Category Archives: Books
Where Are My Keys?
What to do when there are bills to pay, and the “engine check” light is on again and where the hell are my keys?
Man Seeks God
Page 200
Yes, I’m still reading Man Seeks God and yes I’m still finding inspiration from it. My life used to be a bit more stressful when things like the above took place. I can very easily recall actually getting angry when I misplaced my keys, running from place to place, tearing my home apart, feeling my heart pound with each place I looked and not locating them.
That was then.
Now I’ve come to a different perspective.
There’s a REASON I lost my keys.
There’s a REASON that Check Engine light came on again.
When these challenges arise now,
I no longer panic.
I no longer get frustrated.
I no longer get angry.
These are all negative emotions. I’ve learned in the past several years that if you want more negativity in your life, then all you have to do is focus on the negative.
Now let’s be honest here. How many of us REALLY want to be surrounded by negativity? You can change your attitude as simply as I changed mine. The next time a challenging event occurs in your experience find the gift.
Not that easy you say? Let’s look at a real time event from my own life and I’ll show you the gift:
Several years ago, I was on my to a first date in Branford, Connecticut at the Chowder Pot. It was raining and dark. Guess you could say it was a dark and stormy night. LoL. I was actually there, getting ready to make the right hand turn into the parking lot.
The next thing I knew I was across the street into oncoming traffic. There is a crossroad JUST AFTER the entrance to Chowder Pot and a traffic light.
Gift #1:
The light was red so no cars could go in either direction. As SOON as I managed to coast back to the other side, the light turned green and cars started streaming. I was most assuredly watched over and divinely protected.
Gift #2:
Since I was only travelling about 5 miles an hour slowing to that speed to make my right hand turn into the parking lot, there were no injuries.
I’ve had other less traumatic events occur as well. One such time I was coming home from visiting a friend in Clinton and as I was travelling down Route One, there was a car in front of me literally driving 15 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone. At first I felt my stress begin to rise up. I sometimes have a lead foot and I never like having someone in front of me, especially someone travelling so slow. I counted to ten however and calmed down, thinking at that point:
Well; there MUST be a reason I’m being slowed.
As it turned out a mile down the road there was a police car doing routine traffic stops for speeders. Had I NOT been in front of the slow car I could very well have been stopped.
So, I guess what I’m saying is:
The next time you lose your keys, the next time you find yourself delayed by some outside event, there is ALWAYS a reason for it.
Don’t panic over it.
Don’t get frustrated over it.
Realize there’s a reason and look for the gift.
Be Happy! Be Well! Be Positive!
Blessings to you.
–
Chris
The Finger of God
And the finger of God inscribes on the uterine wall of night its prophecy of life…
In the drenched flesh, in the fabric beyond the flesh, they have touched transcendence, a syzygy greater than wonder ever could know. There is nothing other.
–William Everson
Christian Mystics
Page 193
Matthew Fox
Please forgive my overtly spiritual blog today. Just remember when I use the word God, I’m not referring to the religious God. I use the word in the spiritual all encompassing power. If you are uncomfortable with the word, feel free to substitute it with Higher Power/Source/Universe. They all mean the same thing in my opinion.
My friend, Lisa R. has been a huge influence in regards to my reading material recently. We share a similar belief system and I love seeing the books she gets. Christian Mystics is no exception. I placed an order for the book through the library and once my copy arrived, I KNEW it was going to wind up as a resource for my blog. Once I saw the value of the book I placed an order at my local bookstore and checked in the library book sending it on its way to the next lucky recipient.
I’ve been leafing through the pages of my OWN copy for the past couple of days, bookmarking various pages for easy retrieval. I have plenty of material to use now. Looking forward to imparting some of the quotes and my interpretation.
And the finger of God inscribes on the uterine wall of night its prophecy of life…
Conception is spiritual. It always has been. Yes there is a physical component as well, however it is mainly spiritual. This I have come to believe over time. Reading as many books as I have on the subject it has slowly taken hold as part of my worldview. The most recent book that has influenced my point of view on the topic is Michael Newton’s Destiny of Souls. After reading that book if you don’t come away KNOWING that conception and birth are purely spiritual, that we are souls first, that as Wayne Dyer is fond of saying that we REALLY ARE spiritual beings having a physical experience then you might want to go back and read the book again or if you haven’t read it at all, maybe this is the time to pick it up. That book left a lasting impression on me and even though I DO believe EVERYTHING the book professes it is still good to see it written on paper.
And the finger of God inscribes on the uterine wall of night its prophecy of life…
It is REALLY God who gives life. Not humanity.
God decides when conception begins.
God’s prophecy maps our life. I’ve certainly talked about this here before, that there is a plan that has been provided for us, a roadmap we MUST follow. That only God knows where that map leads. It is our duty to follow it to wherever it leads. The prophecy will unfold only if we follow the clues, only if we follow where the map says to go. That’s our “prophecy of life.”
Every life that begins at conception is indeed in Gods hands. The lives HE creates are miracles and unless we see them as miracles, unless we devote our lives to giving back the gifts HE has bestowed on us we will live unfulfilled lives. That’s why I believe there is so much despair so much depression, so much defeat in our lives. It’s because we haven’t followed our path. It’s because we’ve followed the money. We have detoured. We have forgotten the promise that as long as we follow our dreams, chased our gifts that the money will follow. Many of us have gotten mixed up. We’ve transposed the things that are important. We think MORE will make us happy.
More money.
More stuff.
When in actuality, we should be chasing our gifts first, following our dreams first. That’s what brings the ONLY REAL happiness.
That’s what God wants.
What do you want?
Be Happy! Be Well! Be Positive!
Blessings to you.
–
Chris
Like this:
The Tortoise and the Hare
The Tortoise and the Hare, The Little Engine That Could.
Children’s books? Bet you’re thinking: How is Chris going to relate his blog to children’s books. Well, stop and think for a moment. What’s the theme of the books above?
Okay. Have you discovered the theme? How about instead of telling you, I show you. One of the first rules of writing I learned from my friend, Jason Marchi, is:
Show don’t tell,
although this rule has been around long before I knew Jason, he was the first to express it to me.
Jason is a clear example of the themes of both those children’s books. I’ve mentioned him here several times in the past. To refresh your memory of I came to know him, I’ll give you a brief time travel story.
We’re going back to 1989. Hold on. Are you ready? Here we go!
Okay, August 1989. I’m sitting in the kitchen in my parents house. I just went to our mailbox and am now leafing through the mail. I come across an adult education course catalog and see a six week writing seminar. I decide to sign up.
Shortly after the first class starts, and the door is closed to the room, our instructor begins telling us about the six week course. The door opens once more and someone walks in. I look up and immediately feel a connection. Like I know this person. It’s the first time I’ve EVER felt such a strong connection. I knew we’d wind up being friends. I don’t know how I knew it, the connection was that strong however. It was only later after I understood about past life connections that I realized we may have known each other in the past. That’s what I believe. Whether someone else has another theory doesn’t trouble me. We all have our own worldview, our own belief system.
Jason, I discovered had been writing from an early age, just like myself. Nothing detoured him. No obstacle was big enough to prevent him from fulfilling his lifelong goal of becoming a successful published author.
Okay. That should be enough time in the past. Hold on! We’re returning to 2011. Are you ready? You crinkle your eyes. Wait! you say. It’s not 2011.
I understand; but I’m bringing you there for a specific reason. Don’t fret. You’ll see when when we get there. I have to tell a little back story to catch you up on Jason’s history; so while we’re travelling back to 2011 just relax and listen.
As I said earlier in this post, Jason knew from early on that he wanted to write for a living. Slow and steady, he proceeded beginning with short stories and poetry. Hmmm. Slow and steady. Does that sound familiar? Maybe the tortoise winning the race against the hare? Like the tortoise beating the hare, like the little engine slogging up the hill, Jason reached one summit in 2011 seeing his children’s book:
The Legend of Hobbomock:
The Sleeping Giant published and the success only mounted as he was written up in various state wide publications and he recenty discovered that he won a Connecticut Press Club Award for his book.
So, see? It is always slow and steady that wins the race.
There is no overnight success.
If you feel like giving up, if you feel that all your endeavors aren’t seeing the light of day, remember one more step, one more day might be all you need.
If your heart sings when you’re doing something, if you’re floating on air when you’re doing it, that’s your gift.
Don’t shove it aside.
Don’t give up.
Don’t give in.
Jason and I are alike in that we both knew what we wanted from an early age and we both let nothing stand in our way, detour us or block our path to future success. I think that’s what drew me to him that day long ago in 1989. I saw a similar soul, someone who had the same drive. I’m convinced we knew each other in the past and I’m also convinced we’ll know each other in the future.
Be Happy! Be Well! Be Positive!
Blessings to you.
–
Chris
