Good Morning Beloved!

There is this atheist swimming in the ocean. All of the sudden he sees this shark in the water, so he starts swimming towards his boat.

As he looks back he sees the shark turn and head towards him.  His boat is a ways off and he starts swimming like crazy.

He’s scared to death, and as he turns to see the jaws of the great white beast open revealing its teeth in a horrific splendor, the atheist screams,

“Oh God! Save me!”

In an instant time is frozen and a bright light shines down from above.

The man is motionless in the water when he hears the voice of God say,

“You are an atheist. Why do you call upon me when you do not believe in me?”

Aghast with confusion and knowing he can’t lie, the man replies, “Well, that’s true I don’t believe in you, but how about the shark?  Can you make the shark believe in you?”

The Lord replies, “As you wish,” and the light retracted back into the heavens and the man could feel the water begin to move once again.

As the atheist looks back he can see the jaws of the shark start to close down on him, when all of sudden the shark stops and pulls back.

Shocked, the man looks at the shark as the huge beast closes its eyes and bows its head and says, “Thank you Lord for this food for which I am about to receive…”

Gratitude – Honoring our volunteers/veterans

November russet  Renunciation

Topic: Discover Gratitude

Affirmation: In a spirit of gratitude, I am blessed and I am a blessing.

Let’s say our monthly affirmations together—

Every day is a blessing, and in each moment there are many things that we can be grateful for. The world opens up to us when we live in a space of gratitude. In essence, gratitude has a snowball effect. When we are appreciative and express that gratitude, the universe glows a bit brighter and showers us with even more blessings.

Melody Beattie said. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

There is always something to be grateful for, even when life seems hard. When times are tough, whether we are having a bad day or stuck in what may feel like an endless rut, it can be difficult to take the time to feel grateful. Yet, that is when gratitude can be most important. If we can look at our lives, during periods of challenge, and find something to be grateful for, then we can transform our realities in an instant. There are blessings to be found everywhere. When we are focusing on what is negative, our abundance can be easy to miss. Instead, choosing to find what already exists in our lives that we can appreciate, can change what we see in our world. We start to notice one blessing, and then another. Change your thoughts, your perceptions, and change your life.

Charles Dickens said, “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”

When we constantly choose to be grateful, we notice that every breath is a miracle and each smile becomes a gift. We begin to understand that difficulties are also invaluable lessons. The sun is always shining for us when we are grateful, even if it is hidden behind clouds on a rainy day. A simple sandwich becomes a feast, and a trinket is transformed into a treasure. Living in a state of gratitude allows us to spread our abundance because that is the energy that we emanate from our beings. Because the world reflects back to us what we embody, the additional blessings that inevitably flow our way give us even more to be grateful for. The universe wants to shower us with blessings. The more we appreciate life, the more life appreciates and bestows us with more goodness.

Eckhart Tolle tells us, “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”

So today we gather together in our spiritual community to remind each other that gratitude is the spiritual practice that multiplies our blessings.   We have the opportunity to consciously practice gratitude at a soul level, a cellular level.

Dr. Masuru Emoto, the gentleman who wrote The Hidden Messages of Water was asked if he had come across a particular word or phrase in his research that he has found to be most helpful in cleaning up the natural waters of the world.

He said, “Yes. There is a special combination that seems to be perfect for this, which is love plus the combination of thanks and appreciation reflected in the English word gratitude. Just one of these is not enough. Love needs to be based in gratitude, and gratitude needs to be based in love. These two words together create the most important vibration.”

So this morning we invite each other to raise our own vibration, to raise the vibration of Unity of Rehoboth Beach, and to raise the vibration of the planet with conscious love and gratitude.

It’s gratitude that says, “Thank you to the God of my understanding.”  For everything.  Each of us, – all of us have so much to be grateful for.  And as we put our attention on all of our blessings, we align ourselves with the power of Spirit; that is just willing to rain even more blessings on us.

There’s so much to be grateful for; and when we realize that, when we start to consciously think about it, we eventually come to realize we live in the kingdom of the Most High; that all things are working for good, even in the midst of our challenges, even in the midst of our deepest losses.  As we open to that awareness, and that is our yearning as a spiritual family – to create that conscious space where we can open and know the Divine every moment – we start to realize that all things are working for good, that this earth journey is just one piece of an eternal walk.

Have the speakers talk  Jon, Ruth

The Course in Miracles says, “Love cannot be far behind a grateful heart.”  Because as we open in gratitude, love rushes in;– because the very essence of what we are is love.

Gratitude just breaks down the barriers, all the games we play that keep us stuck in thinking if we had more, if we were different, if something else were different, we would be happy.

Gratitude allows us to right this in this now moment, to be grateful for life just the way it is.

St. Paul said: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others

To “serve” is to provide or give a good in some form.  Our Service Men and women have given in so many ways.  They have looked to the interests of all.

We honor our Veterans today – please stand so we may bless you.

We also honor our volunteers today – If you brought flowers, please raise your hand….brought food for fellowship?  Put the flag out or took it down?  Helped to set up the room?  Helped to clean up? Were you a greeter?  Have you helped with the music and audio?  Platform Assistant?  Helped with leadership, on committees like the by-laws and policies, the t-shirts and mugs?  Have you given of your time, and talents?

Now if you have raised your hand at least once, please stand.

You see…we are a community of volunteers, but even more, Unity of Rehoboth Beach is a family.  By giving of yourself in time, talent and treasure, you take ownership of Unity of Rehoboth Beach.  And THAT is how we grow, in love for Unity and for each other.

SO I thank you and honor you

Now we Bless each other….Please make sure you take our gift to you today as you leave.  We hope that as you use it, you will always remember how much we love and are grateful for you and all you are, for you ARE Unity of Rehoboth Beach.