Journaling Archives - Page 47 of 69

Today I read an old reflection from the Center for Action and Contemplation written by Richard Rohr which I thought was true, inspiring and timely. In this reflection Richard Rohr, through various quotes of others, challenges us to stretch our selves beyond our comfort level. He gives us great examples of what it means to stretch ourselves beyond the familiar. If you haven’t subscribed to his website, maybe after reading this you’ll be inspired to do so. The link is on my Resources page. So here it is – enjoy!

“Most of our churches are rather homogeneous. Yet church, of all places, should be inclusive and reflective of our diverse and complex world. Shane Claiborne describes the all too familiar scene:

We are always most comfortable around people who are like us. I think that’s true of almost any human being. For those who have been in a majority population as white, middle class folks, we have to be extra deliberate about putting ourselves in places where we are a minority. Maybe we should worship where we’re a minority, where we can hear the Gospel with new ears. Martin Luther King, Jr., lamented that eleven o’clock on a Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America. That must break the heart of God, that we often reinforce segregation rather than the reconciliation and the diversity of the Kingdom. Some of that doesn’t change in our congregations until it changes in our living room and at our dinner tables. We really have to begin having relational friendships that stretch us. And we also have to challenge the systems of privilege and racism.

Christena Cleveland, one of our presenters at this year’s CONSPIRE conference, acknowledges that diversity is challenging. Cleveland writes, ‘in racially diverse churches, I can’t control the environment…..People might worship in ways that make me uncomfortable….People might not be able to relate to my experience as a black woman….People might hold perspectives that shatter my worldview.’ Being in community with those who are somehow different than us challenges our familiar ways of knowing, doing, and being in the world. It forces us to see things differently and thus to change our attitudes and behaviors. Diversity in community also helps us recognize our own selfish preferences for ease and comfort. If we’re truly going to follow Jesus, the way will not be easy or popular. As Cleveland writes, Jesus ‘was so passionate about creating a diverse family with us that he crossed metaphysical planes, abdicated his privilege, morphed into physical form, and spent 30 years on earth just hanging out with us – all the while knowing that his pursuit of diversity would ultimately cost him his life.’

Observing nature, we see that diversity is essential to balance, wholeness, and resilience. Ecosystems thrive when a variety of species of plants and animals nourish each other. Diverse environments are much stronger and less susceptible to pests and disease than mono-crop fields. The world is a relational system full of complex inter-dependence among very different creatures. If we want sustainable communities, we must always welcome the “other” and learn to see our neighbor as ourselves. Without it, we do not have community at all, but just egoic enclaves.”

Richard Rohr, Center for Action and Contemplation, Daily meditation of April 22, 2016

Amazing references, especially the one about Jesus! WOW is all I could say. As Christians, we spend a lot of time in praise and thanksgiving, we spend a lot of time praying for others and for ourselves and we worship as much as we can. The reality is, we do all of this in the hope of becoming more like Jesus – in the hope that when we become more like Him, we please Him, we console Him, we show Him how much we love Him. In short, we love Him so much that we want to be like Him. In that same vein, if we want to be more like Him then we have to be willing to step outside of our comfort zone and practice what Richard Rohr talks about – diversity in community, love your neighbor as yourself. Can we practice together? God bless you!

The best things in life are free! Amen! My husband called me shortly after he left for work to share a thought. He said: “I know we’ve heard this phrase before but I never really put much thought into it until now: the best things in life are free! The air we breathe, the love we share, nature………..” I agreed there was so much to that statement I said: “Thanks for the content, I’m going to have to elaborate on that on my blog.” That’s my husband – showing support always! I’m grateful for the beautiful blessing!

I thought of it all day – free – the air we breathe, the love we share, the beauty that surrounds us. There’s so much more. Our 5 senses, our relationships, the sun shining on our face, a smile, a hug, a kiss, faith, hope, love, mercy, compassion, etc. The reality of it is the best things in life are free and those are the things we take most for granted.

As the week progressed, I kept thinking about “the best things in life” and suddenly I was struck by the thought that not only are the best things in life free of cost, but they are free of “stuff”. For example, the best friendships are free of envy and jealousy; the best marriages are free of secrets, abuse, disrespect, selfishness; the best families are free of conditions, gossip and hate, just to name a few. Truly something to think about!

I continued my week pondering. As I sat in the nursing home, in support of my mother, as my grandmother lay in her bed ready to transition to the next life, I realized something else that was free: TIME! Some people say time is money, I beg to differ. Time is free and time is grace-filled. Time is a gift from God . As we see in the book of Ecclesiastes when we read “to everything there is a season, a time to be born and a time to die…..”, God is calling the shots. Time is precious – when we give of our time to those in need of companionship, a shoulder to cry on, or simply just our presence – our time is worth more than its weight in gold.

During the last week of my grandmother’s life, I spent countless hours at her bedside with my mom. At times I would get up to take a walk to the bathroom or stick my head out the door to see what was going on. At one point, there was a woman who suffered with dementia. She was sitting alone in the hallway. According to her, she was waiting for her daughter to take her to the airport. She was going home to Nicaragua. She was upset because her daughter hadn’t arrived. She was crying because she truly believed she was going to miss the plane. Unfortunately, the nurses had heard it all before and their schedules were packed with patient needs so she was being ignored. This made her feel that much more desperate. My heart was filled with compassion. I thought to myself: is this what it all comes down to? We work hard, we live and sacrifice for our families, only to wind up in a nursing home, alone, ignored and confused. It saddened me that so many patients were experiencing the same thing. So I took the time to chat with this woman. My time was free and the woman was elated. She went from crying to smiling, even laughing at times. I took a walk with her, I listened to her, I helped her back into bed. I distracted her. That was all she needed. This experience had such a profound effect on me, I would like to continue visiting the nursing home, even after my grandmother’s passing.

To give of our time shows concern, care and compassion. It makes those on the receiving end feel special, cared for, loved, appreciated and less lonely. As children of God, we must learn to discern when giving of our time is necessary – we must learn to discern when it’s time to STOP, give up on our “busy-ness” and selfishness and give of our time for someone else’s benefit. We must be willing to sacrifice our wants and needs in order to provide for the needs of others. I am one of those people who often feels there are not enough hours in the day to complete everything I want or set out to do – from office work, to errands, to house chores and more. Despite my “to-dos”, I feel attuned to the demeanor, voice and needs of others. I see in my neighbor’s demeanor her need for comfort after her husband’s passing or my parents’ need for my help and presence in a difficult moment. I can hear in my siblings’ voices a need for comfort, a pep talk, or encouraging words when life’s circumstances seem grim. I can hear in a friend’s voice a desire for advice or spiritual direction.

There are days when I have so much to do I don’t know where to begin – yet if someone calls me to talk or needs me to drop what I am doing to be somewhere, there I am. TIME, one of the best things in life, is free. Time is a gift from God freely given to you, don’t hoard it, don’t be stingy, share it, there’s more where that came from. Remember, when you use the excuse that you’re “too BUSY” you’re admitting to Being Under Satan’s Yoke (heard it from a deacon during one of his homilies). Is that where you really want to be? God bless you!