GRATITUDE OR LOOKING FOR THE SILVER LINING

On some of the most trying days or dark days, days when it is hardest to rejoice or be at peace, it is difficult but not impossible to look for the thread that can lead you a few steps up closer to well being. It is called "gratitude" or finding the silver lining.

Even if the "thread" starts with a thought like "That apple I just ate was delicious and I am thankful that I could buy it and eat and enjoy it."

This thread can take you to other things you can be grateful for, things you CAN appreciate. When you start recognizing those gifts that are there just for you it leads you from the darkness and sadness or pain to a better place.

When I start with thoughts about the situation with which I am presently faced, I start hurting as sadness washes over me. And it is not a "bad" thing but I note that it is not where I want to stay for very long. So I experience it and then try to move on to appreciation and gratitude step by step.

I allow the pond to speak to me of peace and I pour out thankfulness that I have this vision and the eyes with which to see it. I watch the ducks paddle upon the pond and find joy in their being. I think of the wonderful times Ron and I have shared and the intimate moments where our two hearts intertwined and love overflowed between us. I think of all the challenges marriage has brought to me and to him and how much we learned and grew from that.

In gratitude I think of our neighbor who came over yesterday to help Ron with things he is not physically capable of doing and who spent hours with him while I went to my doctor in Cartersville.

I am acutely aware of the kindness and sweetness of others who have reached out to me and/or to Ron to offer whatever comfort or whatever help they can. These have been people of all religions and spiritual beliefs. What I see is their love offering to me and/or to Ron no matter what package it comes in. I see “God” in their eyes.

What a privilege to be able to see the silver linings, to be able to find love everywhere, to know that among the ashes phoenix is always rising.

To find the gratitude is to find the joy of life and to have one's finger on the pulse of life. It is to dive into the greatest mystery of life. It is a gift. It is a privilege. It is an honor.

To find gratitude is to find your way back to your God or That which you may call by some other name or presence. You may call it your Source. The name doesn't matter. What matters most is that you are aware of that Presence. And if you are very blessed, you will be absorbed by that Presence and you will not know your whereabouts at all. You are in the holy of holies and it is in you. No separation. You are the Being that you are.

The light of God surrounds us.

The love of God enfolds us.

The power of God protects us.

The presence of God watches over us.

Wherever we are, God IS.

And all is well.

And so it is.

Amen

Bringing Love and Compassion Into The World

How do we do this?

I think it can be done on several different levels.

When someone is suffering or has been treated badly we can easily be compassionate, loving, and accepting towards that person. Where the challenge comes in is having even the tiniest bit of any of these for someone who as inflicted pain, injury, and abuse upon another human being.

I don't believe God calls us to just be compassionate towards those who are loveable and deserving of our love, acceptance and compassion. That's too easy.

Where I find it very difficult is to find a spark within me to offer in behalf of another human being when he or she has not one loveable, likeable or acceptable bone in their body that anyone can find.

But...it has been brought more and more increasingly to my attention that this is when it is required the most. This is how we bring more love and compassion into the world. It is not by hating these people but by our loving compassion that replaces somehow the "wrong" that has been done. This does not mean that a person should be exempt from the consequences of his or her choices. I firmly believe there are consequences to be paid but how we react to this person is what I am talking about. Though we may not be able to “love” them we can learn to understand that in their “ignorance” and lack they are not capable of doing differently. I remember Jesus’ words when he was being arrested and eventually hung on the cross. He basically said that these people would have no power to do that unless it had been given to them by the Father. I’m not sure any of us can understand exactly what Jesus meant but it does say to me that there are things I may never understand but have to accept on faith.

So is it possible to behold a person who would normally provoke disgust in us and be able to not feel continuous anger and hatred towards him or her? I think it is but one never knows until the test comes up. And how does one prepare one's self to be able to let go of the anger or hatred? How many would even want to go through the trouble to do that?

I think the answer lies within each of us.

I think some of us may be called to do that task upon this earth during our life time and others are not.

Or perhaps we are ALL called to it but not everyone will hear or answer that call.

Some of us have to be willing to let go and not be angry or have hatred or revenge in our hearts for those who commit heinous crimes against others.

There has to be some "cleansing" outlets or this earth would explode or implode from all of that negative energy.

Now, this is just my own thoughts this morning. No one has to agree or understand. But it is something to think about.

Some of you may at some point wonder about this or feel a call to stretch yourself spiritually in this direction. Or you may have a different call.

We all have some things to do while we have breath in our bodies. What we are called to do is immaterial. That we do them is important.

What's your calling? I know mine and it is not easy but it is nevertheless one I cannot refuse.

EPIPHANY

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord

There's a hymn that goes, "Open my eyes that I may see, glimpses of truth Thou hast for me. Open my eyes illumine me, Spirit divine." During "hard" times Spirit can get our attention even better than when things seem to be flowing smoothly. The full attention is reaching out for strength, understanding, and connection with Spirit.

Yesterday morning I awoke from my slumber and reached for Spirit. I was not disappointed. Spirit answered my questions, opened my eyes, and gave me glimpses of Truth I had not been able to experience quite so clearly as before. Epiphany! I love that word and I love it when it happens to me. :)

I snatched this from the Internet: "The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." In Western churches, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and King."

Jesus, not the man Jesus, but the Anointed, the Christ the Presence of Spirit was revealed to me. I could "see" as it were the divine spark that is present in every human being. It was like I had reverence for That which is present everywhere but particularly was aware of Its presence in all humans, my brothers and sisters. For those of you not into using the concept Jesus or the Christ, go beyond that concept to your own understanding of Spirit or Life. Any term doesn’t get it but we have to use something for a point of reverence.

I was shown how "God"/the Divine disguises as every person I encounter. EVERY person. I could "see" that no matter how sweet or kind or how nasty or mean someone might appear to me; no matter how polished or rough; no matter what color or language; no matter what religious belief or philosophy; no matter how intelligent or ignorant; no matter what the "cover" or "costume" or disguise, I am called to Love. That is, I am called to see beyond the disguise and look only to see Spirit and to acknowledge the gift of sight to see that Divine Spark within, that very Presence. I think this must be what it means to worship – to recognize and to revere Spirit in the many forms.

Recently I was reading something about separating the chaff from the grain. I would describe my "epiphany" using those terms in a different way but similar.

With each encounter of another human being, I am to look beyond the cover (the chaff as it were), the outward appearance to the seed or grain (the Presence) Spirit within.

This is not an easy thing to describe in words. The knowing goes beyond my capacity to describe. But it is something that we can all experience in our own way.

I was not intellectually aware. It was my soul that got the message. Ask and ye shall receive. I wept with joy. So like the good kings who “revealed” the Christ child to the world, each of us must make that journey, discover the Christ ourselves, and then by doing so, reveal the Christ or the Presence or Spirit (whatever term works for you) to the world.

Make a joyful noise...