Comments on: Is Your Spirit from God?

By: Mindy

Mindy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:07:23 +0000

You are right Doug!! I believe that is the point of life…to love without exception!

By: DOUG

DOUG — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:36:17 +0000

Let me simplify this question of if Cliff loved family as much or more then God or anyone else. HE LOVED WITHOUT EXCEPTION…!

By: Connie Lard

Connie Lard — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 21:31:57 +0000

I was going back in my e-mail stash and clearing things out and found a note from Cliff. He’d written it to me shortly after going to his Uncle Gordon’s funeral. In the subject line, he’d written “Connected Always.” He talked of how “we can talk of all the glory of what is next but that none of that eases the pain of the moment” and that “time has a way of helping us move on.” He also said, “You and I have been to this place where the angels come.” It was written on a background of clouds. Very beautiful and especially poignant to me now that he’s gone. Just thought I’d share that with you guys, for what it’s worth.

Cliff valued his biological ties more than most. He always made much of the fact that he and I were cousins, blood kin, and that even though we hadn’t seen much of each other during our adult years, there would always be that connection. He referred to me and my sisters as his “beautiful southern cousins.” Because we were family, we were special. (You’d almost think he was southern, he valued family so much!)

But, he also seemed to have an openness to everyone else as well. That is what made him unusual I think. He was very inclusive in his love and concern for everyone. I miss him and wish we could have had that cup of coffee together that we used to talk about! May you all continue to find healing and joy in sharing life with each other! Love, Connie

By: Mindy

Mindy — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:07:49 +0000

It is hard for us to understand because we are still left here on this earth to sift through the worldly and the spiritual, but I do believe that my Father had let go of the worldly and came to a place of pure love for the spirit that lives within each of us and he knew how important it was to create his own family and teach us what he could while he was here. The blood ties help us along our journey. I tend to feel the same way that Audrey does, but if our blood ties have nothing to do with it then why do I bother to share myself with them? Why do I bother to have my own child? I believe it is because they have everything to do with it. It is a connection that I will carry with me forever. I will learn the most about Love through them and I believe that blood ties have a significant purpose.

By: Angie

Angie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:09:22 +0000

I believe that I am where I am spiritually because of where I have been in this life and perhaps in others before. I believe that influences from my family in this life have opened my eyes to the wider community. I am learning to hear the voice within, like Cliff did. I am not so sure that I would be on the path that I am on had I not had such a truly loving, open and accepting family. I want to break free from the holds that the world has over me and I hope that I am heading there. It is what I seek. As I travel through life, trying to find some sense in it all, I hope that a loving heart for all people, and a quiet, peaceful mind will be something that I can pass on to my children -a message of love and peace that they too can pass on. You have to hear the message from somewhere. I heard it at home.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:07:37 +0000

Sorry Audrey but I think Cliff had both because he understood both.

By: Audrey NZ

Audrey NZ — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:47:30 +0000

I think that Cliff was beginning to see the wider community as his ‘family’. It had nothing to do with blood-ties, but everything to do with the indwelling spirit – that lively current that connects us all to each other and comes from our REAL father, the ONE who spoke the WORD and brought us out of nothing. He also formed us in our mother’s womb, but that was simply to provide a ‘tent’ for us to inhabit for our earth experience. The more we glorify the family that we were born into, the more hold the world has over us and our vision is blinkered. It is difficult to ‘let our family go’, but this is the way forward, because our inheritance is not with flesh and blood, but it is spiritual. Letting family go is the secret to seeing the wider community as that REAL family. May you not take offence at my words, but ‘hear’ from the voice within.

By: Mandy Kates

Mandy Kates — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:51:50 +0000

Oh Whatever Ang! You just did that stuff on Secret Day to make Tammy and me look bad! (It worked-we were chickens) Sorry Tammy! I think we could hang in there now don’t you?

But you are right Angie, we definately do have the best family in the world!! Strength, Freedom and Vision. If you have one of the three you’re pretty lucky and we have all three!

Love you guys,
Mandy

By: Angie

Angie — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:06:37 +0000

Hey Doug-
I love to read what you write. As a young girl I wanted to be just like my Daddy. That is why I ran to the fence alone in the dark and swallowed whole raw eggs. I wanted to have his strength. As a teenager I wanted to be just like my Uncle Doug. Squatting in the creek, collecting rocks, listening to the Doobie Brothers. I wanted to have his freedom. As an adult I wanted to be like my Uncle Cliff. Reading and learning and growing. I wanted to have his vision. How lucky I am and how lucky we all are (Tammy, Mindy, Cliff, Amy, Mandy, Sara & Dougie) to have these strengths to go to when we are low. Love you all.
Angie

By the way- You are right, we will see winter’s jewels again.

By: Mindy

Mindy — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:20:17 +0000

Uncle Doug,
Thank you. I love you and get great comfort in your words. I am getting great comfort in all of you here. This is what life is about.