Author Archives: Joyce

Separate from God?

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“To think you are separate from God is to remain separate from your own being.” – D. M. Street Oh my! What did I do when I was a devout atheist?! Was I really so out of touch with my own self? Of course, I didn’t think I was. Since I came to believe through 12 Step program and synchronicity provided me with the evidence I’d been seeking to prove the existence of God (it was just a different form of evidence that I’d expected), my concept of God is that It is everywhere, within me, within you, and surrounding us as well. [I still don’t subscribe to traditional religions in case you couldn’t tell!] It is The One, we are a part of It, and thus can never be separated from It. Now, there are times I may feel disconnected from Spirit, separate from God. However, I know that in reality, God is still around and in me. When I have such feelings, it means I’ve moved away from and need to get back into alignment with the Divine. I can do that through numerous practices, including singing, praying, meditating, and reading spiritual literature. Focusing on my breath totally … Continue reading →

Comparing Myself

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In my current work contract, I participate in a weekly meeting of my fellow technical writers hired through the same staffing agency. It’s an informal forum to share knowledge, ask questions, and simply to connect. We are an eclectic mix of demographics and technical writing formal education and experience. There are three job levels, and I am one of the senior technical writers. When I hear my colleagues talk about software, processes, experiences, and the like that I’ve little-to-no clue about, I often compare myself to them, inevitably ending up feeling discouraged. Now, I learned years ago in 12 Step program that the only person I should ever, ever compare myself to is me at different times of my life. In so doing, then I get to see how far I’ve come, and that’s all to whom it matters. This morning I got an ah-ha about comparing myself, my knowledge, and my experience to other technical writers. Sure, I may not have experience using the markup language DITA, or writing API documentation, which is so greatly in demand these days. And, my degrees may not be in technical communication, a relatively new college curriculum, or in Information Technology. However, I … Continue reading →

We Cannot Stand Still

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“Our activity of thought is actually a Divine compulsion of the One Mind in us seeking an ever-increasing achievement and expression through us. “All these desires are urges of the indwelling Intelligence, and we either can combat the urges we feel or we can give them expression. The choice is ours to make. But we cannot stand still. We have to continue to express this action of Life within us because creativity is our Divine Essence.” – “365 Science of Mind: A Year of Daily Wisdom from Ernest Holmes,” April 17 What struck me in the above was “…we cannot stand still.” I’ve had times in my life where I had little desire, little urge to do anything more than practice my morning sabbath, work my job, prepare and eat my meals, go to sleep, and then repeat the routine the next day. Not much meaning or purpose in my life, no rutter steering me, no current pushing me except to get up each day and put one foot in front of the other. As long as I have hope, I can do that. This lack of an urge was especially true as the COVID lockdown went on for months … Continue reading →

Making New Friends

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Today was about making new friends. Even though I’ve lived in my new hometown of Prescott, AZ for about eight months now, due to working full-time remotely at home and COVID restrictions and closures, I have been very isolated. It’s like I really could have been living anywhere in the world! But starting with spring’s rebirth, I am now socializing in person and spending time out in the world, out in my new hometown. I am tickled pink! My desire, and actual need, is to have close, local friendships and feel that I truly am part of the community. Knowing I would be attending a gathering this morning, my prayer this day included affirming that everyone at the gathering would receive what they needed, including moi, which included meeting new people, leading to making new friends. I attended a women’s group at Unity of Prescott, even though I am currently a member of Center for Spiritual Living–Prescott; the group welcomes all who adhere to a similar outlook on life and Spirit. I’ve been involved in both the Unity and the Science of Mind New Thought philosophies for many moons and they are quite similar, so I was thrilled to be … Continue reading →

God at Eventide

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This Friday evening I thought I’d just select one of my other works of spiritual literature from the living room bookcase—some of which admittingly I’ve never read—and see what the message was for today. Here’s what I got: The Sunlit Way, April 15 “Know that your Source of joy is something changeless. The hopes of the world are but in material things and when these pass or change their joy fades, hope dies, only dark night remains. “Speak comfort to such. Tell of My Love surrounding you, that My protecting Power is yours. That I can never fail one who trusts in Me. That you can breathe in courage from My Presence as you breathe in air. “Tell the world—that for one who walks a cheerless road with Me, the bare hedge doth blossom as the rose, and life is bathed in sunlit joy.” – From “God at Eventide: A Companion Volume to “God Calling” by Two Listeners,” Edited by A. J. Russell The book, “God Calling,” is comprised of messages from a spirit guide to two anonymous female “listeners.” The listeners approached the day sitting in silence, waiting for a call from the spiritual realm. Wishing to remain anonymous, … Continue reading →

Happiness Comes From Giving

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“Beginning with childhood, we all receive messages that getting is the purpose of living: we must have romantic love, sexual fulfillment, possessions, and prestige to be happy. “God has a different message: Help one another. We learn from experience in our program that happiness comes from giving—whether it be time, talent, money, or other things. Experience tells us that giving what we have to help someone else makes us a lot happier than keeping it to ourselves.” – “In God’s Care*: Daily Meditations on Spirituality in Recovery,” April 14 *As We Understand God Growing up, my parents were caring, giving people, but not strong role models of volunteerism. I did some volunteering as I grew older, but still wasn’t all that much into being of service. That changed dramatically when I joined a 12 Step program. Service and giving of one’s time, talent, and money is a huge part of the Program; it is the final step after working through the other ones: “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive eaters, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” Step 12 is the culmination of a spiritual … Continue reading →

Creativity of Mind

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“The ability to attain your goals—to control your experiences and have them result in happiness, prosperity, and success—lies in your own mind and the way you use it. “If your thinking processes are under your personal control and if thought is acted upon by the creativity of Mind to produce results according to your beliefs, then you surely do have the power to become the master of your own affairs and to bring to pass those good conditions you desire.” – “365 Science of Mind: A Year of Daily Wisdom from Ernest Holmes,” April 13 I feel so alive with spring here and Nature blossoming around me—it sets me on a path of creating the life I desire! I gratefully can pursue it a bit more easily now that the impact of the pandemic on life as we knew it is on the wane (at least for now) and the world is opening up. I am again attending live theatre performances and concerts, and discovering what my new home town of nine months offers culturally. It fills me with joy and enthusiasm. All these months I could have been living anywhere, as I worked a remote job and mainly went … Continue reading →

Growth Opportunities

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When I got into 12 Step program a few decades ago, my entire attitude about life, the world, and people changed. Actually, it was more like I just started learning about them all, formulating a more accurate view. The Program taught me how to live life on life’s terms, how to have improved relationships with people, how to approach situations from a healthier and more mature perspective. A concept I embraced was each problem contains its solution, and there is a learning for me when I have a problem, when I feel challenged by people, circumstances, and the like. Challenges are basically growth opportunities. “Concealed within each problem is an opportunity for spiritual growth resulting in greater understanding.” – Jack and Cornelia Addington “And our problems, then, are merely situations that confront us with the opportunity for greater self-expression.” – Ernest Holmes, “Observations,” page 19 – “Science of Mind Magazine,” April 12, 2022 If I am open and willing, I can learn and grow so much from challenges. In fact, my life is made richer by them, I gain a greater understanding of myself and others. I must be interacting with people, partaking in activities, being a part of life … Continue reading →

Spirit, Thank You for This Day

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Dear Spirit—  Thank You for this day, thank You for how it unfolded—not according to MY plan, but certainly more adventurous!  As always, I am grateful for the morning sabbath, the time I am usually the most focused on Thee during the course of the day.  I am grateful I have a job, which allows me to be financially abundant, and in which I am able to work from home, my cocoon. And, I am grateful for the flexibility permitted in my schedule, when I need it.  I am grateful for the folks I interacted with at work, while running errands, and via emails, texts, and voice messages.  I am grateful for my healthy eating habits, my vibrant well-being, and my youthful spirit.  As I make my way towards dreamland, I pray to have a restful night’s sleep and dream sweet dreams, along with receiving messages from You that I remember when a new day dawns.  I am grateful that I came to believe, and that as I am a part of You, Spirit, Your Power and Your Presence are forever with me.  And so it is. When the title for this blog post came to me, I remembered Karen … Continue reading →

All Things Can Be Mended

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The following quote was read during today’s meditation at my spiritual center, and I thought it most apropos for these times: “Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.” – L.R. Knost There surely is so much brokenness evident in today’s world. On quite a major, visible scale, there is Putin viciously attacking Ukraine with no cause… COVID still in our midst… the increasing lack of reason and character in politics… the increasing cost of living and the supply chain still in chaos… powerful climate changes… I can feel mighty discouraged; I am reading the news less and less to help fend off my dismay. I’m reading spiritual literature more to bolster my soul and attitude. I will say that those of us on the planet during these times surely signed up for a wild time! I remind myself that love is our natural emotion, our natural state of being. And, there is a Power for Good that we can use to … Continue reading →