Expansion Encounters - with Dusty
We Will Shine in 2009

A special thank you to all of you who continue to support Life Now and our ventures!

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

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SLOGAN WINNER!

Our winner for the 2009 slogan is Karen Campbell! You can visit her sites at Proofing Consortium and at Karen's Tupperware Site
Congratulations, Karen!!

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Erasing Yesterday
By Dusty Reed

Erasing our yesterdays and starting anew and refreshed each day is a wonderful concept. Is it possible?

Erasing yesterdays does not mean changing our activity on purpose. That supports effort and to be spontaneous does not require effort. It does require a mindset of today being the day to "begin a new life." As with tunnel vision, we only see today; the healthy, good memories will come along naturally. The less-favorables will fall away.

From studying the scrolls in Og Mandino's book, "Greatest Salesman in the World," I am absorbing the lessons they offer. After studying the first scroll for three weeks, a light bulb in my head began to blink. Mr. Mandino shares a healthy thought: "Experience is comparable to fashion; an action that proved successful today will be unworkable and impractical tomorrow."

Filling a blank page with just today's experiences can teach some powerful truths about ourselves. What do we do automatically, as from habit? How much of our activity involves making an impromptu choice rather than falling back on habits? Do we purposefully touch a new experience?

A friend shared that she keeps a special time free each day for doing whatever she chooses for that time. Some have shared that they go with the flow every day. How much of that flow includes daily, necessary routines? Keeping a running list of what we do through the day will tell us how much we are doing from habit and how much we are choosing to do spontaneously. Do we automatically fix meals for our family at a certain time? Do we make the bed before we leave for work? Do we drive a certain route to work each day? Our habits are myriad, even though we seldom give them any conscious thought. Do we smell the same fragrances each day? Do we only hear certain sounds around us? Or do we see something new?

I have written and allowed to happen, at various stages in my life, what I would consider my "ideal" day. Sometimes this includes a desired schedule of activity. Sometimes it includes a scenario of how I would like to see my life transformed into a desired lifestyle. By focusing on this in times past, with prayer, I now see all of these desires molded into my life as my desired lifestyle. My ideal day now continues by beginning every day with meditation to "clear my slate" and start a new page at that moment.

"Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" - Psalm 16:11.

By staying in God's presence with each "today," we experience success in every moment! We can thus enjoy life to the fullest!

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I shared this poem last January so I hope it continues to bring new enlightenment.

A New Year
by Dusty Reed

The new year brings
A delightful time to play
Thoughts and desires
New discoveries every day.

Finding space and discipline
Taking time to be aware
Listening for answers
Through meditation and prayer.

The holiday rush is in the past
Peace and quiet can now reign
If I slow down, not flying too fast
To enjoy the memories as gain.

Time to listen to my now
Any light bulbs for change
Bringing the what and how
Will they possibly seem strange?

With guidance from the Lord
I know that all is well
He shows me through His Word
To boldly share and tell.

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A "Good Day" Formula
by Dusty Reed

"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor" - Henry David Thoreau.

Is it possible to create a formula as a sweet fragrance for good days? Finding the formula requires preparation. This preparation comes with minimal effort. It is received through willingly and faithfully taking twenty or thirty minutes each day as quiet time. Taking a few moments to relax and consider a desirable day can encourage preferred activities to become apparent. The good day formula can happen by listening and studying what comes to mind in that quiet space. Just what is a most desirable, ideal day?

For some people, a routine has set in for various reasons, with every day being quite the same. Variety is the spice of life and planning for an ideal day and working toward it can offset the monotony of any single recipe used repetitively. Undesirable habits can be broken and replaced with more preferable happenings.

To set up an initial good day, a special day in the near future can be chosen. Ideas for what would make this a good day should be considered. Listing these activities offers choices. For some, it may mean slowing down activities in order to have an ideal day; for others, it may mean scheduling more activities. There are many articles, classes and books available about time management. These may be helpful to peruse for finding a method most suitable.

There may appear to be a conflict between trying to create a desirable outcome while one is flowing with a current happening. While washing clothes or taking out trash or raking the yard or whatever is happening, more desirable plans can be allowed to come to surface.

If a day is chosen that is regularly spent grocery shopping or mowing the yard, maybe the routine activity can take place the evening before or the day after. Maybe the deed can be entrusted to someone else. In early morning, it is good to look over the planned activities for that day. Which are most desirable? Can others be put off until later or delegated?

Each day is considered by looking at activities for the day. How can activities be adjusted and accepted to make the day ideal? As each day is analyzed for improvement, the ideal comes closer into being. Sweeping the less favorable activities across the room and out the door only takes long enough to know their names and then release them.

The goodness shines in as enthusiasm, elation, being in harmony with all that exists. It offers an aroma of understanding and flows with the oneness of creation. Activities become effortless. This energy permeates every trace of life.

The important thing to plan and think about is what would bring about an ideal day. The first step is to think about the reason for what is being done each day. Is it important? Looking at one's preferred good day can reveal whether or not an activity is necessary. Continuing to eliminate the undesirable activities will open space for creating a good day. Eventually, every day will become a good day.

An ideal day, for some, might be doing something totally unique. It might be doing something only dreamed about, without previous consideration for making it possible. Maybe it could be a short trip via train or taking a tour of an area not before visited. It might involve staying over night at an oceanfront Bed and Breakfast. For some, it might be something as simple as unplugging the telephone and turning the clock to the wall and having a quiet, leisurely day at home.

Sometimes, what one has created as a good day does not seem to feel like an ideal day after all. Maybe a previous desire to take a walk in the afternoon does not feel invigorating and maybe the walk would be better in early morning or maybe going to a movie didn't prove to be such a great movie after all. Keeping the schedule flexible can make each good day a bit more ideal while still enjoying the activities of the scheduled good day.

Each day has been given for every individual to do with it as desired. It is a personal choice with how one chooses to invest time. It includes making decisions, previous preparation and a willingness to enjoy every moment.

Declaring, "This is a good moment," then watching for and declaring another moment as good, soon bring many moments together as good. These will soon add up to an hour of good happenings. Yes, more good hours soon add up to the sweet fragrance of a good day.

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Some sites I recommend:

Top Ten New Year's Resolutions

New Year Tips (It's not too late to consider!)

A clip from Dusty Reed's book, "Life Now."

Illuminations

Aleta Pippen's "Art With Heart"

Do Your Own Numerology

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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 Rose Note Cards.

I have been posting nearly all of my drawings that are not displayed elsewhere at Home Town Gallery. I have two galleries there. The other is at Loft It has various photographs, other drawings, and notecards available.

My sister-in-spirit, Sunny, has several of her drawings and has added new photos at art.com, too, at Sunny's Place

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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.

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Expansion Encounters online

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Life Now

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Enjoy every moment!