Christmas Eve 2013

While I have had much to do today for various gatherings I am facilitating over the next few weeks, I've also spent some time reflecting and being in gratitude.

When I was a young girl, I remember my mother used to say, "this isn't the world I grew up in". I would laugh and answer her, "oh mom, how different could it be?". Well, now I understand what she was saying. This is NOT the world I grew up in and if she were still here in physical form, I can't imagine what she would say.

Sometimes, I just wish our country could start over. Seems to me much is in need of repair. So much is not working in the way it was intended.  I believe the intentions were good and admirable when our government and leaders implemented some of these programs but they just aren't doing what they were designed to do and I am tired of financing them!

I must admit, it upsets me that social security has been robbed by the leaders of our country and used for everything other than what is was meant to do; why weren't these funds invested and protected? They promised me I'd be taken care of. I paid my money every week for the last 50 years! I will be lucky to collect at all! IF they had to  participate like the rest of Americans, I GUARANTEE the money would have been protected and insured to be available as people age and turn to it for the payouts they were promised.

I am tired of politicians making decisions for me and other Americans which don't apply to them! How dare they vote themselves raises, not participate in social security, work six months of the year and get paid for working more than a year! If they want to cut the debt, I propose they take a pay cut!!

I want to revolt but I am just too tired and weary to do so. I am not 20 anymore. I am concerned about the future and our young people. I am concerned about our dear Mother earth; I am concerned about the creatures Spirit gave us dominion over-- the idea was NOT TO WIPE THEM OUT!

What can I do to change the direction in which we are headed? I pray a lot. I see the good in people, I see God in all form but I also see the facts and I am sad, very sad. I give thanks. I give thanks for all the good we have; I give thanks for all my blessings; I give thanks for the human spirit and its resilience that continues to move forward, in spite of appearances.

I wish each and everyone a bless-ed new year-- one filled with joy, love, peace, beauty and abundance in all areas of your life: health, finances, relationships, careers and living your purpose with passion. I pray that this will be the year of the 100th monkey syndrome-- that there will be a tipping point which sends us in a new direction-- one that is good for all life and our dear planet! Happy new year to you and yours.

Blessings,
Iris

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

As winter blankets our area in a beautiful bounty of soft white snow, I feel blessed. I am home, warm, safe and relaxing. I have fed the birds who are so grateful they are singing on my balcony. I have made some rich hot chocolate and am relishing its warmth and flavor.

The joys of life are readily available and free for all who avail themselves to them. As our year winds down, I have much for which to be grateful. While we have had many challenges this year, most especially my husband's health issues, and the loss of all of our beloved 4-legged children-- our wonderful cats. We mourn the loss of them; we loved them so and they brought so much joy into our lives. Their spirits and our memories of them will always be with us. With all of this year's challenges, we are still here-- together-- and more dedicated to our relationship than ever.

Our anniversary is Christmas Eve. We are planning to spend an evening out to dinner together-- somewhere nice. This is something we have not done in a very long time. It hasn't been in our budget; cancer is expensive but we deserve it and want to celebrate our good. We just found out my husband is currently in remission. I remember a time when we had plenty of income and eating out became so routine, that we missed eating at home! Funny how life unfolds. Now, it's really a treat to go out to eat so we will certainly enjoy it.

Our son is moving across the country. He will only be here a few more weeks. This makes us sad but we understand he is following his bliss and while we will certainly miss him, we are happy for him too. Guess we will all have to learn to use skype!!

I can hardly believe I am the age that I am. I still wonder where all the years have gone. But I am still full of energy, healthy, determined and dedicated to using my life to be in service. This is something I have done since I was a child. My family had strong values and giving and serving were among our lessons learned.

I am so thankful that I never lost my desire to grow, to serve, to move forward on this journey, to stand up for the things which I feel are right and just, and I celebrate and honor YOU. Each one who crosses my path is a teacher and each one is a student, just like me!

Happiest of holy days to all-- come visit us at our spiritual center's new location in Reisterstown in the new year-- we'd love to meet you.

http://www.centercl.org


Blessings to all

Thanksgiving 2013

This year my family will all be together for the holiday. I am so very grateful for this. It's been several years since we have all been together. I am a bit sad as I reflect on the fact that we are the "older generation" now. My mother's siblings are almost all gone and those who are left are not in touch with us. I have reached out many times, but we cannot control how others respond to us.

So, what remains is my immediate family: my sister, brother and me and our spouses, children and grandchildren. I think we have come to a place in our respective lives where we can appreciate and enjoy each other and just let go of anything other than that.

So, I choose a day of love, celebration and joy. In truth, there is nothing else. Thank you God for my family. As the turkey is cooking, today, I feel truly blessed.

I send heartfelt joy to you and yours for a truly wonderful day of love and gratitude.

Rain, Rain & More Rain

For days now, it has been raining-- a constant, steady downpour which has caused flood watches all over the state. People are being warned to be mindful about their travels. Urged to stay out of water if they don't know how deep it is, people avoid listening and drive through the standing water anyway. So, emergency crews are called out to "save" them from their stranded vehicles. Watching some of them on television, they all say the same thing, "I knew I should not have attempted to drive through the water".

We humans get lots of messages, lots of warnings--why is it many times we do not listen? The ego is so strong it often overrides our inner messages that tell us what we should or should not do. Our inner knowing is the voice of Spirit within speaking to us. This is what we need to tap into! When we receive these "messages", we need to open our inner ear and LISTEN. We need to heed the information and act on it. In my experience, when I have received these messages and not acted on them, I have always been sorry because deep down, I knew that I knew better and should have followed that still small voice within.

The answers to all of our conditions/situations, are right where we are. The answers are within us as we are connected to the Intelligence of the Universe. The Power that God is, is right where we are! All we need do is get quiet, still our mind chatter and listen. The answers bubble up from within and when we act on them, we are moving in a divinely guided way.

I have learned to listen. I am always grateful when I do. For today, I just say thank you for the rain. It has allowed me to stay inside and get some things done. I say thank you for the rain that I did not have to drive through. I say thank you for the rain because it could have been snow!! LOL--

 

Awareness

The older I get, the more I realize what is truly important on this journey. While I, like many others, love nice THINGS, I reaalize that what is really important are the relationships-- family, friends and strangers alike. We are always bringing into our experiences exactly what is necessary for our soul's evolution.

It never seems to show up exactly the way we think it will.... it usually doesn't. We must remember that!  It may show up as something completely different. It may show up as an experience we'd rather NOT HAVE. Then we have to ask ourselves, what am I to learn from this experience?  Is this situation or person who is in my life pushing my buttons here to give ME an opportunity to ask myself, WHY (is this pushing my buttons)?  What about this situation or person is making me feel this way? Where is my growing edge? Am I willing to see there is some gift in this for me and my growth?

If I can recognize this, my life is always perfect because I know that each and every situation (regardless of what my ego mind tells me) is an opportunity for me to evolve and grow.

I say thank you to the guy who cut me off in traffic; he shows me that there is no rush, there is no hurry. I can just slow down; it's not a race. I can look at my job evaluation (which I thought would be better)  as an opportunity to recognize, I am NOT my job; the evaluation does NOT define who I am.  I am WAY MORE THAN THAT!

I choose to savor each and every moment. This NOW is all there is and I am so grateful to have it. This human experience is filled with so many wonderful experiences.

Today, I choose to live in the moment to moment awareness that my life is unfolding in divine, right order and each experience delivers some morsel of good, for which I can be grateful. And so it is.

It's Up To Me

The more I study and learn, the more I know that everything is up to me! It's all my perceptions. I create my own experiences by the way I view them, by the way I respond in thought, actions, intentions. This human experience is an illusion because each of us decides. Our perceptions create our reality. But my awareness needs to be focused on the WHAT of my life, not the HOW. My attention needs to be on the processes of what I do. The content is much less important than the how I proceed with that which takes place.

My resolution this year is to just continue to be more and more aware of my whats and commit to aligning them with that which I truly desire.

I know I can do this with grace and ease because I am made out of and filled with infinite potential. This potentiality is instilled in me by my creator-- the Universal Source of all life. The Divine Spark of Spirit is within me. Spirit is the ocean; I am the wave. All that is in the ocean is certainly in the wave.

I am grateful for this realization and my ongoing willingness to practice it more fully than ever before. I SAY YES and THANK YOU for this revelation guides my life.