dancing in the light

No matter what, keep pushing forward.

Some days are easier than others and when you reflect back on hard times, hopefully you will be kind to yourself.  Hopefully you will paint a picture that reminds you of the extraordinary person and situation you have found yourself in.  Living in these times is a miracle, a struggle, an unbelievable journey of discovery.

Pushing forward to me means marking this very extraordinary year in my life with success, love for self and others, forgiveness, healing, wisdom and great health,;  physically, emotionally and spiritually.  I will be 50 this year and I feel that finally, I am more willing to look at the who of what I am, and the what.

Personal identity is different for everyone.  I've always been very comfortable belonging to God.  I've always felt the complete devotion and surrounding love of God despite my comings and goings.  It's as if the times I wandered the furthest away God was somehow watching me and willing me closer.  I've never felt abandoned or even judged by God.  I can say that in prayer, however, God has gently revealed the flaws that this human needed to change.  God would nudge me one way or the other, and if I were smart and paying attention, I would modify that behavior and reap the reward for obedience.  I remember being criticized by those closest to me because they couldn't understand this relationship.  It didn't matter to me though, it was and is truly who I am at my deepest core.  I am a child of God.  I can say that and hold my head up high.  This kind of love is AGAPE love - it is selfless, spiritual and Godly.

I am completely drawn and consumed in this love.  I always have been.  I remember as a child being in the nursery school convent with the Sisters feeling this Spirit and loving every minute of It's presence.  I remember praying in Latin and singing hymns in Catholic school shortly thereafter.  I was too young to articulate what I was feeling or seeing, but it would carve out my life's identity and purpose.  As class progressed, I was introduced to Jesus, and He has changed my life forever. 

I remember reading from my Good News Testament about Mary, Jesus and His disciples, the feeding of the five thousand and the miraculous healings.  I remember Jesus being very tender and loving.  I remember being very upset by what would follow.  The cruelty and madness that would eventually take my Lord's life was mindblowing.  It still is.  How could people do such things?

I had a crucifix in my bedroom at that time.  It was very well made.  I know because everynight I would remove the nails from Jesus's hands and feet.  I would take Him down from His cross and give Him rest.  I couldn't all together understand the crucifixion at that young age, except that I couldn't stand to see Him suffer, hanging on that cross.  Unfortunately, I had to put Him back though.  My Mother, Joan, taught me to put everything back where I found it, and Jesus was no exception.  Unwillingly, I would obediently return my Saviour to His suffering.

Of course and most thankfully, we all know that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive and well.  The cross is a symbol of His sacrifice for us.  He died so that we may live - and live abundantly.  He suffered the sins of all of us, so that whomsover believes in Him will have eternal life.  Talk about forgiveness.

When Jesus says "Father forgive them for they know not what they do", I'm pretty sure He's still taking about you and me today.  Two thousand years ago and then some, Jesus dies on the cross for all sinners, and yet we're still sinning.  We're still so full of ourselves, like the Jews and Romans of His time, so sure that our posture is perfect and our thinking is not distorted.  Jesus knows better.  Spirit knows better.  Mary and the Angels know better. 

That kind of thinking is what the real warfare is about.  Thoughts that stir the heart into deeds despicable.  Things we do to ourselves, our own families and children, our neighbors.  It's as if we've learned nothing - but that's not the case.  These things need to happen.  Read the Book of Revelation.  Jesus' time has not yet come.  He will come for His church, His long-suffering church.  He will come for those that He has called, that stand with Him and pray for peace, love and forgiveness.  And what a mighty fine day this will be.  I am waiting and waited still for this day.

I am a warrior for God and I have signed up for the long haul.  I can not wait to see what my heart has yearned for these past 50 years.  I am so very grateful for my life, this human experience, and all that I've learned.  I am a divine child of the Most High Spirit that is God and I couldn't be happier with the who and what that I am and am still becomming.

Jesus, I am still so in love with you, let's go dancing in the light.

You Can't Bing Buddha

There is an awful lot of information out there.  We're connected to the world in so many ways, especially the internet.  We need an expert in tutoring, we go to the internet.  We need a plumber, we Google it.   We need a mortgage, a new dress, a date, we Google or Bing it.  We want to learn a new language, take a trip, find a new place to meditate or do yoga, we look it up.  This is especially helpful if we're not familiar with what we need, or if we're just branching out of our comfort zone.  The challenge, however, is deciphering through the amazing amount of responses we'd get to any one of these queries.

For instance, I just googled "where can I meditate in NJ" and I received over 1 million answers, places and teachers associated thereto.  Over 1 MILLION.  What's a soul searcher to do?

This kind of informational access can be quite overwhelming.  With the advancement of technology, access to information has never before been this mainstream in the world, and I imagine it will only increase. 

The media plays a very interesting role in providing us with worldwide information.  You might expect that media is a friendly service provider helping humans to be aware, educated and knowledgeable about the world and its happenings but we all know media has an agenda.  Certainly selling newspapers and magazines all the while keeping the 'masses' informed in a controlled manner before the www was definitely an agenda but now that print media has changed has media changed it's agenda?  Not likely.  So the information that we do get can sometimes be watered down, luke warm, corralling and offering a mass mindset more palatable to government and the powers that be.  Okay, but at least we're informed right?  No.  Informed or hypnotised?

The media screens through what it deems important and that gets filtered through, they make the decision as to what's important, or not so much, and when you consistently watch the news you begin to see a pattern.   As when you log onto MSN or Yahoo, the stories are filtered through.  You read what they decide you read.  Hmmmmm.  We've all noticed the uplifting, feel good stories they sometimes report but for the most part it's horrific.  Consistently horrific.  That's peculiar isn't it?  Perhaps a spirit of discernment is necessary to rise above the humans way its decided to run this planet and share information?

So there is a ton of information out there, and most of it is being filtered through to us.  Some is spoon fed, some is force fed through multiple outlets simultaneously.  If one is not careful, one may begin to rely on and believe all this informational data input.  I mean, of course 'they' wouldn't tell us something if it weren't true, right?  'They' wouldn't repeat over and over that something is good for you if it weren't, right?  Who decides?

As with any subject matter, there has to be some common sense but to a certain extent, if you really don't know any better, you'd be forced to trust or rely on an 'expert'.  Typically there are individuals with reputations that precede them in certain arenas.  Those situations speak for themselves and help in taking most of the guess work out of the equation.  But what about spiritual matters or spiritual evolution.  What about our spiritual journeys.  How do we navigate the world wide web of information as it pertains to our real purpose for being here?  Our soul journey?

For me personally, it begins in the heart.  In prayer, I have come to know the deep peace that transcends my understanding.  I have visited this place in my heart and I've learned to trust it.  Through prayer and meditation I can go deep inside to where there is stillness and silence and I can play there.  There is not a lot of Q and A happening, just trust, acceptance and a floating about.  That being said, that's where the discerning spirit comes in. 

In this world as we navigate the real Q and A of life, the answers sometimes fly into us in mass amounts.  Why not try this?  How about that?  What if you went in this direction?  I imagine if you ask anyone anything you'd get an answer.  The question is 'how do you know the answer is right for you'? 

You absolutely need to cultivate your discerning spirit; the ear that hears from deep within all that is light and God and righteous.  This is not about emotions or feelings per se, in fact, in Christianity and Buddhism we're taught to be mistrusting of our feelings and our emotions, after all they are temporary and subject to change so this mindset makes perfect sense and fits in with spirit.  It does not cause friction and it's notion is undisturbed inside of me.  I am not resisting, nor is the spirit within me resisting.  I, therefore, can accept it as truth.  I have to say here that when I was younger I was way more consumed with my feelings and emotions which resisted a lot (emphasis on 'resisted a lot').  They were strong and powerful, so real.  I was depressed and hurt and I was not allowing the spirit of discernment to operate in my life.  It wasn't until I matured spiritually that I realized I was not using the tools at my fingertips.  By the way, spirit will never force you to engage it.  It is sweet and gentle and kind and loving.  It is nothing to fear althought it is very mysterious.  It is the essence of who we are at the center of our beings.  It is more of who we are then our body will ever be although the body itself is a wealth of lessons and information - but that's for another blog.

The first step is to realize how you live your life and how you make decisions.  When faced with a challenge, do you create lists and gather information by exhausting all outward resources until your head explodes with every possible scenario?  Do you make a bunch of phone calls calling all guru's picking brains and getting advice from the experts?  Do you watch Dr. Oz if it's medically related while simultaneously googling WebMD?  Do you call your Mom to see how Grandma used to do it?  Well, of course you do, and so does mostly everybody to some degree or another. 

And then reality sets in and the big decision needs to be made.  You've tossed and turned, your mind consumed with millions of letters createing many words and possible outcomes but you still don't know what to do.  This is the time for spiritual discernment.  I love the bumper stickers WWJD "what would Jesus do"? but it's way more than that.  You can't Google Jesus, get His number and call Him to ask if you should stay or go.  You can't Bing Buddha and ask if all is as it should be.  No, you can't use the internet to connect to spirit.  You can use your heart though.

Through meditation and prayer you can connect thoroughly to spirit to enhance your peace factor thereby affording you stability of mind (emotions/feelings) to connect with and make the best possible decisions for your life.  There is most definetly a voice within and it mostly speaks in silence.  Its voice is inaudible.  It is a knowing deep in the core of our being.  It is a vibration and a light.  The light is always on and the vibration is also ready to be amped up if you are so inclined.  Walk into the light and you will be illuminated.  Tap into the center and silence of your heart and silence and peace will become your friends.  They are the best teachers and the spirit of discernment feeds off of and becomes the source of all decisions and knowing.  You never need to go outside of yourself to make critical decisions about your life.  Knowing this creates a love affair steeped in trust, humility, a willingness to go within.  The outter becomes easier to navigate when we realize the source of all life comes from within.  The decisions, the passion, the choices, the dreams, the visions, they all come from within too.  We are creating this life along with it's challenges if only to realize that waking up to spirit is the only real decision that needs to be made.

The rest is for spirit to choose, maintain, operate, advise and assist.  Without the spirit of discernment we are ships without orrs.  We are floating about with no direction.

Embrace the best possible scenario the first time around by engaging spirit in the next decison you have to make (spirit wants to assist you whether the decisions are big or small).  Don't be surprised if you get the answer in the middle of the question.  Spirit is waiting to help you, as are the Angels and all of Heavens Hosts.  There is a spiritual community at your beck and call.  Don't be so disillusioned by the mirage.  Reality is just a mOMent away.

You're Beautiful

Happy New Year!!  2011, can you believe it?  I can't.  Seems like yesterday we were gonna 'party like it's 1999' hahhaa!  Where did the time go? 

Sorry I haven't blogged in forever.  I've been going through life's struggles and trials, coming out the other end refined and purified.  I will get into details, but just not yet.  Let's just say that when two become one, and then perhaps they become two again, it is a very painful and awful process...yet beautiful somehow.

I have a lot to say about that, but as I said, today is not that day.  Today I want to lift you up.  I want you to feel the expression of love that I feel when I hear my favorite song at the moment...I just had to share it with you.  I've been going through so much lately and somehow, God always manages to lift my Spirits...I hope it will lift yours.

by Mercy Me

May God richly bless us all this year, in our comings and goings, in our hellos and goodbyes, in our blessings and struggles.  God loves us and wants to inhabit our praise and wants to help us in our daily living.  Lift your eyes unto the Lord, surely this is where your help comes from.  God be praised. 

May all your dreams come true in 2011 and remember, "you're beautiful".

Love & Namaste,
Maria

No New Thank You

My bones are still tired from all of the "Spring cleaning" I did yesterday. I could see the day coming off in the distance for weeks before it got here. I could see it and I could hear it. It would say "gotta clean out my closet", "gotta put away the winter clothes and take out the summer clothes", "gotta straighten out the linen closet", "gotta do the floors (all of them)" "gotta wash the windows", "gotta go through the drawers and under the sinks", etc., etc.

Suffice to say that mostly all of it got done and today I feel my age. I'm moving a little bit slower than I was yesterday. Nothing a few days of yoga can't fix if I can squeeze it in. Lately, I've not had the time to do it 'all' so yoga has suffered and so have I. I have made it to the park though and out of all of the things that I do, that one seems to be the most important. I must take time out to reflect and exercise and walk in the park. It centers me as does meditation and yoga and cleaning, as it turns out. The ritual of cleaning and organizing and reducing clutter and waste...it is important to me. It's necessary. And I'm really okay with it. I've been asked several times to hire someone to come and clean my house and I did it when I broke my arm a short 10 months ago, and it was helpful. But I'm so much better now and I can do it myself and I need to do it myself. I'm not just surface cleaning...I'm going through everything. Eventually, like my life, I hope to have no clutter.

Yesterday I realized that over the course of my life, I've accumulated a lot of 'stuff'. Stuff that I really don't need so as they say 'out with the old'.

As far as 'in with the new' ... no. No new thank you. I'm making space once again (unless we're talking about shoes, then - okay, let's see 'em - shoes make me feel good)!

It felt so great waking up and realizing that finally all of 'those' chores that called to me from afar were now ghosts. Quite an accomplishment and a good feeling. I'm interested in good feelings lately...the more the merrier. I mean, you "gotta" clean right? But you gotta have fun too!

Life is so fragile and short. "In this world ye shall have tribulations, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” Jesus said that in John 16:33.

Simplify so that you have less worries about less important things.

Joy and laughter come easier to those with less worries. How can joy emanate from a worrisome soul right?

Don't get me wrong. We all go through life's most amazing challenges. We all struggle with chores, with work, with family, school, bills. We're not unique in this way.

We're unique in how we overcome these challenges. Being positive is underrated. Being truthful is underrated. Being healthy and fit is underrated as is being spiritual or Godly.

The Dalai Lama was here recently. He says things are improving. I am also hopeful and pray that the world becomes happier and in turn, we become kinder to one another.

We can all afford to clean up our acts a little bit, inside and out, be better, smile more. Don't you think?

There are a few more things I see in the distance coming into my reality. I can hear them too. They're saying things like "what about the garage", "what about the basement"?, "what about the "OTHER" closet"??? Yeah, I still have some work to do. But today?

Today is Sunday. A day historically, symbolically and spiritually expressed in giving praise to God and resting. The former I do constantly, and the latter well, I shall begin after these very next key strokes.

Be love, be light and while there is still breath in your lungs, get out there and have fun!

(This post was written last week...I haven't been posting because I'm having difficulty posting pictures and I'm frustrated not being able to do that...suffice to say, I posted this because it's better to post without pictures than not to post at all).

love love love

Soothe Your Soul

This is the day. This is the day that the Lord has made.

I will rejoice. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

There is so much turmoil all around us from the failing economy. Corporate America's karma has caught up with her. We are all stewards of this earth and everything in it. Corporate America is no different. They are stubborn and greedy and now the whole system is in jeopardy of collapsing.

My concern is that our Spiritual health is also failing. We've taken Almighty God out of our daily lives, our daily conversations, heck, we can't even put Christlike images in places like City Hall anymore. Are we any better for it? Or has our spiritual karma caught up with us?

Where do you go when the cards come tumbling down?

Do you go to the bank?

Do you go to the mall?

Do you go to your psychiatrist?

All these places are good, but not for spiritual health, healing, wellness or insight.

I'm afraid the avenue to true spirituality has been detoured, blocked up, damned up and we're reaping now what we've sown.

It's time to get back to basics.

Go to church. Go to the synagogue. Go to the temple. Go to the mosque.

Meditate. Read the Word.

Help your neighbor.

In Reiki, we place our hands above the body in an effort to exchange energy. When was the last time you placed your hands on someone with the intention of exchanging energy?

Are your intentions "me" based or do you think of and help others?

One telltale sign that your universe is in jeopardy of collapsing is the "me" factor. If your life is in turmoil. Go help someone.

If you need anything, go and meet the needs of someone else.

Like attracts like. Love attracts love. Selflessness attracts selflessness.

The equation is and has always been "do unto others as you would have done unto you".

If you are lost and confused and you need to find your way, look to the Heavens. Look to your divine nature.

Your mind and your body and your Spirit are tools. Use them. Try them. See what works for you. Be active in participating in this life. Do not sit back and wait for things to happen. See what soothes your soul.

True manifestation works this way...think it...believe it....DO IT!

If you are ill, think about wellness, believe in wellness and be active in getting well. Seek other ways of wellness - ones you've not searched out before. Take your meds - but believe that perhaps one day, you'll not need them.

Change your diet.

Change your focus.

Change your mind.

God is, and has always been ready, willing and able to help us in our journey. We tend to forget or heaven forbid, deny His existence and even our own at times.

This is a recipe for disaster in the form of depression, sickness, dysfunction, dis-ease in general.

Jesus said "I have come so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly". What are you choosing today?

He also said "Choose life". That's a commandment.

What are you seeking?

Might I suggest..."Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

Give Tirelessly

My lecture for this coming Wednesday was postponed due to some health concerns on the part of my hosts' family member. Ironic in a way....illness postponing a talk about self healing. But all is well and all is as it should be, or is it?

Lately I've been spending time with some young people who have indeed been on a journey of self awareness. They are slightly imbalanced and off track and I wonder why in this age of information that that can occur.

If I shouted hopefulness on the top of a mountain and expelled every bit of air in my lungs in an effort to reach the youth of America, would it be in vain? Would there be a force right behind me at the ready to dispel my message?

Is the yin and yang of it all very much at work?

I think we have to learn to be more responsible for ourselves as well as others.

What are you doing today to better the world at large?

We have a tendency to look inside at our immediate world and forget the rest as if 'they must fend for themselves'.

But, if we're all truly connected, if we're truly all one - then what you do very much affects me and what I do affects you.

I will spend the rest of my days on this planet helping others. It's what I've been called to do. What you do with your time is up to you. You might say that it's none of my business - and you might be right - to some extent.

But when one of your daughters or sons lands on my doorstep with no hope - what then? I will diligently help them. I will wipe their tears away and teach them that there is a better way. I will give them what I have to give. . .please do not undo it.

Acts Chapter 3

1One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

6Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

11While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. 12When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

17"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ[a] would suffer. 19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'[b]

24"Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. 25And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'[c] 26When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

The Folded Napkin

Are you like me and had never even given a thought to this passage of scripture?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John (20:1-8) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

The Gospel of St. John 20: 1 - 8 - KJV

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

Is that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the Servant set the dinner table for the Master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the Master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the Servant would wait, just out of sight, until the Master had finished eating, and the Servant would not dare touch that table, until the Master was finished.

Now if the Master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.

But if the Master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because..........

The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

He is Coming Back!

Pray The Rosary

Today, in an effort to find comfort and peace, I was compelled to pray the Rosary which I just completed.

I have been saying for days now that my asthmatic attack was brought on by past pains and hurts that could have been eased if only I had an 'advocate'.

While speaking with my mother earlier today, who is recovering from her surgery at home now, I mentioned this to her. I told her that I am her advocate and that she has always been my advocate when no one else was. However, I went through a really tough time as a young girl and kept my pain locked up inside. I told no one - so no one could have helped me. No one, except perhaps the Blessed Mother.

While praying the Rosary just now, I meditated on The Glorious Mysteries; The Resurrection of our Lord, The Ascension of our Lord, The Descent of the Holy Spirit, The Assumption of the Blessed Mother and finally the Coronation of our Most Holy Mother.

I could feel the clouds lifting and colors coming back into my heart. The colors went from black to all the colors of the rainbow.

Then, in conclusion I prayed The Hail, Holy Queen prayer. It states:

"Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee we do cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley, of tears. Turn, then, most gracious ADVOCATE, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

I had forgotten, God forgive me, that She is also my advocate. When I read the prayer just now and the words lept off the page at me - it was miraculous in Spirit. It was healing in nature. It was light in a dark place.

How could I have forgotten?

There is a lot going on. There are a lot of belief systems that would tell you that prayer is moot; praying the Rosary, praying to Angels, praying to Saints, praying to God. Why?

I believe it is to keep us pressed under in our suffering. True deliverance is a Holy thing. True religion and spirituality are Holy. Why wouldn't there be a force of nature against that?

There is indeed. And we are to be prayerful and watchful so that when the time comes, we are able to withstand the poison that comes our way - and it does come our way - every single day.

How will we withstand the many arrows that pierce our hearts if not with prayer, dedication and self sacrifice?

I really know of no other way. But, I'm human and I forget sometimes. I am so thankful to the Holy Spirit who compels me and reminds me and comforts me through the eyes and heart of the Most Holy Mother.

Therefore, Pray the Rosary. Honor God. Honor the Blessed Mother. Honor the Holy Spirit and the life force that is your breath. You only have one life to live. Make sure you live it under the protection of the Most Holy God. Otherwise when the time comes and there is no advocate standing in the balance with you - you will be alone. That would be a crime against your very soul.