Monday's Blessing
Proverbs 3:6

"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."  

Sometimes life is like a vast, unpredictable river.  It flows serenely for a bit, and then becomes turbulent from an unforeseen factor.  We cruise this river of life unexpectedly, trying to evade its driving current if we feel it will place stress at any  moment on our lives.  At this point, we grab those oars, trying to steer our boats from unsuspecting shores afraid to step foot on these new prospects.  The fear of the unknown or something that doesn't fit neatly into our daily routines, keeps us floating on a river that might be turbulent, but at least familiar.

But I say to you, grab up those oars, place them in your boat, and lie back.  Let the river of life take you on its path with your faith strong.  Because by no hour do we control the river or its destiny.  God is the only one who is capable of that. If we try to paddle swiftly in front of the current preventing being ensued, we topple.  If we try to avoid the current we sink.  Lie back and let God.  God is with us at each hour and already has a plan in place.

The scripture verse says, "Acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."  We have no control over our destinies, your past experiences can prove that.  Life can be going at such a comfortable pace, then all of a sudden, catastrophe can strike.  There is no rhyme or reason when such situations occur.  You can be at the peak of your game one day and lose it all the next. During these times, place your faith in God and allow him to steer your ship.  Realize there is a better plan ahead, and that will unfold

Daily Guidance

1.  When life gets tough, copy the Serenity Prayer.  Keep it with you always and refer to it when those feelings of control root their ugly head.

2.  Don't be afraid to ask family or loved ones for help.  Often, our pride gets in our way.  Realize you are not the first to experience this.

3.  Take comfort in your Bible.  Read it often for guidance, especially during these times.

4.  Seek counseling for issues you are unable to abate yourself.  The American Counseling Association offers FAQ.

5.  Grab a buddy and meet several times a week.  Just telling someone can help you reason better.

Monday's Blessing

Psalm 154:14

"'The Lord sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down."
 
Are you amidst a bit of turbulence today? The Scripture says, "When you've done everything you know how to do, just keep on standing firm." (Ephesians 6:13. You may be in a situation today where you have done your best.  You've prayed and believed. You've placed your faith firmly on the thought of God's word. But it just doesn't look like anything good is happening.  Now your tempted to say, "What's the use? It's never going to change."  

Some days it's OK to just "stand up".  There maybe nothing else you can do right now but keep standing.  Those are the days you paste a smile on your face, stand tall, and walk out the door.  Some days, it's all you can do.

But, don't give up! Keep standing! Keep praying; keep believing; keep hoping in faith.  "Don't cast away your confidence," they Bible teaches, "FOR PAYDAY IS COMING". (Hebrews 10:35) Let me tell you, God will reward you if you keep standing up on the inside.  You may be in the hospital or lying flat on your back at home.  But even if you cannot stand up physically, nothing can keep you from standing up on the inside.  That sickness may have you down physically, but you don't have to be down spiritually or emotionally.  You can keep on getting up in your heart, mind, and will.  

We can be so stubborn at times.  It's amazing that God's love is ever reaching.  About seven years ago, I invested a number of hours each day into a new educational model.  When I say, I ate, breathed, and slept with this new concept; it is an understatement.  I knew, deep down in my heart, that this was God's plan for me.  I exercised all my energies into a brand new educational facility that would help those kids who were falling through the cracks.  

It was a brand new concept incorporating outdoor education into an existing curriculum.  It was fresh, it was new, and we began getting phone calls immediately.  One troubling item was that parents of special needs children were calling.  We began giving tours, and one tour led into another until it seemed our days were destined from entourage of special needs parents.

My friend and co-director and I immediately assessed the situation. How were we going to accommodate these new students? We weren't specifically trained to handle special needs.  We had a few already enrolled, and to say life was trying with classroom accommodations, was an understatement.  To add more fuel we were inept on the scholarships and rules that we must follow if we take in these new enrollees.  

We pushed those new applications to the side and kept touring.  Needless to say, the school closed shortly thereafter.  We did not want to get involved with all the demands required of this type of educational facility.  Those new students we were SURE were coming, simply never came.  

Two years into Unemployment Compensation, I was ready to give up.  My inner "bright side" was falling because I was on my last Unemployment check.  I was doomed, and if I didn't find something quickly, I was going to lose my house. 

With my last check in hand, and I mean the last check, I was frightened, wondering what I was going to do next month.  Then, out of the blue, a friend told me of a job opening at a new school. It was with special needs.  I decided to revisit that thought that left me penniless.

I walked in to one of the brightest, most inviting schools I had ever had the pleasure to meet. Everyone was smiling (something you don't see regularly in a neurotypical school). That's because the kids were smiling.  They were all students of autism.  These students, that braced my door previously, were not what I expected.  They were kind, patient, and welcoming.  The minute I rounded my first corner I was greeted by a handshake, smile, and "Welcome to our school.  It's so nice to meet you," from a 12 year old.  

Certainly any preconceived notions were banished at that moment.  Thirty plus years of teaching promptly showed me my initial thoughts of these special needs children were completely wrong.  What had I given up before?  Was I so self-proclaimed that I banished a blessing from God two weeks ago?  I was so certain my original path did not include special  needs.  Now, I was wondering why?  Why had I been so bull-headed.  Why hadn't I let God show me this new avenue?  Why did I decide that MY WAY was best?

At the end of my interview I knew this was my new home.  With only 30 minutes of touring, I could see the type of academic routine these kids needed.  Why hadn't I thought of that before?  Why was I so blinded to God's needs?

I opened my arms and heart and the job was mine.  Next month was not a worry any longer. 

For five years I have never been so happy.  My days are no longer entwined with heavy discipline but rather loads of smiles because that's what works best with our kids.  I no longer have to teach lessons of patience and "wait your turn" because our kids do that automatically.  How could I not have seen this before?  Thankfully God is patient and kept knocking at my door.  

It took two years to feel fully involved with the job market again.  What are you praying for?  How long will it take you to get there?  Have patience and stay on the BRIGHT SIDE INSIDE. Your time is coming when you least expect it.  God has your back always.  

Monday's Blessing
Psalm 90:12

"'Teach us to number our days, that we may present to you a heart of wisdom."
 
It may come to a surprise to you, but you are living in the good old days.  I'm convinced that twenty or thirty years from now most of us will look back and say, "Those were some great times."

Make sure you are enjoying your family and special people in your life.  They may not always be there forever.  Isn't it ironic how at that moment in that specific time we can always see clearly how chaotic these individuals make our life, but when that moment is gone, we can only see the good in it all.  

For me, most of my days are bright.  I am always in close proximity of thanking our good Lord every moment of my life.  I don't focus any longer on the nuances of life, but rather the stream of blessings God bestows every day.  

It's easier if you've had death coming knocking at your door, and you quickly stepped by him.  One day it was a beautiful Sunday, and I had decided a canoe trip would be in order.  It was a bright and sunny day in January and the weather had reached 70 degrees on the lake here in the south.  My son and I had stepped into the canoe and were off paddling across to the deserted island that was a quick jaunt.  

Within five minutes we reached our destination. The air was crisp and cool filling my lungs with a much needed breath of energy.  We walked along the sand swept shore taking in the swaying of the palms and the brackish smell in the air.  Nothing was here but seclusion and an inviting peace of mind.  It was over so quickly we decided to paddle around the island.

As we made it around the bend the view was exhilarating.  Across the waterway was another island long and inviting, but much too far to take a long excursion.  We decide to stay close to the rim and do some exploring off shore.  We came upon a low lying bed of shells.  Millions of shells, different sizes deep in snowy whites and pink corals were a grasp away to and save for momentous.  

We continued our trek and as we rounded the second bend, I noticed the shore line was way too far off.  In fact, it was approximately 500 meters.  I could barely make out the shore line at that point and trees doted the view.  A sick feeling impacted my stomach, and I shook it off thinking I'm being ridiculous.  "All you need to do is angle the boat at 45 degrees and make way to shore," I thought.  I turned abruptly and told my son and he agreed.

We began to steer closer to shore.  We paddled for another five minutes and the boat suddenly flipped.  There I found myself in crushing cold water of 50 degrees.  Everything slid from the boat including me, and I was capsized under the boat.  My eyes opened in frantic instability, and my body began jerking.  "What was happening?" I exclaimed.  I was beginning to suck in water, and all I could think of was, "This was just plain stupid to be so far off shore." It's amazing when you are slipping away from reality the things you think of.  You would think you'd be panic stricken, ready to lose your whits.  But I can tell you that is not so.  I was scared but at peace wondering why I had done something so plainly stupid.  I came to surface, body still jerking, head going under water, and looked at the shore line, in peace, thinking how stupid I was.

At that moment, I realized it was my body that was out of control.  I had to stop the jerking or I was going to drown.  I quietly went into mediation and forced my jerking moments to subside.  That's when I realized my limbs were fading away.  I was losing all feeling in my arms and legs.  I slowly swam a few feet.  Each foot length made it more and more difficult to gain momentum.  My blood was protecting my heart and soon would no longer substantiate my long quest in front of me. I was on my way out, I could feel it as my mind began fading.

When all seemed lost, I tread bottom.  Apparently the river is six feet in depth at most length and is only trenched in the middle to accommodate the ships that pass.   I began to surface water while treading and once my heart was out of the water I could breathe easier.  

My son who was a recovering alcoholic had relapsed.  He was taking sips of vodka in between paddles and passed out while we were on the lake.  Because he was so inebriated, the cold water woke him up abruptly. From there he had an easier fare with his swim to shore due to a deadened nervous system.

Life has a way of looking up afterwards.  I remember staring at my window during the rain the next day thanking God continually that I was still here for my younger children.  That also began my obsession with affirmations.  I spend many minutes each day, since, taking in the small blessings of life knowing God is there always.  

I've discovered the more I thank God for what I have, the more God gives me what I don't have.  Try it yourself and see. You don't have to beg God for things you need.  He is always aware of your needs.  Begin today to thank God for who he is and all that he has done for you.  Always look on the bright side.  

Monday's Blessing
Philippians 4:11

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
 
Being content lies solely in your attitude.  For we has humans never seem to be content.  There is always something pushing, innately underneath the surface, that is looking for something better. When we're upset, we're down on bended knee crying out for mercy.  When things are normal, we are bored asking God for a tad bit more to enlighten our lives.

Sadly, it's not God, but rather all up to you in how you choose to see things.  You can complain about your boss, or you can thank God that you have a job. You can complain about lawn work or you can thank God that you have a yard.  You can complain about another trip to the mechanic, or you can thank God you have a car.  It's completely up to you how you see it.

My compressor went a few weeks ago.  My car was unable to run without it as it was making a ghastly noise.  So I took it to our mechanic.  He also noted that the serpentine belt needed to be replaced. Now, I had already looked into purchasing a compressor and after several phone calls to AC specialists, I was told my cost could be anywhere from $700 - $900.  Furthermore, I looked into a serpentine belt, and my cheapest price with installation was somewhere around $100.  My mechanic looked it over and quoted me $526 for both.  I don't have that kind of money lying around.  I could have complained to our dear Lord asking him why this had to happen now.  Instead, I drummed up my affirmations and spent the day thanking God that he saw fit to save me hundreds of dollars.  And, I also knew darned well that he would find a way for me to afford it.  Which he did!

The weeks before that were all mundane.  Nothing much going on except work, family, and home.  We as children of God don't realize how great we have until something goes wrong.  A friend of mine was having the weeks go by endlessly and boring as a matter of fact.  Suddenly, her father was called in for some routine testing.  They found out his liver was in decay.  He had to go to the hospital several times a week for treatment.  All of a sudden her life turned upside down.  No longer was it boring filled with anxiety and despair. One day she said something profound to me.  "We've been through so much; now , how I long for the mundane.  How I long to get back to doing what we used to do.  How I long to just go home and sit around with my family at night."

What she was saying was that she didn't realize how great she had it.  Just a few days before she didn't have problems and was going back and forth to work enjoying her family at night.  Those unexciting days that existed previously would be perfect right now.  

So, when you are in one of those mundane, cycles take time for the people you love.  Quit working all the time.  Let that mundane become exciting and comforting with those close to you.  When you come to the end of your life, you will never regret having spent time with your family.  Nobody ever says on their deathbed, "If I had to do it again, I'd spend more time at the office.  I'd just work a little harder." No they always say, "I wish I'd spent more time with my family.  If I had a chance to live my life again, I'd take more vacations.  I'd slow down and smell the roses.  I wouldn't live so stressed out."

We need to realize that any moment we could be gone.  We have no guarantee that we will be there in the morning.  We need to learn to live each day to the fullest, as thought it could be our last.  i heard somebody say, "If you had only an hour to live, who would you call?  What would you say? And what are you waiting for?

I leave you with one thought, "How are you living?  Right here and now.  How are you living?"

Monday's Blessing
Romans 12:2

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
 
Go back and read that Bible verse again.  Digest it.  "Do not be conformed to this world," Romans states.  But how can we achieve this?  After all, we are bombarded daily with tasks and issues that if we don't listen, don't adhere, consequences can be two-fold.  How can we not be conformed to this world that tugs on our pant leg like a relentless child waiting to be heard?

The answer is we can't in the normal sense.  There is just too much stimulation daily that can easily catipulte our senses, even if we are in prayer.  What does this cause?  An acute hypersensitivity to any stimuli that passes our senses.  Think about it, even when you pray your brain just can't turn off.  Other imperative thoughts surface as we try to talk to God about our inner most feelings.   These thoughts can be intrusive, preventing us from opening our hearts to God's message and joy.

So how can we prevent these thoughts, at least for a few minutes, from tampering with our minds?  The answer is easy - meditation.  Meditation allows the mind to free itself for a few minutes to listen to our inner voice.  In turn, it has unique benefits.  It can heal our systems by allowing down time from the stresses of life. Practiced regularly, it can strengthen the nervous system, balance the glandular system, and harness the energy of the mind and emotion as well as the body. It clears our mind of all the obtrusive thoughts that drive us crazy each day, and for a few minutes, allows peace so that the divine can enter and give us answers to our daily questions.  Really, those answers to our most sought out questions are already there.  Waiting inside us, to be revealed when we are ready.  

Meditation is not something that can be practiced intermittently.  If you are going to commit you must do so daily.  Preferably twice or more daily.  It doesn't have to take long, a mere prayer followed by meditation in the morning, and the same in the evening.  The whole task can begin and end in as little as 10 minutes.  The more you practice, the more sense of peace you'll feel, and the clearer your mind will be to achieve your desires each day.  Do it, practice, because at first your mind will be tempted by millions of suggestive thoughts, and slowly as the days go on, those fleeting thoughts will begin to subside, and your inner voice will be activated.

Daily Guidance

1. Make a commitment now, to meditate at least once a day.  Don't waver.  Cut this into your schedule at a time that no one will bother you.  Mornings are best.  Be up before your family to practice.

2.  Begin your meditation with prayer.  Speak to God through your heart thanking him, affirming him, and offer prayer requests.

3.  Begin you breathing.  Learn how to breathe correctly at Padma Meditation.

4.  Grab our own meditative style and watch How to Meditate.

5.  Kundalini Yoga is a wonderful book to bring you closer to the joy of yoga and apply it throughout your life.  I've read it several times.  An easy read, it takes you out of turbulent world that pulls at you, and casts you into your inner peace.  

6.  If you need your own meditation on disk.  Try the Calming Collections - Goodbye Worries.  Then all you have to do is pop it in when you're ready!