Quietness

How quiet is your world? How quiet is your mind? How quiet are things around you? How quiet are you inside? Is there always something running through your mind, something that you always have to think about? If there is, which is the case for most all of us, then a quiet mind and spirit are hard to come by. If a quiet heart, mind and spirit are hard to have, then peace and contentment seems very far away.

God, I'm not trying to rule the roost, I don't want to be king of the mountain. I haven't meddled where I have no business or fantasized grandiose plans. I've kept my feet on the ground, I've cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother's arms, my soul is a baby content. Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope. Hope now; hope always!

Psalm 131:1-3

When is the last time that you felt your soul content like a baby sleeping in its mother's arms? To answer this question another question needs to be asked: When is the last time that you attempted to cultivate, grow, create a quiet heart? Most of us do not have a stillness or quietness inside of ourselves. We are always attempting to "rule the roost," trying to get ahead, work harder, and prove something to someone. (even though we are not sure just quite who this is) Rarely do we just sit before God and cultivate quietness. If we do sit in front of God to pray it is about our attempts to rule the roost or be the king of the mountain, why those plans are not working out so well, and our complaints about that. What a restless spirit we are cultivating when we do this.

Challenge yourself today to cultivate some quietness before God. Just be still in mind and body. This is a very uncomfortable thing to do for most of us. We do not like to confront our thoughts, become very anxious when things slow down, and rarely want to know what is really in our hearts. This is why the word cultivate is used. It takes time to be quiet and still. Our thoughts run through our mind at a frantic pace. A baby, well a baby has very little to think about, to get focused on. A baby just rest in its mother's arms. It hopes and knows that it is taken care of and contentment is the baby's reward. A baby is not attempting to be the king of the mountain or trying to rule any roost. A baby just wants to rest in the arms of the one who care for it. A baby is quiet in mind, spirit and heart. A baby just is. Find some time today to connect to God through being quiet. Allow God to give you contentment as you rest in the Creator's arms. Allow hope and faith to bring you contentment. Cultivate this quietness everyday. It is even a scientific fact that people who can cultivate this kind of quiet in their minds are happier people.

Namaste'

Fruits

We all want a life that produces things like peace, serenity, joy, and excitement. Most of us wish for this, hope for this, but never really think that it is actually possible. What if it is more than possible, but you can do it today?

But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

Galatians 5:22-25

The more we connect to God and God's spirit, the more we produce a way of living that is full of love for others, peace, and excitement about life. We begin to see that we are all conncected and compassion fills our heart. As God fills our lives, there is no more room for anger, bitterness, and impatience. We all think that if we keep enough "rules" that we will find out how to produce this kind of fruit in our lives. However, this is really attempting to "get our own way." The only way to find peace, love, and patience is to let go of the self and its need to make things hapen as we think is "should." This is a waste of energy and time to keep rules in an effort to feel peace. This really leads to more worry, running around, and frustration because we begin to wonder if we are keeping the rules "right." It is call legalism. When we just connect to God with our thoughts, think like Christ - when we just connect to God through how we act - we become humble like Christ - when we just connect to God through love - we love and forgive like Christ -we find gifts pure into our lives from living in this connection. These gifts are what we all are looking for - love, joy, peace.

Try it today, just think like, love like, and see if you do not act like Christ more and more each day. Notice when you are angry and turn it into love and humble yourself - watch love and peace show up. Allow someone in line in front of you in traffic or at the store - watch peace and joy show up. Begin these little steps each day and watch them grow - watch joy show up.

Namaste'

Impressed

How often are we wanting to impress someone? How often do we really leave someone impressed with us? What does it mean that we impressed someone? It means to affect strongly, often favorably. How do we do that with others in our life?

At dawn's first light, the high priests, with the religious leaders and scholars, arranged a conference with the entire Jewish Council. After tying Jesus securely, they took him out and presented him to Pilate.
Pilate asked him, "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?"
He answered, "If you say so." The high priests let loose a barrage of accusations.
Pilate asked again, "Aren't you going to answer anything? That's quite a list of accusations." Still, he said nothing. Pilate was impressed, really impressed.

Mark 15:1-5

Pilate was impressed with Jesus not saying a word. Jesus did not stand in front of him and plead a case, or attempt to convince him that that everyone was wrong and he was right. Jesus just stood there and let Pilate be right.

What would it be like if we could do the same thing? What if instead of pleading our case people people in an attempt to impress them, we just allow them to think and be right? What if the people, who called themselves God's people, just loved others with this kind of humility? In a world where we are taught to stand up for our rights and not let anyone have the upper hand, what would happen if we just allowed others to say what they needed to say, listened, and actually heard them? Could we really impress them then? I do not think that people are impressed by our best arguments or logical cases. I think that people are impressed when they feel like we hear them, love them, and understand them. Impress people today and place them first, even in what may seem like the most horrible of circumstances. Let your boss be heard, your coworkers, your family, and your friends. Hear them before you go to make your point to show them how they are wrong. Two things may happen - you may find out that they you understand them better and they are impressed with you when you do.

Namaste'

Together

The air conditioner at my house has not been working for almost three days as I write this. The first thought that you have when this happens is usually something that you would not repeat out loud. However, I soon began to think about what would make this show up in my life right now, besides a busted compressor. I am a firm believer in there are no accidents. I am still a firm believer.

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

Ephesians 4:4

They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Acts 2:41

This time has allowed for my family to connect with others like no other time in our life so far. We have spent the last three days just visiting with friends, being together. We eat, we talk, we share, we pray, we fellowship, and I hope that we become deep spirited friends. I heard this week that people in ministry should never eat breakfast or lunch alone. I think that should be a goal for all of us to spend most of our meals and time with others. It is what we have lost in our fast paced, distant, busy culture - just to be together. When we take this time, we find that we do have a oneness that permeates us all. We find that it energizes us like nothing else, and spurs us onto inspiration that we could have never known otherwise. Sometimes we like to tell ourselves that "others are not nice and just do not want to spend time with us." However, we may find that we are the resistant ones, unwilling to put into practice a spirit of togetherness and oneness. We may be the ones unwilling to reach out and make that committment to eat with others, pray with others, and just be with others. I find it inspirational, energizing, motivating, and awaking to be with together with others.

Namaste'

Space

This word means so many things to so many people. I think about it in terms of emotional, spiritual, and psychological space. I think about it more specifcally in terms of this kind of space needing to be in our relationships. We all think that we must pressure people to live the way we think they should live, think the way we think they should, and feel the way that we think they should. If people would just do that we could feel loved, accepted, and cared for - no longer would I experience any pain. How far from the truth this is! How much pain we actually create for ourselves when we do not allow others to have the "space" they need to feel safe.

Don't overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change.

2 Peter 3:8-9

God gives all the space that is available, waiting for us to change. God is not pressured about it, but he practices "infinite patience" which produces immediate results. There is no hurry for God, time is not of the essence. God has eternity to wait. We have the same option. We need to pratice being patient with people, giving them space to be their own person, have their own thoughts, and feel their own feelings. We get so defensive about it, we take it so personally at times, that people just do not want to be around us. We so deperately want "it" to happen "now" that we are unable to give the "space" to allow it to happen. Guess what - "it" never happens! We kill "it" off. It is like digging around a plant everyday, pulling on the plant to get it to grow faster, giving it fertilizer everyday, over watering it in hopes it goes faster - the plant dies!

I want us all to be able to give "space" to those around us. Allow them to work things out, to feel there feelings, and think the ways that they want to think. Trust the process just as much as God does.

Namaste'

Witness

What is the picture that we are allowing the world to see about God? Are we actually witness to the power and glory of God, the oneness of God, and the love of God? If we are then we have been given the same glory and friendship that Christ has with God.

I'm praying not only for them But also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they'll be as unified and together as we are— I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you've sent me and loved them in the same way you've loved me.

John 17:20-23

Are we "mature in oneness" as God is in the trinity? Do we give space for each other, point to each other, and become the servants of each other? If we did the world that does not know God and does not understand spirituality would see that they are loved by God. When we actually enter into a relationship with God, we must take on the "mind of God," "the mind of Christ" that scripture talks about in Philippians 2. We must become servants and allow others to be more important. This is the "glory" that Christ is talking about. This is what a "godless" world wants to see - they want to see that they are loved! They want to know that they can enter into a relationship with people and with God and know they are loved and served as they serve. As Christ followers, we sometimes do a very poor job and being a witness to our God and Christ glory.

Love and serve each other. Witness to the love that God has for all people. Show it, act it out in all situations that God makes available to you. This is what points people to God - not our acts of righteousness and avoidance of the "wrong" behaviors and things - but the servant attitude and love we have for all people. We act out God right in front of them.

Namaste'

Observe

Have you ever been able to step back and observe yourself. You know that you can. Think about it. When you say, "I was saying to myself......" There are two people in that sentence. There is a part of us that has always been the observer of our life. Think about it for a moment before you reject this idea. Your body has grown older, you have had many life experiences, and there is a part of yourself that has never grown old and has seen things in your life through the same, whether you were 5 or 50 years old. Look back on your life and think about, see it, feel it and listen to your life. When you remember these things, the part of you that does never really changes. You are the observer of your life, this is the part of you that is eternal and spiritual! The eternal and spiritual part of you has always been the same and always will be the same.

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Step back and let this eternal and spiritual part of you observe yourself and how God is working in your life. You can actually watch God working like you watch yourself in your dreams. What makes this so important? It is important because if you can do this, observe your life, you can become more aware. If you become more aware you can change, love, and be more like God in your giving and living. You get to see how God works and if you can observe it you can copy it, you can be it, you can become it. This is how change happens!

Namaste'

Play Second Fiddle

How often do we really want to play "second chair" to someone? How often to we allow someone else to get the glory and we stay "shy" in our interactions with others? I do not mean shy like embarrassed to interact with another person, but shy in the sense that we are marked by reserve, we allow someone else to be seen, to be known.

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

Romans 12:9-10

This kind of love can only come from the center of who we are, because at the center of who we are is a spiritual being created by God for community with others. Think of the concept of the trinity. There is a father, spirit, and son. They each point to the other, each of them is "shy" and "play second fiddle" to the other. The spirit points to Christ, Christ points to the father. God has no ego. God did not create us because he was bored and just needed someone to talk to. God created us because God wanted us to experience the perfect community that was expereinced by the trinity. This is a community where people play second fiddle, that are shy in their dealings with each other, and comes from the center of who they are - the spirit of God within them.

So today play second fiddle and be shy. Allow others to "get the glory." Allow others to be seen and heard. Allow yourself to have the mind of Christ and make your inner mantra today "how may I serve?" What amazing things would happen if we all did that?

Namaste'

Imagination

What if your imagination and reality could match? Is that even possible? I think that it is! We can do anything that we can dream about and more!

And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Ephesians 3:19-21

I love the words extravagant dimensions! We do not know or understand, we cannot picture how big the love of God is for us! I think that living a full life is being able to experience the fullness of God! God can do anything! God does this by working within us. God does not push us around and make us use our imagination, God does it from within us with gentle love and care. Can you picture what would be included in "anything" for you? Can you hear what is calling out to you when it is said that God can do "anything?" What feelings rise up in you when you hear that God can do "anything?" I love the following poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge:

What if you slept?

And what if,

In your sleep you dreamed?

And what it, in your dream,

You went to heaven

And there plucked a strange and beautiful flower?

And what if, when you awoke,

You had the flower in your hand?

What if your dreams, your imagination, God's "anything" became reality? What if? I think it is possible.

Namaste'

Every Thought is a Prayer

I don't think that most of us think of prayer in this way. We see prayer as an act that is only done when our heads are bowed and we are petitioning God for a need that we, or someone else, may have. We pray in the morning. We pray at night. We pray whenever trouble comes. We pray when we are thankful for what has come. However, do we really see prayer that is without ceasing, listen to every thought we have, and feel every feeling that these thoughts create in us?

Pray without ceasing. I Thessalonians 5:17

Do we realize that we do this, that every thought we have is a prayer that gets answered? Think about it for a minute. See in you mind a picture of the thoughts that you are having throughout the day and the kind of life they are making for you. Listen to what those thoughts have to say to you and you think them. Feel if they make you joyful or anxious. The thoughts we think either match the mind of God, or they are something that God cannot hear, see or feel because God does not talk that language. For instance when we ask for something from God and say or think - "I am lacking and I need something from you" - God does not know about lack. Picture two milk jugs sitting next to each other. One of them is full of water and one of them is empty. Listen as the empty says to the full one, "I am empty can you help me out?" The full one says to it, "what is empty I have always been full?" This jug does not understand the concept of empty and has no idea how to help. However, if the empty one says to the full one, "I want to be full like you," the full jug could understand and tell it just how to go about that.

So what are your thoughts more like? Do you have more of a tendency to think "I am in such need, I will never be full, God can you help?" Or are you more apt to think "I will be full, happy, and joyful - full!" Which ever way you think, these are your prayers without ceasing. The way we think will define what we will place our attention on. There will be evidence for lack if you want to find it. There is also evidence for your life being full if you want to find it. It is not that God does not answer our prayers, but really answers every one of them. We are either connected to God in our thoughts or disconnected in our thoughts. God does not go anywhere - we do. When we do disconnect ourselves from God and something comes into our life that we do not want, it may be because we were a match to that. Look at one of the most famous prayers on the planet and notice that he did not ask for what he was missing, but asked to be like more like God:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Namaste'

Banish Doubt

This is truly a difficult thing for us - to banish doubt. Banish means to drive away; to expel. What can happen if we banish doubt?

Early the next morning Jesus was returning to the city. He was hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree alongside the road, he approached it anticipating a breakfast of figs. When he got to the tree, there was nothing but fig leaves. He said, "No more figs from this tree—ever!" The fig tree withered on the spot, a dry stick. The disciples saw it happen. They rubbed their eyes, saying, "Did we really see this? A leafy tree one minute, a dry stick the next?"
But Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don't doubt God, you'll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you'll tell, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God."

Matthew 21:18-22

I think that this is more than just believing that we can do something, this is actually knowing that anything is possible. Beliefs will change over time. I, and you, do not have the same beliefs that we had ten or twenty years ago. However, things that I know do not change. When I know something I never doubt it. So today banish your doubt. Whenever doubt comes up and you want to walk away from something because you like to say to yourself -"that will never happen," banish this thought and know that anyting is possible. This is kingdom life. This is the life that helps us to overcome huge obstacles! Know and act on your knowing. Doubt and you will act on your doubt and do nothing. Act on your knowings. Act knowing that the Creator did not place you here to do nothing, to fear what may happen, and to avoid things that seem hard. The Creator place you here to have life and have it more abundantly. This requires that you banish doubt so that there is no my fear, but confidence, no more avoidance, but engagement, and no more inaction, but action. Begin today to live a kingdom life that realizes that God is right here, right now and know that your dreams are more than possible - they are right in front of you with just a little knowing and action.

Namaste'

Shameless Persistance

I first started to title this post "Boldness." Obviously I changed it because I love the words "shameless persistance" that are found in the New Living Translation of this passage:

Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:5-10

Jesus had just finished teaching the disciples how they should pray and gave the guideline for prayer that must of us know as the "Lord's Prayer." I find the verses after this much more interesting. Can you imagine being this persistant in your life, not only your prayer life, but you life? Jesus tells us that this person received what he was asking for, not because it was a friend of his, but because the guy would just not give up asking for the bread! I have been learning this lately in my life. I have not had shameless persistance when it comes to pursuing the things I really want in my life. I find excuses about why it will not happen, waste my day telling myself how I do not have enough time and how tired I am. I keep saying that I will get it done tomorrow sometime. It then happens all over again the next day. Read this poem:

Lose The Day Loitering
Lose the day loitering,'twill be the same story

To-morrow, and the next more dilatory,

For indecision brings its own delays,

And days are lost lamenting o'er lost days.

Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute!

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

Only engage, and then the mind grows heated;

Begin it, and the work will be completed.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Goethe writes about the need to be bold - to be shamelessly persistant - about following through on your dreams, your desires, the things that God has placed inside of you that have to come out. Jesus tells us that we need to be bold and persistance, not only asking in prayer, but taking action each and every minute and seize them! When we engage in the process of shameless persistance, our mind and passion for the thing we are acting upon grows more and more "heated" and we will soon find completed the task we set out to do. Keep asking. Keep knocking. Keep opening doors. Keep seeking. When you do you will find the dream completed and joy full. Continue to be persistant in your pursuit of God, or life, and of your dreams. People will not hand it to us because they know us or because they owe us a favor. It will be found and given to us because, like this man Jesus speaks of we have been shamelessly persistant! Write down some things that you have always wanted to do, just writing down the list is the beginning of the work. Stop the excuses, look for and find all the reasons to tell yourself "it is on its way."

Namaste'

Reflection

Ever need some time to just stop and reflect? I need it often. I need time to just sit back and think about all the things I need to be thankful for, all the things that I have been given, all the things I get to enjoy in life. I just need to reflect.

I eat my fill of prime rib and gravy; I smack my lips. It's time to shout praises! If I'm sleepless at midnight, I spend the hours in grateful reflection. Because you've always stood up for me, I'm free to run and play. I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post.

Psalm 63:5

Sometimes I just need to reflect and be thankful. Sometimes I just need to reflect and realize what has been making me steady and free to run and play. Sometimes I just need to be thankful that the Creator of the universe is standing up for me. I need to remember and reflect because I easily forget.

Namaste'

Alive

"Look at that man, bloated by self-importance— full of himself but soul-empty. But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive."

Habakkuk 2:4

Don't we all think that to be really alive we need to look for number one? I mean to be really alive is to have all the things that life can afford! Can a person you lives in the rain forest living in a hut with little clothes, no boat to ride in on the weekend, no car to travel around in, no air conditioner, no heat, no bottled water, no gym to work out in, no television to watch, no sports to cheer for, no bank to put their money in, no insurance to take care of them if they get hurt, no chair to sit in, no mattress to lay on to sleep- can they be fully and really alive? It is how we tend to live, is it not? That we must have the best of everything, we can't live without certain things, it all has to be just right for us for us to truly enjoy our life and be fully and really alive.

I think that we all are truly alive, not because we are bloated by our own self-importance, but because we are connected to God spiritually. These "things" leave our soul empty, they do not fill up anything but our self importance. They leave no room for God. To be trully connected to God, our life must be less full, more empty, more quiet, less busy, and more mindful. God can only come to the quiet mind and life. If we are so full of things and stuff. And so full of worries about our things and stuff. And so bloated by our worry that we do not have enough stuff, or time to enjoy them, or money to pay for them, or insurance to cover them, or that life cannot be enjoyed without them - how is there any room for God at all?!

You see it is the person who is empty that has room for God. It is the person who is not bloated and worried about their own importance that can be filled and connected to God. It is the person who can be filled with God that is standing right before God and can steadily believe that all is well and be fully alive - really alive! They are truly, really, fully alive - not because they do everything right or keep all the rules - but because they commune with God in every moment. They appreciate each moment, love each moment, because they can be fully present in each moment! This produces peace, joy, fulfillment and this leads to "right" behavior. This person is no longer consumed with anger, resentment, frustration, anxiety because there is nothing to have all those feelings about - there is no bloated feeling!

Today do all you can to live in each moment. Do all you can to let go of things. Give them away, let them go, and do not buy another one! Allow yourself to connect to God because you just enjoy living. Is this not what the tribes in the rain forest do everyday? They do their chores, their work, and then they just enjoy living with what they have. They are empty and somehow connected to something bigger than themselves.

Namaste'

Maturity

Maturity can be defined as "the state or quality of being fully grown or developed." I have a passion for people who call themselves "Christ followers" to become spiritually mature individuals. Since I am fully grown and developed as an adult, I can feed myself, dress myself, and make decisions for myself. I hope they are good ones. However, I find that many people have not reached a level of maturity in their lives, especially their spiritual lives. I want to be clear that this is not a judgement, we are all reaching out for our potential, this is a passion I have to help people come to a level of joy and peace in their lives that can only be reach by spiritual maturity happening. This means that our "idealized self" - the way that we think we look to the world - must come more and more into alignment with our "realized self" - the way that we really look to people. This encompasses the whole person beginning from the inside and working out to behaviors.

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2

Spiritually mature people are becoming more and more like God, like Christ, everyday. Spiritual maturity, psychological maturity, comes from practices that we implement everyday that help us to recognize our thoughts and beliefs that lead to the actions that we take. We spend time everyday connecting to God, allowing the spirit to correct us, mold us, change us from the inside so that the outside matches. How we think we look to people is actually how we look to people. Immaturity comes from not taking this time to challenge ourselves, not taking correction - discipleship - from someone to make sure the inside matches the outside - that the real self is getting closer to matching the ideal self.

I encourage you today to begin to think how you could take this journey. What spiritual practices will you begin to do to start the journey of pulling the ideal and the real closer together? What books will you read? Will you take the time to be quiet in your spirit and listen? Will you partner with someone to let them correct and challenge you? Will you see your everyday life - your working, eating, sleeping, walking around - as something that God is at work in all the time and live present in those moments and be awake? Work on your maturity so that God can bring out the best in you.

Namaste'

Open

Are you open today? I mean are you going to live this day in wonder and belief? Are you going to live this day as if it was the last to be lived, or walk around today with your eyes at a squint keeping everything and everyone away because of your mistrust of life? I say be open and live your life in wonder and belief. Be giving and kind. How else are others going to know how God operates and who God really is?

"No one lights a lamp, then hides it in a drawer. It's put on a lamp stand so those entering the room have light to see where they're going. Your eye is a lamp, lighting up your whole body. If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don't get musty and murky. Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room."

Luke 11:33-36

"Keep your eyes open." To be open means affording unobstructed entrance and exit; not shut or closed, or affording unobstructed passage or view. So what will it be today - to live with your eyes almost shut keeping light out and everything that you have been given to yourself? This causes us to get "musty and murky." We live a life that is distrustful of people and God. We begin to get resentful and angry, depression can set in. However, can you open your eyes and let light in and seeing all the wonder and beauty that has been set before you today? Can you let light out and give to others and be kind to others? This will keep your life "well-lighted" and bring to your peace, joy, forgiveness, hope, and love. You know that feeling of a bright room that seems to wash all fear and hopelessness away!

Be open today and practice catching yourself allowing your eyes to close. You know when this happens. When you begin to think that everyone is out to get you, that the boss should not have done that, that things should not work out this way, that you never will get things right, that you have nothing to offer......... on and on we could go. When you "catch" yourself here begin to let your be wide open and let in light. You have made it this far and God will never leave you, people are doing their best, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing, what am I to be learning from this experience, I trust myself and when I do I am trusting God....... on and on we could go here also. Be open and let light fill you and others around you.

Namaste'

Joy

When does joy exist? Does it come only when we experience what we think we should in life? Can it be experienced even in times when we are experiencing great trouble and pain? Paul gave us some insight into this while he was still in prison.

As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues. You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We'll be praising Christ, enjoying each other.

Philippians 1:22

Here is a man in prison, waiting for his life to end at the hands of the Roman Empire. He is most definitely under stress. He is saying that he would just rather die and go be with Christ. He is tired of camping out here on this earth and he is ready to die. However, he also says that he knows that the work that he was given has not been completed and that staying here to complete it is better. Paul says that he plans to be here awhile and to continue to enjoy the growth and trusting of God with everyone. How many of us could say that in the circumstances we are facing right now, much less being in prison waiting to be executed.

Joy is know that no matter where you are, dead or alive, the chance to be connect to God is always available. Heaven is available right here on earth. Joy comes then. Joy comes when we realize that Christ is always present, always with us, and always worthy of trust. So there are times when we may not be to "happy," but this is quite different than joy. Joy means to take great pleasure in something. Joy comes when we take great pleasure in this life. Joy is to be able to recognize that if there is one thing that we think is wrong with life, that we will be able to find ten things that are right with life. Find joy today. It is here and ready to be found. Do not wait for it to come, look for it and place your attention on all the reasons that you have to be joyful. Allow your beliefs and convictions about who you are - a spiritual being, a child of God, a piece of God, the imago dei of God - rule over the emotions and thoughts you have about life. This is the example of Paul.

Namaste'

Enjoy

I was at the park today with my son and noticed how all the children ran around and enjoyed themselves. I started thinking about how each of these children were playing on each set in the playground and enjoying themselves. The children just enjoyed playing. None of them seemed to see the ladders, the slides, the monkey bars, the swings as jobs. I began thinking about how as adults we turn things that should be fun into jobs and chores. We have so much trouble just enjoying the ups and downs of life. We get frustrated about having to climb up to enjoy the slide down. We get angry when we have a slide down and have to climb up again. We forget that life is here to enjoy.

After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It's useless to brood over how long we might live.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

So today see life as a playground and your job, the daily activities, as the fun playground of life. Enjoy climbing, sliding, running, spinning, swinging, jumping, and playing! Play well with those around you and be kind. Enjoy the daily gift from God you have!

Namaste'

Quenched

Are you thirsty today? I think that most of us walk around thirsty deperately attempting to get our thirst quenched and satisfied. We try to find this cool, tasty, water in many places. We attempt to let our ego take control and life by the system that is the world's. This system says that you will be quenched if..................... (You fill in the blank). We listen to our ego which has taken on the system of the world that tells us this is the truth. We will be quenched if we make a certain amount of money. We are quenched if we have aquired enough stuff. We will be quenched if we have the right kind of career. Our thirst will be satisfied if we ......................... We are told by ourselves, the world, and our ego that if we get that need fulfilled we will never thirtst again. Guess what?! We all wake up every morning with ourselves, the world, and our ego saying it is thirsty and demanding more! It never gets quenched! We have to keep drawing out of that well over and over again!

Jesus answered, "If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water."
The woman said, "Sir, you don't even have a bucket to draw with, and this well is deep. So how are you going to get this 'living water'? Are you a better man than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, he and his sons and livestock, and passed it down to us?"
Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life."

John 4:10-14

I love the word "artiesian" that it used here. Artesian wells are wells made by boring into the earth till the instrument reaches water, which, from internal pressure, flows spontaneously like a fountain. They are usually of small diameter and often of great depth. An artesian aquifer is a confined aquier containing groundwater that will flow upwards out of a well without the need for pumping! There is no need to keep drawing water out of the well, because if flows out by itself! Jesus is offering us a spring that will continually quench our thrist and it comes from within. When we are willing to dig deep enough into our "stuff" and into our own inner brokenness, a spring of life will flow out.

We all too often like to keep burying our "stuff" with the things our ego demands to be quenched, all the time we are covering up the spring of living water that is right there within us! It is hard work to dig, painful at times, but the challenge is rewarding because our life is changed from one of selfishness to one of giving and loving. Our life, our perception changes to that of compassion because as we understand our own struggles - the struggle to be kind, to lessen worry, to lessen frustration, to increase faith, to increase love - we begin to understand the struggle of others. When we understand their struggles and love them, we are no longer looking to our own interest, the kingdom of God comes alive! By giving love, kindness, and care we get all these in return. When the spring of living water comes out of us, we help it come out of others and we all have a continous spring coming from us! Who could thirst then?!

Namaste'

Because the Master Said So

How many of us believe things because the Master said so? To have faith is to believe that it is night even though it is day because our Master said so. Jesus appeared to be frustrated at times with his disciples and others lack of faith.

Late that day he said to them, "Let's go across to the other side." They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, "Teacher, is it nothing to you that we're going down?"
Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! Settle down!" The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: "Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith at all?"
They were in absolute awe, staggered. "Who is this, anyway?" they asked. "Wind and sea at his beck and call!" Mark 4:35-41

I do not think that God is troubled at our lack of faith because there is something that he is "going to release out of his hand when we release our faith." We all know this little trick don't we? I think that the frustration about the lack of faith is that we do not take God and trust God. We do not trust that if God created all this expansive universe, billions and billions of light years across, God will not care for us. You can see it in the passage above. The disciples were completely unaware of Jesus being God and able to control all! Do we believe because our master has said so? Despite the fact that it may look like it is day, it is really night because God said. Would we believe it, do we have that kind of faith. Not faith that looks for God to be a bellboy and give us something good if we give enough tips, but a God that cares just because that is God's nature. God cannot do anything but care.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:28

God is doing it all for us. We are doing nothing, we are being done by a loving, wonderful, awesome, expansive, beautiful creator that cares. This does not mean that we always understand, feel good or happy, but it does mean that we allow our faith to rule over these things at times - Because the Master Said So.

Namaste'