Miracles News
Fall 2004

Soul Journeys

by Rev. Vallee Rose

Prayers, miracles and God have always been a part of my life. The beauty of God’s creations and the serenity of God’s Love swelled in my spirit despite a society dismissing such serenity as easily as empty McDonald’s containers. We prayed for people’s health, their travels, their trials and tribulations though ignored the praises to our Creator for what health and happiness we experienced. God became a “Sugar Daddy”; “Give me this and that!” rather than seen for what Love is: Our Creator, the Guide of the Universe, the essence of our soul’s journeys.

We can pray and hope, beg and plead for what we want from a toy truck to a healthy heart. Yet we must remember to praise our Creator for assisting us on the journey we have agreed to, both the dark nights and the golden days. We must remember to pray with our Creator to assist us in remembering our spiritual life and to fulfill our soul’s journey to the best of our ability. Too often we judge ourselves in terms of how well we protect others, raise perfect children and behave by societal norms. We ignore the truth in order to be accepted, decrease earthly conflict and escape from ourselves. We run from what we know to be the truth only to be enmeshed within religious institutions and societal ways. And then we attempt to make sure that all others follow us.

I spent the first thirty years of my life with an internal battle between what I knew to be truth and the path I had been asked to follow. In the middle of studying to be an ordained minister, I had an experience that changed my life. My daughter was sixteen at the time. Her father and I separated when she was one year old, making me a single parent with no assistance. My daughter spent her younger years being labeled everything from emotionally disturbed, strong-willed and having potential, to being a joy to be around and a wonderful dance student. She lived with a mother who was often confused, a perfectionist, a workaholic and had few effective parenting skills. I tried everything from yelling to time-outs, sticker charts, rewards and consequences. Keeping her busy with dancing proved the most effective. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) wasn’t very popular back then or she probably would have been diagnosed such, though I am glad that she wasn’t diagnosed in this way.

My daughter had her own soul journey and I was right in the middle of it, so it seemed. In my heart, I knew she was her own person and had her own journey. I allowed her to pick out her own clothes, eat when hungry, and attempt to monitor herself with parental guidance; something I hadn’t learned until later in life. I was ridiculed and scorned for her behavior as well as mine, and yet I stuck to what my Higher Self told me was the best action to take. As she became older, the advice and scorn increased. My daughter left home for weeks at a time saying she was going to this person’s home or the other. Often drugs were involved, cruising late at night and overall “deviant” behavior according to our society. But I was always there if she wanted to come home or needed a ride out of a potentially dangerous situation. I trusted her until she proved otherwise. I guided her and assisted with the positives in her life as much as I could. And I prayed! I didn’t pray that she would do this or do that; I didn’t ask our Creator for her to come home and go to school like a “good girl.” But rather, I prayed she was as safe as possible as she followed her chosen path and that she would keep God in her heart.

I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to allow my daughter to follow her own journey until one evening after work as I walked through the front door. My daughter was in her usual position: sprawled on the living room sofa. Everything appeared in its usual fashion: the apathy when I said hello, the lack of movement and the overall lethargy. But today had been different for her. Her boyfriend’s mother wouldn’t allow him to visit her that afternoon. So she made another plan: She asked her girlfriend to take her to WalMart, which her girlfriend did. Inside WalMart, my daughter purchased two bottles of aspirin and then had her girlfriend drive her home. She said she had a headache. Once at home alone, she swallowed the aspirin.

As I walked through the front door that evening feeling the daily frustration of my daughter not upholding her end of the bargain of either attending school or having a job, I had no awareness of the emotional pain she was experiencing or the journey she was following until she called out my name and told me of her actions. Often dealing with crisis in my work, I immediately went into the counselor mode. I had her tell me where the empty aspirin bottles were and I counted how many pills were left in the bottles. I, then, called the local emergency room to report that I was bringing her in immediately. I pulled my daughter into the car despite her objections and drove her to the ER as she was passing out on me.

Once in the ER, I stood by her side as she went in and out of consciousness and the nurses struggled to get a tube down her throat. I stood and watched as God spoke to me, “This is your daughter’s journey. You have been a good parent and guide. This is not about you, but rather between your daughter and Me. Pray that she keeps Me in her heart. This is her soul’s journey.” And so I did as I said good-bye to any selfish prayers I may have had of wanting her to live. I prayed she would keep her Creator in her heart and remember the truth. That day I learned how little I knew about the soul journey of others.

Today, my daughter is twenty-two years old with a beautiful husband and son. She is happy and living a life she loves. She may not do everything the way that her mother would do it, but she is being true to her soul journey and I am to mine. We love each other dearly and spend time together whenever possible. She continues to be my teacher and guardian angel.

Rev. Vallee Rose is a Pathways of Light minister living in Raton, New Mexico.

Email: ariel2424@msn.com

Keep it Simple... Peace First

by Rev. Debbie Bolton

I just celebrated a birthday, and many things drifted through my mind. It became a time to reflect, a time to realize all my blessings, a time to appreciate others, and a time to smile gently (even chuckle) at myself. In the course of reviewing my life, a large portion of the reflections were of my spiritual path — you know the one that is sometimes rocky, other times like gliding on cool sand on a hot day, and sometimes it even comes to a complete halt. Road block barricades big, red and white. Other times with many forks in the road. Which way to go?

I think to myself, if I had one piece of advice to give to someone stepping on to one of those paths, what would that advice be? Now, I could offer such advice and I do know what that tidbit would be, but more importantly, I also know I am not here to give advice. I am here to facilitate a “process” and yes it is a process! Cuz, like me they too shall do the work of stumbling on rocks in the path, being confused at the crossroads, maybe even hop off the path at times. Still, I do feel I can share a tidbit that I have found valuable — always, always, always remember — peace first, and keep it simple.

I learn this lesson over and over. And perhaps one day I will get it all the time instead of most of the time, which is better than where I used to be, which was some of the time. (My mind healing partner, Michelle and I frequently giggled early on in our journey together, that we should just tattoo a big P on our foreheads to help us remember!)

I have learned practice is the key. Practice until it is second nature or on automatic pilot. Our receptionist frequently hears me breathe deep and thinks it is a big sigh. Nope, it’s practice. Seeking and soaking in the peace. I don’t know if anyone can relate, but one of my re-current behaviors was to get into that Miracles book, bury my nose, furrow my brow, highlight the good stuff, and try to figure out what is said, then analyze it (recovering Virgo, analytical, perfectionist) memorize it, then get exhausted and put it on the mental shelf! Finally, I just sat back, remembered “Peace First,” took a breath, and decided to just read on. It will come clear. It always does. Be patient, trust, chill! And sure enough, unexpectedly, with ease will come a new morsel of understanding, reaffirming once again that this is a process.

The other lesson I learned from returning as much as possible to “aiming for peace first” is this. Many times, when I asked Holy Spirit for guidance, unbeknownst to me, what I really had was an agenda. I was asking for what I wanted (or thought I wanted), and ultimately may not really be in my best interest, or my path. In other words, there was frequently an attachment there.

Opening myself to peace rather than specified (agendized!) guidance has led me to more discoveries. Relationships faded away that may not have been for my greatest good, activities surfaced which brought enhancing situations in to my life, and all in all my faith has been strengthened. It led to discoveries of areas where I may be using projection, denial, etc., and has allowed me to see them, ask for Guidance, and release them. All in time when it was right for me.

Doing the “peace first always” process has also led to the discovery that there were times when I segmented my life, giving this problem to Spirit, that relationship to me (uh, ego), that job search for Spirit, this issue for me, like sharing M&M’s — ego… Spirit, one for me, one for You! When I came to this realization, a light bulb went off and I began the practice of going to peace and turning to Spirit for all things all the time, everywhere, in the store, car, shower or workplace.

My mind healing partner Michelle goes to Spirit when she picks out her watermelons. Why not? It’s wonderful! Needless to say, a big smile surfaces whenever I buy watermelon, and I value the lesson learned.

Peace can be ours as we remember. Joy can be in all those little things we may take for granted. Spirit will guide us if we let It, and I sense Spirit loves us to ask. I ask to be open to the guidance of Spirit, and trust in Its wisdom.

My gratitude extends greatly to all of us as we share our experiences and heal our minds.

Rev. Debbie Bolton is a Pathways of Light minister living in Edina, Minnesota.

Email: dbolton@dgpackaging.com

Election Day November 2, 2004

by Rev. Therese Ward

Nationally we are focused on Bush vs Kerry for President of the United States of America. Then there are the states electing their congressmen and women, and local cities electing officials from mayors to commissioners to you name it.

The “race” my husband and I have been personally working with is on a county level. Our daughter-in-law, Jude Julie Reinhardt Ward is on the ballot for Cambell county Circuit Court Judge. There are also three men running for this position.

Let me say straight up, this is my first active (other than voting) work in politics and it is a challenging arena for practicing ACIM.

It seems the whole voting system has its foundation built on the idea of separation. One person vs. the other; the us vs. them of political parties and of course someone must lose in order for another someone to win. Ignorance of a world asleep.

We are sleeping and dreaming chaotic dreams. In our fear and guilt we are imagining a world of separation and lack, punishment and loss.

It is said that politics is dirty business, and with just this limited exposure to it I’m observing the cruel tricks and calculating, strategic deceptions and outright bald face lying that goes on in these “children’s” games. As an aside, I’m also reminded of the summer Olympic “games” being held in Athens, Greece. Again the win or lose paradigm.

So where did I find myself in my daily ACIM reading yesterday? Right where I needed to be — T.30.Vl, The Justification for Forgiveness, where I’m told that anger is never justified. Pardon is always justified and forgiveness recognized as merited will heal. It gives the miracle its strength to overlook illusions.

And today — T.30.Vll, The New Interpretation, where I’m set straight about “my scripts” and how the day should be. I quote paragraph 4: “A common purpose is the only means whereby perception can be stabilized, and one interpretation given to the world and all experiences here. In this shared purpose is one judgment shared by everyone and everything you see. You do not have to judge, for you have learned one meaning has been given everything, and you are glad to see it everywhere, unchanged by circumstance. And so you offer it to all events, and let them offer you stability.”

And so I hear, “Wake up in Oneness. Wake up in Divine Order. Wake up in your brother as your one Self.” And so I say thank You, Father, for Your perfect Son, and in his glory will I see my own.

So I let go of my script in this political drama and my attachment to outcome as I merrily knock on doors and put up signs in a peaceful state.

Just to reinforce what I was learning from Holy Spirit, a few days later in The Manual for Teachers, #2 on page 5 — Who Are Their Pupils, put a new spin on this whole business of political races; that is the miracle! Thank you, thank you.

Rev. Therese Ward is a Pathways of Light minister living in Cold Spring, Kentucky.

Email: d.t.ward@fuse.net

Pouring Rains Eventually Baptize

by Rev. Bob Thompson

Recently I have had about 20 lengthy and intensive interactions, with a friend sharing my home, who has been going through multiple personal crises. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross frequently came to mind during these emotion-filled and thought-provoking episodes because of the grieving my friend was enmeshed in.

Repeatedly sliding into the different steps that a dying person may go through: denial (Why me God?), anger (at the whole world, God, or self, or all of the above), depression (no way out), acceptance (of what is, and finally, peace) and even bargaining (God, I promise to do such and such if you will only do this or that).

In the beginning, it seemed quite chaotic to me. But as I learned to recognize the continued reappearances of those five siblings: denial, anger, depression, acceptance (and bargaining), it was obvious that they received so much attention because this was my friend’s many-faceted approach to coping with the death of one’s perceived greatest personal treasures, as well as a lifelong way of life. Occasionally, when the emotions and vocabulary were strong, I initially forgot that I was looking into a mirror, forgetting that my friend is myself, and that he or she, is really me, speaking to myself.

The short of it is that I have been in intensive “mirror therapy” for an unusually long, and deeply moving period of time. Perhaps this is inevitable, when one truly listens.

We have both been blessed with new views and perspectives. We both know now that we have gifted each other and self. Our shared path into the verbal and emotional mazes of fear has been truly a heroic journey. We have dared to look into the many faces of fear — the monsters of self. These fears with their many faces, frequently appear in so many of our daily mirrors. But my friend and I, after weeks of emotional and fearful searching, have only found that every mirror contains only our own fearful and sometimes puzzled faces.

We have explored new territories into self and claimed them as our own. Two pioneers, committed to steadily inching along towards peace and happiness. Our progress is obvious to us both. We are in agreement that neither of us will ever be the same.

A great way to enrich yourself is to listen to a troubled friend. And if you really want to be rich, listen a lot.

Rev. Bob Thompson is a Pathways of Light minister living in Portage, Wisconsin.

Email: thetwowolves@webv.net

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