The Christmas Song - Michael Buble

Happy Holidays Everyone

Walking Quietly

An Old Tradition

Growing up in Northeastern Wisconsin, my parents taught my sister and me to always count our blessings and remember the less fortunate. The most important blessings of all are loved ones, family, and friends. Everything else could be replaced.

Each Christmas season, our family would make dozens of cookies and distribute them the weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. We would also go caroling the week of Christmas to neighbors in the community. Usually it was with an organization such as 4-H. 4-H is an organization that brings families, and young adults living in rural areas, small towns, and villages together as a community.

On the Eve of Christmas, there was one added tradition my parents would do. We would go thru our cupboards, clothes, games and whatever else we had and create a “care” package for one or two families that lived in the area. We would pack everything up carefully and go for a ride, leaving the packages anonymously at the front doors. One family lived by the road, so it was easy to walk to the door unnoticed, leave the package, knock, and leave. We would be well on our way by the time the door opened. I imagine that just our taillights would be visible in the blackness of the night. Looking down the person would sight the package and maybe realize that they had just been “gifted.”

Years later, when I was a single father of 3 boys, my doorbell would ring or a knock would be heard, as the boys and I were “gifted.”. By the time the door was opened – all that was visible were some bags of groceries and a gift card for the local grocery store. I learned it was not the bag of groceries, or gift card that meant the most. Yes, they were much needed at those times, however the warm fuzzies that were created was knowing that we were not alone and someone cared. It was a sense of community giving us a feeling of warmth - knowing everything would be ok and we were indeed not alone.

Out of those early experiences, I remember to count all the blessings received thru the seasons, and especially the challenging times and know that my life and those I love are and will always be blessed. As each new challenge is received, I remember to count my blessings, cherish my friends, loved ones, and as I honor my love ones in my life on Christmas Eve I remember those less fortunate; I knock, leave a package on a doorstep, and walk quietly into the night knowing that as I have given, I also have received. For that is what the season is really about – is the giving and loving each other.

Do you have any Christmas Traditions?

Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

Enjoy

Peace on Earth, Little Drummer Boy

Happy Holidays

Cookies!

 

From Thanksgiving to Christmas was a very special time in our home. My sister and I would hope for the 1^st major snow storm of the season that would sweep in from the west, with big white fluffy flakes as big as boxcars that would pile quickly, all so that we could hear – “No School for Peshtigo Schools” announced on the local radio station. It was also a time when the temperature would plummet to 30 below if not more for more than a fortnight and the river ice just outside the kitchen window would crack and echo off the limestone outcropping a mile way, much like a rifle shot in the middle of the night. The 3 tall Basswood trees in the yard stood as sentinels in the light of the full moon as we glimpsed neighbors’ lights off in the distance thru frosted window panes.

One of the memories of the season as a early teen happened in our home every night after supper as the table was cleared and we started making, shaping, and baking Christmas cookies and making fudge. Baking each night for 12 nights we created different cookies and fudge; 12 dozen to be stored in the containers – each with an apple to keep them moist. Russian Teacups, Spritz, Almond Snow Cookies, Bourbon Balls, Brown Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal Cookies, Sour Crème Cookies, Chocolate Fudge with walnuts, and many more.

Each night as the cookies were baked; some would be deemed worthy of bakers only and used as special treats with a large glass of ice cold milk. By the end of the twelfth night, we had accumulated a mountain of cookies and then the boxing started. In each box would go a sampler of 6 cookies of each flavor with an apple wedge added and wrapped in the festive paper of the holiday.

With the wrapping and labeling now completed - the next step was to plan the route by mom. We would awake bright early the Saturday just before Christmas Eve; eat heartily to add fuel to our inner furnace, bundle up to stay warm and head out to deliver cookies with my mother at the wheel. Extra blankets were placed in the car, and the boxes of cookies placed in the back seat as well as the trunk. Dad chose to stay home to keep the fires burning as we would not return until well after dark. As each package was delivered; old friendships were rekindled, stories told, coffee or tea offered shared along with conversation about how blessed we all were to have friends like each other.

Do you have any favorite Holiday memories?

Ask and it is Given

If it is true, and it is, that when I, meaning, any point of Consciousness, asks, it is given, then can you not feel the perfection of the selfish ego? Every vantage point gets to ask, and every vantage point is answered. And when everyone is individually choosing and Source is answering--then what could be a more balanced world?

Excerpted from a workshop in Sedona, AZ on Saturday, August 31st, 2002

All Is Well

Photo: Rocky Mountains near Ridgway, Colorado

Morning Sunrise

Morning Solitude by artist Roderick Maciver

"I wish Pooh were here. It’s so much more friendly with two."
Piglet (A.A. Milne)

Are you willing to be alone?

Ingrid Bacci says, "If you are afraid of being alone, you are dependent on others for your sense of self, and if you are dependent on others, you block your receptivity to inner guidance. Being willing to be alone involves being willing to be different, to have commitments and values that don’t blend with any crowd."

"Man’s loneliness is but his fear of life." Eugene O'Neill

"I celebrate myself, and sing myself."
Walt Whitman

A Clear Current

Maintaining The Flow

The essence of all being is energy. Our physical and ethereal selves depend on the unrestricted flow of life energy that is the source of wholeness and wellness. Though the channels through which this energy flows are open systems and influenced by factors outside of our control, we ultimately choose what impact these will have in our lives. It is up to us to identify and clear blockages in the energy field to ensure that flow is maintained. A healthy, grounded individual absorbs some portion of the energy emitted by other people and the environment, but this does not interrupt the continuous stream of balanced energy sustaining them. The same individual copes constructively with stress and upset, and they are not subject to the stagnation that frequently goes hand in hand with negativity. When we keep the energy in and around our bodies flowing harmoniously, we are naturally healthy, vibrant, and peaceful.

Life energy flows through us like a swift stream when there is nothing to obstruct it, but various forces such as trauma, downbeat vibrations, and disappointments act like stones that impede the current. If we allow these to pile up, our life energy is thrown off its course or blocked entirely, causing illness, restlessness, and a lack of vigor. If, however, we take the time to clear these forces away, we rob them of the power to impact our lives. When we cultivate simple yet affirmative habits such as taking regular cleansing baths, practicing meditation and breathing exercises, smudging, and self-shielding, we protect ourselves from outside influences that might otherwise impede our energy flow. Likewise, we lessen the impact of inner influences when we clear our auras of unwanted attachments and divest ourselves of blocked emotions.

A strong and fluid energy field is the key that unlocks the doors of self-healing and peace of mind. Your awareness of the flow of energy sustaining you empowers you to take charge of your own well-being by taking steps to unblock, correct, and enhance that flow. Fear will likely be the culprit when you cannot identify the source of stagnation—you may simply be afraid to let go of what is obstructing the flow. Letting go can be challenging, but the exuberance you will feel when the flow is restored will be a welcome and blessed reward.

What do you think?

Calvin & Hobbs

Calvin & Hobbs

A Little Story

I’m thinking of a lovely little story about Thomas Moore, the 19^th century Irish Poet, and the story behind the song that he wrote. Moore was married to a beautiful young woman. Shortly after they were married, Moore was called away on a business trip and he was gone for some time. His beautiful wife, to whom he was completely devoted to, had contracted smallpox in his absence and the disease had left her scarred. She commanded that the shutters be drawn and that her husband was never to see her again. Moore was thankful that his bride was still alive and he rushed to her room. His wife pleaded and begged him to leave and Moore was crushed. He left the room and went to his study and began to write a song. The next morning he mounted the stairs, opened the door to his wife’s room and began to sing to her:

Believe me, if all those endearing young charms

Which I gaze so fondly today,

Were to change by tomorrow and flee from my arms,

Like fairy gifts fading away,

Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art,

let thy loveliness fade as it will,

And round the dear ruin each wish of my heart,

Would entwine itself verdantly still.

As Moore finished his song, there was a brief pause, then he heard his bride get out of bed. Slowly she crossed the room to the windows and opened the shutters.

Encouragement, affirmations, ad love works miracles. The world needs encouragers, those who inspire with courage, confidence, love, and spirit. This week with gratitude, give thanks to Spirit for those who help you see your beauty and worth

Riding the Wave~~~~~~~~~~~~

This week brought an end to 15 years of working for a leading construction company that has been hit by the bubble burst of home construction industry in Minnesota. It was not unexpected as the company has been in challenging times for the last 18 months, even though a lot of good people and friends work there, even though a lot of them work diligently and long hours, even though they are committed to riding the wave to the end if need be, even though I had agreed to ride the wave to the end if needed, it was decided to jettison more people as an effort to eliminate and slash expenses further.

So now I ride a different wave, and that is one of possibilities and doors to open. The reality is the work environment had become very negatively charged as good folks wondered and feared about more cuts. “Would I be one of them? How can I protect my job?” I know that with this door now closed, I can now start an active pursuit of possibilities for a new place to use my craft and put to use my abilities. I can decide if I want a new career, or stick with my current career path as a seasoned cost estimator. The world is my oyster and the possibilities are endless.

When I was givin the news, my 1^st reaction was rejection lasting almost an hour, and then the idea hit me, that all I was free, “free at last!” to leave all of the negative energy behind and make new choices and decide for myself what would show up in my life. I have 4 weeks paid vacation coming, and the need to make any quick decisions is not paramount. My 1^st decision is to be like the tortoise, proceeding slowly and surely as the Universe reveals its possibilities for me to choose from. I shall be riding the wave as the days and weeks unfold. Life is GREAT!!!

Riding the Wave

Let Yourself Be Carried
The Flow Of The Universe

The flow of the universe moves through everything. It's in the rocks that form, get pounded into dust, and are blown away. It is the blossoming of a flower born from a seed planted in the spring. The growth cycle that every human being goes through is part of this natural flow. The current that takes us down life's paths is this flow. When we move with it, rather than resisting, we are riding on the universal current that allows us to flow with life.

Many people live their lives struggling against this current. They try to use force or resistance to will their lives into happening the way they think it should. Others move with this flow like a sailor using the wind, trusting that the universe is taking them exactly where they need to be at all times. This flow is accessible to everyone because it moves through and around us. We are always riding this flow. It's just a matter of whether we are willing to go with it or resist it. Choosing to go with the flow is often a matter of letting go of the notion that we need to be in control at all times. The flow is always taking you where you need to go. It's just a matter of deciding whether you plan on taking the ride or having it take you there with you dragging your feet.

Learning to step into the flow can help you feel a connection to a force that is greater than you and is always there to support you. The decision to go with the flow can take courage because you are surrendering the notion that you need to do everything by yourself. Riding the flow of the universe can be effortless, exhilarating, and not like anything you ever expected. When you are open to being in this flow, you open yourself to possibilities that exist beyond the grasp of your control. As a child, you were naturally swept by the flow. Tears of sadness falling down your face could just as quickly turn to tears of laughter. Just the tiniest wave carrying you forward off the shores of the ocean could carry you into peals of delight. Our souls feel good when we go with the flow of the universe. All we have to do is make the choice to ride its currents.

If you don't live your dreams.....who will?

Your greatest detriment to your powerful ability to create
positively in your world is the negative influence from those
that surround you. And when you allow it, you are creating
by default.

Follow your bliss and remember that unless you
feel good about yourself, you have nothing of value to offer
to any other. Choose your surroundings wisely -- this is
your own life. You have that option. In reality, you have that
obligation. If you don't live your dreams.....who will?

~ Abraham-Hicks

Once the Soul Awakens

Once the soul awakens, the search begins and you can never go back. From then on, you are inflamed with a special longing that will never again let you linger in the lowlands of complacency and partial fulfillment. The eternal makes you urgent. You are loathe to let compromise or the threat of danger hold you back from striving toward the summit of fulfillment. When this spiritual path opens, you can bring an incredible generosity to the world and to the lives of others. Sometimes, it is easy to be generous outward, to give and give and yet remain ungenerous to yourself. You lose the balance of your soul if you do not learn to take care of yourself. You need to be generous to yourself in order to receive the love that surrounds you. You can suffer from a desperate hunger to be loved. You can search for long years in lonely places, far outside yourself. Yet, the whole time, this love is but a few inches away from you. It is at the edge of your soul, but you have been blind to its presence. Through some hurt, a door has slammed shut within the heart, and you are powerless to unlock it and receive the love. We must remain attentive in order to be able to receive. Boris Pasternak said, "When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder than the beating of your heart, and it is very easy to miss it."

~ John O'Donohue, from Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

What is Your Truth?

What is your truth? Ask your heart, your back, your bones, and your dreams. Listen to that truth with your whole body. Understand that this truth will destroy no one and that you're too old to be sent to your room.

Move into your truth as though it were an old house. Walk through each room. See, hear, and feel what it is to live there. Try to love what you find, and remember the words that come to you as you explore.

If you embrace it, if you are faithful to it, your truth will reward you with unimaginable freedom and intimacy with yourself and others. You won't land in a world made to order; some people in your life may not like what you write. But those who remain will be allies, people who breathe deeply and listen. It will feel good to be seen completely and loved as you are. As Natalie Goldberg said after her friend found and read a piece of work-in-progress that she had left out from the day's writing, "I feel good because I don't care that she sees how I really am. I'm glad. I want someone to know me."

~ John Lee, from Writing from the Body, excerpted from Art as a Way of Life.

The Art of Blessings

Take a moment to relax and unwind from your busy day, listen, watch and may your day be blessed beyond your dreams.

Brightest Blessings
Jim

Sammy & Jimmy's Home

Cozy Place to Stay

Corner Decoration

Sammy and his Wall to Wall Pad

Picosa

There is a new restaurant that has opened in Minneapolis at River Place. I have dined there several times and find the food excellent, modestly priced, and service friendly that sets the standard for other establishments. Picosa means "spicy lady" and the food lives up to the name. Stop in and enjoy yourself - when in the area - and bring Fido along, as a bowl of cold water and doggie treat awaits him on the outside covered veranda.

Here is their home page


http://www.picosarestaurant.com/home.asp

Paddling Thru O'Brien State Park

St Croix Afternoon Paddle

Shore Lunch

Our kayaking started when Caleb returned from Alaska. He asked what I wanted for Fathers Day 5 years ago and the desire was to try kayaking. The 1st year, being back from Alaska as a logger and sawyer, he left me in the dust as we kayaked the St Croix. Since then we have kayaked every Fathers Day and it has turned into a yearly Fathers Day Trip.

In our opinion, this is the way to go to get to know nature and see life as you have never seen it before. Sitting in the kayak, this is literally the closest one can get to water without getting wet. We paddled silently by egrets, muskrat and saw eagles sitting in the tops of trees as well as soaring the thermals, red tailed hawks, an osprey sitting on her nest as well as fish jumping next to the kayaks.

At one point as we paddled by a cliff we saw a fawn that had just fallen over the rocky ledge and had landed next to the river. His knees were still wobbly as well as he was dazed and confused. We could also see as we paddled closer that he was blind in one eye due to a birth deformity.

This shore lunch we had nuts, berrys, yogurt, apples and bananas. Bananas are easy to carry as they can be laced into the netting on the kayak for that easy retrieval and quick energy bite while paddling.

For glimpses into a kayaker and her passion stop on by Kayak Wendy. Her blog is worth a visit.

Kayaking the St Croix

Ready to go

Launching Point

Caleb Enjoying the Scenery

Enjoying a Nice Paddle

A Good Way to really enjoy the river

Wild at Heart

Capes and swords, camouflage, bandannas and six shooters - these are the uniforms of boyhood Little boys yearn to know they are powerful, they are dangerous, they are someone to be reckoned with. How many parents have tried in vain to prevent little Timmy from playing with guns? Give it up. If you do not supply a boy with weapons, he will make them from whatever materials are at hand. My boys chew their graham crackers into the shape of hand guns at the breakfast table. Every stick of fallen branch is a spear, or better, a bazooka. Despite what many modern educators would say, this is not a psychological disturbance brought on by violent television or chemical imbalance. Aggression is part of the masculine design, we are hardwired for it. If we believe that man is made in the image of God, then we do well to remember that "the Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name" (Ex.15:13)

Little girls do not invent games where large numbers of people die, where bloodshed is a prerequisite for having fun. Hockey, for example, was a not a feminine creation. Nor was boxing. A boy wants to attack something - and so does a man, even if it's only a little white ball on a tee. He wants to whack it into kingdom come. One the other hand, boys doe not sit down to tea parties. They do not call their friends on the phone to talk about relationships. They grow bored of games that have no element of danger or competition or bloodshed. Cooperative games based on "relational interdependence" are complete nonsense. "No one is killed?" they ask, incredulous. "No one wins? Whats the point?" The boy is a warrior, the boy is his name. And those are not boyish antics he is doing. When boys play at war they are rehearsing their part in a much larger drama. One day, you just might need that boy to defend you.

Those Union soldiers who charged the stone walls at Bloody Angle, the allied troops that hit the beaches at Normandy or the sands of Iwo Jima - what would they have done without this deep part of their heart> Life needs a man to be fierce - and fiercely devoted. The wounds he will take throughout his life will cause him to lose heart if all he has been trained to be is soft. This is especially true in the murky waters of relationships, where a man feels least prepared to advance. As Bly says, "In every relationship something fierce is needed once in a while."

Now, this longing may have submerged from years of neglect, and a man may not feel that he up to the battles he knows awaits him. Or it may have taken a very dark turn, as it has with inner-city gangs. But the desire is there. Every man wants to play the hero. Every man needs to know that he is powerful. Women didn't make Braveheart one of the best-selling films in a decade. Flying Tigers, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Magnificent Seven, Shane, High Noon, Saving Private Ryan, Top Gun, and the Die Hard films, Gladiator - the movies a man loves reveal what his heart longs for, what is set inside him from the day of his birth.

Like it or not, there is something fierce in the heart of every man.

By John Eldredge

James Oscar

I week old & Smiling
Mom & Best Friend
Dad and his new Cycle

Introducing James Oscar, Newest Grandson

James Oscar

Born May 27th @ 9.03AM

7lb - 11oz.

20" Long

To Nate & Jenny

My Tarot Card

You are The Sun

Happiness, Content, Joy.

The meanings for the Sun are fairly simple and consistent.

Young, healthy, new, fresh. The brain is working, things that were muddled come clear, everything falls into place, and everything seems to go your way.

The Sun is ruled by the Sun, of course. This is the light that comes after the long dark night, Apollo to the Moon's Diana. A positive card, it promises you your day in the sun. Glory, gain, triumph, pleasure, truth, success. As the moon symbolized inspiration from the unconscious, from dreams, this card symbolizes discoveries made fully consciousness and wide awake. You have an understanding and enjoyment of science and math, beautifully constructed music, carefully reasoned philosophy. It is a card of intellect, clarity of mind, and feelings of youthful energy.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

North Shore Stroll

Entrance to Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel
Walking Path following old Roadbed

Northerly View of Lake Superior
Southerly View of Lake Superior
View down from old bed to Lakeshore Click to enlarge the Pictures
Local Flower
Exit of Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel
Looking back from where we came

Confessing your Humanity

Confessing your Humanity
Don’t let your spirituality be a defense against your humanity. Don’t try to hide your wounds, your mistakes, your anger, your fear or your sadness in order to win the approval of others. Don’t pretend to be someone you are not.
Move away from hiding and secrecy toward self-disclosure and authenticity. Let yourself be seen as you truly are. Confess your mistakes. Share your feelings. Then you can affirm both your humanity and your spirituality.

Feeling Good About Ourselves

by Susan Ann Darley

What have you done lately to nurture yourself, enhance your creativity and honor your soul? Feeling sad lately? When we neglect ourselves in the mad rush to make a living, take care of business and raise our families, we die a little with each passing day. A thousand daily deaths can lead to a barren life starved for affection and love. And yet we don't understand. Our partner loves us, our children need us, our friends are there for us and our employer counts on us. We are loved and needed we defiantly state. So we continue our frantic pace and fill up our lives with busyness.

Our faces, with well-applied make-up, mask the pain of our souls that lie waiting for us to discover what real beauty is. Until we touch the beauty of our souls and live from our own heartfelt inspiration, we live with a profound sadness and longing.

Some women desperately search their entire lives to find a cure for such emptiness. The quest for a man, success and eternal youth override the longing of their souls.

Our obsession with our physical appearance has reached epidemic proportions. Women seem more dissatisfied with their bodies than they were even two or three decades ago. Some types of plastic surgery on any number of body parts can be performed on our lunch hours. It's time to ask, "What in the world are we teaching our daughters?"

And why the impossible quest for perfection? Why do we mold and reshape our faces and bodies? Do we do it to appear younger, to keep our jobs, to attract a lover or to feel better about ourselves?

How long can we feel good about ourselves when we seek artificial means to make our lives work? How long can we feel good when we value our appearance more than ourselves?

Why can't we say "no" to societal pressure to conform to impossible beauty standards? What will we lose? Why does the risk seem so high?

We could choose to grow old gracefully. When enough join the chorus it will change. But we are caught in the glamour of the external world in search of the eternal fountain of youth. We are under the influence of the opinions of others and afraid to rock the boat. So again and again we give our power away and by doing so, give our permission to be taken for granted, used and
exploited.

In other words we play the role of the victim - an all too familiar role for women to play. Over and over we play this role as it is handed down from generation to generation. Regardless of where and how we play it out, our complacency blinds us to its often-subtle disguise.

From a victim state-of-mind we become needy. Neediness is a form of negative dependency that brings up all kinds of negative emotions such as resentment, jealousy, and anger. Not knowing how to nurture ourselves and take care of ourselves emotionally, we depend on others to do so. When they fail to do so, we rage. And oddly enough, even when they do so, we rage even more. Why? Because we know deep inside that our emotional health is not dependent on others, but ourselves. We know that our strength to move beyond the victim state comes from within. Deep inside we know that absolutely no one can have power over us unless we allow it.

Yet we make excuses for the abusive people in our lives. We blame ourselves for their insensitive and harmful behavior. We take care of others at our own expense. We stay in destructive relationships out of convenience. And the cycle perpetuates itself over and over.

From neediness to rage, these are the collective deep wounds of women. Only truth will soften the edges of our pain. Only learning how to honor ourselves will heal our sorrow.

If we are so good at taking care of others, then why is it so hard to take good care of ourselves? Perhaps we haven't been taking such good care of others. I can feel the caregivers of the world -- overworked, overtired, underpaid and rarely acknowledged, glaring at me with vengeance.

When we take care of ourselves first, then we can give freely and generously of ourselves without resentment. With our own needs met through self-acknowledgment we can lovingly help others. However, the very thought of putting ourselves first usually produces major guilt. How dare we?

Get over it. Take good care of yourself. Show the world how much you value you. Learn to say no. Set healthy boundaries. Protect yourself. Tell the truth. Be honest with yourself. Live your life with integrity. Take care of your emotional, mental and physical well being. Take care of your finances. Acknowledge your feelings. Trust your intuition. Follow your heart. Honor your creativity.

Easy to suggest and write, but not always easy to do, for where there's a victim, there's a bully not far behind. When you've been beaten up enough, you begin to believe you're damaged. And when you start to believe that lie, you beat up on yourself. The bully can be long gone, but the script is still read, in fact memorized all too well.

It takes conviction to rewrite the script. It takes courage to prove to ourselves that we're intelligent, talented and valuable. It takes perseverance to nurture our dreams to fruition.

And in our solitary moments we realize what is possible. Not only can we forge beyond the past, we must. So when you lose your confidence and it all seems to fall apart and the journey is too damn long and you're too tired to care anymore, ask yourself, "What will be my legacy?"

Stop. Pray. Ask for strength and the wisdom to understand your true identity. Look past appearances and stop comparing yourself to others. Reconnect with your spiritual essence. You will become stronger, more powerful, more confident and desirable. There is nothing more appealing and sensual than pure love and joy.

Allow divine feminine energy to flow through you as a healing force. Be filled with its grace and let it overflow into the world. This energy when used consciously is a powerful force. It has been dormant for too long, buried deep within our souls. Let it rise and stand. Allow it to join forces
with the masculine energy of the world in order to create and give birth to your vision. It will temper, teach, heal, and balance. When both forces, at long last, stand side-by-side, we will then experience true equality. We will then know that our journey has been worthwhile.

This article was excerpted from The Power of Constructive Love, by Susan Ann Darley.

What it Takes

"I believe half the unhappiness in life comes from
people being afraid to go straight at things."
-William J. Lock-

*~*~*~*~*~*

What It Takes

You have what it takes to make an ordinary day into a great one that will always be remembered.
For what it takes is nothing more than the willingness to live every moment like it will never come again.
You have what it takes to transform small, easily performed actions into great accomplishments.
For what it takes is nothing more than the persistence to make one small step, and then another,
and another, until the job is done.

You have what it takes to make every moment better than the one before.
For what it takes is nothing more than choosing to learn all you can from both the victories and the defeats.

You have what it takes to live a life of meaning and fulfillment.
For what it takes is nothing more than committing yourself, in each moment,
to what you know is right for you.

You have what it takes to move beyond your fears.
For what it takes is the understanding that fear is not there to stop you, but to prepare you.

You have what it takes, right now, this very day.
So choose to make it happen.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Rockets of Desire

Participant: So on these difficult subjects that come up and they are a part of the daily life and they are always a frustration … such as money, love and health. And you have said not to tackle the most difficult, the most pressing one first …

Abraham: Well we say that if you can focus upon things that you don't have a big negative vibration built up around, the Universe will delivery it to you quickly which will give you confidence in your ability to focus, it will give you confidence in the Law of Attraction, it will give you confidence in your worthiness. So we always say start with easy things until you've proven to yourself the power of the Law of Attraction and proven to yourself your ability to focus. But once you've got that then we encourage you to clean up your vibration on every subject under the sun.

Your vibration is right where you last left it on every subject. So let's say when you were in high school someone miss treated you in some way. And you never really got over it. You remember the hurt. You remember the wrong-doing. You remember how you felt. You remember the disadvantage that you took away from it. But then you left there. Eventually you stopped talking about that person. And while you still occasionally have people treat you in that way, it doesn't come up very often and you don't think about it that often. And then somebody says something to you that triggers that. And so now it is active again. And as you begin pondering that again, you feel that hurt all over again. That means your vibration never moved from that hurt. You haven't been thinking about it so it hasn't been a big player in your vibration. But it has been lying there dormant with the potential of being activated and now something has happened that activated it. Now because it was there where you last left it, and you are living in the world and you are observing things around the world, different things that you observe have the potential of activating that because it is still where you last left it.

So our encouragement is that sooner of later you take it and you talk it downstream. You do it on purpose. It might that you two or three days, here and there, here and there. But you leave it in a whole different place. Now you've left it in a different place. It doesn't have the potential of ever being activated again. In other words you've moved yourself to a new place and now it's not going to curb out of the bushes and club you over the head over and over again, because you've shifted the vibration of it.

Participant: Even though that thought still exists?

Abraham: The thought exists but you took that subject and deliberately morphed it … in other words, while that happened, you launched Rockets of Desires. So the Source within you saw that relationship, saw that happen, saw what you didn't want, saw what you did want, and the Source within you gives its undivided attention to what you want that you derived from that experience. And that Source perspective on that has been potentially active with you all along. So when you deliberately talk about that subject and talk yourself into alignment about it,now that can never creep up again. All of your power is right here because you ability to focus is right here. So as you use your "power of now" and you focus right now on something that closes the gap and causes you to align with Who You Are, you become this vibrational being that is the extension of Source energy and before you know it those vibrations become your dominant vibrations which makes you impervious to mistreatment. It makes it not possible for anything other than what you want to flow into your experience. As long as anything other than that is happening, it means you got those vibrations still active so there's still some work to do.

So it's fun for us to watch people get hold of this idea of finding relief, finding relief, finding relief because when your intent is to feel good no matter what the subject is that moves through your mind … so subject after subject, you just find the best feeling thought about it that you can find. Before you know it because of all this different variety of subjects, you've cleaned up these core issues that you've been carrying around for a while. And then you are finally this loving being who feels invincible.

Abraham – San Francisco 2.24.07A

It is the Law!

Quote:

"Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you." -Matthew 7:7

"The Law of Attraction and its magnetic power reaches out into the universe and attracts other thoughts that are vibrationally like it. You get the essence of what you are thinking about, whether it something you want or something you do not want." -Esther & Jerry Hicks, "The Law of Attraction"

Thought:

"The Secret" is one of the most popular books this season. The reason it has such a wide readership is that it presents the Law of Attraction, the basic premise of which, is that we all have the capacity to create everything we want in our lives; we can create and fulfill our dreams, goals, and become who we want to be. The "secret" is that our thoughts, coupled with our feelings, radiate a vibrational energy that will attract similar or like energy patterns. There is nothing we cannot create and nothing we cannot release from our lives.

Many truth students think the law of attraction is a passing fad. But there are numerous scriptural passages that validate this universal law: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." "Ask, and ye shall receive," "Judge not, lest ye be judged." These passages, as well as numerous others show how our thoughts and consciousness will manifest our reality.

If our thoughts and feelings control what we attract, then why is it that few of us possess all that we seek...abundance, health, fulfilling careers and meaningful relationships? Perhaps we concentrate our thoughts on the lack of what we desire. Whether we put forth positive or negative vibrations, the universe will not discriminate. What goes forth, comes back in "like" manner. Like attracts like, and if our thoughts are careless and focused on "want," the universe will respond accordingly and attract more "want." Job was the perfect example how fearful thoughts attract: "That which I fear has come upon me." So how can we change our vibrational energy to create that which we do want?

First, we must change the focus of our thoughts and stop complaining about all the things that happen to us during the course of the day. How often does the traffic upset us; how often does the fluctuation of the stock market result in frustration; how often do we bicker about the political arena; how often do we resent our co-workers or spouses for not living up to our expectations? Our complaints send out a negative vibration and so we get more of what we complain about!

Secondly, we should turn our thoughts to God. Life will always present challenges and issues that need resolution. Instead of concentrating on the difficulties we should focus on Emmet Fox's "golden key" rule of turning inward and turning to God. The inner turmoil will be transformed into God's peace, joy and love and we will experience the presence and power of God. By putting God first in all things, we will be amazed at the power of our prayer to bring about the perfect solution to our problems.

The last step we can take to change our vibrational energy is to praise, bless and appreciate all the things in our lives, whether it's a smile from another, a kind word, a beautiful sunrise or the loving welcome we receive from our faithful pet! As we bless and appreciate all that we experience we create a positive flow of energy that attracts even more of our good.

So let us set an intention of "no complaining," placing God first in our lives, praising, blessing and expressing appreciation for the gifts we have been given. We will become powerful magnets drawing unto us the fulfillment of our dreams, goals and aspirations. There will be nothing we cannot have, nothing we cannot do, nothing we cannot become. It is the law!

Published by Spirit Online

Desire

Desire
While prayer, affirmations and other efforts to concentrate the mind sometimes yield results, they do so only when there is a strong desire behind the mental practice.

Asking for something mentally is not enough.

You must ask for it with your whole being.

Swingin" on a Hook

The movie, “The Secret” and the Law of Attraction have been the buzz and talk on many talk shows, radio, as well as in the newspaper, books and discussed at many church groups for the last few months. It seems everyone has an opinion on it and does it work or not. What the law of attraction is really saying is what we focus on or “lock onto” with our thoughts is what we will see manifested or appear in our lives.

Some folks think of ships carrying their treasures, with such statements as “when my ship comes in a” My dad used to say “Someday when my ship comes in I’ll…………………” I never knew what was on his ship, as he never finished the sentence for me and it did not appear to come in. Maybe it did, and he had sought some other “treasure” than I was used to seeing when younger. For me, that ship at sea with its cargo traversing the choppy seas in storms and tempests was the law of attraction. Maybe someday, it would make its way to me. I had become my father, “Someday when my ship comes in I’ll….”

A couple of years ago, I was in Portland, Maine on vacation and took a tour of the harbor by land and by sea. The sea phase is the Lovers Lighthouse Tour, and the seas being choppy while I was there we never left the harbor! But it is a huge harbor. We did see many lighthouses, sailing schools training people to sail, and sights of local interest. The skipper gave us good explanations of what we were seeing, and off in the distance were several freighters that were on the horizon, seemingly at anchorage.

In the harbor I saw crab fisherman tending nets, colorful crab buoys, the old forts to protect the harbor during WWII, numerous smaller lighthouses, huge gun batteries on shore, sailing schooners, and islands used by permanent residents as well as tourists. But what struck me was the skipper’s description of the freighters on the horizon. He referred to the freighters as “swingin’ on a hook” as they were just outside the harbor anchored and waiting for favorable prices for the goods that were in their holds. The country or business they were here to deliver the goods for was in phone contact with the freighters skippers, and they would issue the order to proceed to dockage to unload the cargo when prices became most favorable for them. Until then, they rested at anchor - or “swingin’ on a hook” in nautical terms, the anchor being the hook. Once the order was given, then the freighters would pull anchor and head into the harbor, dock, and unload their goods to the warehouses, etc.

At this point, the light bulb clicked on for me, (an “ahah” moment) as realization dawned that this is the Law of Attraction in principle and how it really works. My dad used the ship at sea and someday it would pull into port analogy, but in all practical sense - that ship is a lot closer – a whole lot closer! Instead of the ship being off somewhere on the high seas, it is actually in our harbor or sphere of energy, and all we need to do is give the order to the universe to dock and unload. We are the owners and master of that freighter, and all that is required is for us to do is make contact, align ourselves with the Universe and allow the ship to dock and download its cargo.