A Carousal Gift

For the last three years I have spent time most mornings enjoying what Bonnie Gray would call  spiritual whitespace moments.  After meditating on scripture, I lean back, close my eyes and visually go into the garden of my heart where I meet with Jesus, and sometimes Holy Spirit comes and Papa God too.  It is here that I spend time alone with God.

 As I close my eyes, I ask Holy Spirit to control my thoughts, pray for the armor of God to protect me, and open my mind and heart to what unfolds, believing it is orchestrated by the Creator.  It is not my imagination, it is Holy Spirit using this time of spiritual imaging to guide, to speak, and to teach me.  I am often surprised by what unfolds, but have learned to trust the process.  Meditation with spiritual imaging is one of the ways God speaks to me. and I consider it a precious gift.

I feel so blessed to be able to connect with God this way, and since the beginning I have written down every encounter, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.  I often look back to re-read what I written to remind me of God's love.

Recently in the Garden I was speaking to Jesus about a nightmare that had uncovered a childhood trauma.  This came to me soon after I began reading Bonnie's book, "Finding Spiritual Whitespace.".  I  knew from experience that I could go through the Sozo inner healing techniques of forgiving the person involved and giving the event over to Jesus.  In doing so I could find rest and healing from this memory. At the end of this process I held out my hands for a blessing or gift in response,  and Jesus handed me a miniature carousal.  I pondered what the gift meant, and later I decided it may have been Jesus' way of telling me that I was being set free from the childhood trauma.  In forgiving and releasing, my inner child could find joy and delight in things like riding a carousel!.

Just two nights later my husband Joel and I sat down to watch the movie, "Saving Mr. Banks".  In the movie the author of the Mary Poppins books remembers her difficult childhood as she works with Walt Disney to make Mary Poppins into a movie.  Her childhood holds her captive in many ways and affects her adult life to the point of all fun childlike things being pushed to the side as silly.....She eventually does find joy in the process of making this movie.   What stood out for me was the scene where Walt Disney takes her to Disneyland and has her ride the carousal.

I found myself mesmerized by the merry-go-round and the woman as she enjoyed such a delightful child like adventure.  I could not help but think about what Jesus had handed me just two days earlier while in the garden of my heart.  This was not a co-incidence.  This was a God-incidence.

Can you guess what I have added to my 'bucket list"?  Yes, somewhere in my future I will be climbing up on a horse and riding a carousal as God smiles and says, "Enjoy my child!  I have set you free......enjoy!"

I am linking up with Bonnie today for whitespace Thursdays......