Sunshine on the Snow

I wrote this song during Advent, 2003. Though it depicts primarily the outer Christian teachings – the literal understanding of the birth of Jesus – it also holds a deeper, more mystical meaning. The last verse especially is why I chose to share it here.

And just to point out how things seem to circle back around, but at a deeper level than before… This was written on a baritone ukulele, an instrument I played only briefly because it was awkward. Here I play a concert ukulele, and it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Enjoy, and merry Christmas!

Sunshine on the Snow – Lyrics

Instrument: Brio – Red Cedar Concert Ukulele
Recording Updated 2017

1. Jesus gave us Light;
He saved us from our woe.
He brought pow’r and might;
He’s brighter than the sunshine on the snow.

2. The place was a stall;
Through Him God’s love did flow.
It was quiet and small;
He’s humbler than the sunshine on the snow.

3. We’re still wrapped in love;
He came so it would grow.
All we need is trust;
He’s warmer than the sunshine on the snow.
He’s humbler than the sunshine on the snow.
He’s brighter than the sunshine on the snow.

The Spirit of Christmas

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ChristmasPresence

Ever Wonder how Santa Clause is able to reach all the children of the world in one night? Perhaps the magic lies in the simple miracle that, it ever seems at Christmas time, as Charles Dickens observed, “Men open their shut up hearts freely to one another.” and in this opening the Spirit of Christmas, of Love, Joy, Mirth, Prosperity, Health and Contentedness reaches out to touch each heart, each life all round the world. Like a child receiving a gift, will you accept the present of this miracle with eagerness and delight?

“The Spirit stood beside sick beds, and they were cheerful; on foreign lands, and they were close at home; by struggling men, and they were patient in their greater hope; by poverty, and it was rich. In almshouse, hospital, and jail, in misery’s every refuge, where vain man in his little brief authority had not made fast…

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All I Want for Christmas

A mind that knows it’s one with All
And peace that reigns within;
A consciousness that, should it fall,
Knows how to rise again;

The willingness to use what Love
Has given me to grow;
Connection with the One above
That manifests below;

A heart that sees what head cannot
And gently leads the way;
To realize that all I’ve got
Can vanish in the haze;

The things I wanted other years,
They pale within the Light
Of Christmas and its joyful tears
That bring the ending night

To every soul that’s making known
It’s one desire true,
There comes a Christ-child miracle
Each moment we’re renewed!

So for this bless’d Christmas day,
I ask to be secure;
That mind and heart and soul obey
The God who is my Source!

“Happy Holidays!”

Have all your “Happy holidays”
The whole rest of the year!
For Christmas spread the Truth of God
TO people far and near!

Columbus Day and Halloween,
St. Valentine’s and more,
Labor Day, Thanksgiving,
And the U.S. has its Fourth!

But at this special time of year,
We celebrate the Christ
That’s born within each one of us,
The “naughty” and the “nice!”

It’s not about the Santa Claus
To those of us who know,
And not about the Jesus Child
Who came so long ago…

The special birth at Christmastime
Is given in each mind.
The Holy Spirit moves in Love
To lift up human kind.

It doesn’t happen in a church,
A temple or a scholl.
The Christ is lit and shines within
The very heart of you!

Now, you may call him Jesus
And celebrate his birth.
But only with a Christed mind
Can there be peace on Earth!

So may it be to every one
Who’s ready to receive:
A very merry Christmas
And a heart that can believe.

Have all your “Happy holidays”
The whole rest of the year!
For Christmas spread the Truth of God
TO people far and near!

I am Love

This song is many things and has grown into more since I wrote it in December, 2010. It was part of my Advent celebration that year, based on
The Twelve Powers of Man by Charles Fillmore.

It’s also a reminder to be mindful of who and what we say we are.

“I am ___”

What we put in that blank is more powerful than we realize, and is a clue to our true self-image. If the words are positive, build them up. However, if “I am” is followed by negativity, we have the opportunity to choose something better and more truthful.

Still repeating a negative pattern? See
I’m so Tired: How to Feel Better Fast.

I added things to this song – compassion, forgiveness, trust, because they are qualities the human spirit needs in order to make a difference in the material world.

In any case, it is not, and wasn’t when I wrote it, an intellectual exercise. Rather, I share this song in a spirit of love, harmony with God-Mind, and blessing to everyone.

I am Love – Lyrics

Instrument: Lady – tenor Flea ukulele

1. I am love.
I am peace.
I am renewal.
I am release.

2. I am strength.
I am power.
I am wisdom.
I am desire.

3. I am hope.
I am faith.
I am joy.
I am thanks.

4. I am thought.
I am will.
I am order.
And I am zeal.

I am compassion,
Forgiveness,
Understanding,
And trust.
And I am life.

I am love.. (6x total).

Get more music!

“I am Love” is track 6 from

Crystal L. Howe: And so It Is, Vol. 1

Click to get the album in mp3 or CD format from CD Baby, the best independent music store on the web!

Cookie Cutter

Making cookies all the same,
That’s the cookie cutter game.
All alike and none that shine;
Who can really say, “That’s mine?”

Children grow and go to school,
Learning all the people’s rules:
“Do these things and don’t stand out,
This is how you must turn out.”

Intellect is praised and still,
Deep inside they’re not fulfilled.
Loving hearts and building hands
Are not in cookie cutter plans…

God has more for those who know
There are many ways to go,
Greater things to do and be,
Souls to fill and minds to free!

Cookie cutters make a shape,
But they never deviate.
Other shapes and paths aren’t wrong,
They just sing a different song!

God, the Spirit in us all,
Has a cookie cutter ball,
Rolls it on the earth for play,
For in His image we are made!

Cut your cookies, do it well,
Angels, snowmen, wreaths, stars, bells.
But remember all the while,
You’re no cookie cutter Child!


Shared for the last OpenLinkNight of 2016 at
dVerse.

Simple Blessing – Music and Poem

This is an original instrumental, played on the harp. As you listen, I invite you to contemplate these words, or your own thoughts and feelings about giving thanks and counting blessings.

Simple Blessing

Blessings come in many forms,
Much more than what we see.
And blessings best are counted as
The God in you and me.

We’re given Life, and not just breath
Upon this spinning ball…
But onward, upward all the time,
To God the Source of all.

In having what we need we take
A moment to be glad.
But lacking something, would we still
Give thanks for all we had?

For what is there if not the things
We see as good in life,
The money, job, the home and friends,
Success, and being right?

There’s still a Spirit deep within
That shines from all we are!
If nothing else, give thanks for this,
For it’s our Source, by far!

We think we have security
From all these earthly things.
But they are tools that Heaven rules,
Just servants of the King.

And so take time to give Him thanks,
This day and every one,
For all we are and all we have,
Is ours in God the One.

Blessings come in many forms,
Much more than what we see.
And blessings best are counted as
The God in you and me.

All in Good Taste

I recently re-integrated sound healing into my meditation practice. Some exercises include vocal toning for each Chakra. I’ll describe this briefly, and then share some insights about taste on the physical, emotional and spiritual level.

Vocal toning is not about singing or performing. It means making a vocal sound with the intention of healing. World renowned sound healer Jonathan Goldman created the formula: frequency + intention = healing. Frequency refers to the physical sound. Different traditions use different pitches, notes or frequencies for the same ailment, body part, or Chakra. But that’s ok, because the sound itself does not heal. The sound + the intention to heal, is what brings us back to a state of wholeness and harmony.

I won’t go into the definition or description of the seven main Chakras here. I’m focusing today on the second Chakra, located around the navel area. The corresponding element is water; its aspect of our being is the emotions; and it governs our sense of taste.

Taste itself has many dimensions. It’s believed that the second Chakra governs the physical sense. However, taste is not only a physical sense. Physical taste is a manifestation, a more tangible aspect, of something much deeper. I believe that in balancing the second Chakra in particular, we balance our taste for all things, on all levels.

We experience taste, i.e. likes, in thoughts, words, food, clothes, friends, activities, hobbies, intimate relationships, and much more. I’ll even go as far as to say that life is a matter of taste. No matter what happens, we either have a taste or liking for it, or an aversion to it. I believe the second Chakra governs both our tastes-likes and our aversions-dislikes, and that by keeping this Chakra in balance, we can align our tastes with our souls’ purpose.

We are one Spirit, one vibration, aspects or children of one God-Creator. When we choose to balance ourselves and restore wholeness, we also restore unity with that Source. By establishing and maintaining this unified contact, we allow Source to take charge of our tastes.

Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t mean giving up anything good! It simply, and the Truth is simple, means giving up the delusions of our finite, limited personal ego, will, and human mind. We’ve all had the experience of doing something because we had a taste for it. Maybe it was trying a cup of coffee. If you didn’t like it, you may never try another cup. If you liked it, maybe you became a regular coffee drinker.

The question is, why did we have that cup in the first place? What motivated it? What made us think we wanted that? If the motivation was off, that is, of the personal ego, of course the taste is off as well. The taste is out of alignment with the God-Presence within us.

As always, we have a choice. We can stay there, in a state of dis-ease, mis-alignment, disconnection and separation. Or we can bring ourselves back into balance.

And why would we want to do that? It’s so easy to acquire a taste for things! And if we were honest, we’d have to admit that many of these acquired tastes are negative. They leave us with a bitter taste in our mouths, pun intended. They’re over or gone, and we feel a void, an emptiness. These are escapisms, and yes, it’s so easy to acquire the taste for them. And as long as we have them, life is bearable, even good. So why do we want to be balanced, when imbalance is “so much fun?”

Because when we’re in balance, we truly live the good life! Not necessarily a life free of all negativity! But the life we were created to live. How do we know that’s good? How do we know it’s better than these acquired tastes our ego tells us we need? Because the Creator would not create, only to destroy! The Creator does not wish negativity on us. There is no punishing God. There is discipline, guidance, direction, Divine Order, but there is never punishment. All punishment and suffering are caused by giving in to the personal ego.

So this isn’t really just a discussion about physical taste. Balancing the second Chakra, and all Chakras and aspects of ourselves, is about uniting ourselves, consciously and freely, with the God of our being. This God is our true nature, and wants to live more fully and freely through us.

How do I know that? Because I exist. And I know it for you. If it were not so, you would not exist. God doesn’t create “for the fun of it.” There is no “for the hell of it” in creation. It’s always loved, flowing, conscious, and divine.

In letting go of our personal identities and tastes, we allow God to taste for and through us. And we no longer experience the void of spiritual hunger and thirst:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
–Matthew 5:6 (WEB)

The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From where then have you that living water? Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his livestock?” Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
–John 4:11-14 (WEB)

As for the Chakra balancing, it is simply a tool, a means, like meditation, of bringing ourselves back to conscious oneness with God. You may use it to balance your own tastes and all aspects of your being. Or you may use something else. The tool is less important than your intention to balance, heal, and connect with the God-Presence within yourself.

May you be blessed and know that you are one with God, your Source and Creator, living in and through you each and every day of your life!

And so it is!

Moments of Life

There are moments when we all feel unappreciated. Unfortunately. But sometimes these moments… drag out. They become days, weeks, months. Sometimes they become years. And we can’t remember the last time we felt anything other than unappreciated, sad, dulled down somehow. I think the word is blah. Depressed. In despair. Or just, “I haven’t been myself lately.” But for how long?

Some of us know we have to reach within for connection. But even that seems hard. Well, not just hard, impossible! And even as we try to tell ourselves that all things are possible, we laugh. You know, that mirthless laugh, “Ha. Yeah right. Like fun all things are possible! Maybe they are for so-and-so, rich people, you name it, but not for me. Not now. Not ever.”

And on it goes.

Until one day, one moment, we get tired of it! Something, thank God, snaps us out of that vicious, downward spiral. The tiniest thing. I think I can safely say it’s always a tiny thing, but to us it seems so huge!

The dark night of the soul has ended. Dawn is breaking through. Once more we can hear the birds sing and feel the butterflies take flight in our hearts. And why? Because someone said, “I love you.” Because someone sent a birthday card. Because someone asked what we were up to or how we were, and was truly interested. Because someone complimented us for what they probably thought was nothing, really. Except that to us, wow! It was the spark that rekindled the fire within.

And it happened in a single moment..!

Just as we can have these moments, we can give them to others. That stranger you smiled at today? It’s quite possible you were part of their moment, an unknowing witness to the break of dawn on the renewed landscape of that person’s life. You may never know for sure. But we are here for a purpose, a Divine, God-given, ordered, unique, personalized purpose. And that purpose includes being a Light to others.

As we give, so we receive. And as it is given to us, it’s passed on through us, to others. What is? Light, Love, Peace, inner connection. So though we feel isolated at times, we are never alone. Someone, by the God-Presence within them, will be our Light, our moment. And we will be a Light to others.

Because no vacuum can exist for long! Giving and receiving must take place. Light and darkness must converge. And we must play our parts in the lives of others, and they in ours, even for just a moment!

And so it is!

“But I Want It…”

How many times have you heard a child, whether yours or someone else’s, say that? And more importantly, how many times have you declared it? Silently or aloud, we all want things, we really want things, we desperately want things. And that’s ok!

The question is, what motivates this? Common motivations include the following, and feel free to add your own:

* It’s practical.

* It makes sense.

* It’s inexpensive, cheap, or a bargain.

* It will make me money.

* It brings security.

* It solves a problem.

* It will make me feel better.

* I’m expected to have it.

* It will distract me; it’s an escape from something else.

* It fills an emotional need.

* It’s something I need to survive–or I think it is…

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Most of the time, our motivations are based on false premises. That is, we expect things and circumstances, to change our things and circumstances!

This cannot work. The only True motivation is the God-Presence within each of us.

I cannot and will not tell you that God doesn’t want you to have money. Because I don’t believe that. However, I’ll encourage you, as I remind myself, to look within for fulfillment first. Don’t expect money or anything else, to fill your needs.

It may be a tool. Maybe that pony, lover, financial windfall, and even that cheesecake you want really is a means and a part of fulfilling your true desire. And if it is, you will receive it. When the time is right, remember this is God’s time, not yours, when you’re really ready for it, it will show up in your life.

However, if you really don’t need that, putting all your hope and desire into it, will not serve. It limits the good you can receive, because you want “this and only this,” instead of, “This or something better.” Or better still, “Nevertheless, Thy will be done.”

I always stress that Metaphysics is more than the law of attraction. And so it is! 🙂 But they do cross paths, and this is one of those crossings. What you focus on, you can have. But what are you focusing on? Really, in the depths of your mind, what is motivating the things you’re asking for?

Look again at the list of motivations above. Each one of them comes from lack. “I don’t have this. But if I did, I would also have ___ (fill in the blank).”

The law of attraction says that like attracts like. So, if you’re motivated by lack, guess what you’ll get back. More lack.

Is that what you want? Really? I doubt it.

This is why Spiritual Science teaches meditation. It’s not because a certain way of meditating will bring you the perfect life with no negative trends at all. It’s because by meditating in the way or ways that work best for you, you make a connection with the God-Presence within you.

Did you get that? I didn’t say you make a connection with your church, minister, support group, spirit guide, or that thing you want. Because meta-physics goes beyond the physical dimension of life. I said God-Presence! Go right to the Source. Skip all the middle management–angels, saints, other gods and goddesses, spirit guides. It’s not that they don’t have a place. But you want your desires to be for the highest good, right? So, ask the Source within you what that is.

Let Source motivate you. In this way, you make sure not only your desires themselves, but your motivations for them, are in sync with the wonderful, great, flowing Divine plan for your existence here and now.