Time by the Sea (A Compilation)

 

How does one articulate accurately enough what time by the ocean means, and all the emotions and inspiration that it stirs up in the heart and soul...

At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun...

At the beach all we need is the truth in our hand. Someone to call a friend. Never fear the dar

kness. All we need is just the sun in the sky. And the hope of a summer to come with the meaning of love...

At the beach all girls, timeless and ageless, go barefoot and their hearts are just as free as their toes...

Amy Dykens wrote, “It’s hard for me to put into words why I like the beach so much. Everything about it is renewing for me, almost like therapy...Beach Therapy.”...and through the honest musings of her 5 year old daughter, Amy, “Play in the sand; splash in the water; get dirty; get wet. The beach is the only place my mom doesn’t get mad about me doing that stuff. Of course I love the beach!”

Here are some timeless thoughts by those who also understood the incredible place of Divinity and Oneness that only summer and time by water can afford...

"When anxious, uneasy and bad thoughts come, I go to the sea, and the sea drowns them out with its great wide sounds, cleanses me with its noise, and imposes a rhythm upon everything in me that is bewildered and confused." - Rainer Maria Rilke

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea."
- e.e. cummings

"The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach--waiting for a gift from the sea." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

"My soul is full of longing. For the secret of the sea,
And the heart of the great ocean, Sends a thrilling pulse through me." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace." - Kate Chopin

“The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach” - Henry Beston

"I could never stay long enough on the shore; the tang of the untainted, fresh, and free sea air was like a cool, quieting thought." - Helen Keller

“Roll on, deep and dark blue ocean, roll. Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain. Man marks the earth with ruin, but his control stops with the shore.” -Lord Byron

"It is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea--whether it is to sail or to watch it--we are going back from whence we came." - John F. Kennedy

 

"In summer, the song sings itself." - William Carlos

"On the beach, you can live in bliss." - Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys

And so, my Beautiful, Bright and Sunny Beloved Ones...Its back to the beach for me, and a day of meditating on the Beauty of the Ocean and all the Majesty of an Awesome Summer's Day with those souls who I am blessed to share my Heart and Life...

Enjoy this Day...this Weekend...this Summer...this Life, with all the enthusiasm and gratitude your Spirit can conjure up!

 

 

BROTHER BEAR...I AWAIT, ACCEPT AND JOYFULLY RECEIVE!

I am a Doer...a Teacher...

But as of late, I have been feeling like there is another major shift about to occur...

I have been feeling more of heading into a place of Being and Introspection...

More internal work, and less external...

More Being in a place of receptor and less in that as giver...

In beginning my sojourn into this New Year of 2012 it was from a most profound place of Peace, Sacred Reflection and Reverence.

December 31, 2011 was spent in quiet respite, repose and respectful awe upon the beauty of Nature and Our Beloved Mother...

As I set about the Holy, Blessed and most welcome task of putting to pen my Highest Intentions for the coming days and weeks of the next 12 months, an interesting pattern was emerging...

I noticed that the majority of my Intentions for this year were based on the realms of the internal, instead of manifestations of the external and physical world.

They began to flow almost automatically and seeming unconsciously as I placed my pen to paper, as if they had a life of their own...

As they continued to pour out, I began to experience a sense of overwhelming Peace, Joy and unbridled Ecstasy and Anticipation...

1. Live more mindfully from the heart and in a greater state of gratitude.

2. Cultivate unconditional self acceptance...and refuse to entertain or participate in the ego's drama of my own or others.

3. Keep dutifully a daily gratitude journal, morning pages and blogging.

4. MEDITATE DAILY!

5. Bless More...Curse and Complain Less.

6. Find and Connect with My Earthly Spiritual Posse.

7. For all answers sought...purposefully and immediately go within.

8. Turn off the TV...and incorporate more time for ritual, reading, inspiration, writing, creative pursuits, music, listening to the heart, communion with Creator and the Higher Realms, and time in nature and the Sacred Void.

9. Daily Define, Redefine & Affirm Focus, Passion & Clarity of Purpose & Vision.

10. Revisit, Assimilate and Finish "The Course in Miracles."

11. Live everyday from a place of  Service, both through Action and from the Light of Higher Consciousness.

12. Say "I Don't Think So" to Fear, Hopelessness, Separation and Animosity...And "Yes" to Kindness, Compassion and Love.

And then in Big Bold strokes the Message ended...

GO WITHOUT FROM WITHIN...LISTEN, ALLOW, ACT &

IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS!

As I began in earnest and excitement to incorporate and put into practice all that was given to me, I found my daily experiences just seemed to flow effortlessly and where much more joyful, rewarding and purposeful...and also,  answers or guidance have been coming to me easily, even before I am aware of the need, in abundant and serendipitous ways...

Last night, in the Dreamtime, I experienced a profound and most welcome visitation from Beloved Brother Bear,as loving messenger and further validation that I am indeed, beginning a period of "entering the cave"...of going within...of making myself ready for the next point of initiation and welcoming teacher or teachers, on this ongoing journey of my soul...

He came in all his massive, regal & beautiful glory...first greeting me upright on hind legs, and then retreating to his four legged state & gently placing his head in my lap as we sat together against the majesty and comfort of the Great Tree of Life...his message pouring through me like honey...

Now is the time to empty the cup, so that I may become filled with new wisdom, new inspiration, new guidance...

I am shown that all of my spiritual practices and nature must be stepped up...

More time in the silence...in meditation, prayer, retreat, ceremony, ritual, places of the heart, listening to the messages of Spirit, Mother Earth and receptivity...

More time spent in writing, journeying, nature and creative pursuits...

And of allowing the guidance to flow...

More conscious focus on internal peace, wisdom and growth...

I am ready to be emptied and refilled, refueled and reinvented...

I am making ready the student so that the next teacher may soon appear...

"The strength of Bear Medicine is the power of introspection. It lies in the West on the great medicine wheel of life. Bear seeks honey, or the sweetness of truth, within the hollow of an old tree. In the time of winter Bear enters the womb-cave to hibernate, to digest the year's experience. It is said that our goals reside in the West also. To accomplish and clarify our goals, dreams, mission and purpose, the art of introspection is necessary.

To become like Bear and enter the safety of the womb-cave, we must attune ourselves to the energies of the Eternal Mother, and receive nourishment from the placenta of the Great Void. The Great Void is the place where all solutions and answers live in harmony with the questions that fill our realities. If we choose to believe that there are many questions to life, we must also believe that the answers to these questions reside within us. Each and every being has the capacity to quiet the mind, enter the silence and know.

Many tribes have called this space of inner-knowing the Dream Lodge, where the death of the illusion of physical reality overlays the expansiveness of eternity. It is in the Dream Lodge that our ancestors sit in Council and advise us regarding alternative pathways that lead to our purpose and goals. This is the power of Bear." ~Jamie Sams/David Carson

Message received...The student awaits and accepts her next assignment with Joy and Thanksgiving!...

And May the Blessings of Spirit abound.

"Bear...Invite me into the cave, where silence surrounds the answers you gave."

A True Tale of Entertaining Angels Unawares (LLJL)

I was running the Carousel at work the other day...                                                             And even though I normally love being assigned there, this particular day I was feeling a little down but,                                      I was determined to keep my Spirits high for the kids...
Toward the end of my shift as a sweet little boy and his grandfather were exiting,            I was saying my usual cheery "Bye-bye's!", when he stopped suddenly and in a surprising gesture held out his arms to me...
Shocked, as this rarely, if ever, happens, I bent down to this little cherub and received the most loving, warm, long hug than I can ever remember...
I was literally brought to tears as I thanked him and told him gratefully, that he had made my day!
I had been concerned over some issues in my life, and at that moment I realized that this bundle of love, this sweet, unassuming little angel...
Was truly sent to me as a sign...that everything was fine...and that all was indeed well in my world...
And I was reminded of the Biblical words...
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some people have entertained angels unaware." Heb. 13:2
Look always through the eyes of your Heart and become aware, for there are signs of the glory everywhere and that we are not alone...
But these signs are never more prevalent than in the seemingly random acts of love and kindness we give to one another...
Much Gratitude and Heartfelt Blessings to You, my Beloved Little Earth Angel...
May Your Life Always be Graced with Abundance, Joy and Love!

 

Does God Have A Hero? Eric P. McCarty

 

When you close
your eyes
and see God
within,
You are God's Hero.

When you open your eyes
and see God in everyone,
You are God's Hero.

When you let anger pass you by,
with a smile
upon your lips,
You are God's Hero.

When you hold love
in your heart
and peace within
your mind,
You are God's Hero.

When you behold
the beauty of a
flower
and feel the kinship
with all living things,
You are God's Hero.

When you look at someone
who is different,
and see only how you are alike,
You are God's Hero.

When you feel more joy
in helping another,
than you do
in your own personal gain,
You are truly God's Hero.

When you hear
the true name of God
in every man's religion,
You are a Hero to God.

When you can hear
the silent voice of God
in the wind,
the birds,
or even the
roar of a crowd,
You will hear God
calling You a Hero.

When you take time everyday,
for silent communion
with God,
She listens and You are God's Hero.

When you can see
beyond appearances
and have the wisdom
to see Gods truth
that we are all truly One,
Again,you are God's Hero.

When you have compassion
and love for
All,
even those with whom
you may disagree,
You are a Hero to all mankind and to God.

When you know
that forgiveness is blessed
and forgive all,
No matter how large or small
that trespass against you,
You will be God's Hero.

When you give love to all,
holding none back,
you will know love
for yourself,
for God,
And you will be Her Hero.

When you demonstrate patience
with others
and see Divine Good
in everyone and every event,
You will have learned to see God everywhere,
and you will be Her Hero.

When you trust in God
with all your heart,
Knowing that the Universe
is formed from Love,
your trust will pay off
with love, abundance, joy,
And the knowledge
That you are God's Hero.

When your desire to know God
is so great
that in desperation
you finally give up searching for Her
where She never has been found,
You will find Her
where She has always been,
Watching,
Waiting,
Within,
Ready to welcome
Her Hero Home.

...The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated....

Was just thinking, (which in my case is almost always a dangerous feat:),
Of the quote by I believe, Mark Twain..."The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"...In reference to an obituary that had been mistakenly published while he was still alive.

I was reminded of one of my favorite tasks when writing for the paper of doing obituaries,
And also, advance obituaries for someone famous that the paper will just periodically update and then pull up and use once that person has passed...
I always loved this task, the supreme honor of putting to pen the Celebration of One's Life...

But I always wondered if these people really knew, while they were still alive and kicking...how much they were revered and loved!

And it got me to wondering what I would like most to be remembered for in my life and what will be said of me when I make that great transition...
And just thinking why do we wait to say those things until after someone has passed...

Wouldn't it be nice to be reminded of how others view us and of the contribution that we have made in their lives, before we have crossed over...

Take the time today, to tell as many people in your sphere, what their presence has really meant to you in your life...here and now...don't wait until they have left this earthly existence:)

Better yet, make time, make plans, to make memories and share as many precious few  moments with them as you possibly can...
 
Don't Wait!
Just Do It!
Do it Now!

The Beautiful Flower in the Broken Pot ~ Author Unknown

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic.

One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. "Why, he's hardly taller than my eight-year-old," I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw.

Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, "Good evening. I've come to see if you've a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there's no bus 'til morning."

He told me he'd been hunting for a room since noon but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. "I guess it's my face... I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments..."

For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: "I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning."

I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. "No thank you. I have plenty." And he held up a brown paper bag.

When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn't take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury.

He didn't tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was preface with a thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going.

At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children's room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch.

He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won't put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair." He paused a moment and then added, "Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don't seem to mind." I told him he was welcome to come again.

And on his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning.

As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they'd be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m. and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.

In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden.

Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly precious.

When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning.

"Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!"

Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illnesses would have been easier to bear.

I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.

Recently I was visiting a friend, who has a greenhouse, as she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, "If this were my plant, I'd put it in the loveliest container I had!"

My friend changed my mind. "I ran short of pots," she explained, and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn't mind starting out in this old pail. It's just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden."

She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. "Here's an especially beautiful one," God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. "He won't mind starting in this small body."

All this happened long ago - and now, in God's garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand.

Grace

 

Some sharings this Sunday morning on one of my favorite subjects...

Grace...

"This day boldness is manifested in a simple grace: gratitude." ~ Mary Anne Radmacher
...
"Grace defies reason and logic." ~ Bono

"Grace isn't just a little prayer you say before receiving a meal. It's a way to live." ~ Jackie Windspear

"I'm becoming more and more myself with time. I guess that's what grace is.
The refinement of your soul through time." ~ Jewel

"Any artist should be grateful for a naive grace which puts him beyond the need to reason elaborately." ~ Saul Bellow

"As in nature, as in art, so in grace; it is rough treatment that gives souls, as well as stones, their luster." ~ Thomas Guthrie

"Beauty without grace is the hook without the bait." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Each day offers us the gift of being a special occasion if we can simply learn that as well as giving, it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart...Grace is available for each of us every day - our spiritual daily bread - but we've got to remember to ask for it with a grateful heart and not worry about whether there will be enough for tomorrow." ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

"Grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected." ~ Jonathan Edwards

"Grace is everywhere as an active orientation of all created reality toward God." ~
Karl Rahner

"Grace is the absence of everything that indicates pain or difficulty, hesitation or incongruity." ~ William Hazlitt

"I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us." ~ Anne Lamott

"To experience the miracles of everyday grace is not just a privilege for the enlightened few. It's your birthright!" ~ Marianne Williamson

And For me,

Grace is the supreme Power of all Powers and Highest Law of the Universe, which transcends all others...

Founded upon Love,
We reach the state of Grace when we realize that we are all Perfect Creations of the Divine and no harm can befall us or come from us...
We reach the state of Grace...
When we open ourselves up to the unlimited possibilities of a Benevolent Universe...
We reach the state of Grace...
Simply because we are Loved by the Mighty Heart of the Great Divine Creator

There are no lessons that need to be played out...
No dues or debts to be payed...
No Karma to be experienced...
No place of Supreme Enlightenment to be reached...
No conditions of worthiness to be met...

All other Laws are suspended and mute in its Presence...

Once you have accepted the state of Grace as your birthright from a Perfect Creator...
You BECOME the Perfect Expression of Love, Joy, Beauty, Peace, Wholeness, Abundance and Compassion...
And there is little need of anything else.

After my harrowing and yes, most blessed physical ordeal last week...
I am in such a state of Divine Gratitude for the gift of the Perfect Grace of God...
And so Blessed to be fully embracing this beautiful Sunday...
This beautiful Life...
Upon my Beloved Mother Gaia...
And sharing these thoughts with you...

I invite you to please add your own comments and musings on what Grace is for you...

Many Blessings my Friends...
And May the Face of Grace shine down upon you in Miraculous ways, this precious day!