I believe in the the American People

In the last few months I have seriously thought about my decision from 15 years ago on becoming an American citizen.  The judge who swore us in gave such a moving appeal to all the new nationals.  In all the years since I have always been proud to be an American.  Did I make a mistake by becoming a citizen of the United States?  I don’t like the way our country is run right now, with all the wars against this, that and the other.  All the threads and fears which are emanating from our government; what happened to the land of the free, the home of the brave? 

What does it mean to be an American citizen?

In the classes I had to take to qualify for citizenship I learned about the Constitution.  It is one of the requirements to show that you are attached to the principles of the Constitution  of the United States. 

It was the founding fathers ideas and especially the conviction of Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, to keep religion and state affairs separated.  In the past that has worked really well, that legal residents could follow their own religious beliefs without infringing on their neighbors. 

The constitution also gave us the rights to voice our opinions without being harassed by anyone including authorities. It seems contradictory that new citizens have to swear to uphold the constitution when our own government is not following the same rules.

"A Time for Choosing" by Ronald Reagan 60 years ago 10-27-64

We have to know our history

When I was in school, I never liked history.  Maybe it was the way it was presented, too dry and lifeless.  Someone once said we need to know our history to know our future.  History runs in cycles, and when we can see those repetitions it should surely open our eyes.  But do we really learn from history?

History never made much sense to me until I studied the History of the Providence of Restoration (HPR) which is taught by the late Reverend Sun Myung Moon in the Divine Principle.  The HPR starts with biblical accounts of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and their families, and goes through three parallel periods of repeating similar events and brings us to today, the time of the returning Messiah.

 

 

We have to know who we are

“Know Thyself” is an age-old maxim.  When we know who we are we know what to do.  Our god-centered conscience will be our guide.

Too many people today have been lulled into an hypnotic trance giving them free money, free cell phones, free health insurance, etc. for doing nothing.  Uncle Sam’s promises come with a high price: giving up self-reliance, character, and traditional family values.  Excellence has been replaced by mediocrity, dreams have been shattered by false promises.  

I like how Victor Frankl, a holocaust survivor, gave an interesting insight in 1972 about believing in people.  He suggested to target people’s ideal potential to live a more meaningful life.  Aren’t we all looking for more meaning in our life?  If Victor Frankl, who describes his experiences of his life in a concentration camp in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning,”  can believe in the goodness and righteousness of people, we can also find meaning in believing in the higher potential of human beings. 

“The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing.”

~ Edmund Burke (1729-1797) Irish Statesman and Philosopher
 

As a citizen I will vote next Tuesday, November 4, 2014.  It is my right and my privilege to cast my vote.  I believe that the system is not going to betray my vote through mechanical failure or will-full manipulation, and if there was found such, I trust that it will be rectified by the people who have built this nation as a free country where every vote is counted in its rightful way.  Democracy means that we have choices protected by the law. 

I want to encourage all good citizens of this great country to go vote this coming November 4^th.  

 

Oh, That was Awesome!

On a beautiful fall day, our family went to Cocoa Beach in Florida.  It was about 85 degrees and a perfect occasion to enjoy the calm and consistent waves at the beach.  The water was shallow enough to walk out past the breakers, and many people enjoyed their attempts at surfing the waves.

I love swimming and marched right into the surf.  While I was jumping over and into the waves I thought about how waves develop.

Waves on the beach area are caused by open water waves coming in contact with the bottom as they approach the shore. This causes the waves to rise up until they become a breaker, when the top of the wave falls over itself. The bottom of the wave is dragged by the bottom and also by the undertow of water returning from the beach to open water, while the top of the water keeps moving forward, causing the breaker to curl over itself.

~ Source: The beach

Some waves were higher than others but all of them were a powerful force, and I could feel the back wash under my feet which sometimes was so strong that I lost my balance.  One swell was very high, and I could not jump over it; it completely took me off my feet, and I got swirled under.  I developed great respect for the force of the water and was in awe of the beauty as well as the energy which I received from my bathing experience.

After my invigorating experience I thought some more about how awesome the ocean is with its saltwater’s healing and cleansing effects.  Even getting my hair wet turned out beneficial because of all the minerals in the water; it increased the volume of my hair.  My nostrils felt cleaner, too; they got rinsed with the salt water.  Overall, swimming in the waves gave me a great workout; and I had a few hours visiting a ‘natural spa.’  Walking on the sand was a good massage to my feet.

Of all the experiences in Florida I appreciate going to the beach the most.  It was nice swimming at the resort and going to SeaWorld, but nothing beats swimming in the ocean.

 

 

Joy is a Choice

Joy is not a feeling; it is a decision. We become joyful by having someone or something respond to us in a positive way. Joy can only be created in relationship with another person, animal, or object.  Joy is a spiritual value which can only be tapped into when we are connected to the source. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit.  Joy is more than happiness.  Joy comes from inner contentment and delight.  It is an attitude which we can influence with our mind.  It is not dependent on external circumstances or a time frame.  We experience the greatest joy when we have our own children who resemble us.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

~ Galatians 5:22-23

From an energy point of view, joy is one of the highest frequencies.  In his book Power Vs. Force  David Hawkins (1913-2012) declares only peace and enlightenment as higher vibrations.

“We change the world not by what we say or do, but as a consequence of what we have become.”

~ David R. Hawkins

In the Divine Principle we learn:

“Let us first examine how joy is produced. Joy is not created by the individual alone. Joy comes when we have an object, whether invisible or visible, in which our own character and form are reflected and developed, thus enabling us to feel our own character and form through the stimulation derived from the object.

For example, man feels joy as a creator only when he has an object; that is, when he sees the product of his work, whether it be a painting or sculpture, in which his plan is substantiated. In this way, he is able to feel his own character and form objectively through the stimulation derived from the product of his work. When the idea itself remains in the objective position the stimulation derived from it is not substantial; therefore, the joy derived from it cannot be substantial either. God's joy is produced in the same manner as man's. Therefore, God feels joy when He feels His original character and form objectively through the stimulation derived from His substantial object.”

~ Divine Principle – Purpose of Creation – Sect. 3:2

How does all of this apply to our everyday life?

Joy, being our purpose, becomes a very desirable experience.  I find myself most joyful when I am grateful, content, compassioned and forgiving.  When I am in that state of mind I can easily relate to others, and the activities of the day flow in harmony.  It doesn’t bother me when my granddaughter throws a fit because she wants a cookie before lunch, the car in front of me pulls in my parking lot or that my husband has a different idea on what to eat for dinner.  I can tolerate my environment better, relate to my fellow man and every tasks gives me fulfillment.  I don’t need a certain response in order to be happy because I have the joy inside me, the higher frequency can absorb all kinds of lower vibes.

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”

~ Nikola Tesla

How do we plug into this joy?

Be aware of your feelings, watch for negative repetitive emotions; transform them into great experiences
Be compassionate
Be creative: bake a cake, paint a picture, or sing a song
Be grateful
Be honest with yourself; live authentic with integrity
Be in awe, appreciate nature
Be inspired (read scriptures, pray, meditate)
Be joyful, laugh, be silly, have fun
Be open to new ideas, possibilities
Be patient, be silent; the answer will come

“Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions and their answers would determine whether they could continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was, 'Did you bring joy?' The second was, 'Did you find joy?”

~ Leo Buscaglia



Create awareness, be mindful; pay attention to the present moment
Create belonging (family, friends, and community) be around people who love and respect each other
Create peace and calm for yourself
Create purpose and meaning for your life
Do things you love
Don’t criticize or judge
Face fears, avoid stress
Follow a dream, ideal: live your values

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

~ Psalm 118:24 

Get rid of old belief systems, check your core beliefs
Have positive attitude, be a good-finder
Imaging beautiful things
Let go of hurts and pain, don’t hold grudges; after the darkness there is always light
Listen to harmonious music
Listen to other’s stories, be understanding
Reach out, be kind to others

Because joy is so crucial to a happy life, some people have created the The Joy Project.

Amanda Gore, founder of the Joy Project sees joy as an iceberg - the largest part of the iceberg is the foundation on which joy is built - the tip is what you see!  The website gives many ideas on how to create joy and participate with others in the creation of it.

I am sure there are many more ways to create joy and add them to the above list.  I believe a key to finding joy in one’s life is to connect directly to the source of joy which is in God, the creator of it all.  Let’s spread the joy!

 

What’s the Name of God?

Name of God

Is it Abba, Almighty, Alpha and Omega, Allah, Brahma, Creator, Divine Power, Divine Presence, Elohim, I AM, Jehovah, Jesus, Lord, Master, Supreme Being, or Yahweh?  I guess, it mostly depends on our religious beliefs what we call the origin of the universe.  Some sources suggest that the "name of God represents his true nature and character".

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain."

~ Exodus 20:7

I call Her/Him: Heavenly Parent

Without going into any religious details I like to suggest: Heavenly Parent; that’s what I call my creator.  Have you ever thought about why you don’t call your parents by their first name?  Father, mother, dad and mom honor the position of the people who gave birth to us.  Through our lives here on earth we become part of a lineage and leave a legacy. Our parents love us, nurture us, guide us, comfort us, and feed us for the formative years of life.

What is the true Nature of God?

God is eternal, infinite, unchanging, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent.  Since is invisible, we can fathom His Deity by observing the universe.  St. Paul said:

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

~ Roman 1:20

 

God's Dual Characteristics

What is God’s Character?

God is faithful, forgiving, good, gracious, jealous, just, holy, loving, merciful, patient, righteous, truthful, trusting and wise.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
~ 1 Corinthians 13

Throughout our lives we are to emulate those characteristics to achieve ultimate oneness with Them.  We spend a lifetime to make our parents proud of us; why not give praise and glory to our Heavenly Parent for the present of life. 

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift, that's why we call it the present.”

~ Joan Rivers or Eleanor Roosevelt