"Are You Waiting?"

"Do not wait to give thanks until
every prayer is answered. Do
not wait to give thanks until
things are perfect. Give thanks
where you are, in the present
set of circumstances, in the
conditions in which you find
yourself." Martha Smock

We look around us and give
thanks for what we see. We
have much to be thankful for.

Sometimes we have this idea
of how things should be or
things we want to accomplish,
and because they aren't done,
we withhold our thanks. We
think the gratitude comes
when all is completed.

Martha Smock reminds us in
the above quote that we are
not to wait to give thanks.

When we really see what is
going on with our process, we
find things to be grateful for in
it. Perhaps the greatest thing
we can give thanks for is
knowing that Spirit is present
in it.

What is going on with you
now? Have you been waiting
to give thanks? Are you
willing to express your
gratitude for what is here now?

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are
grateful for the knowledge that
You are always present with
us. We have much to be
grateful for. We release the
need to wait for completion,
and we now look for any
opportunity to express our
thanks. Thank You, God.
Amen.

I am grateful for you. Thank
you, also, for sharing our
work with your friends. We
do have much to be grateful
for, and we are.

Love,
Sandy


Please go to the Positive Prayer blog and
leave us your comments. I love to hear from
you!
http://positive-prayer.blogspot.com/

© 2010 Rev Sandra Hopper. All rights reserved.
Feel free to pass the above in its entirety to
anyone you wish.


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"People Pleaser?"

Recently my beloved husband
asked me what I was afraid of
when I write my newsletter, or
as we call them "snippets."

He said that I have a message
to bring that no one else will
give in exactly the same way
or to the same people.

The Buddhists call the chatter
of our minds "monkey mind,"
and I realized that my old
people pleasing, banana eating,
monkey mind had been present.
I had been afraid to write about
some things because I didn't
want people to get upset or quit
subscribing to my "snippets."

Oh well. So I fed the monkey
a banana, and decided that
telling the truth and being
authentic in my ministry is
important to me. I will do the
best I can, and allow people
to make their own decisions
about what I write.

My desire is to walk in the
footsteps of our master
teacher, Jesus, who could
never be called a people
pleaser. He came to do
the Father's work.

How about you? Is there any
place in your life where you are
allowing monkey mind to rule
instead of being authentic?

Let Us Pray:
Divine Spirit, we desire to be
open, receptive, responsive,
and obedient to Your instruction
and guidance in our lives. Our
prayer is that we will not allow
anything to hinder our journey
and our willingness. Here we
are. We say "yes!" Amen.

You are the best, and I am
grateful for you.

Love,
Sandy

"Relaxation"

One of the steps of the five step
prayer process taught in Unity
is "relaxation."

The antithesis of this is stress
and tightness of muscles.

This has really come into my
awareness recently because of
pain I've been experiencing in
one of my shoulders. As a
physical therapist was doing
his evaluation, I said, "If I
could learn to handle my stress
differently, I probably wouldn't
be having the pain in my
shoulders and neck." He said,
"You could be right."

Instead of being willing to relax
and let go, I hold on.

This can sometimes also be
reflected in my prayer life.
Instead of relaxing and allowing
the Spirit of God to do its
perfect work, I hold on and am
attached to the process or
outcome.

I'm grateful that God is Love,
and loves each one of us
right where we are on our
journey of awakening.

Let Us Pray:
Thank You, Sweet Spirit, for
Your mighty work in us, and
for Your presence that never
leaves us. We relax and let go.
We allow You to do Your work.
We are grateful. Amen.

You truly are the best. Thank
you for journeying along with
us.

Love,
Sandy

"What Was the Purpose?"

"I could not help but wonder if
the reason for Jesus' seeming
willingness to be put to death was
that he knew that others would
never pick up the staff and move
on as long as he was in their
midst." -Rev. Linda Machesic

Whether this was part of Jesus'
willingness or not, it certainly is
true that the disciples and other
followers of Jesus would probably
not have been out there teaching
his message if he was still
around.

Many of us are content to read
the books and sit at the feet of
our gurus, rather than to put
feet to what we are taking in.

We compare ourselves to the
master, and decide we aren't
able or nearly as capable.

Our bottoms carry the calluses
instead of our hands and feet.

Comparisons will always hold
us back, unless we are
comparing ourselves with who
we used to be. Then, we can
truly celebrate the progress
and use it to move us forward.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we are
grateful for the inspiration of
Jesus and other master
teachers. Our desire is to
follow them and to see our
planet changed. Here we are,
send us. Amen.

Thank you, Linda, and all of
you who send comments,
love, and support. We feel
so blessed.

In joy,
Sandy

"Questions Answered"

"And very early on the first day of
the week, when the sun had risen,
they went to the tomb. They had
been saying to one another, 'Who
will roll away the stone for us from
the entrance to the tomb?' When
they looked up, they saw that the
stone...had already been rolled
back." Mark 16:2-4

These women went to the tomb
where the body of Jesus had been
placed. They carried spices and
were coming to prepare his body
for burial.

We know that they not only saw
that the stone was rolled away,
but the tomb was empty. Jesus
had risen.

All of their plans and concerns
were for naught. The stone was
rolled away and there was no body
to anoint.

"They looked up," metaphysically
this means, that they looked up in
consciousness to the place where
we meet the Christ within us, and
there were no longer any needs.

The stone that blocks our way, is
no longer a problem, as we look up
in consciousness. There are no
needs when we are in the Presence
of the Christ.

What stones are blocking you from
being or doing all you can?

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Wisdom, we
rejoice that we can "look up" and
see that we have no needs in Your
Presence. The stone is rolled
away. Thank You, God. Amen.

Have an Awe-filled Easter!

In joy,
Sandy

"He's Gone!"

"Father, into your hands I commend
my spirit." Luke 23:46

Jesus spoke these words and then
he died, according to the gospel
account.

Thus started the mourning among
many of the followers of Jesus
who had thought he would be their
king and end their suffering.

People are always looking for
answers outside of themselves to
rescue them. We don't see
ourselves as having our own
answers.

There are obstacles on our
journey, and it is up to us to see
that we have the answers to
remove them or to go around
them.

What obstacles are before you?
You have the answers.

Let Us Pray:
Divine Love and Wisdom, we are
grateful that You are with us on
this journey. You guide us to
our answers. Thank You, God.
Amen.

Blessings on your journey.

In joy,
Sandy

"Completion"

Today we celebrate Good Friday.
Good Friday is the day of
remembering the betrayal, trial,
suffering of Jesus, and ending with
the crucifixion.

"It is finished." John 19:30

These words of Jesus, spoken while
he was on the cross, seem to mean
that what Jesus had come to do was
completed.

Jesus came to show people that
they each have their answers
within them.

Even the people of Jesus' time were
looking for someone to come and
rescue them.

Jesus' message was love and
forgiveness. He pointed people to
the Father. Jesus said, "what I do you
can do, and even more."

His mission was completed, but ours
lies before us. It is up to us to
express our Divinity, and to live as
Jesus taught us.

Let Us Pray:
Loving Presence, we are open to do
what is ours to do. Jesus' work was
finished, but ours is before us. We
are grateful for Your guidance.
Thank You for Divine Ideas. Amen.

We are on a Hero's journey, and
grateful to be traveling with you,
Dear Heroes. Let us know how we
can support you.

In joy,
Sandy

"Thirsty"

"I am thirsty." John 19:28

These are more words that have
been reported to have been spoken
while Jesus was on the cross.

For so long we have lived in the
belief of separation from God. We
have been taught that we are
worthless sinners, and now we
want to fully let go of that belief.

Today our thirst is not from lack of
something to drink. The thirst that
drives us is to know more of God,
and to be able to express God. We
desire for others to know their
Divinity, and to see the
consciousness of our planet raised.

Yes, we, too, are thirsty.

Let Us Pray:
Sweet Holy Spirit, we thirst after
Your presence and desire to fully
express You wherever we are. We
desire that our planet may be fully
awakened to Your activity in each
person. Thank You, God. Amen.

We bless you during the celebration
of this Holy Week, and give thanks
for you.

Love,
Sandy

Please go to the Positive Prayer blog and
leave us your comments. I love to hear from
you!
http://positive-prayer.blogspot.com/