GOD WORKS IN WONDROUS WAYS

I come again to the remembrance of my June bug story. I am so glad I noted this in my "God Calling" all those years ago so I can relive it every year on this July 14. It is my beloved story of God performing God's work with no help from the cheap seats, meaning me.

My June bug story: I was reading the paper, sipping my coffee, one beautiful morning, and I vaguely heard a buzzing sound. I ignored it until I couldn't any longer as the sound kept getting louder, sounding more insistent. 

Finally, I went looking for whatever was causing the incessant buzzing, and there was a June bug caught in the screen at my window. A ballpoint pen happened to be lying on a table right below the window, so I used it to try to free the June bug. I worked it. Nothing happened except the June bug's buzzing sounded angrier and angrier. 

I finally gave it up, and in giving up, I said...out loud to the June bug...'You got God same as I do, Babe...you're going to have to let God do it because I can't.'

With which I turned and walked away. The buzzing stopped almost immediately, and I looked over my shoulder...there was the June bug moving away, free.

Don't tell me God doesn't love and care for every creature in the Universe. 

Thank you.

AN EGO DEFEAT IS TO KNOW GOD'S LOVE

Learning to contain a certain degree of anxiety, and a willingness to not know...and not even need to know...this is how we allow and encounter Mystery. -- Fr Richard Rohr, "Daily Meditation," July 12, 2020 

My note in my "God Calling," July 13, 2013:  My morning BFO: yesterday's huge bust to my ego will turn out in my favor by my simply changing my attitude.

 

Rohr's quote together with my own note have given me the pearl beyond price, i.e., the gift of remembrance...and realization.

I remember that I went with that ego bust's BFO by not trying to get others to see my side of the story, by letting it stand without explanation, touching it not, even smiling through. Seven years later, I see that it has turned out not only in my favor, but I have a friend because of it! 

Here's more of the gift...it was in reading Rohr's above quote that I saw that I had proved a Truth for me, that being: Upgrade your attitude, upgrade your problem. 

Since first I was given that Truth, I believed it...and quoted it to anybody who'd listen.  I'm sure I proved it in many ways too little to make note of at the time...but those little ways are how we build our stairway to heaven. I suspect they are too small for our ego to take credit so they settle in and grow within us. 

I recalled Rohr's yesterday quote as I read my note this morning, and it flashed that that was what I  had even quit wishing for since it seemed so impossible for me to reach...namely, I could contain a certain degree of anxiety, and a willingness to not know. And I had experienced it by not reacting to an apparent defeat of my ego. Not only that but, without even fully realizing it, that has been my Impossible Dream. 

Oh, maybe that's what it means to encounter Mystery...clearly a bridge too far for me today. But I know I am heading in the right direction.

To realize God loves us in the midst of an ego defeat is to experience God's love.

Thank you.

FROM THE ASHES OF OUR ANGER...PEACE

Blinding flash of the obvious: Anger is fear on fire within. Self-knowledge (the fire hose) holds self-acceptance (the water) which is the Source (God) that puts out the flame. From the ashes of our anger, the peace that passes understanding rises.

No matter how scarifying the problem from our insides out looks, the solution to that problem lies in our inner core with the Father, and It is good...is for our personal benefit...and can change our outlook and our self.

On the news last night was the story of a young man who entered into some investment scheme that he knew nothing about. Knowing nothing, he came to believe he'd lost all his (and others?) money and promptly killed himself. It turns out he had not lost the money but looking out there rather than in here, he went with his first self-centered-fear solution.  

It is said that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem...the temporary problem is ever our refusal to change our view from out there to in here...to God's hidey hole

The contemplative side of the soul will reveal itself when we begin to ask, “How can I listen for God and learn God’s voice? How can I use my words and actions to expand and not to contract? How can I keep my heart, mind, and soul open, even ‘in hell’?” -- Fr Richard Rohr, "Daily Meditation," July 12, 2020

Thank you.

I SHALL NOT WANT

As we experience discomfort in this time, let’s begin to dream of a new normal, a new normal that addresses the weaknesses and problems that were going unaddressed in the old normal. If we’re wise, we won’t go back; we’ll go forward. —Brian McLaren in Fr Richard Rohr's "Daily Meditation," July 11, 2020

What a clear and wonderful goal: As we experience discomfort, we need to begin to aim toward a new normal that addresses weaknesses and problems that we had not yet realized, so they were going unaddressed.

We need not go back, digging up more to fix or fiddle with, but forward to the God of our deeper understanding turning freedom from want into realization of no need unfulfilled.

I shall not want. -- The 23rd Psalm

Thank you. 

DOUBTS...JUST ANOTHER GOD-HUG, 2

[This is a reprint of my post of September 8, 2017.]

I had an "out of head" experience yesterday. A long-time friend had passed, and several of us gathered to share remembrances. We were talking about the way we were back in the day. Nearing time to break up, I was moved, for I know not what reason, to share how I was feeling right that very minute...which was very like I used to feel at any gathering back in the day; i.e., anxious, intimidated, near tears, shaky...uncool in a word. A couple of others shared and we parted with hugs, end of that story.

Later, my head went into overdrive: What a fool you were! Will you never ever learn? What is the matter with you? I'll bet they're all thinking, 'Whoa, what a dolt she is!' Lord, why do you take coffee breaks just as I need you most?

And in a flash I heard, What were you wishing for? Did you share exactly how you were feeling just to get admiration for your honesty? Your humility? And if you pulled that off and they are thinking how admirable, etc., you are still being ego-led. If, however, you had no ulterior thought, and they are thinking, 'What a dolt!', you have been blessed beyond imagining.

And I knew that to be true.

This morning, I'm having my doubts...and God grins.

God loves me so much.

Thank you. 

ALL ROADS LEAD TO GOD

My waking dream: I stand at the frayed-rope bridge strung over a 1,000 foot-deep chasm. God stands on the other side. I know I must go forward toward God or die all alone, wrapped in the hopelessness of self. 

But I'm not entirely stupid...the rope is frayed, the bridge can't hold much longer without anyone on it even! I am stuck there in fear, doubts and willful wishing.

I turn back so I can consider the problem. I ponder; I gather opinions, studies and papers to read, study and ponder more. I'm in that old rocking chair syndrome, going back and forth, back and forth, calling it moving but going nowhere.

After days, weeks, months, years looking for another way, I start forward, praying that God will hold the bridge for me. I get nearly half way across, and the frayed rope breaks. 

As I am  falling, I realize that THIS IS HOW I AM MEANT TO MEET GOD. It makes no nevermind whether I make it across to God or fall, I go to God. 

All roads lead to God...it needs our leap of faith forward to meet Him.

Thank you. 

GOD'S GOT THIS...STAND ON IT

It is an ever deeper truth and mystery that seeking our good is not going in the right direction...ah, but settling for bad is for sure the wrong way to go. The hook is our own determination of what is good or bad. It becomes obvious, after we've learned the secret, why our direction must needs be to seek still more spiritual growth, and that is all. 

We seek spiritual growth through studying the words and lives of the saints from centuries back, the mystics from yesterday and today, by pondering a suggestion from our mentor or confidante when it doesn't make sense...until it does. 

In short, spiritual growth is learning to live in the Now, with our eye focused, our ear attuned, and our mind open to all we see and hear, trusting all we see and hear is for our benefit..."our benefit" being for the benefit of all.

To trust "all we see and hear to be of benefit to all" is where spiritual growth is birthed for we soon discover if we seek a sliver of gold in whatever comes, we will be gifted...with a sliver of gold, God's calling card. As we stay our focus on that sliver of gold, it will grow us. 

Ah, we begin to trust our own self...to trust that our perception of good in the midst of less-than good appearing is heading us in the right direction away from self toward God's will. 

Whenever we perceive a train-plane-car crash all at one time, a Perfect Storm, we can know God's hand is in it, that he has already solved it, and we are part of the solution.  We know that love is the always answer, now we get to love at a whole new...necessary to us personally...level. A level our mental faculties cannot worry us into...loose it and let it go, or, God's got this. Stand on it.

Thank you.