The Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn

I have been thinking for days about what I would write on the blog this week. Nothing really came to mind which is a bit unusual for me... but the one thing I know for sure, is that I always write about what is on my heart and mind.

I have been thinking a lot about hope as we prepare for Stories of Hope on Friday. The question I have been sitting with is, what brings us hope when things get difficult and there is no evidence that everything will be ok? You probably know what this place feels like... when the world you know does not make sense. What keeps us putting one foot in front of the other in a forward movement to what we desire? What keeps us from shrinking back and hiding our head in a pillow? Where do we find hope?

I can't answer that question for you, but I do know that we will not find it outside of ourselves. Hope comes from that place deep inside of us where spirit resides...the place we go to that gives us life even when we we feel lost. It is a homecoming of sorts, when we surrender our need to make sense of it all, to our deepest knowing that the outcome does not rest in our hands. When we know this in our heart we relinquish everything to something much greater than ourselves. In our logical world we may try to understand it, but it is not meant to be understood. When our hearts are open this great mystery guides, enlightens and transforms us.

There is a saying that says, the darkest hour is just before dawn. In the darkest hour we may be scared and not be able to see our way out and then in the middle of what seems black , a sliver of light appears and soon the magnificence of dawn is upon us. We stand in awe of what is before us just like we stand in awe of the spirit inside us that gives peace that passes our human understanding. Blessings to you as you find that place of your deepest knowing.

~Sandy

Transformation

Two years ago I had the pleasure of being a teaching assistant for the Therapeutic Coaching program I had graduated from. It was a remarkable experience as I watched them change and transform every part of themselves throughout the duration of the class. I became very close to these students and we shared a special bond. This weekend I came across a beautiful poem they had written and framed for me. It goes like this...

Transformation

In its very essence...

Creative manifestations with remarkable results, effects and outcomes.

Open ended in how it happens, beginning with an idea or an intention, and continually proceeding with the surrender and reshaping of the self.

Holding surprises, teaching us what we did not know before we began, ever expanding our awareness of our true selves.

Guiding us along the path of our purest unique potential.

As I read this I could not help but think that this is what life does for us if we let it. Our life experience continually asks us for a gentle surrender so we can awaken to something new. John O'Donohue, a well known spiritual writer tells us, " We live between the act of awakening and the act of surrender." I have realized for myself the gentle peace that comes from surrendering all of who I am to something much greater than myself. The gift in that is the gift of grace...the divine assistance given to us for the nurturing of our souls. In this place we can be cradled in unconditional love.

I hope you can join us for Stories of Hope, Friday November 9th, 7 PM at Prince of Peace Church in Burnsville.

Blessings

Sandy

Are we seperate from each other?

My cousin in Tibet is an illiterate subsistence farmer. By accident
of birth, I was raised in the West and have a Ph.D.
The task of our generation is to cut through the illusion
that we inhabit separate worlds. Only then will be find
the heart to rise to the daunting but urgent challenges of

global disparity. ~Losang Rabgey, Ph.D.

I found this quote somewhere in my daily travels and knew it had to show up on the blog. I agree the task of our generation is to not see ourselves as separate from other parts of the world. But we can't start there; we have to start with ourselves first. We are becoming more and more isolated from one another with many people feel isolated and alone. It seems we have lost the art of being in relationship with one another. We hurry from place to place interacting with others only enough to be polite and finish the task at hand. Is it any wonder we feel separate when we connect only on the surface? When was the last time that you looked someone in the eyes and listened to them with understanding as your goal? When was the last time you had a heart felt conversation with someone and really felt connected? Relationship is a bridge that moves you from a place of separation to a place of belonging...and after all that is what we all want, a place where we belong and are loved. When we learn to do this for ourselves it will have far reaching impact on everyone and everything. Then and only then we will feel like we are in community with with the world around us. Blessings to you~

Sandy

A Story of Hope

Dear Friends,
I am sitting here in front of my computer and it is quite early for a Sunday morning but I am in my warm bathrobe with a steaming cup of coffee in my favorite cup. This story has been with me all night and so it is time to put it to print. Many of you know we are doing an event called, Stories of Hope on November 9Th, 7PM at Prince of Peace Church. This universal idea of hope is with me everywhere I go and I see it in everyone and everything. Yesterday, another story of hope was told that acted like a beacon of light to all who heard it. My son is in graduate school to be a physical therapist and yesterday we were invited to an open house and celebration of the program and its students. .It was a wonderful day, starting out with tours of this state of the art facility. I have to admit I was fascinated and my son had to keep reminding me to keep my hands off the equipment. However I did get to experiment in the bio mechanics lab which was a lot of fun.

The afternoon was a contrast to what we had seen in the morning. The morning was all about the academics and the highly supplicated tools that are used with patients. But the afternoon really showcased the human spirit in each of us to be the best we can and sometimes skill is only a small part of that. You can all the knowledge and skill but you all need spirit in your work. That afternoon, 8 scholarships were given out for $8,000.00 each for a total of $64,000.00 dollars by one man. No, he was not rich but he made a commitment to his wife's passion for her life and work.

His wife, Cindi, had been a physical therapist with an commitment to the people she worked with beyond what most people had ever seen. Every where she went she carried a passion for life that extended beyond her and reached every person she met. She died of lung cancer just weeks after being diagnosed at the age of 35. It was not only her husband who wanted to keep her passion for life and excellence in her job alive. Her friends suggested it as well. The scholarship started small with $1,000.00 but a few years ago it was gifted with a million dollar donation. It came from her neighbor an elderly gentleman who looked a lot like a homeless man. This did not matter to Cindi, they became friends. When she died he was devastated and vowed to keep her spirit alive. When he died years later. he left this tremendous gift.

I looked around the room and saw people wiping the tears away, viably moved by what they had heard. What we had experienced in this story was about the power of the human spirit and our capacity to let it move to a new perspective. The people in the room were richer for what he shared, and the students had a idea of the impact they might have with the people their work will affect. I urge you today to keep your ears and heart open to all the hope that is around you and let it move and inspire to to a life where everything is possible. Invite friends and family to an evening of hope and inspiration!

Stories of Hope

November 9th, 7PM

Prince of Peace Church ~ Burnsville

Call 898-6200 for more information or go to

http://www.counselingandhealing.com/htm/stories.htm

Blessings,

Sandy

African Children's Choir

A Story of Hope and vision...

A year and a half ago, I had the opportunity to go on a humanitarian trip to Tanzania, Africa. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about what I learned from the incredible spirit of the people in Tanzania. All I have to do is close my eyes and I can be right back in the villages...I can hear the men dancing with bells on their ankles and bare feet stomping out a beat on the clay earth. The drum resonates in your heart and the song being sung moves you to tears. I am surrounded with women and children with babies on their back, dancing around me begging with their eyes to join the dance. I do, and the spirit just moves in and around us until you forget that there could ever be anything that would separate us. It is clear we are all one.

Last night I had the privilege to see the African Children's choir perform. They are part of a program called Music for life. This program was formed in 1984 by accident when people were fleeing from Rwanda. A few adults were able to flag down a bus in the middle of a mass exodus and started picking up orphaned children so they could cross the border to safety. One of those adults realized that the music that is so much a part of their culture would help them heal but also raise money to support them. The program just grew from there. Each year a large number of orphans from Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Ghana are helped by the choir program. They have set up schools and camps to help care and educate the children. Along with their studies they learn about the performing arts as a way to heal from the trauma of their lives. From all the children that come to Music for Life, 26 are picked to go on tour to America. These are the children I saw last perform last night.

The children are from 7 to 11 years old and sang with enough passion to set your heart on fire. At one point I closed my eyes and imagined myself back in the villages listening as the children sang and I could feel their spirit move in and around me just like when I was there. Each child introduced themselves in English and told what they were dreaming of becoming, and thanked us for whatever part we played in that.. In Africa education is a privilege and not taken lightly. It is your responsibility to do well in school so that one day you will give back to your family and to Africa so they can become self reliant.

I am sitting in this pew with my eyes closed listening to this choir and my heart goes back to Africa. The people of the villages have nothing in the way of money or material things but they have hope and vision beyond our comprehension The people we talked to had a knowing that if they worked hard enough and was persistent enough they could achieve anything they wanted despite insurmountable odds. The hope and vision I am talking about came from deep inside them. This incredible spirit that knew what was possible for them in spite of what seemed impossible.

That is my question to you...where is that place inside of you where your hope and vision comes from? What is the spark that allows you to keep on, even when things are hard? We would love to hear your stories or poems, see your artwork or hear your music that reflects that spark inside you. If you would like to submit your work you can get more information at http://www.counselingandhealing.com/htm/stories.htm

We are having an event called Stories of Hope. An evening of stories, poetry, artwork and music meant to fill you with hope and inspiration. This is our free gift to the community and we would like you to attend. Please feel free to invite others to join you.

Stories of Hope

A Celebration of the human spirit through music, art and story.

Friday, November 9, 2007 7:00pm
Prince of Peace Church ~ 13901 Fairview Drive, Burnsville, MN

Please join us for this evening of inspiration
offered as a gift to this community!

The Institute for Peace and Joy/
Burnsville Counseling and Healing Center
www.counselingandhealing.com 952-898-6200

Ticket not needed for admission ~ Please invite others to join you

Blessings,

Sandy

Spirituality

I am a collector of spiritual quotes and sayings and so they seem to make their way to me. When I am touched by something I will tuck it in a book, always finding it again at just the right time. That's the case today, I was looking for just the right thing, and it appeared. The following is how U Thant, former Secretary of the United Nations, envisions the Spiritual. It is nicely said, and I hope you enjoy it.

"Spirituality is a state of connectedness to life.

It is an experience of being, belonging and caring.

It is sensitivity and compassion, joy and hope.

It is harmony between the innermost life and the outer life,

or the life of the world and the life of the universe.

It is the supreme comphension of life in time and space,

the tuning of the inner person with the great mysteries

and secrets that are around us.

It is the belief in the goodness of life

and the possibility for each human person

to contribute goodness to it.

It is the belief in life as part of the eternal stream of time,

that each of us came from somewhere and is destined to somewhere, that

without such belief there could be no prayer, no meditation, no peace, and no happiness."

We invite you to Stories of Hope on November 9th, 7 PM Prince of Peace Church in Burnsville MN. This is a free and is our gift to you to come and expereince an eveing of inspirationa stories, music and artwork all meant to instill hope and inspiration into our everday lives. We are asking for your stories and artwork that reflect how you have come through a difficult time to a place of greater peace. For more information about submitting a story or about the event go to our web site at http://www.counselingandhealing.com/htm/stories.htm

Blessings,

Sandy

Stories of Hope

Stories of Hope

From the time I was a small child in grade school, I was fascinated with people's stories. As a third or fourth grader, I would go to the library and pick out books about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Mostly they were humanitarians helping to make this world a better place. I was so fascinated with people lives and how they chose to do live their Passion's out in the world. Of course as a small child I did not know that, but in the most basic form, I knew they had much to teach me about life. At the same time, even tho I did not know it, the story of my own life was unfolding. I began looking outside of books for ways to learn about life. My life growing up was traumatic at best and I needed to learn ways to cope. So I listened intently to people as they told their stories so I could learn who they were and what they valued. At an early age I knew if I listened hard enough, I could hear something that would help me find my way. Little did I know that all these years later, I would become a story teller too.

Stories have been around before we had a written language. For centuries it was the only way that traditions and customs of families and villages were passed from one generation to the next. As we have moved on we have found many other ways to tell our stories but none as powerful as when we speak from our hearts. I love to tell stories and almost everything I tell has a story to it. Through the years I have told about my family, my children and the many projects and experience's I have had. Through it all I never once thought I would tell the story of my life that started to unfold when I was a small child. This part I kept hidden away never to be told...or so I thought. Sometimes our life begins to unfold in ways we never imagined and that is what happened to me. As a young child up through high school I was physically, emotionally and sexually abused. This is a story that I had kept under lock and key. I never thought it would be told, but life had other plans. It was a long journey to heal my life but as I did, I started to tell what it was like to go through this difficult time and what it was like to heal from it. I soon realized other people found hope and inspiration for their own lives in what I said. I felt like I entered a holy place each time someone told me thy found a something that helped them see their life in a different light.

That is how the idea of Stories of Hope came about. The idea is that we all learn from each other's life experiences and that gives us hope and inspiration for our own lives. Stories of Hope is an event that will take place on Friday evening, November 9Th at 7 PM at Prince of Peace Church in Burnsviile, MN. The Institute of Peace and Joy, a new non profit in partnership with Burnsville Counseling and Healing Center is sponsoring this event. It is a program of hope and inspiration through people's stories, poetry, music and artwork. We believe in the power of people's stories to inspire and help people find possibilities for their own lives. This program is open for all to attend and is our free gift to the community. There has never been a time when the community as a whole is in need of inspiration.

I am not the only with a story to tell...we are looking for your stories, art work, music and poetry that has lead you through and dark and difficult place to more peace and wholeness. WE want to hear from you and we are asking you to submit your story! You will find more information about this event as well as guidelines to submit your work. You can find this by visiting our web site at http://www.counselingandhealing.com/htm/stories.htm

Of all the stories I have told, and the most powerful I have heard, all came from the same place; that sacred and deep place within our very own hearts. We want you to mark your calendars gather some friends and come to this evening of extraordinary hope and inspiration. See you on November 9th!

Blessings to you,

Sandy