David Lee

24 Hours a Day

Meditation for the Day

Faith is the bridge between you and God. It is the bridge that God has ordained. If all were seen and known, there would be no merit in doing right. Therefore God has ordained that we do not see or know directly. But we can experience the power of His spirit through our faith. It is the bridge between us and Him, which we can take or not, as we will. There could be no morality without free will. We must make the choice ourselves. We must make the venture of belief.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may choose and decide to cross the bridge of faith. I pray that by crossing this bridge I may receive the spiritual power I need.

Language of Letting Go

Gifts, Not Burdens

Children are gifts, if we accept them.
—Kathleen Turner Crilly

Children are gifts. Our children, if we have children, are a gift to us. We, as children, were gifts to our parents.

Sadly, many of us did not receive the message from our parents that we were gifts to them and to the Universe. Maybe our parents were in pain themselves; maybe our parents were looking to us to be their caretakers; maybe we came at a difficult time in their lives; maybe they had their own issues and simply were not able to enjoy, accept, and appreciate us for the gifts we are.

Many of us have a deep, sometimes subconscious, belief that we were, and are, a burden to the world and the people around us. This belief can block our ability to enjoy life and our relationships with others. This belief can even impair our relationship with a Higher Power: we may feel we are a burden to God.

If we have that belief, it is time to let it go.

We are not a burden. We never were. If we received that message from our parents, it is time to recognize that issue as theirs to resolve.

We have a right to treat ourselves as a gift — to ourselves, to others, and to the Universe.

We are here, and we have a right to be here.

Today, I will treat myself, and any children I have, as though we are a gift. I will let go of any beliefs I have about being a burden — to my Higher Power, my friends, my family, and myself.

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24 Hours a Day

Meditation for the Day

Spiritual development is achieved by daily persistence in living the way you believe God wants you to live. Like the wearing away of a stone by steady drops of water, so will your daily persistence wear away all the difficulties and gain spiritual success for you. Never falter in this daily, steady persistence. Go forward boldly and unafraid. God will help and strengthen you, as long as you are trying to do His will.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may persist day by day in gaining spiritual experience. I pray that I may make this a lifetime work.

Language of Letting Go…

Letting Go of Worry

What if we knew for certain that everything we’re worried about today will work out fine?

What if . . . we had a guarantee that the problem bothering us would be worked out in the most perfect way, and at the best possible time? Furthermore, what if we knew that three years from now we’d be grateful for that problem, and its solution?

What if . . . we knew that even our worst fear would work out for the best?

What if . . . we had a guarantee that everything that’s happening, and has happened, in our life was meant to be, planned just for us, and in our best interest?

What if . . . we had a guarantee that the people we love are experiencing exactly what they need in order to become who they’re intended to become? Further, what if we had a guarantee that others can be responsible for themselves, and we don’t have to control or take responsibility for them?

What if . . . we knew the future was going to be good, and we would have an abundance of resources and guidance to handle whatever comes our way?

What if . . . we knew everything was okay, and we didn’t have to worry about a thing? What would we do then?

We’d be free to let go and enjoy life.

Today, I will know that I don’t have to worry about anything. If I do worry, I will do it with the understanding that I am choosing to worry, and it is not necessary.

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I think I’ve seen it all now…a 24 hour news bureau with all it’s “star” reporters on the air, viewing an email on their phones. And since it’s CNN, they couldn’t hide their disappointment and still managed to be in a state of denial.

The video I reference…

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/03/24/mueller-report-william-barr-conclusions-summary-nr-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/why-mueller-cares-about-playlist/

When I retired from teaching full-time in 2010, I had no concrete ideas as to what my future would hold. At that point, I was sure that I no longer wanted the daily grind of full-time teaching and was looking to the future with no clear picture of what it would be like.

And so here I am, in 2019, and am still teaching. I work a half day every day, teaching a couple of fifth grade science classes. I enjoy what I do, although there are those days where I contemplate fully retiring. But today is not one of those days.

After taking a six month required hiatus from any teaching duties, I started substitute teaching. I could work when I wanted to and learned there were certain schools I favored over others. And of course, there was that golden word “No” when I didn’t feel like working.

Along the way I bumped into a principal whose son I’d taught and she asked if I would be interested in doing a maternity leave at a small rural school and after a short period of contemplation, agreed to it. I’ve now completed three maternity leaves at that same school, including two for the same person. The first child is now a student at the school I’m working at and I think that’s pretty neat. I’ve also completed two other maternity leaves in addition to those three.

One year I took over for a teacher who retired in October, fully expecting to work just nine weeks. That nine weeks turned into twenty-seven weeks when the couldn’t find a permanent recruit. Another time I worked for half a year with an eighth grade class…their teacher had left half way through the year. That had to be one of my most challenging assignments, since the classes had not done a whole lot of what they were supposed to have done for the first half of the year.

My current assignment is one that lasts from year to year. After a great first year, this time around I’m teaching in a mobile classroom, aka trailer, and that has been a real challenge. But I still enjoy going to work most days and enjoy working with the students. My current principal says he’d like to retain me for next year, but that’s all up in the air for now.

I’m redefining the word retirement, that’s true. But I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.

David Lee