JUST BY BEING GRATEFUL

It takes so little to turn my spiritually seeking thoughts around and zone right in on ego-victory thoughts. I'm reading my Goldsmith this morning, and the subject is thanksgiving...the necessity of setting aside a special time to give thanks for gifts received.

He writes: "Always evaluate your progress in terms of spiritual fruitage." And my elevated thoughts are of peace, love and joy, specifically pooh-poohing money, power and prestige.

Then his next words stop me cold: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith...." WAIT A MINUTE. How did longsuffering get in there? I check the end of his paragraph...that is a direct quote from Galatians 5:22,23. I can see it's no wonder I don't read the Bible. (Less wonder that I need to.)

But just think on that! Longsuffering as a fruit of the Spirit...longsuffering IS a fruit of the Spirit.

I certainly have had my moments into hours of feeling longsuffering. [As a matter of fact, back in the day a favorite lament of mind was, "I ask for so little and I get so much less than I ask for."] Who knew, all the while praying not to be longsuffering, that was the feeling that could lead me free? And for a fact it has taken all these years for me not to spit behind it right now...but I know it to be true from my own experience today. There's my glory.

But there it is. There's our gold, the acknowledged reason, the why for "thank you" as the prayer sufficient for all ways and days and things repellent and/or good to the reasoning mind.

It makes such sense now...just like if we can learn to love hell, we'll be in heaven. If we can learn to be thankful for longsuffering, we'll not live in our fear again. Just by being grateful.

Thank you.

LOVE AND LAUGH. THAT'S IT...AGAIN

Why does it need be true that no good deed goes unpunished? The answer to that question, of course, is so we can learn that the answer to life really is to love and laugh...that's all.

Love and laugh.

Love our persecutor and laugh with our enemy...then he's not our persecutor, she's not our enemy. They have become our buds.

Thank you.

OUR ROAD PAVED WITH GRATITUDE

There is no problem or question that we have now or will ever have that is not already fixed or answered within us right now...waiting to be released. It is infinity on a pinpoint within our own self and every fear or niggle of fear has no substance. It is ego-based, thus self-generated.

Living in the reasoning mind is living on the surface of life. It has been said, and I do believe, that living to get money, prestige, power is a life not worth living. But trying to be more unselfish, more giving, more loving? All are still just living on the surface of life...for they are all about lacking. We need to give that which we're seeking...we've got it, give it!

We must realize that for the truth that it is and then prove it. There is our life's work, and it is not ours, it is God's. There's the hard part...realizing THAT unto proving. The way there is a road paved with gratitude.

Give up trying. Do already. Be!

Thank you.

THE FREEDOM WITHIN US...LONGING TO FLY

Many of us come to believe in a power greater than ourselves...or we proclaim we do. If that be true, at some point we will meet the need to throw in with that power...in with, as in give over to, cede our very self to. We will no longer feel the only security is in holding tight to our own thinking, feeling, doing, being...our own boundaries in a word.

We "fly up" (an old Brownie into Girl Scout expression if I remember correctly which is always doubtful). We accept that we are children without borders, that God has our back. We know from our own experience that we must live by spiritual principles now or we will send ourselves back to the reasoning mind world of either/or, right/wrong, win/lose...the world of worry.

"We finally realize that others cannot meet our need for whatever our need declares itself to be...rather our own stability comes through giving and not demanding that the other receive. That may be the necessary crossover point to spiritual maturity for any of us." [Fr. Richard Rohr's "Daily Meditations" of June 27, 2014, paraphrased.]

Imagine the freedom of giving of your very self without feeling a need (which, in truth, is a want) that the other receive any part of it! There's the freedom we pray for...already within us, longing to fly.

Thank you.

OWNING OUR GOD-CENTERED MIND

We are only separated from God because the mind has become clouded by personal sense.... -- Joel Goldsmith, "The Heart of Mysticism" at p. 977

That is the key to our continuing unrest. Our attack thoughts cloud God's presence, block our hearing God's word so that we only hear our ego's voice which then does our thinking for us.

Our ego-victory thinking is always directed outward...judging, denying, resisting. Our God-centered mind is always in a state of nonresistance...knowing the Father within is doing Its thing and for our benefit.

All we need to know and to show is: The Father within doth the works.

Thank you.

GOD IS...NOW TO TRUST THAT

[The following is a reprint of my blog of July 21, 2008.]

I was talking to myself this morning, rattling on about the fine line between my spiritual world and my ego-victory world, and it occurred to me that there is no fine line. There is a moment in time…that moment when I make my decision to throw in with God or to hold to my reasoning mind for my security. (That moment of time comes more than once, thank God.)

It’s akin to living at the Grand Canyon, living fully and happily on this earth, but seeking more. So I keep enough distance from the rim of the Canyon to be able to see it, risking nothing, but occasionally edging closer…then darting back, then venturing closer…and still closer. And there I am at the rim, looking down, stomach feeling like it has already jumped…and I know, if I am ever going to fully realize the God I seek, I’m going to have to take that leap of faith…trusting that I will be caught, held close, secure.

Then my reasoning mind, bolstered by fear, kicks in with all of its questions…how do I just DO it? What if my leap of faith is just another self-determined objective? What if God’s true way is something entirely different, and here’s me, hanging out there without a net?

Good news: there is no “without a net” when I’m seeking still more spiritual growth. Better news: God does not care how I come to him…just seek, keep seeking, seek some more. Best news: God already is…within me, without me.

Now to live that, trusting.

Thank you.

OUR ONLY PURPOSE

My blinding flash of the obvious in re my hospital visits: I never have an idea before walking in the doors what we'll talk about. I am simply the container, the watering can, that God is using to wet the seeds already planted in each person. I just need to take the can to them, and God will pour forth the water. Thank you.

We are each simply the container for God's use. That is our entire reason for being...to be a good and proper watering can to pore forth, not hold onto, as much water as flows into us. The water that flows into and out of the watering can is for the benefit of others to grow the seeds God has already planted.

The hardest part for us is not becoming enchanted with the outer appearance of the watering can...does it look as good as hers, is it bigger than theirs, better than his? Our focus needs be entirely on staying unclogged, rust free, fit for God's daily use in poring Itself through us into others.

Our only purpose on this earth is simply as the outlet for the presence and power of God.

Thank you.