This is an original song I'm working on.  It started a few years ago and recently wants to be birthed.  Hope you enjoy!  Thomas.

God has defianately saved my life.  some years ago I found the spiritual path and real teachers.  I was in a novice live in program living with a priest and a couple other students.  I was given so much blessing, teaching, and grace.  At a certain point I became scared, ran away, got myself into a relationship, wich was a mess just as i was warned and my higher knowing new. When the relationship ended, I started doing drugs, cocaine, other things, and was very close to death numerous times.  When I knew I would either become homeless or get my act together, I chose to come back to life.  I remember one night doing so much substances that I felt my heart could stop at any moment, and to be honest, part of me wanted it to.  This is a very scary and humbling memory for me.
  When I put the self destructive behind me and humbly came back to the spiritual path and to God, and to the teachers who are so patient and loving....now I see how blessed and graced I have been to One, be alive in this body, and Two, be accepted back into God's family though i knowingly rebelled and caused violence to myself and to others.  I believe if there was not a desire to know and serve God, I would not be here today, and it is through God's grace that I have been preserved.
                                Thomas.

   Last night with some sisters in my spiritual community we watched the opening of the olympics in China.  It was the most beautiful display of interactive art, music, and dance I have ever seen.  It was also beautiful to see so many people from all over, and know "They are all Human!"  I see the same smile, the same light, the same joy and peace, the same brotherhood.  I pray that this Love replace the hatred and mistrust we have in our hearts for eachother.
   After the ceremony I slept on the couch at the center and felt so at home.  It is so beautiful to find a community of brothers and sisters, and a community that is so open and full of love.  I feel the stickyness of the path, and the fears of my childhood falling away, and I am letting the love come into these places, and there is Peace.  Amen.

   Some years ago, before I knew anything about God or Jesus or Mary, I often walked in the woods and asked God to teach me.   I had heard of the "Christ" and was beginning to understand that it was light and love.  On the walks, I would ask to be led, sometimes follow the sunlight on the path, other times follow intuition.  There was one place that seemed especially powerful, a small path around a pond where a solitary heron lived.  Another where mysterious teepees of sticks and branches were built.  There was a mystical feeling here, as the land has been preserved for hundreds of years.
   One day after a long walk I came to a crossroads from wich diverged five or so paths in different directions.  I was lost.  This didn't happen often with me, and I looked around in my confusion.  Suddenly down one direction to my left I saw someone in the middle of the path.  I instantly felt like I didnt want to see them, I think mostly because my mind felt disoriented and I got insecure for a second.  I looked again and this person was in a wheelchair in the middle of the path.  I thought "that's strange, it must be hard for them to move along."  Then I wasn't quite sure what I saw.  Now it looked like a woman with her back towards me, holding someone in her arms (not unlike Mary with Jesus after his crucifixion).  Now, I had to know what is was!  I started walking down this path, leaving the other four or so behind.  But as I walked, it got continually harder to focus and understand who was there.  Even a few yards away I couldn't tell.  It was only a couple feet away I looked down and understood what it was.  It was a simple branch.  A couple feet long.  I stared in amazement, trying to reconcile my experience with what I was seeing.  Then I realized I had a mystical experience.  I kneeled down and put my head on the ground, now with no insecurity, as I had felt before when I thought someone was there.  As I lifted my head I realized this as well: This was the path that led out of the woods, the path that I was looking for standing at the crossroads!   Wether it was Mary, or a vision, or whatever, it was the guidance I needed.   Soon after this, I found the spiritual school I was looking for and the Priests I needed to teach me.  I am amazed at how God, Jesus, and Mary were leading me even before I knew who they were.  And there is more...
   Today I went back to this place, back to the path next to the pond where I saw the heron.  He, or she, had moved to a different part of the lake.  The path that led me before was nowhere to be found.  I walked along the road on the other side looking for the path that was so familar to me, but I couldn't find it anywhere.  Whether It had become overgrown, or the water had risen, or I was mistaken in where it was, it seemed to say "the page on that mystery has been turned, and you cannot go back." 
   I am a different kind of seeker now.  I have found a path, and I look inside myself now for the light, for Jesus and Mary, for guidance on where to go.  But I am so grateful for being called out of the world, so grateful that God heard my prayers those days in the woods, that I was not left orphaned as I felt I was.  I pray for all those who are seeking, I pray for grace for them, that they find a path, and a teacher, and come home to their family.  Amen.

   I work part time at an arts cinema outside of Boston.  This morning I wanted to go see "Kung Fu Panda"  with a brother and sister from the Center of Light.  I knew that ussually I can go see a movie for free and bring one person, but this day my friend was taking care of six young kids as part of a day camp she runs at her house.
   I thought that the owner, who is very generous, would at least give us a discount and possibly let us all go for free, but I was feeling this wasn't quite fair as he would be losing alot of money.
  Driving to the theatre I prayed  "Jesus, I want whatever you see is fair to happen, If we should get a discounted rate or all go for free, let you're will be done, and I pray that it be fair to David."  I arrived at the theatre and asked David, the owner, if my friends could get a discounted rate...he said "Thomas do you have a minute,"  I said "sure."  He said, "My cleaning crew didn't show up this morning, if you will give the theatres a clean for ten minutes or so you can see the movie for free and I will hook you up with free popcorn and drinks."  
   I was thrilled to be able to help, and cleaning the theatre full of gratitude and joy I remembered praying to Jesus, and I was very grateful that I could give something, and for David's generosity.  The movie, wich rocks by the way, was an experience full of love and joy with children and two friends who are my family.  I am gratefull to God, Jesus and Mary, for all the experiences they give me to relax, give, and Love!