Now that the leaves are starting to fall it’s time to start to make preparations for winter. Let’s make a list of things to do before that cold sets in and the holidays keep us busy.
Window washing – Washing all the windows in your home with a glass cleaner. You can use a commercial window cleaner or create your own cleaner with dish soap and water or a solution of vinegar in water shaken in a spray bottle.
Cleaning The Window Treatments – Vacuum dusty curtains and blinds with the attachment and brush. If you have shaded then after vacuuming you can wipe them down with a damp cloth if needed.
If you have not done this for a while then you will need to give extra attention to the window treatments. Start from top to bottom with the vacuum. Try not to shake the curtains because you will just be spreading the dust around. Don’t forget to vacuum the window sill. If the vinyl shades are really dirty then you may need to take them off and submerge them in warm water with some mild soap.
Some drapes may be washed that are made from cotton, wool or polyester. If you are going to wash them then check the label instructions first and wash them on the delicate cycle. Fine fabric like satin and silk will need a professional cleaner.
Cleaning The Walls – Dust and wash the walls with a rag or sponge. I like to use a microfiber floor duster, with a clean head, to dust the ceiling and walls. It’s a fast and easy solution. The wall trim will need to be wiped down with a rag and water.
Cleaning Ceiling Lights and Fans – Usually the safest way to do this with a duster. Don’t use water with electricity.
Clean and Vacuum the Upholstery and Cushions on Furniture – You may be able to make some money during this task. Check under the couch cushions for loose change or that peanut butter sandwich that you 4-year old left for you.
Clean Your Carpets – Some people like to do this themselves. You may either rent a carpet cleaning machine at the hardware store or purchase one. It’s an all day project to do this yourself, so some people prefer to hire a professional carpet cleaner.
Clean the Kitchen Cabinets – Declutter the items in the kitchen cabinets. Use up the old canned food and clean the inside and outside of the cabinets. Replace the liners if necessary.
Clean the Refrigerator – This is self-explanatory but most people forget to clean the condenser coil in the back or bottom of the fridge. Vacuum the coils gently with the brush attachment.
Check you Floors – Do you have tiles coming up that need professional attention? Most likely not plan to make those repairs. If your wooden floors are scratched then you can hire a professional to refinish the flooring.
Clean Out Your Closet – Reorganize and declutter you closet full of clothes. The clothes do get dusty in a closet so you may need to wash them.
Check the Smoke and CO detectors – It’s best to check them on a regular basis and replace the batteries twice a year. I like to replace the batteries when daylight savings time changes.
Check YourChimneys – If you have a fireplace or a wood burning stove then you need to have the chimneys professionally inspected and cleaned to prevent fires.
Clean the Basement – Yeah it’s time to do that too.
Check and Replace Weather Stripping – Weather stripping on your windows and doors break down and cause drafts. Your weather stripping will need to be replaced every once in a while. This is also the time to put plastic on your windows if you have old drafty windows.
Clean you Gutters – The easy way to do this is with a leaf blower.
Drain the Garden Hose – Disconnect the hose from the house and drain the water from the hose.

It is absolutely inspiring to be able to view the charity work that is done here on a weekly monthly and yearly basis. Physically inspiring to see large donations come in throughout the year in spite of it not be a special holiday like Christmas. Recently we have received several donations that have been extremely charitable and relevant to some of our clients in the Davenport area.

Some of the charitable donations that we have received have been everything from clothing, to school supplies, to medical supplies, as well as large furnaces for homes of elderly and for clients that cannot afford a new furnace or repair. The local residents and commercial owners of businesses in Davenport are some of the most generous people I have ever encountered. Their hearts are as big and wide is the river that they’ve grown up on. And that generosity has been able to warm many people throughout the winter season. We have had people donate money for electrical bills as well as food. But large donations from commercial owners have truly been one of the most inspirational gifts that we have received. Recently we received 10 new furnaces that were given away at a charity auction. During that auction both furnaces were donated then to some needy families. All the money raised for the furnaces question turned right back into the charity through the generosity of those that donated attended.

The charitable people of Davenport in the Quad-city area have helped numerous people this winter. Typically to see residents bring clothing in has been the norm, however we have seen a larger than normal charitable donation by local residents.

It is amazing to be a part of the community that understands that charity starts at home. In understanding that charity starts at home several people throughout the Quad Cities and Davenport area have a real focus on charity abroad as well. Davenport has a deep appreciation for its financial stability and its local rich and wealthy residence both spiritually and financially. And too

much is given much is required. Davenport, and the Quad Cities residents have never forgot.

I expect to see the Quad-city and Davenport. Lead the country in charitable donations and set the pace for the type of charitable heart that we have grown to love.

 

 

This is somewhat of a personal blog this time.  A couple weeks ago my son broke his foot while we are out getting a Christmas tree at one of those temporary Christmas tree places, seen during the holiday, in an empty lot located adjacent to Naperville Tree Care.  Our son was running through the grass and his foot fell into a hole where a signpost use to be.  Naturally we recently went to go see a doctor immediately and  our son had to have surgery on his foot as soon as possible.  At this time, I wanted to report that all  is well and I just wanted to thank everyone for your prayers.  It was really scary for us when it happened because my son was in a lot of pain and this is his first trip to the hospital. We really didn’t know what to expect but I just wanted to say that our doctor was very good, so we would like to thank Dr. Vohra, a foot and ankle specialist in Plainfield, very much.

Well as I’m finding out it takes a little while for a broken foot bone to heal.  Apparently it takes a  broken foot bone approximately 6 to 8 weeks to heal  and depends on your body on how fast your body heals. Naturally if you keep on using your foot while it’s broken you can delay the healing process so it’s been a little bit difficult keeping our little one off his feet as much as possible on such as a daily struggle.

Well doing a little research on my own  the foot has 26 bones.  There are some longer bones and shorter bones all wrapped around all these little blood vessels that supply blood to the foot. What the doctors told, us depending on the circulatory system, that the blood supply makes a difference in the varying healing times of broken bones. So I’m glad we went to the doctor right away because my understanding is the sooner you get to a doctor the better chance of healing properly.

This verse (78th) of the Tao describes the nature of water and how it functions with life.

“Nothing in the world is softer and weaker that water.

But for attacking the hard, the unyielding nothing can surpass it.

There is nothing like it.

The weak overcomes the strong; the soft surpasses the hard.

In all the world , there is no one who does not know this. but no one can master the practice.

Therefore the master remains serene in the midst of sorrow;

evil cannot enter his heart. Because he has given up helping he is people’s greatest help” – Lao-tzu

Not only is water a large part of our life but it shows us about the nature of life.  Water is a mystery.  When you place your hand into a stream and tightly grab the water, the water slips away and all is lost.  When you place your hand into a stream and relax it, let go, your hand becomes one with the water.   By letting go you become one.

So what are the true characteristics of water?

1. Yield to overcome the unyielding.  Some may say “let go and let God”.  The firm and hard are conquered or overcome, by persistence of gentle things.  Think of the steady flow of water or a drip over rock.  Eventually, the rock will erode and a path will be carved in the rock.  Gentle persistence with unyielding effort and unwillingness to stop will transform the hardest rock.  Act like water and be persistent.
2. Water appears to be something that can be controlled and contained.  Once you believe that you have contained water it overcomes.  If forced out of the way, it will find its way back and seep into any crack, and work at the point of least resistance.  Dams and levees will eventually erode and yield to the properties of water. When the bible references the meek shall inherit the earth could it not also be said that weak overcome the strong.  Water is flexible you must learn to have humility and give way to the resistance.  Letting go of resistance is your true nature.
3. Water cannot be harmed, deformed, or destroyed.  It is soft and indestructible.  No matter what happens to it, water will always come back to its source and used again. If hot enough, water will evaporate into the atmosphere and return in the form of rain.  You can nourish your body by drinking water, and it will naturally return to the earth. Waer can be polluted and with time will eventually be naturally purified by the earth and ready for consumption again.   Everything described is possible because water is soft and giving.

Staying soft will overcome the hard and become indestructible. Water is the softest thing on earth and is able to overcome everything.  Stay soft and practice patience rather that exerting rigidity and control.  Trust in your higher self.  Being hard and rigid and dominate are not virtues of strength.   Those qualities will eventually be overcome by softness.  Change your view about these things and your world will change. Emulate those who are pliable and your true inner strength will come through.  Make it a point to not interfere or intervene, emulate water and stay pliable and soft. Stream like water and flow softly, around the hard, and into the areas needed.

 

Don’t feel to follow old family of cultural customs just because you have been told do so.  Particularly family customs. Pure goodness is not found by obeying laws.  Goodness resides in your pure “God Given” natural nature.  You don’t need a law or code or set of defined morals do know what is right and good.   Trust yourself  and your highest self to guide you.  Listen, and you will know.

I would like to quote the 38th verse of the Tao.

“A truly good man is not aware of his goodness

and is therefore good.

A foolish man tries to be good

and is therefore not good

The master does nothing,

yet he leaves nothing undone.

The ordinary man is always doing things,

yet many more are left to be done.

The highest virtue is to act without a sense of self.

The highest kind is to give without condition.

The highest justice is to see without preference.

When the Tao is lost, there is goodness.

When goodness is lost, there is morality.

When morality is lost, there is ritual.

Ritual is the husk of true faith,

the beginning of chaos.

The great master follows his own nature and is the trappings of life.

It is has been said:

“He stays with the fruit and not the fluff.”

“He stays with the firm and not the flimsy”

“He stays with the true and not the false””

The first part of this is speaking about one’s own true nature.  Nature is naturally good without knowing.  Living with one’s self-true nature is to live with oneness. When you know that something is good you introduce the complexity of  right and wrong or good vs bad.  The introduction of these things causes you to loose your true connection to source (Tao).   I will reference the Tao as one’s true source.

So if you are not or can’t be bee good then you will be moral… Right?  So what then is morality?  I morality the the difference between right and wrong?  Something the you uphold to your standards?   Lao-Tzu who wrote the Tao, implys to be saying that Source is oneness and has no standards to follow.  Source leaves nothing undone and yet is not doing anything.  Morality?  There is none!  Only is the one is not with source.  There is no right or wrong; there is no fair or unfair… Only pure nature, one’s true self-nature, encouraged to be ones self.

Source is infinite and excludes no one.  Rituals will divide you and disconnect your from Truth.   You will loose trying them, creating chaos for yourself.  The Source (Tao) is is one with true nature.  True natrue has no rules or laws.  There is not right or wrong.  There is no goodness or morality.  The Tao suggest to give yourself without condition, without trying to bee moral or good. Just give yourself.

The 38th verse is said to be written in response and in contradiction to Confucious who laid out specifics of conduct, morality and codes of educate.   Alternatively, this verse seems to be saying to live and trust in you true self-nature. Live by your true Source (God) guided nature and oneness.

Reject artificial principals and live in the true nature

These artificial principals are:

1. goodness
2. fairness
3. rites
4. laws

Fake goodness is to try to live by not being “bad”, allowing others to judge where you are on the “goodness” scale. Fairness is artificial and does not exist with Source.  There just is..   You are here as a translation of energy form,  a perspective of vibration, and will return to oneness regardless of self-opinion.   Be open with a generous heart without the expectation to be treated fairly.

 

Hi, Welcome to Clairereana. Let’s work together to make this world a better place.  I look forward to sharing with everyone great experiences. Wonderful life lessons and experiences.