Aligning our sight with the vision the Lord holds for us

There is a law that governs this universe. It is as real as gravity. It's effects are indisputable. With this law we shape the world around us. With this law we bring into our lives all the goodness and joy we desire. This law is always working, whether you believe it is real or not. It is shaping your life this very moment, as you read these words, as you think each thought you are creating, through the law of attraction.

The law of attraction is simple. Like attracts like. That is all it means. I want you to think about this for a moment as I describe to you how it works.

Imagine getting out of bed in the morning feeling rested. You've just had a wonderful night's sleep and the new day is full of sunshine and promise. You open your eyes feeling invigorated. As you prepare for your day, everything seems to be going well. You feel wonderful, from your closet you wear the new shirt you've been holding onto for a special occasion and as you slip it on you feel the joy, excitement and gratitude for this beautiful piece of clothing. Why don't you turn on your favorite music, throw open your window and let the sunshine cascade into your room. You have flowers beside your bed. They are from the love of your life. They are your favorite. You smile at the thought of his care and devotion. Now it's time to make your bed, the comforter is gorgeous. You found it on sale at Bed Bath and Beyond and it was a steal, as you place each pillow down you delight in the transformation of your bed as it becomes the picture of your dream bed. Now leave your room and walk into the kitchen. What do you want for breakfast? Something fresh, something juicy maybe? How about a perfect sun-ripened grapefruit. I don't know how many of you have ever tasted a sun-ripened grapefruit before but they are nothing like the sour things you've bought from Safeway. Each bite of the yellow fruit bursts with flavor in your mouth. Filling your senses with sweetness. Even the scent is invigorating.  You can feel the perfection of this fruit feeding every cell in your body. This, is how food should taste.

You are in a good place right now aren't you? Was it because you had a morning like this one? Was it because you could have a morning like this one? Or you want a morning like this one? No. It was because you were thinking of the morning I was describing. You were visualizing. And those visual images created feelings. Without even experiencing these things your were feeling their effects. As you have thoughts of joyous, positive images, more thoughts of joyous positive images will flow easily to you. And as a result you will feel good. In this place of feeling good, more good comes to you, because you are attracting it. You are attracting more things like it into your day. That is the law of attraction.

If you wonder if this is true or not, take a moment and start to really observe yourself. Be aware of how you are feeling and when that feeling shifts. It will shift because of a thought. Thoughts carry mighty power. This is why it is so important to be aware of them. Thoughts create emotion, and emotion shapes our life. If you want to learn more about the law of attraction, just Google it. You'll find a TON of information out there.  But the purpose of this entry is not to expound upon a law that has so many times been observed and described over the centuries. My purpose is to suggest an observation I have made about this law that is being so widely spread at this time.

It is a wonderful thing to understand. There is power in realizing that you can choose to bring good into your life. We are not just victims of circumstance, we are given the life we have and then we mold it, change it perceive it and grow in it as we choose. Not everyone has been given this truth, they think bad things keep happening to them because that's just the way life is, not because they are attracting it to themselves through their thoughts. For this reason, I love the information we have about the law of attraction. It is empowering people to step out of their  misery and suffering, one thought at a time. This is an exciting wake up call! But with this power to create, with this power to attract what we choose, into our life, what are we choosing? This is where I think many teachings about the law of attraction fall short. I often hear it suggested that we can pick and choose the layout of our life.

Choose the car you want, the type of vacations you want, the house you want, the body you want, the recognition you want, the clothes you want, the abundance you want, you want, you want, you want, you want, you want. But do you really want to spend your entire life thinking and attracting only what you YOU want?   It's a good place to start, but be careful not to get stuck there.

Might I suggest there is something greater to want. Something offered by the creator of our souls, a plan offered by a God who sees more in us than our mortal existence. Let's think for a moment about what God wants, for us to want.

I do not think that God wouldn't want you to desire a car, or good friends, or a comfortable home, or a healthy body or nice clothes. These are all good things a loving Father in Heaven would want his children to enjoy, just as we want our children to enjoy comfort and material possessions. But these things are all desired from a very limited, mortal perspective. And they are fleeting. They will last only as long as we are here upon this earth. God's perspective of us reaches far beyond what we can imagine. And long before what we can remember. If we focus only upon our mortal wants we loose sight of the deeper and more lasting joys that can only be offered when we seek to want what God wants for us.

Your Heavenly Father knows you, He loves you and He wants you to be happy throughout your mortal  journey on this earth. Part of that happiness comes in the form of mortal things. But he also wants you to attract into your life joys of spiritual nature. Eternal wants that you can take with you when you leave this earth and all the lovely things you thought you wanted here are gone. He wants you to have an eternal purpose, family and posterity. A testimony of truth and light. Integrity and wisdom. A heart full of service and love. There are experiences He wants you to have that can only happen when you start to attract Him into your life. There is greater joy offered through our Savior than we can conjure up in our own mind. I can not tell you the great and marvelous things God wants for you personally, that is between you and Him.  But if you want to find out what greatness lies within you then liken yourself to the greatest source of love this world has ever known.  Be like our Savior. Fill your life with love. Let those thoughts that mold your day, and shape the desires of your heart be love. Let it be gratitude. Open your mind to the possibility of more than the mortal attractions we can get lost in.

I promise you, seeking to liken yourself to the Savior will bring more abundance, prosperity, joy, security, goodness and peace into your life than you could ever create through your own thoughts. Your thoughts alone are limited. Liken your thoughts to the Lord's and nothing is impossible. He will work through you to perform miracles, to change lives, including your own.

He will not leave you wanting, while everything else will. My dear divas, dream big! Cut out pictures of lovely homes, and fragrant flowers, garden tubs, trips to Maui with your husband, and a pair of perfect white pants! Feel the feelings of joy and gratitude as you imagine these wonderful things and experiences. But don't stop there. Don't limit your vision. As wonderful as these things are, they will not last.(Except maybe those fabulous memories of Maui...)

But I urge you, take the time to focus on our Savior. Let your likeness of Him attract His light, and be willing to let His influence guide you. Our Savior is love. When we love like the Savior miracles happen. The heavens open and the blessings pour forth as the floodgates are released, and we will attract all good things into our lives and the lives of those around us. With Christ, creation happens not just to bring forth our fleeting wants, but the eternal desires of our hearts. Through aligning our sight with the vision the Lord holds for us, we will see who we truly are, who we can become, and what we really want throughout our eternal progression. As you bring one thought closer to the Savior, this process will begin to take place, and more will come, until the day like attracts light.

 Imagine a world where every person is in alignment with God. Imagine being so like our Savior, the heaven's could not keep Him from our presence because He is drawn to His children like a magnet. Imagine families so filled with the light of Christ, love is ever present because it is all we know. Imagine the influence we can have on our friends and neighbors as we love them and nurture them, because our greatest desire, our greatest joy is in being someone, for another person. This is a vision I will hold my entire life. To be like my Savior, to change the world with His love, to inspire and uplift as many people as I can by sharing my faith in Him. To sit as His feet like the disciples of old, that my heart might be filled with His wisdom and grace.

This is what We want.

May your hearts be filled with the light of Christ,
And may that light bring all the blessings of heaven and earth to you, and your family,
This is my wish for you dear divas,

DD

A writer's song

"A good poet often rubs shoulders with the prophets. It is the expanded sensitivity to those things around us both in time and space that makes it so. Don't let this old world encrust your heart. Let it grow everyday."

My grandpa wrote me those words when I was nineteen years old. I'd been sending him dozens of e-mails with my own ideas, philosophies and mostly poetry. Oh, how he encouraged me, how he loved me, and still does to this day.  My dear grandpa Cannon, how I love you for seeing in me a voice I didn't even know I had yet.

Ten years before that, when I was in third grade, my grandpa Kohler found a poem I'd written for school. It was called "The winter present" and it was a sweet little musing with off beat rhythms and imperfect rhymes. (A lovely habit I carry with me even today) My grandpa was so impressed, he framed that poem and proudly hung it in his office at work. To this day my little poem hangs above the desk in his home. Every time I see it, I feel the trust in my own voice grow because my grandpa believed in it years ago.

I live a life surrounded by people who believe in me.

Before every voice recital or performance my dad has whispered in my ear "Do you love to sing?" And waited for my answer "Yes, I love to sing!" Teaching me that sometimes we must love something before we are good at it, not love it because we are good at it.

I had a wonderful experience in public school, surrounded by teachers who encouraged me to grow and challenged me to open my heart and be me. Having the experience of being taught by such talented and inspired mentors is a blessing I am deeply grateful for.

My voice teacher, my Italian Momma, took me under her wing as a gangly twelve year old and wrapped me in the cocoon of her music and love from which I emerged a woman of confidence, grace, and poise. She taught me, not just how to sing, but why to sing. She showed me that music is an expression of the soul, a way to connect with humanity and anything less than that is just noise. Music is life to her. If she ever stopped singing, it would be as though she stopped breathing. Apart of her spirit would suffocate and die.

I married a man who marvels at my every move. Every thought I have he appreciates every note I sing he applauds to. If I have a dream he makes its pursuit a possibility, no matter the cost. His love and acceptance have allowed me to become more than I knew I could be. No matter where he is, or when I've seen him last, I feel his love and devotion deep within me. His love binds me to him in a way that miles can not separate. It is his love that frees my spirit to soar, and allows my heart to grow without boundary.

I am surrounded by people who make my life heaven on earth. I am uplifted and sustained by all of you. I can open my heart and be me without fear because of your love and acceptance. I know how very blessed I am. I know that I am who I am because of people whose love, influenced my life and allowed me to become what the Lord intended. My parents always told me that I could make more out of my life than they could. They never doubted the potential within me.

To all of you, my friends, my family, my church, my teachers, my mentors, my God, thank you. It is with a gratitude so consuming I can barely describe its magnitude. Thank you, for being the inspiration I needed to find my voice. I will spend the rest of my life singing for you, returning to you the love I have received in such gracious abundance. My song can not be silenced now, it will carry with a mighty crescendo stretching to the far reaches of the earth. Filling all the hearts who hear it with this love I know so well. This love that taught me to sing. Love that taught me dreams take flight on the wings of passion. Love that taught me to let your heart grow everyday. Love that taught me faith can be framed above a desk, and music can give a little girl a voice with which to sing out the songs of heaven. Love that taught me I can influence the world. I have the power to bring peace to this earth. There is enough light within me to light the universe. I am not afraid to love. I am full of gratitude for my existence, for my Lord and Savior, for my family, for this glorious world and all the children of God within it.

I love you world!

The Domestic Diva

Merry-go-round

Life's a merry-go-round. There are ups and downs, but all in all, it's a magical ride!

It's late as he walks out to the SUV. His blue uniform melts into the dark night air and I watch as he pulls out of our parking space, rolls down his window and waves at us one last time before driving away. Arms flailing madly Scotty and I wave enthusiastically tossing a kiss toward him at random. Our choruses of "I love you, see you soon, and good-luck" play a game of bumper cars as we call out back and forth to each other. He's tired. He doesn't want to leave. He wants to stay home and wrestle with Scotty some more. He wants to snuggle up on the couch with me in front of the fire and eat left over Santa cookies. But he smiles just the same, as the Navy calls him away from us once again.

I carry Scotty back into the apartment, locking the door behind us. "Your daddy will be home and playing with you before you know it!" I smile. He jumps down and runs off to give his new batman car another race along the couch. I walk into the bedroom. My kneels hit the floor and I bow my head quietly before the Lord. My heart pours out as I plead for the safe return of my husband, and for the Lord to bless him with the strength he needs to fulfill every task put before him. To keep him healthy and strong. And to keep our family's hearts knit together in unity and in love even while he is away.

Then I remembered the last time Josh came home. How wonderful it felt to have my husband in my arms again. The magic of each kiss we shared, after missing those kisses so much. I could hear Scotty laughing with  his daddy, as they wrestled on the ground rolling around like boys do-growling, kicking, punching and hugging all at the same time. My heart felt nothing but peace and gratitude for a husband I love so much. 

There are ups and downs

on this merry go round,

this merry go round 

we call life

Hellos and goodbyes

some laughs

and some cries-

some sunshine

some rain clouds

some strife.

But give me the choice

to watch or to ride

I'll choose riding 

that horse every-time!

Whether heaven or hell

we all know full well,

that a carousel ride

is sublime

My dear divas, life has moments we love and moments we must simply learn to accept. Through contrast, the moments we are down help us recognize the moments we are up! The memories and joy of moments we are up, sustain us the moments we are down. Whether up or down, the joy is-you are living life! Cry freely, laugh loudly, love passionately. You are a diva! Sing out with your voice. Happy or sad, up or down, they are all part of the grand carousel ride. Your feelings will not consume you, they will express you!

May you all  have the courage to sing your song full voice, be it full of tears or full of joy. May you climb on the back of that perfect horse (you know the pink one with the gold saddle and bright red roses with ribbons cascading down its mane) and let it carry you up and down. Wave back to the world around you and feel the magic. Feel life.

Okay-dibs on the pink horse...

The Domestic Diva

Boomerang. Ouch.

I will never forget the day I met our new neighbors. The Georges. They were the coolest family in the whole world. THE WHOLE WORLD! Their oldest daughter and I became fast friends, even though she was a bit older than I was, we rode bikes together through out the neighborhood, babysat together, and shared deep personal conversations about the important things in life, like shaving our legs, and how dashing her little brother (who was actually my age) looked in his boyscout uniform. (I thought he was dashing, she not so much). Mrs. George was a leader for me in my church youth group and she was my favorite. Not only did she genuinely love all the girls she taught, I was convinced she would be be my mother in law someday. Twelve year old girls are often prophetic like this. So, her opinion of me mattered. A lot.

One day the "brilliant idea" light went off in my adolescent mind. (That is never a good sign) and I decided to start a news letter to distribute to all of my friends. I gave it some goofy title like "Blah" and proceeded to write out my observations of the world in full detail according to my philosophical tween view. It wasn't pretty. It was, to say the least embarrassing. It was chock full of what little girls say about other girls when they are insecure and unsure about their own identities. Gossip. Yes. Not only was I participating in gossip, I was doing it in writing. In a NEWSLETTER for goodness sake! Which I very purposefully circulated among friends!

I'm sure you have already guessed, this ends badly. Mrs. George found my newsletter. And soon my gossip boomeranged right back into my face. I was crushed when I discovered my mother had learned of my literary expounds, from the one woman I truly wanted to impress. I don't remember a lot about the following conversation. Memories are often blocked when all you can hear is your heart pounding in your ears. However, I do remember being told that this behavior was not me. That I was above gossip. And that it needed to stop.

A word flew
out my mouth
I couldn't get it back
despite my reach
or racing feet
the word
was out of grasp

On lofty wings
it flew
with power, force
and speed
but left its shadow
branded
deep inside of me

I've lost it now,
it's gone.
Where it landed,
I don't know
but carelessly
I tossed it
I recklessly
let go

Oh, be mindful
of the words
you toss,
Take care
for what you say,
with wings of might
will fast take flight
and land,
too far away.

You have the power to take this God given voice of yours and use it to sing songs to your children, praise and adore your husband, and encourage and uplift your friends and family. You can join in the happiness and success of others and take part in the blessing of their joy. Or you can criticize, judge,gossip and complain. Either way, you send your words off into the world and whether or not you see them again they can never be taken back. Your words may or may not reach the ears of a person you speak of, but the gossip will echo within your ears and heart-it will effect your character. In this way words always come back to you, just like my silly newsletter did. But they will never come back the way they were sent off. They will leave your mouth and find a person to hurt, or help. Sometimes, the only person they find is you.
May you have the strength of character to be kind, in all you say.
This is my wish for you, my fellow divas.

DD

PS-I did not marry the boy in a scout uniform, rather a man in a Navy uniform. But Mrs. George is still one of my favorite people on earth. And her opinion of me matters. A lot.