Sunday, December 31, 2017

The End of a Year: An Angel Message


My fortune cookie was the perfect ending to a delicious Chinese lunch on Friday.  The message seemed like a direct hit from the angels.  As they often say: "Fear not!" in the Scriptures.

So when I unrolled the cookie scroll and read:

"Never fear!  The end of something
marks the start of something new."

I knew something was up.  As the old year 2017 draws to a close, I'm grateful for all the opportunities that came in various disguises of adversity forcing me to grow in patience and loving kindness.  Thank you for joining me on this journey, with the support of the angels, who love and welcome us all. 

Like the astronauts shared recently in an interview aboard the space station, the first sunrise of the new year marks a special celebration to welcome the dawn of a brand new cycle.  That's what I hope to catch tomorrow, with grateful eyes.

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen






Friday, December 29, 2017

The Serenity Prayer: An Angel Message

The angels directed my attention to a large transparent decal at the dollar store.  It had been tossed aside in the candle aisle.  The Serenity Prayer is the perfect remedy to lighten any situation.  At home, I stuck it on the wall in my den.  Little did I know that in the days to come, this visual prompt would help me to stay calm and surrender.  God is in control.

"God grant me the Serenity
to accept the things I cannot change.
The Courage to change the things that
I can, and the Wisdom to know the
difference."

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Blue Springs: A Gift of Christmas

Yesterday's spontaneity brought us to nearby Blue Springs State Park for a walk in nature and hopefully a glimpse of a manatee or two.  We were in luck; the cool weather brought these gentle creatures into the springs for a close up look.

Manatee
Then this unusual sight--a trio of cormorants were joined by a large turtle sunbathing on a fallen limb.
Cormorants and A Turtle
At home, I looked up these three special messengers.

Manatee symbolizes trust; trust in others to do the right thing; gentleness.  The manatees use all of their senses and as such remind us to do likewise in our daily lives.  Are we relying solely on one input and not taking in as much info as we should. These gentle watery mammals see well. They have a special membrane which helps to clean their eyes.  A reminder to step back and clear our vision from time to time.  Are we looking at things too closely? Or not closely enough? When you spot a manatee ask yourself if you trust your feelings?  Is it time to seek gentler and warmer environments within your own life?  Trust your heart.  Examine your trust in others and follow your own sense of what's right.

The turtle is a symbol of Mother Earth.  Its shell suggests a hemisphere, and the structure upon the shell, a mountain.  Its movements are slow and calm.  If you encounter a turtle, it is time for a turnaround in your life.  The turtle is old and wise, and lives in Earth's harmony.  If it happens to enter your life, it could be a sign to loosen your protective shell, in which you may be hiding.

The turtle as the messenger of Mother Earth is also a messenger of love.  The power that nourishes all life.  This power gives your life new direction and makes new creation possible, but slowly.  Do not rush into anything, but keep solid ground under your feet.  This one is basking in the light.

The cormorant, an aquatic bird, speaks to the world of emotions.  Is there a prayer deep within that you are repressing?  If a cormorant is seen drying its feathers in a prayer-like position, it is an invitation to open yourself up to yourself, look into your deepest being that place where the divine enters.  Pray for answers, guidance, courage, and strength.

Christmas day can bring a special blend of friends and family in nature and at home.

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen




References:  Animal-Wise, Ted Andrews; Animal Messengers, Regula Meyer

Saturday, December 23, 2017

A Last Minute Item: An Angel Message

A mad dash to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items ended up being rather pleasant with the help of the angels.   Waiting in line at the Express Lane, I looked down and spotted an empty box in the trashcan.  Halos!  I laughed. 

Remember to hang on to yours during the holidays.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen


Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Amaryllis: An Angel Message


Our dear elderly friend Hawk, now an angel, always sent an amaryllis for Christmas.  I loved to watch it grow from a protuberant brown bulb to a thing of holiday beauty.  Several weeks ago, while shopping at the Garden Center, I spotted this red foiled planter, reminding me of Hawk's annual gift to our family.  "Thank you, Hawk," I smiled, putting it my cart. 

At home, I placed it in the sunlit dining room window, and kept the soil moist. Before long it shot straight up like an arrow.

This morning, a cheerful bloom greeted me. With the promise of three more blooms waiting in the wings. It's wonderful to realize that all things bloom on time. It takes faith and love and patience.  The height of the amaryllis and its sturdy stem, signify strength and determination. And, Mary, is in the name, Amaryllis!

Merry Christmas to you, and to our loved ones here and in the heavenly realm.

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,



Rae Karen

Monday, December 18, 2017

Cowboys' Prayer: An Angel Message

Since joining an international postcard exchange project three weeks ago, I've been randomly assigned to send postcards to new friends in Germany, Belgium, Japan, Ukraine, Russia, and Taiwan, a total of 26,846 miles.  My latest post crosser addressee came from Finland with a request for horses.  The angels whispered to check out the antique mall downtown.  There on the third floor, I discovered a cache of old post cards in boxes.  Rifling through the collection, I was about to give up, when the perfect card appeared.  Cowboys' Prayer!


Cowboys' Prayer


O Lord, I've never lived where churches grow;
I've loved creation better as it stood
That day you finished it, so long ago,
And looked upon your work and called it good.

Just let me live my life as I've begun!
And give me work that's open to the sky;
Make me a partner of the wind and sun,
And I won't ask a life that's soft and high.

Make me as big and open as the plains;
As honest as the horse between my knees;
Clean as the wind that blows behind the rains;
Free as the hawk that circles down the breeze.

Just keep an eye on all that's done and said;
Just right me sometime when I turn aside;
And guide me on the long, dim trail ahead--
That stretches upward towards the Great Divide.
                 Author Unknown


Enjoy your day with the Angels, and saddle up with them for a new adventure.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen

Sunday, December 17, 2017

A Turkey Dancer: An Angel Message

While taking a detour to travel a new road, the angels delivered an advent surprise yesterday. That's when a family of wild turkeys crossed our path! Timing was good.  I caught a glimpse of the afternoon sun as it spotlighted a wild turkey dancer.  Spreading sunlit wings and kicking up a leg!  With no traffic on the country road, we took our time to stop, look, and listen. I could hear their soft gobble gobble as they pecked the ground in gratitude for the grub.

Trying to take a photo, the group moved on quickly, not wanting more attention. But one tall fellow held back to pose as I tried to zoom in with the cellphone.  I thanked him, and it could have been my imagination, but he seemed to nod and then follow the others down the road. 

In Animal Messengers by Regula Meyer, the message of turkey is to give yourself, unquestioningly and boundlessly.  Give yourself up.  Give in to life.  Immerse yourself fully in your life's story.  Now is not the time to set boundaries and modify the events and relationships you live through, but to let them happen.  "In external self-abandonment, discover internal self-development."

 Giving yourself means expecting things of yourself.  If you want to have this life--and it wants to have you--then you should have it, all the way.  The turkey tells you to give it all, embrace your light and your shadows, don't be afraid to be authentic, to speak your truth.  With this giving, do not seek affirmation or recognition, just observe how you feel when you throw yourself into life so completely. As you become more of your true self, life makes the adjustments around you.

The turkey also brings a message of thanksgiving--be thankful for who you are!  Spread your wings, and do a little dance in the sunlight.

Enjoy your day with the Angels,

Love and joyful blessings,



Rae Karen















Note: Animal Messengers, An A-Z Guide to Signs and Omens in the Natural World by Regula Meyer

Saturday, December 16, 2017

The Angel of Wonder


                           

Is there an Angel of Wonder? my husband had asked me.  Elliot's timing was interesting as I had been reading about wonder in a spiritual pamphlet.  I told him so, and he laughed, getting out the old Webster's Dictionary to look it up.  Wonder: a cause of astonishment; marvel, miracle.

Next, he looked up the definition of angel.  

"God's Messenger," I said as he turned the pages.  

"Angel: 1) A spiritual being superior to man in power and intelligence; 2) an attendant spirit or guardian; 3) a white-robed winged figure of human form in fine art; 4) a MESSENGER; 5) a person felt to resemble an angel."

But when he got to the 6th entry, I was surprised to hear my favorite definition of an angel: 

Christian Science: a message originating from God in his aspects of Truth and Love.  (Webster's 7th New Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1969.)

Angels are God's Thoughts, pure intuition. 


Wonder sees the infinite, as it is not limited by perception.  It lifts us into the joy of discovering that we are more than we can understand.  The Psalmist wrote, "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

Wonder knows no boredom, with oneself or with our circumstances.  When monotony is entertained, this can deaden our joy and curb spontaneity of what's present right now.


Wonder is a choice to see the good and beauty of being, here and now.  To wonder is to be childlike, full of expectancy and fully accepting the joy of our being.  Isn't that wonderful?  


 Life is teeming around us, ready to manifest for our highest good. That's what the angels do, they lift our thought on "wings" to God's high consciousness where we gain the gift of vision; Life is Love and each day begins anew, a present to be fully lived.


Enjoy the day with your angels, and the wonder of you during this holy season.


Love and joyful blessings,



Rae Karen

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Let's Do Launch! An Angel Message


The angels are full of surprises, and yesterday, 12/12, I was shown, again, how divine timing works. In the early morning, rather than wash the breakfast dishes right away, I got busy writing Christmas cards.  So it wasn't until 10:00 a.m. that I stood at the sink washing the breakfast dishes.  Looking out our kitchen window at the blue windy sky, my eyes caught a rare sight.


A large white cloud, illuminated by the sun, had a narrow vertical stream of white extending down from it!  I called to Elliot to come take a look.  When he got to the window, the winds had blown the fluffy white cloud away to reveal a rocket launching toward the heavens, leaving a narrow trail of cloud dust. 

NASA had launched a rocket from nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station!  This was the first time we'd ever seen a rocket launch.

A little research on-line revealed a Space X Dragon spacecraft had been scheduled to piggyback on a Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster on December 12th, 2017. 

The mission:  to resupply the International Space Station with about 4800 lbs. of research, crew supplies, and hardware.  Astronauts, Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba, aboard the International Space Station will capture the Dragon using the space station's robotic arm.

 Ground controllers will then send commands to robotically install the space craft on the Station's Harmony module. After spending a month attached to the station, Space X will return to Earth on January 13th.  Today I learned that particular mission has been postponed until Friday, but the launch we witnessed was not revealed.

Interesting that it will be the 13th commercial resupply service mission to the International Space Station. Among the experiments is a machine designed to make optical fiber in space, a space debris tracker, and an instrument to precisely measure the amount of solar energy reaching the earth.

Sounds like an episode of Star-Trek, but that rare sight from outer space, as seen from our window, definitely expanded my consciousness to broader horizons.

Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his armies.  
Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.
  Praise him, you heaven of heavens, 
and you waters above the heavens."  
                         Psalm 148:2-4


Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen



(NASA photo from a previous launch)

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Make a Joyful Noise! An Angel Message




















What fun to sing carols to get into the spirit of Christmas.  Our local newspaper delivered a songbook tucked in with the news.  It was exactly what I needed.  Sitting on the sofa, alone, I felt free to belt out childhood favorites.  By the time I'd finished, I had a rush of joy, and had learned a few new verses to those old songs, like the final one in  O Christmas Tree.

"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, You speak of God, unchanging.
You tell us all to faithful be. And trust in God eternally.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, You speak of God unchanging."

 Enjoy your day with the Angels.  And make a joyful noise!



Rae Karen

Monday, December 11, 2017

An Unusual Visitor: An Angel Message


Early this cold morning while on my way down the garden path to write in my journal at the table by the camphor tree, I had a rare encounter.  My sudden appearance had startled a bushy tailed, long legged animal with big ears.  Light footed, he scurried down the path towards the old orange tree at the far corner of the yard. 

Immediately fox came to mind!  His long bushy tail had patches of black and silvery fur.  Now I understood why Gus, our stray cat, hadn't shown up early yesterday for breakfast. He had competition at the buffet.  Today I had decided to wait for that lovable orange tabby to make an appearance before bringing out a fresh bowl of chow.

A fox!  I marveled. Here in the neighborhood! I felt a rush of magic in the garden.  Foxes are nocturnal, moving about silently without making their presence known.  They are masters at the art of camouflage. The timing was interesting as yesterday the angel blog had ended on a note to pay attention to any unusual encounters with animals that cross your path.  What are they doing when you see them?

So here at dawn a lone fox had come out of hiding in search of food, I presume, as he was retreating from the patio where I usually put out a bowl of cat nuggets. Fox teaches a lesson in blending in with your surroundings, to come and go without being noticed, without revealing your intentions. Fox also symbolizes guiding the feminine creative forces.  The message it brings is that if you focus on creative energies, then at the sharp turns in life,  you will be able to navigate them with ease.

With the many sharp turns we have all had to face this year, I welcome the reminder to focus on sharing our creative energies to make the world a better place.  Thoughts are things so choose wisely how you color your world.

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen

(photo: garden path in spring)

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Remembering Departed Loves Ones: An Angel Message

This morning when I opened advent calendar Door 9, I felt a touch of heaven. A curly tailed pink pig wrapped in blue ribbon is not everyone's idea of a perfect gift.  But for me, it hit home.   My Mom grew up on a farm, and had a favorite pet pig Susanna.  Maybe that's why in later years, Mom began collecting little pigs for her curio cabinet. So finding the little pig on a Christmas advent calendar, of all places, warmed my heart. 

I am so grateful for the understanding that life goes on beyond the physical body.  Holidays can be especially sad, longing for those cherished memories with loved ones. A book by White Eagle* helped me gain a brighter perspective. 

"In the world of spirit Christmas time is a most grand and powerful ceremony or festival, of which man only gets a glimmering reflection. Here the presence of the Cosmic Christ is actually seen and felt. Try to picture a temple, apparently built out of light, in the centre of which can be seen a Christmas tree shining with light—a symbol of the Man of Light, or the perfect light symbol; also of the Giver of Light, the Creator. This scene is for the children, and oh! How they love their Christmas festival! Yes, spirit children are very like the earth children—they laugh, sing, and dance, and are easily made happy. They hear the voices of the angels. They enjoy themselves with their appointed mother guardians and with other children who to them are like brothers and sisters.


Those of you who have lost loved ones, husbands, wives or children, should realize that they have only left behind the dust of the earth. They themselves are alive in this wonderful world of eternal life, about which we are trying to speak. In love there is no separation. So at your Christmas try not to think with regret about those whom you have lost; rather let your hearts go out in joy to them in their new-found life of freedom and happiness. They can all gather round you. Yes, we are giving you their message of love. You must not think of us as being very sanctimonious and proper in the spirit world. Indeed, the beloved Lord himself has a keen sense of humour. There is greater fun in the spirit world than on earth. Therefore, may the peace of the spirit of Christ bless your Christmas, and bring to you that deep and lasting happiness which comes in the silence of the night, and in peaceful days.

Before you sleep, try to remember that if your hearts aspire, purely and simply, to join the company of heaven you too may be fetched by angels—by your own angelic teacher and guide—and so witness and even participate in this Christmas celebration. So on earth, whatever you are doing, remain alert; and in your heart keep the simple trust of a little child.

We bring all love from the brotherhood invisible. No matter how far you travel, wherever you go, whatever you do, the friends of your spirit will be close beside you, and the happiness and joy which you feel in your hearts will be increased by their loving presence. Never shut us away at Christmas, we like to come in, we like to come into your heart and into your home."


On December 1st, the angels appeared trimming a tree behind Door 1.  May each day bring you a joyful message from your angels.


Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen 

                       
                                             
*White Eagle Website:
http://www.whiteagle.org/we_home.htm

Friday, December 8, 2017

Angel of Lights: An Angel Message

While shopping one year, Mom picked out this tall Christmas Angel as an early Christmas gift for me.  Wanting to share the joy, I placed the Angel of Lights by the dining room window where she could be seen from the street in the evenings.  I was in for an unexpected present when  I noticed her daytime watch at the window had created a delicate silhouette on the hardwood floor.  A double gift during Christmas time, and a wonderful metaphor that Angels are always with us, regardless of the time of day or night.  Angels nourish our souls if we invite them into our hearts.


And so thy path shall be a track of light,
like angels' footsteps
passing through the night.
    --Inscription from a church
       in Upwaltham, England

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Peace Angel and the Allamanda Plant: An Angel Message

Yesterday while running errands, a stop at a local bookstore turned up a lovely surprise; a box of Angel of Peace cards with a simple message:  Peace on Earth and in your Heart.

On the way home, a nature stop brought peace even closer.  At the lake, a young woman sat on a picnic table, her tall handsome companion beside her.  In the sunlight, I couldn't help but notice that their pony tails were similar in color, a burnished brown.

Although Lake Helen is horse country, rarely does one appear lakeside.

I decided to take advantage of an opportunity to get a picture for the angel blog. Horse represents power, forward movement.  Turns out, the young equestrian has just returned from a three-month tour at a Marine boot camp.  Her dear four-legged friend has missed her, and is in need of some loving attention.  I was surprised to learn that this young woman has dedicated her life to preserving the freedoms we all enjoy.  She yearns to see a world free of starving children, violence, people losing their inherent rights like we have in our country.  She comes from a family who has served the military.  Her compassion weighs heavy as I listen to her speak.

We talk about living peace in each moment, looking for the beauty and joy in the now. We both look forward to peace on Earth for everyone. I rub Brandy's long face, his star forehead, as those big brown eyes gaze into my own.   What joy to see again, eye to eye.

My young Marine friend agrees to send me a photo as my cellphone is in need of a recharge.  I offer to stay in touch and wish her well.

In the garden early this morning, my attention is drawn to the Peace Pole.  I notice a spindly long legged plant had stretched its leafy arm across the way, growing tall to embrace the PEACE Pole.  The symbolism isn't lost on me.  Peace is a goal worth striving for, both on Earth and in our hearts.

A quick search on-line revealed another surprise.  The yellow Allamanda vine is sometimes called a golden trumpet!  Turns out, it symbolizes victory will triumph over all obstacles.  It also means Heavenly Chief.  Peace on Earth.

Have a day of peace with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen










(Artwork:  Peace Angel, copyright Kinuko Y. Craft,
printed in South Korea)    

  

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

An Advent Calendar Door Popping Open in Nature: An Angel Message

This lone African Iris greeted me again this morning, wide open ready to embrace a new day.  A wonderful confirmation of divine timing.  It appeared that the iris season had passed its prime as I weeded the garden last week.  So what joy to find this tall elegant beauty popping open by the windmill yesterday.  Gratefully I accepted the lovely flower that is sacred to all who revere the Virgin Mary. It was a perfect Christmas advent door opening up in nature.  Iris signals a new birth is at hand and restores a sense of peace while maintaining hope.

What are the nature angels revealing to you?  It's fun to watch and see.

"The observer of nature sees, with admiration, 
that the world is full of the glory of God."
       CARL LINNAEUS, Tour of Lapland, 1732

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen

Saturday, December 2, 2017

An Advent Gift from Nature: Angel Message



The rush of the holiday season, with its desire to please everyone, can be hectic and compelling if we let it.  We find ourselves caught up in a flow of plans that we don't really want to do, but...

This morning I was in need of a walk, feeling pressured to please everyone, without really paying attention to my own inner voice.  Being a people pleaser is a hard bond to break.  

With the daily advent calendar door in mind, I was open to what gifts may cross my path.  But my heart really wasn't in it. 

On the home stretch, I came across a gift from nature:  a collection of pine cones strewn across the sidewalk.   I thanked the tall pine tree for sharing her bounty as I gathered them to use as a Christmas decoration, a basketful of pine cones.   I knew pine has to do with healing our emotions. When I looked up the reference, it was more of a gift than I realized. "Pine helps to balance strength and softness. It reminds us to express our creative energies without feelings of guilt and without allowing others to overly influence or manipulate."  (Nature Speak)

A perfect remedy for the holiday season.

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and joyful blessings,


Rae Karen

Friday, December 1, 2017

Angel Advent Calendar



Reminiscing about childhood traditions of Christmas while living in Germany for three years led me to order a German advent calendar this year.  I knew I was on to something when I found one on angels while shopping on-line. 

The month of December begins a countdown toward Christmas.  Advent means toward, and a glistening village snow scene had 24 numbered doors camouflaged in the calendar. December 1 would begin the search for door number 1, and so on up to Christmas Eve.  

Only seven when I got my first calendar, what fun to search for the hidden door of the day, and pop it open. I'd find a little picture of a toy, or a candy cane, or a gingerbread man.  These simple symbols of the Christmas season fed my joyful anticipation of Christmas Day drawing nearer.  The calendar brought another good lesson on patience.  If you cheat and open more than one door, it doesn't bring  Christmas any sooner. 


Now, that I'm mostly grown up, I never want to lose the joy of expectancy each day.  An idea came to me one December to see each new day as a living advent calendar door.   Watch for God's loving surprise to open up as I go about my business. And to look for ways to be a gift to another. 


May your holy season be filled with Joy, Peace and Love. 




Rae Karen