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New Thought Families Newsletter: Let Go and Pray
Issue #12 Second Sunday, September 09, 2007 |
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 Let Go & Pray!
Namaste Beloveds!
I greet you with a prayer of gratitude for the gift of you and for this amazing, adventure called life we are sharing in this very moment through heart centered intention. I pray that you are indeed centered in well being whenever your cyber moment of sharing these words may be... It feels so good to pray for you - all of you - in this silent connection, and to know that you are all cradled in the hand of God even as I pray that you feel it. Prayer. What power! What possibilities! An amazing gateway to God, to peace, to dreams and in so many different modalities all with the same name! Prayer is featured on the web site this month with splashes of silly and sacred. A simple google of Prayer yields a plethora of inspiration and information but noteworthy is that the first entry is the unfortunate beating of Fatah people in the Gaza Strip last Friday as they tried to conduct street prayers. Wow. Can you imagine not being free to pray? And having the courage to try under such circumstances ... "Courage is fear that has said it's prayers " - Dorothy Bernard My prayer life has changed a lot since I was a Catholic kid but thankfully I have always been free to deepen and strengthen it. I have always known the gift of prayer and have had the partner gift of meditation in the second half of my life ... what a blessing! "Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God." - Diana Robinson In traveling so much this summer, I experienced a joyous deepening in being able to walk the prayer ... somehow freer and more at home, away from home ...the endless lawn and "For Sale" sign in my front yard. In this more anonymous place, it was easier to be conscious, to recognize the face of God everywhere I looked, to truly live in a more prayerful state of being. It made me realize the power of pilgrimage as journey rather than destination. I experienced ease and grace, answered prayers, assured presence of angels, and a depth of detachment not previously known. I really let go and let God. And in doing so have had a wonderful dream come true. That dream was the Feather's of Faith Family Retreat recapped below ... thank you, thank you, thank you God! Before we go there, here's reminders that the Unity World Day of Prayer is this Thursday, 9/13 and the Global Association of New Thought Season of Interfaith Celebration starts this week as well - Sept. 11th - Oct. 10th. AGNT joins with Common Passion to measure the resonant field of prayer and intention created by participants worldwide. We have both linked from our new Prayer pages on the website. Common Passion has proven the power of prayer to reduce and even cease violence; we can add to this mission with our own thoughts and breaths of peace as we live this gift of life as a prayer. From the "We're Singing" CD & song, "Peace on the planet begins with us ... when we follow our hearts with faith and with trust." I continue to trust the beauty of New Thought awareness growing in our hearts and in our community connecting us together in the breath of Love that is the prayer. |
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Trust Sprouts Family of Faith 
"Sometimes the answer to prayer is not that it changes life but that it changes you." - James Dillet Freeman
Our Family Retreat was indeed a dream come true and an exercise in detachment from beginning to end!! For months, I prayed and visualized us coming together, I held space for Feathers on my altar, and daily I detached from outcome, letting go and letting God. Near the deadline for sign ups, there were only a few families coming and a friend told me I should essentially give up arguing that it should happen with more ease and grace. I vowed that even if we were the only ones, Jeremiah and I would be there. I called Rev Denese and she said of course it would happen - her family was coming, she was coming. Breathe, detach, visualize, breathe, detach ... more registrations trickled in and on the Sunday before camp, 14 more signed up! Whew! We were a perfect 44 participants, all told. Of course, numbers are really only a fraction of the story but a necessary component to the well being of the experience. Once there, it was still a weekend full of detaching from outcomes, of breathing the prayer and letting go and letting God, of growing the concept of silly and sacred circle holding all age groups. Nearly half of us were children & teens; we had break-out sessions for adults, teens, and children and we circled as One. This act in and of itself proved challenging on many levels but not because it wasn't a great thing to do but rather that it was a different thing to do. And I conceed that this full circle may not work for everyone and that's OK too. As one mom beautifully put it, "Families are messy ..." And yes 2 year olds and 7 year olds in a circle of teens and adults can be messy and extremely wonderful. My own 7 year old had a tearful meltdown at being "forced" to participate in the circle thinking that he should have 100% free playtime instead of 90%. By Saturday night and Sunday, we had some awesome whole group experiences culminating in a wooded worship service and Angel Wash led by Rev Denese. We all were touched by angels, those all around us and those inside of us. Jerry was an amazing musical angel, Julie was awesome as always with the teens and each individual and family brought their vision and face of God to the party. Thank you all for showing up so beautifully! Thank you for being willing to "...swish so merrily down the stream"! We played and prayed together in the sacred setting of Silver Lake living and breathing a joyful prayer that surely touched the planet. It was truly a dream come true for me ... even (and especially?!) the gift of that unexpected hour long kayak paddle! I learned so much .... that I can delegate at least half of the jobs to others next time, that I can simplify the content, that I can align with like minded leaders and participants; that this growing vision is beautiful and needed and welcomed and will surely attract those who are suited to it ... that commitment is essential and that dreams coming true are just as fufilling when they are full of challenge and detachment. There is great beauty and peace in letting go and letting God. The Stockton Camp had wonderful food, lots of private cabins for each family and the staff there was more than accomodating. If we gather 100 participants by next spring, we can have the camp to ourselves which means among other things, we can schedule archery when we want it and our (Dream Board) craft projects can stay in one place! In other logistics, I didn't make it home with a single picture! I am counting on the cameras of others to come through with images we can share on the website. The Retreat pages will remain up with 2008 info as it becomes available, wilth feathers for you and a Native American story of Crow who had rainbow feathers before black ones. Our black feather was for faith .... all colors mixed together make black, that's a fact! Families of Faith, you hold all the colors of the rainbow and you are free as a feather to live your colorful vision in this world. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Crow Story & Feathers are online!
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Calendar Connections!
New Thought Families continue to circle up to play & pray !
Save these dates:
October 27, 2007 & December 8, 2007
1:00-5:00 p.m.
10/27 Free To Be Abundant Me:
A God Rocks Stone Soup Costume Party!
12/8 Celebrating Christmas Light
includes Circle of Singing New Thought Christmas Carols
Thanks to Shawn Murphy, we return to
Joyous Lifeworks!
3009 F St., Sacramento
A Place where Joy lives!!
More details for these and other upcoming events on site soon!
Put Connection on your Calendar!
Make sure you make and take time to circle up with like minded friends and community! Faith In Action groups are starting up in all the Sacramento area New Thought churches ... join one! And I think you can still gift yourself the wonderful Tahoe Retreat coming up with the Schellinks and Burdicks ...
powerful ministry, music, connection & community in the sacred Sierras! www.regonline.com/holyencounteratthelake
Our Circle Up Calendar! |
12 Thoughts Of Christmas
 "What child is this who lives in me ... in my busy-ness lies sleeping? I've only to greet this presence so sweet; the Christ light shines for all to be..." - Laurie Story
We are recording our next CD this week!
The 12 Thoughts Of Christmas: Traditional Tunes with Transformational Thoughts
It will be featured on the site and available for purchase within the next month!
Another dream coming true! Thank you God!
Stay fine tuned ...
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 Prayer In Action In Site
"In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart."
- Mahatma Ghandi
Our New Thought Families web site is growing along as I constantly ebb and flow with the reality that my creative mind works 5 million times faster than my body can keep up with! I feel like I may never catch up! And that's ok, I contuinue to pray to do whatever is mine to do and let go of the rest. For now, that means, the curriculum piece is on hold. After all, I am homeschooling Jeremiah and have other curriculum on my mind! Speaking of Jeremiah, his favorite feather and family feature we processed out this summer was .... patience. Ouch. Not that one! A friend pointed out that it makes perfect sense since I'm always going, going, going ... so fast! "The greatest prayer is patience." -Buddha
We have some great new Prayer pages up on the site including a video with Jeremiah and I and hopefully more prayer videos loaded on this week as we are scheduled to record more surprised guests! Play and pray with us! And feel free to contribute your voice ...
Upcoming Monthly Themes:
September - Prayer, October - Abundance, November - Gratitude, December - Joy (And yes, December is my absolute deadline for Joy Boy to debut!!!)
www.newthoughtfamilies.com is an inspirational SPIRIT place to play and pray and celebrate life's goodness with childlike passion, fun, wonder, and reverence.
Join us at New Thought Families! |
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A Prayer For You
 Yes, we have some great prayers on the site including some Native American ones and some Irish Blessings ... and the web links to more such prayers are included. The Irish Blessings are so endearing ... Friend Blessings: "May God give you ... For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise, a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer to each prayer."
- Irish Blessing
We are co-creating the prayer in every moment ... peace and love on this planet are more than possible and this harmony indeed begins with us ... so sprinkle your prayer out in kind words, sincere smiles, transformational thoughts ...
You are God's prayer in action ...
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I am the light and I am the dark.
I am the candle and I am the spark.
I am the seed and I am the garden.
Soft as down feathers;
strong as rock hardened.
I exist in this moment
and in the moments of years,
in joyous laughter & sorrowful tears,
love wide open & unreasonable fears.
I live now in these words
because your heart has heard.
In equal balance, we connect,
separate
Oneness in each breath.
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In Equal Balance: Equinox Blessings! |
Namaste Beloveds,
Happy Autumnal Equinox! A great reminder to harmonize, equalize, and balance. "Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some." - Robert Fulghum Today, September 23 marks this day of balance: The actual equinox falls bewteen the 20-23 of September each year in a four year cycle that starts over with the leap year coming up on Feb. 29, 2008. It marks the time that the Sun spends an equal amount of time above and below the horizon at every location on Earth. The word equinox derives from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night). For more detail, there's lots online, try: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumnal_Equinox_Day
This day is marked by many names in keeping with many religious holy days that occur in late September. This "fall solstice" is even marked astrologically by the sun entering the sign of Libra
which is marked by scales and balance. There is some fascinating history and traditions found at: http://www.religioustolerance.org/fall_equinox.htm
JAPAN: "...the Spring and Autumn Equinox is observed as the six-day celebration the Higan-e. It is celebrated "for three days before and after the Equinox. Six days was chosen because it is based on the six perfections, giving, observance of the precepts, perseverance, effort, meditation and wisdom - needed before one goes from this shore of samsára to the further shore or nirvana. The literal meaning of Higan is 'other shore.' The ritual includes repentance of past sins and prayers for enlightenment in the next life. It also includes remembrance of the dead and visits to the family graves. It is thought that the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes, being the most temperate times of the year, are ideal moments to reflect on the meaning of life." From Religious Tolerance Website (above)
As I reflect now, I am filled with gratitude for this gift of life and the gift of our harvest .... hearts
& minds coming together in a moment of loving balance. I have been returning to the poet that has always lived and breathed in me so I share the poem on the left as another grateful way to connect. Equinox Blessings to you and yours! |
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Love & Hugs To All,
Laurie Story Vela, M.A. 800.ABC.4974
storylaurie@lauriestories.com
www.newthoughtfamilies.com
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Click Here to Subscribe!
Archived Newsletters for New Thought Families:
September 07:
9/9 Let Go & Pray
9/23 Post Card - In Equal Balance: Equinox Blessings!
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August 07:
8/6 Post Card - Trust Seeds Faith
8/12 Living Trust In August
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June 07:
6/10 Calling Father Christmas
6/21 Post Card - Shining Stillness |
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February 07:
2/04 Season Of Love
2/14 Post Card - Rejoice In Love |
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December 06:
12/08 Life's A Gift
12/24 Post Card - A Merry Moment |
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© 2007-2008 Laurie
Story Vela, M.A. & New Thought Families
All Rights Reserved For Sharing & Caring
storylaurie@lauriestories.com 1-800-ABC-4974
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