perhaps if we accepted others for who they are we would have fewer disappointments.

2. Disappointments might mean that our life or maybe just our day is changed now . It may be we have more work; or don't get to go somewhere or have to give up life as we know it. Breath and know that we always have what we need to move forward. The day might be turned around. So be it, trust a better day is waiting to unfold.

3. The biggest tip I have to share is that in any moment, in any instant, you can change your thoughts. Feeling disappointed? Realize you don't have to because you can choose a better thought. You can change your focus. You can lift your mood. It's a choice you have.

Pic.. I am hearing Michael Buble in my ear.... "It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life.. and I'm feeling good!"

Keep Your Eye On The Prize

In our Prosperity Plus class last night we discussed the story of David and Goliath. David was told that if he could slay Goliath there was the reward of the princess, land and riches. While all of those around him focused on how big Goliath was, David focused on the prize.

In your life are you facing a Goliath? Is there a challenge that appears so big neither you nor those around you think it's possible you conquer it? The trick is to keep focused on the prize. Let your passion for the prize motivate you and keep you on track.

It's not easy but I think it's worth it.
Pic... A cruise ship we sailed on that was mamoth. There must have been a time when people couldn't imagine such a huge ship and yet here it is. The builders must have stayed focused on creating it rather than the challenges in doing so.

Monday Morning "Quarterbacking"

The election is over and the analysis begins. I could also say the blame begins. "What did Mitt Romney do wrong" is a question I've heard this morning on TV. When things don't go your way do you look for who you can blame?

The Republicans can blame his campaign or look at the politics of the party and reflect on where they are out of date and which policies don't honor all people. And it is the same for us. When we fall short of a dream we need to look within and see what we need to adjust to accomplish our dreams. Blaming others is never productive or spiritually mature.

Lots of people, this morning, are happy or mad about the election results. But remember that nothing outside of you can steal your happiness unless you let it. And instead of looking back, walk forward, it's a new day.

Pic... Water is cleansing and soothing...so I thought it was ideal for my picture.

I Hope It Is Quick

There are some things in life you don't want to quickly end... like a good music concert; a great dinner with friends; a long  walk with your sweetie where you are sharing your thoughts and feeling connected.

But this american election ... I am so happy it is almost over. However I am disconcerted to see that they can still campaign today. WHAT?? How is it they can still campaign when people are voting? And I hope the decision is quick.

People are highly charged about this election, others aren't I would guess. And with all this energy and percieved certainty that the results just have to turn out the way we each want them to... we have to look at this with a spiritual eye.

My spiritual eye gives me a view that trusts Divine Order is unfolding. This isn't to say that Universal Mind takes sides, no. It calls me to see the perfection in whichever way it goes. Divine Order is established in me. Look for the good, the God in it all. Not easy to do when we are so passionate but when our "musts" get out of the way... we can see the good in everything.

Pic.. These beautiful birds all have a different view and each is good.