Expansion Encounters - with Dusty
Create & Appreciate… in 2008!

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 Archives

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Enrichment
by Dusty Reed

Enrichment is adding sweetness,
peace, love and joy
mixed well.
Enrichment is knowing the meaning
of full, by feeling
God's presence.
Enrichment is experiencing
God's blessings
in every moment.
Enrichment fills my cup
with God's sweetness.

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Acceptance
by Dusty Reed

Accept all things as possible
Rather than grasping one
phenomenon,
Choking it to death,
trying to excrete its secret.
Becoming aware of various
possibilities
Brings gratitude to God.
Understanding
personality studies,
inherited or developed traits
for influence
Can become overwhelming.
What does it matter?
I don't need to understand.
I can follow the Lord's guidance
moment by moment,
Live in obedience
and experience joy in my life
right now.

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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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Cascade
By Dusy Reed

At one with a waterfall,
touched by magic.
Ride the bubbles of joy.
Taste the tingling, tangy
refreshing touch,
enchantment.
Bubbly, as a fountain
gushing, white and foamy
effervescent, sparkling
warm feelings,
anticipation.
Flowing effortlessly
with the stream of life
brings joy bubbles,
a cascade.

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Some sites I recommend:

History of Thanksgiving (video)

Thanksgiving" World

Gratitude Quotes

Research Project on Gratitude and Thankfulness

Power of Gratitude

Zen Habits ~ Three Truths to Help You Create a Life of Gratitude

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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 Descriptions.
I have been posting nearly all of my drawings that are not displayed elsewhere at Rose Garden I have two galleries there. The other is at Reed's Loft. It has various photographs, other drawings, and notecards available.

It is also 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 Dusty's Roses You may have to use Search for "Dusty Reed")

My sister-in-spirit, Sunny, has several of her drawings and has added new photos at art.com, too, at Sunny's Art Work (You may have to use Search for "Sunny Riggs")

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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 sitrich@excite.com (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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