This week we look forward to the start of a new year, untouched, like a slate that is unmarked and clean, just waiting for us to paint our thoughts and impressions onto it. Many of us will start to compile a list of New Year resolutions….setting goals for 2006. For a lot of us, by the end of January many of those goals start to unravel, and we become discouraged, wondering why we should continue on the course that looked so bright at the beginning.

I think if we approach the New Year with a different perspective and keep a symbol or image in our minds it may be easier to stay focused and navigate the road ahead. I approach the New Year as a builder, a person who sees a piece of land, and the possibilities that can come forth. I look at the formulation of my goals, hopes, and dreams as a house….a beautiful shining building that by the end of the year I can be proud of. A builder needs tools, not just hammers and nails but Faith, encouragement, conviction and the belief that when you put your mind to it, anything is possible.

In January we start the foundation….we make sure it is strong and has the potential to hold what we place upon it. We make sure there are no cracks. Each proceeding month we add to our house….floor by floor we put in the plumbing, the electrical wiring, the heating system, etc. Sometimes we make mistakes, one room may not be wired right, so we go back, repair the damage and continue on. By the Spring, we see that our house is off the ground and rising. The contributions we have made to our house are beginning to show. People pass by and are amazed how “fast” the house is starting to come together….but little do they see the problems that we encountered to get to our level. So on we go, each day building brick by brick with the sky above us…..and with each brick a feeling of accomplishment comes over us and a better understanding of the mistakes we have made so that we try not to make them again. God looks down and sees a person trying to push forward with a house of meaning and purpose. A badly built house with a weak foundation won’t stand very long….but a good house can last forever. God understands how hard it is to built good houses.

By the Fall, our floors are completed, and we are about to add our roof. We want a roof that will not leak, that can take the elements. If we have done all our work and done it well, by the end of the year we will be standing in front of a house amazed that we were able to accomplish this once monumental task. We look at each brick and floor and see a story. We see the set-backs and the over comings. It is possible to build a good house, God willing, with the right tools, and determination…….All things are
possible.

Good Luck with your house,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

This time of year many of us will be attending Christmas, Holiday, and New Year parties. On more than one occasion we may be running into people we only meet once or twice a year. Almost always the first question that’s asked is, “What have you been doing?” or, “How are things going?” When we look around the room there could be quite a few people in various stages of development…so too are we.

Some grow throughout their lives in a smooth, even keel, while others evolve in spurts. A year could go by and when we look back nothing great in particular happened….then before too long something extraordinary leaps forward and takes us to the next level. Growth has an uncanny way of coming along when we least expect it. Inside our minds could be a roomful of treasure, just waiting to be unlocked. That key could come in the form of an experience, or just somebody uttering the word “Hello.” Each one us are unique….with our own perceptions and opinions on any given subject. Development comes many times to those who are open and patient. If life is truly a miracle, then each one of us, within our hands, can hold the gifts of Heaven. The miracle that we are has to be spread far and wide, for the good of mankind. That is our true responsibility. For when we pass on, the money and houses may wither, but the miracles will shine on.

As the world spins through space, we spin with it. Each morning brings forth an evening, over and over again. As our planet evolves, so too do we, never forgetting, without miracles, neither the planet nor us could exist. So if you would like to give someone a far-out answer to the question, “How are you doing?” you could answer, “I’m continuing my journey through time and space, that one day will take me home.” You just may see a jaw drop, but that’s really what is happening. We’re all in various stages of development…..

Shine on,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

As we approach the Holiday Season this year the door opens on a cascade of advertising bombardment where multiple companies compete for our buying power resources. Every December brings with it the list of the “must have” toys, presents, and gadgets. This reached the ultimate frenzy a few years back with the Cabbage Patch Kids phenomenon. People would fly…I kid you not…to other countries to devour these rare dolls. This year it’s looking like Microsoft’s new “X-Box” is the “must have” present under the tree. Unfortunately, we have already been informed, surprise surprise, that there will be a severe shortage of X-Boxes to satisfy the hungry customer….can you say “up goes the price?” The X-Box truly is a wonderful, innovative addition to any home….but let’s all just keep it in perspective. Has the sound of Ho Ho Ho gradually turned into Buy Buy Buy?

This past year we have had more than enough struggles and disasters to handle on a worldwide scale. Have we found that the distraction of shopping is the ultimate diversion? Perhaps so….but we must never forget the joy of Love and Peace and it’s priceless qualities. The Christmas Season, we must not forget, is not only the celebration of the Birth of Christ, but also the embracing of Peace on Earth, and Brotherhood of Mankind. As much as our brains take in the glitz and glamour of the Holidays, the true treasure can only be experienced through our hearts. The family, our friends and loved ones…what more could we give them than a kiss, a hug, or a smile. No one wants to be called a Grinch….but the memories around the dinner table can last for many years. Each year at the table there are always additions and unfortunately, someone who is missing. As we pass the food and the beverages, in the back of our minds we always ask the question, “How many of us will still be here this time next year?”

The celebration of the season ultimately comes down to us. The trick is to find the balance between the presents and the heart, and, whenever possible, making the two meet. As time is fleeting, the mistake we can make is taking it all for granted. If the world is one great hotel that we all visit, let’s try as much as possible to have an insightful time, while not forgetting that one day it’s time to go back home. I often try to plan the weeks around the Holidays to get a better grip on what I need to do and where I want to go. As always, things don’t go according to plan every time, but overall things do pan out much more smoothly than having no plan at all. We are not perfect…we make mistakes…but the gist is to become better people. The wheel rolls ’round each year….still we try as best we can to not get caught in the spokes.

With all the hustle and bustle, take care of yourself out there. There is always something new to see, and somewhere familiar to go. Enjoy, embrace, and experience the life and the love around you.

Be of Good Cheer,
love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

It’s quite extraordinary how, when we repeat tasks, they become easier. What was once feared, over time can be looked back upon as simple and easy. Once one crosses the threshold of fear, a sense of peace and calm can take hold. When I was a kid in gym class I had a fear of doing a tumble toss…you know, where you place your hands on the ground and roll over forwards. Well, I had an extreme fear of performing this exercise, until one day the gym teacher said to me, “Jennifer, come here, let me show you how easy this is.” The teacher slowed the process down so that my mind could incorporate the task, without fear. I rolled over once, then twice, then three times. Afterwards, I laughed. I could not believe why I was so fearful of this exercise. I understood that my fear had convinced me that I couldn’t do it, when with a little encouragement and support it was performed quite easily.

The other side of repetition is a sad example. Down the street from where I live is a neighbor who has an extreme case of OCD (obsessive/compulsive disorder) I have observed at times the lady locking her front door and checking it for 15 minutes, to make sure it was locked. I ran into her at the local supermarket and the OCD also affected how she bought her groceries. She had to check each item she picked up numerous times before she purchased it. OCD is more common than we may think. I was once on line at a store and in front of me was a man who had to count his money ten times before he would give it to the cashier. It got so bad that the cashier finally said, “You can count it as many times as you want, but I’m also going to count it.” This kind of repetition, I believe, is fear that is not overcome.

We can never forget that we are all, in one form or another, creatures of habit. What we choose to enter into our lives can easily become tasks that are carried out over and over again. It could be work, play, food, or leisure….once the formula of repetition is applied, these tasks can mysteriously turn into friend or foe. Prayer and meditation are a wonderful form of self-examination to enhance what is good, and weed out what is false. Peace of mind can be attained when prayer, purpose, and silence take hold.

Many people around the world use prayer, chanting, and different forms of meditation as a way to still the mind, and center the consciousness. When we stop and take hold of the moment, it is much easier to choose the next step. Repetition is grand, when the tasks are beneficial and sound…but destructive if it disorients and confuses the mind. From the words of a George Harrison song, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

Walk peacefully,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon