Okay, it’s just a start. Here’s the beginnings of our “Family Album”. Looking forward to your submissions to make this a complete picture of everyone. I’ll let you explain who’s who. That’ll keep the talk going!
I love photos! I see Melody (and beautiful family), I see Jean (and Ken), I see adorable Katrina with those reporter glasses (smashing), I see Pam & Cory (gosh Corys’ not far from passing you in height I need to adjust my mental picture of little boy to young man) can’t be sure who he’s standing next to? Then of “Course” Ms. Winnie catching that blue dot with her teeth (: she has so many skills- how she stays so humble is beyond me.
Thanks Bernard for another wonderful addition. It felt like I was in a scene from romper room trying to identify my good friends and mighty companions 🙂
Annie, Left to right Laura the toddler student, Cory, Pam. This is from last year when we had our first village skype call and Laura came up from Kansas and Cory and I met her for the first time in the flesh at the truck stop in York, Nebraska where we had breakfast and heard villager voices for the first time. Cory’s hair is getting to be almost as long as his mother’s also.
I like seeing bigger photos of Jean and Melody. Looking good everyone.
Suggestion Mr. Mayor. Would it be possible to put a small number on each photo to make referencing easier, especially when we get lots more pictures or if a new person shows up?
Pam, the problem is the time it takes me to do all the editing. I’m not really good at photoshop (gimp, actually), but I’ll try. Each photo has to be downloaded to my computer then re-sized, sometimes I change the colors a little, then saved, then uploaded to the site, then copied to the gallery page. And usually there’s hiccup or two along the way. I’ll do my best!
Hey Bernard, No Worry. If ya do ya do, if ya don’t ya don’t. I just got done doing 10 hours over 3 days trying to assign a class for Cory in a new program and had a major meltdown over it yesterday. Anyway thats another story.
Cory says that after doing the resizing and such you just use your text tool to add a number. plus he said he likes paint . net (also free and safe) in addition to GIMP. Hope that is useful info. Of course he’s 12 so it’s easy for him……LOL
I love this blurry photo just sent in by an anonymous Villagepeople – it’s of Annie and Ken and just so perfectly captures the loosening of our individual identities in this wild blaze of color and laughter! I think Annie is merging into the Light! G’byyyyeeeeee….. (poof!)
I told you TexAnne was the professional camera person. Whenever, she snaps a shot (it could be simutaneous with someone else – ok me) her picture will capture something more/or less in this matter. Ken is most definitely pulling me into the vortex of Light-
I love it!
This was taken at the end of Tuesdays lecture when I wanted to say goodbye to Ken (as I could only attend a few days of the Academy) and asked if he wouldn’t mind me taking one more picture of him, followed by the additional request of him holding the sign I made (Hello Village). Did I mention that he took a look at the sketch, paused just a few seconds which instaneously sent me spiraling into this decent great doubt (do you know what you are asking?) I won’t go into the chorus of voices that presented themselves while I awaited his approval. He didn’t say a word and then he raised the sign up and produced a smile…I think he was just being kind.
Thanks Anne for sending along and making this part of the gallery.
Hi Gang! Leaving Temecula this morning to visit our daughter and family in Redondo Beach! I had the most amazing experience here – will do my best to put it into words (which never works but I’ll try next week when we arrive home!) I was able to give our own Jaime three hugs and kisses from all of us as he was on retreat here at the workshop, nd not allowed to talk to anyone! It’s okay, I truly felt his Love…..
Love the pictures, I sort of feel like I’m hogging the gallery a bit -dear Bearnard, please feel free to eliminate at least a couple to make room for others! 🙂 Love to you all – *I am at this moment in a “very nice space.”
Melody, can’t wait to read about your experiences in Temecula. Enjoy your family in Redondo Beach maybe you could stay a few extra days, I heard it snowed in Chicago the other day.
ohgod not the snow word! Hubby is playing with our two grandsons, daughter and son in law working out at the gym, so here I am!
It started out the first day in class, my asking about the small m mind – asking if it was an aspect of spirit small s! Ken said no. I said I need a synonym for the word mind (small m) as my question has nothing to do with above the purple line Mind Oneness. Ken said the synonym would be bubkiss – and told me not to ask him how to spell it! My husband (the non formal course student) who was sitting next to me loved this and was finding it very humorous! I persisted in my question (and this was right in class) and Ken said “only for you – the word is soul with a small s!” I had said originally, that I knew small m mind was outside of time and space, non temporal, so I automatically thought this made it an aspect of small s spirit. Well, Ken made a few other references in his talk about the the small s for me which my husband continued to find pretty funny…..
In the middle of the night I woke up, not very happy, thinking….”this whole course is about getting from the body back to the mind, which is not part of the body, blah blah blah. I’m trying to write this in the midst of a mini softball game in the kitchen with lots of chaos so hope you’re all following…..- bottom line – *I was in the midst of intense resistance!!!
I had asked Ken in the beginning of the first day if I could spend a few minutes with him and he said yes. As I was talking with someone the next morning before class, Ken came up to me and said “let’s talk before the afternoon session – about 2:15 – will that work for you? We met, and I told him that I was at the stage in my process of looking at lots and lots of crap. He answered, yes, the ego belief system is not pretty at all. I said no, it really was not, and because I am so good at being brutally honest – and finally at the stage of looking without judgment, or watching myself watch myself watching myself…..there needs to be something more for me. He was so gently and loving, and the love was so encompassing of everyone and everything – it was unbelievable. It truly was in my interpretation, a Love not of this world. He gently told me that I was doing so well, to continue to be patient, this is the whole process, and I get an A+! Somehow, I knew it was true! I proceeded to tell Ken that sometimes I didn’t trust the Course, didn’t know if it was true, still had some issues w/Jesus. He just lovingly and sincerely told me how great that all was, as if I weren’t honest about all of this, I would never be able to get through to the love just beyond it. He said “it’s just a slight flip” and you’re so close to the love…..don’t believe the lies, continue to have patience, be honest when I don’t, and this will eventually bring me home! Somehow, I knew it was true – all of it!
We then spoke more about the word “bupkiss” and I said – that would means nothing, doesn’t it?! It’s all about the decision maker – the choice made in the mind – the “wrong mind” of the split mind is nothing, and all that counts is the decision for the Holy Spirit/Jesus in my right mind. That’s ALL it’s about isn’t it?! He then hugged me, kissed me on the forehead and said “You got it!” The “blue dot” is all the Course is about! The decision making non temporal mind that will get us Home, when we look at the stuff, which is ugly, and choose again. Laugh gently – don’t take it seriously – same words, however somehow, I know them to be true. Even in the unholy instants, I know these words to be true.
Sorry, if this is disappointing because it’s nothing different, yet the experience of “knowing it’s all true” for those holy instants, somehow lifted me up at least one wrung of the ladder. I’m so grateful, and will stop now, because I’ll go in circles – plus I’m getting hit with rubber balls and being paged to join the game and the chaos!
Love and Gratitude to all, m
I guess the whole point is the experience of the love, not of this world, which while I’m still in process, continues to go back and forth, yet this was a mighty- mighty companion that *I (a blue dot dreaming about being a body) will accompany me on this journey without a distance! *blue dot, as we all know, is a decision maker, non temporal, outside of time and space…..that is “running the whole show – or dream – or illusion” – or whatever name one wants to call it!
Bernard, I look forward to reading your post when I have some peace and quiet, which may not be until *I return to Chicago! *I have no doubt it will be “worth the wait!” As going through this whole process, which is part of the “waiting” and “patience” will be worth it to go Home! “Trust the process.” Practice – practice – practice!!!!!!
Thanks Melody!!!!!!!!! Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing this unforgettable experience with us. All is about the blue dot, only that is true in this world. Loved Ken´s advise: “Trust the process, practice, practice, practice!!”
Melody, I can’t imagine a more wonderful contribution to this Village. I have just re-read your encounter with Ken and I’m right there with you. I felt his love, and I know there is a Love not of this world that is drawing us forward, reassuring us that all is well, that we’re not the failing students we might think at times. We’re all making progress, sometimes imperceptibly, along this path. We’re nearly there!! It just feels so much more real and available when we hear experiences like these. Thank you most sincerely for this. I can’t believe you actually wanted to apologize for disappointing us – egads! As Lisi reiterated, just trust the process – forgive, forgive, forgive, release, release, release ourselves from our illusions of condemnation, vulnerability and sinfulness. And we’re Home! YAY!
Melody, firstly that was just a lovely posting. I could see you there at your computer trying to sneak in a little time for your ACIM family while there is a mini-softball game being played all around you (: What cool grandparents you are playing ball in the house while the parents are out (score) and I am adding the color blue to those rubber balls flying around envsioning you focused at the screen writing about your beautiful encounter with Ken while literally being hit upside the head with a blue ball (: I know I’m exaggerating a bit but your post was a perfect metaphor of how this whole game of life could be viewed if we chose to not take it seriously.
If the Foundation wanted to produce an infomercial of what a day in the life of a Course Student looks like – I would totally vote for this script (: Believe me this post did not disappoint. In fact, I love how your husband the ( non formal course student ) was right there with you enjoying the lectures and supporting you. And I loved, loved, loved you including the little set up how you asked Ken on the first day if you could spend a few minutes with him and he said yes! Then the very next day he approached you asking if 2:15 would work?… like ya- now problem (: I would replay that moment in my head a few hundred times but then it would quickly be replaced by the moment he kissed you on the forehead (all together now…awwwww) Girl-what a lovely, lovely experience. So close indeed to love you are and your sharing allowed me/us to feel the love too.
I hate when I reread my posts and see spelling errors (:
My first thought began with the letter “f” …Forgiveness.
What Melody -try to be brutally honest? ok, it was the second word.
you caught me.
Still I couldn’t let it go and I needed to follow up with this posting.
Not the kind of correction the Holy Spirit is looking for but its a start.
Nevertheless, the only problem that exists is in the “now”.
Cute little addition to the family album – the group photo of the girls in Temecula. By the way, I know I have a lot of work to do on this page still to make it worthy of our family. I’ll get to it … sometime!
Okay, it’s just a start. Here’s the beginnings of our “Family Album”. Looking forward to your submissions to make this a complete picture of everyone. I’ll let you explain who’s who. That’ll keep the talk going!
I love photos! I see Melody (and beautiful family), I see Jean (and Ken), I see adorable Katrina with those reporter glasses (smashing), I see Pam & Cory (gosh Corys’ not far from passing you in height I need to adjust my mental picture of little boy to young man) can’t be sure who he’s standing next to? Then of “Course” Ms. Winnie catching that blue dot with her teeth (: she has so many skills- how she stays so humble is beyond me.
Thanks Bernard for another wonderful addition. It felt like I was in a scene from romper room trying to identify my good friends and mighty companions 🙂
Annie, Left to right Laura the toddler student, Cory, Pam. This is from last year when we had our first village skype call and Laura came up from Kansas and Cory and I met her for the first time in the flesh at the truck stop in York, Nebraska where we had breakfast and heard villager voices for the first time. Cory’s hair is getting to be almost as long as his mother’s also.
I like seeing bigger photos of Jean and Melody. Looking good everyone.
Suggestion Mr. Mayor. Would it be possible to put a small number on each photo to make referencing easier, especially when we get lots more pictures or if a new person shows up?
Pam, the problem is the time it takes me to do all the editing. I’m not really good at photoshop (gimp, actually), but I’ll try. Each photo has to be downloaded to my computer then re-sized, sometimes I change the colors a little, then saved, then uploaded to the site, then copied to the gallery page. And usually there’s hiccup or two along the way. I’ll do my best!
Thanks Bernard! This family album is just great. And yes I think it involves a lot of work. I will try to send one or two pictures soon.
Hey Bernard, No Worry. If ya do ya do, if ya don’t ya don’t. I just got done doing 10 hours over 3 days trying to assign a class for Cory in a new program and had a major meltdown over it yesterday. Anyway thats another story.
Cory says that after doing the resizing and such you just use your text tool to add a number. plus he said he likes paint . net (also free and safe) in addition to GIMP. Hope that is useful info. Of course he’s 12 so it’s easy for him……LOL
I love this blurry photo just sent in by an anonymous Villagepeople – it’s of Annie and Ken and just so perfectly captures the loosening of our individual identities in this wild blaze of color and laughter! I think Annie is merging into the Light! G’byyyyeeeeee….. (poof!)
I told you TexAnne was the professional camera person. Whenever, she snaps a shot (it could be simutaneous with someone else – ok me) her picture will capture something more/or less in this matter. Ken is most definitely pulling me into the vortex of Light-
I love it!
This was taken at the end of Tuesdays lecture when I wanted to say goodbye to Ken (as I could only attend a few days of the Academy) and asked if he wouldn’t mind me taking one more picture of him, followed by the additional request of him holding the sign I made (Hello Village). Did I mention that he took a look at the sketch, paused just a few seconds which instaneously sent me spiraling into this decent great doubt (do you know what you are asking?) I won’t go into the chorus of voices that presented themselves while I awaited his approval. He didn’t say a word and then he raised the sign up and produced a smile…I think he was just being kind.
Thanks Anne for sending along and making this part of the gallery.
Hi Gang! Leaving Temecula this morning to visit our daughter and family in Redondo Beach! I had the most amazing experience here – will do my best to put it into words (which never works but I’ll try next week when we arrive home!) I was able to give our own Jaime three hugs and kisses from all of us as he was on retreat here at the workshop, nd not allowed to talk to anyone! It’s okay, I truly felt his Love…..
Love the pictures, I sort of feel like I’m hogging the gallery a bit -dear Bearnard, please feel free to eliminate at least a couple to make room for others! 🙂 Love to you all – *I am at this moment in a “very nice space.”
🙂
hey Melody, Glad you’re having fun. Oooh a cliffhanger…next weeek…I can’t wait…(silly pouty face)…just teasing. And 3 hugs cool.
My true pleasure.
Melody, can’t wait to read about your experiences in Temecula. Enjoy your family in Redondo Beach maybe you could stay a few extra days, I heard it snowed in Chicago the other day.
ohgod not the snow word! Hubby is playing with our two grandsons, daughter and son in law working out at the gym, so here I am!
It started out the first day in class, my asking about the small m mind – asking if it was an aspect of spirit small s! Ken said no. I said I need a synonym for the word mind (small m) as my question has nothing to do with above the purple line Mind Oneness. Ken said the synonym would be bubkiss – and told me not to ask him how to spell it! My husband (the non formal course student) who was sitting next to me loved this and was finding it very humorous! I persisted in my question (and this was right in class) and Ken said “only for you – the word is soul with a small s!” I had said originally, that I knew small m mind was outside of time and space, non temporal, so I automatically thought this made it an aspect of small s spirit. Well, Ken made a few other references in his talk about the the small s for me which my husband continued to find pretty funny…..
In the middle of the night I woke up, not very happy, thinking….”this whole course is about getting from the body back to the mind, which is not part of the body, blah blah blah. I’m trying to write this in the midst of a mini softball game in the kitchen with lots of chaos so hope you’re all following…..- bottom line – *I was in the midst of intense resistance!!!
I had asked Ken in the beginning of the first day if I could spend a few minutes with him and he said yes. As I was talking with someone the next morning before class, Ken came up to me and said “let’s talk before the afternoon session – about 2:15 – will that work for you? We met, and I told him that I was at the stage in my process of looking at lots and lots of crap. He answered, yes, the ego belief system is not pretty at all. I said no, it really was not, and because I am so good at being brutally honest – and finally at the stage of looking without judgment, or watching myself watch myself watching myself…..there needs to be something more for me. He was so gently and loving, and the love was so encompassing of everyone and everything – it was unbelievable. It truly was in my interpretation, a Love not of this world. He gently told me that I was doing so well, to continue to be patient, this is the whole process, and I get an A+! Somehow, I knew it was true! I proceeded to tell Ken that sometimes I didn’t trust the Course, didn’t know if it was true, still had some issues w/Jesus. He just lovingly and sincerely told me how great that all was, as if I weren’t honest about all of this, I would never be able to get through to the love just beyond it. He said “it’s just a slight flip” and you’re so close to the love…..don’t believe the lies, continue to have patience, be honest when I don’t, and this will eventually bring me home! Somehow, I knew it was true – all of it!
We then spoke more about the word “bupkiss” and I said – that would means nothing, doesn’t it?! It’s all about the decision maker – the choice made in the mind – the “wrong mind” of the split mind is nothing, and all that counts is the decision for the Holy Spirit/Jesus in my right mind. That’s ALL it’s about isn’t it?! He then hugged me, kissed me on the forehead and said “You got it!” The “blue dot” is all the Course is about! The decision making non temporal mind that will get us Home, when we look at the stuff, which is ugly, and choose again. Laugh gently – don’t take it seriously – same words, however somehow, I know them to be true. Even in the unholy instants, I know these words to be true.
Sorry, if this is disappointing because it’s nothing different, yet the experience of “knowing it’s all true” for those holy instants, somehow lifted me up at least one wrung of the ladder. I’m so grateful, and will stop now, because I’ll go in circles – plus I’m getting hit with rubber balls and being paged to join the game and the chaos!
Love and Gratitude to all, m
I guess the whole point is the experience of the love, not of this world, which while I’m still in process, continues to go back and forth, yet this was a mighty- mighty companion that *I (a blue dot dreaming about being a body) will accompany me on this journey without a distance! *blue dot, as we all know, is a decision maker, non temporal, outside of time and space…..that is “running the whole show – or dream – or illusion” – or whatever name one wants to call it!
Bernard, I look forward to reading your post when I have some peace and quiet, which may not be until *I return to Chicago! *I have no doubt it will be “worth the wait!” As going through this whole process, which is part of the “waiting” and “patience” will be worth it to go Home! “Trust the process.” Practice – practice – practice!!!!!!
Thanks Melody!!!!!!!!! Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing this unforgettable experience with us. All is about the blue dot, only that is true in this world. Loved Ken´s advise: “Trust the process, practice, practice, practice!!”
Lots of love and hugs
Melody, I can’t imagine a more wonderful contribution to this Village. I have just re-read your encounter with Ken and I’m right there with you. I felt his love, and I know there is a Love not of this world that is drawing us forward, reassuring us that all is well, that we’re not the failing students we might think at times. We’re all making progress, sometimes imperceptibly, along this path. We’re nearly there!! It just feels so much more real and available when we hear experiences like these. Thank you most sincerely for this. I can’t believe you actually wanted to apologize for disappointing us – egads! As Lisi reiterated, just trust the process – forgive, forgive, forgive, release, release, release ourselves from our illusions of condemnation, vulnerability and sinfulness. And we’re Home! YAY!
Melody, firstly that was just a lovely posting. I could see you there at your computer trying to sneak in a little time for your ACIM family while there is a mini-softball game being played all around you (: What cool grandparents you are playing ball in the house while the parents are out (score) and I am adding the color blue to those rubber balls flying around envsioning you focused at the screen writing about your beautiful encounter with Ken while literally being hit upside the head with a blue ball (: I know I’m exaggerating a bit but your post was a perfect metaphor of how this whole game of life could be viewed if we chose to not take it seriously.
If the Foundation wanted to produce an infomercial of what a day in the life of a Course Student looks like – I would totally vote for this script (: Believe me this post did not disappoint. In fact, I love how your husband the ( non formal course student ) was right there with you enjoying the lectures and supporting you. And I loved, loved, loved you including the little set up how you asked Ken on the first day if you could spend a few minutes with him and he said yes! Then the very next day he approached you asking if 2:15 would work?… like ya- now problem (: I would replay that moment in my head a few hundred times but then it would quickly be replaced by the moment he kissed you on the forehead (all together now…awwwww) Girl-what a lovely, lovely experience. So close indeed to love you are and your sharing allowed me/us to feel the love too.
Forever grateful.
Did I write “now” problem? you know I meant “no”
I hate when I reread my posts and see spelling errors (:
My first thought began with the letter “f” …Forgiveness.
What Melody -try to be brutally honest? ok, it was the second word.
you caught me.
Still I couldn’t let it go and I needed to follow up with this posting.
Not the kind of correction the Holy Spirit is looking for but its a start.
Nevertheless, the only problem that exists is in the “now”.
So ya-onward. Have a great weekend everyone!
Cute little addition to the family album – the group photo of the girls in Temecula. By the way, I know I have a lot of work to do on this page still to make it worthy of our family. I’ll get to it … sometime!