Dear Friends,

On January 5th, Steve and I, as part of the Poway Interfaith Team (POINT),with the Palomar Health Hospitals in Escondido and Poway, collaborated and declared January 5th the “GIFT of LOVE DAY.” (See photos below)

We brought 100’s of Teddy Bears and other cute stuffed animals to the patients at these hospitals. We began by blessing and praying over the bears and then walking the halls with other volunteers and distributing the bears among the patients. Looking into the eyes of the people in beds or wheelchairs and seeing the JOY these cute animals brought, was my heart’s delight. We saw eyes, that went from sadness, and despair, to joy, and love. The emotions they were previously feeling, changed by just HOLDING a teddy bear or other stuffie.  One of the Pastors we know, Pastor John Quintana, from Our Father’s Grace Ministries brought in 400 cute bears! What a wonderful way to begin the NEW YEAR. I felt like we were doing “GOOD” one patient at a time.

I love the quote above, “I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do! I feel, as you may, like the world needs a blanket of GOODNESS to reset the Consciousness of all people. Sometimes reading about the wars, the hurt, the prejudice, the criminal actions is overwhelming. As one person, I know I cannot change everyone or the affairs of the world. However as one person, I can choose to DO and to BE GOOD everyday in everyway I can.

The other day I was standing in line at Starbucks and I heard the gentleman before me say to the clerk “I would like to pay for the coffee for these two firemen ahead of me.” After the firemen thanked the man, I was inspired to do the same. This was a reminder and an opportunity to be GOOD and do something nice for someone else without any expectations in return. So I turned to lady behind me in line and said, “I would like to pay for your coffee.” She was both surprised and grateful. Who knows where the energy of that decision went, and how it manifested in someone else’s life. It doesn’t matter. One GOOD intention, one GOOD deed always ripples out to others everywhere. It is not for me to find or figure it out. GOD will and GOD as GOOD does!

In 2024, let us embark on a journey of kindness, compassion, and collective GOODWILL, recognizing that our efforts, no matter how small, contribute to a brighter, more harmonious and peaceful world.

Dear Friends,

As I was preparing for this upcoming Sunday’s Message for One Heart One Mind CSL, the word “SPARKLE.” kept appearing to me. I love that word. Every time I think of it or say it, I smile. What if you thought about that word every day in all that you do? A smile would naturally appear on your shining face and others would see it and start smiling too. We know when someone laughs, we all are inclined to laugh. Same with smiling. When you smile, people automatically smile. When your smile becomes a SPARKLE, people around you feel your glow, joy and love presence.

We all love Santa and what he represents, his goodness, love, and joy of giving. We see his face SPARKLING, and eyes twinkling. In the coming 2024 year I suggest we think about being the SPAKRLE in someone else’s life. BE the one with the kind word. BE the one who pays it forward. BE the one who makes an effort to see a friend in the hospital. BE the one who forgives and calls an estranged friend or relative. The Course in Miracles says, “Would you rather be right or happy?” The more you SPARKLE with the vibrations of Love, Joy, Forgiveness, and Appreciation of Life, the more you SPARKLE as a Divine Being. Bring that joy into your life, and into another person’s life!

SPARKLE

S – SERVICE. Be in service to Self (love yourself and know your worth) and be in service to others with a SMILE.

P – PAUSE and listen without distractions to others and what they need.

A – ALWAYS BE your AUTHENTIC self. No more hiding who you truly are.

R – REALIZE your God Given Power to create a life of Joy. No one can take that away from you.

K – KINDNESS is Heart’s Intelligence. Allow Kindness to guide your way.

L – LOVE and be the LIGHT of God.

E – ENERGY and vibration is God’s ESSENCE moving through you. Always keep it high.

SMILE, SHINE and SPARKLE in the New Year!

December 26, 2023

Dear Friends,

For those who celebrate Christmas, the day after is a time to relax and enjoy gifts, and family. The time up until Christmas is hectic with the hustle bustle of gift buying, food and guest preparation, parties and get togethers. One hardly has time to think, unless you are one of those people who plan ahead and can cruise through the holiday period.

Here we are between Christmas and New Years. Some of you may be saying, ‘OK got to get in gear for New Years and do those crazy preparations all over again. ‘The “have to’s” start appearing in mind. I have to do this,

I have to do that. I have to Vision, I have to get a New Years list ready, I have to think about….. and the list goes on.

What if you didn’t!?

What if you gave your brain a rest? We often talk about how to stay healthy in body, mind and spirit and we focus more on the body. What if we focused on our brain? It too needs a rest. Thank God for sleep. We have a few hours a day to stop thinking. However our brains never truly stops, there are dreams that help us decode our day.

I just started reading a book, my daughter gave to me called Bored and Brilliant, by Manuosh Zomorodi, a TV host and editor of “Note to Self, the tech show about being human, from WNYC. She outlines the premise with facts how important it is to give your brain a rest. With all the stimulation from phones, computers, constant planning and going, the brain just stops being creative.

Manuosh says, ” There is a connection between a lack of stimulation -boredom- and a flourishing of creativity and drive. When our minds wander, we activate something called the ‘default mode,’ the mental place where we solve problems and generate our best ideas. When we let ourselves space out and our minds wander, we do our most original thinking and problem solving. Creativity no matter how you define or apply it, needs a push and boredom, which allows new and different connections to form in our brain. This is a most effect muse.”

For me, when I start thinking about writing a message for this newsletter, most of the time I have no idea what I am going to write. I say to God, “Ok God what shall I write? What do people need to hear?” That is when I sit in my meditation chair. Sometimes I put my feet up and lay prone quietly. I rest my mind by looking out at the sunrise and the beautiful hills and palm trees. Sometimes I get an idea right away, other times I feel the call to look in a certain book or spiritual writing. Sometimes ideas come while I am walking. The more I turn away “from the question,” and just relax, the faster ideas pour through me.

Allow your GOD MIND time to give you answers. Allow GOD to come in rather than squeezing IT out with a million thoughts. Remember Emmet Fox saying, “Turn Away From the Problem and Think About God.” Thinking about God is that meditative Alpha state where all is calm, quiet with No thought. That is the place where God resides waiting for the mind to have a blank screen so IT can bring forth something NEW and Wonderful.

This week STOP being so concerned with: What am I going to do in 2024?                      What ‘should” I do? (Please stop ‘shoulding’ yourself.)

Give it a rest…

SPACE OUT with:

Looking out your window to a tree or hill.
Sitting by a tree.
Smelling a beautiful flower.
Walking without thinking.
No computer for half a day or more.
No phone for half a day or more.
Laughter
Happiness
Gratitude
Just BEING You.

Spacing out,

Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,
This morning as I opened the blinds in my meditation area, I was in AWE of the brilliant sunrise happening. The LIGHT of day was beginning with the colors of gold, red, pink in a glorious blend. I found myself in a deep meditative state just looking at the sky and taking in the wonder and beauty of God as the sun rose and the day began.

During the months of November and December, many religious traditions honor the idea of LIGHT, celebrate it and are in awe of it.

“Hanukkah is called the “FESTIVAL of LIGHTS.” Hanukkah celebrates events from more than 2,000 years ago. First and foremost, it commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after a successful revolt of the Jewish people led by Judah Maccabee against their Syrian-Greek oppressors, who had tried to assimilate the Jewish people and, in so doing, had desecrated the Temple. Hanukkah traditions include lighting the candles on a nine-branched menorah.”
https://www.britannica.com/story/hanukkah-the-festival-of-lights

“Diwali is the festive time of “Deepavali.” The Festival of Lights marks new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness. Diwali coincides with harvest and new year celebrations. The word
Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which means a row of lights. [Deep = light and avali = a row]. It is one of the most prominent festival in India and South-East Asia, celebrated with great warmth, joy, and shining grandeur, like Christmas is celebrated in many parts of the world.”

‘Deepavali’, The Festival of Lights

” Yule will be celebrated by Wiccans and many other Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere on Dec. 21, the day of the winter solstice. For Pagans, the shortest day of the year marks the end of the descent into darkness and the beginning of the return of the light as the days begin to get longer after the solstice.” https://www.mabonhouse.co/yule

We are also in the midst of the Christmas Holydays and we acknowledge Jesus the Christ as “The LIGHT of the World.” Why? Because He brought goodness, love, compassion, healing , a new way of thinking, and perspective of loving our fellow man and forgiving 7×70. In the Bible, John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the LIGHT of LIFE.” Jesus was referring to the Mighty I AM Spirit of God WITHIN himself which is the LIGHT, and can do ALL things. He also said what he did we can do also. WHY? Because the LIGHT of GOD is within us, always has been and always will be. Once we recognize the Truth of our being, we too can heal and do greater things than
he did. We celebrate the birth of a MASTER TEACHER of LIGHTED LIFE on
December 25.

BE the LIGHT in your World. Birth the Christ Consciousness within you.
Love one another. Be good and show compassion to all people. Forgive always, and remember who you are, God in form.

Being the Light,

Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,

As I was sending out Christmas and Hanukkah cards to friends, I noticed PEACE was at the heart of all the messages. I received an email back from one of my Jewish friends who said, “I am praying for the miracle of PEACE in this week of recalling miraculous triumph.”

PEACE seems illusive to us in this world with wars, hatred, bigotry and intolerance heading the front covers of our newspapers, TV and other media. And yet, I believe that is just the wound that is being called to HEAL. Below the wound is peace, love, joy, harmony, wholeness in body, mind and spirit. We may be tossed like waves during a storm at sea, yet underneath is the calm presence of peace in the depth of the ocean.

I am here to remind you the depth of you is PEACE, harmony, love, and compassion, because that depth is GOD within you. God has given you the Gift of Peace so you can BE PEACE in your world. We know how wonderful it feels to be around people who are calm in the middle of an argument or strife. We feel good around those who carry a presence of goodness, peacefulness and compassion. They are expressing the Gift of Peace which is their true nature. We all have Peace as our true nature. GOD Is our true nature and all the qualities and virtues of GOD are ready to manifest in all situations.

Jesus the Christ was called the Prince of Peace. At Christmas, New Thought people celebrate the birth of Christ Consciousness within themselves. Christians believe Jesus was God walking the earth. And Yes, he was, and we are also God walking the earth. Jesus was the LIGHT bringing new thoughts and ideas to the people.

“I AM THE LIGHT. What I do you can do also,” he said.

He was opening the hearts and minds of the people to know their God Selves. The Light and Peace within him, is also in US.

Let us walk this earth as the LIGHT and the countenance of PEACE. We can radiate this energy wherever we go. As we do, others will feel the blessings of our consciousness. We can literally step into a room and the vibrations will change.

One of my favorite Christmas carols is “Oh Holy Night.” The third verse says:

“Truly He taught us to love one another;                                                                           His law is love and His Gospel is Peace                                                                       Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother                                                             And in His name, all oppression shall cease”

“What I do you can do also.” Time to believe and affirm this is true!

Truly He taught ME to love one another.                                                                         My Law is Love and My Gospel is Peace.                                                                    Chains shall I break, for everyone is my brother and sister                                    And in my Christ Consciousness, all oppressions shall cease.

Peacefully, Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,

Like many of you, we are preparing for Christmas. We just had a beautiful “present” delivered. Our sweet new granddaughter Bailey arrived November 30th. Our excitement for her and our taking care of Peyton while mom, dad and sister are in the hospital was beautiful. It really reminded me how Spirit is in each one of us when we come into this earth dimension. That same Spirit was in Jesus the Christ as we celebrate his coming this month. Spirit, God, the Mighty I AM, however you wish to call our Source and Creator lives and reigns in everyone and all things. I believe this is so important to remember as we prepare for the holidays, which are really HOLY Days.

I tend to pursue these days boldly and actively, shopping for the “right” gifts for family and friends. I love the lights, I love the decorations. I can easily get caught up in the hustle bustle of the season. Then I read this message in an ANTN newsletter from a friend, Rev. Michele Whittington. She said ” What if we all slowed down a bit this December? What if we cut back on all the things we think we should do and only do those things that our hearts call us to do? What if we focused on what really matters, not what our programming (or the media) has told us matters?” Pondering her words, I realize that LOVE matters, family matters, good friends matter, people on the street matter, patients in hospitals matter and more….

The ‘Daily Word’ had a story about a minister, Rev. Bonte Colbert who was alone for Christmas during the COVID shutdown in 2020. She was feeling a bit sorry for herself, since she could not fly to be with family. Bonte then remembered years ago she was driving with her daughter to look at Christmas lights in neighborhoods. Her daughter said she wanted to go somewhere else and directed Rev. Bonte to a quiet, dark, parking lot outside a hospital. She said, “Mom, people need prayers tonight, let’s pray for them.” And they did. Bonte remembered that evening years ago, and decided to stop feeling sorry for herself. She drove to the nearest hospital and just prayed for the “well being, peace, joy and love” for all the people there. In fact that became a new tradition for her every year.

In this Holy time for those celebrating Christmas, take time to appreciate what you have, who you are as a God being, & how you serve as an emissary of God.

Take time to pray for those not as happy, healthy or fortunate as yourself.The world needs your words of love and blessings, Send them out daily.

Slowing Down and Praying for All,

Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,

Gratitude, appreciation, thankfulness, are not just words, they are heartfelt responses, feelings and actions that bring forth “creative power and overflowing goodness” in your life, and in the universe. (Creative Thought Magazine)As Eckhart Tolle says, “If the only prayer you ever say is ‘Thank you,’ that will be enough.                                     I love that idea and I intentionally use it every day.

One of my favorite New Thought singers is Karen Drucker who wrote this song, ”    Thank You For This Day Spirit.”                                                                                  Thank you, I want to say thank you.                                                                              “Cause I’m so grateful, so grateful.                                                                                Thank you for this day Spirit, Thank you for this day.                                                     This healing, this healing, This healing day.                                                               Thank you for this day Spirit, Thank you for this day.                                                    This beautiful, this beautiful, This beautiful day.                                               Thank you for my friends Spirit, Thank you for my friends.                                         My wonderful, my wonderful, My wonderful friends.                                                   I’m so grateful I want to just say “Thank you now, Thank you now, Thank you now,” Each and ev’ry day I’m gon’na say, I’m gonna say it. Say it Thank you, Thank you…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt_kdPrFRsA

The words Thank You when said before a need or desire, manifests & creates the energy flow to make it happen. The beautiful Jesus the Christ always began his healings with “Thank you God for…” It implies faith and trust in the Highest Power of the universe. As Ernest Holmes says, “There is a power in the universe and you can use it!” That POWER is God within, flowing through, and around you.

Thank you, when said as challenges arise, creates a flow of new ideas which turn “obstacles into opportunities, and are experiences for spiritual growth. (CTM)

Being grateful for those people who are sandpaper to your soul, is also an opportunity to look within yourself and see why people are irritating. Could it be there is that within you that is JUST LIKE THEM? We are all reflections of each another. Be grateful for this opportunity to see deep within yourself.

Henry David Thoreau said,                                                                                                   “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”

This week and in the weeks to come try this “powerful practice.” “Every morning and every evening, and whenever anything happens to you simply say, “Thank you God for everything, I have no complaints whatsoever!” (Rev. Sally Robins)

May you all have a BLESSED and BEAUTIFUL THANKSGIVING.

Dear Friends,

We are about to host and attend a beautiful Interfaith Thanksgiving Service tonight. I was thinking about all the meetings we had, the ideas and visioning we shared in order to create a heartfelt and inspirational service. Every moment was God filled, God directed, God planned and God executed. If every moment is filled with God, then every moment is SACRED. In fact EVERY MOMENT every day of our lives is sacred. In New Thought we often say, “There is no spot where God is not.” We are in the Divine Flow all the time and the Divine Flow is in us all the time. It is up to us to take a moment and see the SACRED everywhere, in everyone, in every activity.

I was on my way to make copies of music inserts for the Thanksgiving program and I mindfully said to myself. “The Mighty I AM is in me and is in the person at the FedEx office ready to help me. We are ONE.” The Sacred was in the FedEx building and YES the sacred was in Ruthie who helped me make the copies. In fact there was no one else in the building. I had her help all to myself. The whole place felt quiet, peaceful and sacred as I waited for the copies to be completed.

Rev. Petra Weldes says, “The sacred is in the ordinary routines of life.”

Find the sacred moment in doing dishes, the laundry, shopping for food, driving yourself or someone else to an appointment.

Find the sacred in the people you work with.

Find the sacred in the people who irritate you. They are Divine too.

Find the sacred when you fix something that is broken.

Find the sacred in a leaf, flower, bird, feather when you walk.

I love the song called, “Everything is Holy Now.” It expresses the Divine, the Holy, the Sacred in, through and as ALL things. Every thing is a miracle, small or large. Once we really understand the immensity of this Truth. we can always feel at peace, at home, cared for, supported and loved. Again, there is no spot where God is not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiypaURysz4

Our lives are filled when we find the holy and sacred in the ordinary. We may even find an Extraordinary miracle there too!

In Sacredness,                                                                                                                   Abigail and Steve.

Dear Friends,

I love reading the ‘Science of Mind’ magazine Daily Guides. This month they are written by Rev. Sally Robins, one of my favorite writers. She quoted Ernest Holmes, “Anything you can dream of is not too great for you to undertake, if it hurts no one and brings happiness and good into your life.”

Our dreams are important and meant only for us and we are never too old to have them, follow them and enjoy them. Rev. Sally shared a story of a lady who dreamed of becoming a Rockette and dancing on the stage of the Radio City Music Hall. She visualized herself up on stage having the time of her life!!!

Her dream came true. In 2023 she auditioned with 800 other women. “The difference was, that most of the women were in their teens and twenties. She was 92 years old!” Eighty years ago she couldn’t get to New York, however today she was there encouraging the other girls to continue following their dreams. She did not get selected, and she was thrilled she had the chance to audition. She never let go of that dream! Never too old, never too young.

In the November ‘Daily Word’ there was another story about a lady following her dream of getting her graduate degree overseas. She applied for a scholarship for study in the U.K. She had many supporters, and her professors wrote recommendations on her behalf. She was ready to give up everything she owned, quit her job and move there. She visualized, and affirmed daily. She was so grateful for all the people who supported her in her dream. Unfortunately she did not get accepted. She was distraught and upset with this outcome. After a talk with a friend who shared her harrowing life story, Jennifer realized happiness is not where you live, but how you live. She may not have gone overseas to study at that time, however that does not mean she won’t in the future. Right now she realized how grateful she was for her life, her journey, and all her supportive friends.

Our dreams are important and when we say “this or something better .”Be prepared for the something better! The Divine sees the whole picture of our lives, past, present and future. Trusting in something GREATER and BETTER than our dream a the time, can be a challenge.

Steve and I for years visualized us having an Interfaith building where we could hold meetings, classes and events. That never did happen. However looking back we realized we did not have the capital to invest, and with COVID hitting the world, we would not be able to meet there in person for several years.

It would have been a disaster financially. God had a better plan. We were able to use money to travel to 4 Parliaments of World Religions, North American Interfaith Network conferences, United Religions Initiative conferences and meet people from all over the world! If we were just having a San Diego building we may not have traveled the way we did. Because of ZOOM we have met people all over the globe, held conferences that included people from many countries. The 4 walled building may not have allowed us to expand as we did. Steve even created the World Interfaith Network where interfaith groups all over the world can reach out to each other. God had a better plan.

We are meant to have DREAMS. They are gifts of the heart. In our human form we may only see part of that dream. God sees the dream in its entirety. When we release our will and way, the Divine Flow is able to bring forth our highest and best dream.

Dear Friends,

HAPPY HALLOWEEN. Time to dress up, have fun, put on a mask and go trick or treating. We look forward to seeing our little granddaughter all dressed up. She was a flamingo her first Halloween, a ladybug for her second, and this year she is Santa Claus!!!: Hysterical 🙂

Children can dress up, pretend they are superheroes, ghosts, goblins, witches,

scary TV characters, princesses, dragons, Santas, and so much more. There are many reasons why kids choose the costumes they wear, and we may never know their reasoning. It is so much fun to have people guess who they really are under their costume. They can be anything they want to be with their masks and costumes on. They just as easily take off the mask when done and become their authentic selves.

As adults, we have learned over the years, in real life, to wear our outer masks well. We can wear a happy face, when we are sad, a mad face when we are fearful, an ego face when we feel ‘less than’ or unworthy. Many adults have not learned to reveal their true feelings, or to be their authentic self.

Young children can wear the mask/costume, have fun for a while, then take it off and be their true selves again. They do this until they learn or are taught to hold feelings inside and not be who they really are. How sad.

We as adults have learned how to filter our feelings and our comments. We don’t want to hurt people, upset our boss, co-workers, friends or family. However, we have a duty to stand up for ourselves and others when necessary. Stuffing our feelings does not help anyone. If you feel you cannot be honest with another person, then be honest with yourself. Take time to journal your true feelings. Ask the Divine within to show you the highest and best way to handle a situation and/ or a person. Bottling frustration, hurt or anger behind a smiling or agreeing mask, just keeps everything stuffed inside until you are ready to burst.

Shawn Gallaway wrote a song, “The Artist. “ Here are some lyrics.

“I used to think emotions would expose too much of me.

Instead of humiliation they set the artist free.

Now the world around me once lifeless and so gray,

Reveals a rainbow in all I do and say.

Give into the artist and the pictures come alive…”

Who is this Artist? The Artist is God within you and me. It is time to allow God to guide us as we paint, create and live our lives day by day. When we give into God’s artistic creativity within, we become our MAGNIFICENT SELVES.

We have nothing to hide and are truly alive.

BE your authentic, creative magnificent self today and forever!