Surrounded by Angels Unaware

Isn't it curious that so many of us go through our days unaware that we are surrounded by angels who are there helping us and waiting to really help us if we would but ask.  I speak to this from my own experience of growing-up in a United Methodist tradition where angels seemed to only come into "life" at Christmas when we presented our annual Christmas Pagent and so many of us wanted to get to wear those wings!  Yet as we read the story of Jesus presented in the Bible, angels were certainly present with Him throughout his entire story.  And they were actively there -- helping Him, ministering to Him, and yes, even protecting Him.  Why is it that this fact in the Bible -- and with so many others in the Bible is so ignored in the Protestant church -- or at least in the Methodist churches that I was part of ?  

As we have just spent several months communing with angels in our worship services at the Spiritual Healing Temple, I have come to know them.  I am so thankful that over these past few years my spiritual path has shifted to allow me have the angels become a truly real part of my life.  

If that has not happened for you yet, take time this week to quietly sit and focus on the angels.  Invite your Guardian Angel to speak to you -- you might be surprised by the glorious being who walks with you!

Living Waters

In sacred texts we read of the blessing of going to the "living waters" -- those deep springs that flow filled with a freshness that brings renewal to the body.  Indeed, whenever we come to meet the Divine in meditation and prayer, we allow our spirit to go directly to the ultimate Living Water -- to be filled, cleansed, renewed, and yes, even reborn -- a new life springing from the waters of God.  How can we say that we do not have time -- have life -- for this?  What could possibly make us believe that anything is more important than going to those Living Waters over and over again! 

May you find your way this day to the Living Waters, that you may be refreshed renewed, knowing that indeed you are a precious child of Mother God who is loved beyond measure.

Joy in the Journey

Hope

My mother left her home and traveled to another part of the country to be near me and filled with hope that someone would be able to find a way to restore her and remove her from a world of intense physical pain.  During the time she was here, she opened her heart to come to know God on a level that she never had before.  Over the months her health deteriorated rapidly, and by January she had lost her ability to do most things, and was in excruciating pain most of the time.  On February 17 she left this world of pain to be in the glorious Light of Creator.  Following her death I was filled with great sorrow that my mother's hope had not been fulfilled.  You see, I was defining a release from pain as being accomplished by a medical procedure.  But, tonight as I listened to Michael Card singing  Joy in the Journey, I suddenly realized that God had answered her prayer by lifting her out of this world of pain and by carrying her home --home to a place of pure love and light-- a place free from pain.  Indeed, her hope had been realized!  God always answers our prayers -- and often in ways that we do not expect. 

I share the words from the song:

JOY IN THE JOURNEY

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

And all those who seek it shall find it

A pardon for all who believe

Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who've been born in the Spirit

And who share incarnation with Him

Who belong to eternity stranded in time

And weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that's before you

And never stop counting the cost

Remember the hopelessness when you were lost

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

And freedom for those who obey...

Whisper

I received the following in my email this morning.

I share it with you!

Click on the link below.

http://home.att.net/~mcp3_2000/_classics/013/whispers.htm

Renewal in Spring

Spring

Pouring

Rain

  Into

New Glory!

Renewal!  God's Gift!  Spring!

Power of Words

Looking at this picture, I am struck by the seeming pleasure of the moment that this threesome is sharing.  I can imagine that they are sharing "words" with one another that bring forth the energy that manifests in the closeness exhibited here.  Words are most powerful, and they carry an energy that can quickly become the fuel for the fire that raises our vibration  -- be it vibrations of love and joy, or vibrations of anger and sadness. 

Why is it that we so quickly forget the very real power in words that we speak in our walk with those around us -- at home, at work, in worship, wherever we might be.  May we never forget that it was  from the Word that all creation came into being; and that we, too, are made in the image of God with the power to create for good or for bad with the words we use. 

Imagine yourself gathered with those in your daily walk and being observed as you share your words -- what would your picture look like -- love? joy? happiness? sadness? 

As we enter into this new day may all of our words carry the power of creation for the love and joy of God!

The Heart of Music

The music pieces we love are the memories we cherish.  They are the family, the spiritual life, the dreams of our lives.

***

If you know what music it is that you can't bear to hear, you'll know what memory it is that you haven't come to peace with yet.

from Listen With the Heart by  Joan Chittister

When I read these words, I thought how true it is!  Music reaches into the deepest parts of our inner being.  I have been profoundly touched by music.  In fact, it was music -- the music of Michael Card -- that broke the "stone" around my heart and released my soul to reconnect with God many years ago.  His music still touches me in a way that most other music does not.  Emmanuel by Michael Card brings me to tears of joy as I am reminded of that moment of stepping into total bliss and joy and awe as I for the first time had the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to know the Light of Christ -- God with us -- in Master Jesus.  That moment totally changed my life.  How beautiful to be brought back to that memory in the heartbeat of music! 

And, yes, there is that music that brings me painfully to other moments that need to be healed -- that, too, is God's Light shining, speaking.

What heartstring is music strumming in your life?

Blessings of Light!

Rev. Mary Ann

Listening to the Body

Do you ever have aches and pains that just won't go away -- that seem insistant on being with you for more than just a day?  Have you ever considered if your body is trying to "tell" you something?  Over the last couple of decades I have come to appreciate that this is what is happening.  And, I have been able to go even a step further -- I know that it is really my body being used by God to get my attention and make me listen to what She has been saying to me. 

In one case I suffered from double vision -- but only of light producing images -- for several months (I had been told earlier in prayer to leave my job; I had not done so as I was in a very good job and making a very good salary).  When I finally resigned from the job, the double vision went away and I was contacted to enter into my first church as a minister.

I have come to understand that when God speaks, we are expected to listen and to follow.  Sadly, we often do not have the ears to hear, and so we suffer, not understanding that God is there.   I have learned to ask -- is this pain or this dis-ease  something that carries a message from you, oh God, to me? And, when I ask and listen, I always get an answer.  It is not always the answer that I want to hear.  That does not matter -- but, what does matter is whether I do all I can to walk at one with God. 

Sometimes we overburden ourselves with all that is presented us in this world.  It can be harder to know and understand what to do when so much is tied to the heart.  It is then that we especially need to sequester ourselves to be in total communion with the Divine.  The answers will come -- but not necessarily as we expect or when we expect.  But, when we finally "know" and listen and follow there will always be deep peace to follow -- and maybe, just maybe, that pain will go away.

Be a companion with your body today and see if it is speaking to you!

May Light fill your day!

Rev. Mary Ann