FRAML< /topic Ben's Seminar: What blessings have you received.

guitarist< Thank you, (((FRAML)))! I have had a question for a while that concerns the spiritual state of the discarnate hijackers of 9/11. How should someone who has faith and understands that all human beings have the spark of G-d (and thus the potential to be rescued) feel about them? Deal with them, if encountered? Has anyone any stories of encounters with discarnates who might have been victims of the tragedy?

LEGS< Am at my daughter's Sat. and will try to be here tonite for the seminar.... interesting thoughts on the discarnates, guitarist...IMHO they will either go directly to the nether area where they will not choose to reincarnate, or onto the wheel area for reincarnation.. Look at Ben's paradigm of reincarnation and his comments there.

FRAML< SEMINAR CONCEPT -- These seminars are open to anyone who wants to attend. Each seminar will explore a stated topic. Each meeting will be a one hour guided discussion, followed by unguided discussion of the topic. There will be no fees or other charges, no grading system, and no predetermined "school solution." Selected portions of the meeting transcripts will be posted on this site -- but not if they contain a statement such as "off the record".

FRAML< SEMINAR GROUND RULES -- Courtesy is expected. Instead of attacking what others believe, say what you believe -- or politely ask others to explain what they post. Please keep your posts reasonably brief, and please don't get into off-topic side conversations. Please use the private message function to send greetings to new arrivals and to "whisper" in class once it starts. That way the text is easier for everyone to follow, and it is easier for me to clean up the transcript afterward.

FRAML< TJONES--The prime discussion on the posted topic lasts for an hour, then it opens to either continue or for other topics.

FRAML< BLESSING: The act of one that blesses. BLESS: to hallow or consecrate by religious rite or word; to invoke devine care for; to confer prosperity or happiness.

aiki-walk< Three standout blessings this week. Started new job this past Monday, whole family gathering for T-Day and been dating a fella for a year this T-day and he got to meet everybody! And it was relaxing and fun!

Kotoki< Blessings? Hmm, I'm alive, I have a job, I support myself.... that's about all I can come up with right now..

CheyenneStar< Kotoki, that's better than me. All I can say is I'm alive *lol*

selki< I think blessings sometimes come in a way that you might not consider it a blessing until you look deeper into it.

FRAML< SELKI--You've just asked the opening question. *VBS*

selki< I did? *s*

FRAML< ALL--Your turn to answer the opening question which Selki asked (and is very close to mine.)

cassandra< tjones - Remember the old song, Count your Blessings? Our church pianist used to really step that one up. It was so much fun singing it.

tjones< cassandra .. i remember it as a saying..

aiki-walk< It's been a long year to get to this week. Been learning that from balance comes blessings and from blessings balance. Not sure how to explain it though...smile Balance is hard to find....lol

cassandra< FRAML - My first blessing was the great Mom and Dad I had. My kids are the biggest blessing, I think. Well, between them and Ted. *G*

cassandra< FRAML - and my good health.

guitarist< Yankl and I had a lovely TG Day dinner with my best friend and her family (actually we're all friends). My mom came over today and had a TG Day dinner even though it wasn't the day, and we had a good time.

cassandra< tjones - Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, and you will be singing as the day goes by!!!

selki< When I think back to how quickly my mother's death came, aside from the grief, it was actually a blessing in disguise because the worse was yet to come as far as her suffering with the cancer, she did not have to endure that, that to me is a blessing.

cassandra< selki - I agree with you. I would feel exactly the same way.

tjones< selki.. i agree to that... sometimes your first reaction is that you are being punished... but later you realize that it was a blessing..

selki< tjones,well, I never felt like I was being punished, I felt more anger than anything, anger at her because she let it go until it was too late. Another blessing was that I was spared seeing her suffer the worst of the disease.

Garuda< selki: I quite agree with you!! *VBS*

guitarist< My blessing was that I heard from our stepson for the first time in about 3 months -- to know he is alive & well.

cassandra< guitarist - I am so happy for you! That WAS a real blessing.

guitarist< Thank you, (((cassandra)))

aiki-walk< to struggle for balance in midst of what is uncertain or unpleasant not succumbing to the difficulties somehow let me stay more open to what might and could be and the blessing, if I was listening and waiting on God. hard to do.

guitarist< Aikiwalk, (((congratulations!)))

aiki-walk< a relying upon trust of God's intent beyond what I could see to balance what was happening and how it felt since last January through now after losing job back then and being receptive not hardened by the experience was a struggle,

guitarist< Aikiwalk, (((congratulations!))) on your new job!!!

selki< aiki-walk it is very hard to do, but not impossible, blessings come in many forms, it's not always in a material form.

FRAML< aiki-walk: Excellent point, it is easy to let oneself harden, but difficult to keep one's self open as you have.

cassandra< FRAML - another blessing was that my son worked on my computer - it had been a little balky lately. I consider it a real blessing that my kids are so good to me and that I can speak my thoughts even when they are a little different. *G*

Kotoki< I kept thinking last night of how happy her Dad was when I met him this past christmas. He's got a really cool sense of humor! (going to lurk now)

Kotoki< Blessing is I talked w/ my Mom on t-day and she got a new car, so is driving a very safe vehicle finally!! (I worried about her in the car she had before).

FRAML< 2nd question follows:

FRAML< How or in what manner have you conferred a blessing upon another person? YOUR TURN.

aiki-walk< What would the difference be between interceeding for someone and blessing them be??

selki< Can you give a blessing to someone. I guess so, even if it's just a ride to work, or to the grocery store for someone who doesn't have anyone to help them. I think helping someone who needs help in some way to make their life a little easier might confer a blessing on another person. Maybe just sitting and listening to someone talk.

cassandra< FRAML - I gave the kids the blessing of not saying outrageous things at the wedding.

Garuda< cassandra: LOL

suitESPirit< I just had dinner with my wonderful 22 yr. old grandson that had been doing many odd jobs for me today... I told him stories of his dad when he was little that he never knew.. "Awesome (that's his name for me) you don't know how good that makes me feel knowing that about him... He never talks about himself at home" ~~~ (He was overjoyed and had tears when he left)

guitarist< At the end of my conversation with our stepson (he was talking about changing his deceitful ways and becoming a moral person and taking that difficult path of proving himself to those nearest and dearest. I had encouraged him to have patience and keep pursuing that goal), I said, "Go and do it, and G-d bless you."

aiki-walk< Can we give a spiritual blessing or just be the vehicle for God-HIgher Power to work. The ways we listen and meet others needs practically would be easier to see are they more emotional/material blessings? Is there a difference really anyway?

FRAML< aiki-walk: Good questions and applicable here--COMMENTS Please.

guitarist< Aikiwalk: all of the above.

tjones< we just had the 25th anniversary of our group... and meeting and interacting with them... and exchanged views of past events... and some memories... those friends who died.. i think that was mutual blessings too.

Kotoki< aiki-walk if I see someone in the streets who needs something (food for instance) and I give them either money to purchase food or just food, that is my choice to act as that.... We choose how to serve our brothers and sisters on earth.... it's God who does the hard stuff... like keeping the wars to a minimum of casualties etc...

cassandra< aiki-walk - Sure, we can give blessings. When we feel and hear the Spirit within us giving us words to say or the ability to help someone else. Our Spirit can lend enforcement to their weakened Spirit.

Awenydd< I agree with Cassandra.

FRAML< Cassandra: *S*

Garuda< cassandra: IMO, all that we give, we give to ourselves.

aiki-walk< cassandra and selki thanks...your words make sense to my tired mind

aiki-walk< ah, not to be separated maybe, but part of the whole with different aspects...I was making the box too small then
selki< I think we can do both, we can give and we can be the vehicle for God's higher power, but we have to be able to see what the blessing is. We can receive blessings from others too. Doesn't need to be emotional/material, like I said, just sitting and listening to someone who needs someone to talk to can be a blessing.

suitESPirit< I agree with you selki... just listening can be a blessing..

guitarist< There are many different ways to bless -- thankfully!

Yankl< I don't think I can always recognize blessings while they are happening because I'm in the middle of it all, but later I see the effects of G-d's work on my life and that's the blessing.

aiki-walk< I guess I saw it as one thing to be helpful/blessing and another to "feed someone spiritually" blessing somehow though...and that it was me responding to God that had me begin to act maybe in both cases

FRAML< aiki-walk: Yes.

Kotoki< Agreeing w/Yankl... definitely I can't see the Creators Plan when I'm stuck front and center of it all... but it does usually work for the best.. as long as I follow my heart. If I don't do that, I get into trouble. (learned that the hard way)

tjones< i was invited here and i feel that was a blessing... if i can say something that rings a bell.. that would be blessing too..

cassandra< Thank you Awenydd and FRAML. ///// Garuda - well, I enjoy giving the Spirit to help them so that is okay. Two gifts for the price of one.

Garuda< cassandra: hey, that sounds good to me! *G*

Garuda< A real blessing to me is to have my health and all my limbs, after that it is all extra. *VBS*

selki< I think it's even a blessing to be able to interact with everyone here and talk about this.

guitarist< Indeed, selki.

FRAML< 3rd question follows:

FRAML< 3d question: What did give thanks for last Thursday that you can share with us. Remember, not just for a blessing received, but also one observed that you many have remembered.

aiki-walk< absolutely!

guitarist< People at the Thanksgiving Day dinner I attended gave thanks for their pets, friends, spouses, and renewed opportunities for the nation. Not necessarily in that order, mind you. :)

selki< I was thankful that my boys were home to sit down and have dinner, thankful that I made it back to florida safely, and that the turkey wasn't dry.

aiki-walk< For family, Len, new job, our country, those willing to protect us with their lives and skills, for knowing God, for family welcoming new people in their midst, for kid's energy and freedom

guitarist< Oh yes, and families too. Anything else I can't remember, Yankl is free to fill in (if you remember, dearest).

aiki-walk< for Alex singing Happy Birthday to Thanksgiving and going into We are Family next....as segway after grace/gratitudes to eating!

tjones< sorry we dont celebrate Thanksgiving here. but I was in the other chat room and they were talking about turkeys and pumpkin pie, delicious.. isnt it that nice.. all was spiritual truth..imho.

FRAML< tjones: It is that on a phsycial level, but more importantly looking as what has happened in the past year, reflecting on it, and thanking one's God for what one has received, and not just in material form.

Yankl< Watching the young people at the dinner that night gave me a renewed hope for the next generation.

cassandra< We were giving thanks that a chiropractor had found what was giving my granddaughter so much pain. Her spine was being shoved out of place. He treated it and she was not in that terrible pain. It was a blessing for me to see the happiness the others felt for her.

Kotoki< watching my two youngest cousins (4 and almost 2) riding a motorized little Jeep, and the little one having a look on his face, like get me off this thing.. then watching both of them taking turns riding it...though the little one didn't know how to steer yet, and could barely reach the pedal. Realizing that life is evolving and people grow older and yet life stays the same here, no matter how much we want it to be "better", it just is...

FRAML< Summation: Selki's opening is also useful in summing up. It is often only upon reflection after the fact, sometimes this will be measured in years, that an incident or event was a blessing received for you or the person you witnessed it occuring to. But there are many blessings that we receive, observe and give that that are beneficial for all involved, and worth remembering. Thank you.

tjones< FRAML.. in my view.. thats all encompassing..

FRAML< /topic Open Discussion

Kotoki< For some reason this Thanksgiving I kept thinking of Wikimahaw, and the friendship of those first settlers with the native americans... the generousity of the natives toward their white brothers... and the friendship/comeraderie between the two groups.

suitESPirit< Kotoki That would be the Massapoag tribe, (Plymouth)..a treaty was formed, & to this day, it has never been broken with descendants of that tribe... more than half of the Pilgrims did not survive that first year... When the "celebration of thanksgiving" was celebrated the 2nd year, the feast lasted 3 days, and each one present had 5 kernals of corn on their plate, so as to never forget the past year of hardship and death they went thru...

selki< good night all,

FRAML< (((SELKI))) & remember to count your blessings before you sleep.

guitarist< (((good night selki))) sweet dreams and blessings!

whitefeathe< Well, I guess i would like to say i am thankful that my labor wasn't very long...and we have a beautiful healthy daughter

cassandra< whitefeather - that is truly a blessing. both of them ((((HUGS))))