Dealing with Challenges

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.  Carl Jung

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.  Napoleon Hill

As we bring ourselves to a greater vision, we induce a greater concept  and thereby demonstrate more in our experience.   ...little by little we can unfold our consciousness, through  the acquisition of greater and still greater mental equivalents, until at last we shall be made free.  Ernest Holmes

Several weeks ago, I received a phone call from a good friend of mine asking that I pray for her as she was in extreme pain and needed some help.  I said, of course, I would pray for her complete comfort.  I asked when she was seeking medical help and she indicated the following Monday.  Tuesday, I called her and asked her what she found out.  After numerous tests and an MRI, they discovered that she had Stage IV cancer that started in her breast and had moved throughout her body and into her bones and had created tumors on her bones.  Her prognosis was about six more months of life.  She told me that she decided to forgo Chemo and all of the other treatments and would have her doctor enroll her in Hospice instead and she would live out the balance of her life at home.  

When I got off the telephone with her, I was numb.  This can't be happening to someone I have loved for close to 35 years.  She and I went through ministerial school together and have managed to keep in touch all of these years through our travels and living experiences.  

When I told Alan, he immediately asked if I wanted to travel to see her.  I said yes, and we immediately checked our calendar to see when would be a good time to go and decided on a date.  I called her to tell her the news and she replied that she would be delighted to see me.  We finalized our plans and made our reservations were all set.

Two days later she called and said she didn't want to see me and she felt that we were good enough friends and that I would understand.  I said I did and she said that she was very tired and needed to rest so we hung up.

Now, I am beyond numb.  I am shocked and I didn't know what to do with this.  I thought we were "good" enough friends that she would want someone "like" me to share some time with before she made her transition.  

With all of my training, I knew that what I was going through and feeling was my own "stuff."  I was hurt.  It was hard for me to feel any compassion for her right then.  

Going back with my experience with my former husband as he was making his transition with cancer, I remembered some of the stuff he said and experienced and I realized that I had taken what my friend told me "personally" and it wasn't meant to be that way.  This was her stuff - not mine.  This was her choice and what she wanted to experience.

Even though I got that what she told me was what she needed, I had a terrible time with it and getting myself back into a place of peace and greater understanding.  

The benefit of all this is that we decided to take that time that we blocked off our calendar and we are taking a trip east to tour some states that neither of us has ever visited  The fact that I am still healing from my last surgery, it is a good time to get away and rest and be still and have a complete change of scenery.  

I am blessed beyond measure that we have the ability to pick up and travel when and where we want.  Lots of prior planning in our early lives, saving money, investing money and getting ready for this time has afforded us the luxury and affluence to do this.  We prepared our Golconda.  Have you?

Right Words

There is nothing too great of accomplishment for the person who knows the power of his word, and who follows his intuitive leads.  By the word he starts in action unseen forces and can rebuild his body or remold his affairs...choose the right words...Florence Scovell Shinn

Since having to be confined to the house after my surgeries and implored to "take it easy for awhile," my goal has been to read all of the books that I had accumulated throughout the years while working and not having the time to read, study or apply what I was learning.  I am doing that now.  Ms. Shinn is an early writer in Metaphysics and is still using what I call the masculine method of referring to "all" of us.  Sometimes it takes a bit of

translation and re-wording to "get" what the meaning of the statement is referring to in our modern day language.  

The above is talking about that there is nothing we can't accomplish if we get the power of the words we use when we follow our intuition which we now know is the Infinite leading us where it is that we need to go in order for us to get what it is that we want in our lives.  The power of our words is what directs the Infinite within us and leads us to what it is that we want.

These words start the action moving in the direction we need to go in order to experience an amazing life if that is what it is that we want.  What do you want?  I want an amazing life.  I want an amazing, exciting life.  I want an amazing, exciting, adventurous life.  Ah...right words, remember?  I have (present time) an amazing, exciting, adventurous life.  

What is important is that we follow our intuitive leads.  This means that we follow the ideas we get realizing that they are Infinite in Source.  Since God is our Source - our ideas are God inspired and are important and we need to pay attention to every one of them.  We may not be able to act on all of them immediately, but it is important to write them down and get back to them when we can.  

I am ready to remold my affairs into greater life experience, my finances into fabulous financial freedom, and my body into a permanent skinny, slim, slender, easy to move, sleek eye- catching form.  

Somewhere recently I read that when you get what you affirm as "normal" for you, it is immediately yours.  I have gotten into the habit of affirming that whatever it is "normal and permanent" for me to experience.  It seems to manifest faster for me.  Want to see how it works for you?

Keep Praying

...when your conditions are cold and unyielding, after you have been treating (praying) them faithfully, you must go into a room by yourself and give thanks to the Spirit that it always does everything good for you, that it supplies you, pays your debts, and in every way blesses you.  Emma Curtis Hopkins.

Early on in my studies, I remember my teacher, Dr. Robert Scott, telling us that we need "to keep treating until we get what we want."  I took that to mean that we can never give up on what it is that is our deepest heart's desire or to "make do" with something lesser that shows up.

Many times, I realize now, I didn't ask for big enough or for more because I didn't have the faith in myself or in God at the time.  Or maybe I didn't think I deserved it.  What I should have done is like the ten year old who asked his Mother, "give me too much" as she was putting jam on his toast.  

Since we create our experiences, I realize now that I was always too busy with work to really think about what it is that I wanted to have in my career, or what it is that I wanted to experience that went beyond just being "good enough."  I settled for too little.

I encourage you to take the time and really think about what is going on in your life and how you can create a life that is truly exciting, satisfying and that will make the money that you desire and deserve for your service.  It is up to you.  Take full advantage of it.  

Decision Time

Each one of us has all he can do to look to the ways of his own heart, and make his harmony between his own heart thoughts and his world, by thinking as his heart is really thinking as its spiritual center, instead of from the mistake of his thoughts about life and God, which are not his heart but his imagination.  Emma Curtis Hopkins

Recently, I have been studying Kathinanne Lewis' book, 40 Days to Love with excepts from the work of Emma Curtis Hopkins.  She really hits hard on Emma's "truth is that there is Good for me and I ought to have it."  

What each of us needs to do is spend time in quiet contemplation listening to our heart's desires.  This is not an easy task, as I have found myself asking what is my next new plan for me.  Dr. Kathianne advises to ask as often as possible the following:

1. What do I want?
2. What is my Highest Good in this situation?
3. What will be me great Joy?
4. What is my right, next step?
5. Then Listen.  Ask.  Listen.  Repeat as necessary.

I had to ask myself whether I have ever made any decisions based on joy?  I think most of them were based on necessity and whether the money I would make would cover my basic needs.  

This last Tuesday, I was told I would have to have more surgery on my mouth.  I went into instant panic and upset.  MORE!!!  Love is suppose to cast out all fear but it took me two days to get to the point to realize that "this too shall pass" and to get up the courage to make an appointment with the oral surgeon for a consultation.  I kept asking, "God, haven't I had enough? How much more am I going to have to spend to get a healthy mouth?"  With what I have spent on my mouth and what more surgery will cost, my new car and my Europe vacation are well down the drain.  As someone told me, "it's only money!"  

Back to asking the questions.  I really need to find out what my highest good in all of this is and why have I created this at this time of my life.  How can I turn this into my greatest blessing?  Where is the Grace?  Do I feel embraced by the love of God and what do I need to think in order for that to happen?

Everything is Good

You will notice a great difference in your power if you say that everything good that happens in your life is a demonstration of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Emma Curtis Hopkins 

This is being written while we are out of town on what was suppose to be short vacation over the Easter holidays. Our motor coach developed a major water leak in the exhaust system - who knew exhaust systems need water pumps and water storage systems to support them.  While driving down the highway, the engine heated up and we needed to pull over. Thankfully, we had filled the in-house storage tanks to capacity before leaving the camp site that morning.  Before we arrived at our destination, we had gone through our 90 gallon capacity.

When the "stuff" hits the fan, it is difficult to declare that the "stuff" is "good." But I was grateful that we arrive at our new campsite easily and safely so I had to declare that good. Since it was the start of a holiday weekend, most repair shops were closed and so we had to wait until Monday to find out what was available and what we were facing.

Our coach had to be towed to a repair shop. Several things were discovered to be wrong and needed to be repaired and all of it would take at least four days to complete. This was a bit harder to declare good, but I bit the dust, so to speak, declared it all good and proceeded to move forward.

Elsewhere in my lessons with Emma, she states, If you should be in great trouble you could not get help from God by begging for help. You would get help at once if you would stand aside from your trouble, as above and greater than it. Then you would feel the help of the omnipotent God.

This means to pray from a place of power. I stated the following: I know that the mechanic is

inspired with great ideas and is skilled in repairing what needs to be done. I declare that the

parts needed and necessary are easily available and show at the shop in a timely manner and 
are long lasting. I know we are beyond the problems and are free of the situation forever. I am grateful that the repair shop has a fair pricing policy and are speedy in getting our repairs 
completed and done. I trust God to take care of all of this of us.

After I stated the above it was easy for me to declare it good. Fortunately we were able to move in with my sister and her husband for the duration of our stay. We usually tow a car in our travels so we were able to use our car to run our errands and do what sight seeing we want to do.

Taking the high road means to step aside and look at a larger view as to what is going on and how to create a life that is easier to manage and to create a life filled with peace, poise and grace. Sometimes it is easier than others. 

We are home safe and sound.  This has been a huge learning lesson.  I invite you to practice it with me for future demonstrations.  This is one I will never forget.