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The Friday Affirmation

“I release any fear of lack and trust that I am always provided for.“

One lesson we have continued to learn throughout our life together has been that God/The Universe does provide. Not always in the way we want or expect, but our needs will be met. Notice I said needs, not wants. And not always in the way we want or expect. Fear of poverty, homelessness or lack of adequate food can also make our circumstances more difficult by blocking us from seeing how we are being provided for.

Let us affirm together, “I release any fear of lack and trust that I am always provided for.“

The Wednesday Word: Centered

The word for this week is centered. So what does it mean to be centered? If you look for a definition you will find many definitions including spiritual/metaphysical ones as well as others.

For me becoming centered or centering is a process where I stop the busyness and activity of the world to still my body and mind. Closing my eyes and focusing on the breath calms my mind and body and leads me to the center of my being where God lives within. It my be used as the beginning of a meditation practice or to escape the busyness of the word and consciously return to the presence of God.

I know I have followers who have their own spiritual/metaphysical practice. Please feel free to add you thoughts on centering or being centered in the comments.

Sunday Inspiration

Change your thoughts and you change your world. Norman Vincent Peale
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/inspirational-quotes

Okay, I know here she goes on positive thinking again. But this is something I believe in. And it is so obvious that we either think we have to make it difficult or we think it is foolishness. Change you thoughts, change your world. If we choose to see the good in the world, there will be more good for us to see. If we choose to believe that peace is possible and begin to work for it, we will begin to see changes. It doesn’t happen overnight. And sometimes the world may not actually change, but the way we see it and interact with it might.

The Friday Affirmation

Happiness is a choice, and today I choose to be happy.

The Wednesday Word: Beautiful

The Wednesday Word for this week is beautiful.

Sunday Inspiration

“We cannot cure the world of sorrows but we can choose to live in joy.” — Joseph Campbell

This is one of those quotes I need to tape to the bathroom mirror. But if I actually did that my entire mirror and probably every inch of the bathroom walls would be covered.

But this is an important one. We may not be able to control what is going on around us but we can change what is going on within us. We can choose, yes choose to live in joy, despite the sorrows of the world. That doesn’t mean we have to give in to what is going in on. In fact choosing to live in joy in spite of the chaos around us is an act of rebellion in itself.

So go out there and be rebellious. Live in joy!

The Friday Affirmation

I am loved, and I am at peace.

The Wednesday Word: Patience

Oh, yes the difficult word. How many times have you wanted patience, right now?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines patience as “the ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.” Not always easy is it?

As a caregiver to a husband with physical challenges I have been getting a crash course in patience, not always with passing grades. The biggest challenge has been dealing with doctors, something I do not do well. Especially when well meaning people remind me it is my duty.

Seeing caregiving as something I have to do does not work. But when I see it as an act of love, everything changes.

Being patient with a spouse, children, co-worker, boss, doctor, friend or the world in general is not easy. But I am learning during those times when patience is wearing thin, or gone altogether to remember I love this man and stop, take a few deep breaths and say the prayer for protection or a quick, God give me strength or God give me patience.

Patience is something that does not always come easy. It is something that must be practiced. And most of us get plenty of opportunities to do that. So hang in there and try to approach difficult situations out of love rather than duty or obligation.

Don’t we Have to “Love our Neighbor” Anymore?

Let’s face it. The world has gone crazy. As my mother used to say, I never thought I would live to see this. What I really don’t understand is that much of the chaos is being created in the name of religion.

Let me start by dispelling the myth that the United States is a Christian nation. There is no state religion. Each person is free to believe and worship or not according to their own conscience. It doesn’t matter according to the constitution politically, if you are Baptist, Catholic, Christian Scientist, Buddhist, Muslim, Pentecostal or anything else, you have the right to have those beliefs and to be allowed to practice them. The Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee University has an article that explains this in detail.

I was brought up American Baptist and many years ago I began studying to become a minister. From the time I was a child I heard sermons on brotherhood, loving and helping one another and creating a church family. The outreach of my home church was about helping more than converting.

I have never heard such angry, vile and downright mean rhetoric in the name of religion as I am hearing now. And all I can think is where did this come from? Aren’t we charged with loving our neighbor anymore? If not, when did it change? I didn’t get the memo.

The truth is, it didn’t. If we follow the gospel of and not just about Jesus we are to follow his way of life. Just saying,”I took Jesus as my Saviour” is not enough if we do not follow his life and teachings to become more Christlike. And those teachings are not always easy or popular. Before you start challenging me on this please get out your Bible and read James 2:14-26.