Life's a Beach

All summer long, smiling, cheerful people have been asking me, "So how's your summer going?"  Where do I begin?  Well . . . I'm dripping in sweat 24/7, I'm miserably hot all the time, my kids are driving me nuts, my house is constantly a mess, I have no time to myself whatsoever, and I absolutely HATE not having a set schedule.  That's how my summer is going.  How's yours? (Smile)

This is my annual summer ritual.  I'm 95% miserable for the 100% of the season.  And on top of being miserable, I beat myself up for being miserable.  It's loads of fun.

So the other day, I thought to myself, "There has to be SOMETHING about summer that I like.  I can't STAND to hear myself complaining anymore."  But at first, I couldn't come up with a single thing.   Then it hit me - the beach.  The beach is one thing, maybe the only thing, I like about the summer. I love the ocean breeze.  I love the sound of the waves hitting the sand.  I love the feeling of the sun on my face.  And I love the relaxed feeling that comes with spending a day at the beach. 

So I'm doing an experiment.  Is one positive thought enough to dispel a whole season's worth of negativity?  By just concentrating on my love of the beach, can I turn my "stinkin' thinkin' " around?  Out of the 10 weeks of summer, I generally only spend one week at the beach.  Could I make it a point to add some additional beach trips to my summer calendar?  If I can't spend more time at the beach, can I bring some beach-y elements to my summer days - maybe with beach decor, or by listening sounds of the ocean, or by reading a book that is set near the beach?  Just thinking about the beach lifts my spirits. Even if I did nothing BUT think about the beach, my experience of summer would be more positive.  I believe I may have found the key to happier summers - and, not surprisingly, it begins with my thoughts.

~REBECCA

Seriously, Lighten Up!

I've been out of sync with recent Daily Words like

Joy

Radiant
Expression

Celebration

I haven't been feeling those feelings lately. My days are freed up from the busyness in my life - and that's what I wanted. I wake up in the morning with free time and I intend to make this day count one way or another. At the end of the day, I reflect back on the day. What did I do today that made it count?

Some days it's easy to list a few things:

One day I sewed pillowcases for our two dog beds - the blue denim material and the spool of thread had been sitting upstairs in my sitting room/meditation room for over a year. Then I rode the stationary bike for 30 minutes with two bars of resistance. I began an essay on one of my dad's World War II letters. I read a novel for awhile. I studied July's power of Understanding (I'm a month behind). I played a few of my games on my phone. I had a glass of wine with my husband. We watched some soccer on tv. This was my idea of a good balanced day.

Another day I went to the grocery store for staples like paper towels, cat food, napkins, garbage bags. I rode the stationary bike for 25 minutes (it was hot and boring but I did it anyway). And I continued working on the essay.

Other days I don't feel like I've done anything to make it count. So when the Daily Word last Tuesday was celebration, I couldn't do it. Then I realized I've been putting pressure on myself to make every day count.

The next morning (Wednesday) I woke up with this message from Holy Spirit: Lighten up. Don't take life so seriously - enjoy each moment I'm alive and well. As I left our house to walk our two dogs, I felt the cool breeze and the warm sun on my face; I took a deep breath, threw back my shoulders and felt taller and, yes, lighter.

Looking across our lawn, I saw our sunflowers with their faces turned toward the sun. Goldfinches were perching on the spent flowers to eat their seeds. What on earth else is there to feel but joy at their sight, to celebrate nature in my life, and to express God's radiance through me?? I just need a reminder now and then.

My intention going forward is to be excited to find out how I will make this day count. That turn-around feels so positive.

~ JEAN

Staying in my own Business

Do you ever find yourself having long conversations in your head with another person? Maybe it's to replay a previous conversation. In your head, you know exactly the right response to a slight, an insult or a comment that will SHUT THEM UP FOREVER. Or maybe it's a rehearsal for a future conversation that you know will probably never happen ... but it is so satisfying to figure out ways to say everything exactly right.

I have been having internal conversations with one particular person lately. I'm practicing what I could say to them that is brilliant, clear and will change them into the person I think they should be. I want to set this person straight. I practice what I could say to stop them from getting in my face ever again.

Then I was journaling about the Daily Word meditation on Curiosity in July. The sentence in the meditation that caught my attention was:

"I tap into my curiosity with the intention to explore new perspectives."

Aha, a new perspective. Why does this person behave the way she/he does? I thought: I need help on this. I sat quietly in my chair knowing I didn't have a clue what to do about this.

The message I received was ... Why am I wondering why? I will never know this person's why. In fact it's not important for me to know why. They are just being who they are.

I've been lucky to study Byron Katy's book Loving What Is. In that book she writes: "I can find only three kinds of business in the universe, mine, yours and God's. Much of our stress comes from mentally living out of our own business. Being mentally in your business keeps me from being present in my own... Do I know what's right for me? That is my only business."

Wow, is that freeing! And like the balloons picture, I choose to let all those conversations go.

~ JEAN

Permission to Be Ordinary

Here’s something I’m considering:  what do I have to do to earn God’s love?  I have spent countless hours, days, weeks, years of my life believing and behaving as if there are things I need to do to earn love – from my parents, from my friends, from the world and, I’m realizing, by extension, from God.  Somewhere in my mind, I created an image of the perfect me – one that would be worthy of being loved – and I’ve been chasing that image for my entire life.  I’ve set impossible standards for myself, and since I always seem to fall short of the perfect me I’ve dreamed up, I’ve never really felt like I deserved to be loved and cared for.

I’m still reading Break Out! by Joel Osteen, and there is a chapter in the book entitled “Be Confident in What You Have.”  In this chapter, the author suggests that we stop focusing on what we think we lack – talent, education, personality, whatever – and start focusing on what God has given us as we move forward in the direction of our dreams.  He goes on to say that we don’t have to be extraordinary to experience the fullness God’s love:

“God is not looking for super talented people.  He is looking for ordinary people who will take the limits off Him so He can show His goodness in extraordinary ways. “

“If you’ll be the best you can be right where you are, living with confidence, believing that God is breathing in your direction, then God will do for you what He did for the hungry crowd (in the loaves and fishes story).  He will take the little and He will turn it into much.”

This is an earth-shattering concept for me.  To believe that it’s okay for me to be ordinary - as I am?  To trust that I am enough even if I haven’t achieved the elusive ideals I’ve established for myself?  To allow myself to be loved despite all of my imperfections?    The very idea brings such a sense of relief that it makes me feel weak in the knees.  I’m still trying to digest it. 

Thank you, Joel Osteen, for offering this teaching to me in a language I can understand.  

~REBECCA

My Shift

“Doesn’t back seat driving drive you nuts?” I asked my mom.

“Not really.” She replied. “I appreciate it because they might see something I don’t.”

And with that simple exchange several years ago my attitude began to transform. The wisdom of my mom’s perspective was, I believe, God speaking to me through her.

There are a couple people who are my back seat drivers. Before I had that brief conversation with my mom, I bristled every time one of them told me how to drive. After all I have been driving for over 40 years. Do they think I’m stupid? My defenses erupt. Thinking someone else considers me stupid isn’t pleasant and neither is feeling my defenses erupt.

Wednesday’s Daily Word was Transformed. Here are some parts of the meditation: “I look into my heart to see what I can shift to better align with God…. I affirm: I trust God’s power to renew and change my life. I am transformed in mind, body and spirit. Repeating this statement many times leads me to change the way I think.”

I knew I had made a positive and healthy shift when, this week, my husband and I decided to go see the movie “Mr. Holmes.” I was the driver that day. As I pulled onto Interstate 78, I said to him: “You need to be prepared.”

“Why?”

“Because you have to pick our parking place.”

“Oh, okay. I think I can do that.”

And we laughed.

The meditation ends with “I am grateful for the power of God!”

Amen to that.

~ JEAN

P.S. The movie was very good.

Unexpected Blessings

This past week, while I was on vacation at the shore, I happened to pick up my copy of the book “Break Out! 5 Keys to Go Beyond Your Barriers and Live an Extraordinary Life” by Joel Osteen.   Part of my morning routine is to read something inspirational before sitting down for meditation.  And on this particular day, Mr. Osteen’s book was exactly what I needed.

In one chapter, entitled “Explosive Blessings,” he talks about how we should always be ready to receive unexpected blessings.  

Boardwalk - Photo Credits to Dave Stoker

“You may think your current situation is permanent.  You’ve been there a long time, and you can’t see how you could ever move up.   All the facts are telling you it’s impossible that things will improve, but God has ways to increase you that you’ve never dreamed of.  He’s saying today, ‘You need to get ready.  I have explosive blessings coming your way.  Where you are is not permanent.  I will take you higher . . . I will suddenly change things for the better in your life.’ ”

The encouraging words from this chapter created a tremendous shift in consciousness for me.   They helped to begin to free me from a cycle of negativity and frustration which was beginning to feel like a new permanent way of being for me.

After I finished my reading and completed my meditation, I went out for a run on the boardwalk.  As I ran south, the wind was at my back and running was easy.  But when I turned to go north, I was running into the wind, and it was difficult.  On any other day, I might have given up and started to walk instead.  But having just read that God can turn things around at any moment, I found that I had more stamina to deal with my current challenge. 

I’ve been reading a little from the same book each day before my meditation.   Although Joel Osteen and I differ in many ways in our understanding of God, I believe that he has the third Unity principle down pat – “we create our own reality through our thoughts and beliefs.”  And my thoughts and beliefs could use a little pick-me-up recently, so I’m very, very thankful for his inspirational words.
  

~REBECCA

 

Beauty

I see beauty all around me today:

I've named her Callie

Our first dahlia

I woke up this morning to 63 degree temperature, sun and a cool breeze. Perfect as I walked my doggies! "Our" feral cats were about this morning - there are six including the one that lets me pet her and pick her up - not the most beautiful of cats, but beautiful in my eyes. Newcomers to our garden this summer are several spectacular dahlia plants. It gives me a hint of what Katherine Ballantyne's gardens must look like.

And at Unity:

When I walked into our office this morning, greeting me was the beautiful bouquet of snapdragons Katherine brought for last Sunday's service - sitting on my desk. These are also from her gardens. Wonderful sight.

Dave Moran dropped by with supplies for the kitchen. He shops for Unity when he's out doing his own personal shopping. Thank you, Dave. Bob Faltings is push-mowing the lawn today. As all of us who have lawns know, as we are blessed with rain so are we blessed with rapidly growing grass. Thank you, Bob. Connie Wilson and all the Joel Goldsmith/Infinite Way students have just passed through my office this morning. They are a happy group are studying "The Altitude of Prayer" right now.

Our kitchen renter is in today. She is mourning the loss of her father last Thursday. I totally honor the beauty and purity of her love for and of her grief for her father. And yet she has faith and joy that he is with her mom now.

From the Daily Word for today: "When I look at the world with loving eyes, I see God expressed in all things....Beholding God's glorious creation, my heart is filled with love and gratitude."

I affirm:

I see beauty in and around me.

~ JEAN