All Paths Open to Journey Girl

About the Book

Journey Girl is a story about motherhood and a memoir about secrets– more specifically, it is about breaking them. First-time author Hajec unfolds her journey of becoming a courageous family secret breaker and defeats her fears that she will pay a price to do so. Her quest is to disintegrate the generational silences that surround the death of her mother shortly after her own birth and explore the mysterious childhood memories that still linger as she reaches adulthood. As the author unwinds a tightly-held but harmful family silence, she also introduces to the reader simple, ordinary, and helpful types of silences they can use in their everyday life to bring them peace and balance, not harm and mystery. These are the Islands of Silence that begin each chapter before continuing her own story.

About the Author

Susan Heffron Hajec finds her happy place in everything that has to do with words. With an early start of faithful letter writing to her grandparents, she began to play with themes and stories on paper and loved all English, writing, and theater scripts throughout her school years. After her college graduation, marriage, and motherhood, her personal life followed a natural path to quiet ways of life, contemplative prayer, holistic health, soul writing, and the arts. She then served these interests well in her professional and business life which included: being regional newspaper correspondent, becoming founding editor of a religious newspaper; being an international video spirituality producer; owning A Way with Words consulting and workshop production company. She accomplished extended training and practice with the Masters in SoulCollage®, Labyrinth facilitation, Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, and Reiki healing arts. With a newfound passion for watercolor art, she states her purpose in life as being faithful to the small things and giving glory to God for the largeness of the gift of life. And most of this is centered in her loving life with family and friends.

 

Journey Girl, Steps in Secrets and Sanctuary is available for order on http://www.amazon.com and http://www.balboapress.com/bookstore —under new releases.

 

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A Loving Reminder of What Matters to You

 

GUEST Blog Betty Lue Lieber .

Napkinwriter Note:  It is so easy to forget. To forget what we know. To forget where we are. To forget who we are. I am grateful for reminders when I am confused about any of these things. Betty Lue has been writing Loving Reminders, early each morning in silent stream of consciousness space. I am grateful to receive her reminders. They are such a great spiritual check-up for me. Thank you Betty Lue.

Loving Reminders 6/7/2020

Affirmations:
I choose the best I know.
I am grateful for having choice.
I choose what matters to me with joy.
I respect the thoughts, words and activities I choose.

June 7, 2020 Loving Reminders – What Matters?

What Matters to You?

“If you don’t mind, it won’t matter.”
Where you judge matters.
What you choose matters.
How you live matters.
When you speak matters.
Who you love matters.
What you give time and energy to matters.
How your life works matters.
What you do with money matters.
What you think about matters.

You are giving your life energy to what matters to you.
Whether you know it or not, your life is telling on you.
You have what matters to you.
What you care about matters to you.

To simplify your foci for attention, choose 5 qualities or experiences that matter most to you.
Begin to live as though these areas matter most and watch them thrive and expand with success.
Observe everyday how what you think and do and say support what matters most to you.
Focus positive proactive energy on what matters to you.

If money matters most, then give it conscious attention and consideration everyday.
When friends matter most to you, give them attention with positive thoughts, words and activities.
When your health matters most to you, make sure all that you ingest and do support your health.
When your home matters most to you, make sure it is clean, organized and harmonious daily.

Life is a canvas on which we are creating what matters to us.
When we don’t like what we see, it is because we have put it there unconsciously.
To change what we see and experience, we must erase and delete and choose again for what matters to us.
Life requires us to consciously choose what we want to see and experience because it matters to us.

When we find ourselves in trouble, we can focus on the trouble or be grateful for the peace.
When we find ourselves in sickness, we can worry about lack of health or we can enjoy being alive.
When we feel like victims of our situation, we can succumb to the pain or rise up in faith.
When we are lost in financial struggle, we can be angry and resentful or appreciate how much we have.

When we realize our focus creates our experience, we learn to focus solely on what we choose.
When we validate our thoughts and words create, we clear the unconscious thoughts with consciousness.
When we recognize we are here to learn to create our reality, we give up allowing others to create for us.
When we step away, forgive what is NOT and choose what IS, we can see we can stand up for ourselves.

Life is best played with full consciousness and conscience, responsibility and respect, for what it.
Be grateful it is so.
Forgive mistakes as opportunities to learn.
Choose again quickly and easily for what you really want to be.

You matter to me.
These Loving Reminders matter.
Your health and happiness matters.
All I give makes a difference, because we all matter.

Loving us all,
Betty Lue

The only mistake we ever make is when we forget to Love.
Betty Lue

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We All Need a Loving Reminder

Watercolor Waterfall by Susan Heffron Hajec

I received this reminder to love today from my favorite reminder person, who has given us these reminders on a daily basis for a very long time now. Betty Lue — these words definitely help me today.

 

Betty Lue Lieber – Loving Reminders
Affirmations:
I love well and live well.
My life works well because I love!
I forgive myself for withholding love.
I easily and freely love all the Good I have.

August 14, 2019 Loving Reminders- Love Well and Live Well!

Love Well and Live Well!

How you love, you will be living.
It is by our consciousness of love that we choose to remember to love others.
It is with love for others that we begin to recognize how well love works.
It is with love for ourselves that we realize how fun, safe and easy to live well.
Take time to pause and enjoy your life right now and right here.
Say “thanks” to each one who comes to show you the way.
Some show you how to love and some show how not to love.
Everyone has a gift to give and receive.

When we are learning to love, we know we can do better.
We listen to what each person or child needs or wants to receive.
We watch what works and doesn’t work.
We can easily see the call for love with those who need to experience love from us.
Loving well requires that we have love for ourselves.
Loving well asks that we access the love within us.
Loving well invites us to choose to love no matter what.
Loving well shows us how to love with words, thoughts and behaviors.

When you lack in love, surround yourself with people that are loving.
When you need love and affirmation, join groups, read books and listen to music that inspires love.
When you forget to love, give yourself daily reminders of how to love yourself and others.
When you deny or withhold love, practice regular forgiveness of limiting love.

Life truly is a gift of love, when you are open and receptive.
Life teaches us to be love, when we are ready to learn the lessons;
Life is an experimental laboratory, we have not believed in love.
Life is a clear reflection of the effectiveness of loving and living well.

Enjoy the life you have and love it well.
Appreciate the love you have and live it well.
I love and appreciate YOU,
Betty Lue

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I Got a Reminder Today

 

I got a reminder today and I need reminders. This reminder came on my email from BettyLue Lieber. She sends them out often and writes them in little booklets. Today’s came just in time, as more violence and nasty words flood the media and actions are horrid to behold. I refocus on what is mine to do. The Reiki Principles I practice help to center me: Just for today, I release all worry. Just for today, I release all anger. Just for today, I shall live my purpose and do my work with integrity. Just for Today, I shall honor every living thing. Just for today, I shall show gratitude for all my many blessings.

October 29, 2018 Loving Reminders – Live Well!  from Betty Lue

Affirmations:
I learn my life lessons quickly.
I listen and receive healing messages easily.
I give my gifts joyfully.
I do my work gratefully.

Are You Getting the Message?

We all have lessons to learn.
We all have messages to receive.
We all have gifts to give.
We all have work to do.

What will it take to get the message?
Is it coming through to you?
Are you listening to what you hear and feel inside?
Are you watching your life show you what is not working?

Feeling sorry for yourself puts you to sleep.
When you eyes are closed you cannot see.
When you are tuned out, you cannot hear.
When you are numb, addicted or in a trance, you cannot understand.

Life wakes us up.
Pain is an alarm.
Upsets are wakeup calls.
Problems are tests.

I choose to be awake to notice, see and hear and feel.
I prefer to address my life as the teaching it offers.
I trust that what is mine is mine to heal and handle.
I enjoy the rewards of responding with love.

Begin to write whenever you are upset for any reason!
“The real reason I am upset is:………………….”
Write every response you hear in your mind.
Continue writing “ The real reason I am upset ……” until you are empty.

After perhaps pages of thoughts, feelings, excuses, defenses and justifications, you will be clear.
Whatever is left after you cross off what you know is not true, you will find what is “bugging” you.
There will be one or two beliefs that you need to face or erase.
The splinter will fester until you clean it out of your thought process.

Most of what needs to be healed will be your limiting beliefs, lack of confidence and judging yourself.

Ten Keys to a Good Life:

Be Responsible for the entirety of your life.

Be Open to learn from everything and everyone.

Be Forgiving of all mistakes, yours and others.

Be Truly helpful by thinking, speaking and giving your best.

Be Impeccable in caring for your body, relationships, home, work, finances.

Be Willing to live with moderation in all things.

Be Aware of the Gift of Love and the Call for Love.

Be Exact with your thoughts and words; they create your life.

Be Hard-working with wisdom, gratitude and joy.

Be Good. See Good. Think Good. Speak Good. Give Good.

I am loving us all.
It is love that prevails in all things, large and small.
Above all, let us simply remember to love.
Betty Lue

Sue & Napkinwriter respond:
Yes, yes, yes. No matter where we are, who we are, we are bombarded with the impulse to respond in fear. It was so painful and it took me so long to cast out fear and replace with love, that I am so recognizing that the people with the mics on the world stage today want our decisions to be fear-based. Instead, I see their real purpose is to help me reaffirm more deeply and respond with love. While it may be hard to love, and not with a Pollyanna love but with the love Christ said casts out all fear, I realign each day, practice Hono’ponopono for myself and others and try to live my purpose, centered in the Five Reiki .  I am so grateful for the lessons that brought me so much pain but also so much sight, clear-eyed seeing, with no addictions, no excuses. Bless you Betty Lou and Robert too.

 

Just for today, I release all worry.
Just for today, I release all anger.
Just for today I live my purpose and do my work with integrity.
Just for today I honor every living thing.
Just for today, I show gratitude for all my many blessings.

Thank you, God, for all my blessings.

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How To Bring More Love to Our World

How To Bring More Love to Our World

Guest Blog from Suzanne Murray, author, writing coach, EFT & Creative Coach
October 14th, 2017

http://www.creativitygoeswild.com

I don’t think any of us will question that these are tough times that can leave us feeling a bit helpless to have a positive, creative impact in our lives and the world. If we view the world solely from our rational mind, we limit our understanding to what has happened in the past or what we think might happen in the future. We limit our connection to the grace available in each moment and to the potential for miracles. We limit our capacity to love our world.

Science now shows us, based on a study of the earth’s magnetic fields done by NASA, that what we hold in our hearts radiates out to the whole world. It turns out that our hearts have a magnetic field five thousand times more powerful that the one generated by our brain and it is in communication with the magnetic field of the earth.

This means holding love and appreciation in our hearts and feeling it going out to people and places in need actually has an impact. We can do this for people on the other side of the world from us, people in the midst of natural disasters, those in front of us in the line in the grocery store as well as to the earth herself.

I have a great fondness for tree squirrels and sometimes hold my affection for them in my heart and send that love to people and places in need. Recently I was doing this while sitting in my car in the park. I notice a gray squirrel loping in my direction and watched him come right up under my window, sit up and stare straight at me, as if to say, yes! So find what works for you. Play with it. I was delightfully surprised by what felt like squirrel love.

Our heart’s connection to a larger field of awareness may explain how we know things beyond our mind’s ability to understand how we know. We just know. We feel it in our gut, in our bones. This voice of our intuition or inner knowing that doesn’t make sense to our mind.

We tend to let our minds talk us out of the guidance that comes from that kind of knowing because it takes us out of our comfort zone into the unknown. Yet now more than ever we need to tap these expanded capacities for creative problem solving and innovation to be the change for our own lives and the world. We can to bring our heart felt love into our own energy field and the field of the world.

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TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

 

August 21, 2017

On this date, several years ago another miracle occurred in my life. I gave birth to my second daughter. I love her with all of my heart. I have snuggled with her, played with her, laughed and cried with her. I have witnessed her two miracle births and wondrous young children, my grandchildren.

This is a fully open heart occurrence in my life; one that beats through every moment of my life with gratitude and sheer wonder — yes wonder — that the life given me is filled with the awesomeness of being a tender-hearted mother, who enjoys life focused on family.

This is what love is…not always understanding, not always quiet, but always resolving how we are in relation to one another and how the love that beats below the base line centers us and creates our purpose.

Today in a few hours, MOTHER EARTH will experience a Total Eclipse of the Sun.  This mother has been having a tough time of it lately.

She knows and I know that much of humankind have open, loving hearts and intentions that serve her lands and waters with respect and care. But the SHADOW side of humankind is right now getting all the attention.

SHADOW likes to argue, cause ruckus, destroy, intimidate, hate…yes even take pride in being hateful…claiming the right to BE hateful….SHADOW’s time appears to be NOW in the turning of the planet.

I am not versed nor educated in the astrological physics, but I think I understand that there is a principle that’s been in existence since the Big Bang and that is that our Universe is continually expanding.  I have studied further that we are in the universe and that the universe is in us. Meaning that the same atom particles of the exploding stars are the same materials found in the human body that have existed since the beginning of time. (or was there a beginning?)

So, today, I want to think about this. If the universe is expanding and I am expanding, I choose to expand with all that looks and feels like LOVE.  I choose to leave behind and cut myself away from the shadow of anything that inhibits that free flow of love within me so that this expression can enhance my own life and the life of others.

THAT MEANS, to me, to continue to do things I’ve been learning all along to do: forgiveness of self and others is primary. Then working in harmony to accomplish what is mine to do. I can think small in order to accomplish big things…a simple smile, a word of grace, establish orderly living, and free myself for time into creative endeavors I feel called to.

This will be my Total Eclipse of the Heart. My intention for living in this manner. I hope, that like the sun that will once again shine through after the passing of the shadow moon, my life will contribute to the light of the world.

I do believe the darkness will never overcome this light.

 

 

GUEST BLOG:

from

Mark Kolack.

THIS ECLIPSE IS AN EJECT BUTTOM FROM UNIVERSE

Beloveds,
Tomorrow between 1:22pm – 4:17 pm Florida time, peaking at 2:54pm on August 21, 2017, people across the USA will see the Sun disappear behind the Moon, turning daylight into twilight, causing the temperature to drop rapidly, and revealing massive streamers of light streaking through the sky around the silhouette of the Moon. On this day, America will fall under the path of a total solar eclipse.

This is the first total solar eclipse visible from the continental USA in 38 years. It is the first Total Solar Eclipse in 99 years to be visible in its totality across the lower 48, and the first in 1500 years to be ONLY visible in totality across this region.

What does this eclipse mean? Reset: this celestial event will wipe the slate of your life, past, shadow, clean and set a new direction in your life parallel to what intention, vision, direction you set for it. What we visualize and focus on will be set into motion for years to come!
Make the choice to go deeper: admit what you really want and believe you can have it: face what you have been running from, good and ‘bad’ and embrace them both so they manifest and dissolve respectively. Ask God as yourself to free you and to fulfill your heart’s desires. Pray this into the vortex between 1-4pm.

On a psychological / metaphysical level a Total Solar Eclipse (TSE) blots out the conscious mind and allows the unconscious (INTUITION, as well as repressed emotion) to emerge. This is one of the best uses of the energy of a TSE: allow your ego to be blotted out and allow your Divine Knowing/Intuition to be revealed! We do this through prayer and affirming that this is what you are intending, what you are doing, and then it is what is happening! Then ask and listen and reflect.

On the flip side, any skeletons in your closet will dance when the moon (unknown, subconscious, repressed shadow material) takes over, but this is for the best. Dance with your shadow remembering that what you choose to release under an eclipse will disappear forever. It’s an eject button from the Universe.

This is a time for centering, visualizing, believing, asking, affirming, decreeing, commanding, surrendering and being grateful. Imagine if you were given a series of wishes from a beneficent genie: and all she required was that you got real with yourself, touched your heart; admitted what hurt you, asked to have it removed: and then asked for what your heart truly desired:

This is what this eclipse is: on a grand planetary scale of personal and epic proportions. Get real. Admit what’s up with yourself. Pray and affirm it into the eclipse vortex. Then go in peace.

We are going through the eye of the needle into the New World tomorrow. Don’t bother packing. Only self-love can fit. Leave the rest. Unhook your seatbelt for maximum effect!

Fly!
Eternal Love and Blessings,
~mk~

 

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Light a Candle for Peace

 Light a Candle for Peace  – Reblog from Napkinwriter – Good for any season of the year.

June 26, 2013 by napkinwriter

My granddaughter, Amy, completed her Montessori pre-school education his month. In September, she begins kindergarten in the Richland Public School System.

She is greatly enriched and informed from all her Montessori experiences, and one thing in particular is she loves, loves, loves singing the Montessori Peace song with her classmates in public performances.

She even instructs grandma in the proper wording of the song if grama “slips up” on a word or two.

Ahh, changing the world….even being the change we want to see in the world.  This seems like such a monumental thing to many of us.

But truly, it is not.  Take this song which is a formation of consciousness and living for the children who attend Montessori.  Take all the debate about what can be and what cannot be allowed in public school education.

Take this simple but powerful song. No doctrine or mention of God by any name within it. What would be a reason for keeping it out of any education at the primary level?

There is a place to begin….right in your own place and then spread out over all the world.

Is this too easy?

Montessori Peace Song

Light a candle for peace,
Light a candle for love,
Light a candle that shines,
All the way around the world.

Light a candle for me,
Light a candle for you,
That our wish for world peace,
Will one day come true

Sing Peace Around the World
Sing Peace Around the World
Sing Peace Around the World
Sing Peace Around the World

Visit this inspiring website for precious insight.

http://singpeacearoundtheworld.blogspot.com/

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Shattered

The world breaks
broken places
shattered mirrors
to reflect what is neglected
in dark corners.

My efforts are needed
i will turn to meet my destiny
reflected in shattered mirrors.

Unmolded clay
in my hand
nourishes new life.

The world breaks
I am a humble artist
molding my earthly clod.

Prayerful hands

i will trust to love.

Several years ago, I was grateful for the opportunity to return to a weekend workshop at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY and be with my artist sisters of WWAM  (Women Writers and Artists Matrix). A loving, powerful, far-seeing community of good living and loving in the world.

In one of the workshops, we played with broken pieces of glass added to a collage we made on a trypearche.  Color, fabric shapes and designs and paint went on the surface.

Then we added the lines of a poem, selected from many she handed out. We cut these lines and added them to our art form in any order we were inspired to. I only wish I had added the name of the author of the original poem to the back.  Yet, the beauty of it is that I “create” a new poem by reading the lines in different order any time I want.

Last, we we glued pieces of glass to our piece and shiny gem shapes and buttons.

I have kept my art piece in my sight. It has luminous energy about it. It speaks daily truth of the state of the world and the challenge before all of us, in any way in which I choose to read the lines.

Try it yourself. Take my poem I wrote today and write your own, choosing to start with “I will trust to love”.   See what happens.

I am trusting us to begin and continue the work and loving and listening to be done.

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SoulCollage — Rewards from the “Stuff” Pile

I have a “Stuff” file that piles up at the end of every year as holiday festivities and fun take over the days into the new year. Then I usually procrastinate and stare the pile down before I work up the courage to sit down and take care of “the stuff.”  Usually medical EOBs and other stuff that bears looking into or catagorizing and making a place for.

Today was that day. I did it.

But in the midst of the work, came some playful fun. There were several cards in this pile given to us for the celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary in June.

So as I sorted them out, I began to see an image form for a SoulCollage card, and I stopped the work and brought a beautiful and symbolic image together from the cards that I now add to my SoulCollage deck.

I love having this card, and Tom and I being the golden butterflies, fly freely among the roses and into the see breeze.

The lighthouse stands as a symbol of the guiding spiritual light we have always felt in our love and our lives. The seashore brings the water of graces flowing into our lives.

And while there is sand, our love is rooted on firm ground, strengthened by the rock of faith and the values of church, love and joy. The Holy Spirit brings these gifts to us and we are grateful.

The poem that back the card says:

Love is the power
that brings two souls
together.
It is a promise,
a dance, a song.
It opens doors
and explores
new worlds.
Love is a gift
to be celebrated,
and love is
a lifelong journey.
Love grows
in the marriage
of two
devoted hearts.

We have made that promise of love. We have opened new doors and explored new worlds. We are on a lifelong journey.

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Flower Power

I am telling you the story of the rose. It is a story of love.

It’s all about the boutonniere! I am a really good speller and I could not come close enough to the correct spelling of that word to get spellchecker to correct me.

On Sunday October 4, 2015, Tom and I joined other couples throughout the nine counties of Southwest Michigan at St. Augustine Cathedral. We were all celebrating 50 years or more of marriage. Bishop Bradley presided at the liturgy and I felt blessed beyond all that our children, their spouses and one of three grandchildren were sitting in the pew with us.

As we prepared on Sunday morning, Tom presented me with a beautiful wrist corsage, which I thought had come from the children. But, in fact, Laura had suggested to Tom that he give me one, and that she would arrange it all and drop it off. He could pick up the tab later. When I saw my corsage, which was beyond beautiful,  I immediately thought Tom should have a boutonniere, but it was very close to departure time. What to do??

I immediately put in an SOS call to Kathleen and asked her to check on the slight chance she could pick one up at the supermarket on her way. The odds were less than favorable.

When Tom and I arrived at the cathedral, we had a welcome at the entrance which included our congratulations certificate AND a corsage for me and…..a boutonnaire for Tom and all the other couples!

Moments later, Kathleen and Greg arrive. And she has a beautiful red rose boutonnaire, handmade by herself (which I did not know until much later that night, having missed her phone texts in my left-behind cell phone).

Already pinned, we did not add this to Tom’s lapel, but I regret not having him loaded up with two beautiful flowers, one especially made from love.

And the two shall become one.

The Mass liturgy and music were beautiful and reflective and evoked gratitude for the lives and loves we live. Greg and Kathleen had a 25 year Silver Anniversary this year and Carl and Laura are approaching their 20th Anniversary in the middle of this month. Ninety-five years of committed and intentional love between us. We each have a rewarding and demanding vocation. We look to each other all through our lives. We will ALWAYS be there for one another.

So today, like the news anchor men who dress “top down” and maybe/maybe not below the desk (rumored), I had Tom dress again in his dress shirt and favorite green sports coat and pinned the beloved red rose from Kathleen on so I could take an official photo shoot.

There was power in that flower……The power of a daughter’s love.

Kathleen,  dad’s smile says thank you. Love you back.

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