A Letter To My Dad

To My Dad At Christmas

I wonder, did the bullet sting as it tore through the torment in your mind?  Did it indeed end your pain-or is that the moment when your suffering truly began?  I wonder if you thought of me, of her…of any of us as your spirit fled from your lifeless body and you watched as the black fabric slowly zipped closed over your face.

Did your heart give pause?  Was there even a moment of remorse, perhaps as you discovered that once again you had chosen something else before me?  Did your spirit cringe as you finally understood that in that moment  just as in every one before you had never considered how I would feel—or that I would be the one to carry the weight of your choice for the rest of my life?

When I was a little girl, I watched you choose another woman and her children over your own.  I was the one who went unnoticed, standing at the screen door staring out…keeping watch for the first glimpse of your truck to come into view.  I was the little girl who stood alone on dad’s day at school while all of the other little girls daddys were there, laughing…playing…loving their daughters.  But I had Christmas, it was the one thing that drew you close to me.  It brought you just to the threshold of my life-right on the edge for an hour or two each year and I learned to cling to that moment with all that I had.  But then, I was just a little girl-and who would have ever thought that I could have had feelings and thoughts that were all of my own?  Certainly not you.  You never did.

As an adult I watched your choice to steer your life clear of mine as you buried yourself in your little trailer and withdrew the rest of your love from me.  I tried to be what you needed.  I bet you never realized it, but I tried to find some part of you that hadn’t been sealed away from me-a way into your life.  You had tolerated me for a while after your first granddaughter was born.  I even believed that she may have been the key to keeping you close to me.  But I was wrong, because you always had choices and I never made cut and in those final years, neither did my daughter.  So I took her away to protect her from feeling unworthy of your love as I had felt, still felt.  Still feel.  But you never noticed.  You believed that a well placed dollar was worth enough to make up for all of the time you never spent with me.  But it wasn’t.  And I learned from you that I wasn’t good enough to be important or to love.

Your final choice was death and once again, my love for you was never a consideration.  You chose to grasp the cold metal pistol over holding my hand and letting me love you.  You chose the stinging bullet over a kiss on the cheek from me.  You chose the cold ground over Christmas morning at grandma’s with your children and granddaughters…. with me.  But I live with that, you don’t.  Every year, I string the bright colored lights on the tree, I hang the ornaments from the branches and  I see your face in every package I wrap.  And when it’s done, I stand at the screen door and look out into the darkness and realize again that you’re never coming back.  That any chance I had at ever being good enough to be your choice is gone and that the love that I cherished most in my life lies still and broken in the cold and silent grave.  It’s still every bit as unrecognized and unreturned as it has been all of my life.

Christmas is here once again and I can feel the warmth of those closest to me as they try to fill that emptiness that you left behind.  But they can’t.  They can only watch as I continue in sadness, pointing out every flaw that I see within myself and weighing them against your decision to leave me over and over again.  They say that I am worthy of love and that I am beautiful but that’s so hard to believe when the one man who was supposed to love me most in this world proved time and again that I was not worthy of his love.  It’s hard for me to let people inside of my brokenness because I do not want them to see the shattered pieces  of my heart.  I don’t want them to get too close because I don’t want to feel the pain when abandonment comes and the cycle begins again.  The pattern that you set in my childhood has played out on the canvas of my life in every close relationship I have ever had with a man.  I realize this now and it’s time for that part of myself to die if I am ever going to learn to live and to be loved in this lifetime.

So, it’s over dad.  This is the last Christmas that I will spend second guessing what and who I am.  I will always love you-just as much in death as I loved you when you were alive.  But, from this moment on I know it has to be about me and not you.  I have allowed my heart to become restless as  the fear would rip through me at the moment someone began to love me.  I would reject it, push it away to protect myself.  But I was protecting myself from pain I had already experienced and I’m ready to stop now.

You were restless in life and you are most likely still restless, wherever your spirit has gone.  But just in case you’re hanging around from time to time, I want you to know that I forgive you.  I miss you and I love you-but I won’t let the consequences of your actions fall on me anymore.  You should be the one who is sorry, not me.  You spent your entire life running away from love and I have been just like you.  And from now on, I’m not going to be.  I know how to give love-now I just have to learn how to accept it.  I pray that God will help you find peace.  I will love you always.

Facing Regrets--Finding Peace With The Past

I awakened this morning with a memory from a long time ago floating around in my head. It was Winter of 2006. My cousin, Chad and his fiancee were getting married and had asked me to do a reading at their wedding. I had only just the month before lost the man that I was totally in love with, when I found out that he had been dating someone else our entire relationship and was now living with her. Crushed as I was inside-I still wanted to be part of Chad's beautiful wedding and to be there for him and his soon to be wife. My sister and I hitched a ride down to Georgia with our aunt and uncle where we stayed beachfront on Jekyll Island.

I remember feeling a storm of emotions as I stood on the coast and watched the waves crashing against the shore. I felt as small as a grain of sand and as dumb as a pebble that just floated along whichever direction the current swept it--never thinking for myself--always ignorant that someone else's motives may have been deceptive. For me, those waves symbolized words...promises to protect my heart...the assurance of love...and I had been swept to and fro happily in those currents until the day came when I was tossed up onto the sand and abandoned. I was cast away onto the scorching sands of midday and left there-alone in my brokenness as the coldness of night approached. And that was my fate as I stood there, broken hearted staring out onto the moonlit ocean.

The wedding rehearsal came and I took my first few steps into the cathedral. I remember my heart pounding in my chest as some part of me awaited the striking of a brilliant blue lightning bolt that would tear through the top of the church and surely strike me dead. It had been so long since I had been inside a church and I was sure that my sins were so great that God would take no hesitation to snuff me out as soon as He saw me drag myself across the threshold of His house. The priest came down and shook my hand and introduced himself to me beneath the white carpeted stairway. My hand trembled as he took it in his own and I wondered if he could feel my fears as they coursed outwardly from my soul and flooded violently into my body. If he did, it wasn't apparent from his disposition and soon that moment passed and I settled in to watch the procession from a bench in the front of the church.

Soon, it was my time to ascend the staircase and receive my instructions for the reading that I was going to be giving. As I read over the words that I was to read aloud the next day--it took all of the strength in my body to stand and every ounce of resolve within me to hold back the flood of hot tears that threatened to escape at any moment. I had to read what God says about Love. Love is patient, love is kind....the words all blurred into a painful epiphony as I realized that all of the things that God says that love is....I had never known for myself. As I looked across the room at Chad and Ashley, I realized that the energy of the words I was contemplating in my mind were evident in the way that they looked at each other. I wondered if I would ever know that kind of love for myself.

In those moments that passed I regretted having allowed words and empty promises to sweep me away into a lie so many times in my life. I regretted having given myself over to the untruths and deceptions of those who used those lies in order to lure me into their lives. I regretted that I hadn't allowed God's definition of love to transcend into my definition of the same.

The next day as I slid into my four inch heels and started out to the car, I realized that I would have to at some point begin to resolve within myself all of the regrets and somehow find peace with my past if I ever wanted to be free from the sadness that now accompanied me everywhere. As I climbed the stairs up onto the stage I promised myself to leave behind all of my self-hatred and the regrets. I began to read the words from the bible that had tore into me like a hot knife the night before and for a split second I wondered if the storm of emotion would return, but it didn't. As I looked out upon the hundred or more guests in the cathedral I confessed God's definition of Love and from an unburdened heart I blessed Chad & Ashley's union that day as I received a blessing of my own.

Many things have come to pass in my life since that day that have caused my heart to break, but never once have I mistaken what love is. I have loved people who have given me pain for gold. I have loved those who have stolen parts of myself that I have held sacred and I have given kindness out of a heart that has been abandoned, cursed, shattered and eventually iced over. For a time, I couldn't receive love-but never has there been a time that I couldn't give love and for that I am thankful. Because in my life, I have learned how to live out God's definition of Love regardless of how those I have loved have defined it. And that has made all the difference.

Moving Forward & Letting Go

“I will not lie down with a breaking heart lost in the throes of human regret. I will not surrender to the fear of being alone. I refuse to waste the present chasing after a shadowy mirage of happiness that may have existed someplace in my past. All I have-all any of us has is today. Life does not move in reverse. Nothing worth keeping could possibly have been left behind if it was for my good anyway, so I choose to allow every good opportunity free access to my life. I choose to accept and embrace every blessing that God rains down upon me with an uplifted heart, recognizing that His dreams for me are much bigger and better than any I could imagine for myself. “


So many times in life we are reminded of past failures and shortcomings in life that have come with a high cost. It is easy to fall into the self-resentment rut, but that is exactly what the enemy wants us to do. That’s why he reminds us so fervently about the things that have hurt us the most. He wants us to harbor hatred toward ourselves because if we are caught up in self-loathing, God’s light cannot shine through us. Today is the day to lay down those heavy burdens that tether you to the past. Understand that you have taken with you the living part of the experience, which is knowledge-but the pain was never meant to be held onto. Decide that today is the day that you are going to close that door and seal it, walking away a free person. Let go of the fear and pain and live in the now-where life is in constant evolution and opportunities exist to propel you into your highest potential.

Living Through Loss and Regret

Living Through Loss and Regret

“When my dad committed suicide in 2004 I felt as though the pain would rip me apart. Every day was an uphill struggle. I felt such guilt and such pain for what he must have been going through that night. It happened shortly after Father's Day and that was the ONE year that I didn't visit him. I kept feeling that if I would have shown up then he would have known he was loved and it would have stopped him. The thing that got me through it was coming to the understanding that no matter how much I loved him or if I would have been there on that Father's Day expressing that love to him--he was in a place in himself that would not allow him to recognize that love. I began to trust that God knew my dad's heart and his final hours and even though it is such a tragedy, I have faith that God was with him and understood his pain in ways that we as his children could never have comprehended. I believe that my dad is in Heaven-and I believe that because I know that God is merciful and that he loves my dad more than anybody here on earth ever could have.” -Betty Humphrey

Everyone has experienced a loss of someone they love whether it is by the death of a relationship or the death of an individual. We process loss by reflecting it inward and convicting ourselves of somehow bringing about that loss. Grief is a natural process and there are varying stages but at the end of that period of processing, we have to be willing to let the experience go. This doesn’t mean that we don’t still miss our loved one-it just means that we let go of the idea that we could have done anything differently at that time.

I am a firm believer in this and I have said so many times in my work-people do not consciously make bad decisions. Everyone always does the very best they can in every situation with the information that they have available to them at that time. It doesn’t do any good to live a backwards life where you are always focused on things you could have done differently. If you could have done something differently at that time then you would have-end of story.

All of our actions are not perfect, of course because we are imperfect beings. Our only claim to perfection is the light of our creator when it shines out from our hearts and illuminates the faces of the people in our lives. Living in the past doesn’t allow you to reflect God’s perfect love in your life and no matter how much time you spend looking backwards, nothing about the past can ever be changed. This is a trick of the enemy that is designed to keep you in guilt and cloak you in the darkness of regret.

When you feel convicted for something you have done or said that you know wasn’t right, confess it to God and ask Him to free you from it. He will show you the way out of that dark place. Leave your guilt with Him. He is the Light of transformation that will lead you into the places where His light can shine upon the faces of the children He so dearly loves-and He will shine that light through YOU.

There IS healing for your life...

All of us have experienced betrayal, hurt and loss in our lives.  It is part of existing on a planet with other individuals who are in constant battles with their egos just like we are.  Some losses and disappointments warrant a fast recovery and leave minimal damage, others cut us to the core and break our hearts, spirits and even our lives-if we cannot find forgiveness.

I suppose the greatest opposition to forgiveness is indeed the ego.  The ego wants to be lifted up and bowed down to reverentially.  If we are allowing our ego to dominate our lives, then we will have a much more difficult time forgiving others.  In order to thwart the ego, a stronger power must be the active and leading force in our lives.  I believe that when our spirit is the guiding and directional force from which we live, forgiveness is a more natural process. 

The spirit doesn’t hold onto grudges and old pain-it is built to understand and respect that we are all equal to one another and that we all face the same challenges and shortcomings in life.  The ego however, is built to dominate and to force surrender by all other opposition because its intention is to feed the flesh.  Therefore, the ego filters through the events in our lives and pays little attention to the good things others do for us-but holds on relentlessly to the injustices that take place in our lives.  The ego grows and builds upon those things, making them large enough to disrupt our emotions and cloud our decisions.  This sabotages every good thing that God has planned for us.

Honestly, if you have stumbled upon this and you are living through the ego-you are going to want strongly to close your browser.  The ego doesn’t want competition-it doesn’t even want you to know that it is in control.  It seeks to fool you by stirring up emotions that are negatively charged and then, like a child during a tantrum-seeks to get its way by reminding you of how much has been taken from you and how terribly wrong others have been to ever DARE to cause you pain.  The ego seeks to cause you to believe that revenge is right and justified.  It seeks to forward its agenda by fooling you into submission through emotions such as anger and jealousy. 

If you will call out the ego and define it for what it is and what it is doing in your life right now-it will diminish, because it cannot stand in the light of truth.  Let’s do a little exercise.  Think about a person whom you are not fond of because of something they did or said to you or about you that hurt your feelings.  Think of the worst betrayal you have ever experienced in your life.  Take a moment and reflect on that person and the feelings.  Now imagine that person happy, healthy and having everything that he or she ever dreamed of-some of which was purchased at your expense.  What do you feel?  Are you feeling irritated? Angry? Jealous?  Does some part of you feel the need to knock them off of the pedestal you are imagining them perched upon? 

That is ego.  Call it what it is-it is your ego seeking vindication for a wrong that you have suffered so that it can feed your flesh and rule your emotions.  It wants to stay in control.  Now, tell your ego (which is demanding by now that you shut your browser) to be quiet and I want you to turn to your spirit.  There is a soft energy just below your heart in the top of your belly that you can tangibly FEEL as a warmth when you seek to access your spirit and it has great healing potential for your life.   In order to access this healing part of yourself you have to put aside every negative emotion and allow your spirit to speak to you.

You see, your spirit is the part of you that God will work through to heal your life when you refuse to let the ego control you any longer.  You will begin to feel a softening toward that person that you were so angry with a few moments ago.  You will begin to remember things about that person’s life that caused THEM pain and you will begin to understand that even though it isn’t okay that you got hurt, it is important that you let go of that hurt. 

Maybe your anger and resentment are directed toward YOURSELF and your own past actions.  If that is the case, then you will be comforted in knowing that all of those old things have been washed away and that you are a new creation.  None of the imagined damage and pain are left from those old destructive patterns, that is unless you are holding onto them.  Softness in the spirit seeks to forgive your past indiscretions and heal those old wounds by helping you to embrace forgiveness of yourself and a gentle understanding that who and where you were then is an entirely different person and place than who and where you are now.

Surrendering our pain to God is a transformational action that reaps healing and growth in our lives and helps us to forgive EFFECTIVELY.  Putting all of these things that have broken us down in the palm of the hand of the almighty gives us freedom from reliving the pain through old emotional wounds as time goes on.  If we choose to keep even a fragment of the pain we have been through, we are keeping that seed of discouragement, abandonment and failure in the fertile soil of our lives and it will grow.  We don’t always see the current circumstances in our lives as having anything to do with any grudges or unforgiveness we are harboring, but the truth is that the roots of resentment grow deep and they choke out every good seed that could spring forth an abundance of good things in our lives.

Ultimately it is our choice whether or not we hold onto pain.  God is asking us to give that to Him.  He wants to carry our burdens and help us to  find fulfillment and joy in our lives.  God never created one individual that he did not have a dream and a purpose for.  What was he purposing when he formed you in your mother’s womb?  I can tell you this, whatever He imagined for you in that moment of your creation is greater and more beautiful than anything you could ever dream for yourself.  He can help you realize that purpose in your life, but only if you are willing to trust Him and surrender to Him your painful past.  He is the judge and all things will be made right in HIS timing. 

We spend too much of OUR time making ourselves the focal point of every disruption in life.  We never stop to think that most of the time when we are hurt by someone’s actions, it isn’t deliberate.  We all make the best decisions we can with the information we have available in every set of circumstances.  It is the emotional storms that cause low visibility that lead us to hurt ourselves and others by our choices.  So many times in life we are simply caught in the crossfire of someone else’s battle with their own ego-or are engaged in a battle with our own.  Seeing events in the light of this truth is healing in and of itself.

Aren’t you tired of feeling angry, guilty, sad and lost?  There is hope and help and love that far outweighs the circumstances in your life and it is available now.  God loves you dearly.  You are the apple of his eye and he is waiting and anticipating the day when you will turn away from your pain and throw yourself into his arms so he can help you.  Is today that day?

Have you read Kinetic Forgiveness?  If not, you can get your copy here.  A Kindle version is also available.

What I Learned from A Bee....

My story of the day…..

THE BEE

I got up this morning and piddled around the house doing Sunday morning things for a little while before realizing that I would need to go to the store.  I drove into town and picked up all of the things on my list and headed back home.  It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining brilliantly with a warm breeze blowing so I rolled my window down.  About two thirds of the way home I felt a distinct thud against my cheekbone as a yellow jacket was blown into the truck.  I looked in the side view mirror of the truck and leaned out and could see him hanging onto my hair with all of his little legs.  Hello adrenaline.  I couldn’t very well stop the truck and beat my head on the steering wheel until the bee was  either freed or killed, so I continued driving-keeping a watch on him still hanging in my hair.  I tried fluffing my hair into the wind by hanging my head partially out of the window as I speeded up-but that only twisted my hair and the bee became lost in the tangles.  Crap! Now what?  All of the way home I imagined that this bee was slowly inching his way upwards along that lock of hair and that he was going to sting me.  Nonetheless, I did not panic, I just worried and drove quickly with my head hanging out the window.  I’m sure that was quite a sight for all of the cars I was meeting on that road.  Finally, the road narrowed into the long country stretch that would lead me home.  I had to slow down because it is mountainous and winding.  But I didn’t like that.  I kept peering at my hair in the reflection of my side view mirror trying to catch a glimpse of that stupid bee that I was sure was very angry by now, and probably just coming to after his impact with the side of my face earlier.  I couldn’t see him, but I could see the tangle where I imagined that he was caught up.  After a few tense minutes I made it home and careened down my driveway.  I slammed on the brakes and threw the truck in first gear and literally leapt out the door.  I did a fervent speed walk from the driveway into the house with my head dangling to the left to try to keep the bee that I was convinced was planning to sting me from getting further toward my face.  I yelled for help and help came quickly to assist in de-beeing my long hair.  However; there was no bee found.  I know he WAS in there when I first looked out the window into the side view mirror, but apparently one of the gusts of wind had sucked him out the window without me knowing.  I brushed my hair like a madwoman, thinking that I was going to dislodge this little kamikaze with malicious intent from my tangled locks, but after brushing  revealed no bee-I just had to kind of laugh at myself a little bit.

And then, God spoke to me and he said you know how you got all upset over that bee and you were sure it would sting you even when you couldn’t see it, you just KNEW it was going to somehow get you?  Well, the bee and the danger was gone-taken care of but you were still reacting to that fear and the belief that you were in danger.  I began to see that it’s like that with other dangers in our lives, too.  We see a perceived danger and we are immediately convinced that it’s got us by the leg-when, in fact it could have already been taken care of.  I guess God was trying to teach me to relax a little and stop reacting so much to my perception of danger and trust him to get the bee out of my hair, so to speak.  I don’t know if this helps anybody else or not, but the next time a large yellow jacket is sucked into your vehicle and becomes lodged in your hair, I hope you will think about this lesson in fear.  I reacted all the way home to this bee in my hair, when obviously he had been sucked back out the window a long time before I got to the driveway.  This made me realize that we also continue reacting in fear based ways to things that have already been resolved in our lives-keeping that adrenaline and all of those stress hormones pumping through our bloodstream.  This was a lesson to me to trust God with those dangers that I fear but can’t see so that I can have the peace that He intended for me.  I hope you will enjoy the peace that He has intended for you, as well.  May God Bless You & Keep You In All Ways.

KINETIC FORGIVENESS**AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON**

From Kinetic Forgiveness by Betty J. Humphrey

We are living in the age of discovery, not only of our ancient ancestry, but of inborn wisdom, long forgotten.Today, in this moment knowledge is flowing into our creative consciousness, allowing us to see past what is tangible.We are born to create and manifest.The secret energies that our creator buried within the constructs of our minds is now coming into the light.It is now time to awaken to the wisdom that is before us.
This kinetic force of wisdom is seeking to teach us how to use those most intimate parts of ourselves which are created in the image of God in order to create within ourselves what is good, what is right, what is eternal.We are called into creation so that we may create in our own hearts and lives what is Luminescent and Radiant Love.We are being called out of an age of dormant resources into the Dawning of New Enlightenment.God is opening our eyes to what has been long hidden from us.It is now our responsibility to reach out and take hold of that knowledge and to follow it.Happiness is alive. Forgiveness is alive.Peace is alive.All of these energies are sentient and kinetic.

What is Kinetic Forgiveness™
Kinetic Forgiveness™ is a cultivated state of awareness that is useful in the releasement of negative patterns of behavior and thought. By tracing current patterns backwards to the point of origin and examining the underlying stagnation of energy, the block can be successfully removed. This technique will allow one to heal continually in an ongoing basis. It will assist in removal of negative mindsets that have evolved into destructive patterns which often derail relationships, damage self-esteem and cost valuable opportunities.
The Health of the Mind and Spirit are played out on the canvas of everyday life. Negative mindsets can undermine and destroy relationships, opportunities and the health of the body. Without the Body, the Spirit has no home. Use this powerful teaching to move forward in YOUR LIFE today! Kinetic Forgiveness™
This Book will help you learn how to Cultivate Peace in your life. And together, peace and forgiveness create health.
What is Peace anyway? I mean, we all (collectively as human beings) generally agree that out of all of the things we can seek to possess in this world, peace stands out at the forefront of all desires. But can we define it? You see, I believe that if we go a little deeper we will find that the definition of Peace is illusive when we try to fit it into the conceptual mold that we have been taught to view it in.
Peace isn't the absence of conflict. Just like the absence of hatred doesn't indicate love--neither does the absence of conflict indicate peace. Peace is sentient and energetic. It has its own intrinsic gifts when we learn to allow it to expand and unfold within us.
Until we learn to embrace what peace really is, we will never be fully able to embrace the energies it carries with it-and the total transformation that it creates within our lives. Forgiveness and Peace are two intelligent energies that work together in a synergistic way to connect us to the wellspring of positive manifestation.

I believe that the first step to embracing the true embodiment of peace within our lives is to refrain from playing the labels game. We stop labeling good, bad, ugly-etc. We begin to allow information to FLOW instead of damming it up by creating strong negative emotional connections to it. The negative emotional connections that are established through judgment only serve to act as a funnel that directs that negative information AND it's negative emotional counterparts directly into our lives & our bodies where it creates discord, unhappiness and disease.

Letting Go In The Storm

The storms of life surely come and some of them tear through our lives like tornadoes, uprooting everything in their path.  God does not allow these things to come upon us in order to beat us down or invoke submission.  He allows us to experience the storms because they build our faith and our reliance upon Him. 

Earlier this week I woke up to a morning filled with terrifying heart palpitations and a racing heartbeat which sent me off to the ER.  They told me that I was suffering with something called atrial fibrillation.  After many blood tests, a chest x-ray and a catscan of my lungs I was given one final dose of the medication which was intended to fix my situation.  It did not work.  The doctor came into the room and smiled at me and said "you know what this means, right?"  "I said yes, you have to shock me."  A flood of nurses and medical students came rushing into the room to watch the procedure.  I was so afraid.  The nurse had told me that it was going to be painful and would feel like I'd been kicked in the chest by a mule.  They gave me a narcotic pain reliever in my IV and prepared me for the shock.  Everything moved in slow motion as I closed my eyes and heard the doctor say "clear".  Immediately I heard a gunshot go off in my head and my body was jerked upward.  My jaw slammed shut with dynamic force, so hard I was sure that it had broken my teeth.  In another second, it was over and my body was released from the electric shock and I relaxed back onto the bed.  When I looked up, I saw everyone looking at my monitor.  Praise God, the treatment had worked! My irregular heartbeat had become regular and had slowed to a normal pace.  I immediately felt better.  They ran another EKG scan and the doctor came in and said that it was completely normal and he was going to release me to go home.  By this time, my sister and brother were there along with my daughter and her dad, who had taken me to the ER and had been with me the entire time. 

When I think about sitting quietly through the storm I realize that I was doing just that on that day.  I was in the midst of a situation that was terrifying, painful and uncertain.  I prayed as I endured each moment and each level of fear that God would give me the strength to withstand it and that He would heal me.  And He did!  Even though I was afraid I did not feel alone, which is what I have come to understand has been the same through every traumatic event I have experienced in my life.  I have learned that He is always there no matter how terrible the storm feels.  I have also learned that storms pass.  What seems like forever in the moment really isn't forever at all.  I am very grateful that He was there to comfort me in those moments of fear and panic.  I know that He has been there through all of the storms that I have weathered in my life during seasons of loss and upheaval, as well as joy and growth.

I know that it's difficult to become still in the storm, but God's promises tell us that if we can do that and use our faith in Him and allow that faith to grow and to reach out toward Him, no matter what our storm is tossing around above our heads or how much debris is flying....He will bring us through to the end of the storm and a sunny day again.  Thank you for reading & may God bless you in all ways.

So Many New Things Going On!

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to say to you all that I pray your day is full of joy and that you will take the time to recognize just how truly blessed your life is.  Think of all of the people that you dearly love, furry people included.  Take a moment and just thank God that you have them in your life today.  Practicing gratitude lifts your vibrational level and changes your body chemistry. 

For anybody who is interested, here are some links I hope you will find enjoyable.  The first is for my Art Dolls.  Stop in and check out the pictures and let me know what you think!  The second is just my random thoughts page....and it will most likely be very random, lol.  This will be where I will post updates about my writing projects and anything else that pops into my head.


http://mylilsmooskinz.blogspot.com/p/sculpts-to-choose-from.html
http://bettyhumphrey/blogspot.com

Thanks for looking!

LET'S STOP JUDGING ALREADY-GOD HAS A HANDLE ON IT!

GETTING OVER OURSELVES

There is absolutely no way in the world that you can convince one individual that their way of looking at a situation is not THE only viewpoint there is-or at least the only CORRECT viewpoint, anyway.  I have come to realize that as a Christian woman, I have to get over myself quite a bit in an ongoing basis if I am to be useful in God’s Kingdom at all.  Little things trip us up.  We read the bible and we KNOW what it says IS truth-but sometimes we just plainly forget the rest of the instruction which is DO NOT JUDGE.  It’s difficult not to judge!  Man is it ever!  We, as human beings have something to say about everything we witness.  We tote around canisters with huge labels on them and one by one we dissect and pick up pieces of the world and place them into these containers and we think we’re right.  But we’re not.  We’re not even close.  If we can somehow manage to keep our heads out where the sun can beam down upon them long enough, then God will show us HIS viewpoint on situations.  This is where we will actually become useful as a tool to bring others to Christ.

So long as we are running about on the planet judging and condemning others in the name of God-we are doing a disservice to His kingdom which I believe we will all have to answer for one day.  Jesus didn’t come so we could have a soapbox to stand on.  He came so that we can ALL have life and have it everlasting.  That includes rapists, adulterers, prostitutes, killers, liars and any other group you can possibly think of in which to stuff an individual.  Just because we sit in church doesn’t mean we are one inch closer to the Grace of God than someone else who perhaps isn’t in church at all.  It’s time to wake up and get over ourselves already.  Instead of spending all of our time being offended and opinionated about every bit of information that flows through our consciousness-let’s try this.  Let’s just be quiet, show love and let God do His job.  He doesn’t need us to tell others when they are wrong.  He needs us to break the bondage of those who are lost by showing them His Love for them!  I believe that Christians behaviors in the world today are achieving more in the way of filling the vacancies in hell with lost souls than all of the devil’s henchmen put together because we refuse to accept and love others in spite of their actions.  What if God was like that?  What if He didn’t accept you?  Certainly you are no more perfect than I or anyone else roaming around the planet.  What if He behaved toward US the way WE behave toward others?!  Talk about a scary thought, huh? 

Think about it.  Who is signing your payroll-spiritually I mean, if you are running around condemning actions that you don’t agree on.  “But it’s based on biblical truths.”  Yes it is.  Some things are wrong.  A lot of things are wrong-but who are we to judge?  Who are we to judge a homosexual for their actions?  Do you not have an addict, an unwed mother or an adulterer in your family that you love?  Come on, resist the urge to be offended and grasp this.  No matter who we are or how often we are in church or how many congregations we speak to in a year’s time-we are no better or closer to God’s Love than one that is lost in the depths of their own destruction.  In fact, we are equal to every other human being that has ever been born to walk upon the earth.  The difference is that we know God’s Love and it is now our responsibility to share that with every other person we possibly can.  Are you doing your part?  Am I doing mine?  How is that for a realization?

Every time I am tempted to feel negatively toward a person because of their actions, I am reminded that it is going to be terribly difficult to explain that behavior to the Living God when there is NO explanation.  God does not make mistakes.  You are not a mistake, I am not a mistake-and neither is anybody else.  In my small town of Elkton, Virginia I am ashamed to say are a dumptruck load of Christian Judges who wave bibles and sling condemnation in the name of God toward people who are caught in a life of homosexuality.  And yet I would be very surprised if I witnessed them going home and slinging the same condemnation upon themselves when they practice sin by watching unsuitable television programs or filling their bellies to overflowing at the local IHOP.  Nor would I expect to find any of them on their soapbox when it comes to their sons and daughters who manufacture and sell methamphetamines or give birth to fatherless children that they then neglect to care for.  I am not a perfect creature, myself.  Surely I have done many things that could have and would have sent my soul spiraling into hell had I not found the Love of God in my life.  That love is what changes people.  That love is what changes the heart and the nature of the person.  Then, and only then can the actions of the person change.  If you want to serve God-show his children you love them, more importantly-show His children that HE loves them.  Stop being a pawn of the devil and start being an advocate for Christ.

Keeping Forgiveness Alive

Kinetic Forgiveness, I have come to realize IS ongoing healing in our lives that we effectively CHOOSE to experience every single day by staying in the practice.

Last week, a colleague came to me and mentioned the name of an individual who, in the past had caused emotional, financial and physical turmoil for me in my life.  This person is someone who I truly believed that I had forgiven.  I felt forgiveness, I experienced emotional release from the event that took place and I held no animosity toward her-FOR A TIME.

When I heard her name-and of her assumed victorious living (at what I consider to be MY expense)-it really upset me.  Not specifically because she is doing well, but because she apparently had chosen to express negative feelings toward myself and the people that I work with every day.  I realized in about two seconds how far from forgiving her I now had become.  I felt offended.

Feeling offended is the first sign that forgiveness has slid backwards toward resentment.  I had not practiced ongoing kinetic forgiveness in this area with this individual-and I realized that there is another dimension to the concept of kinetic forgiveness that goes much deeper than even I-the author-understood.  Being vigilant about removing negativity toward others who have caused hurt in some way is essential and you have to be careful to practice it daily.

Satan uses resentments and memories of past hurts to steal our joy and to rob from us the peace of this moment that is given to us to enjoy and to live in the light of God's Love.  He is the silent thief who tries to steal the forgiveness from your heart and spirit and does his best to plant those seeds of resentment back in our hearts and minds.  I have come to understand that to experience Kinetic Forgiveness as a human being-we have to stay in prayer constantly and we have to keep a watch on what is just beneath the surface of our memory and emotional border.

And so, I have begun once again to walk with God in forgiving this individual and letting go of the hurt that had left so many tiny seeds of resentment in my heart and spirit.  I want to have the freedom of joy and happiness.  I want to have the healing in my mind, body and spirit that comes along with practicing Kinetic Forgiveness and I don't care how many days a week I have to be on my knees asking God to help me see her as He sees her-I will do it.  I will do it until all of the old wounds have healed within me and there is not one thing that the enemy can use to bring back a spirit of resentment within me toward her.

She is a child of God just like I am.  My sins are no less offensive to Him than hers are.  I am no better and She is no less.  We are equal.  We are even in God's eyes and the thing that I have to remember and be consistent to remind myself of is this:  It doesn't matter what the actions of another person brought about in my life.  God is the great equalizer and He will lift me to the level that is in His will for me.

What do you think? Do you have a person in your life that you secretly are still irritated with?  Maybe you are witholding forgiveness from them and you haven't yet become aware of it-like me.  If you are-I pray that you will find truth and healing in Kinetic Forgiveness.

From My Personal Collection

 I AM DEFIANT

I am defiant.  I am defiant of the waves of oppression that continually knock me to my knees.  I am defiant of the hoards of critics who say “you cannot”.  I stand and face the wind as opposed to buckling beneath it.  I do this not of my own power-but because He that is within me is Greater than He who is in the world. 

The power I have to stand is given to me by my Father in Heaven.  And if He says, "stand child-you will not fall.  Walk child, you will not stumble.  Rest child, I will not forsake you,"  then I will take those words into my heart and I will move as He instructs.  For I know the greatest secret of all.  He that has created me has certainly dreamed better and more wondrous paths for me in His heart than I shall ever find the power to create within my own. 

And so I will trust His voice and I will follow His words and I will watch as the chains that have bound me for so long are shattered and cast aside.  I will be ever humbled by His gracious love for me and the Glory of His name will shine forth for all to bear witness.  For the greatest freedom in life is to give oneself fully and completely as we surrender ourselves into the perfect Love of God. 

In this life, we become vessels of our own creation.  But, I say it is better to soften our hardened hearts and minds, to become once again the clay-soft and pliable, gentle and accepting.  And to humbly place all that we are in the powerful palm of His hand in order that we may become a changed creature. 

Blessed are we that are taken apart from the world.  We who are molded, sculpted, created and perfectly placed upon the earth by the Hand of He who has endeavored to create the world and then to love it and all of those in it, despite the sad perplexity of our strong and continual resistance. 

His heart teaches perfect love, His mind teaches perfect thoughts and His hand directs our feet upon paths made perfect by the completeness of His great plan for our lives.  This miraculous transformation becomes the sole act of surrendering into the Greatness of God - taking in every breath in waves of  the heightened expectation of His next awesome gift as we learn to give back unto Him more of the Love that He has so freely given to all of us.

Always Remember...

ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS:


Some people will slam the door shut in your face. God will open a better one. Some people will talk badly about you behind your back. God doesn't care what they think-neither should you. People will knock you down in order to raise themselves up. God will reach down and pick you back up. People will tell you that your dreams are out of reach when they don't have the courage to follow their own. God will laugh as He proves to the world that with Him-All things ARE possible!

Have You Really Forgiven Your Enemy?

Of course, we all like to believe that we have become pros at forgiving the actions of others.  Either that, or we are proud of how tightly we can cling to resentments and how much we are certain that our refusal to forgive a certain situation will make that person miserable.  We don't often stop and consider what is the absolute truth in these actions.

The absolute truth is that in order for US to receive forgiveness of OUR shortcomings--we MUST forgive ALL others for THEIRS.  And it doesn't matter the offense against us.  Small inconveniences are much easier to forgive than large catastrophic events-so when we begin our practice of Kinetic Forgiveness, it is always a good idea to start with the smaller things and work our way up.  Once we have grasped the wondrous concept of Freedom Through Forgiveness-we will get ourselves out of the choppy waters of resentment and anger and we will begin to sail much more smoothly through our lives.

One of the important things to remember in Learning to Forgive Like God is that WE have memories of the offense-and God does not.  This doesn't mean that we should block the memories of the event we are forgiving from our mind, that will only harbor infectious wounds and allow tiny micro-grudges to block healing.  Instead, we must use these memories as gauges to test our forgiveness levels on a consistent basis.  After all, removing the emotional element from the memory is what creates Forgiveness in a Kinetic capacity.

As you move through your practice of Kinetic Forgiveness-you must often reflect backwards (which is opposite of what most techniques teach, I know)--but this is the way to keep the forgiveness alive.  You must practice detaching the emotion from the memory conciously with God's help daily until the time when you call up the memory and there is no negative emotion that comes up with it.  This is how you KNOW that you have FORGIVEN.  And this WILL happen-but like every other concious practice of self-evolution-IT TAKES TIME AND REPETITION to get it right.

Compassion is at the forefront of every successful forgiveness practice.  Without compassion, you will block God's message to you about how the other person in the situation felt or was going through at the time of the event.  And by blocking that-you block forgiveness.  This is how forgiveness becomes hollow, stagnant and dead-and this is when forgiveness is just dialog in your mind and on your tongue, but has absolutely NO healing power for your life whatsoever.

I am not saying these things to you to bring you down, or to make you feel badly.  I am saying these things because it is the messages given to me by God to bring to his children.  We pray so fervently for healing to take place in our lives-but when He answers us with something new and amazing like the practice of Kinetic Forgiveness, we must listen with our hearts and our ears.

The book, Kinetic Forgiveness is available now on my website and will be coming to Barnes & Noble, etc soon.  Coming soon to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold.  Click HERE to get your copy today.

HAVE YOU REALLY FORGIVEN YOUR ENEMY?  If you become angry, hurt, anxious or troubled when you call up the memory of the event-and that emotion is toward the individual that you believe caused it, then you haven't truly forgiven them and your life is NOT healing from the negative experience.  Find FREEDOM from the pain of resentment today and pick up YOUR copy of Kinetic Forgiveness.  Healing Power is at your fingertips-all you have to do is reach out.

Getting Your Mind Off Autopilot - Reclaiming Your Purpose In Life

Do you ever feel that sense of being disconnected from your own life because the tasks you are required to perform are taking over and stifling your dynamic sense of freedom?  This, I believe happens to most of us when we begin to feel overwhelmed with our daily lives.  The stresses of having to conform to everything that everyone around you desires you to be is daunting.

Realizing that you are dynamic and ever changing is the first step to reclaiming your life.  The second is to do everything-and FEEL everything KINETICALLY.  Love Kinetic, Forgive Kinetic, Dream Kinetic!  Kinetic means in action.  So to experience life kinetically is to take the controls to your day back from the situations around you and live IN the moment, instead of being carried along on the tide of each passing moment as you watch your day drift by-on autopilot.

Everyone's job can become stagnant, no matter what profession you are in-and that will cause your days to drag by.  Consciously offering up the fruit of your work in your job as a service to the Kingdom of God will melt that stagnant feeling and transform it into a living stream of energy that will invigorate you and connect you to your higher purpose.  It will also connect you to God and to others.  You will realize a sense of freedom in your work that maybe you felt long ago, when you first took the position-or first started the company.  The quality of your work will improve because you are presenting it and creating it for a greater cause than that of mediocre repetition. 

When you are living and working in this manner-other areas in your life cannot help but to be affected.  And like a metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, you also will find your wings-and those wings will carry you higher and higher and closer and closer to your greatest destiny and the reason  that God created you ON PURPOSE.

Allowing Transformation by Using Your Gifts

Change is a frightening thing-definitely to some more than to others.  It is vital, however that we allow ourselves to change and to grow in order to become all that we are intended to be.  We grow as individuals through struggles and difficult times in life-and we celebrate our victories upon the tops of the mountains we have climbed.

God is with us in the valleys and on the peaks.  He is by our sides when we are feeling crushed by the weight of the world and He is standing on the top of the mountain as we breathe in the feeling of victory.  If we can remember this and allow ourselves to trust in His timing and His judgment for our lives-we will find ourselves being able to climb much quicker and stumble much less often.

The person we are when we begin our journey in life bears little resemblence to who we have become as our life unfolds and we meet the challenges of the ever mounting responsiblities of the dynamics of life.  We are matured and polished by the "rough spots" in life and we are sculpted lovingly into the creation that He envisioned at the moment of our conception.

The gifts we have are to help others--and our lives will feel much happier and lighter to us when we use them for that purpose.  I am a massage therapist and I have to tell you, I absolutely love my profession.  I feel God's love for the people I connect with every day.  I can see their struggles through the impact that stresses have had upon their bodies and I can hear the exasperation in their voices when they share with me stories of their lives.  And when I begin to work on a client-I can feel the rushing surge of the power of God's love as it flows through me and into the person on my table.  I trust that feeling that my client is receiving healing-not from me, but from God in their bodies and spirits through the gift of massage that I have been given.  Not a day goes by that I do not thank Him for the precious gift of allowing me to touch His children with healing love as I raise them up before Him in prayer as I perform my massage.  It is a precious thing to me-to have received the Grace of God and to feel His presence so powerfully radiant as He lays His hands upon mine, guiding me to the areas of his children that are in need of healing.

The Art of Error ~ The Path of Healing

Look around yourself right now, wherever you are.....what do you see?  In most cases, you will see at least one other person, in some cases you will see a crowd of people.  Every person you see around you has committed an error at some point in their lives that has "set them back"-even if it's just in their own mind.  We are not a perfect creature-and we humans, as a rule make many mistakes in the course of a lifetime.  We are always in pursuit of a goal that we hold fixed in our mind-how we get to that goal provides a myriad of choices and paths. 

Some of them are not smooth.  Some of these paths actually lead to dead end walls that prevent you from even glimpsing your original intent.  Some of them are long and arduous, but over time will spit you out at the feet of your dreams (although not in great condition from the trip!)  Still others are available which in the beginning didn't look like a good path to get to the goal-but perhaps we chose it because we were electing against the more painful looking path. 

Maybe the one you chose was right in God's eyes, but you fear that it will never end up bringing you to the feet of your dreams.  Still, it was the right path among the ones you had choices to take, so you are on it now with your dreams still out there somewhere in the fog.

God wants us to know that He appreciates our faith in Him when we are choosing a path to lead us to a goal we have in our life.  He will honor that faith with His guidance, protection and the assurance that He wants better things for us than we even know HOW to want for ourselves!

So many times, when we have taken the thorny path that looked like the shortest route to our goal, we will look up and see our dream right there-in huge display in front of us....but we can't get to it on that path because of the wall of thorns that would tear us to bits that lay between us and our goal.  When we chose that path, we didn't see that huge wall of thorns-and now it's just too late.  So, sadly we turn back and walk the other way feeling like the mistakes we made in taking this rotten path have surely eliminated any chance we ever had of getting to our goal. 

But here is the miracle!  No matter how you got on the path you are on-and no matter what may lie hidden in the shadows waiting to devour you as the sun sets on your dreams still in the distance-God will rescue you.  If you stop, look up and ask Him-you will see that a different path will open up for you and He will guide your feet so that you don't stumble in the darkness.  And when the dawning sun once again arises in your life as you're holding onto His hand and walking along this path--you will look up and see something before you that is even greater than that which you had envisioned for yourself!

Remember, it's never too late to ask God for a change of direction.  Tell Him what you want and need in your life.  He CARES about those things, too!  He loves you so much!  And even when you have no idea He is there-in your darkest hours.....the ones that leave you wounded and lost before you can even look up to seek Him.....He is there.  He is watching as you suffer....and the tears of his broken heart are sliding down his face as He waits for you to call out to Him.  He longs to reach down and comfort you-to pick you up and heal your wounds. 

His heart breaks for us every day because of our lostness in the Valleys of Darkness in the foothills beneath the Devil's Palace as we are led away into the night by greed and fear (which are the Devil's Handmaidens).  He is there beside us in our suffering, even when the pain prevents us from seeing Him.  And He is waiting for us, as a mother waits beside her baby who is learning how to walk--as he falls down again and again...waiting for the moment when we will call out to Him for help....like the baby cries out and lifts his arms into the air to be picked up.  And just like a mother picks up her baby from the floor where he has fallen, God will pick us up from the place we have stumbled and He will give us rest from the pain of our failed attempts at greatness.  And then, when we realize the truth-and when we allow Him to.....He will map out a path of Greatness in our lives for us to follow.  And our path then, will never go near to the Devil's Palace again.  As for his handmaidens, Greed and Fear.....they may linger on the path to distract us, but if we keep looking ahead to God-we will get to see our lives opening up in a magnificent display of Glory to God that will bring us the ultimate happiness of being in service and in His perfect will.

Just as that little baby who is learning how to walk looks ahead to his mother who is clapping and holding her arms out in laughter and joy for him as he picks up speed and dashes toward her in a straight line on little legs that have barely become stable....we must always look to God as our ultimate goal.  To be more like Him, is to live the vision He held in His heart when He made man.....and in that place, we are safe beneath the wings of His perfect Grace.

Healing From Within

One of the most frequent questions I hear is "How can I speed up the healing process?"  It's difficult to be suffering painful effects of a trauma such as a breakup, the loss of a loved one or a financial loss and not become bogged down by all of the hurt.

We must remember that even in the darkest of storms, there is a calm within us-a lighthouse, that God has placed within each of us that will show you the place of peace when you are being tossed about in the throes of a trauma.  That place is always there-it is always available and that light will always lead you inward, toward God when you seek to find it.

God understands that traumatic events that happen in our lives cause disruption within and throughout all of our bodies and minds.  It can shake our spirit from its firm foundation, if we allow it.  Remembering that God is all powerful-and nothing upon this earth can overcome Him is a good first step toward peace.

When we seek things like approval from others, material things and even the numbing effects of a narcotic for emotional pain-we are simply putting a bandaid on our wound.  But that bandaid isn't keeping contaminants out-it is breeding toxic denial which will cause our problems to grow and expand.  Healing doesn't come from outside things-it comes from the inside.  It comes from within us-It comes from God.  And that is where He is--WITHIN US--

......And He is always seeking to carry our burdens, ease our pain and smooth out the pathways we tread with our tender, broken feet.  There is no end to His Love-There is no pain that He cannot take away and there is Nothing that this world strikes upon us that He cannot lift.

He wants us to recognize that He is not an outside source of comfort that we must drive to a church to receive.  He wants to remind us that He is within us-each of us.  And His loving grace is sufficient for any and all pain we are stumbling through in our lives.  Healing from within is profound-and it is God that is providing the healing even during the pain of the storm.

Don't turn to outside remedies when your heart is broken-turn inward and move toward that Great Lighthouse that is always glowing with love.  You will find that not only are you moving toward Him--He is also moving toward You.

When You Feel Sad....

When you feel kinda down, it's important to try not to lose sight of the bigger picture in your life.  Circumstances are fluid and they change rapidly and sometimes not in the direction that you'd have them go.  Still, we have to find within ourselves the power to accept that which we cannot change--but to take ACTION to change those things which we DO have control over.

It seems that emotional turbulences such as sadness, guilt and a sense of loss are crippling and it's hard to find the strength to lift these lower energies upward toward change.  Remembering that we are the artists of our own creation in life is step number one to moving this energy.

Denial of these emotions don't work-and they only grow stronger with the act of suppression keeping them down.  Instead, we must learn to acknowledge what our emotions are reflecting to us and then to let that go.  Let it flow freely through and around you until the energy begins to dissipate.  Then, take hold of everything that is in your life that you ARE grateful and happy about.  Begin to sing praises about these things to
God as you pray for your current circumstance to be resolved.

Not only does this action lift you from the lowliness of negative emotions, it also aligns you with the energies of receiving blessings and manifesting things in your life that you truly want.  The first step to receiving more is to be ever thankful for what has already been given to us by God-and to praise Him for taking care of us as we pray in faith that He will be the strength within us that lifts us to higher ground and protects us and keeps us.

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON......

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. -Proverbs 27:17

If we think of our ability to help one another to evolve into that which was God's vision for us at the moment of our creation--it opens the door to deeper reflection.

We can gently keep each other on track by holding one another accountable and reminding one another of God's Love for us and His plan for our lives--this is sharpening, and both parties become better, sharper-more grounded and more focused.

Taking this too far and we whittle away at each other, sanding each other to bits...Too much friction caused by constant judgment, disapproval and criticism of one another will definitely lead to breaking and not sharpening.  Remember, it isn't OUR responsibility to JUDGE--it is OUR responsibility to COMFORT by showing and reflecting the Love of Jesus on our faces and in our Lives.

Being in constant prayer for ourselves and those among us means that we are utilizing our God Given power to change lives and influence greatness in the world.  It's easy to become jaded here on earth.  Especially when we don't get what we want-or when someone doesn't do what we think they should or WE want them to.  It goes one step farther when WE bring God into the picture by painting a picture where ourselves and God are standing together in judgment of someone's actions.  God is the Judge-He doesn't need our help.  And NONE of us are without sin.

I believe that God wants to touch the lives of every person with the tender tips of His fingers-caressing our hearts with His Love, touching our minds with His divine guidance and preparing the way for our feet to travel.  Let us be as the bible says we should-so that our words and actions sharpen one another instead of tearing one another apart.  Let's allow the gentleness of the Heart and Mind of Christ to shine out and be reflected in our lives and echoed off our tongues as we speak His name to those who are lost.

Lost puppies don't always return home and neither do the Lost Children of God......But if we allow God to shine the Light of His face upon ours--then we can move through this life as a lighthouse, a beacon to draw in all who are lost......reuniting our lost brothers and sisters with Our Father......

BE GENTLE-THINK GENTLE

Being gentle is often an overlooked necessity to a happy life.  If we are gentle and we walk in gentleness then the world around us feels a little bit softer.  We are surrounded by things that embrace us back, instead of those that cause abrasions.

In order to walk with gentleness-we have to soften our heart and our mind.  This means that we let go of judging harsh rights and wrongs that are scattered in our paths.  We, instead opt to stay out of that game and leave all of that to God.  In this way, we become more like the "observer" in our world-and observing a situation gives us a cushion of protection against whatever it is that we are "observing" so that we are protected and remain passive and gentle.

What does it bring us to walk in harsh criticisms and judgments all day long?  Besides the throbbing migraine, I mean.  Nothing.  It brings us nothing.  It alienates those who need a shoulder.  It alienates those who need to see a light-because when we walk in judgment and harsh criticisms we are blocking our own light from shining forth into the world.  We are using negativity to darken our lantern-and remember, our lantern not only shows others the light inside of us, but it also lights our path in life.  So, refrain from the judgments and attitudes that block out the light-if not, the path set before your feet will become a winding road that is entangled with jagged briars that you cannot see...all alone in the dark with only your harsh criticisms to guide you.

FORGIVENESS IS A WONDERFUL THING!

FORGIVENESS IS A WONDERFUL THING!  Receiving forgiveness allows us to let go of self hatred and self-limitation.  It gives us the certainty of a better tomorrow and the hope of all things possible.  Giving Forgiveness allows a deeper sense of healing from traumatic past events that can secretly hold us hostage to fears, limiting beliefs and poisonous mindsets.

Remember that the old adage still holds true even in the area of forgiveness:  It is better to give than to receive.  While receiving is important, as well--I believe that GIVING forgiveness is the key that opens the door to TRUE FREEDOM in our lives.  If we are able to let go of anger and resentment, we are so much better able to glide past the obstacles of today and on through the fields of greener pastures tomorrow.

At the same time, if we are denied forgiveness for a shortcoming by someone we have unintentionally (or in some cases, intentionally hurt) this doesn't indicate complete stagnation in our lives.  We can take the first step and graciously and gently forgive ourselves for that offense-while diligently praying for the other person's heart to heal from the trauma.  God allows healing on all levels to occur when we come to Him and ask for it.
I encourage you to spend fifteen minutes with God-ask Him to show you if there is anyone who is hurting because of something you may have said or done.  Ask Him to help you see it and to move forward in your life by acknowledging the offense and by asking the person He points out to you for forgiveness.  Also, tell Him how you are feeling-tell Him how you have been hurt by the actions of another.  Remember, God is
the Great Healer of All Wounds-He is the Changer of Times, He is the Remover of Obstacles and He is the Inner Alchemist of our heart, mind and Spirit.  Allow Him to do a work in you today.  You, the ones you love and all of the earth will benefit from that one simple choice.

I encourage you to read the book that is advertised in this Blog Post-not because I am the author-but because it holds a deep message of forgiveness that I believe will help you in your quest for freedom from past wounds.

May God bless you Today & Always.

Kindness Matters

A few days ago our A/C went out in the house.  Talk about hot!  It has been miserable and the temps have been over 100 each day.  I have a wonderful person in my life who surprised me last evening-not only did he let us borrow a unit he had, but he actually BOUGHT me a brand new one to go along with it!  This amazing act of kindness really made me look at my world differently.

I hadn't asked him to do that.  I hadn't even mentioned anything like that--the thought actually had never occurred to me, but I realized as I was driving home last night that the thought had occurred to God.  Of course, I am thankful to my wonderful friend for doing this-but I'm amazed that God was thinking about my (and my family's) suffering in the heat enough to put it into someon else's heart and mind to do this kindness for us.


I drove home with a very tender heart toward both him and toward God.  But I am in awe of God, because as amazingly divine as our creator is, He looks upon our suffering and He cares.  So the next time you have a feeling or a thought that you should do something uncannily good for someone-act on it!  It is God who is trying to do a good work through you!  And believe me, when you do--you will be showing the recipient of your kindness the Heart of God.  And that's something we all need to see more of in one another.

Letting Go of the Labels...

Learning to let go of the activity of labeling and judgment serves to further us along this path to enlightenment.  In the time that it takes us to attach a judgment or label to a stream of information that we receive, we can decide not to label and to refrain from judgment.  This stops negative emotional attachments from bonding to the information in the first place.  When we simply observe events instead of attaching an emotion to them, we are preventing those events and that information from being deposited into our bodies, minds and chakras.  We are also preventing stress reactions to the emotions that begin to grow as soon as the attachment of the emotion to the information is complete.  In preventing this stress, our bodies become healthier because we are not piling them up with junk, our emotional state is better because we aren’t flooding ourselves with negativity and our chakras are not impacted negatively.  I propose that by learning to consciously remove the emotional component  from any event or information around us, we in essence are prohibiting that event or information from affecting us and we are creating health on all levels of our being.

The biggest difficulty in implementing a non-judgment system within your mind and life is in finding that tiny opportunity between the information and the labeling.  This space is so small, that we really have to look for it and in bigger situations it appears even smaller.  I believe that practicing non-judgment daily on a conscious level will help in this process.  It acts to highlight that tiny space where we can choose non-judgment instead of allowing spontaneous pre-programmed labeling to occur, which then will attach a negative emotion to this information. 

The attachment of emotion to information by labeling/judgment  is what binds us to the past.  It is what binds us to pain.  It is what steals our present moment and robs us of the sensation of freedom.  It is also the creative force which perpetuates the manifestation of similar circumstances in our lives, because it follows the Law of Attraction.  The thought portion of the judgment is relatively minute, however; the emotional constituent becomes viral and intrudes and spreads out, entwining itself into a vast number of other associations in our minds and psyches.  This is an important concept to grasp.