“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie

Love Thyself

(From “A Book of Meditations and Affirmations for Women,” Mandarava Gifts for the Spirit). 

Who will speak words of love to you, 

if you do not speak them to yourself? 

Arise every morning and give thanks to the Power 

for your life, 

your awareness, 

your creativity, 

and all that you hold dear. 

Then speak words of love to yourself. 

As you love yourself more and more, 

the fountain within will flow more readily and persistently, 

until it overflows the bricks and mortar of your heart-well 

and brings forth life in all the corners of your garden. 

You are beautiful. 

You are unique. 

You are my wonderful creation. 

Love yourself each day before the pink dawn 

has lost its blush. 

Love yourself as the noonday sun 

purifies the heavens. 

Love yourself in the velvet shawl of twilight. 

Repeat these words to yourself: 

"I love you more than anyone in the world. 

You are an infinite, immortal being. 

You know only abundance. 

You are the most wondrous creature 

in the world to me. 

You are divinely beautiful. 

You are wonderful and magical 

and you have the gift of Love." 

Then will the sparrows and swans drink from your hand, 

praising your kindness. 

The forest will be cooled by your generous waters. 

Your name will be a blessing on the lips of all who thirst. 

Earth Teach Me to Remember

by John Yellow Lark

Earth teach me stillness

as the grasses are stilled with light.

Earth teach me suffering

as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me humility

as blossoms are humble with beginning.

Earth Teach me caring

as the mother who secures her young.

Earth teach me courage

as the tree which stands alone.

Earth teach me limitation

as the ant which crawls on the ground.

Earth teach me freedom

as the eagle which soars in the sky.

Earth teach me resignation

as the leaves which die in the fall.

Earth teach me regeneration

as the seed which rises in the spring.

Earth teach me to forget myself

as melted snow forgets its life.

Earth teach me to remember kindness

as dry fields weep in the rain.

Ute, North American

read at: http://www.cherieburton.com/blog-entry/45/2011-03-14/mother-earth-is-shifting/

“Our attitude towards what has happened to us in life is the important thing to recognize. Once hopeless, my life is now hope-full, but it did not happen overnight. The last of human freedoms, to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, is to choose one's own way.” 

Viktor Frankl

Happy Thanksgiving

I am grateful for:

Knowledge of God the Father

the healing sacrifice of Jesus Christ

to God and American Soldiers for the blessing of freedom.

go to blog to view video: www.alwaysmee.blogspot.com

“When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”

Audre Lorde (1934-1992);
writer, poet, and activist

A Fence or an Ambulance

Joseph Malins -1895 (a poem about prevention)

'Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,

Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant;

But over its terrible edge there had slipped

A duke and full many a peasant.

 So the people said something would have to be done,

But their projects did not at all tally;

Some said, "Put a fence 'round the edge of the cliff,"

Some, "An ambulance down in the valley."

But the cry for the ambulance carried the day,

For it spread through the neighboring city;

A fence may be useful or not, it is true,

But each heart became full of pity

For those who slipped over the dangerous cliff;

And the dwellers in highway and alley

Gave pounds and gave pence, not to put up a fence,

But an ambulance down in the valley.

"For the cliff is all right, if your careful," they said,

"And, if folks even slip and are dropping,

It isn't the slipping that hurts them so much

As the shock down below when they're stopping."

So day after day, as these mishaps occurred,

Quick forth would those rescuers sally

To pick up the victims who fell off the cliff,

With their ambulance down in the valley.

Then an old sage remarked: "It's a marvel to me

That people give far more attention

To repairing results than to stopping the cause,

When they'd much better aim at prevention.

Let us stop at its source all this mischief," cried he,

"Come, neighbors and friends, let us rally;

If the cliff we will fence, we might almost dispense

With the ambulance down in the valley."

"Oh he's a fanatic," the others rejoined,

"Dispense with the ambulance? Never!

He'd dispense with all charities, too, if he could;

No! No! We'll support them forever.

Aren't we picking up folks just as fast as they fall?

And shall this man dictate to us? Shall he?

Why should people of sense stop to put up a fence,

While the ambulance works in the valley?"

But the sensible few, who are practical too,

Will not bear with such nonsense much longer;

They believe that prevention is better than cure,

And their party will soon be the stronger.

Encourage them then, with your purse, voice, and pen,

And while other philanthropists dally,

They will scorn all pretense, and put up a stout fence

On the cliff that hangs over the valley.

Better guide well the young than reclaim them when old,

For the voice of true wisdom is calling.

"To rescue the fallen is good, but 'tis best

To prevent other people from falling."

Better close up the source of temptation and crime

Than deliver from dungeon or galley;

Better put a strong fence 'round the top of the cliff

Than an ambulance down in the valley.