The Way Opening (Quote)

I have been feeling very stuck lately. Stuck, stuck, stuck, stuck. Did I mention stuck? While rereading How to Let God Help You by Myrtle Fillmore, I found the following quote, which seems to address my frustration. I have been contemplating the message all morning.

When we know just what we want and why we want it, we usually find the way opening toward it.

Ernest Homes Affirmation

I liked this affirmation from 365 Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes and wanted to share it with you.

God’s Love always embraces us,

His wisdom is always within us,

And His Joy is ours to share.

Abundance is everywhere

The Blessing of Resolve

You reach into the blessing bowl and pull out a small metal token embossed with the word RESOLVE. Why has it come to you today? What does it mean to you? This is another blessing that I feel that I, almost desperately, need. Lately I feel that I could so easily give up on everything, absolutely everything. Just when I want to give up for the last time, I will hear a song or read a story that renews my resolve to carry on. Whether you want to quit smoking, lose weight, find a job, have a more abundant life, realize a dream, be a happier person or achieve some other goal/resolution, I wish for you the blessing of resolve.

May the Spirit of Resolve bless you today.

May your goals be your North Star, guiding your actions.

May you feel a Divine momentum, so that each day it becomes easier and easier to keep on the path to what you want.

May you persist until your goal is finally yours.

May you know the satisfaction of a goal achieved.

Prayer for the Nuclear Power Plant Workers in Japan

Dear God,
Please be with workers of the nuclear power plants in Japan that were affected by the recent earthquakes. Fill the workers with your guidance and wisdom so that they can make the plants safe and stable. Send your courage and strength to them so that they can continue on with their work. Help them feel your love and the well-wishes of all those around the world who are thinking about them. Protect them and infuse their bodies with your perfect health. Lastly God, please be with their families and loved ones, helping them to feel your comfort, strength and love. A-men.

The Blessing of Grace (Personal)

This morning I read an article in which Holland Taylor commented on Charlie Sheen. I confess that I have never been a fan of Two and a Half Men—I can’t relate to the style of humor—but I was very impressed by Taylor’s gracious comments. A few weeks ago I wrote a blessing about Divine Grace, God’s gift to us, the blessing written about in the song Amazing Grace. But, we can also possess a personal grace that makes us a blessing to others.

May the Spirit of Personal Grace bless your life.
May you move with beauty and elegance.
May you speak words of kindness, even when you could easily speak words of ridicule or anger.
May your actions embody your highest ideals.
May people feel better about themselves after being in your presence.

The Blessing of Grace (Divine)

Today you reach into the blessing bowl and pull out a small metal token embossed with the word GRACE. Why have your drawn it today? What is your reaction? My reaction is, “Yes, yes, this is exactly what I need today.” Here is my blessing for you and for myself.

May God’s Grace bless you today.

May events unfold in your life as if an invisible hand were working behind the scenes, coordinating people and things, so that improbable good now appears in your life.

May your days be filled with happy coincidences and joyful synchronicities.

Blessing for New Zealanders in the Earthquake

Over the years I have met a number of people from Christchurch. My thoughts go out to them and everyone else affected by the earthquake. As soon as I heard the news of the earthquake, I wrote this blessing. I have a prayer that I wrote later and posted to the blog.

May the ground under your feet be firm and steady.

May you feel God’s loving presence wrapped around you, comforting you, helping you to feel secure.

May you quickly heal of any physical or emotional injuries.

May you experience God’s power and wisdom as you rebuild your homes, businesses, and lives.

The Blessing of Contentment

Today you reach into the blessing bowl and pull out a small metal token embossed with the word CONTENTMENT. Why have you drawn it today? For me, the word invokes a visceral reaction. I find myself smiling or letting out a small sigh and relaxing my shoulders. For me, contentment is an experience that combines peace and happiness.

May the Spirit of Contentment be a regular companion as you travel on life’s journey.

May each day you find moments where you are at peace with who you are and what is happening in your life.

May you notice and appreciate the little blessings that are sprinkled throughout your day.

May you allow yourself a few moments to savoir the small successes.

Before you go to sleep at night, may you know that, for now, all is well.

The Blessing of Resilience

Today you reach into the blessing bowl and pull out a small metal token embossed with the word RESILIENCE. Why have you drawn it today? What is your reaction? The old black dog has been nipping at me on and off lately. Maybe I have cabin fever from all the cold and snow or maybe my body just needs its walks in order to be able to think straight. I definitely could benefit from the blessing of resilience. Here is my blessing for you the reader and for myself, too.

If your career or friendships have gotten you down,
May you find Divine inspiration to help you rebound.

If emotions or health have taken downwards turns,
May you be raised by the Light that in your heart burns.

If failure has made you want to hide in your bed
May new possibilities begin to form in your head.

May the Spirit of resilience bless you today
And an upward momentum come your way.

The Blessing of Intelligence

Today you reach into the blessing bowl and pull out a small metal token embossed with the word INTELLIGENCE. Why have you drawn it today? My first thought was, “Yes, I could really use this one.” Here is my take on this blessing today.

May you be smart in school
As well as on the street.

In your chosen field
May your skills be hard to beat.

Any problem that comes your way
May your knowledge easily defeat.

Last, may Intelligence bless your days
And Wisdom guide your ways.

Depression

What monster has swallowed me whole?
No light seems to come from my Soul.

Perplexed.
What next?

Attempt my best?
Will I digest?

Should I wait for a new day’s mood,
Fill myself with sugary food,
Curl up in my soft chair and brood?

Or quietly accept my fate
And wait, and wait, and wait, just wait.

Or love myself in this dark hour
To reconnect with Divine power?

The Blessing of Certainty

Today you reach into the blessing bowl and pull out a small metal token embossed with the word CERTAINTY. Why have you chosen it today? I have had a strong reaction to the word this week. I feel like the most uncertain person on the planet. Then the thoughts started in my head: “There is no certainty!” “We live in uncertain times.” “Is certainty even a blessing? Haven’t people been certain about things that were later proved wrong? Isn’t certainty to blame for a lot of the misuse of power over the centuries?” Slowly I began to remember that there have been times when I was certain. I am now certain that we all could use at least a little certainty in our lives.

May you be blessed with moments of certainty
When you truly know and know that you know.

May you know in your heart that the world is full of possibilities
and is must bigger than the limitations you see around you.

May you release any uncertainty that has caused you to become stuck
That may have caused you to doubt yourself
And may you be certain of the next small step that you can take.

May you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves you
and is always with you.

The Blessing of Vision

Today you reach into the blessing bowl and pull out a small metal token with the word VISION printed on it. Why have you chosen it today? As I mulled this over the past few days, I was surprised by how many references to vision I came across.

May you be blessed with the Spirit of Vision.

May you clearly see the good around you and within yourself.

May you see how the world around you is evolving and clearly envision how you, your business, or your organization fit into this new world.

May you see the seed of potential curled up within each individual you meet and know what your part is in helping it to grow.

May you clearly see the seed of potential curled up within yourself and be Divinely guided in how to cultivate it today and in the days to come.

The Blessing of Fertility--Mind

Today you reach into the blessing bowl and pull out a small metal token with the word FERITLITY on it. Why have you selected it today? I know that some of you might have different reactions to it. Fertility might apply to having a child, my last blog entry, but it also might apply to having a creative mind, today’s blessing.

May you be blessed with a fertile imagination.

May fresh and innovative ideas easily come to you.

May you be Divinely guided and motivated to cultivate those ideas, helping them to take root, grow, and blossom.

May your ideas finally bear fruit so that they are a blessing to you and to the world.

The Blessing of Fertility--Baby

The next blessing is FERTILITY, which I have decided to separate into two blessings. (I’ll post a blessing for mental fertility in an upcoming blog.) I was born after my parents had been married fourteen years. My mom had a number of miscarriages before my birth and a still-birth a few years later; I am an only child. I know how desperately she wanted a child. In retrospect, I see how that experience shaded her whole life.

May you soon hold in your arms the child you have for so long held in your heart.

May you be helped by health professionals who are compassionate, knowledgeable, and adept.

May your body be your friend and may you send it loving and peaceful thoughts.

May you easily conceive and easily nurture a developing life within you.

May you know the joy of giving birth to a healthy baby.

The Blessing of Clarity

Today, when you reach into the blessing bowl*, you pull out a small metal token embossed with the word CLARITY. What does it mean to you? My reaction was “yes, this is what I need today.” New Thought philosophy believes that we benefit from thinking about what our lives would be like if we had what we now want. For the last few days I have been asking myself: “What would this situation be like if it was blessed with clarity?” In response, I found myself writing a series of mini-blessings, rather than a longer blessing like I normally do.

May the Spirit of Clarity bless you today.

May any confusion quickly disappear
And the truth of the situation become perfectly clear.

May any scattered thoughts quickly melt away
And focused thinking rule the day.

If too many details threaten to overwhelm
May the big picture take the helm.

May any hidden influences no longer be concealed
And the answer you need now be revealed.


*The idea of the blessing bowl was inspired by the novel Troubles Waters by Sharron Shinn. I have also been to bookstores, churches, and workshops that have had baskets or bowls from which people could draw small cards to be used as inspiration or as a focus for contemplation.

The Blessing of Loyalty

Imagine that today, while looking for a blessing, you receive a small metal token that says  LOYALTY . Why have you chosen it? Ever since I began to write the Blessing of Steadfastness, I have thought about Loyalty. What was Sharon Shinn thinking when she created Loyalty and Steadfastness as two separate blessings? What does Loyalty mean? —About this time I read about the death of Elizabeth Edwards—How does Loyalty play out in my own life?—My neighbor-sister kept her commitment to spend New Year's Eve with me when she could have changed her plans for a better gathering, a gesture which made a big impression on me. — When is it ethically appropriate to withdraw loyalty? — Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series explores that idea — But, in my heart, I knew that for today’s blessing I needed to speak of loyalty in the simplest sense.

May the Spirit of Loyalty bless you today.

Whether country, cause or friend
May you find that to which you can be faithful to the end.

When the going gets rough
May you find the strength to stay tough.

When others try to tempt you
May you find the will to stay true.

May you be Divinely guided to do what’s right
And keep fidelity’s candle burning bright.

New Year’s Blessing

I wasn’t planning on writing a New Year’s blessing, but the first lines of this one came into my head as I was waking up this morning.

May each year be the best of your life.
High on harmony low on strife.

May wisdom and love accompany you each day
And from your highest principles may you never stray.

May any challenges leave you stronger
Doubts and regrets trouble you no longer.

By year’s end may you achieve your resolution’s goal
While enjoying the journey as a whole.

The Blessing of Health

Today, you ask your Highest Wisdom what blessing you need to focus on. It comes back with HEALTH. If you are like me, you too often think about health in terms of what you lack, rather than how it is a blessing for you in the moment.

May you be blessed with a healthy mind and body.

May your memory be sharp as a tack
And sound ideas never lack.

May your mind the world shrewdly discern
Know when to calmly pay attention and when to raise concern.

May your physical body be equally smart
Adeptly protecting your flesh, digesting your food and beating your heart.

May you have the energy of a child of two
And your joints and muscles easily move for you.

May in every day you experience some small pleasure
And may your health be your greatest treasure.

The Blessing of Flexibility

Imagine that you have reached into a basket and pulled out a piece of paper with the word  FLEXIBILITY on it. If you are like me, you laugh at yourself and mutter something like “figures” or “I need that today.” It seems life never quite goes as planned. Half of the guests scheduled to come to our Christmas dinner had to cancel out because they were sick. Internet Explorer didn’t open for me for a time this morning. My New Year’s Eve hostess just called from the grocery store and was befuddled because her favorite appetizer was nowhere in sight. None of these things are bad. They just required a little restructuring of plans. In response, I try to ask myself what I really want to accomplish and how else I can achieve the same end. So we sent leftovers home to the sick and enjoyed those who were able to attend Christmas dinner; I used Firefox instead of IE; my hostess looks for a new favorite or goes to a store she doesn’t often frequent. Here is a blessing that many of us need.

May you be blessed with flexibility in body, mind and spirit.

May your body bend and stretch easily and comfortably.

When things don’t go as planned, may you still feel calm and confident about being able to fulfill your larger goal. May you quickly be inspired with new ideas.May you find even better methods, routes, and solutions; ones that end up delighting you.

May you feel a confidence in your Creator, allowing life to unfold serendipitously. After praying or doing affirmations, may you trust the words “this or something even better now manifests in my life.”