Minister Musings

Sabbath

2008-06-11T10:14:00.000-07:00

It is summertime and things are slowing way down. It is so difficult for me to be still right yet the Universe has arranged it so I have time just for that over the next month or so. There is the inner critic telling me that I am lazy if I spend longer periods in meditation or time in my garden or even concentrated time reading and writing. It is amazing how task oriented we all seem to be because I have a hunch I am not alone in this. I remember as a kid having long lazy summer days just hanging out, riding my bike or curled up with a good book. Life had a simple sweetness to it. So, I make a commitment here not to fill my time up with busy work simply for works sake, rather to take advantage of this time to reconnect with my Spirit, feel the earth under my feet and to do what brings me joy. I will let you know how it is going.

Reflecting God's light

2008-05-18T19:12:00.001-07:00

Last night other people reflected God's light for me when it felt very dark. My Golden Retriever developed bloat. It is a condition where their stomach fills with air and it twists. Unless it is treated quickly, it leads to death. I called our local animal hospital but they were not able to take me for another hour or so. So, I headed to Nashville, crying, alone and helpless. I called people along the way. One jumped in her car and met me and my dog in Nashville so I would not have to face it alone. Another stayed on the phone with me calming me when I thought I lost him for sure, helping me navigate directions and giving me faith when I could not find it on my own. Friends were there at 1 AM when he had to go in for surgery, at 3:30 when they called to tell me that his heart stopped and again at 3:45 when they told me he pulled through. They were the light on the other end of the phone when the world went dark. I teach that God light is there all of the time. But, sometimes when life gets really dark, God's light is hard to see. I am grateful to be part of a loving community that helps me remember when I can't to remember it on my own.

Soul of Money

2008-05-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

I start a new class next Wednesday evening based on Lynne Twist's book, "The Soul of Money." I started reading it again for the second time to prepare and was once again reduced to tears as I read about her experiences in India. Lynne talks about how she believes that hunger can be eradicated. Then she went to India where she saw chronic hunger and poverty at a level she could never envision. She then talks about how instead of backing off of her vision, the experience propelled her even more. She tells us that when we align our money with our "deepest, most soulful interest and commitments, their (our) relationship with money became a place where profound and lasting transformation could occur." That is my hope with this class, that we discover our deepest soul commitments and see how to match our money to these. This is when true change will happen on our planet. We have the power and the resources to end world hunger, and bring peace to our world. Is it unreasonable? Someone has to believe it. Our vision is a world of peace, unity and abundance for all. As a community committed to spiritual leadership, it is up to us to help blaze the way. So, together we will examine our relationship with money and to paraphrase Lynne Twist, begin to see our money as a way to express our deepest most soulful commitments. Join me.

2008-04-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

I recently heard on NPR a report about ethanol and the use of grains for fuel. They reported that many third world countries were having difficulty feeding their citizens because of the rising cost of food. This is due to an increase need for grain based fuels and feed for animals along with rising fuel costs. The reporter said that the amount of ethanol fuel it took to fill up an SUV could feed one person in a third world country for a year. That is a staggering statistic and shows me that our choices really do make a difference. It causes me to pause and hopefully live life less casually and unconsciously. I can't fix it, but maybe the simple acts I take each day to cultivate a more sustainable world will make a difference.

Manage less, Play more

2008-04-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have a new motto for life. I want to manage less and play more.

The need to win

2008-04-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

I recently heard a statement from Eckhart Tolle during one of the podcasts that had a profound effect on me. He was talking about how a Zen master was watching a contest between 2 opponents. He knew one of the contestants had more ability than he was showing. The master then said that his need to win was robbing him of his energy. That statement went right into my heart. I saw how so much of my attention was focused on a particular outcome or definition of success. It is the need to win. Yet to take my focus off of the particular result, I have to let go of control. I have to trust that there is a force much bigger than me which desires my success. This might sound kind of funny coming from a minister but I realize how difficult it is for me at times to trust in something bigger than me enough to return my attention to the present moment. The dichotomy in all of this is that I can only know the power and presence of Presence in the present moment. Eckhart talks about how awareness is the first step. As I am aware, I can bring my attention back to this moment and cultivate trust that this is where life, security and all that I desire resides. I will keep you posted.

A Vision From the Center of The Universe

2008-04-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

Last week I heard the 2 cosmologists who spoke at MTSU. They spoke about the nature of the universe and stated that we could only see less than 1% of the entire universe. It is not because it is out of view, but because it is made of a matter that we are not familiar with. There is so much we can't see, yet we base our assumptions and decisions on what is visible. Maybe this is God's way of teaching us about trusting the invisible power of Spirit even when we can't see it.

Annual Meeting

2008-02-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

We had our annual meeting on Sunday and it is an incredible experience to watch a group of people come together to create something much bigger than each one of us individually. We have much more direction and clarity since developing our new vision and mission. We spent time examining the progress we made toward our goals and we can see how we are moving forward. Our goals are structured very differently which allowed for a real sense of success. They are no longer about things over which we have no control like attendance markers, rather they define specific actions we as a group want to take in order to be in integrity with our vision and purpose. We approved our values and will spend time learning what it means to live them. Our core values are: love, inclusive community, Spirit-led, stewardship and service. We will go through a whole process to own them and to live them in the daily life of our church community and our personal lives.

We had a conversation around being an inclusive community. I have reported on this blog my journey into veganism. Several others within the congregation have made that lifestyle choice as well. We discussed how to have different choices like this without sending a message that all had to choose in this way in order to be accepted in the group. It is funny how unwritten rules can developed if we are not conscious of that process. All and all it was a time of reflection, celebration and looking toward our future.

Seeing each other as holy

2008-02-21T19:35:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to talk about Unity to a university class this past week. I explained how the seemingly evil acts of humanity are a result of our sense of separation from God and one another. I shared how Unity teaches that we are created from the substance of God and as a result are inherently good. There were several students who struggled with the concept of our original goodness. One young woman stated emphatically that she was evil and sinful and needed a saviour to make her OK in the eyes of God. My heart ached when I heard those words come out of her mouth. I wanted her to see her as God see her, cherished, perfect and valued beyond description. I am not sure why we insist on holding on to an image of God that would see us as evil and would need a sacrifice in order to be redeemed. I wonder what kind of world it would be if we were all able to see who we really are as divine beings of Spirit. How would we be different if we really understood that we are inherently good? If we knew this about ourselves, we would see the same in each other. . We would treat each other with dignity and goodness. I believe that we would be incapable of inflicting any harm on another. Let's try it just for a day. Imagine that everyone you meet is the goodness of God walking around in human form. Include yourself in this image. See this even if you and others act in ways that would suggest otherwise. With laser beam vision, see one another as good and holy. See if this change in perception changes the way we treat each other. Then let's report back what we observe.

Department of Peace

2008-02-12T16:16:00.000-08:00

There is a group of people meeting at the church this evening with a vision for a Department of Peace. When you think about it, that's a pretty incredible concept and it seems like it is a no-brainer. We have a Department of Defense and a Department of Homeland Security. Why not a Department of Peace. Just saying the words of our current paradigm creates an energy of fear and guardedness. When you simply say the words, "Department of Peace" there is an energy of possibility and of, well-peace. It says that as a nation, we are committed to the process of peace. This does not have to mean that we are weak. It means that we come from a place of strength, of a belief in a higher ideal, and a faith in a Presence that is available for everyone. We commit ourselves to stay present for the difficult process that peace often demands. In our personal lives and as a nation, we become accountable for our part in a conflict and we listen to others with ears of understanding and compassion. We fearlessly seek out the condition that will meet the needs of all parties involved. If we beleive that God is all good and everywhere present then we must believe that this possibility exists. It is simply waiting for us to set aside our fears, our judgments and paradigms long enough to give Presence enough space to make a higher alternative known. It reminds me of a bumper sticker on the car of a very dear friend of mine that says "God bless everyone-No Exceptions." Is all of this a bit Polly Anna, a bit unrealistic? Maybe-but if some of us are not willing to entertain the seemingly impossible then our other alternative is to resign ourselves to the current situation, and live in fear of our future. I for one, am ready for a very different experience.

claiming our talents

2008-02-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at church, I had a book signing form "Sacred Secrets." It is a collection of essays in response to the "Secret" published by Unity and I have an essay in it. I found myself wanting to discount the importance and impact of it. Thankfully, there was someone who spoke up and called me on it. She asked that I claim my gift and the impact my writing has on people as an example for all of us. I am not sure why it is so difficult for us to claim our gifts and our successes but I heard her when she said that I was modeling that. I get it that we are all modeling things. So, here and now I commit to claiming my gifts and my successes and to acknowledge that what I do, particularly my writing, impacts others.

God and the recession

2008-02-02T18:30:00.000-08:00

It has been difficult to watch the news recently and not want to stock pile food in the pantry for when it gets really bad. The news casters have been talking about how dismal our ecomony is and they are predicting that it is going to get much worse before it will get better. They are broadcasting a message of fear and doom.

So, how do we react to what is happening to our country economically? We certaintly don't hide our heads in the sand and pretend that nothing is happening. I have heard several economist make good sound suggestions about what we can wisely do with our money. They are the kinds of suggestions that would be good regardless of whether or not we have a recession. But, this is the time when we walk our talk. This is the time when we take our eyes off of the outer appearances of lack and focus on the reality of God active in the middle of it all. We listen for what we are to learn in all of this, we make good wise choices with our money and we live as if we believe that God is our Source and that Source is unlimited. Money may not show up at our doorstep, but we will hear divine guidance about our best course of action. We continue to open our hearts to one another. Fear is corroding and debilating. Faith and love keep us open to each other. They keep the channels for God fluid and give God room to move. So, the next time we hear how lousy everything is financially, let's breath and bring ourselves back to center, back to the awareness of God as our source. Then I am going to encourage each one of us to give that same hope and affirmation to someone else who may be feeling anxiety. I bet if enough of us choose not to get caught up in the hysteria and choose instead to stay focused on Spirit, we have enough power to turn this thing around.

Life

2007-12-05T18:37:00.000-08:00

I returned home from Louisiana yesterday after spending about 10 days with my dad helping him with some medical issues. This is the first time I had to face directly his aging process and it has created a deep sorrow in my heart. I have had my issues with my dad as anyone has with a parent, but somehow they all seem very small as I face the prospect of his continued deterioration and eventual death. It causes me to face my own mortality as well and to image what life will be like without my parents. I am grateful to have a spiritual foundation through which to see this facet of life. I grieve from the human perspective and at the same time, I give thanks for the presence of Spirit and life. I feel deep humility, sadness, love, tenderness and grief all at the same time. This is what it means to be a spiritual being having a human experience.

Unity world wide

2007-12-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

I am currently in Louisiana taking care of some medical issues for my dad and was able to go to Unity of Baton Rouge this morning. It is wonderful to be able to walk into a Unity church in other parts of the country and hear this incredible message and get my spirit fed. There are groups of people just like ours all over the world working together to create places where people grow spiritually in order to assist with the world's awakening. I miss my church when I am not there and at the same time am grateful for the incredible group of people that are there sharing themselves and creating a sacred experience for everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T11:24:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving. As I sit here in my living room with my fire going cozy on a wet gray day, my heart is full of gratitude. Michael is flying home after a great trip in Florida with my step-daughter and as I survey all of this, I am in awe of God's grace pulsing through my life. Today has been a different Thanksgiving for me. It is probably the first one I can ever think of that I basically spent alone. I have spent time meditating, reflecting and cultivating a spirit of gratitude and feel at peace. I have had 2 wonderful simple, vegan meals today and my body feels great. I have lots of energy and focus and I am sleeping well. More than anything, I feel congruent between my meal choices and what I want to stand for in my life.

Last night Dale Worley treated our congregation to one of his AWE worship experiences. We had around 12 people who came for that and it was wonderful. He gave us his all and I saw that people were noticeably moved by it. I admire people like Dale who are willing to simply show-up and give what is theirs to give regardless of who is there and how it is received. I had to leave early because my dog had surgery the day before and I needed to get back to her.

Off to the airport to get Michael. I have taken advantage of the time alone this trip and feel refreshed and renewed. And I am really glad to get him back home with me.

Close to the edge

2007-11-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

I came across this picture of our vacation in Canada this summer. We rode our Harley all the way around the lake. I was working my way out on the rocks to see ancient writing on the wall. That water was splashing up pretty high and rough. It reminds me of life and how we have to step out on the cliff sometimes to get the best view.

animals in the news

2007-11-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

I find myself grieving as I go through this process. I didn't realize that meat and animal products were such an integral part of my diet and my life. Yet I feel much surer about my decision today. I am noticing animals more in the news. There was a story about 1,500 hundreds pigs or so that burned in a fire today in a single barn. I just kept thinking about how they had all of those pigs in one place and wondered if they ever saw the light of day. And now they were gone, seen as a financial loss rather than as life loss. We put stickers on our windows so fire fighters know that we have pets inside, yet when it herd animal that dies, we equate it in terms of dollars and cents.

Then there was story about how President Bush pardoned 2 turkeys. I see how we make light of the plight of these animals yet at some level that story suggests that we understand what we are doing. It is making it easier for me to choose plant based foods these past few days. I feel more connected to all living beings with my decision.

I go out to eat for the first time with my family this Friday. I am nervous and have checked into a couple of restaurants to see how they prepare certain things. I discovered that something as simple as a veggie burger actually contains animal products so it is not as easy it as it looks. But, I can keep it simple by going for the company, ordering a salad with just veggies and I can even carry something like garbanzo beans with me for added protein. There are ways of doing this and still enjoying meals with others especially meat eaters. Say a few prayers for me.

Day 3 of compassionate eating

2007-11-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

I am going out on a limb and plan to publicly journal about my journey into veganism. This is day 3 and it is interesting to watch my thought process and what is happening to me physically. Last night, I was craving cheese in my lentils. I am committed to this so instead of reaching for the cheese left in my refrigerator (I realized that I missed it when clearing things out with my friend) I sat and thought about where the cheese came from and I realize that in order for me to have the pleasure of cheese, there was a cow who was probably on a huge farm, stuck in a barn shot full of chemicals and hormones in order to produce. When I thought of that, the craving left me. For today, I am not comfortable asking another living being to suffer in order for me to have pleasure. I realized that they were not created as the producer of my happiness. I found myself for a fleeting moment, thinking about how I often view the people in my life as objects which are there to make me happy. I see how I reduce them to things that will fulfill my needs rather than as beings that I am to love and serve. Like I said, it was fleeting but hopefully, I will be more aware of the times that I have reduced the people in my life to that. My hope is that as I make the connection between my attitude toward animals and my food and the rest of my life, and make changes so I am more congruent in all areas of my life, I will live in a more life affirming way.

Vegan eating

2007-11-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it has been awhile. I love doing this, blogging that is, and yet I resist it. I wonder if anyone is reading it or if I am just writing into cyberspace. Then I have to ask, "Why am I doing it? Why do I attempt to keep a blog?" And I hope that the answer comes to because I enjoy the process, which I do and it is a discipline that feeds me and so it really doesn't matter where it goes once the words leave my mind and the keyboard. As with anything, I do it for me and let the Universe take it where it needs to go.

On a different note, We had Dr. Will Tuttle in this weekend. He challenged us to look at the assumptions that are embedded in our culture and guide our daily decisions unconsciously, particularly the one that says it is ok to eat some animals but not others. He said quite a bit more than that, but I heard that. I have been seriously considering becoming vegetarian for awhile now and have a host of reasons why I couldn't do it. But, I heard 2 things Friday evening. I heard the question about eating our pets which caused me to wonder why are some animals ok for consumption and others are not. In fact, if we try to eat dog, we would be arrested for animal cruelty. The second point that I heard was about living congruently with my principles. I value compassion and generosity. I know I could not kill the animals myself, so why would I put someone else in that position. And I am no longer willing to see living beings as commodities to be bought and sold. So, for today, I choose to be vegan. I plan to be with this decision, to practice this life style while simply observing my emotional, physical and of course spiritual process with this. This is my second day, and I already feel more at peace with myself. I have some fear about what others will think and that my decision will cause a disruption in my relationships. And what about my trip to the Caymen's in Jan ? But, I am trusting that I can make loving decisions for myself and my world and the Universe will provide.
Namaste

Who have we come here to be?

2007-08-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

I sat back in awe this weekend as Spirit spoke in a mighty way through our collective consciousness. As a community, we spent time asking Spirit to reveal who we are to be and what is ours to do. Friday evening, powerful words like global transformation and service reverberated around the room. The hairs on my arms were standing straight up. Saturday, after much prayer, discussion and discernment, a smaller group representing the collective consciousness heard the following as our vision, "We celebrate a world expressing oneness with God-a world of peace, unity and abundance." Then we found our purpose, which is- "We are a loving spiritual community empowering active leaders in stewardship to an awakening world." The more I sit with those statements, the more excited I become. I see how we are maturing as a spiritual community moving beyond what we can get to what we can give. Even deeper than that, the word stewardship means that we feel a sense of responsibility for doing all we can to create a world of peace, unity and abundance for all. We see how God entrusted the world and one another to us and it is up to us to create the kind of world in the words of our Association, "works for everyone."

Jesus and the NRA

2007-08-10T19:34:00.001-07:00

Yesterday as I was driving behind a truck, I noticed 2 different bumper stickers. One said, "NRA, the first line of defense." and the other was the Christian symbol of the fish. I just kept seeing the image of Jesus in the Bible reprimanding Peter for drawing a sword on his captors and standing before Pontius Pilate without a word or witness in his defense. I am also reminded of the line in the "Course in Miracles" that says, "In my defenselessness, my safety lies." Can we lay down our defenses and recognize that this is where our greatest strength lies? I think in time we will evolve to that awareness and act accordingly. In the meantime, it is up to me to see where I have built defenses in the name of protecting myself while believing that "god" has sanctioned my actions and beliefs.

I'm back

2007-08-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

Michael and I have been in Canada riding around Lake Superior for the past 2 weeks and had an incredible time. I love going out of the country and getting a taste of what it is like to be the outsider. We take so much for granted in this country and I know that I have a tendency to believe that the rest of the world revolves around us. It is good to be reminded that other countries have just as much pride and just as much value as our own. In Unity we teach that we are all one. The only way we knew we were crossing into Canada was by the guard houses at the border where they were checking passports. An imaginary line separated us from the Canadians. I have to look at all of the other imaginary lines that I have created in my life to separate me from others making them the outsider. Going out of the country reminds me to pay attention to where I have drawn the lines and separated myself so I can erase those lines between me and another.

Life

2007-07-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

I was stunned when I logged on and saw that the last time I blogged was June 15th or there abouts. I know that I was in California for about a week visiting with family but I look at my calendar and wonder what happened to the rest of the time. Life seems to be flying by these days and I don't want to miss anything because of the business of it all. I don't really have a solution for that other than the cliche of enjoying the moment which really does work when I can remember to do it when I am even aware that I am not doing it.

A little bit of humility

2007-06-15T10:15:00.001-07:00

I have a confession to make. I am vain. Me, a 47 year old woman, goes to yoga and catch myself comparing how I do poses to the teenager next to me. I look to see if I can bend a little deeper, twist a little further and hold a pose a bit longer. It just goes to show me that I still have a long way to go and I have not arrived yet. When I catch myself doing those kinds of things it is my signal to shift the way I see myself and to be gentle with myself. It just doesn't feel good to compare myself nor is it loving to the other person I compare myself to.

Who can call themselves a Christian?

2007-06-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was talking with an acquaintance of mine. We were talking about the symbol of the fish. She said that it stood for the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the only way to God. I shared how I saw it very differently. I saw it as a symbol of my belief in Jesus as the spiritual master who fully evolved into the divine being that God created all of us to be. I also believe that all of the spiritual masters demonstrated the universal truth of our sacredness. She was rather insistent that it only had one meaning. I am often saddened when I hear people making God so small and confined. How could this incredible power create such diversity and richness and insist on one way? It is such an incongruency. When I think in those terms, I feel small and cut off.

I dropped the conversation because I could feel myself wanting to convince her otherwise. I know that anytime I want to convince someone, the original point gets lost and it becomes about my need to be right. I am grateful for my personal experience of God and Jesus and that if I so choose, I can display the fish calling myself a Christian. It is OK that I have a very different perspective of Christianity. I no longer have to deny myself my Christian identity simply because my perspective and experience is dramatically different from that of traditional Christianity. I follow what Jesus teaches and demonstrates to the best of my ability. I endeavor to live in a way that glorifies God by honoring the God presence in every person I meet. I usually fall short of his example, nevertheless- he is my compass and wayshower. I heard recently the term, culturally Christian, spiritually unlimited. That seems to say it all.