Under the Ledge

The All American Home ~ Part 1

2011-12-31T16:38:00.001-06:00

Williston Herald - Online Edition

2011-11-08T21:33:00.001-06:00

An article by the Williston Herald on the Wildflower II delivered by Tiny Green Cabins to Grassy Butte, North Dakota

Williston Herald - Online Edition

Teacher’s lil’ house
Educator sets up tiny cabin in McKenzie County

By Daniel Woods
Williston Herald
Published/Last Modified on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 11:20 AM CST

Jessica Bolt stands in her living room looking toward the kitchen/laundry room. The interior walls, floor and ceiling of the house is covered with white ash boards. Daniel Woods | Williston Herald

(Use arrows above to view more photos)

GRASSY BUTTE — Jessica Bolt bought a tiny, green cabin. It sounds like the first line in a children’s book, but it’s actually a lesser- known, higher-tech housing option.

Bolt is a student performance strategist in Killdeer. She’s a kind of “special forces” teacher who tries to do what other teachers haven’t been able to do, teach kids who have had trouble learning for various reasons. It’s a loaded job title, but it doesn’t come with a pay increase over other teachers. And, like many in western North Dakota, teachers are dealing with exorbitant costs in housing.

Bolt said she started thinking about a house like this about five years ago, then, more recently, she began researching small, energy-saving houses and finally bought one from Tiny Green Cabins, a company owned by Jim Wilkins in White Bear Lake, Minn.

“If it’s built in the north,” Bolt said, “that’s better than something built in California or Texas where they don’t know what 40 below is like.”

Essentially, this is a very small house built on wheels. It’s road-worthy. It’s a trailer.

But it looks like a house, feels like a house and has all the amenities of a house, from a full-size sink and shower to a washer and dryer.

It has an incinerating toilet which burns waste into dry, sterile ash.

Bolt said payments for her tiny cabin are less than what she had been paying to rent an apartment, and, in a few years it will be paid off.

“I’ll never have to pack a U-haul again,” she said.

The cabin was delivered Thursday night from Minnesota to the lot she purchased in Grassy Butte, a small town south of Watford City.

There has been some chatter in Grassy Butte about the new house. Don Trotter, owner of the Beicegel Station, the town’s only gas station and convenience store said he had heard a couple rumors about it, but nothing very specific. Trotter said the town used to have three gas stations and a cafe when the highway went through, but, when the highway was moved a short distance east, the town started to shrink. Until recently, he said, people have been moving out rather than moving in.

The model Bolt bought is 196 square foot, 8 feet by 20 feet, including a loft. The original design had a ladder built into a closet, but she had hers made with a stair case, and each stair contains a drawer. The whole interior is covered in approximately 3-inch-wide white ash boards, floor to peaked ceiling, interspersed with lighting fixtures and windows, including skylights to let in daylight.

“I grew up with hardwood floors,” Bolt said. “I’m kind of attached to them. You can run your hand over them and they are so smooth.”

For now, the interior is fairly bare, but she said she has picked out a spot on the wall to hang her ukulele.

The only problem now, she said, is finding someone to hook up her electrical and water lines

To see more information on tiny houses click here.

Tiny Green Cabins delivers a Tiny House to Western North Dakota | PRLog

2011-11-01T05:33:00.000-05:00

Tiny Green Cabins delivers a Tiny House to Western North Dakota | PRLog

Tiny Green Cabins presents the inaugural ‘Celebrate Your Space’ photo contest - tiny green cabin,tiny home,photo contest

2011-09-27T17:19:00.000-05:00

Tiny Green Cabins presents the inaugural ‘Celebrate Your Space’ photo contest - tiny green cabin,tiny home,photo contest

You Tube - Yoga Nidra.wmv

2011-09-25T21:15:00.000-05:00

Walt Disney - The Little House - 1952

2011-04-20T22:30:00.000-05:00

Earth Day 2011: The Earth Is My Church

2011-04-07T12:21:00.000-05:00

Passioneering Moment #4: 100 Things that You Love

2011-02-17T21:38:00.000-06:00

Passioneering Moment #3: Let Go and Get Messy in Unleashing Your Passions

2011-02-15T09:06:00.003-06:00

This video is from a friend that helps people find their passions and coaches them so that they can succeed.

How Big is Your Flux

2010-12-29T08:46:00.000-06:00

Fido's Footprint

2010-12-29T08:45:00.000-06:00

What's the Deal with Carbon?

2010-12-29T08:43:00.000-06:00

Living Small

2010-11-16T22:22:00.001-06:00

Tiny Green Cabins was asked to be a part of an exhibit on sustainable shelters at the Bell Museum of Natural History. They shot over 2 hours of video at our location and many more hours of University Professors before opening the exhibit and releasing the video. We are proud to be a part of this exhibit and know that you will enjoy the video as well as the other related videos that are part of the exhibit.

Check our website for more information and stop by the Bell Museum of Natural History for a tour.

Our CO Emissions, Housing and Tiny Bubbles

2010-11-12T21:21:00.002-06:00

Or not so “tiny bubbles” but huge balloons as our carbon footprint

Mid 1800's Home and CO Emissions in pounds

The mid 1800’s home in this time period typically was home to 7-8 residents including children. The calculation of CO per person would be a better unit of measure as per person CO emission would be about 500 pounds per person.

1950's Home and CO Emissions in pounds

The mid 1950’s home in this time period typically was home to 4-5 residents including children. The calculation of CO per person would be a better unit of measure as per person CO emission would be about 1200 pounds per person. This is also the start of the technical age where electronics such as TV’s, radio, refrigerators and other household gadgets start to enter the home.

Today's Home and CO Emissions in pounds

Today’s home in this time period typically was home to 3-4 residents including children. The calculation of CO per person would be a better unit of measure as per person CO emission would be about 4000 pounds per person, unless you lived here a lone occupant, then the CO emission would be 12000 pounds. This home is features a huge list of gadgets such as TV’s, radios, stereo systems, washers & dryers, dish washer, internet connection, ipods, phones, can openers, toasters, ovens - small and large, electric grills, hot plates, ceiling fans, security systems, garage door opener, computers, and many other electronic and electrical items.

This home is also home in 50% of the study inhabited by 1 resident. It would have a 2 car garage, 2.5 baths and 3-4 bedrooms. Most of the space is just to house the stuff that we accumulate. A friend that toured the exhibit with Jim commented that she never thought about the impact of her living in this typical home alone and is now going to take a new look at living large.

Using the math and computing what a Tiny Green Cabin Wildflower and Breathe Easy emission would be approximately 576 pounds of CO emissions when inhabited by 1 person. And I will agree that not all people would enjoy living in a tiny house, and yet the the disparity and CO emission would lead some to reconsider living smaller than what is a typical home today.

The photos are from the Bell Museum of Natural History exhibit on Sustainable Shelter. Tiny Green Cabins assisted with the exhibit and is featured in some of the videos put together by the Bell Museum.

Wildflower Model Sale Priced - Fall Clearance

2010-08-31T13:13:00.000-05:00

Wildflower Model for Sale

Fall Clearance Sale Priced at
$14,900

Dimensions
House width: 8’
House length: 18’
Road Height when mounted on trailer: 13’ 5″ *
Dry Weight: 6,500 lbs (estimated)
Porch: 7 ½’ x 3’
Main Room: 6 ½’ x 6 ½’
Loft height: 3’ 8″
Ceiling height: 6’ 3″ at Kitchen/Bath Area
(All measurements are approximate.)

The following features are currently a part of this tiny cabin:

1. Ultra Touch Cotton Insulation – recycled blue jeans
2. Floor is insulated with Ultra Touch Cotton Insulation
3. Material is EOC certified
4. Tyvek House Wrap
5. Energy Star Steel Roof - Green
6. Wavy Edge Cedar siding and Cedar valley shingle siding
7. Fir WP4 T&G Soffits
8. Pine Exterior Front Door
9. 2 windows and screens on each long side
10. 1 Window on each end
11. Fir WP4 T&G Paneling, walls and ceiling
12. Exterior Stained
13. Loft window (awning that opens)
14. Ladder to Loft
15. Built in Bookcases and Storage Closet
16. Electric wiring and lighting fixtures
17. Trex Decking
18. Stainless Steel Countertop

* Trailer NOT Included
For more information and to see more pictures see the cabin at;
http://www.tinygreencabins.com/CabinModels/wildflower.htm

Breathe Easy

2010-08-17T21:48:00.001-05:00

Built by Tiny Green Cabins

Good Here - David Ault

2010-06-28T22:47:00.001-05:00

Take a minute and watch the video, and when your heart is moved to help build a school in Cambodia, help out. It feels good and I am glad to be a part of it. Spread the joy and love to these children. Proceeds from the sale of the download for the CD go to help the children of Cambodia. The download is 99 cents.
Here's the direct link for the download. Every one helps! http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/DavidAult

So, you are thinking of downsizing...to a Tiny House

2010-04-21T21:58:00.003-05:00

The Tiny House movement written about by Small House Society, Tumbleweed Homes, Tiny Texas House Company, Tiny House Blog and many other people in the tiny house movement is not a new concept.

Our forefathers came from Europe in ships that ferried people from the old country to the new places, such as South Carolina and other locations along the east coast of North America. They came in ships that packed people in the cargo holds, and if you could afford a berth, you had a carpenter build you a bed in part of the hold that your family could call their own space. Otherwise, the passengers found a place to sleep in the hold as they claimed a piece of the floor as their own.

Upon landing, say at Plimouth Rock, the people debarked from the boat and set up communal areas, and eventually small places, such as cabins and what we would call tiny, primitive log houses. The folks that did business out of their homes had a small area of the cabin as their work space (it was generally the front part of the cabin) and had a shingle hanging over their door so people knew who they were and what they did.

Thomas Jefferson had a small cabin on his plantation that sat to the front of his property and this was his office and lawyers’ office. From Plimouth Rock Plantation to Daniel Boone, to Abe Lincoln, to the soddies on the Plains, to mountain man cabins, to hermitages, to space exploration and colonization, small has been the rule. Make less do more, and create dual-purpose spaces.

In the pursuit of small, however, living big came into being the focus; keeping up with the Jones, bigger is better, living in high-rise condos that spew light into the night, etc. All for the sake of attempting to say, “See what I have, I am better than you!” without saying a word.

The size of a home varies around the world: while some families live in one room huts, others have gigantic homes which seem to never end. Whatever the case, homes tend to grow with their owner’s prosperity. Since 1970, the size of the average new American home has grown by 50 percent. This growth trend is similar in most Western countries. For every trend, however, there is a counter-trend. In the case of home size, more and more people are choosing to live in small homes. Most who downsize opt for more modest quarters, while some homeowners take this trend to a new level, choosing to live in tiny homes (and we mean tiny!). These tiny homes can be as small as 90 sq. ft. complete with bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and living quarters.

For our definition at Tiny Green Cabins, LLC, small housing is anything less than 1500 square feet. Tiny House living is generally thought of less that 800 square feet. Living really small or wee living could be thought of as less than 300 square feet, and this could encompass tiny cabins such as Tiny Green Cabins.

When you are thinking of downsizing, it’s a good idea to first get the feel of what that means to you. Start by seeking out Tiny House builders and ask them to tour one of their tiny houses, and if possible, ask to use one for the weekend. They just may be open to renting one out on site for your curiosity. Tiny Green Cabins has a model and would rent it out for those that want the unique experience of living small. Another option is to find a resort that has tiny cabins/houses for longer stays. You may find that you absolutely love it, or decide that “Gee’ this is nice, but not for me!” As one our visitors emailed us after a visit, “We can’t thank you enough for your time and information - and for letting us into the world of this special little home ”

On the West Coast, Tumbleweed Homes would be an excellent starting point. On the Gulf of Mexico, Tiny Texas Houses, and on the east coast Vermont Tiny Houses. In the heartland of the Midwest, Tiny Green Cabins is ideally located for all to visit. Based in Minnesota, they are built tough to withstand the wide temperature ranges, from Siberian cold to summer hot, and Tiny Green Cabins are also energy conscious.

At Tiny Green Cabins, we will customize a plan, construct it in the most energy efficient way, build it non toxic, build it to live partially or completely off the grid, or build it so you can finish it yourself, or build it turnkey. With more than 40 years of carpentry and builder/remodeler experience, we have learned to enjoy being different, and that means we can respond to what you want easier than builders that only do business “their way.” You are the customer, so we do business your way.

No frills, no gimmicks, we just love what we do!

It Is Spring!! YES!!!

2010-04-12T21:33:00.003-05:00

Rumi says: "What dies in autumn comes up in spring because this way of saying NO becomes, in spring, your praise song YES." Where do you need to say NO so the song of YES can be heard, the seed of YES can flourish? Sometimes they need to be said internally so old habits die & new ways of being are cultivated. Sometimes they need to be said out loud, so the world can hear them.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

I am entering a new chapter in my life, and still being like the caterpillar, I am morphing /changing some beliefs, thoughts and discarding some old archaic ones that caused more grief than created joy. Oh, they were good, as they did kind of protect me, and yet they allowed the same old patterns to repeat themselves. Have you ever read Radical Forgiveness by Colin Tipping? It is a good read, and if you find yourself repeating some things over and over again, purchase the book and then contact Rev Sher about it.

I was in a game 15 months ago with her and uttered the phrase, “Oh, here we go again!” not realizing that my intuition was trying to convey a message to me. 6 months later, the relationship I was in - ended.

So, I found myself creating the same pattern in my life over 40 years! For the 3^rd time! The last time around – last fall, when a relationship ended, I decided that it was imperative to find out why and figure out how to think anew! I have been working on this via journaling, therapy, meditation, and listening to the whispers so if I chose to do a repeat, it is a conscious informed choice rather making an unconscious choice. While I knew that each obstacle or time for growth can be painful and yet be a blessing, I needed to learn to walk the talk. I am learning that each event is blessed and I am grateful for all the learning opportunities I have had. I can let go and know that while I may not approve, I am at peace with the outcome. Life is indeed “Great” and as Rumi says what dies in the fall is also saying yes to what becomes, in spring. Where there is death, there also is life, and that means change. So, I welcome the new life and possibilities that are manifesting now in my life as well as what I am co-creating. And since this is spring – I am welcoming my new life!

On a lighter note, tonight my son and I went roller blading and bike riding. He used the roller blades and I used my bike. He pushed his son in the cart and we were making excellent time. For a while there, I rode ahead and slowed down at the intersections, checking for traffic and then would yell “Clear” so he could roller blade through safely.

After a bit of this, it occurred to me that when I lived in Sioux Falls in the 70’s, I rode around with the police officers on the 11 to 7AM shift. I often referred to it as a time of play, and later developed a respect for what the police did each night. Some nights it was so boring, making rounds, stopping at coffee shops, checking businesses out that it would create a long night…..until all of a sudden something would happen….a car running a light that turned into pursuit driving; or a code coming in that an accident with fatality had just occurred;…then the adrenalin would course through our arteries and trigger the flight or fight mode. Of course, there was no flight…just fight! So as a civilian in the squad, I had the chance to watch for traffic on the passenger side and yell “clear” as we approached intersections.

Now my life is a little calmer as I build a business called Tiny Green Cabins or consult and work with my son undertaking remodeling work for Redeeming Restorations LLC.

Tiny Green Cabins are earth friendly cabins, tiny houses, and small homes ranging is size from 48 square feet (Mini-Sota model) to 252 square feet (Denali Model) The Wildflower Cabin is 120 square feet and built with green certified materials, reclaimed products as well as recycled materials. The Breathe Easy is a toxic free cabin for those that desire a safe house or safe home to live in. The insulation used is Ultra Touch Cotton insulation made from recycled blue jeans or Air Krete foam insulation. Even the floors are insulated!

Redeeming Restorations is a neighborhood Builder / Remodeler serving the twin cities metro area. We provide many services including remodeling, restoration projects, decks, new construction, handyman services, and custom art murals.

What is Green Building?

2009-12-05T20:35:00.003-06:00

According to Wikipedia....

Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better site use, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle.

Green building is also sometimes known as "sustainable building" or "environmental building", although there are slight differences in the definitions. The practice of green building can lead to benefits including reduced operating costs by increasing productivity and using less energy and water, improved public and occupant health due to improved indoor air quality, building small with small houses, small homes, and tiny cabins and reduced environmental impacts by; for example, by lessening our carbon footprint through wise product use, engineered products, good space usage by designing small house plans, tiny house plans, and small cabin plans that use good cabin design and lumber products which are Chain-of-Custody (COC) certified--products that are third-party certified have been reviewed or tested against a set of standards by an organization that is independent of the manufacturer or its trade association; and low-emitting products which have little or no harmful products that are emitted into the air. The amount of off-gassing coming from a product can only be quantified in a laboratory. Look for third-party certifications for caulks, paints, flooring products and wood products. The Breathe Easy is a low emitting non toxic cabin example.

Reducing the use of natural resources through the integration of recycled products in building materials is a strong resource efficiency concept. One example of a recycled and engineered material is composite decking, Airkrete, and Soft Touch Insulation. They are made of both pre- and post-consumer recycled materials such as plastic jugs, recycled plastics, wood fibers, and recycled cotton (blue jeans). The Wildflower is an example of using the following attributes of green building.

Locally produced
Reduced waste (engineered)
Chain-of-Custody certified
Third-party certified low-emitting
Recycled content
Water conserving
Energy conserving
Durable

Tiny Green Cabins LLC builds small cabins, tiny cabins that are transportable as well as mountain cabins, small houses, and small homes as well as designing custom house plans for the individual that wants to live a sustainable lifestyle in harmony with our planet.

"God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.
- John Muir"

What is Green Building?

2009-12-05T20:35:00.000-06:00

According to Wikipedia....

Locally produced
Reduced waste (engineered)
Chain-of-Custody certified
Third-party certified low-emitting
Recycled content
Water conserving
Energy conserving
Durable

"God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.
- John Muir"

Dare to Dream

2009-11-23T22:56:00.003-06:00

I learned this, at least, by my experiment;
that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,
and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined,
he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
from the "Conclusion" to Walden by Henry David Thoreau

For several years in talking to my sons, I have talked about pursuing their dreams, and yet found myself unable to take the risk for myself. The weekend of Nov 13, 2008, at a retreat in Northern Minnesota on Gull Lake the idea and dream surfaced and an active discussion followed. This time, it went further than dreams and idle talk, but actually moved into a mind mapping of the idea, and before long we had on paper given some hard reasons to follow the dream.

We listed the advantages and disadvantages to pursuing the venture of building small houses, tiny cabins, tiny homes, and tiny houses. The experience side started with the ability to design small house plans and cabin plans, then use those small house plans to build the actual small house and tiny green cabins.

For Experience; I do have 35 years of carpentry and management experience in building small and large houses of all types and styles; managing crews, design teams, manufacturing departments, and improvement teams for businesses.

Another advantage is the location of property that is owned on a busy highway, along with a large shop building to build small houses and tiny cabins, and a display area on highway 61 for showing off the completed tiny cabins. The highway has a traffic count of 10,000 hits a day and projected to 25,000 within 5 years. The potential is there for a lot of growth.

The downside of all the advantages is the state of the economy, locally and nationally. And if a business makes it in this environment, it will definitely be strategically ready when the business climate recovers. And it will recover!

Part of the planning of the business, besides drawing small house plans, and building a model of a tiny cabin, is having a network of support in the venture, be it financial, emotional or mentoring. Rev. Nancy Herrick from Our Spiritual Center , Elizabeth Traff, Carol Austin from Cross Dental Care, Daisy Mckinley, Jerry Wescott, and Bill Schmidt along with many others provided emotional support, guidance, and a open forum to bounce ideas around with. I thank each of these special friends for being along with me on this journey.

This blog, will follow that dream, and currently, I am in the stage of writing the business plan and laying out the website. Thinking funding would be limited, there was a concern, until a friend who believed in the dream offered hard cash as an investor. I know this dream is taking hold and all I need to do is follow the steps of the dream and hold onto the trolley strap for the ride. Italics from Wayne Dyers book, "Power of Intention"

Here's Thoreau's cabin:

Hottie by Jana Stanfield

2009-10-06T16:59:00.001-05:00

Lyrics - Tell me why - Declan Galbraith

2009-06-01T07:48:00.001-05:00

Tiny Green Cabins Amazing Things

2009-03-27T22:57:00.001-05:00

Minneapolis Skyline on a Cold Day

2009-01-16T22:52:00.000-06:00

2008-11-13T13:56:00.001-06:00

A leader is a dealer in hope.

Napoleon Bonaparte

I am a "INFJ"

2008-11-06T22:18:00.001-06:00

I took the Meyers Briggs personality test on line and it scored my personality type as an INFJ.
Here is the INFJ description.

Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging
by Joe Butt
Profile: INFJ
Revision: 3.01
Date of Revision: 6 Mar 2005

Beneath the quiet exterior, INFJs hold deep convictions about the weightier matters of life. Those who are activists -- INFJs gravitate toward such a role -- are there for the cause, not for personal glory or political power.

INFJs are champions of the oppressed and downtrodden. They often are found in the wake of an emergency, rescuing those who are in acute distress. INFJs may fantasize about getting revenge on those who victimize the defenseless. The concept of 'poetic justice' is appealing to the INFJ.

"There's something rotten in Denmark." Accurately suspicious about others' motives, INFJs are not easily led. These are the people that you can rarely fool any of the time. Though affable and sympathetic to most, INFJs are selective about their friends. Such a friendship is a symbiotic bond that transcends mere words.

INFJs have a knack for fluency in language and facility in communication. In addition, nonverbal sensitivity enables the INFJ to know and be known by others intimately.

Writing, counseling, public service and even politics are areas where INFJs frequently find their niche.

Functional Analysis:
Introverted iNtuition

Introverted intuitives, INFJs enjoy a greater clarity of perception of inner, unconscious processes than all but their INTJ cousins. Just as SP types commune with the object and "live in the here and now" of the physical world, INFJs readily grasp the hidden psychological stimuli behind the more observable dynamics of behavior and affect. Their amazing ability to deduce the inner workings of the mind, will and emotions of others gives INFJs their reputation as prophets and seers. Unlike the confining, routinizing nature of introverted sensing, introverted intuition frees this type to act insightfully and spontaneously as unique solutions arise on an event by event basis.
Extraverted Feeling

Extraverted feeling, the auxiliary deciding function, expresses a range of emotion and opinions of, for and about people. INFJs, like many other FJ types, find themselves caught between the desire to express their wealth of feelings and moral conclusions about the actions and attitudes of others, and the awareness of the consequences of unbridled candor. Some vent the attending emotions in private, to trusted allies. Such confidants are chosen with care, for INFJs are well aware of the treachery that can reside in the hearts of mortals. This particular combination of introverted intuition and extraverted feeling provides INFJs with the raw material from which perceptive counselors are shaped.
Introverted Thinking

The INFJ's thinking is introverted, turned toward the subject. Perhaps it is when the INFJ's thinking function is operative that he is most aloof. A comrade might surmise that such detachment signals a disillusionment, that she has also been found lacking by the sardonic eye of this one who plumbs the depths of the human spirit. Experience suggests that such distancing is merely an indication that the seer is hard at work and focusing energy into this less efficient tertiary function.
Extraverted Sensing

INFJs are twice blessed with clarity of vision, both internal and external. Just as they possess inner vision which is drawn to the forms of the unconscious, they also have external sensing perception which readily takes hold of worldly objects. Sensing, however, is the weakest of the INFJ's arsenal and the most vulnerable. INFJs, like their fellow intuitives, may be so absorbed in intuitive perceiving that they become oblivious to physical reality. The INFJ under stress may fall prey to various forms of immediate gratification. Awareness of extraverted sensing is probably the source of the "SP wannabe" side of INFJs. Many yearn to live spontaneously; it's not uncommon for INFJ actors to take on an SP (often ESTP) role.
Famous INFJs:

Nathan, prophet of Israel
Aristophanes
Chaucer
Goethe
Robert Burns, Scottish poet

U.S. Presidents:
Martin Van Buren
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter

Nathaniel Hawthorne
Fanny Crosby, (blind) hymnist
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Fred McMurray (My Three Sons)
Shirley Temple Black, child actor, ambassador
Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader, martyr
James Reston, newspaper reporter
Shirley McClain (Sweet Charity, ...)
Piers Anthony, author ("Xanth" series)
Michael Landon (Little House on the Prairie)
Tom Selleck
John Katz, critic, author
Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul and Mary)
U. S. Senator Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
Billy Crystal
Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury)
Nelson Mandela
Mel Gibson
Carrie Fisher
Nicole Kidman
Jerry Seinfeld
Jamie Foxx
Sela Ward
Mark Harmon
Gary Dourdan
Marg Helgaberger
Evangeline Lilly
Tori May
Introverted iNtuiting Feeling Judging
by Marina Margaret Heiss

INFJs are distinguished by both their complexity of character and the unusual range and depth of their talents. Strongly humanitarian in outlook, INFJs tend to be idealists, and because of their J preference for closure and completion, they are generally "doers" as well as dreamers. This rare combination of vision and practicality often results in INFJs taking a disproportionate amount of responsibility in the various causes to which so many of them seem to be drawn.

INFJs are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in people -- a product of the Feeling function they most readily show to the world. On the contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious "soul mates." While instinctively courting the personal and organizational demands continually made upon them by others, at intervals INFJs will suddenly withdraw into themselves, sometimes shutting out even their intimates. This apparent paradox is a necessary escape valve for them, providing both time to rebuild their depleted resources and a filter to prevent the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent "givers." As a pattern of behavior, it is perhaps the most confusing aspect of the enigmatic INFJ character to outsiders, and hence the most often misunderstood -- particularly by those who have little experience with this rare type.

Due in part to the unique perspective produced by this alternation between detachment and involvement in the lives of the people around them, INFJs may well have the clearest insights of all the types into the motivations of others, for good and for evil. The most important contributing factor to this uncanny gift, however, are the empathic abilities often found in Fs, which seem to be especially heightened in the INFJ type (possibly by the dominance of the introverted N function).

This empathy can serve as a classic example of the two-edged nature of certain INFJ talents, as it can be strong enough to cause discomfort or pain in negative or stressful situations. More explicit inner conflicts are also not uncommon in INFJs; it is possible to speculate that the causes for some of these may lie in the specific combinations of preferences which define this complex type. For instance, there can sometimes be a "tug-of-war" between NF vision and idealism and the J practicality that urges compromise for the sake of achieving the highest priority goals. And the I and J combination, while perhaps enhancing self-awareness, may make it difficult for INFJs to articulate their deepest and most convoluted feelings.

Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills. Since in addition they often possess a strong personal charisma, INFJs are generally well-suited to the "inspirational" professions such as teaching (especially in higher education) and religious leadership. Psychology and counseling are other obvious choices, but overall, INFJs can be exceptionally difficult to pigeonhole by their career paths. Perhaps the best example of this occurs in the technical fields. Many INFJs perceive themselves at a disadvantage when dealing with the mystique and formality of "hard logic", and in academic terms this may cause a tendency to gravitate towards the liberal arts rather than the sciences. However, the significant minority of INFJs who do pursue studies and careers in the latter areas tend to be as successful as their T counterparts, as it is *iNtuition* -- the dominant function for the INFJ type -- which governs the ability to understand abstract theory and implement it creatively.

In their own way, INFJs are just as much "systems builders" as are INTJs; the difference lies in that most INFJ "systems" are founded on human beings and human values, rather than information and technology. Their systems may for these reasons be conceptually "blurrier" than analogous NT ones, harder to measure in strict numerical terms, and easier to take for granted -- yet it is these same underlying reasons which make the resulting contributions to society so vital and profound.
Copyright © 1996-2007 by Marina Margaret Heiss and Joe Butt

Goat Barning???

2008-10-14T20:26:00.008-05:00

The Goats

Leveling the Garden in Preparation for Goat Barn - May

Setting the Poles for Framework -May
Size is 24x36

The Shell is up, Now the steel - August
In the rafters - Notice the storage area for hay.
Better not tell the grandsons about hay lofts, and the birds and bees.

The Start of the Steel - August

Doing the Last of the Steel - September

As a favor to my son and his wife, and being a nice pa, I became a goat barn builder in western Minnesota - all the while working my regular gig in Southwestern, MN. We started planning this project in March and finally started in May, due to rain delays and a wet spring.The barn took a lot longer than anticipated, and the working schedule was predominately Saturdays. Other sons came out to assist in the barn building, and were quickly halted when it was figured out that the estimator that had estimated the project, made some rookie estimator errors. We encountered his errors all the way through the project, beams too short, not enough material, 1 roof truss short, shortages in steel, etc, that impacted the time line and drug the project out. (I am an estimator also, and choose not to do the material takeoff as I worked for the company supplying the material - Figuring it would be a conflict of interest working for the company and supplying and doing the material takeoff also. I should have done the takeoff!)
It is now October, and we are almost done. We have corners to install, and some steel on the roof to finish up that we now have. The next step is to install some lights and call it a year on goat barn building. A lot of work and room for 2 Goats?

To see more about this goat barn, just click on the link: 14 Acres
And here: Barn to be

Nothing Is Insurmountable

2008-09-29T22:43:00.002-05:00

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

When our next best course of action seems unclear, any dilemmas we face can appear insurmountable. Yet there is nothing we cannot overcome with time, persistence, focused thought, help, and faith. Whatever the situation or problem, there is always a solution. And if you remember to look within, even as you search around you for the “right” course of action, you will be able to center yourself, clear your mind, and see that nothing has to be impossible.

The first step in overcoming any obstacle is to believe that it can be overcome. Doing so will give you the strength and courage to move through any crisis. The second step is to make a resolution that you can prevail over any chaos. Enlist your support network of family and friends if necessary. The more minds there are to consider a problem, the more solutions can be found. Don’t discount ideas just because they seem impractical or “unrealistic,” and don’t keep searching for the “best” alternative. Often there is no “best” choice, there is only a choice to make so we can begin moving beyond whatever is obstructing our path. At the very least, making a choice, even if isn’t the ideal one, can give you a sense of peace before you have to figure out what your next course of action will be.

If you feel overwhelmed by the scope of your troubles, you may want to think of other people who have turned adversity into triumph. We often gain a fresh perspective when we remember others who have overcome larger obstacles. It can be inspiring to hear of their victories, helping us remember that there is always light at the end of every tunnel. It is during our darkest hours that we sometimes need to remind ourselves that we don’t have to feel helpless. You have within and around you the resources to find a solution to any problem. And remember that if a solution or choice you make doesn’t work, you are always free to try another. Believe that you can get through anything, and you will always prevail.

Potlatch

2008-09-25T21:18:00.004-05:00

We can learn much from the Native American Tlingit Indian tradition of the potlatch; while visiting the Pacific Northwest coast, I learned about this Tlingit tradition. Being a carpenter for many years, one of the companies that supplied lumber for homes that I worked on carried the brand “Potlatch.” My knowledge expanded upon learning that Potlatch is a tradition that values generosity above all else, and a potlatch, which is a very grand ceremony, is an exercise in giving away material possessions, food, and money. It is not uncommon for the host of a potlatch to give away so much of his own resources to his guests that he ends up with nothing. And the host knew he could regain his wealth and more by attending potlatches at which he is a guest, as each of his guests were expected to invite him to a potlatch ceremony. In this way, a potlatch validates generosity and encourages the flow of resources in a community, while at the same time continually reaffirming the importance of community ties.

When we are held in a web of trust and connection, we can give generously, knowing that when it is our turn we will be supported. In this way, our whole sense of ownership becomes less individualistic and more communal. Resources are in an acceptable state of flux, moving within the community through the vehicle of the potlatch, which serves the additional function of strengthening community ties. This seems clearly preferable to isolating ourselves from one another and hoarding our resources.

Perhaps we can find ways in our own lives to create a community in which a flow of resources happens in this way, in which we support one another to be generous. We might begin by celebrating our own type of potlatch, having a dinner party and giving each guest an object that is dear to us. Or we could give everyone a little bit of money in an envelope to spend on themselves just for fun. Someone might get inspired to throw their own potlatch, and before we know it we might have a tradition that supports and validates generosity even as it creates a safety net for leaner times. In the most profound sense, that is what a community, a tribe, and family do best.

There is never anything new under the sun, and the potlatch sounds very similar to what the movie, “The Secret” was talking about – which is the law of attraction and law of circulation.
jimmyjames

Hidden Treasure

2008-09-22T15:25:00.004-05:00

Denali

Finding Another Vantage Point

The ocean can look very different, depending on whether you are standing at the shore, soaring above in a plane, or swimming beneath its waves. Likewise, a mountain can look very different relative to where you are standing. Each living thing sees the world from its unique vantage point. While from your window you may be seeing what looks like a huge shrub, a bird in its nest is getting an intimate view of that tree’s leafy interior. Meanwhile, a beetle sees only a massive and never-ending tree trunk. Yet all three of you are looking at the same tree.

Just as a shadow that is concealed from one point of view is easily seen from another, it is possible to miss a fantastic view. That is, unless you are willing to see what’s in front of you through different eyes. Seeing the world from another perspective, whether spatially or mentally, can introduce you to all sorts of hidden treasures. The root of the discovery process often lies in finding another way of looking at the world. The common human reaction to insects is one example. Spinning its web in a dark corner, a spider may seem drab, frightening, and mysterious. But seen up close weaving silver snowflakes between the branches of a tree, they can look like colored jewels.

Sometimes, there are experiences in life that from your vantage point may seem confusing, alarming, or worrisome. Or there may be events that look insignificant from where you are standing right now. Try seeing them from another point of view. Bury your face in the grass and look at the world from a bug’s vantage point. Explore your home as if you were a small child. Take a ride in a small aircraft and experience the world from a bird’s eye view. Just as kneeling down sometimes helps you see more closely when you are looking for lost treasure, so can standing back help you appreciate the broader picture of what you are looking at. In doing so, you’ll experience very different worlds.

When I was in Alaska, the weather had been rainy and cloudy for many weeks and Mt Denali (McKinley) had been hidden by the clouds. As this day progressed, the sun started peaking through the clouds and glimpses of the mountain range starting appearing from the clouds. Rounding a bend in the road, Denali arose from the clouds for that afternoon. It was a magical time as our perspectives continually were changing as we drove out of Denali National Park with the realization that life also changes from different points as we awaken to our life's journey.

Jimmyjames

Recognizing Our Own Abundance

2008-09-19T21:21:00.002-05:00

Planting The Seeds Of Generosity

The most difficult time to be generous is when we ourselves are feeling poor. While some of us have experienced actually being in the red financially, there are those of us who would feel broke even if we had a million dollars in the bank. Either way, as the old adage goes, it is always in giving that we receive. Meaning that when we are living in a state of lack, the very gesture we may least want to give is the very act that could help us create the abundance that we seek. One way to practice generosity is to give energy where it is needed. Giving money to a cause or person in need is one way to give energy. Giving attention, love, or a smile to another person are other acts of giving that we can offer. After all, there are people all over the world that are hungry for love.

Sometimes when we practice generosity, we practice it conditionally. We might be expecting to “receive back” from the person to whom we gave. We might even become angry or resentful if that person doesn’t reciprocate. However, trust in the natural flow of energy, and you will find yourself practicing generosity with no strings attached. This is the purest form of giving. Remember that what you send out will always come back you. Selflessly help a friend in need without expecting them to return the same favor in the same way, and know that you, too, will receive that support from the universe when you need it. Besides, while giving conditionally creates stress (because we are waiting with an invisible balance sheet to receive our due), giving unconditionally creates and generates abundance. We give freely, because we trust that there is always an unlimited supply.

Being aware of how much we are always supported by the universe is one of the keys to abundance and generosity. Consciously remember the times you’ve received support from expected and unexpected sources. Remember anyone who has helped you when you’ve needed it most, and bless all situations that come into your life for the lessons and gifts they bring you. Remember that all things given and received emanate from generosity. Giving is an act of gratitude. Plant the seeds of generosity through your acts of giving, and you will grow the fruits of abundance for yourself and those around you.
Daily OM

Whispers

2008-08-28T21:07:00.003-05:00

Each day that passes, I learn something new. I learn from the people around me. I learn about patience, love, courage, wisdom, kindness, perseverance, strength, laughter, endurance, faith, and oneness. I learn to be still…..and listen to that small voice within. With each lesson that I learn I feel something tugging gently on my heart. It whispers to me promises of a secret so profound and wonderfully waiting for us.

Autumn brings with it a change in seasons, a hint of color here, a splash of dazzling brightness there. As the season moves into full bloom, the winds move thru the branches whispering thoughts of endings and new beginnings. The leaves fall to the ground in a deep and colorfully quilted blanket covering the earth in preparation for colder days ahead and deep snows. Under the snows, the leaves continue doing what is required, releasing nutrients to the soil for the spring and rebirth that is already whispering its arrival. It is a season of change.

My thoughts take me to another time when I skied at night across the winter snows, hearing the whisper of the skis on the snow, much like lovers whispering sweet thoughts in the night, speaking promises of things unseen and secrets to be revealed.

“The Master would often say that Silence brought transformation. But no one could get him to define what Silence was. When asked he would laugh, then hold his forefinger up against his tightened lips - which only increased the bewilderment of his disciples. One day there was a breakthrough when someone asked, "And how is one to arrive at this Silence that you speak of? "The Master said something so simple that his disciples studied his face for a sign that he might be joking. He wasn't. He said, "Wherever you may be, look where there is apparently nothing to see; listen when all is seemingly quiet."”
Anthony de Mello, SJ

Some days I become so caught up in the whirl of life that when I finally get a moment to be calm and quiet I don't know what to do with myself. My mind quickly becomes filled. At these times, I forget and resist, fighting the whirl of life and expending energy and do not listen to the whispers in the gifts and challenges; thinking sometimes it would be nice to see beyond the veil, into the future so I can plot my course…then the whispers remind me that all my needs have been taken care of. Yet, I cannot help but ask, especially when riding the wave to new places and change.

At these times, I slip away into a quiet world, away from all the noise and chaos, away from the whirl of life, listening for the whispers beckoning me forward. I know that my heart is filled to the brim overflowing as remembrance of all the many blessings in my life flood my being. Yet, there are so many things that I hope and long for. It's difficult to be patient, especially when my heart keeps pulling me toward some strange new future.

What whispers in life are you missing?

Riding the Wave - Again

2008-08-21T05:53:00.001-05:00

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.
Henry David Thoreau

This article appeared in the Daily OM a year ago, and found it interesting to read again as a reminder. Once again, the flow of the Universe is carrying me to a new place. The UFP plant that had hired my services last spring was told by corporate last week that it was closing it down because of the bad economy and to protect shareholders - and share prices. The plant closure is putting a 150 people on the street in a community of 1,800 and will be felt by many other business's and families in the area. So...once again....I will be riding the wave to see where it will take me. In the past, I have restricted my search to 160 miles of where I call home. I need to release my concept of "home" and search farther afield. In the meantime, I shall be wave riding!

The Flow of the Universe
The flow of the universe moves through everything. It is in the rocks that form, get pounded into dust, and are blown away. It is in 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, which is also the current that takes us down life’s paths. When we move with it rather than resisting it, we are riding on the universal wave that allows us to flow with life.

Many people live struggling against this current. They try to use force or resistance to will their lives into happening in the way they think it should. Others move with it 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 travels through and around us. We are always riding it—it is just a matter of whether we are willing to go with it or we resist it. Choosing to go with the flow is often a matter of relinquishing the notion that we need to be in control at all times.

The flow is always transporting you where you need to go. It is merely a question of deciding whether you plan on accepting the ride or having it take you there with your feet dragging. Learning to step into it 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 takes courage because you are surrendering the belief that you need to do everything by yourself. Riding the flow of the universe can be effortless, exhilarating, and unlike anything you ever expected. When you are receptive to being in it, 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. The mere tiniest wave carrying you forward off the shores of the ocean could transport 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.

Risking your Life

2008-08-14T21:06:00.003-05:00

So, I've been remembering this story….

In the story, a game was played. The players sat in a circle and clapped in rhythm. Then, in time with the beat, one player threw two knives across the circle, to be caught and passed on by another player. This was, as you can imagine, very dangerous and sometimes bad things happened. A person new to the culture was trying to understand just why lives would be risked in what was, after all, just a game. He was told, “We play the game to deserve to live.” It's make believe, of course, kind of a fairy tale. Still, even fairy tales can teach us something.

Personally, I think about that some of the time. To live your life, every now and then you need to risk your life.

I'm not talking about risking your life by mountain climbing, bungee jumping or any other such foolishness. My kids do that for me. I realize this puts me outside the mainstream of American life, but I've never understood the need for manufactured thrills and artificial challenges. For me, getting out of bed in the morning and dealing with the rest of the world has always been enough to keep my pulse pounding.

In the early 80’s risking my life once meant placing myself between an angry knife wielding husband and his terrified wife took a form of courage I am told. Funny, I do not remember being brave that night, all I saw was a wrong and someone needed to step in. I saw and heard what was happening, I did what was needed, not realizing until later what had happened.

No, what I'm saying is that to truly deserve your life, you need to live your life, and that means taking chances. Scary ones. Really scary ones! I'm talking about falling in love, following your passion, fulfilling your promises, taking a stand. I'm talking about taking your beating heart in your hand and throwing it across the room, to someone who may or may not catch it.

Yeah, baby, that's some scary stuff, isn't it? Makes a hike up the side of Mount Everest look downright relaxing.

When I see the sort of things that go on in our country, from extreme sports to the hell bent pursuit of more…stuff… to the endless macho posturing of rap singers and politicians, it makes me think there's something horribly phony about all of it. I think all these tough guys are only play acting, pretending to be tough because under it all, they're just terrified at the thought of what's really lurking out there. It is easier to face down a physical fear that looking the fool for falling in love and possibly retrieving a broken heart.

You want scary? I'm no big fan of heights, but I'd hang off the edge of a mountain by my fingernails before I'd take another midnight trip to the hospital with an eight month old who couldn't breathe. You want to talk about tough? I know, you're thinking about football players or action movie stars. Forget it – I've seen tough. Tough is the police officer in Sioux Falls delivering news to a newly widowed wife, informing her that her husband would not be coming home that Saturday night or ever again. That day was the couple’s 1st year anniversary and the 1st day in their new home and she was due to give birth any day. They had just spent the day planting trees in the yard for their future.

Determined may be Lance Armstrong peddling up the Alps, but I guess I'd have to vote for the old lady with the bad hip who works brutally hard in therapy so she can park her walker and hang onto her independence just one more time. It's a fight she'll lose, eventually, but she'll never surrender.

To live your life you need to risk it. And that means taking the chances that make us whole human beings.

If you're going to live your life, live it all the way. Face your fears and throw that someone special - your heart. You just may be surprised! Otherwise, what's the point?

Reviving A Community Tradition

2008-07-19T13:09:00.001-05:00

Storytelling

Ever since our ancestors could first communicate, we have gathered to share our stories. We have passed along creation tales and tragic stories of love lost. We have repeated accounts of real heroism and simple stories of family history. When our forebears lived closer to the land and to each other, the practice of storytelling was imbued with ritual and occasion. Members of the tribe would often gather around the fire to hear their genealogy recited aloud by an elder or master storyteller. Listeners could track how their own lives, and the lives of their parents, interwove with the lives of the other tribe members, as everyone’s ancient relatives once played out similar life dramas together.

As a custom, some cultures’ storytellers repeat the same tale over and over because they believe that each time you hear it, you come to the story as a different person and view the plot and characters in a new light. Hearing the story over and over is a way to gauge where you have been and where you are now on your path of personal evolution. It also helps the younger generation learn the stories so that they can pass them to forthcoming generations.

When we hear others tell stories, we can laugh at their humorous adventures, feel the thrill of exciting encounters, see parts of ourselves in them, and learn from the challenges they face. Though most of our formal traditions of storytelling are lost, it does not mean we have to be without. We can begin new practices in our own families of listening to one another, of honoring our own journey, and witnessing the journeys of those around us. We can revive the fireside communal by gathering around the campfire or hearth with family and friends, sharing in stories. By building new practices of storytelling, we give ourselves and the ones we love an opportunity to draw ever closer in our shared human experience.

From Daily OM

Mothers Day

2008-05-11T05:54:00.001-05:00

source unknown

Brilliant answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions!!

Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.

2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.

2. Magic plus super powers, and a lot of stirring.

3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other Mom?

1. We're related.

2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's Moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your Mom?

1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.

2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.

What did Mom need to know about Dad before she married him?

1. His last name.

2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?

3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mom marry your Dad?

1. My Dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.

2. She got too old to do anything else with him.

3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because Dad's such a goof ball.

2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.

3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.

What's the difference between Moms and Dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home, and Dads just go to work at work.

2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3. Dads are taller and stronger, but Moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.

4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time.

2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mom perfect?

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.

3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Pure Thoughts

2008-02-16T22:11:00.004-06:00

Undistracted Energy

If we make no effort at all, our thoughts usually scatter in a vast array of directions. They start and stop and move in surprising ways from one second to the next. If we try to follow our thoughts without controlling them, we will be amazed at how truly inconsistent they are. Yet, if we apply our minds to a specific task, especially one that interests us, they gather together and allow us to focus our attention, creating great power and energy. This is what is known as pure thought, because it is undistracted.

The law of attraction—like attracts like—influences all energy, including our thoughts, and this is what makes pure thought so potent. Our undistracted thoughts create a powerful magnet that draws similar energy into our vibrational field. As a result, the longer we are able to hold positive thoughts in our minds, the more powerful the positive energy around us becomes. We don't need to focus on action and controlling so much when we are surrounded by energy that draws what we want toward us. We can simply respond to the opportunities that naturally come our way. When this is the essence of our experience, we can go with the flow, knowing that we will be okay.

If pure thought is a body, it is our emotions that supply the heart that can really bring it to life. Our thoughts and feelings exist in relation to one another, and they form a feedback loop through which they communicate and empower each other. When we hold a thought in our mind without being distracted, we have achieved pure thought. When we have a positive emotional response to that thought, we enable it to dance and move and breathe itself into existence.

What do you think?

Daily Om

A Zen Interlude

2008-02-12T15:04:00.000-06:00

"We spend most of our time and energy in a kind of horizontal thinking. We move along the surface of things...but there are times when we stop. We sit still. We lose ourselves in a pile of leaves or its memory. We listen, and breezes from a whole other world begin to whisper."

James Carroll

The Butterfly Effect

2008-02-10T21:15:00.000-06:00

Imaginal Cells

Have you ever noticed a change that needed to happen at work that would make things run smoother, would result in more customer satisfaction, would create more profit, or would simply improve employee moral without negatively affecting productivity? Did your manager shut you down and completely ignore your suggestions? Have you ever had a vision for how your local community or state could make some positive changes to clean up the environment, ease traffic congestion, keep the teenagers out of trouble, or help the homeless only to have the local politicians and officials bury your ideas in red tape and governmental double-talk? Have you ever had spiritual ideals that were incredibly inclusive and loving, yet people were so close-minded that they couldn’t even see the beauty of what you were envisioning for them? Have you ever pinpointed the root causes of your family’s dysfunctional behaviors and beat your head against a wall trying to get them to heal, grow, and change along with you? Have you ever felt like the Lone Ranger?

After a caterpillar buries itself inside its cocoon, it waits to morph into a butterfly. The caterpillar does not simply shrink a bit and sprout wings. Instead, it sort of disintegrates into a puddle of ooze within the cocoon. If we were to open the cocoon halfway through the process, we would not find a half-caterpillar half-butterfly type creature, but a blob of goop. The goop is made up of a bunch of individual cells that are all basically the same type of oozy cells. For whatever reason, after the caterpillar has turned into ooze, a new type of cells start appearing. The original ooze cells are NOT changing into these new cells, but rather the new cells seem to come out of nowhere. They just appear out of thin air so to speak.

These new cells are called imaginal cells and they are so completely different from the original ooze cells that they are thought to be a virus or some other form of enemy so the ooze cells begin attacking the imaginal cells. However, even though the imaginal cells are being killed off for not fitting in, they still keep showing up, more and more of them. Eventually, the imaginal cells begin to find each other and cluster together. Like attracts like, and the clusters begin to join up with other clusters. The original ooze cells still keep attacking them but the imaginal cells continue to multiply and cluster together.

Eventually, they become a large community and they switch gears from simply being a group of like-minded cells into the programming cells of the butterfly. Some imaginal cells start changing into wing cells, some start changing into antenna cells, some start changing into digestive tract cells, and so on. They are no longer imaginal cells but become butterfly anatomy cells. As we all know, if left alone to do his thing, the butterfly eventually emerges as a completely new entity from the original caterpillar. Do they hold the same memories, life lessons, and consciousness? Who knows? One would think that for survival of the species, the butterfly would still retain whatever knowledge the caterpillar had learned before entering into the cocoon state.

Sometimes we are led to play the role of imaginal cell in our little corner of the world. Being one of the very first of the imaginal cells can be a painful road to travel. It is different later on down the road as your cause begins to gather steam and becomes more popular. Imagine what the first women who were fighting for our right to vote went through compared to what we go through today trying to get equal pay and respect for a job well done. Imagine what the fighting for the right to even create a country based on inalienable rights and personal freedoms compared to what we go through just trying to maintain our rights and define what those freedoms are. Minority groups often feel like a cluster of imaginal cells being wrongly attacked just for being different. The masses assume that they must be the enemy; why else would they be so different? Being an outspoken lone wolf with a vision for big change away from the status quo can be scary and even dangerous.

I could tell you to hold true to your visions and to fight to the death. I could tell you that you should never ever allow anyone to stop you from making your dreams of a better world come true. But the truth is, we are not always committed to our visions. If you are working for a company that is growing stagnant and is not willing to adapt and grow with the times, then maybe your energy and brilliance is wasted on trying to fix them or change them. Maybe you should move on to another company, start your own business doing things ‘right’ according to your new vision, or simply let it go if all that really matters is that paycheck that allows you to feed and clothe your family. Not everyone who has a beautiful vision has the heart and soul of an activist within. Some things are definitely worth fighting to the death for while others are simply pleasant ideals. Only you can decide for yourself which of your imaginal cell type ideas are worth your time and energy.

If you are an imaginal cell in your family, in your workplace, in your community, in your political system, in your spiritual viewpoints, in your global world; know that you are not alone and know that what you do to improve life for your fellow man does matter and it does add weight to the collective consciousness of humanity. You may feel like you are completely alone in your battle, but know that there are others who agree, who are also dying for your cause, or who are so inspired by seeing you put it all on the line that they are finally brave enough to step forward making their agreement with you known.

If the imaginal cell is a quiet little thought somewhere in the back corner of your mind telling you that you could make huge changes in yourself to become less like the caterpillar and more like the butterfly, then know that you are not alone. Many people have done it before you and many more will follow your lead. You will know if you are meant to grow, morph, and change into some new and improved version of yourself by the reoccurring theme of those tiny little imaginal cells creating inspirational thoughts within your mind. The reoccurring thoughts will both haunt you and inspire you. They will cluster together creating themes of healing change, themes of growth, and themes of becoming something completely different then who you used to be. Fear not, for you are simply undergoing the butterfly’s experience. You too will feel alone in the dark unsure of what is you and what is not you. You too will have to claim that which is beautiful within and you too will have to fight your own way out of your self-imposed prison to strengthen your wings so that you can fly for the entire world to see, inspiring others to look within at their own imaginal cells.
Authored by Skye Thomas

The Power Behind Us

2008-02-10T08:40:00.000-06:00

People That Support Us
Behind each of us stands at least one supporter. This was once thought to be the spouse who ran the home while leaving the other spouse free to work. While this is still one valid scenario, most of us will find that we have other kinds of supporters in our lives. In some cases, our supporters are the people whose help allows us to do the things we're best at, see to our obligations, or pursue or dreams. In other cases, our support may come from the people who are there to help us through life's challenges by offering us their strength and bolstering our spirit.

Our support may come from our families and friends or from the people we hire-nannies, assistants, gardeners, healers, therapists, and advisors. Our supporters may be the mentors who help us express ourselves by listening to us as we share our thoughts and feelings. Our supporter can be the person sitting next to us at a networking meeting or the teacher from our childhood whose words still resonate in our minds. We have always had supporters around us whether we noticed them or not. No matter where the support comes from, few of us can make it through life without assistance.

As we take the time to acknowledge everyone that has every supported us, we can't help but feel grateful. Understanding our place in our human support system helps us see that just as there are people that support us, we are a supporter to many people. By gratefully accepting the expertise and assistance of our supporters, we can consciously and more easily build a life that we love. Thanks to our staff, groups, friends, and loved ones for all their support. We all need each other's support to thrive this world.

From Daily Om

Not Alone In The Dark

2008-01-31T11:50:00.000-06:00

Looking At What We Don’t Want To See

It is one of life's great paradoxes that the things we don't want to look at in ourselves are the very things we need to look at in order to know ourselves better and to become more fully who we are. The feelings that make us want to run away are buried treasure full of energy and inspiration if we are willing to look. These feelings come in many forms, from strange images or snippets of information to recurring dreams and feelings that rise up seemingly without a reason. Whatever shape they come in, and no matter how scary they seem, these messengers bring the information we need in order to grow.

When we are tired of pushing something down, or trying to run away from it, a good first step is to write down what we think we are avoiding. Often this turns out to be only the surface of the issue or a symbol of something else. Expressing ourselves fully on paper is a safe way to begin exploring the murky territory of the unconscious. The coolness of the intellect can give us the distance we need to read what we have written and feel less afraid of it. It helps if we remember that no matter how dark or negative our thoughts or feelings may be, these are energies shared by all humanity. We are not alone in the dark, and all the gurus and teachers we admire had to go through their own unprocessed emotional territory in order to come out the other side brighter and wiser. This can give us the courage we need to open the treasure chest of what we have been avoiding.

Within the parts of ourselves that we don't want to look at, there are emotions that need to be felt. Unfelt emotions are stuck energy, and when we leave emotions unprocessed, we deprive ourselves of access to that energy. When we feel strong enough, we can begin the process of feeling those emotions, on our own or with guidance from a spiritual counselor. It is through this work that the buried treasure of energy and inspiration will pour forth from our hearts, giving us the courage to look at all the parts of ourselves with insight and compassion.

What do you think?

Copied from Daily OM

Technology As Distraction

2008-01-30T06:36:00.000-06:00

Choosing True Connections

We are often lured by the promise of new technologies to make our lives easier and help connect us to others. While they do so in many ways, they also present each of us with opportunities to make new choices about how we spend our time and invest our energy. Most gadgets are generally meant to improve the quality of our lives, but it is when we spend too much time with them that they actually do the opposite. By always using our portable emailers, cell phones, video games, and surfing the Internet, we actually become less connected and more distracted. By becoming aware of these tendencies, we harness the power to overcome them and make better choices for ourselves and our families.

Once we decide to consciously put our gadgets to work for us, we become masters of our time. We can give our full attention to whatever we are doing and not let phone conversations and other distractions take the place of human contact. Each of us has the ability to consciously choose to be more present in our lives. We can decide at any time to leave our gadgets behind and become aware of the sights and sounds around us in order to expand our awareness and be fully present in our bodies and our surroundings.

When we use our discernment about how we invest our personal energy, we can be sure that we choose only the best for ourselves and those we love. Our gadgets can be useful tools for our journey in the material world, but we must not forget that we are spiritual beings having a human experience and that means interacting with people on a personal level. Choices that enliven us and help us feel connected to our world and our loved ones always deserve our full attention and presence of mind, body, and spirit.

What do you think?

Culling Out The Weeds

2008-01-26T22:35:00.000-06:00

The power of the mind is a curious thing, because it is so powerful yet so difficult to control sometimes. We find ourselves thinking a certain way, knowing that this thought may be creating trouble for us yet we find it difficult to stop. For example, many people have the experience of getting sick at the same time every year or every time they go on a plane. They may even be aware that their beliefs impact their experiences, so continue to think they will get sick and then they do.

Sometimes we need to get sick in order to process something or move something through our bodies. But often we get sick, or feel exhausted, because we don’t make the effort to galvanize the power of our minds in the service of our physical health, which is one of its most important functions. We really can use it to communicate to our bodies, yet we often regard the two as separate entities that have little to do with one another.

Knowing this, we have the power to create physical health and mental health, simply by paying attention to the tapes running in our minds. Once we hear ourselves, we have the option to let that tape keep running or to make a new recording. We harness the power of the mind in our defense when we choose supportive, healing words that foster good health and high spirits. All we need to do is remember to tend the field of our mind with the attentive and loving hand of a master gardener tending her flower beds, culling out the weeds so that the blossoms may come to fruition.

What do you think?

Bird Meditation

2008-01-25T09:19:00.000-06:00

When the weather gets colder it can be more difficult to get in touch with the marvel of nature as it exists around us. Finding innovative ways to really connect with nature brings us closer to the wonders that envelop our lives. One way to do this is to perform a meditation with our feathered friends, the bird kingdom.

Just by taking a few moments each day to watch the bird activity that goes on in our backyards through our windows can bring a sense of calm and well-being to our lives. Watching and being with the birds that we share our garden space with us allows us to experience greater feelings of relaxation and gratitude for the diversity that is always present around us. Simply watching, without judgment or expectations, heightens our awareness of the beauty of nature. If you watch the birds for a long enough period of time you will begin to feel a great sense of deep joy within you knowing we are all truly divine. Doing this with our family members will in turn introduce a meditative practice that can easily be shared and appreciated by all, as well as create deeper bonds with each other through the joy of experiencing the healing power of nature.

Looking through our windows and placing a feeder and bird bath in our gardens to attract the birds is a way to call forth beauty into our lives. As we consciously connect with our outer world—even when the weather inhibits us from physically being in it—we see that the splendor we view outside of our windows is simply a reflection of what lies within us .

Keeping Things In Perspective

2008-01-16T07:18:00.001-06:00

Mountains

Mountains have always captured our imaginations, calling us to scale their heights, to circle and worship at their feet, and to pay homage to their greatness. Mountains can be seen from thousands of miles away, and if we are lucky enough to be on top of one, we can see great stretches of the surrounding earth. As a result, mountains symbolize vision, the ability to rise above the adjacent lowlands and see beyond our immediate vicinity. From the top of the mountain, we are able to witness life from a new perspective—cities and towns that seem so large when we are in them look tiny. We can take the whole thing in with a single glance, regaining our composure and our sense of proportion as we realize how much bigger this world is than we sometimes remember it to be.

Mountains are almost always considered holy and spiritual places, and the energy at the top of a mountain is undeniably unique. When we are on top of a mountain, it is as if we have ascended to an alternate realm, one in which the air is purer and the energy lighter. Many a human being has climbed to the top of a mountain in order to connect with a higher source of understanding, and many have come back down feeling stronger and wiser. Whenever we are feeling trapped or limited in our vision, a trip to our nearest mountain may be just the cure we need.

There’s a reason that mountain views are so highly prized in this world, and it is because, even from a distance, mountains remind us of how small we are, which often comes as a wonderful relief. In addition, they illustrate our ability to connect with higher energy. As they rise up from the earth, sometimes disappearing in the clouds that gather around them, they are a visual symbol of earth reaching up into the heavens. Whether we have a mountain view out of our window or just a photograph of a mountain where we see it every day, we can rely on these earthly giants to provide inspiration, vision, and a daily reminder of our humble place in the grand scheme of life.

2008-01-07T16:53:00.000-06:00

Ben Harper - Better Way

2008-01-03T08:40:00.001-06:00

Better Way, Enjoy

The Christmas Song - Michael Buble

2007-12-25T05:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Holidays Everyone

Walking Quietly

2007-12-24T16:06:00.000-06:00

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)

2007-12-24T08:24:00.001-06:00

Enjoy

Peace on Earth, Little Drummer Boy

2007-12-24T08:21:00.001-06:00

Happy Holidays

Cookies!

2007-12-02T23:30:00.001-06:00

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

2007-11-20T15:58:00.001-06:00

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

David Ault Minnesota Visit in Pictures

2007-11-19T11:08:00.000-06:00

Charlie sniffing out the Rocks at Taylor Falls

David and Nancy enjoying the view at Taylor Falls

Nancy and David with St Croix River

David setting up his CD and Book table

Jim, Rev Nancy, & Rev David
To View more pictures click on the link
http://wjimmyjames.blogspot.com/

Morning Sunrise

2007-11-07T22:08:00.001-06:00

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

2007-10-22T01:52:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-19T19:24:00.001-05:00

Calvin & Hobbs

2007-10-18T13:16:00.000-05:00

A Little Story

2007-10-16T10:22:00.000-05:00

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~~~~~~~~~~~~

2007-09-30T21:34:00.000-05:00

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

2007-09-27T07:05:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-09-02T07:52:00.000-05:00

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

2007-08-13T06:59:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-08-02T07:10:00.001-05:00

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

2007-07-26T06:54:00.001-05:00

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

2007-07-24T22:02:00.001-05:00

Cozy Place to Stay

Corner Decoration

Sammy and his Wall to Wall Pad

Picosa

2007-07-17T06:41:00.000-05:00

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

2007-07-13T07:04:00.001-05:00

St Croix Afternoon Paddle

2007-06-28T05:34:00.000-05:00

Shore Lunch

2007-06-19T21:17:00.000-05:00

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

2007-06-17T07:56:00.000-05:00

Ready to go

Launching Point

Caleb Enjoying the Scenery

Enjoying a Nice Paddle

A Good Way to really enjoy the river

Wild at Heart

2007-06-15T05:44:00.000-05:00

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

2007-06-06T05:36:00.000-05:00

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

Introducing James Oscar, Newest Grandson

2007-05-28T21:34:00.001-05:00

James Oscar

Born May 27th @ 9.03AM

7lb - 11oz.

20" Long

To Nate & Jenny

My Tarot Card

2007-05-18T21:48:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-18T06:04:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-08T06:16:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-30T22:01:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-29T07:52:00.000-05:00

"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

2007-04-23T20:45:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-04-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-17T23:58:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

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.

Less is better than More

2007-04-02T16:05:00.000-05:00

In the beginning we think “more” is the answer to our perception of not having enough. More money, more activity, more lovemaking. But, in time, we learn that “less” works better. Less stimulation, fewer relationships, less activity all lead to the deepening of our experience. When we focus deeply on what happens, we assimilate it fully. Then, we feel satisfied. We know that we have had enough. We don’t need more.

My Truth, or Just My Story?

2007-03-28T06:10:00.000-05:00

We all have a story. This story may or may not accurately reflect our life path, but it is our story none the less. It is how we have come to think of ourselves, and how we choose to present ourselves to the world around us.

Our stories are our beliefs about our lives, about life in general. They are compilations of what we have learned along the way, the experiences that have shaped our minds, how we think, act and present ourselves to the world.

Many people firmly believe that they are their stories. We can become so attached to it that it defines us, and limits our experience of life. We forget that it is our past, not our present. This does not necessarily have to be so. We need not be bound by our past, or defined by our story.

We are what we believe ourselves to be. And we are free to be anything we choose.

I invite you to think about liberation from the story, the possibility that many of the beliefs that we have accumulate along the way are not in fact The Truth. Not our Truth and not God’s Truth. I believe this to be so, and I have spent more time unlearning than I have in accumulating new information. I have stepped out of my story, and into my present.

We each have the power to change our story at any time we choose. We have the choice to release our story completely, to free ourselves from our accumulated ideas of who and what we are, and what we can and cannot do with our lives. The fact is that the present moment represents our Truth much more accurately than our stories ever did, ever could, or ever will.
We are as free as we give ourselves permission to be.

I invite you to look at your story. I ask you to be more honest with yourself than you have ever been in your life. I ask you if your story is your Truth. I invite you to consider letting go of what you were, in order to step into what you are.

What if you were to release old thoughts and beliefs, old patterns and anxieties and fears that have limited your experience of life, indeed that continue to limit your experience of life today? What would it feel like to wake each day with a blank canvas before us, upon which we could create anything we choose? Can you even imagine the possibility?

Our ego likes things just the way they are. Even if we are miserable, there is a certain comfort in the familiar. We know how to be when we are how we have always been.

I invite you to step out of the familiar, to trust yourself and your God, so that you might come to know the real you as you are today, in the present moment, to see yourself apart from your story. This may bring up feelings of fear and resistance. Ego may even now be standing firm in your mind saying, "Of course I know who I am." I invite you to have the courage to look again.
You are, quite probably, different than you have come to believe. Perhaps it is your time to come to know who and what you truly are today. Perhaps it is your time to become liberated, free to be authentic, to embody your Truth, regardless of your story.

We all have a story. There may, however, be a significant difference between our story and our Truth. If you can get past the fear, past the sureness, if you can just for a few minutes ask yourselves if your story, and the old beliefs that go along with it is in any way limiting your experience of life today, the answers you find may surprise you.

We are what we believe ourselves to be. And we are free to be anything we choose.
Jeffrey R. Anderson

Spring

2007-03-24T16:36:00.000-05:00

I LOVE spring. It has become my favorite season of the year. The promise of newness, or rebirth, the awakening from a long winter’s nap; all of these things contribute to the excitement and wonder of spring.

It is the unfoldment, the change, the mystery of Life all wrapped up into one glorious season. No two days seem the same.

The daffodils come and go so quickly. One day seemly out of nowhere there is a chorus of a thousand frogs at night by the creek in back of my house. The little green nubs on the trees are nubs one day, leaves the next. The clouds part, the sun warms my skin, green happens and all is well with the world.

Truly, it is the change I see happening before my very eyes that captures my imagination.
There is something within us that seems to know that change is the nature of the Universe. Life, from birth to death, is a constant flow of change. So if change is the nature of the Universe, being a part of the Universe, it must be our own nature as well.

So, if I am so enamored of spring, and of the change that comes with it, why am I wearing a pair of slippers that are literally falling off of my feet when I have a new pair in the closet? Why do I take the exact same route to my office every day? Why do I say “no” to opportunities to do something different, something I have never done or that stretches me beyond my comfort level?

Why do I struggle so hard when it comes to change in my own life?

In Truth, I struggle much less than I used to. Here’s why; We accumulate along the way thoughts, ideas and beliefs about the way our lives should be, at what life should look like. Many of these beliefs are limiting, and keep us much smaller than we were designed to be.

Almost without exception when I try something new, despite my fears or hesitation, I find myself having a good time. Wow, having fun in life! See, even this goes contrary to some of my own old beliefs; that life is hard, it’s a struggle, you have to work hard to succeed, to keep up with the Jones’s. Those old beliefs no longer serve me. They are no longer my Truth.

I am beginning to believe that this process of becoming conscious is much more one of UNlearning than one of learning new things. As I unlearn my old beliefs, the ones that limit my experience of life, I make room in my mind and heart and soul for a bigger Truth to emerge, a Truth that I think we are all born with.

I am beginning to see that perhaps the Universe has a different idea for my life than I have accumulated along the way. In fact, my life looks radically different than I thought it would at this point in the adventure. I am finally ok with that, because I have come to realize that I have two choices; I can learn to go with the flow, to trust the Universe that It knows where it’s going, to follow where I am led, or I can choose to struggle, to fight change, to cling so tightly to my own limited ideas of how things should be that I leave claw marks on everything and everyone along the way, and in the process make myself and everyone around me miserable. I do have that choice.

If the Creator has it together enough to hang the stars in the sky, to create the beauty of Nature, to Gift to us the wonder of love, of Life Itself, maybe It is trying to express Itself in my life in a bigger way than I can conceive.

So today I am consciously paying attention when I feel a cosmic nudge towards change, towards trying something new. Today I remind myself that I am a microcosm of the macrocosm that is the Universe, Nature, God - call It what you will. I exist within It, am created of It, and am here in this planet to express It as fully as I possibly can.

Today I remind myself that spring doesn’t just happen around me, it happens within me. It IS me. I open my mind and heart to the same awe and wonder in my own life that I see in Nature, throwing off all old thoughts of lack and limitation.

Do the trees worry that they will have enough leaves? Do the birds wake in the morning and go on some mind trip about accumulating enough worms? I think not. I think they just are what they are; amazing, beautiful, ever changing embodiments of Divine Life. Just like me.

Jeff Anderson, RScP / SpiritAsJeff@aol.com
Licensed Spiritual Practitioner/Counselor
www.SpiritPathCounseling.com

Loves Patient Blessing

2007-03-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Wherever you go, the love of God goes with you.

It moves with your legs, reaches with your hands, speaks with your voice and sees with your eyes.

Because of you, love goes forth into the world. Without you, it would be invisible.

'The Secret' on CBS News 'Eye To Eye' with Katie Couric

2007-03-20T20:17:00.001-05:00

Dr Micheal Beckwith Explains the Law of Attraction.

Visual DNA

2007-03-16T06:03:00.001-05:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Castles in the Air

2007-03-14T21:53:00.000-05:00

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.”
— Henry David Thoreau

“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
— St. Francis of Assisi

“After the final ‘no,’ there comes a ‘yes,’ and on that ‘yes’ the future world depends.”
— Wallace Stevens

"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Anything you really want, you can attain, if you really go after it."
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

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YOU'VE GOT TO THINK BIG TO BE BIG

High achievement always takes place
in the framework of high expectation.

You'll always hit what you aim for in the long run.

Why not aim high?

If you don't have a dream,
how are you going to make it come true?

Have the courage to follow your dreams.

It's the first step towards attaining your destiny.

Big thinking precedes big achievement.

Be true to yourself

Daily Guru

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"In the final analysis, we count for something only because of the essential we embody, and if we do not embody that, life is wasted."
-- C.G. Jung

Where are you not being true to yourself?

All blocks arise when we’re not being authentic, when we’re not being true to ourselves. We know we’re not being authentic when we feel discomfort of any kind.

When our thoughts, feelings and actions align with our essence, we express the qualities of soul. Always trust that your soul knows what’s best for you.

Believe in yourself and act on your ideas. Give yourself permission to do what you want with your life. Take the initiative to set meaningful goals for yourself and achieve them. Begin to tell yourself why you CAN have what you want!

"A true knowledge of ourselves is knowledge of our power."
-- Mark Rutherford

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These quotes are supplied courtesy of Higher Awareness
THE DAILY GURU

Plenty Seven

2007-03-10T21:52:00.000-06:00

Today is my Birthday and here is something about me.

Happy Birthday!
10 March 1950

Your date of conception was on or about 17 June 1949 which was a Friday.

You were born on a Friday
under the astrological sign Pisces.
Your Life path number is 1.

Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 5 & 7.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 3 & 9.
You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path number 8.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 6, 11 & 22.

The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2433350.5.
The golden number for 1950 is 13.
The epact number for 1950 is 11.
The year 1950 was not a leap year.

Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 2/17/1950 and ending 2/5/1951.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Tiger.

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Wolf; your plant is Plantain.

You were born in the Egyptian month of Pachons, the first month of the season of Shomu (Harvest).

Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 22 AdarI 5710.
Or if you were born after sundown then the date is 23 AdarI 5710.

The Mayan Calendar long count date of your birthday is 12.16.16.5.6 which is
12 baktun 16 katun 16 tun 5 uinal 6 kin

The Hijra (Islamic Calendar) date of your birth is Friday, 20 Jumadiyu'l-Avval 1369 (1369-5-20).

The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 9 April 1950.
The date of Orthodox Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 9 April 1950.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 22 February 1950.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 28 May 1950.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 4 June 1950.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Tuesday, 12 September 1950.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Sunday, 2 April 1950.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 21 February 1950.

As of 3/10/2007 10:50:56 PM EST
You are 57 years old.
You are 684 months old.
You are 2,974 weeks old.
You are 20,819 days old.
You are 499,678 hours old.
You are 29,980,730 minutes old.
You are 1,798,843,856 seconds old.

Celebrities who share your birthday:
Carrie Underwood (1983) Shannon Miller (1977) Prince Edward (1964)
Jasmine Guy (1964) Sharon Stone (1958) Osama bin Laden (1957)
Kim Campbell (1947) Bob Greene (1947) Chuck Norris (1940)
James Earl Ray (1928) Pamela Mason (1918) Bix Beiderbecke (1903)

Top songs of 1950
The Tennessee Waltz by Patti Page Goodnight, Irene by Weavers with Gordon Jenkins
The Third Man Theme by Anton Karas (also Guy Lombardo) If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake by Eileen Barton
Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy by Red Foley Mona Lisa by Nat King Cole
All My Love by Patti Page I Can Dream, Can't I? by Andrews Sisters
The Thing by Phil Harris Harbor Lights by Sammy Kaye

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 8.14833659491194 years old. (You old hound dog, you!)

There are 366 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 58 candles.

Those 58 candles produce 58 BTUs,
or 14,616 calories of heat (that's only 14.6160 food Calories!) .
You can boil 6.63 US ounces of water with that many candles.

In 1950 there were approximately 3.6 million births in the US.
In 1950 the US population was approximately 150,697,361 people, 50.7 persons per square mile.
In 1950 in the US there were approximately 1,667,231 marriages (11.1%) and 385,144 divorces (2.6%)
In 1950 in the US there were approximately 1,452,000 deaths (9.6 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.

In 1950 the population of Australia was approximately 8,307,481.
In 1950 there were approximately 190,591 births in Australia.
In 1950 in Australia there were approximately 75,599 marriages and 7,358 divorces.
In 1950 in Australia there were approximately 78,187 deaths.

Your birthstone is Aquamarine

The Mystical properties of Aquamarine

Aquamarine is often used to experience love and mercy. It is said to help ease depression and grief.

Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)

Jade, Rock Crystal, Bloodstone

Your birth tree is

Weeping Willow, the Melancholy

Beautiful but full of melancholy, attractive, very empathic, loves anything beautiful and tasteful, loves to travel, dreamer, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with, demanding, good intuition, suffers in love but finds sometimes an anchoring partner.

There are 290 days till Christmas 2007!
There are 303 days till Orthodox Christmas!

The moon's phase on the day you were
born was waning gibbous.

Who Are You?

2007-03-10T20:45:00.000-06:00

"Most of you feel resistance and think it's normal, and we want you to
know it's not - it's not normal.

It's ABNORMAL.

It is not anything like who you are.

What is normal to you is enthusiasm!

What is normal to you is laughing a lot - many many times a day!

What is normal to you is feeling strong and secure!

What is normal to you is feeling so much self-confidence, so sure about who you are that when you look at others you're always in a position to uplift them.

What is normal to you is to have so much energy that at the end of the day you're still looking for things to do!

What is normal to you is to have such a passion for life that you're eager to get together with other people to hear about what they're doing to see if it's anything you might want to turn a little of your attention to.

What is normal to you is to have so much energy at the end of the day that you're already eagerly planning tomorrow.

What is normal to you is feeling disappointed that the sun goes down and enthusiastic that the sun comes up.

What is normal is a zest for life beyond anything that most of you over 8 have remembered or felt in a long long time.

THAT'S what's normal!"

Abraham-Hicks G-7-6-95

House cleaning

2007-03-03T22:06:00.000-06:00

Last Week I threw out Worrying,
It was getting old and in the way.
It kept me from being me;
I couldn't do things my way.

I threw out those Inhibitions;
They were just crowding me out.
Made room for my New Growth,
Got rid of my old dreams and doubts.

I threw out a book on MY PAST
(didn't have time to read it anyway).
Replaced it with New Goals,
Started reading it today.
I threw out childhood toys
(remember how I treasured them so)?

Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY too,
Threw out the one from long ago.
Bought in some new books too,
Called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.
Threw out I might, I think and I ought.
WOW, You should've seen the dust.

I picked up this special thing
And placed it at the front door.
I FOUND IT - its called PEACE.
Nothing gets me down anymore.

Yes, I've got my house looking nice.
Looks good around the place.
For things like Worry and Trouble
There just isn't any place.

Its good to do a little house cleaning,
Get rid of the old things on the shelf.
It sure makes things brighter;
Maybe you should TRY IT YOURSELF.

Photo; Hermit's Retreat @ Grand Canyon

Sweet Spot

2007-03-02T17:11:00.000-06:00

Picture from my Window
Timber Porch under Snow
A Man's Priority, the Pole Barn
View from Back Yard
Great Place to Eat
We had a snow storm move thru eastern Minnesota and left a blanket of white covering the landscape. This is the biggest storm in 8 years, and since I love being outside in storms, the evening blowing snow was a pleasure. The views are various shots of the property with the last one being a great place to stop and grab a burger, a bottomless root beer float, pie and coffee. We were in the "sweet spot" of the storm as wave after wave of snow bursts move thru. The new snowblower that was purchased three years ago had its really 1st use this week and was a treat to play with.

Gardening

2007-02-26T06:11:00.000-06:00

Complaining about anything, holds you in the place of refusing to
receive the things you've been asking for. Justifying about anything
holds you in the place of refusing to let in the very things that
you've been asking for. Blaming someone, holds you in the place of
refusing to let in the things that you've been asking for. Feeling
guilty, feeling angry, it doesn't matter what you call it, it is a
refusal, not a conscious one. You're asking; you can't help but ask.
The Universe is yielding; it must yield. It's a big question, folks:
why aren't you letting it in?

Jerry Hicks
Excerpted from the workshop in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, March 10th,
2001

By any of the actions above you are pushing out a negative energy that will return to you in like form. In the Tao Te Ching - verse 42, "as you sow, so shall you reap," and 3000 years later Jesus says "As you sow, so shall you reap" are both the Law of Attraction. When you dwell and live in negative energy you are seeing a world of negativity; feeling angry, guilty, resentful or whatever name you put to it - that is the stuff you are growing in your garden and your life. That is the stuff you will see and lock onto.

What are your planting in your garden? What do you want to see show up in your life?

Locked on

2007-02-22T18:58:00.000-06:00

You can't take a subject and just because it's
important get Law of Attraction to respond to you
differently. If you feel bad, you're locked off
of your signal, which means everything you want
is now being jeopardized because you are choosing
a topic - and you say, "Well, it's really, really
an important topic!"

And we say, well, it surely must be because you're
giving up life force, you're giving up clarity,
you're giving up health now and in the future,
you're giving up your bodily conditions functioning
properly, you're giving up the mate that you're
wanting to attract, you're giving up the dollars.
You're giving up every single thing - for this moment
in time (not forever). But for as long as you're
choosing this "important topic," you are holding
yourself apart from what you want.

And it's not any one moment that is so important,
it's that you develop such habits and patterns of
doing that. You get whole philosophies built around it
- you call it "the sacrificing servant." You call it
"the willingness to be there for a friend." You call it
"tough love." You call it all kinds of virtuous,
good-sounding things, and we call it 'locked off'.

-Abraham Hicks
Detroit, MI, 6/30/01

Happiness

2007-02-20T21:59:00.000-06:00

There is no path to happiness
Happiness itself is the path.

Wisconsin Pictures

2007-02-20T21:48:00.000-06:00

Wisconsin Woods
Wisconsin Early Morning
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan Sunset

Under the Ledge

The All American Home ~ Part 1

Williston Herald - Online Edition

Teacher’s lil’ house Educator sets up tiny cabin in McKenzie County

Tiny Green Cabins delivers a Tiny House to Western North Dakota | PRLog

Tiny Green Cabins presents the inaugural ‘Celebrate Your Space’ photo contest - tiny green cabin,tiny home,photo contest

You Tube - Yoga Nidra.wmv

Walt Disney - The Little House - 1952

Earth Day 2011: The Earth Is My Church

Passioneering Moment #4: 100 Things that You Love

Passioneering Moment #3: Let Go and Get Messy in Unleashing Your Passions

How Big is Your Flux

Fido's Footprint

What's the Deal with Carbon?

Living Small

Our CO Emissions, Housing and Tiny Bubbles

Or not so “tiny bubbles” but huge balloons as our carbon footprint

Wildflower Model Sale Priced - Fall Clearance

Breathe Easy

Good Here - David Ault

So, you are thinking of downsizing...to a Tiny House

It Is Spring!! YES!!!

What is Green Building?

What is Green Building?

Dare to Dream

Hottie by Jana Stanfield

Lyrics - Tell me why - Declan Galbraith

Tiny Green Cabins Amazing Things

Minneapolis Skyline on a Cold Day

I am a "INFJ"

Goat Barning???

Nothing Is Insurmountable

Potlatch

Hidden Treasure

Recognizing Our Own Abundance

Whispers

Riding the Wave - Again

Risking your Life

Reviving A Community Tradition

Mothers Day

Pure Thoughts

A Zen Interlude

The Butterfly Effect

The Power Behind Us

Not Alone In The Dark

Technology As Distraction

Culling Out The Weeds

Bird Meditation

Keeping Things In Perspective

Ben Harper - Better Way

The Christmas Song - Michael Buble

Walking Quietly

Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

Peace on Earth, Little Drummer Boy

Cookies!

Ask and it is Given

David Ault Minnesota Visit in Pictures

Morning Sunrise

A Clear Current

Calvin & Hobbs

Calvin & Hobbs

A Little Story

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

Riding the Wave

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

Once the Soul Awakens

What is Your Truth?

The Art of Blessings

Sammy & Jimmy's Home

Picosa

Paddling Thru O'Brien State Park

St Croix Afternoon Paddle

Shore Lunch

Kayaking the St Croix

Wild at Heart

James Oscar

Introducing James Oscar, Newest Grandson

My Tarot Card

You are The Sun

North Shore Stroll

Teacher’s lil’ house
Educator sets up tiny cabin in McKenzie County