31. January 2010 by Laurie.

I found this image a couple of years ago and cannot remember the site.  So, for now it will be annonymous attribution.   Anyway, I have really appreciated the quote from Lao Tzu so many times in my life and I thought the combination of the quote and image were perfect.  I hope that it resonates with you!

Posted in Patience | Print | 1 Comment »

30. January 2010 by Laurie.

The TKF Foundation is a private grant-making foundation whose purpose is to create “Open Spaces, Sacred Places”.  It partners with organizations to create sacred places which increase a sense of community and contribute to a deepening of human connections.  These sacred places foster the development of human spirituality and are open and accessible to people of all beliefs, faiths and cultures.  TKF is located in Annapolis, Maryland and its funding is focused in the geographic areas of Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland and Washington, DC.

The following is from their Bench Whispers:

http://www.tkffdn.org/bench/

Posted in Connections | Print | 1 Comment »

29. January 2010 by Laurie.

Jim Burklo wrote the below on taxes.  Although it’s Christian-based, I believe that people of any persuasion will appreciate it. Jim’s writings are always thoughtful and positive.  –Laurie

Dear God, bless my taxes! Give me peace of mind as I struggle to fill out the forms and determine the right amounts I should be sending to Washington and Sacramento. Keep me calm, I pray, as I write out those fat checks on April 15. And whisper a reminder to me, Lord, of all the good reasons that I send my money to my government every year.

Remind me of the fact that I could not write this prayer if I had not received an excellent tax-subsidized education - my parents couldn’t have afforded fancy private schools or colleges. Gently show me that the Internet, through which I send this prayer to others, was created with taxpayer dollars. Help me to recall that my freedom to pray as I wish was purchased with the lives of soldiers and the tax payments of other citizens who defended liberty before I was born. Reveal to me, Lord, in my mind’s eye, the roads and the airports, the water systems, the magnificent parks and wilderness areas, the public health workers, the regulators of the environment and of commerce, the scientists, and all the other people and things that my taxes make possible. They provide safety and comfort, protect natural resources, and enable capitalism to flourish for the benefit of all. Remind me of how hard and scary life was for the sick and elderly before citizens paid Social Security taxes and received its benefits. Show me, dear One, just how expensive, difficult, and unpleasant life would be for me and everyone else without all the services and protections that are funded by my tax payments.

Dear Lord, remind me that, in fact, for all the good things that I and others receive back from our government, my tax payments are a bargain. Take me out of my selfishness and give me a spirit of gratitude as I write those tax checks. Inspire me to see that this is a sacred duty, and is a way that I serve others who are vulnerable, poor, or sick, and are especially dependent on public assistance.

O dear One, there are so many ways I wish my taxes could be spent differently. There are many things I don’t like about what my government is doing, there are ways that the tax system could be made more fair, and there are many important things the government leaves undone. I’m willing, O Lord, to pay even more in taxes if it would work for the common good: it could save us all even more money and trouble, in the end.  So, more than ever, dear God, give me the strength and the vision to rise up and take action as a voter, pressing my government to act for peace and justice at home and abroad. My sacred duty as a citizen is only partly fulfilled as I write my tax checks. I ask for your guidance, God, as I join with others to change the priorities and values of our government, so that they reflect more of what we see of your will.

May your blessing rest on my Form 1040 this next week, dear Lord, and may my taxes well serve you and my fellow citizens! Amen.

(The Blessing of the Taxes is a national effort, which I initiated and now has been adopted by the Unitarian Universalist Association. Churches and temples of many denominations around the country will be holding “Blessings” in worship in the week around April 15. Have a look at the national Blessing of the Taxes website at: http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/print_article.php?id=571&;print=1 )

Posted in Taxes, Prayer | Print | 3 Comments »

28. January 2010 by Laurie.

Find something new and precious to appreciate every day.

By Ardath Rodale , Ardath Rodale is Chief Inspiration Officer of Rodale Inc and the author of several books including Everyday Miracles.

I like to think that gratitude and grace are like my two hands working together. Grace is the power, beauty, and love of God that is always around us; gratitude gives us the eyes to see it.

Native Americans teach their children to wake up being thankful for each new day. Their philosophy has greatly expanded my well of gratitude. I try to find something new and precious to appreciate in nature every day. Even the cycle of planting a seed, watching its progress to full bloom and then its decline to sleep beneath the earth, fills me with thanks for the privilege of being part of nature’s miracles.

Elaine Hibbard wrote that gratitude is one of the great positive emotions because it creates magnetism. A magnet draws things to itself, and, therefore, giving heartfelt thanks for all the good around us makes us attract more good into our daily lives.

Helen Keller said, “I thank God for my handicaps, for through them I found myself, my work, and my God.”

Life’s journey is never totally smooth. We all will encounter mountains and valleys along the way, but in the hard climb up the mountain or the difficult descent into the valley, we learn life’s lessons and become stronger in character. Be grateful for the challenges you face because they help you grow, understand, and soften your heart, and they give you strength.

I have found in my life that it is vital to start my day with thankfulness. I begin with exercises and affirmations every morning as I get out of bed. I look out my bedroom window to see a bronze statue of a beautiful woman lifting a child to the sky in her outstretched arms. It is here that I express my gratitude for family and friends, praying for their health and happiness. As I name each person individually, I raise my arms like the statue and enfold my loved ones in healing, kindness, purpose, safety, energy, peace, and love. Then I extend my arms to include all those in the world who are ill, grieving, stricken with AIDS, orphaned, homeless, hungry, or sad, as well as our sacred environment.

When we say thank you, we open our eyes to all the miracles around us. Ramakrishna says, “The breeze of grace is always blowing on you. You have to open the sails and your boat will move forward.”

And Henry Beecher said, “God’s grace is the oil that fills the lamp of love.”

Grace surrounds us like the soft, comforting, refreshing rain. Let gratitude help you find the power of that grace and see all your experiences in life as blessings.

May you journey in peace!

Copyright (c) Rodale, Inc. 2004

Posted in Grace, Gratitude | Print | 3 Comments »

26. January 2010 by Laurie.

Another wonderful verse from the great poet and Sufi mystic:

You come to us from another world,

from beyond the stars and the void of space.

Transcendent, pure, of unimaginable beauty.

Bringing with you the essence of love.

You transform all who are touched by you.

Mundance concerns, troubles and sorrows dissolve in your presence,

bringing joy to ruler and ruled, to peasant and king.

Posted in Rumi | Print | No Comments »

25. January 2010 by Laurie.

Combine hugs and Enigma’s Return to Innocence and you can’t go wrong!  This definitely added some smiles to my face.  Enjoy!

Posted in Hugs | Print | 4 Comments »

24. January 2010 by Laurie.

Great article about living on less as a result of a challenge by a man’s young daughter.

www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/opinion/24kristof.html

Posted in Simplicity | Print | 1 Comment »

24. January 2010 by Laurie.

Often when I have shared quotes, stories, videos or other items with people, they have told me, “You get the best stuff!  Where do you find this stuff??!!”  So, I realized that I may have a filter for attracting the “best stuff.”  I would like to share my discoveries with you.

This is my first blog so bear with me.  But I invite you to also share on these pages the Best Stuff for Our Souls!  I would just ask that if you’re quoting or sharing someone else’s work, that you attribute that person, group, etc.

“An act of love that fails is just as much a part of the divine life as an act of love that succeeds, for love is measured by its own fullness, not by its reception.”  –Harold Loukes (With thanks to Inspiration Peak!)

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