FOSTERING A CHANGE IN CONSCIOUSNESS

I consciously and gratefully ponder how blessed I am that my goal almost from the first has been to do the Sermon. I have not done it way too many times to know, but I have done it way too many times to know, too...and each of those time has been the grace of God breathing.

My notes in my daily readings are my proof of the times I have followed the instructions to turn the other cheek...or to agree with your adversary quickly.  In most instances I have seen that proof as love being returned for love. Best part...seemingly without the other even being aware of the inner workings.

God is so good to us.

It will be interesting to see in years to come (and I may not be on this earth long enough to see it) the end result with the JoB brouhaha.

To my mind, the end result of love being returned for love would have to be me accepting JoB with not a word...or thought!...of condemnation. There, that's the hard, hard part. Because, of course, that would require me to get over my own self, not JoB nor JoB's actions. Ah, God's work...through his gifting me with a change in consciousness.

This I believe...there is never a problem that does not have a spiritual solution. If there is no spiritual solution, there is no problem. There is only my ego Lucy doing my thinking for me.

Thank you.

TIME IS NOT OF THE ESSENCE

It has become a comfort to me to read my notes in my "God Calling" and to see in black and white my journey of realization.

For instance, yesterday's note reads: "2005 - Today I realize the indwelling Christ...thank you." I added underneath that: "2018 - This morning, again a glimpse...thank you."

My comfort is that in that 13-year span, my realization of the indwelling Christ was growing, expanding, filling me from my toes to my nose without a conscious thought from my eyebrows up how or even if that was taking place.

Yet, in that time there were times innumerable that I relied on the indwelling Christ, that I surely walked, talked, showed forth...and, no doubt, cursed!...that indwelling Christ.

Yesterday, I posted about again realizing that which is within us is the hidey hole of God. It is our core, the indwelling Christ, in fact.

I note the material-world time-lapse. Thirteen years is no small amount of time but in our spiritual-growth time, it is the equivalent of a second. Hey...maybe that's how Methuselah could live a gazillion years and...was it Sarah?...could have a child at 100 plus years. Probably not even close, but I like it. It soothes my "How long, oh Lord?" impatience.

Thank you.

USE WHAT IS WITHIN

I read this morning that St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), wrote in her book, Scivias: You understand so little of what is around you because you do not use what is within.

Admittedly, I've barely ever heard of Hildegard and never of her book, but when I read that line, I flashed that that which is within is the hidey hole of God...my core, each and everyone and thing's core. We are complete within us for it is the unseeable God consciousness that is our energy, our protection, our being. 

It is our core that knows our need is to give over, give up, give in...no, it is our core that is our need to give over, give up, give in. To love, to laugh, to forgive by accepting, to accept by forgiving...who's kidding whom, to get over our self. 

Since we're talking about living in this world by spiritual principles, we must keep it simple and ever simpler. To me that means to get over my self every time I feel justified...period. I have learned that "justified" is the clarion call of my ego Lucy, the victim, to gear up and get back at 'em. 

Ah, and here comes my own Golden Rule to save my day: I just try not to be as nasty as I want to be. I doubt not there are higher, holier spiritual rules, but I've found none any simpler, and it fits most anything I'll reasonably expect to face. Besides which, it causes me to smile. 

Thank you.

IMPERFECT AND FREE

Here's why I make notes to me in my daily reading books: On this date in my daily journal on health, I have written I am happy with me...imperfect and free. Every year since first I wrote that I have entered the year and Yes!

It is a wonderful feeling to read that, write my Yes! again and know I'm not lying. 

Through the grace of God, love and laughter, and the generosity of friends, the imperfect is made whole. Not perfect...whole.

Thank you.

ACCEPTANCE REALIZED AS LOVE

Blinding flash of the obvious: God is not forgiving; God is accepting.

I ponder that and I realize that I see forgiving as denoting an ugly that God was holding against me but he got over it.

I choose to believe the God of my understanding knows naught of ugly so there is nothing to forgive. He knows and does acceptance which is the essence of love...and God is love.

Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven [i.e., acceptance] and all else shall be added unto you [i.e., acceptance realized as love].

Thank you.

.

THE ART OF NONVIOLENCE

All we have to do is open our eyes to the reality of creation before us, to be present to it, to take it in and honor it, and welcome its gift of peace—and do so within the boundaries of nonviolence. -- "They Will Inherit the Earth" by John Dear as quoted in Fr. Richard Rohr's "Daily Meditation," March 9, 2018

For many years now I have been drawn to learning unto doing nonviolence. Nonviolence does not come easy to the reasoning mind...or to mine at any rate. I often hold out We have ceased fighting anything and anybody as one of my favorite quotes, up there with Chief Joseph's I will fight no more forever.

Doing those, though....

At one time I determined that nonviolence must start with our thoughts. When I got the word that mood follows action, I understood that thoughts follow action, then I could accept that I needed to put down my fists, shut my mouth and not resist my jangled thoughts. It is those jangled thoughts, seeking peace, that were leading me aright...to meditation.

We meditate to get out of our own thought-mind. We learn to direct those thoughts to a higher plane deeper. Toward nonviolence.

The trouble with nonviolence...no, the trouble with our thinking of nonviolence is we assume that means we either go into the fetal position or become the doormat. Unfortunately, both usually invite violence if not physically, then mentally, and there is no God in either. The reasoning mind is such that it will ever resist that is the wrong way to view nonviolence...we must go beyond reason to love.

It is a fine art to actually do nonviolence. It is the same fine art as coming to believe, then living in trust, that God has our back. Ah, but when we know it, we show it, and we are at peace.

Thank you.

TO SHOW THAT GOD LOVES US

Blinding flash of the obvious: My spiritual goal is not to know that I love God, but to show that God loves me. 

In pondering that, the meaning underneath it, I had to admit that my love of God is transient...it seems there's ever a new something a-comin' that my "I want" attaches to, calls itself a need, and I start down that wrong road again. 

My wants have gotten considerably more sophisticated...they dress up as compassionate prayers for others a lot...but, hey, they're not obsessing about my weight today. As much. 

I remind me that learning unto doing is another beware of the overly scrupulous we are warned of. If I'm not doing one hundred percent that which I've just learned about, I'm doing it wrong according to my ego Lucy, and that's just Lucy's way to stay in charge. There is nothing wrong with compassionate prayers for others, but I've come to accept that I'm better off keeping it simple. I pray that we all know God's will for us and that we have the power to carry it out, and that is all. Otherwise, my praying thoughts go haring off after the poor people of India, and don't let me start on Appalachia. 

According to me, we pollute our world more with our thoughts of profit, possessions and payback, than with our plastic conveniences. We need not only pray for God's will, we need to do that which is in front of us to do...let our enemy off the hook while we try to figure out how to quit using plastic straws, for starters. When I get a glimmer of how to do either of those, I know and I show that God loves me. 

It's not easy being green....

Thank you.