Yes, I am putting out this reminder of the Reason(s) for the Season. Though dwindling in today’s world, lost in the bling and glitz of Stuff , Jesus is still the reason for the season for many. A celebration of His birth and reminder for many of what His birth would represent in the Lives of many. A time of gratefulness that God gave His Son to show us ” the living Word” and what that Word(s) can produce in Life. As for the assortment of views mankind has created on whether December 25th is really the birth of Christ, I found this site that gives information on those views, of which I leave to you whether you read it or not. http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/new-testament/how-december-25-became-Christmas/

For me, it is not the Date of December 25th that is important in relation to the birth of Yeshua. For me, December itself is the beginning of the season of gathering for family and friends to share Love, to see the faces of Joy as we share gifts, (which by the way shouldn’t be carried to the extreme – the result of that is only greed) it is a time to sing songs full of Praises of the Glory of God and the awesome GIFT of His son (no matter the actual birthdate)  A time to Light the nights with the beauty of our blessings on Earth. It is a time chosen to remind me (and others) what a Gift the birth Yeshua (Jesus) represents. And Who He IS: the fullness of the Spirit of God – of Love.  The Gift of Yeshua, a practicing Jew who was/is willing share the Word clearly literally “giving” His Life. In this willingness this Gift opened the door, not only to the Jew but, the Gentile ( ALL of Mankind ) thru Love which is the Spirit breathed In us when Created by God. That the door to Love and Living Life on Earth as it is in Heaven is Open to ALL. Showing us that The Way to that life is found in the Word(s) we speak and think and that those Words like seeds open, bloom, & produce in the gardens of our Daily Lives. Yeshua was/is a Gift who taught the meaning of Love, of the power of the tongue and the effects Word(s) which produce actions have on each and every one of us. And He died because He refused to stop sharing and revealing the POWER within each of US; that spirit of God’s LOVE & The fact it is The Word(s) that carry His Love. Word(s) are the Expression of God’s Love. It is thought that creates the desire to Hug one another, to give gifts of Love, to create a festive celebration of Life to be shared. Without words there are no emotions, feelings, only emptiness and darkness.

For me it is a time to reflect & ask ” how ya livin?”  What are you livin’ for? Who are you livin’ for? I was reading Ecclesiastes 3 (definitely worth reading ALL of this short book) and it reminded me, ” There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”  And this season is a time where the old is allowed to die off, leading into a time of preparation for the coming season of planting. A time to snuggle down with His Word on the cold winter days, to till the inner soil, & pull weeds so the Love planted thru the Holidays will ultimately produce good fruit throughout the year.  What you say, ” I didn’t have much love thru the holidays”   Hmmm…so maybe this is a clue you need to look at where & who  you are choosing to spend your holidays. If Love is not what you are feeling, look around you & your neighborhood, trust me there are places and people you can go join who are Living and sharing the Love of God in this season. Maybe even you might go to another community to share in the joy of the season – a little mini vacation with new and smiling faces & maybe they are seeking to share the Love too. Donate some time and a smile with a community group, lend a hand to a neighbor or give a gift to someone you know is alone during the holidays. Visit the hospitals or nursing homes. Trust me there are many Alone during this season and they would love to share the Love you have to give. Many will say, ” well we should be doing these things daily”  And I totally agree; each day should be a Celebration of Life and the Blessings God gives us. But, reality is: more often than not we get caught in our daily grind, troubles, and woes and it takes the changes within the seasons to tap our Minds & bodies with a few wake up calls. To pull us together in the Celebration of Loving and Giving.

I for One am very thankful for this season we are stepping into, I am enjoying the decorations, celebrations, time with friends and family, love and giving, and the wake up calls that comes with it. That call of the Reason for the Season:

The Gift of His Love.

Happy Holidays and may Love Fill your Life not only this season but in all the days to follow.

A Reading for the season: Isaiah 9: 6  (NIV)
⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Once again conversation with friends about beliefs brought sorrow to my heart & taught me lessons. The sorrow:  how ” the people of church” represent God ” How judgment, condemnation, and you must be like us (so convert) has another child of God on the fence and wandering away doubting God .  My ears listened to how Thru “Religious” misrepresentation of God, of the Word, and of Jesus message, has not one but two I broke bread with, on the path of doubt and heavy of heart while on their journey of seeking. It grieved me how God’s Love thru ” Religion” was cultivating a rift thru the watering of Judgment, condemnation, & Separation.  And I am Not just talking about Christianity, I am referring to the Division Religion is cultivating.  A division that is creating the FALL of God’s Plan& mankind.  As one of my dinner companions said, ” I do believe in a higher power just not so sure it is God” And another said, ” what if don’t believe in God at all”  Ouch.  I almost went into my Passionate Love of God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit Mother but, Mother Wisdom said, ” Not now, not here, this is not the time.  This is a time for Love to shine thru a compassionate, passive voice”  This had me almost speechless as I AM Passionate about my BFF, Yeshua, always hoping my passion shines enough to bring that person along on the road saving them some struggle along the way. Yet, sometimes I am learning my passion comes across to strong too. But, those of you that know me also know passive is not my strong suit. LOL Thank God you also know I mean no harm and am not judging, I am just passionately in Love with Jesus.  Anyway, I did manage a passive voice (I think) and asked ” Is it you doubt God or is it           ” Religion” ? After some conversation, my one dinner companion said, ” I don’t have a problem with Jesus” and it became clear as she spoke is with how mankind has presented God thru Religious misrepresentations. It has been the incomplete verses shared that my companions found uncomfortable  and not wanting to join the “church club “. Yes, church club which is how it presents when the church comes across as” you must convert and be like us to worship, know Jesus, and hang out with us. I totally get it, I do not have a set ” church home” myself because of this. So far I have found instead of Loving ALL God’s children and accepting them just as they are, when it all comes out I can only be accepted IF I agree and join the “club” in which I am attending.  My issue with this is: This is NOT the calling or teaching of Jesus, so I pop in occasionally enjoy some fellowship, some good gospel music, and move on in my Journey with Jesus. I do this knowing He is keeping me on that path of Loving ALL God’s creation & enjoying the beauty of All His children. I am so thankful He used those of Many faiths & Non Believers to transform and heal Me. It took His chosen from almost all the faiths to transform me and He still uses His Children from all walks of life to teach me about LIFE and about the True attributes of His Love and the Power of that Love. These beautiful friends/ angels He used brought me to my wonderful relationship with Yeshua (Jesus). Sometimes I forget and take for granted the Solid relationship I now have, with my BFF, Yeshua (Jesus). I am thankful for the fact that I can go fellowship with God’s children, no matter the path they are on, ” without ” the concern of doubt creeping in or my wandering away from our relationship EVER being an issue. What I have to remember, is not to forget were I came from and all the confusion I was in while on the seeking part of my journey. Where I too was a doubting Thomas due to mankind’s views planting seeds of doubt & pain because I just couldn’t fit in.  It wasn’t until I stepped away from mankind and sought God with all my heart, mind, and soul I found the Truth of His Love and was set Free from the Chains of Division.

That Truth was in the Words of God found in all the books of mankind. It was in my seeking I found Yeshua (Jesus) and His unfailing, unconditional, merciful teachings of LOVE  that my eyes were opened and I could hear what He alone had to say. And trust me it is NOT words of division but, instead His words are calling us ALL into the Oneness of God’s Love.

Now don’t misunderstand my words. I am Not saying Christianity is not the ticket or any other faith is the absolute ticket. Again as far as a Religion, Jesus, the man, was a Practicing Jew who came to bring Clarity to God’s Plan, to His Word, and God’s way, The Way of LIFE. Jesus himself said, he did not come to change One Dot One Tittle of God’s commands (Matthew 5:18).  The Disciples too were Reformed Practicing Jews taught by Jesus that they might open the eyes of Israel and the eyes of those Gentiles circumcised of the heart into the family of Israel.  (Romans 2: 28-29: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.As jesus said, ” the Jew is the one circumcised of the heart“). God knew and knows their are various forms of worship & cultural traditions would play a role in our believing, which is why Jesus said all things lie on these 2 commandments: Matthew 22: 36-40 Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[a] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[b] 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Christianity would like to teach there is No law anymore. That is Not how or what Jesus taught…He came to bring clarity to the Law and what blessing and benefits come with living in the LOVE of the law. The reason the commandments were given was due lawlessness in the Kingdom on Earth. Due to man Not taking authority in a “righteous” manner and Living in within the righteousness of the wholiness of LOVE.  Man was a spoiled lot and needed guidance and even then their ” selfishness” hardened their hearts to the point that God GAVE his Son who was Willing to sacrifice His place at the right hand in God’s Kingdom & be the Lord of this Kingdom on Earth. Willing to share the Wholeness of LOVE so we his brothers and sisters might Listen and Learn thru His Literal visual and physical LOVE the Life giving Power of LOVE.  His hearts desire being that we on Earth live as created, as a people distinctly different & well able to cultivate a garden Community walking in the attributes of LOVE. Love that is blessing ALL God’s children, turning sorrow into Joy, transforming dry bones being choked and bound by weeds in the inner garden into Life giving seeds bearing enough good fruit within the inner garden to share with family and your neighbor. Not to be shared with just the neighbor that is Just like you but, with any neighbor brought alongside you in life’s journey. I know this morning why Mother Wisdom tapped me with the words, ” careful, passive now, compassion and Love are the answer ” It is Not my place to pass judgment and I do Not want to present that way, there is more than enough of that going around that is half the problem. It is not my place for my passionate Love for my BFF, Yeshua to be shoved down my neighbors throat. Yet, it is my place to LIVE the Love He gives me, it is my place to Let that Love shine thru me, to Testify how and why I am so filled with Joy, why I Love ALL God’s children and Pray they come to know the True Love of God that the weeds of judgment DIE . It is just as damaging to for those disillusioned with ” Religious folks” to pass judgment and pull away as it is for ” religious Folks ” to condemn closing the door on those who don’t fit in your view. Two wrongs do not make right…we must guard against the enemy of comparison and allow LOVE to guide us in it’s way in all things..serving one another as we give TLC to the inner gardens of ourselves and our neighbor. And if you can’t agree in LOVE , be cordial if you pass each other on the road, agree to disagree & just don’t join in on the road down Misery Lane by sharing seeds of the same behavior just in a different package.

Bottom Line: NO ONE should live without Love – it is what heals and frees us ALL.

Please know this sharing was written because I am Blessed to share time with so many of God’s beautiful creations and I enjoy the variety of mankind he has created. I want only Love to flow and to be able to share and Grow in Harmony Even If we may not agree in this moment on how the garden should grow I pray we can still cultivate the garden together and the result be ” the Good Fruit of Love, Life, and Joy ” not Pain, Misery, and Death.

This title is part of something I say often. The beginning being ” God is “….on time all the time.

If you don’t already notice this often and agree, slow down and really look at what is happening within your day. Pay attention to the people you interact with, what has been said during your day. Not just to you but, what seeds were planted within you from the Words said to and around you. Notice the signs that your body gives you. The messages of nature around you.  Have your memories ever shown you new things – new realizations about yourself and others? I believe when we do have realizations, new growth in our lives, and new people in our lives..that is God being on time all the time meeting our needs at that moment.

Example:  I have been thinking and telling myself, ” you have got to start some form of exercise at least 20 mins a day, for your own good”. It is not something that comes easy to me. Although, I do like walking. Then my daughter, who is not jumping up and down to begin exercising either, made the comment how the cold weather has the whole family eating more and it is not helping one bit with her weight.  After sleeping on it, I got to thinking about why I procrastinate on getting started when I do Love walking and that is good exercise. My mind went from there to what excuse do I have, I love eating & even cooking more and more the older I get and it darn sure isn’t the cold weather. I live in San Diego where the weather is perfect most all the time…It is mid November and I was at the pool today swimming and tanning. And always great for Walking! Then it hit me, many things create the desire for comfort eating but, a couple jumped out at me…Boredom because we are not being active and anxiety because we are bored and not being active. LOL   Being active doesn’t mean you have to go out running all over town, being bored doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time to relax. But, another thing I say a lot and need to listen when I say it is, ” All things in Moderation”. Meaning I need to take this “sign” which is On Time and Do what I know is right. This led me to this post and my verses to tie in to this moment are: 1 Corinthians 6:12:  “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.”   As I read on in my 70’s Bible, The Way”  I had to laugh as once again God was on time with verse 13: ” For instance, take the matter of eating. God has given us an appetite for food and stomachs to digest it. But, that doesn’t mean we should eat more than we need” .  In the reading of that verse the next thing I heard was the Spirit Wisdom saying, ” and have you noticed when you over eat your body does Not digest it well? ”   It is when these revelations and reminders from the Spirits wisdom enter our minds and hearts that we should take heed and obey. It was on that note I pulled my stepper out of the corner and committed, once again, to daily walking in some form or fashion for 20 mins.a day. So, thanks to the seeds of my daughters words, my spirit was reminded to practice what I preach, All things in moderation and that I do Not want food to have such a grip on me that I am a slave to it.  That doesn’t even sound good to my ears much less my inner spirit. Now I ask you, does food or procrastination or both have a grip on you?  Or is it something else you desire to be set free of? If so, won’t you join me in my new mantra:

” I am a strong person and I AM well able to break free of (fill in the blank) grip ”

I am not saying stop eating, go on some crazy diet that is self defeating, or turn into an exercise junky. What I am saying is, Moderation is the key and let’s let it unlock the chains that bind. Eat moderately, what you need – not till you are Stuffed. Exercise moderately, 15-20 mins a day walking, dancing, swimming, Tai Chi, Yoga, heck chair exercises … you will feel freedom being restored within, of this I can testify, I remember & I am thankful for that too..that I remember that is, how good I feel when I walk in “the way” of moderation and listen to that still small voice within trying to tell me, ” all things lawful may not always be helpful”  BTW, though food or procrastination maybe not be what binds you – these tips apply to whatever steals your Joy and your Freedom to really Love & Live Life!

Shalom

Funny the ways & times the Spirit fertilizes our inner garden. I had a Fun filled, fabulous “Ding Dong Avon Calling!”  Tea Party yesterday in which my spirit was energized and filled with Joy. It was great to fellowship, serve, & share some goodies and tea with my neighbors. For me, this was a form of meditation. It took my thoughts away from my daily grind, caused me to focus on the task at hand, and brought me Love, Joy, and a light heart to see everyone having Fun.

After the tea party 2 of my dear friends helped me load up & bring all my stuff back up to my apartment. This turned out to be even More Fun and full of great conversation that lingered on even after they left. One of our topics of conversation was about Osho, which led to my pulling out his book, ” Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic” and my mentioning how I love that he has different methods of Meditation, including active meditations, on his website: http://www.osho.com/meditate.  We all had a really good laugh when we all agreed the OM sit still silence meditation, only created more frustration, more noise in our heads, guilt because we couldn’t do it, and instead of drawing us to meditate, it drives us away. I was saying how Osho has various methods including active meditations which makes so much more sense. Even though we all have attributes that are the same, we Are all very different so it only makes sense that we would require different methods of meditation. We laughed more as we discovered driving is very meditative for all 3 of us. We all agreed it is because driving (in California esp) requires us to ” FOCUS” which rids our mind of so much of it’s chatter. I am definitely all FOR meditation. I can testify to it’s healing & the clarity it brings in the garden of my mind. It is always amazing to me how many “Religions” act like Meditation is affiliated to some form of a cult. Especially Christianity where the Word is full of verses regarding meditation, Psalms alone is packed. (google mediation in the bible and check out what come up)  Verses telling us to “Meditate day and Night” (Genesis 24:63 Joshua 1:8, Psalms 1:2) on the Word, Here is one I love:Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.  (Timothy 4:15)  The Word states: The kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:21) so, without meditation & prayer how will you come to KNOW God within you? That said, just as we must Focus as we drive, Meditation (setting our minds) in it’s various forms, will allow us to be obedient and fulfill Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”  Meditation will also allow us to adhere to God’s calling of: Seek Him with all your heart, MIND, and soul. Based on these Truths I suggest we are conscious and careful not to be calling ” God’s Word” a cult and instead try it before you bash it & see what God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will show You in that very Meditation you are “afraid” of. You know God says, Worry about nothing pray about everything. So, Trust in Him and I am sure He will show you the best Way for You to Meditate and Pray and Religion has not One thing to do with it. Something else Osho and I agree on.  BTW, now that I have brought up Osho, just for absolute clarity, like I told my friends, for me: ” Jesus is the Main Line, my BFF in whom I trust and Love” but, He showed me a long time ago I need not be afraid to read or hear the philosophy of others. God created ALL mankind and each and every one of us have various types of seeds He planted within us. Seeds that were planted for a purpose and to be shared that we might learn & grow, from all points of view. It may be something good or bad, just remember once learned then it is yours to choose what you do with it. Often these intellectual views drive you to Seek with all your heart, and like it has with me, you very well may be drawn into a closer relationship with the family of God than you ever imagined. I love theology, philosophy, history, and cultural studies & I praise God Fear did not keep me & still does not keep me, from delving into these studies. Without this I would Not Know God my Father, the Holy Spirit my Mother, and my BFF/ my brother, Jesus at all. Instead I would have still been walking around angry, lost, planting weeds all over town producing nothing but fruit that dies quickly on the vine.  But, Hallelujah! I can testify that I know some of the seeds I have planted are bearing Good fruits of Love, Mercy, Forgiveness and my fav JOY! (both in my life and the lives of my neighbors)  I know that I know,  I am loved, forgiven, a part of the I AM, and Secure in my relationship with my family both on Earth and in Heaven. And to get here it took some Meditation.

On that note:  If you want to live a more fulfilled life, first you will want to know your potential, who you really are. Meditation is a route to that knowing. It is the methodology of the science of awareness of Yourself. The best part: It can be done Alone. Trust me, you can not Know others until you Know thyself.  Many meditative techniques require one to sit still and silent & definitely alone. But for most of us accumulated stress in our body-mind makes that difficult. Before we can hope to access our inner powerhouse of consciousness, we need to let go of our tensions. (Depending on how tense, should determine whether it is best to be alone or with others in active meditation.)  Osho Active Meditations have been scientifically designed by Osho over a period of time to enable us to consciously express and experience repressed feelings and emotions, and learn the knack of watching our habitual patterns in a new way.  So, before you shoot it down check it out: http://www.osho.com/meditate.

Enjoy!  Shalom

1st I want to Praise & give Thanks for the Rain we had here in San Diego this weekend. Like I always say,

” God is On Time all the Time ! ”

2nd: Yesterday I didn’t feel well at all, not physically or mentally. My sinuses were jacked up and I had some inner struggles going on, chains in an area of the past that I just wanted to go away – for good.. But, No it wasn’t to be that way – not this day anyway. Why? Because instead of practicing what I preach, I chose to take the road of I am only human (a lie ), & instead take to my bed, moan and groan, while getting lost in mindless movies…which BTW were no help at all.

This morning when I opened my eyes I heard my brother Yeshua say, “OK, enough, get up, wash those blues away, and come have coffee with the family. Now We have a few things to say” (speaking of the family of God)  I listened, setting my Clove coffee to steep, I jumped in the shower & upon stepping out I realized I felt 75% better. Just like that, I really did feel like my blues went down the drain.  As I grabbed my coffee & my Bible I could hear the birds singing, noticed the trees looked perky, and thought  “what a beautiful day after the rain”. Funny, San Diego & I had experienced a wash of restoration together & we both were experiencing the Joys of a new day. Then low and behold what Words did they have for me today, the verse (Psalms 30:4) about “weeping may go on all night but, in the morning there is joy.” Just after that , I heard Mother Wisdom say,” Life is not nearly as hard as so many make it out to be. When those feelings come remember this:                   All of creation thrives and survives on 3 things: Words which are the seeds of Life, (as a man thinketh so is He) Water, ( the food which without it all things Die) & LOVE ( the strength giving fertilizer – the heart beat of Life)”

This made me stop and think a moment about how True that is. How simply my day and night could have had much less pain. IF I had chosen instead to seek the life giving new seeds found in His Word (like Psalms chapters 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, & 30)  the moment my inner garden begins to struggle. You know that moment you feel like you are being choked out by the Weeds of the World within your mind. I took another sip of coffee and thought , Yep, Instead of taking to my bed, IF I had made a cup of Calming tea (which is mostly water) , taken a nice Hold steamy bath (more water) added a dash of Eucalyptus oil, and put on some soothing music of the Word. Just like that,  I would have had physical relief with my sinuses and mental relief for my mind. And last but not least, IF I had reached out to one of my many Angels He has blessed me with to have as friends, then their  Love could have done it’s magic in the final tending of my garden both inside and out.  Fact is even if I didn’t feel like talking I could have chosen to Write down my troubles and my Blessings, a simple method of release I’ve learned, which always brings to Light the Love that’s all around me Just waiting right there to hold and to comfort me.  As quickly as those thoughts ran thru my mind I heard the Father say, ”  ” Well said my daughter, now don’t forget it”

That made laugh and say, “I won’t & as a reminder I will I will print this post for me today.”

Yes, all to often we choose to make things much harder than they really are. We choose to ignore the simple tools right at our finger tips, that will cultivate, heal, and clear The Way within our inner and outer garden.

So, Today I pray: May the seeds of my words & struggles, shared out of Love, bear good fruit in my neighbors garden.

Today my post is to plant “Natural” seeds of mood enhancement. To do this I must begin with this statement:

More and more each day I hear of people seeking a quick fix Pill for mood enhancement.  Even putting their young children on a pill to “calm” them so they are more “manageable”.  Now in some cases and certain times I know their is real need for medication to stabilize a person’s mood or chemical levels.  But, Not at the percentage of people on something there is in the world today. And parents ” Hello” children are supposed to be full of energy and active. And as parents we are called to give them Active things to do, not just sit calmly in front of a TV or computer.  Hiding or “running” with a pill is not a solution & all to often has many other adverse side affects. We wonder what is going on with everyone’s ” attitude” – that is one of the side effects of many of the “mood enhancers” out there today…a dullness or numbing of “emotions” Enough said, I am sure you get my drift here. So on that note, if you are still with me, here are some “natural seeds to plant in your inner garden, cultivate and will most assuredly bear the good fruit of enhancing your mood & your children’s mood as well.

1. LOVE –  on a personal note ” speak Love and Life ” to yourself and your children.  Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…”  What word seeds are you planting & cultivating within and without in your kingdom?

2. Vitamin D –  Feelin’ blue take a walk and get a little SUN, Kids anxious and won’t sit still – take them outside to PLAY!  And better yet, YOU play with them. They will Love the “time” with you and between the sun and activity you will both gain many benefits from the activity and the Sunlight. Here are just a few other benefits of the SUN ” in Moderation of course”  Sunlight and whole foods send breast cancer into remission – The sun’s light kills bad bacteria – Sunlight can CURE Depression: Sunlight deprivation can cause a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression. It is more common in winter months, but also common in people who work long hours in office buildings –  This is one I suffer from and can testify the “truth”  in this statement. Live where it is cloudy a lot try Ott lites – they do help a lot.  For more info on the benefits of Sun check out his site: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5999/10-Healing-Benefits-of-the-Sun.html

3. Foods – what you eat daily Does affect your chemical balance…garbage in creates the Blahs..good food in bears good fruit both within and without and that’s the truth.  Studies show some vitamins and minerals—like vitamin B—can boost your mood. Like one study proved omega-3 fatty acids have a therapeutic benefits in depressed children. If you begin when children are young feeding them well balanced foods with appropriate nutrients they will LOVE those foods and you will reap the benefits of a healthier and Happier child. A good dinner to share with your family full of omega 3’s is: Salmon Salad With Vinaigrette – you can of course look up a recipe online.  Another great source online with Healthy tips for the Body is my daughters site:  http://www.bountifulbotanical.com/ .  It is full of insightful tips on that will plant GOOD Seeds of Love within you.  As her site says, ” you will always find something beautiful in the garden” (that is within and without)

4. Speaking of gardens, Grow some of your own herbs and veggies. It is not only healthier but, very therapeutic to garden and it is a good way to get some sunlight and ” have Fun” with your child.  No yard. No worries you can grow in pots on the patio and EVEN indoors. They have Small greenhouses these days which take up very little space. I have a lot growing and I live in a One bedroom apartment with a small balcony.  And my friend, who suffers with severe chemical imbalances, is growing all sorts of stuff in one small corner of her patio. And I can testify again I have seen a real difference in her inner garden  since she began all the plating and growing of the outer garden.

5. Last but not least, planting of His WORD –  Be aware of what ” Words” you are allowing to be planted in your garden, to grow, and be spoken out of your mouth. One out and share in “others” gardens these powerful seeds can most definitely decrease or increase your moods. Words can create dry bones or bring Life with the Watering of the Word. Proverbs 18:19-21 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
18:20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
18:21 Death and Life are in the power of the tongue:   More than any seeds planted Our Words affect Our Mood and the moods of all those we encounter. WE with our Words can be mood enhancers.  Just think about how you feel when Loving, positive words are spoken to you and by you. Now think about how negative words affect your mood.

Life is ” all about choices”  and now it is your choice – what seeds are you seeking to plant? How much do you love yourself and those you Love?  A quick pill fix is not an answer it is a deceiving lie with consequences. Love thyself..seek HIM, pull out those weeds of darkness choking you and yours out. Choose the “natural seeds” found within and without in God’s creation and bear good fruit both within and without.  There are answers and promises in the Word & His creation here on Earth that work IF you work them.. OF this too I can testify.

Have a Blessed day. IF there are any errors in my words today,  I apologize but, I gotta go get ready for church an listen to some ” mood enhancing ” Word !

How often do we say, ” God gave us free will choice? ” Or have you heard someone say that? And on the flip side of the coin, how many times have you heard, ” God is in control and we have No Choice”?  In actuality Nowhere in the Bible are the words ” free will choice”  actually used.  Yep, I have researched, and as a dear friend says, I googled it, & the words “free will” are not to be found. But the fact that we are ” free to choose ” whether to Serve Him or Not is the theme throughout the Word.

I believe “Free-will” is a term that WE, mankind use to describe the actions we’ve seen WITHIN the Bible. Are there references that imply we have “free will”?  Yes, all through the bible. Here are a couple I like:Joshua 24:15–And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Deuteronomy 30:19–I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and acursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

It is my opinion, verses such as these that have “created” the term ” God gave us free will choice.”   I for one can testify,     “Life is all about choices” and the consequences of those choices belong to me too. Even though I do believe God is the Almighty Lord, my Creator I do not believe He is a dictator who lords over me stripping me of my Right to choose. The family of God wants us, their family to Love them from the Heart just as They love us. Just as we want our families to Love US.  For me this one verse sums it all up, proving that “in this house” we have the authority & freedom to choose…

Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, to be like us. Let them be masters over the fish in the ocean, the birds that fly, the livestock, everything that crawls on the earth, and over the earth itself!”

Can I get an AMEN?!!

On that note:  as Kariamu says, “Choose Good Things!”

today’s view by Rev. Jones

Ever feel like your energy got up and left you?  I used to think age played no part in the loss of energy. I believed this due to how active I see the seniors here in California & now where I live.. in an Active over 55 apartment complex. I am noticing as I age and hang out with more people in there golden years, I hear it said, ” It sure isn’t like it used to be. Back in the day, I could run around all day, stay up till midnight dancing, sleep a few hours, and do it again.”  I hear myself saying, ” Amen, I feel ya.”  Of course they laugh at me cause I am the baby of the group but, I DO feel them. I am a pretty high energy person as many of you know but, like my neighbors say, ” I am not like I used to be.”  Now it is a couple of days a week I can hang pretty hard and the rest of the time all I can say is, “Praise God He slowed my fast pace desire down a notch or two.”  Do I also have days of being in denial & tellin’ myself ” you still got it – you just gotta get it revved back up. ”

I do know ” exercise, yes exercise” provides more energy in your day to day. Stress reduction helps tremendously, and Water! Go ole water…it is that inner garden thing again…it must be watered if you want it to thrive and reach for the heights of potentiality. So on that note..I am off to take a walk.   Oh & did you know Coconut Water will give you a boost?

Check out this website for 8 healthy energy drinks. http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/8-healthy-energy-drinks-that-can-give-you-boost-without-caffeine.html

All to often we get caught up in the ” what about Me?” blues.. yet, if you really think about it, the question should be,

” How can WE serve, how should we love, how can We?….. ”

This last few weeks over and over again it is being revealed to me just how BLESSED I am & how all through my life if it were not for “We” there would be no Me.  As one of my favorite songs says,  ” It shoulda been me, coulda been me, woulda been me, sleepin’ in my grave”  As I sang along it hit me, IF it weren’t for so many with the hearts of ” how can we ” ( help you, serve you, do for you )  That shoulda, coulda, woulda been dead sleepin’ in my grave verse woulda belonged to me. And    not once, not twice, but, three times IF He hadn’t made ole Death behave.. you ask, how was Death made to behave?            It was in thru the hearts of those who asked, ” how can We?”  And then they listened when Jesus showed up and gave them the answers saying, ” come and I will show you the way WE can Save her.”  Now mind you, I’ve known for years it is by the grace of God I am here today. But, somewhere along the way, all to often, I let my gratefulness turn into what about me?     So, when my parents called 3 years ago my mind went straight to, “what about me?, what about my life in Cali?”  Part of that  what about me was fear, I was afraid of going back into the darkness that surrounded them. But, the other part was just plain selfishness, having taken His blessings for granted & responding like a spoiled child. But, my spirit and His Spirit had a come to Jesus meeting and I listened and now I am so thankful that I did. Was it a cake walk ? – Oh no..but, God did use the situation not only to His good but, for my good, my parents good, & a few others along the way.  And there were a lot of times we had to ask, ” How can We…get along, help one another, get thru this? ”  As I always say, God was on time all the time and showed us ” the Way to and thru.”  Now I, like my song, go forward in testimony saying,   ” I’ve Got So much to thank the Lord for – forgiveness, a great home back in Cali, a job I love, & once again ole death was made to behave. ..ohhhh I am so full now with the spirit of grateful & do so love the Lord from the bottom of my heart.”  There is a verse that tells us to leave the dead to the dead and to go with Jesus and LIVE.  That’s where He is leading me Now, on the Journey of Life and LIVING.     In a place full of Light and Joy where I can enjoy my golden years.  Home, in the finest city in America, San Diego and I am So Grateful to be back. There were many things of the past that I had not realized still held me in bondage and oddly enough somehow the time spent with my parents & their death broke those chains and set me Free. I didn’t realize that for a bit..my heart was hurting but now, It is like they took the past to the grave with them. What a Beautiful parting Gift they gave me.         I thank Them for the things they shared with me before they left & the lessons I learned from them, for they were many in a short amount of time. And most of all,  I Praise God, who is an awesome God, I thank Jesus for being right there on time all the time, and I sincerely thank all those angels who were there for me with hearts of ” how can we?”   That list of angels would be to long to list and I wouldn’t want to miss not one name but, you know who you are…all of you my family, my friends, and even those strangers unaware…I thank You for your hearts of ” how can we when it came to me.”  Smile

Yes, God sure does work in mysterious ways.

All I can do now is give Praise and be SO GRATEFUL to be a part of the family of God who is a how can We..serve you, love you, help you, Save You  kinda family. Yep, I just LOVE this family and as He says, ” In this house WE will serve and Love”

Have you ever said to yourself, ” If I could just have a Do Over” ? While reading the accounts the Levites gave of God’s faithfulness in Nehemiah Chapter 9, it hit me Hard how God Does give us “Do Overs”  over and over and over again. At first when I was reading I thought, ” Geez, what hard heads, look how many times they rebelled horribly and He gave them another chance.”  That’s when the Holy Spirit hit me Hard, ” How many times have you been given another chance, nothing has changed, just like You, mankind is still needing Forgiveness over and over and over again.  ”  OUCH!! ” Right behind that ouch Love overwhelmed me over and over again.  I had flashes of memories of the many times and the many people who gave me    “Do Overs”.  Who loved me in spite of myself. But, most of all the memories flowed of how Jesus, even when others didn’t, showed up saying, ” come on, get up, let me show you The Way Again.” Talk about Love, Mercy, Patience. And all the while blessing me with all my needs and many of my wants…over and over again.   Think about it…think about how many times Loved ones, co workers, your boss maybe, children, friends, and Most especially God Have given you another chance to start Over Again.

A ” Do Over”

Now think about how many chances, because you have Love in your Heart, you have given others and God another chance.

A ” Do Over”

This moment with the Holy Spirit showed me this is what Relationships are all about, ” Do Overs”.  Now some things we learn the lessons and Praise God we don’t have to ” do over ” but, all to many times we do, we have, and we will experience again  ” do overs”. Or if you want it softened up you can call it a ” de ja vou moment “.  Any way it goes, it is a repeater. I pray YOU like me, once you think on it, will find it will soften your heart once again or more. Cause another thing we all fall into is a hard heart at times. Remember, We are called to reflect our BFF, Jesus. To grow continually in Love, Mercy, & Patience that we might be continually blessed & continually Bless others. To do this we must grow in the ability to be able to turn the other check one, two, 77 x 7 times.  Why?  Cause we all make mistakes, we all have tough times, bad days, pity party woooo is me days, and all to often in those times it brings out emotions that are not meant to feel like a personal attack but, they do. And most of the time we so regret the words we can’t take back…all we Can DO, just like they did in times of old, is ask & pray Again for a ” Do Over.”

Peace, Love, and Hugs!

P.S. I am not saying abuse in any form is ok, nor that we should allow a do over in that moment. I am not saying we shouldn’t Ever forgive either but, God does not call us to endure Abuse. The Abuser needs help and until they receive it and are Healed we must Step Away, leave them in God’s hands, shake the dust off our feet, send up prayer they will come to know God’s Love and move on in our purpose and Journey. Leave that situation to God to grant the ” do over ” and IF God wants you to show and give a “do over ” once they are healed..He Can and Will let you know….till then, stay out of the Way..                    that battle is not yours.