EMBRACING LIFE'S JOURNEY

Sometimes life's journey takes us deeper than we think we want to go...sometimes it's our own stuff and sometimes it feels like the heavy, collective consciousness of the world that weighs us down and settles in our hearts and in our energy field.

These last few weeks have been full of seeming insanity - shootings, fear, weather catastrophes, "loss" of loved ones, personal pain and all other kinds of  weird scenarios. Our immediate thoughts are "Don't go there. Stay positive, don't watch the news, don't feel the pain..." Well, I for one, have to go there, not to STAY there, but to BE there for a time - to feel, to cry, to sob, to pray, to release it, knowing that that this too shall pass. It's here for a reason, a lesson, a blessing - a reminder of the truth that ONLY LOVE IS REAL. It reawakens our passion and compassion for the suffering of our world...

The transition of beautiful Debbie Ford a few days ago hit me hard. She was (is) so vibrant, so honest and so instrumental in helping millions of people learn to love every aspect of themselves. I was honored to attend many of her seminars and book signings and her books made a tremendous impact on my life. I loved her laugh and her sense of humor and her passing at her age (close to my age) made me really think about my life. Am I doing enough? Is fear preventing me from doing more of my heart's desire? Why haven't I written more of my book? How can I serve more people in more profound ways? All of that comes to mind when we realize that life on this earth is short. We don't know what tomorrow brings. Debbie taught me so much and she will be greatly missed but her amazing spirit soars as she continues her incredible journey to heal our world from the other side.

Debbie taught us to embrace and love all parts of ourselves and to allow that Divine spirit to work and flow with us and through us. As a dear friend recently said to me...

"Be open to the blossoms of life. They unfold as beautiful flowers, each petal opening beautifully as part of the whole. Each piece of the puzzle makes up the total picture of your life. Follow the flow as there is beauty in the journey. Leap into the river and let the current take you where you need to go. Don't block it - let it flow. When a rock shows up on the river, flow around it. Give no energy to blocks on the river. Each rock is God and reminds you why you are here. In the flow, you find God. God is the flow, the steady stream and nothing can stop this stream. Put no energy into blocks."

The good thing is is that we are all in this together to be there and to love and support each other through the joy and through the pain...through the laughter and through the tears. And I think most of us do the best we can with the situations at hand, knowing all is truly in Divine order, unfolding for the highest good of all. And so it is...

THE JOY OF GIVING BACK...

As a Professional Organizer and owner of my own business "Organizing Angels," I love helping people let go of their clutter, stress and what no longer serves them. I love helping them organize their homes, businesses and lives, enabling them to move forward in their lives to a place of peace, order and freedom. So, my dear friend Rachel (who also owns her own Professional Organizing business) and I decided to team up as we often do, to donate our time to help someone in need. We created a contest, published it in a local paper that went out to thousands of people, asking potential winners to submit their stories and photos telling us why they thought they should be chosen as the winner of the room makeover. Wow...the letters we received were so touching, heartwarming and heartbreaking... We wished we could have chosen them all!

 This is the story of the courageous woman we chose:

 IN DESPERATE NEED!

 "Having my small home office organized would be such a blessing. It’s not only wanted – it’s desperately needed! I am closely reaching the point of not being able to comfortably do my work. Being that I spend most of my life in this room, I need it to be functional. I do accounting at home full-time and work some pretty long and strenuous hours sometimes starting at 6:30 am and quitting at 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. The reason for these long hours is not so much because I am a workaholic (although sometimes I wonder) it is because my life is so hectic and busy. You see 7 years ago my aging mother came to live with my husband and me. She has Alzheimer’s Disease. At first it wasn’t as difficult but the disease has progressed and she requires help with almost everything now. She has very little income so we must struggle with this disease at home. This disease is heartbreaking and is difficult on everyone involved. It requires a lot of my time.

 As if that were not enough to deal with, my husband was in a terrible motorcycle accident in October 2011. He almost lost his life as someone hit him, he went down and a semi-truck ran over him. He was in intensive care for over two weeks and in the hospital almost 2 months. His injuries were very serious including a shattered pelvis, broken back in five places and multiple other injuries. His recovery will be a long and painful one. Although he is the best patient in the world and seldom if ever complains, he still requires help with even simple everyday tasks. Although he tries to help and be as independent as possible, most of his hours are spent in bed because of his pain. If he does get up and do things, he pays the price and has to be in bed for the next several days. He is also facing future surgeries, medical procedures and physical therapy so this won’t be over soon.

 I used to be a fairly organized person but these events have sent me for a loop (as you can see from the attached pictures). Between my job which I have to keep being the main source of support for our family now, mounting bills and medical claims, paper is everywhere! I feel I just need some help and tips on how to keep track of it all. I have tried bins and in-boxes but they seem to be filled quickly and paper is just piled up. I have even resorted to throwing things in plastic garbage bags! Unbelievable! The closest is just as disorganized. It makes me sick. I am embarrassed for anyone to see it and keep the door closed most of the time. Do you think you could help me get organized and stay organized somehow? I would so appreciate it because this situation won’t be over soon. My mess will be an ongoing problem. I also think having my office organized would reduce the stress I feel. I have tried to get my office under control several times and it all just seems to spring up again. Now the task seems overwhelming and every time I look at it I just stress in our home. I would feel better, be more productive at work and be better able to cheerfully take care of the people I love.

 Please consider this project in your contest. I hope you realize how extremely helpful this would be and what a difference this project could make in our lives.

 Stella"

Well, Stella's story touched our hearts in a big way! Rachel and I felt so grateful that Spirit brought us all together so we could help Stella and her family move through this challenging and painful time to create some well-needed order in their lives. We all talked and worked together in the office and closet and created systems that worked well for her, and yes, we even prayed with her when she asked for prayer support. This was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. We happily donated many more hours than we agreed to. When we left, we were all crying.

 Here is Stella's letter of gratitude:

 "Dear Rachel and Jenny,

 I have been meaning to write to you so I am so glad to hear from you! As you could tell I was so thrilled and touched with my new organized office! You both were just amazing! You both worked so hard. It is so encouraging to see that there are still people like you who are dedicated and hard-working. You not only gave me a wonderful gift of a comfortable place to work in again but you encouraged me and lifted my spirits. Thank you is just too little to say to express how grateful I am for your help. I am intent on keeping my office organized by implementing some of the techniques and tips you shared with me. I am taking your advice and going through a small pile of paperwork each evening. I could just sense how much you truly cared. The time you spent and all your effort did not go unnoticed. I thank God for people like you both who give back and help people. My husband and I wish you both every continued success. As you said in the article, I feel truly blessed to be chosen the winner but I also feel blessed that we got to meet such wonderful people like you both!

 Gratefully,
Stella and Bill"

 Rachel and I will continue to share our gifts to help others. We are on the planet at this time to help create positive change in our world. If we can uplift someone of offer a helping hand, let's do it! SO many people need support right now. What are you willing to do to help create more peace in the lives of others and our world?

 MAY PEACE PREVAIL within our own hearts, within our own homes and in our world...

 Jenny LeBel
Organizing Angels
www.organizingangels.com

Rachel Sparks
Sparks Organizing
www.sparksorganizing.com

BLESSED BE...

I spent the last two days alone, completely on purpose - no phones, no people. I could have gone flying or to my spiritual center or out with friends, but my heart chose to enjoy quiet solitude instead - meditation, prayer, reading, (well, yes, some fb too :) eating healthy food and watching recorded episodes of Oprah's Super Soul Sunday. Watching & listening to Dr. Jill Bolte Tayor and Michael Singer impacted me deeply and was life-changing for me in so many ways. Wow! There are no mistakes... I think this weekend of peaceful bliss came about in part, thanks to the amazing, full, Blue Moon Friday night. It just captured my soul as I walked with a friend on the beach, under the moonlight, having our little ceremony of releasing all that we have no control over and that which no longer serves us. The tide was high, the surf was wild and I was in my element! Of course the beautiful sunset I witnessed earlier filled me with love and gratitude for life. I was listening big, time - STOP AND JUST BE. Not always easy with the busyness of life, seeming painful challenges and everything else going on... But love, miracles and blessings are always around us...I walked outside in the cooler air to sit under the trees for a few minutes when just then I saw two beautiful butterflies flying together, and land on the leaves for at least 5 minutes. I watched for a bit, then ran inside to get my camera, hoping they would still be there upon my return and they were! I felt so much joy watching them, content with life and each other. They flew again, landed again and I was reminded how bountiful and blessed all of life is, if we just stop, breathe, look, listen, feel, smell the roses and be in not just our 5 senses, but our 6th intuitive sense as well, that guides us in all ways, always. Today, I am truly grateful to feel refreshed, replenished, and ready to move on at a deeper level, at a pace that doesn't zap my energy or drain me. All is unfolding beautifully if I stay out of my own way and allow Divine Spirit and life to flow through me. BLESSED BE...

LET GO OR BE DRAGGED!

I've had such amazing and powerful shifts in my life these last few months...after embracing Marianne Williamson's powerful and sacred Enchanted Love Workshop right before my glorious month-long trip in Australia, my incredible bio-sync session gifted to me by my daughter & an unconditional love / hug from Azim Khamisa that rocked me to my core (an incredible man who forgave his son's killer and started the Tariq Khamisa Foundation,) so many things have come up to be healed, especially these last few weeks - things that I thought were done and buried! It sometimes seems as if it all hits at once, but the truth of the matter is, is that everything that needs to come up will, and after our initial freaking out, screaming, OMG, how can this happen!!!...we find the courage to face it, embrace it, work through it, heal it and then we can let it go and move on! Everything is shifting...we have the choice to move or stay stuck! Sometimes, scary nightmares show up out of the blue and fear-based thoughts or emotions want to suck the life out of us! The old story is front and center once again. But we know the truth - that God / Goddess / Spirit / The Universe, is bigger than any problem we could ever have. The Universe is self-orchestrating, self-correcting - always working in our favor for our highest good if we would just get out of our own way, stop trying to control everything and allow it to just be. We signed on to be here in this lifetime to do our part to help heal our world. There is much to do and all that is not in integrity, holding us back and no longer serving us is falling by the wayside. It is being taken away, brought up to be healed or being reinvented in a new and healthier way. Beautiful new avenues of creativity are emerging as we continue taking those deep breaths, step out in nature, poke our toes in the sandy ocean, hug our beloved trees, children or grandchildren. Taking time out to rest, play, exercise, eat healthy food, laugh, feel joy, excitement and gratitude will bring us back to center and to a place of peace and calm. I had to laugh when I saw this photo fly through the facebook newsfeed: "LET GO OR BE DRAGGED!" So true! When we remember that the Universe's expert organizational skills reign in perfection, and we can surrender our sometimes obnoxious control, miracles will surely abound. In spite of my latest seeming chaos and other life's challenges, I feel as if "I dwell in a field of miracles" most of the time. Blessings and joy embody my heart, my soul and my life. I am enriched and enlightenend by my beautiful friends and family who share their love and lives with me. External circumstances are just that... because ONLY LOVE IS REAL. www.marianne.com www.azimkhamisa.com

NEVER A DULL MOMENT IN LA...

Excitement was brewing as Lorrie and I headed to LA from So. Orange County to hear Marianne Williamson speak once again at City Hall - Occupy LA. I went last week with Gretchen and the entire experience was incredible. (See previous blog.) As we exited the 101 Freeway, we saw police cars and police helicopters everywhere, the 101southbound entrance was closed and yellow tape blocked the sidewalks. Whoa...I'm all for fabulous and fun adventures, but...As we sat at the red light, FOUR bomb squad cars flew right by us! Whoa again...My first thought was something happened at the courthouse. And "Oh no, Marianne's talk will be cancelled!" We parked the car and asked the attendant if he had heard about the bomb squad. He just shrugged his shoulders and said it happens all the time. REALLY??? I'm so not in So. Orange County anymore. Not knowing what was going on, I thought I would ask my beautiful facebook friends for a little extra angelic protection for us, for Marianne, for everyone. Archangel Michael came to mind. :) Thank you all for your prayers. We are Divinely protected always.

We walked a few blocks to Occupy LA on the grounds of City Hall; It was crowded - people everywhere. One person immediately caught my eye - a beautiful young man sitting on the grass in the midst of busyness - meditating so peacefully, oblivious to the noise and crowds. I loved that! There was so much to see - the colorful tents, the creative signs / powerful statements, people meditating, conversing, communing, smiling, hugging, drumming, playing guitar, media interviewing, crowds gathering...excitement building...Hopeful change could be felt in the cool, brisk air.

Lorrie and I walked a few blocks to our favorite Chinese Bistro, Liliya for dinner before heading back to hear Marianne speak at 6 p.m. Not exactly sure where she would be and not finding her at first, we encircled the block several times, walking off dinner, meeting new friends as we went and finally coming back to the main hub of all the activity. What a perfect place for Marianne to speak and be heard. It was packed. Yeah! Just as she was about to begin, we were told that a huge rally of 1000 marchers - "We are the 99%" - would soon be marching up the same steps of City Hall where Marianne was speaking. Time to go with the flow and wait to see what would transpire! Who knew? Marianne (wearing fabulous boots by the way :) eloquently spoke of the history of the movement for about 20 minutes before the crowd approached. It was all very exciting - HUGE. We all hung around, observed, listened, watching the busloads of marchers and Marianne being interviewed by ABC News. Awesome! She had a brief minute on the 11:00 news speaking of the immorality of human suffering. I was disappointed they didn't mention her name, but we know who she is. :) I overheard two men talking about Marianne after she spoke, one asking the other if he knew who she was...that he heard she was a famous author, and "WOW, was she good!" I loved that there was a Course in Miracles Meditation group as well that we were invited to attend afterwards by some beautiful friends who attend Marianne's lecture on Monday nights at the Saban Theatere in Beverly Hills. Regretfully, we needed to leave LA and head home to OC. As we headed to the freeway, we were in awe of the beauty of the brightly lit skyscrapers embracing the night sky. Something you just don't see in OC. It was really beautiful.

This is truly an exciting time - history in the making. Tonight, the union workers marched, the bands played and a candlelight vigil enusued. Voices are being heard and changes are being created. I'm grateful for the opportunities to participate and to educate myself and learn more about this movement of healing change. I will be back as each week holds something different and unique...Things have to change and I applaud Marianne and all of us really, who have had enough of the way things are and who are willing to step up to the plate to speak our truths, to create new thoughts and possibilites and to stand together in this powerful movement for humanity's sake. And as we do so, we send our brilliant light and our passionate conviction into the ethers of Universal manifestation, ignited by love and one mind. May PEACE continue to prevail as Occupy the World continues to grow...

OCCUPY LA - "KEEP IT SMART. KEEP IT NON-VIOLENT. KEEP IT GROWING."

KEEP IT SMART. KEEP IT NON-VIOLENT. KEEP IT GROWING. ~ Marianne Williamson Occupy LA - October 12, 2011 Gretchen & I wanted to support Marianne Williamson speaking at City Hall at Occupy LA. It was a long, hot day, but no one really cared about the heat. We were too immersed in the message. Marianne speaks from her heart. She is brilliant, educated, courageous and passionate about creating positive, peaceful change in our world. Her words are impeccable; her message is powerful. She is a healer of humanity, believing in the good of people, equality and justice. She is an amazing author, spiritual teacher and global healer who encourages us all to step up to the plate to co-create miracles in our world.

I also wanted to educate myself more, learn more about what is really going on and be supportive of all the courageous people willing to do what it takes to bring about peaceful change. What an inspiring day! The energy was palpable - We walked around talking to wonderful people, observing "teachers" donating their time & expertise educating people in the crowds about economics, foreclosures, etc...and everyone coming together with loving, peaceful hearts. Not once in the middle of LA did we feel threatened, see or hear hateful protesters. I saw a huge spiritual oasis of love, unity, peace, enthusiasm, peaceful excitement and empowered people making a difference. So much love and peaceful change for humanity going on here.

Just as Marianne ended her beautiful meditation, (visualize hundreds of people sitting on the steps of City Hall with their eyes closed, praying quietly, listening to words of truth and hope) the sky was filled with flocks of birds encircling the courthouse and important Resolutions has just passed! That is the power of collective prayer! Angels were ever present...Miracles are happening NOW! I can't wait for her to speak there again. I hope it's soon. The day is etched in my soul...

Marianne had just done an incredible event at our InSpirit CSLOC where Gretchen sang for everyone. Marianne mentioned Gretchen's beautiful voice to the media before her talk and wanted her to sing a song...time ran out, but she & Gretchen are choosing a song together for the next time she speaks. How awesome is that?! You go Gretchen Almond! ♥

As Gretchen & I walked to dinner at LilYa Chinese Bistro in LA, (the food was fabulous!) we gave great gratitude for being able to FEEL the shift of miraculous change.... ♥ ♥

SIMPLE STEPS FOR CLUTTER CONTROL

I was recently asked to be a Guest Blogger on Ron and Lisa Bere's website http://www.ronandlisa.com, to write a follow up blog on "Simple Tips for Clutter Control" to their latest blog, "The True Cost of Clutter." I was honored as I'm all about helping people let go of the past, move through the muck and into a life of amazing opportunities and possibilites! Lisa and Ron Beres are The Healthy Home Dream Team, Green Nest and authors of many other fabulous books on healthy living, including Just Green It! They appear on national TV shows and share their knowledge and wisdom around the world. Please check out their websites to see the incredible work they are doing... As we all work together, we can continue to heal ourselves, our homes and our planet.

www.ronandlisa.com
www.GreenNest.com
www.JustGreenIt.net

Making the commitment to be organized in the first place is an absolutely necessary component to manifesting your deeper dreams and desires. Organizing, which was seen as a luxury in the past, is a requirement for survival in the modern world. ~ Lanna Nakone ~

According to organizational expert Peter Walsh, 200 million people in the United States alone live in cluttered homes! In my years of experience, I have seen the incredible toxic and overwhelming effects that clutter creates such as anxiety, guilt, depression, illness, food issues, relationship issues and health hazards – not to mention precious time searching for lost items and wasted money buying duplicate items.

Life is busy! Many of us are facing stressful and tough challenges today. Wouldn’t it be nice at the end of a long day to come home to a safe, nurturing sanctuary that has a beautiful rhythmic order to it? Are you ready to transform your cluttered, chaotic life into one of freedom, calm and peace of mind; allowing you to free up your time for fun, family and friends?

A Few Baby Steps to Get Started:

Mail – Create a mail center. Sort mail as soon as you get home and throw the junk away! A few minutes every day keeps the piles from growing (that goes for all office paperwork as well).

Trash – In 5 minutes, you can take a large trash bag and move from room to room recycling old newspapers, junk mail, coupons, etc.

Drawers – In 10 minutes (set a timer if needed), a drawer or a portion of a closet can be organized.

Closets – Coordinate clothes by item and color to locate a favorite outfit more quickly. When purchasing a new item, be sure to donate something old. One in; one out! Joy Mangano Huggable Hangers double the closet space and are affordable (available at Costco, Bed, Bath & Beyond).

Baths / Bedrooms – Hang up as much as possible to keep clutter off the floors. Hooks and over-the-door hangers work well in closets and bathrooms.

Toys – Sort toys, crafts and similar items (ie: dolls, puzzles, musical items, legos, dress-up, crafts, cars, etc.) in plastic-labeled bins, drawers or baskets. Teach children to maintain order by allowing a few items out a time. Before new toys come out, the old ones should be put away.

Kitchen / Pantry – Categorize by item and expiration date with the newest purchases in back. Always throw away expired food items in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer.

Garage – Create zones (gardening, tools, party, memorabilia, holidays, etc.) Labeled, plastic, see-through, stackable containers work well to keep out rodents, water damage, etc.

Memorabilia – Memories live in our hearts. Keep what is truly special and discard the rest. Children’s art and schoolwork can be stored in large art folders. Or, take photos of children with their favorite stuffed animals, art, etc. and create a special photo album.

Remember, keep only what is beautiful, brings you joy and is useful. Let go of anything that makes you feel guilty when you look at it; regardless of the cost or if a family member gave it to you. Recycle, pay it forward or donate items to those who can really use it.

Simplifying our lives is key. Less is more. It’s time to honor and respect the beautiful people that we are. As we release the old energy, we open up and create the space for amazing new opportunities and possibilities!