MIGHTY OAK OR HIGHLY POLISHED ACORN

There is nothing worse than someone who knows all there is to know and considerably more than you  about your health, your dog, your way and ways...and cannot shut up about it.

Not to put too fine a point on it.

For whatever of his give-me-a-break reasons, God has gifted me with not one, not two, but three of these fine people...one being my acupuncturist! She barely knows me, never has met my dog, yet she's insisting she knows what my dog needs, and I'm not doing it right.

Then a friend has found it necessary to tell me...again...that acupuncture is useless, and if it is helping me at all then I must have an extremely mild case of stenosis...if indeed I have it at all.

Another friend just keeps repeating, in a totally disbelieving tone, "Well, if you know what you're doing...." This when she learns...again...that I have not yet taken her advice to take her miracle med that will heal me...now.

Interestingly, I just read Fr Richard Rohr's "Daily Meditation" in which he describes Saint Francis' bottom-line belief: One of the earliest accounts of Francis, the 'Legend of Perugia,' quotes Francis as telling the first friars, 'You only know as much as you do.'   *  * *  'Why aren’t you doing what you say you believe?' the prophet invariably asks. As the popular paraphrase of Francis’ Rule goes, 'Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.'

There. That is my actual proof that God loves me beyond measuring. He knew (because I've for sure told him) I had all this résistance abuilding, so, Saint Francis being my role model,  I was led to his credo. I could see how all of my examples of "nothing worse" are, according to my sincere desire to attempt to live an unselfed life, "nothing better."

Each of these people and their ways are exactly what I need in order to learn how to "agree with your adversary quickly" without being a doormat...how to consciously but silently invite God into the mix so all concerned come out the winner. Those are my earnest desires for I know that is the certain road to peace. [I'm also grateful to have learned that God doesn't hold it against me for carping, grinding and pouting...I'm just giving Lucy her due before I get down to it. (She claims facetiously.)]

My winning over any of them, or giving in just to "keep the peace," are self-determined objectives, the same-old-same-old which has never, will never permanently change anything beneficial to my spiritual growth.

When we realize unto acceptance that we are in this life for transformation not just to make the same person look better, we have made the turn toward home. I'm reminded of a goodie I once heard: We get to choose whether we want to become a mighty oak or a highly polished acorn.

And then there's the other great one: Choose you this day whom ye will serve. --Joshua 24:15

God loves me (and Lucy) so much.

Thank you.