Once upon a midnight blue
When you were me and I were you
And everything was tried and true
A dark side of our selves shown through
This spirit often called out of name
Whose first intent was to bear blame
To make you look at me as I
And question differences to why
We were not exactly both the same
This spirit questioned right from wrong
And high from low and short from long
Discarded the weak, embraced the strong;
And though we both stood side by side
And knew no thing of foolish pride
This spirit borne proudness so great
That pride turned quickly into hate
Though my eyes were brown and yours were blue
We appreciated the difference in the hue
Why they were different, we had no clue
But embraced the beauty, through and through
Then on that midnight starry night
The gods awakened, causing stress and fright
Fear was something we had never known
Whether close together or all alone
We had all we ever needed or ever would
We could achieve anything that ever could
But on that dark night, once upon
The gods became bored of creation
And so the games of life begun
How can we make them not forsee
That they are one and all as we?
How can we make them entertain
If they know that all are one and one’s the same?
And so the god of unimpressed
Purposed to put forth a simple test
No pain was known to men back then
It was invented to see how best
Two lives would deal, and who would win
Pain produced me, thus I produced what you call sin.
Sadly the test failed miserably
Soon you became you and I became me
And so the gods changed destiny of how life was suppose to be.
For pain was never in the original plan;
For any living creature, including man.
Back then we were much like the beautiful tree
Who gives all of herself and love just to be
And co-create in God’s creativity.
No pain is felt by the morning glory
Who each morning tells a most lovely story
The grass is not pained by the trample of man
She embraces the walks on her bountiful land
I’m told the Creation God attempted to correct this aweful woe
By instilling in animals, knowledge of everything they’d ever need or know.
But most humans remained retarded in their abilities
To even see the the forest through the trees
For despite having knowledge to eliminate pain’s dark shadow
Pain’s offspring remained, Who am I . . . (Click below for Riddle Answer)
Everyone comes into our life to mirror back to us some part of ourselves we cannot or will not see. They show us the parts we need towork on or let go of. They reveal to us the things we do and the effects they have on ourselves and others. They say to us openly the things we say to ourselves silently. They reveal to us the fears, doubts, weaknesses and character flaws we know we have but refuse to address or acknowledge. We can usually see the faults of thers very clearly. We all have people in our lives who anger or annoy us, who rub us the wrong way. They may bring pain and disruption. They may reject us, abandon us and create some sort fo harm. Before we ge busy trying to fix the person or remedy the situation, we should ask ourselves, "Why is this person in my life?" "What am I doing to draw this person to myself?" "How do I need what they do, and how can I release this need?" When we we cleanse, heal, and bring ourselves into balance, everyone in our lives will do the same or disappear.
I Will Receive Everything I Ask For, But Only If I Really Want It.
Ann spent six and a half months living in a basement with rats and mice. Every day she prayed for a safe place to sleep. her prayers were finally answered. A Friend offered her the living room sofa. After two weeks of living out of shopping bags, she starte praying again. "Please! All I want is a rom with a bed." Three months later her daily prayer was heard. She founda six-by-nine-foot room with enough space for her body, a bed, and four milk carts to hold her clothes. Why didn’t Ann ask for a three-bedroom house with a basement, backyard and garage? Because like most of us, Ann’s tendency was to limit God. For some reason we get stuck in our immediate need and we think God is stuck there too. We believe that the one who created the earth, sun, stars, mountains, rivers, oceans and trees has nothing left to give. How long will it take us to realize we have an unlimited account with the universal bank? Our prayers make the withdrawals. Our faith is the deposit.
To see this weeks photos in the larger size, simply click on the image. As you can see, my page design does not allow for large prints.
I never knew taking a picture of myself could be so difficult! I couldn’t get a good smile going - because as you might guess, I had a serious tude at the time. So, I engaged in some self-theraphy by writing my ideas on the cover of the flickr toy, Magazine. It worked! I feel much better now!
Please click on these links to see everyone eles’s beautiful photo’s displaying self portrait with flickr toy”
As I began to blossom, seemingly right before your very eyes;
You were mesmerized by my beauty; such sweet, sultry innocence and no one denies; My velvety sensuality, Oh how my radiant essense always calms weary souls! So I was at first handled ever so delicately, as my loveliness began to unfold.
Soon you desired to take me home with you; keep me, care for my all and all-
But your desires only stagnated me; caused my demise and made me fall
too quickly from the grace and beauty that you find so appealing;
My once vibrant colors of life soon vanished due to my silent unwilling . . .
to be seized, exploited, kept and displayed like a prize.
I wanted be free to be me; to sing with the moon, dance with the skies;
And I’m wise enough to realize once my tender splendor begins to decay -
You will no longer desire me; you’ll simply toss me aside; cast me away.
So why is it you insisted to keep me from my joys and my natural flow;
From the freedom to sway gently like the leaves; feel the warm winds blow.
Why didn’t you allow me to sing in the sunshine, dance in the grass,
Fall asleep with the stars, awaken with the morning dew, less I surpass.
When you removed me from my destiny, I became, so sad, then angry and resistent;
I tried to fight back. I even drew blood from your being, but still you persisted and insisted. . .
To keep me from my natural light; to intrap me as your grand, precious accolade . . .
Only to discard me once my God given beauty begin to drop, wilt, and fade.
I used to blow your mind each time you passed me, with my sweet aromic essense;
You would stroke me so gently, allways plotting to remove me from my presense.
I tried to warn you, often bristling and whistling, "I will not last, I can not grow!"
But in your selfish love, you still cut me off from what sustained my natural glow.
I tried to make you understand, I could love and make you happy; yet remain free-
But you insisted on controlling my existence, your version of showing adoration for me!
Now I’m slooped over in agony, waiting to be returned to whence I was born
I’m am yesterday’s dazzling sensation and beauty, I am . . .(click below for answer) Read the rest of this entry »
Nia had been prepared to inherit the wise woman's book. The old woman was the salvation and the backbone of the entire villiage. She was wise. She was loved. But she had become too old to carry out her duties. In return for twenty-two years of training, Nia was to inherit the old woman's key to life. The ceremony was long. The people were many. The responsibility was great. Nea was prepared. She was eager to get started. She believed the book would reveal the answers to all of life's questions. It required two strong men to carry the book to her chamber. When they placed it on her table, she quickly waved them away. The book was solid gold, trimmed with emeralds, rubies and sapphires. In the middle of the front cover sat a seven-carat diamond. Nia's heart was pounding. Her mouth had gone dry. With her eyes closed, she fondled the cover of the book. The time had come to open it. She was about to learn life's secret. She opened the middle of the book. She looked down at the page. Nia had inherited a book of mirrors.
From, Acts of Faith, Iyanla Vanzant
The Four Burning Candles
The Four Candles burned slowly.
Their Ambiance was so soft you
could hear them speak...
The first candle said, "I Am Peace, but these days, nobody
wants to keep me lit." Then Peace's flame slowly
diminishes and goes out completely.
The second candle says, "I Am Faith, but these days, I am
no longer indispensable." Then Faith's flame slowly
diminishes and goes out completely.
Sadly the third candle spoke, "I Am Love and I haven't the
strength to stay lit any longer."
"People put me aside and don't understand my
importance. They even forget to love those who are
nearest to them." And waiting no longer, Love goes out
completely.
Suddenly...A child enters the room and sees the three
candles no longer burning. The child begins to cry, "Why
are you not burning? You are supposed to stay lit until the
end."
Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy,
"Don't be afraid, for I Am Hope, and while I still burn, we
can re-light the other candles."
With Shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope and
lit the other three candles.
Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life.
With Hope, no matter how bad things look and
are...Peace, Faith and Love can Shine Brightly in our lives.
Why ?
On the street, I saw a small girl cold and shivering in a thin dress, with little hope of a decent meal. I became angry and said to God: 'Why did you permit this? Why don't you do something about it?'
For a while God said nothing. That night however, he replied quite suddenly: 'I certainly did something about it.
I made you.'
From 'Chicken Soup for the Soul'
Love. The One Creative Force. “Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house... let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness.”
A college professor of sociology instructed his class to venture into the Baltimore slums to get case histories of 200 young boys. As part of the assignment, his students were to include an evaluation of each young boy's chance for success in the future. In every case, the students concluded that these young boys from the slums "hadn't got a chance to succeed."
Twenty-five years later, another professor happened across the study and had his students follow up on the project. They discovered that 20 of the boys had either died or moved out of the area, but that 176 of the 180 remaining had achieved above average success as lawyers, doctors and businessmen. When questioned as to what they attributed their success to, each and every one replied that there was one special teacher who inspired them.
This teacher was still alive, so the professor sought her out and asked the very old, but still very alert, educator what magic formula she had used to pull these boys out of the slums. The teacher's eyes sparkled and her lips broke into a gentle smile, "It's really very simple,"she said. "I loved those boys."
Muddy Road
Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.
Coming around the bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.
'Come on girl, said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in her arms, he carried her over the mud.
Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. 'We monks don’t go near females,' he told Tanzan, 'especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?'
'I left the girl there,' said Tanzan. 'Are you still carrying her?'
Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.
Mother Teresa
Grandma's Hands
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEFH-HVks4c&hl=en]
Photo, entitled, "Generations." Courtesy of toddheft's photos and is licenced under the Creative Commons
Grandma's hands
Clapped in church on Sunday morning
Grandma's hands
Played a tambourine so well
Grandma's hands
Used to issue out a warning
She'd say, Billy don't you run so fast
Might fall on a piece of glass
Might be snakes there in that grass;
Grandma's hands
Grandma's hands
Soothed a local unwed mother
Grandma's hands
Used to ache sometimes and swell
Grandma's hands
Used to lift her face and tell her,
Baby, Grandma understands
That you really love that man
Put yourself in Jesus hands
Grandma's hands
Grandma's hands
Used to hand me piece of candy
Grandma's hands
Picked me up each time I fell
Grandma's hands
Boy, they really came in handy
She'd say, Matty don't you whip that boy
What you want to spank him for?
He didn' drop no apple core;
But I don't have Grandma anymore
We may have problems, that may seem as huge walls in front of our eyes, trying to stop us. But we have to try to understand that nothing stays still, that everything advances.
That wall that seemed insurmountable, will fall by itself; because there is no obstacle that does not culminate, neither path in the darkness [...]
Various biological studies have shown that if a toad is placed in a container along with water from his own pond, he will remain there, utterly still, while the water is heated, even when the water reaches boiling point. The toad does not react to the gradual increase in temperature and dies when the water boils.
Fat and happy.
On the other hand, if a toad is thrown into that container when the water is already boiling, he will jump straight out again, scalded, but alive!
Sometimes we behave like the boiled toads. We do not notice changes. We think that everything is fine and that anything bad in our lives will simply go away - that it’s just a matter of time. We are close to death, but still we sit, unchanging and apathetic, while the water around us gets hotter by the minute. We end up dying, fat and happy, without having noticed the changes going on around us.
Boiled toads do not understand that, as well as being efficient (doing things right), they need to be effective (doing the right things). And for this to happen, there must be continual growth, with room for dialogue and clear communication, room to share and to plan and to build an adult relationship. The biggest challenge lies in having the humility to respect someone else’s views.
There are, however, boiled toads who still believe that the most important thing is obedience, not competence: those who can, lead, but those with any sense, obey. And where does this leave real life? It is far better to emerge from a situation slightly scalded, but still alive and ready to act.
Photo, entitled, "Generations." Courtesy of 
