Showing posts with label Agapeism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agapeism. Show all posts

Thursday, November 22, 2012

In Pursuit Of A Dream

In Pursuit of a Dream “I have a dream!” I am sure you all know who said that. (Martin Luther King Jnr) Martin Luther King Jnr. Martin Luther King Jnr.
Retrieved 23/1//2013 http://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-king-jr-9365086 I want to talk about dreams. When I say dreams here, I refer to something that is so intricately intertwined and laced through your being that at rare moments of clarity, you can feel all of your life essence caught up in its glory. You may still not how to live it, or even be totally clear on details, but you feel the destiny of it deep in your gut. Something is calling you to give your all. You wish you really did know what it was, so you could get started! Or maybe you feel certain you know and are ready, but no one believes you-at 5. Or even if they do, they assume you still have to grow up first. A fire starts to burn in your belly. When you feel such a fire, you have found the pathway to your purpose and the progressive unveiling of your dream. Dreams Are A Great Gift And Privilege It’s a fantastic feeling to have a ‘fire in your belly’. It brings meaning to life, purpose to your existence, a reason to breathe. There is a very poor outlook held by the masses (though a lesser percentage than ever before in history, I’d wager), that only the rare few can have their dreams fulfilled. Consequently, only the rare few have and they have been so driven by their purpose that they often change the world in which they live and leave a legacy that spans centuries, continuing, even today, to enrich lives. There is another largely held view, I’ve observed today (more than historically), that many think that people inherit the fulfilment of their dreams by sheer luck or happenchance. Perhaps, you are one of the lucky ones that Fate selected to change their stars. In spite of all the leaders and dream fulfillers telling us over and over again that we can all live our dreams and it’s never too late to do so, the vast multitudes of humanity go to the grave with their song unsung and their vision yet in their bellies as an unborn child. My dream (as far as others is concerned) is to use my life to propose something to alter this statistic. My personal dream is to be so consciously connected with God, that I embody the liberating truths I believe about His love and demonstrate them with intention, so that others can see and be inspired to believe for themselves. I want to demonstrate a way to live on this planet that reflects God’s intention for us, as divine co-creators and offspring. My dream is for FREEDOM. Beautiful Burleigh Sky Beautiful Burleigh Sky Freedom from fear-and every kind of parasitical, maligned thing that rides its back into my heart and life. This is my dream. To know myself whole and complete in God, safe from harm, yet wide open to give and receive Love to the max. I want to be totally confident in my awareness of universal support to fulfil my purpose. Anyone can have their dreams fulfilled but be warned...the rewards don’t go to the luke-warm or fainthearted. They are for the FREE! And even though freedom as a state is a birthright to every human being, it seems to require some deep, ongoing and challenging process that puts that freedom at a high price-the greatest being that of COURAGE to believe, and along with it, the manifestation of our most sacred dreams. The Attributes of a Dream In the early stages of one’s dream, I believe passion is the greatest indicator. An insatiable appetite and inexplicable pleasure comes from participating in some kind of activity or practise. It may or may not come with a more expansive vision, but it doesn’t matter. As you let the passion and pleasure pull you along, you will find yourself brought through several cycles of challenge and accomplishment. Stay with this path and the challenges will get more demanding-as will the necessary disciplines, focus and application. Passion and pleasure is what will keep you there. Seasons o f life may add new facets and interests, and all you do, when pursuing your passions will contribute to that final Life Purpose. Keeping something in your life, about which you are passionate, will keep you on your path with a forward moving energy. When people resign their dreams and talents to the season of Retirement in later life, they could well have closed off their avenues to success and personal growth in a way that would have them open mouthed in disbelief. It all becomes useable stuff for the dream, once you take it up...but it never needed to be cast aside. And NEVER should have been-in my opinion! Add to that, the fact that most lose faith in being able to fulfil them by this stage. A sad, but accepted illusion. Owning Your Dream Passions come early in life because if we follow them and stay true to them, they will take us down a road that will guide us to face every personal fear and every internal demon as well as master all necessary disciplines and character traits, compelled by ever increasing love, and widening appreciation of this ‘thing’ that we feel compelled to do. The idea being that we are so enamoured and enraptured that the challenges posed are tackled with the gusto of a champion. And when that has been depleted, the sheer grit of someone who has come too far, invested too much, fallen too many times and risen again, to quit now! When the Dream Owns You Charlotte's Portal Lisa Shah Passion for a purpose and dream is like a holy fire that will Purify you, and act as an access portal to the greater human being that resides within. I believe that this is the point where the dream comes to own you. It almost feels like your life has been taken over by something so much bigger and grander than you. Even if you want to let it go and give up, it doesn’t appear that you are able to any more. It is carrying you. Your life has become one with the fruition of this intention. Nothing else seems to matter because suddenly, you can see that all you value and hold dear in this life is represented in that dream somehow. And there is no ‘not doing it’ option anymore. Will Smith, the actor, is quoted as saying “Know what you believe And be willing to die for it” Some might think these heavy words, but I think that’s because so many spend so much of their life essences engaged in things that have little or no value on this scale. When a life is dream led, it is both compelled and constrained by the demands of that dream. There is no true dream fulfilment without the courage to live and die for it. No matter how it looks to those around you, each heart alone knows the terrors it faced, the bravery it displayed and the sweetness of the victories won over one’s own darkness and doubt. What’s Your Dream? If you don’t think you know, I may be able to help you... But, do you really want to know? Are you ready to lose your ‘little life’ to your inner greatness?

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Grace of Giving and OP Days


Make Today an OP day?
So, what is an “OP Day”
An O.P. Day is a day that is dedicated to “Other People”.
It’s a day for finding ways to bless the people in your personal circle. You can create an OP day for your business and other kinds of connections, but it must be completely about giving and blessing, not getting back. The aim is to show the people you focus your attention upon, that you love them appreciate them and are so glad to have them in your life.
Blocks to OP actions
Ever find yourself feeling unable to give worthily?
I know, not just from my own experiences, but from others I speak to as well, that often the reason we don’t ‘give’ as soon as we get the unction to, is because of a sense of lack or inadequacy. It could be we feel we don’t have the time NOW, or the money NOW, or even the right idea NOW. 
Depending upon what it is you would like to do and where you are when the idea strikes you, you may need to make a note for later. However, the best advice, if at all possible, is “Do it and do it now”.
If we have a grander desire than we have resources to fill, then that’s the time to remember that giving is about the heart. If it truly comes from the heart, it will have power to impact the heart. You can trust this truth.
“The gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have” 2Cor 8
When two of my boys turned 18 and 21 ( two days apart), I had so little materially to share with them. They still preferred money to do with as they wish. The amount I could spare seemed so insignificant and so impersonal that I had to create something to make it memorable, give it substance beyond its $dollar value and delight them as well.
So, I bought two tomato plant saplings and broke the small amount of money into incremental notes as well as my jar of silver. I added the money to the plants and covered the soil with silver and explained something of a “money can grow on trees” principle if the “right seeds are sown”. I was referring to thoughts and beliefs and corresponding inspired action.
Matt and his Money Tree

This did the job pretty well. It took longer. It required creativity and thought and a faith to believe that I could change what seemed so lacking, into something worthwhile. If I stayed with the “state of lack”, not only would they have been robbed the delight of something unique just for them, but I would’ve lingered in the awful feeling that comes when you fall short of your own personal parenting standards. Is there a worse feeling??
Resourceful Ideas-
If you’re short on money, use recycled ideas. Done with class, gifts from recycled materials are well received-usually because they’re often innovative. I make LOTS of little “books” out of everything and fill them with news, images, sketches and colour. Some are tiny. Creativity and time can do far more than $$.
Hand make almost anything! A simple pop up card. A daisy chain with a poem of love and four leaf clovers.  DO something with the person-sit on the top of a grassy hill and make daisy chains! I did this with one of my daughters ( at 21!) and she was so pleased and thanked me for teaching her something so lovely to share with her children when the time came.  Document it, make a keepsake from it. Make it a moment that lasts forever.  You don’t have to be especially talented-just sincere.
Daisy Chain Priness, Rache!

Deliver your own singing telegram...or other kinds lol Make a video. Treasure hunt gifts are fantastic. The more fun and challenging the hunt, the less “impressive” the gift needs to be! This has such great potential. I’ve done many.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as a little note in an unexpected place. Or a run of them in all different places and forms, digital, analogue, hard copy.
Truly, the ideas are endless and they can make the most ordinary , mundane, previously worn out thing a joy inexpressible!! And no one will forget! The more you do it, the better you get at coming up with stuff “in the moment” and life takes on such a richness. This has to be one of the greatest joys of relationship. Having something to share with someone.

Deal with the Backlog, dedicate a day-

So, today, I decided that I need to spend a day giving to the people I love-just because. I want to do a bunch of things I’ve been postponing, too preoccupied with my own stuff, and spend the whole time just filling my available weekend time, giving.
Especially because I feel I’ve been so supported and surrounded with love and blessing from so many quarters. To take this time and just give back into other peoples’ lives has a sacred sense of washing and grounding to it. It feels so good.
Also, there are times when a idea comes, the time/money/talent/creativity are all there. At such times...do it now!

The Giving Equation-
So, I found, if you are lighter on the $$ side, you may have more time for making or doing. If you’re lighter on the time side, you might have more $$ for buying...BUT IT STILL NEEDS TO BE PERSONAL. But I have found that creativity and a whole hearted decision can make up for almost anything!!
And don’t think, “Oh, I’m not creative!” You are!! But aside from that...it doesn’t take trying to be creative.
It takes loving someone, knowing them, knowing how you feel about them, thinking about them and continuing to think and feel about it until a spontaneous expression of affection and appreciation bursts forth! This is actually what’s known as “Tehillah” and is the highest form of adoration we can give GOD! It’s a gift of enabling Grace-meaning grace is the ability to give
This is what makes a gift not only acceptable, but worthy of the highest regard and treasured.
And it will be.
Tags
Agapeism , love giving, grace, gift, share, tehillah, Lisa Shah, daisy chain, money tree