Rejoice!

Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; 

make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.

~ Horace

Congratulations!  It is officially the holidays and many of us are preparing for – or in the midst of – a celebration. We search old libraries and files for programs we have seen, icebreakers we have participated in and events we have experienced hoping to consider them inspirations for our own reenactments. There are traditions, rituals and familiar celebrations that bring a smile to our faces and tingly sensation to our hearts.  Gift exchanges of trinkets we have been hoping for and clothing we never wish to see again (this season or the next) rear their heads and cement memories by their presence.  But these observances are less about the things associated and more about how we feel around and during the jubilee.  After all, A Christmas Story was not so much about the fact that Christmas existed, but Scrooge’s attitude toward the season based on his past experiences.

Celebrations remind us of what we can appreciate; they are the inner expressions of how we relate to everyone else around us. They are the collective fellowship when people can come together in peace, love and unity, sharing hopes and joys from one to another.  These gatherings feed, uplift and encourage the spirit of all who partake in the festivities.  They are also a way for us to document important events – most of our milestones are also recognized with special acknowledgement.  Even Jesus’ miracles and exploits often occurred around present festivals and observances.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reads, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

So as this season moves forward, rejoice in the simple act of being in the room with others and collectively thinking about the joy it brings.  If you can not be with family or those you love, be grateful and rejoice for the moments we have in the here and now. 

Consider looking in the mirror every day for rest of the holidays and say, “I rejoice for I have done, I rejoice in my present circumstances, I rejoice for all things that are to come!”

Love's Holiday

Photo from http://everythingexclusivemag.com/tag/holiday-love/

The holiday season is full of cheer – a large variety of décor is seen all around, music plays freely on the radio station, a constant reminder that there indeed is something special taking place.  And a celebration, it truly is!  Around Thanksgiving comes Hanukkah, the eight day Jewish Feast of the Lights, then later Christmas, Kwanzaa and of course the celebration of the New Year. Holidays are synonymous with vacations, school breaks and days off from work, which means there will be interruptions in the normal routine.  With that many events occurring, coupled with the excitement of focusing of pending rest time, it is easy to fall into impatience with anyone or anything providing obstacles to reaching our holiday plans.

Let’s face it; we do tend to act out of character this time of year. It may be that we have become stingy with the stapler or found ourselves on the very last sheet of notebook paper or obsessing to figure out how to get that perfect gift for the cousin we only see this time of year.  The anticipation of the peace, ironically, can cause dissension on the very path to achieving it.  What then must we do? How can we maintain our regular attitudes and disposition while embracing our holiday cheer?

We have to use the cheer as an enhancement – recognize how it affects us and build our own new routine around it.  Know that the normal schedule will be interrupted and we will have to adjust.  Ephesians 4:2 reads, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” At the end of the day, the season really is about love; it is Love’s Holiday and we have an obligation to share that. 

Consider keeping your thoughts on the motivation of the season, instead what comes with it; let’s spread love to everyone we meet.

...and Let it Begin with Me

“You have peace," the old woman said, "when you make it with yourself.”

~ Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Have you ever seen someone who just could not keep their focus?  Every five minutes they move on to another subject, constantly thinking of the next item on the agenda. This could be a little frustrating to those surrounding them, anxious for them to sit down and complete something.  But how can they if their minds are fragmented, divided, and overwhelmed by the many details, and lack the attention to proceed.  

But what if it is us?   The discord in our minds so distracting that we are not sure if we can finish. How can we even move forward in any conceivable way when are struggling to make sense of the space we are in?  How can we continue our journey when the direction is unclear? We do so by returning to the peace within ourselves.

During the Advent season, we celebrate observing Peace on Earth, but we have to know how to achieve it.  We obtain it spiritually by taking time out to pray and listen for God’s response.  We obtain it mentally when we organize our priorities and work, little by little, to make them settle.  We obtain peace emotionally when we consider our feelings an investment and only use that sentimental currency for those things that will bring a positive profit in your life.

In Ephesians 4:3, Paul writes that we should be “Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  We can only be on one accord once we have found what, within ourselves, brings us peace and work toward maintaining it at every turn.  This peace will encourage us to fellowship as persons actively seeking to be whole in Christ.

Consider letting the peace from within grow, grow and grow until it spill over into unifying fellowship with all we meet, see, hear and touch.

A Moment to Hope

It’s almost been one year!  To celebrate, next week, you will be able to download for free an excerpt of 30 Days of Peace and Praise, a compilation of this year’s best post with matching activities.  The complete book will be available for purchase by e-book and by hard copy soon.  

For Advent, we'll take on each element around the theme of "For Today".

Hope is passion for what is possible.

 - Soren Kierkegaard

In a season where we go from being thankful to thirsty for goods overnight, our mood seems a little schizophrenic.  We often move from sharing, feeding those less fortunate and spending quality time with loved ones to instant competition to best others in finding the perfect gift for these same loved ones.  How can we operate in this way, giving and taking in quick turn?  It seems rather, well, impossible to consider our own beauty, the grounding that has kept us, in the crazed moments.  The glimmer of hope seems to be yet diminishing in a season that is based around the very idea, each of us caught up in the frenzy of the present.  In the frenzy, we can lose ourselves, temporarily abandoning the morals we have come to know as our own foundation.

How can we return ourselves to that place of remembering the season?   We can be reminded of our space and place in this season by taking a moment to hope.  Henri Nouwen writes, in Out of Solitude, “A life without a lonely place, that is, a life without a quiet center, easily becomes destructive.”   Just a small minute to reflect on what the end of the year, what the moments of these holy days, what the coming of Christ truly means.  For many, this is a new beginning, a reminder that no matter what has transpired this year, there is no stronghold that can stay over you when it is time to move forward.

Understand that we are not here to be perfect, only to live the best we can in truth and love. Matthew 12:21 reads, "...and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”   Hoping sets the ambiance, the mood, the tone, the theme and our expectations of a situation.  Hope is the positive thought that changes our disposition, our mindset, our entire attitude toward the seasons of our lives.

Consider today taking the time to just remember the attitude we want to assume for this season in our lives. Write it down. When you feel things start to spiral or become a frenzied moment, read what you wrote as many times as necessary.

Adjusting

In honor of my contracting the flu, this seemed fairly appropriate to discuss.  Enjoy!

“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash.

 Become like water my friend.”

~ Bruce Lee

The change of seasons brings and adjustment for everyone.  The leaves turn, becoming foliage for onlookers to see.  Animals start preparing for their winter endeavors under rocks and near streams.  People pull out their winter clothes and - more often than not - catch a cold.  It is not as cool as building a nest however it is a natural response to the temperature fluctuation.  But how can one get ready for the pending weather shift?  It seems that no pea coat or wool scarf could ever prepare for the first sensation of the chilled air. Combine it with a frigid, windy breeze and … well, how can we do more than adjust to the new circumstances? This does not mean that we will not have some emotions toward the new situation, only that we still have to move through them.

The same is the case when we are faced with major events that occur in our lives.  When we are suddenly given new tasks and duties at our jobs or are in the process of moving. When we are faced with the foreclosure of a home after years of unsuccessful maneuvers or the death of a loved one after a prolonged battled with a terminal illness.  We have prepared for the inevitable, rehearsed with role play exactly how we would respond, but nothing prepares us for that moment.  It is up to us to be malleable enough to evolve.

Christ was the master and the servant, the powerful and the weak, the teacher and the student, the sacrificer and the sacrifice.  To adapt to each of these on a daily, sometimes – in later life – hourly basis, require an understanding beyond the self.  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).  It is not easy to walk in all the areas, however, necessary, no matter how uncomfortable we find the adjustment process.

Consider moments where we are adjusting and resist the urge to struggle against it, for it may only be preparation for the next level.

Reflections: Keep Walking

“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, 

eventually you’ll make progress.”  

Barack Obama

Picture by R. Guy

It has almost been one year since I started writing Peace and Praise. Throughout that time, this has become an opportunity to explore my relationships with God and the world around me.  I have learned that it is sometimes easier to encourage others than to encourage yourself.  I have learned that sometimes what you need to hear for yourself is what others also need.  Sometimes you minister to others by ministering to yourself.  I also find it hard to believe that the most popular posts have been about butterflies, dryers and my reflections, proof of the fact that there is always interest in the personal story.

The other thing I learned is that as much as I love to write, it has been hard to know the responsibility of churning out posts is on my shoulders.  This is its own blessing and curse. There are many partial posts that lay in the abyss of my computer, never seeing the light of day.  There are some ideas that bob around in my head, even to this day, that I still have no clue how to write.  Peace and Praise has not always worked out the way I thought it should, but it is the one thing to which I return.

I believe that our spirituality is similar to this.  We never know how much our own explorations and journeys are perhaps the gateway for others to embrace their space and place.  We have to work very hard to remain consistent in our walk because, at times, it is so easy to convince ourselves that we do not need to complete it.  I often pondered whether I should write that post, or if no one will miss it if it is not sent (of course, one check of the blog traffic counter proves otherwise).  It is then we realize simply that we are far more connected to the world around us than we originally considered.

Bottom line, on our walk – whether spiritual, personal, emotional, career-wise – the road will get rocky.  We come across a few stones, a pot hole, a detour sign; if the walk is still worth it, we will kick it out the way, move around the inconsistency in the path and maneuver so that our sights are never too far from the goal.   “You shall walk in all the ways that the Lord your God has commanded you, that they may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33).  Nothing is so strong, so critical, that it shakes the importance of the continuing the walk.

As year one is rapidly coming to a close, with the coming of Advent and the New Year Calendar year, I am instituting a vow to deposit more positively into myself and everyone in my surroundings.   This does not mean that there will not be bumps – personalities do remain as they are – but there will be a change in the approach.  I invite each of you to consider this vow, remembering the importance of your walk so that it deepens, you never forget the reason you are there in the first place.

The Season of Tangible Outcomes

“Do it no matter what. If you believe in it, it is something very honorable. If somebody around you or your family does not understand it, then that's their problem. But if you do have a passion, an honest passion, just do it.”

Mario Andretti 

We love a good promise. I like to make them – I love to make my word good by backing it up with action. However, sometimes I over commit.  I tend to get a bunch of small things together, dedicate myself to the smaller simpler tasks, because the quantity seems great!  Vesta Kelly did, after all once say, “Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together”.  And, honestly, there is a pleasure in being able to see all the check boxes marked on a list that shows things are complete!  I have my list even this week detailing the same kinds of things.

But I’m learning that it is not the quantity of the list, but the quality of the list.  It’s similar to buying toilet paper – you could spend $5 dollars to buy 20 rolls of 1 ply that will break the moment anyone looks at it, or spend the same $5 dollars on 10 rolls of 2 or 3 ply that is stronger and has more weight to it.  Often our lists contain things like “Walk the Dog”, “Put in the Rental Car requests”, and “Write this one page report’.  Also on the list could be “Edit book”, “Write Grant Proposal” and “Establish new office space”.  How much do you want to bet that that first group are things that get handled much sooner, while week after week, the same larger, higher impact items linger?  The small things can be distracters and even, dare I say it, a way of procrastinating from the larger goals and milestones.

I often think of Jesus performing the first miracle at the wedding in Cana.  Until this point, he had done out of the ordinary things – became a talented carpenter, sat with the rabbis while his family looked for him - but he had not yet tangibly shown his greatness.  When he turns water into wine, at his Mother’s urging, and there is not only more wine, but better wine that the first, it is a physical declaration of what he could do.  It is the first of so many miracles to come, but it all started with this first showing of his talent and ability.

The winds are blowing.  It is our turn to show that which we are capable.  We should embrace this tiny wind and ride it out to the next level of our lives.  This is not to say that all the smaller items are not important; your dog will not be happy if you forget to walk them.  But, if your dog walking turns into a three hour play date every time, it may be impacting your outcomes.   It could be the difference between enjoying the family party and using your gifts to be the reason the party continues.

This week, consider joining me in shifting our focus to whittle down the list of distracters and move toward those tangible outcomes.