Expansion Encounters - with Dusty
"Everyone wins in 2010."

Thank you to all of you who continue to support Life Now and our ventures!

(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*``~` (`~`*`~`)

You can read archive issues of "Expansion Encounters" at Expansion Encounters and now at New Expansion Encounters 2009

(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*``~` (`~`*`~`)

What is Love?
by Dusty Reed

Love is ruffly;
love is pink.
Love is velvet;
love is black-red.
Love is deep;
love is green.
Love is life.

(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*``~` (`~`*`~`)

Love Makes the World Go 'Round
By Dusty Reed "Love makes the world go 'round." Love does cause the world to function in a context deeper than promised by the song.

The depth of Love is a spiritual happening. What we see and feel as love comes from surroundings through family and friends. Love is what gives life purpose.

There is a special love for one's spouse, siblings and children. The love offered and received by grandparents is joy overflowing. They can expand existing love within the family.

When our four year-old son's grandparents lived nearly two thousand miles away, he was still able to see them often. It was important to us for him to invest as much time as possible enjoying their company. It was important to him to have someone to play with and know they were willing. It was important to them to have someone to shower with the attention they didn't have time to share with me. When I was young, they had jobs to attend to then, as we had when our son was young. We did not have as much free time available to devote to him. His grandparents and helped fill in the gaps with a very special love. His grandmother once said, "Is it ever possible to spoil a child with love? I think not." We agree. True love cannot spoil any child. It is healthy. It's essential.

A friend told of discouragement and frustration because she had not been able to have personal discussions with her brother. She decided to write him a love note and put it on his pillow. She told him, in the note, how much it meant to have a special brother. She expressed her desire to have him as a friend with whom she could talk over personal matters. She also told him that she loved him. After he read the note, he began to take new interest and concern toward her.

There are special actions one can take, beginning with family, to fulfill the spiritual command to "Love one another."

1. With pen in hand, list family members and write all their good qualities as you see them. If you can't think of any, write your desired qualities for them. I've been writing a frequent "50 words or less" note to my hubby for the past twenty years, thanking him for some of the little things he does that makes our marriage extra special. I also write one as a thank you to our son for different phases of his personality.

2. Use these qualities when conversing with your family, praising each person, with sincerity, for a trait you admire.

3. Take special time to be alone with each family member for a few minutes each day. Give them undivided attention and show a sincere interest in each one's life.

4. Write a love note to each family member. Give at least a half hour of time to do this.

5. Write creative ideas of ways to enrich the family experience and strengthen communication. It is important to begin putting these into action today - and this is not tomorrow.

Whether they are willing to accept these special gifts at the moment, one can be assured that he is extending an inheritance with a radiance of love that offers assurance.

Love can extend to others in one's daily life, as well. One can extend love to those who are unknown to the sender, in silence expressing, "I love you" to someone walking down the street, riding in a subway, eating a meal at another table at a restaurant. It can also be offered through imaging someone and sending them an "I love you," thought. Shooting an arrow of gratitude at the bank teller or grocer is a form of extending love. Sending peaceful thoughts to someone in the hospital is sending love.

There are physical things one can do to show love. Baking a son's favorite pie, helping a neighbor carry in groceries, taking care of grandchildren for a few hours to give their mom a restful break, calling a friend or relative just to say hello, volunteering an hour or two a week in a convelescent home or at any community service, writing letters to servicemen overseas; all of these are a way of sharing love.

The world can function peacefully when even just one individual extends love to specific individuals, as well as to the world. It ripples out across the expanse of what we call space and touches others. It is, indeed, what makes the world go round!

(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*``~` (`~`*`~`)

From Whence Cometh
by Dusty Reed

My love comes from the Lord,
from deep within.
Without it, my life would be
an empty shell.
He fills it to overflowing.
I share His love with you.
Thank you for giving me
the privilege.

(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*``~` (`~`*`~`)

Some sites I recommend:

Family Fun for Valentine's Day

Fourteen Things to do on Valentines Day
Ideas for Singles on Holidays

History Made Every Day

February Holidays - Fun Page!

Communication and Friendship

(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*``~` (`~`*`~`)

It is my joy to share with you that I continue to add new rose drawings and some photographs available at art.com! You can view them at Roses.

I now have some of my rose drawings at an auction site, ~ Art By Us And, I have a page with note cards (for sale) with some of my rose drawings. You can check it out by going to ~ Rose Note Cards.

I have been posting most of my other drawings now at ~ Dusty's Gallery and at ~ Dusty's Art

(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*``~` (`~`*`~`)

And, for anyone who enjoys playing at ebay, lots of goodies (records, books & post cards - occasionally some nic nacs) are available at ~ Dusty's eBay

You are welcome to forward this newsletter to friends who might be interested! If they would like to subscribe (at no cost), they can write to me at With Expansion Encounters as Subject. Thanx muchly!

Working toward consideration and to better humanity, we want to encourage free enterprise, free speech. We are Life Now, a spiritual happening on and off the Internet.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pathway

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Life Now

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Enjoy every moment!

(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*`~`(`~`*`~`)`~`*``~` (`~`*`~`)