Faith In God Includes Faith In His Timing - Neal A. Maxwell

FAITH IN GOD INCLUDES FAITH IN HIS TIMING 

- NEAL A. MAXWELL

I saw this quote posted on my dear friend's Facebook wall and it instantly struck a chord in my heart. There have been countless times when I've wanted something and surrendered it to God trusting that HE will bring "it" into my life but HE doesn't. Or sometimes things happen that I had not asked for but I find myself in the midst of it, having to deal with it nonetheless.

So what is that all about?

As many of you already know that I have been happily divorced for the past almost 8 years. I started saying I was "happily divorced" very early on after the divorce to neutralize any responses of pity or grief, people were expressing to me upon hearing that I was divorced. Telling people that I was divorced would bring responses like, "Oh, I'm so sorry" or "Oh wow...are you okay?" as if someone had died. But telling people that I am "happily divorced" somehow informs people that I am absolutely okay with being divorced and that there is nothing to feel sorry about. The divorce was actually the beginning of the birth of this new me. "Happily" subconsciously suggests a celebration and therefore, people just tend to relax and smile. 

I'll always remember what a wise friend shared with me on the subject of God and HIS system of granting prayers.  He explained that when we ask God for something, the answer is not always YES or NO. Sometimes the answer is NOT NOW or I HAVE A BETTER PLAN FOR YOU.

Now in the moment, most of us lack the patience and the wisdom to trust God's plan for us. Instead, we get locked into the blame game and the victim role as we blame God or anyone else we can, for not getting our way and we cast ourselves in the victim role. We suffer in this self-imposed drama and perpetuate the state of lack in our lives. Hindsight being 20/20, it is usually years later that we are able to reflect back and see the BIGGER PICTURE of our lives and realize what a blessing that, "not getting what we wanted," really was.

In "Conversations of God - Book 1" by Neale Donald Walsch, God explains and I paraphrase, "You cannot have what you want because the very thought of "wanting" something assumes that you do not have it. Thus, God can only give you the feeling of "wanting"  instead of the actual object of your wanting. Instead, make requests in the form of expressing gratitude as though you have already received what you're asking for. This state of expressing gratitude assumes that you have already received the object of your asking and therefore you receive that."

(For a better explanation, please read Conversations with God - Book 1 by Neale Donald Walsch. In fact, if it was up to me, I would make reading this book mandatory for EVERYONE!)

Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea

I consider myself having a very close and personal relationship with the DIVINE.
HIM and I are tight!

I know HE has me (and everyone else for that matter) in the palm of HIS hands. 

So I usually strive to move through life in a state of gratitude, humility and compassion. But because I am not an angel but just a human being, I am PERFECTLY, IMPERFECT.  I too have my days where I fret with God. Sometimes I whine and throw temper tantrums like a little girl and sometimes I straight up challenge him to a boxing match with gloves and all.  But what I've learned over the years is that ALL the painful, sad, hurtful relationships, friendships, or events that have happened to me have been HUGE BLESSINGS in disguise.

For example, my divorce has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. I am grateful for all the many painful, sad nights and days spent feeling sorry for myself. I remember hating him so very much for the pain he was causing me. I remember feeling completely justified in wishing that he would just die so that my pain and suffering could be vindicated.  I remember feeling as though my heart could not bear another drop of sadness but yet I survived. And not only did I survive, I thrived. My divorce was a gift because I would not be the person I am today if I had not gone through the drama and pain of the divorce. I would not have walked down the different paths I was able to walk down nor would I have met the many people that I have met if I hadn't gone through the experience of the divorce. 

Each and everyone of those countless encounters and experiences acted like a sculptor's tool, as it slowly chipped away at the block of stone which was me, until my true self started to shape form. For a minute, imagine yourself being that block of stone and feeling the pain of the sculptor's tool as HE chips and shaves off the access parts of you. It hurts physically and emotionally. You feel confused and disheveled but when the sculptor is done, your real self which was always buried in that block of stone emerges.

Just a few thoughts to ponder upon.

Love and Light,

From one Sufi to another.

Anita

Piles of Dirty Laundry & Sink Full of Dirty Dishes!

Being a mom of two, growing boys, brings with it countless responsibilities.  

My day starts with making breakfast, preparing lunches, carpooling, laundry, dishes, figuring out dinner, homework, and bedtime. 

Sprinkle in the occasional parent-teacher conferences, football games, band recitals, birthday parties and Bar Mitzvaz. 
Top it with regularly, taking them to Jamatkhana (house of worship) and making sure they attend weekly, REC (Religious Education Center) classes along with baking cakes and cookies for them, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is a full-time job.

But of all the responsibilities, the chores I abhorred were the piles of soiled laundry and the sinks full of dirty dishes.

 It used to be that I would frown and complain (quietly, to myself, ofcourse) about all the work I have to do as a mother; the never-ending loads of laundry (washing, folding, ironing) and countless loads of dishes.

But last week as I was recovering from the flu, (which by the way, is no excuse for a break for a mom), the breakfast still needed to be made, the carpool still had to be driven, and the dirty laundry and dishes still had to be done and then it suddenly hit me!

Maya, Sophie and Aileen at Aileen's Birthday Party last week.

I realized that having the piles of dirty laundry and dirty dishes are actually huge blessings! 

Let me explain...the piles of dirty laundry means I have a family of loved ones that I am blessed to be around. 

The piles of laundry mean we are blessed to be able to afford the piles of clothes in our closet, unlike those around the world who literally have 2-3 outfits on their side of the shelf, in the family cupboard.

Dirty laundry means that I am blessed to be able to raise my boys and witness them grow into young men. 

Having dirty laundry means we are living a full and active life which enables the accumulating of dirty laundry.

Jake, not sure who, Sophie, another friend in the back and my Aly.

Having dirty dishes means we are blessed to have a roof over our heads and a kitchen sink. 
Dirty dishes mean we are able to afford meals at home.

It also means we are blessed to live with family!

So no more complaining when I am greeted with the never-ending loads of dirty laundry and sinks full of dirty dishes. 

Kids being silly!

I realize, that in just a few years, the boys will be attending university and our home will be empty.
There will be no more making daily breakfast, carpooling, preparing lunches, parent-teacher conferences, football games, band recitals, REC classes and no more piles of dirty laundry and sinks full of dirty dishes.
So instead of complaining, I am working on enjoying these moments and staying in a place of gratitude as I say a genuine and heartfelt, "THANK YOU" to HIM for blessing me with piles of dirty laundry and sinks full of dirty dishes.

I pray that you are blessed with piles of dirty laundry and sinks full of dirty dishes

Sending you love and light,

From one sufi to another,

anita

Life is too short...so live life fully NOW!

Life is short or rather, life is unpredictable. Nobody knows when their time is up. This isn't something we care to think about but life and death are simply a reality of our existence in the human form.


Some of us age to a ripe, golden phase of seeing our hair grey, our skin wrinkle and our bodies bend with time. If we're lucky, we can be grateful for the wisdom and awareness that only life experiences can bring us. If we're really fortunate, we'll be surrounded by love in the form of family and friends. But then there are others whose life is cut short for one reason or another. The promise held in the years left still to live is a reminder to us all that indeed, life is too short!


So let us all live each day to the fullest.
Let us speak kindly and lovingly to everyone we come in contact with starting with our spouses, our children, our parents, our friends, our co-workers.
Let us appreciate the ones closest to us, be it in proximity or emotional ties.
Let us slow down to appreciate each beautiful moment and take time to smell the roses.
Let us take the time to express our love and gratitude to our loved ones.
Let us take the time to express our gratitude to God always for granting us another BEAUTY FILLED (BEAUTIFUL) DAY !
Let us take time to figure out our dreams and make plans to turn them into goals.
Let us then start taking steps toward achieving the goals.
Let us forgive quickly, apologize earnestly, love passionately and give unconditionally!
Let us remember to BREATHE and BE PRESENT in each moment!!!


Please do share your thoughts on how you would live differently if you knew your expiration date or that of your loved ones.


Love and Light,
From one sufi to another,


Anita