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A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. November's Theme: "Gifts" "Life is the first gift, love is the second, Life itself is an ongoing exchange of gifts. Money, things, compliments, friends and family, the sacred breath of life, sunny days and even less than perfect days. Even adversity offers within it an opportunity for the gift of growth. It's the ebb and flow of life; for example money in, money out; stuff in, stuff out; feelings in, feelings out. It keeps the love flowing, expressing a belief in the abundance of the universe for we are, beyond doubt, abundantly gifted by our Creator.
One of the greatest gifts you can give to the world is to feel enthusiastic, to be passionate about living, loving your work and your life. Remember what you give out, you get back. If you emit loving kindness, then loving kindness is more likely to return to you. This is why some people see life as a continual struggle and others see it as an exciting challenge. It's a life attitude accepted and borne out. Choose to gift yourself with a focus on the positive. You can start by acknowledging the accomplishments of others as well as yourself.
Life being the first gift, we are reminded of life all around us as well as within us. Each embodiment is a brilliant and ingenious work of nature, of the Holy God-Spirit. Scientists, to this day, stand in awe, finding this triad of power - body, mind, and spirit - absolutely fascinating. Truly, it is a miracle, a complex interaction of organs, miles of blood vessels, a multitude of bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves, hair, and skin. How so many systems work together in such obvious precision, rhythm, and flow keeping us alive and functioning - is an astounding manifestation of God's Power and Presence within. Every time your heart beats, every time you take a breath, each time you swallow, see, hear, pass waste from your body, you are reminded of these many gifts the Divine Creator endowed upon you.
In addition, life is all around you. Be it pets, flowers, shrubbery, trees, rocks, weeds, the sun, the sky, the clouds, animals and insects, rainbows, rain itself, streams/lakes/rivers, these are gifts from our Higher Power. These offerings were meant to be acknowledged, appreciated, and respected. When was the last time you took the time to notice and find value in a dazzling sunset? Or, when did you last stop and smell the flowers? How long has it been since you went for a stroll in the rain or walked the shoreline of an indescribably magnificent lake or ocean? If it's been too long, then make a commitment to look around you at the beautiful world you live in, even if it's not a perfect world.
Love, the second gift mentioned by Marge Piercy, has a power all its own. It cares, it connects, it shares, it heals. Love, beyond any other quality, is almighty. There is a purity in truth to the phrase, Love conquers all. Love is the only true happiness, to love and to be loved. I spoke with a friend the other day and she was telling me about her daughter's best friend who had died unexpectedly at the tender age of twenty-nine. They kept him alive for several days after his brain death in order to harvest his organs which he had indicated he wanted, on the back of his drivers license. This harvesting changed many lives, actually saved some, sixty to be exact. Love and concern for the common good of all was his motivating factor, according to his friends. Love. Almighty Love.
Love also comes in a multitude of varieties and consequences. There is spousal and sibling love, love of a parent, grandparent, or even a great-grandparent. Love for nieces and nephews, and for cousins. Love for a pet. Love of the seasons and cycles of nature. Love for a married man or woman, love of a friend, love of a woman for a woman, or a man for a man. The choices we make regarding this intimate emotion have consequences. Some are despicably difficult. Some are gloriously joyful. Keeping this issue in mind, and asking for guidance from the Holy God-Spirit can direct us toward blessings rather than blight on the tapestry of the soul.
Understanding, in conjunction with life and love, keeps us on the right track, what I call the God-track. Being able to comprehend life is being able to comprehend death, for they are one and the same; for dying is simply a part of life. The Heaven or Hell you expect when your body dies, is begun right here on Earth as you traverse your journey through life. The experience you gather through the years help you develop your own set of standards and beliefs. We are all born as innocents. It is the world we are born into that shapes us, or tries to do so. To understand this complex thing called life requires an open-heartedness and open-mindedness to the precious Universal Intelligence within every individual.
Love is all there is, on the Other Shore. Material things, you obviously can't take with you. You don't need a body or things. You communicate and travel through thoughts. There is no time or space. Just Isness. Beingness. Bliss found in each moment. Once you complete your transition, you will find the answers to the vast number of questions you asked while alive. You will become aware of the numerous lives previous to this one. You will have complete and unalterable understanding of life itself. Undeniably, life is a Monumentally Majestic Miracle! An MMM, a hmmmm, a humming along through life, an Ohm of meditation.
"Law of Giving: give a gift wherever you go (prayer, Cheryl, from Michigan, says, "Having had Multiple Sclerosis for almost thirty years, I've learned much about adapting and squeezing joy out of life. Therefore, I am a metaphysical minister who believes God is in everything, everywhere. And, the Sweet God-Spirit surely lives
in my little Maya-puppy, who kept me connected with life after my youngest son was killed in
a freak automobile accident ten years ago."
Visit Cheryl's website at www.griefhealingthroughspiritfaith.com.
Volume 8 Issue 1 ISSN# 1708-3265
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Keep the Gifts Circulating
by Rev. Cheryl Jewett
and understanding the third." - Marge Piercy
compliment, etc). Gratefully receive gifts (sunshine,
water, etc). Keep wealth circulating."
Seven Spiritual Laws by Deepak Chopra
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