Sorting Out Your Spiritual Season

I am firmly convinced that we are spiritual people. Our hearts lead us in directions sometimes that our minds find unimaginable. Our minds strive to convince us of all that is rational and all that can be proved by our other senses. I was reading some stories from a little book called, Charleston's Ghosts. The book went into great detail about some of the ghost stories told in the town of Charleston, South Carolina. I remembered visiting there for vacation and thinking about how the trees seemed to sway in the breezes differently than I had experienced in any other place. Certainly there was more going on in Charleston than met the eye!

We live in an age where spiritual people sometimes feel pushed out to the fringes of existence. Yet, we can celebrate the ways that our hearts and souls do speak. Our hearts and souls do push us every now and then to become the best people we can become. Pehaps that is because we serve a God of infinite possibility.

The writer of Ecclesiastes wrote in the 3rd chapter of the Holy Bible that for everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the sun. Sometimes we want to rush the season we find oursleves in. Sometimes we want different seasons to overlap. When we pray we're not satisfied unless our prayer answering season overlaps with our prayer asking season. We want instant answers from a God of infinite possibility. Sometimes we would be wise to recognize what that writer wrote who wrote, "God gives us people in our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. " Some friendships are meant to last for a season. The same can be said for some romances. As much as we might want them for a lifetime those realtionships may only have temporary, seasonal lasting power. The question then becomes: Are you sorting out your spiritual season, right now? Do you really see or feel where you may be rushing things along or hoping for outcomes when you should be striving to fully experience the blessing you find yourself in right now. What season is it for you? Sort it out. For there is a blessing in the sorting and figuring out also. There is a blessing in THIS SEASON FOR YOU RIGHT NOW!

Moving in Mellow Thanks for Mighty Mothers

Once a year has never been enough to show our appreciation to the mighty, loving and committed mothers that move us to action in our lives. As I thought about that first miracle repored by St. John in the 2nd chapter of John, verses 1-5 (NRSV Bible), I couldn't help but think about the ways my own mother and so many other mothers have moved us to action going all the way back to Jesus' mother Mary. Hard times were due to define the marvelous wedding feast in a little village called, Cana, in Galilee. But Mary, mother of Jesus, would not have it! She stood her ground and did three things that marvelous, mighty mothers have continued doing well over the ages. The first thing she did was she anointed and appointed her son Jesus to get started with His earthly mission. Yes, Jesus was sent to do God's work here on earth but I'm sure Jesus would have preferred to get started AFTER he gathered his whole 12 disciples. Mary saw the wine was running out at the wedding and knew what her son Jesus could do. Mary blessed Jesus to get to work. Have you ever felt the gentle nudge of your mother pushing you to get to work? I have. The second thing mother Mary did was she let Jesus know that sometimes miracle making is not just about supernatural things, only. Sometimes letting the supernatural things serve practical purposes is really what matters most. Didn't your Mama ever insist that you think practically? Mine did. Thirdly and finally, mother Mary did something that Mamas over the ages have been known for! She made sure it was her child, her adult child here with Jesus, was going to come, reach out and help. Mother Mary knew that we can't have a faith or a gift that we don't use. You don't have to be the greatest theologian on earth to recognize that there is wisdom in using ALL THE GIFTS GOD GAVE YOU! And that earthly axiom is true about using your faith and your gifts. If you don't use them, you'll lose them. I hope everyone who reads this blog found a special mother or two to celebrate for Mother's Day, 2009. But more importantly I hope we will take all the good feelings we feel for mothers into the rest of our moments, days, weeks and years ahead. Keep moving in your mellow thanks for mighty mothers TODAY!

Living the "Abundant Life! RIGHT NOW!"

If you've heard the biblical injunction that Jesus came so that we can have life and have it, "more abundantly" then you know this abundant life isn't about material things, only. It's also about the people we hang out with and the choices we make. Some clues to living the abundant life were in the words of an anonymous poet who penned the piece, "Choose to......" And when I saw it I knew I had to share it. May it nourish your spirit. Here it is:

Choose to love RATHER THAN to hate
Choose to laugh RATHER THAN to cry
Choose to create RATHER THAN to destroy
Choose to persevere RATHER THAN to quit
Choose to build up RATHER THAN to tear down
Choose to prasie RATHER THAN to gossip
Choose to heal RATHER THAN to wound
Choose to give RATHER THAN to take
Choose to act RATHER THAN to procrastinate
Choose to grow RATHER THAN to rot
Choose to pray RATHER THAN to curse
Choose to light a lamp RATHER THAN to snuff one out
Choose to LIVE RATHER THAN TO DIE!!!!!

Surely, these times we're living in are tough! And disappointment may feel like its close at hand. But be encouraged today......as you choose well! Choose to live life abundantly!