HEARTSONG, ISSUE 12, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2006

WELCOME TO HEARTSONG!!!

In This Issue:
Quote From The Heart
A Note From Kim
From The Lighthouse, With Love
Home and Hearth
Prayer From The Heart
Heartsong Reflection

QUOTE FROM THE HEART
In each issue of Heartsong, I will open with a quote, poem or lyric, which I have found inspiring and uplifting. Today's quote is one which I find particularly lovely.

"To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking."
~Agnes De Mille

A NOTE FROM KIM
Welcome to today's issue of Heartsong! I'm writing this issue on the Thursday before Thanksgiving, and I'm floored that the holiday season is here again! This year, I'm really looking forward to all the festivities, and I hope all of you are having a wonderful pre-holiday period, as well!

As I said in the last issue, I have lots of projects in the works, which I hope to unveil first thing in the New Year! I can't wait until they're all ready to share with you, and I hope that you'll enjoy and benefit from them as much as I am!

Due to the fact that Winter is nearly here, I'm slowing down a bit professionally, allowing time for rest and rejuvenation, just as mother nature does during this time of year here in the northern hemisphere. However, I'm still available for one-on-one coaching as well as other compassionate, customized services. For more information, please see my services page, at:
http://www.kimloftis.com/services.htm  I would be honored to assist you!

Until next time, I wish those of you celebrating a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving, and enjoy the rest of today's issue!

Love,
Kim

FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE, WITH LOVE
A lighthouse serves as a beacon of hope in a violent storm. A lighthouse sheds light on our worries and troubles, and brings us joy and peace. Therefore, in each Heartsong issue, I will include an article, which will help to guide you through the dark and troubled times, or lighten and brighten your heart and life in a special way. In today's Lighthouse article, I discuss life as a dance, and provide ways that you can dance through the good times, as well as the hard times, with more grace and peace.

Dancing Through Life: Taking Steps with Skill and Grace

When I was about eight or nine, I was taught to waltz. I've never forgotten how much fun I had learning the steps, and then putting those steps into practice with a partner. I found waltzing to be such a flowing lyrical dance, despite the fact that I wasn't then, nor am I now, a very lyrical dancer. Nevertheless, I learned as a little girl to revel in the freedom and liberation that dancing brought into my life.

Okay, so I'm far from a star status dancer... I'm not even very graceful. But my philosophy is that, for most of us, it isn't so much about the technique we employ in a dance, but about giving it our all and having fun with it. I consider life to be similar to dancing in that way... sometimes mastering our problems and reaching our goals can be pretty difficult. And yet, when we give life our all and learn to have fun along the way, the results can be truly amazing.

As in life itself, in order to master certain types of dances, we must first perfect the necessary steps. But we don't have to learn all the steps in a dance in one day. We may choose to learn one step one day, another a few days after that, and yet another the following week. Eventually, as we build on what we learned previously, we'll learn the entire dance. In life, as in dancing, we can't always master a goal in a day, a week, or even a year of taking steps. But each and every day, we can do one or two small actions, take a few baby steps, or learn one new skill, that will, over time, add up in a very big way towards helping us reach our original goal. Time can be a friend in our lives, as well as on the dance floor, on our way to mastery.

Another important skill in dancing through life is practice, practice, practice! Because I enjoyed learning the waltz as a child, I practiced the steps often. When we enjoy a project we're working on or an activity we're doing, it's much easier to practice it on our way to completing it. Yet, not everything in life is so fun or so easy. During these times, and during the not so fun projects or activities, practice is even more important. The more we work, the more we strive for quality and completion, the better the project or activity will turn out, and the better we will feel about the results! They say that "practice makes perfect." However, we are human beings, and by our very nature we aren't perfect. But even if we can't strive for perfection all the time, we can strive to do our very best at all times. This is where practice can serve as a wonderful ally!

I already mentioned that, on our way to mastering any skill, it's important to have fun. We live in a fast-paced society, and it's easy to get bogged down by taking ourselves too seriously. Sometimes lightening up and having a little fun makes life far easier for us. Even the professional dancer knows that having fun is an important part of dancing.

Finally, throughout the good times and the bad, it's always easier when we have a partner with whom to dance through life. Life is always an easier dance when there's someone to share it with, laugh with, dream with, and endure with. Whether your partner is a spouse, a beloved pet or a child, this ability to share the dance of life can be of great value in assisting you to learn the difficult steps, have fun in the free style places, and hold the hand of a beloved through it all. If you don't have a "physical" partner, remember that God and your angels are always there, willing and eager to partner with you throughout all portions of life's dance.

Life, like dancing, can sometimes be a rigorous process. Our steps may falter on occasion, we may miss a step here and there, and we may even trip and fall at times along the way. Some of us are more graceful than others, and some of us may be more accomplished at some steps than others. But through it all, there are always things we can do to make our dance of life a little easier, a little more graceful, and a little more fun. I hope my suggestions are helpful as you dance through your own life, and that you'll think of other suggestions to help you with life's dance, as well. I wish you a wonderful and beautiful dance through this journey called life!

HOME AND HEARTH
In this section of the newsletter, I will provide tips to help you to bring your own creativity, spirituality and unique talents into your everyday life, and, more specifically, into your home.

Being Thankful

As those of us here in the United States prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I find myself really taking time to ponder and reflect upon those people and things for which I am so very thankful. There are so many people and material possessions that really make my heart sing. I have a warm home, wonderful friends and family members, a business that I love, and the beauty of nature all around me. Wow, I'm so richly blessed, and so very thankful that God has provided so much for me!

Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving, why not take a few moments to compile your own list of people, material goods and situations for which you are thankful? Gratitude and thankfulness go a long way towards improving our attitudes and our lives as a whole, and writing this list may very well bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart. Not sure what there is in your life to be thankful for? Think about it for a few minutes. Do you enjoy watching the sunrise in the morning? Or maybe the myriad of shining stars at night brings you happiness? You're able to read this article... does the ability to read make you thankful? If you think about it long enough, you may be surprised how many things you are thankful for.

I am thankful for all of you, and I thank you for being Heartsong readers! Have fun compiling your own "thankful" lists!

PRAYER FROM THE HEART
Each issue of Heartsong will feature a prayer, either from my own heart, one which I hold dear in my own life, or one suggested to me by others. I hope they will speak to your spirit, as well.

A Prayer Of Thankfulness

Lord,

Thank You for this sink of dirty dishes, we have good food to eat.
Thank You for this pile of dirty laundry, we have nice clothes to wear.
I'd like to thank You for these unmade beds, they were all comfortable last night.
My thanks for this bathroom, complete with splattered mirror, soggy towels, and grimy sink -- it's still very convenient.
Thank You for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly - it has served us faithfully for a long time and inside are cool drinks and enough leftovers for another meal.
Thank You for this oven that must be cleaned -- it has baked us many good things
through the years.
Our whole family is grateful for that tall grass that needs mowing -- we all enjoy our private yard. Thank You for that slamming screen door -- the children are healthy and able to run and play. Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says that You have richly blessed this family.
I shall do them all cheerfully and gratefully.

Amen.

Copyright John Mark Ministries

HEARTSONG REFLECTION
Until our next issue, reflect on the people, material goods and situations in your life for which you are thankful. Why not say "thank you" to those people in your life who make your days brighter and your heart lighter?

Love, Light and Blessings,
Kim

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Heartsong is a biweekly publication, and is published on the first and third Sunday of each month. All content is copyright Kim Loftis, unless otherwise indicated.
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Have any questions or comments about this issue, or about Heartsong in general? If so, please don't hesitate to email me.   Kim@KimLoftis.com 
And who knows? Your questions may inspire an article for an upcoming issue! Your questions and comments help me to make Heartsong as engaging, fun and inspiring as possible, and I thank you in advance!
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For compassionate, personalized spiritual healing and coaching services straight from my heart, please visit my website: http://www.kimloftis.com   I would be honored to serve you today!
Until the next issue of Heartsong, let your heart sing, and I send you all my love!