Goddess Blessings

At a convention, my husband paused to converse with a new face. At the end of their discussion, the man smiled and parted saying, "May the Goddess Bless you."

My husband smiled broadly and replied, "May God Bless you too."

Too often people take affront to a beautiful Blessing offered when they realize that the sender does not follow the same religious beliefs. Instead of seeing what it truly is, they treat it like a curse and trample it under their feet.

Some people follow the Blessing with curses of their own. Some coldly turn and storm away. Several Christians follow this with a string of bible quotes used as spears.

This is not how any of us should treat our brothers and sisters.

Few realize that if one studies our Judaic roots, one finds several names of God, including the female "Shekhinah." There are pluralistic names as well. God is NOT just male, nor just female, but neither and both at the same time. God's very nature IS a paradox from our perspective.

My husband did the right thing in that situation. He saw what the man offered as it is - a heartfelt Blessing from the highest source the person knows. In turn, my husband offered the man the same.

May Blessings be yours each new day

May Divine Love always flow your way

~ESA

Stop-Look-Listen

Yesterday, I stumbled across a Christian forum that had a debate over which version of the bible was "the right" one. While there was clearly a preference to one version, I found it sad how vehemently they tore apart the other versions. The reasons they found fault with the other versions are the same issues that exists in their own interpretations.

My own studies have led me to this conclusion: NO particular version has it all correct. The bible is NOT a direct transcript from God word-for-word. Neither is the Qur'an, based on how God speaks to humanity. (Please see Conversations with Yeshua for a fair description).

The bible versions today have been written, re-written, translated, transcribed and edited. All versions. The majority of readers around the world today cannot read the original Hebrew, Greek or Coptic. In addition, there is much we loose in context, as we are of a different time and culture. An equivalent would be Yeshua (Jesus) telling someone to "google" for the answer. We would understand it, but someone from that time period wouldn't.

In order to glean meaning from the texts, here is what I do. I read ALL versions, such as John 3:16. Furthermore, in order to place the passage in context, I read what is around it. In the case of the previous example, I would read John 3:1-20. Then I would track down all the footnotes, read the cross-references and ask the Spirit that is within us all to help me best understand in terms I personally would know.

Let's not forget the Gnostic Gospels (that were originally removed from the collection to make the New Testament we know today) as well as several Hebrew texts that were omitted from what we know as the Old Testament. Many who fight over which version is the "right one" often forget there was a great deal of editing done far before the King James Version, or even the original Roman Catholic version in Latin.

I believe monotheistic believers haven't strayed very far from our Hebrew roots. We pick passages out and argue about their meaning at great length. Often we overlook the most important aspect when it comes to reading the good book or any other words through which God tries to share a message - be it book, bible, song, tweet or just a chat with a friend.

What we should always do when we try to understand a message from the divine is admit that our understanding is not perfect, that our words are imprecise, that our perspective is unique, and thus different than the writer / speaker - even one in our own land and time.

We need to understand there is a universal message that God wants to share. The only way to understand that message in terms we can comprehend from our own personal perspective is through prayer.

Taking time to talk with God, and - more importantly - taking time to meditate and listen are key. It really doesn't matter which version one reads. What matters is that the reader asks God, "What do you mean by this?" and then pauses to listen.

Stop

Look

Listen

~ ESA

Understanding the Difference

I want to share something I've learned with my readers, an understanding I came to realize. There are times, when I fail to reach a goal, falter in my steps or otherwise not perform as I should. Once I realize my error, one of two things can happen:

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I am repulsed by the act or failure to act on my part. I sincerely regret what I have done, see where I have gone wrong, and try to learn HOW to do it correctly. Then I am motivated to be stronger and do it right the next time. This way, I am enabled to learn from the mistake and grow.

Then there is a much darker path my head and heart can go....

I look at my failures and truly hate myself, my life, my being, my spirit, and my soul. I am filled with self-loathing, self-revulsion, and self-hatred; I am repulsed by what I see and can actually embrace the ideas that I am not worthy of another chance and that even God could not love me. I stick my head in the proverbial sand and hide - from myself, from what I have done, from God.

This is what will poison us from within. This kind of self-revulsion - not for the wrong we have done but to hate our very selves to the point where we cut God from our lives. We do not give ourselves the chance to seek forgiveness. We do not yearn for the opportunity to try again, to do better. We are just stuck in a rut, hating ourselves.

This hate can lead to other forms of self-infliction ~ cutting, self-mutilation, alcohol and drug abuse, as they are seen as an escape from this pain. Even worse, when we cannot love ourselves, we choke off our ability to love one another; those around us suffer too.

+ + +

My understanding came when I had the rare opportunity to feel both of these side-by-side. First I felt the darker emotions, and started to hide from God. Then I somehow realized what I was doing and felt penitent for letting myself get caught by such dark emotions and turning away from God, and I deeply desired to correct that.

Side-by-side, it become so clear. One helps you to be sincerely sorry, learn from it, and lifts you up to try again. The other tries to mire you down with self-loathing and helps you to hide from God's Loving heart.

Now I know the difference and strive to not only learn, but pass on what I know.

- ESA

God is Not Vanilla!

Recently I've corresponded with a fellow Christian from a different denomination. Curious about the specific beliefs, customs, practices and interpretations, I asked some questions. Before long, I was deluged with everything from sermons, to lessons, to videos and songs, to news and even the recent announcement from the head of their denomination.

Perhaps the sender hoped I'd join the same flock. But much of what I received left me with a very bitter taste in my mouth. While I've seen this with other religious groups - Christian, non-Christian and even some atheists, this recent interchange brought it home once again...

There are people that believe that THEIR way is the one and ONLY way. That everything they say about God is 100% correct. And that those who do not agree with them are going to suffer - anything from ostracism and insults in this world to eternal damnation in the next. This is the BIGGEST turnoff for me and even disgusts me when I see it taken to extremes!

GOD IS NOT VANILLA!

The best description I know is "God is unknowable." Period! Human beings are not able to fully understand all the myriad and mysterious aspects of God.

Those that limit God to their beliefs / understandings and cast judgment, cut off or ridicule others loose so much by their actions. They do such a grave disservice, both to God and to their own attempts of truly getting to know God.

I may not get them to see as I do. But I do try to keep my eyes, hand and heart open even if theirs are closed.

He drew a circle
That shut me out.
Heretic, rebel,
A thing to flout.
But Love and I
Had the wit to win;
We drew a circle
And took him in!

-Edwin Markham

- ESA

Love (Poem)

LOVE

If I speak in the languages of this world and beyond
But have not Love
I am only broadcasting meaningless background noise
Serving only to draw attention to myself
And draw attention away from that which needs to be heard

If I have the gift of prophecy
And can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge
And if I have a faith that can move mountains
But have not Love
I am nothing
And my understanding becomes only self-serving
As I crow my own praises to the spotlight I seek

If I give all I possess to the poor
And help in all the good works I can
And surrender my body to the pain in this world
But have not Love
I gain nothing
For those acts become self-serving
Limited to a biography or resume/CV

Love is patient
Love is kind
Love does not envy
Love does not boast
Love is not proud
Love not rude
Love is not self-seeking

Love is not easily angered

Love keeps no record of wrongs
Love does not delight in evil
But rejoices with the Truth

Love does not limit
Love does not exclude
Love does not divide
Love embraces all

Love forgives

Love always protects
Love always trusts
Love always hopes
Love always perseveres

Love never fails
In the Master Plan

But where there are prophecies, they will cease
Where there are tongues, they will be stilled
Where there is knowledge, it will pass away

For what we know is only a part
And what we prophesy is only a part
But when perfection comes
The imperfect disappears

When I was a child
I talked like a child
I thought like a child
I reasoned like a child

When I became an adult
I came to understand as an adult
I reason like an adult
I may still play like a child
But should always LOVE as a child
With all of my being - unreserved

Our understanding in All that Is
Is but a poor reflection
In a mud-splattered window
There will come a day when we will
See face to face
Understand with unfettered mind
Love without worldly limits

Now I know a small part
Then I shall understand fully
Even as I am fully understood now

There are three things
That are found in every human soul:
Faith
Hope
And Love

The greatest of these is Love.

Based on 1Corinthians 13

-ESA

Puzzle (Story)

This was forwarded to me by email. Enjoy. :D

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A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl, Shelby. She wanted to know what the United States looked like. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Shelby and said, 'Go into the other room and see if you can put this together. This will show you our whole country today.'

After a few minutes, Shelby returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. 'Oh,' she said, 'on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together..'

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- ESA

Elephant Story (Story)

There is a destiny that makes us brothers,
None goes His way alone.
All that we send into the lives of others,
Comes back into our own.
-Edwin Markham

All of us are interconnected to each other - whether we want to be or not. We can delude ourselves by believing that we are safe in our own social niche and whatever "bad things" are outside our little comfortable space.

Break through that wall of illusion and let some Light shine in on the truth! No matter what lines we divide ourselves with - religious groups, nationalities, political or family ties, economics - therein lies the lie. We are one race of people -- humanity -- living on one very insignificant mudball spinning through the vastness of space.

So many times I hear or read statements that reiterate the same thing: Sure, I'll agree we are one, but I'm the one that's right. They have to come around to my way of thinking.

There's a story I like to share, an elephant story:

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Five blind men approached an elephant for the first time in their lives.

The first blind man reached out and touched the elephant's trunk. "The elephant," he described, "is like a long flexible hose with a tough hide."

The second man reached out and found the elephant's ear. He agreed that the elephant had a tough hide but he argued that the first man was wrong. "The elephant is NOT like a long flexible hose but rather like a large thick parchment."

The third man approached the elephant's side and told the first two they were wrong. "Clearly," he debated, "the elephant is some huge immense beast for it goes on beyond my reach in all directions." When he placed he ear against the elephant, he could hear the elephant's thunderous breath. But, he conceded, the elephant had a tough hide.

The fourth man approached the elephant carefully, after hearing what the third had to say. He was a bit surprised when he found the elephant's leg. "The elephant isn't so huge," he laughed at the third man, "for I can wrap my arms around it. But the elephant is strong, feel the muscle under the tough hide."

By far the most curious now, the fifth and final blind man approached the elephant and stretched out his hand, completely uncertain what he would encounter. His hand touched and grasped the elephant's tail. Feeling it in detail, the man paused in wonder. "Why, this is no more than a flexible stick with a tough hide and tuft of hair on it's end, not too different than a paintbrush."

Which blind man truly saw the elephant?

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Thus it is with humanity, we've been blessed that we are allowed to see things from many different perspectives. Only through collaboration and cooperation can we all come to understand things fully.

All five admitted that the elephant had a tough hide. There is, likewise, common ground we all share - we smile, we cry, we laugh, we love. We can either use the different perceptions we have to divide us or let us grow in mutual understanding of something much, much greater than ourselves.

One Light. One Love. Many ways through which humanity is touched.
Do we continue to draw lines?
Or do we open minds?

- ESA