A Seed in the Wind

"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there" and it will move. Nothing will be impossible to you." – Matthew 17:20

As we move through hard times, it is quite challenging to remain true to one’s faith and to keep a positive outlook. Many proudly state their beliefs of a Higher Power taking care of things, but in reality few have the type of faith that will keep their heads above the waters of anxiety. True faith is not in hoping that we will be okay, but in believing it with every cell of our being while letting go of the illusion of control we cling to, regardless of the resistance we meet in our daily lives.

After the tsunami in Indonesia, I remember watching an interview with a girl who had been picked up and swept away by the tidal wave from her hotel room. She explained that at first she had panicked and had tried to grasp anything she could; once she realized there was nothing she could do to win against the amazing power of the water, she had let herself go without fighting, ready to accept whatever was to come, knowing that she was going to be alright. Once she stopped fighting, after a few bumps along the path, the wave carried her safely off shore until she could swim back, away from the sweeping currents. Letting go, and allowing destiny to unfold without fighting, had saved her life.

As with the tsunami in Indonesia, the economical wave we have been experiencing the past few months has swept many families away from their platform of security, and has left most in a paralyzing grip of fear for their future and for the wellbeing of their loved ones. With unemployment funds drying up, and few jobs on the horizon, even the strongest believers are faltering in their faith, and are desperately clinging to whatever they can find to remain afloat. Many more have turned to prayer to drown the distress, but although their lips utter words of salvation, their minds paint pictures of hell the moment they say Amen. Prayer and fear are ill-fated roommates, and unless a deep faith in the outcome evicts the doubts, prayers are but a stream of pretty words.

Despite the gloom of our financial night, we must know the sun will rise again. As Jesus said, if earthly parents have the power to fulfill the wishes of their children, how can we possibly doubt God’s power in fulfilling the needs of His children? No petition is hopeless if it is accompanied by absolute faith. Doubt is a human weakness which must be overcome if we can ever hope to rise above our limitations. As the mustard seed, we know we are too small and powerless to fight the winds of destiny, but we are big enough to hang on tight to our faith and "know" that we will be safely deposited wherever we need to go.

www.sandracarringtonsmith.com

Stepping Stones to Hope

Good morning, everybody!

As many friends from GoLo already know, last year I started a group called A Blog for Hope, a local effort to help members of the GoLo online community who are struggling in the harsh economy.

This morning, a twin group to Blog for Hope was born. Stepping Stones to Hope was created with two goals in mind - raising funds for Blog for Hope, and providing a space where donors can claim a little spot for themselves or others they care about to be remembered in love.

When a donation is sent to Blog for Hope, the name of the donor will be "engraved" on one of the stepping stones, and added to our lawn. Donors can also choose to have a different name on the stone, such as names of friends they wish to honor, or loved ones they would like to remember.

We are also creating a Rainbow Path to honor our pets who have departed. If you would like to do something special to commemorate your pet, please send us a photo (optional) and the pet's name, and a special stepping stone will be added.

This group is still under construction, so please bear with us as we try to work out the details.

Details on donation can be found on the group's main page, http://www.wral.com/golo/profile/6821907/

Although donations will strictly help members of the GoLo online community, I feel that others can benefit from the joy of being able to commemorate their loved ones, thus the decision to share this information outside of the GoLo community was reached.

Thank you for your support, and may you be blessed in all your endeavors. :-)

New Year's Wish Cakes

With less than a week left before we say goodbye to the current year, many are already beginning to formulate their resolutions for the next.

Rather than coming up with resolutions, my family and I bake “wish cakes” on New Year’s Eve. That tradition is one I grew up with, and has become one of my children’s favorites through the years. We normally select a cake mix that contains lemon and poppy seeds. The lemon is said to purify and remove negativity, while the poppy seeds open the doors of the mind and allow us to accept blessings more willingly. Other choices for cake mix are also cinnamon and vanilla (respectively used to speed wishes and attract love).

After mixing the ingredients, we add little charms I keep for the occasion; they can be anything one may wish; for example, if someone is looking for marriage, they could put in a wedding ring (fake ones can be found at craft stores, in the section for weddings), or coins for prosperity. Other items may include tiny car charms, hearts for love, ladybugs for good fortune, and small, rolled pieces of paper with something written on it - anything that holds a special meaning for the person baking the cupcakes and the people they will be shared with.

The mix is then poured in muffin cups and baked. Right after midnight, each person in the family gets an equal amount of cakes, and sees what the New Year will bring them.

I happened to be on the phone with my sister, last year, while I was preparing the cakes; she told me to put in something special for her, something she would like. Since travel is her greatest passion, I put in a small paper with the writing “surprise vacation” and a small charm shaped as a passport. At midnight, I announced that one of the cakes was for Aunt Patrizia, and we all were stunned when both travel charms were found inside the cake I had selected for her.

What’s even crazier, at the time neither of us knew that my parents had decided to give my sister a special gift, and had bought her a plane ticket to come and see me, as a surprise to both of us.

So, this is one of our New Year’s traditions. My family has been having fun with it for many years, and I thought it was time I pass it along. After all, a little sprinkle of magic and games never hurts anyone, and makes life more fun.

Wish cake, anyone?

The Dog and the Old Man

“The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.” ~George Elliot

I would like to share a story that my mother-in-law sent me a while back. The story is told by a young lady whose father struggles with personal anger after he can no longer work as a lumberjack because of health issues. After suffering a heart attack, he is invited to live with his daughter and her husband, but as days go by, tension begins to rise. The father is resentful of his declining health and lashes out at everyone.

The young woman prays for a resolution, but for months God is silent. Finally, she decides to call several clinics hoping to find some advice. During one of those calls, a friendly lady tells her about an article she has read about people with the same symptoms greatly benefiting from caring for a pet.

She drives to the local shelter to look for a dog, but none seem right for her father. Then, she spots a pointer in the last pen. Years have etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray; his hipbones jut out in lopsided triangles, but his eyes are calm and clear. She asks the attendant about the dog and is told that he just showed up near the shelter two weeks before.

When she gets home, she shows her father the dog she got for him, but he replies angrily that he doesn’t want a pet, and definitely not one so old and frail. Tension rises, and father and daughter face each other down as if preparing to duel. Just then, the dog walks up to the old man, sits in front of him, and raises his paw to touch the man’s leg. Time stands still. The old man continues to look at the dog who just sits there calmly, his paw still raised. He finally kneels down and takes the dog’s paw in his hand. From that day on they are inseparable. Within the course of a few months, all the anger, frustration and tension wash away, as the old man and his dog become more closely connected.

One night, the dog walks into the young lady’s room, whimpering. Considering the fact quite strange, she rushes to her father’s room. She finds him in his bed, his face peacefully relaxed and at ease in his final sleep. The dog raises his paw and touches him for one last time.

It’s not until the dog has passed away - and she reminisces about her father’s last few months - that the young lady realizes something important. She had prayed for her father to find peace, and had thought her prayers had gone unanswered. Yet they hadn’t. The girl on the phone and the dog were angels she hadn’t recognized. At the time, everything had seemed coincidental but none of it was – the woman, the article, and the dog that had mysteriously appeared at the shelter out of nowhere.

Prayers often seem to go unanswered because they don’t manifest as we imagined. We expect a result which will pacify our wants, because we are not aware of our true needs.

Sometimes the path to our greater good is an uncharted one, yet if we follow it with faith it will lead us where we need to go.

Blog for Hope: Two Kitties Looking for a Home, and a Home Looking for a Tenant

Happy chilly Saturday morning!

The cooler breeze reminds us once again that winter is at the door. While this cold, harsh season provides the earth with an opportunity to rest and regenerate, its dipping temperatures and shorter days accentuate the hardship of struggling families even more.

Blog for Hope is here to reach out to families and individuals who need a little lift. If you are willing to share a bit of your time, skills, or financial help, please post to the main page of the group, http://www.wral.com/golo/profile/4320847/ or e-mail me directly at lunanera@netzero.net

If you are in need, or know someone who is, you are encouraged to do the same.

Today's highlights:

One of our beloved Golo members is going through a terrible time right now. Although he is trying every possible evenue to save what he has, he is well aware that he will be losing his home to foreclosure if he can't find a tenant soon. The home is a ranch in Cary NC; if you are interested, or know anyone who might, please leave a note on Nicsautomotive's profile or contact me directly.

Because of the uncertainty with his financial future, Nic is also looking for a good home for two of his fur babies, Crystal and bemis. We've all had the opportunity to read the adventures of little Bemis as he made his way into Nic's world and heart one rainy night. Since this little guy had a rough start, Nic doesn't want to expose him to an uncertain future, and he would be happy if little Bemis could find a happy home, where he is loved and cherished. Crystal has been Nic's companion for a while now, but like Bemis, she is often forced to a lonely life without much human companionship while Nic is out working, trying to keep the ship afloat. The perfect scenario would be one in which Bemis and Crystal are adopted together, since they have developed a tight bond.

Please, if you can help with either of these causes, leave me a note ASAP. Nic is trying is hardest, and he deserves a little support. Blog for Hope is a venture aimed at raising hopes for those who feel they have none left. So, join me here, and let's all unite to shine a ray of hope in Nic's direction. If you belong to any other social networks, please feel free to copy and paste this information. Word of mouth can be a very powerful tool to help someone in need.

Have an awesome day, everybody!!!

Today's Blog for Hope

(Please note that every Saturday my blog tends to focus on my local GOLO community blog to help others in our community, found at the Raleigh-area GOLO site as a regular feature called "Blog for Hope")

For my generation, the hardship we are living today is the sad incarnation of all the stories we heard our parents and grandparents tell when they shared stories of their youth. We never thought we would experience anything similar, and probably rolled our eyes in desperation when they told us about their sacrifices over and over again. Life couldn’t be that hard, we surely thought, they are just blowing it up for shock effect. Today we are getting a taste of extreme financial hardship within our own realities, and suddenly we know our parents weren’t joking after all.

Communities have felt the need to reach out internally and create a web of neighborly support, while many businesses have silently closed their doors after years of service. Home owners are desperate to sell their houses, but can’t afford the cost of giving their home a little facelift which will make it stand out in the overly saturated market.

Jeff Harless Painting has been able, so far, to hold its own, although it could use a little boost of business. Located in Spring Hope NC, this venture is family owned and operated, and hung its first shingle in 1999. They offer interior and exterior painting for both residential and commercial. They also provide small home repairs, lying of vinyl flooring, cabinet refinishing, staining, deck repair and construction, pressure washing, installation of gutters, replacement of damaged siding on homes and a variety of other services.

Why, you will ask, do I find this company particularly attractive?

Quoting the words of the owner: “We are at this time reducing our prices due to the economy. I feel sure that if a prospective customer has a bid for painting or repair from a reputable company we can beat their prices as to where the customer will save a noticeable amount. However, these times call for us to, in some cases, be willing to negotiate a price based on the need and financial situation of the customer. We match the paint type based on the need of the customer. Customer satisfaction is the best advertisement we have. We thrive for all customers to be completely satisfied upon completion of the job. We always clean our job sites to be at or near the condition before beginning the job. We have a lengthy list of references. 100% of our jobs for the past five years have been because our customers have referred us to others.”

Jeff Harless Painting is a Christian-owned activity, and it is greatly praised by customers for their high business ethics, integrity and honesty.

If anyone is interested in their services, they can be reached at 252-478-4779.

It is time for our community to take care of its own. Why not start by taking care of the repairs we need at a price we can afford?