Center for Spiritual Discovery

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

2008-10-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

Sunday, September 28th was the last day to donate food for the Food Pantry and InterFaith Community Services. As we began to load the bags into my SUV it became clear that one car would not be enough!! Luckily my husband Nate had driven his SUV to church that day and the food was enough to fill both cars!

Nate, Benjamin and I delivered the food to the Food Pantry at the Escondido offices of InterFaith the next day. When a volunteer with a cart arrived at the cars he simply stated, "We're going to need another cart!" The people volunteering in the kitchen were SO appreciative! Everyone we talked to thanked us profusely and wanted to know who had been so generous. I was happy to tell them that the congregants at The Center for Spiritual Discovery in Vista were happy to help! We should be very proud of ourselves for making such a difference in our community! So thank you, thank you thank you for helping to make this food drive a big success!

Hugs,
Cindy Huff
**Photos coming soon!

InterFaith Community Services Food Drive

2008-09-06T14:00:00.001-07:00

Are you ready to do something meaningful for your community? Then I encourage you to participate in this Food Drive! Read my post below to understand why I am so fired up about volunteering! I had the pleasure of touring the facilities at InterFaith Community Services. They provide so many needed services for people in need. They have services for low income, homeless and underserved populations. For additional information about this organization click here.

The best way I felt we could help would be to sponsor a food drive for their Food Pantry in Escondido. Last year InterFaith provided over 26,000 people with enough food for 3 days. They give away over 1,500 food items per DAY and their needs are increasing about 30% each month. 90% of the food items in their pantry must come from donations. When I visited their food pantry many of the shelves were bare. They need our help!

Here is a list of the most needed food items. While all of these are important there is currently a critical need for the first 3 items.

Canned Tuna Fish
Macaroni & Cheese (Not Easy Mac!)
Canned Beans (kidney, black, etc.)
Spaghetti Sauce
Hearty Soups
Canned Chili
Dried Pasta
Canned Panta Meals
Cold Cereal
Canned Vegetables
Canned Fruit
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Diapers

Beginning Sunday, Sept. 14th I will provide a brown paper grocery sack with a Food Needs list attached. Just take a bag (or 3 or 4!) and fill it/them up with the requested items. Bring your donations to church and I will do the rest! The deadline for donations will be Sunday, Sept. 28th. For any additional information or questions please leave a comment on this post, or see Cindy Huff! Thank you for your help in making this Food Drive the HUGE success that I know it will be!

Do You Want To Quit Your Job?

2008-09-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Dr. Sheila's message was titled, "Quit Working!" I thought this might be an interesting message, if not entirely applicable to me. I have a job, a very VERY part time job working about 5 hours a week. It keeps me busy, give me a little extra spending money and gets me out of the house. Hardly a stressful situation! Of course I do have my other full time "job" as Mommy to a very busy 3 year old boy, lots of fun, sometimes stressful but with a very large payoff! So I sat to listen to the message and wondered what I would learn from it (as I always learn something!)

While Dr. Sheila was speaking I began to remember a few years ago when I did work outside the home full time. Monday through Friday (and sometimes Saturdays!) I woke up, dressed in my business attire (panyhose...yuck!) and put on my happy demeanor for work. A lot of days I would have rather woken up, put on some shorts and gone to the beach! But it was a job and it earned a decent living and helped pay the bills. But there was something else to that job, something that I didn't realize until I wasn't there anymore. It really fed my soul. Every day I felt like I had, in some way, helped another person. And helping other people has always been a passion for me. Before my "job" as Mommy I had worked for 10 years in the "Long Term Care" Industry. I worked at nursing homes and, at my last job, an Alzheimer's Assisted Living. I spent every day at work with some of the most fantastic people, Seniors with health issues, family caregivers, and nurses and caregivers that worked very hard to take care of their residents. So even though I had to go to work every day...in pantyhose....I was still feeding my soul. I never realized how lucky I was until it wasn't there anymore.

So now I work at a job that, while not stressful, is about as boring as they come! Those few hours a week that I spend copying and pasting serial numbers from an Excel spreadsheet into an Oracle database just doesn't seem that important. I do know that my tiny job is part of a larger process that does help others perform their jobs. And I know that some are very grateful that THEY do not have to copy and paste those silly serial numbers! But I don't have that same feeling of living my passion. So I began to think about what would make me feel like I was making a difference, and it just came to me, volunteer work!

I've always wanted to spend time volunteering in some capacity, but it's a challenge to find ways to do that with a 3 year old son. But after Dr. Sheila's message I just had a fire burning in me!! I just knew there was something I could do. On the internet I found InterFaith Community Services and read about all the great work they are doing in the community. I felt instantly that this would be my new passion! Something I can do to make a difference to people in my community. Are you ready to find your passion? Are you ready to follow your heart? What is it about your job that feeds your soul, or makes it possible to pursue other things that feeds your soul? I encourage you to really get quiet in your mind and look inside to see where your passions lie.

Hugs and Love,
Cindy Huff

This Is My Stick!....This Is My Bowl!

2008-09-02T11:06:00.001-07:00

I trust everyone had a fantastic Labor Day Holiday! Of course, now that the holiday is over, it's time to get back to work! So here I am updating our little blog. It's been a couple of weeks and I have a lot of excuses I could give you, but you don't want to hear those!

So, how many of you attended Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones' seminar? We weren't able to attend the afternoon seminar but we were at church that Sunday morning when he spoke. He was fantastic! I will definitely make arrangements to attend any seminar of his if it's offered again. That Sunday morning Dr. Jones told a story that many of you may have heard before. It has really stuck with me and come in handy over the last couple of weeks. So I thought I'd blog about it a bit. I will be paraphrasing the story a bit but the general message is still contained.

Once upon a time (I think all stories should start out this way) there was a young man. This man sat at the edge of a river with his legs folded beneath him, his hands turned upward on his lap. His eyes were closed and he was desperately chanting, "I am One with God.......I am One with God......I am One with God." It just so happened that an older man and great teacher, with a stick in one hand and his bowl in the other, came upon the man and began to watch him. After several minutes of listening to the young man chant, the Avatar began chanting loudly, "This is my bowl!.....This is my stick!.....This is my bowl!........This is my stick!" The young man, clearly irritated at the interruption, squeezed his eyes tighter shut and began chanting more loudly, "I am One with God!.....I am One with God!.....I am One with God!" The Great Teacher, not to be outdone, began his chant even louder "This is my BOWL!.......This is my STICK!......THIS is my BOWL!.....THIS is my Stick!" The young man was really becoming annoyed now and looked up at the old man and said "Clearly anyone can see that THAT is your stick and THAT is your bowl. It is obvious. Now can't you see that I am trying to be One with God?!" And to that the Great Teacher answered, "Can't you see that it is just as obvious that you already ARE one with God?"

I can tell you that that story really spoke to me in church that Sunday morning. I had just been experiencing the same desperation as that young man by the river. Due to some recent life experiences I had been thinking, "I really need to make more of an effort to meditate" or "I really need to make sure I ask a practitioner for a treatment for me." Instead of seeing an exciting and stressful situation in my life for what it really is (well, exciting and stressful!) I had become anxious and fearful and guarded. I began to feel as though I needed to TRY and reconnect with my Divine nature. I needed some task to WORK at realizing my oneness with God. That story just helped me remember who I really am, and that I am ALWAYS connected to Spirit. It really does seem so obvious now!

By the way......welcome home Rev. Brian and Dr. Sheila!!

A Sunday You Will NOT Want To Miss!

2008-08-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

Please join us Sun, Aug. 24th for a special Guest

Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones, author of "The Art of Being"

Throughout his lifetime, Dennis Merritt Jones has been on a quest to inspire and lift people to a higher expression of life. His personal vision is to guide people to their purpose, knowing that when a person is fully awakened to who they authentically are and why they are on the planet, they begin to naturally share their gift with humankind and, in the process, create an enriching life for themselves and the world around them.

Join Dr. D for the Sunday service (at 9:00am and 10:30am) and discover who it is you have come here to be, and how to be it by practicing the Art of Being...on Purpose!. Then return later for a powerful workshop at 1:00 -4:00pm entitled "Diving Into The Divine." This workshop has been designed to give each participant an experience of what it really means to be conscious and connected to Source in "real time" - every moment of every day of your life. That is how you dive into the Divine! Tuition for this seminar is $30.00. To register please sign up at the activities counter or call the church office at 760.724.9170.

Who Do You Want To Be?

2008-08-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

Do you remember what you used to want to be when you grew up? Back when you were 7 or 8 years old...what did you say when the grown ups asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I had the pleasure of working in Children's Church today and this was the topic of discussion. While Mary sat with the teenagers this morning I had a group of about 9 children ranging in age from 5-11 years old. I began to read a story about a country mouse and a city mouse but frankly, the children became quickly bored with me! So I decided to ask..."What do you want to be when you grow up." Boy...that got their attention! Their hands went into the air and their voices got louder as they interrupted one another from pure excitement. One girl announced proudly that she wanted to be a "rock star" and the two girls sitting to her right decided they also wanted to be rock stars..."in HER band!" One little boy wanted to be a baseball player, several girls wanted to be teachers and one gal wanted to be a pastor. It was really neat to watch them get so excited!

I can still remember what I wanted to be when I grew up.....it was a tie between a Singer and a Psychologist. Well I don't sing for anyone any longer (except in the shower!) and, although I love listening to people, I am not employed as a Psychologist. I am sometimes amused thinking back at my childhood dreams, but when was it that I decided that these were things I could not become? I asked the children if their dreams for the future were really something they thought they could become. I actually broke down and referenced "Hannah Montana", asking if they thought they could attain their own goals the way Miley Cyrus has certainly attained hers. I asked them to close their eyes and really picture themselves as that thing they wanted to be. They all seemed very certain that their goals were attainable.

So I guess my question now is....have you become the grown up you wanted to be? Do you approach your current employment or hobby with the same exuberance as an 8 year old child? When did we decide that our childhood dreams could not become a reality? I think now, every time I tell my 3 year old son that he really can be whatever he wants to be when he grows up (yes...even if it's Superman!), that I will remind myself that I can also be whatever I want to be. It's never too late to realize a childhood dream!

August Affirmation and Book of the Month

2008-08-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

August Affirmation

I dive deeply into the Divine flow of Life. Inspiration and ideas spontaneously flow to me and through me, and are expressed with ease and grace.

Book of the Month

The Art of Being

101 Ways to Practice Purpose in Your Life

Dennis Merritt Jones, D.D.

Busy, Busy, Busy!!

2008-07-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

I was all prepared to let you know why it's been so long since my last post....why I've been so busy. But then I heard E.J.'s inspiration and Rev. Brian's message last Sunday. The message was entitled "Beat The Rush" and was interesting and engaging. I'm not sure it sank in all the way for me though...good thing I have it on CD so I can take another listen!

The week before last Rev. Brian spoke about prayer. I have to admit...I've been thinking about much of what he said ever since. One sentence in particular seems to have been rolling around in my head since that morning, "Prayer doesn't change God's mind." It made me think back to when I was a teenager and involved in the Protestant Church. Prayer was something we talked about quite a bit and, like in Religious Science, there was a way in which we learned to pray. This may sound familiar to those of you who were involved in more traditional/fundamental religions before finding Religious Science.

Acknowledge you are a sinner and ask forgiveness for those sins you have committed.
Ask God for what you want/need.
Thank God for everything you have been given.
Amen.

I can remember laying in my bed at night (why was prayer more effective when spoken at night?), clasping my hands together and begging forgiveness for whatever teen aged transgressions I had committed that day. Then I went about the business of asking for what I wanted...the whole point of the prayer. Usually it was for some material item or for the boy of my dreams to fall madly in love with me. But so often those prayers did not come true, it was as if they were only a dream or fairy tale that would not be realized. And it was only this week that I realized.....I never felt like I deserved what I was asking for! It seems so obvious now....why would I ever feel like I deserved the things my heart truly desired when I was so busy being a "sinner?"

Prayer or Spiritual Mind Treatment is such a breath of fresh air now! The steps we follow remind us that God is all there is and that we are made of God. We know that we have a divine nature and that, not only do we deserve the desires of our heart, but they are already ours. That is what the "Realization" step is for...not to ask for what we want, but to realize that it already exists. When I'm not getting what I want from my life, and if I take a moment to assess the situation, I usually discover that there is some fear or doubt that is creating an obstacle. I forget who I really am and who God really is. When I go into prayer or meditation it is a way to reconnect with Spirit, to remember that I am perfect, whole and complete. Only then do the fears and doubts fall away, as do the obstacles, and then I can create all the things I truly desire. So as Rev. Brian said, prayer really doesn't "change God's mind." But I do think it changes OUR mind....it REminds us of our true nature and allows us to create the life we really want. Isn't that awesome!!

If you would like more specific information on Spiritual Mind Treatment please click HERE.

Hugs and Love,

Cindy Huff

The Importance of Personal Belief

2008-07-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

My belief in myself is the most important endorsement I can ever get.

Someone else’s belief in me is of no consequence if I don’t believe in myself. In fact, it’s impossible to discover the answers that give me a life I love without it.

This is because when I choose not to believe in myself, I will automatically make negative judgments about myself, substantiating my non-belief. When I do this, the only thing I get is to be painfully right.

So goes the law of mind.

My belief in myself is my ultimate Spiritual security. I believe that my highest belief in myself is God’s belief in me.

What do you think?

See you in church…Rev. Brian

Choices

2008-07-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday Rev. Brian spoke about our creative nature. And even though I wasn't there to hear it I know it was a passionate and energetic message! I had the pleasure of spending my Sunday morning in the Children's Church talking about choices.

Mary started the morning with a wonderful and colorful meditation designed to help focus the children and prepare them for their morning message. Mary spoke of us all being born with "free will" and how we all had choices. Interestingly (but not surprising) the children initially felt that they did not have many choices. Then Mary helped them realize the choices they make every day...little things like what (or if) they eat for breakfast, what they wear, etc. Then she began to show them how they have a choice about how they feel. They can decide if they are going to be angry or happy. And it struck me that, even at that young age, children really can create their reality!

After church I began to think about the kinds of choices we adults make on a daily basis. Some choices are little...what's for dinner, what am I going to wear today, am I going to exercise today, etc. Some are larger choices like am I going to marry this person, am I going to have children, etc. But what about those times when we feel like we don't have a choice? Do you experience situations (I can think of one right now!) where all the choices are up to other people, or no one at all. Do you ever feel out of control? Then it hit me, that's when we can choose our reaction to the situation.

Why is being out of control of a situation considered to be so bad? I think perhaps it is the way we deal with being out of control that does not serve us well. I don't know about you, but when I don't have control of situations I sometimes feel anxious, angry and even depressed. I think to myself that there is no hope for a good outcome, I beging to expect the worst. And aren't those the emotions that create barriers in our lives? So what do we do differently, what can we do to feel we have more choice in a seemingly out of control situation?

In his book Man's SearchFor Meaning Viktor Frankl discusses his years spent in several concentrations camps during the war. Talk about a situation where you have no control! Though his situation would be considered untenable to most he was able to find a way to cope and ultimately help others. In the book he discusses how we cannot always avoid unpleasant situations but we can choose how to cope with them, find meaning in them and ultimately a renewed purpose in life. His theory is referred to as "logotherapy."

So I wonder, what would it be like if we looked at every bothersome situation as an opportunity? Can you find the silver lining in yours? What if we decided that the highest and best purpose was always being created? Can you trust that there will be a wonderful outcome? I'm sure you've heard the phrase "Hindsight is always 20/20." How many times has an "out of control" situation turned out to be the best thing that's ever happened to you?

I hope you are all enjoying this blog, it's been fun for me to write! Feel free to leave me comments and let me know if there is anything else you would like to read about!

Hugs & Love,
Cindy Huff

The Belief-Ware That Programs Reality

2008-07-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

Dr. Sheila's message on Sunday, July 6th was titled, "Build Better Beliefs." She spoke about how our past experiences can sometimes limit our beliefs. And when our beliefs are limited we cannot live to our full potential. This is such a fundamental idea in Religious Science. Ernest Holmes wrote that "our belief sets our limit in our demonstration." So how do we change those beliefs that are not serving us in order to obtain the things we most want?

Dr. Sheila said that we must first challenge or rewrite our belief system. Gregg Braden in his book, The Spontaneous Healing of Belief, refers to this as "the belief-ware that programs reality." We need to have higher expectations in order to create bigger possibilities. Take a look at what's not working in your life. There is likely a limiting belief behind it. Do you wish you had more prosperity? Are you still looking for the "perfect" relationship? Do you want better health? Can you discover what limiting belief might be behind that?

One thing that I realized is that while it is sometimes easy to "think" about these ideas of prosperity, the perfect relationship, better health than it is to "feel" them. I can talk about how I am pure and perfect and whole, and how everything I desire is already available to me in the present. But I'm just intellectualizing it. I am not always feeling it. And in turn I am not always demonstrating what I want in my life.

Dr. Sheila encouraged us to determine what our barriers (limiting beliefs) are and to work in consciousness to change them. The first step, of course, is to focus on what you really want. Sometimes that is more difficult than it sounds! I catch myself occasionally stating what I don't want instead of what I do want. Dr. Sheila suggested spending 30 minutes a day visualizing what it is you really want. It's important to tap into how it would really feel to have, be or do that thing. Her challenge to the congregation was to really find that one thing that we really want to transform in our lives. Then to do that work in consciousness that will result in a demonstration. What is it that you really want? Are you willing to spend 30 minutes a day to have it?

Hugs and Love,
Cindy Huff

July Affirmation and Book of the Month

2008-07-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

July Affirmation

I give thanks for the freedom of choice that is mine. I am Divinely

guided in right thought and right action in all I say and do.

BBBB

Book of the Month

The Spontaneous Healing of Belief:

Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits

by Gregg Braden

Summer Celebration BBQ

2008-07-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

I trust all of you had a wonderful, fun and safe Fourth of July holiday! Last Sunday the Center for Spiritual Discovery had it's "Summer Celebration BBQ." There were just so many things to celebrate that we thought it was time for a party! We were celebrating our newest church members and the beginning of Summer. We all kept cool under our fabulous new patio cover as we shared a "backyard barbecue" meal of hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixings. I just wanted to send my gratitude to EVERY person that made this such a wonderful event! So...thank you to all the volunteers that helped decorate, prepare the food and clean up. Thanks also to everyone who brought such wonderful salads, side dishes and desserts (oh yes...the desserts!) to share. And finally, thank you to everyone that came to enjoy a beautiful summer day with your church community. It was such a fun day that I'm thinking we should make this an annual event. What do you think??

Here are a few photos I was able to take....before my camera battery died!! I promise I'll make sure it charged up for the next event!

Hugs & Love,

Cindy Huff

Welcome to the new Blog!

2008-07-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

Isn't technology wonderful! I'm so excited to be a part of this new paradigm for The Center for Spiritual Discovery. I have been using blogs for awhile to keep in touch with friends and family. Now we can use this forum to strenghten our ties to our church community! The best thing about a blog is that it is interactive. So check back often to read posts about Rev. Brian's Sunday Messages, learn more about our volunteers and Pracitioners and keep up with all the latest church events. Then feel free to post comments about what you are reading, or make suggestions for things you would like to see. I'm looking forward to learning more about our church and all the wonderful people that make it such a special place!

Hugs & Love,
Cindy Huff