Last night, we broke bread with friends as we talked about the importance of enjoying every moment of life.  We talked about those who have gone before us and the possibility that when the great beyond summons us, we must go – no matter where we are.  But we also talked about not contributing to the summons by making poor choices that lead to gout, diabetes, kidney failure, heart attacks, and so many other diseases that we can eliminate by making good choices.  Even after we try and fail, each new moment gives us the divine opportunity to be better, live better and listen to Spirit.  If we really listen, we hear the grace that forgives us for what we didn’t do and frees us to seize the power of the present moment.  I listened, and the Holy Spirit gave me the following ten ways to seize the power of the present moment.

SAY “I AM.“   One of the best ways to get centered in the consciousness of Spirit is to affirm the absolute power of your being in the I AM.  God told Moses “I AM Who I AM.”  The “I AM” is our true identity, the restorative, healing power of God.  Whatever we add to, we give energy, strength and power to – so be careful that you imbue and infuse I AM with what you desire to see take place.  But the most pristine form of giving God praise and acknowledging God’s blessings as you is just to say “I AM.”

BREATHE.  I know that you think you are breathing, but you are probably holding your breath more than you realize and not taking an opportunity to enjoy the breath of life and to allow the anointing of its divine energy to bless you.  Take three long inhalations and exhalations and with each one think of nothing but the breath of life breathing you.  Breathing is the most restorative, re-creative, healing medicine we can take.

THANK GOD.  Whenever we thank God, we open up the floodgates to allow our blessings to pour.  Not only do we reap what we sow, but Jesus said that we will be allowed to reap what we have not worked for.  When we thank God for our blessings, we begin the process of moving ourselves out of the way so that our good can manifest.

CALL YOUR PARENTS.  We must honor those who have given us life and have dedicated their lives to make sure we enjoy it.  It doesn’t have to be a long conversation – just long enough to say “I love you, and I thank you.”  If your parents are not alive, call the person who is an elder who has blessed you and helped you and served as a surrogate parent.  If there is no one like that in your life, make friends with an elder.  They will make you remember to seize the power of the present moment.  If you are angry with your parents – or even those who have served as surrogate parents, now is the time to re-connect with them.

FORGIVE YOUR ENEMIES.  Forgiveness is not for your enemies or whoever you harbor resentment against; forgiveness is for you.  You have the power to reclaim here and now the energy that you have been giving away to other people – by complaining about them, resenting them, refusing to acknowledge them, and perhaps even hating them.  Forgive them here and now.  There is no time better than the present to let go, release, and surrender to the prospering power of peace.  This is not the same thing as repeating mistakes, but it is forgiving ourselves from making them and blessing whoever was involved in them so that we can move forward in our lives.

ASK, BELIEVE AND RECEIVE.  Asking, believing and receiving is pure energy.  This is the vibration that knows what we want, believes that the universe will provide it, opens our hearts to receive it.  God’s will always fills the present moment.  Our desires – as long as they are not hurtful or harmful to anyone – are God’s will because it is in our soul to demonstrate them.  All we have to do is ask the universe and we are instantly blessed by our desires.  Our desires do not only bless us, they bless others too.

DRINK WATER.  Water is the energy of life.  We owe it to our bodies to replenish its source and to fill our muscles with its strength.  If we bless our water before we drink it, we fill it with the nourishing, cleansing, healing restorative power that it will give our bodies.  If we want to lose weight, we must drink water because that is the only way that excess fat is removed from our bodies.  If we want clear skin, we must drink water.  If we want greater energy, we must drink water.  Water cannot be replaced by coffee, tea, soda, wine, or juice.  Drink your water in each sacred moment that you remember.

BE HONEST.  Honesty heals all wounds, all disease, all fear.  When we are honest, we don’t worry about what we shall eat.  We don’t overeat.  We don’t eat foods that are poisonous to our bodies.  We don’t abuse substances or do anything that would not allow our temples of the living God to flourish.  We must move our bodies each day to make them stronger.  We have to work hard but also rest.

LOVE.  There is no greater power than love.  Love heals all wounds.  Love prospers all lives.  Love climbs all mountains.  Loves lifts us up where we belong – as the song says.  If we can take one moment each day and love, we will begin the process of healing the entire planet.  All we have to do is send forth the energy of love and allow it to move through us as us.  All we have to do is love.  When we love, we allow the ultimate reality of our being to take place – that is we move out of God’s way and allow God to express God’s love as us.

CREATE.  God didn’t create the universe in seven days and then stop.  God continues to create the universe in and as us.  We are sometimes afraid to create, afraid to push beyond our comfort zones, afraid to taste the sweetness of being who we truly are, afraid to take the bull by the horns, afraid to defy convention by stepping outside what is expected of us – or that we expect of ourselves – to do and to be the extraordinary beings that we are.  Creativity allows us to enter the vortex of inexhaustible supply and be used by the universe in a new way.  “In this moment, I AM . . . .”  Now is the time for you to finish the sentence.