The ego very easily could turn this review lesson around if I am feeling down or out of sorts in some way. It can beckon me to escape the world by ending the life of the body which of course it would just recycle anyway. The ego thinks the solution to the problem lies in death in some form. With God, there is no other solution but to look within and see the Life worth living, the one that I share with God. With the knowledge of God’s truth, I can sweep away the cobwebs of sadness and look towards the Light. Heaven is my True Home; it is where I want to be. Not in a matter…………

Read more and Listen to this Lesson and Divine Message at the link:
http://www.miraclesone.org/divine202.htm

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From Divine Messages by Revs. Paul & Deborah Phelps © MiraclesOne Foundation 2005-2006

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Handling Grief in Practical Application of ACIM

As you may know, one of our dear angel friends, Kathy Thompson, transitioned Monday night due to an unexpected car accident. I spent many hours on the phone yesterday with those that knew her and loved her so much. At times those I listened to questioned how this tragic accident could have happened to one as loving as she, how unfair it seemed, and asked how should one really feel as a Course student.

The Course does indeed tell us many  ideas about death and the illusion and the attraction that we have to it. But when we lose someone that is so close to us, or as in this case with Kathy, a pure heart and generous spirit that she was, how can one make sense of it? Is it permissible to grieve? Additionally, the Course tells me that this world and the body is all an illusion, am I to just ignore what I am feeling deep inside?

The answer is simply, feel what you are feeling and do not ignore what is rising to the surface. Many students would be tempted to enter into the denial of the feelings that are there. It is not a time to pretend that all is “Love and Light” when we do not experience it in the moment as such. It is the thoughts and feelings that are arising that need our attention. The Holy Spirit walks with us in this journey, even if at times the journey is one of grief at the loss of a loved one.  This is not the time to be “perfect” Course students, but instead to practically apply its principles. No one needs passages of the Course quoted to them at this time, what one needs is compassion and kindness in their process wherever the person may be in the process. It is not to dismiss what is arising. What is arising is there to assist us, to help us continue to release more into the Hands of God.

When we push aside what is there in front of us, the tears, the anger, the devastation, or the despair, we are really pushing aside the healing that can take place in our lives. Myself for example, felt triggered by how she died. I have a fear of water, this I know in the back of my mind. Kathy’s accident occurred after her vehicle went through a wooden guard rail and landed upside down in the fast currents of the Fox River. In this trigger that came up for me, instead of pretending that the fear was not there, I have thanked the fear that came up and handed it over to the Holy Spirit for His interpretation and His Guidance.

Our theme for the month of July has been the section in the Course about “The Obstacles to Peace.” It was no accident that this week we were studying “The Third Obstacle: The Attraction of Death.”  This part I will quote since this passage had been strong for us all that night and since hearing of Kathy’s accident.

When anything seems to you to be a source of fear, when any situation strikes you with terror and makes your body tremble and the cold sweat of fear comes over it, remember it is always for one reason; the ego has perceived it as a symbol of fear, a sign of sin and death. Remember, then, that neither sign nor symbol should be confused with source, for they must stand for something other than themselves. Their meaning cannot lie in them, but must be sought in what they represent. And they may thus mean everything or nothing, according to the truth or falsity of the idea which they reflect. Confronted with such seeming uncertainty of meaning, judge it not. Remember the holy Presence of the One given to you to be the Source of judgment. Give it to Him to judge for you, and say:

Take this from me and look upon it, judging it for me.

Let me not see it as a sign of sin and death, nor use it for destruction.

Teach me how not to make of it an obstacle to peace, but let You use it for me, to facilitate its coming.

T-19.IV.C.11

As one is ready to join with the Holy Spirit, one is ready. It is not to force or push someone into that readiness. It is to allow the readiness to be there within the other person or if we are talking about ourselves here in our own grief process.

Yes, we are never alone and Holy Spirit is always with us whether we invite Him in or not.  He stands ready to be of service to us. As I told one of our Workbook for Students classes last evening, it is to honor and respect where one is in the moment. Honor and respect, be present to oneself. This is actually what Kathy’s life was about. She was wholly present to all that were joined with her be it in person or via the phone or even the internet. She listened and understood, yet she was a woman of great strength, love and joy. She held the light for others who could not do it for themselves in the moment. She was as Holy Spirit is for us.

How do I help someone else? By stepping back from what the ego would have us do and allowing Holy Spirit lead the way. Sometimes that way is to cry tears with others, to hold hands, to share truth, or to just sit still and listen. I do not know until I ask Him.

Jesus reminds us in these recent Workbook Lessons that we are not a body and that we are free for we are as our Father has created us to be. Sometimes we recognize that and sometimes we do not. Hold the Light for others who cannot as those will hold it for us when we cannot. That is how we truly join together.

Namaste,

Rev. Deb

*****
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Revs. Paul & Deborah Phelps

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Holy Spirit,
   In walking your Way of Love and Gratitude, it is for me to be a demonstration of that Love and Gratitude You so embody because I embody it as well. And how can I not teach such? Your Presence shines throughout all that I do. I know that previous learning has taught me to be thankful for what I have because there are others who have less. This reminds me Spirit, of hearing when I was a child, “Eat everything on your plate because there are starving people in China.” I am rather amused by this statement now because a few months ago a friend in Hong Kong stated that in China it is more noble to leave food on the plate as a sign of abundance. Perception, perception. All has all.
   In my teaching, Holy Spirit, I want to be as You are with me, a
…………

Read more and Listen to this Lesson and Divine Message at the link:
http://www.miraclesone.org/divine195.htm

Listen to the Workbook Lesson and the Divine Message – Download on iTunes -  

From Divine Messages by Revs. Paul & Deborah Phelps © MiraclesOne Foundation 2005-2006

If you care to make a donation to support the work of the MiraclesOne Foundation, we would truly appreciate it!
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In this episode, Rev. Deb Phelps & Lisa Hilfiker Mensink share on the topic Holy Spirit, We Have a Problem…

We think that our lives are filled with a string of problems. We use many ego solutions and techniques for dealing with problems, solving problems, reinterpreting problems, or avoiding and denying problems. All of the ego solutions are meaningless. We have only one real problem, separation from God.  

Music by England Dan and John Ford Coley: Love is the Answer

Direct Link: http://www.miraclesonepodcasts.org/mm/itunes/Problem071310.mp3

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We welcome you to join us for the discussion on future podcasts as we record or submit a question or idea for a topic to us via email at revs@miraclesone.org.
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  As we have said before, the illusion of time is already over. In an instant everything that happened within the realm of time was over. The linear progression of time that you seem to be experiencing now, is really just like replaying the scenes within a movie from your memory after having gone to a theatre and watching the movie. The mind even has the ability to change the scenes on the fly in the movie you are replaying. In any moment of replaying the movie in your mind, you have a choice, you can choose the outcome of the next scene as well. All variations of the scenes have been played out already. You are just experiencing the illusion that you are playing out one particular stream of scenes.
   The ego thought system would have you bouncing back and forth
…………

Read more and Listen to this Lesson and Divine Message at the link:
http://www.miraclesone.org/divine194.htm

Listen to the Workbook Lesson and the Divine Message – Download on iTunes -  

From Divine Messages by Revs. Paul & Deborah Phelps © MiraclesOne Foundation 2005-2006

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  During meditation, I found myself sinking into quiet peace for the first few minutes with various thoughts coming out to play in my mind, all with related images before me: The plumber arriving early this morning to do work in our home, the $300 “surprise” health provider invoice, the work that I needed to complete today, and errands to the library and bank.
   As each one entered my mind, I saw it clearly, then repeated today’s prayer, “I will forgive and this will disappear.” As I did, each image dissolved as on a movie screen and I was renewed again with peace. These are all illusions that I have placed some attachment of fear. This attachment of fear could be a belief in lack of time or …………

Read more and Listen to this Lesson and Divine Message at the link:
http://www.miraclesone.org/divine193.htm

Listen to the Workbook Lesson and the Divine Message – Download on iTunes -  

From Divine Messages by Revs. Paul & Deborah Phelps © MiraclesOne Foundation 2005-2006

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Why would you continue to hide under the umbrella of darkness when you can choose to come out into the Light? You have been given a very wonderful gift. The Light of Forgiveness will heal all of your problems and bring you to a state of joy and happiness all the time. You can seem to stay in hell and deny the Light within for as long as you wish but it is only hell that you ask for. The darkness of your habitual fearful thoughts can keep the Light hidden from your awareness but never truly abolished.
  It takes great willingness to learn how to break through the dark
…………

Read more and Listen to this Lesson and Divine Message at the link:
http://www.miraclesone.org/divine192.htm

Listen to the Workbook Lesson and the Divine Message – Download on iTunes -  

From Divine Messages by Revs. Paul & Deborah Phelps © MiraclesOne Foundation 2005-2006

If you care to make a donation to support the work of the MiraclesOne Foundation, we would truly appreciate it!
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Join with Me today. Accept your Identity in the One. I have blessed your sleeping eyes with a Light more radiant than you could imagine. Feel it now upon you. This Light will not blind you for it will only heal you. Turn to the Light. Do not be afraid. Accept Who you are. You are as I created you to be. Holy, holy, holy are you. Breeze past the insane whispers of the ego calling to tell you of its gifts of pain, loss and despair. All disguised in your sight. I placed the call to Joy within you, listen to its glad refrain and it will carry you. I presented the gift of Forgiveness to you and it will help you see all things unseeable, hear all things inaudible, and experience so much more than the body’s senses permit you to experience.
   At times you feel the chains of anxiousness upon you as you wake………….

Read more and Listen to this Lesson and Divine Message at the link:
http://www.miraclesone.org/divine191.htm

Listen to the Workbook Lesson and the Divine Message – Download on iTunes -  

From Divine Messages by Revs. Paul & Deborah Phelps © MiraclesOne Foundation 2005-2006

If you care to make a donation to support the work of the MiraclesOne Foundation, we would truly appreciate it!
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In this episode, Rev. Deb Phelps & Lisa Hilfiker Mensink share on the topic You Never Walk Alone.

- Situations that we go through where we may feel alone: loss of loved ones, cancer, divorce, relationships, and deployment
- Knowing the truth, being kind and loving folks where they are
- How to deal with disappointments and transform the mind
- Being open to learning and knowing “I don’t know”
- Letting go of our emotional attachments
- Holy Spirit is always with us, He is our Source and in Him we place our trust

Music by Donna Marie Cary – www.donnamariecary.com

We welcome you to join us for the discussion on future podcasts as we record or submit a question or idea for a topic to us via email at revs@miraclesone.org.
Go to: MiraclesOne Foundation and Light University – www.miraclesone.org
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