Lightworker

Don’t think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm.
Malaysian proverb.
Like a predator lurking deep beneath the surface, our denied feeling lies in wait, and when it lashes its tail and sinks its teeth deep into us, our pain receptors go numb.
Denial protected us when we were young, but the longer we continue to use it as adults, the more wounded we will be. Many of us search for help in the wrong places (addictions and unhealthy relationships) and suffer more injury.
Healing begins when we face what we believe is “the enemy”. Feelings are our allies, when we work with them, instead of against them, we are on our way to wellness.
I can no longer find refuge in denial, addictions or co-dependent behaviour, I pray for the courage to face my fears and change.
Recovery is ……………overcoming the fear of living.
Anonymous.

Maintaining The Hold
By Dane Smidt

If you really knew how it all went down,
you would step back and take a bow,
because you know nothing of the past,
you couldn’t comprehend it was all too fast.

The path once taken has now turned to dust,
you cannot go down it but you know you must,
what lies at the end is the answer to it all,
but the higher you go the further you fall.

With this in mind you venture on,
leaving all behind you forever gone.
With a faint memory and a quivering spine,
deep within you know you are fine.

So in this question you stop the thought,
with this memory you once forgot.
You tread through this trail awaiting the end,
you look to the sides no companion or friend.

Now on to the task that asks for the best,
asking the question should you lay it to rest.
Or do you stay true and give it your all,
because if you do you will not fall.

Bless me, heavenly father -
forgive my erring ways.
Grant me strength to serve Thee,
put purpose in my days.
Give me understanding,
enough to make me kind.
So I may judge all people
with my heart not my mind.
Teach me to be patient
in everything I do,
Content to trust Your wisdom
and to follow after You.
Help me when I falter
and hear me when I pray,
And receive me in Thy kingdom
to dwell with Thee someday.

Amen.

(Helen Steiner Rice)

Creative Possibilities…

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine
what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last
you create what you will.”

- George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

“Creativity is a lot like looking at the world through
a kaleidoscope. You look at a set of elements, the same
ones everyone else sees, but then reassemble those
floating bits and pieces into an enticing new
possibility.

- Rosabeth Moss Kanter

“Sometimes creativity just means the daily work of
helping others to see a problem in a different way.”

- Joseph Badaracco

“It is the creative potential itself in human beings
that is the image of God.”

- Mary Daly

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Creativity and Beautiful Living

Creativity is to make something new
In the virtual world or by physical material
It is to give it a new form
That touches other people’s lives
Because it stirs their emotions
Speaking with or without words
Making the imagination full
Releasing exuberant joy
And fruitful ideas of the heart
Generating new forms of life

Creativity is releasing others
Into creative living
By rejecting the self-absorbed life
For a life of generosity and nobility
The great things of a creative life
Come out of small acts of faithfulness and love
Every creative act is created in a generous heart
Not out of selfishness or self-indulgence
Creativity and generosity result
In works of beauty and Beautiful Living

- Anon

_______________________________________________________

Our creative imaginations distinguish us as people with
unique talents. Creativity allows us to connect the
apparently unconnected and see uniqueness in events and
situations that otherwise appear ordinary.

Mary Lou Cook defined creativity as “inventing,
experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules,
making mistakes and having fun.” Creative effort
uncovers possibilities and options.

Each person is gifted with creativity; it lives just
below the surface of our conscious thoughts. Yet we can
nurture this divine gift to blossom and grow.

How can we access our natural creativity to solve
problems and feel the happiness and satisfaction it
brings?

First, realize that you are always creating with your
imagination. Every action and creation begins first in
the mind. Stop for a moment and visualize the perfect
outcome to an objective or problem. Then ask yourself,
“What actions could lead to this outcome?” Challenge
yourself to list 20 actions you could take, no matter
how impractical they might initially seem.

Here is another technique that my clients have loved
using to generate ideas. Imagine new endeavors or
actions by associating them with a list of words that
describe the feeling behind what you would like to
create.

For example. In developing my new project or taking my
next action, what would be picturesque, bold,
inspiring, colorful, animated, compelling, original,
compassionate, adventurous, artistic, brief, time-
saving, or powerful.

Construct your descriptive list to reflect your point
of view about what you would like to achieve. Then try
matching several new ideas with each word. Most
importantly, do not judge your initial ideas. Write
down whatever comes to mind.

This is a process you can return to from time to time
as new ideas occur. It is a fun and effective way to
experiment and generate many ideas more quickly than
otherwise. Best of all, awakening your creative
imagination will bring authentic joy and fulfillment in
the achievement of your goals.

Wishing you blessings and success!

Steve Brunkhorst

© Copyright 2008 by Steve Brunkhorst. All rights
reserved worldwide. Find many inspirational nuggets and
resources for achievement by visiting
http://www.AchieveEzine.com

BEATITUDES FOR THE HOME

BLESSED are the husband and wife who continue to be affectionate, considerate and loving after the wedding bells have ceased ringing.

BLESSED are the husband and wife who are as polite and courteous to one another as they are to their friends.

BLESSED are they who have a sense of humor, for this attribute will be a handy shock absorber.

BLESSED are they who love their mates more than any other person in the world and who joyfully fulfill their marriage vows of lifetime of fidelity and mutual helpfulness to one another.

BLESSED are they who attain parenthood, for children are a heritage of the Lord.

BLESSED are they who remember to thank God for their food before they partake of it, and who set apart some time each day for the reading of the Bible and for prayer.

BLESSED are those mates who never speak loudly to one another and who make their home a place where “seldom is heard a discouraging word”.

BLESSED are the husband and wife who work together for the advancement of Messiah’s Kingdom.

BLESSED is the couple who has a complete understanding about financial matters and who has worked out a perfect partnership with all money under the control of both.

BLESSED are the husband and wife who humbly dedicate their lives and their home to Messiah and practice His teachings in the home by being unselfish, loyal, and loving.

Author Unknown

BURDENS GIVE US WINGS
Author Unknown

An old legend relates that long ago God had a great many burdens which He wished to have carried from one place to another on earth, so He asked the animals to lend a hand. But all of them began to make excuses for not helping: the elephant was too dignified; the lion, too proud; and so on. Finally the birds came to God and said, “If you will tie the burdens into small bundles, we’ll be glad to carry them for you. We are small but we would like to help.”

So God fastened upon the back of each one a small bundle, and they all set out walking across the plain to their destination. They sang as they went, and did not seem to feel the weight of their burdens at all. Every day the burdens seemed lighter and lighter, until the loads seems to be lifting the birds, instead of the birds carrying the burdens.

When they arrived at their destination, they discovered that when they removed their loads, there were wings in their place, wings which enabled them to fly to the sky and the tree tops.

They had learned how to carry their burdens, and their loads had become wings to carry them nearer to God. Burdens we carry for others may become wings of the spirit, to lift us into happiness such as we have never known.

The House of 1000 Mirrors

Long ago in a small, far away village, there was place
known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little
dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he
arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway
of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears
lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To
his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other
happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as
his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000
great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the
House, he thought to himself, “This is a wonderful place.
I will come back and visit it often.”

In this same village, another little dog, who was not
quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the
house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head
low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000
unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled
at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs
growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself,
“That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there
again.”

All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of
reflections do you see in the faces of the people you
meet? What reflection do others see when they look at you?

Sweet Life

Life is so sweet
How can I repay?
For all the joys
I reap day by day.

The beauty of nature
I steal by the hours
The aura of God
The soul holds and devours

There are sweet moments
That live in my heart
And all thru a lifetime
We’re never apart

We have but to note them
This beautiful place
Full of God’s blessings
And filled with His grace.

I thank you so, Father
For all the gifts you bestow
So that in my heart
Love continues to grow
author unknown

Prayer with Faith

This is a Hindu story from India. The local holy man who lived beside the river was astonished to hear from his pupils that the shepherd girl who brought milk daily from across the river did so by walking right on top of the running water. He called the girl and asked her whether it was true. She said, “Of course!”

Then he asked, “Do you think I could also do it?” “Yes, of course,” she answered. “All you have to do is keep repeating the name of God as I do, and you will cross safely on top of the water.”

The guru decided to give it a try. They started across the river. The girl in front and the guru behind her. He kept moving right along, faithfully repeating the name of God. But then, afraid that his yellow robe would get wet in the water, the guru reached down and pulled up its hem. Then he began to sink lower with each step. The girl looked back and saw his problem and exclaimed with innocent laughter, “Not that way, Master. Not that way! With the name of the Lord on your lips and the edge of your tunic in your right hand… that is not the way to cross the river.” The guru never got there.

What the girl was saying in translation was this: Half-hearted prayer is no prayer. Prayer is faith; faith is commitment; commitment is wholehearted or it is no commitment at all. If you have courage, let go of your tunic and walk through life on the strength of God’s name.

Lasting Contentment…

“Contentment is a pearl of great price, and whoever
procures it at the expense of ten thousand desires
makes a wise and a happy purchase.”

- John Balguy

“From the very core of our being, we desire
contentment….I have found that the more we care for
the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense
of well-being.

- Dalai Lama

“Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a
promissory note; today is the only cash you have–so
spend it wisely.”

- Kay Lyons

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My Symphony

To live content with small means, to seek elegance
rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich;
to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly;
to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with
open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely,
await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the
spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through
the common–this is to be my symphony.

- William Ellery Channing (1780-1842)

_______________________________________________________

How can we find lasting contentment in a world which
promises contentment through the acquisition of
possessions, positions, and prestige–all things which
will bring only temporary satisfaction at best?

William Ellery Channing’s phrase, “…to let the
spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through
the common…” points to an insight. By becoming
aware of common experiences that cannot be described by
words, we reach a deeper spiritual level–one where
authentic contentment arises. There is story that
illustrates this unfolding spiritual awareness.

There was a master who told his disciples a parable.
After he finished the parable, he left the disciples
alone for a time. When he returned, his disciples asked
him what the parable meant. He then asked them, “How
many of you know the fragrance of a rose?” They all
replied that they knew.

The master replied, “So, put the fragrance of a rose
into words.” All of the disciples were silent.

So it is with contentment. It cannot be gained from
words that describe it or explain it; these are only
symbols representing a particular experience. It does
not arise from possessions or positions, although we
can enjoy these things, use them as needed, and be
grateful for them.

True contentment arises when we begin to see with
spiritual eyes and “listen with an open heart” to the
common–the small miracles throughout God’s creation.

At that moment, a deeper level of spiritual awareness
begins to shine. The unconscious with its shadow of
discontentment dissolves in the presence of a conscious
light, and we feel a deep, authentic joy.

May you feel true contentment in your life, today and
always.

Wishing you many blessings!

Steve Brunkhorst

© Copyright 2008 by Steve Brunkhorst. All rights
reserved worldwide. Find many inspirational nuggets and
resources for achievement by visiting
http://www.AchieveEzine.com