This is one of those weeks when I get a bonus volunteer day with The Venues. This was our third month of volunteering at Crosslines food distribution pantry. We are currently sharing the last Wednesday of the month with another church and will probably need a few more volunteers when we transition to taking the date by ourselves.
I know that I could do more volunteering than I do. Maybe I should. And I probably will when Chris retires and we can do some service projects together.
Today I am thankful for the freedom to volunteer, for the health to be able to volunteer, and for a church that really believes in serving the community through so many various projects.
I know that not many of my Venues friends read my blog, but --
If you are a Venues person and want to volunteer with one or more of the many community projects we have, you can go to the Social Response Team link and click on one of the service areas and volunteer.
If you want to be a volunteer at the church on Sunday morning or at Downtown Venues on Thursday evening, stop by the desk Sunday and ask how you might help.
You can also share this page so that our new Venues friends know how they might serve with us as we expand the areas in our community where we are a Venue to share God's great love!
I'm thankful that I get to serve with Student Venues and I know that Chris is really going to enjoy leading the Going Deeper small group on Sunday mornings. The Venues has been great about allowing us the opportunity to share God's love by serving others.
I'm also thankful that I still get to preach on occasion. This has been a good year for getting to supply for a number of churches. I'll be missing my student group this Sunday, but am excited to get invited back to preach at one of our local churches.
So --
Let's be thankful!
Share your gratitude.
What makes you thankful today?
John <><
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Wednesday Wisdom
Genuine laughter is true eloquence
and more effective than speech.
-- Mahatma Gandhi
and more effective than speech.
-- Mahatma Gandhi
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
What if...? Changing my way of thinking.
For a long time (nearly 10 years according to my Facebook memories) I've been using the simple statements of "God loves you," and "Jesus died for you," as a base for my preaching, teaching, and (hopefully) living.
I think it's time for a change.
Stay with me here. I've already been discarded to the heretic heap by many with far more theological education than me and most of you, but close-mindedness seems to be a consistent trait found in deeply conservative thinking whether it be conservative religion or politics. If you are open to a little reasoning and discussion, perhaps you'll see why I think I need to change.
Throughout my evangelical life, the emphasis has always been on the end game -- getting to heaven, salvation, the death and resurrection of Jesus. Evangelicals talk about discipleship, but really only as far as it helps to teach the message of salvation through trusting in Jesus as Savior.
What would happen if I switched my foundational statements to: God loves you, and Jesus lived for you?
The evangelical preacher in me wants to correct myself by saying "Jesus lives for you," because of the whole resurrection thing and he is still alive, but I'm referring to his human life. I'm talking about the Philippians 2 thing where Jesus sets aside the divine nature to become human. He lived (and died) as a human.
What would happen if we changed our way of thinking to focus on the life that Jesus lived rather than on the death that Jesus died?
What if we set aside the idea that we are concerned with eternity for others and just take care of their need to be loved now?
What if we leave it to God to be concerned with their eternal state of being and we simply follow the example of Jesus and love them as he loves them?
What if the whole point of Jesus living as a human wasn't just so that he could die as a human?
What if he lived as a human so that we would know how God expects us to live as humans?
What if heaven isn't a destination to be striven for but a state of being in which we can exist right now?
When Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand... ," what if he meant that we can choose to live in heaven RIGHT NOW?
What if we stopped thinking about the death of Jesus as a way to get to heaven and we started thinking about following the life of Jesus as a way to be in heaven?
Hmmm...
These are the questions I ask myself.
John <><
I think it's time for a change.
Stay with me here. I've already been discarded to the heretic heap by many with far more theological education than me and most of you, but close-mindedness seems to be a consistent trait found in deeply conservative thinking whether it be conservative religion or politics. If you are open to a little reasoning and discussion, perhaps you'll see why I think I need to change.
Throughout my evangelical life, the emphasis has always been on the end game -- getting to heaven, salvation, the death and resurrection of Jesus. Evangelicals talk about discipleship, but really only as far as it helps to teach the message of salvation through trusting in Jesus as Savior.
What would happen if I switched my foundational statements to: God loves you, and Jesus lived for you?
The evangelical preacher in me wants to correct myself by saying "Jesus lives for you," because of the whole resurrection thing and he is still alive, but I'm referring to his human life. I'm talking about the Philippians 2 thing where Jesus sets aside the divine nature to become human. He lived (and died) as a human.
What would happen if we changed our way of thinking to focus on the life that Jesus lived rather than on the death that Jesus died?
What if we set aside the idea that we are concerned with eternity for others and just take care of their need to be loved now?
What if we leave it to God to be concerned with their eternal state of being and we simply follow the example of Jesus and love them as he loves them?
What if the whole point of Jesus living as a human wasn't just so that he could die as a human?
What if he lived as a human so that we would know how God expects us to live as humans?
What if heaven isn't a destination to be striven for but a state of being in which we can exist right now?
When Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand... ," what if he meant that we can choose to live in heaven RIGHT NOW?
What if we stopped thinking about the death of Jesus as a way to get to heaven and we started thinking about following the life of Jesus as a way to be in heaven?
Hmmm...
These are the questions I ask myself.
John <><
Monday, August 26, 2019
Monday Motivation
Today would have been Mother Teresa's 109th birthday.
Fitting to share one of her quotes for the day.
John <><
Fitting to share one of her quotes for the day.
John <><
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Everything Belongs
I finally finished Richard Rohr's book, Everything Belongs.
It is a book on contemplative prayer and an outlook on life that brings more focus on our spiritual being than on the physical being and physical world in which we live.
I've become somewhat contemplative as I've aged, and perhaps have always been more contemplative than most. I enjoyed the book but did get bogged down a couple of times and had to kind of push through some parts. Although I found Fr. Rohr's wisdom and insights interesting, perhaps it was just writing style or voice (yes, book have a voice) that seemed uncomfortable. I don't think that it was the challenge to self-examine or be contemplative since I'm pretty open to those ideas. In the end I think that his wisdom is worthy of reading another of his books so I'll be looking into that.
I big part of my own spiritual evolution has been in examining what I truly believe and exactly what or whom I worship. In the end, I think that modern day, evangelical Christians tend to worship their religion as much or more than they worship the God of their religion. As I began to move more towards relationships with others because of the love of God, I began to get a lot of resistance and cautionary warnings from well meaning but misguided Christian friends. Their religion was more important than my connecting with certain people to share God's love. The rules of religion tend to separate us from others rather than helping us to build loving relationships with others.
Many years ago, a fellow NATCA (National Air Traffic Controller's Association) committee member and atheist started to ask me a question with this qualifier -- "Hey, you're a religious guy..."
I interrupted him and said, "I am not!"
He looked at me for a moment and said, "You're right. You are not, but I'm not sure how else to describe you."
Even my evangelical pastor friends have had difficulty understanding me. One expressed that I am quite the conundrum, other calling me an enigma.
I don't think I'm that difficult to understand. I'm just a free spirit that is trying to figure out my place in life and working on following Jesus without the man-made rules of religion.
I get that letting go of a lifetime of religion can be difficult. It could be that I never really had that tight of a grip on it to begin with. I don't expect that I'm ever going to let go of God and I have every confidence that God isn't letting go of me. But I do think that we all need to examine what we have been taught and what we believe to be true.
Mark Twain said, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."
It is said that foolish and closed-minded people will believe what they believe and dismiss any evidence contrary to their beliefs. People that desire to learn will critically examine their beliefs and be willing to change their mind should evidence dictate that a change is necessary. I would hope that I am able to learn more about God than what I learned as a child and young adult. I would hope that my understanding of God and my relationship with God is dynamic and evolving. If what you believe about God hasn't grown or changed as you have grown and changed, then you have a mighty small god.
As I have become more contemplative about life, death, God, and my place in all of this, I think that perhaps life itself is a type of koan. It isn't a problem to be solved nor a game to be won. It is simply a life to be experienced and shared with those that experience it with us. We learn from the suffering. We grow stronger from the pain. We love through the grief. And we remember all of the lessons along the way.
It's been a few years since I read Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz. I'm thinking I might reread it. Or maybe Searching for God Knows What.
Maybe I'll give my brain a break and read a novel. I've got several on my Kindle app.
What are you reading?
Any recommendations for my next Rohr book?
John <><
It is a book on contemplative prayer and an outlook on life that brings more focus on our spiritual being than on the physical being and physical world in which we live.
I've become somewhat contemplative as I've aged, and perhaps have always been more contemplative than most. I enjoyed the book but did get bogged down a couple of times and had to kind of push through some parts. Although I found Fr. Rohr's wisdom and insights interesting, perhaps it was just writing style or voice (yes, book have a voice) that seemed uncomfortable. I don't think that it was the challenge to self-examine or be contemplative since I'm pretty open to those ideas. In the end I think that his wisdom is worthy of reading another of his books so I'll be looking into that.
I big part of my own spiritual evolution has been in examining what I truly believe and exactly what or whom I worship. In the end, I think that modern day, evangelical Christians tend to worship their religion as much or more than they worship the God of their religion. As I began to move more towards relationships with others because of the love of God, I began to get a lot of resistance and cautionary warnings from well meaning but misguided Christian friends. Their religion was more important than my connecting with certain people to share God's love. The rules of religion tend to separate us from others rather than helping us to build loving relationships with others.
Many years ago, a fellow NATCA (National Air Traffic Controller's Association) committee member and atheist started to ask me a question with this qualifier -- "Hey, you're a religious guy..."
I interrupted him and said, "I am not!"
He looked at me for a moment and said, "You're right. You are not, but I'm not sure how else to describe you."
Even my evangelical pastor friends have had difficulty understanding me. One expressed that I am quite the conundrum, other calling me an enigma.
I don't think I'm that difficult to understand. I'm just a free spirit that is trying to figure out my place in life and working on following Jesus without the man-made rules of religion.
I get that letting go of a lifetime of religion can be difficult. It could be that I never really had that tight of a grip on it to begin with. I don't expect that I'm ever going to let go of God and I have every confidence that God isn't letting go of me. But I do think that we all need to examine what we have been taught and what we believe to be true.
Mark Twain said, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."
It is said that foolish and closed-minded people will believe what they believe and dismiss any evidence contrary to their beliefs. People that desire to learn will critically examine their beliefs and be willing to change their mind should evidence dictate that a change is necessary. I would hope that I am able to learn more about God than what I learned as a child and young adult. I would hope that my understanding of God and my relationship with God is dynamic and evolving. If what you believe about God hasn't grown or changed as you have grown and changed, then you have a mighty small god.
As I have become more contemplative about life, death, God, and my place in all of this, I think that perhaps life itself is a type of koan. It isn't a problem to be solved nor a game to be won. It is simply a life to be experienced and shared with those that experience it with us. We learn from the suffering. We grow stronger from the pain. We love through the grief. And we remember all of the lessons along the way.
It's been a few years since I read Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz. I'm thinking I might reread it. Or maybe Searching for God Knows What.
Maybe I'll give my brain a break and read a novel. I've got several on my Kindle app.
What are you reading?
Any recommendations for my next Rohr book?
John <><
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Survey says _____ !
For coffee drinkers:
How do you brew your morning coffee?
Pour over?
Press?
Drip?
Something else?
I use a pour over.
John <><
How do you brew your morning coffee?
Pour over?
Press?
Drip?
Something else?
I use a pour over.
John <><
Friday, August 23, 2019
Friday morning
In a little while I'll be heading out to Breakfast Venues -- perhaps my favorite hour of the week!
Breakfast Venues is a weekly service of our church to provide breakfast for 100 to 150 of our homeless friends in north Springfield.
I am always encouraged by The Venues people that show up to serve each week. Most of them take an hour off from work or make arrangements to go in late so that they can serve the community. Hot scrambled eggs and a mix of sausage and potatoes are provided by a local restaurant. Some type of grain (muffins, pumpkin bread, coffee cake, honey buns, etc.), a fruit (usually bananas or oranges), and milk are provided by members of The Venues. Someone also provides the paper plates, napkins, cups, and plastic forks. And we are there to share God's love and provisions.
It is a grand way to start the day!
Also in the running for my favorite hour of the week is Thursday evening's Downtown Venues -- Bar Church. Our midweek gathering is held at Ernie Bigg's Piano Bar in downtown Springfield ... and it is growing. Last night was packed for our guest speaker Micki Pulleyking, PhD, MDiv, Professor of Religious Studies at MSU, and Pastor at Westminister Presbyterian Church in Springfield.
Last night's message was on the life of JC (the other JC -- Johnny Cash) and how his Christianity relates to our own journey of following Jesus. The pre-message music was provided by Doctor Micki's daughter, Quinlan Pulleyking. Quinlan also serves as worship leader at Emmaus Church, here is Springfield.
As a bonus, I reconnected with a former student of Dr. Micki's afterwards. She had interviewed me
for a class paper 10 years ago and now serves as Program Director, Mission Ministries at Church of the Resurrection in the Kansas City area.
Gotta go be a venue for God's love.
Have a grand day!
John <><
Breakfast Venues is a weekly service of our church to provide breakfast for 100 to 150 of our homeless friends in north Springfield.
I am always encouraged by The Venues people that show up to serve each week. Most of them take an hour off from work or make arrangements to go in late so that they can serve the community. Hot scrambled eggs and a mix of sausage and potatoes are provided by a local restaurant. Some type of grain (muffins, pumpkin bread, coffee cake, honey buns, etc.), a fruit (usually bananas or oranges), and milk are provided by members of The Venues. Someone also provides the paper plates, napkins, cups, and plastic forks. And we are there to share God's love and provisions.
It is a grand way to start the day!
Also in the running for my favorite hour of the week is Thursday evening's Downtown Venues -- Bar Church. Our midweek gathering is held at Ernie Bigg's Piano Bar in downtown Springfield ... and it is growing. Last night was packed for our guest speaker Micki Pulleyking, PhD, MDiv, Professor of Religious Studies at MSU, and Pastor at Westminister Presbyterian Church in Springfield.
Last night's message was on the life of JC (the other JC -- Johnny Cash) and how his Christianity relates to our own journey of following Jesus. The pre-message music was provided by Doctor Micki's daughter, Quinlan Pulleyking. Quinlan also serves as worship leader at Emmaus Church, here is Springfield.
As a bonus, I reconnected with a former student of Dr. Micki's afterwards. She had interviewed me
for a class paper 10 years ago and now serves as Program Director, Mission Ministries at Church of the Resurrection in the Kansas City area.
Gotta go be a venue for God's love.
Have a grand day!
John <><
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Monday, August 19, 2019
Monday Motivation
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
-- Dalai Lama
If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
-- Dalai Lama
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Life Without Baseball
A few weeks ago, Fox Sports Midwest and Sling TV failed to reach an agreement so my TV provider no longer carries the St Louis Cardinals' games, nor will it carry the St Louis Blues when hockey season begins. I could subscribe to MLB.tv to watch baseball or to an app that will allow me to watch the Blues play this winter. I haven't yet, but I could.
Actually, it hasn't been too bad. I did watch one game on my computer from a sports streaming site. I've listened to a few games on the radio. Mostly I've just kept up with the game progress through the ESPN app and watched game highlights later. In the end, the success or failure of the Cardinals doesn't have much of an impact on my life.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that they are in first place in the division and would be thrilled with another World Series Championship. Having dual champs (hockey and baseball) in St Louis in 2019 would be awesome. But with or without the wins, life goes on.
And I've really become more of an MMA fight fan in recent years. Given the choice of watching the game and checking on the fights tonight or watching the fights and checking on the game -- I'll be watching the fights. It's a great fight card and I'm really looking forward to some of the match ups.
I don't know if it's a plus or a minus, but fighting doesn't have a season. It's a year round sport and you can watch it pretty much every weekend. Fighters at the highest levels make some good money and it has become a big business.
In any case, not watching baseball hasn't hurt me. I guess the big businesses can fight over their dollars and contracts without counting on me to support them. I'll find a movie, an old fight night, or read a book. Football season is about to begin and there is another huge fan base to appeal to. It's funny how much time and money we are willing to invest to watch other people live their dreams.
Sports are big business.
The Cardinals have 42 regular season games left, plus the post season. I'm sure that I'll watch a few of them and continue some of the teasing with friends that cheer for other teams.
But not tonight.
John
Actually, it hasn't been too bad. I did watch one game on my computer from a sports streaming site. I've listened to a few games on the radio. Mostly I've just kept up with the game progress through the ESPN app and watched game highlights later. In the end, the success or failure of the Cardinals doesn't have much of an impact on my life.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that they are in first place in the division and would be thrilled with another World Series Championship. Having dual champs (hockey and baseball) in St Louis in 2019 would be awesome. But with or without the wins, life goes on.
And I've really become more of an MMA fight fan in recent years. Given the choice of watching the game and checking on the fights tonight or watching the fights and checking on the game -- I'll be watching the fights. It's a great fight card and I'm really looking forward to some of the match ups.
I don't know if it's a plus or a minus, but fighting doesn't have a season. It's a year round sport and you can watch it pretty much every weekend. Fighters at the highest levels make some good money and it has become a big business.
In any case, not watching baseball hasn't hurt me. I guess the big businesses can fight over their dollars and contracts without counting on me to support them. I'll find a movie, an old fight night, or read a book. Football season is about to begin and there is another huge fan base to appeal to. It's funny how much time and money we are willing to invest to watch other people live their dreams.
Sports are big business.
The Cardinals have 42 regular season games left, plus the post season. I'm sure that I'll watch a few of them and continue some of the teasing with friends that cheer for other teams.
But not tonight.
John
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Finding Joy in the Moment
I'm enjoying my morning coffee and contemplating life before going out for my daily walk --
Not life in the past (There are lessons to be learned from the past, but not right now.)
Not life in the future (There are plans for the future, but there is no promise of tomorrow.)
I'm just thinking about life right now; in this very moment.
And life is good.
I am learning that we don't always get to live the life we once dreamed of. I'm not saying that you should give up on your dreams. I'm just saying that slowing down enough to enjoy the moment is every bit as important as pursuing tomorrow. It is easy to find peace and joy in the quiet of the morning. I have good coffee (an Ethiopian blend), a comfortable home, laptop and high speed internet, and good health.
It isn't difficult to find joy while out walking, but I have to admit that it takes a little more effort. My walks are pretty purposeful. I don't choose a scenic route or stop to enjoy butterflies and flowers along the way. My walk is to complete the task of walking. But even so, there is joy in the act of completing the task, of progressing towards better health, of feeling a connection to the world around me.
The thing is, as I observe people and look at myself, I see that we are often so focused on doing, striving for something, completing a task, reaching a destination, etc., that we end our days without having experienced a moment of true peace and joy. I know that I have a great advantage in being retired. I have plenty of time to contemplate life and enjoy the moment.
But you have time, too.
Stop. Take just three minutes.
Breathe deeply.
Listen as your heart rate slows.
Gradually slow your breathing.
Feel your body come to rest.
Wait.
Don't rush it.
Let yourself feel the physical part of peace first.
Enjoy the moment.
Love yourself.
Contemplative meditation is a weird thing. It takes lots of practice. Three minutes may seem like a long time at first. Many say that it takes twenty minutes to move beyond this first stage into a more serene and beneficial time of meditation. I've found that a daily practice of even a few minutes helps to find joy in even the most mundane tasks. Chores like mowing the lawn become less of a job and more of a joy when I look at it as taking care of something that I value.
I can somehow find peace in living in the Ozarks even though I had hoped to retire to a Mexican beach. I can live without much of what I desire. I can live without much of what I have. I am learning gratitude for the many blessings I enjoy.
Thank you for sharing a few moments of your day with me.
I wish you a peaceful and joyful moment in your day.
John <><
Not life in the past (There are lessons to be learned from the past, but not right now.)
Not life in the future (There are plans for the future, but there is no promise of tomorrow.)
I'm just thinking about life right now; in this very moment.
And life is good.
I am learning that we don't always get to live the life we once dreamed of. I'm not saying that you should give up on your dreams. I'm just saying that slowing down enough to enjoy the moment is every bit as important as pursuing tomorrow. It is easy to find peace and joy in the quiet of the morning. I have good coffee (an Ethiopian blend), a comfortable home, laptop and high speed internet, and good health.
It isn't difficult to find joy while out walking, but I have to admit that it takes a little more effort. My walks are pretty purposeful. I don't choose a scenic route or stop to enjoy butterflies and flowers along the way. My walk is to complete the task of walking. But even so, there is joy in the act of completing the task, of progressing towards better health, of feeling a connection to the world around me.
The thing is, as I observe people and look at myself, I see that we are often so focused on doing, striving for something, completing a task, reaching a destination, etc., that we end our days without having experienced a moment of true peace and joy. I know that I have a great advantage in being retired. I have plenty of time to contemplate life and enjoy the moment.
But you have time, too.
Stop. Take just three minutes.
Breathe deeply.
Listen as your heart rate slows.
Gradually slow your breathing.
Feel your body come to rest.
Wait.
Don't rush it.
Let yourself feel the physical part of peace first.
Enjoy the moment.
Love yourself.
Contemplative meditation is a weird thing. It takes lots of practice. Three minutes may seem like a long time at first. Many say that it takes twenty minutes to move beyond this first stage into a more serene and beneficial time of meditation. I've found that a daily practice of even a few minutes helps to find joy in even the most mundane tasks. Chores like mowing the lawn become less of a job and more of a joy when I look at it as taking care of something that I value.
I can somehow find peace in living in the Ozarks even though I had hoped to retire to a Mexican beach. I can live without much of what I desire. I can live without much of what I have. I am learning gratitude for the many blessings I enjoy.
Thank you for sharing a few moments of your day with me.
I wish you a peaceful and joyful moment in your day.
John <><
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Wednesday Wisdom
"The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back."
-- Abigail Van Buren (Dear Abby)
-- Abigail Van Buren (Dear Abby)
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Surrendering Freedom
Let's face it. We do it all the time.
We voluntarily surrender some of our freedom every time we get into our cars to travel on public roads.
We surrender some of our freedom when we arrive at work, school or a public park.
We surrender some of our freedom when we get married or even enter into a close relationship with someone. We most definitely surrender some of our freedom when we have kids ...
... or buy a house
... or join a church
... or go on a particular diet
So many of the choices we make require surrendering parts of our freedom -- and we do it every day!
But we'll make no compromise on guns.
No universal background checks.
No bans on certain types of weapons.
No limits on magazine capacity.
No restrictions on who can carry nor on where they can carry.
No ...
No ...
No ...
We would rather risk our lives and the lives of our children whenever we send them to school, take them to church, go to a movie, or even just stop by the grocery store for a candy bar and soda.
I guess they are (and we, ourselves are) less valuable than the freedom we so tightly cling to.
It has been a few days.
There really isn't a question of if there will be another mass shooting. The only questions are --
When?
Where?
and How many more will die?
What kind of people are we that the best we can hope for is that it won't be here and it will be somebody else's loved one that dies?
John
We voluntarily surrender some of our freedom every time we get into our cars to travel on public roads.
We surrender some of our freedom when we arrive at work, school or a public park.
We surrender some of our freedom when we get married or even enter into a close relationship with someone. We most definitely surrender some of our freedom when we have kids ...
... or buy a house
... or join a church
... or go on a particular diet
So many of the choices we make require surrendering parts of our freedom -- and we do it every day!
But we'll make no compromise on guns.
No universal background checks.
No bans on certain types of weapons.
No limits on magazine capacity.
No restrictions on who can carry nor on where they can carry.
No ...
No ...
No ...
We would rather risk our lives and the lives of our children whenever we send them to school, take them to church, go to a movie, or even just stop by the grocery store for a candy bar and soda.
I guess they are (and we, ourselves are) less valuable than the freedom we so tightly cling to.
It has been a few days.
There really isn't a question of if there will be another mass shooting. The only questions are --
When?
Where?
and How many more will die?
What kind of people are we that the best we can hope for is that it won't be here and it will be somebody else's loved one that dies?
John
Thursday, August 01, 2019
Zen
I'll admit that I know little about Zen and the practice of Zen meditation. However, it has long been a personal belief that all living things produce an energy and energy frequency, and we can (with practice) connect our energies. I think I have felt this even before Star Wars brought the idea of The Force to the teen version of myself.
I have never had a meditation teacher, nor have I ever had a regular practice of meditation. I have often used meditation practices to quiet my mind to sleep, to relax, or to release stress. I am not certain where that type of thinking came from, nor am I certain of how long I've been quietly using meditation as a way of emptying my mind and allowing my spirit to freely take control. (I'm not sure that's the best way to describe it, but it's the best I have at this point.)
I have never consciously studied or followed the teachings of Buddha and it has been nearly forty years since I read a book on the life of Siddhartha Gautama. (At the time I started reading it, I did not know that this was The Buddha.) Over the years, I have read books on other belief systems and world religions. Although many of them predate Jesus, most of them are very much in line with the teachings of Jesus when it comes to living life in harmony with others.
One thing that I've noticed is that evangelical Christians seem far more interested in the afterlife and often seem to miss the joy of the present moment. If we follow the voice of Jesus (John 10), I believe that the good life he promises isn't limited to the afterlife, but also includes a present life of love, peace, and joy.
I know that many of my evangelical friends will worry that I think that the teachings of eastern religions are compatible with the teachings of Jesus (or the other way around since they predate Jesus). You need not worry about me. The truth is -- I worry that you are so concerned with the afterlife that you are missing out on the great joy that God has for you to enjoy this very day!
I urge you to take the time to find God today. It doesn't require a great journey or pilgrimage.
He is in you!
Find a place without distractions. Leave your phone in another room or turn it off. Be aware of your breathing. Feel your heart beat. Then let it all go and listen for God. If you get distracted, if other thoughts creep into your head, come back to your breathing, come back to your heartbeat. Letting go takes practice. If you find it difficult to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd, it might be because you've never really taken the time to listen. Maybe there has always been too much noise in your head.
Be still.
Find quiet.
Feel love.
Know peace.
John <><
I have never had a meditation teacher, nor have I ever had a regular practice of meditation. I have often used meditation practices to quiet my mind to sleep, to relax, or to release stress. I am not certain where that type of thinking came from, nor am I certain of how long I've been quietly using meditation as a way of emptying my mind and allowing my spirit to freely take control. (I'm not sure that's the best way to describe it, but it's the best I have at this point.)
I have never consciously studied or followed the teachings of Buddha and it has been nearly forty years since I read a book on the life of Siddhartha Gautama. (At the time I started reading it, I did not know that this was The Buddha.) Over the years, I have read books on other belief systems and world religions. Although many of them predate Jesus, most of them are very much in line with the teachings of Jesus when it comes to living life in harmony with others.
One thing that I've noticed is that evangelical Christians seem far more interested in the afterlife and often seem to miss the joy of the present moment. If we follow the voice of Jesus (John 10), I believe that the good life he promises isn't limited to the afterlife, but also includes a present life of love, peace, and joy.
I know that many of my evangelical friends will worry that I think that the teachings of eastern religions are compatible with the teachings of Jesus (or the other way around since they predate Jesus). You need not worry about me. The truth is -- I worry that you are so concerned with the afterlife that you are missing out on the great joy that God has for you to enjoy this very day!
I urge you to take the time to find God today. It doesn't require a great journey or pilgrimage.
He is in you!
Find a place without distractions. Leave your phone in another room or turn it off. Be aware of your breathing. Feel your heart beat. Then let it all go and listen for God. If you get distracted, if other thoughts creep into your head, come back to your breathing, come back to your heartbeat. Letting go takes practice. If you find it difficult to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd, it might be because you've never really taken the time to listen. Maybe there has always been too much noise in your head.
Be still.
Find quiet.
Feel love.
Know peace.
John <><