Presents from the Enemy

"A Warrior of Light does not accept presents from the enemy." Paulo Coelho

I read this statement on Paulo Coelho's blog this afternoon and it really made me think. What presents does the enemy offer? Which of these are we tempted to accept?

1. The Illusion of Peace. Faced with the choice between doing what you know is right and avoiding conflict, which do you choose? What compromises are you willing to make to avoid conflict with others? It isn't really peace, it's only a temporary illusion, the conflict is diverted for the moment, but not for good. Sooner or later you will have to face the truth or completely surrender. Real peace doesn't leave you with a heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach. The path of least resistance often leads in a circle.

2. Pride. The enemy of our souls is the king of pride. Pride comes packaged in beautiful wrappings with shiny bows. Taking credit for our good works, glorying in our accomplishments, and patting ourselves on the back for the success of our children all appear socially desirable, but underneath the pretty package the box is empty. When our children, or we, make mistakes, our pride crumbles and feelings of worthlessness rush in. Pride sets our self worth on a narrow pedestal which is far too easy to fall from.

3. Pleasure. In our quest for joy and happiness pleasure is often offered as a quick substitute. In the moment it feels good, and seems to meet our needs. Fleeting pleasure fades as quickly as ice cream melts on your tongue. What remains is the guilt and shame of a bloated soul. True happiness lingers, growing like a vine, in and out of all aspects of life.

Spreading the Word

If Infertility is an issue in your life, please take a moment to read the information below. While infertility is not my particular issue, Carolyn and her methods of healing have helped me in other areas. She is a wonderful, warm and caring person and a fabulous teacher. I took a 5 week tele-course from her about Energy Healing and learned so much! For me, it was time to let go of the energetic clutter, and false beliefs I had been caring around all these years, and really start to live the life God intends for me. I invite you to do the same.

Wendy

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Group Phone Session ~Special F*ree Call!

Evening ~ Thurs. Dec. 10th 7 pm Mtn time
Topic: Infertility

We are approaching the Christmas season, so this year in the spirit of giving, I am offering a special Group Phone Session for no cost. I have felt a strong “spiritual nudge” to do this topic at this time, and to offer it as a free session for anyone that has had trouble conceiving or carrying a full term baby. This is for husbands as well as wives. This isn’t a new topic for me, as I’ve had many pregnancy success stories in my private practice, but this will be the first time I’ve offered it as a Group Session.

Go here to register:
http://www.calycohealing.com/groupphonesessions/

Although many of my clients got pregnant shortly after 1 energy clearing session, I cannot and will not guarantee you’ll get pregnant, but I can guarantee that if you are open and accept the work, you will clear many false beliefs, negative energy of past wounds or offenses dealing with your struggle in this area, and probably a lot of ancestral energy that is creating blockages. In other words, it will drain the intensity of those painful emotions so that you can move forward with more ease.

I need your help to spread the word about this important call.

If you know of anyone who is struggling with this painful issue and you think they would be open to energy healing, please let them know about this fr*ee call. Several of my clients who came to me for this problem were not necessarily “open” to energy work at the time, they were just so desperate after 2 or 3 rounds of invitro-therapy, that they were willing to give it a try. They are believers now, by the way. If you know someone like that, I would love to be able to help them.

If you have a blog, or know someone who does and would like to mention this call on a blog, together, we may be able to help even more people-yay!

The call won’t cost you anything, but you must go here to register to get the phone number:
http://www.calycohealing.com/groupphonesessions/

Thanks for your help in spreading the word about this important call!

Carolyn Cooper
Calyco Healing
PO Box 910546
St. George, Ut. 84790
1-888-399-flow

Clear Your Mind
Calm Your Body
Claim Your Spirit
www.CalycoHealing.com

Sunrise This Morning

When I leave my door each day with the dogs it is dark. The days are short here in Hawaii, and the moon and the stars are still out at 6am. I enjoy about 15 minutes of walking by moonlight before the splendor of the sunrise begins. It's a great way to start the day.

Give Said the Little Stream

Since sitting down to my computer this morning I have started this post at least 5 times. After writing a few lines I read it and then backspace it all. I just can't get the words to convey my thoughts this morning. My head is full of deep and conflicting thoughts. There are the thoughts on the surface of how long my list is for today, and all the other things I would like to put on that list, but don't dare. If my list gets longer than a page I tend to freak out and spend the day spinning my wheels. There are the carnal thoughts of food and how nice it would feel to climb back into bed and sleep another hour or two. Then there are the calm and quiet thoughts, the steady current of ideas flowing underneath all the swirling chaos. Those are the thoughts I want to nurture and cultivate. Those are the thoughts I want to share.

Imagine your life is a river. It starts high on a mountain top as a small but powerful stream. As time goes on you grow, and pick up speed. with the momentum of flowing forward you pick up a lot of debris. Dirt, rocks, leaves, branches, all kinds of stuff that muddy up your crystal clean water and slow down the flow. Occasionally you come to something so large, so steady that you have no choice but to go around it. You have to completely change course. Sometimes your life might even feel like white water rapids, tossing violently and crashing into immovable obstacles.

Alternately, the river of life can gently flow bringing new experiences and new views, at a comfortable pace. Picking up what's needful, and leaving behind evidence of your life in the sediment. Eventually flowing into the ocean or a lake to joining with others for a larger purpose.

This gentle flow is what I am after. I wish to gently flow through each new experience taking life as it comes without struggle. I love the Primary song, "Give Said the Little Stream". Where ever I go I want to leave the grass greener. I want to sing all through the days and give away all the good things I pick up along my journey.

Sunset

We walked the dogs to the beach this evening. What a beautiful sunset! Life is amazing!!

Words - It's all How You See Them

"Inconceivable!"
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."— William Goldman

If there are 3 people in a conversation, there can be 3 totally different conclusions, emotions, and meanings to that conversation. The words exchanged are exactly the same, but how they are interpreted, what they mean, can vary widely.

This weekend I heard someone retell a story that had great emotional impact in their life. They used that experience to make a point that was currently relevant in their life. It is clear that they have thought about that original conversation many times in the years since it occurred. The current emotions were even stronger than they were in the original expression.

I was an observer of the first exchange and a witness to the recent retelling. There was a great difference in the intentions, emotions, and meaning between the different parties involved. What one person said, the other person heard, and vice versa, they failed to communicate. The deeply meaningful memory came from a flawed understanding of the original exchange.

Both are intelligent and educated, and have many things in common. I pondered how could they understand the same words so differently. Words are powerful, but what we "think" and what we "feel" about them charge them with power.

Consider the impact of the verbal environment of upbringing. Did you grow up speaking a different language than you do now? Were there multiple languages spoken in your home? What was the education level of your parents? Did the adults in the home include you in the conversation, or were children spoken down to? Did you grow up in one area, and adopt the regional slang? Those are just the few factors that contribute to our personal understanding of language. What about the subtle differences in meaning that are passed along from generation to generation?

In some families a specific word may have a slightly negative connotation. Whenever a person from that family hears that word, it taints the conversation, and sets them up to feel negatively towards the subject at hand. The person who said it is using the word properly, and expressing themselves clearly, with no negative intention, but the hearer still gets the message wrong.

Sometimes a person uses a word, or a string of words, and they really don't express what they mean. Their basic understanding of the word is flawed, and then their expression and communication with others is flawed. They don't intend to be offensive, or send a negative message, but because of this deep misunderstanding, the communication fails.

When I first moved to St. Louis I heard people using the word "ignorant" as an insult. From my education and experience, ignorance meant a lack of knowledge and was a condition, rather than an insult. Actually the word is pronounced, "ignernt" and means that a person is being extremely rude and difficult. Totally different meaning, and completely different emotions. If I had mistakenly refered to someone who had no education on a subject as ignorant, I might have found myself punched in the face by an "ignernt" jerk.

With all these differences, how do we ever come together and truly communicate? How do we express ourselves and have our true intentions and feelings understood? A consistent education helps, but even then, we have deep personal differences.

First, I think we must seek to understand one another. Don't take what people say literally and at face value. If something doesn't seem to make sense, ask questions. Restate what you think they said, and ask if you got it right. If they mean to give offense, make them say it straight. Most times people do not intend offense and we can avoid a misunderstanding. The more we know a person, the easier it is to understand them. Take the time to get to know people you work and associate with. Not only will your communication improve, your life will be enriched.

When you are doing the speaking, it is a good idea to say things in a variety of ways. Stop and ask if others understand you, and if they have any questions. If the subject warrants, make sure to clearly state your intended feels and emotions. If you are speaking in public and asking the crowd to answer questions is not possible, restate your point to make sure you are clear.

Words always mean something, but not always the same thing to everyone.

Good Stocking Stuffer Ideas

I know Thanksgiving isn't here yet, but it never hurts to get a head start. Avon has some good ideas for stocking stuffers and other Christmas items.
My Mom always filled our stockings with plenty of fun, but useful items. With Christmas packaging, and fun holiday scents many of the Avon items are a natural fit. Check out the bubble bath, Pj's, lip balm, etc.

Halloween is for Leprechauns

Quincie did a little holiday mashup for Halloween. As you can see from the pics below, she was a leprechaun. She is a big fan of green (check out the green sock monkey sitting on the green curtains, and the green snoopy sitting on the lamp). She is also a big fan of hats. Thus the dilemma of which hat to wear for her costume. I think they both look pretty cute, but there might just be a little bias in that opinion.
Quincie and I went to a party hosted by some friends from church. It was a New Moon, pre-premiere party, and very fun. She went trick or treating for a while with a couple of friends who were also at the party. My costume was rather dull. I was Bella - on a regular school day. I wore jeans, a t-shirt, gray converse and a hoodie. Basically I just looked like me. No photo necessary.

My New Car

Last night I had to run to the store kind of late. It was a beautiful night. The moon was full and the clouds were slowly moving across it. When they were just so they were glowing brilliantly with the light of the moon. The temperature was perfect, so I rolled down my windows to feel the breeze. Did ya hear that? I rolled down MY windows! I just love this new car!

Being able to drive with the windows down is only one of the many wonderful things about my new car. It's pretty (bright shiny blue). It's paid for(thanks to Carl!!!). It's comfortable. My grown up sized kids fit comfortably in the back seat. Most importantly, everything works just as it should.

The Cricket

Have you ever heard the story of the crickets and the seagulls? When the first group of Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake valley, they immediately planted crops. They spent the winter living in simple log homes with mud and thatch roofs. Spring arrived and their roofs began to leak with Spring rain. They planted crops from the seeds of that first harvest, and prayed for abundance.

The crops began to grow, and things were looking up. Then mid summer the crickets showed up. They kept coming and coming and eating everything within sight. Everyday they ate more and more of the precious crops. The people did what they could to get rid of them. They tried loud noises, shooing them, and even fire. They prayed for help, but the crickets kept coming.

Finally, they held a community fast and prayer. As a united body of saints they prayed and asked God to spare their crops from the crickets, so that they would not starve.

Yesterday when I was telling this story to my class of 9 and 10 year olds I stopped to explain what a cricket was. Crickets are not common in Hawaii, and many of the children in my class had never seen one. A couple of the boys that have lived on the mainland were helping me in the explanation when one of them cried out, "Sister Minks, there's a cricket on the wall!".

Sure enough, there on the classroom wall was a small black cricket. Everyone rushed over to look at it. They were able to see exactly what a cricket was. It just sat there and slowly walked along the white concrete wall. They marveled that God sent them a cricket!

The cricket wandered away and I continued the story. Soon after fasting and praying for help, massive flocks of seagulls began to arrive. They ate the crickets until they were full, then flew to a nearby creek and vomited, then flew back to the fields and ate more crickets. The seagulls stayed for 3 weeks, eating and purging, until all of the crickets were gone and the remainder of the crops were saved. That Fall they held a celebration giving thanks to God for the gulls, and their abundant harvest.

Like God sent the pioneers the seagulls, he sent us a cricket. Our needs, great or small, are important to our Heavenly Father. He answers prayers and teaches us, if we but open our hearts and minds miracles are all around us.

Love vs. Fear

"Don't give in to your fears. If you do you won't be able to talk to your heart."
Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist

Fear and love are spiritual and energetic opposites. They are mutually exclusive. If you are full of love, there is no room for fear. Conversely, if you are full of fear, there is no room for love.

When your heart is half and half, you are stuck. Something has to give, the fear needs to go.

Love is freedom. Love is peace. Love is the absence of fear. No fear of rejection, no fear of abandonment, no fear of loss.

The reality of life is that you will most likely be rejected sometimes. You might be abandoned, and you will certainly suffer loss of some sort. These experiences are a natural part of life. It is not these blows that rob us of love. It is the fear of these experiences that steal the joy from us.

When we let the fear of loss prevent us from fully living then we have given into our fears and can no longer communicate with our heart. Our heart will be shut off, disconnected, and dormant. The raging negative emotion of fear will rule the day and in the attempt to prevent us from future hurts, will disconnect us for all that is worthwhile in life.