Writing in Snow

At the Beginning of the First Full Week in February 2018

Jamál (Beauty), 18 Sulṭán (Sovereignty) 174 B.E. - Sunday, February 4, 2018

This morning, I finished an entry in "Welcome to My Life"  titled "My Support System" , in that article is discussed the death of Mom in 2012, and how it changed my support system. The support system I have now is helping me, especially when I turn to the Baha'i prayers or scriptures. Another thing that I find helps me are the article posted on BahaiTeachings.org  , I didn't put that in the "Welcome to My Life"  entry because I didn't think of it at the time. In fact, I didn't realize how those articles help until I read one of today's articles.

"Thou hast, moreover, asked Me concerning the state of the soul after its separation from the body. Know thou, of a truth, that if the soul of man hath walked in the ways of God, it will, assuredly, return and be gathered to the glory of the Beloved. By the righteousness of God! It shall attain a station such as no pen can depict, or tongue describe. The soul that hath remained faithful to the Cause of God, and stood unwaveringly firm in His Path shall, after his ascension, be possessed of such power that all the worlds which the Almighty hath created can benefit through him. Such a soul provideth, at the bidding of the Ideal King and Divine Educator, the pure leaven that leaveneth the world of being, and furnisheth the power through which the arts and wonders of the world are made manifest. Consider how meal needeth leaven to be leavened with. Those souls that are the symbols of detachment are the leaven of the world. Meditate on this, and be of the thankful."

Baha’u’llah12

I have to admit, that when I read that quote, and the other scriptures quoted in the article, I felt and still feel some trepidation. I still feel some apprehension, because I am aware of how I have fallen short of God's Glory in the past and the present. There is nothing I can do about that except pray for forgiveness and attempt, with the help of Baha'u'llah, to do better. I just have to take it one-day-at-a-time, and keep trying to live as close to the commands of Baha'u'llah as I possibly can.

***

According to the calendar, in my Baha'i Datebook, it is the beginning of a new week. I have always felt that a new week is a new chance to accomplish something great, or at least a time to renew my effort to accomplish my goals. I tend to make more goals than I can complete in a week or even a month. I know my weakness, but I don't know my limits. I always think I can accomplish more in a week than I really can. I will just have to deal with this weakness, and keep working to accomplish the goals I have established.

In January, I established 18 goals to accomplish during 2018, and placed those goals in "Dear Me" . On February 1, I in "Thankful Thursday: First Thankful Thursday in February 2018"  I posted 9 things I wanted to accomplish in February. I accomplished one of those items last week. I entered "Worldwide News Stories"  in "Stormy's poetry newsletter & contest" , which leaves only 8 more of February's goals to accomplish. I'm doing alright keeping up with the rest of those 8 goals, but I haven't looked at "Dear Me"  yet this month. In addition, I haven't posted an entry in my offsite blog since the end of January. I have to post 2 or 3 entries in that this week. I, also, have to get back to review more than 1 item a day.

Goals for the Week of February 4-10,
and post 5 on "Weekly Goals" .

Submit to "I Write in 2018"  each week.
Write article or poem for weekly "Invalid Item"  challenge.
Daily response to "Invalid Item"  prompt.
Do items for "Invalid Item" .
Read articles in "God Speaks Again" http://bahaiteachings.org/series/god-speaks-again.
Finish poem in "Bicentenary Poems and Prose"  and/or poem in "The History of the Divine Feminine" .
Post 2 or 3 entries in Poet999 - A Butterfly Emerges From Her Cocoon3
Respond to prompt for either "Blogging Circle of Friends "  or "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" 
Review at least 35 items during the week.

Footnotes
1  Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah,, p. 160
2  Quoted in "What Happens When We Die?" by Nancy Lee Harper http://bahaiteachings.org/what-happens-when-we-die.
3  https://poet999.blogspot.com/