May all things good ( Love ) always prevail over all things not good ( Evil ) ❤️🙏❤️
May all things good ( Love ) always prevail over all things not good ( Evil ) ❤️🙏❤️
God how I wish things just made sense. I wish life events just stop hitting so hard. Sometimes I truly want to stop my life and ask God, “Where do I get the bus that takes me out of here. Please, I have had enough now!”
So to all the people who feel grand inadequacy, lonelyness and confusion……. I am with you! I am willing to bet there are many of us out there.
To all the people who find it hard to put words or comprehensive thoughts to the feelings behind the inadequacy, I understand I struggle with this daily and have for quite some time. Life is fluid, always changing and at times hard to keep up with.
I have found that during each current struggle with prayer, reflection and purging of words onto paper some amount of understanding or clarity begins to show. In some respects there may never be the “right” answer but if we examine the feelings behind the issues we can, at the very least, find some sort of empathy toward the opposing view.
When I was in my thirties I quit my full-time job to be with my mother, who had just found out she would most likely have only 6 more months to live. Although measured time is very treasured and I am forever grateful for every additional moment I was able to spend with her, at the time I was very upset with the doctor for telling my mother her time was so limited. It weighed heavy on her mind and the sadness was devestating.
After my mom had died and life began to get back to normal I met someone in my workplace who I immediately seemed to have a dislike for. This bothered me to a level that I was constantly trying to understand why I felt that way toward them. I eventually realized that it was the fact that they were always full of complaints, stories and frustrations about their mother. As a person who had recently watched her mother go from looking like a healthy 57 year old to looking like she was twice that age before dying just 6 months later this was hard to hear.
When I examined those feeling even deeper I realized that the emotion that was causing this dislike toward that person was one of Jealousy. I was jealous of this person because she had a mother and I disliked her because she was not appreciative of the fact that her mother was alive.
Putting words to feelings eventually helps with healing, although Life is messy and our scars and devastations will always be a part of who we are. Emotional experiences can build the foundation of empathetic characteristics. I know my past experiences help me have Patience and Love for others who are also struggling and acting a bit irrational during the most difficult and unfair events that unfold in life.
Do I wish life would be easier? Absolutely.
Do I wish all the hurt would end? Of course.
Will I always resist deep heart pain and loss like a toddler kicking and screaming no I can’t go there again? Most certainly.
Will I always want to prevent or improve painful moments for others? Yep, because empathetic hearts hurt for other people as well as themselves.
The one thing I know for sure is I totally appreciate my parents and their quirky manner of guiding us through life! As youngsters if we were complaining about another person, instead of a lecture or explanation a simple comment like “Well, I guess one can’t be jealous without showing it.” would be enough said……… Leaving people to figure it out for themselves might be the answer. Along with prayer for an unstoppable longing to figure out what the “next right thing to do is”
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela
What if one day you woke up and everything that once was, is now completely different?
I know for sure that life is not easy. But I also know for sure that no matter how bad it is, it could always be worse. There will always be something to be grateful for when you have Faith.
To this day I can still hear my mom and dads voices from heaven reminding me how they supported me through a struggle. It often makes me smile the quirky phrases or references they often used.
“Now wait now…….you just have to be smarter than the chair you are working on” dad would say. My dad was a woodworker. I was the upholsterer. Lol
I loved to sew and upholstered many pieces. The fragile antique wood items challenged me. Dad came to my rescue on many occasions.
I know it is much harder to instruct someone and watch them struggle while learning the solution to the problem, then it is to take over do it for them.
I am glad dad chose the hard way and took the time to teach me how to solve problems and contemplate answers rather then taking over and doing it for me.
Being ‘Level Headed” “Humble” and “Wise” were all admirable traits of a good person in my dad’s book. Being open to new ideas and various opinions, were also good traits, but the utmost importance was having courage and confidence in our Inner Spirit.
My 11 year old grandson taught me that true courage comes from God. “I’ll be brave” he would say when being faced with yet another medical procedure or difficult challenge. When he was particularly fearful he would fold his hands a pray. “Dear God, Please take the scary stuff away.” Prayer is powerful when faith is deep.
“When I found that I knew not only that there was God but that I was a child of God, when I understood that, When I comprehended that, more than that, when I internalized that, ingested that, I became courageous.” Dr. Maya Angelou
I find myself hesitating as I write this. The need to use the right words to communicate clearly is Huge! Although my Faith and understanding has never been stronger I worry that the very problem itself is Not the Words that are written, or what we are reading once it is written ….. The real problem lies in the Level of Faith the reader has in what is True.
If your faith is shallow what you read will be understood at the limited level your human understanding will allow. Without Faith in a Higher Power we are limited in our understanding of what is Right and what is True.
It is impossible to communicate the Truth if the reader or the writer has little Faith in what is True.
Without Truth there is nothing. Without Faith there IS no Truth.
In a world of many people, many languages and many levels of Faith, it is wrong for a person, Political Party, or Religious Right group to attempt to be the enforcers of God’s word. The very thought a Church or Political Group would even WANT to make laws and force others to follow those laws is a HUGE example of their Faulty level of faith!
When you feel the need to take over and do things yourself so that your level of understanding is enforced, you are showing how truly WEAK your faith really is…….. HAVE YOU NOT MISSED THE POINT OF PRAYER AND THE POWER OF YOUR GOD?
WHEN YOU FEEL THE NEED TO BLOCK SOMEONE BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE THE OTHER HUMAN WILL FAIL TO SEE IT AT “FACE VALUE” ……. YOU ARE SHOWING WHAT LITTLE FAITH YOU HAVE IN GOD!
IS IT NOT WISER TO PRAY TO THE HIGHER POWER?
IS IT NOT WISER TO ASK FOR GOD’S WISDOM AND GUIDANCE DURING LIFE’S DIFFICULT MOMENTS?
IS IT NOT WISER TO PRAY FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF GUIDENCE?
DIDN’T JESUS TEACH HIS DISCIPLES HOW TO PRAY?
Re-evaluate your level of Faith………. Let go of human arrogance……..let go of the need to control the outcome of your prayers……… Let God be in control……..Pray for the courage to allow his will to be done as Jesus taught us………..
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela
In a world so divided on so many topics where human arrogance overflows and has brewed into hate, violence and death over attempts to gain or keep power and control “The Mustard Seed Of Faith” is desperately needed.
When all the lines are blurred and deliberate attempts are made to “muddy the waters” so Truth is never revealed, maybe it is time we step back and look at the bigger picture. See the Human arrogance for what it truly is, and let go of it. Park that Halo you think you are wearing (or deserve) look in the mirror and truly see the person you are. The Human Being that has faults, makes mistakes, that is equal BUT not worthier than any other human being on this earth. A Human Being who may look differently, act or communicate differently and in God’s Eyes is AS Precious but not MORE precious than every other Human Being.
Not until you completely lower your importance to the same level of your oppositions can true communication and understanding be accomplished. It is NOT JUST the “walk a mile in my shoes” reference or belief that is needed. Rather an IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THEIR VERSION OF EXISTANCE that is needed to fully understand and empathize with others. Even more then just listening, it is actively making an attempt at HEARING what another person is saying and also FEELING what it must be like to live in their situation.
Each of us is not without sin, however when communicating with another human being if “their sin” is the first thing that you see or address, at that point might “your sin” be even greater.
One of my favorite Bible verses has always been Matthew 17:20
And he said to them “for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you Matthew 17:20 .
The parable of the mustard seed also describes how God’s Kingdom grows in the life of each believer. When a person puts their trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live within. When the mustard seed is planted in the ground even though it may not be seen by others it continues to grow, rooting more deeply, gaining stength and growing more and more every day.
When carrying the tiny mustard seed parable in you heart it helps us to understand that even a seemingly small act of kindness, saying a faith-filled prayer for someone, or whatever faith-motivated act we take, no matter how small, can have an eternal and mountain-moving impact on another’s life.
It is THIS knowledge and faith that I pray begins to appear more in the world we now live in. As our leaders making laws and often arguing their opinions with great human arrogance, may we all pray and believe with that tiny mustard seed of Hope that it will not be the Human arrogance that prevails but the Mercy, Love and Kindness of God that comes through and moves those mountains.
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela
During a cross country trip traveling with my daughter, we sat in a roadside restaurant somewhere in South Dakota. Our attention was directed to a little girl about 3 or 4 years old, I am not sure what she did to get our attention but I remember commenting to her father about how cute she was. “Well, she is definitely a leader” her father commented, and with a chuckle he continues to tell us “I said to my wife, we better make sure she goes down the right road, because if we don’t she will be taking a lot of people down the wrong road with her”.
That quick encounter happened 19 years ago. I have recalled that moment many times since, the memory always brings a smile and a chuckle, and makes me wonder where and what that sweet child is doing now.
In that moment while my daughter and I sat admiring a child who couldn’t contain the Joy the day was bringing her, each one of us were unaware of the events that will be yet to unfold in each of our futures.
Recently during caregiving, the wife of a person I was taking care of stated to me, “if I knew before hand the death and illness my family would have to face, I would never even have gotten married.”
Time is irreplaceable. Life doesn’t allow for “do overs”. It requires us to dive into unforeseen adventures.
Is there really such a thing as “the right road” or is that “road” forever changing and relative only to each precious moment in time?
I have learned that life teaches by experiences. We can try to prepare ourselves and do our absolute best at living “right” and staying on the “right road” but in reality, each moment of the day we are called to improvise and navigate through the encounters life brings to us in that very moment.
The maturity of our faith can change with every new event we experience; new person we encounter or conversation we share.
22 years ago my mother who was nearing death was attempting to prepare me for navigating through my life without her. What she was telling me wasn’t making sense in that moment. It appeared as if she was hallucinating or deeply confused. It wasn’t until after her passing when events began to unfold and the memories of those moments began to become clear.
For months afterward I searched every memory for a deeper meaning, trying desperately to understand the hidden messages she was attempting to place before me. I never felt so alone and unprepared for what was next to come. I prayed desperately for understanding, wisdom and strength to continue on and know what to do next. I searched each word that was spoken to me for a deeper meaning. I ran each sentence over and over in my mind trying to decipher its intended message. Finally, at the point of exhaustion I lay down in a field one night crying hysterically asking God “please just come and be me, because I don’t know how to be me anymore”.
Deep in my heart I knew mothers can’t give up. Responsibilities loom and love reaches out beyond all limitations. It wasn’t until that night laying in the field under the stars when I ask God to take over and help me be me, that I wholeheartedly understood that He doesn’t want us to be doing this alone. He is more than a Prayer; He is our inner strength. He is the very breath we inhale, the Blood that keeps our body alive. He is our Soul. The heartbeat in our earthly body that keeps us alive and carries us through difficult experiences.
My life from this point on has not been easy it has included devastating sorrow with the loss of our 11-year-old grandson but also great appreciation for the Blessing of his presence with us for those beautiful and precious 11 years.
The Holy Spirit within continues to keep me strong and resilient, fills me with understanding, empathy and respect for others, but most of all fills me with Joy every time I am able to share in the daily Miracles and Blessing that continue to prove God’s Love for us.
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela
It is customary to focus on the breath in yoga, training the mind to quiet the daily chaos and focus on the internal breath that sustains life. Not only does it calm the senses but also focuses the mind and opens our heart to messages of Divine Wisdom and Understanding.
Wide awake or sleeping we don’t think about breathing it happens automatically. Each day we breathe about 20,000 times.
When we practice mindfulness with each breath we become aware of the common link in all humanity. Without breath we cannot live.When we stop to focus on the breath we can quiet the busy thoughts in our minds that cause anxiety, worry, fear and hate. Until we quiet “self” we cannot hear “Divine”.
Job 32:8“But it is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding”.
John 15:5 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Another common part of a yoga practice is the Tree Pose. I find it fascinating that within the human respiratory system the bronchial tree is significant to the breathing process. The Bronchi themselves branch many times into smaller airways. The airways resemble an upside down tree.
Much like the bible verse states the branches of the bronchial tree cannot survive without the “trachea vine”, and without breath we would not have life.
Although our minds may continue trying to make us focus on human differences if we choose to stop the thoughts, concentrate on the breath and listen to the Spirit within us. Our thoughts can turn from negative “selfish thoughts” to positive “Divine inspiration”.
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love,
Carmela
“Help me”. When physical energy is extremely low and life’s burden is heavy, verbal requests are condensed to the most powerful, heart wrenching simplicity. I cannot tell you how many times I have sat with someone facing end of life when the simple request “Help me” is repeated.
As a caregiver I have had the honor of taking care of and meeting many people of many different faiths.
Our lives are so enriched by listening to stories, experiences and traditions of different cultural belief systems and religions. I try very hard to honor each individuals beliefs and show great respect for family wishes and traditions.
The common thread that flows through each experience is that of Love. Love is the great universal connection we all share and we all need.
Divine Love shines through with a beauty, purity and selflessness that is recognizable no matter what “label” it may come wrapped in. As the sweetness of sugar is the base for candies of endless recipes and names, Divine Love is the common ingredient in countless religious denominations and beliefs.
1 Corinthians 13 : 13 Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love.
Inspiration and Wisdom will always find us when we ask for it. It does not have to be requested in lengthy prayers.
There are so many songs that contain so much encouragement and inspiration. I am sharing two of my favorites below.
The simple request “help me” reminds me of the song from the Sidewalk Prophets : Help me find It
Crowder
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela
Somewhere along our Journey on earth there is a moment in time that significance of being becomes a realization like it never was before. From that moment on, every moment going forward and every moment in the past will hold a different level of understanding.
Life is like a mosaic piece of artwork. The finished piece is beautiful and we appreciate its beauty at a quick glance, however the true beauty is in the ability of the artist to place many fragmented pieces, otherwise unremarkable on their own, into a completed masterpiece.
Much like Prayer and Meditation when a major life change forces us to stop and dwell in the moment it is then that we start to realize that each ugly fragment in our life is a very important part of a beautiful completed masterpiece.
My thoughts, memories and conversations were drawn several times this week to amazing ways Divine enlightenment finds us through the connection of spiritual souls.
I am forever amazed at how many times God has introduced a new person into my life who holds a tiny piece of wisdom that was the puzzle piece I needed to comfort a worry I was experiencing.
When we stop trying to control our lives and the people around us, and we stop, pray, listen for, and follow God’s direction He will introduce us to spiritual beings who hold Wisdom that we need to continue on our journey. The Mosaic of a Spiritual Soul’s Journey on Earth contains many beautiful fragmented encounters with other Spiritual teachers. Every spiritual teacher is also a continual student as well.
Divine Wisdom flows through each spiritual being who allows their heart light to shine.
The song People Who Need People kept coming to mind this week. “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world” How fortunate we are that God sends his infinite Wisdom through our hearts and lives and connects us all with Spiritual encounters of Divine Love.
Always keep your heart and mind open for Divine Wisdom. The message we are searching for will arrive possibly from a passing encounter with a stranger or a well know friend, we can never be sure.
Open your heart to both Receiving and Giving Divine Love to all people. Realization of significance of being brings both Peace and Joy to each moment in life.
People who need people are the luckiest people in the world……..
Somewhere, somehow we will find a new way of living, We’ll find a way of forgiving. Someway, Somehow, Someday……….
With Respect Hope Joy and Love, Carmela
This week we are shoveling out from a large snow storm that showered our area with 12 to 18 inches of snow. News reports predicted the event giving people time to prepare for the temporary changes a large snowfall causes in our daily routines.
The video below of an eagle sitting on her nest during the snow storm makes me think of the bible verse Matthew 6:25-2725… Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26: Look at the birds of the air; They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan?…
I wonder if wildlife ever has any moments of fear or dread when facing up coming blizzards that sometimes happen in our life as people do who have lived through difficult days.
What an awesome glimpse at the strength and resilience of wildlife.
As a caregiver who travels to different locations my first action when hearing the storm forecast was begging the garage to fit me in to replace two tread worn tires with a new set to help ensure my safe arrival.
Next step was packing the vehicle with an assortment of safety and emergency supplies so I was well prepared for worst case scenario. The office calls with the game plan of stationing a caregiver at each of our 24 hour care locations for the 24 hour duration. This would help ensure our patients coverage and keep the highway travels to a minimum.
I show up with my “in case” supplies in tow. I was well prepared for possible power outage or lengthy stay. Thankfully my “in case” supplies were not necessary and we were just able to enjoy a relaxing visit watching the snow pile up and enjoy each others company.
My patient commented that I must have been a Girl Scout because I came so prepared. When I had to explain to her “Unfortunately no, I was a Brownie drop out.” we both got a good chuckle.
My preparedness comes from many difficult life events that has taught me to rely on God’s wisdom to give me strength and direction. We all have the ability to survive and thrive independently if we search deep within and find strength from the Higher power. It may not always be easy but it is possible with prayer and Divine Guidance.
Like the verse says “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan?”
Thank you Mother Eagle for reminding us to Trust more and worry less.
Pray for strength and wisdom then relax into the Joy and Peace that Divine Guidance provides.
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela