Amazing Grace, a Tribute to my Father and to Wayne Dyer, my Spiritual Father/ Mentor

On this beautiful, cool summer morning as I listen to yet another Wayne Dyer You Tube video, I contemplate the wonders of my life at this very moment.

Wayne Dyer has been my "spiritual Father/mentor" for many years of my life and he recently passed away. Upon learning of his passing, I set out to listen to his audio books, watch his movies, listen to his You Tube segments.

This mornings segment was "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life." The last few minutes of the segment, he talks about a man who was a slave trader and was caught in a storm on the sea while transporting human cargo. He thought he was going to die. With those thoughts in his mind, the man set out to write. And he wrote: "I was once lost and now I am found, it was grace that taught my heart to feel, it was grace that brought me home." He reconnected to his Source says Wayne Dyer. " We can make that trip returning to our Source at any time in our lives. This particular man shifted his life and dedicated his life to abolish slavery. In a moment its possible to shift our lives! "



And as I heard Wayne Dyer speak those words of that young man who wrote that song, I was reminded of that beautiful song that my father and I used to sing together in church. I searched You Tube for that song and found a beautiful celtic version of the song ... and I am singing to my hearts content in my office as I write this!  Here is the link to the song.. please play it, its so beautiful!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsCp5LG_zNE


My mind is taking me back to that little baptist church on a Sunday morning as my Dad and I held the hymnal together, belting out that song, together. My Dad had a wonderful voice and in fact used to sing in the choir.

There are so many amazing graces in my life at this very moment .. because you see, I just spoke to my Dad shortly before I turned on the You Tube video. It's such a gift to have my Dad back in my life and my family's  life after a long hiatus.. Truly a gift of grace.

Yesterday, I had someone ask me how my home got to be named "Grace House".  Well, the woman who first owned my home was named Grace and this home is my gift to the world as I have opened my home to family and friends for years, but more recently, over the past three years, the global community walks through my doors as I host them on Airbnb.

So, you see these gifts are many ... and I "know" , "I know" that this grace is all around my life.

And this post is dedicated to my Father, Richard Barker.. and my Spiritual Father/mentor, Wayne Dyer.

I love you both so much , thank you for being in my life and guiding me every step of the way!

Grace to all of You, My Readers,

Kimberley

A Woman who has Inspired My Life

Jan Karon is coming out with a new book in September! I am super excited about this as she is someone who has inspired my life for many years! http://www.mitfordbooks.com/

You see she writes books about a town called Mitford and an Episcopal Preacher called Father Tim.  Her books speak to a time in my life when I was a little girl, when I first fell in love with God.  Even as I write this I can remember those days when I was in the fourth grade.

I was so excited about all I had learned and my heart was so full realizing that He could love me that much!

I look back at those days and the journey that has led me to where I am today.

It has been quite a ride for sure.

Exploring my religious beliefs, my spirituality, my sexuality, the way faith intertwines into the fabric of our lives.

At that time as a young girl, I thought faith was a list of do's and don'ts, I am so glad for the realization that its not really that way at all.  Its much, much more.  Those list of do's and don'ts held me steady while I was growing up and finding my way through the world, but now as I have walked through my thirties and forties, I find those list of do's and don't quite confining and limiting. Yet, some of them still hold themselve steady in my soul.

Jan Karon's novels have alway made me feel warm and safe, just like I did growing up in my childhood home.  I curl up with them and feel like all is right with the world and it is a kind and loving place.

As I was contemplating my journey through life several years ago, unemployed and wondering where the next dollar would come from to pay the mortagage, it was she who called out to me.

It was she who delivered God's message to me.  "I have a plan for you, a plan for good."  She quoted this bible verse as she spoke at the Washington Cathedral.

At the time I was debating an employment offer that I knew wasn't my lifes' pathway, but I needed the money to pay the mortgage and the car payment.  Not knowing what to do, I prayed for God to show me the way.

I turned on my computer as I was prayerfully quiet and there she was speaking at the Washington Cathedral about her writing journey and answering God's calling.

As it turns out, I turned down the job, knowing I was to become a writer just like Jan.

At least that is what I thought anyway and then a call came in for another opportunity and I took it.

That opportunity has turned into a seven year employment and has seen me through finishing the writing of my first novel, a house fire, a mother with breast cancer who thankfully survived, my unending search to have my novel edited and published, near bankruptcy, a mother who nearly died several times this past summer and my continued journey to write and publish.

I question God these days on what the next steps are and if becoming an author is truly the plan and lo and behold, here I write.

Jan calls to me once again, "I have a plan for you, a plan for good."

Keep writing. It will come.







 

Realms of Grace

My Dearest Readers,

How have you been? Has your life been in a season of winter, fall, spring or summer?  What do I mean by that? Well, it is something I learned from a great teacher of mine Tony Robbins.  The seasons represent periods of our lives.

As I reflect over the last few months of my life, I have to say it has felt like winter for sure, with overriding feelings of depression and sadness as my mother struggled for life in a hospital bed.   The roller coaster of emotions was amazingly intense, too intense actually. Nothing else mattered but to do everything I could to save her life. I knew her time was not up yet and I was determined to see that it wasn't.  Yes, I know that God is the only one that determines the fate of our lives but the control freak, type A personality  that I have somehow wanted to believe I could play a part in His orchestra.

I am happy to say that she is recovering at home now and seems to be doing well. A gift of Grace for sure!  I pray everyday that she regains strength so that she will be with her family for another 20 years.

Most of my friends would tell you that sadness and depression are not emotions that would describe me. More like vibrant, alive, fun loving, energetic are the words they would use.  So, you could imagine how off balance I felt and how desperate I have been to come away from all of that and once again, feel happy and hopeful.

At the same time, I have to say there have been times of spring, meeting the  people that have walked through the front door as I began opening my house to guests through AirBnB.  AirBnB is an international website that allows people to stay in others homes for a fee, much like a Bed and Breakfast.  I began having guests in my home just about the same time my mother went in for her hip surgery in early May.  I have hosted folks from Germany, Indonesia, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Oregan, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Texas and Ireland.  This diversion from my mother's illness , although requiring physical energy was a breath of fresh air.  Each guest brought a richness to my life as they shared their lives and their stories with me.  The guests who were more outgoing and talkative came to me as I needed the message they shared and their companionship.  The quieter folks, entered the door as I needed my personal space and time for reflection.

It was challenging to manage my full time job, taking care of my mother and having guests in my home.  At times, I wondered if I had the energy to make it through a full day, but I did, by the mere grace of God.  And I thank God that he blessed me with the priviledge of having met these people.

And there were those that showed me signs of summer, of protection. My darling and dear friends, who never, ever,  let me stay down for too long and held me up when I needed the strength of their arms and shoulders.  The texts that came in day, after day, hour after hour from each one of them was like an invisible net of love letting me know they were there in spirit even if they couldn't be there physically.  The hugs that came each time I saw them made life a bit easier to deal with.  You know who you are my friends, my love to you forever and always.  You all have showed me what true friendship is.  That true friendship never leaves us even in the darkest of times when you can't see the way out. These are the arms of grace that embrace.

The autumn has come upon myself and my family , not only from the temperature outside but from the love that bonded us together during this time.  Old wounds started to heal as forgiveness was offered as a gift to each other as my mom's life was held in the balance.  Courage came upon my sister to start life anew in Florida. My father has joined our family once again and in some odd way, I feel, he has taken his rightful seat at the table. For this , I am grateful as it feels like a weight has been lifted and all is in harmony once again with our family.  Grace has bestowed her fragrance upon us.