Reflections: Making Sense

This is the last week of just one post.  Been fun reflecting but it's time to move back into the devotionals.  Thank you all for reading; look forward to some new and exciting things next week!

Reflections: Making Sense

“Life is not something you go through, it is something you grow through.”

~ Lyfe Jennings

The world does not make sense.  I know this seems like a silly, or even cynical, thing to say, but it is true.  How often has a good person been overlooked for a position and a person who does not seem to deserve anything get promoted? Or someone who is so young and full of promise suddenly passes, while old fools seem to have been preserved for the long haul?  Or even how love can seem so close, but far away because it does not feel right to all persons involved?  No, the sums of these equations are not so whole integer plus whole integer, which is confusing, because it should all be simple.

Recently, I traveled to support a friend of mine who experienced a sudden tragedy. My job was to go, be a friend, and be present, in the moment, for them, or so I thought.  The trip was one that would have occurred anyway, the following week actually – my friend is moving so it was to be a last hurrah kind of deal, which is why I was able to get there so quickly.  When I arrived, I was able to embrace a city that was long since forgotten and see people whose voices I have only heard in the past four years.  Most surprisingly, I was reminded of a time when I had more drive (though, admittedly, less direction), more ambition and more thirst for experiencing the world.  In the midst of a seemingly selfless act, I found myself sitting face to face with me.  At the farewell breakfast, to my friend’s confusion, I was thanking her for the opportunity to be in great company.

An old hymn says we will understand it better by and by.  I am not too sure the time frame of “by and by” but it is not right away.  It is typically in the aftermath of destruction, or after all the pieces come back together that we see where it all works for good, at least what we think for good is.  I will never understand why sadness was necessary to reignite my own drive, but I am grateful for the mixed blessing.   Perhaps we get comfortable or take things for granted or even relax our intentionality so that we are not even aware that we stopped living in the moment.  Or maybe it is to call attention to the patterns we fell into that may not be so healthy for parties involved.  Whatever it is, I am reminded to look spiritually for the solutions and, as Romans 12:2 read, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”  My mind has definitely been renewed, even though the why is not yet comprehensible.

Consider, this week, the total blessing in a selfless act. Even if it does not make sense, just make note, for it will all come together in the near future.

Amina S. McIntyre

Reflections: Experimenting

“Science, my boy, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth.”  Jules Verne

As I mentioned before, I am in transition, which scares me.  If I were a part of a science project, my preference would be to team up with the Control group, the folks who are normal and are given the placebo, the tools, medicine, or standards known to work with no affect.  The Control group is known for its consistency and for being the standard by which one compares the new, incoming work. The Control group is comfortable, something to which one could compare things. It is the solid rock and foundation and perhaps, to some degree, the box that has been shaped because off the Control’s patterns and habits.  The Control does evolve but only to assimilate characteristics into the group.  The Control is certainly a great place to be.

More and more often, though, I find myself voluntold to be a member of the Experimental Group.  The Experimental group tries the new program, food or project. The Experimental group is the risk taker; while it has a strong foundation, same as the Control, it has an inconsistent future because the outcome is not yet written.  The Experimental group is restless and eagerly searching for a new way to create, move, shape and exist when outside of what it comfortable. The Experimental group does not do well with settling for what is already known, but charts out a new course and learns how to evolve.  I often fight with being a member of the Experimental because there is just too much uncertainty while knowing I do not belong in the Control.

Life is really about being in the Experimental Group at some point. We are here to live a full life and make it a little better for those coming after us.  Even Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b). There was nothing completely wrong with the way things were, there are just simpler ways of reaching the same goals.   This is not to say that we can never be in the Control Group – we are, after all, molded and shaped by these very persons. We should just be willing to embrace the Experimental trip and follow what we love to improve the quality of the Control.

Consider, this week, being a part of the Experiment and walking the path less traveled.  It just may help you shape the future Control.

Reflections: Radiant Light

I apologize for the posting delays.  This month is a time of transition for me.  We will be back running normally, with sound, by June 4.  Here's the post for today:

As I walk this journey, I will offer reflections on events in my life and share what I've learned from the experiences for your consumption.  Enjoy.

Recently, I watched my mother fulfill several of her dreams.  She obtained the terminal degree in her career area and was allow to get an almost free kitchen remodel on a reality television show.  Needless to say, we threw a large celebration to show how much we adored her.  Parties of that size, though, require work, so to make the party day practical, I put on stylish, long comfy dress to move quickly in - forgetting to even change my jewelry - to get work done.

Little did I know that this dress would be a hit!  I received more compliments than a few on the dress, and it was not even something I put on for the look.  Matter of fact, I felt like I had not tried with my outfit, at least not enough for it to matter.  My green leaf drop earrings with matching "y" necklace did little to accent the onyx, silver and scarlet colors in the dress.  I was the epitome of just trying to get the job done.  Still, I was baffled.  It was not until later that night when I realized the beauty they saw, that people complimented  was the light inside me.

I was so happy for the good fortune of my family, that my mood seeped through.  A simple dress, I felt, transformed because of the willingness to share love for another person.   I truly believe your inner essence radiates through, in addition to what you have on the outside. Psalm 89:15 "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: thy shall walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance". The pleasantness I wore also worked as a higher blessing, for all to experience.  

Consider, with your outer clothing, putting on a smile.  Allow it to shine through, as it is the best brand ever made.

ASM

The Shared Joy!

"Joy is very infectious; therefore, be always full of joy." ~ Mother Theresa

The flight is beautiful! We soar higher and higher, feeling the wind in our wings and passing over rushing waters and streams. We pause to smell flowers, nestle on the sweetness of the nectar, we dodge shoots of grass as we move through the day. This refreshment, the renewal, the reinvention of life where everyday is an adventure waiting to occur - this is how it should be to embrace this new us.

And that is all we should be doing right now. "Is there more?" we ask ourselves, thinking that we couldn't possibly be enriching and enhancing our lives by traveling through our own beauty. But, in fact, it is. We are not only put here to fulfill our own purpose; the joy we find is infectious! Imagine how this new excitement and zest for life could minister to and inspire others. The good fortune, the peace, and the opportunities that moves us to the next level will be a blessing to others while it is yet blessing us. Philemon 1:7 says, "I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you..." (NRSV).

While the joy we have was not given to us by the world, this joy can affect it. Know that everything we touch, every place we visit, every space we enter is an opportunity to share our incredible journey and encourage others to do the same.

Today, let us consider taking pride in representing the beauty of our call.

Free to Fly

 

"Perhaps this very moment is your tim." Louise Bogan

This is it!

Butterflies, when it is time, leave the cocoon early in the morning fully charged, and embrace the day. This is the parallel to the Resurrection - the tomb was already empty when the ladies arrived to address the body. Anyone who comes looking for our old selves will be disappointed, for the remnants are the shell of prior goals, worries and .  We have conquered and moved through the obstacles, set backs and even that plateauing patch we hit while trying to pursue our dreams.

We've been preparing a whole month - for some, weeks or years - for this transformation.  What is it about you that's different?  Perhaps it is a breakthrough from sickness, financial trouble or emotional strongholds.  Or it is the new car you wanted, a different job or a new prayer/meditation life.  Maybe you dedicated or rededicated your commitment to feeding yourself spiritually.  Whatever it is, this is your new look.

So go, take flight!  Scale that mountain, soar over lakes and streams.  See the world and let nothing stop you.  It's your time!

More Than the Current Value

A friend of mine was telling me how she was at work and found $10 on the ground. Much as she wanted it - after all, it was lying on the floor out in the open - she felt she needed to find the owner. She was not happy, but then a thought popped into her mind - are you only worth $10? Is it that important to you? Later, she was blessed with a different monetary gift that far surpassed the $10.

When we are moving to our next level, getting our wing strength together, it is so easy to focus solely on the situation. We get caught up looking at the current surroundings, frustrated and struggling to break through, grateful for even the smallest reprieve. It can hurt us, really overwhelm our senses and make us think there is no way out. We have no idea what the true end goal is, just that it'll exceed, abundantly, more than we could ever ask for if we can only push forward.

Bill Gates knew that the software he had was special, even at $10 a share, but couldn't fathom that no household would be without it years later. Joseph did not know just how impactful his dreams could be when he was sitting in jail. The woman with the issue of blood did not know that she could impact the entire world when she was pushing through to touch the garment. We have no assurance what the outcome will be, just that it will make us more than what we are currently worth.

This week, stay positive, remain focused and keep moving. It is all apart of growing your wing muscles and increasing your current value.

The Butterfly Season: Shedding

No audio today - should have it all back up and running on Thursday.

This month, the time immediately following the Resurrection, we’ll declare it the Butterfly season.  Why Butterflies?  First, they are symbols of tremendous change in a short time frame.  A butterfly’s life spans the course of about a month, which means there’s little time to be idle.  There is, of course, also the “butterfly effect” where it’s believed if one flaps its wing, a hurricane could be created.  Let us be inspired to live a new life this month, during the Butterfly Season.

There is a well-known story of a man watching a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. It struggled to move through a small hole, the butterfly itself too large to fit.  After after a while, the butterfly stopped moving, seeming frustrated and exhausted.  The man, knowing the potential of the butterfly, decided to cut the cocoon to release it from its entrapment. However, the body was small and the wings crumpled. The man waited for the butterfly to fly away, but it was not able to for its wings never became strong enough to fly.

This week starts the emergence process.   It would seem that after laying a strong foundation, eating the right foods to get strong and laying in wait that the coming out would be easy. It is actually the most trying part of the journey.  This is the point where we have to allow our past to groom us all the while struggling to let it go.  “How can we just let go of something that did so much for us?” we ask ourselves. The truth is that it only served us well in that stage of our season.  Just like our bodies that grow and change with the times, we are never to remain mentally or emotionally in the same place.  

In the days after the Resurrection, the Disciples often did not really understand their journey until they were faced with situations that were familiar to them. Peter and Paul speak openly in their letters and have stories recounted of how they heal, blessed, prayed over and performed miracles on those they met after.  Their experiences up to that point made it so that they could understand how, through Jesus Christ, do anything. Everything we have ever learned prepares us to appreciate our wings.  We will remember where we came from, but know that we have press through to move higher.

Consider this week wiggling, slowly, from what shaped you and moving to the new outlook your call has for you.