Questions about believing in, and strengthening, spiritual resources.

I believe Jesus lived a human life.
I believe that the challenges and difficulties in my life are nothing compared to those than Jesus faced with love, courage, wisdom and grace.
Do I think I have fewer resources for dealing with my challenges than Jesus had? 
Do I think Jesus did not experience the full array of common human feelings, including anger, frustration, discouragement, fatigue, ennui, yearning, confusion and doubt?  I do not.  But I believe He had an extremely powerful resource for dealing with such feelings: his connection to God, the Holy Spirit, and the spirit of Love, particularly of his fellow human beings. 
Can we today not develop that resource, that spiritual connection? 
I believe the questions become, first, do I believe I can do that?  If so, what am I willing to do to honor and to strengthen my connection to God, the Holy Spirit, and the spirit of Love?

"Will work for joy."

You've seen the signs: "Will work for food."  Everyone should be allowed to work for food, dignity and security.  I am, and I'm grateful.

Here's my sign: "Will work for joy."*

Translation: "Will not expect joy without effort and contribution to others.  Will be uncomfortable for the sake of growth.  Will work to set aside my ego.  Will accept appearing uncool.  Will laugh at myself.  Will be patient, taking time to understand and accept others - and myself.  Will cultivate gratitude.  Will compromise (except integrity).  Will stand up to evil and dangerous folly.  Will take responsibility for my choices and their results.  Will do what's right over what's popular, what's necessary over what's comfortable.  Will take care of my soul rather than my image - all for joy."


*   I sent this idea to "The New Yorker".  I think it works as a cartoon no matter who's holding the sign.

Judging not

"'Judge not, that ye be not judged.' [Matthew 7:1] Being hard to do doesn't mean hard to understand."  God - Attrib.

Minding the gap between knowledge and perception

"The fruit of that proverbial 'tree of the knowledge of good and evil' was really just the perception of good and evil.  Mind the gap."  God - Attrib.

August 30, 2015

This is our Meeting for Worship.  But what does worship mean?
Surely, worship is acknowledging, celebrating, praising and giving thanks to the Holy Spirit, but I think it is much more than that.  For those of us who believe there is that of God in every person, worship is also a time for celebrating, praising and giving thanks for that of God in each other.  Nor is worship in its fullest sense a one-way endeavor any more than we parents would want our children only to celebrate, praise and thank us – remaining dependent on us and neglecting their potential.  
Worship is finding, honoring and listening to that of God within ourselves – and within each other – and growing in love, courage and our capacities for service.

Thanking Life for this moment

I talked recently with a dear friend who is an atheist. She believes in grace, unexplained healing, the mystery of inspiration and creativity, the importance of gratitude, and the power of forgiveness and love.  And I don’t believe in a conscious, separate, Supreme Being who listens and responds to each human prayer, dispenses or withholds grace, cares about our gratitude, and rewards our forgiveness of others.  So my friend and I can share this enduring refrain: “Life, I thank you for this moment.”

Living up to others

So many friends, so little time.  I miss so many family members and friends – you, and you, and you - but duties, including self care, greatly limit opportunities to visit, or even to write or call.

Fortunately, relationships can be nurtured from afar, by the spirit; by cultivating gratitude for your contributions to society and each day doing my best to live up to you, to represent my friends and family well to the world.  With love as the foundation, I think that is how, when friends and family members get together after long times apart, gratitude for the relationship is abundant, pride in each other is great, and the bond remains strong.