(Thanks, K. :)

Reader K. writes:

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Re: Emily Lark: 'Do You Practice Gratitude? He....

Dear Emily,

I enjoyed your article on gratitude posted on higher density blog this day.....1/15/20. It was a happy confirmation to me to read of another who also lives in gratitude, speaking of the things as you did.

For me, living in the Peace of God first forms the invincible, inviolable basis for living this way, for which I use my Great Friend, the Violet Flame. This wondrous, conscious, living Friend and God-given tool, stays with and around me 24/7. This keeps other's agendas and undesirable entities/energies from entering my energy field. The Violet Flame's Peace, Purity, Protection and Perfection in thru and around all the levels of my being, give me an edge to be in tune every day with the Will (or ideas) of my Creator, Mother/Father God. I pour my love and thanks and gratitude to this God-given tool, and in this doing, I realize this Sacred Flame far differently than when I first learned of it back in the 90's.

Gratitude, with the basis of Peace behind and around it, brings in (for me) humility more than I ever imagined. And I realize more every day thru this divine combination of energies coupled with my open heart's willingness to be atonement with all that is, I am becoming as my beloved Creator has deigned for me to return to. And it is with a conscious loving vigilance on my part, to keep my ego on a short leash, that it has no opportunity to express as it once did earlier in my life, unchecked and untethered. Returning to how I truly am, seems to me the goal of life, having no desires to further explore the myriad paths offerred here in make-believe land.

I did not realize when I began the practice of gratitude years ago, where or what it would lead me to. In fact, I did not even have that idea, only that it seemed simple, made sense, was easy to do, and I could do it all day long. And the more I practiced it, I began to sense a great, loving Presence in and about me, that was and is not of this world, but is everywhere in it. I realize now, that gratitude and peace are the essential ingredients of developing and nurturing along, the actual, living relationship with God, one's own Creator.

As time went along, I had several opportunities to ask for and receive God's actual response to my requests. This practice developed real confidence in me that all I had to do was to ask God, know that an Answer or response was coming, and in most instances, immediately. My part then was to accept the blessing, realize where it had come from, and give unlimited thanks and gratitude. I did not realize it then, but this practice formed a much different way of thinking, or being, so that I really have not wanted to focus on much else.

Living in conscious listening, asking for understanding or a particular blessing (healing from pain), giving thanks for the many days blessings (always too many to count) has given me a way to live that literally realizes the growing Presence of God on all levels of my being. Gratitude and Peace form the basis of a conscious and intimate basis in me of letting God be God, instead of not, where in the past, I chose all the little gods I had made to express, only to learn the hard way, and realize the folly of my ignorant choices. Letting God be God, is truly the easy way, living in grateful thanks for daily higher understandings and blessings of all kinds.

Gratitude and peace literally (for me) squeeze out time, energy, and focus for ignorant/ arrogant choices made of ego. Because my direction has become to gratefully listen to the day's knowledge/wisdom that God wishes to express to and thru me on all levels, it is foreign (to me) to consider anything else.

This quiet and fulfilling manner of living has also promoted a return to good health in my physical body. Following a rewarding career of teaching skiing for nearly 3 decades in central Colorado, I retired to driving a school bus for another 12 years. Then, a day after Christmas last year, my body suffered a big heart attack, followed by congestive heart failure a month later. I was in a tail spin wondering what was going on.
Staying in shape had always been important, yet there I was, my body barely able to walk around the nurses station in the hospital! I was so amazed, shocked and wondering what lay ahead.

Giving thanks for each days little bitty improvement became a huge key, instead of feeling angry and resentful. Now, a year and two stints later, my body is actually stronger than it was before, And I am sooooo grateful each day for its recovery and daily strength. Now, I have had to become care-giver for my wife, whose needs have grown, as her 82 yr. old body slips gradually into slower modes of doing/being. And I am grateful each day, for the patience I have had to develope, to become endless love and kindness for my partner, doing things singly I never thought I would do.

Life is such a great teacher of all the lessons each has come to learn and master. Gratitude and peace have brought me into a Oneness with Myself I did not know was possible. Words fail here to convey the all encompasing and nurturing love of God. All I can do is tell you that this love is very real, far more than the human kind, and is in everyone to realize. Once tasted, (again) nothing else will have the importance it had earlier. And gratitude will show the way for the new and higher path of being.

May gratitude bring you also such treasures as God has them ever ready for acceptance.

K

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