Dear Jude . . .
I am glad that little Blackberry is feeling better

with love . . .
sparrow
 

everything counts... ♥

I am grateful . . .
 
~ for being up in time to see the frozen fog before the sun rose
~ to be of service
~ for the positive results of handwork--
the fact that I could create such beauty
~ for plants brought indoors to brighten the days ahead
~ for the love and companionship I find here
 
~ for this moment, this quiet time
with gratitude and love . . .
sparrow
     ♥

everything counts... ♥

 
~ for the love and companionship I find here
 
I must underline sparrows words...
 
~ for finding some special gifts, I thought, I have lost...
~ for my children and friends
~ for to be in peace on this day with myself...
 
 
 
 
(((((((♥))))))

If you want to know something about someone, listen to your heart.

~ for to be in peace on this day with myself...

 
I am grateful today to read this from Isabella
 
Love,
Jude

Love is the only way

~ for to be in peace on this day with myself...

So few words,
but such a precious gratitude,
is it not?
     ♥

everything counts... ♥

Dear Isabella,
 
May you remain in peace with yourself!
 
Something truly to be grateful for!
 
Much love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Thank you all, especially Edda...
you are so right, I´ve forgotten it, even in the late night hours,
I am a little bit shaky in beeing in peace with myself...
 
I am grateful today, because I had a wonderful walk with my daughter and the little Neela (she is one year old).
 

 
I am grateful to have had a sunny day in fresh air with kind talks and silence around
I am grateful to have, what I need
 
I am grateful to have the gift of having friends
 
with love,
is.
 
 

If you want to know something about someone, listen to your heart.

Today I am so grateful . . .
 
~ for a kind and thoughtful response from a friend
~ for a little better focus on what needs/wants to be done
~ for a little smoother transitions
~ for nuts, which can enhance any meal . . .
nuts and fruits--little gifts of delight for me and and way of life for the squirrels and birds
~ for television (sometimes) and my computer (mosttimes)
 
~ for this day, this life
~ shared moments of peace and a sense of grace
with love and with gratitude . . .
sparrow
     ♥

everything counts... ♥

Dear  Isabella,
 
I am grateful with you for the wonderful walk you had with your daughter and little Neela on, what sounds like, a beautiful fall day! I am glad you feel refreshed!
 
Much love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

for to be in peace on this day with myself...

I am grateful you found inner peace dear Isabella and that you are able to enjoy your days outdoors long may this last...
 
~   

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

Today I am so grateful
 
.....that little James is well and home now again with his Mummy
 
....for the many prayers and candles burning for Little James and his Mummy 
  
....that I was able to go into the children's hospital without too much sadness
 
....that I craddled a sick baby as she needed some love
 
....that I am able to feel grateful
 
 
....that 'children in need' is happening on Friday as it  will give to little ones who so badly need help 
   
....that I was able to 'share ' James's smile today
 
....that I am not ill myself
 
 
....that I can see a future
 
 
....that maybe one day I may become a Mummy again 
  
....that I said sorry  
 
....that I keep fighting my thoughts
 
 
....that even though I 'give in' I still know it's wrong and that one day I hope to  change this
 
 
.....that I snapped today
 
....for Thankful One 
  
 
.....that I can help others who are in need
 
 
....that love is all around me  
  
....for Brother David
 
....that I have my sister and her family
 
....for Mothers who love their children no matter what
 
....for this    and the special person who carried it from a place so dear to me at the time..
 
....for this forum and all who walk it 
  
....for my Spirit 
 
....for my computer 
  
....for microwave veg
 
....and for Marvin and his family who make me smile even though they annoy others

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

  ♥

everything counts... ♥

I am so grateful . . .
 
~ for thought and awareness
~ that my body does all that it is designed to do
~ for a really pretty peasant blouse found at the Salvation Army on 1/2 price day
~ to have electricity that is reliable
~ for the pleasure of touch
 
~ for this moment in the morning between rain and sunshine
with love and gratitude . . .
sparrow
     ♥

everything counts... ♥

Today I am grateful that I am not suffering the effects of floods like some people in this country are at present.
 
I am grateful for a sunny day amid the rain and storms so I could do my shopping
 
That I bought a cooked chicken, because Blackberry enjoyed eating some
 
For a kind taxi driver
 
For the pleasures of parcels arriving with presents to myself for birthday and Christmas...a DVD of "Brother Sun and Sister Moon" and some new music which is wonderful!
 
For the miracle that is ordering things on the Internet which come the next day!
 
That Chloe is at the cinema enjoying the new craze on film, which is 'New Moon' (all very alien to me!)
 
For heat and light on these dark days
 
Jude

Love is the only way

Today I am grateful to be able to post here and say hello to all my family I am grateful for the ability to hope , have patience and peserverance Im grateful for small progress Im grateful for the ability to walk see and hear Im grateful for prayer and walking in faith Im grateful for the gift of children who are giving all they can to help me Im grateful for the abilty to see goodness in others Im grateful I can grieve and recover from grief Im grateful for this spiritual family and all they do to help uplift me in these times of great personal challenge in my life Im grateful for finding my mothers case among the boxes at my office and a yellowed paper with a prayer to St Anthony who restores what is lost fell out and brought me such comfort Im grateful for all those who are attending the serenity and family programs and Im grateful to God who gives me breath and guides me each day
Namaste
Barbara

God I gratefully await and accept your miracles for me that I may be a witness to your wonder

Dearest Barbara,
 
I am grateful that you are making some small progresses, and also that you still keep getting little messages of Hope.
 
With much Love,
Jude ♥

Love is the only way

I am grateful that I can look forward to a Christmas which will be just as I wish it, with (please let it be) Darcy.  I'm grateful for the love and support and caring that I have been blessed with.  I'm grateful for reaching a place inside where I can see the old patterns of reacting before they become too established, and can then choose a different path.

_____________________________________
I'm still standing
Joe

I'm grateful for reaching a place inside where I can see the old patterns of reacting before they become too established, and can then choose a different path.

 
Dear Joe,
As someone who knows how HARD this is, I am grateful you can see it. My counsellor described it as the hurt child facing up to another hurt child. How right she is.
 
Blessings,
Jude

Love is the only way

It sounds as if you are in the midst of activity,
dear Jude . . .
'Brother Sun and Sister Moon' is on my wait list at netflix.
(every now and then I can ask for something I like . . . )
I hope Chloe liked her movie.
'New Moon' is all the rage here too.
Apparently the author was a young housewife with three toddlers.
She had a dream one night,
and it was so vivid
that she began to write it all down!
Happy movie-viewing!
   ♥

everything counts... ♥

Grateful to see you here,
dear Barbara . . .
I feel so very much for your situation,
and pray that the small improvements
will bear fruit.
Please know you remain very much
in my thoughts and prayers
with much love . . .
sparrow

everything counts... ♥

I am so grateful this morning . . .
 
~ for a few extra minutes to be here on the forum,
where I like my day to start when it is possible
~ for happy cats
~ that my troublesome thumb has quieted down on its own
~ for spinach which I love as much as ice cream
~to smell the air in the morning . . .
today it smells like Easter
 
for now . . . this moment . . . today
with love and with gratitude and presence of heart . . .
sparrow
     ♥

everything counts... ♥

I am so grateful . . .
 
~ for the sudden quiet of Monday morning
~ that although off to an unfortunate beginning,
my husband had a good birthday
~ that he really liked the gift I bought for him---
a lamp for his desk
~ for a nice walk at the junior high school
~ that my schedule, though busy, is flexible
 
~ for this day, which is a good day
lest I forget
http://www.gratefulness.org/brotherdavid/a-good-day.htm
with love and with gratitude . . .
sparrow
     ♥

everything counts... ♥

I am very grateful to be now home from my trip to the hospital, (although only about 15 miles away...an all day event on buses, waiting for buses, waiting for doctors, waiting for buses, more waiting for buses) in Wales where they had monsoon-like weather today, which I am also grateful to have avoided being caught in!
 
Feeling annoyed at having to pay for the bus because it is in Wales and my free bus-pass is for England only, I was so grateful when the sun broke through and I could suddenly see the fabulous beauty of the countryside. How I wish I could have stopped the bus and taken photos of the beautiful trees, mostly without leaves now, and so graceful with blue sky behind them and sun on their fronts. Some large oak trees were still in full golden leaf. Fantastic!
 
I am grateful for comforting food, a nice cup of tea and heating to warm me up.
 
Jude

Love is the only way

My dear friend I so understand the challenges of the bus as I take 3 each way to get to my new office Im also like you financially challenged our bus is 2 to 2,25 each bus no transfers anymore Im using the wait time to strngthen my patience and remind myself of those who have to walk all day in the cold I also enjoy the welcoming brew of a hot steamy cup so happy for your shared description of Fall did not realize you receive the seasons there Im working on resumes and job interviews need to earn some money to moe forward very sad that Joshua may have to be affected looking for nights hopefully my health will hold out asking prayers many needed for financial relief more later saw your message and jumped in to say hello
Namaste
Barbara

God I gratefully await and accept your miracles for me that I may be a witness to your wonder

Dear Jude,

I empathize with you: using public transport only when travelling makes it quite troublesome. I experienced the same the day before yesterday (hardly any buses running on Saturdays when shops are not open ...). What you say about the bus not stopping for you to take a photo reminds me of a passage in a textbook of English I used when I was still teaching:

"By Loch Lomond, the friendly bus driver may stop and tell you where to go to take the nicest photo of the lake. Or someone may invite you to have a cup of tea when you are changing buses at Crianlarich".  

So maybe this is where you should go?

Have a restful evening after your trip!
Juliana

"Speak Peace in a World of Conflict" (M.B.Rosenberg)

very sad that Joshua may have to be affected looking for nights

 
Dear Barbara, what does this mean? Is something still wrong with Joshua?
 
Jude

Love is the only way

Dear Barbara,

It´s nice to see you, although I am sorry to read that you still have so many problems to solve - or rather wait and trust that they will be solved... I´ll light another candle for you. You are always included in my prayer.

Much Love,
Juliana

"Speak Peace in a World of Conflict" (M.B.Rosenberg)

Im using the wait time to strngthen my patience and remind myself of those who have to walk all day in the cold

 
Yes, it does help to teach us patience, as there is nothing else to do, but be patient!! With pubic transport there is a LOT of waiting to do. Actually, as everyone is in the same boat, you do tend to get talking to fellow 'waiting travelers' if only to moan about the weather or the waiting!!!
 
Juliana, how old is your travel guide? I'd like to think this would still be the case. However........
 
Jude

Love is the only way

Jude
Bless you Joshua is healing and growing however he needs attentive care for feedings Im being so torn right to my soul between caring for him or working to survive and because at my age 59 and the US economy crisisi I have to take what I can gey I asked Dina if she would like to move in and share expenses and then I would be okay with the day care money earned and what little I make through REFF however she is like Chloe and is stubbornlly goingt o live on her own which puts me in this mental state of stress pray that I can resolve this issue because Kim is giving me the indicators I need to move soon too Oh how Im praying for relief of thsi issue I have a few nivvles for counseling positions one part time nights like an on call position so Dina and Kim will have to find alternative child care because nrither of them relaize I cannot raise the grandkids and work too nor sdo I feel like that should be my ongoing battle it is a pattern when I was young I had to care for my brother and the house and go to school when I was a single mother I had to raise the kids and develop income because child care was too expenxive so I created work from home business then just as I was seeing some relief along came Dina I cared for her then worked 8pm to 3 am waitressing and just as I was getting REFF opff the grounnd along came Joshua I cried out to God as I held him last night why does he keep presenting me with the pain of choosing between my own work and a baby and this time no mayyer how hard Ive tried i cannot fing the solutions I had in past which allowed me to do both...please ask everyone to pray as my heart and soul are in such pain over ths baby and wanting to help hm I ffeel like Kim ha had the help and all her kids are in school now so she and her husband should beable to manage but Dina is young and well you know needs guidance here and thers plus she works long hours so Josh is virtually not in his home for a long time ...please pray and I just keep asking God to show me the way
Namaste
Barbara

God I gratefully await and accept your miracles for me that I may be a witness to your wonder

Juliana thank you when I read your candles I dont always understand but I know your praying and I feel so comforted I know these challenges are ssoon to be over however my earth self becomes weary and overwhelmed at times Im so grateful for all your support you will never know how comforting you and all here are to me
Namste
Barbara

God I gratefully await and accept your miracles for me that I may be a witness to your wonder

Dearest Barbara,
You are always in my thoughts and prayers, and now I know just what to pray for on your behalf.
 
I feel for you so much, and know why I can't say, "but Barbara, you can't do it all." I, and you know you can't, but I know why I can't tell you that!
 
Dear Barbara, I pray for a time very soon when your time will truly manifest, and things will become easier for you in every way. I know how you always think of others first, but you are the most important person in your life.
 
Blessings and Love,
Jude

Love is the only way

In US all are on their cell phones very few personal nods or mutual complaining
 

God I gratefully await and accept your miracles for me that I may be a witness to your wonder

Dear Barbara,
 
My heart goes out to you as you face so many challenges. I can understand how you feel torn and pulled in several different directions. I hope and pray you will receive some answers to alleviate your situation.
 
A candle is burning for you!
 
With love and prayers,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Tonight I am so grateful for all the beautiful prayers and candles
I am so Blessed to have each of you in my life to encourage me on
despite the tears shed today I have had a sense of joy and faith
as a result of all of you and one bill collector who when I surrendered my powerlessness to pay and the worry about my work and the loss of all
this man prayed with me and told me to believe that God will restore all
he asked me to write down a passage his pastor had shared and here it is
your set back is your set up for come back And yet again God sent an angel to give me a message I never it would be through a bill collector Im so Blessed and grateful for the mystery we know as the Holy One
Namaste
Barbara

God I gratefully await and accept your miracles for me that I may be a witness to your wonder

when I surrendered my powerlessness to pay and the worry about my work and the loss of all this man prayed with me and told me to believe that God will restore all

 
Dearest Barbara,
 
I think this is the key. We hold on to ourselves and our heartaches, and try hard to keep going and putting a brave face on things, but the minute we surrender and allow others in, then there is room for changes to come.
 
I knew my wise friend Bea would have something to say about surrender, so I looked it up. Here it is.
 
Before the writing on surrender there is an affirmation from the previous lesson, called BEING GOOD ENOUGH..51% meaning that when we reach 51% of being whatever we are trying hard to be, that is 'good enough' and there is no more need to struggle.
 
The affirmation is one of my favourites, and I have it always on my sacred space in my room. "I AM PERFECTLY WHO I AM"
I'm going to leave you to interpret this for yourself. It means several different things to me.
 
Anyway, here is what she says about Surrender.
 
"Surrender is Giving In. (not giving up) You Give In when you cease to oppose the Will of God, you have to find what is God's Will.
 
The Will of God is to be found within you, at the point of no resistance between you and your God-conscious Self.
 
But first you must Ask.
 
Ask God for the courage and strength to surrender.
 
Then Listen - once you have asked, the point where there is no resistance between your will and God's, will be revealed to you. This is Law.
 
When you have located the point of no resistance, rest there. It is the point of Surrender or Giving In.
 
Peace at Last."
 
And the affirmation for this lesson is...IN THE CENTRE OF MY BEING I KNOW THE WILL OF GOD.
 
'Surrender' also means surrendering to what is......this is where I fall down, because I will cling on to the end!!
 
Blessings to you dear Barbara,
Always in my thoughts,
Love,
Jude
 

Love is the only way

Today I am so very grateful that I don't have the hospital journey!
 
I am grateful I can be and do what ever I feel like doing and being today.
 
I am grateful I am not getting pulled into other people's dramas, but can see the silly side
 
I am grateful I have received that wisdom
 
I am grateful for good friends, good times, conversations and shared laughter.
 
Blessings to all,
Jude

Love is the only way

Dear, dear Barbara . . .
I am so sorry that this time is so difficult for you.
Like Jude and the others
I can only pray that this time is just groundwork for a better future.
Here is a little story you might find useful . . .
 
"Don’t give up…..
One  day I decided to quit…
I quit my job, my relationship, my  spirituality… I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods  to have one last talk with God.
‘God’,  I asked, ‘Can you give me one good reason not to quit?’
His  answer surprised me…
‘Look around’, He said. ‘Do you see the  fern and the bamboo?’
‘Yes’,  I replied.
‘When  I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of  them.
I gave  them light.
I gave  them water.
The  fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its  brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet  nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the  bamboo.
In the  second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And  again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on
the bamboo. He said.
‘In year three there was still nothing  from the bamboo seed.
But I  would not quit.
In  year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would
not quit.’ He said.
‘Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout  emerged from the earth. Compared
  to the fern it was  seemingly small and insignificant…But just 6
months  later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent  the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong
and gave  it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my  creations a challenge it could not handle.’
He asked me. ‘Did  you know, my child, that all this time you have
been struggling,  you have actually been growing roots’.
‘I  would not quit on the bamboo.
I will  never quit on you.’
‘Don’t  compare yourself to others.’
He  said.
‘The  bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet  they both make the forest beautiful.’
‘Your  time will come’, God said to me.
‘You  will rise high’
‘How  high should I rise?’
I  asked.
‘How  high will the bamboo rise?’ He asked in return.
‘As high as it  can?’ I questioned.
‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Give me glory by rising  as high as you can.’
I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope  these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never, Never, Never Give up.
For the Christian Prayer is  not an option but an opportunity.
Don’t tell the Lord how big  the problem is,
tell the problem how Great the Lord  is!
Heavens door  open this morning, God asked me…
‘My CHILD,  what can I do for you?’
And I said, ‘FATHER, please protect and bless  the one reading this message.’
God smiled  and answered, ‘Request granted.’
This  message is now in your hands.
What will YOU do with it?" 
 
http://cynsheng.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/the-bamboo-storygod-is-greatdont-tell-the-lord-how-big-the-problem-istell-the-problem-how-great-the-lord-is/
 
And, as Jude has said, surrendering is not the same as giving up.
My prayers are with you,
dear Barbara
with much love . . .
sparrow

everything counts... ♥

I am so grateful today . . .
 
~ that the men came and fixed the furnace . . . again
~ that the other men came to clean the gutters . . . finally
~ for Susan Boyle and her dream
~ to be on friendly terms with myself
~ to be able to go out for a drive in my car ocassionally
 
~ for this moment, for this day
with love and gratitude . . .
sparrow
     ♥

everything counts... ♥

Dear sparrow
as I dressed to go to my office today I really questioned ever so briefly if this is Gods plan then your message arrived Thank you for validating why I keep at this work God has given me and I do believe he will supply all the resources i need in time it just gets hard waiting.....I will wait for the messages he sends and the messengers to guide me through....
Bles you dear frinds one and all for sendingthe light and words to hold me up
Namste
Barbara

God I gratefully await and accept your miracles for me that I may be a witness to your wonder

for Susan Boyle and her dream

 
http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/x-factor/susan-boyle-sings-wild-horses-on-x-factor/

Love is the only way