WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE???

Hello Boys and Girls and Happy New Year! It IS that time of year when we look back on what we did and didn't accomplish in the year....and on any mistakes we might have made....or on feeling good about the really good things we may have done. And hope that we made a difference....a good difference in the lives of those who mean the most to us.

As I was having me a little look back and making sure the reflection I was seeing was really what I thought I was seeing, I took out my trusty 'Bible' (Eckhart Tolles' A New Earth) and let the book open wherever it wanted to open. I always think that whatever I am looking for will be revealed to me in that way.  Welllll, it opened up to the Chapter on, 'Finding Who You Truly Are'. Hmmmmmm.....that's a pretty good thing to reflect on..... [I sez to myself]. So here's what ET had to say about WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?.

~"The world always makes sure that you cannot fool yourself for long about who you really think you are, by showing you what truly matters to you. How you react to people and situations, especially when challenges arise, is the best indicator of how deeply you know yourself.

The more limited, the more narrowly egoic the view of yourself... the more you will see, focus on, and react to the egoic limitations of the unconsciousness in others. Their 'faults' or what you perceive as their faults become their identity to you. This means you will see only the ego in them and thus strengthen the ego in yourself. Instead of looking 'through' the ego in others....you are look 'at' the ego. Who is looking at the ego? The ego in you...that's who.

Very unconscious people experience their own ego through its reflection in others. When you realize that what you react to in others....is also in you....(and sometimes only in you)...you begin to become aware of your own ego, i.e. what makes you tick-(Gommy added that 'what makes you tick' part). At that stage, you may also realize that you were doing to others...what you thought others were doing to you. You cease seeing yourself as a victim."~

WOW....that is some reflection now, ain't it? The very thing that aggravates me about someone else is a reflection of something in me. Now, most people would never admit that....and that is the reason we have as many whacka-dos in the world as we do. So many people who hold onto their beliefs in 'xyz' with a death grip....because they identify so strongly with their belief in 'xyz'....that they don't know what or who they would be without it. And THAT my friends is fear related....which causes all pain and suffering.

ET also said....."Nobody can tell you who you are. It would just be another concept, so it would not change you. Who you are requires no belief. In fact....every belief is an obstacle. It does not even require your realization, since you are already who you are. BUT....without 'realization'.....who you are does not shine forth into this world. It remains in the unmanifested, which is, of course, your true 'home'. You are then like an apparently poor person who does not know he has a bank account with $100 Million in it and so his wealth remains an unexpressed potential."

Hey, I'm a millionaire.....many times over. And so are you peeps. You can just walk into your 'bank of all potential' and withdraw any amount you need. But start with being honest about who you think you are....cuz if you keep telling yourself a pack of lies.....you won't get anywhere and you might become one of those whacka dos I was talking about. You can do it!!!! Gommy is pulling for ya'. Hugs and Mush, and a VERY Happy New Year to one and all!!! Gommy

Hello everyone! It has been a sad week with the murders of the little children and teachers in Connecticut. Something went terribly wrong.  Especially at this time of year, when we are 'supposed' to be filled with joy, love and good tidings toward all. Instead, it made me think how very little we know about what is in our own.....or our loved ones future on any given day.

It also brought me back to the day my own children were taken from me. They were older (17 and 22)....but your children will always be your babies....no matter how old they are. I can remember the shock and deep, agonizing pain I felt the moment I heard they were gone. To a parent, there is nothing in the world and no other pain that can match that helpless and nauseating feeling. Every memory of every event or occasion that you ever shared together comes flooding back to you in an instant. It  must be likened to the way we are told our own life comes back to us when we die.  And while you are remembering.....there is a mix of pure joy from the memories....and a deep stabbing in your heart at the same time... at the realization that you will never share new memories with them again.

As I watched the unfolding of this terrible sadness....I heard people saying things like....what must these parents be feeling? I do know what these families are feeling.  And I feel deeply for the families that are facing that pain right now. If they are like I was....they are still in a state of shock. The shock  and numbness you feel is [thankfully] with you all the while you are making decisions like; choosing their coffins.....the clothing they will wear in that coffin....the details you want at the funeral home.....choosing the flowers you want on their coffins.  Then you look for pictures that you will share (in my case, it was for the newspaper so they could report the accident). Then you are inundated with telephone calls by friends and family who just want to tell you they are thinking of you....but all you really want to do is roll up in a ball and make it go away. But it doesn't go away. It really never fully goes away. But you learn to 'live with it' and try not to let their passing define you in a way that is not honoring their memory. You try to not be bitter....or mad.....or not go on with your own life. But it is a process....and these parents have a long way to go before they get to the other side of this nightmare.



There are no answers either but you do look and look for an answer. I searched different churches, synagogues.....anywhere I thought would 'give me THE answer' I was looking for. For me, I found that we won't ultimately 'know' the answer....until we meet with our loved ones again some day.

There is no escaping or no guarantees that something horrid won't happen in your lifetime either. We all have the false belief that,  'It can't happen to us...not in our town....not to us or our children.'. But it CAN happen. Any where...any town....to any one. But to live in fear that it might happen....is to give up the time and the precious days we DO have with our loved ones. If anything good ever can come out of such pain and suffering....it is that we are jolted into remembering just how much our loved ones DO mean to us. It makes us hug them a little longer.....tell them how much they do mean to us....and it makes us appreciate and be grateful for another day we get to be with them.

So, tell the people in your life how much they mean to you. Do it every day....because tomorrow is not promised to us. Live today. Live in the NOW! Now is all we are completely sure of. You can do it. Gommy is pulling for you. Hugs and Mush and lots of Love, Gommy

Hello Boys and Girls. It’s been a while since I have written on my blog…but I feel compelled to speak to a subject that is weighing heavily on me today. For personal reasons, I won't say why this particular day is so integral to the topic of truth, but it does seem to be jumping out at me and egging me on to speak about it.  So I will.

It is 11:11 AM as I begin to write this….which is an ‘aha’ for me as well. But it started when I woke up and turned on my computer and went to Facebook, as I usually do each morning.  A friend had posted a quote by Warren Buffet that said, “Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people.” We can think of the word ‘cheap’ as stingy or we can think of it as not having much worth. Either description is not a very good one to have on your character list.

The thing about being true to yourself is that it is the only way to be able to live in contentment and have peace of mind in knowing that you are doing what is right.  I am a firm believer that as long as we do the right thing, everything will turn out right in the end. That isn’t to say that we don’t all make mistakes in our lives. We do. But we must face the fact that we have made a mistake, be contrite about it, and ask forgiveness for what we did. But when a person does something very wrong….and acts as if they didn’t do it….then I cannot be around someone like that and act as if it didn't happen as well. It would feel as if I were being disloyal to my own conscience and somehow being complicit in the deed.

I am married to one of the most admirable, giving, loyal and honest persons I have ever had the privilege of knowing. He stands up for what he believes in and never waivers. Sadly, you don’t find that many people with those qualities in the world anymore.  Most people ride the wave or go with whatever is more comfortable for them in a sticky situation. It takes great character to do what is right….when others are not willing to face the truth. You can even be shunned for doing the right thing. But nothing is worth losing your own self-respect in the trade, just to be liked or welcomed. It’s like selling your soul to the Devil. You may be living large right now….but the smallness you feel about yourself is always there, nagging at you.

Then, a little later in the morning, I was watching a taped segment of The Katie show. She had Dr. Phil on as a guest and he said something that goes perfectly with this subject. And when he said it…..I just knew it was another signal that I had to write about it in my blog.  He said,  “Winners deal with the truth….good, bad or indifferent.” I would add that there may be times when you have to withhold something, so as not to hurt an innocent person.....but that is the rare exception. I am speaking to blatant lies and lack of integrity today.

Living and dealing with the truth is not always easy. But to be a ‘winner in life’ you must be truthful.....at all times. Lying to yourself is pretty silly, because you really do know the truth and if you can lie to yourself…then you can certainly lie to everyone else you come in contact with. My mother always said, “You can watch a thief….but not a liar.”  You can lock stuff up so that a thief can’t get to it…..but a liar is harder to watch. But the good news is that eventually the truth will come out. That has always stuck with me throughout my life.

So, the moral of this blog today is to be honest. It may not always be easy…but it will always turn out for the good and you will feel like the winner you are. I promise!!! You can do it boys and girls….don’t let the Haters and the Baiters change you from being a winner into a loser. Gommy is pulling for you! Hugs and Mush, Gommy

My loves…. my Terry and Tiffany….it has been twenty years today since that awful day that you were taken. I can honestly say that there hasn’t been a day in all those years that I haven’t thought of each of you. You gave me so much in the time you were here. And although so much was taken by your leaving….you continue to give to me…. each and every day since you left us.

 In Thessalonians 5:16-22, The Bible teaches us:

16- Always rejoice,
17- Constantly pray,
18- In everything give thanks.
For this is God’s will for you…..
19- Do not extinguish the Spirit.
20 -Do not treat prophecies with contempt.
21- But examine all things; hold fast to what is good.
22- Stay away from every form of evil

Now, I can easily check off some of these ‘instructions’ in agreement. But when you were taken….a few of those instructions were harder to accept….. MUCH harder.

In the ‘in everything give thanks’ one, I had a hard time ever imagining giving thanks for losing you both. And the ‘do not extinguish the Spirit’ was difficult because it seemed like my Spirit had pretty much been extinguished at the time. But as the years have gone by, I have come to realize that resisting the fact that you were taken from us is a moot point and has no practical value or meaning, precisely because it had already happened. Of course I will always miss you each and every day, but resisting something that had already taken place would just cause me more pain if I could not accept the reality of ‘What Is’…. and find my own peace by being grateful that you had come into my life at all. 

The one that says to 'examine all things and hold fast to what is good' is very good advice. If we can remember to hold on to what is good.....our lives will be much more content than if we dwell on the things that aren't so good.  The one about evil can be taken as evil thoughts as well as people or situations. I would rather think thoughts of all the wonderful times we had together, than to dwell on the day that you both were taken away from us.

In realizing these truths, you gave me the gift of gratitude in knowing that each day truly is a gift and knowing this makes everything so much more precious to me. It makes me not sweat the small stuff….and it makes me notice the wonder of everyone and everything around me. You still give me my ‘forever smiles’ with memories of the many things we did together. You still touch my heart when I remember each of you as the baby we brought home and loved and cared for all those years ago. You give me the gift of feeling I was a good Mom and I must have done something right….because so many of your friends still keep in touch with me….even now….and they tell me how special you were. And even though I don’t really need reminders…..it is still nice to hear.

I know we will never get to be together on this Earth again, but you gave me the hope that we will be together again…one day. You also gave me the insight into how much pain I could endure and still be able to go on with my life. The pain was agonizing and the suffering was excruciating when we lost you, but you showed me that I was stronger than I had ever thought myself as being. If anyone would have told me that I would be able to go on after you left….I would have said they were crazy. But I have learned that no matter how terrible something in life can be….life does indeed go on. And I know that you loved me as much as I love you….and that you would want me to go on. Just as I would have wanted you to go on…had it been me that left that day.

So thank you for everything you gave to me and brought into my life while you were here…and thank you for all you have given me since you left….and thank you for all you continue to give me still….all these twenty years later.

I know in my heart of hearts, that I will see you again one day….and I will be soooo happy to see you and kiss you and hug you again. But in the meantime….I will be happy here with all that I still have to be grateful for. And there is much that I continue to say Grace over every day. I will keep noticing all the beauty and splendor of life for whatever time I have left on this Earth. And I will be grateful to you both for touching my life in such an awesome way.  I know you are happy for me that I am living life this way….and that I am striving to be happy each blessed day that I am given. And in this way, I feel that I honor the memory of you both.

I will be seeing you my sweethearts…..but not yet. Not yet because I still have much to do….and to love and to enjoy while I am here on this physical plane. There are still so many who cross my path….. that I can remind to hug their loved ones and their little children while they can, and to enjoy their spouses and parents while they still have them and everyone who means anything to them. So, you hug each other for me and know that I am loving you bunches and that I still miss you both very much and I know I always will.

Hugs and Mush -  Mom

Hello Boys and Girls. Seeing this is Sunday, I thought I would share another excerpt from the book, The Untethered Soul, about the kind of Love that God has for everything and everyone. Not to be preachy….but because this chapter spoke to me about loving one another. There seems to be such divisiveness in the World today. There is hate coming into our lives from so many places and on so many levels; with family discord, road rage, self-hate and lately, so much hate even in Politics. True love, the type of Love everything and everyone receives with grace from God, is pure and unconditional. It is best described IMHO, in Corinthians 13:4-7: ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.’

All religions point to the same idea that we are all one. In The Untethered Soul, the author points out that; “In the Gospel of John, Christ says, ‘That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us….I in thee, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one’. So it was taught in the Hindu Vedas; so it was taught in the Jewish Kabbalah; so it was written by the great Sufi mystic poets; and so it was taught in all the great religious traditions of all time. Such a state exists; one can merge into the Universal Absolute. Once can merge into God.”

Of course it may be hard to understand these teaching and sometimes we have to ‘read between the lines’, as the translations have been misinterpreted and misunderstood over time, then repeated so many times in dogma and doctrine….that we come to ‘believe’ what we ‘think’ we have ‘learned’.

The chapter goes on to say, “This is how you know something about God. You become one with Him. Ultimately, the only way to know about God is by letting your being merge into The Being, and then seeing what happens to you. This is universal consciousness, and the qualities of the beings who have attained this deep state are similar in every religion.” Notice the author says EVERY religion. He is not speaking about the kooks of the world who have put a hateful slant or meaning to their religion. Not the fanatics who kill in the name of God. But the basis of ALL religions....as being 'Love of one another as you love your self'.

The author explains that experiencing true love….God’s love…..as what happens if we could walk this path the way God does. “What transformations do they go through along the way? To understand this, imagine what would happen if you started feeling tremendous love for all creatures, for every plant, for every animal, and for all the beauties of nature. Imagine if every child seemed like your own, and every person you saw looked like a beautiful flower, with its own color, its own expression, shape, and sounds. As you went deeper, you would start noticing a phenomenal thing – you are no longer judging. The process of judging has simply stopped. There is just appreciating and honoring. Where there used to be judging, there is now respecting, loving, and cherishing. To differentiate is to judge. To see, to experience, and to honor is to participate in life instead of standing back and judging it.”

“When you walk through a beautiful botanical garden, you feel open and light. You feel love. You see beauty. You don’t judge the shape and placement of every leaf. The leaves are of all sizes and shapes and they face every-which-way. That’s what makes them beautiful. What if you felt that way about people? What if they didn’t all have to dress the same, believe the same, or behave the same? What if they were like the flowers, and however they happened to be…..seemed beautiful to you? If that happened, you’d get a glimpse of God. That’s the best way to know God. Watch what happens to you as you get closer to God.”

That pretty much sums it up for me. It explains clearly that when we compare and judge…we are separating ourselves from this wonderful love. When we  love unconditionally….we are becoming ONE…and that is what I think we are here to do on this physical plane. And if we stop comparing, judging and feeling separate from one another….we can get closer to how God intended us to be.  

So, to check to see if you are getting closer to God or going farther away from what God intended for us, sense how you are feeling. If you are feeling alone or jealous or combative….you are moving away from God. If you can stop yourself from judging and begin to love, respect and accept everyone….then you are definitely moving towards what God if offering us each day with all the splendor that surrounds us.

Have a wonderful Sunday peeps and begin to notice all that beauty that you may be taking for granted out there.  And it IS everywhere. Hugs and Mush - Gommy

INTENTION

Hello Boys and Girls. Do you have what is called the 'Need To Please Disease'? Do you do things you don’t really want to do, just so that person won’t think you are mean, cheap, lazy, unkind, etc. etc.? If you don’t like that trait about yourself…. the next time someone asks you to do something you may not want to do, just step back and ask yourself….what intention am I putting out there that is making these requests come to me all the time? If you are that 'people-pleaser' that is doing stuff that you later regret and may even eventually resent….you must say no if you really don’t want to do ‘it’. Because if these requests keep coming….they are coming because the intention has been formed (by you) that you ‘must’ like to do ‘it’ because you keep saying yes. Gotcha!

This brings me to the subject of how we do manifest things we want and things we don’t want.  I was listening to a radio program that was describing the difference between 'manifesting' and the Law of Attraction.  To actually manifest what it is we are ‘wanting to attract’ we must be in alignment with God/Source/Spirit.  There is a Law Of Attraction and it is that ‘like attracts like’. We aren’t usually trying to manifest the bad stuff, but the Law of Attraction brings things to us that which we don’t want as well as the stuff we are asking for. According to a Huffington Post article…. “In ‘The Secret’ we learned that this is based on "scientific principles" alluding to quantum physics supporting this contention: that you will attract to yourself whatever you put out.” 

And don’t be so quick to dismiss this as all woo-woo stuff, because the article goes on to explain, “Recent brain imaging studies are rapidly showing that the brain does in fact conform in its function to the "Law of Attraction". Perhaps the most convincing evidence to date has been the discovery of "mirror neurons". At first seen in monkeys, scientists eventually found a set of "mirror neurons" in humans that mirror the behavior of someone who is being observed. That is, when we observe someone doing something, the same pattern of brain activation that allows that person to do what they are doing (e.g. lifting up their right hand or smiling) is mirrored in the brain of the observer. It is as if the observer is doing those same things. Activations are seen in the pre-motor and parietal cortex of the brain: regions that prepare the body for movement and attention. Thus, our brains appear to mirror the actions of another person automatically. Similarly, when we act, the brains of others will fire in a similar way. Our actions cause similar action-representations in the brains of others.”

I just recently learned of an author who writes about the power of intention. On her website….it states that, “Lynne McTaggart is a best-selling author, researcher and lecturer whose work has rightly been described as “a bridge between science and spirituality”.  Her work is being proven by scientists synthesized discoveries from quantum physicists about the nature of consciousness into a unified theory.” And it states furthermore; “For the past 20 years she has been researching medicine and its shortcomings, and quantum physics and what this means for you and the world we live in.” In an interview....she even stated that she is not a 'woo-woo' at all (and those were HER words...promise!).

Still not believing? There are many scientists who are on board in trying to prove or dispel the notion of enlightenment. One is Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp. He is a German physicist and founder of the International Institute of Biophysics in Neuss, Germany. He is credited with the discovery of biophoton emissions – tiny currents of light emanating from living things. (Enlightenment means knowing the light within us, EN-LIGHTENED.)

Dr. Popp is an Invited Member of the New York Academy of Sciences and a member of the International Consciousness Research Laboratory (ICRL) at Princeton University. He has written some 150 publications on theoretical physics, biology, complementary medicine and biophotons.

Still not buying it? Then how about what the Bible says about miracles? And what are miracles but intentions that we may have asked for? There are several references to ‘believing’ that are in the Bible. One is in Mark 10:27 and states that, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." Now, it doesn’t say…..just some things are possible…it says quite plainly that ALL things are possible. I rest my case.

But getting back to the ‘alignment’ stuff. What that means is that we mirror…or get back…..what we are putting out there. We cannot merely ask for help...or *whatever. We have to BE the giver of what we want…and then it will be given back to us (remember the mirroring stuff?). Now, I’m not saying this is easy….and we are only humans, hopefully trying to get to be a better ‘us’ (you know….works in progress). But to get to the place where we truly are not in judgment of anyone else, and come from a place that we are reflecting the Love that is God... is what is needed to be on the right path, so to speak. And granted....this is not as easy peasy as we would like it to be.  But if we have the right 'intentions'.....we will get there eventually.

But, just asking for the guidance to bring us to that place will go a long way in getting there a little bit faster. And gratitude. Gratitude is a HUGE part of the deal. Ask with love….Act with love....Be grateful....and love will be reflected back to us. We can do it peeps…Gommy is pulling for ya....er.....US! And I’d appreciate it if you would pull for me too. We can all use a little of that Unconditional Love.
 Hugs n' Mush - Gommy

Spirituality and Religion

Hello peeps. I want to talk about something that is not very wise to talk about; Religion. It seems everyone has the other taboo topic (Politics) well under way right now with the 2012 elections in full speed ahead….so why the heck not mixed it up with Religion too? LOL

The reason it isn’t a wise subject to discuss is because people are very protective of their religions and their religious beliefs. Many times, ‘sharing’ religious philosophies causes conflict. I read an article that explained; ~ If you tell people that their “God” is only a metaphor, their defenses are going to go up quite dramatically and quite fiercely. It's a challenge to their beliefs, which feels like an attack at the very core of their self-image.~ (Paraphrased)

So, I am not going to tell you that….but I do have my own beliefs on this topic. The reason I started thinking about all this, is that I was having a conversation with someone the other day and they mentioned another someone they knew and said they were spiritual. Welllll, I didn’t want to start an argument…(far be it from me…right?) but I felt that the person in question didn’t seem spiritual to me, but could more aptly be described as a religious person.  This isn’t to say there is anything wrong with being religious….but for me they are not the same thing.

I suppose it is easier for me to ‘question’ religious beliefs because I wasn’t raised in any formal Religion. I like to say that I was raised a ‘Visitor’ because my Mom took me to many different denominations of churches….and even a synagogue or two.  My Dad had long given up on his religion after he read the Inquisition of Spain and was disgusted by what people will do in the name of ‘religion’.  So, I didn’t have the dogma and doctrine of a particular religion ingrained ‘into me’, so investigating what I did believe…or not….was not forbidden….nor was it foreboding to me.

I can say that it was easier for me to come to my own Truth…or my own True North, precisely because my understanding and unfolding of what I believe, didn’t hinge on a set of rules…or have to’s to ‘win’ approval of the One Spiritual Being/God or whatever makes one feel comfortable calling ‘All That Is’…..the I AM. I just went by what felt right to me. I do believe that the Truth can stand up under any poking or prodding. And as a very wise friend of mine said, ‘Don’t believe anything I say or anyone else says….believe what you feel is right.’ And so far…I have been able to come to my own understanding with a calmness and find my own peace when I followed those feelings. And those feelings come from ‘Within’….and ‘Within’ is where all peace must come from to begin with. This is what allows us to feel at peace with everything and everyone around us.

So, getting back to religion and spirituality. A good metaphor to illustrate the confusion about the terms religion and spirituality are some other terms;  ‘ocean’ and ‘sea’. When I looked up the difference between oceans and seas, the article said, ~‘Many people use the terms ‘ocean’ and ‘sea’ interchangeably when speaking about the ocean, but there is a difference between the two terms when speaking of the study of the Earth's surface. Seas are smaller than oceans and are usually located where the land and ocean meet. Typically, seas are partially enclosed by land.’~  Both ARE bodies of water, so it is understandable that they could be mistaken for one another. And they are both bodies of salt water…but still not exactly the same. You ‘see’? And I don’t think the ocean or the sea would mind being interchanged…it is only we humans that seem to mind the labels that are put on us.

I have also observed over time, that when people speak of someone being spiritual…..they tend to think of that person as being all woo-woo.  So, call me woo-woo if you wish….but spiritual….more than religious, is how I think of myself. I can remember a time that I also scoffed at those who seemed all airy-fairy and woo-woo…..but the laugh was on me because I have since realized that they were waaaay ahead of me when it came to getting closer to understanding how to connect with Divine Intelligence. It turns out that emotions are a large part of the process. The downside is that Divine Intelligence (God or whatever you feel comfortable calling the Supreme Being.....One/ Eloah/Jehovah, etc.) brings to us whatever it is that we are most passionate about when we think about it for any length of time….good or bad. That is where the ‘Free Will’ part comes in. So, I would advise that you keep your thoughts positive. That is probably where the saying, “Be careful what you wish for” came from …..because thoughts do become things. Just a little friendly and spiritual heads up for ya’. Woo-Woo and *wink-wink!!

Spirituality has gotten a bad rap if you ask me. I think it is very misunderstood. I believe that religion is really the searching for spirituality in connection with the Divine Spirit (John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.".)

For example, if you are a religious person…..you probably believe in a God who is outside of you. Usually thought of as an older man with white hair….but definitely outside of you that you pray TO.  If you are a spiritual person….you believe that the Divine is within you, i.e. you and the Divine are One….. or you are at least trying to become One with the Divine. It’s like we are searching for the ONE and then we put a label on ‘It’….then we go about worshiping that idea or label, instead of  the ONE. We should just cut out the ‘middle man’ if you ask me. It isn’t about our idea or the label that we put on the Divine. I see it as WE ARE THE DIVINE…..experiencing us. There is no separation. Separation is what causes all strife, racism, jealousy and all the ugliness people feel about each other when we think of ourselves as being separate from each other and from the Divine. If we just could see that we ARE One….there would be no use for comparisons, prejudice and hatred towards another human being. 

I always have a hard time understanding why religions preach the Trinity….or point to the Christ within us….and then those same parishioners can’t accept when someone spiritual says the same thing in a different way. And if, as the Bible teaches, we all came from Adam and Eve….how could we not all be one? Those aren’t my teachings….they are the Bibles’ teachings. I personally feel that the Adam and Eve story was a metaphor….but I won’t go into that right now.  I am more of the sense that we ARE all one but more so like the quote by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin that goes; “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.”

If you are a religious person, you probably also think that you must obey an omniscient, omnipresent ‘Divine Being’ to earn love from that Divine Being. If you are spiritual…you feel you ARE the love and are PART of that Being.  Like a diamond has many facets…but each facet is part of the one diamond. And like the ocean has many waves….but all the waves are STILL the one ocean. You cannot separate the facets from the One diamond, nor can you separate the waves from the Ocean.

Religions are man-made.  Religion was created by people who wanted to pursue a spiritual evolution. Religion at its most divisive can be self-righteousness, tyrannical, prejudicial, and be full of hatred and judgment. Religions and religious people can be pious. But religion that focuses on being the best it can be…. is the doorway to becoming spiritually enlightened. Enlightened is another word that makes some people think, oh- oh….‘woo-woo’! But don’t think that 'enlightened' means over the top peeps….because enlightened is in the Bible several time too. For example, Psalms 19:11 is just one reference, ‘Moreover, by them is thy servant enlightened; in keeping them there is great reward.’

If you could see it not so much that religion and spirituality are different, but rather that they are pathways between two points.  Then those who are protecting the dogma and teachings they have been taught so stringently…. may not be as ruffled. Imagine the ‘points’ representing the level of understanding on one end…to getting to the Divine on the other end……with religion as the starting point for most of us…..and spirituality as religion advanced to the ending point.

Religion and spirituality don’t have to be contradictory ideas. They can go hand in hand…. in the search for inner peace.  The real problem starts when religion insists that there is only one ‘Right And True’ way to believe…..and spirituality knows that it's (we) who are all Right And True. Spirituality can encompass religion with no arguments, but it rarely happens the other way around.
 
So, that is my ‘sermon’ for today boys and girls. I feel we sometimes think of terms a certain way for a very long time….not realizing that we may be confusing what they actually are. Just keep searching for what feels right to you and you will know when it is the Truth. The Truth always ‘feels’ right….and if it isn’t your Truth….it won’t feel right to you. As that very smart friend of mine always ends her offerings with, ‘I offer this for your consideration’, I offer this for your consideration as well. If it doesn’t feel right or true for you….that’s ok too.  As for me….I say take what feels right to you….and leave the rest. Life is a smorgasbord….and you can put on your tray whatever you feel like sampling and pass on by the stuff that isn’t appetizing to you. Sometimes….we have to stop thinking so much….and follow what our hearts tell us is True. You can do it peeps….Gommy is pulling for you! Hugs & Mush, Gommy

Memories

I have always heard the saying about the half-full or half-empty glass and I usually think of myself as the ‘half-full’ version.  But I was thinking about something the other day; the idea of our lives being like a vessel…..and how that vessel is being filled up each day and each year with life situations, relationships, problems, happy times, and with the people who mean so much to us. Then I thought how I have felt that when someone passes on…. that the vessel is empty now and how all that wisdom, love and life experience is gone with them and how much of a waste that is for the rest of us. We are not able to enjoy them or learn from them any longer. It just seems sad that it took so many years and life experiences to build up all that special-ness in them….and now it is just gone.

But then I immediately thought that those people and memories are never really gone from us. And I started remembering my own grandparents and the special things we did together and all the warm memories I still have of them. When I am playing with my little grands….I  know that I am making memories that they will be recalling of me in the years when I am long gone. 

I can remember the awesome trips, holidays and occasions that my own parents and I enjoyed together in the years when they were still alive. And when I watch my daughter with her own children…..doing the same things I did with my own three…..it is a reminder that we really are living the ‘circle of life’…..and how special each memory is that we are making. The secret is to remember that we are making a difference in the life of each person who crosses our path.....and to make each person you touch....remember you fondly.

I have many wonderful memories of times I spent with my own children, who have passed. Any time I want…..I can pull forth a wonderful recollection of a particular time we spent together. And the memory of the beautiful qualities they possessed are still with me each and every day. I still laugh at the jokes we shared and fun times I had with my son Terry or remember how very proud he made me when he grew into manhood. And I still use the many lessons my ‘old soul’ of a daughter, Tiffany, taught me….and she didn’t even know at the time that she was teaching her old mom things that I have needed and used so many times since in my life.

I am Blessed to still have my daughter Tracey to spend times with….and there are so many memories I cherish of the Mother/Daughter trips we took in the past and the many woman to woman talks that we still share today. How wonderful it is to have a daughter who grows up to be such a wonderful friend!

So, my point here today is that although we miss those who have gone on terribly…..and it really is a shame that we can’t hold onto them forever….that in a way….actually we can….and we do hold onto them forever.....in every memory and smile we shared while we were together. And to also cherish the times you are making with those who are still with you. This is your life book peeps.....make it a classic.

So, my life-work assignment for today peeps is to cherish each amazing moment that you have with your loved ones. You never know how long you will have them in your life….but I promise you, that you will be happy some day…. that you took the time to make those wonderful warm and fuzzy memories with them......and so will THEY!  You can do it boys and girls…Gommy is pulling for you!

Hugs & Mush - Gommy

Am I Doing This Just Because It Makes ME Look Good?

Hello Boys and Girls. Long time no hear or see! There has been lots of stuff going on in Gommys' world....but today I want to talk about something that recently caught my attention as I was listening to an interview by Gary Zukav. He is a prolific author on the subject of the Soul. He was explaining about Authentic Power and Manipulative Power.

He said that we do things for different reasons. And that it is the differentiation of what we 'get' from doing the deed that is interesting.  Like, did I put money in that Salvation Army pot last Christmas Season because it was a wonderful thing to do for people I don't even know? Or was a part of it because it made me feel good about myself? hmmmmmmm

Or, does that wealthy philanthropist get an extra Gold Star for giving away money.....or did they just do it for the write off? You may ask.....what's the difference....as long as something good was done? Welllllll.....the difference is that if we do things for how it makes us look and for the respect we garner from doing it.....then that is Manipulative Power. If, on the other hand, we do the good deed just because it is the right and good thing to do....without any strings attached or wanting any kudos for doing it.....then that is having Authentic Power. And the bonus we do get from the Authentic Power...is that we know we do have respect, especially from ourselves.....because it WAS the right thing to do. I'll take the second one thank you!

When we do something for someone.....without expecting or caring if anyone else sees us do it....then that is from a place of Authentic Power and from love. When someone 'respects' you or feels loyalty to you for what you can give them.....it is only a matter of time before their 'loyalty' will find its way to the next person who gives them a little more. No thanks on that kind of loyalty!

I would say that Mother Teresa was the type that did all the good she did.....just because it was the good and right thing to do. I feel that she didn't expect anything in return. THAT is the good type of feeling we should try to emulate about ourselves.

So.....the next time you do something peeps....ask yourself which power you are using. I would suggest doing it for the Authentic Power and from a place of love. You can do it.....Gommy is pulling for ya'
Hugs and  Mush - Gommy

LISTEN TO NATURE....

Hello Boys n' Girls…you know it’s funny, but every time ….and I do mean EVERY time I begin my Gommy’s Goodies and I type ‘Hello Boys and Girls’….I have to backspace and fix it ‘cuz it always comes out BOUYS. But maybe that isn’t a mistake….because what I am wanting to share with you IS meant to ‘bouy’ up you for a bit. Anyway…..what I want to point to today is that I have always loved the quote that says, ‘People come into your lives for a Reason, a Season or a Lifetime’. When you think about that sentiment….you can probably think of people who have been in your life for all of those examples….some are still in your life, some people have left your life for a variety of reasons….and then there are the people you hope will never leave your life…..well, not for a looooong time anyway. But the reality is that not ALL people are supposed to stay in your life....all of the time. And the reason for that is that we all grow and change….and even family members may not always fit well in your life as they once did. Even ‘Blood’ doesn’t always make up what ‘family’ means.

The tricky little part is that we must know when to let go of the people or situations in our life that no longer give us enjoyment or pleasure. We must accept that not everyone is meant to ‘stay’ in our life. I was listening to a radio show yesterday and they were discussing how Friendships can turn into Friend-SHIFTS. The shift is because it isn’t feasible that we or anyone else stays the same forever. If we are doing it right…..we change;  hopefully for the better as we mature and learn how life works. For those who it seems may never mature….you probably don’t have anything in common with them any longer…..and it is time to cut the strings. These people will stay with other immature people because that is where they feel comfortable….just as you don’t feel comfortable with them any longer and move on. You know…the old ‘Birds of a Feather’ thingy. The further away from the spectrum we are from another ‘sort’ of person or personality….the less comfortable we feel. Or it may be as simple as you no longer have anything in common with someone as you once did. No worries….it doesn’t make that person ‘bad’…..it just makes that relationship irrelevant in your life now. If someone or something doesn’t bring happiness into your life any longer….just say no to it and/or them. Life is meant to bring joy and happiness….and you are in charge of who you let influence your own life.

This brings me to lessons we can learn from Nature. If we just observe how perfectly Nature operates…..and then apply it to our own lives, we can learn how to live effectively, enjoyably AND effortlessly. As to the ‘cutting off’ of what or who no longer is working in our lives any longer, we can look to Nature. In Nature, even though it is a part of the tree….the tree knows when to let go and allow its leaves to fall away and begin a new cycle. And trees are self-sufficient. If they receive the right amount of sunlight, soil nutrient and water….they will grow. And they grow without needing any amount of cheering on to grow and they don’t need an audience either. They don’t look at the other trees and think, ‘Oh…look at that Elm over there! It is prettier, taller and greener than me!’ Or, “Do all these leaves make me look fat?” What we can learn from the tress is that we should just always do our best and not be worried about anyone else and what THEY are doing. Everything will turn out ok if we mind our own business and wish well for everyone. ANNNNNNND be happy with who WE are and what WE have and stop worrying about what anyone else has or does. You know envy is one of the 7 Deadly Sins (the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation). So stop that!!! OKAY?

Or how about the Sun? The Sun is not biased, it is NOT bigoted, and it shines on everyone. The Sun rises up every day....so you can say that the Sun is always a sure thing, i.e always reliable. Even if there are clouds or rain…..the Sun is still up there….just waiting to come out again and make everything all bright and sunny! The Sun doesn’t say, ‘I don’t feel like getting up today because I had a rip of a night last night.’ Or the Sun doesn’t say, ‘I don’t like the color of that persons’ skin…so I am not going to shine on him.’ I guess you could say then…that the lesson we can learn from the Sun is that we should all play nice together and share our sunshine! And realize also, that it doesn’t take anything away from you if the sun shines on everybody. And another thing to remember is that no matter what happens in our life…..the sun is going to come up tomorrow. It doesn’t stop coming up because ‘WE’ may think the world is over.

And how about how Nature is always changing? We can resist all we want about change….but as the late Congressman Bruce Barton said, "When you are through changing, you are through.” Ask the caterpillar who thought the world was over…..and then turned into a Butterfly. Sometimes we don’t realize what the Universe has in store for us if we are just willing to do a little changing. And if you are still waiting for something you want to come into your life….another good lesson from Nature is patience. As Ralph Waldo Emerson so beautifully pointed out, “Adopt the pace of Nature: Her secret is patience.”

And then there is the Snowflake. The Snowflake is so beautiful, yet it can also be deadly if we don’t have a place to stay warm and find shelter from the falling snow and coldness that comes with it. And there are also no two snowflakes that are alike, but that doesn’t make one snowflake any better than the other one. They are all beautiful in their own way. Lesson? We don’t all have to be the same to be beautiful. And another thing to learn from the Snowflake is that just because something is beautiful….doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you.

That’s it for today BOUYS n’ GURLS……try to use these lessons from Nature because Nature has been around a whole lot longer than we have been and will be here a very loooooong time after we are gone. You can do it…..Gommy is pulling for you. Hugs n' Mush- Gommy

Grands are Grand!

Hello peeps! It's been a while since I placed pen to paper.....er...fingers to keyboard. The reason is there have been lots and lots of fun times and holidays and getting together to with friends and family, that Goms hasn't wanted to tear myself away to write it down. But I HAVE posted many pictures.....cuz' after all....I am the Gomma-razzi!!

Something did come to mind in the last few days that I felt I just HAD to share with you though. While spending time with my little Grands.....it occured to me that....even though I am getting older, and with that comes a sort of invisibility....those little Grands still think Goms is pretty neat. My daughter mentioned just yesterday that it is like a Rock Star is visiting when they hear Gommy and Grandpa are coming over. And when there is a sporting event or a dance recital.....their little faces just light up when they know we are coming to cheer them on! And it is so nice to see them creak their little heads around to make sure we DID make it to their event.

The invisible part that I mentioned....is that as we grow older in this youth obsessed culture....the older you get....the less anyone 'sees' you, wants to see you or cares what your opinion is. Even the Ad Men only care about the 18-45 year olds opinions when they market their wares. But those little people.....ahhhhh.....they just want to BE with their Gommy and Grandpas and share every little piece of their life with them. They give gifts in the way of original art work to put on your refrigerator, they tell you about their day at school or where Mommy and Daddy took them last weekend. They want to make sure you see their exceptional skills at doing a cartwheel, 'reading' a book, coloring while staying inside the lines or how high they can jump. When you read them a book....they are mesmerized.  It's so much fun to read with a funny voice for each of the characters in the book and listen to their giggles....and then they make you feel as if you were an Academy Award winner for your performance in reading Good Night Moon. Where else in the world does anyone else EVER make you feel that you are so important? No where...that's where.

My little Grands don't ever notice the 'beauty spots' that have begun to appear on my hands and face. And whether I am all made up (as well as I can be made up these days) or I am dragging myself around as if I am circling the drain for the last time.....those little sweethearts think Goms hung the moon! I never find myself being bothered when they ask...."LOOK Gommy....I'm....(fill in the blank)." ....because I want to make sure they know that I think what they are doing is just as important as it actually is!!! How could you lose patience with the fifty-eleventh time they laugh when you pop a bubble you made with your bubble gum? Or find you hysterical when you share a knock-knock joke with them. And how about when I find an old Shirley Temple movie, Popeye the Sailor Cartoon or another Goldie Oldie on the computer and they are enchanted with this 'NEW' magic that Gommy is shaing with them?  It's the BEST!!!

I am often reminded that I didn't always think the fifty-eleventh time when my own children did something was so adorable....but I also didn't have the luxury back then of leaving when I wanted to either.  And back then, it was my full responsibility for the day in and day out of raising my own three children. Looking back though, I see how I may have been so busy with the day to day of living, that I missed the minute to minute of the little things that were so cute. I guess we do get do-overs because my 20/20 hindsight is allowing me to enjoy these times all the more. And when my little grands say thank you.....just for spending time with them...now THAT just melts a Gommys' heart.

Yep my friends.....never let an opportunity go by that you can spend with your little ones. They grow up soooo fast....and one day Gommy won't hold as much magic with them and the visits will be less and less often and when you do get a visit....there won't be the giggles and the excitement to see you. Although, I do have to admit....that when they grow up....you can still have a good relationship with them....even if it is a different sort of relationship. My older (adult) Grands and I have some pretty good side-splitting laughs when we get together that would not be 'Little Grand' appropriate. And one day, probably sooner than later......they will make Gommy a 'Great-Gommy'. Then they will get to learn all the Mommy/Gommy things for themselves. And the beat goes on......

These good times are ones to cherish...and they are fleeting with the passage of time. All Goms is saying is to enjoy it while it lasts. You can do it....Gommy is pulling for you!
Hugs & Mush, Gommy

Hoppy Easter my Peeps!

Spring has Sprung Peeps. This made Gommy start wondering about New Beginnings. Like why does the world seem to be spiraling downhill, into a pit of unhappiness? Why do so many peeps seem to feel sad and unhappy with their lives? Could it be that the common denominator is that no one seems to care anymore? Not even God? That our prayers are not being heard or answered? Or if you do say you have Faith….you don’t believe you are receiving what you are asking for…….as in the Scripture, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”?

IMHO, the part that is always missed in that Scripture is that you must 'seek' to 'receive'…..and that you must knock (and keep on knocking), until you receive the answer you are seeking. And maybe the most important part is that your must 'believe you will receive'. As the great Wayne Dyer says, "You must believe it to see it." Not the other way around.....saying that seeing is believing. But the tricky part is that we are our own worst enemies and we should be knocking on our own 'doors'.....metaphorically speaking. We ask and we ask…..and when we don’t receive….we just think we aren’t being heard, or we aren’t worthy of the thing we are asking for. But I think the real reason we don’t receive….is that we have placed a roadblock in front of the very thing we ‘say’ we are wanting. And I think the Scripture means that the seeking is to begin ‘within’, which is another good Scripture that is often overlooked. What do you really want? You have the answers inside….and sometimes you just don’t want to admit them. And you may even just feel like saying 'WHATEVER!'. But how is that working out for ya' peeps?

For example: You may ‘say’ you want a better job….or a better marriage….or more money to spend. But, somewhere inside your thinking, you are really thinking, “BUT…..work is hard to find, so I better just stay with this horrible job”. Or, "BUT……it’s no use to think this marriage will get any better because I have tried everything I know and we are just stuck in limbo”. Or, "BUT….I guess it was just meant that I would always have to live paycheck to paycheck”. Do you see the roadblocks? As soon as you ‘Asked’…..you cancelled the request by your BUTS!!!! How can your prayers be answered if you aren’t even sure what you truly want or that they will even be answered? So, get off your Buts AND your Butts and start thinking differently.

Now, this is not as easy peasy as just saying what you want…. or else everyone would be happy wouldn’t they? It is a process where you lay down the things that make you most unhappy and look for the things that make you most happy. Like…..in the marriage thingy…..do you HAVE to be right all the time…..or do you want to be happy? Now some peeps will think that if they don’t argue to the last detail on an issue and have the last word….that they lost. Really? Is it losing to be happy? Do we really want to throw the baby out with the bathwater? So, maybe the thing to do is to take little steps with this one. Don’t try to have your way allllll the time. Marriage is a relationship and the last time I looked….the definition of relationship mentioned ‘relating’ to the other person. If we are so steadfast in being right about every stinking little issue…..then we aren’t really considering the other person’s feelings about the issues that keep coming up for us.

Or in the case of the better job. It just seems easier to gripe and complain about your job than to look for another one that might make you happier. Just remember the saying about complaining, “Complaining is like a rocking chair….it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” Maybe we are just comfortable in our job, even though we don’t love it, and are afraid to change positions because we just don’t know what the new job will be like. Could be!

And about the money thing; the more you say you are broke….the more that statement will be true. I believe that thoughts become things and if we believe something enough and say it enough….we become our own prophets. So STOP bringing to you what you don’t want in your life. And if you can’t or won't do that….at least stop whining about it.

Don’t believe me yet? How about in the Bible, where in James 1:6-8, it is saying that we should always pray positively and not doubtingly. We should expect a response…but sometimes we just don’t understand the response we are receiving. But to make sure we are at least making an attempt to be 'heard'….we must truly believe that we WILL ‘receive’. But If we pray in a doubting or uncertain way, we become as another part of this scripture of James' , ‘we will be like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.' And that makes me think of another quote that I love; "Pray to God, but keep rowing towards the shore."

So my peeps, let’s start this new Season of Spring, (which means New Beginnings), by changing some of our old habits that aren’t doing us any good anyway? Think about what you want and then think of ways that you may be hampering those things. Then try to tweak the way you have been going about your life and change the things that haven’t been working out so well. It really is ‘within’ because we are the ones making the choices each and every day. I choose to look for the things that make me happiest….and leave the junk behind. I choose to not argue about stuff that really doesn’t amount to a hill of beans to me. I choose to love myself and others and leave those behind who can't love me back. Like another favorite quote of mine....."Don't try to win over the haters. You aren't the Jackass Whisperer!". And I choose to believe that I will receive what I ask for and remove any roadblocks I may have in my way. Couldn’t hurt right? You can do it too…..Gommy is pulling for you! Happy Easter everyone! Hugs & Mush~Gommy

Look Within

Hello Boys & Girls - It's been a while since I have written to you. But something has been aching at me to share with you....and I hope it doesn't drive any of you away. I say this because it is one of the hardest things to admit about ourselves.

What it is....is.....that we bring all the crapola we have in our lives TO us. YEP...it is brought to us by our very own hands. But the good news is...that we bring the good stuff to us as well.

Now, I bet you are thinking...no way!! I wouldn't want *xyz* in my life. It is too painful...upsetting...fearful....etc. But, Goms is here to tell you....that you really have. It is hard to accept that our hand would be in something that we don't want in our life. But, the reality is that we bring everything to us....all the time.

If you believe in God....then you probably pray for things, right? So you must 'Believe' that your prayers will be answered then. GOTCHA!!! And God does answer every prayer....we just don't realize that we have sent the wrong memo out into the Universe sometimes.

Let's say you want to win the lottery. I see everyone's hand up right now. But how many of you say something like...."I wish I could win the lottery. But I'm not lucky"? Guess what??? You just cancelled your wish. Or say you want to lose weight...and you think...."I'm going to be really good and not eat anything I'm not supposed to eat.....but as soon as I lose the weight...it just comes back on and usually twice as much as I lost." BUSTED- I bet most everyone has had that thought a time or two.....or threeeeee!!!!

And have you ever noticed that the people who think about being sick the most...ARE the people who are sick the most? Or the people who think about being rich...are the richest? What you have to realize is that 'Like Attracts Like'. Thoughts send out a magnetic signal that draws the parallel back to you. That is the Law of Attraction and it works every time, with every person. And it works whether you believe it or not. Just as the Law of Gravity works. Try it....try to think that an apple won't fall if you drop it. It still fell didn't it? Even though you said you didn't believe in the Law of Gravity.

Oh, and another thing....it doesn't matter if the apple was a ripe delicious apple or a rotten apple. It still falls. So that is another way to answer the question of why do bad things happen to good people. The Laws of the Universe....have to work perfectly at all times....and can't make exceptions because someone is a good person or a bad person. These Laws are how God makes everything work perfectly and exactly all the time. There can be NO exceptions.....or everything will tilt and be off kilter. And God doesn't make mistakes.

Something to be careful about is that positive or negative thoughts and emotions have energy. The Universe brings into our life, the most powerful ideas and thoughts we have. It does not care whether you want it or not. It isn't concerned with where the energy flows into or from where it flows out. This is why things you do not want to happen, still happen. The very things you are afraid of....do come into your life. Worries come true. But why this is so? The answer consists in energy flow. The more you don't want these things to come into your life....you think about them with STRONG PASSION. So, the Universe is 'hearing' what you are emitting. It does not matter that you may be thinking that you don't want it....it just recieves what you are focusing on. And if this object is negative......then negative is what you get. Even if this is what you do not want to bring into your life. You are giving energy to things you don't want and that is why they are attracted to you. Think about abundance and wealth, and health and success and prosperity....think POSITIVE things.... and those things will be attracted to you.

Another analogy I like to use is of a flood. Now floods can be terrible and they do much damage and even kill people. But that very same flood....that did so much damage and killed people....is the same water that goes down the way to benefit others. It may bring much needed water to a farmer's herd of cattle....or it may bring water to crops that are dying from drought....or it may bring badly needed water to a village of people who depend on that water to survive. See, it wasn't bad water or good water....it was just water.

Unfortunately for 'us'....we are creatures of habit...and we take the easiest route. This is another reason things don't change for us when we 'think' we want them to change. And many times that leads us right back to square one. We don't like having those extra pounds on us...but those chips and dips sure do call our name at night while we are watching TV. And if we do believe that what we ask for is what we receive (ASK AND YOU SHALL RECIEVE)....we are correct. But the sneaky little secret...is that we must make an adjusment in the receive thingy. We must ASK-then BELIEVE-to RECIEVE. Then it is like shopping on the Net...we can just click and point to whatever it is we may be wishing for. And another little secret is that we must REALLY and TRULY believe it can happen. If there is the slightest doubt....then *POOF*....all gone.

Now you are probably asking....How long before I can start manifesting? The short answer is that there are no rules on how long. The trick is that the more aligned you are with positive feelings the quicker things happen. By aligning I mean....get the boogers and road blocks out by the roots! And THAT my dearies is the hardest part. We may think we are doing everything correctly...and we just haven't won the damn lottery yet. But there may be some hidden emotion or thought....somewhere in your psyche...that is keeping that wish from being a reality. You may think that money is bad...or rich people are stuck up.....or you were just meant to be at whatever level you are right now...or maybe if you work REAL hard...you may be a little more comfortable......but you'll never be wealthy. And you can use anything that doesn't seem to be materializing for you as you try this little pop quiz for yourself. Believe me....there IS something that is in the way of you manifesting something you really want. You just have to find the booger and pull it out by the roots. Not just prune and trim it... but rip it out by the stinking roots.

So, this is what Gommy means by 'Look Within'. You have the answers as to why *xyz* is in your life right now. Even if it is the most irritating situation in the world! You brought it to ya' Sorry peeps! That is the brutal and honest truth.

This is Gommys' offering to you today boys and girls. IMHO we can make our lives 'gooder or badder'...just by the way we think. So, my very unprofessional advice would be to start thinking good stuff and shy away from the negative stuff. Heck....just look at Jim Carrey. He tells a story about how he wrote himself a check for $10 Milllion Dollars way before he was famous. But he believed he would be famous one day and visualized it over and over. And he didn't just sit on his dufus and wait for the check to arrive. He went on acting auditions and made sure he did everything he could to be in the right place at the right time to get into show business. And after being in some films...he did manifest the money he wrote on that check. This is what Jim Carrey said himself about the writing of the check when he was on Bravo's 'Inside the Actors Studio' TV show :

On writing a 10 million dollar check to himself:
JL- When you were struggling personally and professionally, did you write yourself a check?
JC- Yeah, I made myself my check which was just basically you know, 10 million dollars to Jim Carrey for acting services rendered, dated Thanksgiving 1995, and that was uh, 1990. I gave myself five years to be one of the most successful working actors, to be given the best material, and the best scripts - things that people would never expect in a million years that I could do.
JL- What did you do with the check finally?
JC- I put the check in my fathers pocket in his casket because it was his dream too and he followed me the whole time and it was kind of a completion of all that. He saw The Mask - he saw what was happening to me, and I felt like it was ya know, it was his as well- so I’d give it to him.

Pretty awesome right? Welllll....you can do it too Boys & Girls. Gommy is pulling for ya'
Hugs & Mush- Gommy

You ARE Appreciated!

After spending the last day of the holiday vacation with my daughter and her little ones, I was riding home and listening to the radio. There was a conversation on a radio talk show about finding the Divine in the Mundane and that Love is in the Details. All the way home….I kept thinking how it applied to mothers everywhere. It made such an impression, that when I returned home, I wrote my beautiful daughter an email to tell her my thoughts.

I told her that when are mothering our children…there are days that it seems we just don’t have enough time for a minute to ourselves. And we don’t really feel anyone notices or appreciates all that we do for them. It even feels as if it is ‘expected’ sometimes.

But as I thought of the radio show and how they were talking about the topic of finding Divinity in the Mundane and that Love is in the Details….I knew that all those times I was feeling unappreciated….I was wrong. My daughter Tracey tells me all the time how she has such warm and fuzzy memories of the different holidays that I tried to make special for her and her brother and sister. There were some lean times for some of the occasions….but there was lots and lots of love and that is what she is remembering. I bet she could only tell you a very few gifts that I worried over to get her….but she does remember the ‘feeling’ that she had on those very special times. I read somewhere recently that it isn’t about the presents….it’s about the presence. And that, my friends, is ab-so-toot-ly the honest to goodness truth of the matter.

I told my daughter that on those times she feels depleted from getting up at the crack of dawn….just so she could run (that’s her exercise of choice….and her therapy too I imagine) because that is the only time she can carve out of the day to take some Mommy-time….and that getting her daughter up for school, making the lunch, taking her to school, spending time with Brandon while Samantha is at school….picking up Samantha….going to the park or to a play-date so the little bundles of energy will be ready for an afternoon nap and she just might get to answer some emails or pay some bills…..then prepare dinner for everyone, clean up and then tuck them in at night…and hopefully have enough spark left over to spend on her wonderful husband….that…it is those times that will really be appreciated....some day. It may not seem as if anyone is noticing…but take a Gommys’ word for it…THEY ARE. If Mommy or Daddy were not around to do all those things….that wonderful life those little ones ‘expect’ every day….would not be very wonderful any longer.

And one day….when the little ones have little ones of their own….they will tell Mommy and Daddy just how much they did appreciate all they did for them. All the vacations they went on that they now realize were for the enjoyment of the children….when Mom and Dad could very well have gone on some exotic adult get away alone. All the considerations they made of making sure the children were getting the proper education. The nights they stayed up because they were sick. All the million little ‘mundane’ things Moms and Dads do every, single day for their family. Those 'mundane' things are the things made of love...and love IS in the details.

So, Moms and Dads out there…..just know that what you are doing IS appreciated. You just won’t be told for a few years. But it’s coming…I promise you….it’s coming. You do matter and what you do is appreciated. And remember….Love IS in the details and never forget to look for the Divine in the Mundane. It’s there….look for it and you will see it. Gommy is pulling for ya’. Hugs & Mush - Gommy