Shining Spirit

Do you see what I see?
It wasn’t long ago that an angry fire raged along
our peaceful Santa Cruz River, wiping out bushes,
trees, and favorite nesting places for a variety of
birds. Great mushrooms of black smoke billowed
along a mile of the river, smoke mixed with
bright orange flames. It was very sad to see.

I walk the river path regularly, or ride my bike, and
I always enjoy a conversation with beautiful nature
who shares the land with me. But, since the fire,
the birds have been silent, the ground is covered in
black soot and ash, trees that survived are charred
and scarred. The river continues her flow, but
on both sides of her pathway, the banks are
devastated. All is gone.
Until…do you see what I see?
Little green patches of life, clusters of
determination, are already appearing,
as if to announce: “See, a future emerges
from the flames.”
In faith, I believe there is an eternal rhythm
just below the surface of our reality; it throbs
with life, survives life’s brutalities, withstands
our sadnesses, and announces
tomorrow in spite of today.
That rhythm is a gift that blesses those
who see green grass emerging from
devastation and sorrow.
Do you see what I see?

“Let’s sit down and talk about it. I know we can reconcile our misunderstanding, find those treasured points of friendship that have meant so much for so long. Here, come sit with me on this stone; there’s room for both of us. Let’s let the water wash away hurts or disappointments. Surrounded by sacred life in this oasis of hope, let’s find the way together.”

“How very good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.” Unity, a fundamental principle of our faith. What a prize to possess. Take two steps back and look at the dis-unity that fosters isolation and ill-will, the unnatural separations of brother from brother, sister from sister, when the fundamental principle of life is just the opposite: we are by design and by nature, one common expression of life lived out in great diversity. But we belong to each other. I am my neighbor. And when there is separation, neighbor from neighbor, caused by misunderstanding or mistake, the wound will not heal unless we sit together on that large stone bench by the river and allow reconciliation to roll over us, the cleansing grace of The Spirit.

We’ve come too far to watch it turn to dust. Come, sit with me. Let’s figure out a way to walk out of the shadowy forest, safe as it seems, into the light of restoration. Friend.

Just when you think you’ve seen the best one ever! But maybe there is no “best” with God. Maybe the “best” is yet to come. As the popular song declares: “I Can Only Imagine.” Really? According to St. Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (I Corinthians 29)

Why not build your day around this idea: No human word can describe, no emotion can feel, no eye can capture the fullness of God’s love for all creation. A glimpse is all we’ve got. For now, enough is all we can see, even in the magnificent sunrise over the mountains. Live today in the vision we have. Hope, in faith, for the continuing clarity that will come in time…God’s time.

You are loved! You are highly valued! You matter! And the best is yet to come.

Lord, may I be wise enough today to discern your presence and courageous enough to ride upon the breath of your love. Help me be sensitive to your dynamic leading so that I might know when to change the direction of my journey, thus keeping me on course toward the abundance Jesus described, the inevitable opportunities for compassionate caring, and for those moments when you will call me to rise to higher levels of commitment, even to the prophetic utterance of justice and mercy. I spread my wings, Creating God. Lift me in your love. Amen.

“Sometimes you won’t know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”
Thank you, Dr. Seuss.

You and I are memory collectors. We live one day at a time, experience that day in people and events and varied encounters, and at the end of the day we say we have lived. Tomorrow we will do it all over again. But somewhere along the line, we realize that life is more than a collection of experiences. We realize the basic truth of what Dr. Seuss said: it takes reflection, thoughtful consideration of experience to give it meaning. I never realize the deep meaning of beauty, expressed in that rose, until I sit with it in reflection and appreciation. Most often that happens when I reflect on the memory of seeing it. You and I are memory collectors and the value we assign to our days comes when we think deeply about them, replay the moments in the reflective light of spiritual values, like compassion, truth and mercy. Moments not considered, not assigned value in reflection, are lost in time. Ah, but when I remember the rose, recall how it glistened in the warm sun, how that amazing fragrance filled the air, then even for a brief moment, I reinforce beauty in the world and in my little life.

I write this for two reasons. First, I am committed to a spiritual journey that says you and I know God best when we remember, in reflection, sometimes in hindsight, the wonders of God we experience each day. A sudden revelation of God in the moment is breathtaking, but for most of us, the amazing grace and love of God is felt in the sorting of moments in prayer or spiritual reflection. It is in the appreciative, quiet moments of remembering that I identify deep, profound value and sense the living presence of The Sacred. Second, deep human relationships become the source of amazing joy, strength for the moment, hope in darkness when two people practice the presence of God by sorting common memory in the light of God’s unfailing reality. On this particular day, I am sorting through sixty-four years of memories collected with the one person who has held my hand along the way and who, God willing, will walk by my side as the journey continues. May we all live each moment with hope and spiritual integrity. May you experience the amazing grace of God as you sit with the memories that have shaped your life, giving thanks to God.

Today, the first day of the week,
the first day of the month,
at first light, my first thoughts,
Generous God, are of your
blessing and your sustaining presence.
Today I will…
be among those who meditate and
reflect upon your grace shown in
the life of Jesus…
share the blessings I receive
and offer myself in witness to
the abundance of life in Christ…
try to live the Gospel into reality…
foster gratitude, justice and mercy
in all my activities of this day.
I will do these things, Lord,
if you will grant me the courage
and the will to try. May all
creation celebrate on this day
which the Lord has made. Amen.

It is a “weekend” Lord;
not a weak end, but the
end of something that will
begin again, end again,
begin and end with the
flow and purpose of your
dream for creation. Thank
you for days that flow together,
not simply a sequence of
hours, but a continuity of
grace and blessing. You
are the sacred flow that
brings meaning to the moments
and endless joy to weeks that
never end. Thank you. Amen.

Core: “the central, innermost, or most essential part of anything.” Everything has a core. A mountain, a tree, an apple, a political movement, families. You. Me. Health experts and high-powered salesmen keep telling us: “You need to keep your core in good condition,” because if you don’t, then all the rest of the structure, which is supposed to be supported by “the core,” will get wobbly. Santa Claus, whose belly shook like a bowl of jelly, is not a good role model.

And then there is the term “core values.” Trees and mountains don’t fit into this understanding of core, but people do, and cultures and nations. Core values don’t come with the birth certificate; they are not issued when you get to be a certain age. The physical core of the human body comes with the package, but ethical, moral and spiritual core values are learned by living, by making decisions, by succeeding joyfully and suffering greatly. Once defined, a person spends a lifetime keeping core values strong and life-influencing. Ignore or discard human core values at great risk. The result of such foolishness is seen in people and communities that are self-centered, addicted to personal power, willing to cause pain in order to personally prosper, ethically and morally bankrupt. In fact, those are expressions of a different set of core values.

To loosely paraphrase the biblical character Joshua, folks it’s deciding time! Let every woman and man make up their minds…daily, even hourly…which core values will direct life, which you will choose and celebrate. Joshua laid it all out for the people…options and opportunities. He told the assembled tribe: each of you has the choice to make: you can serve the gods of power and deception, “but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” “Serve” is the operative word. What’s the point of following Jesus if I don’t live like he lived?

Lord, on this good day give me the audacity of the Woodpecker
as I face the challenges that come my way. May I be bold to
speak and fearless in my actions to address justice and mercy.

I could do without the red hair, though, and the hard head and
that squeaky voice. I’ll leave that up to you, Lord.
Thank you. Amen.

Now what do we do? Our nest is gone. Where do we go?
Life is often “Now what?”
After the accident, following the death of a loved one,
in the aftermath of medical tests, when cheated
or betrayed by someone you trusted,
when you try but fail:
“Now what?”

In the case of the two ducks in the river,
start swimming, keep your eyes open,
try not to feel sorry for yourself,
be alert to every moment,
test possibilities,
don’t rush.

Through the smoke and ashes,
paddle on until the
monster turns into a memory,
light replaces shadows,
and the river begins to sing again.
It will happen.
Don’t be afraid.
Whether you feel it or not,
you are not alone.