I See Beauty All Around Me

Today is October 17. Of course, I realize that pretty much everyone across the planet realizes what day it is (although depending on where you live, it might already be October 18), but I make this statement because it was such an unbelievably gorgeous day where I live. It's fall on the East Coast and by now it's usually cool (if not outright cold) and sometimes a bit murky looking, but not today. Today was surprisingly (and pleasantly) warm and sunny—more spring like than fall, except for that crisp scent that seems distinctive of fall air.

As I sat in the garden during my lunch time, I had to take a break from my reading to just sit still and absorb everything around me. I was simply amazed by all the beauty that surrounded me: the trees, some with yellow, orange and red leaves; the still green grass; the newly planted flowers of various hues; the warmth of the sun; the sky. I soaked it all in for as long as possible so I could relive the experience again and again—seeing every color and pattern, hearing every sound, and smelling every scent—long after I returned indoors.

Meditation #5—Firmly Planted

"We had to learn to bend without the world caving in…"

I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz, © 2012

When situations in life don't go as planned, when breakthroughs don't come exactly when you hoped, when it seems for every step forward you take three back, when all hell appears to be breaking loose around you, where is your faith? In what, in whom is your trust?

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.  - Jeremiah 17:7-8

Though storms rise and tumultuous winds blow that seem to threaten to toss earth itself off its axis, I may bend, I may even bow down, but I will not break. My foundation is sure. I am that tree that is firmly planted by the waters, and the Spirit of God is the river.

Butterflies Are Free

This is not the actual butterfly that I saw.

Something truly amazing happened to me today. I feel that I say that a lot in my posts, and those of you who are reading my blog may be starting to wonder if I live in the real world. Let me assure you, I do! But honestly, something extraordinary did happen to me today, and it actually began about three weeks ago.

Each day, if the weather permits, I go out around lunch to take a walk or sit on the bench in the garden near my office. About three weeks ago, as I was sitting there eating and reading, a beautiful sapphire blue, brown and gold butterfly alighted on the bench, right next to me. I see butterflies in the garden all the time, but the fact that this one just touched down right by me and hung out for a quite a bit felt like a message from God to me! I'd been having a bad day that day and was quite anxious about a few things, yet when I saw that butterfly, my entire focus and mood completely shifted. Awed by his beauty and appreciative of his company, a sense of calm and happiness came over me.

Just at the moment where I thought to reach for my phone to take a picture, he flew away. Well, for weeks I kept hoping, praying he returned because he (or she) was really quite extraordinary looking and I wanted to get another chance to take a picture. Each day, I'd go out at lunch (except when it was raining) looking and expecting to see this butterfly despite the fact that my rational mind told me he was likely thousands of miles away—I've read that some butterflies can migrate over 3,000 miles—and the chances of his reappearing were nearly zero to none. Fortunately, my inner child doesn't easily accept such odds, so she kept looking.

Today, I stepped out of the office for a break to clear my head and decided to take a walk to the garden. It was a little too cool to sit outside, so I quickly started back to the office when I saw... my butterfly! Blue, brown, gold and beautiful, flying among the flowers of which there were only a few remaining. It couldn't possibly, or could it? Just to make sure, I watched for awhile waiting for him to land on a flower, and then tip-toed over to him to get a closer look. Same size, same color and pattern. If it wasn't him, it was most certainly his twin! And even if it wasn't, I've read that sightings of blue butterflies are rare. To see two just a few weeks apart is still a miracle to me.

Extraordinarily wonderful, even seemingly impossible, things do happen... to those who expect it. What are you expecting?

Conquering Fear

Fear. I've mentioned dealing with this emotion in quite a few of my posts. It's something that I struggle with—sometimes to a paralyzing degree. It's a daily, moment-by-moment struggle, but I'm determined to overcome because fear is an enemy of faith.  

Perhaps you've heard the expression that fear stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. Well, I found this great quote by Mark Twain on the subject: “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.”

Fear will make you remain silent when you should speak. Fear will cause you to run when you should stand and fight. Fear will tell you to give up rather than pursue your passion. Fear will persuade you to blend in rather than stand out. Fear will convince you to settle.

Fear makes bad decisions; causes anxiety, stress and ill health; damages relationships; and destroys dreams. Fear opens the door to all manner of pain, strife, and even hatred, which wreck havoc in your life. Just ask Job: "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me." (Job 3:25) It was Job's own fears that brought about his suffering, not God, not even satan.

Fear prevents you from living the amazing, abundant life that you were meant to live.

God doesn't want us to live in fear, not even of Him. Perfect love cannot exist where there is fear. Fear breeds resentment such that those who fear Him will never be able to truly love Him or receive His love. 

As I've mentioned in a previous post, we come into this world with only two fears. Over time, we develop more than 7,000. That's a lot of fear! We may not be able to let go of all of them, but I believe it's possible to conquer them. One day, one moment at a time with courage and faith in a perfect love.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment." –1 John 4:18
"Courage is not the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of it."–Mark Twain

Just Imagine the Possibilities

For the past month, I've been reading about the power of imagination and how the world's most significant inventions, innovations, and discoveries have come about as the result of someone daring to imagine that the seemingly impossible is in fact possible. This ability to imagine—to create within your mind vivid images of how you would like your world to look, feel, and be—is something that came quite naturally to us as children. Remember how we played dress up and hosted tea parties with our make-believe friends, or pretended to be knights who rescued the villagers from fire-breathing dragons. Remember how much endless joy we experienced believing that we could be and do anything we wanted until we were taught to grow up and live in the "real" world.

Well, scientists are discovering that imaginative play or thought is essential for children and adults. It's the stuff that fuels dreams and makes them reality.

Because I'm learning to reactivate my childlike imagination and because I love all things French (well, almost all things—not a fan of escargot!), I particularly appreciated stumbling across the following inspirational quote today from Jean-Louis Eitienne, a French explorer who is the first man to cross the Artic by hot air balloon.

"Everything looks impossible for the people who never try anything."

And for added inspiration, here's a quote from poet Maya Angelou, who I plan to meet one day:

"If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities."

To this I offer, "The realization of a big dream begins with a big imagination."

So, go ahead... activate your childlike imagination and watch what unfolds. I dare you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fg1hcs6iYs

With God Nothing Can Go Wrong

I was listening to a message today from Joseph Prince, "Jesus is Really That Good," and really wanted to share this excerpt:  "There are a lot of things that go can wrong with man. The amazing thing with God is nothing can go wrong. But we ask from man all the time. We look to man all the time. Therefore, we are disappointed all the time."  

If you have a chance, I'd recommend listening to the entire message. It's insightful, funny, encouraging and instructive. And he explains the Bible in a very simple, easy-to-understand language (although, he can talk really fast, especially when excited!). You can watch a small sample on YouTube: http://bit.ly/PCl47X.

God really isn't angry with any of us!

More Powerful Than You Know

In one of my posts last month, “Something to Think About,” I referenced the following quote that I believed was attributed to Nelson Mandela.

"Our greatest fear is not that we are powerless, but that we are far more powerful than we think."

I've since learned, after some research, that although many attribute the statement to Mandela, it was stated by Marianne Williamson in her book, A Return to Love. Read in context, the message is even more compelling:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

Each of us was created for a purpose—to solve a problem that no one else can. And we have within us all that we need accomplish the task. Hard as it may be to believe, it is no less true. What will you do with this truth?