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The Grace Place Raising Grace Coaching
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Encouragement for Graceful Living
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Lengthening Days 2009
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Raising Grace Ranch
People are always asking me if I want more animals (usually because they have an animal they would like to be rid of and know I have space). No matter how compelling their offer, I am able to say no easily because I have a rule for the farm: Everything must have a purpose -- and preferably more than one.
The sheep turn pasture into nourishment and make more sheep. The pigs rototill the garden, clear the woods, produce food, and make more pigs. The chickens produce food and eat ticks. All of the above create excellent ferilizer. The dogs provide companionship and guard against predators. The cat keeps rodents away and offers contented purring. My boy and I provide shelter, food, and water for the whole lot.
While every animal is loved, there are no pets here. No pot-bellied pig, or pony, or pet llama just for fun. I love pets and will include them in my life again someday, but for now it's very rewarding to stay focused on purpose.
Watching the animals live their purpose reminds me to constantly evaluate mine. Am I living God's purpose for me? What am I doing that is distracting me from it? How can I fine tune my activities and thoughts to get more purpose out of every day?
After decades of searching for answers, I've found that living on purpose is the key to a peaceful mind, a joyful heart, and very sound sleep. That's something the animals have always known.
Raising Grace Ranch provides healthful naturally and humanely (an understatement!) raised meats as well as educational experiences for those who wish to understand more about how healthy food should be raised. Buy local!! |
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 Spring is coming!
No matter what the weather is doing outside at the moment you read this, I would like to share some signs of spring with you. The seasons are hard to miss here at the farm.
When I stepped into the dawn today to go do the chores, the sky was filled with geese. There were flocks to the east and flocks to the west and flocks overhead, all honking their excitement. They were flying north. North! Geese know spring and they say it's here. Add to that the lengthening days, the dwindling piles of snow, the fast-moving snow-melt brook, the softening ice in the pond. And the mud. There is great promise in all that mud.
Are you willing to see the promise in your mud? Often the things in our life that have made the biggest mess offer the most fertile ground for growth. What seeds are you planting? Now is an excellent time to sow some powerful intentions for the next phase of your life. Would you like more joy? A sense of purpose? Spiritual connection? Give yourself permission to ask boldly for what you want.
Here's to your growth as the earth returns to the light.
Be In Joy,
Sharon
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Relationshipping: Are You Entangled?
For most of my life I sought out very close and connected relationships. I clung to the idea that unless a relationship was everything to me, it wasn't worth having. And, oh boy, did the closeness ever feel good! Until one party in the relationship
needed to go on a business trip or wanted to see friends or had to go to the bathroom. Then, oh no!, the heartache and missing. Or until the other party did something that I viewed as dangerous or destructive. Then, oh my!, the fear, the desperate attempts to control, manipulate, and protect.
I've grown to see that my past pattern of relationships was to become entangled, which is very different from mature love. As life has taught me (the hard way) to stand tall on my own and love myself wholly, I've discovered that the more freedom there is for both parties to walk their own path, the happier I am. And the happier I am, the more rewarding the relationship is. Paradoxically, in letting go, I can feel closer than I've ever felt before. There is ease and grace in every coming together and parting. It's all just right.
Relationships have much to teach us and offer us a very accurate reflection of who we are at the moment. If you want your relationship to change, change yourself first. Try releasing your grip. Are you clinging to something or someone too tightly? What are you afraid of? Does being afraid help? Can you find a way to choose faith instead of fear? Can you learn to give yourself the love you need so that you can gratefully receive what your partner freely gives without demanding more?
Entanglement is like two hands with fingers interlocked together -- the connection feels good until one wants to move. Healthy love is two hands pressed flat together in prayer -- powerful, connected, complete -- and yet each hand is free to pursue it's journey ... and return later for a delicious sharing.
May all your relationships be blessed. Happy Valentine's Day.
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Raising Grace Coaching offers confidential, private telephone coaching to clients nationwide. Coaching is a powerful and efficient process that helps clients turn life's challenges into profound spiritual lessons. Through heart-centered guidance clients gain awareness and choose actions that propel them forward. Recovery coaching provides specific expertise on the processes and effects of addiction in order to offer a path to peace, joy, and purpose for those who have suffered with addictive relationships, substances, or behaviors. Please call 401-588-1799 or email to set up your free, no obligation consultation and coaching session. Or go to www.steppingfree.org to download the free report: Do You Love an Addict?: Strategies for Healing. Click here to view past issues of The Grace Place. |
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