How much do we take in everyday? And how much don’t we? Yes, we go to work…do our things around the house, and basically try to keep our heads above water in most cases. Recently something interesting happened to me. I was out in my back garden with my three, yes three (!) little dogs….I was getting a kick out of watching them playing when all of a sudden one of my dogs (Elsie) stopped in her tracks to look at a group of birds that had landed on the fence. Elsie was in awe of the sounds that they were making, and how easily they could dart around. I just sat there and listened myself to the beautiful sound that those birds were making. I started thinking, why don’t I hear this sound everyday? The birds probably have for quite some time been around my back garden, but I never noticed them in quite the same way before. The point I’m trying to make is how much do we let pass us by? With us being so caught up in our problems and pressures have we shut off certain aspects of our senses to things that we consider mundane? As I sat watching and listening to those birds I began to think to myself, how many other things have I factored out? What other aspects of living have I put on the back burner?

Our senses are the tools we use to gather information, to hopefully improve and make better judgements to enhance our lives. If we don’t use these senses fully then the information we receive is incomplete. Simple things like hearing birds, and watching rain fall, matters. Just because it isn’t the Wall Street Journal or the evening news, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. We are human beings, living on a planet that has many wonderous gifts….let’s hope we haven’t taken it so much for granted that we no longer can sense its real beauty.

The next time you go for a walk outside, open up, look around…you may experience things you haven’t noticed for awhile….it may feel like seeing an old friend again…and bring a smile to your heart.

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

We all have goals, dreams and ambitions. Many spend every waking hour planning and implementing thoughts that they feel can get them one step further to their destination, while others, at the first sight of struggle or conflict, turn back. Growth is a good thing….but sometimes it can be painful and full of fear. As human beings, to feel fulfilled we seek growth. If we stop, the air around us starts to become stale, and we are engulfed with a feeling that something is wrong. It’s not easy to overcome our fears but even if we don’t, sometimes just the act of trying can be an exhilarating experience.

It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we put our minds to it. We seem to rise to the occasion…we become focused and life takes on a whole new meaning. It’s kind of strange…it’s almost as if we’re not meant to stay in one space for very long. Life kind of wants us to continue to move ahead in our lives. I’m not talking about leaving families or quitting jobs, etc….but evolving in them. Learning new things is not a bad thing. It makes us feel more valuable to ourselves and to others. The enemy, of course, the ultimate enemy, is excuses. Those little thoughts or words that others say or sometimes we say to ourselves to stop us dead in our tracks.

For every reason to succeed, there seems to be ten reasons to fail. The trick is to surround yourself with a support system that can include others and help from God. Positive reinforcements are vital to any avenue of success. Don’t be afraid to ask for help….you just may get it. It’s so easy to look back but sometimes so hard to look ahead. With the combination of faith, determination, conviction and love you can move mountains…..you can do it.

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

After the week many of us have had with the stock market it’s no wonder we feel a little queasy this week-end. Some say “sell everything!” others say “buy everything!” and you find yourself having to choose between one side or the other while your heart tells you you belong somewhere in the middle.

I find the stock market very interesting….it kind of reflects many things we face in life. There are all kinds of viewpoints…some brokers say the world is coming to an end, others say this is a golden opportunity. I sometimes wonder, am I listening to stockbrokers, bankers, money managers or “fortune-tellers?” I have heard many fortune-tellers this week in the disguise of brokers, managers, and bankers. In all honesty, their guess is as good as ours.

We are told that the whole world is inter-connected…and to that I agree, but how much of the rhetoric are we to believe that if one part of the world sneezes we all catch a cold? It kind of takes away the control we have over our own destiny. It limits our choices and makes us doubt ourselves as if how we feel and what we think doesn’t matter. ” We” don’t know, but “they” do.

More and more, many of my friends moods and how they feel on a given day is dictated by how the stock market is doing for that day. If the market is up, all is wonderful! Everyone’s going to be a millionare and will live “happily ever after”. On a bad day, we’re all going to lose everything, our house, our car, and our families. It’s the end of the world. What’s scary to me is that more and more people are looking to portfolio balances for happiness. We have to be very careful here not to allow money to become everything to us. If all we do is allow the gyrations or the roller-coaster ride of the stock market to dictate how we feel and how valuable we feel we are there can be no true stability and peace of mind in our lives.

Some people I know who are very religious are having a terrible time with the conflict of the growth of their savings and God. They pray to God to help them find peace…but on the next breath they look over their balance sheets to see how much they are worth today, to find their true value. A dangerous game.
As I know we all need money to live, and we all want to invest in the best stocks, keep it in perspective…it is not who you are. In the end, that is determined by God and you.

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

I recently tuned into the evening news with Brian Williams (MSNBC). He reported that in a recent study it was found that people who were spiritually active had an immune system that was twice as strong, on the average. As I have mentioned in previous postings, I do believe we live on two levels, spiritually and physically…..so why wouldn’t it be that if we take care of both parts of our existence we as human beings could be stronger? Everyday our immune systems are bombarded with negative forces. If we are aware of these forces we then can combat the destructive elements that invade our lives. The spiritual aspects of daily existence can no longer be ignored if we are to maintain a positive, long-term outlook on life. Spirituality eventually becomes the fuel to fulfill our goals. I try to see myself as part of the human picture….I am in some way responsible, like everyone else, for what happens here. We are all, in some way, connected…one human family. If there is anything that you find valuable don’t be afraid, pass it along to others, because I do believe that everything eventually comes around again. A number of people have asked me if I am a New Age follower, a fundamentalist, or a “Bible-thumping maniac”. Unfortunately, sometimes when you try to do good you are attacked. Unfortunately, if you embrace evil, you are often looked on as a person with a strong backbone. Let’s hope it has not come to the point that goodness is looked upon as a weakness….for I am far from weak. Others along the way totally understand what it is I am trying to accomplish. I see us all as a family that is asking for guidance and looking for a way to understand why we are here. As I am a Christian, I do have love in my heart and I try in my own way to understand others who believe differently from me. To reject these principles, to me, is rejecting being Christian. Jesus understood this. Nobody is the same….we are all different. Maybe it’s time we hold out a candle to each other, and hear each other. We may be surprised.… we may be trying to accomplish the same thing. As we need food, clothing, and shelter, we also need Love, caring and Faith. As we embrace the first three things, don’t forget to understand that you also need the other three… they
may help your immune system!

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

Over the past few weeks I have read and heard a growing number of comments from people about their purpose and value in this world. Many out there are searching for meaning and understanding concerning who they are and what it is they are to do here with their lives. A friend recently said to me “I don’t get it, I have a nice car and a nice home but a feeling of emptiness is growing inside of me.” I for one need to feel that I am contributing to myself and to others, so that I can end each day with a sense of being and accomplishment. Some do feel complete, but from what I’m hearing and seeing, many don’t. The increase of disenchantment in people is alarming. Many of us have found Jesus and God the only way to fill the void, but others feel lost.

One person said to me a few days ago, “We are born, we make money, raise children, then we die…… that’s it?” The people lost in the wilderness is growing ….if you know some, help them. Emptiness is a very lonely place. As I have said before, the soul must be nourished, spiritual fuel is vital in the quest for fulfillment. Man doesn’t have all the answers, but if we look up and pray maybe with God’s help we may find some. I believe there is a plan and a purpose to each one of us being here………we all matter.

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

Over the past few weeks I have read a number of articles about the situation of Depression in our society. A number of doctors have suggested that by the year 2010 the number one rising illness will be Depression. It was suggested that more drugs have to come through the pipeline to combat this growing problem. One of the definitons of Depression is “repressed anger”. Are we becoming more and more angry because of the lack of ways we are finding to deal with the pain in our lives? I think many of us are feeling a lack of control over our lives…..kind of like a plane without a pilot, or a plane that does not go where we want it to go….no wonder we’re frustrated. In some cases medication is needed…but I find it hard to believe that the entire solution for society is permanent medication!

I know in my case I need to feel a sense of purpose and control over my life. I believe that we live on two levels…..physically and spiritually. Could it be, myself included, that we don’t see our spiritual needs as a priority for our physical well-being all of the time? Far too little is mentioned about the importance of the Soul and how it is needed to balance our lives. We all need to feel that there is a purpose to our lives. When that purpose is lacking we run into trouble. Nothing seems to make sense. In my case I try to put fifteen to twenty minutes a day aside to relax, get centered, and yes, pray. I find worshipping on Sundays with others in church a healing experience… I don’t feel alone…I see how we all can help each other. With God’s help, together we can find solutions. As the baby-boomers move towards their age of retirement my pastor has told me that more people are starting to return to church. Could it be they have found that all the money, all the cars, all of the material toys that they have at their disposal has left them feeling a void that is hard to fill? In some cases, many have not participated in a world of booming wealth…but they too feel the void.

I hope that in the coming years the focus will shift to a better understanding of why so many people are unhappy and angry. Until then, take care of yourself, feed your body…. feed your soul.

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

The world lost another woman of strong devotion this past week. Mother Teresa dedicated her life to providing comfort and compassion to some of the poorest people of the world. Followers of many different religions paid their respects to Mother Teresa this entire week. Many call her a “Saint”….that may be, but to me she is a true example of what being human is all about. Peace be with you, Mother Teresa, you have returned Home, and left our world a better place because you were here.

You took the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

Each one of us chooses what it is we want to be and want to give in this world. Through our experiences, good and bad decisions are made. The people we become can greatly affect the world.

This past week the world lost a great ambassador for human kindness and love. The outpouring of grief around the world has been astonishing. Although she was the Princess of Wales her outreach spanned many continents. I live here in America and I must say I have never seen anything like this since the death of President Kennedy. Most British consulates in my country have been flooded with flowers and letters of condolences. Rarely does a person’s mourning extend beyond their own country.

I think something even more important is going on. Diana represented a number of qualities that we hold special in our hearts. Because of the suddenness and shocking nature of her death many feel they were not prepared to say goodbye to one more person of great kindness and compassion. The Princess was able to reach out to many people of different races, and religions. Somewhere inside she saw people as equal, as one. Her death, once again, represents to us the loss of some of our best qualities. We search for other people to fill the void, which is not easy. Her thirty-six years here were filled with pain and happiness….but in the end she did make a difference, and in some way she showed us a part of ourselves.

Peace be with you, Diana

You took the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

Inner strength is something we all need to keep us going everyday. Many times we look and see that the well is close to being empty. We search to find ways to replenish that well so that we can find the drive and the passion to continue on in our desire to evolve into better people and succeed at our goals.

Time and time again I too see my well go low….the demands of life these days are sometimes overwhelming. I just keep asking myself, how can I get it all done? I don’t know if I ever can get it all done, but I try. This is why I believe it is so important to surround myself with people who encourage and support, and if that is not possible, there is always The One Who Listens….God, and also, in my case, Jesus Christ. When I find that nobody understands me, I know I can turn to somebody who truly sees me for who I am, and is there to help me along the way to accomplish what it is I feel I need to do in life.

From the letters I receive many people out there feel lost and abandoned. They look around for help and it seems nobody cares and nobody is listening. There are people who care….but I do believe it is important for a person to develop a relationship with God. Like all relationships, for it to blossom and continue to grow it must be dealt with on a regular basis. Many say they believe in God, but how many have a personal relationship with Him? God is there….all you have to do is ask. But really, the asking is the hard part because that involves believing that someone IS there….in other words, Faith.

My Faith is what gets me through in many cases. It is my core…it is the strength that I draw from to carry me along the way, when all sometimes seems hopeless. To me, nobody knows me better then God and Jesus.

I encourage everybody to develop their personal relationship with God….just as if you were developing a relationship with a friend or family member. In my life it has helped me understand myself better and to see the bigger picture.

Take the time,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon

We all want to have the freedom of choice to choose how, when, and where we live. With that, comes the realization that our choices of freedom have ramifications, both positive and negative. When choices are made correctly a person is showered with praise and sometimes anointed with some sign of brilliance. But when mistakes are made, the blame is planted on the first foreseeable person or object. Example: “It’s your fault this happened”.

I find it interesting how easily God enters into this scenario. As we are given the freedom from birth to make choices, is it fair for us to blame God when we make the wrong choices? Yes we can pray to God for guidance, but once we pray is it fair to hold Jesus or God fully responsible for the outcome? If we cherish the pursuit of freedom and find anything less than it some form of slavery, is it fair to want freedom until we run into trouble and then let God take the blame for our mistakes?

I believe that free will and choice are very important components in our existence here on Earth. I think there is a very good reason why God has given us the ability to make choices. Maybe what happens to us along the way is seen as an evolution of the soul, and with each choice from free will we show God and other people who we are, and where we are going. Sometimes it’s very easy to hurt people, and sometimes it’s very hard to love them….but it’s important for us to find ways around the roadblocks of our emotions.

God is often looked upon as some form of dominating, controlling force, but He has given us the choice on how we live our lives…..what better way to say “I LOVE YOU.”

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1997 Jennifer Avalon