Seasons of the Soul

A Reminder to Us All

A pastor transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the church where he was to be introduced as the head pastor at the morning service. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service. Only 3 people said hello to him, most looked the other way. He asked people for change to buy food because he was hungry. Not one gave him anything.

He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was told by the ushers that he would need to get up and go sit n the back of the church. He said hello to people as they walked in but was greeted with cold stares and dirty looks from people looking down their noses and judging him.

He sat in the back of the church and listened to the church announcements for the week. He listened as new visitors were welcomed into the church that morning but no one acknowledged that he was new. He watched people around him continue to look his way with stares that said you are not welcome here.

Then the elders of the church went to the podium to make the announcement. They said they were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation. "We would like to introduce you to our new Pastor." The congregation stood up and looked around clapping with joy and anticipation. The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle.

That's when all the clapping stopped and the church was silent. With all eyes on him....he walked up the altar and reached for the microphone. He stood there for a moment and then recited so elegantly, a verse from the bible.....

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he introduced himself as their new pastor and told the congregation what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and bow their heads in shame. "Today I see a gathering of people here but I do not see a church of Jesus. The world has enough people that look the other way. What the world needs is disciples of Jesus that can follow this teachings and live as he did. When will YOU decide to become disciples?

He then dismissed service until the following Sunday as his sermon had been given.

 

~Author Unknown

The Odysey of Eric Zimmerman by Stanley Peele

Fred Zimmerman. Who was born in 1944, was a strong swimmer. When he was 22 years old, he and two friends went swimming in Lake Mohawk in Tiffin, Ohio. Suddenly, he started to sink down into the water. He recounted the story as follows:

“I was sinking like a lead weight in the lake. The light was getting dimmer. I was coughing and spitting out water. I kept sinking. Then I became totally calm and quiet – completely at ease. I was no longer coughing, spitting out or swallowing water.”

“I heard a voice say to me into my right ear, '“Fred, this is not your time to die.”' To this day I can still visualize and remember turning my head to the right to see who was speaking to me yet I was out of my body. When the voice stopped, I felt myself joining my body and began coughing, spitting out water. My buddy, who had searched for me for about 30 seconds, grabbed me by the shirt and drug me to the surface. I survived.”

The voice that he heard was distinct and unique. Fred remembers it today – just as clearly as if it had happened yesterday.

Fred and Marilyn Zimmerman lived in Lorain, Ohio. Marilyn taught school and Fred was a pharmaceutical salesman. They had two sons, Eric and Scott.

Eric Zimmerman was the true definition of an all-American boy. He was good in school and sports and had a genuine love of helping others. Everyone who knew Eric liked him.

Once, Eric talked to a man who was down on his luck. The man poured out his difficulties. Right on the spot, Eric gave him his car.

When Fred expressed amazement, Eric said, “Dad! It wasn't much of a car!

He was not given to brag about himself. He received many awards, yet did not speak of them at all.

Marilyn summed it up, saying, “Whatever he did, he did well.”

Eric went to the Ohio State Police Academy, and did extremely well there. His teachers were very impressed with him.

Two weeks before graduation, Fred and Eric were standing in the Zimmerman’s front yard, Suddenly, Fred saw a halo around Eric’s head. Fred said that all sounds were cut off.

In the stillness Fred heard a voice say, “Eric is going to die. Prepare yourself.”

To Fred, the voice was unmistakable. It was the same voice that had told him he was not going to die – 30 years ago.

“Eric, I have a terrible feeling that something is going to happen to you! You gotta be careful!!” exclaimed Fred.

Eric graduated from the Highway Patrol Academy with highest honors. He then began his duties as a policeman.



Three month later. Marilyn and Fred decided to have a week’s vacation. After the vacation, while they were driving home, Marilyn called Scott's friend to see how he and Eric were doing.

“This is Marilyn. Can I speak with Eric?” she asked.

There was a moment’s hesitation. Then Scott’s friend said, “Mrs. Zimmerman, there has been a terrible accident. Eric is dead.”

It was December 21, 1997.

They were in shock and dismay. Yet Fred kept driving.

Suddenly Marilyn screamed, “Pull off the road!! Pull off the road!!” Eric is here! His voice said ‘“I’m sorry, mom, I’m sorry”’ Don’t you hear him? He is with us now.” Then Eric’s spirit disappeared.

Later. on a February morning, Fred got up to shave and get ready to go to work. “After I had taken three steps, I got a hug so hard it stopped me in my tracks. Eric appeared right in front of me, and said, '“Dad, I love you. Mom, I love you.”'

When Marilyn came out of the bathroom and walked into the bedroom, she found Fred, sitting on the bed. He was crying. “Eric was here,” he said.

Fred said, “I felt tremendous, pure love from Eric. I have never felt more loved. Never.”
Fred and Marilyn now live in Southern Pines. They continue to have visits from Eric.

If you have had a death in your family and are interested, contact them at [email protected]. Or contact me.

Stanley Peele

Dec. 14, '15

These Bodies - This Earth - The Gift

I had an amazing insight as I just meditated and prayed for peace on earth at noon. I saw the earth as this beautiful sphere shining like no other in this space we call the galaxy...the cosmos...the universe....and I saw us all rushing to go "home" to a space and place that is beyond this one - to move beyond the housing and "limitations" of our bodies, never recognizing the incredible gifts that they are to us - always wanting to be unbound by them, forgetting why we came, not remembering our original intention.

And then I saw the earth that we defile, the bodies we defile - the corruption of what was given in Love - was given for expression of joy and co-creativity. WE are the corrupters, not the earth, not our bodies. Our attitudes that bind us to separation, to duality, to seeing things in the black/white, better/worse, good/evil mentality....how foolish we are....how dangerously foolish.

And here, this precious, vibrant living earth! We are created from its substance of. This is the housing that holds these spirits that we are and enables us to walk amidst one another. We came as a grand experiment that lost its vision - to walk in this time in this place right now to see that these bodies, this earth are in truth only made of Light.

We have fostered the doctrines of separation through our fear of entrapment. We have lost sight of the natural splendor that we yearn for when we go into the areas of the world that we have not as yet contaminated. Who amongst us is not moved by a breathtaking sunset or a majestic vista of natural scenery? The hand that created this sent us....and oh, my sisters and brothers...what have we done with this magnificent gift...this incredible opportunity?? What have we created? What have we enhanced?
I look at my arms and my hands. I look at my feet. Do I walk lightly upon this mother ship? Do I honor her with gratitude and remembrance of my true nature, not separate from her but as an aspect of her soul? Do I embrace her gifts...her shelter...her nourishment? Do I appreciate her light body...the body I am housed within...or do I abuse and refuse to recognize the gift that she is...that I am...that we are?

This day at noon...I speak a love poem to my home, my earth, my being. She...I...you...us...cosmos...All That Is....we are One. And in this moment I receive the blessing of remembrance.. I open to the power of this time for change, for healing...and in this is the Transformation.

Emily Elephant

For those of you who have a young child you read to, or if you enjoy children's stories yourselves...please enjoy Emily Elephant.'

http://www.inspiredparentingmagazine.com/emily-the-elephant-by-kathleen-jacoby/

The Grace Prayer

As you say the following prayer with sincere feeling, it has an amazing power for healing. Also known as the Surrender Prayer, its purpose is to instill a recognition of states of consciousness that through transformation are brought into reunion with One Divine Mind where all healing occurs.

Father, I thirst...
Into Thy Hands I commit my Spirit...
Thy Will is My Will...
Heal me at depth...
Reveal that which needs to be healed...
So that I may demonstrate the Love, Wisdom and Power of the One Divine Mind...
And so it is!

The Man Who Quit Money

An intelligent and thought provoking discussion with someone who opted out of a normal lifestyle. This is worth watching!

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=5807

Dr. Everett-Parker

Thanks to Dick Kazan for always providing wonderful, inspiring, and informative newsletters. This particular one has a video at the end of the subject's life...a man who was largely responsible for the integration of television!

http://kazantoday.com/WeeklyArticles/dr-everett-parker.html

The Magic of Dogs

by Stanley Peele

Rachel is a 23-year-old vet tech in Memphis, Tennessee. She owned three dogs, two of her own and one foster dog. She went to visit a local shelter and saw a white German Shepherd, who was about four years old. When she approached the dog, he shied away and would not let her touch him. She noticed how thin he was. He was a pitiful sight. You could count his ribs.

‘I just can’t leave him here in the shelter!” she thought. The plan was for her to take the dog home for a few days until he moved into a foster home across town, She had no intentions of keeping the dog, since she already had 3 dogs, which was a-plenty.

She named him Hank.

“It was clear he had never been in a home before,” she said. “But that’s why we named him Hank. We wanted to give him a sturdy, commanding name.”

Hank was very timid, and would shy away when Rachel tried to pet him or introduce him to her other dogs.

Six days after she took Hank into her home, Rachel handed him to a friend who took him to the permanent owner. It was hard to say goodbye to Hank. As they separated, Hank kissed Rachel’s face. This was surprising since Hank had shown no signs of affection before that.

Rachel felt the new owner was best for Hank. “I had come to terms with it. I knew he was going on to better things.”

Two days later, Rachel received a text from Hank's new owner. Hank had unlocked the door and escaped.

"I panicked. He was in a completely new area, one he had never seen before," Rachel said. She immediately called her fellow dog-loving friends all over Memphis. They posted on Facebook and Nextdoor.com. Many tips came in from sightings of white German Shepherds, but some contradicted each other, and no one had any pictures.

"It was discouraging, and he's not the kind of dog who would run up to humans. I didn't think he'd even come up to me if he saw me," Rachel told WomansDay.com.

The leads were running Rachel in circles. Back and forth, back and forth. Then she received a call from her friend, Nicole. "Rachel. I'm following Hank!" she said.

Rachel sped over to meet Nicole. That's when Rachel realized – Hank had turned down the street she lived on. She slowly pulled into her driveway, and there he was, standing at her door, scratching to get in!!!! When Rachel got out of the car, he looked up at her. There was a moment of silence, then, suddenly, he jumped up and gave her the biggest hug she had ever had in her lifetime! His tail was wagging all over the place!

"I have no idea how he found me!" she said. "He traveled 11 miles to get back here. I can't believe he did it."

Rachel was hooked. Hank was accepted into her home immediately, and without any reservation whatever.

Hank still takes a little time to accept people, but he loves playing with toys and the other dogs. He had to be house-trained from scratch and needed a lot of training, for he had never been a house-dog.

"Even if I tried to get rid of him, he'd keep coming back," she said. "It gives me chills just thinking about it. Maybe I am a good dog mom after all, but what truly matters is that Hank is safe. He is home."

Thus, we have a remarkable and heartwarming story. Hank was a completely untrained, feral dog. Yet, after only 6 days, he had no intention whatever of leaving his new friends.

This is a wonderful example of the remarkable things that animals can do.

Some folks have the strange idea that humans are superior to animals. Such arrogance! If we awaken, we realize that it just is not true.