Today's Challenge

Life is full of choices.  We choose to get out of bed in the morning.  We choose what we are going to wear.  We choose what to have for breakfast.  We choose our friends.  We choose who we let take advantage of us.  We choose what we stand up for.  We choose what to fight for.  We choose to let others piss us off. 

The power of choice can sometimes be overwhelming.  Especially for those that have tendancies toward indicisiveness.  Choosing to be in control of your choices, can truly make you a force to be reckoned with.  You see, you can accomplish so much more with your life, and in your life, when you choose to make a difference.  When you choose to have an impact on the world around you, doors begin opening for you that you never dreamed would open.  THE UNIVERSE WANTS YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!  The universe, the Creator, God, wants YOU to have a positive impact in the world around you.  And so, the universe will support you in making healthy choices.  If you simply, choose to be aware of your choices, and begin to take conscious control of your choices, you will be unstoppable!  You will be propelled to new heights, new experiences and you will NEVER look back to the life you lived when choice controlled you.

I challenge you to take control of your choices.  Make a difference.  Make an impact.  I dare you!!!

I leave you with a great quote from George Bernard Shaw:

"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.


I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and that as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

-George Bernard Shaw

Blessings,
Juli

Embracing our Light

My friend Carol recently shared this quote with me.  It is a quote by Marianne Williamson (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles", Harper Collins, 1992. It is from chapter 7, section 3).  This is the thought for the day.  Ponder it, and allow it to have influence in your life.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Or deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?"  Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to shine, as children do.  We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

What a great concept - let's all employ this veiwpoint and CHOOSE to live our lives in the light!!!

The Present Moment

As we enter this new moon on Wednesday April 14, 2010, it is very important for us to hold our thoughts, and intentions in a positive light.  We are what we attract, we attract what we are.  Spiritual teachers call this the Law of Attraction.  As many of us are learning from our mistakes, hurtles, hardships and life lessons that we have lived in the past, we need to remember, that those moments do not define us.  They may shape us, but they do not dictate to us who we are, where we are going, or why we "be". 

Many believe that we should re-hash our lives, re-live our times of trial to get emotional closure, to really be able to acknowledge it and let go.  Although that may work for some, I feel that by living in the past, re-living the past, we miss out on the precious, miracle of a moment that we are in right this very second!  You see, we can only have one thought at a time...that is all we are capable of - so if we are choosing to think about what happened to us (or FOR us) then we cannot be recognizing the beauty of the green grass that is sprouting this sping, we miss the birds singing, we miss the laughter of our kids, and the tender moments with our spouses and loved ones. 

Don't get me wrong, I think it is important to take moments to reflect, to pick out our patterns, so that we can be aware of them - and eventually be able to break them.  BUT, I do not think that we can let our past rob us of our present moment, and our future moments.  There is a difference between moments of reflection, and time dwelling and drudging up the past.  Most of the time, we get lost in the scenarios, the drama of the situation.  When really none of that matters.  You see, life isn't one thing after another, it is the same thing, over, and over, and over...  We should simply reflect on our emotional response, the triggers don't matter, our pattern is about US- not about the scenarios, but instead about how we CHOOSE to act, and how we CHOOSE to react.  The only two things we have control over anyway.  When we remove all the he said, she said drama around our scenarios, and reflect on our personal reaction, then we can briefly visit our past without dwelling there - we can recognize our patterns and bring that pattern to the present moment, bring it to our present consciousness so that we can CHOOSE to act positively to break those percieved negative pattens that we all carry. 

As we move through the new moon over the next few days, lets CHOOSE to let go of our thoughts that drag us OUT of our present moment.  Lets CHOOSE to control our thoughts and not let our thoughts control us.  Lets CHOOSE to stay centered, grounded and enjoy all the miracles that are created around us, for us, every second of every day.  Because, in all honesty, what we have is right now, this moment, where memories are created, where joy is fully present in our hearts, and love is abundant.  Now.  In the now.  In the present moment.

This moment has passed, now how will you CHOOSE to spend your next moment?

Love and Light,
Juli

Thought for Today

Little drops of water,

little grains of sand,

make the mighty ocean,

and the pleasant land.

Thus the little minutes,

humble though they be,

make the mighty ages,

of eternity.

~Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney

Knowing the Wonder, Who is My Body?

Within the light that Easter gifts to us, we are faced with the great oppertunity to expand our relationship with our God, our Universe, our Creator. We are given the chance to acknowledge that we are co-creators of our own life, of our own destiny, and when we accept into our hearts the responsibility of honoring the light, we can truly accomplish great things.  Please find below an inspirational message that keeps me anchored with my Creator.

Knowing the Wonder, Who is My Body?

by Flora Slosson Wuellner

I am your friend and closest partner. Sometimes I am your mother and father. Sometimes I am your child. Always I am your lover and spouse.
I am the truth-teller. I witness to your your unknown self.
I am the faithful messenger and recorder of your memories, your powers, your hurts, your needs, your limits.
I am the stored wisdom and hurts of the ages and generations before you.
I am a gift giver. Through me, you live and move in God's creation. Through me you have your vital link with the rejoicing, groaning, travailing universe.
I am your partner in stress and pain. I carry much of your suffering so your spirit does not need to carry it all alone.
I am the frontier you have barely explored and the eager companion who speaks to you every moment.
I am the manifestation of the miracle, which is you. I am the ground of your deep powers.
I am the microcosm of the community that surrounds you. I am the microcosm of the universe in which you live.
I am the visible means by which you relate and unite with others.
I am one of the major ways by which God abides with you, speaks to you, touches you, unites with you. Far from seperating you from your spiritual life, I open it for you.
You can pray with me, for me, through me. I can pray also in my own way, when you cannot.
I am always in embrace with you, though sometimes you ignore me or even hate me and try to harm me.
I will never leave you. I will be with you after death as your risen companion of clearer light and swifter energy in a different form. Only my outer appearance dies.
Together, in a passionate unity, we will become a fully alive human being.