Joyful Season

Spiritual Parenting Thought for the Month (SM)

Brought to you by Mimi Doe

December, 2007

V9 #11

A Joyful Season

*******************************************************************************************

This newsletter is my gift to you in the hopes of empowering children and parents everywhere to live more joyful, connected lives.

********************************************************************************************

A JOYFUL SEASON

- Welcome From Mimi

- You Have More Than Enough

- Bringing Spirit Home

- What's New

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

December greetings to you all!

If I could zap you some holiday gifts right through this computer screen here’s what

I’d send your way:

*An extra dose of patience when you need it the most

*A wave of contentment when you least expect it

*An extra half hour each day just for you – appearing effortlessly

*Healthy, happy children

*A dilemma resolved – ahhhhhhhhh

*An ongoing connection with spirit woven into the rhythm of your life

May you have a beautiful peaceful holiday season. Remember to treasure the love you receive above everything else and spread that love around.

Blessings and light from my heart to yours,

Mimi Doe

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“When you realize there is nothing lacking: the whole world belongs to you.”

--Lao Tzu

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

YOU HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH

We are entering a season that, for many, brings up tremendous feelings of want, emptiness, and even sadness. Commercial messages compel us to spend, spend, spend our money (even money we don’t have!) on things – a quick and superficial fix, when it is really emotional and spiritual fulfillment we crave. Some family or friend relationships may be strained, and during these holidays when we long to be with those we love, we may also feel lonely, disappointed, and unhappy.

When we are unhappy, we often have an empty feeling we long to fill. We sense we’re not getting what we want, so we set out to fill the void from the outside: a few chocolate chip cookies, a new pair of shoes, a glass of wine, some gossip.

What does your child do when an empty feeling presents its ugly gap: whine, cry, cling, stuff another doughnut in a wide open mouth? Does he come down with the case of gimmees, lash out with angry words, or tease his brother?

When we begin to accept that nothing from the outside world will ever be enough to assuage that empty feeling, we’ve crossed a huge chasm. With that empowering awareness, we can guide our kids to trust that they have unlimited wisdom within and realize everything they need is already theirs. This deep connection with spirit guides us and delivers only good.

So the next time you’re feeling blue, instead of reaching for another piece of pie, place your hands on your heart, pause, breathe deeply, and imaging golden light filling your very being. Ask yourself, “What is the essence of what I am hungering for?” Then listen to the thoughts that surface. Maybe what you want more of is appreciation or security. How might you go about achieving these qualities? Just naming them often takes the edge off the longing.

The next time your child starts to whine, and you sense she’s feeling an empty spot, try not to respond to the behavior but rather assume she is really craving more love. Remind her to turn up the spark of light that flickers inside. “Pretend you have a little switch right on your heart. Flip the switch on right now and feel that beautiful, powerful love filling you up.” Provide her with a deep hug and your loving presence.

Become an “empty feelings sleuth” and remain on the lookout for ways in which you and your child attempt to fill the void. Try saying, “I realize the Divine, rich source of happiness is within me.” Remember Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” who discovered she needn’t have gone looking outside herself to get “home” – the power was within her all the time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“The beating heart of the universe is holy joy.”

--Martin Buber

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

BRINGING SPIRIT HOME

Caren Prentice is the mother of four children ranging from middle school to college, and is the author of “The Advent Box: How to Bring Spirit Home for the Holidays.” For more than a decade, her family has engaged in a homegrown family ritual that expands on the traditional Christian concept of an Advent box or calendar to include experiences of connection to family, Spirit, and community. Each day of Advent brings a few moments where the family fathers to light Advent candles and share a brief spiritual reading and a prayer, and open a door on the Advent box. Each door conceals an activity that focuses on Giving – to each other, to their friends, or those in need – strengthening their sense of family connection. Fun is the theme that ties all the activities together, and the Prentice kids are enthusiastic participants – most of the time.

“When my older kids were teens,” says Caren, “they went through phases where they could barely tolerate the fact that the rest of us existed. They opted out of family activities and weren’t much fun to be around when they did decide to join us. I would often feel like I was wasting my time doing the Advent box.

“When Alyce was a freshman in college, though, she called to ask, ‘We’re doing the Advent box this year, right?’ And, as a young adult, she’s one of its most ardent fans.”

If you ask Alyce now what she remembers about the holidays during her teen years, she recalls the experience of family closeness and connection to Spirit that this ritual provided for her family. “It’s so much about what Christmas really is – it’s about God and giving to others. I looked forward to the activities in the Advent box more than I did opening presents on Christmas morning.”

Here are some other holiday rituals and traditions that families share. Why not take these for your own? Add your own special touches, and make it truly your family’s tradition:

- Incorporate more giving opportunities into your holidays. Explore the fun of secret giving. How about a trip to the mall with a small stash of one- and five-dollar bills on which you’ve attached a sticky note that says, “This has been dropped as a random act of kindness. Happy Holidays!” Each family member drops two or three bills, and watches in secret as passersby pick them up.

- Invite your teen’s friends and their families to participate in your family tradition, whether it’s Christmas dinner or a special meal during Ramadan.

- New Year’s Day lends itself to rituals about releasing the old and welcoming the new. Some people burn the previous year’s calendar. Invite your teen to share his or her most significant memories from the year that’s ending, and goals and dreams for the new.

-Last year my daughter was a freshman in college. I missed her terribly during the holiday season and each day of December sent her an Advent Email with a quote and spiritual meditation. I’m not sure if she got as much out of reading these missives as I did in writing them. It became my own meditation to create the daily thoughts. Here’s one from December 11th last year:

Breathless Joy

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

--George Carlin

God has created such a vast, abundant universe that we have the potential to live a life filled with breathless moments! The possibilities are endless. The greatest things are experienced in the heart. I open mine today to receive.

I sent my daughter an email this morning to inquire if she would like the “Advent Thoughts” to arrive again this year. I’m poised and ready.

Remember that, in the moment, the sacred can feel anything but. Younger teens, in particular, can find it challenging to sincerely engage in rituals. Patience and perseverance are the order of the day, as the impact of rituals and celebrating holidays or infusing a memorable moment into an ordinary day, let your child guide you to what’s magic for her. Feed your own soul by learning more about what feels like magic to you, and incorporate more of it into your life.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God.”

--Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*~WHAT'S NEW~*~

THE PERFECT GIFT OF POSITIVE WORDS FOR ANYONE ON YOUR LIST

I found these amazing blankets last year and gave them to just about everyone on my holiday list. In fact, I'm at a loss as to what to do this year to match this joyful, positive, affirming gift. They are soft, warm, and of course, affirm the BEST.

Head over to Affirmagy and pick up a few for favorite teachers, each of your kids, the new baby on your list (the baby blankets are precious)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

TREAT YOURSELF TO THE GIFT OF DREAMS COME TRUE!

Make ALL your dreams come true with the Dream Manifesto!

For YEARS I have been creating vision boards or treasure maps using poster boards and images of what

I would like to manifest in my life...Literally for about 24 years...

Up until now...

Now, since I'm on my computer so much of the time...I've installed this easy to use software, literally I had it up and running in less than 5 minutes, and my images are scheduled to appear with sound...that I've created...every hour...reminding me of what I wish to focus upon...

It's crazy cool!

**********************************************************

TREAT YOUR TEENAGERS TO STRESS FREE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS!

If your children are in high school, pick up a copy of my book: Don't Worry You'll Get In: 100 Tips for Stress Free College Admission. I believe that knowledge is power and have created various ways to help make the application and admissions process less stressful.

**********************************************************

CREATE A LIFE LIVED ON PURPOSE IN 2008

Busy but Balanced

Begin 2008 by committing to crafting a more balanced life!

This book takes you through the year, week by week...Full of tips, tools, ideas and inspiration for crafting a family life that is calm, centered, and full of joy!

To unsubscribe/change profile: click here.
To subscribe: click here.

SpiritualParenting.com
109 Baker Avenue
Concord, Massachusetts 01742

You are welcome to reproduce this newsletter under the following conditions:

1. Include the following attribution: Mimi Doe is the founder of Spiritual Parenting.com and the award-winning author of "Nurturing Your Teenager's Soul", "Busy But Balanced", "10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting", and co-author of "Don’t' Worry Get In". Mimi's free newsletter, Spiritual Parenting, has more than 30m000 subscribers from around the world. Sign up on the website: www.SpiritualParenting.com.

2. Inform us of how, when, and where you are using the article.

3. Send a hard copy or a link to the site where it is being published if reproducing it electronically.

4. If reproducing the article electronically, include a link to our website: www.SpiritualParenting.com.

Spiritual Parenting Thought for the Month (SM) is written and produced by Mimi Doe and Karen Adolphson. If you have any stories to share, questions or comments, please send them to: Editor@SpiritualParenting.com. We'd love to hear from you!

Any submission of tips, stories, and other content to Spiritual Parenting Thought for the Month and SpiritualParenting.com, whether by email, mail, or posted to our website, becomes the property of Spiritual Parenting. Please see our terms of use and privacy policy for more details at: http://www.SpiritualParenting.com.

Mimi Doe, Author of:
"Nurturing Your Teenager's Soul"
"Busy But Balanced"
"10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting"
"Drawing Angels Near"

http://www.SpiritualParenting.com