I never realized until today (after watching Joyce Meyer's Part 1 of "Get Radical" with guest, Erwin McManus), that a lifelong problem of mine has been basically an acting out of a theme as old as the Garden of Eden.
In the Garden of Eden, God tells Adam and Eve that they can enjoy any and all foods from the Earth. Anything and everything . . . except the fruit from one tree, the infamous Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. What happens next of course is that this one tree is the very tree Eve, and then Adam, choose from which to eat. The devil-as-serpent's first strategy is simple but effective: he calls attention to this one tree. If it were a carrot, the devil would have been seen merely dangling it at first. His initial strategy is a bit like what happens when someone says to you, "Don't think of a red stop sign. Whatever you do, just don't think of a red stop sign" and you think of a red stop sign. Not only do you think of a red stop sign, it's as if you can't stop thinking of that blasted red stop sign! Alas, it doesn't take much for us humans to want to do what we aren't supposed to.
But what happens in Eden is more than just all too human. I understand that the Fall, that sin, is not always defined as obvious, intentional evil, but that it is often disguised as childish petulance and entitlement. So many times, we sin not out of outright malice, but because our pleasure-drive grabs the steering wheel without any input from the C.E.O. part of our brain. We impulsively lunge for immediate gratification without checking in with our own higher consciousness through which God can guide us.
"You can have everything, everything to your heart's delight" was the message God gave us through Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. But God also gave us one choice and the freedom to choose it. It's funny that any outsider could see how not only catastrophic Eve's choice was, but how plain old, any which way you slice it, STUPID her choice was. It's as if Eve was a little 5 year old child who God brought to Toys R Us saying, "You can have ANYthing here. In fact, you can have EVERYTHING here. It is ALL for you. . . just not that one toy next to the cash register." And the little 5 year old delights in a truck load of new and amazing gifts that could satisfy her for a lifetime, but then she forgets all about them once she sees the one thing she shouldn't have. Once she sees it, she allows it to become larger than life because that's all she chooses to focus on.
This is where I come in. This is how I really relate to the story of the Garden of Eden in a very literal way. I can have all the fruits, nuts, and vegetables I like. I can eat them with great, savoring enjoyment, but instead of focusing on this gift of lasting abundance, I CHOOSE to focus obsessively, negatively, and with great frustration on the junk food I shouldn't have, the very junk that I know makes my body both feel and act poorly.
God has blessed me with God's Grace--- literally, blessed me with many things I neither earn nor deserve. I happen to be both culturally and financially able to buy fresh cherries in the middle of winter; I can purchase raw cashews that are organic. I enjoy the luxurious convenience and health benefits of already prepared, whole foods. All these kinds of things that have been provided for me are things I absolutely LOVE. It's not like I don't get to eat the things I truly enjoy. And yet, I repeatedly allow my psyche to become depressed over the things from which I feel "deprived" that are not in my best interest to enjoy in the first place. Of course, if I single-mindedly focused on the cornucopia of natural, healthful foods God set on Earth, I would never choose to see myself as deprived.
So, here I sit with my soft belly, clear evidence of how I've reaped what I have sown. Oh, I've been eatin' from the tree of knowing both good, whole, fresh, delicious foods, and of knowing evil, processed, high fructose corn syrup saturated, and nutrition deprived foods. I wish I had never tasted from the 'evil' side to begin with, but I have. No turning back time. But now I still have the freedom to choose.
Will I choose to continue to sin against my body which God never intended as a McTemple? And will I continue to hide from God in the back of my pantry between the Doritos and the M&Ms? My problematic relationship with food has been a lifelong struggle. But then, why do I even choose to see it as a "struggle"? As if all this is just about God trying to take something (my frozen Ho Ho's) away from me? God doesn't want to take anything away. God wants to add to my life, to help me choose God's lifegiving ways. God wants me to choose better for my own good. Afterall, I don't want to keep sinning and then feel so ashamed that I have to hide in the Garden behind some fig leaves (deep fried fig leaves, that is).
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Using Our Faults for Good
One of my favorite messages from Joyce Meyer (see http://www.joycemeyer.org/ for podcasts, radio, and television ministry programs) was when she referred to the occurrence of some negative event by saying, "The devil may have intended it for evil, but GOD intended it for good." I both borrow and build from her message to discuss the following.
One of my many sins or character faults is that I can be jealous and competitive. Mind you, I am not competitive in any sort of productive way-- like training for a marathon or like striving to produce the highest sales numbers on a team. No, my competitive streak only takes shape in pitiful and utterly inane ways --- like when I race to my son's school in order to be first in the car line for pick up time. With the fearless determination of an Olympic athlete, I am single-focused about needing to beat the next parent who, to my warped ego, joyfully only comes in second.
So, now you get the picture of the me I'm dealing with! With this bit of background, you will better understand why my best friend and I intentionally engage in a spiritual competition. Yes, fools that we are, we half-jokingly agreed to race 'harder' toward God. Since each of our tendencies are toward talk and not action, we both decided that we would like to amp up our spiritual development (as if Grace can be hard won).
Because neither of us were going to church as often as we'd like, one day I called her an hour before heading out to my church and with a purposefully childish tone said, "I'M going to chur-urch. Na nee, na nee, NA NA!" She exclaimed, "What?! You're not supposed to tell me that when there's enough time for ME to get readyto go to MY church!" Long story short: we both went to our separate churches that day. Score: tied.
The next Sunday late afternoon, she called me to report, "I'M more spiritually advanced than YOU are" in the same 'na nee, na nee' sing-songy tone that we had established before. It turned out, not only had she gone to her church, but she had a kind of breakthrough in which she experienced a deep craving for God. She first relayed her experiences to me in a serious way, but then she became fiesty and decided to once again rub in the 'fact' that she was "MORE" washed in the Blood than I was. We both laughed, but even though I KNEW that kind of talk was all in good fun, there was still a part of me that was ticked that she had one-upped me in our spiritual competition.
I stewed over her alleged spiritual victory for a few hours before calling her back in the early evening of the same day. I had prepared a number of defenses of my spiritual development that were meant to trump hers. She had thrown down the spiritual gauntlet and declared a challenge. Not only was I ready to take up the challenge, my jealousy motivated me to try to win the competition. It was illogical and a bit theologically insane, but it was fun and energizing nonetheless.
The battle was ON. SHE started listening to Joyce Meyer first, but *I* started listening to Joyce DAILY. SHE started hanging out to make friends during fellowship. *I* mustered up my substandard, introverted social skills and tried to make more church friends on-line. SHE started going to Bible study mid-week. MID-Week!! *I* felt I was losing! I had intended to go to my mid-week Bible study, but had a tooth ache and failed to shower that day. She did not miss the opportunity to rub in my failure again by saying, "Why don't you tell God, 'God, I meant to go, but my tooth hurt and I felt gross.' Yeah, that's a perfectly good excuse I'd say!" She mocked me. I laughed with her, but my little ego secretly pouted.
Then it happened. I was watching Joyce Meyer, a.k.a. "Mama J" and felt truly inspired by her teaching. In this particular conference, she spoke about giving back. I decided that instead of feeling guilty about living comfortably, I was going to use my guilty feelings productively. I did not wait for the momentum of my resolve to piddle away with time. I got on my computer, found, and without hesitation applied to a volunteer position. I grinned with satisfaction, "I'm WINNING!" And the best part is that SHE doesn't even know! Perhaps she will relax her vigilance, falsely assuming she is well in the lead. Yes, these were my thoughts, however fleeting-- (Sick, sick, sick)!
Jealous competition is clearly ugly. The devil certainly means it for destruction. However, GOD can use any one's faults for good if God chooses. I acknowledge that it is Machiavellian (in which the end justifies the means), but: if the sinner ultimately finds her way both to a deeper relationship with God and to an improved form of faith-in-action, does it really matter how she was brought there?
One of my many sins or character faults is that I can be jealous and competitive. Mind you, I am not competitive in any sort of productive way-- like training for a marathon or like striving to produce the highest sales numbers on a team. No, my competitive streak only takes shape in pitiful and utterly inane ways --- like when I race to my son's school in order to be first in the car line for pick up time. With the fearless determination of an Olympic athlete, I am single-focused about needing to beat the next parent who, to my warped ego, joyfully only comes in second.
So, now you get the picture of the me I'm dealing with! With this bit of background, you will better understand why my best friend and I intentionally engage in a spiritual competition. Yes, fools that we are, we half-jokingly agreed to race 'harder' toward God. Since each of our tendencies are toward talk and not action, we both decided that we would like to amp up our spiritual development (as if Grace can be hard won).
Because neither of us were going to church as often as we'd like, one day I called her an hour before heading out to my church and with a purposefully childish tone said, "I'M going to chur-urch. Na nee, na nee, NA NA!" She exclaimed, "What?! You're not supposed to tell me that when there's enough time for ME to get readyto go to MY church!" Long story short: we both went to our separate churches that day. Score: tied.
The next Sunday late afternoon, she called me to report, "I'M more spiritually advanced than YOU are" in the same 'na nee, na nee' sing-songy tone that we had established before. It turned out, not only had she gone to her church, but she had a kind of breakthrough in which she experienced a deep craving for God. She first relayed her experiences to me in a serious way, but then she became fiesty and decided to once again rub in the 'fact' that she was "MORE" washed in the Blood than I was. We both laughed, but even though I KNEW that kind of talk was all in good fun, there was still a part of me that was ticked that she had one-upped me in our spiritual competition.
I stewed over her alleged spiritual victory for a few hours before calling her back in the early evening of the same day. I had prepared a number of defenses of my spiritual development that were meant to trump hers. She had thrown down the spiritual gauntlet and declared a challenge. Not only was I ready to take up the challenge, my jealousy motivated me to try to win the competition. It was illogical and a bit theologically insane, but it was fun and energizing nonetheless.
The battle was ON. SHE started listening to Joyce Meyer first, but *I* started listening to Joyce DAILY. SHE started hanging out to make friends during fellowship. *I* mustered up my substandard, introverted social skills and tried to make more church friends on-line. SHE started going to Bible study mid-week. MID-Week!! *I* felt I was losing! I had intended to go to my mid-week Bible study, but had a tooth ache and failed to shower that day. She did not miss the opportunity to rub in my failure again by saying, "Why don't you tell God, 'God, I meant to go, but my tooth hurt and I felt gross.' Yeah, that's a perfectly good excuse I'd say!" She mocked me. I laughed with her, but my little ego secretly pouted.
Then it happened. I was watching Joyce Meyer, a.k.a. "Mama J" and felt truly inspired by her teaching. In this particular conference, she spoke about giving back. I decided that instead of feeling guilty about living comfortably, I was going to use my guilty feelings productively. I did not wait for the momentum of my resolve to piddle away with time. I got on my computer, found, and without hesitation applied to a volunteer position. I grinned with satisfaction, "I'm WINNING!" And the best part is that SHE doesn't even know! Perhaps she will relax her vigilance, falsely assuming she is well in the lead. Yes, these were my thoughts, however fleeting-- (Sick, sick, sick)!
Jealous competition is clearly ugly. The devil certainly means it for destruction. However, GOD can use any one's faults for good if God chooses. I acknowledge that it is Machiavellian (in which the end justifies the means), but: if the sinner ultimately finds her way both to a deeper relationship with God and to an improved form of faith-in-action, does it really matter how she was brought there?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
My Father's Light
While I was sitting next to him, trying to keep him from what I thought was just falling asleep, my father passed away at home in his own bed. His wish had always been to be buried with his family of origin in Germany. My mother felt that she could not wait before being able to arrange and attend his funeral service overseas. She felt she needed an earlier sense of closure than that. The local church was not her preferred option since she felt slighted by its pastor who failed to uphold his promise to visit my father while he was still alive and bed bound. With the real funeral weeks away, my mother felt like she was in a torturous limbo. She desparately needed a more immediate, formal ritual that would help her both honor and say goodbye to my father.
My mother and I decided that we would make our own meaningful, interim memorial service. After some planning and purchases, we went equipped to a nearby lake at night. Into a starry sky, we released heart shaped balloons that said, "I love you" and shouted out the same as if my father could hear it. My father had loved fireworks since he was a child. So we had attached sparklers to the bunched balloons, wanting to celebrate his life. However, we stood in grievous yearning as the balloons became smaller and smaller until ultimately disappearing into mysterious night.
We then set aflame tiny tea light candles and pushed them out onto the lake. We brought one candle to represent each of my father's family members and one candle to represent my father himself. We watched as all the candles quietly glowed and flickered in the otherwise dark surroundings. Almost immediately, a number of the floating candles blew out, leaving only three. Both my mother and I simultaneously exclaimed, "That's us!" meaning that those three remaining lights represented our little nuclear family: a father, a mother, and their only child.
Moments later, one candle light began to float away from the other two. My mother was distressed by the symbolism of it all and cried out, "He's leaving us!" Then with a tone of defeat, she whispered, "He's leaving us behind." I felt differently and said so: "No, Mom. He's not leaving. He's just going on ahead, paving the way, like he always did."
We sat on a dry log facing the black night lake. Two candles stayed lit and close to shore. One light kept traveling further and further out into the murky distance. We wanted to wait to see how long that one light, my "father's light" could last, but we became cold and restless. With a pathetically dim flashlight, we stumbled in the dark back to our car, always checking over our shoulders to see if the one candle was still shining. It was.
Once we reached the car, we got in and watched some more, not wanting to leave while my "father's light" was still reaching out to us somehow. That single, tiny dot of a light shone in the darkness even though it floated away from us ever further. It seemed that candle light was as stubborn and resilient as the person it represented to us. With sighs, we finally decided to leave the lake, end our memorial service, and drive home. Our car rolled slowly over the grinding gravel road; as we physically distanced ourselves from the lake, we squinted and strained to see if the light had gone out yet. It hadn't. It seemed like it wouldn't die out at all, at least not when we were still there to watch it.
Unlike my father's death for which neither my mother nor I felt prepared, that night on the lake my father's light faithfully remained lit for us to see . . . My father's light continued and continued to shine for us. His presence through this light seemed to remain with us until, this time, WE were ready to say goodbye.
This memorial felt like such a gift of grace. There we were feeling despondent yet out of silly balloons, sparklers, and candles something wonderful was annointed for us. I remember in my first years in seminary, I had to write a psychological explanation for my faith. I wrote that my father's long periods of absence (due to having to travel extensively for his job) helped me to accept that Love could be communicated without tangible, physical presence. As a child, I knew my daddy loved me even when he wasn't around. So, it was easier to understand that God, Whom I could not see, loved me too. Even with my father's death, the ways of God's love were communicated to me again: In the midst of despair, in the pit of darkness, a steady Light shines as a beacon to comfort, heal, and show forth God's Love.
Thank you, Father.
My mother and I decided that we would make our own meaningful, interim memorial service. After some planning and purchases, we went equipped to a nearby lake at night. Into a starry sky, we released heart shaped balloons that said, "I love you" and shouted out the same as if my father could hear it. My father had loved fireworks since he was a child. So we had attached sparklers to the bunched balloons, wanting to celebrate his life. However, we stood in grievous yearning as the balloons became smaller and smaller until ultimately disappearing into mysterious night.
We then set aflame tiny tea light candles and pushed them out onto the lake. We brought one candle to represent each of my father's family members and one candle to represent my father himself. We watched as all the candles quietly glowed and flickered in the otherwise dark surroundings. Almost immediately, a number of the floating candles blew out, leaving only three. Both my mother and I simultaneously exclaimed, "That's us!" meaning that those three remaining lights represented our little nuclear family: a father, a mother, and their only child.
Moments later, one candle light began to float away from the other two. My mother was distressed by the symbolism of it all and cried out, "He's leaving us!" Then with a tone of defeat, she whispered, "He's leaving us behind." I felt differently and said so: "No, Mom. He's not leaving. He's just going on ahead, paving the way, like he always did."
We sat on a dry log facing the black night lake. Two candles stayed lit and close to shore. One light kept traveling further and further out into the murky distance. We wanted to wait to see how long that one light, my "father's light" could last, but we became cold and restless. With a pathetically dim flashlight, we stumbled in the dark back to our car, always checking over our shoulders to see if the one candle was still shining. It was.
Once we reached the car, we got in and watched some more, not wanting to leave while my "father's light" was still reaching out to us somehow. That single, tiny dot of a light shone in the darkness even though it floated away from us ever further. It seemed that candle light was as stubborn and resilient as the person it represented to us. With sighs, we finally decided to leave the lake, end our memorial service, and drive home. Our car rolled slowly over the grinding gravel road; as we physically distanced ourselves from the lake, we squinted and strained to see if the light had gone out yet. It hadn't. It seemed like it wouldn't die out at all, at least not when we were still there to watch it.
Unlike my father's death for which neither my mother nor I felt prepared, that night on the lake my father's light faithfully remained lit for us to see . . . My father's light continued and continued to shine for us. His presence through this light seemed to remain with us until, this time, WE were ready to say goodbye.
This memorial felt like such a gift of grace. There we were feeling despondent yet out of silly balloons, sparklers, and candles something wonderful was annointed for us. I remember in my first years in seminary, I had to write a psychological explanation for my faith. I wrote that my father's long periods of absence (due to having to travel extensively for his job) helped me to accept that Love could be communicated without tangible, physical presence. As a child, I knew my daddy loved me even when he wasn't around. So, it was easier to understand that God, Whom I could not see, loved me too. Even with my father's death, the ways of God's love were communicated to me again: In the midst of despair, in the pit of darkness, a steady Light shines as a beacon to comfort, heal, and show forth God's Love.
Thank you, Father.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
ABC News' "What Would You Do? "
How do I love thee, oh, ABC news show, "What Would You Do?" Let me count the ways:
1) John Quinones as Host. Clearly, a nice human being. Warm. Concerned. Dignified. Latino!
2) Voyeurism for a Good Cause. This show combines audiences' love of reality t.v. with hidden camera fascination. Does the end justify the means? Yes, because its implicit message to viewers is:
3) You too could Make the World a Better Place for Someone. Most of us probably watch with disgust as real people ignore the plight of others in these moments caught on tape. We cheer for those rare human beings who do the right thing even when it means risking their own safety. As a professor of Social Psychology, my educated guess is that while watching these televised incidents, most of us not only cheer for the hero, but actually identify with him or her. In other words, we'd all like to believe, "*I* would have done the right thing too." Whether this is an accurate belief or not is irrelevant. What is important, is that this show has the potential power to change our actions by making us more conscientious as we each increasingly learn to love our neighbor as ourselves.
1) John Quinones as Host. Clearly, a nice human being. Warm. Concerned. Dignified. Latino!
2) Voyeurism for a Good Cause. This show combines audiences' love of reality t.v. with hidden camera fascination. Does the end justify the means? Yes, because its implicit message to viewers is:
3) You too could Make the World a Better Place for Someone. Most of us probably watch with disgust as real people ignore the plight of others in these moments caught on tape. We cheer for those rare human beings who do the right thing even when it means risking their own safety. As a professor of Social Psychology, my educated guess is that while watching these televised incidents, most of us not only cheer for the hero, but actually identify with him or her. In other words, we'd all like to believe, "*I* would have done the right thing too." Whether this is an accurate belief or not is irrelevant. What is important, is that this show has the potential power to change our actions by making us more conscientious as we each increasingly learn to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Variations on a Theme
Most conflicts-- from sibling spats to the Israel-Palestine clash--
are variations on the Cain and Abel story. Whenever we raise our hands or voices in anger, we do so against our very own brother.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
What Mother Teresa Wrote to Me
I just wanted a record of this somewhere in case my actual letter is lost or destroyed. In 1993, I wrote to Mother Teresa saying that I had little power of influence to create a world peace minute of silence, but that perhaps she could make this happen.
Her letter came on a small note card in which one side has a black and white photo of her holding a baby and a quote from Isaiah 43: 2-7. On the other side, her writing is written by manual type writer with errors and whiteout marks, a stamped return address, and a hand written signature. Here was her response:
+LDM
23rd Oct. 1993 Missionaries of Charity
54/A, A [illegible] Bose Road
Calcutta 700016 India
Dear Christina
Thank you very much for your letter.
To spread peace, begin by working for true peace - the freedom of being the children of God, ofbelong to Him. This freedom enables one to love as He loves andto forgive as He forgives.- for true obstacles to peace are within us. when we sincerely try to remove fromour hearts and minds all anger and thoughts of revenge we make way for true peace. Through your Christian life, work for it and make way for it in your own life by desiring true peace and wanting it at any cost. May God's blessing be abide with you and all your loved ones.
God Bless you
M Teresa MC
Her letter came on a small note card in which one side has a black and white photo of her holding a baby and a quote from Isaiah 43: 2-7. On the other side, her writing is written by manual type writer with errors and whiteout marks, a stamped return address, and a hand written signature. Here was her response:
+LDM
23rd Oct. 1993 Missionaries of Charity
54/A, A [illegible] Bose Road
Calcutta 700016 India
Dear Christina
Thank you very much for your letter.
To spread peace, begin by working for true peace - the freedom of being the children of God, ofbelong to Him. This freedom enables one to love as He loves andto forgive as He forgives.- for true obstacles to peace are within us. when we sincerely try to remove fromour hearts and minds all anger and thoughts of revenge we make way for true peace. Through your Christian life, work for it and make way for it in your own life by desiring true peace and wanting it at any cost. May God's blessing be abide with you and all your loved ones.
God Bless you
M Teresa MC
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Anti "Survival of the Fittest"
The point of life is not to survive,
But to keep God's grace and love alive.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Reality Bites (Or Does It?)
Since I love what my momma calls "deep thinky thoughts," I've pondered the nature of reality since I can remember. It wasn't until I went to seminary over a decade ago that I learned that some of my personal theories were considered heresies. Imagine my surprise!
Apparently, I had entertained thoughts of pantheism. A pantheist supposes that everything is spiritual-- you know, everything --as in "the rock is spirit," "the tree is spirit" etc. Seminary education shored up in me a more traditional theistic belief that only God ["up there"] is spiritual, while all that is "down here" on Earth is not. Today, however, I find myself dissatisfied with both the "heresies" and with the traditional Judeo-Christian views on the nature of created reality.
What appeals to me most now is "reality" according to the mystic. Yes, there are critical differences in the mysticism of the Sufi, the Kabbalist, the Native, and so forth. However, it seems that none of the mystical traditions naively sprinkle glittery spiritual magic dust on top of the cruel reality of life on Earth. The mystic also does not conceive of a sharp divide between the Divine and the finite. Instead, the mystical claim is that after having experienced (however briefly or imperfectly) the Oneness of All That Is, reality isn't bad (the view of another heresy, the Gnostics), but that reality isn't quite spiritual either. According to the mystic, to understand the nature of Reality, one must look through the appearance of suffering, impermanence ,and death --- not with physical eyesight, but with spiritual vision.
My momma would roll her eyes and say, "Oh yeah, that's easy!" Of course, we all worry that acquiring spiritual vision is not easy. However, I don't believe obtaining true, mystical, spiritual vision is ultimately about hard work with furrowed brow nor is it about decades of intellectual pursuit. Spiritual vision cannot be earned by either of these means because its achievement must be accessible to all ---if it is the gift and will of a loving Spirit.
How then is the spiritual vision of Reality experienced? We must pray for spiritual vision that is aligned with the will of the Divine, and pray for it only. After our prayerful petition, we then are asked to meditate in inner stillness (Ex. 3:14). Spiritual vision comes some day, I hope, when we are open to it and when Grace has chosen us to receive it (not because we have earned it in any way).
And so, I am trying to stop getting God so I can focus solely on letting God flow through me. If I am inwardly still and empty, spiritual vision may one day fill me too.
Apparently, I had entertained thoughts of pantheism. A pantheist supposes that everything is spiritual-- you know, everything --as in "the rock is spirit," "the tree is spirit" etc. Seminary education shored up in me a more traditional theistic belief that only God ["up there"] is spiritual, while all that is "down here" on Earth is not. Today, however, I find myself dissatisfied with both the "heresies" and with the traditional Judeo-Christian views on the nature of created reality.
What appeals to me most now is "reality" according to the mystic. Yes, there are critical differences in the mysticism of the Sufi, the Kabbalist, the Native, and so forth. However, it seems that none of the mystical traditions naively sprinkle glittery spiritual magic dust on top of the cruel reality of life on Earth. The mystic also does not conceive of a sharp divide between the Divine and the finite. Instead, the mystical claim is that after having experienced (however briefly or imperfectly) the Oneness of All That Is, reality isn't bad (the view of another heresy, the Gnostics), but that reality isn't quite spiritual either. According to the mystic, to understand the nature of Reality, one must look through the appearance of suffering, impermanence ,and death --- not with physical eyesight, but with spiritual vision.
My momma would roll her eyes and say, "Oh yeah, that's easy!" Of course, we all worry that acquiring spiritual vision is not easy. However, I don't believe obtaining true, mystical, spiritual vision is ultimately about hard work with furrowed brow nor is it about decades of intellectual pursuit. Spiritual vision cannot be earned by either of these means because its achievement must be accessible to all ---if it is the gift and will of a loving Spirit.
How then is the spiritual vision of Reality experienced? We must pray for spiritual vision that is aligned with the will of the Divine, and pray for it only. After our prayerful petition, we then are asked to meditate in inner stillness (Ex. 3:14). Spiritual vision comes some day, I hope, when we are open to it and when Grace has chosen us to receive it (not because we have earned it in any way).
And so, I am trying to stop getting God so I can focus solely on letting God flow through me. If I am inwardly still and empty, spiritual vision may one day fill me too.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
A "New & Improved" Lord's Prayer
Ok, before you raise your eyebrows in shock and horror that I would arrogantly dare to "improve" the sacred Lord's Prayer, let me qualify my statement: I wrote the title (as I often do) so that you would be intrigued to read the blog article that accompanies it. If I had simply entitled it, "A Commentary," would you have even read this far? Although it is a mere reflection, read on anyway!
Our Father Who art in Heaven
Our Father: meaning, the source of all of us, the source of all Life; Our source is "heaven" or, in other words, our source is "eternal and spiritual."
What if we now just focus on the word, "our," and contrast it to other possible words that could have been used but weren't-- like the word, "my?" That is, with the simple, intentional choice to use OUR Father, I am being reminded that God is not just MY Source, but also hers, and his, and theirs-- - equally.
Hallowed be Thy Name
Your Name is holy; ALL names for You are holy because You are Holiness. And so, the names of God as Elohim, Yahweh, Allah, Great Spirit, The Way, The Tao, Life, Goddess, Truth etc. are all holy because they can each ideally accomplish God's holy purpose.
Thy Name is not just a label, but "Thy Identity, Thy Essence and Core" and so all the mysterious ways we can know you are holy. The forms and ways You choose to reveal Yourself to us are all potentially holy. God that resides in the core, inner Temple of each human body is holy. Therefore, God appearing in and through 'Robert' is hallowed. God appearing as 'Alliyah' is hallowed. God appearing as 'Ari' is hallowed. God appearing as Talik is hallowed. God appearing as Helen, Franc, Alexander, Mosiah, Ruth, Liu, Juan, and so forth....
Thy Kingdom come
Everything is ultimately THY kingdom; there is no mention of any other kingdom that could even dare to compete with Thy Kingdom. This is first and foremost another reminder for us: it is GOD'S kingdom (or more politically correct, God's "reign").
Then, let's look at: Thy kingdom come. Come Now. Come in the future. God's power shows forth in an eternal-Now that is not bound by human conceptions of time; God's kingdom is in the eternal-Now, if we have cultivated conscious awareness of Thy Kingdom within.
Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
Of course, not MY will, not HER, HIS, or THEIR will, but Thine. Seek first only the will of God. Thy Will be done. Thy Will is done both now and in the future. Better yet: Thy Will simply IS. Thy Will "IS" both on earth (in our physical bodies, in the finite sense) and in heaven (in our spiritual bodies, in our eternal Life in God). Thy Will simply IS. Thy Will is the "place" where the finite, mundane stuff of "earth" (for example, that's just 'mom') is made INTO "heaven" (that is, God-appearing-as-mom in this moment, for me).
Give us this day our daily bread
Whatever we have of true substance YOU give us. "You" is not stated, but implied. I want to slow down and notice WHO is doing the giving, Who is the Source of all. You give us whatever it is we truly, ultimately need for our spiritual development, comfort and safety. We are not petitioning for all of our many wants; God gives anew each day, each moment, what our souls truly need.
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us
God forgive us. I like that part a lot. Does God forgive us in like measure to how we show grace toward others? If so, we're all in big trouble, some more than others. However, this is just another way of expressing the Great Love Commandment: When asked which one of the 10 Commandments was most important, Jesus replied that two, interrelated ones were the most important: love God; love your neighbor.
When I come to this line of the prayer, I think of something I once saw on a T-shirt: "May God have one hand on my shoulder and the other over my mouth."
Our Father Who art in Heaven
Our Father: meaning, the source of all of us, the source of all Life; Our source is "heaven" or, in other words, our source is "eternal and spiritual."
What if we now just focus on the word, "our," and contrast it to other possible words that could have been used but weren't-- like the word, "my?" That is, with the simple, intentional choice to use OUR Father, I am being reminded that God is not just MY Source, but also hers, and his, and theirs-- - equally.
Hallowed be Thy Name
Your Name is holy; ALL names for You are holy because You are Holiness. And so, the names of God as Elohim, Yahweh, Allah, Great Spirit, The Way, The Tao, Life, Goddess, Truth etc. are all holy because they can each ideally accomplish God's holy purpose.
Thy Name is not just a label, but "Thy Identity, Thy Essence and Core" and so all the mysterious ways we can know you are holy. The forms and ways You choose to reveal Yourself to us are all potentially holy. God that resides in the core, inner Temple of each human body is holy. Therefore, God appearing in and through 'Robert' is hallowed. God appearing as 'Alliyah' is hallowed. God appearing as 'Ari' is hallowed. God appearing as Talik is hallowed. God appearing as Helen, Franc, Alexander, Mosiah, Ruth, Liu, Juan, and so forth....
Thy Kingdom come
Everything is ultimately THY kingdom; there is no mention of any other kingdom that could even dare to compete with Thy Kingdom. This is first and foremost another reminder for us: it is GOD'S kingdom (or more politically correct, God's "reign").
Then, let's look at: Thy kingdom come. Come Now. Come in the future. God's power shows forth in an eternal-Now that is not bound by human conceptions of time; God's kingdom is in the eternal-Now, if we have cultivated conscious awareness of Thy Kingdom within.
Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
Of course, not MY will, not HER, HIS, or THEIR will, but Thine. Seek first only the will of God. Thy Will be done. Thy Will is done both now and in the future. Better yet: Thy Will simply IS. Thy Will "IS" both on earth (in our physical bodies, in the finite sense) and in heaven (in our spiritual bodies, in our eternal Life in God). Thy Will simply IS. Thy Will is the "place" where the finite, mundane stuff of "earth" (for example, that's just 'mom') is made INTO "heaven" (that is, God-appearing-as-mom in this moment, for me).
Give us this day our daily bread
Whatever we have of true substance YOU give us. "You" is not stated, but implied. I want to slow down and notice WHO is doing the giving, Who is the Source of all. You give us whatever it is we truly, ultimately need for our spiritual development, comfort and safety. We are not petitioning for all of our many wants; God gives anew each day, each moment, what our souls truly need.
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us
God forgive us. I like that part a lot. Does God forgive us in like measure to how we show grace toward others? If so, we're all in big trouble, some more than others. However, this is just another way of expressing the Great Love Commandment: When asked which one of the 10 Commandments was most important, Jesus replied that two, interrelated ones were the most important: love God; love your neighbor.
When I come to this line of the prayer, I think of something I once saw on a T-shirt: "May God have one hand on my shoulder and the other over my mouth."
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
As you may have picked up on by now, I am privy to focusing on not what it is we are requesting of God (give us, forgive us, lead us, etc.) but on what this prayer tells us about what God already DOES for us. So, I note here: God leads us. God delivers us. What if it weren't a request made by we, finite, sinful, impaired, doubting humans but instead a statement made by saints and angels: Fear not, God leads us. God delivers us. We just have to remember it and ask God.
God does not lead us INto temptation. This petitions asks that God intervene on our behalf: God, don't let me lead myself down the wrong path, into error, temptation, and evil. While some theologians will argue, "Yes, God DOES bring us temptation and trial," I believe that temptations and trials simply occur (as a result of our individual and collective actions) and that God can work through ANYthing that initially appears to us as "good" or even "evil."
For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever,
Again, I like to read and hear these words as a reminder. So many times, we pray and wonder, "When do I get my answer?" But the beautiful and amazing thing about the Pater Noster is that it contains the answers we need already. We just have to slow down and notice, really hear how Jesus instructed us to pray.
The prayer closes with this final reminder: It is all GOD's kingdom, It is all GOD'S power, It is all GOD'S glory. Ultimately, (according to all the mystics across the main religions), there is only ONE. There is only One kingdom and One glory. If we dwell --even for a glimpsing moment-- in that inner, still and sacred space where God's kingdom lies, we may come to realize that there is ultimately only One Power, for ever and ever, in the Eternal Now that knows no boundaries nor limitations.
Amen.
Not, "so be it" as in, "O, ple-e-e-ase let it be this way!'
No! It is "Amen" as in, "it IS so . . . now help us, Holy Spirit, to come to greater and greater awareness of these Truths."
Thursday, April 23, 2009
It's Not About Being Good
When it comes to teaching my child about God: My natural inclination is to urge him to "be good," that being good is God's primary requirement of us. Now I am leaning toward a different perspective. Perhaps my equating goodness with closeness to God is a set up for failure, disappointment, and doubt in later life. Afterall, we're all human. Eventually we sin badly and at some deep, primitive (not intellectual) level, we then feel like we've lost God. However, the Bible is full of examples of serious sinners-- murderers and other evil doers-- who became God's key representatives.
So, the message must be that it's not about "be good," rather it's about "keep trying." In other words, when sin knocks us down, we are asked to keep getting up; when sin sucks us in (as it eventually will), we must keep reaching for God. We are not required to be good, but to keep our determination for God. Isn't that what faith is? Be resilient in our spiritual faith rather than just do humanistic, good works.
So, the message must be that it's not about "be good," rather it's about "keep trying." In other words, when sin knocks us down, we are asked to keep getting up; when sin sucks us in (as it eventually will), we must keep reaching for God. We are not required to be good, but to keep our determination for God. Isn't that what faith is? Be resilient in our spiritual faith rather than just do humanistic, good works.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Peace Abbey in Sherborn, MA: A Review
I discovered The Peace Abbey via their website. At the time, I had been searching the net for an interfaith spiritual director. I read a few things about their retreats, but generally dropped the ball. Then, months later, I happened to drive by its physical site and impulsively thought I'd stop to investigate. Since I was dressed in my mismatched, wrinkled workout gear and since I only saw one car in the parking lot, I hoped that I could quietly sneak in, look about quickly, and slink back out just as anonymously as I had entered. Instead, I was immediately greated warmly by the peace chaplain, engaged in lovely conversation, and given a detailed personal tour.
The Peace Abbey is an interfaith, nondenominational retreat center; one of its primary missions relates to maintaining all forms of nonviolent living (e.g., conscientiously objecting to war, objecting to the killing of animals for food, etc.). In the world of social justice, "the biggies" (e.g., Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Elie Wiesel) have either visited or have been honored here. Upon entering The Peace Abbey, the images, letters, and mementos of the greatest world peacemakers provide both an humbling and inspiring experience.
I imagine that the "average" person will either love The Peace Abbey or intensely disdain it. What someone says about The Peace Abbey is likely more revealing of who the critic is than revealing of what The Peace Abbey is "truly" about. Like any group, it will appeal greatly to like- minded individuals. On the ramp to the main office, a Jurassic-sized banner lauding Obama certainly sets a tone. Even though my personal politics are tree-hugging, bleeding heart, liberal, I also recognize that any position (even the insistence on being "open-minded") can be rigidly adhered to and can render others as opposing outsiders. Therefore, a group that seeks to foster social peace may ironically encourage divisiveness and disharmony when that group creates the situation of insiders (we, "open-minded" liberals) vs. outsiders (those "rigid" traditionalists).
The Peace Abbey certainly intends to be open and affirming of religious diversity. Upon entering the main building, a visitor is flooded with rich imagery from twelve major faith traditions. Whether or not they are met, the abbey's ideals are expressed in symbolic form: for example, the Christian crucifix harmoniously hangs next to the statue of the Buddha. On the one hand, the place is an exploring seeker's delight to peruse all the icons, symbols, photos, letters, prayers, and textiles. On the other hand, I found that while the many sculptures and sayings were intellectually stimulating, the sheer volume of images also seemed to amount to a kind of visual noise that was not quite peaceful-inner-stillness conducive for me.
All this said, The Peace Abbey is not about its decorated buildings, pastoral grounds, or even its activist ideals. The real experience of The Peace Abbey comes out of meeting those gentle, passionate souls who work or visit there. If you go, you will surely learn something new. If you are lucky, you may also experience something profound.
The Peace Abbey is an interfaith, nondenominational retreat center; one of its primary missions relates to maintaining all forms of nonviolent living (e.g., conscientiously objecting to war, objecting to the killing of animals for food, etc.). In the world of social justice, "the biggies" (e.g., Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Elie Wiesel) have either visited or have been honored here. Upon entering The Peace Abbey, the images, letters, and mementos of the greatest world peacemakers provide both an humbling and inspiring experience.
I imagine that the "average" person will either love The Peace Abbey or intensely disdain it. What someone says about The Peace Abbey is likely more revealing of who the critic is than revealing of what The Peace Abbey is "truly" about. Like any group, it will appeal greatly to like- minded individuals. On the ramp to the main office, a Jurassic-sized banner lauding Obama certainly sets a tone. Even though my personal politics are tree-hugging, bleeding heart, liberal, I also recognize that any position (even the insistence on being "open-minded") can be rigidly adhered to and can render others as opposing outsiders. Therefore, a group that seeks to foster social peace may ironically encourage divisiveness and disharmony when that group creates the situation of insiders (we, "open-minded" liberals) vs. outsiders (those "rigid" traditionalists).
The Peace Abbey certainly intends to be open and affirming of religious diversity. Upon entering the main building, a visitor is flooded with rich imagery from twelve major faith traditions. Whether or not they are met, the abbey's ideals are expressed in symbolic form: for example, the Christian crucifix harmoniously hangs next to the statue of the Buddha. On the one hand, the place is an exploring seeker's delight to peruse all the icons, symbols, photos, letters, prayers, and textiles. On the other hand, I found that while the many sculptures and sayings were intellectually stimulating, the sheer volume of images also seemed to amount to a kind of visual noise that was not quite peaceful-inner-stillness conducive for me.
All this said, The Peace Abbey is not about its decorated buildings, pastoral grounds, or even its activist ideals. The real experience of The Peace Abbey comes out of meeting those gentle, passionate souls who work or visit there. If you go, you will surely learn something new. If you are lucky, you may also experience something profound.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Saying of the Day
I don't know who first said this, but I appreciate the quote:
"You can not lose what you have freely given."
Even after you have experienced loss, you can still decide to freely let it go, let it be as it is. Ultimately, nothing real is ever lost.
In a collection of private writings (see the book,"Come Be My Light"), Mother Teresa claimed that if you are suffering, it is because there is something you are not giving to the Divine. Perhaps if we give everything, there is truly nothing to lose.
"You can not lose what you have freely given."
Even after you have experienced loss, you can still decide to freely let it go, let it be as it is. Ultimately, nothing real is ever lost.
In a collection of private writings (see the book,"Come Be My Light"), Mother Teresa claimed that if you are suffering, it is because there is something you are not giving to the Divine. Perhaps if we give everything, there is truly nothing to lose.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Guardian Angel
Fact: The Bible speaks of angels. Angels are described in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. Christian Protestants aren't too big on angels though because we don't believe humans need intermediaries between God and individuals; Protestants believe that we are able to have a direct relationship with God without having to pray to saints, angels and the like. While there is a theological reason for shying away from angels if you're a traditional Protestant, I think there's more to it. I think we also shy away from "angel stuff" because it's come to be just too associated with New Age (a term that is usually said with disdain by "proper" Christians).
Nonetheless, there is something appealing to me about angels. Part of me likes the idea of having a guardian angel. Certainly, it is comforting to believe that each person has a guardian angel (particularly if that person is a suffering child). But isn't it enough to yearn for God? To desire that God is comforting us, protecting us? There's the image of two sets of footprints becoming one set . . . with the accompanying text, "it was then that I carried you" says God.
Still the appeal of angels remains for me. Very unProtestant of me, I know. As with many of my attachments and desires, I am choosing to believe that this one is the case of the right instinct but the wrong form. (Wha--??) I mean: the desire or pull I feel toward angels is a spiritual instinct that is right on track, but I've misinterpreted it. I have always focused on wanting to have a guardian angel, wanting to feel its presence in my life as though that would be the only way I could feel God's nearness. Now, I have to consider that perhaps my angel longing instinct isn't about having a guardian angel, but about being a guardian angel. Now my desire is no longer purely selfish, but agentic, empowering, (dare I use the word?): "vivifying."
Instead of cowering under the wing of an angel, I prefer the stronger, more faith-filled image of being the angel to all the people God has sent into my day. I can quietly rest in a secret assurance that I know . . .and that I can communicate without words that I know that there is nothing to fear because ultimately there is only One Power, One Life, One Love.
As if bursting my own idealistic bubble, I have to admit that this new image would likely quickly fizzle in the face of real crisis, but frankly that just doesn't matter. I can "be" an angel and have plenty to do in the little mundane interactions of my life right now. I accept that I am merely practicing being an angel. I can only hope that when I need to rise to the occasion of a "real" crisis, that either I will meet the challenge or that I will be forgiven for all too humanly failing. After all, I'm not a perfect saint; as an angel, I don't have to "succeed," I just have to keep trying.
Signed,
B.N. Angel ;-)
Nonetheless, there is something appealing to me about angels. Part of me likes the idea of having a guardian angel. Certainly, it is comforting to believe that each person has a guardian angel (particularly if that person is a suffering child). But isn't it enough to yearn for God? To desire that God is comforting us, protecting us? There's the image of two sets of footprints becoming one set . . . with the accompanying text, "it was then that I carried you" says God.
Still the appeal of angels remains for me. Very unProtestant of me, I know. As with many of my attachments and desires, I am choosing to believe that this one is the case of the right instinct but the wrong form. (Wha--??) I mean: the desire or pull I feel toward angels is a spiritual instinct that is right on track, but I've misinterpreted it. I have always focused on wanting to have a guardian angel, wanting to feel its presence in my life as though that would be the only way I could feel God's nearness. Now, I have to consider that perhaps my angel longing instinct isn't about having a guardian angel, but about being a guardian angel. Now my desire is no longer purely selfish, but agentic, empowering, (dare I use the word?): "vivifying."
Instead of cowering under the wing of an angel, I prefer the stronger, more faith-filled image of being the angel to all the people God has sent into my day. I can quietly rest in a secret assurance that I know . . .and that I can communicate without words that I know that there is nothing to fear because ultimately there is only One Power, One Life, One Love.
As if bursting my own idealistic bubble, I have to admit that this new image would likely quickly fizzle in the face of real crisis, but frankly that just doesn't matter. I can "be" an angel and have plenty to do in the little mundane interactions of my life right now. I accept that I am merely practicing being an angel. I can only hope that when I need to rise to the occasion of a "real" crisis, that either I will meet the challenge or that I will be forgiven for all too humanly failing. After all, I'm not a perfect saint; as an angel, I don't have to "succeed," I just have to keep trying.
Signed,
B.N. Angel ;-)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Healing Dreams
It was a lazy prayer that led to interesting results and a growing social experiment. I was lying in bed before falling asleep for the night, thinking about my day, reviewing all the little ways I fell short of my spiritual ideals in a mere 16 hours, and how I'm really at my best lying down quietly, undisturbed and in the dark. I wondered how many years (decades) I'd just keep repeating the same vices day after day-- impatience, self-indulgence, envy, etc. etc. Out of frustration and desperation, I decided to pray, "I don't let You in much during the day, but I'm willing to surrender completely to You while I sleep." (How daringly generous of me). I repeated my prayer and fell asleep. The next morning I felt as though something had shifted for the better.
A friend of mine tried something similar. She decided that she would trust (just for sleeping but not waking time) that God was working in and through her in healing ways even if she couldn't understand it. Like me, she wasn't quite willing to surrender completely (or in her case, "at all") during the day (when "we" want to be in charge --ha, ha), but there was a tiny willingness, a bit of trust we could offer at night. She prayed for healing dreams and said she had wonderful dreams, qualitatively different than any other. Moreover, when she did have "bad" dreams, they seemed to come with less of a sting during the dream or with less of a bad-dream-hangover afterwards.
We were amazed at our results. We shared our stories with friends and family. Everyone who tried our little experiment in evening surrender reported positive if not profound results.
Spread the news. Experiment for yourself. Commit to giving it a try for two weeks. Then tell me what happened as a result!
A friend of mine tried something similar. She decided that she would trust (just for sleeping but not waking time) that God was working in and through her in healing ways even if she couldn't understand it. Like me, she wasn't quite willing to surrender completely (or in her case, "at all") during the day (when "we" want to be in charge --ha, ha), but there was a tiny willingness, a bit of trust we could offer at night. She prayed for healing dreams and said she had wonderful dreams, qualitatively different than any other. Moreover, when she did have "bad" dreams, they seemed to come with less of a sting during the dream or with less of a bad-dream-hangover afterwards.
We were amazed at our results. We shared our stories with friends and family. Everyone who tried our little experiment in evening surrender reported positive if not profound results.
Spread the news. Experiment for yourself. Commit to giving it a try for two weeks. Then tell me what happened as a result!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thank you, Jackie
I don't know Jackie but she has greatly impacted my spiritual development. My friend, Annie, worked with her at one point in her life and told me bits and pieces about Jackie: she was in a miserable job with an oppressive, bullying, tyrant of a boss. She had no choice but to stay in that job. Annie would say that Jackie seemed to handle her burden so well. She'd sing her religious songs while working. It makes me think that those who sung those old traditional "negro spirituals" knew something about coping from which we can still learn.
Often when I grumble about something, I think of Jackie-- a faceless presence in my mind-- who I imagine would sweetly scoff at my "struggles." Then, I wonder "what would Jackie do" and sing out loud (if I'm alone or just have my child trapped in the car with me) or I hum. I intentionally stick to singing only religious and spiritual songs. I usually have to make up some of the words which is always worth a good laugh.
And so, I'm with my own burden, but not. Even though my feet and hands may be situated in an old, mired gully, when I sing my spirituals I am lifted out of that gully. Another part of me gets to flow to a better place.
Thank you, Jackie--- whoever or where ever you are!
Often when I grumble about something, I think of Jackie-- a faceless presence in my mind-- who I imagine would sweetly scoff at my "struggles." Then, I wonder "what would Jackie do" and sing out loud (if I'm alone or just have my child trapped in the car with me) or I hum. I intentionally stick to singing only religious and spiritual songs. I usually have to make up some of the words which is always worth a good laugh.
And so, I'm with my own burden, but not. Even though my feet and hands may be situated in an old, mired gully, when I sing my spirituals I am lifted out of that gully. Another part of me gets to flow to a better place.
Thank you, Jackie--- whoever or where ever you are!
breath of serenity
I imagine that God is breathing through me. I'm not breathing. God is. My body is like a sheer curtain through which God is moving in, through, and around.
It's instantaneous. I feel immediately more relaxed. I have "soft eyes."
I try to remember this mini exercise throughout the day.
It's instantaneous. I feel immediately more relaxed. I have "soft eyes."
I try to remember this mini exercise throughout the day.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Song: Come Rain or Come Shine
Come Rain or Come Shine
I’ve modified this popular song to make the lyrics sound more like a traditional spiritual. The original song was written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song was written for the musical St. Louis Woman, and was first published in 1946.
God did love me like no one can love me
Come rain or come shine
High as a mountain and deep as a river
Come rain or come shine
And I guess when I met God
That it was just one of those things
Girl, don’t you forget God
But remember just to let God, just to let God
God’s gonna love me like no one did love me
Come rain or come shine
Happy together, unhappy not ever
Won’t it be fine
Day may be cloudy or sunny
I’m in or I’m out of the money
But God loves us always
God loves us rain or shine
Rain or shine
I’ve modified this popular song to make the lyrics sound more like a traditional spiritual. The original song was written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song was written for the musical St. Louis Woman, and was first published in 1946.
God did love me like no one can love me
Come rain or come shine
High as a mountain and deep as a river
Come rain or come shine
And I guess when I met God
That it was just one of those things
Girl, don’t you forget God
But remember just to let God, just to let God
God’s gonna love me like no one did love me
Come rain or come shine
Happy together, unhappy not ever
Won’t it be fine
Day may be cloudy or sunny
I’m in or I’m out of the money
But God loves us always
God loves us rain or shine
Rain or shine
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Oprah's Weight Gain & a Spiritual Lesson
I recently read an article about Oprah's recent weight gain. She was quoted as saying, "It's embarrassing . . . I know all the things I need to do [eat right, exercise, etc.]" (paraphrased).
Dear Oprah,
Guess what? Some problems exist despite what we know and despite our best ambitions. Contrary to our cultural mantra that we "can accomplish anything we set our minds to," some areas of our lives are not fixed by sheer will power. This is the spiritual lesson.
It may be a harder lesson to learn for an Oprah Winfrey or Tom Cruise of the world-- that is, for those many people who seem to view their successes as having come about due to their own, personal will power, drive, and ambition (all of which, I believe, a person is born with to a great degree).
Sometimes we have to accept there are things we cannot change (an oft neglected part of the Serenity Prayer).
Other times, the problem is that we fail to accept the up-and-down cycles of life. Instead, we view our "down times" as moments in which we must fight our way through. However, "what we resist will only persist" (A Course in Miracles, paraphrased). We fight "it" and "it" just digs in its heels. During these moments, a gentler, more spiritual way of coping is to acknowledge, "Ah, yes, this is my weak spot, my down cycle, and I will observe it and let it ride out its course, managing but not fighting it, until the eventual upswing occurs again."
Dear Oprah,
Guess what? Some problems exist despite what we know and despite our best ambitions. Contrary to our cultural mantra that we "can accomplish anything we set our minds to," some areas of our lives are not fixed by sheer will power. This is the spiritual lesson.
It may be a harder lesson to learn for an Oprah Winfrey or Tom Cruise of the world-- that is, for those many people who seem to view their successes as having come about due to their own, personal will power, drive, and ambition (all of which, I believe, a person is born with to a great degree).
Sometimes we have to accept there are things we cannot change (an oft neglected part of the Serenity Prayer).
Other times, the problem is that we fail to accept the up-and-down cycles of life. Instead, we view our "down times" as moments in which we must fight our way through. However, "what we resist will only persist" (A Course in Miracles, paraphrased). We fight "it" and "it" just digs in its heels. During these moments, a gentler, more spiritual way of coping is to acknowledge, "Ah, yes, this is my weak spot, my down cycle, and I will observe it and let it ride out its course, managing but not fighting it, until the eventual upswing occurs again."
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