A Note From Anne

Dear ,

My daughter is pregnant; how lovely, but nothing prepared me for the call I received last week. "Mom, are you sitting down?" "No, I'm walking, but what is it?" She calmly reported, "There are three heart beats."

Everyone is pulling for these three little babies: it is a high risk situation. Everyone in the family is beyond excited and I can bet you that at this moment, she's eating. One has to eat four thousand calories a day if you have triplets.

Honestly, the phrase, "life is full of surprises," has elevated meaning for me. So if you think things are pretty set in your life, you might be surprised, and I'm hoping you have a wonderful surprise.

We were going to see my daughter and her husband for Thanksgiving, but Jim is sick, so we just decided not to go. We are taking extra care because of the babies. The “Full of Surprise” principle is hard at work in my life.

Wherever you are, know that I am grateful that we are connected in this small way via newsletter. I hope the memory of lost loved ones warms your heart and doesn't bring pain this Thanksgiving.

It was the day after Thanksgiving last year, 2012, when I received the call that my good friend Judy was in the hospital, not expected to live. She passed away soon after that call. When I think of her, her smile, her compassion, and her never-ending love and support for me – a tear wells up, but not a tear of sadness – it's a tear of gratitude."

Happy Thanksgiving,

Anne

  Causeless Joy

One summer I worked as a judge for a Texas state election. The voters were mostly older people. Some were perky, some somber, and a few were even daffy. Okay, to be fair, I think there was only one daffy person. There were skinny people, larger people, tall and short people, but of all the people, two stood out.

One voter was a woman in her seventies; she was happy and upbeat. As it goes with emotions, they are contagious, and I caught her joy. On that steamy summer day, this brave woman left her home, crossed the street, and walked to the polls. I admit, it wasn't too far, but this lady was blind. She approached us, cane in hand, and joked around as she navigated her sightless life. What a heart throb this woman. Some people are physically beautiful, but it was her vibrancy that made her a knockout.  She was living graciousness.

The other woman was blind as well. At 92, she couldn't walk, and her daughter pushed her toward me in her wheelchair.  Smiling and perky, she rummaged through her purse, found her wallet, retrieved a wad of cards, and held up one up after the other, asking, "Is this it?" She was looking for her voter registration card. She didn't know who was running for office, or who to vote for, but she was going to vote. How precious. She was only 7 years old when women finally got the right to vote. That day, she honored those women who faced down their husbands and the politicians – those women who made life a little more equitable for women. Go granny!

What happened before in these women's lives; who can guess? Were there childbirths or heartbreaks? Was there an illness, a loved one lost in the war, or financial hard times? If so, you couldn't see it on their faces. The legacy they carry is in their smiles.

Life is full of reminders. We hold life in our hands. How do we mold our creation? That day these women were my role models. They were my reminder of causeless joy. They live from their inner light, not as a reaction to the events and circumstances in their lives. Thanks, ladies, wherever you are. You still light up my life. And life is much EZier when there's plenty of light around.

Take it easy,

Anne

  Quotes

"From this hour I ordain myself loosed of all limits and imaginary lines.”
  – Walt Whitman

"My health is more important than my appetite."
  – Leonard Orr

New Grace
"Not only are we grateful for this food, but we are grateful to the essence that gave it form. We give thanks to that life force within the food that brings us vitality. May this food become a celebration of the immortality of life itself. May we be ever grateful for all of life's creations. Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies. Bless these bodies to the service of our spirits. Amen."

Excerpted From Offbeat Prayers for the Modern Mystic, ©1989

  Houston Theosophical Society

Anne Sermons Gillis currently serves as the president of the Houston Lodge of the Theosophical Society.

Meetings are held on the first and third Saturdays at 10 AM Central Time in Houston, Texas.

For more information visit The Houston Lodge or visit our national organization at http://www.Theosophical.org.

We encourage our members to live a life in service to humanity, in stillness through mediation, and in study of ancient wisdom.

  Anne's Books

Standing in The Dark

EZosophy Book

Offbeat Prayers

Click here to see all three of Anne's books

What people are saying about Standing in the Dark:

"Standing in the Dark, by Anne Sermons Gillis, isn't just another positive thinking book. It's a book about the difficult times in life and what we can do to make it through them. It does, however, give us positive ways to make life easier. It's a short book, but it's one that may just turn your thinking on its head, which will probably be the best thing that's happened to your thinking in a long time. It's about how to bring more ease into a life that isn't easy all of the time. Anne discusses six main areas of life: Ease, Mission, Health, Relationships, Money, and Loss."
  – Charles David Heineke, Bonham, TX

What people are saying about EZosophy: The Art and Wisdom of Easy or at Least Easier Living:

"Although most conscious people understand that life doesn't have to a struggle, the "how to" has been missing... until now. Anne's book makes it "easy."
  – T. Harv Eker - Bestselling author and Founder of Peak Potentials Training

What people are saying about Offbeat Prayers for the Modern Mystic:

"I love your book. It is filled with much wisdom, humor and heart. Really beautiful."
  – Alan Cohen author, Enough Already, mentions Anne and EZosophy on page 99

  What is EZosophy?

Click the graphic above to find out.

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Editor/Publisher: Charles David Heineke of TheDoorwayBlog.

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  Anne's Services

  Schedule Anne

You may reach Anne by phone at 281-419-1775 or click the button below to contact Anne by email. Anne is also available to officiate at weddings and funerals.

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  Anne's Schedule

January 28, 2014
Tues., 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Life Changing Insights with Dr. Alan Simberg
Listen to Dr. Alan Simberg interview Anne Sermons Gillis. The show starts at 3 PM and Anne will come on at 3:30 PM. Click here to listen online.

February 6 and 13, 2014
Thur., 1:00 – 3:00 PM
"EZosophy"
Lone Star College ALL Program
Kingwood Campus
20000 Kingwood Drive
Kingwood, TX 77339-3801
281-312-1600

February 9, 2014
Sun., 11:00 AM
"Strength"
Unity Church of Practical Christianity
15920 Piper’s View Dr.
Meadow Community Association
Webster, TX 77598-2550
281-520-4047

February 19 and 26, 2014
Thur., 10:00 – 11:50 AM
"EZosophy"
Lone Star College ALL Program
Montgomery Campus
3200 College Park Drive
Conroe, TX 77384-4500
936-273-7000

March 4 and 7, 2014
Tue. & Fri., 10:00 – 11:50 AM
"Alive, Awake, Aware"
Lone Star College ALL Program
Montgomery Campus
3200 College Park Drive
Conroe, TX 77384-4500
936-273-7000

  Health Tip: Drink More Water

Sometimes I forget to drink enough water. I'll be at my computer, get thirsty, and not want to stop until I finish what I'm working on. Then parched, one hour later, I remember that I forgot.

I've instituted the EZosophy plan for drinking water. I placed large, water-filled bottles (I use glass bottles, such as empty wine bottles – I'm sort of famous for my bright blue wine-to-water bottles) beside my upstairs and downstairs desks, in the kitchen, in the downstairs and upstairs bathrooms, and beside the bed. Wow, I'm drinking a lot more water and I feel such a sense of abundance. There's plenty of water for me wherever I am.

Yep, I just had a sip. No need to wait. If you don't drink enough water, certainly making it more convenient to take drink is a step in the right direction to a healthier and an EZier life.

  Anne Talks

6 Min. Guided Meditation 11/16/2013 (6:53)

Dennis Tardan interviews Anne Sermons Gillis on May 30, 2013 (43:58)