ENLIGHTENMENT IS WHEN THE WAVE RECOGNIZES AND KNOWS                       IT IS THE OCEAN.-Thich Nhat Hanh

Dear Friends,

I caught myself this past week being anxious and a bit fearful. My daughter (T) and her partner (G) were in Croatia for one week, and with the world the way it is, I was fearful for their safety so far away.

The other grandparents stayed at their house at night and got them to day care and ESS summer program daily. I was here as backup and to help out with driving them to activities, having a playdate and everyone coordinating dinner one night. The schedule was in detail by my daughter so we all knew the sleep routine, foods they like and schedule for the week. Even with all that prep work, knowing my part in it, I was still a bit fearful. My daily prayer treatments for T and G were for their safe travels and safety while they were there. I checked in with them daily via text.

One Sunday I heard Rev. Michelle Ingalls share the quote by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist Monk.                                                                                                  ENLIGHTENMENT IS WHEN THE WAVE                                                              RECOGNIZES AND KNOWS IT IS THE OCEAN.                                                            It is also fundamental in our New Thought teachings.We are In, As and Of God. We come from God. The essence of the ocean lives and reigns within every wave. The wave is the ocean. The same idea goes for us. The very essence of God lives and reigns within us. We are God. Such a beautiful picture of ONENESS!.

As I quietly meditated on the quote I could feel myself breathe easier, my body settling down, less anxious, less worry. I knew wherever they were, the reality is they are GOD being God in their human forms, and surrounded by and in the very essence of GOD.I truly believe all my prayers are answered in the highest and best way.

When anxiety took over last week, I believed God surrounded both T and G to love and protect them. I believed my word had power and distance was no object for God. As I spoke my Word, I knew and believed events, experiences can change and alter for the Highest and Best outcome. Was there a situation avoided because of prayer? I will never know, nor do I need to know. What I DO know is my prayers were answered! I love them so much. They are home safe and sound with their two little girls!

Whenever a bit of fear arose, I went back to the TRUTH. Where ever I AM,God is. Where ever T and G are, God is and is ALL is well! I trusted, and had faith in this truth. They are like the wave as the ocean.They are both human and Divine.

“Faith anchors our hearts…reminding us love is the current beneath every changing wave of experience.” Rev. Dr. Soni Cantrell Smith

‘Tawakkul, the Islamic concept of having complete trust, teaches that spiritual peace arises not from knowing the future but from embracing God’s Presence here and now.” Rev. Dr. Soni Cantrell Smith

“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” Carl Sagan.

Knowing Who We Are.                                                                                                     Abigail and Steve

” I am connected with all beings.                                                                                    We are one in God.                                                                                                           I am enriched when I live in harmony with others.”                                                        (July Daily Word)

Dear Friends,

We just had a beautiful POINT Connections Gathering last week. The outdoors setting at St. Bart’s was beautiful, the walking meditation lovely and the Spiritual Sharing was inspiring and heart warming. It was a beautiful reminder we are all loved by God and our faith practices is something to share, and to understand. We are all CONNECTED in the family of God.

We all joyfully shared and felt the love expressed by everyone. I believe we are becoming a “Beloved Community.” Some of the sacred practices were:

• Songs written and sung by Mitchell Snow and Melynnique Seabrook
• Meditation
• Ho’oponopono -Hawaiian prayer
• Silence, Song and Service.
• Trust, Hope, and Faith knowing God can overcome all problems.
• Walking, hiking, finding God in Wilderness.
• ‘Tikkun olam’ healing the world.
• Centering Prayer
• Pray and Believe prayers are answered.
•  Breathe and know you are ONE with God.
• Writing prayers in a journal everyday for people.
• Ritual of lighting candles and saying prayers.
• Surrendering the day unto God.
• Prayers of Gratitude. Heavenly Father comes to me in turmoil as well as in good times.
• Take all the good and place it in my heart.
•  Pray first then have faith in work. Pray and move your feet. I learn from every person I meet. I get out of my own way.
• Centering Prayer.
• Riding a bike in nature.
• Prayer 5 times a day. Rooted and grounded in service regardless of faith and culture.
• Understanding other faiths brings me closer to them. Patience and compassion.
• We are all unique vessels of God pouring out into the lives of others. Go out, explore and meet new people.

“Everything we perceive – every form, all activity and any other phenomenon seen or unseen is the physical expression of the Divine Presence. The Divine Presence expresses, experiences and knows Itself through us.”

-Rev.Dr. Ernest Holmes

THANK YOU

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”                     -Maya Angelou

Dear Friends,

I volunteer to teach Sunday School at The Unity Center in Mira Mesa on the fifth Sunday of the month. I was there a week ago and we talked about prayer, and how we pray. One of the Bible verses was:“Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you.” Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened. We did hand motions for Ask, Search and Knock.

One of the most important ideas I shared was the importance of saying THANK YOU in prayers. I told the children the idea and the words ‘Thank you’ are like magic. We pray knowing God within hears our prayers. We do not need to beg and certainly not try to make “deals” with God. Saying Thank you even before we pray shows our faith and belief in the prayer being answered. I told the children I often say Thank you first, Thank you in the middle of the prayer and always Thank you at the end of the prayer. For we know PRAYER changes US, it does not change God. “Before we have called, God has answered.” GOD already knows what we want and most importantly what we need. It is up to us to have FAITH and BELIEVE our prayers will be answered for the highest good of all!

Remember GOD is LOVE and is always pouring forth LOVE in so many ways. Being grateful opens the door to more blessings, goodness, abundance and joy. When our hearts are filled with LOVE and GRATITUDE we are a beacon and magnet for a multitude of blessings and goodness coming into our lives.

“Gratitude shifts our awareness from absence to presence, from lack to abundance from despair to Divine perspective. Our heart opens wider to love’s blessings and to the sacred pulse of life.”-Rev. Dr. Soni Cantrell Smith.

Dear Friends,

The ‘Science of Mind’ magazine has a wonderful article in it on Creating the Beloved Community, based on the book by Rev. Dr. Jim Lockhart. At this time in our world where fear, anger and hatred are voiced more than love and compassion, we as Spiritual Beings need to look within ourselves and ask,”Am I helping to create a Beloved Community in my church, synagogue, mosque, temple, work place, neighborhood, school, family and friends etc.?”

I was profoundly affected by the events of the past two weeks in the San Diego area. First the horrific shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, because of ethnicity and religion. We are friends with Imam Taha and know several members of their mosque and have been there many times for services, meetings and events. It was terribly upsetting and heart breaking. Our hearts go out to all their loved ones.One week later, in Escondido, there was a terrible beating of a man based on political beliefs which ended in his death. I did not know the gentleman. Both were considered hate crimes.

I went to both Prayer Vigils. I was deeply moved by the outpouring of love and support at both, and affected by the heartbreak of so many people at the ICSD and in Escondido. The man killed in Escondido was due to his support of Trump. He had signs, flags and pictures on his front lawn that obviously upset non-Trump supporters. This was a family who lost a husband, a father, a loved one, a God Being here on earth. I hugged and prayed with the wife. I talked with the man’s son and many of their friends. I may not agree with their views, however I felt compassion for this family as fellow human beings.

This brings me back to the idea of forming a BELOVED COMMUNITY where ALL PEOPLE are loved regardless of faith, ethnicity, political persuasion etc. We must be able to shake hands with someone across the table who sees things differently than we do. We must create a place where no one is excluded.

Howard Thurman says, “The beloved community includes all people, races, genders, and beliefs. It is the ultimate experience we seek- that of peace and harmony for all.”

Jim Lockard says, “I see the beloved community as people on a spiritual pathway who seek a closer relationship with God and as people who will take their spiritual awareness into the world to be examples of love and compassion in action, walking the talk. It would exclude no one.”

Beloved Community members share these qualities in relationship with others.

• “Compassion
• Love and Connection
• Deep and radical self-knowledge
• Healing, vision and pioneering
• Evolution and emergence
• Mutual support, contribution, possibility and resiliency.”

Today, wherever you go BE the person creating a Beloved Community.

Be the one to say, everyone has a place to speak freely here with respect for others. When you disagree, listen to their story. find a commonality, even if it is that fact you are both loved and created by God. We must heal our hearts by listening with compassion. Agree or disagree, remember we are all children of God, loved completely. Let us choose to ACT OUT LOVE and COMPASSION today and create a beautiful     BELOVED COMMUNITY.