THIS IS THE LIFE: Praise God!

This IS the the life! Isn't life wonderful and grand?! It can be! You know, I'm happier now, today, at 21 years old than I've ever been before. Why? Because I'm no longer angry, resentful, I've begun to forgive and look back on my life not with regret, or negativity, but with love, gratitude and blessings. I've lived the blessed life, I've loved and been loved, and I've had so much fun! Sure, I've had plenty of crap, I've been tested to no ends, but I wouldn't trade a moment of it. Honestly, each moment is exactly as it is supposed to be, because each and every moment has its purpose and it helps lead us to the next moment, this one. So, why am I so happy? Well, lots of reasons; my family, my friends, my boyfriend, the love in my life, God. But most of all, I'm happy because I've chosen to be.
Each and everyday when we get up, we make a concious decision about whether or not to be happy. I choose happiness, and peace and love. I'm becoming more spiritual, more aware of my surroudnings, both inner and outer.
I'm working on becoming more compassionate, yet less pitiful. Compassion and pitty is quite different; compassion is feeling empathy for someone-understanding where they are or where they've been b/c you've been there yourself, or can to the best of your ability, try to imagine where they are. It is very possible to have too much compassion, for instance, my mother has always had way too much compassion (okay, pitty) for the men in her life. Pitty is feeling sorry for somone, feeling like you have to fix them and help them because they themselves are helpless. How dumb right! Pitty is not good. I never want anyone to pitty me, compassion is wonderful, and it goes a long way, pitty is negative and doesn't get us anywhere.
I'm also working on my relationship with God and realizing that that has to come first. I'm realizing that the one and only thing/person/place I can really truly depend on is God, and myself. I finally understand the phrase: Know God, Know Peace; No God, No Peace. There are some people (who shall remain nameless) who are proving that to me in a BIG way right now, and that's good. I've noticed people who are more Godly, more faithful, they are generally happier, more peaceful and age much slower. I think it's because when you really know God, however you understand Him/It/Her/Whomever, there's this weight that comes off your shoulder and you know that you don't have to/can't do it all.
Our inbox will NEVER be empty, so it's important to LET GO & LET GOD!
God knows best, He has a plan for us, and as long as we do our part, be our best and live in a loving, faithful, peaceful way-all will be okay. God will find a way, and each and everything that we absolutely need at this moment is in front of us. God never gives us more than we can handle, although I myself at times have questioned that one! LOL!
I'm reading more about my own spirituality, my beliefs and meditating. I feel it's really important to meditate. To ground yourself, in a place of silence, calm yourself, listen to your own breath and clear your mind. It can be quite difficult to that in this crazy, busy, hectic and oh so over teched, noisey world we live in- especially Las Vegas! But, I've noticed that a lot of older religions stress meditation and that meditation is not something you do for anyone but you, it's a gift you give yourself.
I also got a singing bowl, which is working wonders for me in releasing my anger (which is really all but gone by now), and groudning me in angelic and calming sounds. When I use the bowl, I just hear God. They're an ancient part of Tibet and Eastern religions, while I remain very much a Christian and follower of Christ, I think that there are many elements of different religions that make sense. For instance, peace, innervoice and serenity.
I've noticed I turn off the music now, and the TV, and just enjoy the silence. So many people are afraid of silence b/c it is in the silence where we really have to listen to ourselves, and our God. A lot of people don't want to embrace that, and are actually afraid of the quiet, me, I embrace it.
I found a notebook yesterday, from about ten years ago. A "book" of poetry I wrote back in 1995 when I was 11 years old. And man, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I had some pretty dang wise ideas even at 11. I was very suprised. I decided to post them on my Poet Power 21 Group over at Yahoo Groups. Oh, and that's the other thing, people have come and gone in my life, but I'm starting to realize that my writing never has. So one of my goals now is to write EVERYDAY. Whether I post it on here or not is beside the point-just write. Whatever I need to write about; life, God, poetry, song, etc.....it's really important and very theraputic and cathardic! It does wonders for me and I feel, at 21, that's what I was put here to do, that's why I stuck around and have survived all that I have. I'm here to write! Praise God! Anyway, I started that PoetPower21 group back in 2003, when I met one of my dearest and most treasured friends, Ellen M. It sat there for a year, with NO activity, and finally yesterday I just up and decided-no more of that! That group, and this blog, WILL BE ACTIVE! Even if no one else posts on either one, even if I do nothing but post older material I've written, that group will be active b/c I am now living a pro-active life! Hallelujah!
My gullbladder and kidney problems are seemingly insignificent compared to most of the problems that people face, but it's been a HUGE wake up call for me. I apparentlyhave gull stones and a swollen right kiney. I've gone to doctor after doctor for the last month or so, I feel like a kid again-doctors, tests, doctors, tests....how did I ever do this? Well, actually, I know how; one, God, and two, I just didn't know any better.
Anyhow, I've come to realize that I only have ONE body (along with one kidney), and ONE life and, I want to treat it like the sacred and miraculous temple/experience that it is. I heard of a phrase about miracles the other day that made so much sense; "miracles are the true work of God without human interferance." Isn't that just so true? I mean, so many times, we as humans want to have, do and be it all. We want to control it all, myself included. We want to fix everything and do everything and be super people. We can, but not without something bigger and better than ourselves to work towards.
Well, back to what I was saying about my health. I really want to change the way I eat even more than I have been. While admittedly, yesterday, I said screw the diet, I'm eatin' what I want- I've been diong really good lately about eating healthy. I even ordered a Jack Lalane Experess Juicer so I can eat even more fruits, veggies and feel better. I also want to cut out the overprocessed foods, lower my sugar intake (I've totally stopped drinking Coca-Cola-it tastes yucky now-eek), follow that Doctor Ordered Low-Fat Diet (low fat popcorn isn't that bad, but butter does make everything better) and cut down on the chemicals I take in.
You know, we live in a world FULL of chemicals and articficial preservatives and flavorings and "FRESH" just doesn't seem to exist anymore. Well, thankfully, luckily, with many kuddos to my mom and grandma, I did grow up wtih FRESH FOOD! Fresh veggies, fruit and homebaked goods, all without the chemicals, corn syrup, mono and dyglicerides, hydrogenized oils and overstarched, under nutrionized crap that SO many, many Americans eat these days. It's ridiculous and sad. The saddest part, most don't even realize and it's the crap that's the cheapest. You don't see 99c vegetable rolls or bottles of water or 100% juice on sale for 3/$8. Of course not. What we eat, and more importantly, how we think- DIRECTLY affects how we feel, and our health. The mind/body connection is astounding. I've always been aware of it, but NOW, I'm finally realizing it in its fullest capacity and am learning to tweek it.
Back to the food, I'm ALL for convienance, but more so than that, I'm for health. The body is a temple, at least mine is, and I choose to treat it as such. It's important to be healthy, and I'm really heading the words of my mama-my whole life she's always said "everything in moderation, Sarah, anything in excess will kill you." She's so right and it's so true. Don't you hate that, how come mothers know everything? They're always right, it's like they have this ever-knowing wave come over them the minute the child comes out of them. LOL! Anyhow, my mother was right and thanks to her (and grama) I grew up eating fresh food, real food, most the time out of a 1,500sqft garden. God I miss that! YUM!
Not talking anymore about food, I feel like I'm finally becoming a responsible woman, an adult! I'll always have things to learn and ways to grow-that's what life is really all about. Learning and growing, continously, not because we have to, but b/c we want to and b/c there's just no way around it. The toughest lessons in life are the hardest. And often times, we need to re-learn and re-learn them. At least I have. LOL! But, at the same time, I'm trying not to take life too seriously, I'm finding joy in everything and beauty in this wonderful world. Sure, it can get ugly, the Pope passing and the state of America is quite depressing, but it's all about perecpting, it's all how you see it. I've always been a glass half full girl myself. How 'about you?
Anyhow, I got my brand new car, a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT-Champaigne Color, two door, automatic w/ sun roof and CD Player. I LOVE IT! I feel like a responsible woman now b/c I'm paying a car payment, car insurance, cell phone and some rent to mom along w/ chipping in on grocieres when I can. I paid for my to be registered (okay, so that day I wasn't so happy a mere $200 later to register a six year old car-geeze!) and am looking at saving money while looking at my next big purchase, a digital camera. I miss it. It's so confusing though, there's SO many out there, I feel like a total dweeb when I'm trying to research them. LOL!
Anyway, I'm a woman, daughter, grandaughter, friend, sister, lover and girlfriend. But most importantly, and best of all, I'm a child of God. I firmly believe we are SPIRITUAL beings first, having a HUMAN experience. NOT that other way around! But, the coolest thing is I can be all these things and still be Sarah. Whole and complete, thanks to God. I just choose to be that way, that's all. It's not that everything's perfect- in fact, life rarely is ever perfect, it is what is, it IS what we make it. And I say, this is the life. And aparently, so does my good-looking, favorite male artist, Billy Dean. His new album, "Let Them Be Little," came out this week, you can pick up a copy of this wonderful album at your local Wal-Mart or Target, but the BEST song on it is the first cut! It's called "This Is the Life," and it's exactly how I feel about life these days. It's all we have, so let's live it up! Thanks Billy for reminding me and for the great new music! He's still the best! Let's live it up and celebrate! Thanks for reading!

Many blessings to each of you,
-SL

This Is The Life
Billy Dean and Chuck Cannon

It’s the little things
that mean the most to me
Like waking up
with you this close to me
Watch the sun rise
There in Your eyes
Sleepy smile
Tangled hair
Mornin’ love
Man I swear

This is the life
The one we’re livin’
These are the days
that we’ve been given
This is the love
Now and forever
And we only get one chance to live it right
This is the life

Life is funny
Let’s just laugh at it
Who knows what’s comin’After it
Our days are numbered
Filled with wonder
Let’s raise our glass
To the years
Make love last
While we’re here

Oh this is the life
The one we’re livin’
These are the days that we’ve been given
This is the love
Now and forever
And we only get one chance to live it right
Oh this is the life
This is the life
This is the life

Why didn't I write that myself? Oh well! Not all is revealed overnight, even God Himself took seven days to create the world! As humans, we take a lifetime to learn! That's half the fun right? Speaking of which, here's the link to my Poetry Group over at Yahoo......
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/poetpower21/
It's called PoetPower21 (PP21 for short) and you're more than welcome to sign up! You have to sign up and become a member to read and post, but I encourage that you do! I love reading others' poetry, writing and thoughts-after all, it makes me a better writer and helps me learn! Peace and Love my friends, and again, blessings upon you! -SLD