Living a Thankful Life

I opened my autumn 2011 edition of the INNERWORDS MESSENGER, a Newsletter to Spark your Inner Journey by Suzanne Harrill, M.Ed that magically and pleasantly appears in my mail box each season. It always provides such insightful and thought provoking articles and goodies that I always read it through right away. This edition holds true to the Newsletter and got me to delve in right away to read about Awareness. All of the articles are powerful and captivating.

Expand Your Consciousness to Change Your Life, is the title of the first article. Hmmm, let me check this out! As I read and re-read, I began to share the articles and the Newsletter with different people. The article below, Living a Thankful Life is from the Goodies Section. I am sharing with you, my Blogosphere family. Check out Innerwords and subscribe to the Newsletter, I think you will enjoy it too.

Living a Thankful Life

Heavy rains remind us of challenges in life. Rather than ask for a lighter rain, seek a better umbrella. That is attitude.

When flood comes, fish eat ants and when flood recedes, ants eat fish. Only time matters, just hold on, the Divine gives opportunity to everyone!

Life is not about finding the right person, but creating the right relationship. It's not about how we care in the beginning, but how much we grow and nourish one another in a relationship.

Some people always throw stones in your path. It depends on you what you make with them - wall or bridge? Remember you are the architect of your life.

Every problem has (n+1) solutions, where n is the number of solutions that you have tried and 1 is that you have not tried. That’s life.

‘Search a beautiful heart, not a beautiful face,’ because beautiful things won’t last forever, and a golden heart does always.

It’s not important to hold all the good cards in life. But it’s important how well you play with the cards which you hold.

Often when we lose all hope and think this is the end, the Divine whispers, ‘Relax dear, it’s just a bend, not the end. Have Faith and have a successful life.’

One of the basic differences between the Divine and human is, the Divine gives, gives, gives and forgives. But human gets, gets, gets and forgets. Be thankful in life.

Thank you Suzanne Harrill! I am thankful for you and your inspired words.

2011, An Opportunity to Start Again

I welcome 2011 with open embrace, gratitude, excitement of anticipation and hope. I embrace the opportunity to start over, one day at a time.

This New Year gives me the opportunity to pause and redirect myself, my attention, relationships and desires in a way that will yield the fruits of the spirit, personal growth and achievements. It’s new, it’s fresh, it has endless possibilities and potential and I can choose how and what to engage with and attach to and explore and give to and of myself and enjoy.

I don’t have to take along or try to fix the failings, baggage, the disappointments and losses of 2010. I will forgive, be thankful, acknowledge, appreciate and be grateful for being on the other side of 2010. I am moving ahead with the memories of lessons learned, friendships formed, challenges faced and graces given to strengthen and enrich how I will live and love and play in 2011.

I anticipate abundance of grace and will seek to shine my light and love in the world. To care for me and my household and all that is given. Seek to understand and fill the longings of my soul. Be bold and rejoice in the present. I will look for goodness and give kindness and know that I will be better for it. I will follow the calling of the universe of goodness, boldness, truth and faith.

I embrace 2011 knowing that my life will be richer, healthier, bolder and full of joys and love and beauty as I seek to be good, stand strong, be purposeful and content.

To all of you who have been my inspiration, confidant, supporter, loves and friends, I salute and welcome you on this journey of 2011, side by side with me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I count on your continued support, your wisdom, your truths and your understanding. I will stay in the present.

Happy New Year! May all your hopes and dreams be realized throughout 2011.

In hope, in love and in faith. Welcome 2011!

Living The Message of Easter Through Out TheYear

As I spent this week thinking about the Easter Season and what it means to me, I had many thoughts and feelings about this. This ‘religious season’ is a time to be off from work – a holiday. A time for pretty bonnets, dresses, Easter Egg hunts, happy playful children in the Easter parades, special foods, parties and celebrations. It is a remembrance of great suffering, loss and pain but with that and through that come great hope, renewal, rebirth through penance and the beauty in nature that we call Springtime.

How much of that beauty and renewal do we see and experience in our lives? I think again, about what this all means and a few things come to mind. How do we take this season and all its meaning and significance and internalize it so that our behavior and actions reflect the message. How do we live this experience, this season, this opportunity to be reborn every day as we feel and experience it now, during this season.

How do we do live a christ centered life in a practical and realistic way? Knowing the truth about our ransom for our lives, knowing the message and teachings and the daily challenges we face, how do we obey. How do we do that through our enlightenment, our knowledge, and our truths and make it a ritual, a natural consciousness of our daily conduct. I say this is the challenge for having a fulfilled life.

I am sure there are many teachings and lessons on this from our various beliefs, experiences and religious practices. How do we achieve a fulfilled and good life? I remember a lesson from Thicht Nhat Hanh in his book the Two Treasures it says: To live honestly, generous in giving, to offer support to relatives and friends, living a life of blameless conduct - this is the greatest happiness. I think this message is the universal truth for all peoples.

Christ gave everything for us, our ransom, even though we are undeserving and cannot pay for it. What I do know and what I am learning is that we must be grateful for everything. We must be our brothers’ keeper and we must give of ourselves to others so that they can see love and light. This is what the season means for us; we must be grateful and we must be caring.  We are indebted and when we give and serve, we are rewarded with the greatness of a fulfilled life; the greatest happiness.

I am reminded here of one of my favorite hymn’s that is based on two scriptures, “We are one in the spirit”; with the refrain, “they will know we are Christians by our love.” The scripture says,” By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have loved one to another." John 13:35 KJV. The scripture also reminds us to give thanks in all things. 1 Thessalonians 5:18. There is also a favorite praise and worship song, Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart, I just love that song.

If we live in Gratitude for his goodness and mercy, we will find much happiness for living the beatitudes. Find the means and the way to stay renewed and happy throughout the year. The good book says in II Timothy 2:15, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Happy Easter and a year of gratitude, and happiness to all.

Grace in Small Things - Day 133 Tuesday Treats

Early morning meeting with my daughter getting caught up with the events of the B'day weekend. She was wonderful! Oh, the hugs, and kisses and the gratitude for the blessings.

Thankful for my new coat that kept all of the rain and sleet off this very wet and windy day - when the umbrella was rendered useless.

A quiet office to get things done - everyone stayed out in meetings today. It was my first day back so I am very thankful for the quietness.

Gratitude for the willingness of a colleague to walk me through a new process.


Baked chicken with spinach and rice---ohhh!
The harvest of the fields. Thank God for the bounty!