January 23, 2012

  Welcome again to my new blog where each week I will post my some thoughts about my journey through the days. All photos will be mine unless stated otherwise. Be sure to take a listen to the song posted by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post. 

   Occasionally walking in winter here in Maine I receive a feeling of being hollow, empty. I am sure that it is the bare leaves reaching out to a sky almost empty of clouds, along with the frozen ground and below freezing air that brings this sense of loss. Memories from childhood also return reminding me of being alone in a park close to home in Jersey City where the atmosphere was one of barrenness, friends somewhere else, parents I did not want to rush home to. 

   The emotions today last only a few seconds once I remember that I am never alone, God is with me always. This is one of the perks of having done a great deal of my "work" over the many intervening years. Love's Spirit has a habit of nudging me out of all the states of whining, grasping onto the remnants of "poor me's" that  the nafs (demons) are ever ready to activate at a moments notice. Moving into the present moment with each step in the Right Direction peace and equanimity soon return to their proper place in the scheme of the steps on the path I am led to travel. 

    Below is a poem that I wrote which is about moving into the Light of what is Real for me, the happenings of this moment, and this moment, and this........

     - Where The Wind Blows –

 When I try to leave this Holy Space,

God grabs my feet, sits on my head,

And enters again the place within my heart

That is reserved only for Love’s Presence.

The Wind of the Spirit’s storms are raging in this breast;

My heart has lost all its senses, and has no hands or feet

With which to fend off or flee from this soul’s only desire.

My Love’s secrets are being driven into this moonstruck heart.

All my cooing and singing of words and words

Have turned into cries and wailing – such is the longing.

The Beautiful One heard and said, “I am the One you seek.

Come with me. I will show you the road you search for.”

O friend, for so long God has been lost to me –

I have been separated from my heart’s hungers -

This life has been empty, spent looking for God outside,

Until I learned to search the rooms of my own house.

Hope was always there, an ember waiting for some wood;

For Love was always there with me on the journey.

Wherever I have been, this hand was held by God,

And my face was looking ahead all the while.

My dear companion, as we walk, know this –

We look for God with God.

The Grace of intimacy with Our Lover, has been given -

Let us not be distracted by worldly things.

                                                        Bill Lagerstrom

    

                                There are many paths leading to One Path

I Give You My Heart,  from the Australian group Hillsong -

                http://www.box.com/s/dims9o3826jvlb3pcbuu

If you would like to see the video of this song go to:

                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uqBxizNZJ4

Here are the words: 

This is my desire, to honor You

Lord with all my heart I worship You

all I have within me

I give You praise

all that I adore is in You

Lord I give You my heart

I give You my soul

I live for You alone

Every breath that I take

Every moment I'm awake

Lord have Your way in me

This is my desire, to honor You

Lord with all my heart I worship You

all I have within me

I give You praise

all that I adore is in You

  Looking forward to hearing from you,

           Peace,     Bill Lagerstrom

Running With The Spirit

   To all,

      I have decided to not continue the "Final Year" blog that you were receiving last year and replace it with a weekly offering that will focus on various growth ideas, poetry, articles, along with anything that may be of use to our spiritual life. Let me know of your feedback and what has perhaps moved you to gain a greater sense of God's Presence in your daily life. Feel free to interact and share what is happening in your heart, your interior self which is the source of What Is Real, The Spirit Within. 

   (On this blog words capitalized are references to God and God's movement in the world.)

   The pictures here will be mine unless I otherwise note where they may have come from. I will once again offer links to worthwhile audio presentations songs, sites, and any items that may be of use to developing emotionally, spirtually, and physically. 

    Talk with one another, share the Graces you have received from a Loving God, your ups and downs, anything that would be useful to another. The Gifts we receive are meant to be absorbed into our hearts and shared with others. Let us not criticize in any way and allow our thoughts and feelings to find a safe place here.

              Find a quiet place and rest awhile

   Two items for listening: (Click on the links to hear.)

       Joanne Shenendoah and a song sung in her Native American tongue about The Peacemaker being born in each of us.

                          http://www.box.com/s/y13sc3si50r1ey8r49ml

      A wonderful talk on surrender by a mentor of mine, Frank Ostesesky, an american Buddhist teacher'

                           http://www.box.com/s/97tpkkvnolhmy7y1a4mh

    Until next week, 

      Peace,

            Bill Lagerstrom