The Small Things

Smiling. Happy. Grateful. Confident God is at play in my life. Those are some thoughts and feelings I'm currently experiencing. Today has already been so pleasant, and it's only noon! I have felt blessed in almost every interaction that's taken place. My wife and I had a wonderful brunch at this little tea shop we love to frequent. The food was delicious. The staff was pleasant and attentive. I was thankful for each bite and just really enjoyed the meal. My mouth and tummy were simultaneously happy. 

Afterwards, we needed to go get a few "tide me over" items from the grocery store. The drive over was nice. When we pulled up I paused to let a few people pass and my wife said, "There's the empty spot I envisioned for us." When I looked toward her I saw the third spot from the door was open and waiting for us. A smile sprang to my face and I said, "Thank you, Jesus." We marvelled at how blessed we've been in this area ever since we both started practicing positive thinking, being grateful and happy now for all the blessings we have.

We quickly found the needed items and chose a fairly short line. We couldn't have been standing there more than a few seconds when this sales clerk approached us from nowhere and asked us to follow him down to his empty checkout line. We both said, "Okay!" with looks of amazement in our eyes and followed him. My wife then mentioned that this very thing has happened to her a couple of times lately. The guy who helped us was very nice and friendly.  His energy was exciting and uplifting.

This next part makes me chuckle a little.  Please know it is with complete gratitude, joy and total feelings of love that I do chuckle.

On the drive home, every stop light we came to was either green or changed to green within several seconds. This continued for the entire trip home, which is about 15-20 minutes -- and with at least 15-20 stop lights. Being a Sunday morning, we hardly encountered any traffic on the way to brunch. However, on the way home, we saw heavy traffic -- but only in the opposite direction. None of it affected us! It felt like God was clearing the pathway for us to get home. I know He was. I may never know why, don't need to. All I have to do is be grateful for all of my many blessings, especially the small things.

In peace and gratitude,

- Melinda

Reminders

I was "reminded" again today to BLOG.  Sorry, that's how it comes across in my thoughts.  I suppose if I just acted instead of doubting maybe the "scream" might become more of a whisper?  No post yesterday.  My reasoning at the time was not feeling inspired, I now know it was from not being in a place of complete gratitude.  Today, thankfully, I feel very inspired and encouraged by my inner voice.  That insistent nudge to blog reminded me I have many blessings and experiences to write about.

Paraphasing Rhonda Byrne, author of The Power and The Secret, we can't wait for the world around us to change into all that we want it to be.  We must make the changes we desire within ourselves first.  When we do that the frequency we're on changes and we start to look at the world from a different perspective.  We also begin to draw new and different kinds of experiences to ourselves.  We need only to be aware and alert to what is going on around us.

I know this to be true because it has happened to me.  Since I first started reading The Secret about six weeks ago I noticed right away things changing.  People seemed friendlier, I got discounts on things I never would have dreamed, timing worked in our favor over and over again are just some examples of how positive thinking and being grateful for what I already have brought about some desired changes.  Obviously, this just inspires me to do more, better.

I do have a very blessed life and I'm extremely grateful for it.


Abundance to All,

~Melinda

Sunday Mornings

On the weekends, usually Sunday, I often eschew my morning ritual for a more bohemian and "let the chips fall where they may" attitude.  This can be very enjoyable and relaxing--so relaxing that one (me) can forget to start out the day properly.  For me, that means being grateful for all the abundance I have. 

It took an encounter with my spouse for me to realize my mood was funky, and my mood was funky because ....oh yeah, I hadn't started out the day from a place of appreciation and love.  Once I realized that was the issue my mood immediately improved.  The power of love is an amazing thing.

*****

It's a gift to have friends, family, or whoever that we can rely on to help out when needed.  But to have someone in our lives who does so time and again, without pause or question, and never seeks reward or praise, is in essence true love coming directly from our higher power to us.

In harmony,

~Melinda

The Beginning

For some time now a voice, an idea has been flashing into my thoughts at seemingly random moments and times.  Initially I thought it was a good idea for a "pet" project later.  That frame of reference changed completely for me yesterday during my shower.  What I have been practicing for a month now and find easier to do each day is: start the day by being grateful.  I know some of us do this already -- out of love, faith, religion, habit, mental/spiritual exercise or any combination thereof.  How long it takes for each of us to remember, to realize we have many things to be grateful for right now differs, and that's okay.  

Based on the timing of my morning routine and my mental mantra, I typically end up saying my Thank you's while showering each day.  Coincidentally, I've been reminded that the majority of our brains and bodies are water.  With that reminder came some new (to me) scientific news that water responds positively to positive words and feelings. According to researchers, the energy level of water not only increases, but the structure of the water changes.  Considering those two scientific facts, and I was standing in running water plus my zodiac sign is a water sign, it all just seems very zen upon reflection. 

Going through my thank you's the word BLOG hurled itself into my mind.  Not for the first time was this concept entering my consciousness but never had it done so with such force and determination.  Two things happened immediately; I agreed I would start blogging as soon as I was dry, and I cried tears of joy and gratitude.  With the acquiescence came other "suggestions" or direction.  One was I should buy a new laptop (it's been a consideration for some time now) because I would need it for daily posts, and sharing my partner's with her would be counter-productive for both of us.  Instantly with that thought came the assurance of another -- not to worry about the cost of the laptop, it will be taken care of.  I was also given a brand name.  Cue the music, more tears of gratitude and happiness.  These coming as a result of the power of love and the realization my dreams are in the process of manifesting.  Albeit, never would I have dreamt that blogging would be a venue for achieving them.

Simultaneously, this nagging little question popped up: what do you know about blogging or writing?!?  Three spot-on answers presented themselves.  One, nothing.  Two, that's okay because your wife does!  And three, the content, the body, the heart and soul of what you will be writing will be coming from your own place of love.  Who better to write that but you?!  This is mentioned for two reasons: one, doubt will always try to slip in and hinder progress when one is on the right track or trying to better oneself.  The second is just as obvious.  The answer(s) or silencer of doubt is always there, too, with assurance and direction.

Following this I was also given three names to check online.  I smile here, because the third name came to me later than the first two and was the one that ended up being the link to getting me started here.

I must say this is an exciting experience for me.  I have innumerable things to be be grateful for and would like to mention a few now.  I'm grateful for my higher power, love, the power of positive thinking, life, health, joy, abundance, harmony, peace, the law of attraction, my wife, our "kids," Rhonda Byrne, Jack Canfield, James Ray, my parents and my sister.

Peace to All,


~Melinda