Active Listening For The Spirit On Christmas
/Merry Christmas!!!
In a sense I might say I already just received a meaningful Christmas gift. One of my favorite challenges in the recent past has been learning to tune into hearing the Holy Spirit and discerning the difference between that/intuition and my own thoughts. It's said that it will be a still, small voice, and I find it can be so true. The really amazing thing is that when I am in the right headspace, and sort of at peace inside, it's much easier to "hear" and tell that it is in fact, not merely my own thoughts. It's hard to explain why and how it can be so distinct, but nonetheless it is the case.
Sometimes I like to imagine how these things would sound to someone who lives outside this paradigm, or who isn't familiar, or doesn't believe, etc. I was just thinking of someone I know from dance, who is, in fact outside of all this, and yet he had a friend who showed him how to more clearly read energy. He could not believe how quickly and easily he could definitively perceive differences and key into elements he had been entirely unaware of previously. So while I recognize some people may have their eyebrows raised so far off their forehead, it might shoot up into the sky--nonetheless, it is recognizable energy, no matter how you refer to it.
So I came home, and right before I was about to get out of the car, I had this impression "Maybe it's in XYZ location". Now "it" had been something I've been looking for for weeks. Something I'd normally use multiple times a week, until the temple open house and then mom's surgery changed my schedule entirely. I'd searched the house high and low in all the likely spots, and even the unlikely spots. I was getting ready to possibly purchase it again even though what I had was already lasting beyond its typical course of duty. I'd searched all in my car etc to see if it'd been buried under blankets or anything. There've been a couple of times I could have used it for a specific event and either didn't go to the event, or made do with other less desirable options. I figured perhaps in all the commotion of surgery etc they were just lost to time and I'd have to accept it. I also didn't have time to turn the house upside down with the holidays etc.
So, I go ahead and check "XYZ location." Granted, that meant climbing over things and digging around a bit. But wouldn't you know it, in a mere few minutes, after having that distinct impression of "maybe it's in this place," there it was. What a peaceful feeling came over me. I felt loved, watched over, cared for. And the thing is, this wasn't one of 10 spots I keep this in. I have NO reason to EVER have it in this place. I don't make use of it from that location, and have no reason to store it there either. As I then recalled how it came to even be there, it was one of those flukey situations where there was a time sensitive semi-emergency where things quickly were moved from one place to another, intending to only be there temporarily, but then with the temple open house and the surgery, it remained in that spot, never to be looked at again, until now!
And you know, this was not a life or death situation. It was something that made my life a bit more enjoyable on occasion, helped me to live a healthier lifestyle, and I usually would be enjoying myself during the times I'd be using it, engaging in activity that was good for mind, body, and spirit, the social connection self, as well as the cardiovascular system, haha.
So how wonderful and loving, of our Heavenly Father, on this evening before Christmas (though in reality it was probably already Christmas at this time) to restore to me something that may in the grand scheme of life, be of mild importance, but the MEANING for me makes it worthy of value beyond measure! Thank you thank you thank you, for all the love you give us, and all the ways you teach us to love you and love each other.