Today at my dad's assisted living facility this was posted on the bill board, "Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened."
This is a powerful message at every level.
The past few months, I have attended too many funerals for my comfort zone. The message at these funerals has been to remember and celebrate the life and not focus so much on the death. I like this. It affirms my beliefs that our life continues into a different realm after we leave this earthly plane. I find this message comforting and freeing.
This message would also help people who have lost relationships with loved ones through divorce, break-ups or moves. Instead of pining away at the loss of the experience, why not smile because of the Love and joy experienced.
Our lives could be different if we celebrated the love and joy found or experienced in the friendship, the experience, the event, and/or the marriage instead of focusing on it's ending.
In life all things are in constant flux. Change equals life. Let's smile because life happens.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Love found in making cookies
Today I was blessed to bake basketball cookies for my daughter's last game as a 8Th grader. She is moving up and my friend, Melissa and I wanted to do something special for the team.
We baked and decorated 30 little basketballs and one big one. We had such a great time reminiscing about the season, thinking about all of the funny happenings at the games, and excited about the girls progress. As we worked, we were completely present and enjoying the art of creating. Each cookie was a labor of love.
I remembered all of the cookies my mom baked for all of my classmates and for all of our family and the cookies she is still baking. These memories brought to surface the love given me as a child, but love I did not appreciate or understand.
Love is a funny thing, expressed in a multitude of ways, but maybe never fully comprehended until you have a repeat experience of your own. The love I feel in baking these cookies is warm and nurturing and freely given, this is a mother's love. What a beautiful awareness at 47 to fully embrace the love of my mom.
© 2010 by Becky Benes
www.onenessoflife.com
We baked and decorated 30 little basketballs and one big one. We had such a great time reminiscing about the season, thinking about all of the funny happenings at the games, and excited about the girls progress. As we worked, we were completely present and enjoying the art of creating. Each cookie was a labor of love.
I remembered all of the cookies my mom baked for all of my classmates and for all of our family and the cookies she is still baking. These memories brought to surface the love given me as a child, but love I did not appreciate or understand.
Love is a funny thing, expressed in a multitude of ways, but maybe never fully comprehended until you have a repeat experience of your own. The love I feel in baking these cookies is warm and nurturing and freely given, this is a mother's love. What a beautiful awareness at 47 to fully embrace the love of my mom.
© 2010 by Becky Benes
www.onenessoflife.com
Sunday, January 31, 2010
It's all God, It is all Good!
Today I was preparing a talk for the youth at church about sowing seeds of greatness. When I ask my 8 year old daughter what she would rather plant; seeds of light or seeds of darkness, I was taken back by her response.
She said, "Both!" I said, "Really!" I felt like she did not understand my question. So showing her a beautiful flower of bright light colors and one that was covered by black, I asked again. "What would you rather plant, flowers of light or flowers of darkness?" Once again, she answered, "Both!"
I asked her to explain what she meant. This is what she said, "Well I like all of the bright colors and the light, but I like to sleep in the darkness, and without the darkness we couldn't see the stars or the moon. I like seeing the stars and the moon."
Such wisdom from the mouths of babes. A complete understanding of the Tao, the Yen and the Yang. There is beauty and life in both the light and the dark. Embrace it all.
It is all God, It is all GOOD!
She said, "Both!" I said, "Really!" I felt like she did not understand my question. So showing her a beautiful flower of bright light colors and one that was covered by black, I asked again. "What would you rather plant, flowers of light or flowers of darkness?" Once again, she answered, "Both!"
I asked her to explain what she meant. This is what she said, "Well I like all of the bright colors and the light, but I like to sleep in the darkness, and without the darkness we couldn't see the stars or the moon. I like seeing the stars and the moon."
Such wisdom from the mouths of babes. A complete understanding of the Tao, the Yen and the Yang. There is beauty and life in both the light and the dark. Embrace it all.
It is all God, It is all GOOD!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Master Plan
Have you ever heard, "If you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans."
This is so true in my life. I make plans only to have them change in mid-stream. I used to get very frustrated and fight the change, creating lots of undue misery in my life. Now I realize that God has my back, and when my plans do not fit along with the Master Plan for me, they will change.
Usually when this occurs, I am not seeing the Divine Order, it is only with hindsight that all makes sense. Proverbs 19:21 states, "The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established." By accepting and surrendering to the idea that God has a plan and the plan is good, the obstacles in my plans do not seem to bother me so much.
When I am passionately seeking God and wanting to do the work of God, I must trust that God truly does have my back and is preparing the way for me. Jeremiah 29:10 promises, "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope."
Realizing that there is a Master Plan, makes taking a step into the unknown much easier and less fearful.
This is so true in my life. I make plans only to have them change in mid-stream. I used to get very frustrated and fight the change, creating lots of undue misery in my life. Now I realize that God has my back, and when my plans do not fit along with the Master Plan for me, they will change.
Usually when this occurs, I am not seeing the Divine Order, it is only with hindsight that all makes sense. Proverbs 19:21 states, "The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established." By accepting and surrendering to the idea that God has a plan and the plan is good, the obstacles in my plans do not seem to bother me so much.
When I am passionately seeking God and wanting to do the work of God, I must trust that God truly does have my back and is preparing the way for me. Jeremiah 29:10 promises, "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope."
Realizing that there is a Master Plan, makes taking a step into the unknown much easier and less fearful.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
When life throws you a curve ball
The only constant in life is change. It is our ability to be flexible and to go with the flow which allows us peace which passes understanding. When I realize that God is with me with every curve ball thrown, it makes life much easier to handle.
Take a time out, rest in a quiet space, observe nature, reassess your life with an attitude of gratitude and open yourself to the endless possibilities in front of you.
Claim "Life is Good" as your matra.
Take a time out, rest in a quiet space, observe nature, reassess your life with an attitude of gratitude and open yourself to the endless possibilities in front of you.
Claim "Life is Good" as your matra.
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