You are reading from the book Today's Gift.
Growth is the only evidence of life. --John, Cardinal Newman
We should be thankful we can never reach complete serenity. If we
could, we would never have the need to improve ourselves. We would stop
growing, because there would be no reason to learn any more than we
already know, and we would become bored. Even the things which seem so
serene in nature usually contain a struggle within. A lake, with a swan
gliding slowly across it, seems a perfect picture of serenity. But,
unseen below the surface, fish, turtles, and frogs struggle each day
for survival.
The important thing is to accept the struggles as a part of the beauty
of life, not as blemishes on it.
What struggles shall help me grow better today?
You are reading from the book Touchstones.
What sort of God would it be who only pushed from without? --Goethe
Oh, we hate to be pushed! We get upset and angry when someone is
pushing on us. What man likes it? Sometimes God does pushing, and it
takes a while for us to realize it is God's pressure on us that we
feel. Our natural reaction is to resist and push back.
When we keep getting headaches or stomachaches, maybe we should listen
for the message. An unsettled feeling in our lives about women, money,
health, work, or something else may carry a message for us. God might
be pushing from within. In this program we try to develop our ability
to hear God's will for us. Sometimes a problem is, in fact, a spiritual
message. When we stop resisting and start listening, we soon grow wiser
and stronger.
God, your message is not always clear to me. Today, I will try to put
aside my own habit of pushing back so I can have a clearer mind to
receive it.
You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
Loving allows us to live and through living we grow in loving.
--Evelyn Mandel
Many days it seems too easy to be centered on ourselves, wondering if
others love us rather than loving others. On those days, we may have to
act "as if" we love the persons who live on our pathways. The
unexpected gift is that we do begin to feel both love and loved. Living
becomes easier, and so does loving. Acting "as if" is a good way of
learning those behaviors that don't feel natural. And in time, acting
"as if" is necessary no more.
I can behave in any way I decide to. I can choose to think about
others, and love them. I can choose to forget myself, today.
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Boundaries
Sometimes, life and people seem to push and push. Because we are so
used to pain, we may tell ourselves it doesn't hurt. Because we are so
used to people controlling and manipulating us, we may tell ourselves
there is something wrong with us.
There's nothing wrong with us. Life is pushing and hurting to get our
attention. Sometimes, the pain and pushing are pointing toward a
lesson. The lesson may be that we've become too controlling. Or maybe
were being pushed to own our power to take care of ourselves. The issue
is boundaries.
If something or somebody is pushing us to our limit, that's exactly
what's happening: were being pushed to our limits. We can be grateful
for the lesson that's here to help us explore and set our boundaries.
Today, I will give myself permission to set the limits I want and need
to set in my life.
Today I know that with every in-breath I am breathing in powerful
healing energy. And with every out-breath I am letting go. I am letting
go of all anxiety, all stress...all negativity that is standing in the
way of my feeling good about myself. --Ruth Fishel