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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Trinity

The Trinity is an interesting almost koan-like concept. People not Christian sometimes accuse us of not being monotheistic (as having more than one God). There have been countless attempts to explain it, with varying success.

St. Patrick used the shamrock. It has three leaf parts, but is one leaf. I think that is the simplest, most visual explanation. It is quite successful for many people.

(Before I say anymore, I want to address the inadequacy of language. I know that God is not a guy in a bed sheet, that God contains all that is, both male and female. The Creator births all that is. Using "He" implies otherwise. Using "She" sounds strange and is just as incomplete as using "He." Using "It" sounds impersonal, which God is NOT. So, I will be using "He" as the pronoun, not knowing what else to use. This is the usual socially acceptable pronoun.)

For me, the Trinity is a way to describe the three ways that God reveals Himself to us. In a very small way we also reveal ourselves variously. I am Marlene, the child of God. One facet of me is spiritual, one physical and one intellectual. All of these express as wife, mother, grandmother, friend, leader, follower, creator of various things, etc. All the while, I am Marlene, the child of God. It is my hope and my goal to reveal the child of God essence in all of the ways I express. God reveals Himself in all the ways He expresses. He, of course, is totally congruent, always true to Himself and His Nature. I, as a human, am not able yet to be that fully congruent, although I try.

Just as the triune nature of being human (spirit, mind & body) expresses in many ways, I think the Triune Nature of God expresses in all we see and beyond.

First there is God, the Divine Parent, the Creator, the One. This is God of Power. This is God of Creativity. This is the One, the only God. This is the Originator of all that is. This is the Love that permeates creation.

Then there is God the Son. God reveals Himself through this personal view of Him here on earth. God participates in human life, has compassion for us, understands us thoroughly and cares for us. God the Son has a personal relationship with us. Simply by turning to Him, He turns to us and is with us in an intimate way. God the Son is not limited to the historical Jesus. You may recall that the Bible tells us that after the resurrection, Jesus was different. Those closest to Him didn't even recognize Him. This more Cosmic Christ (beyond the body) is alive and available this very moment to be part of our everyday, every moment of life.

Then there is God the Holy Spirit, the Comforter that Jesus told us would come. The Holy Spirit inspires us, urges us onward, counsels us, guides us, is always available, always present.

All three aspects of the Trinity lead to each other, for they are all part of the One Nature of God.

This is important to me because I have a personal relationship with God as Father, as Son and as Holy Spirit. Words are incredibly limited, so I cannot reduce my relationship to words, but I am endeavoring to point to it anyway.

If you are reading these words, I'd really like it if you shared some of your thoughts on the Trinity.

Dear God, I come to You this day, as every day, to welcome You into my walk on earth. Open me more each moment to You. Wash away the darkness I may have accumulated so that Your Light may shine more fully through me. Help me understand You and our shared life. Lead me to more deeply understand Your Triune Nature. Guide my words so that I may more effectively communicate to others. Again, Your Will Be Done, Now & Forevermore. In the name of Jesus I seal this with the ancient seal of faith, Amen, Amen & Amen.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Prayer

This prayer I say for myself today. I invite you to say it also for yourself.

Dear God, I come to You this day, as every day, to welcome Your union with me. I have come to know that You are present in every speck of all that is, for You are THE Creator. And, I have come to know that Your very essence, the nature of who You are is present also. So, I know here in the corner of the Milky Way on this little blue planet, You are here and all You are is here. In this moment, of my life, You are here. Although I am but a tiny speck in the grand scheme of things, You are present in my life. I feel Your presence every day. I hear Your guidance and do my best to follow it. I am at times breathless in Your presence. I feel Your Love enfold me so often.

There are times I forget, and for that I ask forgiveness. Even when I forget, I know You are waiting for me to return. I give thanks for the freewill You have given us, so that we have choice and are not some sort of robots, divine puppets. When we turn to You, it is because we choose You.

God, help me to choose You more. Whatever it is that You want me to know, do and be, lead me. Infuse my awareness with Truth and Wisdom and Compassion. Lead me to be all You had in mind when You created me. Show me what You would have me do with the time I have left on this planet.

Again, I surrender myself to You, as I have so many times over these 70 years. I release to You the pains and fears of my small self. I release to You the cares over other people's opinions of me, and I focus again upon Your opinion of me. Only You know my heart. Only You know how sincerely I have sought to follow You during this sojourn on earth. Only You know what is the highest and best.

I listen Lord. Whisper in my soul.

Thank You for hearing this prayer and answering in the way You will.
I let it go now and seal this with the ancient seal of faith as I say, Amen, Amen & Amen

Friday, June 11, 2010

What Group Are You In?

In groups - out groups - my groups - other groups - right groups - wrong groups. Life is so interesting. It seems for many of us it is important to divide into two or so groups. The one we define ourselves in is the correct one; everyone not in our group is evil and must be converted to our group, or eradicated or at least shut up. It seems that many people think in extremes rather in more complex thoughts. Very few, if any, things can be explained in simple yes or no terms. Deep thinkers are needed to even approach something like the truth.

We see this in the worlds of religion, politics, science, family, and you name a world. There is currently a "religious" group attempting to take over the world and kill everyone not in agreement with them. I wonder how anyone could believe in such a violent god??? How could anyone rationalize away the taking of human lives in the name of a violent religion??? How could anyone actually believe killing is a ticket to heaven??? Can such insanity really be sold so effectively that it is believed???

It may be because I look through the eyes of a Christian, maybe not a traditional one, but very Christian nevertheless. My Christianity takes the teachings of Jesus seriously and as guides for living the kind of life that is in harmony with God & what God had in mind for us when we were created. My Christianity leads me to deep times of communion with God, to moments of inspiration, to the courage to stretch beyond what I ever thought I could do, to conversations with Jesus, to living with the Holy Spirit, etc. My Christianity assures me that God, being Love, urges us, made in His image, to likewise live in as loving and forgiving a manner as possible. Jesus modeled for us, his siblings, a life of listening to God, following God, loving, healing, forgiving and sacrifice. No where did he indicate violence as a pathway to God.

Thinking of God as Creator, & us created by God in the image of God --- we too are creators. Sure, we don't create universes or even a ladybug. But, we do create. I create writings, quilts, garments, paintings & lots of things including my life, & I participated in creating my children. I would not appreciate someone who doesn't like something I created in destroying it. I don't destroy the creations of others that I might not like or understand. From time to time I've stood in museums or art galleries & wondered what on earth inspired the artist to create such a mess & then call it art, but I never considered destroying it. I imagine God is not on the side of those destroying others, who are also His creations. The way to the Heart of God cannot be to harm the very beings God created.

If the violent way is followed, what kind of a world will we end up with? If Jesus' way is followed, what kind of a world would we end up with? Gandhi said something like --- if we follow the eye for an eye way, we end up with the whole world blind. How dumb are we to not understand this?

Yes, I am aware that often in the course of history, Christianity has done very unChristian things. Power and greed led the way. But that does not invalidate following the way laid out before us. Just because others failed, and are failing today, does not mean we should give up. The actual teachings of Jesus seem to not have been tried very consistently. Even now, groups that call themselves Christian point their arrogant fingers at other groups of Christians & denounce them as not Christian - not in the "right" group. In each group, there are people sincerely trying to follow Jesus and there are others doing their own thing. "Organized" religion seems to have a problem getting into the essence of spirituality and instead often succumbs to religiosity.

If we study the actual history of Christianity, we see that from the beginning there were divergent groups. There were those who said limit it to reform of Judaism. There were those who said take it to the world, & by the way forget circumcision as a requirement. There were those who said a person in the right frame of mind can directly know the truth. There were those who said only the leaders can know the truth. There were those that said eating kosher was obviously the way, while others said no way. There were those who said sex was bad & not spiritual & others who said it was God given & therefore good. On and on.

It seems to me that the old saying, the devil is in the details, may be right. While some argue endlessly about the details, they miss the point of love, forgiveness, oneness, actually following the path of Jesus, actually living a spiritual life.

I wonder what our lives and our world could be if we followed in THE Footsteps??? I wonder if it is possible. Maybe earth is a remedial planet for very slow souls.