May 31 - Daily Feast (TUESDAY)

May 31 - Daily Feast Prepare yourselves for what you need. If deep rest does not come naturally, give yourself reason to relax. Speak quietly and firmly to yourself of peace and release from stressful times. Comfort yourself with love the way you would comfort your child. There is a power for peace, but it is not yours until you have recognized its Source. It is not an artificial substance, but a marvelous gift of a spiritual nature - and it is yours if you ask. Prepare yourself. It is the first step toward all good things. ~ The first American mingled with his pride a singular humility. ~ OHIYESA - DAKOTA "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 31 "Sell a country? Why not sell the air, the great sea, as well as the earth? Did not the Great Spirit make them all for the use of his children?" --Tecumseh, SHAWNEE The White Man's way is to possess, control and divide. It has always been difficult for Indian people to understand this. There are certain things we cannot own that must be shared. The Land is one of these things. We need to re-look as what we are doing to the Earth. We are digging in her veins and foolishly diminishing the natural resources. We are not living in balance. We do not own the Earth; the Earth owns us. Today, let us ponder the true relationship between the Earth and ourselves. Great Spirit, today, let me see the Earth as you would have me see Her. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler When there's thinking to be done, a person does well to have a little private retreat....a place where there's no worry that any minute someone will interrupt. And the very ease of knowing that here is a little time to do nothing but just think. Except that I must carefully direct those thoughts so never to let them roam to things that serve only to disturb. But where does one find a place these days that affords a time alone? It doesn't take much room to think. Some have little special places hidden from view....a hillside maybe....a sunny spot along a path....a closet not so large.....a park bench.....or they may even take a drive. But that place that is always available to us is that place within our own selves. This is the secret place within the heart where desires are stored. And no matter what we do, where we go, thoughts are productive. Here is where thankfulness is stored....here is where love is born....here is where the very life of life is built and rebuilt. This is our retreat when there's thinking to be done. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 30 - Daily Feast (MONDAY)

May 30 - Daily Feast The past is ripe with wisdom and knowledge because it brings to the heart the reasons for many things we did not understand then. Search among the memories for the sharp stones that hurt so much you covered them as in a grave. Shame whispered to hide them - but wisdom would have said to use them for good. One day you will say that it used to matter but it no longer rules. You can free yourself by taking old humiliations and using them like keys to open your own treasure boxes. And then you will love in a whole different and more wonderful way. ~ The red man must leave the land of his youth and find a new home. ~ SHABONEE - POTAWATOMI, 1800's "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 30 "Power comes and goes. It can vanish in the twinkling of an eye, like smoke dissolving in the air." --Archie Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA The East, South, West and North are the powers of the four directions. The Creator makes these powers available to do things. We pray to the Creator to give us the power to do these things. Often, we are given these powers for a while, then these powers disappear. Power is given and taken from us by the Great Spirit, the source of power. During the time we have this power, we should be responsible and use the power in a good way. Many good things can be accomplished when we realize where this power really comes from. Great Spirit, today, show me how to use Your power. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler Everyone must have a way of life. The home, the position, the social level, the health of the body and of the emotions are all part of daily living. But beyond that there must be a reason, a way of life. We must believe in something, live by something, and have a shelter within ourselves where there are no pretenses. Life cannot be one carefree round of living on the surface. It is a thing of depth and width and height, and full of avenues never investigated. Like the body, it is made up of many parts. Beneath the skin there must beat a heart, a network of nerves, the strength of muscles, and much we cannot begin to explain. As the body depends upon the heart, we must have in our lives something to depend upon, something with which to identify ourselves. There must be a central point, a hitching post to keep all of life running smoothly. We need something to help us retreat as well as to go forward. We must have something to live by, as well as something for which we would willingly die. We need divine wisdom to see, and the strength to break away, those almost invisible fingers of possessiveness that grip our lives. We do not simply live, we live because. We live because of others, because of beautiful things and times and places. We live because God gave us life, to be happy in, and to find a special way. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 29 - Daily Feast (SUNDAY)

May 29 - Daily Feast Life will not fail us if we do not fail it. It is like a fresh flow from a spring that starts so strong but puddles in those hard-to-cross places. We are open to catch debris and easily riled, but we can cleanse ourselves and move on. We are life, and we can feed it or starve it. Regret starves - but peace and rest can restore. Look at sunlight and shadow playing across the plains, see the rose-colored patches that lie like swatches of fabric over the hills. Life is there, stir it up and give it a place. It is the way of the Tsa la gi. ~ Always changing; everything for good; nothing for nothing. ~ FLYING HAWK - SIOUX CHIEF "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 29 "Humility is probably the most difficult virtue to realize." --Thomas Yellowtail, CROW Two definitions of humility are (1) being aware of one's own defects of character, and (2) giving credit where credit is due. This means if you do something and are successful because God gave you certain talents, give credit to God when someone tells you how well you did; this is being humble. If you are successful at something, but had help from friends, spouse, neighbors, give credit to those who helped you; this is being humble. If you have done a task and you alone accomplished it, give credit to yourself; this is being humble. Say the truth and give credit where credit is due. Grandfather, let me walk a truthful road today. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler It is easy to have faith in God and to love everyone on days when the world is all in order. There are other days that seem to require more effort than any normal person can possibly muster. Each step seems to be an obstacle to overcome. Every hurt and thought of resentment presents itself in a clamorous roar. Weariness of body, soul, and spirit will nag the strongest beings into dark moods unless they can find a time away from all that plagues them. That time may be hard to come by, but even a few moments can bring a problem to light. Twinges of jealousy, feelings of anxiety, all scatter in that light. When the attention is turned from those things that make life all too ordinary they immediately, like a procession, march toward the God-self. To spend only a few moments counting our blessings will tell us that life is well worth living....the satisfaction of a job well done, the companionship of good friends with whom we share the lighter side and the ones who understand our darkest moods are all blessings. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 28 - Daily Feast (SATURDAY)

May 28 - Daily Feast We tend to believe others are threats to our security-our personal gu da lv to. There has never been a time when so much threatens - but any Indian will tell you your security lies within you. The Cherokee learns from animals in the wild. A sharp eye and a stealthy step cannot rouse wildlife when it has vanished into its own absence - in the spirit-sense. Perfect silence negates hostility and excitement - those things that stir danger in any area. We know this is true when we pass someone we know well and they never see us - we are not present to their senses. ~ I think we will still win. I think there are enough people who want to understand the Indian mind. ~ AN INDIAN GRANDFATHER "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 28 "The land is a sacred trust held in common for the benefit of the future of our nations." --Haida Gwaii - Traditional Circle of Elders The Creator made the Earth to support life so that life would continue to reproduce, everything would support one another, and future generations would have the same benefits of supply and beauty as the generations the proceeded them. This cycle will only continue to the degree that we make choices and decisions for the future generations. Today, we are too greedy and selfish. We are cheating our children, grandchildren and the children unborn. Creator, let me see the consequences of my decisions, and show me how to make healthy corrections. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler In those moments when we quietly sit with mind centered on the fact that God is only good, and that no situation devious or twisted in appearance, has any power except that which we give it by dwelling on how terrible it is - then, there is hope. If we can become quiet enough in our own minds to know God is good, it will produce one of those times of sweet serenity that settles like an invisible veil between us and our troubles. In those moments of growth and faith will come peace that passes all understanding. It is good to live an active life, but some of life's most productive moments are not when the mind and body are hurled through hectic hours at a furious pace. Life offers many tender and beautiful times that demand nothing and give only a quiet calm that will never come in pill form. Contrary to the belief in any power except God's, there is a happy medium. It does not come simply by demanding, and there are times when it can be touched on only so briefly. But even in our sore travails there is a time when life finds balance and we live in harmony with God's laws. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 27 - Daily Feast (FRIDAY)

May 27 - Daily Feast Our hurts heal themselves in little ways, sounds, scents, a word at the right time. These things are like music that can reach deep inside where material things cannot go. We too often let the cares of the world steal our peace and we lie down in frustration instead of taking charge. But healing waits. It waits for the right moment when our defenses are down and it fills our minds with hope. Start out in faith and the help will come. The beginning is by choice - and the only thing we give up is the idea that nothing can work for us. ~ You didn't understand our prayers. You didn't try to understand. ~ TATANGA MANI - STONEY "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 27 "One of the things the old people taught me about the spirits was to never have a doubt." --Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA The spirit world is sometimes hard to believe in because we can't see it. Out minds convince us to seek proof for everything. We need to believe that the Unseen World exists and the Unseen World is guided by principles, laws and values. If we have doubts, we can pray to the Great Spirit to remove the doubt. He understands how difficult it can be sometimes, so He's always ready to help us during our doubtful times. We are lucky to have such an understanding and helpful Father. Great Spirit, today, divorce me from doubt. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler We all know that if it were not for the little kindnesses, the helping hands that we receive from those who touch our lives daily, we would fall more often and much harder. Yet, we must remember there comes a time when we cannot expect others to rush to our aid. It is then that we test the strength of our own self-reliance. We should make every effort to be worthy of the concern and help of others. It is sharing all phases of life that makes living more than just an existence. But none of us can support others for long who have no will to use their self-reliance. It is said that God helps those who help themselves, but even God cannot help where help is refused. Then, how much can we depend on ourselves? How would we react to the same situations we see other people experiencing daily? We, who depend so much on our external advantages to pull us through, cannot truthfully foretell our actions in a crisis. But we can have a reserve of faith and strength behind us so that when others reach out to lift us up, we will be worthy of their time spent in helping to build our self-reliance. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 26 - Daily Feast (THURSDAY)

May 26 - Daily Feast Little children should be allowed to imagine, to let their minds run ahead to things that can be and things that never were. The imagination lets us see beyond the actual outline of things as they are. A mind freed of bias can detect times and times ahead. Go back and recapture the imagination you never allowed to develop. Give it the freedom to examine your motives, your feelings, your heart. It will reveal joys and purposes and realign things gone wrong. There is no drab space in the imagination, no tears, and no losses - for that is the purpose of imagination, to remove and heal and let go. ~ The roots of a plant go down deep, and the deeper they go the more moisture they find. ~ SHOOTER - TETON SIOUX "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 26 "The man who sat on the ground in his tipi meditating on life and its meaning, accepting the kinship of all creatures and acknowledging unity with the universe of things was infusing into his being the true essence of civilization." --Luther Standing Bear, OGLALA SIOUX There is a concept that says you move toward and become that which you think about. If we think about everything as interconnected and interrelated, we will begin to accept the greater whole and that there is a power who is in charge. If we see the cycles of life, if we see the inner powers, if we see the interdependence of the universe, then we will participate in a harmonious way. We all need to pray and meditate on this. We need to understand the property of unity. My Creator, let me have the insights of nature and give me the power of acceptance. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler It has become increasingly noticeable how the power grab has reached even the lower levels of living. It is a right thing for us to try to raise ourselves. To fail to try would earmark us for failure....and yet up the shaky ladder of success climb, so many bodies without spirits, so little understanding of what is ahead....and often less of what is past. If we could only realize our power comes not from grasping the coattails of others, but from a higher source that knows the way....that places before us the right steps, the correct manner, the much needed wisdom and inspiration. Why is it that when all this guidance is available to us, we let the littleness of our souls hold us back, believing all the time that any forward motion is because we have learned how to twist situations to our own avail. How sad the lot of those who discover all the rungs on their ladder are on the same level. "Power will intoxicate the best hearts, as wine the strongest heads," wrote Caleb Colton. "No man is wise enough, nor good enough, to be trusted with unlimited power." *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 25 - Daily Feast (WEDNESDAY)

May 25 - Daily Feast I see you yet, my mother, walking briskly across the hayfield in the moonlight - with all the neighborhood children following like baby chicks. We were taken on these moonlight walks to teach us bravery and to help us to see the hills and prairies in mysterious light. She told us the bear always got the third one in line so we struggled to never be in third place. It kept us moving ahead, kept us laughing and ready to slide down a haystack or to wade in a shallow branch with moss growing on wet rocks. Time has passed and so have you - except in spirit on a moonlit prairie. ~ I follow always, listening now and then with my ear against a tree. ~ BEDAGI - WABANAKIS NATION "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 25 "If you listen close at night, you will hear the creatures of the dark, all of them sacred -- the owls, the crickets, the frogs, the night birds -- and you will hear beautiful songs, songs you have never heard before. Listen with your heart. Never stop listening." --Henry Quick Bear, LAKOTA The night time is full of life, full of song and full of beauty. Have you ever gone outside at night and listened? One has access to serenity and peace. At night all our senses change their roles. Because we can't see, our hearing is much stronger, our smell is even more enhanced, our sight is different. We are able to join nature through sounds and smells, through the songs of the night birds and through the night winds. We can close our eyes and experience interconnectedness in a different way. Try it tonight and experience oneness with the Creator. Great Spirit, allow me to listen to the teachers of the night. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler Isn't it true that when someone says something is wrong, our first thought is, "What have I done wrong now?" That constant fear of having a finger of accusation pointed in our direction - that guilt complex that can plague us into admitting guilt when it isn't ours. Shakespeare wrote, "The mind of guilt is full of scorpions." And surely it is. For we often take more on with a feeling of quilt than is required of us. It is more often a feeling of fear, fear of being ridiculed, blamed, or even threatened. A guilt complex can be erased. Not in a day, and maybe not completely, unless we are dedicated to keeping it out of our minds. We are so prone to throw fuel on the fire that we must always be completely aware of the thoughts we entertain. But certainly, with turning to our innate faith and wisdom we can find enough courage to recognize the ghosts of guilt and see them for what they are. Perhaps in the final analysis we find we were not guilty at all. We feel relieved, but if we were guilty, the relief of admitting mistakes is just as great. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 24 - Daily Feast TUESDAY)

May 24 - Daily Feast To all appearances, deer have springs in their feet, the wind is made of smoke and mist, the flower-covered hillside is a handpieced quilt, and the sun throws shadows of hundred-foot trees. Illusion. Some of it is real, some is mystery - u s qua in go di. If it is illusion, it is still a part of the beauty of anything. Shadows and subtle movements, color and striking contrasts - these are given to us for enjoyment. It tells us to enjoy but to keep a clear head - know the gentle differences but use wisdom in making firm choices. We can see nothing good - or everything beautiful. It is our choice. ~ Wakan-Tanka.....teaches the birds to make nests, yet the nests of all birds are not alike. Wakan-Tanka gives them merely the outline. ~ OKUTE - TETON SIOUX "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II", by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 24 "...in Tunkashila, there is no time. Everything moves in the blink of an eye. It's as fast as thought. So there is no speed there. There is no time in between." --Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA There is a relationship between thought and reality. Every thought is alive, and as soon as you think it a result occurs immediately. However, to make something happen it may take a series of 1,000 thoughts before you can actually see it with your eyes. This occurs because the Laws of the Great Spirit act immediately. When you tell a lie, you immediately experience fear. When you tell the truth, you immediately experience freedom. To the Creator, there is no time. For us to experience the meaning of this requires us to act on faith. Faith is belief without evidence. Great Spirit, today, let me act on my faith. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler At those times when we have planned for something and have our hearts set on our affairs going in a certain direction but they fail to materialize, we are disappointed. If we have any faith at all, we must remember that one door never closes but another opens. That which once seemed the right thing to plan for may not hold all the things that would be for our good in the long run. It may have been right in the beginning, but as time passes and other events come into being, a change may be necessary for the benefit of the over-all picture. Sometimes we fix our attention so rigidly on one thing, one part of life, one person, that a change throws us into a state of extreme disappointment. But disappointment, like all the emotions, can serve to strengthen rather than take away. The attitude with which we face life can determine its outcome. We can look with woeful eyes on the negative mental attitude and wallow in self-pity, or we can flip the mind to the upper side and let the positive mental attitude bring to us the strength and peace we need. Disappointment is something no one else has escaped. The many plans we make sometimes fade like mist in the sunlight. A cherished dream may take another shape and to lose that vision can throw a dim view on all of life. Because one tiny part could not be fulfilled, we are so tempted to let all of the rest go with it. But if only we could wait a bit. So often we then come to realize the reason for our change in plans. Sometimes disappointment is the very thing that keeps us mounting the steps upward, keeps us stretching our minds to understand. And it may test our spirits. For if disappointment can make a spirit better, the joy of accomplishment would have soon soured. There's no joy in a disappointment, but it may be the thing to save us from a life of mediocrity. English novelist Edward George Bulwer-Lytton wrote, "Man must be disappointed with the lesser things in life before he can comprehend the full value of the greater." *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 23 - Daily Feast (MONDAY)

May 23 - Daily Feast Get up! Fight the belief that you are a lost cause. You have power you have not touched, and because of your toughened mind you refuse to change it. Stop fighting your own better nature. It is there, waiting for you to touch it, to use it, and to become a whole. No one made you poor or sick or lonely. You have simply let your lower nature walk in and take over and it had nothing but trouble in mind. Turn around and see that you are no different from most of the ones you dislike. Turn on your lights, walk away from trouble - see your new person. See the joy and peace and forget the past and let it slide away. ~ Why will you take by force what you may have quietly by love? ~ WAHUNSONACOCK - POWHATAN "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 23 "To me, if you're Indian, you're Indian. You don't have to put on your buckskin, beads, and feathers, and stuff like that." --Cecilia Mitchell, MOHAWK The most important thing that determines who we are is on our insides, not our outsides. If we are Indian inside, that's all that matters. Being Indian means to think right, to be spiritual and to pray. Feathers and beads don't make us Indian. Being Indian means to have a good heart and a good mind. Great Spirit, today, let me think Indian. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS By Joyce Sequichie Hifler' Why is it that the things we love can cause us so much pain, and perhaps without realizing it? Why is it that we find so much to worry about in all the "what ifs" that cross our minds with such persistence? What makes fatigue follow us through the hours and drain away precious strength that we need to help us in our daily routine? All the things that plague us daily have one common cause - fear. To some, fear is a constant companion. We may call it by many other names such as necessity, time, busyness, demands, but all of these can be forms of fear. Fear produces the most mental, physical, and spiritual fatigue that has ever overtaken humans. It rushes us so that we have accidents. It drains us of strength to resist illness. It tells us we cannot produce enough to meet the demands upon us. And it builds within our minds such dire images so that we cannot face the simplest. Fear has one antidote. It is not to stop worrying and take it easy, but it is faith. Adverse conditions cannot break us in the face of faith. Faith allows us to look fear in the eyes with such confidence that it loses its power over us. English divine, Frederick William Robertson, wrote, "To believe is strong. Doubt cramps energy. Belief is power." *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 22 - Daily Feast (SUNDAY)

May 22 - Daily Feast We were made to be different - you and I. The same diversity is in nature but it never argues about who is good, better, or best. Each one of earth's creatures goes about its own business - some yipping in the woods at night, some in high flight, some beneath water. One biological group does not look at another in abject disapproval - but all blend in a harmony that makes us peaceful to watch. At times I may see you as bizarre and you may view me as lacking intellectually, but we are still God's creations, and it is the diversity that makes life colorful, and certainly not monotonous. ~ God made me an Indian.....but not a reservation Indian. ~ SITTING BULL - HUNKPAPA TETON "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 22 "The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was... The country was made without lines of demarcation, and it is no man's business to divide it..." --Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE There is danger when we start to draw lines and boundaries. This is true whether outside ourselves or inside ourselves. The danger is losing sight of the interconnectedness. When we lose sight of interconnectedness, separation, possessiveness (this is mine, I can do what I want) and infighting results. Even at an individual level, if we don't believe we are connected to all things we get self-centered and have self-seeking motives. We must think in harmony, balance and integrity. We must see our relationship to the great whole and conduct ourselves accordingly. Great Spirit, today, let me think beyond boundaries. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler Courage must have its everyday face. We can't preserve it just for special occasions. We must have courage when we are disappointed, because disappointment is a robber of reason and faith, and even dignity. We must remember that whatever we have to meet there is something within us to help us meet it. But it is like a vein of rich ore. We must tap it, know what it is, and turn it into a finished product that will serve a purpose. Every day we must have courage to forgive. The adamant we shall always face, but to forgive is to disarm. To forgive is to release and to release is to remove the graceless things that make it necessary to forgive. A little common, everyday courage can give a life so much more to live for and to find contentment in the knowledge that today I did not give in to the smaller self. And I can draw on the strength from One who bore personal suffering with supreme courage. A comforting adage is that it is always darkest just before the dawn. The darkness of fear and worry and misunderstanding can last only so long, and then the light of dawn breaks through to show everything in its true perspective. To someone who is troubled, the darkness holds only the most frightening difficulties. This kind of night seems to have no end, but given a little time it will pass, as will our problems. The very fact that we are not alone should give some comfort, for no matter what we are experiencing someone else has been there too. We must not delude ourselves with notions that we are meant to be cross-bearers forever. And frequently, they are much better people who emerge from their own night to remember that it is as important to have faith in the dark as it is easy to have faith in the sunshine. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 21 - Daily Feast (SATURDAY)

May 21 - Daily Feast Spread a blanket on the grass and lie down to watch the sky change from one phase to another with light and color. Watch the subtle shading as the sun moves higher and higher. Watch the clouds scoot across in the invisible paths of the wind. Notice the heights the red tail hawk and the condor will reach and how they ride the currents with no apparent effort. The sky in all its glory - sunsets and sunrises, moons, storm clouds, sunshine, rainfall and snow. They all come from a Source we do not see - but the evidence, the influence is clearly there. So why do we question our Source in all His provision? ~ The signs of the dawn are seen in the east and the breath of the new life is here. ~ TAHIRUSSAWICHI - PAWNEE "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 21 "A vision could put you on a path you don't want to follow." --Archie Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA There is a saying, "You move toward and become like that which you think about." If we keep thinking about a bad thing, we will move in that direction. If we think about fear in some area of our life, we will probably experience this fear. We move toward and become like that which we think about. If we think about secret things, these secret things will come to pass. Our visions are very powerful. Visions determine our direction, our lives. If you think about lustful things, it's a matter of time before you'll be wrestling with it. We should think about our visions to make sure they include the Great Spirit in every area. Great Spirit, today, give me Your vision to follow. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler Aim high, even though it seems at the moment you'll never reach that cherished dream. It is your duty to lift yourself above mediocrity. And if you're afraid your dream will sound foolish, then don't talk about it, work for it. Some dreams have gossamer wings, too fragile to discuss. We can be so zealous about our plans that we talk away the mystery and lose interest in the things we've begun. Zeal can burn itself out in one, quick, bright flame, or it can be nurtured into strength that is the basis for greatness. If dreams have substance, then they may well come true. And if they are in line with the law of good, then there will be someone who wants to help. To have the desire to do something that will benefit others, the desire to serve, is to have a dream with solid possibilities. The aims, then, must be deserving as to become duties. It falls to certain individuals to develop a gift and to use it in helping other people. As German philosopher Immanuel Kant has written, "What are the aims which are at the same time duties? They are the perfecting of ourselves and the happiness of others." *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 20 - Daily Feast (FRIDAY)

May 20 - Daily Feast Most people want control. If they can control something, it seems to make things worthwhile. Important people have control, and though it appears no one is challenging their power the challenge is there in silent communication. A look, a laugh, an unspoken opinion hangs suspended until its time to express has come. Real control is in the heart. It filters out the pretension, the sham, the show, the subterfuge. Intellect takes a back seat to honor which says a person can only control for the good of all. Control by sheer force is destined to break down - and the fall of it makes a great noise. ~ I feel grateful to the Great Spirit for strengthening my heart.... ~ PETALESHARO - PAWNEE, 1800's "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 20 "...the sacred ceremonies given to us by the Creator are the Heart of our existence. These ceremonies are our first duty." --Traditional Circle of Elders. NORTHERN CHEYENNE Hidden in the ceremonies are many truths, many principles, many guidelines for living— our access to the Unseen World, healing and visions. Because the Indian People didn't have schools or books, the Great Spirit gave us Ceremonies. The ceremonies are handed down from generation to generation to learn their meaning. Today, many Indian People live in cities or urban areas where it's hard to learn the ceremonies. We need to go to the Elders and learn the ceremonies so we can pass them on to our children. Great Spirit, teach me the Secrets of the Ceremonies. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler If you could remake your personal world, how would you want it? Very few can answer that question immediately. Many cannot answer after a great deal of consideration. Maybe we are drifters to a degree. There seems to be a certain amount of apprehension and fear about saying, or even thinking of what we want out of life. It may be that we feel some of it isn't right to want, or that maybe we are asking more than should be our share. Money is probably the first thing that most people think about, because of what they could do for themselves and for others. But what of health and peace and love? Without these all the fame and money in the world would be entirely meaningless. Without a spiritual foundation to one's life, all our desires are built on sand. Without knowing where we're going, we are drifters. To know what we want with good is the first and most important step. As Carlyle wrote, "The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder - a waif, a nothing. Have a purpose in life, and, having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you." Tennyson wrote these beautiful words: "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. What are men better than sheep or goats, that nourish a blind life within the brain, if, knowing God, they lift no hands of prayer both for themselves and those who call them friend!" What on this earth could we possibly have of good that has not come from the Almighty? What inroads are made into disease and sickness, what light has focused more understandingly on mental illness and weaknesses, without having been revealed through something greater than we are? And indeed, to what can we contribute the smallest or the greatest amounts of success, the love we share, the true joys, the peace, and our very breath. How presumptuous of us to believe we own one thing of lasting value that does not come from God. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 19 - Daily Feast (THURSDAY)

May 19 - Daily Feast Have mercy on other people when they do you wrong. No way must you hug them to you - but exercise patience and endurance. Forgiveness is not reconcilliation. But it frees you of responsibility and you move on without dragging something on your shoe. See it as experience you will never have to go through again. You have wisdom now and wisdom knows mercy. Wisdom knows your heart and knows the heart of others. If you bend low to forgive someone, you stand straight as an arrow and stay forever sharp and ready. ~ Our hearts sang in our breasts and we were glad. ~ KICKING BEAR - GHOST DANCER, 1890 "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 19 "To be able to greet the sun with the sounds from all of Nature is a great blessing, and it helps us to remember Who is the real provider of all of our benefits." --Thomas Yellowtail, CROW The Elders say we should pray to the East every morning. Just try it! Get up early in the morning, watch the sun and listen to the morning sounds, the birds, the winds; smell the air, feel the breeze and the warmth of the sun. Your mind will expand and you will experience oneness with the Great Spirit. You'll realize who is really in charge. You'll realize an interconnectedness. You'll realize how much the Creator loves you! Just try it! Great Spirit, today, let me feel the Earth, the Father Sun and your presence. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler The longest face and the saddest cry Always seem to come with the question why, Why did you take what belonged to me? It has always been mine, or can't you see That you have no rights, no right to claim And you did just that, you're to blame For all my unhappiness, all of my tears. Well, perhaps not all, part were my fears And I suppose if I think I can also say That if I've lost anything, it's really the way That I treated the things that used to be mine. I saw clouds on the days where there was really sunshine, I turned often to darkness instead of the light. I saw all of the wrong, but never the right, And in all honesty, I supposed I must say If I've lost anything, I gave it away. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 18 - Daily Feast (WEDNESDAY)

May 18 - Daily Feast We quit too soon. When fear comes that we are cut off, limited, held back, we quit - and it is not time to quit. A world of information flows to us every day and tells us where we are threatened, where we are apt to fail, what we cannot control. Are we going to believe that flow when it has been proven wrong so many times? Each of us in our weakest moment has more power than we ever dreamed possible. All we have to do is to change our minds. When we change our minds, it changes everything. We don't have to accept dire predictions or listen to what "could" happen. We are power and we are wise - and we can use it. ~ My friends, your people have both intellect and heart; you use these to consider in what way you can do the best to live. ~ SPOTTED TAIL - SIOUX, 1800's "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 18 "...Grandmother the Earth. That power is here all the time. It is continuous, and nobody controls it." --Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA There are certain powers that the human being has no choice but to obey. We cannot negotiate or barter with this power. Our choice is either to conform or to live out of harmony. Whatever our choice, it will be the end result in our lives that we notice. So it is with the powers of the Earth which produce life. The Earth has the life force power. If anyone plants a seed, the seed will grow. The Earth treats everyone equally. The human cannot interfere, only obey. We should all show great respect for the Earth and Her powers. Great Spirit, today, let me honor and respect the power of the Grandmother, the Earth. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler To have the desire to quit in the face of despair is not a new story. As long as time, people have wanted to give up when something hindered their progress. But such adversity is sometimes the right time for people to become acquainted with themselves. It has been written that a smooth sea does not make a skillful mariner. The storms of human life, like those of the seas, awaken us to sharpening our abilities and strengthening us to overcome these present storms to the point where we seldom have to face them again. Most of living is a lesson, and the sooner we learn to study and develop the sooner we are rid of the teacher. But in the words of Jeremy Taylor, "It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent." And it is impossible for people not to progress if they acknowledge their Helper in the most minute details of their lives. Prepared for the worst? Forget it! Only worry prepares for the worst. If problems come to you, meet them with courage when they arrive. And worry has never produced courage. Faith produces courage, and keeps us from crossing all those unnecessary bridges. In fact, we cross bridges that have never been in existence, and have no strength except that which we give them by constant preparation for something that isn't good. Promise yourself to cross no bridges this day except those you find immediately before you. And nine times out of ten they will lead only to happiness. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

May 17 - Daily Feast (TUESDAY)

May 17 - Daily Feast Morning peeks over the horizon with fresh breath and rosy cheeks. She sparkles with dew and turns the trees into halos of green that tint the air. Her eyes are blue and she turns them on earth with tender care. Her good humor reveals that it is the month of flowers - the planting month. Speak to morning with gratitude.Though she comes daily, she stays only a few hours and then she changes clothes and moves across to the time of long shadows. Show reverence to the One who gave her to us, this time of day that gives us such vigor and such vision of how we can make her day. ~ So may our hearts and the hearts of the white men go out together to Thee and be made good and right. ~ BLACKFOOT - CROW CHIEF, 1850 "A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Elder's Meditation of the Day - May 17 "If the Great Spirit wanted men to stay in one place He would make the world stand still; but He made it to always change..." --Chief Flying Hawk, OGLALA SIOUX The Elders tell us change occurs in two directions. They say, "That which is built is constantly being destroyed; that which is loose is being used to build the New." In other words, change is constantly going on. Many times we hear people say, "I hate change." Does it make sense that the Great Spirit would design people to hate it? The Great Spirit designed people with change abilities such as visioning, imagery and imagination. Maybe we need to learn to use these tools and then we'll look forward to change. Great Spirit, today, let me see the harmony of Yours, truly changing world. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* 'THINK on THESE THINGS' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler Do you want to know the truth about worry? It hits everyone. It is not an ailment just for weaklings or cowards. Worry is the cat you throw out only to have it back in before you can close the door. Worry has another side. It proves we care very much, and that we appreciate our God-given strength, for if we can turn it to faith, then faith can be just as strong. And to overcome worry, or to at least control it, there must be faith. Faith, and the knowledge that if you could be in all the places, watching closely all the things about which you are concerned, you couldn't do a tenth as much good as one simple prayer. We are taught, "Be not anxious," "Fear not," and "Be not afraid," and too quickly we become anxious, fearful, and very frightened. But even then we have only to put worry to flight by remembering those quieting words that are so absolutely true, "Be still and know that I am God." Recently we had a summer storm. It was rumbling and heavy with darkness. The lightning flashed across the sky, and trees bent back and forth in the uncertain currents. When the first huge drops of rain spattered across the walks and lawns, our thoughts turned to the safety of anyone or anything that might be caught out in the wind and rain. We've been through many summer storms. Some of them left permanent marks upon our memories. The threatening, the darkness, the pressure of the atmosphere are not so different from the emotional storms of the human life. We see lives under pressure bend to and fro in the uncertainty of life. We know concern for the safety of those who experience emotional storms. Then we know the only answer is in God's hands. There is no other way. The good earth rights itself quickly after a storm. Nature comes forth more richly for having gone through the storm, and the scars are lost in new growth. And blessed are we when we lift ourselves up to a new, deeper radiance and peace. *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* Available online! 'Cherokee Feast of Days' By Joyce Sequichie Hifler. Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones......and also for those who don't have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com Elder's Meditation of the Day By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>* If you would like to Subscribe\Unsubscribe, or change your subscribed email address for The Daily Feast email list, email: Daily.Feast@gmail.com and give your new or updated info!   If you are receiving The Daily Feast From FeedBlitz, you must login there to unsubscribe from their service.   *<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*