As I was checking my emails and newsfeeds and other interesting tidbits today, I came upon the day’s mentation question in the Spiritual Progression Path teachings of my dear friend Dr. Loretta Standley.

Then the other thing I “happened upon” was a song. It’s just a natural occurrence with me. One of the ways that God speaks to me is through music. Sometimes I get the message right away. Other times it’s a bit of a mystery why “that song playing in my head” would relate to whatever question or concern was going on in my heart. But, I never dismiss it. I always try to figure out its message … because it’s always an answer.

So today, the good Dr. Loretta Standley shared this mentation question:

“Am I in such a hurry that I cannot ‘see’ what is gradually going on right before my eyes?”

That’s a pretty good question, my conscious brain thought upon reading it. Stopped me dead in my tracks to think. Seriously, I had to chuckle because I wake everyday, say “Good Morning God, so, what are we doing today?” Then I grab my coffee, my to do list and set out to ‘get er done’. And often wonder why “this” isn’t working or “that” isn’t working. Well, maybe God answered my question – oh, no maybe about it, I’m sure he did. When I ask, HE answers. But sometimes I’m just ‘so busy hurrying about’ that I do not ‘see’ that he put the answer as to “how” to ’get er done’ or “what” to get done, right in front of me. Nope, I rush right past it with my busy blindsided knowledge and get … nowhere but frustrated.

Gosh, if I’d only listen, really listen. Not listen to what “I think” is the answer, but listen to what “he gave” as the answer.

So here I am just checking my “in boxes” and Dr. Standley’s mentation caught my attention :

“Am I in such a hurry that I cannot ‘see’ what is gradually going on right before my eyes?”

But what immediately followed – and I do mean immediately – like I wasn’t even finished reading the question when I had to turn away and listen to the “player in my head”. This music junkie was struggling a little bit, grasping for the title and artist. The words were there … or actually the melody sang out first.

I dashed over to YouTube, typed in the lyric in my head and Voila ! up came the melody that was playing in my head. I still haven’t quite figured out the answer of this musical riddle for today. But …

What did Dr. Standley’s mentation question stir up in your subconscious mind? Ah, don’t fight it. It did something.

And I’m up for suggestions because I’m still working on how this song relates to this mentation question for “me”. If you want to help me out here, feel free to leave it in the comments section.

Mentation Question:

“Am I in such a hurry that I cannot ‘see’ what is gradually going on right before my eyes?”

My Musical Mentor Answered:

And before we depart for today, let me share that before I finished up today’s writing another song was playing in my head. We got an “oldies” Jukebox running this morning. But what’s playing in my head now is . . .

“slow down, you move too fast // you gotta make the morning last // just kicking down the cobblestones // looking for fun and feeling groovy”

You can hear THAT song here.

But I think I’ve got it figured out. The Mighty One is telling me to stop and smell the roses – stop worrying, I gotcha covered. I’ll lead the “way”, you just have to “follow”. (I guess I was so busy trying to “do it myself” that I didn’t “see” HE had it all taken care of ) Well, time to turn down the Divine Jukebox and follow the Divine Light !

And um, I’m Just Wondering . . .did anybody notice the face in the clouds above “blowing” light down upon you ~ a fascinating picture I thought !

(be sure to check out that artist’s gallery here)

~~~

28 YEARS AGO I FELL IN LOVE. I was about 30 pounds over my weight yet vibrant. But a boy came into my life that would touch my heart, tick me off, make me laugh and make me cry. He was irresistible. It was love at first sight until . . .

THREE YEARS TO THE DAY  another boy came into my life. Once again, I was well over my weight but truly glowing. This one, too, had a twinkle in his eye and a crooked playful smile that made my heart flutter. Again, love at first sight.

How on earth would I decide?

I couldn’t.

So I loved them both and still do.

Happy Valentine’s Day to my two sons ~

~ to love a child, there’s just no love like it ~

~ click the heart for a message ~

It happens – even to the best of us. I mean, we’re human after all.

We do our daily best to keep our heart and soul on our goal. We can see it, we can feel it, we’re experiencing it in our mind’s eye and then …

Something happens to cause us to worry, wonder, second guess. You know … obstacles … life’s little interruptions and irritations.

Oh I just hate when they sneak in at my moment of weakness. But then it’s at those moments that I’m delighted to remind myself of such things as :

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.” ~ Henry Ford ~

Ahhhh, pep talks, whether they’re athletic, professional or spiritual, we know why we like them … they work !

“How well am I able to meet people in their time of difficulty”

That was the Mentation Question posted today at the wonderful site of my dear friend Dr. Loretta Standley. As soon as I read it a tingle went across my body, a thought raced across my mind and a song played in my head.

~ ~ ~

Close your eyes, breathe gently and think about that Mentation Question for a moment.

~ ~ ~

So often when we hear of another’s moment of difficulty we lend judgment rather than support. I often wondered why. Is it that hearing of another’s moment of pain and struggle brings to the surface our own difficulties we’re trying to get through and perhaps have buried unresolved? Why is it when someone shares a misfortune in their life or thrashes out with a comment during a moment of pain, we respond subjectively rather than objectively?

~ ~ ~

There’s a lot to ponder in that question so let me post it here again . . .

“How well am I able to meet people in their time of difficulty”.

~ ~ ~

As soon as “I” read Dr. Standley’s Mentation Question for today what came to my mind was a very powerful song. I remember the first time I heard it my skin tingled, I stopped dead in my tracks and just said “Wow” !

To me, someone else’s difficulty isn’t about Me – it’s about Them. So the next time someone, anyone, shares their moment of difficulty with you, thrashes out with a verbal assault while in pain, stop for a moment and ask yourself, “How well am I able to meet this person in their time of difficulty.” And instead of making the moment about YOU and becoming a critical know-it-all, ask yourself “Can I make it better?” And then . . . 

“of the million things that ran through my mind, only one I could say …”

Listen here – and try saying this next time – quite powerful!

~ ~ ~

]]> http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/where-does-it-hurt/feed/ 2 christinefromboston meeting-halfway http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/simple-serenity-2/ http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/simple-serenity-2/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:10:35 +0000 Christine McDonald http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/?p=1375 ]]> This photograph came to me through the pages of Peace Compassion Love. I was so instantly moved by it and wasn’t really quite sure to where. 

Was it the innocence, the simplicity, the serenity it invoked?

I didn’t know ~ ~ ~ I still don’t know

I do know that I found it so beautiful that I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it moves you in some way.

Please feel free to share what this simply beautiful photograph did for you.

~ ~ ~

]]> http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/simple-serenity-2/feed/ 0 christinefromboston 224327_207440629276982_154317147922664_699726_4715971_n http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/may-your-cup-always-runneth-over/ http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/may-your-cup-always-runneth-over/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:37:22 +0000 Christine McDonald http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/?p=1369 ]]>

May Your Cup Always Runneth Over

shared from the inspirational pages of

Peace Compassion Love

“Friend’s are the bridge over troubled waters”

~ Christine ~

Well, I’m just not a real strong proponent of that comment. I mean, ya, if you want a chocolate chip cookie and there’s none left, well then, it’s too late. You can’t have one.

But I think that expression is meant in a far less “literal” sense. And so THAT’S what I just don’t buy into. It’s never too late to be, to do, to try… to say I’m sorry, I love you, I appreciate you. If you’re here … then it’s just never too late.

~ ~ ~

At the beginning of the year I came upon a video that was “shared” from one person to another and eventually made its way to me. Now, I don’t want to tell you what it is, that would ruin the surprise, diminish the intrigue. What I will say is I’ve been wanting to share it here with you but my day, my life, my schedule constantly seemed to be like a runaway train . . . and I’m finally catching up.

So . . . here it is . . . a beautifully inspiring video. Inspiring not just for the music, the vocals, the instrumentation; not just for the imagery, the phrases or the serenity it invokes; but inspirational also for its message . . . so simple, so profound, so true.

Please enjoy this beautiful video by Angel Love. “Share” it with your friends. Employ it in your life. And then . . .

Go find something you wanted to do that you thought it was to late to do and

Just Do It

because . . .

It’s Never Too Late !

]]> http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/its-never-too-late/feed/ 0 christinefromboston http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/i-forgot-to-say/ http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/i-forgot-to-say/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:49:17 +0000 Christine McDonald http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/?p=1335 ]]> I could be wrong, but I think I forgot to say . . . 

H A P P Y

]]> http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/i-forgot-to-say/feed/ 0 christinefromboston 400006_2727714964022_1591639626_2462736_1236404607_n http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/hello-its-god-calling/ http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/hello-its-god-calling/#comments Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:04:14 +0000 Christine McDonald http://brainbrewblog.wordpress.com/?p=1317 ]]>

As I logged onto life this morning I soon discovered someone that I’ve come to know in this lifetime did not. It immediately brought to my lips a prayer of gratitude for yet another day I get to be here on earth with my family and friends. Then it brought to mind the realization that although we don’t mean to, we’re often so busy living, working, running errands and, sadly, sometimes finding fault with people, things and situations that we may somewhat take for granted that being here is a gift not a right. But this isn’t a speech so I digress . . .

Upon hearing the news today of the sudden and unexpected passing of yet another acquaintance, I got a flashback of 2011. The year started with the news of my own father having a massive and unexpected stroke and proceeded along amidst the entanglement of daily duties to a year closing on my final good-bye to six people.

The reality of that flashback threw me back – right into my chair, the memory of all who I’ve said good-bye to this year and the preciousness of life. I sat in the stillness of my thoughts for quite a while. And it was there that words of wisdom and inspiration came to mind such as:

• leave everyone you meet the way you would want to leave them if it were the last time you saw them – because one of those times will be the last time
• treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight
  
• never go to bed angry
• live like you were dying
• and the list goes on . . .

Then I looked around my thoughts to the emotional reality of so many people:

• fear
• anger
• hatred
• blame
• degradation
• condemnation
• and unfortunately that list goes on also

It made me sad to think that there are people alive wasting their time being angry and/or placing blame – and yet there are people who have passed that would give anything to come back for one more moment and experience the gift of life and everyone in it.

As we prepare to ring out the old and ring in the new – year – let’s resolute to. . .

Love Life and Everyone in it

And remember to ask yourself this at different moments of your day, if you got a call that said “Hello ! It’s God Calling. Time to go.” would you be ready to say good-bye? Would you be content with how you’re leaving life and others behind?

Take a minute and think about that because one day you will be getting that call as did:

Uncle Butch

Charlie

Mr. D

Jimbo

Grandpa Kiely

and

Randy Rideout – Rest in Peace

And to the Rideout family ~ may you find Peace !

~~~