THE LEGEND OF DOLPHINNY

When I grew up in Redondo Beach we never saw dolphins. Then strangely enough, one day they started visiting our hometown. The timing was a strange coincidence that my family has come to call, “The Legend of Dolphinny.”

My brother Kurt had a beautiful German-shepherd. Her name was Daphne. Kurt loved her and took her everywhere he went. Daphne was crazy about Kurt. In fact she was kind of possessive. When Kurt would bring dates to the house, Daphne used to crawl up in his lap to make the young woman understand she was the lady in his life. This had a tendency to cramp his style.

Daphne

Daphne loved the beach and Kurt took her down just about every day. When Kurt went away to college, Daphne became Mom and Dad’s dog. If you are a dog person you know what I mean when I say, “Our family loved her so much.”

Then one very sad day it was time to say goodbye to Daphne. Daddy cried for weeks. Mom and Dad waited for Kurt to come home from college on a visit before they took her ashes and threw them into the ocean at Knob Hill beach. A few weeks after ceremony we began to see dolphins show up at Knob Hill beach on our walks by the ocean. Mom would say, “Look! Daphne is now Dolphinny and she has brought her friends!”

Some people might call it a coincidence. That’s OK. Einstein said “Coincidence is God being anonymous.”

Dolphins are beautiful friends. When I sing to them under the water I can usually hear them sing back.

Whenever I see dolphins dancing in the surf, I like to say, “Hello, Dolphinny. Thanks for bringing your friends by to say hi." It just makes me feel better.

STRAWBERRIES

Once there were three small strawberry gardens that were planted in three separate rooms.

In the first room the strawberry plants were watered and given plenty of sunlight. Beautiful, red healthy strawberries grew on the plants and they were tasty and sweet.

In the second room, the strawberry plants were watered and given plenty of sunlight. In this room a prayer was said every day over the strawberries. “Dear Lord, Please let these strawberries grow as big as plums!” Sure enough, the beautiful, red strawberries grew as big as plums and they were tasty and sweet.”

In the third room, the strawberry plants were watered and given plenty of sunlight. In this room, every day, four words were said over the strawberries. “Thy will be done.”

The strawberries grew as big as peaches and they were bright red, juicy and delicious!”

Have you ever wondered if you are praying correctly? I know I have.

When Jesus was asked, “Teach us to pray,” Jesus taught us the perfect prayer. “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.”

God already knows our deepest desires and God will always give the best outcome. Just like a good parent, God knows what is best for our spiritual growth. This does not always align with what we want. Just remember through it all, God loves you so much!

When you say, “Thy Will be done,” you are telling God you totally trust whatever happens. God knows what’s best for your soul. That which brings us closer to knowing God is always the greatest outcome.

Your prayers will always be answered. Be patient and know everything is on God’s time.

In the meantime count your blessings and be thankful. I am sure God appreciates appreciation. Appreciation and gratitude are the highest vibration in the universe and acts as a magnet to more blessings.

Then, when you are feeling the joy from your blessings, look to the heavens and shout, “Thank you God! If this is like heaven it will be just fine!”

I promise, God will hear you and smile.

BAGGER VANCE and THE FIELD

Have you ever had a burst? For me a burst is a moment of inspiration that is so profound that you get chill bumps, shake, shudder and tears instantly burst from your eyes.The first time I ever saw the movie, Bagger Vance I had a "burst" so many times that I went back to the theater a few days later to count them. There were 8. 

When our son, Jordan was in the first grade we put him in Little League. Unfortunately he was on the “Charlie Brown” team. After three seasons of almost no wins Jordan became very discouraged and frustrated. “We never win, Mom. I’m not having fun,” he said one evening after a 12 to zero ballgame.

“Why don’t you try golf,” I said. That’s a game where you play all by yourself.”

With that, we bought Jordan a set of golf clubs. He began by hitting a bucket of balls from the house to the barn, 400 feet away. As Jordan grew older he joined the Hendersonville High School golf team in Tennessee and was named “Golfer of the Year” in his senior year. We watched Bagger Vance before every competition.

Through the years, when Jordan would leave the house to practice, I would press the palms of my hands together, bow and say, “Ahh little Grasshopper, remember you are the ball, you are the club, you are the hole, you are the field of green grass.”

I don’t really know why I said it, I just did.

One day, when he was about twelve-years-old Jordan finally looked at me and said, “What does that mean anyway, Mom?”

 “What happens when you blow everything up a million times?” I asked. “What do you see?”

“Empty space,” he replied.

“Ahh little Grasshopper , it is there you are one with the ball, one with the club, one with the hole and one with the field of green grass.”

“Oh. Now I get it,” he said with a great big smile. “Bye Mom!”

I'm really not that smart. All you have to do is listen. God will always give you the answer.  Now listen to Bagger Vance tell Junuh about "the field."

AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE

It was January 18^th 2003. My daughter Denise had had an accident and was on life support. I learned later her doctor had told the nurses to call when she had passed, She was not expected to live.

I brought a CD player and put my Quiet Journey CD on and told the nurse to make sure it played continuously. I wanted my baby to know her Mommy was with her.

God gave us a miracle that day. I’ll never forget the first thing my daughter Denise said to me when she woke up from her coma. She was only seventeen and the words she said changed my life forever. It was so beautiful I quickly wrote them down so I wouldn’t forget.

“O Mama! I saw the most beautiful light. All I could do is look at it. I had no thoughts. It was so beautiful there are no words that can even describe it. There was only love and I couldn’t stop looking at it. It felt like a warm blanket of only love wrapped around me. Mommy, the light is all around us, people just can’t see it.”

It was 3 o’clock in the morning. As she spoke to me her eyes were filled with light. Her doctor didn’t expect her to ever wake up again. It was because of this experience I have learned to completely trust God. I have the complete knowing that all things are possible with God.  "I knew I wasn't dead, Mommy because I could hear your music playing."

Some people might say what Denise experienced was only a dream. I know a few people who have had similar experiences. Most of them keep it to themselves because it is so sacred and a reaction of disbelief saddens them. 

I for one like to make people feel safe to share their beautiful story and I have heard some good ones. Some floated over their bodies. Others saw a tunnel of bright light and saw loved ones who have passed on. All of them expressed a feeling of peace like nothing they ever experienced before.

God is always with us. We are never alone. As Denise told me about her journey to the light the peace in that hospital room  was like no other I have ever experienced in my lifetime.

Sometimes I am reminded of my daughter's beautiful words. “Mommy, the light is all around us, people just can’t see it.” It really makes me feel good.


UPDATE: I posted this blog at 5:28 am PST. My cousin Sherry passed today at 4:11 pm.
Sherry is dancing in heaven with her new body :)

EASY TORTILLA SOUP FEEDS A BIG GROUP

Have you ever had something delicious at a restaurant and then tried to make it at home. I did! It took me 6 times to get it right but now I am proud to say I make a wonderful Tortilla Soup. It inexpensively feeds a lot of people and you will be a hero with your friends. Perfect for a party!

Tortilla Soup
3 to 4 skinless chicken breast
1 heaping cup of white rice (brown is ok)
4 to 5 large carrots (chopped into circles)
1 onion (yellow, I use medium to large)
5 to 6 teaspoons of  Knorr's Caldo de Tomate con pollo
(if you can't find it use chicken bouillon)
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can of Rotel

Boil chicken and remove the meat. Pull chicken apart so it is shredded. Add remaining ingredients to broth and add water (it's kind of a guess, 4 to 5 cups depending on how much broth you have) Bring to a boil then put it on MED for about 20 minutes. Add chicken and simmer on LO for an hour so all the flavors can mix. (If too thick add a can of chicken broth, more tomatoes or a little water)

Put out a bowl of tortilla chips, sliced avocados, shredded mexican cheese, green chili salsa, jalapenos and sour cream. Crunch the tortilla chips and garnish with favorite toppings. YUMMY!! 

Note: The Knorr's Caldo de Tomate con pollo is the secret ingredient. I also use it in vegetable soup.

EAGLES AND CHICKENS

One day a man was walking down the road and saw an eagle’s egg lying on the ground. He took the egg to a nearby farm. Several months later he went back to the farm and saw the eagle on the ground squawking and pecking with the other chickens.

“Why is the eagle pecking on the ground,” he asked the farmer.

“He thinks he’s a chicken,” the farmer said.

The man took the eagle to the fence post and said, “Fly with the wind beneath your wings. You are an eagle!”

The eagle looked around, spread his wings and hopped down and began scratching the ground again with the other chickens. Then the man took the eagle to the top of the barn. “Fly with the wind beneath your wings. You are an eagle, the king of all birds!”

The eagle stood tall, looked around, spread his wings then slid down the roof and resumed pecking with the chickens. Then the man put the eagle on his arm and walked high up into the canyon. When they reached the top the view was breath taking. All that could be heard was the wind gently singing through the crisp cool air.

“Fly with the wind beneath your wings. You are an eagle! You are king of the sky!”

The eagle looked at the beautiful valley below and then looked into the sky. The man lifted his arm and with that, the eagle spread his wings and flew over the vast canyon with grace and majesty!

My friend called me the other day and told me she was kicked out of a girl club. She was broken hearted. One girl had positioned my friend as a common enemy and the group turned against her. My friend had been mean-girled out of the club.

I told her, “You don’t belong with them. You are an eagle! You make a real lousy chicken!” 

WE ARE ALL EAGLES. God knows your greatness. Do you?

JUST SAY THANK YOU

Appreciation and gratitude are the highest vibration in the universe. When we feel appreciated we want to give more. At least I do. Appreciation gives us a sense of value which makes for healthy self-esteem. When someone compliments you it is a gift. Saying "thank you" is a gift of appreciation. It is the perfect exchange. Some people know this and accept compliments graciously. Some devalue the gift and then wonder why good things don't happen for them.

Yesterday at lunch my girlfriend gave me the idea for this blog. While making Thanksgiving dinner, she had only bought turkey breast and realized that there might not be enough meat for everyone so she added several chicken thighs to the pan the turkey was sitting in. She separated the white and dark meat before her company arrived. Her son, who is an excellent cook, said several times, "This is the best turkey I have ever had." Each time he did, Ann just said, "thank you." She didn't want him to know he was eating chicken for Thanksgiving! 

In an attempt to ease her mind I asked her, "Have you ever told someone you liked their outfit and then they told you they paid two bucks for it at a garage sale or bought it at Walmart? All of a sudden they go from classy to cheap. If they had just said thank you..."

Ann had another story. "I gave my niece a blanket that I bought at a church fair. She sent me a beautiful long letter of how she appreciated the work and the love that went into the blanket. It was so thoughtful and nice I just let her think I made it." 

Sometimes silence is golden.

I told her about complimenting a friend's hairstyle. "You look so elegant with your hair pulled up that way." She told me her hair was filthy and it was all she could really do with it. The rest of the day, every time I saw her I just thought stinky hair.

When someone compliments you, just say "thank you." You don't have to tell them your secrets. Of course there are exceptions, but revealing the truth isn't always the best option. Ann's son is happier thinking he ate turkey at Thanksgiving and her niece feels warm and fuzzy thinking the blanket was made by her.

If you buy something nice at a garage sale for $2 wear it as if you bought it at Nieman Marcus. "Thank you," isn't lying. In Hollywood they call it "smoke and mirrors." The movie It's a Beautiful Life was all about a father creating illusions for his son in a concentration camp by making him believe it was all a game. What's wrong with that?

As for me...I still believe in Santa Claus.