Where Is Beauty?

Where is beauty anyway? This week I've been distressed by some news, two stories in particular have me concerned.

1. Women & girls are going to lay people in hotel rooms & back alley places to get silicone injections to make themselves have a more "beautiful" body part - you fill in the blank as to which parts _____ . Some are even flying to the USA from across the pond. They are dying from the injections of silicone, which are purchased in hardware stores & drug stores! Silicone is poison for humans. If injected into the buttocks, the large blood vessels can carry it to heart & lungs in minutes & cause death. For most so desparate for "beauty" the best case scenario is disfigurment & pain.
2. A teen beauty pagent winner is being threatened with loss of her crown because she is now a size 2 & a bit bigger than her pageant clothes.
3. And remember from a few years back the lady who had multiple surgeries to look like the plastic doll, Barbie.

I'm sure you can think of more examples of the same phenonmenon. Have humans collectively gone mad?


In my opinion the problem lies in several laps.

• First, we have many, particularly women, with low self-image, poor self-love, the need to look gorgeous on the outside because they feel so inferior on the inside.
• Then there is the need to look young because society doesn't see the beauty in aging women. There is little honor given to our elders, to their wisdom, to their experiences, & yes to those sags & wrinkles that stand for a life lived.
• Also, we have seen a decline in church attendance coupled with an increase in shallow movies, tv & music, & an increase in immorality - an everything goes mentality. The deep spiritual values seeded in the hearts of the young are not being seeded in the majority of instances. Sunday morning is no longer reserved for church, because so many churches have become irrelevant. Sunday mornings are reserved for other things deemed more important than growing spiritually & being part of the community of Christ -- the Sunday paper, sporting events, personal sports such as skiing or basketball, sleeping in, etc., etc., etc.

With the coarsening of society, true beauty is lost. It is not in silicone injections so that one's body has a round behind. It is not being a size 0. It is not in anything exterior at all.


I suggest that beauty is inside. It is an inner glow that turns into a radiance in people who are devoted to a spiritual journey. A person with such a glow is beautiful, no matter what the details of the outer form shape up to be or not be. With rampant neglect to the spiritual journey, we forget what beauty really is, & we seek polyester beauty. No matter how wrinkle resistant polyester is, it can never be silk. No matter how much we do to the outside, we can only achieve radiance & true beauty by devotion to the spiritual journey.


Lord, help me develop inner beauty. Lead me to where You would have me be. Surround me with people who can take my hand & lead me into a deeper walk with YOU. Help me release that which is shallow in me. Help me embrace inner beauty in myself & in others.

Creativity

God is our Creator. We are said to be made in the image of God. For me at least, I feel that a huge part of my nature is creativity. In fact, I feel a NEED to create and have felt this all of my life.


I do not limit the areas of my creativity. I create in writing, sewing, quilting, designing, painting, cooking, speaking, etc. A day does not feel complete for me if I do not create something new, at least new to me.


I have come to believe that creativity is a call from my soul so that I express the energy of God through my life. Being creator in a small way, with a small "c", is an urge planted in our souls as an echo of our Creator. In many tiny ways our Creator expresses through us and our creativity - at least through the things we create that glorify God.


For some people, the urge to create gets perverted and they create mayhem and ugliness. What they create does not glorify God. It glorifies their ego and their ability to stray from God's magnificence.


So, I need to qualify the urge of creativity. Our call is to use it for good, to use it for God.

Dear God, oh how we need You. We need You in every area of our lives. As we look at our lives and at the world, we see that we all need You to guide our vast creative energy in a positive way, in a way that glorifies You. Heal in us any corner of darkness that desires creativity that leads away from You. Lead us to create in our individual lives and in the world only that which is reflective of Your Light and Love. We ask for Christ to lead us. We ask this in His name as we seal this with faith, Amen, Amen and Amen.

Bias

This morning I was pondering the phenomenon of bias & circumstantial "evidence."

When a person makes life-altering decisions based on circumstantial "evidence" & refuses to hear any ideas to the contrary, what seems to me to be revealed are already held biases, perhaps deep in the subconscious. The person selects from the array of things on the table only those that uphold the deep seated biases.

It is sad at so many levels. The person making the bias-driven decision cuts off some part of his/her life that could be wonderful, or it could be awful if the bias is born out to be related to fact. One interesting thing is that the decision based on bias rarely offers the opportunity to revisit it all cleanly, without bias, so the person may never know what is actually going on. Those people & options that are cut off suffer in varying degree. If those cut off do not want to be cut off, they suffer to the degree they want to stay. If they don't care, they can easily brush it off & walk off into a more welcoming place.

In my life, I have had some of these situations occur. I am not quite sure why. My dear husband says it is because of the light emanating from my connection to God which triggers & stirs up the darkness in some people. I don't know, but I do know I've experienced such events way more than anyone else I know.

At one level it is interesting, a study in human interactions & choices. At another, it is hurtful, the more there is originally a feeling of love & connection, the more hurtful. It is perplexing, difficult, challenging, etc. You name it.

Part of the hurt is the recognition that the person has this negative bias against you which leads the hostile decisions, false accusations & shunning behavior. It does not seem possible to argue facts against a strong underlying bias. One cannot get into the other's subconscious mind in normal relationship. That is, you cannot just go around hypnotizing others to change their subconscious.

So, what to do? My choice is to turn to God. I believe there are lessons & opportunities in every moment, in every experience - however positive or negative they may be. I may not see them right now, not even for a long time, but they are there. If I truly believe God is always present, then I have to know that even in this, God is present.

My beloved Father, my Friend, my constant Companion, my Guide, my Inspiration - lead me to know You in every moment & every situation. Show me how You would have me deal with even the darkest & deepest of challenges. Help me always remember that my life is about You & shining Your Light the best I can. So I see that in dark valleys, Your Light is most needed. Give each of us the courage to shine, no matter where we find ourselves. Help us light up those dark valleys through which we all trod here on earth. I see now that is why we sometimes are in such a place, for You trust us to shine Your Light so that the valley is no longer without light. Help me keep this truth close to my heart. I ask this in the name of Christ & seal it with the ancient seal of faith, Amen, Amen & Amen

Beatitudes

Yesterday our Priest read part of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount," you know the blessed part --- blessed are the peacemakers, mourners, meek, persecuted, etc.

It occurred to me while he was reading the list, that this described all of us at one time or another in our lives. We've been in all of those places, and in each & every one, we've been blessed.

Each place has been an opportunity for spiritual growth & depth. At each place, there was God holding us close. We were never alone. We were blessed with spiritual safety while we tried out how to be a spiritual being having a human experience.

In some of the more challenging places, we may have been flailling about, complaining, resisting & seemingly going in circles, perhaps lost in pain. But we eventually came to our senses & moved on, & we moved on with stronger faith in a closer walk with the Divine.

Personally I am currently walking through a couple of challenging experiences. I've done my share of crying, sure. I've asked God, "Why me, why now?" Nevertheless, I do know that all is in the hand of the Divine Love that created me & is with me always. I know that even the darkest valleys contain God's blessing energy. And I know God always leads me out of the valleys, & on the other side I am sincerely able to say "Thank You, God."

So, in advance of walking out of my current valleys, I say, "Thank You, God."

"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, You are with me." The Psalmists have reassured me so often. You inspired them so many centuries ago with deep spiritual truths. Thank You, God. And thank You right now for being with me as I walk multiple valleys concurrently. You are with me. I know You are leading me forward, instructing me, making me stronger & more able to serve You in the world. I expectantly await the "green valleys" & the "cup running over," for I know You have already prepared the table. Thank You for giving me a blessed life. Amen

Thank You...

Thank You, God, for inspiring people with amazing new ideas. Thank you to those who have listened & acted. Particularly today I want to give thanks all for the great scientific, particularly medical, breakthroughs that have benefited us all. Thank You God for inspiring great minds with great ideas. Thank you great men & women of medical science for paying attention.


I am sure I would not be here today without the benefit of medical science. If I had lived just one short century earlier or anytime earlier than that, I would not have lived to the age I am now. From my tonsillectomy at age 3 to my almost gangrene gallbladder to my major back surgery to the flu & various & sundry other health challenges, I am indebted to modern medical science & God's inspiration in the great minds of science.


So now I apparently face another medical obstacle, Guillain-Barré syndrome. Medical science doesn't have a lot to say about it. No one is certain why one gets it nor how to get rid of it. If I get worse & lose all reflexes in my knees & elbows, they can do some sort of plasma exchange that can be helpful. Otherwise, I just guess I'm to stick it out. They say that sometimes it just disappears as mysteriously as it came. Sometimes it goes slowly. Sometimes it is gone & sometimes it is partially present forever. Sometimes it comes back.


The nerve pain pills take the edge off, but my hands are still incredibly sensitive & burning on the fingertips, plus the pills make me a bit groggy. My feet & halfway to my knees are numb. It is constant, no reprieve. It is challenging to say the least. I know there is a blessing in here somewhere. Show me the way. Show me the blessing, please God.


Hear my prayer dear God. Inspire my doctors, inspire me, tell us what to do to end this agony. You alone know what to do. Help me hear Your guidance. I listen. I await. Thank You, God. Amen

Facing Life's Challenges

I finally got in to see a neurologist yesterday. After long nerve conduction tests & other tests, he is sure I have a variant of GBS. I don't recall even hearing those initials in relation to health until yesterday.

He wants me back Tuesday & then probably Friday for a spinal tap. If it moves more to my throat or lungs, I am to go to emergency.

So, of course, I've been Googling GBS & discovering more about it. It is rare & most recover fully or partially. If it goes to the lungs, death is more likely.

Another challenge in my Job kind of life. I shall face it the way I have the others. I will talk with God, I will do all I can on my own to recover, I will continue to do as much of my normal life as I can, I will walk as peacefully as possible knowing if God has more for me to do, I shall recover. If I am done here, I will move on to the next life. I think I have more to do, but only God knows for sure.

Dear God, I come to You today for guidance &, if it is Your will, for healing. This body, this spacesuit for my soul, is malfunctioning. Please shine Your healing Light on me. Please inspire me with Your guidance so that I know what to do that is in harmony with You. And, please inspire the doctors to know how to help my body be restored. I ask this in the name of Christ & seal this prayer with the ancient seal of faith, Amen, Amen & Amen

New Year Again

It seems to me that 2010 went by with great speed. I know time, & everything else, is relative to the reference point. With my advancing years, I have a larger reference point & one year is a smaller portion of that reference point so would naturally seem less. Yet, even knowing that it still seems that 2010 was extra fast. I have heard younger people say the same.

The turning point is arbitrary. That is we could have chosen any place to say it is the new year, but January 1st got the nod.

At any rate 2011 is here. What does that mean to us? It is the opportunity to feel that we are getting a fresh new start, a chance to live a bit better or maybe a lot better. It is a time to think deeply about how we would like to be & how we would like this year to be. It is a time to sort out our priorities & re-aim our lives toward new targets.

My life target has been for spiritual understanding, deeper communion with God, & enlightenment. That shall always be my primary target, & of course I reaffirm it for 2011. I also aim toward the best health possible, family healing, learning new art & quilting techniques, my trip to Russia 20 years after my first trip & I think it is also my 20th trip there, more travel & experiencing & being at the places I've always wanted to see such as Ireland, etc. I support my husband as he aims toward greater income.

I have other targets that I'd like to reach. I hope, dream & pray that at least some of my books that I've written over the years, most of them for my work in Russia, could get published in English & in bookstores all over America. I hope, dream & pray that the coarseness of our culture could be reversed & a resurgence of spirituality would emerge. I hope, dream & pray for peace in each heart & therefore in the world. I realize that angry, greedy, power-driven people do not want nor are capable of creating peace. So I hope, dream & pray for that healing of each human heart that is needed first.

I ask you, what are your targets? For what do you hope, dream & pray. This is a great time to ponder such things.

Father, we come to You this day with a new openness in our depths. We are open for You to inspire within us greater targets toward which You would want us to aim our lives. We begin anew in this new year. We wish to begin as You would want us to begin. Speak in our hearts. Whisper to our souls. We listen. Thank You, dear God. We let go & await Your working in our lives. In the name of Christ we seal this prayer with Amen.