Shining Spirit

Just one at a time.
Unless the brown bear
is gaining ground,
just one at a time
and you’ll get there.
Rushing while wearing
that coat of worry, or
anger, or emotional pain
will likely cause you to
say something, do something
that you might wish to take
back later. Bad situation.
One step at a time, knowing
that you are not alone. Your
Friend, the One who promised
to be with you always, extends
His hand. Take it, and one
step at a time.

May you find peace this day in the certainty of a Mystery.
May your knowing originate in your heart, not your mind.
May the good earth hold firm the anchor of your soul.
May you be content to live “as if…” when other options disappear.
May your coming and your going cause the universe to smile.
May all around you experience the presence of God in what you do
May your words magnify the meaning of life found in simple trust.
May you sleep tonight with thoughts of a day well spent.
May it be so. Amen.

“Don’t argue. Don’t pout! Just…Do what I tell you to do!” Got it?

Those are familiar words to a few of us. Remember when your Mom or Dad said that, or something very similar? Well, with a slight modification, that’s what Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to the servant staff at the wedding party in Cana long ago. Mary was giving them some very clear instruction, and some very valuable advice. “Do whatever he tells you to do.” The “he” in question is her son, Jesus, and the setting is the wedding celebration where the wine vat ran dry and thirsty guests wanted refills. The servants didn’t know what to do, and it wasn’t their responsibility to keep the party rolling.

“Just do whatever he tells you to do.” And, as we know from John’s Gospel account, Jesus called for six empty water jars, had the servants fill each to the brim with water, and presented the jars to the host who sampled the liquid and pronounced it the best wine he had ever tasted. This is a powerful story on several levels, but I suggest we don’t lose sight of the wonderful advice because of the wonderful wine.

Do you think your life might be slightly different if you followed Mary’s good advice. “Do whatever he tells you to do.” Don’t whine. Don’t try to negotiate or compromise. For sure, don’t ignore. What’s the point of being a Follower if I don’t follow? The value in reading His teachings, closing the book, and then doing what I want to, anyway? We acknowledge that Jesus is the person who most truly reveals the nature and purposes of God. We use words like “incarnate” and “presence” to describe our limited grasp of who he was and is. Mary knows! And she’s giving us some very good advice. Just do what he tells you to do. You don’t have to agree. Just do it.

Naïve? I don’t think so. It’s called Trust, or Faith, if you wish. So when he says: Love your neighbor, then love your neighbor. Feed the poor…then feed. Comfort the sick…comfort. Forgive your enemy…then forgive. The basic assumption is that the incarnation of the Creator in human flesh may know more than we know. May even have better solutions to the world’s ills than we do.

Good advice. Do whatever he tells you to do.

Living on the planet Metaphor is both blessing and curse. Blessing because everything I see has a greater meaning, discernable if I stop and ponder. Curse because everything I see has a greater meaning, discernable if I stop and ponder. People who live on normal planets, like Earth, don’t get lured so easily into the forests of questions marks that grow here. But I can’t put all the blame on the atmospheric conditions of the planet. I could say no to the seduction of pondering. I could resist. I have the willpower. No I don’t. Geraldine, also known as Flip Wilson, used to say “the devil made me do it!” The devil gets a lot of blame for human weakness in the face of passing temptations.

So, about the water. It flows through a pump system in a concrete fountain that sits in my backyard. The fountain structure is about five feet tall, weighs more than I care to pick up, and has built-in lighting so that it looks quite nice at night. End of story. There is nothing more to say about this common water flowing through an ordinary stone fountain. Water is water. Nothing more to say. Yes, there is. How can you not see it! It’s right there before your eyes. The water in the picture is the visual depiction of creation, yes, that Creation. Ah, but I forget that you are a visitor on Metaphor.

See how the water flows so smoothly in the beginning. Tranquil, peaceful, smooth. Good water. But it doesn’t take long for that to change. Without warning, smooth becomes twisted and tranquil changes into a tantrum. That’s the story of life for a lot of people. It’s the average day. One man, who lived hundreds of years ago, finally got so fed up with life’s contradictions that he shook his fists at the heavens and shouted: “Why do I do the things I do and leave undone the things I know I ought to do?” You know his answer? The devil made me do it. Flip Wilson got his punch line from St. Paul. By the way, you can still become a saint even if your life is full of confusion and contradiction. I digress.

So, this is a sample of life on planet Metaphor. Dual planetary citizenship is available, if you’re interested. But a warning: You will be asked to subscribe to something called The Planetary Policy. It’s a bit like a creed. It says: “I will look until I see. I will listen until I hear. I will experience until I feel. And, I will welcome the inevitable inconsistencies of life as couriers of deeper realities.” Oh, I almost forgot: “I will tend and water the Question Marks that grow in my garden until they blossom into Exclamation Points.”

Now, about that water…

Did you feel the touch of the Maple leaf
fall softly against your cheek?
Or, sense the thrill of the Aspen’s flight
as it tumbled and rolled in the wind?
The darkening sky sets the perfect stage
for a ballet of colors and shapes.
Broad leaves from stately Magnolia trees,
whisps of color released by the Birch.
Down they tumble until caught in a
spiral that shoots them up, a
fountain of exquisite joy.
On and on they twist and turn,
Elm and Beech and needles of Pine,
willing captives of a single force
that animates all, no matter the species or name.
In the hands of the wind, the mysterious wind,
all leaves, though different, are held with respect,
endowed with the freedom to bless the world,
unique in beauty and charm.
See how they dance with elegant grace
on the breath of a purposeful breeze.

When God said, “It is good”
to all that had come into being,
God was looking at you…the
thought of you, the essence
of you. You occupy a place
in the universe, not because
you deserve it, but because
you are both gifted and gift.
The little piece of creation
that we share would not be
the same without you. You
matter. Make a difference
today.

In the evening of the day,
I remember with gratitude
the kind word spoken to me,
patience extended,
forgiveness granted,
peace offered,
love demonstrated far beyond my deserving.
And I am truly thankful.

In the darkening hours
I remember with regret
the harsh words I spoke to another person,
my bad attitude because things didn’t go my way,
my hurt feelings when I felt unappreciated,
the truth I ignored and the pain I caused.
And I am truly sorry.

Now in the darkness of another night,
Lord accept my gratitude and my remorse.
It has been a good day in many ways,
but I hope for a tomorrow better because
of your grace, your mercy and your abiding presence.

Wake me, I ask, with the gentle touch of your Spirit
and set my feet once again on the pathway of Jesus,
the pathway to the promise. Amen.

Wasn’t it Popeye who uttered those famous words: “I yam who I yam.” If you don’t get it, don’t worry. You’re just too young to know the fella I’m talking about. But for some unexplainable reason I thought of the cartoon character’s words the other evening when two people in a small group meeting read their spiritual autobiographies. There are about ten people in the neighborhood group, and over the course of several months, each of us has shared insights and information about our spiritual journeys, our Spiritual Autobiographies. As you might imagine, each is unique and a blessing to hear.

But the one common thread running through each is the impact or importance of relationships. Granted, sometimes that relationship was not positive or life-giving, but it was important in shaping the person’s life. We learn from each other, don’t we? We are influenced, sometimes for a lifetime, by the actions of significant others.

Who in your life played a role like that? Name the person or persons who formed you in your early years. Or, who guided you through that early development time. I have found that two words usually rise to the surface of our consciousness when we think of those who influenced our early years. Forgiveness and Gratitude. The Way of Jesus makes those two words pretty important. People who follow The Way cannot ignore them.

Would it be helpful for you to pull up in your memory the person or persons who influenced you, to remember them in the light of these two words? Probably. The effort might even bless you and those you remember.