There Is Peace

This moment, all around me, there is peace. Just outside my window I see sparrows on the branches of the leafless burning bush, chattering to each other and soaking in the sun. The tops of the snow mounds along the walks and driveways in my neighborhood glitter like they've been sprinkled with diamond dust. My sons are at school, well-fed and secure. My relationships are harmonious. Life is good. Peace is here, in this moment, all around me in this world I see, this world I've been given, this world that blesses me. Is it peaceful where you are, right now? In your life, in your mind, in your heart? Let's thank God for it with all we've got. There is peace in this world. And what we pay attention to grows--in the Name of God. So let's agree to love the peace God has placed in our homes and souls so much that it magnifies and instantly extends to embrace the world. Can peace be more than that?

Blessings on your day! :) k

A Wonderful Gift

A friend sent this poem to me just a few minutes ago...it's wonderful. I love Rumi (thanks, Chris!). I wanted to share it with you, too. Here it is: :) k

Zero Circle

Be helpless, dumbfounded,
Unable to say yes or no.
Then a stretcher will come from grace
to gather us up.

We are too dull-eyed to see that beauty.
If we say we can, we’re lying.
If we say No, we don’t see it,
That No will behead us
And shut tight our window onto spirit.

So let us rather not be sure of anything,
Beside ourselves, and only that, so
Miraculous beings come running to help.
Crazed, lying in a zero circle, mute,
We shall be saying finally,
With tremendous eloquence, Lead us.
When we have totally surrendered to that beauty,
We shall be a mighty kindness.

--Rumi

Increasing Still-ability

This afternoon, right after lunch, I was standing at the kitchen window watching my now-big-100-pound Newfoundland puppy Georgie bound joyfully through the snow in the backyard. I was munching shortbread cookies. As I finished one cookie and started another, I heard myself wonder, "Why am I eating these? I'm not hungry...and they don't even taste good." The answer was, "I'm having trouble being still," and I knew that it was true.

The last few weeks have been an incredibly busy work time for me. I rush through my morning routine--which typically involves 20 to 30 minutes of meditation, reading, and writing in my journal--do a quick version of yoga (which really negates the whole point of yoga), and talk to God on the run, in the car, in-between paragraphs as I write. I don't feel distant from God, but I sure haven't given him the focused attention I usually do. As I stood there crunching cookies, though, I suddenly understood the frenetic cycle I was in...running from one thing to another, tapping my foot and thinking of the next thing, jittering, planning, moving...

The problem with incessant activity is that there's no listening time, no clearing in a mind that rests, no receptivity to new, healed, or blessed perceptions. There's simply a fast management of life as I perceive it, navigating through deadlines, getting the kids fed, trying to plot the fastest way to school with the least traffic. I suspect that making stillness a priority once again--perhaps especially in the midst of such time pressure--will give me focus and rest and a knowing that I miss when I'm running through my days.

So thanks for the cookie, God, and for the realization that went along with it. I'm going to find a clear spot in my afternoon and just hang out with you for a while.

Blessings on your day! :) k

Answered Prayers

A word of encouragement for all of us who pray for peace, for love, for healing in these days, taken from today's entry in God Calling (Jove Books, NY):

Remember, trembling heart, that with God, to hear is to answer. Your prayers, and they have been many, are answered.

May we all feel God with us today and claim the divine reassurance that our prayers are always heard and answered.

TGIF! Have a great weekend. :) k

The Little Things of God

* a smile * a touch * letting a grumpy person go before you in traffic * reassurance * waking up on a cold morning under a pile of warm blankets * being truthful because you believe it's right * being truthful because you know it's healing (for you both) * being truthful because you know God is in the words you speak and carries the spirit of healing between the two of you * letting small annoyances pass * not getting insulted when your kids take you for granted * taking time to listen when you don't think you have it * getting a sudden glimpse of the preciousness of life * being thankful for everything * seeing your friends perfect just the way they are * remembering that everything God created, He named "good" (including you and me) * glimpsing beauty in falling snow, majesty in forceful winds, peace in raindrops, and love--and the need for it--in the faces of all those you see today.

Many blessings on your day! With love, :) k

The Starting Point

I had a wonderful conversation with a young, dear friend last night. We were talking about the state of the world--these clouds of threat that hang over us all as individuals, as a country, as world. I told him that I believe that the natural state of all God created is health--and that we, in our own bodies, our families, our communities, our world--are built to righten naturally. Our immune systems attempt to chase away germs; our hair grows back; our bruises and cuts heal. In our families, upset and misunderstandings get washed away with love and forgiveness. In our businesses, mistakes and bad choices become part of the learning fabric essential to making better, healthier choices in the future. There is reason for hope, and it begins with a recognition and welcome of the healing gift God has built into us all. We will grow and learn and strengthen ourselves and each other, if we're awake to it and willing to apply it. And God will use our health to call others out from under the dark clouds and begin to allow the healing in their own lives in a new way.

I ran across this quote this morning that captures that starting point of healing:

But where was I to start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I knew best, my own. But my country is so very large. I had better start with my town. But my town, too, is large. I had best start with my street. No, my home. No, my family. Never mind, I shall start with myself.
- Elie Wiesel

Enjoy your day, and have a good weekend! :) k

A Question

If your thoughts were powerful enough to instantly create what you are thinking about, what would you would want to create today?

With Me :)

I want to follow up on my last posting real quick. First I have to say what we all know: God is amazing. Not long after I wrote that message the other morning, I began to feel a shift inside. A strength. A calm. By the afternoon, I was in full swing on my projects, making great headway. By nighttime I'd cranked out a major portion of a project and was moving on to the next. Today, three days later, I can report back that God has been with me and in me and his strength has surrounded me in my work every step of the way. I ask him for guidance and do the next thing I know to do to the best of my ability. I don't allow myself to entertain that panic thought, "How will I ever get all this done?" The calm assurance--and productivity--is a great gift, and it was--and is--there for the asking. God is truly with us, in whatever capacity we'll allow him. I want him in all ways, in all times, in all circumstances. Thank you, God! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! :) k

With Me or Not

Last night I somehow dropped off to sleep worrying about three wonderful-but-huge projects I have this month. This morning I woke up in a panic before first light, feeling overwhelmed and incapable of meeting all these looming deadlines. Sometime in the middle of the night, I woke up and pulled all the covers up over my head, thinking over and over again, "God is my resource...God is my resource..."

What I'm struggling with today is my perception of my own limitations and, at a very basic level, a question of whether I really believe God's promise that He is always with me, that the battle is His, that He is the vine and I am the branch. If I am struggling with the thought of "my limited resources" of time, money, energy, whatever--isn't that the same thing as declaring that I'm in this alone and relying on my own strength? Do I believe God powers me or not? Is it Him at work in me and through me, every minute--or is He here one minute and gone the next? That's not the God I know...and I think I'm being led to a new place where I will understand and live from the very base of my beliefs. He has brought abundant work. I am thankful. He equips us for the jobs He has for us. He tells us to look to Him for strength and direction and let the battle be His. Can I apply this to all levels of my life and believe the best about myself--because He works in me?

I'm reminded of a quote I read a while back: "When you find that you're running out of time, pray twice as much as you normally would." It might not seem logical, but our spirits know that the most important moments of any day are the ones in which we can reconnect with our Source. And that can happen in a split second, whenever we choose it to be so. A good reminder. Blessings on your day! :) -k

Faith in Faces

I happened across this site this morning and it gave me such a warm feeling I wanted to pass it on: www.pictureyourself.org. This site is just filled with people who have taken photos of themselves (you know, the camera-at-the-end-of-the-outstretched-arm thing). But I was touched by all these people sharing real moments of their lives in this way. What must we all look like, together, to God? What a breathtaking mosaic of beauty, love, laughter, and light. He must be so glad He created us! We're such colorful companions! :) k

Climbing Up on God's Lap

I don't understand much about the "energy" dynamic between people--I can't really put words around the effects we seem to have on each other when we're joyful, or grumpy, or angry, or sad. As highly compassionate beings, we tend to take on whatever others around us are feeling--for better and for worse. Today I did this without wanting to, absorbing another person's mood like a human sponge. Now I find myself weary and worn out and feeling like I need to put on some footed jammies, get a mug of hot chocolate, and climb up in God's lap for a while. I think I need some Divine cuddling and an "everything-will-be-okay" hug. :) k

A Light Moment

I had such a neat experience today in a meeting. As my client and I were talking, he was getting passionate about an idea and I suddenly felt his mind just open and light pour in. In that instant, I saw how God prepares us through love for the moment He chooses to fill us with understanding. What a blessing! I will remember this for those times I'm tempted to regard others as "close-minded." God will find a way, through what they love in their own lives, to bring all the openness He needs for their enlightenment. Thank you, God! You've thought of everything! :) k

Letting God Make the Pass

This morning, feeling a bit burdened, I sat in the living room under a comforting afghan watching my son Cameron play the new PS2 game he got for Christmas, NFL 2003. At 9, he can name all the quarterbacks for NFL teams and run through enough plays and stats to make your head swim. I was sitting with him physically, but not really there mentally, turning over and over a worry that had preoccupied much of my thought this morning. I vacantly watched the virtual ball fly through the air from the kicker to receiver. A perfect catch.

"Did you do that?" I asked Cameron. "Do you control the ball or does the computer do it?"

Cameron, never looking away from his game, with fingers and thumbs flying, said "When I'm kicking, it's best to let the computer control it. If the computer does it, the receiver catches it every time. If I control it, I have to make sure the ball gets there...and that's a lot harder."

I sat and felt the Aha! spread through my tense mind. Thanks for the object lesson, God, I thought. If I let God call the shots and direct my circumstances, I can be certain they will be resolved in the way he wants them to be resolved. If I grab the controls away and try to do it myself, chances are that my fears and worries and misperceptions will cause the ball to miss its mark. I know this, and I know I know it. And yet, it's so easy to forget. Thank goodness I have a football-loving 9-year-old around to remind me.

Blessings on your day! :) k

Making Things New Again

Blessings on your New Year as God does a new thing in our midst, releasing us from mistakes and errors of the past and setting us firmly in a clear bright hope for the future. It's our task to hold to the fresh vision of peace, love, and light in this New Year. I'm glad I'm your sister in this wonderful, love-filled effort! Happy New Year, everyone! :) k

Silent Night

The snow has been falling for hours here in Indianapolis. It's five minutes til midnight and a quiet blanket of white covers the streets, lawns, and cars. Outside with my dog Georgie a few minute ago, I heard only the sound of the snowflakes falling and Georgie snuffling through the deep snow. Inside, the kids had hot chocolate and are now tucked in bed. All is well, all is peace, all is calm.

I'm so thankful for these perfect moments of quiet contemplation, when I can hear in my heart the words of the angel...for unto *you* is born this day. Thank you, God, for your gift of yourself to us, today and everyday. May we each, in the way you open for us, continue to extend your gift to others.

Merry Christmas, everyone. May God bless you with a special understanding of his love today. :) k

A Humbling Thought

This afternoon, as I was rushing like mad to finish a chapter so that I could turn it in as "done" on my 5:00pm report to the publisher, a thought was given to me quietly, gently, like a valentine that was sure to make an impact. The thought was "Don't *look* good; *do* good." I didn't ask for this thought (except perhaps in that continuous prayer I send out asking God to see my heart and remove any obstacles that keep me away from him).

Don't look good; do good.

Suddenly I saw myself clearly in a not-so-flattering light. I was working hard, but what was my motivation? To do the work well and honor my deadline, or to avoid looking bad to the publisher? I had to admit to myself (yes, and to you) that my motivation was that of a child: I didn't want the publisher to be unhappy about work I felt I should have finished earlier.

I could launch into a long diatribe about how our power systems (adult-child; teacher-student; boss-employee; law-citizen; pastor-flock) encourage division, judgment, and hiding by giving the majority of power to one and little or none to the other. When we feel we are in positions of lesser power, we feel vulnerable; we put on our fig leaves and try to hide. Smiling and "looking good" becomes really important, because we want those in power to approve of us (or at least leave us alone).

Equality felt and applied gives us the freedom to be honest, to tell people truthfully the way things are and how we see it. We can share our truth without fear or hiding. We can cooperate to make sense of situations and work together to resolve problems (even late chapters). It seems a much better and healthier (and God-like) approach to me. I want to focus on being an adult child of God, equal and safe with all other children of God on this globe. And I want to *do* good in my work and throughout my life, whether or not I *look* good doing it.

Blessings on your day! :) k

Getting Over "Otherness"

I read an interesting article today about a young boy with a beautiful voice. He sang like an angel at home, in his room, by himself. He loved singing and felt loved, singing. But when he stepped in front of someone else--whether that someone was his parents, his class, his church, or an audience--his heart beat loudly, his breathing became shallow, he broke out in a sweat, and his voice tightened into a sound so thin it was barely a squeak. The beautiful, joyful song strangled in his throat because of his fear of the judgment of others. His gift was lost to everyone--to the boy, to the audience, and to the world--because he became painfully aware of his "otherness" and felt those hearing him would listen with ears tuned to judgment instead of love.

What would the world look (or sound) like if we were absolutely sure that we would receive complete acceptance each time we tried something new? What if our ideas were welcomed and loved and listened to, simply because they came from us, the children of God? The next time I'm scared to share something of myself, I'm going to do it anyway, just to begin to chip away at this illusion of Otherness. I'll do it for you, and for me. Because each choice we make, remembering Love, brings us together a little more. :) k

Letting Prayers Fly

This has been a busy month for prayer so far. Lots of people sick--some seriously, some not--many people hurting; others struggling with depression around the holidays, or dreading change, or stuck in a rut. Another friend is in danger of losing her house because of financial problems; yet another quit her job after a huge internal struggle and is taking some time off for mental and spiritual housecleaning.

But sometimes when the prayer needs are many I forget something important. I begin to feel burdened and worried. I start a kind of "hand-wringing prayer," in which I plead with God to lighten the burdens of the people on my heart. But when I wring my hands and carry the burden with me, I have not left the need in God's lap. If I'm still carrying the worry for my friend and her financial situation, pleading with God throughout the day to please do something, I am assuming either (1) that he has not heard me, or (2) he for some reason doesn't want to help her and needs my prodding in order to act. I know that both of these things are impossible--God hears our every prayer and he works all things together for our good. (And he certainly doesn't need me to play Moses and try to talk him into something other than what he thinks is best.) When I focus on my worry instead of his grace, my prayers never get higher than my ceiling, because I won't let them go.

Our lives are created in partnership with God--every moment, every breath, every thought. We can never be apart from him. We can be unaware of our oneness with him and with each other, but never separated from it. When I focus on God's love and life--in my friends who are sick, or in financial need, or under stress--I know that he is more than able to heal, solve, move, and act in their lives and in the lives of all those they love. What is there to worry about? I'm going to trust those prayers and let 'em fly. :) k

Wishing Us a Less Materialistic Holiday

I read something in the paper this morning that said that 84 percent of Americans would rather make the holidays less materialistic. I think that's a wonderful number! If you lessen materialism, you make more room for spirit. And the fact that so many people (according to this survey) are even thinking about opening their hearts in lieu of their checkbooks is something to sing about. In fact, I wrote an article on this very thing last month for DisciplesWorld magazine. I've just added it in the Recent Articles section on the Practical ~faith~ page. So come visit and take a look if you'd like some ideas on gifts that cost you nothing but give you everything.

Wishing us all LOTS of Christmas spirit this year! :) k

Laugh of the Week

I've been off-blog since before Thanksgiving just because I've had a mountain of work (and fun stuff, too) to do. I hope this note finds you all well and enjoying a relaxing weekend. I wanted to pass along a headline, taken from Faith Week in Review, a newsletter published by Faithandvalues.com, that made me laugh:

Evangelicals on top of prostitutes
One reason why evangelical churches across the nation are not growing is due to the image that non-Christian adults have of evangelical individuals. In a nationwide survey among people who do not consider themselves to be Christian, the image of "evangelicals" rated tenth out of eleven groups evaluated, beating out only prostitutes.

The article is actually quite interesting, detailing how certain labels attract or repel us based on our understanding and expectations. More evidence that the mind separates and categorizes, while the heart just loves. :) k