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Gratitude breaks the spell of Writers Block |
Staring at a blank page is like staring into a snowfield. The snow, untouched by civilization and unmarked by living creatures, blinds you for a few minutes, it glistens reflecting subtle shades of pure white and rainbows at odd angles. If you stare at the snow too long, you get lost in the interplay of light and shadow. As the day wears on, you become awestruck at the beauty of the snow's perfection. You marvel at the way an oak tree cast its ebony shadow across the pure white snow. You watch the tree's shadow change, grow and shrink, as Earth turns and the sun moves from morning to evening. If you stand out in the snow too long without moving, you risk snow bite or freezing. If you are fortunate, a red fox will walk across your line of sight. The fox will leave his footprints written in the snowfield. As you watch the fox move, the spell holding you in one spot staring at the snow is broken. You are free to go inside out of the cold and out of danger. I must say, writing 500 words a day isn't difficult, unless I'm attempting to write on a single subject. On Monday, October 28, 2013, I began posting my weekly goals at "Weekly Goals" ![]() "O SON OF BEING! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds." Bah'u'll'h The Hidden Words of Bah'u'll'h, Part I.'From the Arabic, #31, page 11 'Heinlein's Rules for Writers Rule One: You Must Write Rule Two: Finish What Your Start Rule Three: You Must Refrain From Rewriting, Except to Editorial Order Rule Four: You Must Put Your Story on the Market Rule Five: You Must Keep it on the Market until it has Sold' Robert A. Heinlein It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some form of occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We have graciously exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God, the True One. Ponder ye in your hearts the grace and the blessings of God and render thanks unto Him at eventide and at dawn. Waste not your time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth yourselves and others. Thus hath it been decreed in this Tablet from whose horizon the day-star of wisdom and utterance shineth resplendent. Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed After the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Pages 21-29: gr 32 I changed the way I did entries in this book several times. Beginning on March 21, 2018 the entries will cover the topics of spiritual, inspirational, and religions. However, the genres it will be under are Women's, Inspirational, and Spiritual with a tag of Religious. |
Fiḍál (Grace), 10 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, November 13, 2018 Power of God1 The power of God Is sufficient for the job Of creating a world community Living in peace and unity. Gratitude List For 10 Qudrat Today I am thankful ... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Kamál (Perfection), 9 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Monday, November 12, 2018 Voice of Dawn2 Close your eyes and listen to the voice of dawn reverberating through the air of morning proclaiming to all humanity the Glory of God. Gratitude List for 9 Qudrat Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Jamál (Beauty), 8 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Sunday, November 11, 2018 "Today the world of humanity is walking in darkness because it is out of touch with the world of God. That is why we do not see the signs of God in the hearts of men. The power of the Holy Spirit has no influence. When a divine spiritual illumination becomes manifest in the world of humanity, when divine instruction and guidance appear, then enlightenment follows, a new spirit is realized within, a new power descends, and a new life is given. It is like the birth from the animal kingdom into the kingdom of man. … I will pray, and you must pray, likewise, that such heavenly bounty may be realized; that strife and enmity may be banished, warfare and bloodshed taken away; that hearts may attain ideal communication and that all people may drink from the same fountain." Walking in Darkness5 We walk in darkness looking for the Divine Light. O humanity, raise your eyes, lookup and see, the Light of the Glory of God that is guiding you to peace and unity. Take the hand of love, offered by the Glorious Lord, and walk out of the darkness. Gratitude List for 8 Qudrat Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Facebook Status Update Sunday depression and weariness I turn to Baha'u'llah and place all my worries in the hands of God's Glory. Footnotes |
Jalál (Glory), 7 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Saturday, November 10, 2018 Prayer of Thanks6 O Lord, Thank you for letting me live in this day, For allowing me to dwell at this time And at this stage in history. O Thou Kind Lord, Thank you for giving me this opportunity, To serve Thy Cause in this wonderful age. O Most Generous One, Thank you for helping me to do Thy will, Thank you for Thy forgiveness. Gratitude List for 7 Qudrat Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istiqlál (Independence), 6 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Friday, November 9, 2018 No Greater Glory7 It isn't in the service of war that our glory lies, but in the service of peace. Glory in the your service, to humanity. Baha'u'llah said: "There is no greater glory..." than in the service of peace. Gratitude List for 6 Qudrat Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istijlál (Majesty), 5 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Thursday, November 8, 2018 Prayer for Courage8 O Lord! Give me the courage to show tolerance to even the unbeliever. O Almighty! Give me the courage to return love even to those who show hate. Gratitude List for 5 Qudrat Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Fiḍál (Grace), 3 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, November 6, 2018 Vibrations flow across the landscape of creation, inscribing rhyme and rhythm into the flesh of Being. Retreating to the far corners of eternity, silence flees the intonations of reality. Gratitude List for 3 Qudrat Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ‘Idál (Justice), 4 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Gratitude List for 4 Qudrat Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Poet's Riddle10 We are the sight of humanity, And guides to the essence of reality. We are the conscience of civilization, Beacons indicating the next stage of evolution. We are the scribes of history, Journalist Transliterating chronology. Footnotes |
Kamál (Perfection), 2 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Monday, November 5, 2018 The Quest11 He sit alone upon a mountain, Seeking to know what will be, He walked alone across empty plains, Seeking to find eternity. She walked along life's crowded way, Helping her fellowman, She labored long in the field of life Feeding the hungry from her hands. He died alone upon a mountain, Still seeking to know what will be. She died helping her fellowman. Who found eternity? Gratitude List For 2 Qudrat Today I am Thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Jamál (Beauty), 1 Qudrat (Power) 175 B.E. - Sunday, November 4, 2018 Feast of Qudrat "The purpose of God in creating man hath been, and will ever be, to enable him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence. To this most excellent aim, this supreme objective, all the heavenly Books and the divinely-revealed and weighty Scriptures unequivocally bear witness." Baha’u’llah12 Sacred Scriptures13 God is an Unknowable Essence all the sacred scriptures bear witness to the existence and love of the Almighty. Read each Holy Book with joy and happiness, asking the Almighty to help you understand the inner meaning. A single paragraph or verse twice a day, morning and evening, in joy and reverence. Gratitude List for 1 Qudrat Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Jalál (Glory), 19 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Saturday, November 3, 2018 It's Saturday, the beginning of a new week for me. I'm back to paying the rent online for a while. I paid the rent yesterday and the back power bill today. Lately, I've been waking up a bit worried and stress, but I'm not sure why. The worry and stress goes away after I say my prayers; perhaps I'm experiencing a disturbing dream that I can't remember. It could, also, be the fact that we will be moving sometime withing the next three months. I'm not looking forward to moving. I don't like to move. Moving is a tests, which I apparently have to master before I can stay in one place. "Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul." Baha’u’llah14 Celestial Inspiration15 Open the book of celestial inspiration, its chapters are the sacred scriptures of every religion. Real aloud the holy verse, feeling the Holy Spirit as it flows through sentence, paragraph, page, and chapter. Gratitude List For 19 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istiqlál (Independence), 18 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Friday, November 2, 2018 "If any man were to meditate on that which the Scriptures, sent down from the heaven of God’s holy Will, have revealed, he would readily recognize that their purpose is that all men shall be regarded as one soul, so that the seal bearing the words “The Kingdom shall be God’s” may be stamped on every heart, and the light of Divine bounty, of grace, and mercy may envelop all mankind." Baha’u’llah16 Living Water17 The sacred scriptures are living water flowing across the Earth giving life to humanity. Gratitude List For 18 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istijlál (Majesty), 17 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Thursday, November 1, 2018 To Know and Love God18 To know and love God: This is the purpose of life! To know and love God, We seek His Unknowable Essence, Through His Manifestation The mirror reflecting His divine light. Gratitude List for 17 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Changes I have to make to "Weekly Goals for 2024" ![]() 1. Post response to "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2. Search online for a one-bedroom apartment for around $550.00. I have two apartment links to check before November 3, but I don't know how much move in cost or where they are located. Those links are https://www.apartments.com/las-vegas-nv and https://www.trulia.com/for_rent/Las_Vegas,NV/. 3. Write poems for "~ The Poet's Place Cafe~" ![]() 4. Contest to enter "Invalid Item" ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 5. I seem to be having difficulty doing over 4 items a day, so I'll cut this down to 3 or 4 each day. Footnotes |
Fiḍál (Grace), 15 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Gratitude List For 15 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ‘Idál (Justice ), 16 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Gratitude List For 16 ‘Ilm ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kamál (Perfection), 14 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Monday, October 29, 2018 Facebook status Update All things are made new through Baha'u'llah. He is the Promised One of all religions. He has raised work to a sacred station: Work is Worship. 10.29.2018 Gratitude List for 14 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Nova19 A new star blooms in the seeker's soul, transmuting doubt to faith and lead to purest gold. Footnotes |
Jalál (Glory), 12 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Saturday, October 27, 2018 I Am Humanity20 I am a spiritual being! I am a dual natured creature! I am a conjunction of matter and energy; of flesh and spirit of soul and body. I am a spiritual being having a material experience. Gratitude List For 12 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Jamál (Beauty), 13 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Sunday, October 28, 2018 Wild Flower Memories of Spring21 Elves dance across the note laden air sliding down strings of atoms. Yellow daises waltz in the rain scented air, while white cream cups sway. Blue cactus blossoms kiss the first rays of dawn. Red blossomed cactus bloom their scarlet petals giving color to the morning dew. Gratitude List For 13 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Facebook Status Update Wisdom is the awareness of the limitations of our own knowledge. Articles For My Reading List ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Istiqlál (Independence), 11 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Friday, October 26, 2018 "Know thou of a truth that the worlds of God are countless in their number, and infinite in their range. None can reckon or comprehend them except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Consider thy state when asleep. Verily, I say, this phenomenon is the most mysterious of the signs of God amongst men, were they to ponder it in their hearts. Behold how the thing which thou hast seen in thy dream is, after a considerable lapse of time, fully realized. Had the world in which thou didst find thyself in thy dream been identical with the world in which thou livest, it would have been necessary for the event occurring in that dream to have transpired in this world at the very moment of its occurrence. Were it so, you yourself would have borne witness unto it. This being not the case, however, it must necessarily follow that the world in which thou livest is different and apart from that which thou hast experienced in thy dream." Baha’u’llah22 In other passages, Baha'u'llah says that the there are worlds beyond this world. Worlds that are mysterious and cryptic to the human mind. The worlds Baha'u'llah speaks of could refer to planets and stars in this universe, to spiritual dimensions, to other physical dimensions accessed through black holes, or all of these. I believe Baha'u'llah was referring to all of these possibilities. Baha'u'llah, also, tells us that dreams are one of the proofs of the soul. I meditate on the scriptures revealed by Baha'u'llah, and eventually I come to a bit of understanding and comprehension. Gratitude List For 11 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Tests and Difficulties23 Patience, is a virtue, that sometimes escapes me: "The Remover of Difficulties" helps. Footnotes |
Istijlál (Majesty), 10 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Thursday, October 25, 2018 Riddle of the Present24 I move between two worlds! Yesterday I created myths about the stars, and tomorrow I will colonize Mars. I am the link uniting humanity's past and future. Gratitude List 10 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
‘Idál (Justice), 9 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. = Wednesday, October 24, 2018 United Nations Day Gratitude List for 9 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Fiḍál Grace), 8 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, October 23, 2018 Peace Pledge25 We will neither rest nor halt, We will neither surrender nor withdraw, Not until the torrents of justice descend Like the waters of Noah's flood. We will march hand-in-hand, We will march shoulder-to-shoulder, Waging peace until the currents of righteousness descend Like a deluge upon the planet. Poet's Note: ▼ Gratitude List for 8 ‘Ilm Today I am thankful... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Footnotes |
Kamál (Perfection), 7 ‘Ilm (Knowledge) 175 B.E. - Monday, October 22, 2018 "If the spirit were not immortal, how could the Manifestations of God endure such terrible trials? Why did Christ Jesus suffer the fearful death on the cross? Why did Muhammad bear persecutions? Why did the Báb make the supreme sacrifice and why did Bahá’u’lláh pass the years of his life in prison? Why should all this suffering have been, if not to prove the everlasting life of the spirit?" ‘Abdu’l-Baha, from Paris Talks26 Love is the reason, love is the prof of our souls. God's love revealed by the Manifestations. Gratitude List For 7 ‘Ilm Today I am grateful for... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Old Houses27 I like Old houses! Old houses have mysteries waiting to be solved. Old houses have secrets craving to be discovered. Old houses have histories demanding to be written. Old houses have flaws yearning to be transformed. Old houses have poems desiring to be read. I love old houses, because old houses have character. Poet's Note: ▼ Footnotes |