Gifts of Working a Spiritual Program : Pray, Meditate & Practice Compassion…

This quote dedicated to all of the amazing teachers in my life, past, present and future…

Gifts of working a spiritual program on a daily basis…

OR…

How  the universe, nature, God, higher power, divine intervention, whatever you choose to define it really WORKS in my life…

The play set story from my last blog was just one example of many.

I no longer define anything as unfortunate unless it is related to death or a real tragedy and even then, I know their is a bigger plan and that as long as I do my part by praying to remove my shortcomings so I can better do God’s will, then I am in a good place.  I don’t believe in unfortunate events anymore.  Everything really does have a greater purpose.

Here is why-

Series of events that happened this summer-

• I lose my dream job working the perfect amount of hours for me to not be away from Melody for too long, in the field I love- education.  I become very worried about finances and being able to provide Melody with enough- specifically, I really want to take her swimming early on so she won’t develop fear of water.  I research swim classes but all the classes are full or our of my price range.

I pray on it and let it go…

• Because I am not working, I was able to go for a walk during the day and I meet this gal around my age with a daughter a year older then Melody.  We become friends and I find out, she is a swim instructor and has a membership to this gym in town with a pool.  We can go for free now.

BLESSING!

• Out of the blue, I start thinking of an old friend I used to know in my college partying/ drinking years.  I think of how self centered I was back then and how I wish she was around so I can apologize for my immature behaviors.

I pray about it and let it go…

• This girl I am referring to lives in Georgia.  She comes home to visit her family in Avon, CT (which is not unusual) Here’s the kicker- she CALLS me!  She wants to get together.  This is very weird because I have reached out to her multiple times but she never returned my responded until now.  This scenario happened with 4 other people this year as well.  This never would have happened if I was living out of my old fear based behaviors.

BLESSING!

• I worry about finding a job, keeping up with the house work, keeping my brain active with creativity because I am afraid it will turn to mush if I don’t because I am forgetting everything lately…  I worry that I am not being a good enough mother, daughter, sister, wife, friend…  I worry people may not like me… I worry I may not be successful… I worry I just won’t ever measure up…

I pray on it and let it go…

• Serenity floods me with good thoughts and the peaceful warrior within me takes over.  I know I am going to be alright.  None of it matters as long as I surrender to God’s will (to those of you who are afraid of the word “God”- to me “God” is the spirit that keeps the universe flowing every day.  God is in nature and all living things.  God is like your instinct to do the right thing.  God is “Good orderly Direction” God is the opposite of fear.  God is love, light and freedom.  Surrender to win.  God is good.  Dogma is not God’s will.  Dogma is Dogma.  God doesn’t pick and choose who is “good” and who is “bad”- WE do.  We live in hell or we live in heaven on EARTH.  In the here and now.

Spiritual Awareness=  BLESSING!

Here are a few of my favorite prayers that help me through the day…

1. The Serenity Prayer

2) Gratitude Prayer

“I am grateful for life
And all that I love
I am grateful for the Earth
And the Sun up above
I am grateful for my spirit
And my inner being
For the One that I express
And the joy of this feeling” —Owen Waters

3)  I prefer Peter Shepard’s interpretation of Lord’s Prayer…

My source in the spiritual realm,
I celebrate your presence with me here.
Let me be guided by unconditional Love
and be of service for the highest good.
Thank you for the abundance I receive,
and please forgive my mistakes,
as I forgive those who cause me difficulties.
Help me to fulfill my purpose, uphold my values,
and be understanding and compassionate.
With all my love.

4)  Prayer of St Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace…

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

5) Step 7 Prayer of Humility

My creator, I am now willing that you have all of me,

good and bad.

I pray now that you remove from me ever single defect of character

that stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows.

Grant me strength as I go out from here to do your biding.

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

—Teilhard de Chardin