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C is for Choice… Spirituality A to Z

Posted on August 28, 2013 by cmryan

C is for Choice … and has been my favorite Spiritual aspect of Life for many years. We have so many choices! The only limitations are those we place on ourselves. Even NOT making a specific or direct choice is making one. NOT having a CHOICE is NOT an option. Isn’t that great? That means there’s no excuse not to be involved in what kind of life you ultimately enjoy or experience and how you respond (react) to it. You choose.

When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that is in itself a choice. – William James

I suppose I could stop there. I mean, really, how much is there to say about Choice? Actually, I can’t say enough about it! It’s been the foundation for my life’s direction and creation for so long – my underlying mantra – my driving force and inspiration – that it deserves more than just a short paragraph. I believe so deeply in the freedom of Choice and live it so passionately, that it’s actually irritated folks I know from time to time. They get tired of me saying, “You can do _____ OR you can do _____ OR ….”

Every man builds his world in his own image. He has the power to choose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice. – Ayn Rand

Mostly, I think, the reason for the upset is because I don’t buy into being stuck…there’s a choice for everything: job, home, relationship, attitude, religious focus, hair color… the list is endless. There’s no reason to feel trapped. Each experience brings with it the opportunity to make a Choice each step of the way. Each Choice brings with it a consequence (good or bad). One Choice at a time, Life unfolds before us and lays down the path on which we tread.

Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and choice, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim. – Aristotle

Perhaps the biggest Choice to make is what we “think” about anything, especially our attitudes and beliefs. No matter how hard our parents tried…no matter how hard we try with our children or grandchildren… with our spouse or anyone else for that matter… we can’t be told or dictated to about what to think. The mind, if nothing else, is the one sacred space we call our very own. The secrets of our mind are safe behind sealed lips. Let not the eyes betray us. We have the Choice to think thoughts based in positive energy and Universal flow, or to sink to depths that would require lengthy ropes to pull us out. Still, it is a Choice.

We need to teach the next generation of children from day one that they are responsible for their lives. Mankind’s greatest gift, also its greatest curse, is that we have free choice. We can make our choices built from love or from fear. – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

With such a powerful tool at your disposal, where do you direct your Choice? Perhaps, it’s how you will use your time… what approach you will take to getting well… who you will share your life with… where you will go to school or on vacation… what attitude you will bring to work today… what priorities you will address in any given moment. Does Choice not offer the most incredible opportunities to create a life uniquely your own?

A life lived of choice is a life of conscious action. A life lived of chance is a life of unconscious creation. – Neale Donald Walsch

Choice, when done with Love behind and through it, for the highest Good of yourself and what you can offer to the world, is a gift of God beyond compare! It’s pure, Divine Intelligence speaking to us as that still, small Voice. Listen well…and choose with Love.

B is for Belief… Spirituality A to Z

Posted on August 21, 2013 by cmryan

For the next few writings, I will focus on one word or phrase of spiritual significance and offer a New Thought perspective on the topic…from A to Z. If you have any particular words or phrases you would like to offer for a topic, feel free to send them to my church email address: [email protected].

B is for Belief and closely follows the “A = Ask” idea offered in the previous writing. Belief or Faith can come in a second of recognition or result from experiences over time.

One of the key questions in life is to ask yourself: What do I believe or where do I place my faith?

We can believe in people, facts, opinions, philosophies or principles – whether that principle is physical, universal or religious. The options are varied and subject to change throughout our lives. Perhaps that is why it is a good idea to examine your beliefs from time to time; they change. Yet, your beliefs create your experiences and your life.

To begin this topic, take a look at two Biblical references where Jesus states that what has been done is due to a person’s belief (Matt. 8:13 and Matt. 9:29). I’ve often paraphrased these writings by saying, “It is done unto you as you believe.” Frankly, I believe and know this to be true. It’s very similar to a Science of Mind (SOM) statement often taught in classes: “What you focus on grows!” Where you put your attention, will increase or grow – whether in importance or substance. It HAS to!

Let me give you a simple example. For most of my adult female life I’ve wanted to experience having long and beautiful fingernails – my own, not the plastic or artificial variety. Yet, my patience usually ran out before the nails could grow…or …the type of activities I was doing would damage what was there… or…my diet was poor and they split and peeled and broke… or …I gnawed them into oblivion …up until now.

Finally, after decades of sporadic consciousness and limited attention, everything is in alignment when it comes to my fingernails. I’m eating properly and taking added calcium. I’m cautious about projects that require “heavy lifting” or can be rough on my hands. I’m no longer in a profession where short nails are required. My stress is handled differently than chewing on my appendages. And I pay regular attention to their care, maintenance and beauty. My focus on this one aspect of my physical beingness has allowed my body to produce a desired intention. I believe I can grow fingernails long and strong. I KNOW I can!

The same kind of attention – placed on ANY desired intention – will also produce its own results as long as the attention and focus is there until it manifests into being. Ernest Holmes taught Practitioners to “treat until we get results” (SOM prayer work is referred to as spiritual mind treatment). The recommendation is to pray/treat daily for what you choose to create in your life…and then release that prayer so the Universal Law or God can go to work on your request to bring it into experience. It can be about Love, Abundance, Wellness, Joy, Peace, etc. – unlimited possibilities abound.

Whatever you can focus on, whatever you believe you can do in your life, have faith about it …until it comes into manifestation…until it comes into your experience. Wayne Dyer said: “Believe it and you will see it!” Too often we give up on ourselves for the Good that we desire and start complaining and worrying so much that we end up creating those exact worries and fears instead. So, I ask again, What do you believe?

“Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.” -M.K. Gandhi

I know…I believe…that wherever and whatever I put my focus on in a consistent and earnest manner, with a focus to experience Good, must eventually manifest in my life. No doubt in my mind, my heart or my prayers. And I’ve got the fingernails to prove it!

Spirituality A to Z

Posted on August 14, 2013 by cmryan

As often happens when I pay attention to Spirit, an idea will just “pop into my head” at some odd time and be totally irrelevant to what I’m supposed to be thinking about or doing. That is the case now as I am inspired to create a series of essays on “Spirituality A to Z.”

Thus, for the next few months I will focus on one word or phrase of spiritual significance and offer a New Thought perspective on the topic…from A to Z. If you have any particular words or phrases you would like to offer for a topic, feel free to send them to my church email address: [email protected].

A is for Ask begins our series. Of course! Asking is what generally begins anything of significance in our lives. Perhaps the most famous of Bible quotes on this word comes from Matthew 7:7: “Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.” (KJV) Later, Matthew also wrote (Ch. 21:22): “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

The first verse is part of a long list of sayings, doctrine, which is credited to Jesus and that we are instructed to follow. The second passage came after an incident where Jesus had come upon a fig tree that had no fruit. He was hungry but found only leaves on this tree. It is reported here that Jesus told the tree it would never again grow any fruit and the tree immediately withered away. Jesus explained to his amazed disciples that if they had such faith and no doubt, if they asked in prayer, they could do the same type of thing, whether it was a fig tree withering or moving a mountain.

Whether real or metaphorical, the story provides clear direction for all of us. If you want to create something in your life, claim an experience for yourself, or attract an opportunity of some kind…you must ASK for it or declare it so. The desire needs to be as clearly described as you know how to do. There should be passion, feeling, in the declaration, preferably positive emotions toward the longing. The point is, if you don’t ASK directly for what you choose to experience in your life, the Universe (God, Spirit) can only provide to you the average of what your thoughts focus on most of the time.

Ernest Holmes in the Science of Mind textbook wrote that asking also refers to mental acceptance of a situation or thing. For example, if we desire new employment, a home, greater health, money or a certain type of relationship, then we need to pray as specifically as we are able for that desire. Put as much detail into your prayer or mental work as you can until you embody the idea so completely that there’s no doubt in your mind about its creation. You may need to repeat this process daily. It’s your fears you need to change, your doubts that need convincing. Only in this way can we co-create with God through the Laws of Mental Equivalent and Cause and Effect.

On the other hand, let’s say you’re not feeling well and you think (belief) you’re not going to get any better. So you isolate, stop seeking treatment or taking medications. You don’t call the doctor or anyone who might be concerned about you. As a result, no one knows and no one can help you. And you have created exactly what you think and believe was going to occur. The Laws still work!

You MUST ASK to receive your Good, even if the asking is just a mental operation…like a thought… a prayer…or a whisper. This is not about wishing or day dreaming. This is about choosing what you desire to have manifest in your life, your experiences, and then declaring it so as though it’s already a fact. Because, in fact, it is…in the “Mind” of God. Once you’ve claimed your Good, it’s already done Spiritually in that moment. It’s just a matter of human time – and maybe with some action steps of your own – before you see the physical demonstration show up in your life.

So how much Good are you willing to claim for yourself? Ask, and you shall receive. It works for me. I know it works the same way for you. It’s a Divine Law, a Universal Principle. God can only do for us, what God can do through us. Ask away…believe it’s done…and watch what happens in your life. Hallelujah!

A Positive No

Posted on August 7, 2013 by cmryan

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where saying “no” to someone was actually a positive thing to do? It can be a way of declining a suggestion you may not want to experience. This, of course, can be done in various ways and intonations, depending on how much you feel you’re being pushed into something or who is involved. However, a Positive No has its own unique sound.

A Positive No comes first from Love. This can be Love for oneself, a conscious form of self-care. For example, you might decide not to participate in an activity with friends because you really need rest from a busy day or week. It can be Love for the safety of another, such as shouting a commanding “NO!” to a child wandering too close to a busy street.

A Positive No can also be utilized when you’re setting boundaries with others who have been used to getting only a “yes” from you in the past. It can be particularly difficult to say “no” to one’s children at times; especially when their circumstances are dire and help is limited. However, continuing to do (whatever) for anyone when they could and should do it for themselves becomes an enabling pattern that cripples everyone in the relationship. It becomes a hard habit to break, resentments build, self-esteem suffers, and relationships wither.

Someone needs to take the first step. In such a situation either person can make the change … the one who has been repeatedly asking for help or the person providing the help. It only takes one person with the awareness to see the cycle appearing again, and then having the courage to take action – in a loving manner – so that both parties can become disentangled from each other and begin the steps toward a mutually respectful relationship. The goal is to create an independent or interdependent, loving connection …rather than one of co-dependence and suffocation.

I now find myself – as one of thousands (maybe millions) of other Baby Boomers do – sandwiched between caring for aging parents in some way, as well trying to help out adult children and perhaps grandchildren. I question myself as to whether a situation really calls for me to participate and what my motive is when I choose to…or not. There are sure to be some situations when the reason is not so clearly defined and others when there is no doubt at all what I must do. In each instance, I have the option to say “yes” or “no.”

I keep in mind a lesson taught to me on my first airline flight 25 years ago: I must put on my oxygen mask first BEFORE I can help anyone else, including my child. If I can’t breathe or survive, I won’t be able to help them. I once heard motivational speaker Jim Rohn say, “The best thing you can do for the poor is not become one.” Sometimes that means making the difficult decision to decline a loved one’s request for help, especially if it puts you at great risk in some way…financially, emotionally, physically, etc. The ideal, of course, is a mutually beneficial arrangement – where everyone shares in the risk and success …where everyone grows from the experience.

I must remember to ALWAYS come from a place of Love…not from fear or anger or guilt…or even a self-imposed obligation. My heart and mind will know whether I am doing a service or an injustice. As long as I listen to the still small voice of the Divine Presence, I will be rightly guided. As long as I heed God’s direction and not ego’s, even a “no” can be a “yes” for the Highest Good of all involved. And so it is.

It’s All In Your Mind

Posted on August 1, 2013 by cmryan

There’s a colloquial saying that claims, “It’s all in your head.” I remember hearing that phrase on occasion when I was growing up, especially when I would start to project about some concern or problem happening in the future that would totally ruin my teenage life. The phrase was meant to stop me from such a negative train of thought. I later took it to mean that I was creating an unnecessary problem in my life. Both interpretations are correct…I know that now.

It truly is all in one’s head or mind. What we think about most often…positive or negative…we create in our lives or attract to us in some way. This means we must be diligent in our thinking and not fall into complacency. It means being aware and rigorously honest about the intentions, the motives, behind our thoughts, asking ourselves from time to time, “What was the real reason I said that [snippy, loving, mean, kind] remark?” or “Why did I treat him/her that way?” or “Where did that comment come from?”

I find it interesting to examine my thinking patterns to be sure I’m on the right track toward creating the life I intend to have – now and in the future. What is it I REALLY want to experience?

Right now, my focus is on Balance/Harmony, Abundance and Peace. This means I must also consider living from Love and acknowledging my connection with all Life. I must focus on the Universal Principles that are behind all creation…these (and other) “qualities” of God (as referred to in Religious Science).

This type of focus can be a challenge with so many distractions in the world or life in general. What I’ve noticed is that as I become more attuned to living and thinking from my God-Self, my human ego-self gets a bit unsettled, wanting to return to old habits and avoiding any change in the status quo. Opportunities for Spiritual growth continue to present themselves as a kind of challenge to see if I’m really making any progress…to test my commitment to this path. Sometimes, it can be two steps forward and one step back, depending on whom I’m interacting with and what the challenge might be. Yet, the evolution of Higher Consciousness will not be stopped.

The point is to be aware…to stay connected to Divine Love…to know that what you create in your life and what you are now or will experience… is truly all in your mind. You and I get to decide–in each second, each moment, with each thought, word and action–how we’re showing up in the world.

What does that look like for you today? Pay attention!

Things That Make Me Smile

Posted on July 24, 2013 by cmryan

This writing is somewhat of a list … of Things That Make Me Smile. I offer it as a starting point, an exercise, for you to consider what brings a smile to your life. These are listed in no particular order of importance – they’re ALL important. Fortunately, many are repeated from time to time, so I get to smile quite often…

watching my dog fiercely shake her toy and then how she eagerly waits to play the “go fetch” game with us
how my granddaughter negotiates with anyone to achieve her personal desires (I think she’s going to be a lawyer)
the pine tree that has re-grown needles on its top branches when we thought it was diseased and might need spraying. Instead, it just needed to be fed and watered more; recovering quite nicely
my husband’s facial expression when he discovers a stash of coins he’d forgotten about, all neatly separated into socks but lost in the closet or basement in a box of “treasures”
meeting friends for dinner and conversation or going out of town to visit them
listening to my dad’s jokes or stories of when he was a kid; reveling in his memories
getting lost in that meditation state when hand-watering the garden plants and trees
being greeted at the airport by grandchildren running toward me with open arms
noticing in myself what gets me in a tizzy and how I sometimes react to things I don’t like or want to do (but need to do them anyway)
being in the presence of a student when “the light goes on” – when a new awareness is suddenly realized
reading about a homeopathic remedy I can use for myself and discovering I have all the ingredients at-hand (this usually happens after 11:00 p.m.)
discovering the number “hits” this blog is getting continues to increase each week (thank you!)
noticing a plant has survived and is blossoming in the garden when I thought it was gone forever
experiencing the synchronicity of Spirit and life unfolding in absolutely perfect timing, making, what could have been an especially stressful time, one filled with ease and grace and love
seeing a photograph of a grandchild or hearing about them doing something I taught them or shared with them, not knowing if they would even remember
having coffee and prayers with my husband on the deck under the morning’s full moon and summer breeze

This and so much more are things that make me smile…and fill my heart with huge waves of gratitude. What makes YOU smile today?

LETTING GO… BY CHOICE OR OTHERWISE

Posted on July 18, 2013 by cmryan

Our church recently hosted a special healing event where several alternative wellness practitioners and healers shared their skills and wisdom with curious would-be clients. Healers offered services such as Reiki, SRT, or Yoga Nidra. One gentleman offered his intuitive skills through reading Tarot cards for folks. I was one of them and the last person to sit at his table.

As it was the end of the day and nearly time to start packing up the event, the reading needed to be shortened in some way. I asked him to do just one card. He shuffled the cards. I cut the deck. He fanned the cards across the table and waited for my selection. I used my own intuitive nature to select the perfect card – the 5 of Swords – and with no verbal input from me to offer any clues (I thought), his interpretation began.

This card, in general terms, is about the fear of loss, of losing control…an illusion of its own. With his eyes focused downward to the card on the table, he talked of how I was going through or may soon be going through some sort of loss. His eyes questioned my face as I remained silent and unaware of anything about which I may have felt a sense of loss. My mind was blank…open.

He continued this line of explanation and then reassured me that, while I may be saddened for a time over the loss, this void would open my life to greater expression and possibilities. His commentary and the session came to a close. We all packed up the event. I put the experience aside as something that was fun and interesting. I could think about it later.

Later came sooner than I expected.

Two days following, my husband and I agreed on a new wall-hanging/headboard idea for our bedroom… one that would utilize an embroidered duvet cover I had painstakingly created about 20 years prior and that had become our bed’s covering in the early years of our marriage. As our bed size had changed, and to preserve the memories associated with the piece, we no longer used the coverlet but had stored it away.

The detailed needlework designs on the queen-sized muslin coverlet had taken me two years to complete, with subtle, hand embroidery work that filled the center and ruffled sides. The angelic design symbolized our Divine introduction and enduring Love. It was the largest and most complicated fabric art I had ever done. I knew I could reconstruct the coverlet into a beautiful wall-hanging, a visible reminder of how we met and how our love had matured. I couldn’t wait to get started! I fell asleep with great anticipation for the project.

The next morning I went to the linen closet to fetch the coverlet from the plastic storage bag. It wasn’t there. Each shelf I searched revealed only towels and sheets, but not the embroidered masterpiece. I expanded my search to the craft closet, sewing bins, guest room, dining hutch, boxes of holiday decorations, and the garage. While I located many items that were no longer useful and could be given or thrown away, the coverlet was not among the finds.

Besides my own prayers of resolution and peace, a friend offered prayers to Saint Anthony, the patron saint of lost things. I called a couple of my children to see if it was accidentally packed among their belongings during previous extended visits. I changed my affirmation from “I can’t find it!” to “It’s somewhere in this house and it’s ready for me to see it!” I cried at my loss. The words of the Tarot reader came back with haunting clarity.

I fully realize my sense of attachment to this artwork and the memories I have threaded into the design. Still unwilling to face the loss of this treasure, I’m continuing the systematic search box by box, closet by closet, corner by corner, and drawer by drawer…until I know with absolute clarity what I truly do have as my earthly possessions and if this one accomplishment is among them. I will do a thorough and complete investigation. In the process I will also “release” many other things, more clutter and unused possessions that no longer serve my new direction and the life I now express.

If by some accident the embroidered cherub truly has taken his trumpet and departed my realm, I will let go … by choice or otherwise … and open my consciousness and my interests to richer and fuller experiences. And so it is!

My Broken Stick

Posted on July 11, 2013 by cmryan

Our deck has been in serious need of staining or painting for some time. Fortunately, my husband has decided to make this “his project” of the summer. He has spent several hours applying the first coat of stain, moving deck furniture, refilling buckets (I helped), and climbing ladders. It’s a lovely transition as the dark and weathered wood becomes clean and white. He’s making great progress on his own. However, I’m confident he’ll allow me to help soon.

Meanwhile, I spent a little time the other morning watering the trees and shrubs, the flowers and herb gardens. It provided me a ground-level perspective of the raised deck and the new paint project. While the water provided a drink for the plants, I sipped my morning coffee and surveyed the workmanship. I love house painting (mainly inside). Yet I’ve managed to stay out of his way and say very little about the process …until I saw the damage.

There on the ground, under the leg of a heavy extension ladder lying on its side, was one of my prized yard ornaments. A cherished walking stick was now broken in half. It had clearly been knocked from its revered position by something or someone. It now lay crushed in the dirt. My mood went from admiration to anger in a split second. No mention of this horrific act had been made in the past few days. But there was no doubt in my mind who was responsible. The painter man.

You see, this wasn’t just ANY walking stick. It had been found in the woods of Michigan by my elderly father. It came from a white paper birch tree, one of my top three favorite trees. The stick reminded me of the special times when dad would take a young me for walks, exploring the woods. The best feature was the twisted, curling shape at its center that made it so unique. That part was still intact. My dad had presented me with this odd stick on one of my visits to Michigan years ago. I packed it into my car and drove it back to Colorado. The walking stick became a yard ornament rather than for its intended use. I had moved it between new and old homes, protecting it, placing it in a significant position in the yard near the deck. It leaned patiently and gently against the post, waiting for someone to engage it in meaningful activity. And now it was broken.

I picked up the two disconnected pieces of useless walking support. I was in tears and somewhat surprised at my emotional reaction. But I could not keep quiet about the treatment being shown to my family treasures. I marched over to the basement window that shielded the painter man from my vengeance and called his name. He signaled that he was on a telephone call, so I stomped around in frantic circles in plain view until he got off the phone. I was so lost in my sorrow and anger that I didn’t notice him until he was standing on the half-finished deck, looking down, and asking me what was wrong.

I held up the two remnants of Nature’s exquisite art piece and yelled, “You broke my stick!”

The painter man was speechless. I could tell he was searching my facial expression to see if I was truly serious about this.

As soon as the words escaped my mouth, I recognized the absurdity of what I was doing. A smile also managed to escape with my tears. And in that moment I surrendered my anger, my ego, and my attachment to this piece of a dead tree branch from another state. It was just a stick! That’s all. Its only value came from my memories…its significance was based on emotions from within my mind…from a weak attachment to a distant place I rarely visited…and to a beautiful childhood experience of long ago.

I leaned the two halves gently onto another yard ornament (given to me by my son many years prior), telling the painter man the significance of that piece as well. He promised he would fix the stick right away. I assured him it wasn’t necessary.

The broken walking stick became more valuable to me in that discovery moment of its destruction than I had ever recognized or appreciated in its idle wholeness. Its bittersweet message – and all the other memories – can be cherished again and again, simply at the mention (or sight) of “my broken stick” now laid to rest and surrounded by flowers.

An Independent New World

Posted on July 4, 2013 by cmryan

On a day of fireworks, picnics and barbecues, our country and “We the People” are celebrating, for the 237th time in its history, its Declaration of Independence from oppressive government ruling. The United States is a relatively young country, still growing, still learning to find its way in the world, still battling its own evolution toward greatness. We are a tribe of visionaries, idealists, revolutionaries, and inventors.

I gave some thought to what kind of country I would create and celebrate. Perhaps you’ve had thoughts about what changes you would make, too. I pray for the day when we will honor a world:

… where Peace and Harmony are so commonplace that war and conflict are just a sad memory;

… where Abundance and Kindness are so prevalent that it’s unheard of for any person or child to go to bed hungry or be violently abused or live on the street;

… where Healing happens so naturally and completely that, although medical care, services and technology are available for everyone equally, it is rarely needed;

… where a respect for Nature’s Intelligence is embraced and supported so that the water, plants, animals and foods are free from artificial enhancements or chemicals, are wholly nutritious and plentiful for everyone;

… where Creativity is encouraged in one another so that we graciously contribute to society our many productive talents and skills, and compensation is generous and fair;

… where Prosperity is a commonly-held, Universal idea so that financial debt on a personal, local, national or global level is an oddity and quickly resolved, without dispute, dominating negative forces or debilitating political negotiations;

… where Generosity, Truth, and Compassion replaces greed, deceit, and exploitation forever;

… where Love and Cooperation means to live in community with all people without judgment or fear, accepting differences with curiosity, and embracing diversity into our lives with Joy and a belief in Oneness;

… where demonstrating Good is more important than demonstrating superiority;

… where Gratitude – for this life, these privileges, opportunities and freedoms – is experienced and shared in every waking moment, where every prayer begins with “thank you.”

I know this vision is possible. I see pieces of it in my life and all around me, in my spiritual community, in this country and other places around the world. If you share this vision or something similar, then now is the only time we have to make it a reality in the world…to bring such a world into visible and livable form. The only way for it to grow and expand is for each of us to embody this vision, this ideal, and be those qualities we want to see manifested around us…to BE the change you wish to see in the world.

We have Divine Mind within us to guide, direct and support our efforts for Good. We must exercise Wisdom based on Love for one another. And just as light dissipates darkness – not with force but by simply being light – so will Love dissolve fear through Divine Power directed with positive intention. Voltaire wrote: “With great power comes great responsibility.” The Law of Cause and Effect is precise in its creative execution. Be careful and conscious of what you pray for and about, because that is likely what you will experience, attract, and for which you will be responsible. In the words of Jesus “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” (Luke 12:48 KJV)

Our country’s forefathers had a vision they believed in so definitively that they risked everything to initiate the freedoms we enjoy today. They were willing to be responsible for their actions, to fight and to die for their vision. Today, men and women are still standing on the front lines of freedom, offering their lives for a better world. The work is not over.

We must live these Spiritual Principles each day. We must hold the vision and allow God to guide our actions for Good. Teach this to your children and friends and associates. Start where you are with what you know and what you can do. Start now by expressing appreciation for all the blessings you enjoy, no matter how great or small. Start today…to create the vision and our future world…together. Happy Independence Day!

A Persistent Muse

Posted on June 27, 2013 by cmryan

The other day I woke up with such excitement about an idea, I couldn’t remember if I’d actually had any sleep the previous night. It was as if my creative subconscious had been busy putting together pieces of an idea that had been brewing in my brain for about five years…and now it was time to DO something about it!

I’m sure this brain activity was triggered by a frustrating accident of sorts a few days earlier. During the clean-up phase after a community event, the entry door became inaccessible. In itself, this was no big deal. However, in the event room behind the timer-locked door were the equipment pieces from the evening’s activities, burning candles (in a tray of sand), and my purse. Fortunately, I had my truck key in-hand. Also, I had heeded Spirit’s voice and left my cell phone in the truck earlier that evening. Yet, I was quite disturbed that I could not retrieve my purse, wallet, identification, etc.

After pacing for several moments, listening to the committee voices in my head, leaving messages for the building’s owner, and peeking through a small window to be sure the candles would pose no threat to the premises, I reluctantly left my possessions behind. I deduced that, since the timer-locked door could not be opened now, it certainly wouldn’t be opened during the night. Resolved that my purse would be safe, I committed myself to return at dawn when the door would once more unlock itself.

Enter the Purse Muse

It’s no surprise that my creative subconscious should be formulating a design for my perfect handbag. I’ve been searching for it in stores and boutiques for years, reluctantly settling for an “almost” version time and again that I thought would satisfy my needs. Alas, none met the challenge. So, with the near-loss of an “almost” version fresh in my mind, the Purse Muse appeared to solve the challenge.

I awoke with a pattern and overall design clearly placed in my awakened consciousness. My first task was to visit a local drug store to see if there was a container that could provide the basic size and shape of the untested design. I found it! With my purchase in-hand, I quickly transferred my possessions from my “almost” purse to this new container as a trial-run to see if it would actually meet my needs. I’d been fooled before by the purse fairies. I was going to take it slow this time until there was no doubt about the validity of this inspiration.

It took only one day to prove I was being led toward a viable design. Could it be true? After all these years, was I finally nearing the end of my search for the perfect handbag? I could wait no longer.

The next morning I rummaged through my bin of fabric remnants, gathered up old purses meant for the donation bin, set up my sewing machine, and sketched out the rudimentary design for my ultimate carry-all. It’s a good thing I’ve been sewing and crafting for decades…and am fairly good at puzzles. Nevertheless, after five hours of obsessive, creative intensity (one hour for each year of searching?), I had fashioned and pieced together a handbag that is now my favorite fashion piece. It’s functional, practical, stylish and affordable…made just for me!

Already a granddaughter wants me to make one for her. My work-aholic nature wants to put the design into mass production. I’d just like to make another one (a fall/winter version) for myself.

Meanwhile, I feel such complete satisfaction to have followed the creative inspiration of the Purse Muse from the eye-opening idea to a final, artistic piece…and to have fulfilled a longing that only my skills and talents could do. I listened to the Voice of Creation and the final result was as crystal clear as the vision from whence it was born. And so it is always.