Love Is In Bloom!

Namaste Beloveds,

Happy Season of Love!! Well, yes, it is the Season of Peace and Non-Violence that is underway - Jan 30-April 4th - but as the great teacher and inspiration Dr. King reminds us, at the root of Peace is Love. Indeed, at the root of life is Love because God is Love. And at this time when red hearts are happily displayed, may we all be free to play in the essence of Love - and romance. Now, there may be lots of definitions of love and some may say that romance has no part of Agape or God Love but I, for one, define romance at least in part as a strong stirring in the heart of mysterious profound depth ... a feeling that produces joy and an affinity with the sublime. I feel romantic stirrings when bearing witness to great acts of kindness or when I am playing whole heartedly with young children, or when I am in beautiful places in nature ... or when I am being fully present with sunsets, sunrises, the blooming of a rose. I am in love! When we are in love with life, we are in joy and at peace and these vibrations effect everyone around us. So let's fall in love ... with life, with thoughts, with ourselves for a start. The most memorable Valentine's Day I can remember is the one I wrote myself a love song. It was beautiful and said all the right things! Words. Intentions. Whether they are thought, spoken, sung, written, read ... they hold the power to change our lives and yes bring peace to the planet. So as we let our hearts bloom with love, let words of affirmation fill our minds, conversations and relationships. May expressions of Love feed our families and communities. For a few fun ways to express love within your family and circles, read Love Notes below. 

Peace!

In this Season of Peace, some exciting New Thought leaders are being heard throughout this fair land ... this very day, there is a Peace conference happening in our Nation's Capitol: The 2007 National Department of Peace Conference, February 3rd through 5th. Conference attendees are meeting with their respective Representatives and Senators regarding the re-introduction in Congress of bills to establish a U.S. Department of Peace on National Action Day- February 5th.

Some of these same great leaders are being featured on Oprah this Thursday, February 8th. Her whole show is focused on that great movie we've all been talking about and trying to live by ... The Secret. See the Secret! See Oprah!

Julie Jenkins-Sathe & Rev. Georgia at the Center For Spiritual Awareness in West Sac have a great list of actions for kids for the 64 ways in 64 days, Season Of Peace. We will feature it on the new web site launching in a few days. Ways to peace and love and joy truly are simple and accessible. As more and more folks of all faiths and walks of life begin to think and act as if peace is possible and indeed, is our reality, so shall it be!

Read Up On The Peace Conference

Teddy Bear Hug-In!

Teddy Bear Hug-In and Circle of Love! Hug Teddy Bears! Create Love Notes for children at Children's Hospital. Sing and dance to your own heart beat! For all of our local friends and families, we have another Community Circle Celebration coming up on Saturday, February 17 from 2:00-5:00 at Joyous LifeWorks, 3009 F Street, Sacramento. Sing Love Songs with Jeremiah and I and any of our old friends from the SLC Youth Choir who can make it! We'll sing Love Songs from our CDs, Small After Small, I Am A Seeker & Simply Singing: In A Circle Of Love. Come share Love with us in a room full of colorful teddy bears and beautiful hearts!

Read all about this Circle of LOVE!

Love Notes

Here's a few fun ideas to give expressions of love: 
1. Notice the good things you appreciate and verbalize them. Vow to do this with loved ones, co-workers and even strangers daily and then reflect at the end of the day what and who it was you noticed and how you expressed it. Include noticing and appreciating something about you!
2. Keep an appreciation journal or list ... like a gratitude list ... this can only harmonize your relationships - including the one with yourself.
3. Write Love Notes and leave them in unlikely places. Surprise those you live or work with ... sure to bring a smile and surge of feel good to the recipient. Make a few for yourself! "Hide" them in your wallet or purse or sock drawer or something.
4.Write affirmative words on candies and cookies ... let's make New Thought Conversation Hearts ... add to the existing ones that say "Hugs" and "True Love" with "Divine Order" and "Kindness".
5. Make & give affirmation trees ... get a small potted tree like a ficus or something and put the little, colorful, rolled up affirmations or blessings. Give this instead of a flower bouquet!
6. Do a Treasure Hunt with Love Clues - great to do with your kids! You could start a few days before Valentine's Day and have the final clue lead to a gift of treasure on the holiday. The clues can be notes of genuine appreciation that lead to the location of the clue. Here's a few samples: "You are an awesome soccer player and I especially love your good sportsmanship" or "I love the way you take responsibility for taking care of your body - especially how you brush and floss your teeth. Your teeth are happy! And so am I. Thank you." or "You have beautiful hair!" Leave the first clue somewhere obvious like on the breakfast or dinner table and explain the game. If the first clue mentions soccer, the next clue may be found with the soccer ball. With the examples above, the next clue with the toothbrush, then the hairbrush, etc.

Be creative and have fun!

Our Web Site is due to launch!!

The new site set to launch in a few days! 02/07/2007 is the day set for  www.newthoughtfamilies.com . It is a place to pray and play with a focus on the mind-body-soul connection; on being conscious that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. A place in cyber space to circle up any moment of any night and day with like-minded community ... to remember who we are, why we are here, and that we are all children of God - of Source.  The purpose is to help celebrate and grow the essence of Source with special attention to families and children of all ages and faiths. The site is launching very much a seed with the potential of becoming a glorious garden. Emerson said, "God laughs in flowers." And so we grow this garden with One God, One Power, One Source, One Love ... lots of blooms and colors and faces and voices. Play & Pray with us! Submit your voices and colors to the patchwork tapestry of this online bloom. Submission guidelines will be on the site - it's easy! The more voices and faces we add, the more colorful our garden will bloom!

Add Your Voice to New Thought Families!

Just In Time

All things in God's time. The new site is set to launch and yet there are still glitches ... on time, in perfect time. The site will launch this Wednesday, 02/07/2007 even if not on the direct URL (if necessary it will launch on the temporary url linked above and below). I will send you a post card to announce when the direct url is up and running and to ask you to actually subscribe to this newsletter! Yes, thank you, thank you, thank you all my address book friends who patiently and lovingly let me subscribe you back in October and even read these loving words - intentions. You have helped sprout this seed. I hope you will be part of the garden on whatever level that calls you ... and if you choose not to subscribe to the newsletter, maybe you'll still visit the site now and then. It's all good! I am setting up a separate blog space where I can share about more personal life like Jeremiah and I in our music ministry. So again, you can share with us only if you choose! Thank you again. In this moment, you are all my angels, my Valentines, and the conversation hearts and intentions I end this with are ... "Hugs" ... "True Love" ... may we each say yes to the One True Love that can and will fill the depths of our beings and enable us to live a joyous love filled, in love life! I say Namaste because I love you ... because the Christ in me sees, recognizes, honors and loves the Christ in you. You are beautiful. You are Love. And together with The One, we are creating a peaceful, loving, joyous planet. Happy Season of Love!

Just Say Yes!