Lately it seems that my signs are coming by way of songs. Often I get so busy with the tasks of each day and the responsibilities of my many jobs, that I feel pressed to find my inspiration. So often lately, the minute this comes to my mind, a sign appears.
Today again, it’s come in a song.
Of course I had to share it with you!
With love,
Bobbe
Continue reading “It’s Gonna Get Better.”
So much stuff is circulating the Internet these days. Here is something that I love along with a little message from the angels and of course, today’s prayer.
I am sorry I have been absent for a few days. My husband and I were working on catering a lot of Easter meals for LOTS of people! After a day or two of rest, I will get back to regular posts.
Love to all. Happy Easter.
Bobbe
Me: Okay, God, here’s the thing. I’m scared. I’m trying not to be, but I am.
God: I know. Want to talk about it?
Me: Do we need to? I mean, you already know.
God: Let’s talk about it anyway… We’ve done this before.
Me: I know, I just feel like I should be bigger or stronger of something by now.
God: *waiting patiently, unhurried, undistracted, never annoyed.
Me: Okay. So, I’m afraid I’ll do everything I can to protect my family and it won’t be enough. I’m afraid of someone I love dying. I’m afraid the world won’t go back to what it was before. I’m afraid my life is always going to feel a little bit unsettled.
God: Anything else?
Me: EVERYTHING ELSE.
God: Remember how your son woke up the other night and came running down the hall to your bedroom?
Me: Yes.
God: You were still awake, so when you heard him running, you started calling out to him before he even got to you… remember? Do you remember what you called out to him?
Me: I said, “You’re okay! You’re okay! You’re okay! I’m here.”
God: Why did you call to him? Why didn’t you just wait for him to get to your room?
Me: Because I wanted him to know that I was awake, and I heard him, and he didn’t have to be afraid until he reached the end of the dark hallway.
God: Exactly. I hear you, my child. I hear your thoughts racing like feet down the dark hallway. There’s an other side to all of this. I’m there already. I’ve seen the end of it. And I want you to know right here as you walk through it all, you’re okay. I haven’t gone to sleep, and I won’t.
Me: *crying. Can we sit together awhile? Can we just sit here a minute before I go back to facing it all?
God: There’s nothing I’d love more.
(Copied from a post on Facebook)
Spend some time in quiet reflection today. This is not a time to be seeking messages for yourself, but rather the time is now to reflect on the events that lead to your world’s celebration of Easter.
Think beyond rabbits and eggs and baskets. Think beyond the movies and media coverage of Easter. Think beyond your church’s celebration of Easter, your family parties, and your children’s bonnets. Instead, sit alone and reflect on who the man Jesus was and what his life on earth was. How did he live? What are the lessons he taught and why was he condemned to death? What must he have endured?
Now realize the truth. He knows you personally. He is not some far off, story book entity who once lived on earth. He lives, He loves you and He wants to hear from you.
Today all of heaven is in song. Your devotions and love and celebrations join with our vibrations to honor our Lord. The song of your heart rings loudly regardless of where you are…Let us praise Him for He is risen. Alleluia.
Dearest Lord,
Though we may not be able to be together to celebrate in the way we are used to, we love you and we praise you and we thank you for sending us your only Son. This is the perfect time for us to bring Him closer and to form a closer relationship with Him.
As always, we thank you for our Blessings , especially those that are not readily apparent to us.
We praise you. We thank you. We love you.
Amen.
Click here to be taken to the last message
It is said and it is true that it’s the little things in life that carry us through. God doesn’t always speak from the mountain top…
If you have been following along with these blogs lately, you may already realize that when you keep yourself open to signs, symbols and messages from above, they appear in sometimes vast numbers.
Having felt like crap for a couple of days and knowing that I needed to lean into my faith more than usual, Palm Sunday night I was up off and on silently singing the “Our Father” (It’s my go-to thing to do when my brain will not turn off.) In between my pitch perfect renditions (ha ha), I was talking to Jesus; telling Him my troubles, asking His help, and also thanking him for my Blessings. I told Him that I knew tomorrow would be a brighter day and I promised to continue to try to do my little bit of good wherever possible.
The next morning I got in the car and headed off to work. One of the cool parts of my church job is that I get to be the first (and sometimes only) person to receive special donations sent in for special reasons. Monday the first envelope I opened was from someone I hadn’t heard of before. Inside was a sizable check with a hand-written note attached. “Please make sure this is used to help someone in need at this time.” Of course I cried. What a beautiful thing to do. The second envelope I opened was yet another designated donation. This one had instructions that it is to go to help pay for the meals my husband and I are creating for people who are isolated at home. More happy tears.
To be honest when I finished opening the daily mail, I was so giddy with joy I felt like dancing. The spirit of love and charity is alive and very well in the world right at this moment and thank you, Jesus, I get to experience it first hand nearly every day.
That afternoon I got in the car and when I flipped on the radio, the song that was playing was saying these exact words, “It’s gonna be a brighter day.” I couldn’t tell you the artist, the station, or the tune, but I heard those words and my heart smiled. Indeed.
I had been dreading having to stop at the store, but I forced myself to do it anyway. The was no line and very few people. As I pushed my cart along the isle, a house flag stopped me in my tracks. “Enjoy the little things”, it said, and beneath the words were beautiful, happy flowers in vases. I grabbed it and threw it in my cart. I don’t own a flag pole. This is going on my front door.
Later on the way home I passed a sign out in front of a closed restaurant. It said, “This too Shall Pass.” I know the owner put this up because of the pandemic, but I also know God intended me to see it when I did. I don’t have a lot of memories of my Mom teaching me profound things in life but this phrase is one she did teach me early on and it’s one I have used as a mantra forever.
It is true that “This too shall pass”. While we are waiting, let us all be open to the serendipitous signs that are out there serving as tiny cheers from beyond. We will get through this. We are not alone.
You are going through a time of rapid spiritual growth. Enjoy the process!
During this time, you might feel a mixture of many feelings: confusion, excitement, fear, and wonder. You love your renewed connection with the Divine, and you wish you could read, study, learn, or meditate on a full time basis. Simultaneously, though, you may worry about the implications that your spiritual studies will have on the rest of your life. What impact will your new spiritual pursuits have on your job, marriage, or friendships? These worries create a fear that may erode the enjoyment your spiritual studies bring you.
Surrender these fears to God, dearest one! Trust hat you are supported, loved, and guided each moment. Don’t worry about how your future will blend with your spiritual growth! Trust that the same Power that brought you to your spiritual spiritual path will also take care of everything else for you. After all, this Power supports all of the planets in the sky. It will surely support you perfectly, too.
You are in communication with your angels, and the messages that you are receiving are very real indeed. Trust them.
This message is validation from your angels that you really are hearing them. You have been receiving repetitive messages through your feelings, dreams, visions, inner voice, or knowingness. Are you listening and trusting these messages? Are you following them?
If you get an. Inclination to call someone, o somewhere, or read something,, it’s important to follow this guidance. Your angels ask you to give all your Danube’s or worries. About Divine. Guidance to them. Know that you truly are communication with heaven, and enjoy the conversations!
You have all of the Power of your Creator within you! All the power of Divine love, wisdom, and intelligence is available to you. You have the spiritual power to see angels and the future. You have intellectual power to tap in to the universal wisdom of the One Mind. You have emotional power to empathize with others, and physical power that is truly unlimited.
The angels ask you to give them any fears you may have connected with being a powerful person. Your angels see a quiet and beautiful aspect of your true power, stemming from the only power in the universe: Divine Love. Allow yourself to shine with this radiant love so that your true power can radiate out into the world in miraculous ways.
Dearest Lord,
Thank you that in the midst of all of this fear and uncertainty, the signs of your love still shine through. Although it’s easy to turn a blind eye and to dwell in feelings of boredom and fear, you help us to look up and to recognize love can and still does shine bright in the world.
Help us all to shine where we are planted -to do our little bits of good wherever we can. Help us to take care of one another, which is what you have always taught us.
Thank you for your love,
Amen.
When I close my eyes and think of you
And reminisce on all the things you do
I can't imagine my life without you
It's like paradise now I know that it's real (um)
It's a mystery for someone
to give their life just for me
What you did on calvary
Makes me wanna love you more
[Chorus]
I never knew I could be so happy
And I never knew I'd be so secure because of your love
Life has brand new meaning
It's gonna be a brighter day, brighter day
Never thought that I would smile again
I never thought the dark clouds would end
Never thought the dark clouds would end
Never thought that I could have a friend
That would keep me never leave me alone (um)
Jesus you're my everything
The only one that makes my heart sing (heart sing)
Now I know what real love means
It's everlasting, lasting.
[Chorus]
Nothing can compare to the joy ya bring an ever lasting love affair
Jesus my life will never will be same I found someone who truly cares
Click here to be taken to yesterday's message
Here is today’s offering in conjunction with the angels. We don’t know what’s going on but God does.
Think back to a time in your life when you were absolutely certain that you needed a particular thing so much, you did nothing but think of it day and night. For some of us, once upon a time we had a mad crush on a particular person. We were one hundred percent certain that if that person didn’t return our love and adore us back, we would surely die.
Now give some thought to an issue you might have once had. You tried so hard to make whatever it was work, but no matter what you did, you hit a brick wall. Maybe it was a relationship that you tried too hard on. Maybe it was a job that you weren’t happy in, but you needed the money and you were afraid to take a chance on what you really wanted to do.
Do you recall what happened with all of these things? Really think on it. Can you look back and possibly see and realize that what you wanted for yourself at the time, wasn’t really what was best for you? Further, that despite your best efforts to force whatever it was to happen, it didn’t; and what came in it’s place was something that was infinitely better.
If I look back at my own life I can point to some hilarious examples, BUT instead of picking a funny one, I will focus on a profound one. The very best one has to do with the fact that I worked (unhappily) for twenty seven years in our family-owned accounting/business management firm. I can no longer count the number of tears I shed back then, feeling that I was hopelessly tethered to a job I hated and that I wasn’t good at.
When my father announced at the end of 2007 that he was selling the business and there would be no place for me in the sale, I was torn between complete peace and utter fear. I had never done anything else in my life. I had worked myself from answering phones to “girl Friday”, to computer operator; then to Office Manager all the way to Vice President of the firm. I should have felt very angry to be cut out-I was in fact, a shareholder.
YET. I. FELT. FREE.
I took a couple of years off and when I was ready, I began the search for jobs again. It was hard because it was evident that the only thing I was trained to do was accounting. I had such anxiety about returning to the field that had made me so miserable for years. And so I prayed and I prayed and I prayed some more, asking God to just lead me where I was supposed to be.
Just a few weeks into my search I ended up at the church where I still work today… again…in the position of finance. I remember getting in the car after my first day, bursting into tears. I was so fearful that I didn’t know enough to work there. My husband kept reassuring me that all would be well; I just needed to find my confidence and pray, pray, pray.
This was nine years ago and I am still in the same position at the church. I also do the finances for two other churches and a pretty large non-denominational community ministry—turns out, I’m pretty good at church finance. I also write for a magazine. I also own a fabulous catering company with my husband. I also have now have an enormous extended church family. —ALL of these unforeseen Blessings coming from my trust that God always knows better than me.
What you do not know: For my entire life I have wanted to be a minister, but I never told anyone. For my entire life I have wanted to be a published writer, but I never told anyone. For my entire life I have wanted to inspire people, but the one person I told laughed at me. For my entire life I have wanted to excel at something for which my parents would be proud. (At long last, they seem to be.) For my entire life I have wanted to feel at home in my own skin and also to feel that I am worthy of anything I can imagine. (Still a work in progress.)
Guess who knew what the contents of my heart actually were? Guess who knew what was best for me and lead me to it? God.
Had I not landed in that church, I doubt my other businesses would have been born. My writing job came from a piece I wrote about one of the co-Pastors of the church. Our catering came from cooking the Wednesday night Fellowship meals for the church. And oh yes, best of all, I DO get to minister in oh so many many ways!
So here I am asking you to hang tight at this time. Lean INTO your faith (or mine if you need it.) We really do not know what all of this pandemic stuff is about, but what we can control is our relationship with God and our faith and our love of humankind.
We cannot see what HE sees. Let’s continue to cultivate trust in Him and while we are doing so, let’s take care of one another. THAT we CAN do easily.
My love and prayers are with you ALL!
Bobbe
Let go, and allow God and the angels to help you. Everything that you release will either be replaced by something better or will be returned to you healed.
When you hold on tightly to a part of your life that’s not working, it has no room to heal. Whether you’re unhappy with your love life, finances, career, home, or health, this card asks you to let go. If you hang on to these aspects of your life because of fears such as, “What if I can’t find someone or something better?” Then the situation will only worsen.
However, if you’re willing to open your hands and allow the situation to be freed, one of two situations will occur: Either it will be washed away from you and replaced by a better situation, or the situation will heal in a miraculous way. The angels ask you to try not to control the outcome of your troubling situation. Let go, and let God help you.
A new flow of support is coming to you right now. Ask the angels to help you release fears about scarcity so that you can enjoy this increased abundance.
Your messenger angels announce the arrival of an inflow of abundance coming your way. The source of all abundance is God, and you at some level had faith that the Creator would supply your needs. Your faith, even if it was small, triggered the abundance that is manifesting for you right now.
Keep your faith, as it will ensure a steady flow of support materially, psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually. A wonderful affirmation to help you stay in the stream of a steady flow of abundance is, “I accept good graciously into my life. All of my needs are met abundantly for me now and always.”
Fear not, beloved one! Your prayers have been heard and answered.
All of your prayers are always answered. Sometimes you may not feel this way, because the answer comes in unexpected ways. Perhaps you receive an intuitive feeling or a new opportunity appears—or a book falls of the shelf. The angels answer of prayers very often by giving us ideas or information in these everyday ways.
The angels request that you be extra observant. Notice everything that you hear, say, think and feel. Be especially alert to help that comes to you, and be sure to accept that help. You do deserve this assistance, and many times God enlists people to act as Earth angels who bring you answers to your prayers.
Dearest Lord,
Help us all to remember that just because the answer to our prayers hasn’t come to us directly and immediately, doesn’t mean You haven’t heard us or that answer is no. You have an infallible vantage point that we cannot comprehend, let alone imagine. You always know what’s best for us. Help us to trust that Your will for us is always better than anything we may think we need.
These are trying times for all of us, Lord. The things we are witnessing and experiencing these days seem surreal. In this day and age, how can a virus penetrate the entire world? How has this been allowed to happen? We may never understand, but You do and we trust in Your love and protection.
Today we ask for strength, perseverance, bolstered faith, courage and continued good health. We lift our prayers especially for every person who is in the frontline of this virus: healthcare workers, police, fire fighters, military, truckers, janitors, retail workers and anyone who has the job of caring for family, friends and clients. Please offer extra special strength to the parents who are separated from their children, the elderly who are isolated and the children who do not understand any of this.
Lastly for today, please help us to find ways to make the best of this situation. May we keep our good spirits and help our fellow humans wherever possible. Let us not lose our hope for You have taught us well that through You all things are possible.
We love you and thank you and in Jesus name we pray.
Amen
Click here to be taken to yesterday’s blog
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:13
How many weeks has this been going on? I can’t even remember. Here is a little angel stuff to get you through your day.
Today I want to remind you that whatever your feelings are right at this moment, they are valid and you are entitled to feel the way you do. Boy, let me tell ya, my emotions are all over the map, but I am doing okay because I know that no one on earth has ever experienced what’s going on right now. Whatever I feel is what I feel and it will pass. The same is true for you. Give yourself (and your family members) grace at this time.
If you are anything like me right now, things that are ordinarily easy to look past, are glowing red and causing you to want to explode. Yesterday I was so busy at work I barely had time to look up, but when I did, I noticed that I was not myself. The frustration bubbling up inside me was almost immeasurable. In fact, a few times I had the instinct to just get in my car and go home. LOL!
Lucky for me I work in a church (although if I were writing this yesterday I’d have said, OH MY GAWD, I HATE working with CHURCH people! ha ha) Late in the afternoon I was able to sneak across the parking lot to the church next door where I encountered some sweet ladies, one of whom is a Minster. We all sat down in the lobby, ten feet apart and just chatted for a couple of minutes about life and the fact that Easter is just around the corner. Anyone in the world who is presently part of a church staff understands that this uncharted territory we’re in right now. There is ten times more work happening right now than normally would be happening.
I laughed so hard when Mother Sweets (not her real name) told me that she was in her kitchen a few nights ago practically throwing pots and pans everywhere; anger had just bubbled up, she told us, and it was okay. Likewise she was saying that she would like to strangle people when they say to her, “You must be enjoying just staying home for a change.” That fantasy of relaxing at home isn’t happening in the lives of Ministers all over the world. No. They are learning new technology for online services, making endless lists of people who are in need, trying to figure out how to celebrate special Holidays like Easter without being together as a congregation, learning how to fill out paperwork for financial aid, worrying what will happen if people stop giving. The list is endless, just as it is endless for any other person in the world at this time.
We are all walking through uncharted territory. The good news is that we are never alone.
The good news is that there IS good news out there. Just this morning I watched a news piece about a family that had recently experienced a death. Because funerals cannot happen at this time, their family and friends made a car procession through the deceased man’s neighborhood. His parents stood outside their home and as each car passed by, they threw flowers, let go of balloons, held up signs and blew kisses. It was beautiful to see. Sympathy was expressed through this loving act of kindness. I cried when I watched it not because I was sad that they couldn’t have a funeral. No. I cried because the human spirit is a beautiful thing.
Where there is a will, there is a way and that’s what I want us all to focus on today. We cannot live our daily lives the same as we are used to, but we CAN always find inventive ways to carry forward….especially since we are ALL Blessed and loved by God.
With love to you!
Bobbe
You will search for me,
and when you search for
me with all your heart,
you will find me.JEREMIAH 29:13
Always keep in mind that if a message resonates with you strongly, it’s absolutely meant for you.
A clean slate is presented to you now as you encounter fresh opportunities and novel experiences.
Embrace the new in your life, including new opportunities, people, and projects. The angels know that change can be frightening, and they surround you now with loving energy. Call upon them whenever you feel afraid of facing novel situations. They will boost your confidence and energy so that you can enjoy your new beginnings.
Sometimes we cling to old routines because they are familiar. The angels ask you to be open to new approaches to life. Perhaps they will teach you a new way of looking at situations. Or maybe they will call on you to learn a new skill. Whatever the new beginning is for you, allow yourself to be stretched by the fresh circumstances. We learn about ourselves through new experiences.
God, the angels, and the ascended masters who love, protect, and guide you are watching over you right now. You are not alone, and you are safe.
Be reassured that you are part of an awesome and powerful team of benevolent beings. They surround, guide, and love you constantly. If you are in danger, they will intervene with warnings or lifesaving measures. If you are afraid, they will comfort you with the energy of Divine love. If you are confused, they will whisper guidance in your ear.
You are being asked to talk to your angels and guides more frequently. Have mental conversations with them about everything, and you will soon see evidence of their existence. Soon, the angels will enlist you to help other people. If you ever feel doubtful about your ability to help others, ask the angels to help you release these fears.
Oh Dear Lord,
Sometimes this life is sooooooo hard. I know I’ve said this a million times before, but maybe it was never so true as it is today.
Wait. I can hear you laughing (and it’s making me smile).
Let me start again.
Thank you Lord for the ability to change how I perceive things. I know that life is only as hard as I make it and that every hard time feels like it’s the worst it’s ever been. Challenges will always be present. Hard times will come upon us off and on throughout our lives, but we are to remember that you live in our hearts and it’s Your blood in our veins and that means we are part of the Divine and for Divinity, nothing is impossible, not even this.
I know that you have given us the tools we need in order to navigate through life and I thank you.
Please continue to Bless and keep those who land on this page as well as their friends and their families and my family too. May we all remain safe and of good and steady spirit as we make our way through this pandemic.
Bolster our faith, dear Lord. Help us to lean into you more. May we even take this time to strengthen our relationship with you, who offers us unending unconditional love.
In your Son Jesus name, I pray.
Amen
Click here to be taken to yesterday’s messages and prayers
News flash! I slept last night! Well, kind of. Okay…MUCH more than normal…at least three hours straight!
Since I wasn’t up all night, I didn’t get a head start on today’s blog so here I am a little late. Today seemed to last forever for me…so much work to do. Being that I work for multiple non profit agencies and all of them are applying for aid, I spent double overtime time glued to the numbers with the promise of tomorrow being a full day and evening of the same. The Blessing: I still have a job and I can still leave the house to work.
Tonight my head is splitting and my gut instinct is to figure out where my white sage is in order to drive the negativity out of and to purify the air in this house. At this point I know it’s time to start making my home more of a sanctuary-my own sacred space-and so this will be on the agenda for the next couple of days.
If you’re anything like me, feeling a bit depleted, know you are not alone. What always gives me comfort is to lean into my faith and listen to my intuition. Tonight this is telling me to sage the house and take the steps to care for my mental health. Looks like new candles and crystals are in my immediate future!
For now, I leave you with some angelic wisdom and today’s prayer. Know that there are better days ahead. Life is cyclic so soon enough, we will be back on top again. Keep praying and keep believing. All will be well!
With love, Bobbe
You are asked to remember the healing power of faith. The Divine Healer and teacher, Jesus, frequently taught and demonstrated that with faith, all things are possible. Jesus and Archangel Raphael can boost your belief and trust if you’ve been struggling because of recent events. You can borrow their perfect faith to help you remember that everything really is in perfect order, even if appearances seem to contradict this spiritual truth.
You are asked to expect miracles in surprising and unexpected ways. Continually give your worries to God, and listen for inner guidance about which actions to take.
Trust and follow your intuition. It is God and the angels speaking to you.
Lean into your Divine Guidance right now. The gut feelings you have, the knowingness, the visions, or the inner voice are all trying to tell you something, and it is very important that you trust and follow this guidance.
Pay close attention to the message, “Have faith”, above. That message is intentionally delivered along side this one because the angels want to impress upon you that one is as necessary as the other. You are fully capable and supported in listening to and following your true intuition. What is it telling you right now? Close your eyes and breathe in the silence. What comes to your heart?
Dearest Lord,
You know that I have always known in my heart that we are all connected. YOU taught me this. It is so evident to me right now as I find that I am not sleeping well, my patience feels at a new low, my ears are continually ringing and I just—feel—drained.
Likewise, my intuition is continually telling me that the truth behind this “Covid-19 virus” just isn’t exactly as we are being told. While I cannot put my finger on it exactly, my hearts tells me there is more to this story and I feel that I am not alone in my feelings.
Jesus, there is nothing outside of your sight. You know the truth. You can see it ALL. I place my faith squarely on YOU as I know that at the present time, I am helpless to do anything but pray for my family and friends and for those who are leaders in this world.
Jesus please instill in me, my family and friends, and in all those who read this, the courage and the spirit needed to march forward according to the direction of our hearts, which are born of and remain connected eternally to YOUR perfect heart.
We can do ALL things, ENDURE all things, and GET BEYOND all things through YOU, who gives strength.
In your name Jesus, I pray. Please protect us all.
Amen.
Just now I uploaded this and went to check my email. I have belonged to a neat site for years that sends me daily spiritual messages. Look what was waiting for me tonight. Confirmation much? ❤️
A long time ago I used to counsel people on how to find purpose in life. Now it’s my turn.
Does anyone else out there struggle with decision making? I am the absolute WORST lately. One minute I’m convinced I am turning this blog into a “food only” blog and then the angel on my shoulder whispers, “You are good at that, but it’s not your calling”. (Insert expletive here.) Then I sit for hours contemplating how to merge my inspirational/spiritual musings with my recipes. What would that even look like? Arch Angel Food cake, Angel-haired pasta, Heavenly potato chip casserole, Celestial peanut butter cookies, Saintly Sour cream cake, etc?
Um. No.
I seriously do not want to write two separate blogs, so what’s a girl to do? Insert this book right here:
I ran into this great book, “Crushing It!”, by Gary Vaynerchuck, via someone’s Instagram story and was inspired to see what it was about. (I’m happy I did. I have had such good luck finding great books via recommendations on IG.) The book relates all sorts of stories about people who finally learn to turn their passion into a life. He says to stop worrying about numbers, followers, algorithms and to just be who you authentically are. The rest will follow. (Oh and the other part that I just adore is that he says Altruism is of the utmost importance. I could not agree more.)
This is the stuff I’ve actually been preaching about for years:
Authenticity: Leading and living from the heart.
Altruism: Doing Unto Others. Random acts of Kindness. Giving of oneself.
The thing is, I look around the Internet, especially on Instagram and YouTube, and see that it appears practically every person and her brother are aspiring Internet Gurus. I absolutely cannot stand Instagram stories where it’s nothing but 15 second segment after 15 second segment of someone opening a gazillion boxes of free stuff in exchange for free advertising. I admit, it overwhelms me and sometimes if I take a very large step back, it can make me a little bit sad. Is this what we’ve become?
I don’t want to be one of those people. (She says to herself while at the same time contemplating updating her YouTube Channel.) What happened to giving and sharing from the heart simply for the sake of putting goodness out into the world?
When I’m on Instagram looking at stories, or on here reading blogs, the people I consistently enjoy and who I always read, are those who are actually sharing real snippets of daily life or love or both! Two of my favorite Instagram-ers (is that a word?) are twenty-something Yogi’s who are best friends in real life. I haven’t the least bit of interest in Yoga, other than to marvel at the discipline/talent these girls and their other followers display, yet I watch every story they post from beginning to end. They are each unique, yet the same. One likes to film her fur babies and the other likes to film herself drinking tea and playing with her boyfriend. Both share their yoga practices, but also family life and a bit of their social life too. I watch it all and feel nostalgic for my twenties. Why? They are being authentic on their feeds.
One of my favorite bloggers here is a 30 year old woman who’s blog is entitled, “Damn Girl, Get Your Shit Together”. It’s the same with her; she’s successful because she’s being who she actually is. (Seriously, go read her latest blog, “A Very Stabby Birthday”. It’s great stuff.)
A gazillion years ago when I used to blog daily on MySpace (yes, I’m that old), I think people related to me because I was always writing from my heart about my real life. I wasn’t trying to fit into a box or aspiring to gain a certain number of followers. I was just writing about what was going on at the time. Some days I was feeling hopeful; some days I was feeling silly; other days I might have been feeling low or worried about life. What mattered was that I was putting myself out there because in real life, it’s who I am. I always felt that whatever I might have been going through at the time; someone else out there was also going through. Who doesn’t feel better knowing she isn’t going it totally alone out here?
Somewhere along the line I found myself in a strange state of writing paralysis because I couldn’t decide what box to cram myself into. If I write only about spirituality, I might lose my foodies; if I write only about food, I might lose my other followers; if I write about family, they might get mad; if I write about work, I might upset non-churchy people. I have even gone so far as to believe that my time has passed. I’m fifty four now, maybe the window on my meaningful blogging has closed. You see the dilemma.
I have always felt that when I really need it and I pray hard enough, God will send me pretty unmistakable signs in order to help me find my way. Lately there have been lots of them, including, but not limited to, the “Crush It” book up there.
“Hello reality, thank you for the slap in the face.”
Here is the fact: I don’t fit into a box, nor do you.
Or you.
Or you.
So, I’ve decided to stop being so hard on myself and just be me, which of course means this blog will be reflective of that. I really am not an aspiring cookbook writer. I just love creating pretty food. Hubs and I cater on the side, so sharing recipes is something I genuinely like to do to be helpful. I will continue to do it here, but I’ll be mixing in more of myself as well.
This of course means the occasional angel story, dream interpretation, prayer, complaint, inspirational story or even a silly home video and I can’t guarantee it won’t all happen on the same page sometimes!
PS- Speaking of Altruism: I am holding a #Giveaway on my Instagram page and there is still time to sign up. See that pretty red, enameled, cast-iron skillet (by Lodge). Someone is going to win a brand new one (comes with lid). I will announce the winner on Wednesday, May 16th, via Instagram. I am NOT being paid for this. This is coming from my own pocket because this skillet seriously IS one of my favorite things in the world and I want someone else to have one too. I got this for my Birthday back in March and I use it every day. They are NOT cheap and I know not everyone can afford a cool kitchen thingie like this! So this is me, trying to do something nice for someone else.
If you are interested, just click through the link to my Instagram and find this picture. Click on it and you will find the instructions on how to enter. It’s that simple.
PSS: (Insert Angel Stuff here. hee hee)
I used to love to sit with my deck of angel cards and pull one as inspiration for each day. So here is today’s card which is perfect for where I am in life right now. I share this here because somewhere out there, someone else needs this message as well. ((hugs))
Power: The power of your Creator is within you. It doesn’t matter if you’re facing a situation that seems larger than life or something that is a small hurdle, the angels and God want to help you overcome it all!
The key to finding resolve in so many of life’s circumstances is to stay in the right frame of mind. You have the power of your Creator within you, all of the His greatness brings into focus who He is; faithful, righteous, good, honest and it diminishes the negative problems you are facing.
You have all the power of Divine love it is unlimited allow yourself shine. He is the one who with just his voice spoke the world and universe and cosmos into being, yet he is interested in the smallest and most intimate details of your life.
Love to all!
Dear Lord:
I persist in feeling unsettled and out of balance. How is it possible to wake up and in one twenty-four hour period suddenly feel I may not be where I am supposed to be?
Where I thought I was settled and safe, I now feel like a lamb among a family of tigers.
Still I know in my heart that this feeling will pass and so I will look forward until it does.
Please show me the way.
Amen
Dear Child:
Trust that the details of the larger picture are unfolding as they should. You may not understand why things are happening as they are, but I do.
You’ve prayed and prayed asking for my help. You’ve surrendered all to me and I shall not fail you.
Keep the faith. The answers you seek are all ready in motion.
All is well.
I love you,
God.
©2011, Bobbe Ann Crouch
Please God
An Angel Reminder: Thank you. God.
Considering how challenging life has become in this fast-paced world, one can imagine that the words please, God are rising at all hours, in all languages, from all kinds of people. We usually beg God to change our environment or the people around us. But the truth is, when we ask God to please bring us a change, we are in fact asking God to change us. Since we are the ones sending the prayer, God can best answer that prayer by initiating changes in us. sure, it would be great if God could get rid of all the mean people messing things up, but that will happen only when individuals truly reach a change in their own consciousness–when each person takes responsibility for change in the world by being, themselves, willing to change. The angels are here to help us change, and then change some more.
Next time you have the urge to send out a “please, God,” think about sending out a “thank you, God, for giving me the strength and courage to change.” You will begin to see with new eyes the things you can change in your own life and your own perception that will bring more peace. At the heart of each cry to God is a simple intention to bring peace to our hearts and souls. When we are truly peaceful, we have mo need to beg God for anything; we have it all.
An Angelic Reflection: I will let the angel intercept my pleas and usher in a real change of heart and consciousness.
(Angel Courage: Terry Lynn Taylor & Mary Beth Crain. (©1999, HarperSanFrancisco)
From The Angels
Healing: The highest purpose of your healer guides is to restore your self-awareness and self-esteem as children of God and help you accept the love and unlimited blessings that God grants you.
Opening your heart and mind to your worthiness is the best healing of all.
Surrender & Release: If we could see the miracle in letting go our whole life would change. Let go, allow God and the angels to help you.
When we willingly release and begin the process of healing from the unhappy situation, we may find we gain the necessary clarity that was not apparent to us before. In having gained clarity individuals often regain their own self determination and strength.
The angels ask you to try not to control the outcome of your troubling situation. It can take a lot of courage to let go and trust in the decision to do so but It may also be one of the most valuable decisions we can ever make. Let go, and let God help you!
Trust: You have to be willing to pour in everything you have before you can see Gods increase flowing in your life. Believe in yourself, the angels emphasize the value of self-trust.
The angels encourage you to give God what you have in your hands today, and as you stay faithful to do your part, God will do His part.
When you put action behind your faith and trust God, He will pour wisdom, strength, and creativity into you and help you accomplish the dreams and desires He has placed in your heart. The angels ask you to trust in God and to trust in them, they will help you trust yourself.
Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?”— Isaiah 29:15 (NIV)
Today’s Prayer:
Let me love thee, I am gladdest
When I’m loving thee the best;
For in sunshine or in sadness
I can find in thee my rest.
Love will soften every sorrow,
Love will lighten every care,
Love unquestioning will follow,
Love will triumph, love will dare.
~~~
Eternal Father, I humbly adore Thee, and thank Thee for having created me, and for having redeemed me through Jesus Christ. I thank Thee most sincerely for having made me a Christian, by giving me the true faith, and by adopting me as Thy son, in the sacrament of baptism. I thank Thee for having, after the numberless sins I had committed, waited for my repentance, and for having pardoned (as I humbly hope) all the offenses which I have offered to Thee, and for which I am now sincerely sorry, because they have been displeasing to Thee, who art infinite goodness. I thank Thee for having preserved me from so many relapses, of which I would have been guilty if Thou hadst not protected me. But my enemies still continue, and will continue till death, to combat against me, and to endeavor to make me their slave. If Thou dost not constantly guard and succor me with thy aid, I, a miserable creature, shall return to sin, and shall certainly lose Thy grace. I beseech Thee, then, for the love of Jesus Christ, to grant me holy perseverance unto death. Jesus, Thy Son, has promised that Thou wilt grant whatsoever we ask in his name. Through the merits, then, of Jesus Christ, I beg, for myself and for all the just, the grace never again to be separated from Thy love, but to love Thee forever, in time and eternity.
Psychics say the way to end a haunting is to talk to the ghost, set it on the right track, and give it a boot in the behind, right into the light. The next time you find yourself haunted by a painful memory, you might try doing the same thing.
Most people in my life are completely unaware (unless they are immediate family or have read my blogs for eons) that back in 2001 I was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The diagnosis was made after I was assaulted that same year. I learned back then, that I had probably developed PTSD much earlier in life.
That being said, I consider myself fully recovered even though I am told it never goes away. I know this is true, because I have completely unexpected flare ups from time to time. I still consider myself recovered, however, because when the flares do appear, I recognize them and take the proper steps to get into the present moment.
Earlier this week I was blindsided by a situation at work where I felt someone was overstepping his boundaries. We were in an important meeting and he contradicted me several times over things he didn’t even have experience with. Throughout the day, he repeatedly incorrectly answered questions intended for me. At one point he swore I’d been given a certain list, when in fact, I haven’t and so on and so on. The entire scenario felt so ego-driven to me, it triggered a three-day long reaction.
My mind knew that he was acting partly on ego and that his intentions were probably to be helpful, not hurtful. Even so, my PTSD took me back to a time long ago where I felt belittled and betrayed and shamed. Immediately my heart-felt broken, as if none of the people I have come to love so much through my work place, really care about me at all. I sat on the couch that night feeling the familiar pangs of having the best of my intentions mocked as being fake and stupid and worse, that I had no one to go to for help.
Not a pretty place to be.
It’s taken three days to fight my way back to the truth. This was one incident in time with a person who wasn’t self-aware enough to realize he was over-stepping. I choose to believe his intention was to be helpful. I also believe his actions were ego-based, but I have to let that go and not dwell on it.
I make a conscious decision to affirm the following: It’s not true that people do not care about me; that is something from the past. It is a fact that I usually act from a place of purity. There is nothing fake about me. I am worthy. I should be treated with respect. I deserve to feel safe and protected. My mistakes in life do not define me as a failure of a person.
This morning I remembered a passage in one of my favorite books that talks about living according to old patterns that are no longer useful etc. It’s an excellent and thought-provoking little piece.
One doesn’t have to have PTSD to replay old tapes that do not serve any more. How many of us can remember and list every mistake we ever made, but we have trouble remembering the good things we’ve done?
HAUNTINGS
An Angel Reminder: It’s when we mistake memory for life that we get into trouble.
All of us live, to some extent, in haunted houses populated by the noisy ghosts of memory. Voices of parents, grandparents, old lovers may haunt us. Regrets for things done or left undone may dog us, filling us with guilt and freezing us in our tracks every time we try to get on with our lives. Unfortunately, the goblins and demons of the past often shriek and moan so loudly that we can’t hear the present. And so, without even realizing it, we live according to old patterns that are no longer useful, mistaking memory for reality and letting past mistakes destroy present possibilities. When we’re being haunted, it’s helpful to remember that our ghosts are as stuck as we are. They, too, would like to get a life, but they are compelled to repeat their tiresome patterns because they just don’t know any better. Psychics say the way to end a haunting is to talk to the ghost, set it on the right track, and give it a boot in the behind, right into the light. The next time you find yourself haunted by a painful memory, you might try doing the same thing.
Are you being haunted? If so, by what or whom? Are there regrets or past actions that you haven’t resolved, or people from the past who still hold you in their grip? How is this affecting your present life? Have you ever looked these ghosts straight in the eye? When we examine our ghosts, we realize that they really have no power over us, for we can see straight through them.
An Angelic Reflection: I make the distinction between past and present reality.
From The Angels:
Serenity: You are moving into a time of greater inner peace and tranquility.
Peace of mind means feeling secure, and knowing that you’re always provided for. Even if your logical mind cannot fathom how a challenge could be resolved, peace of mind means that you trust that God will create a miraculous solution. This sort of faith is always warranted because faith is a key component in experiencing such miracles.
By drawing this card, the angels reassure you that peace of mind is within you. You can feel serene, even in the midst of great turmoil. It’s a mistake to think that you have to wait until your life is problem free before you can be happy and peaceful. The opposite is actually true. First, you work toward serenity, and then your life challenges lessen and disappear. Serenity is your natural state of mind, and the angels are now working with you to actualize this.
Retreat: Spend some time alone in quiet thought. Clear your mind, and focus on your truth and priorities.
Are you pushing yourself too hard, beloved child of God? The angels remind us that rest is a natural cycle in every living thing. Think of the mighty oak tree that grows in spurts and then rests. It draws its nourishment from deep within the earth, and takes its time before growing upward again. Like the oak tree, it’s important for you to nourish yourself with spiritual and emotional “food.”
While you are resting, take time to reflect on your heart’s true feelings and desires. Your angels speak to you through your heart, and when you listen to and honor your feelings, you walk hand-in-hand with God and the angels. You will know that it is true Divine guidance, and not just your imagination or wishful thinking if it speaks of your desire to make a difference in the world.
Emerging: Your true self-radiant, powerful, successful, and intelligent-is now shining through the surface. Allow your true self to be visible to others, for you lift them up and inspire them.
You are awesome in so many ways, and you are beginning to trust and reveal your true nature more easily. At one time, you may have believed that you had to hide your feelings from others (or even from yourself!). Now, however, you realize how vital and attractive expressing your authentic self is.
Your angels are guiding you to honor your true feelings by expressing them to yourself and others. The angels will help you lovingly talk about your feelings so that no misunderstandings occur with friends and loved ones. Your angels will never guide you to do or say anything that could hurt you or anyone else! They will also ensure that your life will emerge to a new level of inner peace as you let your true self come out and play.
Today’s Prayers:
As you leave this place
may the Living Lord go with you;
May he go behind you, to encourage you,
beside you, to befriend you,
above you, to watch over you,
beneath you, to lift you from your sorrows,
within you, to give you the gifts of faith, hope, and love,
and always before you, to show you the way.
benediction – blair monie
Divine Mother
Mother of the Universe
Bless us with peace
Within and without.
jalaja bonheim – 2000
Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.
— Psalm 79:9 (NIV)
Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24
This morning as I was lying in bed (for the third day) obsessing over a test I have tomorrow, the quote above passed through my mind. Then I started berating myself over the fact that I have all ready given this issue to God and I shouldn’t be even thinking about it any more. I paused and literally pictured myself opening a gold box, putting my anxiety in, closing it and handing it to God.
Whatever will be, will be and who better to handle my issue than God?
I am normally the poster child for the saying, “Ask. Believe. Receive. Say thank you.”, yet for whatever reason with this test, I am having trouble giving it completely over. (Sorry God.)
Whenever this happens I force myself to get busy and find something to do that will take my mind elsewhere. Yesterday, the house got cleaned top to bottom. Today, I will pack up my little dog, Sammy, and go over and spend the day at my Mom’s.
Today will be an exercise in practicing what I preach. Once an issue has been given over to God, it needs to stay there. I have no power over it and it has no power over me any more.
Interestingly, when I opened my computer this morning, the first thing I saw was the following letter. I wrote it about five years ago and yet, it is as true today as it was then.
Coincidence?
No. Such. Thing.
Dear Child:
Ask and you shall receive. Knock and the door shall be opened. You know all of this. Carry it with you.
Continue to act with a pure heart, choosing each day to carry on with that smile on your face. I am pleased you continue to find joy in your heart. Your spirit touches many. You must not forget to find my Blessings in all that you do, most especially in the difficulties you experience in your daily life.
As I have shown you in the past and continue to show you at the present time….you are not alone. I am ever by your side and in your heart. I will not let you fail so stop looking over your shoulder.
Pray with faith that all is well and so it is.
I love you. Carry On.
God.
From the Angels:
Healing: The highest purpose of your healer guides is to restore your self-awareness and self-esteem as children of God and help you accept the love and unlimited blessings that God grants you.
Opening your heart and mind to your worthiness is the best healing of all.
Self–Acceptance: You are important and know that you are called to add value to the world around you.
You have rich treasure inside you that people need. You have more in you than you realize, and you can accomplish more than you ever thought possible.
No matter where you are in life today, you have potential to increase, grow, to be strengthened, and to move forward. God created you for His good purpose and you are His masterpiece!
Trust: You have to be willing to pour in everything you have before you can see Gods increase flowing in your life. Believe in yourself, the angels emphasize the value of self-trust.
Dear Lord
Watch over us today in all that we do…that we may honor your by our actions towards our brothers and sisters. Help us to be ever mindful that you love each of us equally and that we should learn by your lead.
Remind me constantly that You are ever by my side. You have never failed me and You never will.
Thank you for our many Blessings–especially those that we don’t even realize are there.
Amen
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