Life's Reflections

By Rev Donna Baranyay

I’m sitting down yet again to write this blog article. For the last week I have been living with COVID and its unique journey. Not a pleasant experience and yet not nearly as bad as it could have been. I have no doubt about that. The worst part of my experience has been the muscle aches. In fact it’s hard for me to sit still long enough to write this article. What I have discovered or should I say re-discovered, is the power of faith. This week I have spent a lot of time in the quiet and reflection. Life takes many turns and within each turn we have the choice of how to respond. While I have not been up to interacting with anyone other than my immediate family much this past week I have been watching and listening. Many friends are walking through tough stuff, Turkey and Syria experienced a devastating earthquake, and many other unimaginable things are happening in our world.

At the same time many miracles are unfolding. This week I felt the invitation to decide where I was focusing my attention. I became even more clear on this Truth this week. After careful reflection and contemplation, I realized some areas of focus are no longer areas I choose to spend so much time in now. Other areas are calling my attention. There were things I missed, appointments I had to cancel, cards that still have yet to be written out and mailed, and events I wanted and had looked forward to attending this week but couldn’t. Yet in the midst of feeling the sadness and disappointment of not being able to be fully physically present I found a place within me to feel gratitude. I sent positive thoughts and vibes, silent prayers, and remembered that the Divine is in the midst of all and since I truly believe this, I knew and know that God is always present within, through, and as each of us. Healing energy is all around us, within us, and expresses as us. Me AND you. All of us.

"Love is the central flame of the universe, nay, the very fire itself. It is written that God is Love, and that we are His expressed likeness, the image of the Eternal Being. Love is self-givingness through creation, the impartation of the Divine through the human.” -Ernest Holmes

This week was an opportunity to choose. I chose to see the good, even in the midst of feeling really, really yucky and icky, I chose to be with these feelings and allow healing to be revealed. In the midst of being ill, I received some exciting news and several invitations in which to grow and expand my ministry. I am saying yes to Life. Many years ago, when I was still a practitioner student one of my good friends and a mentor to me now, Rev Joshua Reeves, invited me to say yes to Life when given the opportunity. It was and still is a scary thing for me at times, and yet, some of the best encouragement I could have ever received. So in the midst of unplanned down time, experiencing this thing called COVID, I re-fell in love with Life, with possibility, and with remembering the inner Divine Self what is always conspiring for my Good. It is conspiring for your Good too, for all of us. The Divine, God does not play favorites. It only knows Love. It only knows to say Yes. Decide what you want, how you want to experience Life, and allow the Divine to provide the How and When. Divine Timing is real. All is in Divine Order. I am filled with gratitude for knowing this Truth. Thank you sweet Spirit! Namaste~