Thursday, November 14, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Monday, October 29, 2012
There's Got To Be A Lesson In Here
There's Got to Be A Lesson In Here
Unintended Trip or Was It?
Like most of us today, I have an electronic navigational system in my car. And like so many of us, I have allowed the system to replace my good sense of direction. Somehow, the warning, "What you don't use, you lose," continues to slip further and further from consciousness.
In any case, on a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon, a friend and I hopped into my "Trail Rated' car, punched in directions to a part of town neither of us had visited before. All seemed well. Routes and street names were familiar with the exception of one. We questioned, but then, we don't know all of the street names in the area. So, on we went, admiring nature's glorious Fall palette and being grateful that the gas tank was full since there were no gas stations along the way.
The first indication that something was amiss was when a dirt road suddenly appeared before us. It was leading into what appeared to be a forest. But of course, there must be some houses and some sign of life ahead. Two miles in ---more trees and more bumpy, muddy road, but only more narrow. Five miles in , more of the same and no signs of life. Flooded roads became more frequent along with fallen trees.
At this point, we tried to call for more directions on the cell phone only to find out that we had no signal.
NO CELL PHONE COMMUNICATION!!! Time to panic? No. We continued on our journey laughing and making jokes, knowing that at some point we would finally reach civilization again. Then, we came a fork in the road.
The navigational system gave one of those ambiguous commands: "Slight right turn then, immediate left ahead". Nothing ahead resembled the directions. We made a decision to go right, but there was no possible way to make a left. So we continued forward until these dreaded words appeared, "you are off specified route".
Nothing to do but back up. At this point, I could hear the exasperation and impatience in my friend's voice.
Backing up a five foot wide trail with nothing but trees and low hung branches is an amazing feat for me.
As we returned to the turn off point, we vowed to take a more conventional return route no matter how much time it took to get home.
After approximately two hours of driving through "the jungle", we saw daylight and cars. What a relief!
What a great opportunity to learn some valuable lessons! Life has a way of presenting us with lessons we need for spiritual growth.
The first lesson might be: Looking back and dwelling on the past is not useful or constructive. We could have focused on what could have happened( the car might have had major damage; we could have run out of gas; we could have been in smaller car; we could have been stranded without being able to communicate with the outside world,etc.
None of those things happened. We continued on our trip. Had a great time and returned home happy.
In life we are frequently confronted by obstacles, some of which are not of our direct making. We handle them as best we can and keep on going forward. It is useless to look back. We cannot change the past.
It is more advantageous to focus on the present. It is the bird in the hand here and now. The present is all we have for sure. What we do in the present will shape our tomorrows. How much better it is to shape today in such a way that tomorrow will be pleasant.
The second lesson might be: Select your companions carefully. Imagine being stuck on a tedious, treacherous trip with someone who is impatient, argumentative, disrespectful or hypercritical. How miserable that would be! Fortunately, such was not the case for us.
Life, though, sometimes creates situations for us to show us our worse self so that we can make corrections. If we have any disagreeable characteristics, we will learn by the things we suffer. The characteristics we see and dislike in others are frequently the very ones we need to change in ourselves.
Our companions are our mirrors. Let us make sure we choose the ones with characteristics and behaviors we wish to emulate.
Lesson three: Life is a journey. Like the road, it is sometimes bumpy,muddy,flooded, and strewn with fallen trees and other obstacles. Even so, life is not the problem. The problems, or lack thereof, are are the results of our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and our actions.
So, keep thoughts positive,
keep feelings uplifted,
let attitudes be well motivated, focused, and clear
let actions be a reflection of the Light of God which shines through you
and most of all, know that the Presence and Power of the Divine live in you. You are always connected.
When you really KNOW and EXPERIENCE that Presence and Power, you will always be safe. No obstacle can ever prevent your success.
Oh yes, keep a back up map in the glove box.
Peace and Blessings
Unintended Trip or Was It?
Like most of us today, I have an electronic navigational system in my car. And like so many of us, I have allowed the system to replace my good sense of direction. Somehow, the warning, "What you don't use, you lose," continues to slip further and further from consciousness.
In any case, on a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon, a friend and I hopped into my "Trail Rated' car, punched in directions to a part of town neither of us had visited before. All seemed well. Routes and street names were familiar with the exception of one. We questioned, but then, we don't know all of the street names in the area. So, on we went, admiring nature's glorious Fall palette and being grateful that the gas tank was full since there were no gas stations along the way.
The first indication that something was amiss was when a dirt road suddenly appeared before us. It was leading into what appeared to be a forest. But of course, there must be some houses and some sign of life ahead. Two miles in ---more trees and more bumpy, muddy road, but only more narrow. Five miles in , more of the same and no signs of life. Flooded roads became more frequent along with fallen trees.
At this point, we tried to call for more directions on the cell phone only to find out that we had no signal.
NO CELL PHONE COMMUNICATION!!! Time to panic? No. We continued on our journey laughing and making jokes, knowing that at some point we would finally reach civilization again. Then, we came a fork in the road.
The navigational system gave one of those ambiguous commands: "Slight right turn then, immediate left ahead". Nothing ahead resembled the directions. We made a decision to go right, but there was no possible way to make a left. So we continued forward until these dreaded words appeared, "you are off specified route".
Nothing to do but back up. At this point, I could hear the exasperation and impatience in my friend's voice.
Backing up a five foot wide trail with nothing but trees and low hung branches is an amazing feat for me.
As we returned to the turn off point, we vowed to take a more conventional return route no matter how much time it took to get home.
After approximately two hours of driving through "the jungle", we saw daylight and cars. What a relief!
What a great opportunity to learn some valuable lessons! Life has a way of presenting us with lessons we need for spiritual growth.
The first lesson might be: Looking back and dwelling on the past is not useful or constructive. We could have focused on what could have happened( the car might have had major damage; we could have run out of gas; we could have been in smaller car; we could have been stranded without being able to communicate with the outside world,etc.
None of those things happened. We continued on our trip. Had a great time and returned home happy.
In life we are frequently confronted by obstacles, some of which are not of our direct making. We handle them as best we can and keep on going forward. It is useless to look back. We cannot change the past.
It is more advantageous to focus on the present. It is the bird in the hand here and now. The present is all we have for sure. What we do in the present will shape our tomorrows. How much better it is to shape today in such a way that tomorrow will be pleasant.
The second lesson might be: Select your companions carefully. Imagine being stuck on a tedious, treacherous trip with someone who is impatient, argumentative, disrespectful or hypercritical. How miserable that would be! Fortunately, such was not the case for us.
Life, though, sometimes creates situations for us to show us our worse self so that we can make corrections. If we have any disagreeable characteristics, we will learn by the things we suffer. The characteristics we see and dislike in others are frequently the very ones we need to change in ourselves.
Our companions are our mirrors. Let us make sure we choose the ones with characteristics and behaviors we wish to emulate.
Lesson three: Life is a journey. Like the road, it is sometimes bumpy,muddy,flooded, and strewn with fallen trees and other obstacles. Even so, life is not the problem. The problems, or lack thereof, are are the results of our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and our actions.
So, keep thoughts positive,
keep feelings uplifted,
let attitudes be well motivated, focused, and clear
let actions be a reflection of the Light of God which shines through you
and most of all, know that the Presence and Power of the Divine live in you. You are always connected.
When you really KNOW and EXPERIENCE that Presence and Power, you will always be safe. No obstacle can ever prevent your success.
Oh yes, keep a back up map in the glove box.
Peace and Blessings
Monday, August 9, 2010
Who Is In Control?
Hello, my friends.
It has been two months or more since I posted my latest blog. That's a long time between blogs!
I have been working on some projects that I will share with you at a later date.
In the mean time, I just know that all of you have been keeping your thoughts positive and uplifting. Yes?
In these times when there are so many negative distractions floating around, it is extremely easy to get side-tracked if we don't keep control of our thoughts. Yes, I did say, "keep control."
Frequently, we blame everything and everybody out side of ourselves for the way we feel, think, and behave. Of course, our feelings and thoughts can be influenced by the behavior of others, but, ultimately we control how we will react to the actions and words of others. We control how we will respond.
When someone does something really obnoxious and senseless, we can either get caught up in the tension of the event or we can separate ourselves from it. In getting caught up in the event, we allow the event to, "make," us angry, tense, confused, jealous, lonely, or experience any number of other emotions. In doing so, we are allowing the outer event to dominate us. We give it permission to, "make," us feel negative, unhealthy, or disturbed. In short, we give the outer event power over us.
To separate ourselves from the event, we can stop, take a deep breath, and ask ourselves,"what is it in me that is making me respond to this obnoxious, senseless event? I am the only one who has been given the right to exercise power and authority over me." In those moments you might realize that you don't care to be a part of the feelings of anger, hatred, confusion, jealousy, loneliness, or other negation. You don't care to have some outside event dictate how you will respond. This is what might be called an, "aha moment."
People behave according to their own inner feelings. Whether the behavior is negative or positive, it is coming from within them. It may have absolutely nothing to do with you.
So, don't allow outer events (or people) to push your buttons. You are in control. You decide to what you will respond. The next time an outer event threatens, why not take a deep breath, smile, and think to yourself, "I am in control and I love you."
"He who who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he who conquers himself [is better]than he who takes a city." Proverbs 16:32.
Peace, blessings, and love.
Rev. Earline
It has been two months or more since I posted my latest blog. That's a long time between blogs!
I have been working on some projects that I will share with you at a later date.
In the mean time, I just know that all of you have been keeping your thoughts positive and uplifting. Yes?
In these times when there are so many negative distractions floating around, it is extremely easy to get side-tracked if we don't keep control of our thoughts. Yes, I did say, "keep control."
Frequently, we blame everything and everybody out side of ourselves for the way we feel, think, and behave. Of course, our feelings and thoughts can be influenced by the behavior of others, but, ultimately we control how we will react to the actions and words of others. We control how we will respond.
When someone does something really obnoxious and senseless, we can either get caught up in the tension of the event or we can separate ourselves from it. In getting caught up in the event, we allow the event to, "make," us angry, tense, confused, jealous, lonely, or experience any number of other emotions. In doing so, we are allowing the outer event to dominate us. We give it permission to, "make," us feel negative, unhealthy, or disturbed. In short, we give the outer event power over us.
To separate ourselves from the event, we can stop, take a deep breath, and ask ourselves,"what is it in me that is making me respond to this obnoxious, senseless event? I am the only one who has been given the right to exercise power and authority over me." In those moments you might realize that you don't care to be a part of the feelings of anger, hatred, confusion, jealousy, loneliness, or other negation. You don't care to have some outside event dictate how you will respond. This is what might be called an, "aha moment."
People behave according to their own inner feelings. Whether the behavior is negative or positive, it is coming from within them. It may have absolutely nothing to do with you.
So, don't allow outer events (or people) to push your buttons. You are in control. You decide to what you will respond. The next time an outer event threatens, why not take a deep breath, smile, and think to yourself, "I am in control and I love you."
"He who who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he who conquers himself [is better]than he who takes a city." Proverbs 16:32.
Peace, blessings, and love.
Rev. Earline
Monday, May 24, 2010
New Service added
Hello Friends.
We want to introduce you to our new service:
Ross Coaching and Consultation Services,LLC
Effective as of May 1, 2010.
We offer Life and Spiritual Coaching, Personal Development Seminars, Workshops, and Retreats.
Ross Coaching and Consulting Services has been established to provide positive spiritual tools which will assist people to find health, happiness, and success within themselves.
We approach Coaching with your transformation in mind.
You know the problems. You have the answers.
Let us assist you to find your way to goal achievement. Change stumbling blocks into stepping stones. Be the confident, healthy, successful person you are intended to be.
Call us to make an appointment for a 30 minute complementary consultation.
856 767 4827
We look forward to hearing from you.
Blessings and Peace.
Reverend Earline
We want to introduce you to our new service:
Ross Coaching and Consultation Services,LLC
Effective as of May 1, 2010.
We offer Life and Spiritual Coaching, Personal Development Seminars, Workshops, and Retreats.
Ross Coaching and Consulting Services has been established to provide positive spiritual tools which will assist people to find health, happiness, and success within themselves.
We approach Coaching with your transformation in mind.
You know the problems. You have the answers.
Let us assist you to find your way to goal achievement. Change stumbling blocks into stepping stones. Be the confident, healthy, successful person you are intended to be.
Call us to make an appointment for a 30 minute complementary consultation.
856 767 4827
We look forward to hearing from you.
Blessings and Peace.
Reverend Earline
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