GRACE OF GOD AND FRIENDS

Per today's morning meditation of Fr. Richard Rohr, "If there isn’t some way to find some deeper meaning to our suffering, to find that God is somewhere in it, and can even use it for good, we will normally close up and close down."

There's my truth. What I especially love is that I learned that truth awhile back from another source entirely. Which is unneeded, but welcomed, assurance that I'm still on the right path, going in the right direction. 

It's always fireworks in my heart when I read anything, including the long-gone Ann Landers column, that confirms my path. Probably because I was so long on a path that was mine and mine alone, and I was  determined to keep it that way. I knew all there was to know about all there was to know, and if I didn't...don't-let-anybody-else-find-out-or-they'll-know-me-for-the-fake-and-phony-that-I-am-scared-to-death-no-that-I-know-I-am. That was all one word on my continuous mind-loop back then.

But by the grace of God and a little help from my friends, I found God somewhere in it and could even use it for good.

Thank You.

COOPERATE AND GRADUATE

I was watching the news recently, and I was heartsick at the news about women...the denial of the rights of American woman being the topic.

I had a  blinding flash of the obvious this morning in relation to that news: Women can no longer fight to overcome the white man's power over them. They must become willing first to educate the white man...to work together toward that as their goal...so that they both become educated in unity.

I believe that women would do well to realize that to fight for their rights denies them their rights...to  battle simply keeps the battle going...giving the appearance one day of winning, the next of losing. Recent events are proving that to be true...we are today fighting the battle we "won" in 1972.

The operative word here, of course, is "fight." So the first education must be of ourselves..."I will fight no more forever," Chief Joseph; "I will survive," Gloria Gaynor. There it is...in that, I conquer.

According  to me, this is truth for all peoples of the world...that all must heed if our world is to improve and thrive. I do believe in the lessons taught by Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mahatma Gandhi...not to mention Christ Jesus, Sri Krishna and the Buddha.

Thank You.

FOURTH DIMENSIONAL, THIRD DIMENSIONAL

The sage awakes to light in the night of all creatures. That which the world calls day is the night of ignorance to the wise. -- Sri Krishna (Bhagavad Gita)

My take: The sage awakening "to light in the night" is us being rocketed into fourth dimensional thinking; the world's "day is the night of ignorance" is us in our third dimensional thinking (our reasoning mind where everything is personal).

This validates my long-ago blinding flash of the obvious that this world and all in it are the mirror image of God's view, as in the exact opposite. Which explains why so often when I will not accept where I am or dread something coming toward me, determining it to be the worst thing that could happen...when it happens, and I walk through it...it turns out to be the best thing that could have happened, i.e., God's view.

In looking back at my rues, regrets and remorses, as long as I see them as such, I am living in "the night of ignorance"...my reasoning mind. When I view my regrets through the light of spiritual principles, I know them for my gold, my pearl beyond price, God's will.

Thank You.

LEARNING TO LISTEN

I can tell my mentor anything...ugly gossip, shameful acts, petty peeves...and feel free doing it. I know I am not and will not be judged.

BUT

The reason I have a mentor is not just to have someone to whom I can speak freely, but to have someone to listen to for his feedback. Some of which I do not want to hear. I am grateful today that when I feel myself resisting what I'm hearing from him, I know this is exactly why I shared what I shared...this is what I need to hear.

It is neither healthy nor productive to run my uglies without rein and want only a "there, there" in response...that's enabling...spoiling the brat within. The rest of the story is getting to the real growth which comes in my not dressing up my uglies so I won't get a response I don't want to hear.  I can talk to my bathroom mirror and get as much help.

Spit it out and hear the feedback...listen especially for the unspoken feedback. Welcome all of it...for that is the road to freedom from self.

It's not all that difficult to learn the "right" answers...it's a lifetime learning to live those right answers. 

Thank You.

GOD'S PRAYER OF THANK YOU

I just  read: "In homeopathic medicine the cure is effected by administering remedies which, given to a healthy person, would actually stimulate the symptoms of the disease in question." (A Season for the Spirit, Martin L. Smith, at p. 137.)

Since I can't quite wrap my brain around that to my satisfaction, I'm just going to go for an interpretation that serves me best. I'm guessing that is what I did all those years ago when I welcomed a complete nervous breakdown and didn't break down, and that I continue to do today with my thank you to fears aborning in my mind.

I love my interpretation, and, count on it, it is now my truth.

I got a diagnosis of pre-macular degeneration from my ophthalmologist yesterday. This morning, talking with God, I told Him if I am fated for macular degeneration, then I know He has it well in hand for my personal benefit, just like another Oh-No that came to me many years ago...which has turned out to be my pearl of great price.

I believe God joys in our spiritual growth.

I believe that our prayer of thank you is God's prayer of thank you right back.

Thank You.

MY BAD/GOD'S GOLD

I sat down to journal this morning and wrote, "Jesus, help me be more like you" and had a real jolt...what if I already am like Jesus? As he was when he was aborning...when he was becoming the Jesus we praise today? What if he, too, had to go through all this petty crap in getting there?

Likely, that's exactly how he learned the Sermon is the only way...the shortest way, actually, to get free of self.

I realized, yet again, that each piece of petty crap is the personal tool that I chose for my use. It is all the petty crap that I choose to put in front of me to overcome that can and will get me there..."there" being free of me, which is simply ego reduction in depth.

Finding ways to win, to shut these personal pets down or shut them up only grows them stronger. Then later, when they have grown stronger through that very resistance, I will have to surrender, give up and give in if I ever want to be free.

They cannot be ignored or resisted away. I need to walk through them, and there find the best news...God has already turned them into my gold.

Thank You.

READ THE MANUAL...THEN LIVE IT

It's gray out there...foggy...rainy...and my heart is singing "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning." All because of resentments. More specifically, all because I know not to fight a resentment, but to welcome it.

I must needs avail my thoughts, myself, by my own will, to God's purification...mainly, because I know full well that God is not going to enter my brain, wash it clean and await further directions. God knows I've been given the manual of all I need or will ever need to do His bidding, God will leave me to use that manual to take the necessary action...and by that action my thoughts will be purified. 

I am so grateful that I do know any self-determined objective of giving over to the Resentee will not work in purifying my thoughts, my Soul. That only keeps the resentment (and my idea of the Resentee's wrong!) fully in focus and operating. The manual tells me to do for others, keep others as my focus, and not a single other...others.

I must become transparent to others (for it is impossible to become transparent to one or two but remain opaque toward all the rest). I am either transparent or I am not; and, most important: know that transparency cannot be self-willed.

I have the words, by grace I live them...which is another thing that can't be self-willed.

Thank You.