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CAN THE LORD BE OUR SHEPHERD?

Posted in faith, meditation, reflection, spirituality on September 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Anderson Gardens 09 013I think I need a shepherd today.   The world’s violence is getting to me, and as I watch various news media and get differing takes on what, if anything, I can do about the awfulness of things, it gives me a headache and one of those stomach aches that makes me feel queasy.  I have not read by own book recently, so I went to see if I could find solace and this passage helped.

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Ps. 23:1)

As you quiet your mind today, imagine that you are a shepherd, alone on a hilltop with only sheep and Mother Nature around you. Add any kind of trees, flowers, bushes, and the like that you enjoy to your imaginary picture, and keep this in mind as you meditate.

The reference to shepherds appears regularly in the Bible. I sometimes wonder if this means we are all sheep. Let your mind play with this analogy for a few minutes. When you used the image of the shepherd with his sheep as you were meditating, did you get a sense of peace?

In our troubled world, it might occasionally be very restful to be a lamb on a hillside with no cares and a shepherd standing by to make sure the lambs come to no harm. The shepherd sees to it that the lambs have food to eat and water to drink. There are other lambs around to frolic with now and then. There are trees with shade for resting or napping, and at day’s end, the lambs will be taken to a place of shelter for the night.

If we truly believe that there is a shepherd who guides us day by day and hour by hour, we really should not want. We should know that everything we need will be provided for us when the need arises. Our Creator cares for us and watches over us, so we need have no fear. We can allow ourselves to feel protected by God’s loving arms. Whenever you need to, today, go back to that hillside and rest in the care of that shepherd.

 

Taken from Talks with our Creator for September 5th.

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WELCOME IN AN UNWELCOMING WORLD

Posted in faith, Gratitude, reflection, spirituality, trust, Uncategorized, tagged , on May 23, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Every now and then, something happens in our lives that really impresses us.  Such a thing happened recently to my sister who lives in Florida, and I felt a need to share this with others.  It was a sign of hope for me — one of those synchronicities that seem to sometimes come when we most need them.

 

Florida has many great places to take walks, and my sister is fortunate enough to live near Tampa Bay and thus has many places where she can walk along the water.  One such place is Phillippe Park.  She related to me that recently she went further than expected and became very tired.  There were many huge homes facing the Bay but most had high walls or were screened in some way from the public walkway.

 

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She was very pleasantly surprised, therefore, to walk past the home pictured above (and we show just the place by the water and not the home itself).  She was struck, as was I, by this note of welcome in this world where so many these days feel the need to barricade themselves behind high fences, strong walls, and heavy security measures.

This is not to say that we don’t need security measures.  In order to live safely today, most of us are very concerned with security measures for our safety and that of our families.   Nonetheless, the resting place and the sign pictured above speaks to those who still want to share what they have with others.

When I walk around our neighborhood, I often see resting places in the yards of the home by which I walk.  There have been a few times when I would have loved to sit down for a few minutes and rest.  I keep meaning to suggest to our local park district that they place benches in more of the small parks our village has scattered here and there.

I even wondered briefly what my neighbors might say were I to set a few chairs near the street and put up a welcome to rest sign.  I doubt I would have the guts to do it — and the rest of my family would likely protest.   Still, I am old enough now to be aware of how much our world has changed and how often our reaction to others is to pull away rather than welcome.  Could we be more welcoming to our human brothers and sisters?  Should we be?

I wonder.  And yet I greatly admire the people who live in the house by Tampa Bay who were gracious enough to extend a welcome to those walking by.

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LEADING WORTHY LIVES

Posted in acceptance, faith, spirituality, tagged , , on November 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.  (Eph. 5:15-16)

 

 

How do we go about leading worthy lives? How must we walk carefully in order to be wise? Is there something you feel God wants you to do in this life that you have not yet done? Reflect on these things as you quiet your minds.

 

It’s hard to remember that Paul spent much of his later life in prison, writing letters to the various places where the new Christian churches had been established. He must have felt that his life was worthy of what God called him to do. Being incarcerated certainly gives people time for reflection.

 

Sister Theresa certainly felt she had received a calling, and she followed through admirably and not without suffering. Missionaries who head off for possibly uncivilized places must believe that they are following God’s wishes. I have often wondered if there was something that God wished me to do that I ignored because of laziness, fears, or simply a taste for the benefits civilization brings. I admire Sister Theresa and those who are missionaries—those who put themselves out for God. However, I have never felt a need to do those things.

 

I like to think our lives are worthy if we simply have a desire to live a decent life and be as caring toward others as we can. We all make sacrifices of some kind, but I am very aware that I have given up little for my faith.  I am willing to do what I can, but wonder sometimes if I should be doing more.  Today, I will try to be open to hear if God does call and hope you will do the same.

Taken from “Talks with our Creator” for November 25th

 

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KNOWING GOD’S WILL

Posted in Higher Power, reflection, spirituality, Uncategorized, tagged , , on August 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42)

 

 

 

Use this phrase as a mantra for your meditation today. Relax, breath deeply, and allow these words to sink deeply into your consciousness.  Can you honestly say that you are in full agreement with them? Are you completely willing to follow God’s will?

It is true that we do not always know with certainty if we are following the will of God. However, if we are honest, we know that many of the things we choose to do would not be what God would have us do. When we deliberately antagonize a family member or a coworker in order to pick a fight, we know God would wish us to respond in a different manner. We know, that is, if we have taken the time to think before we speak. This is not something human beings do with sufficient regularity.

For the most part, if our thoughts are loving thoughts, we will speak and act in a way that is loving and caring. Why do we allow anything but loving thoughts to enter our minds? Because we are “not God,” we are human beings with human responses. When we interact with others, we frequently find that our ego is conflicting with that of another. When this happens (and it always will), our thoughts will then determine what we do

None of us will likely ever be able to hold loving thoughts all the time.But we can make significant improvements if we simply become conscious of how and what we think. Today, allow yourself to monitor your thought processes. Be aware of how often your thoughts are unkind, perhaps even downright nasty. When we become aware of our thoughts, we will naturally begin to shift them so that they are more in line with God’s will. God has told us we should love one another.

Taken from “Talks with our Creator” for December 15th

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SAYING GOODBYE TO FALL

Posted in changes, faith, spirituality, tagged , , on August 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither future, not any powers, neither heights nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Rom. 8:37-39)

 

 

Do you have a feeling of sadness as the calendar moves from September to October? Fall can be glorious, of course, but I tend to think beyond it to winter; in addition, I resist change. And yet, God created our Universe to be one of constant change. And often we see examples of how the death of one thing can transform itself into the birth of another.

 

Every fall, it seems, I can not help but feel sorry for the loss of summer’s bounty. Rationally, I realize that trees probably do not mourn the stoppage of chlorophyll to their leaves, creating the changing colors, or the fact that the leaves will eventually dry and drop off their branches.  Have you ever been fanciful enough to wonder if the trees feel regret when the leaves flutter away one by one? They are most likely wise enough to know that spring will come again with its rebirth and its greening. They accept the process. We humans may have to accept that we occasionally feel sad, but perhaps we need to recognize that our sadness might indicate a lack of faith. If we take the time to reflect on it, we know deep inside that God’s has a plan for the seasons, and that each season will come again in its proper time.

 

Meanwhile, let us simply enjoy the fall. Make sure you have some fun out doors today. Keep in mind, as you do, that God’s script for life, death,  and rejuvenation is nothing less than mystical and miraculous.  The Universe is wonderful — enjoy the wonder.

 

Taken from “Talks with our Creator” for October 4th

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WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU MAKE?

Posted in meditation, spirituality, tagged , on August 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Even inanimate things—flutes or harps, for instance—when yielding a sound, if they make no distinction in the notes, how shall the tune which is played on the flute or the harp be known? (1 Cor. 14:7)

Ask yourself as you reflect today if you feel you are in harmony with your fellow man. Are there tensions in any of your relationships? Are the notes you give off in tune with the notes of others in your life?   We are all involved in making music every day. We do not have to be musicians in order to do this; we simply need to add our voices to those around us. Most of the time, we will blend in fairly well. From time to time, however, some discordance will occur. Some of us may like the dissonance we hear, but for the most part, we will wish to return to a harmonious state.

When a choir is singing, it only takes one person to be slightly sharp or flat and the music will not be fully in tune. When that happens, some adjustment needs to be made so that the tune we sing will be in harmony once again. The change may not be a large one, but it is crucial to the way our music sounds.

For our music to be heard and appreciated, we must get our voices to blend. We must all be “in tune.” When we are able to tune in to others, to truly hear their voices and want to harmonize with them, we can make beautiful music together.   If we are truly concerned about the discordance in our lives, we will pray for peace and harmony, and look for ways in which we might achieve this.

Taken from “Talks with our Creator” for September 21st

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DO WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS?

Posted in meditation, spirituality, tagged , , on July 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »

This is the great and first commandment (loving the Lord with all you heart). And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt. 22:39)


Breathe deeply for a few minutes, and after your mind is quiet, think about the above passage. Do you love your neighbor as yourself? Would you do for you neighbor all those things which you would be willing to do  for yourself? Is it something we are expected to achieve, or do you think it is simply a goal we should try to attain?
As with most of these questions on which we reflect, there are no definitive answers. We will each answer them in our own way. Some of us will not be sure which is the answer Jesus would have expected. I once found myself with tongue-in-cheek saying that it would depend upon the neighbor.
It is good to think about these questions; perhaps it is more important that we consider them than that we find answers. We may never know the answers for sure—at least not in this life. Certainly, God would want us to try to love all His children. If we are tempted to gossip about our neighbor, we might think twice about it if we consider how we would feel if our neighbor gossiped about us.
When it comes to human relations, if we take the time to think about how we would feel if we were in another’s shoes, we might find that we are willing to act differently. It is always a good idea, before acting, to think about whether what you plan to do is the loving thing to do. It can surely do us no harm to attempt to treat those around us as we would like to be treated. Why not try this out today.

Taken from “Talks with our Creator” for May 5th

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IF YOU SEEK, WILL YOU FIND?

Posted in reflection, spirituality, trust, tagged on July 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt. 6:33-34)

We are told that if we seek we will find. Do you believe this to be true for you? Often we seem to be seeking specific answers. What answers are you seeking today? Are they general or specific? Ask yourself why it is that we seem to need answers so much of the time. What might it be like to inquire without looking for answers—to simply have an inquiring mind?

Usually when we ask a question, we expect to find an answer and quickly.  Everything these days seems to be available at the click of a mouse.  On some level, we believe God will tell us immediately what He/She wants us to do or at least tell us where to go for answers. We may want to Know with a capital “K.” We want certainty in an uncertain universe.

The solution is not to stop asking the questions. It’s important that we acknowledge that some problem—some tension—exists, but we sometimes need to simply allow that tension to be there. Consider for a moment what it would be like to be more comfortable with just going along, moment by moment, allowing each day to take care of itself. Perhaps it all boils down to a lack of trust when we humans get focused on the need for answers. We want to be sure—we want to be right.

Obviously, it’s important to know right from wrong. However, many of us have placed too much emphasis on doing the right thing. Perhaps there are sometimes a number of “right” ways, and we need to have enough faith and trust to allow ourselves to simply explore. Today, may we simply ask God to open our minds to possibilities and to help us be more comfortable with asking the questions but not expecting the answers. Just for today, let us trust God to direct our lives and let tomorrow worry about itself.

Adapted from “Talks with our Creator” for August 30th

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WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

Posted in faith, reflection, spirituality, tagged , on July 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Everything is possible for him who believes. (Mark 9:23)

 

 

 

As you reflect today, ask yourself what you believe.  If we walk a spiritual path, this indicates that we hold a number of core beliefs—essentials for the kind of life we want to lead.  Try to think about those things which make up your set of core beliefs.

 

Did you find it difficult to determine what you believe? Our language does a good job of allowing us to communicate for the most part.  However, when it comes to things of the spirit, our language does not serve us well. We know what we believe, but it can be quite hard to put those things into words.

 

For many of us, our intrinsic beliefs probably look a little like some of the Ten Commandments.  We believe that we should love God and one another.  We believe that we should worship only our God.  We should honor our parents, not kill others, respect others’ property, not steal, and not lie.  Most of our beliefs, however, have some qualifications attached.

 

We can kill others if we are defending ourselves and those we love, for example.  Probably most of us believe adultery is wrong, but it happens so frequently, some may wonder if we do believe it.  Many of us have been guilty of worshiping graven images like money, or automobiles, or mansions.  Because we are human, we slip easily into behaviors that are contrary to what we honestly believe.  Sometimes our definitions are at fault. Keeping the Sabbath Day holy depends on one’s definition of what is holy.

 

Today, examine your beliefs and whether or not you still believe those things. We need to know what we believe and who we are before we decide whether or not to make changes.

Taken from “Talks with our Creator” for June 5th

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GOD IS LOVE — ALWAYS

Posted in acceptance, Love, spirituality, tagged , on July 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)

Would you agree that God is love? Would you agree that whoever does not love does not know God? Think about this as you reflect and consider those people in your life that you love. What does it mean if you do not always feel love for them?

Meister Eckhart once said, “The best chance of finding God is to look in the place where we left him.” It is odd to think of losing God, but we humans often seem to be out of touch with our Creator—especially when we are not feeling loving. Whenever God seems far away from us, we are the ones who have moved. God is always available to us if we wish Him/Her to be.

As much as I like to think I stay focused on spiritual things, there are many times in any given day when I get caught up in busyness and forget to seek God. In a definite crisis, I generally am sure to think about God, but in the usual, day-to-day activities of life (where God is often most needed), I forget. Perhaps we all forget to practice the presence of God.  If we happen to be feeling angry or resentful, we most likely have grown out of touch with God. We might then ask ourselves, “Where did I leave God?” And the answer is that we didn’t leave Him, we temporarily forgot that He is always with us. We have simply forgotten to be aware and that God is love.

Taken from “Talks with our Creator” for May 17th

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