Thankful Thursday Gratitude

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Today I am grateful

for Baha'u'llah,

and the prayers He revealed.

 

On the Thirteenth Day of Fast

Fast prayers inspire
Encourage the poet to write
Odes to the All-Glorious Lord,
Praising the Glory of God.

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Midnight Prayers

At midnight
my soul wakes me
to intone prayers
to the All-Glorious Lord.

At midnight
the world is silent,
and I can hear my intoned
prayers raise to the All-Glorious Lord.


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I Smile

I smile through the pain
I cannot let the darkness gain
a hold on my soul.

I call on Baha'u'llah,
intoning prayers for healing,
prayers asking forgiveness,
and prayers beseeching assistance.

I smile
knowing that the All Glorious Lord
will answer my prayers.


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Tranquility

I intone prayers
God’s Greatest Name echoes
Through a tranquil house

I, also, posted this in the journal Writing in Snow, under the folder Awardicon Items, in my writing.com port.

Reading the Prayers of Baha'u'llah

I read the words of the Blessed Beauty,
My spirit flies to the throne of God,
Unity becomes a reality,
And humanity becomes my family.

This poem is posted in Writing in Snow in my writing.com port. The journal is in the folder Awardicon Items. I am Prosperous Snow.

Thankful Thursday: May 4, 2017

Istijlál (Majesty), 8 Jamál (Beauty) 174 BE - Thursday, May 4, 2017 CE about 12:25 PM Pacific Daylight Time

Today I am thankful...

01. ...that when I dropped my false teeth in the sink yesterday they didn't break;

02. ...for fresh brewed Folgers black silk coffee;

03. ...that we have a car to drive this week;

04. ...for Arizona Real Brewed Sweet tea;

05. ...that I received an increase on my SNAP allotment;

06. ...for the prayers revealed by Baha'u'llah because they refresh my soul;

07. ...that I have three entries in my journal celebrating the Bicentenary of Baha'u'llah's birth.

08. ...for Hershey's Milk Chocolate King Size candy bar;

09. ...that I am a member of writing.com'

10. ...for the Baha'i prayer app I was able to download to my smartphone.

Spiritual Sunday: Sunday Prayers

Jamal (Beauty), 1 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 172 BE - Sunday, May 17, 2015 about 1:02 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Sunday prayers said
White clouds sail across blue sky
Sun casting shadows.

Morning's slow passage
A breeze blew through the pine tree
Sparrows songs echo.

Ate watermelon
With my coffee for breakfast
Time for noon prayers.

What do angels eat?
A cold sweet watermelon
Afternoon wind whispering.

Memories return
Church service and Sunday school
Grandpa and Grandma.

Sunday prayers said
Dish washing meditation
Afternoon's passage.

Supplication Sunday: Prayers Resonate

Jamál (Beauty), 15 Kalimát (Words), 171 BE - Sunday, July 27, 2014 about 4:20 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Prayers resonate
ascend from the contrite soul
to the throne of God.

I have Remembrance of God, a book of scriptures, resting beside my keyboard. It is there because sometimes I have to stop in the middle of whatever I am working on to say a prayer or read a scripture verse. When I am stuck for a word or do not know where a story or blog entry is headed, I stop to say a prayer or read a scripture. Prayer also helps when I find my mind wandering and am unable to focus.

Prayers resonate:
smoke rising from a campfire
merging with white clouds.

Remembrance of God is on the left side of my keyboard. On my right side, and sitting on a wooden T.V. stand, is a cup of coffee or tea. Sometimes I have a container of soda or bottle of water on stand instead. The refreshment I have there depends on how I feel and what I am working on at the time. These two things, the book and the refreshment help me write.

Prayers resonate:
music reverberating
across mind and soul.

A Blue Monday Afternoon

Kamál (Perfection), 5 Masá’il (Questions), 170 BE - Monday, December 16, 2013 about 12:21 pm Pacific Standard Time

It's a blue Monday afternoon,
with a partly cloudy sky,
a day to remain at home
and complete
unfinished tasks.

This afternoon, the only thing that keeps me focused on any task is reciting the prayers reveal by Baha'u'llah or The Bab. This morning focus wasn't as difficult as this afternoon. Of course, this morning before starting word I prayed and meditated, so perhaps I need to stop what I'm doing to meditate and say prayers.

wisp of scattered clouds
decorates afternoon's sky
chilly a slight breeze

 I look out the window and watch wisp of clouds scattered across the blue sky. They don't seem to move while I'm watching them, but if I look away for a few minutes and then look back I can see that there is slight movement. I still have some newspapers to carry out to the garages, so I guess I should get up and do that. I think while I'm out there I'll stand in the warm sun for a little while.

A brother living in Colorado Springs

‘Idál (Justice), 4 Rahmat (Mercy), 169 BE – Wednesday, June 27, 2012 about 6:50 PM Pacific Time

One of my brothers lives near Colorado Springs, so I’m keeping an eye on the fires. I received several texts from him yesterday, but only one today. He also posted a picture of the fire on my Facebook wall, so I think him and his family is all right, but I’m not sure where they are at this time.

I just checked my e-mail and there was another Facebook messages, so their all right. He is asking for prayer for the people affected by the fire. I hope anyone reading this will remember all the folks in Colorado Springs and other cities affected by the fire.

Thursday Task: Another Thursday at the wound hospital in Las Vegas

Istijlál (Majesty), 1 ‘Azamat (Grandeur), 169 BE – Thursday, May 17, 2012 about 6:05 PM Pacific Time

I went to the wound hospital this morning to have the bandage on my left leg changed. The R.N. who changed the dressing thought it looked worse then it did on Tuesday, May 15, so he got the doctor to look at it. The doctor had the nurse put a different type of dressing on the wound, wrote me a prescription for antibiotics, and said I only had to have the dressing changed once a week. I will see the doctor again in two weeks.

The bandage that is on my leg now, is the type that I can’t get wet other wise it stinks. This means I have to get creative when it comes to taking a shower. The problem is that I can’t find anything to cover the leg with the bandage. If I use a plastic trash bag, which is the only thing tall enough to reach my knee, the bandage will still get wet. I found out, when I had another type of bandage on the leg, that those tall kitchen trash bags don’t work very well when it comes to keeping a knee high bandage dry.

Oh well, that’s life. I will be spending the next two or four Thursday mornings at the wound hospital either having the bandage changed or seeing a doctor. Whoever is reading this, please say healing prayers for me.

How to deal with a crisis

Jalál (Glory), 18 Rahmat (Mercy), 166 BE – Saturday, July 11, 2009 about 847 AM Pacific Time

"How to deal with a crisis" was the subject line of a piece of junk mail I received in my e-mail box a couple of days ago. While I didn't read the complete message, the subject line started me thinking about how different people deal with a crisis.

Some people panic when confronted with a crisis. Under most circumstances, I don't panic. Panicking in a crisis doesn't help and it only makes the crisis worse. I prefer to get my prayer book, turn to the section on "Tests and Difficulties" and intone the prayers aloud. Sometimes that isn't possible; however, I have memorized two prayers that always help in a crisis. One of them is short and I can recite it mentally without reading it aloud.

Once I have recited "The Remover of Difficulties" or another prayer, then I proceed to deal with the crisis at hand. Prayers always help in dealing with a crisis because they allow a person to focus on the solution rather then the problem which caused the crisis.

I Graduated from Shawnee High School in 1966

‘Idál (Justice), 8 Rahmat (Mercy), 166 BE – Tuesday, June 30, 2009 about 8:39 PM Pacific Time

I graduated from Shawnee High School in 1966. I haven't thought about Shawnee, Oklahoma, in a long time. However, this evening when I checked my yahoo.com e-mail there was a message about a Pizza Party for the class of 1966.

I doubt that I can go, so I'm going to have to send my regrets within the next couple of days. I would love to go and see my high school classmates, so before I can actually say either no or yes I'm going to have to take a hard look at the finances.

My gut feeling tells me I won't be able to go and my gut feeling is usually right. Still, it won't hurt to say some prayers before I make the final decision and let my classmates know I won't be there. I don't like to make any decision without praying about it; not that I haven't made decisions without prayer, but I have more regrets about the decisions if I don't pray before making them.

At 62, I've came to realize that regrets are wasted efforts, wasted thoughts. So I pray before coming to a final decision, even if my gut feeling tells me I can or can't do something. Prayer will reinforce the gut feeling or open a path.

As the days get longer

Kamál (Perfection), 15 ‘Alá (Loftiness), 165 BE – Monday, March 16, 2009 about 6:40 PM Pacific Time

It's almost sunset in Las Vegas, the days are getting longer and warmer. Longer days means I can get more accomplished during the daylight hours, but I can never seem to get as much accomplished as I would like.

I did get something accomplished today, but not everything I wanted to accomplish. Part of the problem is an ulcer which acts up when I am under stress. It acted up this afternoon and I had to stop, set down and unstress. When I unstress I can feel the difference.

When my ulcer acts up I can't set at the computer and write. I have to go to the couch, set down and say prayers. This afternoon I took a nap as well. The dentist suggested I don't in my dentures, but I had my dentures in while I dozed sitting on the couch. I'm not sure that dozing while I'm sitting on the couch actually counts as sleep. I'll ask the dentist next time I see him.

I'm going to have the rest of my teeth pull on March 24 and the lower plate put in. I suppose part of my problem with the ulcer could be that I'm not chewing my food properly. I don't see what that would have to do with causing the ulcer to act up, but that is something I'm going to have to as my doctor the next time I see her.

I think I just need to stop worrying and relax a little. I'm still worrying over things that turn out not to be a problem. Perhaps the best solution to the worrying is to stop what I'm doing when a worry raises its head and say a prayer.

Looking for things to be thankful for

Kamál (Perfection), 1 Sultán (Sovereignty), 165 BE – Monday, January 19, 2009 about 7:44 AM Pacific Time

In the past several months I have made daily entries in my gratitude journal. I am going to continue to make daily entries for the rest of 2009 and then I will decide if I need to continue the entries or I can go back to once a week. The entries consist of at least ten things I am grateful for that day.

The reason I am making daily entries is a combination of stress in my life, my mother's health and the economy. I have found that listing things I am grateful for helps me overcome depression. I cannot be depressed when I have so much to be thankful for.

Learning gratitude is part of spirituality and the process of transformation. I remember growing up, my Grandfather always state at least one thing he was thankful for when he said prayers at meal time. The only time I heard Grandpa pray was at mealtimes. However, I know he said prayers at other times as well. My Grandpa Newland was a spiritual and not a religious man.

Grandpa went to church with us when he could. He never judged other people by their religion. It did not matter to Grandpa what a person's religion was. Spirituality was more important to Grandpa then religion. While a person's religion may influence spirituality, spirituality and religion are not tied to each other. However, I suspect gratitude may have an affect on spirituality.

A Day of Remembrance

Istijlál (Majesty), 4 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Thursday, September 11, 2008 about 5:25 AM Pacific Time

Today is a day of remembrance,
when a moment of silence gives us the opportunity
to say prayers for the dead.

It is a chance to say prayers
for those who
ascended suddenly to the next world
when their plane struck twin towers
or struck the Pentagon
or crashed into a field
and those who were not in the buildings
when the planes struck them.

A moment of silence
gives us a chance to say prayers for the dead
or reflect on how the deaths changed our lives
or where we were when we heard the news about
the twin towers.

September 11
is a day of remembrance
of reflection
on past events
and on those who
are no longer with us because
of those events.

Today is a day of remembrance,
and after the moment of silence
and after remembering the dead
and after saying prayers for those who ascended
suddenly into the next world,
we will continue with our day
still remembering
and still crying.

September 11 a day of remembrance

Between Dusk and Dawn

Istiqlál (Independence), 17 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Friday, September 5, 2008 about 3:13 AM Pacific Time

It is early and the sun hasn't risen yet, but it approaches the horizon. You can sense the approach of morning, the approach of dawn. Even in the dusk of morning, in the dusk of the twilight before dawn, my mind and soul knows that day is coming. The knowledge of the approach of day wakes me in the dusk of morning.

I'm not sure when I first began waking up in the dark part of morning. All I know is that I'm now waking up before dawn and watching the sky become lighter and lighter between the dusk and the dawn. This is a spiritual time of day, when dawn prayers are said and the first pot of coffee is made. Prayers and coffee seem to complement the early morning and start the day off on the right foot.

This morning I noticed that when I get out of bed my right foot touches the floor first. Of course, I'm right handed, so that may have something to do with which foot touches the tile of my bedroom floor first. I don't get out of bed immediately upon waking. I lay a few minutes looking out the window, looking at the darkness before the dawn. Then, with my right foot touch the floor first, I sit up, find my socks and shoes, put them on and get up.

Waking up in the dusk of morning has taught me a lot about myself. I don't like to go barefoot, even in the house. Getting up early has also taught me that dawn is the most beautiful and spiritual time of day. Some may argue with that, but for me I find that it is true. I think that is because most mornings, I'm the only one up and the house is silent and conducive to prayer, meditation, making entries in my gratitude journal or composing a blog entry.

Going to Bed with the Chickens

Jamál (Beauty), 3 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Sunday, August 3, 2008 about 12:14 AM PDT

I went to bed with the chickens yesterday. No I did not go to sleep in the hen house, even if I did have a chicken coop or hen house I wouldn't have went to bed there. Going to bed with the chickens means going to bed before sunset or around sunset, that's because most chickens roost at sunset. The problem with "going to bed with the chickens" is that you wake up with them as well.

Actually, I went to bed before sunset yesterday, which meant I got up before midnight. I went to bed around 6:30 or 7:00 PM yesterday and got up about 11:55 PM yesterday. After getting myself a nice tall glass of ice water, I turned the computer on. I haven't even made coffee yet; I haven't needed it yet. I'm wide awake.

Yesterday I was extremely tired in the afternoon. I know why I was so tired. I went out in the heat yesterday. We went to the bank, to get Mom's meds and then to Food 4 Less. We came back home, eat and I finished the work I planned. When I realized how weary I was, I fed the cats and went to bed. I said the rest of the prayers I had planned to say and then went to sleep.

When I woke up, at 11:55 PM, I thought I had slept all night. I thought it must be about 3:30 or 4:00 AM. I got up and looked at the clock. It surprised me when I saw the time, but I'm not sleepy or tired anymore, so there isn't any use going back to bed. Since I'm up I'll do some blog entries, check my e-mail and say some prayers.

I Am Going to Try Something Different This Week

Kamál (Perfection), 9 Kalimat (Words), 165 BE – Monday, July 21, 2008 about 4:52 AM PDT

I am going to try something different this week. I am going to attempt to make my blog entries early in the day rather then waiting until afternoon. I work until about 1:30 PM or so, therefore I usually wait until I get off to get online. However, this week I am going to attempt to get on line when I first get up in the morning.

My morning routine usually consists of getting up and then taking my thyroid pill. After that, I say prayers, make coffee and put a load of cloths in the washer and then the dryer. That done I wait for Mom to get up so that we can have breakfast and I can lay out her morning pills. Mom wants me to get her up when I get up, but she does not sleep well at night. Therefore, I let her sleep in the morning.

This is going to be busy week. I have phone calls to make Monday and Tuesday, which means I have to keep the phone line open to make them. I have a telephone hook-up to the Internet, so I cannot use the phone when I am online and no one can get me when I am online. I have to keep the line open in to get return phone calls.

Therefore, instead of waiting until I get home from my other job to get online to make blog entries I am going to make them earlier in the day. This will push me of a morning, especially on Wednesday when I take the trash to the curb. However, since there are bags of yard trash sitting at the curb I am not going to worry about getting any other trash out this Wednesday.