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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

the end

 There have been people predicting the end of he world for thousands of years. In Jesus' time there were apocalyptic cults with lots of followers. In scholarly circles, Jesus is often thought of as an apocalytic teacher. He put in a caveat - no one will know  when it will happen.

There have been many "teachers" over history who said they knew the time, and who gathered followers together to get ready. Often they took the wealth of the followers and disappeared. It is said that New Year's Eve, December 31, 999 C.E. people slept fearfully in churches, for they were told the world would end that night. In my lifetime, I am aware of a number of times people said the end would be such and such a date. But we are still here.

This morning I awoke with the song, "Waltzing Mathilda" singing in my mind. It always takes me to the movie, 'On the Beach." a movie about the nuclear end of humanity. It has haunted me all these many years.

Then I thought my world IS about to end. My husband has stage 4 peritoneal and appendix cancer. Yesterday the doctors drained 6.5 litersof fluid from his abdomen, and they told us to put him in pallitive care or hospice. My world, the world of us, is about to end.

Then I thought of all of the worlds that have ended for me. My childood ended. My parents died and I became a sort of orphan, although I was very much an adult. Changes, monumental changes kept happening, the world shifted, the way of my life was no longer one way and was thrust to another, endings and beginnings over and over. Some gentle shifts from one world to another, some violent. But endings never cease, along with the promise of new beginnings.

So maybe the fear-mongering shout of "the world is coming to an end", is more personal than tomorrow there will be no actual world. Of course, those in power, with hubris in their hearts, could blow humanity off the planet, but baring that, we will see our personal worlds end, over and over again. 

The questions we could ask ourselves -What will I do with this new beginning opportunity? Will I whine and complain on and on about the ending? Or will I look with fresh eyes and bravely walk into the gift of a new beginning? 

Thursday, February 13, 2025

P. S. To Yesterday

 I was thinking about the various laws I mentioned yesterday. You might say "They are just Physical laws of how things work. It's science." But from where did they originate? Why are they there? How does it happen? If it all started from the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, where did the organizing principle come from?

Explosions don't create order. They create disaster. How is the original explosion different?

I like the old saying - to think the universe accidentally came together with all of its intricacy, is to imagine an explosion in a type factory would result in all the works of William Shakespeare in order and exact.

The way I see it, there is something More, something Divine in it all, in short, God.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Finding God

 God is always ready, but we are very unready. God is near us, but we are far from Him. God is within, and we are without. God is friendly; we are estranged. --- Meister Eckhart

How can this be true? you might ask. I'll share how it speaks to me.

  •  Unready. Do we spend time in prayer, meditation, contemplation daily preparing ourselves? Do we work on ourselves to remove resentments, fears, unkindness, anger and work on living those things Paul calls the fruits of the spirit?
  • Near yet far. The creative energy of God is at the heart of every whirling atom, in all of the ways the universe and nature work, as it all follows the laws set down (gravity, inertia, electromagnetism, photosynthesis, etc.) Everywhere present, omnipresent, if we have eyes to see. Spend time with a flower, learn its secrets. Really see the rolling waves, the majestic mountains. Listen to the birds celebrate and scold and sing. Move out of the asphalt and concrete world, and commune with the natural for awhile. 
  • Within but without. Yes,within our souls is a constant spark of God. It resides in us. It will never leave us. Where are we? Busy mostly with nonsense. YouTube, TikTok, television, addictions, upsets, pontificating, racing here and there, busy, busy, busy, too busy for God. Or we are satisfied with someone else telling us their ideas about God once a week, even though we're pretty sure they are only mouthing something they don't know personally.
  • Friendly. The only definition of God in the Bible is that God is unconditional Love. How much more friendly can one be? But we are often preoccupied, and so estranged. God is relegated to the scrap heap of ancient superstition, or is at the bottom of our priority list.
  • But, we can get ready. We can see again and hear again. We can find the Spark within. We can accept the most important Friendship of all.  I know because I follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before me to a successful spiritual quest. Just set your foot on the path and begin.

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Ten Ideas That Changed My Life

 

In the shower, I was thinking about some ideas that changed my life. I had just spoken one to a friend. Then I was struck by the idea that I need to share these, these ideas that have made such a difference to me and my journey, as they might change your life too. I share something precious to me.

I invite you to think on these things.


****
*  What would you do, what would you say,
If you were in the Presence of God?
Because you are!

*  What other people think of me is none of my business.
What God and I think of me is what matters.

*  Jesus told me the fruit of anything 
tells me where it comes from.
Today I stop and ask myself,
what would the fruit of doing or saying this be?

*  I am made in the image and likeness of our Creator.
It is therefore my nature to create.
If I'm not creating positive things, I'm creating a mess.
It's my choice.

*  Two important questions.
Where am I?
What time is it?
The answers: Here, Now

*  When I die, I will be asked two questions.
Did I learn to love unconditionally?
Did I complete my purpose for coming to earth?
It's our final exam.
I want to be able to say "Yes!"

*  Jesus asked, "Do you want to be healed?"
You say "yes."
What would your life look like if you were healed?
Are you willing to change that much?

*  Jesus asked us to shine our lights.
Ask yourself
Where did I shine my light yesterday?
Where will I shine light today?

*  If you need an excuse, any excuse will do.
What are the excuses I use to to explain to myself or others why I'm not being the best version of myself, doing my best to be the person God had in mind when He created me?

*  If I don't change the direction I'm going,
I'm going to end up where I'm headed.
What direction am I going?
Is it a good thing, a good place?
What do I need to do about it?



Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Don't Run Away

 Spirituality is not to be learned by flight from the world, by running away from things, or by turning solitary and going apart from the world. Rather, we must learn an inner solitude wherever or with whomsoever we may be. We must learn to penetrate things and find God there.  --- Meister Eckhart

 This gift from Eckhart grabbed my heart this morning. Inner solitude is often overlooked. For many the cry is that they can only be at peace if and when others shape up, agree with them, get in step, etc. Therefore they will never have peace. Many live an other directed life.

It seems to me that other directed people have a difficult time even considering the option of being inner directed, and therefore at peace.

Eckhart also said: 

Whatever I want to express in its truest meaning must emerge from within me and pass through an inner form. It cannot come from outside to the inside but must emerge from within.

What is inside makes all of the difference. Are we at peace and at home in our souls, having inner solitude, inner directed? Or are we desperate to find approval from outside, trying to get everyone in line, resentful and anxious living an outer directed way?

As inner directed people, we don't run or hide from the world. We see it with different eyes and heart. Our peace comes from God, and we participate from that place. We see the frenzy of the outer directed people as a cry for help to be lifted out of the whirl in which they live. We offer peace and love and prayer for them, but our peace is not determined by their choices. 

Ultimately the only person I am in charge of is myself. As I steer my life more and more to alignment with the More, The Divine, it all becomes ever more clear.

Peace be upon you and fill you.

 

Friday, January 31, 2025

God Calls Us to Share

 Human beings ought to communicate and share all the gifts they have received from God. If a person has something that he or she does not share with others, that person is not good. A person who does not bestow on others spiritual things and the joy that is in them has in fact never been spiritual. People are not to receive and keep gifts for themselves alone, but should share themselves and pour forth everything they possess whether in their bodies or their souls as much as possible. beings ought to communicate and share all the gifts they have received from God. If a person has something that he or she does not share with others, that person is not good. A person who does not bestow on others spiritual things and the joy that is in them has in fact never been spiritual. -- Meister Eckhart

He sees it as an imperative that we are to share our gifts with one another. It seems to me there are several ways to look at it.

We are not to be spiritually miserly for sure. What God has endowed in us is not our little secret. On the other hand, when God awareness bursts forth in us, I don't see how or why we would or could hide it. 

I do see quite a few with phony awareness, spouting nonsense as if it were the Truth. The charlatans come in every area, from art to religion. Our antennas need to be up to not be taken in. Our rationalizations need to be put to rest, so as not to be led astray.

I have some touchstones, a small list of what I absolutely know to be true. Things or people have to be consistent with them for me to take them seriously. Maybe you have such a list too. Dust it off and put it in use. It saves a lot of deadends. 

Monday, January 27, 2025

God Speaks Through Everything

 I have known for quite a long time that God/Divine Light is in all people, all animals, all plant life, all stones, all galaxies, etc.  Everything is made of whirling atoms that came from the Big Bang, The origins are present at all times, in all things. I have taught you can make a sermon out of anything you see or feel, whether it be a paperclip, a redwood tree, or a daisy.

Today fabric spoke to me and introduced me to Anais Nin. I'm making a prayer quilt, and one of the fabrics has positive sayings on it. This particular saying reminded me of one of my inspirations on "Turn" I wrote last June and spoke about Jan. 12th this year it is about unfurling oneself from the fetal position and entering the Great Mystery. Anais sooke from the facric and put it this way:

And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

 In my years on this planet, I have met so so many people who are afraid to be fully themselves, to dare to do the greatness stirring inside. It is painful to hold oneself tightly in, restraining the true inner nature. How I have wished I could help the tight buds let go and be the full bloom. I suppose that I have encouraged some, some of whom did let go and let God be God in them. But, some then retreated and pulled in and let the moment pass.

If I could find the right words, I'd tell you to dare to be You. Let out your imprisioned splendor. Go for the gold. Bloom and bloom some more. Your shining bloom is needed, not only for yourself, but also for all of us. Please dear one, do it.

 

Friday, January 24, 2025

Not An Atheist

 Yesterday I watched a video of an atheist explaining why God is impossible, life continuing is impossible, for you cannot see God and cannot see beyond this life.

This morning I was thinking about color. I cannot see all of the spectrum of color, for my eyes only see a small band of color, not all of the range. Because my eyes can't see it all, does that mean it's not there? I cannot see atoms and the vast empty space of material things that physics tells me about.  Does that make physics wrong? Of course not, unless you want to deny science. I don't see love, or gravity, or hope, or fear, etc. I know them to be real.

Then I thought of moments I've seen through the veil, to see great light filled beings, to see loved ones passing, to hear words reaching me from elsewhere, maybe from another dimension. Or maybe beyond where our usual senses can sense, an extended spectrum. I thought of life after life experiences. I thought of reincarnation research. I thought of inspirations that have flooded me, so that I suddenly knew what I had never known before. 

I could go on and on. I know, KNOW, there is More than meets the physical eye. There are moments of windows opening. There are glimpses of breathtaking vistas. There are holy moments. God lives.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Simplify

 Don't try to find God. Simplify your scattered life, and become one in yourself. Then God will find you. The rest will follow. --- Meister Eckhart

If there is one thing the seeming deprivation of the last few years has taught me, it's that I  can thrive with a lot less than I'd ever thought possible,and its my soul that needs tending.  More stuff won't do it. More busyness won't do it.

I discovered that an over- abundance is distracting from the truly important things. I discovered how many hours had been wasted.

I like Eckhart's line about being one with yourself. In this day and age, it is easy to bury ones self under a pile of clutter, hoarding what we don't need, racing here and there, seeking  attention and approval from the outside, and thereby losing the  core of who we are.

If we are not at home in ourselves, how is God to find us?  Nobody is at home when God comes knocking.

Monday, January 20, 2025

Soul Gymnasium

This morning, laying half awake in bed, I was asking God about the incredible number of lessons packed into this lifetime. I saw flash before my eyes the ancient Greek gymnasium with muscular men wrestling. Then I heard, "there is also another gymnasium, the gymnasium of the soul."

"You were chosen to come to earth to develop your soul as rigorously as some develop their bodies and strive to be champions. Your striving is to develop your soul."

I recalled tellling others lately that this is not the vacation planet, that we are to develop our spiritual muscle. This insight, or revelation, this morning puts another layer on that thought.

I saw a fantastic sight of millions of eternal souls struggling to lift mental and emotional weights. I saw some clueless as to what was going on, while others were at least somewhat aware and so strived all the more. I saw some resisting, and some doing their best. I saw a whole range of reactions to the soul gymnasium.

Then I saw the last two questions as we leave this place - Did you learn how to love unconditionally? Did you complete your purpose? The final exam.

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Emerson Still Speaks

 Ralph Waldo Emerson, a sampling from his essay on Providence:

Life wastes itself whilst we are preparing to live...

The world is filled with the proverbs and acts and winkings of a base prudence, which is a devotion to matter, as if we possessed no other faculties than the palate, the nose, the touch, the eye and ear...

Call a spade a spade...

 Do what we can, summer will have its flies. If we walk in the woods we must feed mosquitoes. If we go a-fishing we must expect a wet coat...

 He that despiseth small things will perish by little and little...

Let him learn a prudence of a higher strain. Let him learn that everything in nature, even motes and feathers, go by law and not by luck, and that what he sows he reaps...  

Thus truth, frankness, courage, love, humility, and all the virtues range themselves on the side of prudence, or the art of securing a present well-being.

This amazing man of  the 1800's, has so much from which we can learn. He touches us with his writing, with his ability to reach us at a deep level with timeless wisdom. This is not my favorite of his essays, yet it speaks to me as if he sits in front of me speaking his wisdom.

Take the first quote above. As we mull it over in our minds, it reveals many facets. I think of the wasted moments of my life, moments waiting, putting off rather than living with gusto. I think of silly hesitations. I have learned to have less of these wasted moments, as I came to realize the finite nature of this trip to earth.

I urge you to explore these quotes, and open to his wisdom. Then I do hope you read his essays, maybe especially "Self Reliance" and "Oversoul" - and then on to the rest.

God bless you and keep you and cause His Face to shine upon you and give you peace.

Monday, January 13, 2025

Link to my talk January 12, 2-025

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRkC6xkCBr0&t=119s 

I invite you to view my talk on Turninng to Christ that I gave yesterday at the Temecula United Methodist Church. It is filled with some of my understandings as of now. If you enjoy my writing, I think you will find my talk inspiring.


Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Genius

I n rereading Emerson's essays, I am once again struck by his genius, his clarity, and his unique vision. This morning I read his essay on Shakespeare. Here is a small excerpt.

 Shakspeare, Homer, Dante, Chaucer, saw the splendor of meaning that plays over the visible world; knew that a tree had another use than for apples, and corn another than for meal, and the ball of the earth, than for tillage and roads: that these things bore a second and finer harvest to the mind, being emblems of its thoughts, and conveying in all their natural history a certain mute commentary on human life. Shakspeare employed them as colors to compose his picture.

 This leads my mind many places. I go to Jesus' statement to not judge by appearances, but judge righteous judgement. It reminds me of Meister Eckhart saying that if we sufficiently studied a caterpillar, one would have sermons for a lifetime. It takes me to the many mystics who tell us God is everywhere, in everything. It takes me to physics that say all is energy, most, maybe all,  is empty space and just vastly speeding patterns of energy, quarks and beyond. It takes me the knowing that the most important things are invisible, from gravity to love. It takes me to the incredible distance we travel each day and the speed of our collective travels, from the rotation of our planet, to its orbit around our sun/star, to the orbit of our solar system in the Milky Way, and on and on.

Clearly not all Truth is obvious, and for the most part, most of us are rarely or never aware of what is really going on. I invite you to stretch your mind today, and think on these things with me.


Sunday, January 5, 2025

How Do We Define Ourselves?

 It seems to me that often people define themselves by temporary, fleeting outer things.

Is who I am my poverty or my wealth? My infirmity or my health? My sex, my height, my job? My whatever, name what you will. Is my worth tied up by the status of my associates? Is agreeing with the current trends guaranteeing my acceptance? Does keeping busy show how important I am? Am I trying to impress others? Do I need and seek approval from others? If so, the you that is you is buried under a pike of meaninglessness.

Actually there is another way to define oneself. it requires different questions.

Am I true to myself? Do I know that I am part of a universe that is Divinely inspired? Do I know that everyone and everything is part of that? Do I treat all as sacred? Do I listen to my inner guidance? Am I at home in my own soul?

If we can say yes to the second set of questions, we are immune to control from the outside. Who we are is between God and us. We are free. 


Saturday, January 4, 2025

Are You a Pioneer?

 It occurs to me this morning that some few people are mental pioneers, while the majority simply go along with the masses, or with their particular subset group. 

I was rereading Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay on "The American Scholar." He makes some very profound points in it. It stimulated some thoughts in me, proded by his thoughts, thoughts from two centuries ago. 

 There are those who simply regurgetate what others have written. They are not participating in life, gaining experience that puts action into their thinking. Actually being aware of our experiences, considering their meaning and teaching, putting new ideas into practice, makes us pioneers. We let go of ideas and behaviors that life shows us to be false or at least limited. Then we continually reinvent our relationship to ourselves and to life in general, and of course to the Divine.

Things change. He gives the example of the mulberry leaf turning into silk. We could also say, the catepillar turning into the butterfly. The seed turning into the tree. The ocean turning into the rain that waters the crops that turn into our food. And on and on.

I suggest, if you've not had a new experience, a new idea, a new action lately, you're not fully living. Risk being a pioneer. Step out into this new day, never lived before, and open to the great adventure and mystery of life.

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

2025!

It's officially a New Year all around our planet. May it be filled with many blessings for us all. May we awaken to our inner peace and come together to create peace on earth.

In some ways this is an artificial shift. It's a new year, never lived before, yet if we don't grow and awaken, it's another string of days where we simply continue how it's always been. We have 365 days within 2025 to choose new things, or to remain stagnant, to remain hypnotized by media, to remain in our biases, and to just get by.

We can also realize that each and every moment is a new moment, never lived before, open to new and good/great ideas and activities. We can look into the adventure of such a life and create ourselves anew, to be the person we deeply want to be.

I suggest we make a list of the noble goals our souls urge. How can we, for example, be more kind, more loving, more peaceful, more compassionate, more in tune with the Infinite? When 2026 begins, can we see ourselves more of the above? Imagine yourself there. Imagine what steps you need to take to get there. Imagine actually taking those steps. Let's become that version of ourselves. Let's go for it.

Oh Divine Presence, I turn to You this moment. Show me the way to be more fully in tune with You. Lead me to take the steps that lead to You. Wash away from me all unlike the pure being You created me to be. Dissolve my false ideas, my fears, my excuses, and grant me the courage to go forward in tune with You. This is the year of my awakening. I feel it. I accept it. I rejoice in it.