I am who I am, who I am... who am I now? Requesting some enlightenment...

So this post might be a little "out there" for some of you, so bear with me,
or skip it, or just read it and shake your head and roll your eyes a bit...
or just maybe, notice a little bit of magic...

Stacia and I went for a little hike yesterday, something that has become an
almost daily habit, another of my favorite things about hanging out in this
little mountain village. We got back, tired after the looooong hill climb
back up to our little house, and decided to be good girls and do crunches.
After finishing that little exercise in torture, we're lying down on a grass
mat in our living room, exhausted. We start talking about the project Stacia
has undertaken up here, raising funds for a new kitchen and dormitory for
the schoolchildren (a project, by the way, that I am much overdue in writing
about and will fill you in on shortly... as I type, villagers are breaking
ground for a 6X6 meter concrete slab that the new kitchen will sit on, and
this evening a team of volunteers will arrive to begin building... you can watch a quick video of this here). So, Stacia and I are discussing how sometimes you just feel drawn to a place... sometimes after visiting, you just know you're going to return. And I start
talking about the Philippines, how when I left there, I knew I wanted to go
back. I'd actually already told Stacia about my time there, how much I
enjoyed it, the people I met and all of that. But as we were lying there on
the floor in our little "barn" I started talking out my "plan" for what a
return to the Philippines might look like. I told her about Shannon and Seth
and how they talked about putting up some cisterns in Reney & Zosama's
cornfields, and maybe installing some solar panels. I talked about putting
together a small team of maybe a couple of SLP's and perhaps an optometrist
(ahem... if only I knew some of those...) and doing some vision and hearing
screenings for the school children and maybe even some speech & language
evaluations if we could get hooked up with a speech pathologist that speaks
Cebuano. I said I figured if we got connected with an NGO in the Philippines
and were able to gather some donations, we could make a 3 week trip to Cebu
and accomplish all of these things. Stacia concurred, and offered some tips,
and said, you know, I think I'd like to go along...

So, cut to an hour later, we've eaten a little dinner and are sitting around
chatting. We decide to pull out these "angel cards" that Stacia has. A
little like Tarot cards. "Same same, but different", as they so often say
here in SE Asia. I go first. Shuffle the cards and wonder what to ask. And
so, I say, "I want to know what my life's going to be like when I get home."
I continue shuffling the cards and begin to sort them into 3 piles. As I do this, I notice there's a card turned facing the wrong way in the deck. A quick consult to the Angel Card Guidebook, tells me to set this aside as a "special message". I then take the top card from each of my three piles and turn it face up in front of me.

This is what I see. My special message: All is well. Everything is happening exactly as it is supposed to, with hidden blessings you will soon understand.

My first card, which the guidebook tells me is the "basis of the situation" I've requested information about, says "Brilliant Idea: Your idea is an answered prayer. Even though it might push you past your comfort zone, know that God doesn't give you anything you can't handle. Ask for, and be willing to receive, all of the support you need to bring the idea to fruition."

My second card, the "truth of the situation", says "Indigo & Crystal Children: You have a bond with children. In particular you can help children who are sensitive. Your life purpose involves helping & teaching children. You're here to help these children retain and amplify their psychic and spiritual gifts... you can help ensure their bright future, and I will help you."

The third and final card, described as the "resolution or outcome of the situation" says "Spread Your Wings: Don't hold back right now. The timing is perfect and you're ready to soar. Although you may feel intimidated by the prospect of change, and by the thought of moving past your comfort zone, you're ready to fly high. Welcome new opportunities and know it's safe to follow your heart and dreams. Keep your focus upon love, service, and spirit and avoid naysayers or skeptics. Remember that you inspire others with your story of turning challenges into victories."

This all kind of gave me the shivers... in a good way.

I'm thinking a return to the Philippines in 2009 sounds about right. I think I may have implicated a few of you as well, as far as "the universe" is concerned. Are you in?

More to come...