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Volume 7, Issue 2 | February 2018
 

I've been working contract jobs back in the corporate world for about 2 ½ years now after almost 20 years of being my own boss in my own consulting business. And, most of my time since leaving the Big Apple almost 22 years ago has been living in small towns (13 ½ years): Taos, NM; Santa Fe; Sedona, AZ. So now too, it is about 2 ½ years that I am back living in Gilbert - which has almost doubled in size to 250,000 souls since I last lived here.

With these two major shifts in my life, I've seemed particularly out of sorts with managing my time. I started thinking about it, to see if it was just me, or if there were external circumstances contributing to this. It was a fascinating analysis, and what became clear to me is how much the external world has shifted in the past 20 years or so, and its impact on my individual life - and time.

In the '90s, I lived in a 400 sq ft studio in a Manhattan high rise so house cleaning and maintenance was a blip on my timeline. I walked a lot (my main form of exercise) and used public transportation to get around, which permitted me time to read or nap. Monthly bills to sit down and take time to pay were for the mortgage; telephone; cable TV; water; electric; and, gas.

20+ years later, I live in a 1500 sq ft house with a garage, a lot more space to maintain, which requires landscaping of the front and backyards too. The city is spread out, so my means of transportation is a car; that means no reading or napping while driving! I also need to make sure I get some physical exercise in. Monthly bills to pay are for the house lease; water, waste, and sewer; electric; landscaping; Internet; telephone; auto insurance; and, car maintenance. Whew! And yes, I know I can do automatic payments!

Back in the '90s, when Information Technology was only just starting to reach the masses, I kept in touch with people via telephone (land line) and letters sent through U.S. Mail. Nowadays, with email, texting, Skype, and mobile phones in general, I am so reachable and absorbed in computer-related activities that it's easy to not have time alone and to be still.

Yes, the world is far more complex now, and thus is my life. I'm glad to see that there are some valid reasons why my time management seems more challenging than it used to. But I guess what has not changed over the years is that wherever I am, I can always take the time to pause and connect with Spirit. It only takes less than a minute to accomplish that, and it's something worthwhile and most doable even in this complex world of distractions. In fact, it's even more crucial now to do so - it allows me to slow down, receive guidance, and breathe in some peace to deal with the complexities of these modern times.

Reminding you too to take time to b-r-e-a-t-h-e -- and unplug from time-to-time-

Joyce's signature 



Inspiration and Contemplation

"May God give us light to guide us,
Courage to support us,
And love to unite us,
Now and evermore."

- from "God At Every Gate" by Brendan O'Malley

Spirituality
Install Love on the Human Computer
  
 We've all called Tech Support at one time or another... And so as this month of Love and Friendship draws to a close, here's a fun story about Tech Support - and more. If you've never heard it, you're in for a treat!
Customer: I really need some help. After much consideration, I've decided to install LOVE. Can you guide me through the process?

Tech Support: Yes, I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready to install it now. What do I do?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your HEART. Have you located your HEART?

Customer: Yes, I have, but there are several other programs running right now. Is it okay to install while they are running?

Tech Support: What programs are running?

Customer: Let's see... I have PAST-HURT.EXE, LOW-ESTEEM.EXE, GRUDGE.EXE, and RESENTMENT.EXE running now.

Tech Support: No problem. LOVE will gradually erase PAST-HURT.EXE from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory, but it will no longer disrupt other programs. LOVE will eventually overwrite LOW-ESTEEM.EXE with a module of its own called HIGH-ESTEEM.EXE.
People Helping People
Coat Turns Into Sleeping Bag - and Hiring The Homeless    
 
The Empowerment Plan was established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation in 2011, by Veronika Scott, who was a student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Beginning as a school project, Scott initially designed the sleeping bag coat, called "Element S(urvival)" from the Tyvek home insulation and wool army blankets to help the homeless population of Detroit in two ways: By providing making warm, durable coats suitable for the below freezing temperatures throughout the winter months and by helping to train and employ them.

 
 
"I am a string in the concert of God's joy."

- Jacob Boehme

(8 March 1575 - 17 November 1624) 
German philosopher, Christian mystic, and Lutheran Protestant theologian. 

Blessings,
Joyce's signature
 

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