Our Slice of Heaven

This year Frank and I have decided that 2011 is our slice of heaven. How do we experience this? Well, there are several ways. One thing we know for sure (to quote Oprah) is that giving and receiving are the same thing. When we give something away, we do not experience scarcity or loss but rather a feeling that we are gaining something ourselves. It's a win-win situation, (which by the way was our theme for 2010), in which no one ever loses but rather everyone gains. ""Give, and it shall be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall be placed in your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back" ( Luke 6:38). This isn't about money but rather everything in life.



Secondly, we believe in the goodness of God. We do not fear Him, but rather we love Him as He loves us. Because of His Love, we change our negative thoughts to positive ones. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).



Finally, we become more interested in the spiritual plane that the material one. "For in Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). This just means that we become more interested in the things God freely gave us....even the snow, rather than material objects that we cannot take with us. We are grateful every day for our existence.



May 2011 give you a slice of heaven too. God bless!



Love and Light,

Patty

Together We Can

"If the only prayer you say in your entire life is thank You, it will be enough," wrote Eckhart Tolle. Well, I am so grateful today for my health, my family, my friends, and my home. When I think of my spiritual journey, I fill up with gratitude for God's gifts of giving me a wonderful husband, great kids, and good health. I realize that my attitude toward everything in life has affected how I feel today. My inner peace has brought me health. Letting go of fear and worry has brought me healing. I put my life in the hands of God and follow the Holy Spirit's guidance now. I believe in God's goodness to help me reach any goal.

Sparkpeople, a community website for those of us who are trying to live a healthy lifestyle, did a survey which identified people who regularly reached out to other members to encourage them on their journeys towards their goals and found that these people actually had a five to ten percent advantage over the rest.

So, my conclusion is that if we join together in living our best lives yet or in spreading love wherever we go, we will have a higher success rate. This makes me very grateful for YOU. According to Felix Adler, "On the way to the highest goal, I must take my fellow beings with me." Paul said in I Corinthians 3:10, "According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it." So, join me on my journey. Together we can reach our goals.

Light and Love,
Patty

Helping Our Loved Ones Recover

"Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to You; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them" (Psalm 32:6). This is such a comforting verse when you have someone who is recovering from a serious illness or injury. Both of my daughters have been in ICU before so I know the heartache of waiting for someone you dearly love to recover. My mother also just recently recovered from cancer.

When my friend Cat's father was in ICU not long ago, I told her that when he recovers, she will recover too. She agreed and suggested that I write about this.

I decided that out of gratefulness for my daughters' recoveries and Cat's father getting back to his normal life, I would share my experiences. For both Cat and me, prayer was key. We both affirmed positive thoughts and wellness for our loved ones. They remained in our hearts and thoughts at all times.

My daughter Teresa recovered from a pulmonary embolism in the summer of 1995. She had a three-month-old baby at the time. I lived in Nebraska but flew down to Arkansas to be with her through her ordeal. I found that I didn't want to leave her side or leave my baby granddaughter even after she was on her way back to restored health so I moved to Arkansas. The Lord blessed my move by giving me a great teaching job there and allowing me to meet my wonderful husband.

My other daughter Tori was in a serious motorcycle accident in the summer of 2004. She had a five year old daughter at the time. She spent more time in ICU than Teresa. It was Tori's positive attitude that helped her recover. She was an inspiration to me. Her positivity changed my life forever. Ever since then, I have tried to let God give me peace to get through any situation. I have learned the power of staying in the moment so that worry and anxiety would not overcome me.

My friend Cat's father was in ICU with appendicitis. Thankfully, he also is recovering. It has been less than a year since my mother had a good report that she is recovering nicely from the treatments she received to stop her cancer.

I think the one thing that keeps us positive in our prayers for our loved ones is not giving power to the illness or injury. We do not place limits on God's power to heal. This frees us to envision wholeness and wellness for our loved ones. We also have peace of mind because we believe in the goodness of God's Will. We know that our peace cannot be shaken by illness or injury because we have faith in the power of God's LOVE. We are not denying the situation, but we are putting our trust in the Power of God's Goodness.

Here are a few pointers for getting through a crisis. (1) Stay open to friends and family. Many times we feel the need to go it alone, but we need to let people help and support us during this time. (2) We need to be honest about our feelings. We are staying strong for our loved ones who are recovering from illness or injury, but we also need a place to surrender to our emotions and a confidante to listen and encourage us. (3) We need to take care of our own health too. If we want to be there for our loved ones, it's important for us to stay healthy. (4) Whatever our faith is, it can help us get through this situation. (5) We need to be an advocate for our loved one. It's important for us make sure the proper medical care is given to them.

"All things work together for good" (Romans 8:28). "Pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17). Remember that everything happens for a reason. If we just stay present with our loved ones, we will get through this, and so will they.

Love and Light,
Patty