Counting Blessings

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Guest Post by Jim Jackson

 “ Don’t live the same year 88 times and call it a life.”  —Robin Sharma

      “We accept the love we think we deserve.”  —Harold Klemp

Blessing: A divine favor, or something made holy (Webster’s 2nd Dictionary).

2019 was the ECK “Year of Blessings.” The year before, 2018, was the “Year of Giving.” One can recognize the continuity: in order to receive love, one must first give love.

I thought I’d try to list on paper some of my blessings. I was astounded at how great and often I’ve been blessed. Also, I know that I won the parent lottery, as Randy Pausch, so eloquently described in his fabulous book, The Last Lecture. I held the winning ticket for the best parents I could possibly have.

Of course, in reality, we know “luck” has nothing to do with parent selection. Depending on past life karma, one might have some say or choice, but 99% of Souls are totally at the mercy of the Lords of Karma in assigning the parents who might offer the life opportunities and experiences one specifically needs to work through their karma and hopefully advance spiritually in the new lifetime.

Of course, those possible parents, as Soul, have the freewill choice or right to reject the birth assignment.

I, myself, certainly do not claim to have been the greatest of fathers in my two children’s early life, but despite my short-comings, they turned out to be loving responsible adults—and also wonderful parents.

My parent’s lives were centered on “love of family. And we, their three children, had all the opportunities that love could offer. They were the role-models of loving life-guides. That has been one of the richest, golden blessings of my lifetime—a great start!  Of course the number one blessing of this lifetime was finding the Teachings of Eckankar and my reacquaintance with the Inner Master-Teacher.

But my parents and children are not the only Souls who’ve been great blessings to me. Besides all those other blood family members, including my two wives and their families, I’ve had so many, many friends who have been great blessings for me.  As we age, though, I see a few more depart each year. My dear hope is that I may have been an equal blessing to them.

The more I age, the more time seems to just fly by. I need to realize even more now, that each moment, hour, and day I have left is a blessing and a miracle.  Each heart beat is a reminder that I will have only so many of those to use, and I must devote each unit of time to serving others with Divine Love in order to increase my capacity for God‘s love to flow through me as a channel. I must bless each word, thought, feeling, and action, letting only the pure love of God to flow into my world, “my own kingdom.” 

My purpose or goal in this lifetime is to become one with the ECK, also known as the Holy Spirit, Divine Spirit, the Word, etc. But I can now see that each moment is also as important as the goal.

Each moment is precious for it is also the “time of communication” with God. What could be of more value? I have no “extra” to waste away.  In acting, “As If,” I now rest in the arms of Spirit. I have surrendered to It as best I can in this human body. “Being as Spirit,” I go wherever It carries me: to each person (Soul), place or thing, and Be as It desires.  I act as a vehicle or instrument in doing: “Thy will, not my own, be done.”

The spiritual path of Eckankar is not really a path. It is like a complete school. It begins when one becomes a seeker, searching for the correct direction towards God—like the level of pre-school. Then, through love, hardships, and usually many lifetimes, as through grade school, junior high, high school, and college.

At that level of awareness, most Souls believe they’ve found the end of the path or top of the spiritual mountain. But the truth is, that’s not so. There is the post-grad and continuing education within God’s “real heavens,” the worlds of pure Spirit, the worlds of the Light and Sound of God. The lower worlds, the physical world included, are already complete —“As above, so below.” And destruction has already begun. But these lower worlds will still be here for millions of years, so don’t be a “Henny Penny” and go out and declare the sky is falling. 

So, back to blessings. My two wives were exceptionally special blessings for me in my spiritual growth. To my first wife, Hedy, I owe the blessings of her jump-starting me into the process of becoming a seeker and a few years later, her discovering an ECK book and her willingness to join Eckankar together. That is over 50 years ago .

To Molly, my 2nd wife, I owe the blessings of her educating me in trials of compassion, patience, and the way of an undying love. I was truly blessed with the many inner Soul Travel experiences and dreams with her in her heaven, after her sudden passing. That was the gift of gifts—a true miracle and blessing of the highest kind for me. 

But these blessings and experiences happen with many ECKists; I’m not at all special in that. I’m just so very very grateful for the love, experiences, and blessings I have received from all the dear Souls who’ve been in my life, no matter when, where, or for how long.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!                        

With much love,  Jim  

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Jim Jackson enjoys reading, writing, and sharing his experiences with those in his community and friends. He still has an interest in tennis, he says.