Call For Love Devotion - June 30: Living the Legacy

Michael, only you know the full magnitude of the ways in which you touched my heart
Once my heart was fully opened, I wished that we weren't spheres and realms apart
But true love lives beyond space and time, it is always there, waiting to break free
Free so love can soar and take off the shackles of needy misery

It's all for love, that's the fingerprint of your soul
created unity and understanding, made you Whole
Now it's my heart's sincere desire
to emulate you, your gentle caring, your spiritual fire,
to free the bird from its barbed wire

The bird is a symbol for a love pure and free
soaring like an eagle, together we create HIStory
the little bird could not be caged, loving only one
its love needed to be spread, to set us all free.
Free from chains that keep us needing more
Ask not to receive, just give in splendor
Give freely of all the love in your heart
Not just to the bird, just compassionately impart
This the the sacred key to Oneness, as a start

The message is love, and Michael-bird sang that tune
wings of an angel flew gracefully by the light of the moon
the love was carefully wrapped in the notes of a song
a tender symphony, a beckoning to come along
Even in his dance, there was love in his ways
a peace sign, a spin, ultimately a tippy-toe stand
He invited us to join him, "it's simple, just take my hand"

by Elmira van Galen
Copyright (c) 2011

Call For Love Devotion - June 29: Living the Legacy

I was in California last week, remembering Michael, celebrating his life, missing him and sharing love for him with all the people who were there. We cried and laughed, shared stories, visited the places he loved and imagined him being there with us. We played his music non-stop and spent every waking moment thinking and talking about him. We made multiple visits to Neverland and Forest Lawn. It was beautiful, magical, incredible. I loved being able to really express my devotion to Michael with others who feel the same.

As the time came closer to when we would have to return to our regular lives, I desperately wanted to do something to show my dedication to Michael. I wanted to give something back for all he has brought to my life. Nothing seemed to be enough. At one point we even discussed throwing ourselves off the top of Holly Terrace to demonstrate our undying love.
We sat in the shade on the edge of the road across from the building just before it was time to leave. It seemed almost impossible to drive away from this beautiful place and leave Michael behind. We sat in silence, lost in our thoughts. It was totally quiet, peaceful, serene. A hawk appeared above us, wings outstretched, gliding in a huge circle over our heads, at one point coming so low, we could see each individual feather outlined. He then circled in a figure eight over Holly Terrace. We continued to watch him, time standing still, as he effortlessly glided and spiralled above us, never once flapping his wings, until he disappeared behind one of the majestic trees on the hill. The only word for it was, perfection.

It was time to go, and we knew the majestic hawk was a message from Michael, to tell us that he is always with us and all is well. Although we will continue to visit him at Forest Lawn every year, we realize he can not be contained. He is free, perfect, effortless and continuing to inspire and delight us with his creativity and endless love. No need to jump off a building for him, He only asks that we be what he would have us be - our true selves. When we do this, we are like the hawk, in joy, living life to the fullest.

We left Forest Lawn without tears, still in awe, and headed for the airport to drop off our rented car and check in for our flight home. While waiting in line, we saw a big sign on the wall which read - Dreams of Soaring, beside it were two hawks, wings outstretched in a blue sky.

A lady sitting at the gate waiting for the plane mentioned that she like Siren's jacket. I spoke up and told her "It's a Michael Jackson jacket." When we came through Canada customs a few hours later, the agent asked why we had been in L.A. Siren answered, "We were there for Michael Jackson's memorial." Without effort, we had chosen a way to honor Michael and live his legacy, by joyfully bringing him into people's awareness. We can dedicate our lives to him by keeping him reverently in our hearts and taking every opportunity to share his divinity with those who may be ready to hear.

by Brenda Jenkyns
Copyright (c) 2011

Call For Love Devotion - June 27: Living the Legacy

Beloved, I am Yours… now and forever
This is my promise to You
Take me, mold me, set my soul on fire
Yours is the way of my heart's desire

I will do my best to follow Your example
To love and live in the way You would teach me

To love from my soul
To live for You only
And to be all that I can be
On the path that You show me

Yes! Please use me
Take me to that place in Your soul
Where I will know what You know
Show me Your God and His Love eternal
Teach me Your ways until I’ve learned them all

This will be my vow to fulfill
For the rest of my life
I’ll bow to Your will

Take me, mold me, show me the way
Your wish is my command
I will do my best to make a difference in this world
As long as I am here on this earth, in this land

Hold my hand, won’t You please
So I will always know You are there
And I will join You when this journey is through, my love
When I’ve done all I can do
To show that I care

My heart and soul are in Your hands
For better or worse, my vow will rise
And the sands of time will see the Truth
Unveiled before our eyes!

06/20/11
Copyright © 2011 by Charlene Burgess

Call For Love Devotion - June 20: Celebrating Michael

With my computer being fairly inaccessible the last week or two, I've been taking a trip down Memory Lane, watching more of my Michael videos than I have in a long, long time! It's been very refreshing, to tell you the truth, to get back to the very thing that I spent so much time doing in the beginning of this journey. It's been like getting acquainted with him all over again, only this time, from an entirely different perspective.

The first time was an adventure of discovering all the wonderful things about this man that I already knew on some deep level, but I had not taken the time to explore prior to his passing on June 25, 2009. This time has been like a refresher course, but with the added benefit of having already done the exploring into deeper territory, it just confirmed everything I had learned before... and more! If I could possibly fall any deeper in love with this amazing man, it has definitely happened in the last couple of weeks! I continue to be amazed at the things Michael did throughout his life and career to give his fans the very best of himself. And, although it came at a great cost to him at times, I am ever so grateful for this incredible gift!

I've also been leafing through my notebooks which are full of my handwritten notes - things I wanted to remember and keep track of, especially during the first several months of this journey when thoughts and ideas were flowing constantly, and before I purchased my little laptop. I came across the text of a 3-page letter Michael had written in 1988 to William Pecchi Jr, one of his camera operators for the movie Moonwalker and during the Bad World tour. Many of you have probably already seen and read this letter, but I'm going to reprint it in its entirety here because, to me, it captures the heart and soul of Michael Joseph Jackson, the man and the genius that we have all fallen in love with. Michael always said he wanted to live forever through his art and this letter certainly reflects that desire. His passion for creating perfection as a gift for the world to enjoy and learn from far beyond his years on this earth can be felt in every word written in this poingnant letter.

As I watched the video of the Bad tour in Japan last week, I was reminded of a moment during "Shake Your Body" when Michael called out to Pecky, saying "Pecky, where are you?" After coming across this letter, it made me wonder what Michael was thinking when he said that. My own feelings about it are that he was experiencing some incredible magic with the audience in that moment which he wanted Pecky to capture, and this was his way of letting Pecky know what he expected. I shake my head in total wonderment of how "plugged in" he was to his audience!...

"Pecky - I very seldom write letters, but this is a moving occasion. I couldn't help myself. I want to thank you for putting the effort forward to capture the magic and excitement of the people of the world. What you do is a very personal and powerful medium to me. It is the art of stopping time, to preserve a moment that the naked eye cannot hold, to capture truth, spontaneous truth, the depths of excitement in human spirit. All else will be forgotten, but not the film, generations from now will experience the excitement you've captured, it truly is a time capsule. I will not be totally satisfied until I know you're at the right angle at the right time to capture a crescendo of emotion that happens so quickly, so spontaneously.

"What you have done is good, but I want the best, the whole picture, cause and effect. I want crowd reaction, wide lens shots - depth of emotion, timing. I know we can do it. It is my dream and goal to capture truth. We should dedicate ourselves to this. The person who makes a success of living, is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication. There is no other way to perfection than dedication, perseverance. Just tell us what you need to make it happen. Take the leadership to direct the other camermen. I've enjoyed working with you. That is why I asked you to come, you have a gentle spirit that's very likeable. Maybe I look at the world through rose colored glasses, but I love people all over the world. That is why stories of racism really disturb me. You hurt my heart and soul when you told me of your boyhood in Texas. Because in truth I believe all men are created equal. I was taught that and will always believe it.

"I just can't conceive of how a person could hate another because of skin color. I love every race on the planet earth. Prejudice is the child of ignorance. Naked we come into the world and naked we shall go out. And a very good thing too, for it reminds me that I am naked under my shirt, whatever its color. I'm sorry to bring up such past news, but in the car I was hurt by what you said. I'm so happy though that you have managed to overcome your childhood past. Thank God that you've graduated from such beliefs of ignorance. I'm glad I've never experienced such things. Teach your kids to love all people equally. I know you will. I speak from my heart, saying I Love you and all people, especially the children. I'm glad God chose me and you. ~ Love, M.J."

I'm glad God chose you too, Michael Jackson!! I LOVE you forever...

Copyright © 2011 by Charlene Burgess

Call For Love Devotion - June 18: Forgiveness

The devotions on the topic of forgiveness this week have all been thought-provoking and inspiring. And I thank each and every contributor to this beautiful effort. But one really stood out, in my opinion. The one I refer to is the one which quoted Mark Twain:

“Forgiveness is the scent the violet leaves on the heel that crushes it.”

When you really stop to think about it, that is such a beautiful and appropriate description of a really kind of amorphous concept. I had never heard or read this particular quote from one of our great thinkers before reading it here on Call for Love. So, I particularly thank the author of this devotion.

All the attributes of forgiveness are contained within those thirteen words. It is a miracle of brevity.

The scent doesn’t excuse the crushing. The violet remains crushed.
The scent doesn’t erase the crushing. What is done is, quite frankly, done.
The scent doesn’t forget the wrongdoing of the heel. How can it? The heel has crushed the violet. That cannot be changed.
The scent doesn’t judge if the heel is worthy of its fragrance. It rides on the heel, worthy or not.
The scent doesn’t ask if the heel is sorry for crushing the bloom. The fragrance remains as a silent testament and memorial to the crushed.
There are no mitigating circumstances to minimize the action of the heel in crushing. Crushed is crushed.
And yet, the heel is blessed by the scent of the bloom it has crushed, perhaps, without even being aware of the damage it has done.

At the time I first read the quote, I commented that in a larger sense WE (his children) are the scent the violet (Michael Jackson) left on the heel that crushed it (the world we live in.) We remain to bless … in His Name … the heel that crushed him. May we each, in our own way, be equal to the challenge.

As the scent of the crushed bloom doesn’t excuse, erase or forget the crushing, we are obliged as the fragrance of the flower, to not expect excuses, erasures or forgetting.

Similarly, it is not our place to judge worthiness or remorse in regards to the callousness of the heel, but only to bless it with our fragrance to the best of our ability.

In this, we have the most wonderful example to follow that the world has known in a very, very long time.

May our fragrance bless our world with strength, beauty and the LIGHT that Michael Jackson has embedded into each of our souls.

~ by Jan Carlson
Copyright © 2011 by Charlene Burgess

Call For Love Devotion - June 14: Forgiveness - It's Just Another Part of Love

“It’s all for LOVE.” We have come together here on this page known as “Call for Love.” And yet some of us struggle with forgiveness. I’d like to think of myself as kind, generous, caring, and loving.

But Love cannot exist if there is still a need for forgiving someone. And that’s the hard part. In the Christian tradition, there is a prayer that says, "forgive us...as we forgive others." The message is that I have to forgive others before I can be forgiven. At first glance, it seems that, once again, we have to do something to be worthy of Love. But pondering further, we realize that we cannot open ourselves to forgiveness (and therefore Love) until and unless we have forgiven others. We have to get rid of all the baggage of hate, anger, resentment, grudges, and anything else negative before there is space in our hearts for our own forgiveness.

Robert Muller said, “To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.”

Michael didn’t say, Just any kind of Love will do. He didn’t say, It’s OK to love half- heartedly. He didn’t say, It’s all for Love just some of the time or for some people. He simply said, It’s all for Love. Period.

He sang, “You’re just another part of me.” When we can’t forgive others, then we can’t forgive ourselves either…because we are all part of one another.

If we are to truly love, as we are called to do, then we must be forgiving. All the time. To everyone.

Yes, it’s a challenge sometimes. Are we up to it?

We are not perfect, and I think the answer to that question for me is, some days moreso than others. But I keep trying. I hope you'll try with me. It's all for LOVE.

by Diane Foley
Copyright (c) 2011

Call For Love Devotion - June 13: Forgiveness

Today, I share with you an excerpt from Michael's famous speech at Oxford University in London in March of 2001 - one that most of you have already heard, no doubt, but one that bears reminding of what he had to say about forgiveness. (Be sure to listen to both parts 3 and 4.) This is his public declaration of forgiving his father who had abused him as a child. This statement, to me, was one of the most poignant moments of this entire speech, because Michael and I shared much the same experience of harsh treatment from our fathers. Years ago, when I first heard him talk about the abuse he experienced, I remember thinking… oh my goodness, he’s talking about my life! Both of us being of the same generation, we are not alone in our experience. Many from our parents’ generation would say it was just the way things were done in those days. And to that I say, those who believe that the "old school" style of parenting is not abuse should walk a mile or two in the moccasins of those who have been the innocent victims of this type of "discipline." The tender souls of the little ones who have cowered in corners to protect themselves from the hand or the switch or the belt or the iron's electrical cord will be the first to tell you of how this type of discipline made them feel.

Believe it or not, they will also be the first to tell you that they don't want to hurt their parent by telling the truth about them! There's a unique kind of sensitivity and awareness that we have, even as small children, that there must be something hurting this person inside in order for them to treat us in such a harsh manner. I spoke about this in my devotion on compassion. But knowing this doesn't make forgiveness any easier. If there's one thing I've learned on my own journey of healing it’s that forgiveness isn't something you achieve all at once and then you're done with it! It comes in pieces... at different levels... and at different stages of the healing process. The very first time I forgave my father, I felt a huge sense of relief and release from the pain that had followed me everywhere. No matter how far away I moved from him, the pain of that experience came with me, and it effected every decision I ever made in the name of Love. By the time I turned 40, I had reached the end of my second marriage, vowing one more time to “never do this again!” I have stayed single ever since… just to be sure it won’t happen again! But I digress… now back to forgiveness.

I’ve heard it said that the healing process is very much like peeling an onion. Layer by layer, you reach new levels of awareness and insight about who you are, why you’ve made some of the decisions you’ve made, how those decisions have shaped your life experience, and the most important awareness of all… that you have choices which you may not have known even existed until you’ve peeled away a good many layers of that onion. Once you realize that your happiness does not need to depend on the approval, acceptance or even the Love of others, but it is simply a product of the choices you make, it is then that you are able to take responsibility for your own life. And when you are able to forgive yourself for the mistakes you’ve made, you are then free to forgive others.

But remember, forgiving does not mean forgetting. We remember… so that we will not perpetuate the cycle of abuse. We remember… so that we will know and use our own power to make our lives better. We remember… so that we will always be grateful to know how far we have come. And finally, we remember… so that we can use our experience to help others. In forgiving, we release ourselves from the bondage of resentment and we release the one we have forgiven from our judgment. In so doing, we give them permission to stay angry if they wish, but without our continuing to be influenced by their anger. With our resentment and judgment out of the way, they are left to face their own image in the mirror that is right in front of them.

It is also important to remember that forgiveness, like compassion, does not excuse inappropriate behavior. It merely frees the victim from holding judgment and from giving others the power to change who they are. When Jesus said from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” he was saying that this crime against him, even though it would ultimately take his own life, was not going to change who he was. He was releasing them from his or God’s judgment, but that does not mean they were released from their own culpability.

As I mentioned before, I don’t think forgiveness is something you do only once and then you're done with it! There are times when I have had to revisit the challenge of forgiving myself and others. As more layers of the onion are peeled away, new unresolved issues have surfaced giving me more opportunities to work on forgiveness. So, for me, forgiveness is always a work in progress. And I would say that Michael probably felt the same way, even at the time he made this speech. He said that we must heal ourselves before we can heal the children. He also said, “I want to forgive.” And I believe this is where it all begins.

Call For Love Devotion - June 12: Forgiveness

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is difficult for me to write about. It’s even more difficult for me to do. I was once told that, being a small woman of considerable German heritage, I probably did not think that 200 years was too long to hold a grudge.

I laughed at the time, but the more I thought about it, the more real it became for me. While I am intensely loyal to my family and friends, I am equally dismissive to those who have harmed me or someone I love. I tend to quickly and fiercely “take on” any person or force that threatens them. I have no patience with dishonesty, cheating, or any other breaches of integrity. While we all say and do things we regret, that may be stupid or ill-advised at the time, those acts pale in comparison to actually doing harm to a person or any sentient being. I have often thought of myself as a “dragon-slayer,” the kind of person you’d want in your corner if a fire-breathing dragon (real or otherwise) were coming after you.

That kind of attitude is not very compatible with forgiveness.

As I have grown older, and, I hope, wiser, I have come to the point where I let more petty offenses slide off of my back than I once did. Still, that is only the first step on the way to “forgiveness.”

Mark Twain wrote: “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." In fact, as I began to think (well, actually worry!) about this week’s topic, that was the only quote that would come to me. What does a violet have to give, but its beauty and fragrance? And when its beauty has been crushed, all that is left to give is fragrance. How hard that is! To give the last of what you have, to one who has harmed you!

I think that is the true measure of forgiveness: not just to ignore or forget the harm done, but to actually give of ourselves to those who hurt us. I’m not there yet.

by Diane Foley
Copyright (c) 2011

Call For Love Devotion - June 11

During the month of June, we commemorate the life of the phenomenon known to the world as Michael Jackson. We, his followers, find ourselves often immersed in sadness at his physical absence, shock at the world’s continued misunderstanding of the man we revere and misrepresentation of his generosity and genuine care for the disadvantaged and oppressed as sinister, and confusion as we so frequently feel his presence in various ways in our daily lives. We ask ourselves, “Why did he have to live with so much pain and sorrow?” and “How could everyone not see what is so clear?” And with undying gratitude, we pray that his energy will continue to be felt in our hearts and in our planet.

And most of us didn’t even know the man … had never had the opportunity to speak a private word with him or to ask him for one of those famous hugs.

During the next couple of weeks, we at Call for Love are remembering his family … his mother, Mrs. Katherine Jackson, for whom his absence is a wound that has to violate the integrity of her own soul … after all, she is his mother still and that bond can never be broken. We remember his children, Prince Michael I, Paris Michael Katherine and Prince Michael II (Blanket) … his brothers and sisters … his nieces, nephews, cousins … and yes, even, his father, Joe Jackson.

To these, Michael was not an impersonal megastar of unchallenged ability, prancing across the stage of our world. He was the one who suspended buckets of water over hotel room doors to drench their chief of security unexpectedly while touring. To these, he was the beautiful toddler, dancing to the rhythm of the rickety old washing machine as it spun its cycle and rushing into her arms to be comforted. To these, he was the prankster who made up silly nicknames for all of his siblings, cousins, nephews and friends. To these, he was the doting father who taught them how to tie their shoes and buttoned their sweaters on cool days, brushed their hair, heard their prayers and kissed their foreheads as they lay down to sleep. To these, he was joy and irritation sprinkled with liberal doses of love.

As his brother, Marlon, responded to a request to describe each of his siblings in five words or less by an interviewer, he was a ‘blessing.’ For each of the other siblings, his response had been an earthbound catch phrase like ‘ladies man’ or ‘joker’ or ‘serious’ or ‘mechanic’ as each name was called. However, he used just one word to describe his brother, Michael, and that word was anything but earthbound … a ‘blessing.’

Whether we followed Michel Jackson’s career from the early years or were awakened as he departed from our physical Earth, we’ve all been blessed by this ‘blessing’… perhaps, none more so than his family and close, personal friends.

So, for Michael Jackson’s family … those who were closest to him and knew him as a ‘blessing’ even in the midst of the petty annoyance he must have caused with his fifty years of mischievousness during his physical incarnation, let’s all take a moment during these next couple of weeks, as we approach the second anniversary of his re-birth, to lift them up in our daily prayers.

Let’s pray that each of them … in his or her own individual way … feels his presence … knows his continuing love for them because love does, indeed, ‘live forever’ … hears his voice resounding in their hearts at moments when advice or comfort is needed … understands and experiences in an intimate assurance that he hasn’t left them alone in quiet moments of reflection or in dreams … and finds some small comfort in the midst of devastating loss.

Let’s find ways of reassuring them of our continued presence in physical ways … like flowers or gifts at Forest Lawn or letters and cards delivered to their home. In this, let’s pray that they will feel their son’s … brother’s … father’s … uncle’s continuing care for them … that they are not alone, for we are here with them.

by Jan Carlson
Copyright (c) 2011

Call For Love Devotion - June 10: Can You Feel It?

Can you feel it?

Can you feel our light that we send your way when you need to make a decision, find your way or begin something new?

Can you feel the arms of compassion we wrap around you as you face difficult days?

As Paul says in Romans 12:15 [We] "rejoice with those that rejoice, weep with those that weep."

Can you feel our sympathy when you cry or feel pain on days heavy with sorrow?

We feel you; can you feel us too?

Can you feel the love when you need the strength to do what love calls of you to do?

Yes, it's us... standing right here. Silently, prayerfully, caringly, lovingly.

Can you feel our company when you feel lonely or needing a friend?

We extend our presence to you, our gifts, tokens of our love, grace, gratitude and ongoing support.

You know us by our cards, and flowers and gifts. But there's a bond higher than a name and where we're from that joins us all together. We're with you spiritually. And we have found the power that comes from uniting in love. You don't know us by name. You don't have to. Just think of us as your visible and invisible support. We will not leave you when others hurt you. We stand by you with a strong, resilient love, defending you, aiding you, and reinforcing your position. Now, more than ever, we swell as a tide engulfs a boat to buoy you up with our combined strength.

We pray for you when there are decisions to be made for the Estate, for your lives, for your future. We defend you in all arenas where others want to tear you down or treat you unkindly. We're your warriors protecting your reputation and privacy.

We look for ways to promote the legacy of love that began with Michael and continues with you.

We're an army of love.

We are your voice, amplified. We are your fan-mily. A web of support that wraps worldwide. United to help, love, encourage, and promote the best for you. You are the root and fruit of the one we love.

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deuteronomy 33:27) Well you might think that refers to a more eternal, distant, cosmic being. But I know this much -- God works through people. And there are so many people on your side showing the love that upholds against pressures and worries and shoulders the burden with you, and bands around you like a hedge of protection, and daily lifts you up in prayer. We celebrate your happy times, and good events; we feel your pain when situations are painful and unbearable.

We love you as special people in our hearts. We hold you up so that you'll be able to walk your journey in peace and strength everyday.

Remember the beautiful song "Always" and you can rest assured that...

"Days may not be fair always.
That's when I'll be there always.
Not for just an hour, not for just a day, not for just a year....
but always."

~ Rita Bosico, Ada Oklahoma USA
Copyright (c) 2011

Some songs that convey the same message are listed below. Lean on Me. You've Got a Friend. Can You Feel It. and You've got a Friend in Me.

Bill Withers: Lean on Me
http://youtu.be/HaVXfHZv50Y

Toy Story: You've Got a Friend in Me
http://youtu.be/EcXURC_nNhc

Carole King's You've got a Friend
http://youtu.be/XrIH7IqRPJo

The Jacksons Can you Feel It - LIVE 2001
http://youtu.be/3M8uWeEZPss

Ella Fitzgerald: (I'll be Loving You) Always
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSsfeqNbs1Q

Call For Love Devotion - June 8: Ever After

Once there was a little boy who loved to dance and sing. He danced before he could walk and he sang before he could talk. The music he heard in his head and all around him was so beautiful, it flowed right out of him and into the world.

The little boy lived with his parents and eight brothers and sisters in a small house. The father worked hard at a steel mill every day and, on most evenings, the family gathered in the living room to sing together. The parents were happy to have their children home, where they knew they were safe.

One day, the father was late coming home. When he arrived, he was holding a shiny new guitar. The children were excited, but their mother knew the family needed many other things, much more than they needed a guitar. She also knew that her husband had a dream. His dream was that, through music, their children would have a chance at a better life, one that might otherwise not be possible for them.

The boys in the family began to practice together every day. The father was very strict and expected a lot from his sons. The little boy danced and sang right along with his older brothers. With his beautiful voice, he soon became the lead singer of the group. The little house was bursting with music.

When the father knew they were ready, he entered his sons in a talent contest – they won. Over time, they won more contests, and were soon playing at parties and nightclubs almost every night.

Someone from a record company saw the boys perform and asked them to make a record. This was the chance the father had been waiting for. Before long, the family moved to California and the group began to enjoy the success their father had imagined.

The little boy was totally comfortable and confident while performing and seemed much older than his ten years. When he sang and danced, he put everything he had into every song. He sometimes felt as if he had become the music. By the time he was twelve years old, he and his brothers had recorded four hit records.

Although he loved performing, the little boy often wished he could be a kid like any other. He saw children playing in the park across the street from where he went to rehearse after his lessons each day. He could not join them because his job was to record music. This made him feel sad. Even though he was now well known as a child singer, he was lonely.

The boy knew in his heart that his talents were a gift of nature, meant for him to share with the world. He thought, by doing his best at expressing his gifts, he could help others to find theirs. He began to branch away from the family group to write and sing his own songs. He was a perfectionist and, when his music was recorded the way he heard it in his head, the results were amazing. His songs became the biggest hits ever, and he became the biggest star ever.

Being famous meant he could not be like other people. Simple things, such as shopping or going to a movie, were no longer easy. Fans were always crowding around to touch him, talk to him and ask for his autograph. Although he was happy with the success of his music, being a shy person, the boy now spent much of his time with windows separating him from the rest of the world.

People loved the boy for his music, but he also wanted to be loved for the person he was inside. He found it was children he could trust to always be natural and honest. They liked him for himself and were not impressed by fame. They just wanted to have fun, and so did he.

The boy had spent his childhood in an adult world. When he grew up, he never stopped enjoying childlike things like a good water balloon fight, climbing trees and watching cartoons.

He bought a ranch and filled it with everything he had not been able to enjoy in his childhood. There was an amusement park, video arcade, zoo, theatre and a candy and ice cream shop. He invited sick and underprivileged children to his ranch to enjoy a day of fun. Because of his own lack of a normal childhood, he felt the pain of all children who were not able to enjoy theirs. He visited hospitals and orphanages all over the world and gave millions of dollars to charity, to help children.

His fans appreciated his gentle, loving and humble nature, as much as his amazing talent. They showed him never ending loyalty and support over a lifetime of entertaining. The boy expressed his love for his fans by doing his best for them, musically and creatively. With each new project he challenged himself to create what had never been done before. His example inspired people to try to be the best they could be, at whatever they loved to do.

The boy had become a man and was proud of his work. He had three children of his own and was devoted to being a good father to them. He taught them they could do anything in life, if they wanted it enough and were willing to work hard. He made sure they had every chance to enjoy their childhood and, he told them every day how much he loved them.

The boy had done what he had always been inspired to do.
Sing, dance, and make a difference.
The music, the memories and the message,
will live on in love,
ever after.

by Brenda Jenkyns
Copyright (c) 2010

Call For Love Devotion - June 6: For the Children

His light…
It’s still here
It’s a part of every heart
Which seeks the truth
It lives in the Love
Gathers its strength from above
Its power is in you and in me
He left it here
In the music from his heart
So that we would hear it
Speaking to our souls
Teaching, guiding, leading the way
To a better world
And a brighter day

For the children

He is immortal
He lives through us
We must carry the torch
Lift it high for all to see
His light endures
And will be the force
That redeems this world
Heals the wounds
Inflicted by a misguided humanity

Through him we have a new clarity of vision
The truth has been revealed
As never before
We see things as they really are
And we understand
His legacy is in our hands
It’s up to us
We must LIVE his message
Of Love and Peace
Sharing the feast of his Gift
Reminding others that now because of him
In a world filled with sorrow
There is promise for a better tomorrow

For the children

04/15/2011
Copyright © 2011 by Charlene Burgess

Call For Love Devotion - June 5

It’s often said that Time heals all wounds. I think I believed that as a teenager, when someone broke my heart, and in fact, time has healed those wounds…I can barely even recall what they were, these many years later.

But I’m not convinced that Time is always healing. For many of us, some days it seems as if the news of losing Michael is as fresh as the day it happened almost two years ago. We struggle to imagine what that pain must feel like for his parents, his sisters and brothers, his children, and his extended family…surely it is ours magnified many thousands of times over.

I know that we can’t go on just focusing on our loss. But when the loss has left such a huge hole in our lives, we have to think about filling that hole with something, however unsatisfactory that “something” might be. I am reminded of a pothole in the middle of the road. It has destroyed the integrity of the road…the road can never be complete again, no matter how many times it is paved over. Traffic is disrupted by having to drive around it, but its presence remains. And then the hole gets filled. While the filled hole allows traffic to move with a bit less interruption, the reminders of the hole are still visible.

That hole in all of our hearts is a huge, gaping one to be sure. And we are constantly trying to fill it: listening to music, watching videos, reading…anything to put us back in touch with Michael. But the hole remains.

A couple of weeks ago, when one of our group also suddenly lost a brother, I wrote about acute grief as expressed in the song, Stranger in Moscow. I said: “I searched in vain for the joy, that one little sparkle that is often there [in Michael’s work].” I think when we are looking to fill such a gaping hole in our hearts, we will take any morsel we can get. The morsel in that particular song, for me, came at the end, when I realized the “sparkle” in the song, was, of course, the beautiful voice of the singer.

If we could send support to Michael’s family, we would be sending mere crumbs, we know. Like throwing gravel in a pothole. We know that we couldn’t offer much in the way of actual support…we are, after all, scattered across the planet. What could we say that would be supportive? That we love him still? That we hope to honor all the good he stood for? That we are really trying to “make that change” both in ourselves and in the world? That we believed in him then, and we still believe in him and his values? That for us, he lives still, in our ears and in our hearts? That we appreciate all that he was and is still? That we are grateful for their having shared him with us?

I don’t have any answers. But I know we compose these meditations with love, the L.O.V.E that Michael spoke of and sang of so often. And that we are sending his family that L.O.V.E., and that they are not alone.

by Diana Foley
Copyright (c) 2011

Call For Love Devotion - June 4

Eternal One,

For my life
The senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch
Enriching my life
So very much
The ability to walk and talk and think and reason
To laugh … and yes, even, to cry
With heartbroken sobs
As I try
To understand why
I thank you.

For Planet Earth
Her rivers and valleys
Snow-capped peaks
And green forests
Her sandy beaches
And rock formations
Millions of years in the making
Her quiet glens
And crashing tides
The waves that crush
And waves we ride
I thank you.

For giant whales
And ants so small
Elephants
And giraffes so tall
For graceful horses
And awkward,
Flightless birds
Roaring tigers
And thunderous herds
I thank you.

For music
That fills our hearts
Moves our feet
Tickles our bones
‘til we can’t keep our seats
Wakes us with the dawning day
And hoots us to sleep
When we’ve lost our way
Moves our emotions
Transports us in time
Brings us comfort
Tho the words don’t rhyme
I thank you.

For stars
Lighting the night sky
And suns
Helping us tell time
Galaxies that spin and twirl
Nebulae of multi-colored hues
Supernovas exploding
Far away from our world
Planets that orbit endlessly in space
And gravity that holds them all in place
I thank you.

For Angels
Who hold our dreams in their hands
Travel our world
Every city, every land
Performing quiet miracles
Wherever they go
Disguised as rock stars
Ready to show
A better way
A brighter day
I thank you.

For allowing me
To be here
To witness what to me
Is so very clear
To be filled with love
Naked, exposed
To this lightning bolt
On toes posed
For piercing my heart
With joy
And with pain
I wouldn’t have had it
Any other way

I thank you!

by Jan Carlson
Copyright (c) 2011

Call for Love Devotion - June 1

I am so grateful
to all of you
for loving me
the real me

I am so grateful
that you chose to look past
the judgements of society
to see the truth of who I am

I am so grateful
that the messages I left behind
hidden in plain sight
are being understood
and shared

I am so grateful
for every prayer
every thought of love
and action taken
in my name

You are my heros
my inspiration
my friends

I bow before you
in eternal love and gratitude
Namaste


by Brenda Jenkyns
Copyright (c) 2011