Life's Loving Memories

 WHETHER WE LOVE IT OR HATE IT, WEATHER HAPPENS, NO MATTER WHAT "To realize God is ever-present, is to know that all wisdom, intelligence and power of the universe is right where you are. Your word is power when you know this. This is why everything in your life depends upon your belief, why it is done unto you as you believe. Change your belief and you can change the world."                This Thing Called you    -- Ernest Holmes The picture above, is what winter was like in Washington. Here in Las vegas when it or if snows, it is only powered sugar on the driveway. Yet, weather seems to be going crazy this year. Several of my friends and family have had power outages and trees falling on their homes; many have had to find temporary housing while their homes are repaired. There have been floods, fires, tornados, hurricanes, and earthquakes that have also created havoc. Life is like that sometimes, losing jobs, moving, losing or br...

LET GO OF WHAT NO LONGER SERVES YOU- EMBRACE WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO "There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It is why you were born and how you become most truly alive."    -- Oprah Winfrey If you are anything like me, you are a busy person, so many irons in the fire, so many things to accomplish on your calendar. Recently, while reading T he 15 Principles of  Effective leadership, I read about doing the things that you excel at, those activities that make you lose all sense of time. In college I was like that when studying how to draft a set for a play. I would save it as the last piece of my assignments for the day. I would never get sleepy because I loved it so much that it might be 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning when I finished, and I never would have guessed that much time had gone by. So, I looked at my current day activities and decided to let go of the one thing that was stressing me. Even though I loved the people I was serving, th...

LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT "Life is what you make it. It can be filled with robotic precision, or it can be joyous and kind, loving and peaceful."    Sandra Lindsey Smith,   Life's Garden Grows.  Do you ever feel that your day consists of turning off the alarm, stumbling into the bathroom to brush your teeth, grabbing a cup of coffe on your way to work, working long and hard with gruling efficiency, driving home, eating your dinner, watching some television and dozing off, only to wake up the next day and starting the same thing all over? Whew! Anyway to make a difference in the exhausting schedule? What about waking up in the morning and thinking of all the things you have to be grateful for? A comfy bed, a roof over your head, clean water to drink and to shower with? And what about that job? It may be something you've dragged yourself off to, but at least you have a job. What can you do to transform it into something you enjoy? Tricky-but not impossible.  H...

  NEW PILLOWS "The Spirit within me is in perfect rest. The center of my being   is quiet and poised. I let my inner spirit fill my whole being with peace and stillness. With this word, I now relax in body and mind. I let the Divine Tranquility fill me."                                                                          The Essential Ernest Holmes ( Last page of Chapter 8 ),       --Ernest Holmes Every January I buy new pillows. Something about t hese puffy little things pleases me so delightfully. I always feel that my sleep is more peaceful and calm, and I wake up realizing that I have had a serenly sound sleep. It always reminds me of today's quote. I adore the last line of it, "I let the Divine Tranquility fill me."  This is only the first paragraph of a longer...

NEW YEAR, NEW THOUGHTS!   A "pivot" is a small change in direction from a single point where we are. Through one small change in direction, over time, we can get to where we want to be." Shawn A. Ginwright, PhD Wow! The second day of a new year! The Christmas peacock is put away, and the tree and decorations are stowed away until next year, and I sit peacefully as I write this blog. At the center of my thoughts is peace, peace in my heart and in my family, peace for my friends (who are like family), peace in the United States, and peace throughout the world. Peace begins with me and it begins with all of you. I love the words to the Peace Song that ends every service at our Center, "Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me." How does it begin with me? What does peace mean? I believe it is a calmness, a serenity that fills my mind and body. Would I love to really see Peace on Earth? Yes. What am I going to do about it? This year I am exploring where...

  CHRISTMAS EVE "Maybe Christmas, he thought...Doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps...Means a little bit more! The True meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of 10 Grinches plus 2!" Dr. Suess Tis the day after Christmas Eve and all through my house Are the smell of the cookies that finally got baked. So off to the neighbors I walked in slow steps, and the neighbors were happy, and I was all done with the quest. Done... except for cleaning the dishes and pans that were thrown in the sink for this good little elf to sparkle and shine. Then off to the counter to make the mac and cheese and place in the oven at 375 degrees. I sat and drank coffee and nibbled some treats. And then what to my weary  eyes did appear, but the bird on the counter just waiting to take its breth taking bake. And now I sit here writing the blog that was meant to be written by yesterday's Eve. I hope you enjoy it, I and Hope your day brings, health, pe...

 THE HOLIDAY PEACOCK SHINES      "The message of the Christ is unconditional love, non-judgement, forgiveness, brotherhood, peace and oneness with God. Perhaps true Christianity is more of a lifestyle than it is any one particular religion."                                    --Dennis Merritt Jones What holiday memories from the past resonate in your mind? Going out on Christmas Eve to pick one of the last trees that was very inexpensive; ice skating with your siblings and coming home afterward for hot chocolate and popcorn; family feasting around the dining room table; feeling the happiness that came from giving and receiving; and the love that wove its way through the holidays.  This year Gary and I have a Holiday Peacock sitting on our patio, and a five foot Christmas tree sitting on the half-wall of our living room. Not everyone  had the same experience we have had...