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Subscribe and/or Donate
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Greetings!
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I made my first visit to Unity Village sometime around 15-20 years ago. My husband gave me a silent retreat for my birthday- an amazingly generous gift, especially given our financial situation at the time. That gift opened the door to many other gifts, one of which resurfaced during this past couple of weeks.
At the start of the retreat, cards printed with "Angel Messages" were passed around the room. When I opened mine, I read these words, taken from "Yes, World: a Mosaic Meditation" by Mary Jean Irion:
"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, savor you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it will not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."
These words came to my mind as I drove home from a "normal" day. I'd been to my business office, gone on to our Wednesday morning prayer service, had a meeting with one of our teachers about her upcoming class, and then enjoyed a lunch with good friends.
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My phone rang, and I pulled into a shady spot in a parking lot to hear that one of my other friends had just been hospitalized with a serious health issue. I sat there for a few minutes in Silence before calling our prayer chaplains and driving home.
That same evening, I went to dinner with my husband and was seated very close to another table of diners. Due to their proximity, I couldn't help overhearing their table conversation; it was a mother and her two grown sons... and they were discussing the arrangements necessary after Dad's passing. Mom started crying a couple of times, one of the sons spoke about wanting to make sure everyone got what was meaningful to them without it turning into a gathering of vultures. The other son was very quiet, and reached over regularly to touch his mom's shoulder. I again thought of this prayer of gratitude for the blessings of a normal day.
It is so easy to forget... we have our habitual routines, and it is very difficult to remain mindful. Gosh- it's difficult (and generally impossible!) to remain mindful for a brief counting-the-breath meditation. I get so proud of myself if I actually reach a count of ten that my excitement at staying mindful for ten whole breaths generally yanks me away to the extent that I'm no longer mindful of my breath, but living in some fantasy world where I have achieved enlightenment through perfect mindfulness. So it is time to again become present, and again count the breath... one-two-three...
The next day I went about my life with a renewed awareness of the blessings of that particular normal day, and wrote out the skeleton of this email. That morning, I also received the first baby pictures of two friends' new grandchildren: one just-born, the other still in black-and-white ultrasound imagery, forming a welcome counterpoint to the previous day's events.
And then... life moved along as life does, and somewhere along the line, I again forgot my intention of moment-to-moment mindful gratitude. Less than a week later, when the to-do reminder popped up about an email being due for today, I found myself trying to remember, and wondering what it was I had sketched out for this newsletter. It's more than a little bit embarrassing to admit that I couldn't even remember from one week to the next that my topic was remaining mindful of the everyday blessings in our lives. Oh well. We do what we do, and sometimes we just have to smile at and forgive our own human inconsistencies.
"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are..."
The Light I AM recognizes, blesses, and honors the Light You Are-
Namaskar- Blessings, Rev. Nita
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CLASS INFORMATION
Classes are an opportunity to expand your spiritual understanding, get to know your fellow travelers along the spiritual path, and deepen your spiritual practice. We talk, discuss, pray, meditate, and laugh a LOT as we learn!
Development of the Unity Movement
Wednesdays, 7/30 - 8/27 10:30am - 12:30pm Susan Sellers, LUT, facilitates
If we consider that what we call Unity is the movement of Spirit--of divine ideas--in and through human minds and hearts, and if we believe that this movement of Spirit is ongoing, then each of us becomes an important, even essential, element in the continuing evolution of Unity.In addition to tracing the evolution of the Unity movement from its birth in the minds and hearts of Myrtle and Charles Fillmore, we'll explore the role we might assume in the forward motion of Unity. All classes are offered on a love offering basis, and Unity Institute SEE credit is available for each of these classes. If you've got any questions, just hit the "reply" button on this email and ask.
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Mark Your Calendar for the first-ever Tucson emPower PosiPalooza!
Posi-favorites David Roth, Jana Stanfield, and Richard Mekdeci join together in a unique musical conversation. Each concert is full of "one of a kind" magic! Artists perform in a round robin format, engaging in banter, sharing how songs were written, and creating impromptu arrangements. Free CD give-aways, laughter, and empowering Positive Music! Come spend an evening in creativity and joy.
September 21, 2014 - 6:00pm
Donald R. Nickerson Performing Arts Center 3231 N. Craycroft Rd. Tucson, AZ.
SingleTickets: $20.00 each 
and more good news...
Jana Stanfield will be presenting her musical message during our celebration service on Sunday, September 21st. David Roth will be at the Tucson Center for Spiritual Living, and Richard Mekdici will share his musical gifts at Unity of Tucson. Plan now to be a part of this first-ever cooperative New Thought event!
Sample Jana's music
Visit David's Website
Get to know Richard
Explore the many resources of emPower Music & Arts
(single-ticket purchases are also available through emPower)
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Child care and Sunday School is always available for kids
Our Sunday School teachers look forward to sharing Unity principles with your children aged 4-12. Our nursery is available for the very young ones, as well. We provide professionally trained and screened childcare for those ages 0-3, so that you may enjoy attending service while knowing that your little ones are well cared-for.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
There are many things which need to get done here in our center, and Susan Smith is working to make it easier for you to become involved. Please check at the information table to see what might be fun for you to do.
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES (ICS) RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES
To volunteer through our affiliation with Interfaith Community Services, you can contact, Sandi Brickley, ICS Volunteer Resources Manager, either by phone at 520-297-2738 ext. 217 or at their website
If You Could Benefit from ICS resources, referrals are available
Interfaith Community Services provides a wide range of services for seniors, disabled individuals and people in financial needs. Please contact Susan Smith or Rev. Nita with questions about ICS services. Contact Susan via email.
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