dailydatewithgod

With all that is coming at us at a given moment it can sometimes be hard to distinguish what to pay attention to.  So gratefully we have built-in sensors called feelings that call our attention to things that grasp our attention.  The feelings give us an indication of how much energy we have placed on a thought or idea about a situation.  They are not right or wrong, but an indication.  Before we do anything else it is helpful to acknowledge the feeling, see it for its value and then determine if continuing with that feeling is something that works for us or not.  My prayer for us today is that we utilize the gift of energy in motion (=emotion) to notice what we are latching on to by acknowledging it.  Make it a great one! Peace~Colleen

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are the words written by Thomas Jefferson who said they were some of the rights given to us by Our Creator.  To be free in this world means many different things to many different people.  Like all things it is a state of mind.  We experience Liberty to the extent that we are not tied to anything or anyone.  When we are free to fully express ourselves we are liberated.  When we are not hindered by what we think others will think of us we are free.  When we are willing to risk and take action despite the fear we are free.  When we are willing to let go of the anger and the hurt that is crippling us (not the person or entity with which we are angry), we are free.  When we are not in bondage to self, we are free.  Liberty creates room for love.  In the grand picture of life, we all want freedom.  In the picture of today’s life how do we live that liberty?  My prayer for us today is that we be willing to recognize the thoughts that keep up from that liberty of loving fully.  Make it a great one! Peace~Colleen

The interconnectedness of life is like a web of such intricate design.  When we stop to notice the ways that we are connected with each other it is hard not to be humbled by the fact that God has set out to make sure we know we are not alone.  Sometimes we fight it because our ego’s see it as a threat because it thrives on separation.  It is good that we are not our ego. We are not our body, our mind, or anything external that we identify ourselves with in this physical world.  They are simply the vehicles that house our spirits.  How amazing that we can be a part of a system that creates a physical manifestation of LOVE.  However, when we identify only with the vehicle we lose sight of that which we truly are and sometimes we forget all together. This is the source of our suffering.  In the forgetfulness of our companionship with God we are in pain because we are not connected to the truth of who we are.  All we see is the separation and while our ego’s ride high on this they are limited so the high runs out.  My time with God on our dates each morning allows me to spend some quality time soaking in the reminder of my companionship with God.  That way asi go forward into my day and forget about it, I don’t have to go too far back into my day to remember.  My prayer for us today is that we be willing to find a way that makes sense to our own spirits of how to connect to our companionship with God as we start our day today so when we get lost in our world we don’t have to go too far back to remember who we are.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

One of the most powerful tools that we have is the ability to observe.  Our observation skills consist in much more than what we see with our eyes.  We also observe with all of our senses.  We then interpret what we are observing.  Here is where the key lies.  We can choose to believe what we are observing and attach to it or we can continue to notice it without attaching to it.  The funny thing is that others who are experiencing the same thing are creating meaning from it but not necessarily the same meaning.  This can sometimes cause conflict.  But what if we were to stay in the space of observation and just notice what we are perceiving?  What if instead of jumping on the band wagon of the first thing that our mind makes something mean and continue to notice what other thought arise?  When we do this we notice that more thoughts just keep coming. If we wait we might come up with one that has a sense of peace to it versus the first ones which are the programs for survival.  When we recognize that we have the ability to choose which thoughts to attach to, we no longer are a victim to our thinking. God gives us the gift of pause and reflection through our breath.  We can breathe through several thoughts and ideas and recognize them as helpful or not helpful in creating an experience that matches our hearts desire for love and peace.  Sometimes I need God’s help to hold on past running with the first thoughts and it is in those times that God stays still with me and shows me how to be.  My prayer for us today is that we utilize the gift of our breath to simply recognize that we have a choice of which to become aligned.  Make it a great one! Peace~Colleen

Children are such a gift to watch as they learn.  Their fascination with all the little pieces and elements of things is a mirror of the same fascination that God has for every part of who we are.  Given the intricacies with which the Great Creator placed in the design of each thing created, wouldn’t it makes sense that Spirit had the same intention when all of our cells were created?  That would mean that God put forth great investment to make sure that every part of our being was designed in and for love.  Right down to our tippy-toes.  If that is the case, I need not look further than where my feet are to find love.  Maybe it is even right here, right now.  In the words of Van Halen, “Right now is everything.”  In this moment I have the capacity to experience the greatest of all experiences–LOVE.  Right now is the time to embrace all that I AM and all that You ARE because it is within our being.  When I am not seeing or experiencing love, it is simply because I have forgotten who I AM and where I AM and the intricacies of the design.  Then I can reach for God and say, Show me where you are in this moment.  Show me LOVE in the present.  I need to be shown because it often presents itself in forms that I do not immediately perceive as love.  Growing up I had  a strong affinity for a song that I heard in church, “Here I AM Lord.”  It is a song that asks to be shown who I AM and wonders if it me that is being called to love and live the expression.  Through the course of the song it acknowledges being called by God and agreeing to follow where one is led.  I still remember being in 2nd grade as I watched the 8th grade class of students sing the song in the auditorium as a part of their graduation celebration.  It is a song that was placed in my heart.  One of the lines says, “I will go Lord, if you lead me.  I will hold your people in my heart.”  I think we are all called to this experience of life.  To be lead to love.  Ultimately it is the path home to our hearts.  My prayer for us today is that we be willing to be shown and lead in the path of love and open to whatever form or shape that takes.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

There is Grand Designer who is LOVE who continually creates out of love and openness.  This Being is with me and you and within us even when we are not aware of it.  In fact, sometimes the clearest way for me to know that I am not God is when I find myself in a space of a closed heart.  A heart that feels so closed off that my first reaction to anything or anyone is “go away” (that is putting it nicely).  How do I get there? Sometimes it doesn’t take much.  Take this morning for example.  I get up, have my date time with God and as I set up my computer to write this blog there is no internet access.  Hmm, that is strange.  A part of me feels a tug to try to fix that and then I realize I am in the middle of my date and need to be present where I am so I stop.  I get centered and in my mind I reach for the hand of God.  I acknowledge that I am now focused on how I will not be able to post my blog and what about the people who read it every morning (all seven of you)? They will be disappointed.  I inform God that I am handing this over to Him because I am powerless over this.  So I finish the date albeit a little distracted and try to fix the issue. This means spending time on the phone with the cable people who after a 1/2 hour cannot resolve it either and not being there for my morning phone appointments for my spiritual sisters (cuz the phone is down too by the way!). This caused me to run a little behind and despite my best efforts I ultimately end up being late to work.  As I am going from the gym to the mechanic and then to the train, I am asking God to replace my thinking with God-thinking.  I read the serenity prayer and the St. Francis’ Prayer on the train. I smile at people despite not wanting to and end up clocking in late to work cuz I missed the first train.  When I finally stop, I feel the self-pity setting because I have not met my perfectionist unrealistic expectations of not being late for work, even if its only 8 minutes. Whoa!  I can feel my heart want to close off as I am interacting with people at the office but surprisingly their smiles and their warmth of greeting make that virtually impossible.  LOL!  (Thanks for showing up in my co-workers this morning God). I am faced with a decision now, will I lose my whole day to eight minutes?  I’d rather not.  God show me how to keep my heart open when my self-loathing thoughts want to shut all heart systems down.  Help me to see the beauty of the imperfections of being human and how not to lose out on connecting with one of your children this day.  Yes in the grand scheme of things this is no big deal and heck I sure did a lot this morning!  I am reminded how easy it is to get caught up the silly madness that my thoughts go towards.  If I let them, if I do not reach for the Hand of God, I will close off my heart and suddenly lose tolerance for all things that don’t measure up in my mind.  So I today is yet another example of how I never know what is going to come out when I sit down to type but thank you for reading.  If it touches you,  I am grateful for your  open heart in this moment.  My prayer for us today is that when we are presented with the choice of whether to close our hearts because of some seemingly important thought that we remember that God is only a hand reach away and in His Hand lies the vitality of Our Hearts.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

Belief and trust in a God that is the Creator of all Creations means that we carry with us a sense of inner peace. If we know God to be the one that Created an entire universe out of nothing, then surely this same God can create good out of whatever we are going through.  God not only created something out of nothing but something beautiful, amazing, intricate, with thought down to the very particle.  Yet somehow I think that by holding on to whatever mess I may have made of something in my life I can come up with a better solution?  Hmm, maybe not.  The head that came up with the idea that created the situation is not likely going to be the one to get me out of it.  So, I humbly turn to My Creator and say, “So, do you think this can be turned to the good?”  Show me what to do so that this can become further evidence of Your Awesomeness.  Show me how to be in this experience so that I can bear witness to the power of love that is ever-present in the world.  Grant me the courage to let go of my idea of how it should be so that You can create something far beyond my wildest dreams.  My prayer for us today is that you be willing to let go of your idea of how to fix something and ask God for the courage to let go and give it to the Great Designer to fashion something new.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen

Life is a process.  A process of growing and learning.  A process of taking in and letting go.  A process of breathing in and breathing out.  With each thought there is the option of attachment. With each attachment comes the energy of emotion.  With each energy of emotion comes action or inaction.  With each action or inaction is the creation of a pattern. With patterns come habits.  With habits come lifestyle and ways of being.  With ways of being we create a destiny.  With so much information coming at us constantly we need a way to distinguish that which we want to take in and that which we will let pass us by.  We are given the ability to judge things as matching who we are and what we are about so that we can make use of the information, ideas and perceptions of which we encounter.  This process of discernment is vital to create a life that conveys the message of who we are to ourselves, to the world, and to God.  Sometimes I get off track, distracted, caught up in the thought that I have attached to and find myself in the emotional energy and off-course from the destiny, the path, that I am creating for my greater good and the good of others. It looks like getting swept into a complaining session with some coworkers about how such and such is annoying, reading the entertainment headline instead of the business one at work, focusing on making my point (because I am right, don’t you know ;)) instead of listening to the person that I am in conversation with.  It is in these little moments that I have the option to pause and discern if who I am being is who I want to be being.  I need to use this ability to discern so that I know when to reach for God’s help.  God help me to graciously step out of this conversation of complaining, change the website, or stop and just listen. God, help me focus on what will create and contribute to the greater good for myself and others in this moment.  It is a day-to-day lifetime process to create a life worth living and life-giving and I am up for it today.  My prayer for us today is that we utilize our powers of discernment, not as a judgment of right or wrong, good or bad, but the gift that can show us whether we are on course or not.  Make it a great one!  Peace~Colleen