Find Religion

by Author Unknown

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don’t have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn’t give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.

And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to you.

You get to choose what kind of day you will have!

I am grateful for the end of this year. Next year brings the hopes of major changes. Not only politically but socially, economically, environmentally and personally. What changes would you like to see in your day to day life? More love? More security? You can have these things. In this uncertain world it is up to us to prepare ourselves and our lives for the uncertain future.

Three things I know for sure in this uncertain world-

Love is real

Hope is eternal

Nothing stands in the way but self

So move yourself out of your own way and see the future year coming with real value, sacredness; love for self. Respect for self. When you have accomplished that, it is only then that you are able to share yourself as you were created to the world and be part of the greater good. If you have self loathing and lack of self respect then you have no love or respect. You can be admired by millions and loved greatly but if you have no love for your self then you are not being the whole, true person you are meant to be in this creation. What is stopping you from loving yourself? If you can find you way to forgiveness, starting with yourself is a good plan to begin this process. Forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves so we can be at peace with our past so we can have a future. Find peace with the past as much as you are able, so you can find the love & hope and help me transform next year in to something we can be proud to be a part of a grateful to pass on to our children.

Every baby is Jesus’ perfection trying to be seen and acknowledged and reborn again and again. We can see it if we have the eyes, heart & hormones of a mother, or a vivid enough imagination that could imagine such as so. The love of a mother and the power a mother feels as she nourishes & sustains life, gives birth and continues to sustain that life with milk made from her own body, is the key, integral relationship in any human life. This is an act  so full of dynamism that any peace loving culture should rely on breastfeeding as a great beginning to creating happy, well-adjusted people thru out the world as a whole today. Lack of bonding as we can sometimes see in bottle fed babies, who miss out on the breast and the close mother/child bond, creates a population that is more enamored by the achieving of material gains then relating on a heart & soul human level with other human beings.  As we can see in the world today these shifted values have altered the path the world is on to a degree that has bred and nurtured people who are hell bent on greed, war, destruction and other traits that come from the damaged, improperly nurtured psyche.

Mary didn’t milk any of the barn animals for milk for baby Jesus. She nourished Him with milk from her own body. This act is a woman’s sacred art and has shaped futures of children from the beginning of time. Making milk for an infant can be a joy and a pleasure. It is certainly a lot of work for the body. Milk holds everything, every nutrient and satisfaction for a child; mind, body & soul. The act of breastfeeding instills innately the preciousness and value and worthiness of taking the best care, time & energy with your child. The care that come thru breastfeeding plays a role in the formation of every relationship thereafter. Ecological breastfeeding-when the breast is given on demand, without the use of bottles or pacifiers, can also suppress fertility, as the body adjusts so beautifully to accommodate the mother’s & child’s needs.

Any act such as breastfeeding which requires such devotion & sacrifice on a person’s part automatically makes the act a sacred one. Any sacred act infuses the preciousness and worth that we as a society lack in today. We wouldn’t have 1/2 the wars & murder or even depression, suicide or basic dissatisfaction with life if we had just given our children their birthright; our milk. Or more accurately-their milk. And she gives until it hurts. As they need. To establish their selves as such to value all life around us. This is one of the fatal flaws we make as humanity in not being absolutely blessed and supportive of the breastfeeding mother. It is a wound in the psyche that can not be healed or filled with any other outside resources and have the same impact it has when given from the source.

Breastfeeding stimulates important nurturing hormones called prolactin & oxytocin which induce feelings of contentment & satisfaction in not only the mother & child but also in anyone who even witnesses the act of breastfeeding! These are the same hormones that are produced when an orgasm is achieved.

We were created for ecstasy & bliss! Our whole system supports this but cultural & societal norms have altered this natural path & disrupted the core of the essence of our being.

Breastfeeding also reduces the likelihood of a woman getting breast cancer.

Support your hardworking mothers!

Malachi 3:3 says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”

He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image in it.”

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.

And, whatever they’re going through, they’ll be a better person in the end.

“Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once.”

Since we can’t seem to give peace a chance, let’s try love for a change. Put some love in your hearts! The holidays aren’t about racing around trying to find something cheap to buy someone you love. Really, it’s not. Yet we find ourselves and see so many doing so. Put some love in your heart! Try love for a change. If you can’t get there on your own, put some lovely music on. Something that evokes the spirit of tenderness and love. Do whatever you have to to try love for a change. Be inspired! Think back, oh sweet memory if nothing holds love for you now. Where is the love? Try love for a change. It starts in the heart. It starts by shutting off the brain to the barrage of intellectualized reasons why we move in haste and often without a genuine smile. Try love for a change. Find your smile. When you have done that, you know you have love in your heart. Feed the flame of love. Stoke the stove heartily with fuel so the embers can heat thru any iciness and melt down the walls that keep us from really connecting. Slow down. Listen to some great music that you love. If it is holiday music, even all the more inspiring! Find your smile. Share it willingly. You never knows who needs that smile the most. Probably the person you want to smile at the least. Find the joy in your heart that isn’t based on expectations of anything but delight. Haste is a form of violence. If we can all slow down, find out inner love song, put on a genuine smile, I know that tomorrow will be a better day. Join me, won’t you? <[;>)

During this season of giving I can’t help but feel the pain of the millions of people who all they want are things money cannot buy. Like peace and hope. Or love and joy. What is the value of these things? What does hope look like? What does peace look like? Hope, to me, looks like the eyelashes of a tiny baby that rests on a silky cheek. Peace looks like the wind that raises the birds in the sky; elusive & fleeting. Love looks like a smile, open and friendly, ready to be generous and maybe even share a laugh. Joy looks like the fertile earth that has been dug up by the leaping paws of a happy dog, that has unearthed the earth itself with galloping strides of joyful bursting forth in energetic delight.

What do your wishes and hopes look like? Are they asking you to notice them, like the blossom of a flower, who tries so hard to get noticed, touched, smelled and appreciated? Breathe life into your dreams so they can come to fruition. Keep them alive anyway you can. Write and plan your dreams. Now is the time to access and reassess everything you have in your life . Conscientious people live the life that they want. Instead of life having you; you have the life you want. By accessing your life, your choices for the coming new year you can get rid of what no longer serves you, be it a bad habit or stressful unfulfiling work. Try to use your eyes that can see things like hope in the eyelashes of a child. This will create a balance of creative and pragmatic energies that will serve you well for the coming new year ahead. I wish you many blessings of all the good things in life that hold the true meaning of the season. All the things that money cannot buy have the most value. May you be showered with all the good things in life! And don’t forget, the best things in life aren’t things.

ONE.
Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO.
Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE.
Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR.
When you say, ‘I love you,’ mean it.

FIVE.
When you say, ‘I’m sorry,’ look the person in the eye.

SIX.
Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN.
Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT.
Never laugh at anyone’s dreams. People who don’t have dreams don’t have much.

NINE.
Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely.

TEN.
In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN.
Don’t judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE.
Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN.
When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and ask, ‘Why do you want to know?’

FOURTEEN.
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN.
Say ‘bless you’ when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN.
Remember the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN.
Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN.
When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY.
Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY-ONE.
Spend some time alone.

I believe:

That our backgrounds and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

That no matter how good a friend is, she is going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive her for that.

That because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to, doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

That it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

That you should always leave loved ones with kind words. It may be the last time you see them.

That money is a lousy way to keep score.

That you either control your anger or it controls you.

That sometimes I have the right to be angry, but I never have the right to be cruel.

That it always isn’t enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to forgive yourself.

That no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world won’t stop for you.

That to love others with my whole heart I must first love myself.

That the people you care most about in life are often taken from you too soon.

That life is more precious than money will ever be.

That it really is better to give than to receive.

I’m certain a numerologist could have a field day with the numerical significance of these numbers in correlation with the verses. It would be interesting…

When things get tough, always remember…
Faith doesn’t get you around trouble, it gets you through it.

Center of the Bible.

Q: What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalms 117

Q: What is the longest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalms 119

Q: Which chapter is in the center of the Bible?

A: Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118

Add these numbers up and you get 1188.

Q: What is the center verse in the Bible?

A: Psalms 118:8

Q: Does this verse say something significant about God’s perfect will for our lives?

The next time someone says they would like to find

God’s perfect will for their lives and that they want to

be in the center of His will, just send them to the

center of His Word!

Psalms 118:8

“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”
Now isn’t that odd how this worked out (or was God in the center of it)?

As soon as I get embroiled in all the great things the season has to bring, reality kicks in and so does the fear and loathing. A dear friend of ours has found lumps in his throat and neck and we are very concerned for his well being. Of course the first thing that pops into mind is cancer. It’s just like an automatic reaction. When I was a kid the worst thing in the world was cancer. This was before we seen what aids and other incurable disease could do.

So the season is now fraught with fear of disease, tests, scans and needles and waiting for results.  The worst part is the waiting. Time goes into a bubble warp and twists and turns and drags it’s feet when you are in waiting. Time has no friend like the good news we hope to hear from this uncertain place in time. One of the worst parts is that he doesn’t have insurance and has put this off for months and months now. That precious time can make the difference between stage III or IV cancer and have a huge impact of his rate of cure. I am ashamed of a country as rich and powerful as ours who has nothing better to give it’s own people than a war hell bent and built on lies, and lack of the most basic care that every human needs and should be entitled to as our birthright as proper medical care. What is this country coming to? We are endangering human life as we natter on about health care solutions. The solution lay in giving. Give until it hurts. Then maybe the people who are really hurting can get some care and relief.

Hold on to your loved ones tightly! Nothing is guaranteed. We can be grateful we get to see the sunrise of a new day. What will we do with this new day? My hope for you is to be able to linger in the beauty of all that surrounds you be it people or nature that you love. Indulge your senses. The time to live is now! Nothing is certain and anything can happen. It feels like flying by the seat of your pants. It can make you uncomfortable, but the ride is fun and the view is great. Enjoy the view in your life today. If there is no focus on illness or disease or despair, then rejoice for your good fortune.

Do you know what that means? It means give up something of value to yourself so you can bring joy & humanity to others who may be without. Give something that is your own; give what you want. Give something that is comforting and warm. A hat, scarf or mittens. Slippers or homemade soup and bread. A warm smile, nod, handshake or hug. Give something you love and would want for yourself. Cloak a part of your world with kindness and warmth. Give something you could keep yourself but out of the goodness of your heart you want to share that which you already strive for and love. Nourish someone. Give them sustenance for life. Heart & soul. This is why we are here. To do so eases wrongs and sets the world right. To do so is a sign of spiritual & emotional maturity. To delay one’s own gratification for the needs and fulfillment of another is one of the highest forms of intellectualized spiritual truth that represents a high level of emotional maturity. This maturity serves as a lifeline of grace & peace to an all too often gray & hardscrabble world. Behaving as such sends a very important message into your life and into the world around us. A message that lingers and sings words of Hope, Joy, Charity, Faith & Love. In today’s world-this is revolutionary! Viva La Revolution! No pain, no gain! Get giving! It hurts so good!

Today was another day infused with gratitude, serenity and goodwill. I drove around with my 4 year old daughter and the dog, spreading smiles and good vibes everywhere we went. The day began with my girl finding some jingle bells. As we drove down the road she jingled those bells right in time with the fantastic Latin music that the local radio station played. I rocked on the steering wheel as the dog had her head out the window in blissed out face full of wind, glee. Even though it was cold out, we had 3 of the windows down and the heater going full blast. As we drove in the canyon that links us to the outside world an impatient driver tailed us closely making me nervous. I waited for a safe spot and pulled of and she drove by giving us a friendly wave. I was glad to anticipate her need to get there sooner than me and I was left feeling all the more gracious for moving out of her way and going on in my own merry way.

Our first stop was at our favorite thrift store, where we picked up a recorder and some more bells so we could add to the musical mayhem. I insisted my daughter played the recorder ‘pretty’ instead of the full breath bleeeet that she preferred to play. As we exited the thrift store, I anticipated another person wanting to exit and grabbed the door to help her make her way. We shared a smile and some small courtesy talk and again I was left feeling gracious and buoyant.

As we drove on we seen an older fellow holding a cardboard sign asking for any ‘help, everything helps’. So I pulled a couple dollars and a coupon for a free taco out of my wallet to give him. He was so happy and said, “God Bless you”, over and over. I told him no problem, happy to help, sorry I didn’t have more to give him. He petted our sweet dog who lapped at his face and we left him feeling better than we found him. We drove on.

I was amazed at how receptive everyone was to us. We had nothing really to do today. No where in particular to go. We just needed a day out of the house as cabin fever settles in as the weather turns colder and we spend less & less time outside. We were happy to let the guy with only one item go in front of us in line, and to move aside for the hurried mom with 2 little ones in tow. By the time I got home, I was like a helium balloon flying high as I recalled the small ways I was able to spread a little joy and sunshine on this cloudy and overcast day.

Go out and spread your good graciousness. It feels great! I was so happy to be me today. I was happy to share the earth with my comrades in arms. I am grateful to be able to bring even the smallest joy. Bringing many small joys brought me great joy! I highly recommend it!

More cowbell, anyone?

This Thanksgiving was one filled with closeness and joy. We all helped out and made the work light and lovely for us all. We feasted and got festive, and gave thanks that we are still all here and all together. We watched football and ate a beautiful meal, shared stories and laughter. The undercurrent of the emotions of the day were full of anticipations, hopes, expectations of times to come. Thanksgiving is like turning a new leaf. A time to hunker down, gather your nuts and seeds, draw close and chew the fat. That is what the harvest time is for. Getting prepared for rain & snow. Getting food stock piled to make it thru the season. Taking out coats, snow boots, mittens and other winter gear.  I have insulated winter curtains that I put up to hold the heat in. I put rugs under the doors to catch drafts. I bake lots of cookies and bread. It’s all a process. It use to be integral to our survival. Now the seasons can come & go and we only notice if they mess up our hair or rain on our plans. The seasons and their cycles have much to teach us. If we can find balance within the seasons then we can truly enjoy and appreciate all the nuances and subtleties that help us greet our day with anticipation. There is something comforting about wearing slippers to keep your feet warm and getting snuggly on the couch under soft blankets. It’s a time for hugs and snuggles and making your own heat. I have found I am much more acclimated to the cold if I take a hot sauna regularly and exercise to keep my blood flowing and keep my metabolism active. I am grateful for these things I can do in my life to help me adapt to the changes in the season. It’s the creature comforts that makes us relish our existence in this world, a truly define us from the animal world.

We had the luxury of being able to share food this year. I found a Vietnam veteran who lost both legs in a landmine explosion. He lives alone with his daily cigarette rations layed out next to him, ready for when he wants one. He was parked in front of the television, with t.v guide close by, so he didn’t miss any of his favorite shows. He had a small, electric heater that worked furiously to keep the chill out of the room. I had seen his wheelchair but didn’t realize he had no legs until I walked into the small trailer and closed the door behind me. We had never met before and I held a hot pan full of food hoping he wouldn’t fear me, a stranger, bringing him food. I asked him if he had thanksgiving yet. He replied, “Yes”. I asked him if he would like some more. He again said “Yes”. I handed him the pan full of hot food, turned to open the sliding glass door, turning, I said “Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you” and left. After I left I realized that I had walked into this noble man’s full existence. His daily cigs and his t.v are his life, in between the horrors of war he tries to keep at bay, like the cold. I felt sorry that someone could give so much to so many and still have so little. I hoped for the writer’s strike to end so he could watch some fresh & entertaining t.v. to bring something to his life. I secretly hoped he was rich and had everything he needed and only lived this way because he was a sensible man with humble needs.

He didn’t realize the gift he has given me in receiving the gift I brought to him. I’m already scheming something nice for him for Christmas. I know my small, humble gestures make a difference in people’s lives. I am so happy when I can give where needed and be received. I hope you find a place of need and help them receive this season of thanks.

Ask anybody what they are thankful for and in the top 3 answers you will find ‘Family’ universally is what gives our lives most meaning and fulfillment. As a wife, I am grateful to my hardworking and loving husband. As a mother, I am grateful for my healthy, happy children. These are the things that give my life meaning & joy! I was so happy to marry my husband after a passionate four year relationship. Marriage for us was the comfort & security we wanted and needed in our relationship to let our hair down a bit, so to speak and unfold together on our journey together thru life.  We as humans are social creatures. To find ultimate happiness we have to have the equation of a partner. That is just how we are built. It’s not difficult to understand. This rings true for any level headed, even minded person.

This Thanksgiving I’d like to ask you to think about the millions of people in our own nation that don’t have the equal birthright to ‘..life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…’, that the heterosexual community enjoys without a second thought. I want you to think about this, “What do we gain in denying same sex couples who just want the same comforts life affords us?” Furthermore and more importantly, “What do we gain in supporting millions of people to have a secure and fulfilling life with a partner of their choice; such as my husband and I have the luxury to decide for ourselves? We all have more in common than not, no matter our race, culture or sexual orientation. The time for same sex marriage is now. Who are we (you) to deny these people their comfort, love, family & happiness? It is just plain anti-American to block something so fundamental to our own personal satisfaction as choosing and marrying a mate. To deny another human something so intrinsic to their satisfaction with life signifies troubling stunting in the growth of a spiritual being as an individual and is anti-harmony with the way humanity was created. To afford everyone their rights in this country is going to make us stronger as a nation as gays find personal satisfaction and acceptance in the community. This builds stronger lives, families & communities. If you cannot see this reality, you have mis-interpreted what it means to be an American and need to re-examine what motivates your desire to harm many instead of letting others seek harmony.

If you’d like to support Let California Ring or read more information on this important and fundamental issue please visit  http://www.letcaliforniaring.org/

Tirawa Atius is the great eternal God who created all things. He supplies the needs of all creatures and living things including the rock people, the four legged creatures and the creepy crawlers. He created the Path of the Departing Spirits, known to the White Man as the Milky Way. East of the Path is the Male Principle, the Morning Star. To the west is the Female Principle, the Evening Star. All that has ever happened and will ever happen has been ordained by Tirawa. The stars are his servants. From the east the Morning Star began to pursue Evening Star in order to make love to her, but she continued to elude him. She put hindrances in his path, but continued to beckon him all the while. Why? Because it was not yet time to make living things on the earth; and females always tease and flirt with males, as well as demand tests to prove men’s character.

The number ten has always had significance for human beings. This is because Evening Star placed ten obstacles in the way of her suitor. One of the hindrances was in the chaos beneath them. There was an endless sheet of water presided over by the Great Serpent. The Morning Star threw a ball of fire at the serpent, which caused the serpent to flee beneath the waves. As the fire hit the water, enough of the water dried up to reveal earth and rocks. From these materials, Morning Star threw a pebble into the sea of chaos and it became the earth.

When the earth was in its proper place, Tirawa appointed four lesser gods to administer it. They were East, West, North, and South. They joined hands at the edge of the great sea on earth and a land mass emerged.

Eventually, Morning Star caught up with Evening Star and made love with her. Soon Evening Star conceived a little daughter. When she gave birth to the little girl, she placed the child on a cloud and sent her to earth. High above the earth, Evening Star asked Morning Star to water her celestial garden. As a love gift, he made the first rain.

In the celestial gardens of Evening Star, there grew a great many plants, including Mother Maize, the greatest of food plants. Evening Star gave maize to her daughter as a gift to plant on the newly emerged earth. Soon the Sun and the Moon produced a son, who married the daughter of Evening Star and Morning Star. Daughter-of-Evening-and-Morning-Star and Son-of-Sun-and-Moon are the parents of all living human beings, as well as the first beings to cultivate maize.

Beautiful stories like these show us that we were created to enjoy a simple & wholesome life. That life is a blessing of love. All the earth’s delights are to be our wonder and joy.

Seeing the universe in a single stone or the rays of the sun in a flower’s face is the true magic. May you be one of the few blessed ones who still have the creativity and vision to evoke pleasure from the simplicity of the beauty around us.