The Secret to Happiness

I have long been of the opinion that the secret to happiness is managing expectations. I once read that expectations are simply anticipated disappointments. So if you want to be happy, don’t expect any one or anything to make it so. I’m not saying don’t dream but in the dreaming recognize that the only thing …

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A Valentine’s Day Greeting

I’m guessing that most Valentine’s Day greetings today will be from one person to another. I’d like to share what I think is a close approximation to the kind of love greeting that, if we were silent enough long enough, we might hear from our Source today. For this greeting, I’ve taken a few liberties …

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Values. Relationship. Conflict.

Values. . . we often assume we know what we mean when we bandy about terms like American values, Christian values, Progressive values, and family values. Yet the words we use to describe our values can have different meanings for different people, even the people closest to us. When values collide, conflict arises. Since February …

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Listening to Ourselves = Awakening

Listening to ourselves, to our own inner stirrings, is an act of awakening that leads us on a journey to wholeness. This listening is not simply thinking through an issue or problem and making a decision. This kind of listening is an act of consciousness that calls us to our deepest knowings—to the key bits …

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Listening with Discernment not Judgment

Listening with discernment rather than judgment is one of the greatest gifts we can give to each other. The difference between discernment and judgment is subtle but important. When listening with discernment, we recognize and understand the differences between what the speaker is saying and what we hold to be true. We respect their right to …

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Thought for the Day: Choose Love

Each morning we awake, we have a choice. Will we let the circumstances of our life determine the level of joy and gratitude we feel that day or will joy and gratitude flow simply from the gift of the day? Some days have more challenges than others yet how we perceive those challenges determines whether …

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Conscious Listening: The Ultimate Act of Generosity & Caring

Did you know that we spend 60% of our time listening? Unfortunately, most of us really don’t listen very well at all and we retain only 25% of what we hear. This lack causes all sorts of problems in personal relationships, at work, and even accessing everyday services like proper health care. Since January is …

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A New Year of love and hope

Thought for the day from writer and theologian Frederick Beuchner: The vocation for you is the one in which your deep gladness and the world’s deep need meet—something that not only makes you happy but that the world needs to have done . . . The kind of work God usually calls you to is …

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Novena for Peace: Day 9 Peace As a Way of Life

Peace begins with a thought, an idea, a seed germinating in a heart that is watered with love, gratitude, forgiveness, compassion, and respect for all life. Peace isn’t simply the focus of nine days of prayer; peace is a way of life. So, water the peace seed in you. Feed your heart with the smiles of …

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