Dear Friends,

As I was recovering from a severe cold, cough and sore throat these past two weeks, I realized if I cannot continue my responsibilities for the POINT Interfaith Team by informing the members of events, happenings, newsletters, meetings with agendas, minutes, treasurer’s reports, and committee meetings as Executive Director, who would be my backup? At the time, no one. I needed help. I contacted the board and we put in place a contingency plan so that the system continues even if I cannot not, for whatever reason.

This got me to thinking about how everyone at some point in life has to move on, and allow someone else to fill his or her shoes. This thought didn’t set well with me. I love my work. I love doing what I do and really don’t want someone to step in and take over. I allowed that thought to set for awhile. Then I had a new realization, a new higher consciousness thought.

NO ONE CAN TAKE MY PLACE as a spiritual being. I stopped thinking that I could be of no value anymore if someone replaced me at my human job. There may be someone ready to step into my job when I am ready, however no one can REPLACE ME as a Spiritual being. I read a beautiful affirmation in the July Daily Word,

“As a divine being, I am valuable and irreplaceable. “It also said, “The world needs my unique contributions. Like a beautiful gemstone, I, too, am a precious jewel among so many others. Together we sparkle and shine.”

Jobs are jobs, passionate work is passionate work, winners are always replaced by other winners. DIVINE BEINGS, you and I, are never replaced and last forever. We are always VALUABLE and VALUED by GOD in our human life and beyond. This is the Truth that never ends.

I will continue doing the job/work/passion I love for as long as I can with backup and then release it when the time comes. I may let go of the job, however I never can release my Value as God’s human vessel on earth. YOU TOO are Valued, Valuable forever as an individualization of God forever and ever. Amen.

Knowing Our Worth                                                                                                 Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,

“I let go of the life I am living and open myself to experience the LIFE living me.” Rev. Josh Reeves (SoM Magazine)

The past couple weeks have been a challenge for me. I came down with a severe cold, sore throat, and lung pain. I took a trip to Urgent care, called my Dr., got on Antibiotics and will see my Wholistic Dr. this week. It has been a very long time since I felt so ill and weak. This experience really ‘knocked me for a loop.’

In my prayers, meditations and dreams, I asked God, what happened? Why me? Why now? What have I been doing to cause such a severe health challenge? The Answer.. doing too much, trying to be too perfect. Wow.

I do know I strive to do the best I can, in fact I take on other people’s responsibilities when I know a job needs to be done and I will not let it fail or be less than it should be, in my eyes. At a recent event I was in charge of, I thought maybe one of the speakers would not be prepared to I created a talk in case she was not. Who does that??? I guess ME and everyone who wants things to go smoothly and be perfect. The question is, what if she was not prepared? Is that on me? NO, that is on her. It would not have taken away from the rest of the speakers or the event.

Overly Responsible:

In the past few months I tried to be sure everything was “perfect” for company, inside the house ( massive cleaning, paint touch ups, carpet cleaned, new pillows, etc) and outside (windows washed, new rocks, new flowers, new patio furniture etc.).

I also made sure events I was responsible for, went without a hitch. I was also available to attend other events when asked. I always want to show up to support others, even when I don’t feel well. Unfortunately it all caught up with me.

Here are the lessons I learned through an illness experience:

• STOP, slow down.
• Listen to your body, care for yourself. Be your own advocate.
• Give up activities that no longer serve you.
• Even if you want to go to an event, and feel tired or not quite right, say NO.
• Let go of the need to be everything to everybody. Have backup. When you are down, who will take your place?
• Allow others to take responsibility. I have “prided” myself on having my fingers in many pies. Pride goeth before the Fall.
• Stop rushing and be in GOD’s Time. What’s the hurry? I love the quote above: “I let go of the life I am living and open myself to experience the LIFE living me.” Allow GOD to live through you, instead of pushing your will on God.

I had to stop, rest and let go of activities, I sat on our balcony, hearing the birds chirping, feeling the warmth of the sun and the gentle wind. I was quietly in touch with the Presence and a profound sense of Stillness and PEACE flooded through me and around me.

I listened to Rev. Michelle Ingalls talk on Sunday morning. and Lissa Lazaro  practitioner’s talk on Perfect Imperfection. It hit home for me.

If you need to let go of being “perfect” all the time, go to the link below and watch the Sunday Service.

https://www.facebook.com/1Heart1MindCSL/

I Let Go of Perfection                                                                                                   God Loves me just the way I am!                                                                                Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,

We had an unexpected opportunity and bonus in our lives last week.

Seemingly out of nowhere we each received a letter (in the mail on an official letterhead) invitation to attend a “Cypress Land of Embrace” concert at the 47th Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America on July 3rd at the Sheridan Marina Hotel. Steve and I looked at each other with a “who? what? why?” expression. We have no contacts with the Greek faith organizations here in San Diego and this letter originated from New York! How did they hear about us? Must be a GOD Thing!

We had a choice, to disregard an invitation out of nowhere, or to pursue and accept this bonus. A Greek concert sounded like a lot of fun and great music! So we said YES.

We had a delightful contact, Father Rev. Dr. Nicolas Kazarian who met us early in the day with a day pass to attend any workshops or plenaries and walk through their exhibition hall. We met lovely people in the Exhibition Hall and marveled at the beautiful and ornate chalices, jewelry, church décor and artifacts as well as exquisite robes. There was information about the Greek Orthodox Church activities and outreach. We met a lovely lady, Elina, from Greece and chatted with her for a long time.

After the Plenary and supper, we were sitting in the long walkway hall watching the many priests, Bishops and attendees go by. As we were looking at the door across the hall, all of a sudden it opened and two men dressed as Santa Claus walked out. I think our jars dropped. They came over to us and we engaged in a wonderful conversation.

They truly have a Santa Ministry where they take requests from parents and call their children and talk to them on a zoom call before Christmas. It is more than just what the children want for Christmas it is a sweet conversation about who the children are, what they like or don’t like. The kids can talk to them about anything. The youth often have their own iPads or laptops and walk around their house showing Santa different things.

We also asked them why priests are dressed in black. Steve and I were talking about how so many clergy in many faiths wear black robes. Of course at this Congress we saw 100’s of priests and bishops dressed in black. These lovely Santas (Peter and Kevin) said it signifies “Death to the world.” In other words, letting go of worldly things and putting full attention on God.

At this point we felt we have already had a FULL afternoon and the concert had not even begun. We met Father Nicolas Kazarian 15 minutes before the concert and he introduced us to the United States Archbishop Elpidophorus. What an honor it was to meet this kind and gentle soul. We were then escorted to front row seats and enjoyed a 2 1/2 hour concert of lively, fun, foot stomping, hand clapping Greek dancing Music!!!

This unexpected opportunity was a GIFT from God blessing us with meeting new and wonderful people with a future of collaboration and continued friendship. Who knows where it will lead? Obviously GOD does. It has inspired us to reach out to the Greek community in San Diego to get to know them and invite them to participate in our Interfaith work.

When divine opportunities come your way, no matter how they look, big, small or who? what? why? GO FOR IT. You will be blessed!

Accepting the Unexpected Gifts,

Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,

We are about to celebrate the 4th of July, our day of FREEDOM when we declared our independence and our ability to choose our government and way of life.

We are so fortunate to have Freedom in our country and we must keep it with every breath we take, every stand we make and every vote we cast. It is up to us to look into the hearts, minds and actions of our leaders to see God’s goodness and conscience for All the people. ALL PEOPLE are GOD’S PEOPLE.

Freedom is precious, and we have been given Free Will by our Creator to Be who we are meant to be, an expression of God, an emanation of the Divine, the hands and feet of GOODNESS, kindness and compassion here on earth.

All people, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, culture, gender have a RIGHT to freedom, to be here and to be loved and heard. When freedoms start to be taken away, we must look at those trying to minimize the worth of individuals, seniors , women, children, gender preferences. EVERYONE has a right to make their own choices and once we stop allowing those choices to be made, we eliminate FREEDOM. Our lives will fall and Democracy will fail.

‘MY PRAYER FOR MY COUNTRY’

by Dr. Ernest Holmes, founder of Religious Science

“Believing in the Divine destiny of the United States of America and in the preservation of liberty, security, and self-expression, I offer this, my prayer for my country:

I know that Divine Intelligence governs the destiny of the United States of America, directing the thought and the activity of all who guide its affairs.

I know that success, prosperity, and happiness are the gifts of freedom, and are the Divine heritage of everyone in this country.

I know that success, prosperity, and happiness are now operating in the affairs of every individual in this country.

I know that Divine guidance enlightens the collective mind of the people of this country, causing it to know that economic security may come to all without the loss of either personal freedom or individual self-expression.

I know that no one can believe or be led to believe that freedom must be surrendered in order to insure economic security for all.

The All-Knowing Mind of God contains the answer to every problem which confronts this country.

I know that every leader in this country is now directed to this All-Knowing Mind and has the knowledge of a complete solution to every problem, and each is compelled to act upon this knowledge to the end that abundance, security, and peace shall come to all.

And I know that this spiritual democracy shall endure, guaranteeing to everyone in this country personal liberty, happiness, and self-expression.

And so it is. Amen.”

Let us pray our country elects a person of High Conscience, a person with values, a person who speaks kindly to others, a person who seeks to unite, rather than divide, a person who believes in the worth of every individual regardless of race, color, creed, gender or ethnicity, a person who believes in the law, justice and the truth.

Grateful for Freedom,                                                                                                     Abigail and Steve