July 2018
Listening to the Whispers of Your Heart
Activating Awesome / Dream - Imagine - Create, was the theme of the ministry conference I attended at Edmonton, Alberta in June and, as promised in last month's Innisfree Moment, share some highlights of a wonderful experience that included uplifting music and workshops, camaraderie, and concluding messages by the following two speakers:
- A very youthful senior minister in her nineties, Dr. Sue Rubin, recollected from memory extensive passages from the Science of Mind Textbook by Dr. Ernest Holmes and the works of Judge Thomas Troward. Whilst both were part of my lengthy ministry studies, at times I found them challenging and not always easy to understand, let alone quoting lengthy passages. Dr. Sue's delightful story and Truth Tidbits can be accessed at www.truthtidbits.com.
- Chris Koch, an Alberta farm boy turned world traveler, drives a tractor, skies, speaks at schools and large conferences globally, with his "If I can ..." message. Chris travels swiftly on his skateboard, has neither arms nor legs, and said: I can do everything you can, I just take longer! He can be viewed on YouTube or on his website at www.ifican.ca.
Not only was I glad I heeded the inner whisper of my heart to attend the conference, but that I reversed my initial decision and accepted wheelchair assistance upon disembarking from the flight. It was a VERY long distance to the exit, and could have been a challenge finding the bus shuttle depot for the hotel. Had I given in to false pride I would have missed the gift of a friendly exchange during our swift journey, whizzing through staff-only access doorways, and getting an earlier shuttle!
Have you been offered a gift of support that you refused, for the selfless reason of not wanting to inconvenience another? I was so tempted when friends offered to drive me to and from the airport instead of going by local transportation. Yet, by accepting, I had the convenience, comfort and joy of our journey together. When a member of Servant Leadership, an association founded by the late Robert Greenleaf, I learned of a concept that changed my thinking, that rejecting a gift of kindness is also denying the generosity of the gifter. Often it is more natural to be a giver, but difficult to be a receiver. My acceptance, I later learned, was a win-win solution as my friends loved going to the airport, and stopping for refreshments!
The above are a few more thoughts for your pondering! I won't be producing an August newsletter but will return in September - which for many of us often feels like a new year, just as for students returning to school.
Thank you for your interest in these Moments, and for your thoughts when something whispers to your heart.
Until we come together again, I wish you a special and safe rest of summer ... Blessèd be!
Dorothy B.
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Rev. Dorothy Blandford, Ph.D
Apt. 202 - 1655 Martin Drive
Surrey, BC, V4A 6E1, Canada
604-535-9016
info@innisfreespirit.com