I have a cow dish that holds candy that moos when your hand touches it.  Suffice to say that I don't eat much candy out of this cow dish as I don't want to hear that sound. (Photo of cow dish is at end of blog).
 
I was thinking this morning that it would be great if we had a "moo" sound inside when we are about to make a bad decision.  We do have an intuition about things but most of the time we do not trust it or follow it.
 
If we elevate our mind to a higher consciousness we will be led to right decisions at the right time.  Regular prayer and meditation with gratitude can transform your life.  Affirming affirmations keeps your mind alerted and receptive to good.
 

My late husband, Dean, always had a cell phone from the time they first came out.  The first ones were only available for the car and were "tied" into the car cigarette lighter.  They could not be taken around and looked at.  It stilled seemed miraculous that you could talk to someone in a car at the time.
 
Now everyone has a cell phone that is carried around everywhere.  Most people have cut the ties to their "home phone" that plugged into a wall. 
 
The upside is that help is always at hand literally with a cell phone.  You can use its GPS features and automatically call people or find information by speaking instructions to "Siri".  You can play games when you are waiting for car repairs or doctor's appointments.  You can check Facebook and use a variety of apps.
 
The downside is that I believe we have a national cell phone addiction.  No one speaks as much to people anymore.  People at restaurants are checking their cell phones instead of communicating to the person they are eating with.  People are looking at phones while walking or in their cars.  We talk to others through the cell phone and not face to face.
 
I personally realized how lost I felt and out of touch with the world when I lost my cell phone.    That is when I realized how dependent I had come to my cell phone.
 
What can we do?  I think it is important to put our cell phones away as much as possible and really concentrate on the people in our lives.  Pay attention to what people are saying.  Put away your cell phones in classrooms, churches, or any meeting.  When you are eating with people really talk to people and do not check messages on your cell.  I have heard of people who live together who text each other rather than talking.  Real communication is being lost through short texts.  People are having a more difficult time focusing or concentrating because they are in the habit of checking into messages on cells.
 
It takes time to break our cell phone habits but being able to be fully present with others in our lives is worth it.
 

In clearing out old files I came across the invoice for a computer with a printer that I bought on April 28th, 1996 for the sale price of $2118.44.  I remember that the feeling was akin to buying a new car.  It took me a long time to really buy it but I knew I needed it for so many things that I was doing.  At the time I lived in Ft. Smith, Arkansas and was the spiritual leader of Unity of Ft. Smith. 


The specifics of the computer were so minuscule compared to the powerful computers of today.  The disks were huge and floppy and the system ran on DOS.


               Hard drive:  1085.9 MB
               RAM:  16 MB
               Video Memory:  1 MB
               Speed:  100 MHZ




That purchase was made 22 years ago and the changes in our technology have been mind boggling.  It was that year when I paid monthly to be on the internet which was using a telephone line for very slow connection.  I would stay up late connecting to people and staying current with events.


I remember being thrilled with the purchase as it was up to date for its time.  At that time I would have been amazed if I could have seen in the future at the small compact computers and laptops that we have now.I wonder now what the changes will be like in the next 20 years.


Exploring the inner space of spirit is the next big frontier.  I think we are at the forefront of revolution of thought about our spirituality and the phenomenal inner potential that we all possess.

I went to Walmart yesterday after church to shop for a birthday gift and groceries.  As I was leaving the store I decided to check my phone for messages and I could not find it.  I went through my purse.  It was not there.  I had frozen food but I decided to do a quick run of the store and there was no phone.   It dawned on me that I do not know the phone numbers of anyone I know because those numbers are stored in my phone.  I also thought about all the personal information stored on the phone that someone who might find and keep my phone would have.
On my way home I took a deep breath and prayed that my phone would be returned to me. I visualized having the phone in my hand and being so happy.   Lowell was at my house working in the yard.  I asked him to call my number and miraculously a woman answered who said the phone started ringing in her shopping cart.  I met up with her at Walmart waiting with 3 children and I was able to get my phone back.  It is another lesson for me in learning not to panic but to pray, visualize and have faith. 

Here in Denton, Texas where I live the temps are reaching into the high 90's and low 100's.  It is sweltering and the chances of rain are slim to none.  It looks like a long hot summer is on the horizon.
 
When I think about the chances of rain, I think about a book entitled Rolling Thunder by Douglas Boyd.  Rolling Thunder was particularly known for his ability to manifest rain and was the subject of a study done at the Menninger Institute.  He would find a beetle, poke at it with a stick and immediately thunder would roll and the rain would come thereafter.  In looking up details for this blog I discovered that there is a more recent book put out by other well known authors who witnessed first hand all of his incredible gifts and abilities.
 
When I went to the Hopi mesas in 1985 with a group of 9 people, we were led by a shaman who unbeknownst to us were watching us to see how we interacted with the land and the weather.  On the first day we were let loose on top of a huge mesa top and given instructions to look for rabbit droppings.  We were all silent and reverent as we looked for the droppings and rain began to fall.  The shaman said we had passed our first test because the rain appeared.  The Hopis are known for producing rain to water their arid lands and they have magnificent corn.
 
I also think of the movie Emerald Forest which is a true story where the Amazonian Indians did not want to have a dam built so they called on the frogs to help them destroy the dam.  Amazingly the dam was crippled and abandoned.
 
These stories demonstrate to me the innate abilities we all have to heal and yes....even bring rain when it is needed. 
 

My family consisting of my children and grandchildren communicate by a private group text on the cell phone.  Today I posted a text about my sister coming to see me today and I noticed that my younger daughter who normally immediately responds to any text did not respond.  I called her about something else and I mentioned that my sister had bought a new car.  She was surprised.  I said I had posted it in the family text.  She looked on her phone and she said she had not received that text.  We discovered that unbeknownst to all the family members that there were 2 family texts circulating and one of them had not included her.  She said that was probably because she had changed phones so she has not been been receiving texts for a full year from that one family text
I had been wondering throughout the year why she had not responded to some of the texts and I am sure that other family members had wondered the same thing.  It is easy for people to get hurt feelings from something as simple as this
It is so easy to “assume” that someone has something against us but in reality that is not the case.  Communication can break down over these assumptions.
Assumptions are oftentimes erroneous.  I have built up entire stories around people which have turned out to be false.  It is important to go to the source and see if people have received word from us.
During this time period when we are still somewhat self isolating and communication is through texts, emails, Facebook Twitter, etc. it is so easy to misinterpret intent.
I always take a moment to connect to Spirit before going to a hurt feeling and when I do this then I find out what is happening.  There is a space within you that provides the answers and so it is
 

I just bought a book by Joanna Gaines entitled Magnolia Table.  Chip and Joanna Gaines are on HGTV with their extremely popular show Fixer Upper.  It happens that I graduated from high school in Waco, Texas where they live and do their work.  It amazes me how innovative they are.  They have a store that people can visit to buy home items plus they have a bed and breakfast.  They just opened up a restaurant in Waco that has long waiting lines.  I remember the former restaurant which was named the Elite where Elvis Presley used to eat when he was at Ft. Hood.  Chip and Joanna are publishing a Magnolia magazine and now Joanna has published a cookbook.


In the cookbook that I bought yesterday by Joanna she has comments at the beginning that I found very interesting.  She describes that when she first married Chip, she decided to cook one of her favorite meals that her mother had made which was ground beef cooked with spaghetti sauce and then poured over spaghetti.  I personally also like this dish.  She set the table with wineglasses with water to make it a special dining experience.


Chip took 2 bites and did not say anything.  When she asked what he thought about the spaghetti he answered with "Well, it doesn't taste like my mom's spaghetti". 


Joanna understandably was upset and she and Chip learned a lesson on how personal food is as related to our past experiences.  I can relate to this story on a lot of levels  Chip did not appreciate the food and Joanna took his comment as criticism. 


Criticisms are difficult to deal with.  We all have been criticized and been hurt by criticisms.  I remember one time when I lived in Ft. Smith, Arkansas and dropped something underneath my desk.  I went under the desk and 2 congregants came into the office and began talking totally unaware that I was under the desk.  I thought about getting up and saying hello but then realized that they were talking about me.  I honestly don't remember much about the conversation so it must not have been too bad but I do remember that I stayed under that desk for about 15 minutes until they left.  I was embarrassed to come out and have them know that I had heard their conversation.
At different times surveys have been done at the church where I am a minister on how to improve the church.  Invariably I have to steel myself because I know there will be criticisms about me and I have to not let myself take things personally which is very very difficult because they are directly about me.

We can look at criticisms and see if there is any merit to what people are saying.  If there is, then we need to be honest enough to see if we can improve.  If there is no merit, then we can let go of the criticism and continue to do the best we can.

It does not help to go into deep depression or anger.  None of these actions do any good for you or anyone else.  After I get over the hurtful part, I look at myself to see what the next step is for me.    Most often I allow time for me to heal from the criticism and then see if I can improve or just let the criticism go.  It is not easy as most of you know.  I like to go into deep reflection, prayer and meditation which opens up insights for me. 

I love the verse in the Bible where Jesus says about the people who hung him on the cross, "Forgive them for they know not what they do". 

It is normal for us to feel our pulses race when we feel that we are right and someone challenges us.  Yesterday I was driving in a place where a driver suddenly appeared and that same driver had the audacity to honk his horn.  I wanted to honk back but then I decided that would make the situation worse.  I felt right but I wanted to feel good and getting angry does not feel good.
All of us can't help but hear and see the huge political divide that is happening in our country.  Each side feels the other is "wrong".  Each side feels the other is "brain washed" by watching media that supports one side or the other.  Even the spiritual centers are getting into the middle of all of it.

I guess my getting older has helped me have perspective on the whole situation.  Yes, I have my own political opinion but I have also realized that getting extremely emotional, fearful and angry does not help at all.  I would be suffering at the expense of thinking I am right. Not only does the body get affected but friendships of many years are breaking up.  Is being "right" worth the price?

Also I have noticed that those who become extremely emotional are suffering physically and emotionally.  All of these emotions play havoc on the body.  Arthritis, heart problems and cancer begin to surface as a result of anger and tension.

I have decided that I want to treat my body with respect.  I can have my opinions but I also can have faith in a higher power/God/Spirit to work things out for the USA and world.  I am releasing any worry and anger and having faith.

One day about 6 years ago a big storm came through and a portion of my back fence fell down because a tree from the neighbor's yard had fallen over knocking it down.  An elderly very nice couple lived behind me and I did not want to bring it up with them since I knew money was an issue as well as their health.   I kept thinking that I needed to hire someone to fix it but my finances were strained at that point so I just let it go. 


One day there was a knock at my door and there was the elderly man who lived behind me.  He scolded me for not letting him know about the tree and my fence.  I told him I did not want to bother him with it.  He said I have 3 strong sons and several grandchildren who help me with my harder jobs and I will get them to work.  Soon there was a buzz of activity in my back yard as they sawed up the tree and put back the fence.


This incident made me realize that sometimes there are solutions to situations that come out of the blue if we just release and let go.  We all sometimes rush to fix things that can be fixed without our having to fix it ourselves.