Fire and priorities

July 15, 2004

On Tuesday we had a large wildfire come within 6 miles of my home. Given

how quickly fires can travel at night, I decided to evacuate and go down to

my daughter's home in San Bernardino.

The first things I loaded into my trunk were all my Devi Mandir

publications. I figured pujas, gitas and paths and the inspiring books about

Shree Maa and Swamiji would be the most useful things to have with me. Then

I took all my books about Ramakrishna and his disciples and the Holy Mother.

Then I took water, my little dog, some dog food and an overnight case with

some clothes.

What did I leave behind? My computer and monitor. My calculator. My printer

and scanner. My TV. My stereo. All my kitchen stuff.

It really made clear to me what my priorities are.

I am sure that all the stuff I left behind is "worth" much more in dollars

than what I took with me. And I know that I could have replaced all my holy

books if it was necessary. But by taking all my holy books with me, I was

taking my Self with me. Driving down the mountain to civilization, I felt

warm and cozy and totally safe. If my house had burned down, it would have

not affected Me.

Then the next day, we had a "miracle". We had a 2 and a half hour heavy

storm totally out of season) that turned the direction of the fire away from

our town and helped the fire fighters to get it under control. Maa keeps on

taking care of us.

Jai Maa.

Ardis

July 17, 2004

Thank you, Ardis!

My heart overflowed when reading yout story.

You are beautiful

, Ardis Jackson <anandamama@e...>

wrote:

> On Tuesday we had a large wildfire come within 6 miles of my

home. Given

> how quickly fires can travel at night, I decided to evacuate and

go down to

> my daughter's home in San Bernardino.

>

> The first things I loaded into my trunk were all my Devi Mandir

> publications. I figured pujas, gitas and paths and the inspiring

books about

> Shree Maa and Swamiji would be the most useful things to have with

me. Then

> I took all my books about Ramakrishna and his disciples and the

Holy Mother.

>

> Then I took water, my little dog, some dog food and an overnight

case with

> some clothes.

>

> What did I leave behind? My computer and monitor. My calculator.

My printer

> and scanner. My TV. My stereo. All my kitchen stuff.

>

> It really made clear to me what my priorities are.

>

> I am sure that all the stuff I left behind is "worth" much more in

dollars

> than what I took with me. And I know that I could have replaced

all my holy

> books if it was necessary. But by taking all my holy books with

me, I was

> taking my Self with me. Driving down the mountain to civilization,

I felt

> warm and cozy and totally safe. If my house had burned down, it

would have

> not affected Me.

>

> Then the next day, we had a "miracle". We had a 2 and a half hour

heavy

> storm totally out of season) that turned the direction of the fire

away from

> our town and helped the fire fighters to get it under control. Maa

keeps on

> taking care of us.

>

> Jai Maa.

>

> Ardis

July 18, 2004

ARDIS ji, It was great to read your mail.

when we leave this world, all materialistic things

dont come with us. only our good and bad karma will

come with us till the end.

its very moving to visualise the sceene which u had

undergone.

Hope things are all settled down now.

May Gob be with u and ur family.

Jai Maa

aravind.

--- Gauri <gaurima108 wrote: > Thank you,

Ardis!

> My heart overflowed when reading yout story.

> You are beautiful

> , Ardis Jackson

> <anandamama@e...>

> wrote:

> > On Tuesday we had a large wildfire come within 6

> miles of my

> home. Given

> > how quickly fires can travel at night, I decided

> to evacuate and

> go down to

> > my daughter's home in San Bernardino.

> >

> > The first things I loaded into my trunk were all

> my Devi Mandir

> > publications. I figured pujas, gitas and paths and

> the inspiring

> books about

> > Shree Maa and Swamiji would be the most useful

> things to have with

> me. Then

> > I took all my books about Ramakrishna and his

> disciples and the

> Holy Mother.

> >

> > Then I took water, my little dog, some dog food

> and an overnight

> case with

> > some clothes.

> >

> > What did I leave behind? My computer and monitor.

> My calculator.

> My printer

> > and scanner. My TV. My stereo. All my kitchen

> stuff.

> >

> > It really made clear to me what my priorities are.

> >

> > I am sure that all the stuff I left behind is

> "worth" much more in

> dollars

> > than what I took with me. And I know that I could

> have replaced

> all my holy

> > books if it was necessary. But by taking all my

> holy books with

> me, I was

> > taking my Self with me. Driving down the mountain

> to civilization,

> I felt

> > warm and cozy and totally safe. If my house had

> burned down, it

> would have

> > not affected Me.

> >

> > Then the next day, we had a "miracle". We had a 2

> and a half hour

> heavy

> > storm totally out of season) that turned the

> direction of the fire

> away from

> > our town and helped the fire fighters to get it

> under control. Maa

> keeps on

> > taking care of us.

> >

> > Jai Maa.

> >

> > Ardis

>

______________________

India Careers: Over 65,000 jobs online

Go to: http://.naukri.com/

July 18, 2004

Thanks for your wishes and blessings. We are fine and settled back at home.

We have been studying Chapter 12 of the Chandi Path. Her assurances

are so strong. We have nothing to fear if we keep our focus on Her.

We also have Swamiji's example of chanting through flood and fire.

Nothing could break his concentration. I pray to Mother that I will

have his faith and focus.

I live in an area of high fire danger. My faith will probably be

tested again and again. I can only surrender at Her Feet and take

refuge in Her Supreme Divinity.

Jai Maa!

aravind maharajan <aravindmaharaj >

Sun, 18 Jul 2004 07:28:05 +0100 (BST)

Re: Re: Fire and priorities

ARDIS ji, It was great to read your mail.

when we leave this world, all materialistic things

dont come with us. only our good and bad karma will

come with us till the end.

its very moving to visualise the sceene which u had

undergone.

Hope things are all settled down now.

May Gob be with u and ur family.

Jai Maa

aravind.

--- Gauri <gaurima108 > wrote: > Thank you,

Ardis!

> My heart overflowed when reading yout story.

> You are beautiful

> , Ardis Jackson

> <anandamama@e...>

> wrote:

> > On Tuesday we had a large wildfire come within 6

> miles of my

> home. Given

> > how quickly fires can travel at night, I decided

> to evacuate and

> go down to

> > my daughter's home in San Bernardino.

> >

> > The first things I loaded into my trunk were all

> my Devi Mandir

> > publications. I figured pujas, gitas and paths and

> the inspiring

> books about

> > Shree Maa and Swamiji would be the most useful

> things to have with

> me. Then

> > I took all my books about Ramakrishna and his

> disciples and the

> Holy Mother.

> >

> > Then I took water, my little dog, some dog food

> and an overnight

> case with

> > some clothes.

> >

> > What did I leave behind? My computer and monitor.

> My calculator.

> My printer

> > and scanner. My TV. My stereo. All my kitchen

> stuff.

> >

> > It really made clear to me what my priorities are.

> >

> > I am sure that all the stuff I left behind is

> "worth" much more in

> dollars

> > than what I took with me. And I know that I could

> have replaced

> all my holy

> > books if it was necessary. But by taking all my

> holy books with

> me, I was

> > taking my Self with me. Driving down the mountain

> to civilization,

> I felt

> > warm and cozy and totally safe. If my house had

> burned down, it

> would have

> > not affected Me.

> >

> > Then the next day, we had a "miracle". We had a 2

> and a half hour

> heavy

> > storm totally out of season) that turned the

> direction of the fire

> away from

> > our town and helped the fire fighters to get it

> under control. Maa

> keeps on

> > taking care of us.

> >

> > Jai Maa.

> >

> > Ardis

>

______________________

India Careers: Over 65,000 jobs online

Go to: http://.naukri.com/

Sponsor

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<?subject=Un>

Terms of Service

<> .

July 18, 2004

color:blue">Ardis

color:blue">

color:blue">Jai Durge Maa

to you and your family.

color:blue">

How can a

beautiful home where the Glory of the Goddess Chandi Maa is recited be

destroyed by any ordinary fire? It can

never happen; even the fire of hell can’t touch such a home. The Goddess

is with you she will always be. A son can betray but a mother cannot. Remember,

Adya Strotram says that “the

house where it is kept is never in danger of fire or thieves”……so

there you go.

My prayers are

with you.

When you are

in doubt, mind is confused, sick or feel betrayed and don’t

know what to do…then my small advice…say “JAI DURGE”

and you are happy again. I am happy of you.

12.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:black;mso-no-proof:yes">JAI

DURGE!

12.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:black;mso-no-proof:yes">

12.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:black;mso-no-proof:yes">JAY

DAYAL

color:black;mso-no-proof:yes">FIJI

color:black;mso-no-proof:yes">.

color:blue">

-----Original

Message-----

Ardis Jackson

[anandamama (AT) earthlink (DOT) net]

Tahoma">Monday, July 19, 2004

font-family:Tahoma">3:48 AM

Re: Re:

Fire and priorities

Thanks for your wishes

and blessings. We are fine and settled back at home.

We have been studying Chapter 12 of the Chandi Path. Her assurances are

so strong. We have nothing to fear if we keep our focus on Her. We also

have Swamiji's example of chanting through flood and fire. Nothing could

break his concentration. I pray to Mother that I will have his faith and focus.

I live in an area of high fire danger. My faith will probably be tested

again and again. I can only surrender at Her Feet and take refuge in Her

Supreme Divinity.

Jai Maa!

12.0pt;margin-left:36.0pt">

aravind maharajan

Sun, 18 Jul 2004 07:28:05

+0100 (BST)

Re: Re:

Fire and priorities

12.0pt;margin-left:36.0pt">ARDIS ji, It was great to read your mail.

mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New"">

when we leave this world, all materialistic things

dont come with us. only our good and bad karma

will

come with us till the end.

its very moving to visualise the sceene which u

had

undergone.

Hope things are all settled down now.

May Gob be with u and ur family.

Jai Maa

aravind.

--- Gauri <gaurima108 > wrote: >

Thank you,

Ardis!

> My heart overflowed when reading yout story.

> You are beautiful

> , Ardis

Jackson

> <anandamama@e...>

> wrote:

> > On Tuesday we had a large wildfire come

within 6

> miles of my

> home. Given

> > how quickly fires can travel at night, I

decided

> to evacuate and

> go down to

> > my daughter's home in San Bernardino.

> >

> > The first things I loaded into my trunk

were all

> my Devi Mandir

> > publications. I figured pujas, gitas and

paths and

> the inspiring

> books about

> > Shree Maa and Swamiji would be the most

useful

> things to have with

> me. Then

> > I took all my books about Ramakrishna

and his

> disciples and the

> Holy Mother.

> >

> > Then I took water, my little dog, some

dog food

> and an overnight

> case with

> > some clothes.

> >

> > What did I leave behind? My computer and

monitor.

> My calculator.

> My printer

> > and scanner. My TV. My

stereo. All my kitchen

> stuff.

> >

> > It really made clear to me what my

priorities are.

> >

> > I am sure that all the stuff I left

behind is

> "worth" much more in

> dollars

> > than what I took with me. And I

know that I could

> have replaced

> all my holy

> > books if it was necessary. But by

taking all my

> holy books with

> me, I was

> > taking my Self with me. Driving down the

mountain

> to civilization,

> I felt

> > warm and cozy and totally safe. If

my house had

> burned down, it

> would have

> > not affected Me.

> >

> > Then the next day, we had a

"miracle". We had a 2

> and a half hour

> heavy

> > storm totally out of season) that turned

the

> direction of the fire

> away from

> > our town and helped the fire fighters to

get it

> under control. Maa

> keeps on

> > taking care of us.

> >

> > Jai Maa.

> >

> > Ardis

>

______________________

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Go to: http://.naukri.com/

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