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Our 2026 Program Calendar is now available. This year marks another important milestone in our history as we launch new programming, products, and more in celebration of Br. David’s 100th birthday.
There are several things I have learned and grateful for this year, but one thing I want to carry forward is to continue to see the good/light in all beings and things including myself and to acknowledge the good/light and promote the good in all beings/things by being the light of truth in all my actions, words, and thoughts with the help of my Divine in me. The question today relates to the scriptures for today talked “I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.” 1 John 2:21
A MORNING RESOLVE (from the Book of Common Prayer)
I will try this day to live a simple, sincere and serene life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity, and self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and the habit of holy silence; exercising economy in expenditure, generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust, and a childlike faith in God.
In particular, I will try to be faithful in those habits of prayer, work, study, physical exercise, eating, and sleep which I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to be right.
And as I cannot in my own strength do this, nor even with a hope of success attempt it, I look to thee, O Lord God my Father, in Jesus my Savior, and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Thank you. So many words of wisdom.
Where can that book be found?
The Book of Common Prayer can be bought in any Christian Store. Or at the Anglican and Episcopal Bookstore if you need an hard copy of it. You can get the morning resolve online under the Forward Day by Day website of the Anglican and Episcopal website. Her is link to the morning resolve along with other prayers — https://prayer.forwardmovement.org/prayers-and-thanksgivings and the book of common prayer in pdf form — https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/book-of-common-prayer-2006.pdf
Kansha, Thank you for sharing this prayer.
One thing? The immeasurable value of true, authentic, trustworthy, reliable friendship and kindness.
Thank you for so many thoughtful and generous questions and reflections today and each day this year.
Wishing all much beauty, peace and love …
Wishing those for you as well, KC 🙂
Thanks SunnyPatti. You as well. Best for a beautiful new year …
It seems that the lessons that I am learning, are ongoing and continual and repeated. They are slowly seeping into me. I can’t think of one lesson. Just a constant cycle of reinforcing those lessons. Re visiting them. Distilling these lessons down to their simplest form. But, I am grateful to have made changes. Grateful that I have changed the way I operate. It’s good for me to remember and notice these things, lest I forget where I have come from.
Happy New Years Eve to all of you here. 🎆
I feel much the same as you do,
dear Charlie,
that I am continually distilling and fine tuning my lessons.
Coming to this site helps me immensely . . .
by the sharing of your and everyone else’s stories,
insights,
joys and sorrows.
These
help me grow a little each day
with love . . . ♥
ps. And a Happy New Year
to all who people this place.
Whenever they ask for one thing, I have more than one.
Two things come to mind. One is that I continue to grow and improve as a leader of others and that I’ll continue to do so. I’ve found/developed more and more good reflexes and know I have room to keep developing.
The second thing I’m grateful for is the joy and energy of *play* I’ve tapped into through improv. It feels so freeing to enter into a skit and to give and build with no overthinking, no hesitation. Maybe I derive pleasure from just *saying things* without pausing to check whether I’ve said it the best way possible, with the right framing, especially in this year of tiptoeing through federal landmines around keywords. Whatever it is, I want to keep it flowing.
You go, Girl…I attended a religious retreat years ago and one of the speakers said, “God wants us to Play.” I think that statement is a good mantra for a healthy life.
That the “what if’s” don’t have to mean disaster. It can be exploration and fun.
That I can change my emotions.
The enormous healing power of witnessing, sharing, hearing, and being heard in a group. Happy New Year, everyone.
One of my professors told us that “practice makes permanent.” I am grateful for the knowledge and techniques she taught us in the field of human services. Insightfully, we don’t have to be perfect; we just need to be ourselves, while never stopping our practice to be better. I believe this applies not narrowly to education and career, but to all areas of life. May everyone have a beautiful New Year celebration with your loved ones.
My Ngoc, it totally makes sense. Perminance is the best we can ask for. The only one who’s perfect is god.
Happy New Year to you, NGOC. Blessings always and all ways.
Diane Ackerman’s quote is one to ponder. “It began in mystery and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between.”
And then the staff at gratefulness.org zaps me with the question: “What is one thing I am grateful to have learned this year that I want to carry forward?”
I have learned that “taking sides” is not the same as “speaking truth.” I learned it by watching how my words, your words, everyone’s words form opinions that we often tote as fact. The fact of the matter seems to be that if we don’t learn to get along, we’ll destroy …”the savage and beautiful country (Mother Earth) that lies between” the mystery of our birth and our death.
In Jack Kornfield’s book, “A Path with Heart” he urges the reader who may be struggling physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually to ask him/her self, “What do I know for sure, any way?” When I pose that question to myself, the answer is usually “Not much!”
How do I keep from taking sides? All I can say is in this new year, I wish to be a good listener, to own my thoughts, my feelings and my actions and to respond to the situations that enter my life with care and compassion. And most of all, I want to be honest with myself.
In Jack Kornfield’s book, “A Path with Heart” he urges the reader who may be struggling physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually to ask him/her self, “What do I know for sure, any way?” When I pose that question to myself, the answer is usually “Not much!”
When my answer is ‘not much’
I see it as my cue to surrender,
dear Carol Ann.
Thank you. ♥
Thank you for this, Carol Ann. So much truth here. I sometimes add “for me” at the end of a sentence when I don’t know if it’s true for everyone. My truth is mine, yours is yours, on and on around the world.
Barb C, Yours is a wise observation…TRUTH is one of those words that can get mixed up with OPINION. Especially, in this electronic age where much of what is labeled news is often opinion…It can be hard to gather facts in a world that has grown so much smaller.
To stay vulnerable in order to be able to really be present and in contact.
I’ve learned to cherish the word, “Vulnerability.” It opens the door to wisdom.
Trust in god is one thing I’m grateful for and will certainly carry on into the new year. He’s the ultimate source for everything. By trusting him, I feel like many burdens have been lifted.
I’m happy for you, my Loc, that you’ve found God as your protector of the soul.
I am with Joseph, just one? What has been reinforced for me this year is how freeing simplicity can be in living the life I want to live.
Thank you each for your inspiring posts today. Wonderful reminders.♥️
Mary Mantei, we sure make things more complicated than they need to be, especially here in the west.
Oh, lots of things! But perhaps my favorite lesson is that I don’t have to carry trauma that does not belong to me. I carried a lot of my mom’s “stuff,” and it really expressed itself in my lower back, particularly the left side which also happens to be our feminine side. I had numerous yoga therapy sessions working on that area, starting with the physical aspects, but getting into the emotional which is where the true healing began. I am not in pain every day and it’s such a relief. The healing is ongoing, but I’m so grateful to have learned what I did!!
Teaching one more class in 2025, and I am excited! Happy last day of the year. May you all be safe and happy.
Sunnypatty I also carry that from my mother . It’s good you can let it go . I’m doing the same . Both my parents actually. Hugs to you.
I hope we can both continue letting go of what does not belong to us 🤗
Your teaching a class to me this morning, Patti. Your post is teaching me a lot about myself. Thank you!
Thank you, Carol. I love how much we all learn from each other here in this beautiful space 💜
How much regular exercise positively impacts my mental health.
I have recently stopped exercising due to stress and feeling so out of sorts. My husband is dying and it seems like all I can do is get through the day. I am deeply grateful for friends and family who are supporting me, but no one can take it off my shoulders. It is mine to bear.
I have heard,
dear Linda,
that a shared burden
is a lighter burden.
While not true in the physical,
please know
that we share the burden of your heart.
Although it might not seem like it,
you are surely not alone. ♥
If i may, please allow to be with you and your husband in heart especially these days May His Light and Love be with you both and lessen the burden.
That the saying ‘and this too shall pass’ speaks truth and I will carry that forward into 2026.
Wishing everyone a safe New Year’s Eve.
Michele, Your post reminds me that “Today’s the day.” So many times, these little sayings that we have heard all our lives speak gobs of wisdom.
Thank you, Michele – same to you🎇