His Will is My Will is His Will

There’s lot of talk about doing God’s Will. “You choose, I’ll follow.” There’s also quite a bit about it being about my will, what I decide it to be. Which is it? I think it means that God wants for us what we want for ourselves. God’s will is simply salvation – that we remember who we are. So the path He lays out for us can be colored by our wishes, our will.

God never forces us to do anything. He only encourages. Seeing the wider Point-Of-View, He knows all is well. No matter what our monkey minds might chatter up. God never stops, never loses patience. Why should He? He has all the time in the world.

What an amazing system He created of Cause and Effect which moves the energy in the Universe. We all have an impact on how it moves, in our own way, at our own pace, in our own time. By our impressions about life we are at cause in what’s happening to us. Our thoughts conjure the particular effect we think about. They direct our action (our cause) to the effect it produces.

Underlying the various stories we seem so magically able to create, is a brilliant, Loving Universe that wants to support us to have whatever it is we say we want. This entity wishes only that we experience all that life has to offer – the “good” and the “bad” – as it’s all God Stuff after all.

It is we carbon-based creatures who care to see this false reality of guilt and blame, up and down, love and fear. We can’t seem to get the game; that it’s all about Love. We find it so hard to see through the illusion to the Loving nature of the Universe.

We can feel it. Maybe see it in action. But it is I guess our challenge, our question to answer: Will we rest into that Loving Universe each and every day? Welcoming all that comes our way with love and understanding? Doing what makes us happy, helping and supporting others, knowing we are all in this together?

In the end, it is God’s will that we find our way there. Salvation is the goal and its end is assured. But in the meantime, it is our will that fills in the details. What we believe about ourselves, about our lives, how the universe works is how the Universe works for us.

What you May Have Missed in my Blog Garden

The Positive Slant On Business had a post called Reverberations of Praise about what can happen when you offer praise.

The Positive Slant On Writing was a Writing Tip on Wielding Perseverance in life and your writing.

Here on The Positive Slant On the Path was My Two Cents on Affirmations and what I think they can really do.

From the Files, Rants and Raves featured a review of the documentary on Muscle Shoals and its singing Tennessee River.

From the Files, Scenes and Musings was really a rant in the heat called Winter Woes from Head to Toes.

Hope you enjoy what’s blooming!

My Two Cents on Affirmations

I am a believer in affirmations. I do them regularly. And I feel it when I don’t. But there seems to be some controversy over them. Do they work or not?

It depends on what you’re looking for. Affirmations are positive statements, generally stated in the present tense. “I am beautiful, capable and loveable,” for instance.

Some want to say that repeating affirmations does not make you any more beautiful, capable or loveable. Maybe not.

For me, affirmations help to feel certain things. Vibrate at that level, shall we say. In that way you can, if you’re good and consistent, attract things. And anything repeated enough times has got to change how you see things. That can be extremely powerful!

I cannot, however, attest to being able to manifest things in my life simply by affirming them. But I can say that affirmations make me feel like I can. They keep me going when I’m slipping. Affirmations remind me of what I’m doing and why.

What You May Have Missed in My Blog Garden

The Positive Slant On Business had “Spreading Love Through Business” about how we can use love to be more successful in business.

The Positive Slant On Writing featured “Absorbing Criticism,” inspired by a Hillary Clinton quote, about how we can use criticism in writing and in life.

Here on The Positive Slant On the Path, in “Physical Evidence of God’s Existence,” I spoke of how I see evidence of God everywhere. And how science even backs me up!

From the Files, Rants and Raves “Fanning the Flames of Fiction,” reflects some thinking and talking I’ve been doing lately about the joy of Fiction, for writers and readers alike.

Physical Evidence of God’s Existence

I believe in God. Not necessarily on Faith. I see plenty of physical proof of God’s presence all around me. If I but look.

In the present moment there are many things that give evidence of God to me. I can look into the faces of the people I love who populate my life and see God. The way the sun lights up the curtains next to my desk. My water bottle, beside me always. Like Masaru Emoto prescribes, I have a label on it that says Joy. I look at it and think joyful thoughts, thereby infusing the bottle with that emotion. That’s pretty strong evidence, I think.

How about the truly magical Modern Conveniences we have at our fingertips each and every day? Who but a benevolent God gives us such wonders? The computer and what it can do and all the places it can take me! My blessed Pandora, that sends me musical messages of guidance, brings me to tears, gets me up and dancing, or allows me a few minutes of breath and awareness during my favorite songs. It’s hot outside, I’m kept cool. It’s raining, I have light to work by. Cooking and cleaning are a breeze. I am connected by Internet or phone to almost anyone I please. With a few key strokes I can discover the answers to just about any question. Can you call this any less than physical proof?

What else could paint such Art out my back door – a plethora of golden sunlight and delicate shades of green, strong browns and blacks. In exquisite detail, moving in the breezes, playing with the light. Just the perfect mix of colors and textures. God is quite an Artist and generous with His works.

We could cite this amazing brain we have. Some more developed than others, of course, but still it work marvels. Our minds can think up the most incredible things. And boy can they can take us places! Any place we can imagine. The things we can create. And who knows what this amazing computer of a brain we have is capable of? To me, the incredible intricacies of our bodies and how they work scream God.

What a system He’s created! When I get a glimpse of how life really works, I am dazzled by its splendor, its simplicity, well . . . So God-like in its perfection. The cause and effect of energy is such an elegant system. Could this all have fallen into place by itself? The Cosmology of the Universe is so stunning. A wonder for certain! Endless Forms most Beautiful. Such grace and mystery.

The more I learn about the Universe, the more I’m convinced of the existence of God. That we are all made of the same stuff says that science knows we are all connected. The brilliant Particle Physicist and part time rock star, Professor Brian Cox, who might never speak of a belief in God said this,”We are the cosmos made conscious and life is the means by which the universe understands itself.” Which is precisely how God described the creation of the Universe in Conversations with God Book 1. Scientific proof!

The beauty we all seek, the peace, the feeling of being home is right there in front of us all the time. To stay alive, all we have to do is breathe and breathe out. Receiving and Giving. Staying aware in the moment, seeing what is and doing what works. Could anyone but God have thought this all up?

In any given moment if I pay attention, I see ample evidence of the existence (and Love) of God. Some might call it an Intelligence behind it all. Surely there is something. And even though the Universe may be destructive, I know Professor Cox can see the perfection and beauty of it.

I like to say that I think the Marx Brothers proves the existence of God. I just don’t believe so much talent and joy could exist in world without a God.

What you May Have Missed in my Blog Garden

The Positive Slant On Business Profile this week was “The Family Thread” about a marketing woman who runs her business from the strength of her family values.

The Positive Slant On Writing had “Writing Tip: Asking Questions.” In all phases of writing asking questions not only improves your piece, but it makes you a better writer, too.

Here on The Positive Slant On the Path, “The Power of Asking” discusses how simple it is to create great things simply by asking.

I posted a second time to The Positive Slant on Business with the third piece of Asking, “Asking for It,” outlining a number of ways that asking can be beneficial in business.

From the Files, Scenes and Musings brought “From the Porch.” A scene set by a lake.

The Power of Asking

Asking is about getting clear on what it is we want. It is setting intentions. When education is working well, it opens the mind. A good teacher will invite questions and discussion to wake up the mind to possibilities. Asking questions clears the way for discovery.

Science begins and ends with a question. Can this be done? What is this? How does it work? What more can this do? Just think of the things we wouldn’t have if someone didn’t ask a question first. When an hypothesis is set, isn’t that really a what-if question?

Asking acknowledges that we can’t know everything. From this place, there is more room for learning to take place. The Buddhists talk about being in that place of “Beginner’s Mind.” Where you know you don’t know it all and the mind can be a-light with questions.

In one of the Gawain stories in the Arthurian and Celtic legends, Gawain finds himself in a strange castle where a warrior is laid out as if he’s dead, with a sword in his heart that continues to bleed. Later, Gawain is witness to the Grail which floats through the hall serving everyone present. Gawain, however, fails to ask about the Grail and instead asks after the warrior. (You kinda can’t blame him for that, being a warrior himself.) However, though the land began to heal, the king still suffered. It wasn’t until later, when Gawain saw the Grail for the second time, that he remembered to ask about it. And then, finally, all was healed. This story carries a side note to me that you get more than one chance to ask. But the key is always in the asking. You don’t have to know all the answers, you just have to ask.

Seems you don’t even always have to hang around for the answer. Ask the right question and things can start to change instantaneously. The answer comes in a holy instant. You might not need to do anything more about it. Including discovering what the answer was.

We might balk at times about putting our lives in God’s Hands. After all that work to figure out what we want! But when we ask for what we want, aren’t we in a way, giving it up? Handing it onto someone else? What if we ask ourselves if we could think of it as handing it over to God? Is there much more powerful a thing to do than that?

What You May Have Missed in My Blog Garden

Here on The Positive Slant On the Path, “The Completion of 7,” finishes my series on numbers with the most significant number of them all!

From the Files, Scenes and Musings, “True Aim” is a scene with an archer and a tiger who helps her find her true aim.

The Positive Slant On Writing – “The Magic of Words” A snippet about the power of words and how we need to use them wisely wherever we may be.

From the Files, Rants and Raves – “Telemarket-saurus,” My rant on the outdated mode of cold calling at home.

The Completion of 7

7 has huge significance. Of all the numbers, this probably is the most revered. Though I couldn’t find out precisely why.

God seems to like it. Maybe that’s the reason. It is all over the Bible, especially in Revelations. 7 churches, 7 trumpets, 7 stars . . .

It comes up easily in everyday speech: 7th heaven, 7 deadly sins, 7 seas. In science, too, you will find 7 colors in the rainbow, 7 phases of the moon and 7 circles of the universe.

Of course, there’s 7 days in the week. This seems to be more a religious divination as it doesn’t come out evenly in lunar counting. There are 7 holy days in the Jewish year and the Menorah has 7 branches.

Hindus use the number frequently. Hinduism is thought to be our oldest religion. There are 7 octats in Indian music. 7 chakras or energy centers in the body.

Earlier this year, The Daily Mail in the United Kingdom did a survey of favourite numbers. Guess what won? 7.

Evidently the number 7 figures prominently in mathematics, too. And the Harry Potter fans have found the number in unlikely places. Such as Ginny Weasely being the 7th child of the 7th generation of pure bloods. There are, coincidently, 7 letters in Weasely. I wonder if JK Rowling did all this deliberately or whether it just happened (as it can in storytelling).

James Hadley, LL.D., Professor of Greek in Yale College, said this, “It is well known that men of different times and nations have associated with particular numbers the idea of a peculiar significance and value. It is also well known that, of all numbers, there is no one which has exercised in this way a wider influence, no one which has commanded in a higher degree the esteem and reverence of mankind, than the number Seven.” He had a lot to say about 7.

Some sources say the number stands for togetherness. Another says, similarly, it is about completeness, or a unit. Perhaps we can speak of it as God’s number for our oneness.

Which brings us back to the beginning and the completion of my number series.

Next week I’ll be posting three different pieces to all The Positive Slant Blogs on Asking.

Last Week in My Blog Garden

Here on The Positive Slant On the Path, my number 6 in the series – “6 Sexy Ways to Love Yourself.” (712)

From the Files, Scenes and Musings – “Just 3 Bites” about taking one for the team. (371)

The Positive Slant On Writing – “Writing Tip: Learn to Use Criticism” talks about how handling criticism will make you a better writer. (759)

The Positive Slant On Business – “Praise-ability,” a short piece on how beneficial praise can be. Next week: the On Business Profile of Verve Marketing and Design. (179)

From the Files, Rants and Raves – “2 Rescue Movies,” reviews of The Monuments Men and Escape from Tomorrow. (444)

Thanks for reading!