April Newsletter: Rise Up Spirit!
Archives
Issue #7 Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007
In This Issue:
Rise Up, Spirit!
Namaste Beloveds,
Happy Easter! Happy Spring! Joyous ressurection and renewal of Spirit! Aaahhh. And if by chance, this finds you not breathing joy, I bid you the invitation to go there with me now. This moment. In this very moment, your Spirit calls you to rise. In any moment, you can choose to hear that call and then to heed that call and follow. So breathe in Joy, breathe out stress. Breathe in Love, breathe out fear. Breathe in Peace, breathe out resistance. Affirm, "I am Joy. I am Love. That's what I'm made of." The beautiful Easter story is one of triumph over ultimate tribulation; the return to home and to truth after the pain of separation, betrayal, doubt, fear. The glorious Spring season also testifies to triumph from the depths of winter's darkness. In all of it, there are so many gifts, tangible treasures in the tribulation and the triumph.
Jeremiah and I were very blessed to spend some spring break time in the Bahamas. Amid the turquoise and azure blue seas, we danced and celebrated abundance. It was our 4th trip to this all inclusive resort where you can eat, drink, and play all you want. Viva Fortuna ... fortunate life. Indeed. This gift came through Daniel, Jeremiah's father. When we were living with him, we went to Viva twice; on that second trip, secure in my truth by this azure sea, I told him we would be leaving him and moving back to CA in 3 months. And we did. That following spring, he paid for us all to return to Viva and my abundant vacation was tempered by the painful dymanics of my relationship with Daniel. Now, 2 more springs have passed and Jeremiah begged to have his spring vacation in the Bahamas. I wanted his prosperity consciousness nurtured and his dad said "Sure!" I found my own prosperity consciousness so alive and well! Thank you God! This spring and this trip I was fully able to embrace my abundance ... including embracing Daniel as a friend and Jeremiah's father ... passionately thankful for him and for the fact that I no longer live with him! My heart is free ... from all of it ... and I am truly free. Free to love with hope and faith and courage. Upon returning to the "real" world, I found myself fighting a fearsome depression over so many "wrongs" in my life ... what? More darkness? But I'm free! The truth is, I am free. In every moment. Free to listen to my Spirit calling me to rise. And free to follow. I breathe in this truth and say, "Thank you God!" Just one week ago, on Palm Sunday, we went out with a family we met at Viva. It was actually 2 families, a party of 8 Hindis. We shared a van and went shopping at Port Lucaya and hiking at the Lucayan National forest. There are many insights and stories to share from that blessed day but the most profound for me was the prayer/song/chant that they all sang everytime the ignition switch was turned on in the van! This quieted my reservations about the 11 of us in a 7 passenger van and indeed called my Spirit to rise. However we pray and listen ... however we sing our Spirit rising is always calling. Another great blessing of our vacation was reading Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" and he would call this rising Spirit realizing our "Personal Legend" ".... it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth. ... The Soul of the World is nourished by people's happiness. And also by unhappiness, envy, and jealousy." In listening and following the call of our rising Spirit, we are nurturing the Soul of the World in all things good. Blessed Be!
Earth Day Concert!
On Earth Day, April 22, join us in song at East West Books, 2216 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento. Jeremiah and I are offering a soul centered song celebration from 6:00-7:00pm. This FAMILY CONCERT is a wrap up to East West's FAMILY MAGIC CONFERENCE 12:00pm-5:00pm; "Don't miss this opportunity to connect with other families and the resources available in your community that serve to create and support a harmonious, magical, fun and balanced home life that honors each member as the Divine being they are."
The conference sounds great and we will wrap it up with lots of family and earth celebration songs. Everyone is invited to sing with us - on or off stage! We know of at least a few of our friends from the old SLC Youth Choir will be there to celebrate Mama Earth and sing with us. Little Carson who tried so hard to get the microphone at last year's Earth Day Celebration, will be singing Earth Mama which reportedly is one of his all time favorite songs that he sung himself to sleep with many nights! Contact me if you want to join us onstage and we'll waive admission for our performing friends. Family Magic Conference is free and the cost for our Family Concert is Adults $10/ Children $5/ Family rate $20Family Conference & Concert at EastWest
Community Celebration Circles!
In the circle, we all hold an equal space. We give and receive openly and abundantly; it's not easy to hide in a circle. Your face, your hands, your voice are all called into oneness with the circle. We echo the seasons, and all cycles of time, light, growth with the circle that is connected and never ends. In the Spirit of the circle, we are gathering together with families and children of all ages ... that means, you, the young at heart, to play and pray. For those in the Sacramento area, we offer more community opportunities to circle up together with a series of Community Celebration Circles. Join us from 2:00-5:00 one Saturday a month at Joyous LifeWorks, 3009 F St., Sacramento. LifeWorks is owned by the delightful Shawn Murphy who is generously offering her space on a Love Offering basis. Check out Shawn on our Hugs page on the site!
On April 21st, our Family Celebration Circle honors each other and Mama Earth with opportunities to play & pray including singing, crafts, snacks, alter and nest building.
May 19, Circle of Service featuring Sara & the Spiritual Cinema movie, "Ryan's Well"
June 23, Circle of The Sun, Solstice Celebration Sizzling sacred fun in the sun as One!Community Celebration Circles!
Feathers Of Faith Family Fun Retreat!
Join Us For Fun & Faith Renewal in the Sacred Sierras!
If you're looking for a meaningful, memorable way to connect with your family & as conscious, caring community, there's no better place to do it than in the sacred Sierras. In the midst of plenty of mountain play time, we have some great workshops and group circles planned with inspiring leaders that will be announced soon! Join other New Thought families at Silver Lake in the high Sierras August 30-September 02, 2007, Labor Day Weekend. Before you head back to school ... Refresh, Rejoice, Renew!Cabins * Meals * New Thought FUN! *
Archery, Crafts, Canoes & Kayaks, Campfire, Hikes, Swimming, Volleyball
New Thought Program Includes:
Group Activities, Workshops, Music, Community Joy
Family Feathers of Faith Treasure Hunt
Family Fun Flag, Belief Book, Prayer Pot
Songs, Drumming, Share, Prayer & Care Circles
Circle Dances of Peace, Yoga, Meditation & More!
Register online! Or contact us for mail in registration, deadline June 1.
Reserve your family's space now!Feathers Of Faith Family Retreat!
Web Site In Flight
The web site is coming along with lots of exciting links coming up ... our Bounty of Books page has some fabulous resources including a pictured section of Amazon picks ... if you link to Amazon through our page and buy the book, 10% of the sale will come back to support the site. Every little bit helps! Remember if you buy our New Thought CDs, it's another great way to support the site as well as supporting yourself, your children, and others with uplifting messages in song. The site is rising in flight despite the challenges of the volunteer plight! Sooooooooooooo .... Coming SOON ...
The ABC's of Spirituality: Giving Voice To Virtues These pages are designed for home use and/or use by Sunday School programs for more resources and reinforcement in ways to play and pray. More ways to use the language of the soul to further develop awareness of our true selves. Awareness, Appreciation, Beauty, Blessings, Connection, Compassion ... ABC's.
The Adventures of Joy Boy! The first story introducing Joy Boy and his World Family is written and being illustrated. The characters are beautiful and vibrant; Water Mother, Fire Father, Earth Girl, Wind Pet and of course Joy Boy. From this intial story, we are looking at offering a weekly Sunday comic on the site. Stay joyfully tuned!
Peace Pages! These got a little left behind and even though the Season of Peace is officially over, every moment is an opportunity for Peace so we will get these pages finished and up. Feel free to add to them! Send us your peace pictures and peace prayers!
Playful Prayers! We will be offering written and spoken prayers to accompany our ABC's; prayers invoking appreciation, kindness, forgiveness, divinity, energy, etc. Add your prayers!
Add Your Voice! Remember the site is open for your contributions. Join us!
Spirit ... Rise!
In "A Case For Believing", James Dillet Freeman says, "To live, we need food and drink and air. But almost as much we need courage and faith and hope and love. To live well, we need them even more." Every moment is an invitation to live our highest and best ... to listen, to rise, to follow. In the darkness of doubt, fear, separation, the light is there and will shine if you call upon it or, indeed, if you answer it's call to you. Namaste, Beloveds. Namaste.
Love & Hugs to All!
Laurie Story Vela, M.A.
800.222.4974
storylaurie@lauriestories.com
www.newthoughtfamilies.com
Archived Newsletters for New Thought Families:
4/08 Rise Up Spirit!
3/16 EnJOY The Bloom
2/04 Season Of Love
2/14 Post Card - Rejoice In Love
1/14 Winter Seeds
12/08 Life's A Gift
12/24 Post Card - A Merry Moment
11/16 Grateful Faith
10/26 It's All New!
© 2007-2008 Laurie Story Vela, M.A. & New Thought Families
All Rights Reserved For Sharing & Caring
storylaurie@lauriestories.com 1-866-403-0712
