“Can you see?” I asked my friend. “Can you see all those who have died traveling the pathway to heaven... joyfully walking into the Light? Can you see how their faces radiate... how it consumes them... draws them into itself... until they become one with the Light?”
"And as you watch them disappear into the Light, can you see those golden orbs... individual bursts of light... coming out of the Light and descending, floating back to earth?”
I stepped back a bit then for a broader view. “Yes,” I told her. “It is the eternal circle of death and life. For every soul which becomes one with the eternal Light is born anew. Ah, it is a beautiful sight to see!”
“Can you see?”
It was the morning of December 24th I was given this beautiful vision... the day before Christmas... the morning of the Eve. It was a beautiful thing for me to see and I wondered at so awesome a gift.
My wondering lasted only until I received notice that my dear friend, Sister Margie had passed on early that morning. Then I knew! I knew she was among those traveling into the Light for I had recognized her... so briefly it hadn’t registered in my consciousness at the time. It was after being told of her death I knew. I saw her in full habit. I saw others, too... Sisters in habit... some I recognize and some I don’t.
The vision is not gone. It is a gift... a gift which can be unwrapped and opened at will. It is a gift to be examined closely because the more I look at it, the more I see. It is a gift I hold close for it is filled with love.
This is a hard time of year for many of us. We miss our loved ones who have gone on and the sadness is a part of us. But there is also joy... so much joy! Joy in knowing those we love are safe and happy within the Light.
You might find it interesting too, to know my mother has been here with me these past few days knowing I needed comfort. She didn’t do or say anything... just sat in her chair at the kitchen table and let her presence be known. Yesterday morning (Christmas Eve) I noticed she had left and it was after my seeing Margie, I knew why.
Of course! She was part of the multitude and had to be there to celebrate Jesus’ birthday!
God bless you all and Merry Christmas!
Connie
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Friday, December 20, 2019
Death is a Door
I think perhaps death can be likened to a door... a door which stays closed until it is meant to open. It is not an invisible door because there have been times in my life I have stood in front of it, willing it to open and being very grateful it didn’t.
I wonder if the words, “I will raise you up” might really mean, “I will open the door.”
With my mother’s death a few years ago, I knew she was busy making contact with people before she died. Friends told me of visions and messages received before her death. Mom needed to say “good bye” and didn’t leave us until a good amount of time had passed from that of her expected death.
My friend, Sister Margie, is in hospice as I write this and has been off life support for more than 38 hours. As family and friends continue to pray for a peaceful death, she is not ready to go. I am sure she is busy tying up loose ends and saying “good bye” to family and friends she has loved and who love her.
This is the hard part for all of us, for as Margie makes her transition from this world to the next, we must also make a transition. We must allow the love connection we share to open us up to receiving. I have come to realize that the veil between is not as thick as we might think. We can go through if we allow it and our loved ones can, and do, visit us from the beyond if we are open to it.
My mother’s visits have become less frequent through the years but every once in a while... when she knows I need her comfort... she comes. This is one of those times. She knows of my human sadness and understands. But she also knows that I know of what is beyond the door... and reminds me of it.
I grieve for myself for I will miss Margie terribly. She has been a part of my life for more than fifty years and is firmly planted in my heart. But I also celebrate with great joy the fact that she will be going through that door. I... and she... know that our human death is our returning to the Christ from which we have come. It is a going home after our sojourn here on earth. Margie has done all she has come to do and these tears I cry are for both my sadness and my joy!
I am looking forward to her visits.
Love, light and joy to you all this Christmas season. With every death there is a rebirth. I think this might be one of the reasons so many make the transition this time of year. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us also celebrate our own... our birth into this world and our rebirth out of it into the next.
God bless you and Merry Christmas!
Connie
Sunday, December 15, 2019
My Dear Friends...
My dear friends,
This is one of those times sadness, worry, fear, hope and joy are all mixed up together. I received word yesterday that a dear friend was not doing well and had to be rushed to the hospital. This morning I found she was scheduled for serious surgery and that it was touch and go. She would definitely die without it and could possibly die with it. Prayer was (and is) needed and I contacted everyone I knew on facebook requesting prayer.
The thing I want to share with you is this... During church service this morning... the same time my friend was having surgery... I felt the need to speak with her:
“I am told by my friend who sees that you are happy. Certainly you are, for now you are with your Beloved. You know what awaits you. You are bathed in warmth and light such as you have never before known. I wonder... Will you stay there or will you return? Is this your time or is it not? There is love for you here as well... and that love sets you free to be who and what you are meant to be. There is love and joy in my heart for you... and an underlying sadness for me and those who love you.”
“Yes, my friend, I can see you. I see you rising above... looking down and blessing those of us here. But... I see you suspended. Will you rise or will you return?”
“Does it matter, Connie?” “I hear you say and I have to answer that question.....”
“My answer has to be ‘no’. It doesn’t matter for I know friendship and love continue beyond the veil. And because I know that truly in my heart, I want only what God wants for you.”
It was toward the end of the service I saw her returning and heard that her mission here is not finished.
You can imagine how relieved I was, not only when my friend who sees confirmed she had also seen, but when I got home there was an email waiting, telling me she had made it through the surgery and was in ICU receiving the best of care.
Please forgive me for not going into more detail but my friend’s privacy is very important to her. I do, however, ask that you continue praying for her. There is much yet for her to do but she needs the use of her body to do it.
Thank you, my friends!
Love, Light and Blessings to you all!
Connie
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Saving Our Mother
I watch videos of dolphins swimming alongside a surfer, a whale making clicking sounds trying to communicate with a diver. I read how scientists have “discovered” communication among trees. All around us, if we are open to it, we see animals and plants trying to communicate with us humans. It makes me wonder... How is it they are able to communicate with one another, yet we can’t understand their language?
I find it interesting that indigenous peoples... those human beings who were first to inhabit the earth... understand and respect the ‘natural elements’ of the earth. They live as one with all and believe it is their responsibility...their purpose... to guard and protect what was here before them. They are even willing to die to that purpose... and many have.
It came to me, very strongly, that the trees were the first to come to this planet. Their seeds were the first to take root and grow. Where those seeds came from, I don’t know but trees and plants were here from the beginning. Before the creation of Adam and Eve, the tree of knowledge was present. Even without the story of Genesis, we can’t help but know that trees inhabited the earth. And because they are the most ancient, they hold within them the greatest knowledge.
Indigenous people know this and respect the trees enough to ask if they can use them to build their homes, make their canoes, supply them with bow and arrow for hunting. They know how the tree helps to fertilize the ground for planting, how it takes poison out of the air and gives back life-giving oxygen. Trees are responsible for the air we breathe.
For some, money is more important than breathing.
The earth is being raped in the search for riches. Some countries still allow fracking. The Amazon... the largest “oxygen factory” on earth is being threatened. Court rulings are being ignored by big business and Amazon Indians are being killed trying to protect it. Money and power have become more important than human life.
Here in Florida, the Everglades... the largest eco system in the world... is being threatened by those who see its “money making potential”.
I see thousands of trees uprooted to make room for a two lane highway... trees that were more than hundreds of yards from the construction area removed, forcing animals to find new homes. Unnecessary destruction in the name of progress is everywhere.
We refer to our earth as ”mother earth” and she truly is our mother. She gives and sustains life. I am saddened by those who have lost their way and turn on her, but am heartened by those who continue to respect, care for and protect her.
To save our mother is to save all of life.
This Thanksgiving let us be thankful for all God has given... and take the time to come to know and learn from these gifts.
God Bless!
Connie
I find it interesting that indigenous peoples... those human beings who were first to inhabit the earth... understand and respect the ‘natural elements’ of the earth. They live as one with all and believe it is their responsibility...their purpose... to guard and protect what was here before them. They are even willing to die to that purpose... and many have.
It came to me, very strongly, that the trees were the first to come to this planet. Their seeds were the first to take root and grow. Where those seeds came from, I don’t know but trees and plants were here from the beginning. Before the creation of Adam and Eve, the tree of knowledge was present. Even without the story of Genesis, we can’t help but know that trees inhabited the earth. And because they are the most ancient, they hold within them the greatest knowledge.
Indigenous people know this and respect the trees enough to ask if they can use them to build their homes, make their canoes, supply them with bow and arrow for hunting. They know how the tree helps to fertilize the ground for planting, how it takes poison out of the air and gives back life-giving oxygen. Trees are responsible for the air we breathe.
For some, money is more important than breathing.
The earth is being raped in the search for riches. Some countries still allow fracking. The Amazon... the largest “oxygen factory” on earth is being threatened. Court rulings are being ignored by big business and Amazon Indians are being killed trying to protect it. Money and power have become more important than human life.
Here in Florida, the Everglades... the largest eco system in the world... is being threatened by those who see its “money making potential”.
I see thousands of trees uprooted to make room for a two lane highway... trees that were more than hundreds of yards from the construction area removed, forcing animals to find new homes. Unnecessary destruction in the name of progress is everywhere.
We refer to our earth as ”mother earth” and she truly is our mother. She gives and sustains life. I am saddened by those who have lost their way and turn on her, but am heartened by those who continue to respect, care for and protect her.
To save our mother is to save all of life.
This Thanksgiving let us be thankful for all God has given... and take the time to come to know and learn from these gifts.
God Bless!
Connie
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Another Beginning...A Personal Sharing
It wasn’t just the shift in the planets and the appearance of the Harvest moon that initiated this change in me. I imagine my recuperation from hip surgery factored in as well. I feel myself going in a different direction and have no idea what that direction actually is.
One thing which surprises me is that I find I want to give my paintings away... not only to organizations which have a need to benefit financially... but to each and every one who expresses a specific connection. I get a great deal of satisfaction in matching the right painting with the right person.
“What good are they stored away?” I responded to a friend who questioned my actions. “They’re meant to be enjoyed and that won’t happen if I keep piling them up.” “I can always paint more,” was my standard response.
But, even though I have an assortment of blank canvases waiting, I realize I really have no desire to paint. I think about hanging a blank canvas on my painting wall, hoping it might inspire me. But I don’t.
“Why?” I wonder. “What am I being called to do now?”
Oh, I’ll continue with my classes and workshops because I love to teach and I love the women who come. We are a family. But there’s something else... something I can’t quite put my finger on. I suppose that’s why I’m writing this. Often, when I put the question to paper, the guides respond in the words I find myself writing... so here goes...
“What is it you’re asking me to do? I have the feeling it has to do with writing but I’m not sure what it is I am to write about. Does it have to do with writing?”
Yes, it does and you must go back to your childhood to realize where it started and what happened. (I got chills as I wrote this.)
I was in the seventh grade and our assignment was to write a story. I did. Evidently it was good enough to draw the Guidance Counselor’s attention... who, in turn, called my father in for a conference. I can only imagine how proud my father was when he was told I could make my living as a writer if I wanted. I can imagine that now... not then. It was that fatherly pride which led him to insist I write another story... and because of his insistence, I rebelled. Oh, I wrote another story but, as my father laughingly said, it was the worst story he’d ever read.
“Okay. I remember. What are you trying to tell me?” (Chills again)
We want you to write. Oh, yes, the books you’ve written so far are all right but they’ve only served as introduction... practice writing... for what you are really to do.
“What am I really to do?”
You are to write of what you know... what you’ve come to know as truth. Your friend, Father Paul, said he felt you needed to go deeper in your writing and so you must. We have been patient with you, Constance, but now is the time for you to start. We will help you as we are now... as we are in your writing this beginning. We’ve showed you some of the things you are to write about... such as the maple tree you saw last night. Why not start there and see where it goes? We are always with you.
It was after I received this message that I wrote (and published) "The Maple Tree".
Love, Joy and Light to you all!
Connie
One thing which surprises me is that I find I want to give my paintings away... not only to organizations which have a need to benefit financially... but to each and every one who expresses a specific connection. I get a great deal of satisfaction in matching the right painting with the right person.
“What good are they stored away?” I responded to a friend who questioned my actions. “They’re meant to be enjoyed and that won’t happen if I keep piling them up.” “I can always paint more,” was my standard response.
But, even though I have an assortment of blank canvases waiting, I realize I really have no desire to paint. I think about hanging a blank canvas on my painting wall, hoping it might inspire me. But I don’t.
“Why?” I wonder. “What am I being called to do now?”
Oh, I’ll continue with my classes and workshops because I love to teach and I love the women who come. We are a family. But there’s something else... something I can’t quite put my finger on. I suppose that’s why I’m writing this. Often, when I put the question to paper, the guides respond in the words I find myself writing... so here goes...
“What is it you’re asking me to do? I have the feeling it has to do with writing but I’m not sure what it is I am to write about. Does it have to do with writing?”
Yes, it does and you must go back to your childhood to realize where it started and what happened. (I got chills as I wrote this.)
I was in the seventh grade and our assignment was to write a story. I did. Evidently it was good enough to draw the Guidance Counselor’s attention... who, in turn, called my father in for a conference. I can only imagine how proud my father was when he was told I could make my living as a writer if I wanted. I can imagine that now... not then. It was that fatherly pride which led him to insist I write another story... and because of his insistence, I rebelled. Oh, I wrote another story but, as my father laughingly said, it was the worst story he’d ever read.
“Okay. I remember. What are you trying to tell me?” (Chills again)
We want you to write. Oh, yes, the books you’ve written so far are all right but they’ve only served as introduction... practice writing... for what you are really to do.
“What am I really to do?”
You are to write of what you know... what you’ve come to know as truth. Your friend, Father Paul, said he felt you needed to go deeper in your writing and so you must. We have been patient with you, Constance, but now is the time for you to start. We will help you as we are now... as we are in your writing this beginning. We’ve showed you some of the things you are to write about... such as the maple tree you saw last night. Why not start there and see where it goes? We are always with you.
It was after I received this message that I wrote (and published) "The Maple Tree".
Love, Joy and Light to you all!
Connie
Monday, October 28, 2019
Letter to a Friend
Dear A...,
You seem to have come to a crossroads in your life. Of course we always have crossroads... forks in the road where we must choose one or the other. But there’s a difference in coming to what we may define as a crossroad and hearing a specific calling. You, my friend, are being called.
The problem, as I see it, is your fear of venturing into the unknown... fear of losing control of your life (which you’ve never really had anyway). The sad thing is when you and I allow these unfounded fears to direct our path rather than trusting and looking forward to the adventure ahead. We make excuses and the words, “I can’t because...” become a constant part of our vocabulary.
I had to smile as I just said that. Whenever we used those words as children, my father’s response was always, “There’s no such word as ‘can’t’.” I know, as well as you knew him, you are smiling too. Thankfully, I heard it so often I came to believe it.
Fear is a terrible thing. It smothers us, takes away our ability to breathe, causes panic and paralysis sets in. What are we afraid of? Usually it’s the ‘unknown’. We want to be sure before taking the next step. We want to control... not only our own lives but the lives of those around us.
You are a fantastic artist. The problem, as I see it, is that you haven’t painted for years...always letting life get in the way. The more time that’s passed, the harder it is for you to get started again and you began with the excuses. You admit you want to paint but neglect to mention your fear. Fear, I think, of not being good enough... or as good as you were when your paintings were selling. My response is, “Good enough for whom? For what?” How often we set ourselves up as judges and the person we judge the most often and most harshly is our self. We set standards we feel we have to meet. What ever happened to doing something just for the fun of it? Leave the past in the past. This is NOW. A whole new beginning.
You and I are both in the twilight of our lives... a nice way of saying we are getting older. Our aches and pains are our constant reminders. We’ve made it this far, have overcome the many obstacles life has put in front of us. There will be more. There are always more. But so what? We’ve taken the detours but we’ve always returned to our path... the path that’s set before us... the path that has surprises around every bend... the path which makes our lives such a wild and wonderful adventure.
Should we sit in the middle of the path and not move because we’re suddenly afraid of what’s around the corner? If we sit there, we will rot and die there. No, my dear friend. Grab hold of Life and continue your great adventure. Your path is well lit. There is nothing to be afraid of.
Most of all, my dear friend, do it for the FUN of it. There is no one we have to please so there is no judgement. Let the Spirit within you be in charge.
With love and great joy,
Connie
You seem to have come to a crossroads in your life. Of course we always have crossroads... forks in the road where we must choose one or the other. But there’s a difference in coming to what we may define as a crossroad and hearing a specific calling. You, my friend, are being called.
The problem, as I see it, is your fear of venturing into the unknown... fear of losing control of your life (which you’ve never really had anyway). The sad thing is when you and I allow these unfounded fears to direct our path rather than trusting and looking forward to the adventure ahead. We make excuses and the words, “I can’t because...” become a constant part of our vocabulary.
I had to smile as I just said that. Whenever we used those words as children, my father’s response was always, “There’s no such word as ‘can’t’.” I know, as well as you knew him, you are smiling too. Thankfully, I heard it so often I came to believe it.
Fear is a terrible thing. It smothers us, takes away our ability to breathe, causes panic and paralysis sets in. What are we afraid of? Usually it’s the ‘unknown’. We want to be sure before taking the next step. We want to control... not only our own lives but the lives of those around us.
You are a fantastic artist. The problem, as I see it, is that you haven’t painted for years...always letting life get in the way. The more time that’s passed, the harder it is for you to get started again and you began with the excuses. You admit you want to paint but neglect to mention your fear. Fear, I think, of not being good enough... or as good as you were when your paintings were selling. My response is, “Good enough for whom? For what?” How often we set ourselves up as judges and the person we judge the most often and most harshly is our self. We set standards we feel we have to meet. What ever happened to doing something just for the fun of it? Leave the past in the past. This is NOW. A whole new beginning.
You and I are both in the twilight of our lives... a nice way of saying we are getting older. Our aches and pains are our constant reminders. We’ve made it this far, have overcome the many obstacles life has put in front of us. There will be more. There are always more. But so what? We’ve taken the detours but we’ve always returned to our path... the path that’s set before us... the path that has surprises around every bend... the path which makes our lives such a wild and wonderful adventure.
Should we sit in the middle of the path and not move because we’re suddenly afraid of what’s around the corner? If we sit there, we will rot and die there. No, my dear friend. Grab hold of Life and continue your great adventure. Your path is well lit. There is nothing to be afraid of.
Most of all, my dear friend, do it for the FUN of it. There is no one we have to please so there is no judgement. Let the Spirit within you be in charge.
With love and great joy,
Connie
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Come to the Water
This morning I was led to continue working on my book. It’s time, I was told, to stop procrastinating and get it done! The day was perfect. I had no plans and knew (thought) I could work on it uninterrupted for as long as it took. Actually I did get quite a bit accomplished in the first 6 hours or so...then things started to happen....
A friend texted me and asked if she could come paint tomorrow. I hesitated for only a moment as I mentally established the probable times my physical therapist, a friend who wanted to see me and my neighbors might arrive. “Come.” I told her knowing it would probably be in the morning and not conflict with the others. I couldn’t help smiling as I realized how full my day would be with people.
I am learning that any amount of planning on my part is usually a waste of time and energy. Those who come are meant to come at the times they do come. Hadn’t I just read in my book that I’d seen them coming from over the hill? Hadn’t I told the new minister that “They are coming”? And... as I’m writing this... I am reminded of the painting I did a few years ago titled, “Come to the Water”.
Yes, they are coming! Not in droves but one or two at a time because here they find a place of love and peace... a place to laugh... a place to cry... a place to be heard... a place to paint... a place to simply be. The water in this painting is a symbol of love. Come! Here you are loved.
Love, Joy and Peace to you!
Connie
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
It is Love
I received a call Saturday morning that a friend had died and could I please come. I went then, not because of Bonnie R’s passing, but because my friend, J.T., who lived with her was distraught and in need. Her death was a shock to him and his grief terrible and real. In the short time they had lived together, their friendship had blossomed into a mutual respect and dependency. Each had needed the other in times of illness.
Bonnie had been ill when she moved in and I daresay it was the perfect place for her to be. J.T. welcomed her with open arms and heart. Funny... I had meant to write of Bonnie here but my pen keeps returning to telling you of J.T..
Bonnie has moved beyond her physical body and the pain she experienced there. In fact, I did see her spirit yesterday during service. She was smiling and laughing... her arms outstretched, offering to all the hugs she was famous for.
It’s the ones who are left behind who suffer and ask the question, “Why?”
J.T. was no different. His feeling of loss was great. It was then he realized how much he had loved. He had not only opened his home, but his heart as well. His anguish expressed in the wracking sobs coming from the depths of his being. He had allowed himself to love and now there was a hole in his heart.
Here is a man who is not afraid of love... of loving... and of being loved. What an example he is to me! To remain vulnerable enough to give and receive pure love. Yes, he is suffering for he feels the loss of his friend, Bonnie, deeply. But this does not keep him from opening his heart to others.
Love to you!
Connie
Bonnie had been ill when she moved in and I daresay it was the perfect place for her to be. J.T. welcomed her with open arms and heart. Funny... I had meant to write of Bonnie here but my pen keeps returning to telling you of J.T..
Bonnie has moved beyond her physical body and the pain she experienced there. In fact, I did see her spirit yesterday during service. She was smiling and laughing... her arms outstretched, offering to all the hugs she was famous for.
It’s the ones who are left behind who suffer and ask the question, “Why?”
J.T. was no different. His feeling of loss was great. It was then he realized how much he had loved. He had not only opened his home, but his heart as well. His anguish expressed in the wracking sobs coming from the depths of his being. He had allowed himself to love and now there was a hole in his heart.
Here is a man who is not afraid of love... of loving... and of being loved. What an example he is to me! To remain vulnerable enough to give and receive pure love. Yes, he is suffering for he feels the loss of his friend, Bonnie, deeply. But this does not keep him from opening his heart to others.
Love to you!
Connie
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Be Not Afraid
I haven’t personally counted them but am told the message “Be not afraid” occurs 365 times in the Bible... one for each day of the year. What a wonderful message to bring to mind at the start of each new day!
That is a thought I jotted down after the shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. I realized how easy it is to give way to fear and today, during meditation, this came to me... We cannot live in fear for living in fear isn’t living! Following that thought, I “heard” this:
“Ah, my dear child, there is no need to fear for I AM with you always. I will let nothing harm you. All you need to do is keep your hand in mine and trust in me. If, perhaps, you decide to let go and explore on your own, be assured... though you may not see or hear me... I AM with you. Holding you. Lifting you. Strengthening you. My angels clear the way before you and protect you. You are never alone and your fears... which you, yourself, have created... are not real. They are as phantoms in your mind.
Be not afraid. Your fears weigh you down so that you walk with legs of lead. See them as phantoms. They are simply wisps of nothingness easily dismissed... and know you are free of all fear.
I AM Love. You are Love because I AM within you.”
“In love there is no fear; indeed, perfect love casts out fear...” (1 John 4:18)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWpG7qHtB8g
Peace be with you, my friends.
In love, Connie
That is a thought I jotted down after the shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. I realized how easy it is to give way to fear and today, during meditation, this came to me... We cannot live in fear for living in fear isn’t living! Following that thought, I “heard” this:
“Ah, my dear child, there is no need to fear for I AM with you always. I will let nothing harm you. All you need to do is keep your hand in mine and trust in me. If, perhaps, you decide to let go and explore on your own, be assured... though you may not see or hear me... I AM with you. Holding you. Lifting you. Strengthening you. My angels clear the way before you and protect you. You are never alone and your fears... which you, yourself, have created... are not real. They are as phantoms in your mind.
Be not afraid. Your fears weigh you down so that you walk with legs of lead. See them as phantoms. They are simply wisps of nothingness easily dismissed... and know you are free of all fear.
I AM Love. You are Love because I AM within you.”
“In love there is no fear; indeed, perfect love casts out fear...” (1 John 4:18)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWpG7qHtB8g
Peace be with you, my friends.
In love, Connie
Monday, August 5, 2019
We are Mystics
The other day, during a discussion of spirituality, the words “We’re all Mystics. It’s just that some have better P.R. (Public Relations) than others.” came out of my mouth. I believe the purpose of those words was to bring attention to the fact that Mystics are not only the “others” who have been written about or may have had their personal journals published.
Why do I love reading about the Mystics and what they have come to understand as universal truths? I love reading about them and what they have to say because their words resonate within me. The truths they expound echo and awaken the inner knowing within my own being.
I just read an excerpt from Wayne Teasdale’s book, The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions and was excited enough to want to order a copy. Why? Because he wrote of what I already know within myself and his writing provided the affirmation I look for... that wonderful, “YES!” I feel when I realize I really do know what I think I know! Well, I didn’t order it. I don’t need to read about all the research he did. It’s enough for me to know that what I know is true.
What do I know? I know what many in the world are coming to know...that spirituality goes beyond religion. Oh, it can definitely be a part of it but spirituality doesn’t separate us from one another. It brings us together. Spirituality is the coming to know our own God-self and recognizing the God in others... regardless of differences. In fact, we realize there are no differences other than what we see on the outside and those don’t matter.
Spirituality is the searching for and the finding of God within ourselves and recognizing it in others. “...Nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:21)
Yes, we are seekers for we seek the kingdom of God. We are finders because we know where it is and we are mystics because we know it, live in it, learn from it and welcome others into it.
Love, Light and Joy to you all,
Connie
Why do I love reading about the Mystics and what they have come to understand as universal truths? I love reading about them and what they have to say because their words resonate within me. The truths they expound echo and awaken the inner knowing within my own being.
I just read an excerpt from Wayne Teasdale’s book, The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions and was excited enough to want to order a copy. Why? Because he wrote of what I already know within myself and his writing provided the affirmation I look for... that wonderful, “YES!” I feel when I realize I really do know what I think I know! Well, I didn’t order it. I don’t need to read about all the research he did. It’s enough for me to know that what I know is true.
What do I know? I know what many in the world are coming to know...that spirituality goes beyond religion. Oh, it can definitely be a part of it but spirituality doesn’t separate us from one another. It brings us together. Spirituality is the coming to know our own God-self and recognizing the God in others... regardless of differences. In fact, we realize there are no differences other than what we see on the outside and those don’t matter.
Spirituality is the searching for and the finding of God within ourselves and recognizing it in others. “...Nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:21)
Yes, we are seekers for we seek the kingdom of God. We are finders because we know where it is and we are mystics because we know it, live in it, learn from it and welcome others into it.
Love, Light and Joy to you all,
Connie
Monday, July 22, 2019
It's the I AM
There is something special about this last third of our lives. Most of us have finished with struggling to get ahead, or simply survive. Our children are grown and have left the nest. We might even decide we don't need so big a nest and downsize to a more simple dwelling.
We might buy a camper and decide to see the country... maybe a couple of kayaks for lazy days on the river... or invest in a drum or two and join a drum circle. We share in discussions with like-minded people and yes, we might even sign up for painting classes! Adventure and freedom are in the air. We shed ourselves of unnecessary baggage and excitedly step ahead into the yet unexplored.
There is time now to relax and enjoy and as we do, we're reminded of something... something which has always been a part of us... something we may not have taken the time to see, feel and know. This 'something' has always called to us and now... now we find ourselves longing for that 'something' which has no name... that 'something' which manifests in a constant underlying yearning.
It's a yearning which drives us to seek. Our seeking has a tendency to make us look outside of ourselves and leads to new experiences of other people and places. Then, one day, something happens and we realize what we've been looking for "out there" has always been "in here" and has since our very beginning.
But how do we access it? How can we see? How can we find that which has lain hidden within the deep recesses of ourselves?
We are a world populated by 'wanna be' mystics... the yearning within us so strong we cannot keep from seeking. It may 'sleep' for many years and we may push it aside as something we don't have time for... but it is there. It has always been there and it makes itself known. Once we recognize it for what it is... the yearning for oneness with God... we must respond to it. We have no choice!
Yes, I know. We always have a choice... but choosing not to respond to that ache within will make us miserable. It will always be there. Calling...
As a mother reaches out and pulls her child to her breast, holding it close in soothing comfort, so it is with God:
" Come to me. Rest in me. Let me hold you in my arms so you come to feel and know the love I have for you. Yes, I send you others to love and who love you. How else would you come to know Love? But human love is only a taste of the totality of the love I have for you.
Now, my dear ones... though you have always had my love, you have not realized the magnificent all-encompassing power of it. Now is the time. Now I call you to me. I call you to recognize and know me as the pure Love that I AM. Then you will see and know I AM in all others as I AM in you!
Peace be with you, my friends!
Connie
We might buy a camper and decide to see the country... maybe a couple of kayaks for lazy days on the river... or invest in a drum or two and join a drum circle. We share in discussions with like-minded people and yes, we might even sign up for painting classes! Adventure and freedom are in the air. We shed ourselves of unnecessary baggage and excitedly step ahead into the yet unexplored.
There is time now to relax and enjoy and as we do, we're reminded of something... something which has always been a part of us... something we may not have taken the time to see, feel and know. This 'something' has always called to us and now... now we find ourselves longing for that 'something' which has no name... that 'something' which manifests in a constant underlying yearning.
It's a yearning which drives us to seek. Our seeking has a tendency to make us look outside of ourselves and leads to new experiences of other people and places. Then, one day, something happens and we realize what we've been looking for "out there" has always been "in here" and has since our very beginning.
But how do we access it? How can we see? How can we find that which has lain hidden within the deep recesses of ourselves?
We are a world populated by 'wanna be' mystics... the yearning within us so strong we cannot keep from seeking. It may 'sleep' for many years and we may push it aside as something we don't have time for... but it is there. It has always been there and it makes itself known. Once we recognize it for what it is... the yearning for oneness with God... we must respond to it. We have no choice!
Yes, I know. We always have a choice... but choosing not to respond to that ache within will make us miserable. It will always be there. Calling...
As a mother reaches out and pulls her child to her breast, holding it close in soothing comfort, so it is with God:
" Come to me. Rest in me. Let me hold you in my arms so you come to feel and know the love I have for you. Yes, I send you others to love and who love you. How else would you come to know Love? But human love is only a taste of the totality of the love I have for you.
Now, my dear ones... though you have always had my love, you have not realized the magnificent all-encompassing power of it. Now is the time. Now I call you to me. I call you to recognize and know me as the pure Love that I AM. Then you will see and know I AM in all others as I AM in you!
Peace be with you, my friends!
Connie
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Seeking.....and Finding
Yesterday... or last night... I may have been awake... or asleep. Maybe both. I realized I am remembering things planted in my memory banks since the beginning of time. I am remembering what I knew as a child. I am remembering the God-self I have always known.
I am realizing that much... not all... of my religious training was not necessary in coming to know God. I did not need to know the doctrines and laws of organized religious denominations. In fact, I now spend time unlearning much of what I’ve been taught. I find it interesting that I have spent years... decades... in search of the knowledge which already exists deep within myself. I am realizing... in this last third of my life... how important the remembering is... and how difficult it sometimes is to reconcile that remembering with some of the “religion” I’ve been taught. So much unnecessary baggage!
Yes, I know you might disagree... and I’m not putting down organized religion. I have experienced much in my search: I was raised Methodist but never felt truly comfortable... so spent my college years (and beyond) experiencing various denominations. I won’t list them here. Suffice it to say I didn’t miss much... not even Quakerism. My conversion to Catholicism and entrance into the religious community of the Sisters of St Joseph pretty much completed my search. I thought. Yet here I am, more than 40 years later, still searching... but in a much different way.
We are told by Jesus, “Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God...”(Matthew 6:33)
But where is the kingdom? Is it out there somewhere in the universe? Is it another planet, another world? I imagine the Disciples had similar questions. But then Jesus was more specific,
“... the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)
Well, I thought... If the kingdom of God is within me, it is also within you! The kingdom of God is within everyone! If that’s true, I thought... and I believe it is... I reasoned, if God is love, (I John 4:8) then the kingdom of God is the kingdom of love and God, as love, is within each and every one of us!
I love the remembering. I love going within myself and growing in the knowledge of the God (Love) living there. I am not only seeking, my dear friends! I am finding!
Light, Love and Joy to you!
I am realizing that much... not all... of my religious training was not necessary in coming to know God. I did not need to know the doctrines and laws of organized religious denominations. In fact, I now spend time unlearning much of what I’ve been taught. I find it interesting that I have spent years... decades... in search of the knowledge which already exists deep within myself. I am realizing... in this last third of my life... how important the remembering is... and how difficult it sometimes is to reconcile that remembering with some of the “religion” I’ve been taught. So much unnecessary baggage!
Yes, I know you might disagree... and I’m not putting down organized religion. I have experienced much in my search: I was raised Methodist but never felt truly comfortable... so spent my college years (and beyond) experiencing various denominations. I won’t list them here. Suffice it to say I didn’t miss much... not even Quakerism. My conversion to Catholicism and entrance into the religious community of the Sisters of St Joseph pretty much completed my search. I thought. Yet here I am, more than 40 years later, still searching... but in a much different way.
We are told by Jesus, “Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God...”(Matthew 6:33)
But where is the kingdom? Is it out there somewhere in the universe? Is it another planet, another world? I imagine the Disciples had similar questions. But then Jesus was more specific,
“... the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)
Well, I thought... If the kingdom of God is within me, it is also within you! The kingdom of God is within everyone! If that’s true, I thought... and I believe it is... I reasoned, if God is love, (I John 4:8) then the kingdom of God is the kingdom of love and God, as love, is within each and every one of us!
I love the remembering. I love going within myself and growing in the knowledge of the God (Love) living there. I am not only seeking, my dear friends! I am finding!
Light, Love and Joy to you!
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Bringing Gifts to the Table
A picture came into my mind the other day and it has continued to present itself. When this happens, as it sometimes does, I take it as a sign it is to be shared... either in paint or in words. As I haven’t been able to figure out how to visually represent this, I resort to painting it for you here in words.
Picture, if you will, a very large room. A very long table with chairs on either side stretches down its center. As I see it in the beginning, the room is empty but for the table and chairs. Then the lights come on, the door opens, and people of many nationalities, religions and denominations enter, gradually filling the waiting chairs. Each person caries a box or container which glows with a light coming from within. As they take their places, they carefully place the object on the table in front of them, keeping it within the circle of their hands.
Then, as if on cue, each reaches into their container and reverently lifts out what seems to be a ball of light, raising it high in thanksgiving. I can’t help but notice how the light now seems to envelop each one, radiating outward until the entire room is filled with it.
The Ancient One, at the head of the table, stands and addresses the gathering, “Welcome, everyone! We are all so glad you could come and bring your gifts with you. As you may have noticed, as many gifts as there are, each one is different. Each holds great importance. We have come together today to share our gifts with one another because our world needs the power your sharing brings. It is only through the sharing of our gifts that humanity will grow in the knowing of love.”
I looked around the room, my gaze moving from face to face, and was suddenly aware that as different as we all were, everyone heard and understood all that was said.
The Ancient One stretched out his arms to include all and though it seemed impossible, made eye contact with each person at once. Each one, then, pushed their gifts to the center of the table until they all were as one great light encompassing us all. There was great power in that room and it filled each and every one of us.
I wonder if we know our gifts... if we realize their value. It’s taken me a long time to recognize and accept the fact that I do have gifts. The “I am not worthy” thing was so ingrained I was blind to seeing and knowing all God gives me. I even came to realize that what I always considered to be my greatest faults were actually my greatest gifts. The thing is, we are worthy... for God has deemed us worthy. Would we have been given these gifts if we were not?
We have many of the same gifts but in different proportions and strengths...
“To each person has been given the ability to manifest the Spirit for the common good. To one has been given a message of wisdom by the Spirit; to another the ability to speak with knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit; to another miraculous results; to another prophecy; to another the ability to distinguish between spirits; to another various kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. But one and the same Spirit produces all these results and gives what he wants to each person.” (1Corinthians 12:7-11)
These gifts have been a part of us since our beginning. Our struggle has been to discover and utilize all we are given. May we continue to discover these gifts within ourselves, bring them to the table and share them with all!
God bless!
Connie
Picture, if you will, a very large room. A very long table with chairs on either side stretches down its center. As I see it in the beginning, the room is empty but for the table and chairs. Then the lights come on, the door opens, and people of many nationalities, religions and denominations enter, gradually filling the waiting chairs. Each person caries a box or container which glows with a light coming from within. As they take their places, they carefully place the object on the table in front of them, keeping it within the circle of their hands.
Then, as if on cue, each reaches into their container and reverently lifts out what seems to be a ball of light, raising it high in thanksgiving. I can’t help but notice how the light now seems to envelop each one, radiating outward until the entire room is filled with it.
The Ancient One, at the head of the table, stands and addresses the gathering, “Welcome, everyone! We are all so glad you could come and bring your gifts with you. As you may have noticed, as many gifts as there are, each one is different. Each holds great importance. We have come together today to share our gifts with one another because our world needs the power your sharing brings. It is only through the sharing of our gifts that humanity will grow in the knowing of love.”
I looked around the room, my gaze moving from face to face, and was suddenly aware that as different as we all were, everyone heard and understood all that was said.
The Ancient One stretched out his arms to include all and though it seemed impossible, made eye contact with each person at once. Each one, then, pushed their gifts to the center of the table until they all were as one great light encompassing us all. There was great power in that room and it filled each and every one of us.
I wonder if we know our gifts... if we realize their value. It’s taken me a long time to recognize and accept the fact that I do have gifts. The “I am not worthy” thing was so ingrained I was blind to seeing and knowing all God gives me. I even came to realize that what I always considered to be my greatest faults were actually my greatest gifts. The thing is, we are worthy... for God has deemed us worthy. Would we have been given these gifts if we were not?
We have many of the same gifts but in different proportions and strengths...
“To each person has been given the ability to manifest the Spirit for the common good. To one has been given a message of wisdom by the Spirit; to another the ability to speak with knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit; to another miraculous results; to another prophecy; to another the ability to distinguish between spirits; to another various kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. But one and the same Spirit produces all these results and gives what he wants to each person.” (1Corinthians 12:7-11)
These gifts have been a part of us since our beginning. Our struggle has been to discover and utilize all we are given. May we continue to discover these gifts within ourselves, bring them to the table and share them with all!
God bless!
Connie
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Are We Pharisees or Disciples?
I read in the news this morning how the Methodist Church is instituting a ban against LGBTs, making it a punishable act for any minister to marry a same-gender couple. They are also saying there is no place for homosexual ministers within the Church. On reading this, my first reaction was one of anger and indignation... which eventually gave way to a very deep sadness. Are they truly going to judge others solely on the basis of their sexuality?
Jesus did not judge. He loved and accepted people for who they were.
I shake my head in sorrow and disbelief at what organized Christian religion is becoming. How does one preach words of love from the pulpit while living a message of non-acceptance... even hatred? How sad it is that church leaders... those who have dedicated their lives to follow Jesus... to live the Gospel... are more like the Pharisees than Disciples.
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)
How much easier it is to foster hate than love! Instead of standing strong in living and encouraging others in the two commandments set forth by Jesus, they resort to making their own laws... and sow the seeds of hatred.
I am a Christian. I am also part Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Ba-Hai, etc. All religions are part of who I am but the one I follow is Jesus. We are all one family, sharing the one father, God. Every human being... every living, breathing thing... is related. We all have God’s DNA within us. We are all brothers and sisters regardless of our differences. We may not agree with one another and that’s okay but it is not up to us to judge them.
One day I voiced my annoyance concerning my brother to Mom. Concerned about a possible rift, she asked, “Why don’t you love your brother?”
“Oh, Mom!” I responded. “I do love my brother. It’s just that sometimes I don’t like him very much.” She nodded her head in understanding.
The thing is, Jesus doesn’t tell us we are to like one another. His commandment is that we love one another. That doesn’t mean we have to agree with all they say and do. How boring that would be! But... we are called to love and acceptance.
One thing about human nature... a thing we often forget... is that, often what we dislike in another, we dislike in ourselves. It is the reflection of that part of ourselves we wish wasn’t there and try to ignore. So what so we do? We point to the other... lash out at the one who is different... hoping no one sees the differences within us. When we can accept and love ourselves as God’s children, we will accept and love others as part of our family of ONE. We are all perfect in the eyes of God. Our idea of perfection is not the same as God’s. Who are we to judge others?
As one who was raised Methodist and converted to Catholicism, I have an interest in both denominations. I am ashamed of the actions of those who have strayed so far away from Jesus’ teachings. Why is church membership dwindling? Why are many... especially the youth... not attending? Because of the hypocrisy... the negativity... the duplicity.
Are we lost in the darkness? If we are, it is only because we are blind to the presence of the light... for it illuminates our way.
Regardless of a church’s man made laws, each individual person will have to come to terms with who they, themselves, are. That’s where they have to stand... and stand strong.
We are family!
Connie
Jesus did not judge. He loved and accepted people for who they were.
I shake my head in sorrow and disbelief at what organized Christian religion is becoming. How does one preach words of love from the pulpit while living a message of non-acceptance... even hatred? How sad it is that church leaders... those who have dedicated their lives to follow Jesus... to live the Gospel... are more like the Pharisees than Disciples.
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)
How much easier it is to foster hate than love! Instead of standing strong in living and encouraging others in the two commandments set forth by Jesus, they resort to making their own laws... and sow the seeds of hatred.
I am a Christian. I am also part Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Ba-Hai, etc. All religions are part of who I am but the one I follow is Jesus. We are all one family, sharing the one father, God. Every human being... every living, breathing thing... is related. We all have God’s DNA within us. We are all brothers and sisters regardless of our differences. We may not agree with one another and that’s okay but it is not up to us to judge them.
One day I voiced my annoyance concerning my brother to Mom. Concerned about a possible rift, she asked, “Why don’t you love your brother?”
“Oh, Mom!” I responded. “I do love my brother. It’s just that sometimes I don’t like him very much.” She nodded her head in understanding.
The thing is, Jesus doesn’t tell us we are to like one another. His commandment is that we love one another. That doesn’t mean we have to agree with all they say and do. How boring that would be! But... we are called to love and acceptance.
One thing about human nature... a thing we often forget... is that, often what we dislike in another, we dislike in ourselves. It is the reflection of that part of ourselves we wish wasn’t there and try to ignore. So what so we do? We point to the other... lash out at the one who is different... hoping no one sees the differences within us. When we can accept and love ourselves as God’s children, we will accept and love others as part of our family of ONE. We are all perfect in the eyes of God. Our idea of perfection is not the same as God’s. Who are we to judge others?
As one who was raised Methodist and converted to Catholicism, I have an interest in both denominations. I am ashamed of the actions of those who have strayed so far away from Jesus’ teachings. Why is church membership dwindling? Why are many... especially the youth... not attending? Because of the hypocrisy... the negativity... the duplicity.
Are we lost in the darkness? If we are, it is only because we are blind to the presence of the light... for it illuminates our way.
Regardless of a church’s man made laws, each individual person will have to come to terms with who they, themselves, are. That’s where they have to stand... and stand strong.
We are family!
Connie
Thursday, March 14, 2019
It's Almost Here!
I love Spring! I love seeing the trees budding in that beautiful yellow-green... the same color I get when I mix cerulean blue with cadmium yellow light. It’s no wonder it’s my favorite green! I love watching the light reflecting off each upturned baby leaf... a raised open hand waiting to receive. There is something about a warm spring day after winter’s cold that we, too, stand with faces and hands upturned to the warmth of the sun.
I am filled with a peace and calmness, losing myself in the smells and sounds of earth’s re-awakening. There is peace in my soul, a song in my heart and I sing as one with all. As I sit here soaking up the sun’s warmth, I can hear the grass and fluttering leaves speak in whispers with the breeze. Budding blossoms and flowers fill my senses as I drink in their beauty through both eyes and nose. I am filled to overflowing.
Sometimes I think about painting all I see, hear and feel... and I have often tried... but there is no way I could possibly capture it all. It is much better, I think, to simply sit here and absorb it all until I am one with the earth and all its gifts.
We humans have a tendency to forget that the earth doesn’t need us... we need the earth and its many gifts. We have been appointed as its caretakers and protectors and every once in a while it’s important... imperative... we take the time to reconnect and be appreciative of all we receive.
If the soil is not tilled, seeds not planted and plants not watered or tended, there will be no harvest but if everyone takes care of their own little piece, we will continue to receive all the life-giving gifts our earth has to offer.
I am grateful for all I receive from nature... both life sustaining and soul sustaining food. The least I can do is show my appreciation by doing my part.
Love, Light and Joy to you all as you enjoy this transition from death to life... Winter to Spring!
Remember... We need the earth. It doesn’t need us.
Connie
I am filled with a peace and calmness, losing myself in the smells and sounds of earth’s re-awakening. There is peace in my soul, a song in my heart and I sing as one with all. As I sit here soaking up the sun’s warmth, I can hear the grass and fluttering leaves speak in whispers with the breeze. Budding blossoms and flowers fill my senses as I drink in their beauty through both eyes and nose. I am filled to overflowing.
Sometimes I think about painting all I see, hear and feel... and I have often tried... but there is no way I could possibly capture it all. It is much better, I think, to simply sit here and absorb it all until I am one with the earth and all its gifts.
We humans have a tendency to forget that the earth doesn’t need us... we need the earth and its many gifts. We have been appointed as its caretakers and protectors and every once in a while it’s important... imperative... we take the time to reconnect and be appreciative of all we receive.
If the soil is not tilled, seeds not planted and plants not watered or tended, there will be no harvest but if everyone takes care of their own little piece, we will continue to receive all the life-giving gifts our earth has to offer.
I am grateful for all I receive from nature... both life sustaining and soul sustaining food. The least I can do is show my appreciation by doing my part.
Love, Light and Joy to you all as you enjoy this transition from death to life... Winter to Spring!
Remember... We need the earth. It doesn’t need us.
Connie
Friday, March 8, 2019
Everything Blooms in Spring!
There’s a few feet of snow... temperatures plummet to below freezing... and my cousin, Sally, is busy planting seeds and potting plants. Plants delivered in the snow are being given new life in the warmth of her greenhouse. It’s not easy work and many hands are needed but there are no words to express how seeing the first tiny bud makes one feel.
I look at my azaleas in full bloom, the tiny buds appearing on the crepe myrtle and the abundance of beautiful wild flowers in our yards and along our roads. There is new birth and beauty everywhere I look! Mother nature is springing forth after her long winter’s sleep with new growth celebrated by the profusion of colorful blossoms and bright shades of green!
Isn’t it interesting how a tiny flower can contain so much beauty and be so powerful as to lift our souls. We become aware that this simple beauty enters and fills us until we, too, bloom forth with smiles of happiness and joy! There’s an extra spring in our step and we exude the simple joy of experiencing our oneness with all of nature and mankind.
In our gardens it’s time to prune the old dead branches, make room for new growth. The same is true of ourselves. The message given us by mother nature is not an easy one. We are told, like the flowers, to allow our inner beauty to grow and blossom... to put aside... let go... of all that is old and dead. Perhaps we haven’t done that for a while. Perhaps we’ve held onto memories and thoughts which no longer serve us... keeping our growth smothered... struggling to bloom in spite of the weeds we’ve allowed to continue growing.
We need to prune ourselves right along with our trees and bushes. The woodbine is impossible to pull for its roots twine around the roots of my azaleas and jasmine bushes. It must be cut back as close to the ground as possible or it will smother my bushes and the bees, birds and I would be deprived of their beauty.
I have a weed much like that woodbine within myself. It’s a part of me I don’t like and it grows without my noticing. Sometimes I have to consciously look for it so I can keep cutting it back. There are other weeds as well but most are not so hardy and stubborn as this one.
Isn’t is interesting, too, that the season of Lent coincides with the new birth of Spring? A reminder that, as we tend to mother nature’s garden, we also must tend to the garden within ourselves.
We are an integral part of God’s garden. In this wonderful season of Spring, may we all rise from our winter’s sleep and grow and bloom as God intends for us to grow and bloom! Open your arms wide to the warmth of the sun. Dance in the rain. Grow!!
Love, Light and Joy to all!
Connie
I look at my azaleas in full bloom, the tiny buds appearing on the crepe myrtle and the abundance of beautiful wild flowers in our yards and along our roads. There is new birth and beauty everywhere I look! Mother nature is springing forth after her long winter’s sleep with new growth celebrated by the profusion of colorful blossoms and bright shades of green!
Isn’t it interesting how a tiny flower can contain so much beauty and be so powerful as to lift our souls. We become aware that this simple beauty enters and fills us until we, too, bloom forth with smiles of happiness and joy! There’s an extra spring in our step and we exude the simple joy of experiencing our oneness with all of nature and mankind.
In our gardens it’s time to prune the old dead branches, make room for new growth. The same is true of ourselves. The message given us by mother nature is not an easy one. We are told, like the flowers, to allow our inner beauty to grow and blossom... to put aside... let go... of all that is old and dead. Perhaps we haven’t done that for a while. Perhaps we’ve held onto memories and thoughts which no longer serve us... keeping our growth smothered... struggling to bloom in spite of the weeds we’ve allowed to continue growing.
We need to prune ourselves right along with our trees and bushes. The woodbine is impossible to pull for its roots twine around the roots of my azaleas and jasmine bushes. It must be cut back as close to the ground as possible or it will smother my bushes and the bees, birds and I would be deprived of their beauty.
I have a weed much like that woodbine within myself. It’s a part of me I don’t like and it grows without my noticing. Sometimes I have to consciously look for it so I can keep cutting it back. There are other weeds as well but most are not so hardy and stubborn as this one.
Isn’t is interesting, too, that the season of Lent coincides with the new birth of Spring? A reminder that, as we tend to mother nature’s garden, we also must tend to the garden within ourselves.
We are an integral part of God’s garden. In this wonderful season of Spring, may we all rise from our winter’s sleep and grow and bloom as God intends for us to grow and bloom! Open your arms wide to the warmth of the sun. Dance in the rain. Grow!!
Love, Light and Joy to all!
Connie
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Some Dreams are Prophetic Messages
I am one who keeps pen and paper near my bed so that when something important “comes through” I can get up and write it down. I can’t tell you how many times I told myself I’d remember it in the morning and, unwilling to get up, rolled over and gone back to sleep. Needless to say, I never remembered it in the morning.
However, I do admire people who remember their dreams so when a friend wanted to share a dream she had with me I was all ears.
“I am walking through the woods. It is a wild wood, thick with branches and the path barely visible. A shining, golden long haired dog walks in front of me, leading the way. The path lights up beneath its feet and becomes clear with each step it takes. The dog leads me to a door, stops, stands aside and speaks to me, ‘You are to walk through the door.’ ”
When my friend told me of her dream I saw it as clearly as she had and was reminded of something I’d recently seen on Facebook about these last few days of February. It had stayed with me because I was certainly experiencing some of the symptoms:
This morning during my prayer I heard that in the next few days we would be walking on that path and would soon find that door in front of us.
I saw, in my meditation, no opening of a door because the door itself suddenly was not there. It appeared as an open doorway through which I saw a blinding light with intermittent waves of soft glowing colors. I stood in awe in that doorway as the Light called to me... pulled me into itself. In stepping over the threshold, I fell into it... was enveloped in it... lifted by it... filled with it. I am one with it. The Light is the Christ.
We will each, in being guided along our own path, come to our own doorway. In walking through that door, I promise you... You too will become one with the Light. You too will know the Christ in yourself and recognize the Christ in others.
Together we walk in the Light of the Christ.
I am reminded of Paul Ferrini’s book, I Am the Door and in my mind, clearly hear Jesus’ voice saying He is, indeed, the door. (John 10:9)
With Love, Light and Joy,
Connie
However, I do admire people who remember their dreams so when a friend wanted to share a dream she had with me I was all ears.
“I am walking through the woods. It is a wild wood, thick with branches and the path barely visible. A shining, golden long haired dog walks in front of me, leading the way. The path lights up beneath its feet and becomes clear with each step it takes. The dog leads me to a door, stops, stands aside and speaks to me, ‘You are to walk through the door.’ ”
When my friend told me of her dream I saw it as clearly as she had and was reminded of something I’d recently seen on Facebook about these last few days of February. It had stayed with me because I was certainly experiencing some of the symptoms:
This morning during my prayer I heard that in the next few days we would be walking on that path and would soon find that door in front of us.
I saw, in my meditation, no opening of a door because the door itself suddenly was not there. It appeared as an open doorway through which I saw a blinding light with intermittent waves of soft glowing colors. I stood in awe in that doorway as the Light called to me... pulled me into itself. In stepping over the threshold, I fell into it... was enveloped in it... lifted by it... filled with it. I am one with it. The Light is the Christ.
We will each, in being guided along our own path, come to our own doorway. In walking through that door, I promise you... You too will become one with the Light. You too will know the Christ in yourself and recognize the Christ in others.
Together we walk in the Light of the Christ.
I am reminded of Paul Ferrini’s book, I Am the Door and in my mind, clearly hear Jesus’ voice saying He is, indeed, the door. (John 10:9)
With Love, Light and Joy,
Connie
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)