Photo by Jason Antony at www.sxc.hu.home
It’s a New Year! 2008 is now here! Hallelujah! It’s a time to let the old go and look to new beginnings. I am excited for what this New Year will bring. In fact, I was reflecting on this and it seems like I felt a definite shift last night when 2007 gave up its reign to 2008. I felt all the challenges I struggled with the whole year finally release and cut loose when the New Year came in. It was like a weight lifted from me. It didn’t seem to matter whether I learned the lesson or not; in the shift it was gone. What do you hold for a vision for 2008? Will you finally see the fruits of what you’ve believed for?

I’ve started reading a book by Marc Allen entitled, The Greatest Secret of All – Moving Beyond Abundance to a Life of True Fulfillment. He talks about when he turned thirty and in need of some major changes in his life. He thought about what he wanted out of life and began to apply some ideas in new ways that changed his life. He decided to sit down and write on paper what he imagined to be his Ideal Scene and what became for him his first secret of manifestation:

“The first step to discovering
the secret of manifestation
is to write your ideal scene on paper,
your dream life five years in the future.
Begin with the end in mind,
and keep it in mind.”

I’ve been thinking about this as part of my reflection of 2007 and 2008 and the possibilities. I haven’t quite got a handle on this yet and need more time to feel and get the picture of my ideal scene 5 years from now. When you dare to think of the ideal kind of life you could have, if you could have anything at all, what would that look like – what would it feel like? How bad do I want this ideal life and what am I willing to do? Marc Allen wasn’t following a self-help book or course. He was following the need in his heart at the time of his life when he needed the greatest change and this was the first step he intuitively was led to do. Just like you and me he had the tapes going off in his head like, “You? Who are you trying to kid? You have no money, and you need money to make money!”

I think 2008 is calling us to stop playing around with the principles we’ve heard and accepted and be serious with our lives and shine. What about you? Is the New Year calling out to you on a different level – something that is life changing? What will you do with it – or will it be another year that will come and go? I want to challenge you like myself to make this New Year different than all the rest.

Blessings and peace to all of you this New Year’s Day and all of 2008!

From the kitchen table – Pat
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It takes courage to be real and authentic. It takes courage to live the life you have chosen and to not step to the same steps as others around you. As I was writing this post, I was reminded, again, of something I had been putting off. It was to send an e-mail sharing with someone an experience I had over 25 years ago. I had been avoiding it because I didn’t want to face another rejection or someone making light of it or excusing it away as had happened so many times before. But, when I sat down and started on the first couple sentences of this post, I was reminded to send this e-mail again and I decided to just do it.

I’m not sure that really qualifies as courage in light of people all around the world standing up and putting their lives on the line for a cause they believe in. But, on the gentler side, courage is living this life everyday. It’s courage getting up every morning when that alarm goes off to go to work to bring in an income. It’s courage when a mother is tending to a sick child and hasn’t gotten much sleep. It takes courage just driving down the freeway. And, it’s courage when you’re willing to get in touch with yourself and give up old habits and old beliefs that are no longer serving you.

People all over are courageous in the large ways and in the small ways. It may not make headlines but, in the little things, the love and attention you bring to it are no small miracle.

It takes courage to face some of the challenges brought our way and to grow and learn from the experience of just being alive. I believe that when we’re met with a challenge we’re also given the ability, knowledge and strength to see it through. Some of us may wonder how some do it. When they connect to their source, it all seems to be a little bit easier. There’s hope. There’s a way.

I’m reminded of a poem written by Oriah Mountain Dreamer called, “The Invitation”. Maybe you’ve read it. She was going through a difficult time and went to a party seeking someone she could talk to on a deeper level. She was looking for someone that would be genuine. She was disappointed and came home late that night and sat down at a table and wrote this poem. Sometimes, we want people to be real and that’s what this poem expresses – the hunger to connect with someone who is also seeking value and worth.

Give yourselves credit for what you do on a daily basis. It takes courage and I’m sure that whatever life hands to you, you’ll be there in a heartbeat to answer the call.

From the kitchen table – Pat

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With Thanksgiving earlier this year and now being in the season of giving and receiving, it may also be a good time to reflect again on how blessed we are. I’ll be noting some things in this posting to be grateful for and as you read on you may also add some things of your own.

Laughter – joy – family – peace!
Wind, rain, sunshine, snow!

Instead of always looking around at what we don’t have. We need to make time to seriously look at what we have and be thankful. Have you ever noticed how your attitudes change when you consciously choose to be grateful for all the little things around you?

Love – health – homes – work!
Eyes, ears, nose, mouth!

At first, because we’re changing modes and looking at what we have been blessed with, it may be hard to start rattling off a list of things to be thankful for. After you’ve mentioned the obvious things, you have to start to think. This is good because we’re giving it our full attention.

Children – nature – sun – atmosphere!
Clothes, food, water, heat!

You notice how you feel inside when you’re in an attitude of gratitude? It’s like there are no problems in the world. It feels peaceful and calm and safe. You just want to stay there.

Seeing – hearing – smelling – tasting!
Husband, wife, mother, father!

When you feel calm and peaceful you’re energy is high and you’re in a pure place where the law of attraction is in operation.

Walking – talking – running – jumping!
Friends, co-workers, class-mates, neighbors!

By putting ourselves in an attitude of gratitude, we are focusing on the positives and not the negatives. By focusing on the blessings we realize the possibilities.

Hands – legs – fingers – toes!
Hair, clothes, shoes, toys!

The list could go on and on but the point is to change our focus and feel in our hearts what we truly have been blessed with. It’s not just things like I’ve listed above; it’s our nature and strengths and abilities. Each one of us is writing our own personal story with our own unique setting and characters and how we interact and learn and grow is how we tell the story. Along the way, we are blessed and it’s not something we can hold onto. It’s meant to flow and move on and bless the next person and so on. Blessings are moving things with a life and energy that are meant to love and heal.

Healing – intelligence – strength!
Embrace – fortitude – persistence!
Unconditional love – patience – endurance!
Will power – faith – kindness – light worker!
Liberty – freedom – country – community!

Now, where did you get all those things? You are a wonderful creation with powers and abilities yet to be discovered. The divine knows who you are and you have been blessed beyond your wildest imagination! Let’s be thankful!

From the kitchen table – Pat
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We all have people in our lives that we love and love us. Do you ever stop to think if there are conditions of love that you have placed on the ones you love or vice versa? In turn, are there conditions we have to meet before we are loved by those in our lives we want to love us? I think we put these conditions in place automatically without giving it much thought. It’s not something we consciously realize that we even do. In fact, I would be willing to bet without knowing it you may have put your own conditions on love. It’s so subtle that it’s hardly noticeable except to the person you love.

Relationships, for example, are supposed to be partnerships. But how many times do we point the finger at our partner blaming him/her for not following through on their part – or disappointing us in some way? When things aren’t going the way we want them to our loved ones seem to be the first to catch it all. I’m reminded of something the famous singer, James Taylor, said in an interview last weekend on a program called Sunday Morning. He said, “Unconditional love can melt the hardest rock.” I never heard it put quite that way but in just a few words he captured it perfectly having had some rocky relationships himself and problems with substance abuse. All the times that it may have been pointed out to him, “How he was ruining his life”, or “How he was going to lose everything if he didn’t straighten out”, didn’t seem to work – except unconditional love. Our hearts are hard when we know we’re messing up and we’re not doing all of what we’re supposed to be doing. We don’t want anyone pointing it out to us. We wouldn’t hear it. We only hear the tapes going on in our heads all the time, anyway.

So, how does someone love unconditionally? How do you love this way without being brought down or sometimes physically hurt in the process? When you accept their behavior are you enabling them to continue on the same path? This is a conundrum to me. I don’t know the best course of action to take and still love unconditionally. When you have a pet, that animal loves you unconditionally and accepts you no matter what mood you’re in. They’ll leave you alone if they sense they could be in danger and keep loving you from a distance. I don’t think it’s on the same level as with humans because of our thought processes but on a simpler level there’s something to be learned.

The conclusion I’ve made is that I believe unconditional love only works with the guidance and insight from God – your Source, Higher Power – whatever label you place on it. When you seek to follow that guidance and listen to your heart, you’ll be shown how to give that unconditional love no matter who you choose to love or what the situation and your ego won’t be involved. Each individual and situation is unique and no one person knows what is going on in a person’s heart and mind and we have to trust on spiritual guidance. No two situations appearing alike can be treated the same.

When I was meditating earlier today, I was able to feel unconditional love. It was gentle and sweet, safe and all encompassing. Have you felt that in your quiet moments of meditation or prayer – or just quiet moments? There’s a presence that knows you from the core of your being and lovingly accepts YOU without recourse. It feels so inviting – so good! You’re accepted totally for who you are not what you’ve done. You may not be receiving what you want in life because what you believe and act on is keeping you from what you want but through it all – you’re loved – bottom line. What you’re wanting is not being withheld from you because you’re not living up to some expectation. We block these gifts and blessings ourselves. This presence only knows who you truly are and your potential and only wants good things for us – loving us unconditionally.

How about loving like that? It’s not as simple as I’ve presented it here; in fact, more could be written, in volumes, and probably has. What are your thoughts today on unconditional love and how have you experienced it and given it?

From the kitchen table – Pat
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