TO CLAIM OUR OWN, PRAY THANK YOU

Effective light does not call attention to itself; rather, it lights up the world…. Any faith that does not manifest itself in works is not faith; it is complacency and self-satisfaction. -- Amy-Jill Levine, Daily Meditation, January 2, 2025  

I am reminded of a long-ago friend's mantra; namely, Faith without works is fantasy.

That saying has been visiting my thoughts off-and-on recently. I finally stopped long enough to let it speak fully to me, and I realized that it is my self-described "80s" that is doing the nattering. As I have mentioned, when I turned 80, I experienced an entire change in my thinking, feeling, doing...being. 

The gift of the change is the choice I was given...love and laugh with 80 or roll around in the self-pity of being 80, old, used up, no good, etc., ad nauseum. I chose and choose love and laugh.  

So I love and laugh and learn even more. For instance, I learned the word "works" flips on my guilt switch. My egoic guilt lives to shower shame and thus gets its reward with more guilt. (Just for giggles, I call it gilted guilt.)

Back to faith without works...I am living today the different meanings of "works." I've been beating me up for not doing more physical work...dig ditches or sweep floors kind of work. That kind of work, i.e., physical, went out the door for me at least 25 years ago. 

Here's God's way...I now know the gift of spiritual communication. I am available to listen to anyone in need who reaches out to me. I silently acknowledge God's will so my feedback is egoless, and the majority of the time the listener's thinking is upgraded.

We each are given God-gifts. All we need do is claim our own...with thank You.

Thank you.