June 2003

Inspirational View

The purpose of Prayer is to remind us of our oneness with God that we are made in God’s image that each of us must channel for divine influence and that there is within each one of us, creativity power and beauty beyond comprehension. Prayer opens all of these channels. Prayer is more than praise and petition. Its about more than what we think or what we want. Its about selflessness, not our self. Prayer is not an insistence, such as... "Listen, Holy Spirit, I am speaking", but prayer is an invocation such as... "Speak to me Holy Spirit, for I am listening every minute of every day.

We often beg or bargain with God for what we believe we lack, but begging is an affirmation to spiritual impoverishment and a belief that God withholds "His" grace and doles it out only to those who gives praise and flattery. That's the God man has invented in His Mind, for the God which I know is a merciful good God filled with love... and love sustains, for God is Love... and His love supplies everything from the Lillie of the field, to the Stars which twinkle in the night with beauty... and even us.

Prayer keeps us safe, even in the eye of the storm. God will never forsake us nor take a break from blessing us and loving us. Be seeing God for blessings is like searching frantically for your glasses, when in all actuality, they are sitting on your face. Our eyes are not the problem,... its our inner vision that’s clouded. All life asks of us is this... that we use our Gifts that God has bestowed upon us wisely and extend our blessings to others who are less fortunate. Don't pray for miracles... pray for clarity and understanding to see our life’s as "the" most miraculous thing.

As God's Beloved, we have the divine right to live in all the many rooms of "the" mansion, the right to everything to fulfil our needs and obligations. Our Prayers aren't for asking, but for affirming Gods love and our mutual love for Him, our creator. With Him and through Him, all things are possible. With just a small amount of faith the size of a tiny mustard seed... anything and everything is possible.

We don't have to pray for Gods love, for He gives it freely, unceasingly, unconditionally, without waiting, or wanting or ever needing thanks. God is not some cosmic bell shop who jumps at our every ring when we pray or we want something. He is the Most Magnificent God, the One God, the True God and His love and Mercy forgives me, loves me as I am, liberates me when man incarcerates me and makes me wiser with each passing day. So today I'll pray for understanding, peace and clarity, for I already know God loves me * Farley Matchett*

Inspirational Thoughts….. Love
 
When we hear the word love, we immediately think of relationship. 
We think of bonds which are closer and deeper than still waters themselves.  But what about love of your friend, your colleague… love of yourself and the greatest commandment of God love of thy neighbor ?
Sometimes society sidetracks us and  automatically, we love our family and children and yes, sometimes we love our spouse….otherwise you wouldn't be married.  Time and time again, the media has blasted a continuous message : "You are not enough, you need a spouse" They encourage us to come through them for a fee and find love….. ooookkkkaaaayyyy.
How can we love someone else, when we don't love ourselves ?  If I do not have myself together mentally, physically and spiritually, I am no good to a spouse… and if you really love someone, you won't waste their time because everyone needs real love, not commercial love that demands high dollar cosmetics, body sculpting for men and women.  That's not self-love, that's insecure ness.
In my time on the row, I have found that my completeness came not in the form of a relationship after so many years here, but my completeness came when I crossed the bridge of spirituality.  No human being on the face of this Earth can give us all of the love we need.  If you look deep within, you will find a communional yearning that originates from the essence of your Soul.
The spiritual care is the origination of our love, whether we believe in God or not.  If you believe that things happen scientifically, that's cool too, but still the core of that theory is….. the circular path  of our origination, which begins with love and ends with love.  It is the Alpha and the Omega, a longing experience in which the greatest part is in yourself… self-love.  That's a love that will never leave you and you'll always be able to count on that love.
With each day, I pull a few moments into quite time and contemplate God's abundant and limitless love.  It is a joy that satisfies my soul and makes me feel whole and healthy.  This love within is now ready to radiate to the world.  Once we take the road to self -discovery and attain inner peace and security, we are better equipped to pass our love onto others in intimacy and always lovingly.
So my friends, I say to you, that love is the beginning step that we must all take, but we must  love ourselves first, so that we can love those around us in a greater abundance.  We must keep on holding on to our visions and dreams because those visions and dreams are the infinite riches deeply embedded in each one of us, regardless to  whether we believe in God or not….still we are rich with love, hope, vision and dreams for a better tomorrow.
Peace   
          Farley

Inspirational Thoughts…Faithful Missions

The stress level for us is at an all time high.  We’re on the brink of war; we’re dealing with home issues, life’s issues and internal issues within ourselves.  A lot of us speak the same story of how we’re overworked and underpaid and our work place is a hostile environment, but we enter it on faith…alone! It was faith that kept Daniel safe in the lion’s den among the vicious animals.  It was faith that led David to victory over Goliath and it was faith that kept Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego safe as they were thrown into the fiery furnace. 

In our times of tribulations, we have to possess that same faith… if not in God, then a Higher Power, whom ever you may call Him.  You may not believe in God, but by all means believe in yourself. 

The guiding principle to balance in our lives amidst chaos and conflict is having a mission of value and one of true purpose.  For me, I have to have my spirituality to make up three instead of two… a mission of value, a true purpose and spirituality.  As a human being, we all falter from our paths.  I’ve recently fallen off mine, but I’m back stronger and wiser than before.  Sometimes, falling down is a good thing because down there we are forced to look at our humble beginnings, our faults and seek solutions as we get back up.  We must understand that a mission of value is sometimes serving others… both then too, that is the love and light to life.  We must clear the clutter from our life’s path and step boldly towards the light and towards our aspirations whatever they may be.  Only a fool sits on darkness.

Each and every day, I get up and thank God for my very being. I thank him for friends and family who care and for those who force me into self-examination.  Like anyone else, I can get distracted, but friends help me find my way as God illuminates my path.  We must invest in ourselves because we’re all on a mission of value, as God gives every man, woman and child “Special Blessings”.  Like our ancestors, who knew the way even in darkness when they couldn’t see the light, we must continue to understand that we are Divinely guided by a force far greater than we can imagine… I call Him God.   We must understand that we are surrounded at the highest spiritual level with an aura of protection that disarms the enemy and attracts what’s right.  When we’re in solidarity with our inner spirit, there’s peace and calm within our lives.  So remember, my friends… faith is what projects us forward…faith in God and self.  Like Daniel, I’m in the lions den, and like David, I seek victory over Goliath and like Sharach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, I’ve been walking through the fire of injustice for nearly 10 years and it is “my faith” that keeps me from being burned and faith that made me get up and back into this fight for life when I was down.  Likewise, let faith and self-love take each and everyone of you forward in life to accomplish positive things.

            Peace, Love and Blessings

                                    Farley

“Inspiration”

 December 2002

Passionate Pursuit for Peace and Understanding

A lot of time, we often complain about our overscheduled lives, having too much to do in too little of time….stress and strain, which could be our national Anthem.  Some times, we need to slow our roll…stop and smell the roses, because life is far too precious and too short.  The only time many of us take a break, is when we ourselves break down.  We shouldn’t have to get sick in order to get rest.  I sometimes over work myself a lot, but today, I’m taking my own words to heart and slow my roll.  

God has given us a power within and “brains”, and it’s up to us, as intelligent individuals to use them collectively to create a better way of living, to stay “calm” in the flow of life and to follow the higher path of the soul.  We shouldn’t have  to physically break down and get sick in order to be mindful of what really matters ® ….wellness, inner peace, and “deep love connections”.  We shouldn’t have to rage an inner war within ourselves to become passionate about peace.  Once we calm our inner storms, our ability to love those who we sincerely love are magnified by astronomical numbers. It’s all about getting oneself together to love more clearly, more thoroughly and more sincerely.  That’s what I want for my lover…to be better than I am for her because she makes me reach for newer and greater heights and that’s why I want to slow my roll down and smell the Rose God has given me.  Hopefully you will too and enjoy your spouse with a love so deep and intense.  

This holiday season in upon us once again.  There’s high energy, free running emotions and yes, in the midst of the beautiful time of the year….there’s the ugly talk of war.  It is a time to practice peace and prepare for a better way of living for us and our family.  Now is the time to show our children our restraint by opposing this was….and practicing peace.  What they see us do today, they will emulate tomorrow, as long as we keep it real and positive.  For we are a “miracle”’ within ourselves.  

Now is the time to relieve ourselves of the seasonal demands, which most often is a long list.  The women want to make the perfect meals, which they always do.  The men want to get the perfect gift and the children want to be perfectly behaved so Santa won’t pass them up.  In the process we get ourselves “perfectly worn out”….smile.  The spirit of Christmas is all about giving, but the celebration calls us only to give our love…..freely.  I mean, after all, it is written than …”for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son”… now that’s love in its deepest form….and it’s freely given.  Don’t let the commercials dictate how your holiday should be.  Do what flows from your heart, but whatever you do, enjoy yourself, family and friends.  Be the foundation of Peace and Love, be tender hearted and compassionate, don’t judge others, try to include someone who is less fortunate to have a meal on this day and most of all, take not notice in other people’s differences.  The prescription medicine is …..love, peace and forgiveness.

During this time, I want to be ever more conscious and loving to her whom I love.  I want to experience family and friends and although I may not physically be there with you all, I am actually there if each and everyone of you will just look inside your heart.  This is a time where I have to stop pushing myself and others, but understand that we all act out when we’re physically and emotionally drained.  

Lets be passionate about preserving peace and kinder to others than we’ve been.  Let us find our Joy in simple, natural, quiet things…the Sun, the Moon, Stars in the sky, the earth, love and life. 

To each and everyone of you, may you have a Blessed and Merry Christmas and your travels be safe.  I thank you all for your presence in my life, but to my Bijou, the Keeper of my heart, I truly thank you for letting me calm my inner storms, for now my love is more deeper and more intense for you and the World.  I love you all with my eternal love, peace and blessings

Peace 

Farley

Simple Thoughts
by Farley C. Matchett

1.The most destructive habit... 

"worry"

2. The Greatest joy… 

"giving"

3. The Greatest loss…  

"self respect"

4. The most satisfying work… 

"helping others".

5. The ugliest personality trait… 

"selfishness"

6. The most endangered species… 

"honest, true dedicated leaders"

7. Our greatest Natural Resource…

"our Youth and our Elderly" 

8. The greatest booster shot in the arm…

"encouragement"

9. The greatest problem to overcome…

"fear"

10. The most effective sleeping pill… 

"peace of mind"

11. The most crippling failure disease…

"excuses"

12. The most powerful force in world and in live…

"love"

13. The most dangerous outcast… 

"a gossiper"

14. The world's most incredible computer…

"the human brain"

15. The worst thing to be without in life…

"hope"

16. The deadliest and most treacherous weapon

"the tongue"

17. The two most power-filled words… 

"I can"

18. The greatest asset…  

"faith in yourself and a higher  power"  

19. The most worthless emotion… 

"self pity"

20. The most beautiful attire… 

"a big smile"

21. The most prized possession… 

"your integrity"

22. The most powerful channel of communication...

  "prayer"

23. The most contagious spirit… 

"enthusiasm"

24. Our greatest teacher...

"experience"

 1999