THE EYES THAT SEE

By: Joseph J. Mazzella

I have a blind friend who lives in New York City. Although we have never met face to face, we still write each other frequently. She is a remarkable lady and has become like a sister to me. Her optimistic and enthusiastic letters always lift my spirits and the inspiring poems she shares with the world always bring a smile to my face. She is all the more amazing due to the fact that she lost her sight halfway through her life. She had to give up her career and relearn to do everything that most of us take for granted. Many would have given up after such a loss but not her. Instead she embarked on a glorious new life full of award winning volunteer work. Her days are full of teaching English to new immigrants, counseling hurting hearts, writing, serving her religious community, and helping others in every way she can.

The light of my friend’s example is a beacon that I try to follow as well. Whenever I feel too challenged in my own life I look at the challenges that she has overcome in hers. She may have lost her sight but she never lost her soul. She knows that the eyes that really see are the eyes of the heart, and she does her best everyday to follow the loving vision that they give to her. I am sure too that the eyes of the angels watching over her are always filled with tears of joy and that their faces are always full of shining smiles.

I hope then that when you go through your own life you are not distracted by the murky view that this world so often gives you. I hope that you see it for the illusion it is and instead look at life with the clear vision of your heart’s eyes. God wants us to see this world and our lives through the eyes of love. It is only then that our sight will be pure. It is only then that our path will shine brightly before us. It is only then that we will see how we were meant to live and how we can best bring Heaven to Earth.

(c). Droplets from Life: www.dropletsfromlife.blogspot.com

HAPPINESS IS A VOYAGE

We convince ourselves that life will be better once we are married, have a baby, then another.

Then we get frustrated because our children are not old enough, and that all will be well when they are older.

Then we are frustrated because they reach adolescence and we must deal with them. Surely we'll be happier when they grow out of their teen years.

We tell ourselves our life will be better when our spouse gets his/her act together, when we have a nicer car, when we can take a vacation, when we finally retire.

The truth is that there is no better time to be happy than right now.
If not, then when?

Your life will always be full of challenges. It is better to admit as much and to decide to be happy in spite of it all.

For the longest time, it seemed that life was about to start. Real life. But there was always some obstacle along the way, an ordeal to get through, some work to be finished, some time to be given, a bill to be paid. Then life would start.

I finally came to understand that these obstacles were life.
That point of view helped me to see that there isn't any road to happiness.

Happiness IS the road.

So, enjoy every moment.

Stop waiting for school to end, for a return to school, to lose ten pounds, to gain ten pounds, for work to begin, to get married, for Friday evening, for Sunday morning, waiting for a new car, for your mortgage to be paid off, for spring, for summer, for fall, for winter, for the first or the fifteenth of the month, for your song to be played on the radio, to die, to be reborn.......before deciding to be happy.

Happiness is a voyage, not a destination.

There is no better time to be happy than...NOW!
Live and enjoy the moment.

- Author Unknown.

Droplets from Life:www.dropletsfromlife.blogspot.com

PARADISE WITHIN

My good friend and neighbor is dying. She has battled more health problems through the years than anyone should have to endure. Now as she approaches her 57^th birthday she knows that it will probably be her last. She has started giving away a lot of her things so her loving husband won’t be stuck with her "Junk" as she says. She has already given me several books, containers, clothes for my daughter, and a beautiful Hawaiian shirt to add to my collection.

She has given all of us around her much more than just her stuff, though. She has also given us her friendship, her kindness, and her joyous smile. She has given us her wit, wisdom, and sweet laughter. She has given us her shining spirit that has made all of our lives so much brighter. When my daughter turned 19 my friend made her a red velvet cake and talked with her about what is important in life. When a local dog was nearly killed by a bear my friend welcomed it into her home and nursed it back to health. When any of us needed anything she was there doing all that she could with a heart full of love and a soul full of goodness.

She did all of this too while her health continued to grow worse and worse. My friend, however, is not afraid of death. She has told me several times that she believes it will only be like a brief sleep and then she will awaken in Paradise. I am sure as well that she will fit right in there, because she already has a lot of paradise within herself. It is the paradise within her that she has so freely and beautifully given to us all.

I thank God for giving me a chance to get to know her. She has shown me that we all have a bit of paradise within ourselves. She has shown me too that the best way to enjoy that paradise is to share it with everyone you meet. I wish my friend only joy in her remaining days here and endless love and life in her coming days in Paradise.

(C). Joseph J. Mazzella.

(C). Droplets from Life: http.dropletsfromlife.blogspot.com

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A MESSAGE FOR MYSTICS

Your best work for God is to be bold in recognizing and accepting His grace in your spirit. He has chosen you for His own reasons, and His reasons are very good, even though the world may not understand them.

Don’t be afraid of what you’ve been given, and don’t be tempted to let others drown out what you hear from God. You will be persecuted for daring to have a close relationship with God, but this relationship is too precious and too beneficial to judge yourself on it or to let others judge for you.

Go no further than God asks in defending Him, for we interfere when we use human means of attack and defense. Let God put the words into your mouth that He deems right for you to say.

Don’t try to explain your spiritual experiences unless inspired to do so by God – the world is an obstacle it’s better to go around than to climb over.

Our only concern is God – when worldly distractions begin to cheapen our relationship with Him, it is the world from which we must detach, not God.

Don’t be afraid – by calling you God has asked for your abandonment to Him; trust Him to use you well. Test your perceptions by what He has put into your spirit, not by what others say no matter how informed they may be.

God has purpose for you personally; it is this and this only that should guide you. Desire to be true to God and His mighty power will be behind you. His desire for you is always holy, and you cannot be wrong if you honesty and obediently welcome His guidance.

You know by your own experience that God’s inspirations did not stop with the book of Revelation – He is present in you, endowing you with knowledge and grace. The world from atheist to evangelical fears personal revelation for many reasons, but all are traceable to human pride. The theology of our indwelling God is supernatural, creation-based, worshipful, humble, self-disregarding, and, yes, scriptural. Boldly cast your lot with God through a personal relationship of communication with Him, and renew your intentions to Him in prayer.

Blessings. (http://mysticmission.org/thelightinthewoods/ )

(C). Droplets from Life: www.dropletsfromlife.blogspot.com

WHO OR WHAT IS GOD?

'God is not a noun, but a verb. God is not an object, but, rather, a process. God is a process that

goes on constantly, everywhere, and either we realize our own selves to be verbs and part of

that grand process, or we don’t.' Rev. Brian Robertson. (www.christianmystics.com )


(c). Droplets from Life: www.dropletsfromlife.blogspot.com
I find this description of God really helpful and at the same time, stretching. What is YOUR idea of who God is? Let me know at christinesdroplets@yahoo.com.au

Blessing:

May the silence of the hill,

The joy of the wind,

The peace of the fields,

The music of the birds.

The fire of the sun,

The strength of the trees,

And the faith of a little child,

In all of which there is God

---Be in your heart.

(Source Unknown)

(c). Droplets from Life: www.dropletsfromlife.blogspot.com

Many thanks to Ashley MacDonald for contributing this piece. I hope you enjoy it! Christine

THE LONELINESS OF FAILING

"Apart from me you can do nothing." – John 15:5


Loneliness touches all of our lives at different times and in different ways. I remember a time when I was facing a horrendous failure and felt like I was sinking. What I learned is that when faced with failure and you don't want to admit it, the first step back is saying: "I need help!"

In my book, The Be-Happy Attitudes,I began with the beatitude, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Being poor in spirit means you are able to step out of your denial and admit to yourself and others, "I need help—I can't do it alone!"

Only then will joy and peace of mind return.

Cure the loneliness of failing—learn to join the human race.

Admit your vulnerability.

Own up to the fact that you, too, fail.

Then step outside your comfort zone and ask for help.


~~~~Where in your life do you need to admit that you can't do it alone?
Step outside your comfort zone today and ask for help.~~~~

(c). Robert H. Schuller.
24th April 2009

(c). Droplets from Life: www.dropletsfromlife.blogspot.com