Reflections in the Mirror

Reflections-We Continue On

2009-12-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

I finished part of one of the Christmas story and just in time for another blow against my dear friend which I believe when your family it affects everyone involved.

We will get through this and overcome. Sometimes when we attempt to straighten life out and make it right it doesn't always go well. I believe also we can be assured G-d has a greater plan than we can even imagine most of the time.

I am trying to my best to focus on business aspects of life right now and managing well the tasks before me.

I have been pondering a lot lately why we in the United States and really the world over in many aspects separate business life and our life with G-d.

I have spent some time reading "Loving Monday" by John D. Beckett again and realized the greek mindset has overtaken us for centuries. In some societies and religions work is even considered a very low task. Therefore it makes sense that it would be difficult with that mindset to let G-d be involved in every aspect of life, including business.

Our culture is filled with dualism and in light of this, business and occupations are given a low status,lack dignity, spirituality, and importance they should be given. If I read my Torah/ Bible I see everything is of importance to G-d and not one thing made less than another in the sense that G-d cannot and should not be a major part of all of life. True Spirituality covers all of life!

So therefore, to me, business, whether in the legal realm or management of a company's affairs is high calling. I don't have to seek to be an ordained minister necessarily to have G-d involved in what I do. Believe me I respect a many rabbi and minister for the work they have chosen to follow. They are set apart in that sense.

The world view I was duped into following as many are, that distinguishes spirituality from some areas of life is backward from the one G-d shows me.

What I do and what you do has great worth in G-d's eyes, provided we bring it in harmony with His will and plan. I am not a 2nd class citizen who needs to leave G-d at home when I go into my office or to meet with a client.

Casey

Another Day

2009-11-29T21:21:00.000-08:00

Yes, another day but not nearly as somber.

My soul has more of a song today and not feeling so heavy.

I have received good news today of my friend and hope she seems to be receiving from HaShem to not give up the fight.

In our household as long as I can remember as a child, there has been love, laughter and joy. Yes, we've had our share of heart ache losing mom and going on in life but HaShem has gifted us with His love and warmth.

What does that do for others? It sometimes brings the best out in them and a desire to experience the Creator's best. For still others they still choose to bask in their unforgiveness and bitterness to the end.

I have a dear friend and sister who you will find me write about a lot more in coming days. It matters not that you know her name or not. I have made it my mission to tell her story, carry on her legacy and be used of G-d to restore what others have stolen from her.

If anyone could despair of life and it was me, I'd have said see ya a long time ago.

Not many stand with her with or without the love of G-D. The price is always too high and usually the price of inward change and forgiveness it seems to require of them as well.

She is silent way too much when she should defend herself. She's been misjudged, condemned and left alone by those she cared for or should never have been given her time of day. But nonetheless she walks out a very silent journey and purposing now through an unexpected result to carry on in spite of herself and to give new life to this world.

I have solidly or more than ever become solid in my belief, without the wisdom and understanding of G-d, one can not rely on or trust another human being for a thing!

In the last several months I have witnessed perversion, hatred, unforgiveness, anger, and devastation left by others with selfish ambition and motives. I have felt crushed under the weight of it and know my dad and a few friends around us have as well.

To see one precious human being who desires to live and love life be so crushed under the garbage of others had bowed me over sometimes.

The hope I hold onto eternal is I see those who intended harm being moved out of the way by G-d quickly and without harm done to any of us.

Even those who professed the love of G-d but did so in falseness have been removed. What seemed devastation will turn into blessing over time.

This will be a Christmas and Chanukah I will remember and will instead of being involved in Shiva will be celebrating life with those around me in family and friends.

The battle lines have been drawn a unique way now. It is terribly unhealthy for one to close themselves off to others due to pain, regret, unforgiveness, abuse,....and in a way that makes me rejoice I see my friend being picked up in the arms of her Abba, being restored to live a full life and bring life in an unplanned and unexpected way that will bless all around her. Including me of course.

Through all this, One greater than we, has cemented us to each other as well as Himself in bonds that only He could have forged.

Some we still grieve who chose to go their own way and not continue on in this family and this will take some time to heal from. Yet this bond in the love of G-d is going to keep us!

If you might so be led, bring to Abba in pray my friend and yes, even the hocky heart breaker out there somewhere who found the price too high to continue in this family. The loss for the blessings is sad but G-d brings all things for good does He not!

You ask why do I bother to be so focused on others healing and well being? What does one do when they have the love of G-d and His unmerited favor--I give back what has been freely given to me!

Casey

Shabbat Shalom-Reflections and More

2009-11-27T19:10:00.000-08:00

A day of reflection,rest and quiet with HaShem.

Again purposing to know His will and do it.

I understand in a better way that God allows things to happen in life and intends us to go through them for purposes many times beyond our understanding.

Does He not tell me in Proverbs to " trust in the Him with all I am and lean not to my understanding".

I don't do grief and loss well. I am a human who becomes attached to those I love and having to let go day by day is a stretch for this human. I know my friend will soon go to a much better place and her rest will be constant then. Because I am a fixer person by nature and a heart of God's love brimming over it's difficult to surrender and just let "love" be without a physical 'fix it' action of any sort.

I am put in a role in business affairs I had not entertained I'd be in so another area of surrender to what God is asking of me.

I am not so much a perfectionist as desire to do all with the 'spirit of excellence' that would honor the Creator of the Universe.

So... back to rest and quiet before Him.

May your remaining shabbos be peaceful and refreshing in Him.

Casey

Hava Nagila - Texas Style

2009-11-27T18:51:00.001-08:00

Reflections in a Mirror

2009-11-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

Let's see.....after a series of events I have had my eyes opened in a major way.
Dealing with the legal system and discovering how it fails many on most accounts. No-I am not talking about the cost that are out of reach for most, rather for the "donut shoppe" mentality my friend Rivkah has coined it.

.......Dealing with and prosecuting some very perverted people and becoming way to acquainted with death and dying of the soul and physically than my humanness is comfortable with yet.

.....Experiencing some financial loss and letting go of some dreams as a result.

.....lost a good friend and soon to lose a sister to a disease she is tired of fighting

.....and dealing with the business world in retail and management,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I find myself searching not just inward but reaching to HaShem.
I know I am no different than millions of others searching for meaning in life and to make sense of things.

I have prided myself in having a faith based approach to everything. Not bad in itself as long as the faith isn't in my ability alone.

I am inclined wholeheartedly as a lawyer and business leader to let my faith guide me and the Torah or Biblical view if you will.
As an author I admire, John Beckett said in his book, " Loving Monday", My main mission in life is to know the will of God and do it".

I have also been surrounded by extraordinary people who feel the same way in the depth of their soul. That includes my dad, a dear friend and sister ,and two young men who have hearts of gold.

I won't compromise my faith no matter how life seems to give me worse than lemonade and no matter how painful the losses I feel right now are.

So I may jump around a bit in this search and time of growth. I am not re-evaluating my faith in God nor angry at him for my losses & grief.
Rather I believe there are many of us who haven't had opportunity to connect through the storms of life who aren't giving up and quitting but are indeed learning much in the journey.

So I will be back to explore and share and hope you join me in the venture as well.
Look forward to hearing from some of you out there on the path.

Casey Bertogli

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