THANKSGIVING PRAYER God, we come together this November day to celebrate life. We are filled with gratitude for your many gifts; abundance beyond measure; love of family and friends; healing hearts and searching souls. We take a moment to pray for those who struggle; enduring catastrophic loss, grief, physical pain, emotional turmoil, and seeming insurmountable odds. May they find the strength and faith to carry on. We celebrate the beauty of our natural world; ocean, forest, mountains, sky, sun, moon, stars, wind, rain, and living creatures, one and all. We breathe deeply now and feel the grace of all that surrounds us. We experience a sense of freedom as we begin forgiving those who treated us with less than honor and respect. An expansion happens deep within our hearts, making room for joy and love and connection, beyond belief. Thank you, God, for life and its' experiences, which have brought us to this day of Thanksgiving. May we use your gifts only for the Highest Good of all. Amen. Lynne Newman 11/25/98

The tree that never had to fight for sun and sky and air and light, but stood out in the open plain and always had it share of rain, never became a forest king but lived and died a scrubby thing. The man who never had to toil to gain and farm his patch of soil, who never had to win his share of sun and sky and light and air, never became a manly man but lived and died as he began. Good timber does not grow with ease, the stronger wind, the stronger trees, the further sky, the greater length, the more the storm, the more the strength. By sun and cold, by rain and snow, in trees and men, good timbers grow. Where thickest lies the forest growth we find the patriarchs of both. And they hold counsels with the stars, whose broken branches show the scars, of many winds and such of strife, this is the common lot of life. by Douglas Malloch

Always we hope someone else has the answer... Some other place will be better, Some other time it will all turn out. This is it No one else has the answer No other place will be better. And it has already turned out! At the center of your being You have the answer You know who you are... And what you want. There is no need to run outside for better seeing, nor to peer from a window. Rather, abide at the center of your being; for the more you leave it the less you learn. Search your heart and see... The way to do... Is to be. by Lao Tzu, translator unknown printed in "A Grateful Heart" edited by M.J. Ryan

Miracles are Everywhere The man whispered, "God, speak to me." And a meadowlark sang. But the man did not hear. So the man yelled, "God speak to me." And the thunder rolled across the sky. But the man did not listen. The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you." And a star shone brightly. But the man did not notice. And the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle." And a life was born. But the man did not know. So the man cried out in despair. "Touch me God and let me know you are here!" Whereupon God reached down and touched the man. But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on. author unknown

THESE ARE MY WISHES FOR YOU May you find serenity and tranquility in a world you may not always understand. May the pain you have known and the conflict you have experienced give you the strength to walk through life facing each new situation with courage and optimism. Always know that there are those whose love and understanding will always be there, even when you feel the most alone. May a kind word, a reassuring touch, and a warm smile be yours every day of your life, and may you give these gifts as well as receive them. May the techings of those you admire become a part of you, so that you may call upon them. Remember those whose lives you have touched and who have touched yours are always a part of you, even if the encounters were less than you would have wished. It is the content of the encounter that is more important than its form. May you not become too concerned about material matters, but instead place immeasurable value on the goodness in your heart. Find time in each day to see beauty and love in the world around you. Realize that what you feel you lack in one regard may be more than compensated for in another. What you feel you lack in the present may become one of your strengths in the future. May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility. Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience. May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by yourself, and not be dependent on another's judgement of your accomplishments. May you always feel loved. Author unknown

The Pathway of Divine Love   

        http://nwcreations.com/pathdivinelove.htm             

IS THIS WHERE I FIND GOD?

Humanity is crying for comfort,
as the energy around us accelerates
and our internal systems speed up  

 to match the pace, beat for beat.
And we cry, "Is this where I find God?"

One by one, the fears surface to be healed,
and we seek comfort...
in food...in shopping…smoking...
in any action that temporarily calms the fear.
And still we cry out, "Is this where I find God?"

And in the seeking we cry, again and again,
and we shop more, eat more, watch t.v. more,
search for God in books and bucks,
until numbness sets in...oblivion!
And we continue to ask, "Is this where I find God?"

And then, the longing begins in earnest...
and our seeking takes on a different essence,
as we connect with loved ones, with nature,  

with all living things, who also are asking,
"Is this where I find God?"

And, one day, the seeking intensifies,
as we get quiet and listen,
and a glimmer of understanding occurs,
as we go within, instead of out...
In our seeking for God!

And the wailing, the keening for God is poignant,
heart-opening, exquisite as we come to understand,
The intensity of the God within us...
And in gratitude, cry out, "God, I have found You!  

Deep within my heart, God; this is where I find You!"

Lynne~Rainbow Dancer  

May 19, 2005

Gathering in the Garden

Gilbert Williams

Surrendering
(Oil on Canvas) 30" x 36"
by Rassouli
used with permission by the Rassouli Art Gallery

Jonathon Earl Bowser

Click on the rainbow to visit my professional site