This year has been a very full one.  Lance and I have been blessed with abundance, change and opportunities that go far beyond what we “thought” might happen.  Spirit has a way of having far better things happen than humans would imagine, when we allow it.

As we look over the past year in amazement, certain large events and blessings really stand out for us.

Our home underwent major reconstruction.  It now boasts lovely, large decks (three of them new), a new guestroom, drains and gutters that work, an almost complete new paint job and a bedroom for Samantha in the cottage.  Now with construction done, Lance and I are having fun decorating and landscaping.  If you come to visit (and we certainly hope you will), you will discover some delightful statuary throughout the forest…fairies reading, angels feeding birds, large rabbits to sit on. All of it is designed for private little meditation spaces scattered throughout the property.  So, no matter how many people come (and there do seem a lot at times), everyone can have their own space and time to reflect and nurture their spirit.  My favorite spot is the private deck that overlooks the river and is accessible only from our bedroom.  It’s tucked delightfully under the larger deck off the living room so is quite usable, even throughout the winter rains.  Of course, I’ve started putting angel statuary out there also, but the best thing is our hot tub!  Now after long days, Lance and I can lounge in it, sip wine and talk while listening to the river, and watching the breezes waft through the trees by moonlight.  Who would have thought?  It is a miracle and daily blessing that we both relish.

My involvement with the school has expanded a hundred fold.  Since becoming involved on the internet I now have over 200 students so far, who bring me joy and challenges with their questions.  I’ve only had time to transcribe 6 correspondence courses for net access, but I hope to expand that in 1999. This medium is reaching so many more people than I could ever reach by commuting from Boulder Creek.  Although I miss not having the hands-on classes, I also don’t miss the driving!

A couple of other areas have developed on the net besides the school.  I developed and resurrected Crystal Cloud Graphics.  I now have a net home with “graphics for the spiritually inclined.”  It has lots of offerings for people who wish to design their own web pages with themes from all the religious and spiritual traditions.  This has been my fun creative relaxation project.  It allows me to continue to feed that artistic creative side that often gets shoved aside because of the “busyness” of life.  An added bonus is that there is basically nothing like this kind of site offered on the net.  I’ve gotten to connect to many wonderful people and designed fun, custom graphics for Rabbis, Spiritual retreats, and even a multi-cultural Army memorial.  So the blessings have been many.  I love being able to talk and connect with so many who want to bring the blessings of Spirit into their lives and those of others.

One of the places on the net that I developed web sites turned out to be an amazing blessing.  The place is called FortuneCity.com and they host personal web sites.  Well, I moved my cyber homes there and then got involved with the community.  The staff then contacted me about creating a web-based community school featuring the School of Spiritual Integrity, and it was to offer people on the net the tools and resources for connecting to Spirit and becoming at one with themselves.  This kind of approach, at that time, rather shocked me.  Especially coming from a commercial company…but I was intrigued and started working with them.  Although the community school has yet to materialize, I found the staff and owners to be visionaries who truly desire to use their position on the net to make the world a better place, helping to motivate and teach people to interact positively and constructively regardless of their culture and beliefs.  All in all, I have been very positively impressed by the people of this company, and have been doing a lot to try and help them make their vision a reality since it falls in line with what I do but in a more pragmatic and “undercover” way (chuckle).  I talk to hundreds of people daily now, and coordinate the volunteer activities for FortuneCity (one never stops being a Girl Scout *grin*).  All this involvement has resulted in lots of visits here from people in England (where the company started) and Lance and me going to New York (I finally made it east of Arizona) to coordinate things.  One of the things I personally find a blessing with doing this, is the constant challenge of taking all the spiritual tools at one’s disposal and making them practical in real-life situations…making them work.  It’s very easy to be “Spiritual” in Spiritual classes and among Spiritual friends…it is a lot harder, but more valuable, to make those principles work with thousands of people who may have no idea what I teach, nor interest, or understanding.  But one finds, as in all things, that the most powerful force in the world is love.  If one walks with the love of Spirit, it comes through without all the courses and transforms.  Pretty heady stuff…and I have 750,000 people to work with at FortuneCity (big smile).

Lance has been working with a large company called Anritsu.  It was a blessing because it allowed us to really stabilize financially (I got a new refrigerator and stove to die for *grin*).  This contract is winding down now, which is also a blessing.  Lance needs time off to putz around the house and nurture his soul before he faces the opportunities/challenges that 1999 will offer.

Samantha (our granddaughter) is in kindergarten!  Of course, the teachers tell us she is the brightest, most creative and most mature kindergartner in the class.  I, of course, could have told them that (wink), but it is nice to get confirmation from others.  I am the room grandmother so am having a blast going on the field trips, making goodies for parties and in general hanging out with Sam.  She is just the best granddaughter, and Kimberley, our daughter, gets an A+ for having her.  Kimberley is busy working and involved with a nice young gentleman named Chuck, but she indulges me by letting me grab Sam for all our creative art and cooking projects.  Samantha has as much fun as I do making crafts and decorating/cooking for company.  We are very simpatico and she is truly one of our fondest blessings.

Lance’s Mom passed this year.  He went back to New York for a memorial and family reunion with his sisters.  It was a real blessing for his mother to be released from the Alzheimer’s and a delight for him to actually get to know and connect with his siblings as adults…he even found he likes them!

Our friends have been growing and changing and facing their challenges, too.  Christy traveled, explored dating and is now looking forward to buying and moving into her own home next year.  Tookie moved from Sonoma to our home to go to school, to discover that family is a very important thing and will move back to Sonoma at the new year.  Dinnie’s father passed and she is in the process of selling his home.  After it is sold she will be staying here to heal and regroup.  Ian moved to the Southwest and now is living with his uncle; we look forward to him coming back up here to visit or stay.  Frank has gotten his certification in Brima and is in the process of starting his life again now that his uncle will have other caregivers.  Deborah’s son moved in with her, so she moved back to Cupertino so he could continue high school there.   Dave Kelley’s son and Leane’s daughter Cindy both moved in with them.  Now they face a house filled with teenagers…ah, the changes! Alexandra has started a fabulous art therapy center/colony in Europe and hopefully will visit in 99.  Julia has moved (Lance sold his San Jose house) and is trying her hand at living in the middle of nowhere without 24-hour markets.  Joey closed Mystic Love and Donna and Jay split up.  David Reish and Angela got married and moved to Idaho.  Changes, challenges, growth, opportunities and blessings have been with us all.

May 1999 find you and yours being challenged, growing, and discovering the fullness and blessings that life in, of and through Spirit offers.

In Oneness,
Kythera Ann & Lance

Click this picture to see the Images of 1998!