Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Recently, much of my own prayer work has focused on centering myself in the deep peace of Christ.
This doesn't mean  that problems go away or that trouble doesn't come, but rather, it means that the way in which I am going to approach the issue and try to act comes from that deep place of being at peace with Christ being in charge instead of me.
Now I'm not always good at this....I sorta think most of us have a lot of work to do yet in this area.
But, if I see that the world needs to become a kinder, more civil, more peace-oriented place, than---at least what I have been taught---is that this begins with me....Remember the old song, "let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me"?
What if all the "me/s" in the world [just a note--that includes the me/s reading this] were to constantly start their day, their project, their job, their conversations by centering in the deep peace of Christ first and then,---OH I KNOW IT"S RISKY---but then, let Christ speak through you?  What do you think would happen to the person you are speaking to?  What do you think would happen to you?  
Can we change the world?  You BET!  How?
Stop trying to be it all, do it all, and get it all.
Center
in the DEEP peace 
of Christ.
Live, speak, work, dance, love, act, stand
in the DEEP peace
of Christ.
Breathe.
Risk.
And let Christ do the hard work.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

What frustration it has been to be sick --during Lent!  My favorite time of the year when I feel so close to God and love to spend time with the people of God.
I did nothing to create this which just added to the frustration of it all.  I don't mean to say that I blame anyone for it was nobody's fault....just a fluke.
And it is frustrating because it is taking SO long to get this straightened out...I'm STILL trying to get normal blood tests and still have to have my liver checked for permanent damage.
Frustration---something every single one of us experiences.  It is something that some of us handle better than others.  It is something that cannot be prevented, but, in fact, can be handled well.
So...the lesson...prayer helps, and even, in some moments, screaming into the open air.  But what helps the most is breathing and sinking into the arms of God and letting God know everything we are experiencing and allowing God to take care of all of it.
I am so blessed to have people in my life and in both of my congregations who remind me of this lesson continually and embody it most of the time--sometimes we are better at seeing the needs in others than in ourselves.
Today, I thank you God for all those who have prayed for me, talked to me, brought me food, medicine, taken me to doctors and churches, called me, wrote emails and facebook posts and sent cards, lifted me up when I was down and were the tangible living presence of Christ to me.
Yes, Easter has come!