Life is the School, Love is the Lesson

Funny how a bumper sticker can capture a whole philosophy in one simple phrase. Saw this one on the car in front of me at the gas station and it made me pause to reflect on it.

"That is exactly true", I thought to myself while pumping gas.

I have always believed life is a school of sorts. We are here to learn and to grow spiritually and emotionally. Here are some of my quips:

"If life is a school, why are some people stuck in kindergarten?",

"Repeat after me, this is a test, this is only a test" and 

"If life is a school, why does it take me so long to learn the lesson?" 

And then there are those who don't learn their lessons and will have to give it another go-round, if you get my drift.

Who are You Loving
This bumper sticker was a powerful reminder to me of where my focus ought to be. Life is all about learning to love ourselves, others, and God in a balanced and healthy way. It seems strange to me that some Christians don't believe you should love yourself. What? Remember the second greatest commandment "Love your neighbor as yourself." A pastor friend recently told me on Facebook that the concept of loving ourselves is from our "modern culture." Again, what? I'd "love" to hear your thoughts on this one. 

Balance is Key 

It takes practice and awareness. Most of us tip towards one direction or another and it's only when problems arise, we realize we have been out of balance in our love walk. For example, take the workaholic who neglects his/her family and ends up dealing with an affair, a divorce, or a rebellious teen. The scales were tipped too heavily on the work facet of life, right? Or the mother who idolizes her kids but neglects her own well being. Who is she not loving?

Don't Play the Blame Game 
So what to do? When problems arise, don't just push through them or ignore them. Problems in life are a sign that something needs to be addressed. We must take responsibility for our lives and not continually blame our parents, our boss, or other people. That's what Adam and Eve did way back when. It wasn't the answer then and it isn't the answer now.

The answer is to realize what part I have played in the dramas in my life. Ask myself these questions:  "How loving have I been - to others, to myself and ultimately, to God?" "Did I do the honorable thing?" Most of the time the honorable thing is the most difficult thing to do. But that's where courage and integrity come in. Am I living according to my highest values or am I succumbing to the pressures of others, society, my past hurts and wounds? It takes self-reflection and courage to heal our wounds. 

Call it Karma 
If we want to move forward in life, we must take responsibility for our actions. It is true, we reap what we sow. Call it karma if you like, but you get the idea. Whenever we fail to do the loving thing towards ourselves or others, it will always come back to bite us. We will get back what we put out. Learning to love is a lifelong practice and the good news is we get plenty of opportunities.

For Reflection
What relationship needs some tending? Who can you be more loving towards today? Your spouse? Your parents? Yourself? Love to hear your thoughts on this post so drop me a note via email or leave a comment on the blog or on Facebook. 

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, please enter your email in the box provided. When you do, I'll send you a copy of my free e-guide entitled "How to Develop a Spiritual Practice".  

Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom and until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

All rights reserved. If you wish to use this material contact me at arielpaz08@gmail.com

The True Gifts of Advent: What is True Love?

Think back for a moment on the greatest gift you have ever received. How did it feel when you saw it? Did it make you want to jump for joy? Did you feel like someone loved you a whole lot?

Yes, that's how a great gift makes you feel - like you want to share it with the world. That's how the shepherds and the wise men must have felt when they saw the angels light up the sky announcing the birth of the baby Jesus that silent night so long ago. 

Just imagine

the manger scene and the announcement of the birth of the Messiah.

See the awe of the shepherds as they watched the angels singing in the skies proclaiming the good news. Feel the anticipation of the wise men who traveled such a great distance to bring their gifts to honor a newborn child they weren’t sure they would even find. Sense the joy and wonder Mary and Joseph felt as they watched in amazement as the angelic and kingly visitors encamped around them.

Something truly miraculous was happening.  The people of Israel had not heard from God for over 400 years and then the news of Jesus burst upon the scene and the destiny of mankind was forever changed. Hope was born anew. Love made it's grandest appearance ever.

As we celebrate the fourth week of Advent, we focus on the gift of Love because God showed us how much he truly loves us by sending his one and only Son to earth so many years ago. There is no greater gift than that but often we confuse what love really means and what it looks like. 

What True Love Looks Like

If we want to know what true love looks like, all we have to do is look at Jesus. True love shows itself by actions, not merely words or feelings. It is in giving of ourselves to one another that we show love. Jesus showed love to the poor, the ill, the lonely, the outcast. He made them feel loved by his actions and his words. We can do the same. A smile, a phone call, a thoughtful gift, a word of encouragement, a hot meal. There are a million ways to show love right in our own backyard.

The greatest expression of love we could ever be given is God's gift to us - His one and only Son, Jesus, the Christ. True love requires stepping out of our comfort zone and our self-centered focus and sacrificing for someone else's good and growth. It means overlooking mistakes and forgiving. It means seeing past each other's flaws, and accepting ourselves and each other as children of God. 

This is what Jesus did when he came down from Heaven to become a mortal here on this earth. He left the comfort and grandeur of Heaven to be born in a manger with no roof over his head. Then, he sacrificed his life so that we might gain access to God and have eternal life. As the shepherds and the wise men stopped what they were doing to behold the miracle before them, so too, let us pause and reflect on the miracle of Christ's birth and what it means to us today.

The True Gifts of Christmas 
The gifts Jesus brought us don't get old and tossed away like used toys.  They are life-giving and eternal. We all know words are powerful, but there is power like none other in Jesus's words. When we are feeling lonely, Jesus promises he will never leave us nor forsake us. If we are hurting, he heals our wounds and our hearts. When we are afraid of what the future holds, we can rest in the knowledge that He has a future so much brighter than anything we could imagine, if only we believe. 

For Reflection:

Who can you show love to today? Who is hurting, lonely, or perhaps joyless this season? Who needs to be forgiven? Loved? Cared for? Will you be Jesus to someone this Christmas? When we do unto the least of these we do unto God (Matt 25:40). Will you believe in Jesus this magical time of year?

This Christmas season may the wonder of the love of God fill you to overflow.  May you understand how high, how wide, how long and how deep is the love of God for you (Eph 3:18) and may you share that love with those around you who need it most.

Until next time, 

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

How to Make Love a Reality this Season

As we enter the last week of Advent, amidst the frenzy of gift-buying and gift-giving, let us focus on the greatest gift of all - the gift of Love. Contrary to Hollywood movies and popular interpretation, love is not a feeling nor is it something that just hits you all of a sudden. Nor is it to be confused with with sexual attraction, chemistry, or lust. 

True enduring Love is an action and a choice we make on a daily basis, sometimes and often despite how we feel.  Now that may come as a shock to some of you but love is not simply or solely a matter of feelings. Many people get divorced because they just don't "feel" it anymore, but that is not what true Love is all about. 

Love is a daily decision and a conscious choice. It is a choice the Lord God made two thousand years ago to send his one and only Son to be born in human form to eventually die a criminal's death on the cross  - for you and for me. This week's post is dedicated to understanding this great gift of Love and what it means to us today. 

Imagine this scene for a moment: a couple and their newborn child huddle together in a stable filled with the sights and sounds of animals, hay, and probably some other not so pleasant things since there was no room for them at the inn. Instead of family and friends, they are encircled by strangers, cows, and pigs, in a land of poverty and persecution. Instead of fancy trees decorated with ribbons and lights, they are surrounded by stars and the light of the Heavenly Host. There are no beautifully wrapped gifts under a tree. No tables laden with food galore. There is no hustle and bustle, just a calm peace and the quiet of this Holy Night. They are surrounded by the warmth of Love and Wonder and Awe.

Despite the harsh conditions, the lack of shelter, and being far from family and loved ones, there is a peace that surpasses all understanding because they are surrounded by the Love and presence of God.

And so are you and I.  No matter who is mad at us, who has wronged us, who has rejected us or who is absent, whether we are married, single, or widowed, God is with us.  His name, Emmanuel means just that: God with us. Jesus understands the loneliness of being single, the sadness of loss, and the grief of the death of a beloved friend or relative. Despite how we may feel, we are never alone, just as Mary and Joseph were not alone. 

Whatever our situation, God is near. The question this season is: will we let the peace and the joy of what God has done for us soften our hardened hearts and heal our broken places? Will we draw closer to the Christ child and receive his precious gift of Love this season? And then, will we show this love to others even though they don't show it back to us? This is the love - the sacrificial love - that God showed us that silent night, not expecting anything in return. 

When the burdens of this life seem overwhelming, when we feel hopeless, alone, and rejected, we can remember Jesus felt this way too.  His answer was to get alone with God. Our answer is the same, not do more to numb ourselves from the pain, but to stop completely, to be still, and to reconnect with the presence of the Holy One. He is our rest and our refreshment. He is our peace and our joy and He wants nothing more from us than to make time to be with Him so that He can wrap us in his outstretched arms of love us and reveal himself to us once again.

For Reflection 
God loves us so very much that He sent his only Son, Jesus, to be born in a manger, to bring us the true gifts this world so desperately needs: hope, peace, joy and love. So I ask you, friend, will you pause to experience the presence of the Holy One this season? Will you make this holiday a little more peaceful and a little less stressful on yourself? It can be done, truly. It is simply a choice. And it starts with remembering that you are surrounded by Love.

If you enjoyed this and would like to join our community to receive my weekly posts enter your email in the box provided. You'll also receive a copy of my free e-guide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Wishing you a most blessed, peaceful and joyful Christmas!

Until next time, remember to keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Who is "God"?

Who is God? What is God? I've heard Oprah Winfrey ask this question to her guests on her Super Soul Sunday podcasts and I thought it was thought-provoking so today we are going to explore that question and see where it leads us.

Perhaps as a child we may have envisioned some white-haired old man floating somewhere up there in the clouds, looking down on us with a stern face. As an adult we realize this is a childlike idea and we leave it behind. So then we struggle with the name "God". Some of us have stopped believing due to the inability to comprehend who exactly God is. Others have lost belief because of a painful situation or a dysfunctional relationship with a father or other authority figure.

Today we are going to discuss the mystery of God within the the limitations of the written word and my limited ability to communicate these thoughts to help us all become a bit more clear on who and what God is.

Many words have been used to "define" or name God. Some of them are:
- the Universe
-Higher Power
-the Divine
-the Creator
- Love
-the Source
- Allah
-Jehovah
-El Shadai
-Adonai

As well, many attributes have been used to describe God such as:
- all knowing
- all powerful
-omniscient
- creative
-light
-love
-energy

So let me start off by saying that the word "God" is a label, a name. It's a term to identify the energetic universal creative force that includes both masculine and feminine traits. The word God is not in any of the Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic or Latin manuscripts that formed the Bible. We see the word "Lord" and Yahweh, but not God.

In reality, "God" is defined more by our experience of this force than by a name or a label. Our experience. This is why we should not judge how others perceive and experience "God". We each experience God in our own special way.

God wants to make himself known to each of us and, since we are unique, God manifests himself to us uniquely.  It could be a sense of peace during a difficult time or perhaps an emotional release in a  church service or meditation practice that tells us everything will be alright. God is truly present in our deepest personal and familial connections, the ones where there is love, understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness.

Sometimes we feel a connection to God through nature. I remember a visit to Sedona, Arizona as I gazed up at the night sky and was filled with awe at the spectacular arrangment of stars shining so brightly. I felt God then. We feel awe when we watch a sunset, climb to the top of a mountain or stand by the ocean.

God also works through other people to show himself. Someone gives you an unexpected gift on a day you're feeling down. The cashier opens up a line and beckons you over. Divine appointments start to occur. Read about some of mine in my book "The Power of Faith". God works through circumstances as well. God is always trying to get through to us because he LOVES us. My prayer is that he is using me to reach you through this blog.

For Reflection
How do you experience God? Where did your understanding of "God" come from? Are you willing to expand your understanding of who and what God is?

I hope this post has been thought-provoking. If you would like to join our community and learn more about healing, wholeness, health and harmony enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly posts plus a copy of my free eguide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Stay tuned for more on how to ignite the power within and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Are You Speaking Your Mate's Love Language?

Who doesn't want to improve their close relationships? Healthy relationships thrive when there is good communication and that includes communicating love. What ways do you show love? More importantly, does your beloved actually feel loved? Are you speaking his or her love language?

In his book, "The Five Love Languages", Gary Chapman talks about the ways different people give and receive love. One way is through physical touch. This may be obvious to many, but others of us might not realize how important physical touch is. Perhaps we were not raised in a family where there was a lot of physical expression. Studies have shown that baby monkeys who are separated from their mothers at birth suffer severe problems. We all need physical touch in good amounts on a regular basis.

It could be as simple as putting a hand on someone's hand when they are distressed, or an arm around their shoulders when they are crying, or even a pat on the back to say "Well done". If a woman wants to get a man's attention when she's talking to him, she could try lightly touching his arm and then speaking. A man can console an emotional woman by simply taking her two hands in his and holding them. These are only a few examples of physical touch to express caring.

Hugging is another example. Just be sure it is done appropriately when hugging a woman - no close chest hugs- and be sure there is not a jealous husband or boyfriend around. Hugging is a universal act between the sexes and it is a simple but powerful way to communicate fondness. As a long time single, I remember getting an unexpected huge hug and a lift from a guy when I told him it was my birthday. It gave us both joy and made my day! Who can you hug today?

As a single who lives alone, I've realized how much I miss hugging and physical connection with my out of town family members.  Today, for example, I was at my doctor's office and I shared a quick synopsis of my personal story. When the visit was over, she gave me a hug. That simple act spoke mountains to me about her level of caring as a doctor, a woman, and a human being. I think by sharing my story, we connected in a deeper way.

If you have people and family around you and get hugged a lot, please don't take it for granted. Be thankful. Hug someone today who may not be as fortunate as you. Hugs are free but they can do a world of good to a lonely or a single person. We never know what other people are going through and not everyone has a large support network and singles, especially, need to feel loved.

Stay tuned for more on the five love languages. It will be transformative to your relationships.  In the meantime, experiment with physical touch and see how people respond. Share the love!

If this post was helpful, do join our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly posts and a copy of my free eguide,  "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".

Until next time, give someone a hug and remember,

Keep looking up!

 Ariel Paz

All rights reserved. If you would like to use this material, contact me at arielpaz08@gmail.com.

How to Love Others Better

Most of us consider ourselves to be loving people. Yet we often feel unloved and lonely. It doesn't seem to matter whether we are single or married. We look for love in all the wrong places usually in another person. We think - mistakenly - another person can fill that hole in our hearts. We rush to get married and soon after the honeymoon phase, reality kicks in. Since February is the month of love, today I'll be sharing on the key to feeling truly loved because when we feel truly loved, we are free to give that love away to others and the world desperately needs more love.

A lot of the problem starts with our limited and romanticized understanding of love. 
What is love, exactly? First off, let's realize what love is NOT. Love is not a feeling.  All that mushy gooey stuff you see in the movies and on television is either superficial romanticism, sex, or lust. It is not the stuff long-lasting relationships are made of.

Second, love is an action and a choice.
We often are more concerned about "getting" rather than "giving" and this is the complete opposite of how love works. Love means going out of yourself  and leaving the "What about me" mentality behind, to do something good for the benefit of another, even when you don't feel like it or it's inconvenient.

We need to understand where and from whom we learned to love. 
Learning to love is a life-long process. Our parents are the first examples of love  We can learn a lot from them - what to do and what not to do. We learn from our dating experiences - what worked and what didn't. We learn from observing "happily married couples". Whenever I see a couple married for years, I always ask them what is their secret. I think the best way to learn about love is from God himself.

The best example of love is God. 
We've all heard the phrase "God is love", but what does that really mean? To me, God is love means if we want to know how to love, we should look at God and who is the clearest manifestation of God? His Son, Jesus, of course.

God sent Jesus to earth to show us His great love for us and also to show us how to love others: by accepting those different from us, by not judging others, by showing compassion, and by sacrifice.

"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son so that whosoever shall believe in him shall not perish." (John 3:16). Notice the verb "gave". God took action to show us his love.

Jesus modeled love. He took time to heal people, to bring people back to life, to provide food for the hungry. These are all ACTIONS that show love. Most importantly he gave his LIFE to show us how much he loves us.

If you look at the list below, you will see that Jesus modeled all of them.

So, if you'd like to feel more loved, why not try being more loving? We get what we give. Here are some questions to reflect on to get you started:

1) How do I show love?
2) From whom did I learn to love?
3) How can I love better?
4) Who can I show love to today?

For practical suggestions, check out 1 Corinthians 13 which spells out several facets of being a truly loving person and Ephesians 5 which talks about how to love others.

I hope this post has given you a different perspective on love. If you enjoyed it and would like to become part of our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly posts and a copy of my free e-guide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Until next time, practice loving more, for whatever you give out to others will return to you manyfold.

Keep looking up!

Ariel Paz

All rights reserved. If you wish to use this material, contact me at arielpaz08@gmial.com. 

Are You Keeping God in a Box?

How often do you think about God? Do you only think of God on Sunday mornings? Maybe you only call on God in emergencies or crisis.  Do you go about your busy day and not include or thank him until perhaps at night right before your head hits the pillow? God wants to be a part of our daily life. He wants to talk with us, guide us, and give us direction but that can't happen if we have God in a box we only take out every once in a while.

Today's post is to encourage you to let God out of the box and allow him to become more a part of your daily life. You will experience more peace and joy as you develop a personal and intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe who loves and cares for you more than you could ever imagine. When we live in the presence of God, we enjoy life more fully and we are less distracted by the trials of life.

Think about when you're at work focused on a project, teaching a class, solving a computer glitch. Your full attention is engaged and you are fully present. Or imagine you are a dancer flowing with the music, or a cook preparing a dish, savoring each aroma. These are all times when we are fully present and we lose track of time. God is with you and enabling to do these things.

What about the painful times of life? When you have a hard decision to make? When a loved one is hurting? When you feel down and out? Do you call on God then? Or do you try to tough it out on your own? As spiritual beings, we were not made to tough it out on our own. This is why we need God. Life can be overwhelming. Challenges unsolvable. Situations unmanageable. God is with us in every situation and circumstance of life.

God is all around us if we have eyes to see. Delight in the spectacular colors of the autumn trees as they change their wardrobe. Enjoy a sunrise or a sunset as it heralds the beginning or end of a new day. Listen to the wind, the ocean waves and the trickle of raindrops and the thundering of the storms. God created all of these to delight us and to remind us of his great love and the power of his majesty.

This week make take time to notice the beauty and the wonder of creation. It will take you out of whatever problem is absorbing your thoughts. It will bring you into the presence of God. Allow him to speak to your heart, to comfort you, and to assure you that everything will turn out okay. Well, better than okay. God works everything for our good and for his glory. He wants to make a masterpiece out of you so you can reflect his awesomeness.

If this post has encouraged you, join our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly posts and a free gift entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". Leave a comment or click the +1 icon. Also, check out my newest book on Amazon, entitled "How to Enjoy a Full and Balanced Life: 5 Fundamentals to Streamline Your Life". 

Stay tuned for next time when we'll explore the ways we can take God out of the box and enjoy his presence more each day. It is truly an adventure!

Blessings and joy to you,

Ariel