Update of an old Christmas Carol

Christmas has finally come
And the goose will get no thinner.
We had no penny to put in the old man's hat
So we invited him to dinner  

An advent thought.

It is usually the unexpected events that bring me the most joy, when I see the first blossom on my pea plants, when that single blossom is joined by a multitude of blossoms, when the blossoms turn into beautiful pods that will mature and make food for me. - I expect this all to happen and I get impatient for it to happen in my time and then I realize that it will do what it is going to do in its own time. I will watch and wait and I will rejoice when it all comes to fruition.

Agreed?

You do not have to agree with me in the least to be my friend.

EXPECTATIONS

Are you looking for meaningful things to do?
What kind of experiences are you looking for?
Are you looking for the right things?
Are you looking in the right place?

Unexpected Joy

I got all dressed up in my formal wear and sang Handel's Messiah with a rather large choir and orchestra. It was and unexpectedly exciting and joyful experience for me. It seems that our performance moved the audience to stand and cheer when we finished. I can certainly see why performers are willing to put themselves in front of the public. The pay off is great when it happens.

Seven days into advent

Sometimes your expectations are too high. Wait Richard. Savor each moment until the moment arrives. Listen quietly. You might be surprised by what you hear.

Affirmation

God is good.

A Quotation from Dina Craik

Oh the comfort, the inexplicable comfort of feeling safe with a person-having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and then with a breath of kindness blow the rest away. 

another Playing for Change video

more from the desert

 A hermit said to a brother, "Do not measure yourself against your brother, saying that you are more serious or more chaste or more understanding than he is. But be obedient to the grace of God, in the spirit of poverty, and in love unfeigned. The efforts of a man swollen with vanity are futile. It is written, 'Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall' (I Corinthians 10:12); 'let your speech be seasoned with salt' (Colossians 4:6) and so you will be dependent on Christ."

from Saint Augustine

God is not what you imagine or what you think you understand. If you understand, you have failed.

Oh boy and girl...........

I can't get past Abraham Lincoln's quotation

A Lincoln Quotation

I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.
            - Abraham Lincoln

A Bit of Wisdom from the Dessert

A hermit said, "When you flee from the company of other people, or when you despise the world and worldlings, take care to do so as if it were you who was being idiotic."

Praying a Public Prayer

Am I praying to the audience or am I praying to God on the audience's behalf? If I am only praying to the audience, my prayer becomes a sermon and then is no longer a prayer.  

The Question Is...

Mercy or Justice? Do any of us really want to receive what we deserve? My God is  a merciful God and if justice is to be served, it will be served when I can be as merciful to others as God is to me.

An Important Discussion

a quotation from Sydney J. Harris

The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say, "I was wrong". 
        -Sydney J. Harris

Shared Toil

One man could not do it all. One man could not own all of the equipment needed. The other farmers needed to know that we would help them and we needed to know that they would help us. When this worked we would share manpower and resources. This worked to the benefit of all concerned.

LET GO

Take just one breath at a time

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being.

            ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Romans 8:26-27

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

              -from New Revised Standard Version

Difference in Courage and Strength

It takes strength to be firm,
It takes courage to be gentle.
It takes strength to stand guard,
It takes courage to let down your guard.
It takes strength to conquer,
It takes courage to surrender.
It takes strength to be certain,
It takes courage to have doubt.
It takes strength to fit in,
It takes courage to stand out.
It takes strength to feel a friend's pain, 
It takes courage to feel your own pain.
It takes strength to hide your own pains,
It takes courage to show them.
It takes strength to endure abuse,
It takes courage to stop it.
It takes strength to stand alone,
It takes courage to lean on another.
It takes strength to love,
It takes courage to be loved.
It takes strength to survive,

You Say - God says

You say: It's Impossible
God says: All things are possible - Luke 18:27
You say: I'm too tired
God says: I will give you rest - Matthew 11:28-30
You say: Nobody really loves me
God says: I love you - John 3:16
You say: I can't go on
God says: My grace is sufficient - II Corinthians 12:9
You say: I can't figure things out
God says: I will direct your steps - Proverbs 3:5-6
You say: I'm afraid
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear - II Timothy 1:7
You say: I’m not smart enough
God says: I give you wisdom - I Corinthians 1:30
- Author Unknown

judgement day

As wet sand clenched            empty illusions of security

tightly in one’s fist                  no passion for adventure

ends up on the ground           safety in empty places

nothing much left                   nothing grew

Fear of losing all                   because we didn’t dare

grasping tightly                     put the seed to ground

left with nothing

hidden treasures

never shared

Maybe...

Maybe you don't need God but I do.
I can't seem to be who I need to be without God.
I must diminish so that others can shine.
and as I diminish I will begin to shine

An early poem of Carl Sandburg's

"Take  up  your  cross and go the thorn way. 

If a sponge of vinegar is passed you on the end of a spear,

 take  that ,  too!

Souls  are woven of endurance  

 God  knows!"

    

HUMILITY

I become a more humble person when I lose myself in the act of creating, be it in my garden or in front of my word processor. The creative process gives me somewhere to go to get away from myself. This is very important. This is prayer. This is life at its best.

QUESTION

When is enough enough?

Hospitality

Inviting others into one's space is an age old blessing that each of us can share with others. "I" and "you" becomes "WE".

What Is Success?

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; 

Who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
Who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it;
Who has left the world better than he found it,
Whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
Whose life was an inspiration;
Whose memory a benediction.

Bessie Anderson Stanley  1904

An Opening Prayer

            God our creator, we thank you for bringing us safely to this place today. We pray that as we grow more aware of your presence with us that we will be drawn closer to each other just as we are drawn closer to you. Amen.

CREDO

1. I believe that the seed of good and evil resides in each of us.
2. I believe that each of us is capable of committing acts of good and evil depending on which seeds we nourish. It is for us to choose.
3. I must work diligently to identify the acts of violence that I participate in knowingly or unknowingly and take action to make things right with the victims of said violence.
4. I believe that I should not stand in judgment of anyone.
5. I must never believe that violence can serve righteousness.
6. I must never believe that I am incapable of violence.
7. I must never believe that good is good if it is only for me and mine.
8. I believe that I will know peace only when I find it at the center of my being.
9. I believe that I will be an effective peacemaker in the world only to the degree that I know the peace that is at my center.
10. I believe in silliness.
11. I believe in taking “ME” lightly.
12. I believe in the spirit of play that is holy.
13. I believe in the holy human spirit.

I believe that this is the spirit of “LIFE”.

pax

Credo Codicil

I must be willing to insert myself into a situation when it is necessary. I can not wait for others to include me in their plans. I will never be chosen for the team if I wait for others to choose me. If I want to be a part of it, I will have to make it a place for me.

A Wise Man's Epitaph

What I gave away, I have.
What I spent, I had.
What I kept, I lost.

The Small Group

There are five or six members of our small group. We know each other well enough that we can dare to be real. We read and discuss books. We read and probe the scriptures. Each of us is allowed to bring our own filters to the discussion. We are very supportive of each other in our discussions and in our prayers for each other and for the world. Jesus tells us that when two or three of us gather in his name, he is there. Our small group has proved that over and over.

Philippians 4:2-9

I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

A Flood Parable retold by Richard Burton

     The river near my house was flooding and the water was getting closer and closer to my house. The emergency team came by the house and suggested that I should leave and get to a safe shelter. I knew that my God was going to take care of me so I did not leave. The water got closer and closer and deeper and deeper and finally drove me to the second floor of my house. I was so certain that my God would save me, that I refused help from the boat that was sent to take me to safety. The water continued to rise until I had to go up on the roof. I was praying for my God’s assistance when another boat came by with an offer to take me to safety. I was still sure that my God would save me from the raging flood so again I turned them down. I waited for my God’s assistance as the water continued to rise, driving me to the very top of the roof. And now I was in a panic. “God, are you going to help me or am I bound to go down in this flood?” I cried out.

     And God replied, “I have been sending you assistance all along. You could have walked out of here to safety if you had followed the advice of my messengers. I also sent two boats to rescue you and you turned them down. Do not tell me that I haven’t responded to your prayers. I have and you have refused to take advantage of the help that I sent.” ¹

1.      What little I know of God, I know through God’s people and how God’s people relate the WORD to the world and to me. I tend to overlook God’s people and what they have to offer me if I am looking only for showy and dramatic interventions in my life. - While this story did not actually happen to me, I have experienced the truth that it illustrates.

Easter Proclamation

Christ has risen.
Christ has risen indeed.

Easter has come.
The tomb is empty.
Death has been conquered.
Fear has been banished.
Our hearts are filled with joy.

Christ has risen.
Christ has risen indeed.

SQUANDERED

- a tragedy 

- so much beautiful potential 

- thrown away 
- unrealized because we settled for mediocrity 
- easy trumps beautiful?
- usually

God Will Provide

I was praying fervently for the well being of a young couple and their young son. I was praying that God would provide for their needs. After awhile I calmed down and  listened for the answer and what I received from God was the call to minister to them. I was to be the answer to my prayers for them. I was able to give them the money that they need for him to buy the equipment that he needed to start his small business.  When we pray for others, we must stop long enough to hear if God is leading us to be the answer to our prayers.

Gratitude

Take nothing for granted. Know that everything you treasure can be taken from you. Enjoy what you have been given and don't be afraid to share it with others. Remember that you are not where you are simply on the strength of your own endeavors. You have had help from the moment of conception to the present moment. Acknowledge this help and give thanks for it. Look for opportunities to help others just as you have been helped.

The Choice

There are those who have much.
Of those who have much, much is required.
There are those who have little.
Often those who have little are more appreciative of what they have
and more willing to share it.

the choice?
GRATITUDE

Giving Up For Lent

We who call ourselves Christians are invited to give up something during the season of Lent. Where is the sacrifice if I get to choose what I am going to give up? Am I not still in control? The real sacrifice comes when giving something up is forced on me by life. Then God is in control and I can decide only how I am going to respond. Am I going to respond with joy or with dread?

Let go of the need to give up and let God use you as God will.

I'll Be Back...

When I Take Myself Too Seriously

When I take myself too seriously, I become weighted down with all of the seriousness and I sink and sink and sink until I realize that I must let go. When I let go, I begin to rise again.

from Thomas Merton

What I am saying is this: the score is not what matters. Life does not have to be regarded as a game in which scores are kept and somebody wins. If you are too intent on winning, you will never enjoy playing. If you are too obsessed with success, you will forget to live. If you have learned only how to be a success, your life has probably been wasted.

Thomas Merton. Love and Living. (New York: Harcourt) p. 12

 

--

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seed that you plant"

     -Robert Louis Stevenson

I Wonder

I wonder what would happen if we all quit taking advantage of those with less power than we have?

What would happen if we could let go of just a little of the need for control that we so strongly cling to?
Am I all that matters? Does the world revolve solely around me and the meeting of my needs?

I wonder?
--

The Holy Human Spirit

Today I find myself more attuned to the “refuge” that is close at hand, the “refuge” that is deep within my being. I have discovered the inherent worth of my life. It is important to remember that that value does not depend on anything that I do. Remembering this frees me up to DO the things that I do with greater ease and with more peace. There is nothing to prove. There is nothing to gain. Life is already accomplished and I am free to live it to the fullest.