Janet's Jottings

December 2008 ~ Shibui

2008-12-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

For my "jottings" this year, I have drawn from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. Once again, on this last month of this year, I will share a word, along with some thoughts from the book. The word for December is:

Shibui – (she BOO ee) Japanese
The beauty of aging

If January is the month of new beginnings, often characterized by a newborn baby, then December must be the month of maturity or completions. Without seeing this as a sad or negative thing, let us recognize the beauty of bringing things to fruition. Here’s what the compiler of “World Words” has to say.

“From the growth of moss on a rock to the pattern of wrinkles in a face, time bestows loveliness on all that is alive. Maturity cannot be rushed. It depends upon the everlasting cycle of development and decay. Whether referring to a mellowed tea, a landscape feature, or an aged room, shibui is a quality that speaks of persistence and sustained unfolding. In a culture which glorifies both youth and speed, this elusive sense of beauty may be hard to grasp. Yet it helps us to redefine how we embrace everything from old growth forests to revered sacred sites to the old people living next door. When we are able to appreciate the gifts that only the passage of a lifetime can manifest, all of existence seems more precious. In one face we perceive all the golden features that have ever been. Within a single ancient oak lie the forms of all the trees yet to come.”

There is a scene in one of my favorite movies called “Phenomenon” where the main character is trying to help two children understand the fact that he is dying. He says, “Everything is on its way to somewhere.” Perhaps December says this, as well, being, as it is, a bridge that we cross from what has been to what is yet to be. Learning to see the beauty in each transition, from what is completed to what is beginning, is our work. Perhaps it begins with seeing that beauty in ourselves… in our faces and changing bodies… in our relationships as they come and go… in our understanding of what beauty truly is and how it relates to everything around us. I love the Native American prayer/song that goes like this:

I walk with beauty before me,
I walk with beauty behind me,
I walk with beauty above me,
I walk with beauty below me,
I walk with beauty all around me.
My world is so beautiful, my Lord.

May this be our prayer of shibui as we gently release all that has been and welcome all that is coming to meet us.

jbm

November 2008 ~ Hoomaikai

2008-11-01T23:36:00.000-07:00

For some of my "jottings" this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. The word for November is:

Hoomaikai–(hoo-o-MY–ky) Hawaiian
Grateful

For many Americans, the words “November” and “Thanksgiving” are nearly synonymous. Thanksgiving, here, is a noun rather than a verb. It is the name given to one of our major holidays. It signifies prosperity, family, the beauty of the autumn season, the beginning of the holiday season… and of course, football! Thanksgiving is used less often as a verb that signifies a way of doing that is also a way of being. Being thankful or grateful is often assumed when we think of Thanksgiving as an event, but most of us know that we can participate in feasting and family gathering without being thankful. This may be less true in some other parts of the world. (from the book) “Being hoomaikai is deeply woven into the fabric of Native Hawaiian island culture. Music, dance, an exquisite variety of fine artworks and personal adornments all function as expressions of thanksgiving.”

Perhaps it is our loss of meaningful celebration that allows our special days to be little more than what lies on the surface and we come away sad and disappointed. But it need not be so. Being hoomaikai is choice that each of us can make.

(from the book) “We have so much to celebrate. Our being alive, awake and aware, and able to survive are great blessings. Most of us can feel the wind on our face, listen to morning birds, and treasure the visual magnificence of a moonset. When you focus more on what you have than on what you want, a space of abundance is created. Happiness is indeed wanting exactly what you already have. Hoomaikai is recognizing and actively giving thanks for what is.”

jbm

October 2008 ~ Nichevo

2008-10-06T08:06:00.000-07:00

(from the book) “Good Morning. This is God speaking. I will be handling all of your problems today, without any assistance from you. I’ll let you know if I require your input. So just relax and enjoy the day."

This (imaginary) message is a gentle reminder to simply lighten up. We spend so much time resisting life, trying to command it, ignoring the basic reality that what we resist persists. When we are upset and anxious, gently speaking the word nichevo reminds us that the challenge of the moment is simply not to hold on so tightly. Clinging to what is not controllable is, in part, the source of our misery. Bouncing between blame and self pity only brings more suffering.”

Learning to “let go” is a vital part of our spiritual growth. But, “letting go” is part of a larger practice. This is the practice of trusting or “having faith” in that which is larger than our own understanding. One of my teachers used to say: “Faith is like the motor in an automobile. In and of itself, it will not take you anywhere. Only when the ignition is turned on, does the power of the motor cause movement to happen. Belief is the ignition that activates faith.”

So, when we believe that God is our Source and our Supply, this belief quickens our faith and we can let go of our anxiety and attempts to control things that are beyond out control. We can whisper the word nichevo and know that we are not abandoning the direction of our lives, but rather we are surrendering to a larger power. One of the most dynamic and comprehensive affirmations we can know and believe and use is this:

There is only One Presence and One Power
in the universe and in my life, God, the Good.
Or, we can simply say, with understanding, “Nichevo!”

jbm

September 2008 ~ Uthsaha

2008-09-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

(from the book) ”The spiritual call is sometimes vague and hesitant, though often quite clear and compelling. It may appear when least expected, or arise in response to immediate need. More like a sense of direction than a road map, it will first appear on the fringe of awareness, a barely perceptible shift in feeling.

We all need the presence of uthsaha in our lives. It can arise from many sources: an inspirational teacher, an enlightened book, a conversation with friends, a regular devotional practice. Both symbolic and practical, the divine can be awakened by continually acting upon the still, small, inner voice. As you experience the positive aspects of its guidance in your life, a stronger bridge will be built, based on increasing trust and unfolding delight.”

And to this, I say, “Amen!”

A long time ago I came upon a little poem that spoke to me. I carried it in my wallet for many years.. I no longer have it in my wallet, but I still carry it in my mind. I don’t know who wrote it, but it goes like this:

I am the place where God shines through
For God and I are One, not two.
I need not fear, nor fret, nor plan –
God needs me now, right where I am.
And if I’ll be relaxed and free,
He’ll carry out His Plan through me.

jbm

August 2008 ~ Myrtle

2008-08-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

As you can see, the word I have chosen for this month’s jotting is a familiar one… the name of a woman who was born on August 6, 1845 in a small town in Ohio… a town that was founded by this woman’s father and given her family name. It was called Paigetown.

Today the town is gone, except for a small graveyard where Myrtle’s parents and some of her siblings are buried. However, if you go there today, you will find a placard along the highway that was erected by the Ohio Historical Society in honor of Myrtle Paige Fillmore, the co-founder of the Unity movement.

Between the years of 1990 and 1995, Wayne and I served the Unity church in Columbus, Ohio. Soon after we arrived in Columbus, we made the 30 mile trip to Paigetown and visited the graveyard. A tall obelisk had been erected over the grave of Myrtle’s parents, apparently without a solid footer. It was leaning badly. We had already formed a Heritage Team at the church and so we called them together and told them about the gravestone. We decided to have an auction to raise the funds needed to have it reset. The auction was a success and soon the obelisk was standing straight and tall. Each year on an August Sunday, which we called Heritage Sunday, we led a “pilgrimage” to Paigetown and visited the graveyard of our co-founder. We made a circle and sang her favorite song, “The Song of Faith,” written by Hannah More Kohaus.

God is my help in ev’ry need,
God does my ev’ry hunger feed.
God walks beside me, guides my way,
Through ev’ry moment of the day.

God is my health, I can’t be sick,
God is my strength, unfailing, quick.
God is my All, I know no fear,
Since God, and Love and Truth are here.

Myrtle was a woman of faith. When she first heard the words that gave rise to her healing affirmation, she believed them, she trusted them, she lived them, she shared them and she was healed. Her affirmation is embedded in the Unity story and goes like this: I am a child of God. Therefore, I do not inherit sickness. To a woman who had been told from childhood that she had inherited tuberculosis and who had lived to see it manifest, this truth of her divine inheritance was life changing.

Most of us have inherited something that “runs in the family.” Myrtle’s affirmation is as powerful today as it was when she created it. Believing it, trusting it, living and sharing it is our work. Without the work, the words are just words. Using the words to ground ourselves in faith, they become stepping stones to freedom and wholeness.

jbm

July 2008 ~ Wa

2008-07-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

For my "jottings" inspiration this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word from each month, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. The word for July is:

Wa (Wah)
Sense of harmony and well-being.

I probably watch too much CNN. Whenever I think about watching less news, I am reminded of the early Tuesday morning when Wayne came rushing in from a 7:00 a.m. meeting he had attended to tell me about the World Trade Center being attacked. All of this had happened, my world had changed, while I was feeding my cats! Since then, I have tried to pay more attention to the “news.”

During the recent primary elections, I began to check in to CNN more often. I say CNN because that’s where I begin, moving to other news channels from time to time. I think it is good to have an overall awareness of the “big stuff” and there always seems to be some “big stuff,” especially in an election year. Unfortunately, there is a down side to the decision to watch more news and that’s the stressful feelings that often come with it. On any given day, there are at least a half dozen things I can wonder about, worry about, feel helpless about, have opinions about. And, on any given day, there are as many or more “big” things I can know about without losing my peace of mind. That is, if I understand that “the news” and “peace of mind” are not mutually exclusive.

Here are a few lines from “Worldwords” ~ “Life’s turbulent waters always seem to be stirring something up: concerns about material goods, a variety of physical and emotional aches and pains, and the anxiety of our crazy minds worrying about it all. It seems that the norm is to live with the mindset that things are never quite right. To choose instead a worldview that wa is always accessible requires changing some fundamental habits. As we focus on discovering peace, the old patterns will wither of their own accord.”

This is not a new idea to those of us who are familiar with New Thought, the parent teaching that birthed Unity and other similar organizations. The name “New Thought” is sometimes misunderstood as meaning something new… never heard before. New Thought, of course, is a teaching that goes back at least as far as the biblical record and so cannot be seen as "new," in terms of time. It comes from this idea: You can change your life by taking a new thought.

More from the book: “First you must believe that you deserve to nurture yourself in this way. Then it is possible to allow this sense to permeate your being. Drink serenity in like water from an oasis, like nectar from a flower. Breathe tranquility into every fiber of your being. The floodgates will open and a river will flow within you from a calm center.”

Perhaps nobody has said it better than our old friend, Paul, who wrote, in his letter to the Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Or, to put it more succinctly ~ Wa!

jbm

June 2008 ~ Banjar

2008-06-02T00:11:00.000-07:00

For my "jottings" inspiration this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word from each month, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. The word for June is:

banjar ~ Indonesian
Cooperative groups of neighbors bound to assist each other.

CNN commentators have recently been using a catchy phrase to introduce news stories relating to tornadoes and storms. They call it “when the weather becomes the news.” It seems we’ve been having a lot of those stories in recent weeks… here and abroad. But one of the things that is always part of the story is the way people help each other in times of terror and tragedy. One of my favorite stories was about a young woman in China who became aware that there were babies going hungry because their mothers were no longer with them. This young woman had given birth to a baby a few months earlier and was still nursing him. She offered to nurse some of the other motherless babies, as well. At one point she was nursing nine babies. Talk about the law of giving and receiving! She was the multiplication of “loaves and fishes” in expression. When she was interviewed by a newscaster, she expressed surprise that she was being called a “hero.” To her, it was simply something she could do… and so she did.

From the book: “Given the increased mobility of our society, for many of us, our sense of community arises, not so much from neighborhood, but rather from a loose assemblage of friends and acquaintances. Even if scattered across the country, these relationships may seem more solid that the shifting dynamics of who happens to live next door. It is hard for us to imagine the stability and sense of defined place inherent in the concept of a banjar. Its roots lie in the daily pressures of village life where survival means having neighbors you can count on. The challenge for us is to incorporate into our daily awareness the importance of supportive interaction with those around us. In the giving there is always receiving.”

Jesus told a story about a man who was beaten, and robbed, and left by the roadside to die. Several travelers passed by on the other side without giving him a glance or any kind of help. And then, finally, a man who was considered to be of a “lower class” came by. He stopped, put the injured man on his donkey and took him to an inn where care could be given. Most of us know this story and way it ends. Jesus asked his listeners who, in the story, was the true neighbor… those who passed by or the one who risked himself in order to help? It was agreed that the neighbor was the man who did what he could to help. At another time, Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22: 36 – 40

jbm

May 2008 ~ Namaste

2008-05-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

“To speak this word is to remain hopeful. It is to declare that although as an individual being you may not always be able to act out of that commonality, you do remember that such a connection is always present. The more you allow this insight to penetrate your daily living, the wider the doors of compassion are flung open. Compassion is not pity or sympathy; it is a way of walking through life valuing all of creation. It is the beginning of the circle of kindness and caring that ultimately brings us to peace.”

We may not always be comfortable speaking the word “namaste” aloud. We can, however, speak it silently in our thoughts and prayers. It is a comprehensive word, holding within its meaning all the “specifics” we might wish or pray for ourselves or another. Some people like to relate a color to the “namaste “ and visualize those for whom they pray in an energy of that color. One of my teachers always said, “God is blue.” You may find another color more natural or comfortable for the practice of “seeing people” in the color of your choice. There is nothing magic about the color. It simply serves as a reminder of the true purpose of the thought or prayer… of the practice of “namaste”… the divinity in me beholds and honors the divinity in you.

jbm

March 2008 ~ Easy Does It

2008-02-29T18:18:00.000-08:00

“Like a doctor shouting at his patient 'Just Relax!' we can wreak havoc by struggling too hard to get something right. In delicate situations the energy flows best when allowed to expand rather than constrict, and we embrace the task rather than attempt to control it.”

Embracing the task, whatever it is, includes being willing to let it unfold in its own way, without trying to control what that way must be, what the outcome must look like. This “mollo mollo” frame of mind allows us to take each step that is revealed to us, without being stressed about the steps that we cannot yet see.

Many 12 Step Recovery programs work with the ideas of “one day at a time” and “easy does it.” These are valuable affirmations for those of us who are recovering perfectionists. In addition, we may wish to softly say “mollo mollo” as we move through our day, especially when we start feeling stressed… “mollo mollo”… easy does it… all is well.

jbm

February 2008 ~ The Beloved

2008-02-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

Priya (PREE – yuh) ~ a Sanskrit word which means "the beloved."

(from the book): "Relationship can be a devotional, spiritual, practice of awakening. When we are really able to see with the heart, and appreciate that our most intimate (friend) is only a universal breath away, we are filled with gratitude for the truth and beauty of what is present, now in this moment together. Walls of fear come down, and this beloved person is appreciated for the mirror they are to our own true nature. Beyond the old ideas of our self, we guide each other to new realities. Most of us can taste and savor such moments of connection, but rarely can we bring such light into permanent focus. A glimpse is enough to remind us that it is possible to be fully accepted as we are, and to experience the intimacy we long to create."

(from me) While February hosts several special days, it is best known for Valentine’s Day. This is the day we honor those we love… family… friends… partners… anyone with whom we share a relationship. The Hallmark card company makes it possible for us to send a valentine to almost everyone, however close or casual our relationship may be.

I especially like the line from the book quote that says, "Walls of fear come down and this beloved person is appreciated for the mirror they are to our own true nature." In my recent reading, I came across this idea with the suggestion that we think of someone we admire and love to be with. Now ask these questions:

What qualities do I value in this person ?
How do I see those same qualities in myself?

Now let us think of someone we do not admire nor enjoy being with. Can we see those qualities as reflections of something in ourselves? Is there something to be learned?

Looking for what is mirrored in our relationships can bring a new sense of clarity and appreciation for "the beloved" and for ourselves. That we are only a universal breath apart is a breath-taking idea! This is what we mean by "beholding the Christ," seeing with the eyes of "Oneness," being in Unity. This is what we mean by spiritual practice, unfoldment, enlightenment! This is what we mean by world peace!

And we can start right where we are! Happy Valentine’s Day, Priya!

jbm

January 2008 ~ Beauty

2008-01-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

As you, my faithful readers (all 6 of you), have no doubt observed, I am late with this month’s Jotting. Somehow it has been hard to think of something that I haven’t already written about… starting over… new beginnings… making promises… etc. etc. and then it occurred to me to return to my first love… words. This was, in part, because I picked up a little book that I bought a few years ago at a used book sale. The book is called “Worldwords” and it is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. It occurred to me to share the word for the first day of the month… along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. So, here we go.

January 1
Nasho hozho (nah-SHAS HO-ZHOW (Navaho)
To walk in the beauty way in one’s life and actions.

“Everyone of us makes a unique contribution to the patterns of creation in the world. When we appreciate the need to find our place in relation to all that is good around us, we begin to comprehend the depth of the worldview known as nasho hozho.

In this Navaho concept, all life is viewed from the lens of relationships with natural and supernatural forces as well as other human beings. When one lives with balance, creating harmony and beauty as one moves through the day, then mind, body and spirit mingle together in wondrous interplay with all that is. To walk in the beauty way is to explore the goodness of all creation.”

This reminds me of a little story I heard long ago. It is about a young woman who had just graduated from college with a degree in social work. She went to work in a low income neighborhood in a large city. Her first assignment was to begin a weekly gathering for women. At the first meeting, she asked, “What would you like to know about?” A woman replied, “Teach us how to be happy.” The social worker was puzzled, but she said she would have an answer when they next came together. A week went by and the group gathered again, eager to hear her answer. This is what she said: “Before I tell you how to be happy, you must promise me that you will do what I say.” The women promised. The social worker went on: “Each day you must do three things. First, you must read something positive. Second, you must do something nice for someone without getting found out. Third, you must spend five minutes looking at something beautiful.” Over the weeks that followed, the women shared their experience of doing the three “happy” things. Without exception they experienced a lifting of their spirits as they walked the beauty way.

As we enter into this new year, let us open our eyes and ears to the beauty that surrounds us… and perhaps we, too, may find a new happiness as we follow the three small steps of the beauty way.

Happy New Year!!

jbm

December Jot 2007 ~ Immanuel

2007-12-02T11:10:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite “Christmas words” is the Hebrew word “Immanuel.” Sometimes used in the Greek form and spelled “Emmanuel,” the word is a prophetic name for Jesus and simply means “God with us.” I say “simply” because as a definition, it is simple and straightforward. However, as a spiritual principle, it is rich with meaning and promise.

This morning, as I was thinking about Christmas being near, I prayerfully asked myself this question: Why was Jesus born? What was his purpose? To my surprise, these words almost immediately spoke themselves into my mind: “He came to show us who God is and who we are.” This is such a satisfying answer for me. It is certainly not a new idea, but it is fresh for me today as I begin to prepare for the celebration of Christmas… the birth of the Christ Child… Immanuel.

What was the portrait of God that Jesus painted for us? If we look patiently and with willing eyes, we see intelligence and wisdom, caring and courage, discipline and surrender, love and strength, generosity and creativity. We see true power, in all its many forms. We see these and more, not as qualities that Jesus had, but as attributes of being… of who he was. Given as we are to creating God in our image and likeness, it is vital that we see what Jesus saw… not a big man in the sky, but the Absolute Source of All Good. Jesus showed us our Oneness with this Unlimited Good. His faith knew no bounds… had no limit… it carried him through all that his purpose held for him.

And so, I ask myself, how is all this a picture of me? The answer comes more quietly, but no less surely. I am all of this in possibility, just as Jesus was. He was lifetimes ahead of me in soul enlightenment, but he was not different from me in kind, only in degree of expression. How lovely it must have been for those who were present to hear him say, “The things that I do, you shall do, and greater than these will you do.” But these words were not just for his listeners then. They are for each one of us now.

But what about sin? Didn’t Jesus come to save us from sin? Yes, he truly did. But we can only understand this if we understand “sin.” In his book “Original Blessing,” Matthew Fox defines sin as “belief in duality… in separation.” If I truly know and believe that I am one with you, with all creation, can I do anything to harm you or the planet we share? Jesus summed up our Oneness in his great commandment: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength… and your neighbor as yourself.” When we get this right, we are saved from sin… from our belief that we are separate. This is what faith is all about. This is what salvation is all about: believing, trusting the Oneness, Immanuel, God with us. Have a blessed Christmas!

jbm

November 2007 ~ Thanks Giving

2007-10-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

“The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.” Robert Louis Stevenson

Once again, November has rolled around and when I think November, I think thanksgiving… not just the holiday, but the act itself… the act of giving thanks. Actually, thanksgiving is first of all an attitude… an attitude of gratitude, we like to say… an attitude of being… being grateful… for what? For the things that are nearest, according to Robert Louis Stevenson… for daily stuff like breath and bread. Giving thanks for our blessings is a good thing to do in any season. But, maybe there is another level to thanksgiving.

When we retired from church ministry three years ago, some dear friends gave us a beautiful wooden plaque that now hangs in our kitchen. The plaque says this:

“In everything give thanks!”

Notice, it does not tell us to give thanks for everything, but to give thanks in everything. This same message is carried in Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessalonica. In chapter 5:16 - 18, we find these words: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

These words always leap out at me: “…give thanks in all circumstances.” Thinking about them today, I am reminded of the fires that destroyed so much of southern California just a few weeks ago and of the people who lost their houses and everything in them. So many who were interviewed on television during that time spoke of giving thanks to God that they and their families were alive and determined to rebuild, to start over. What an example of “giving thanks in all circumstances.”

But what about those circumstances where there does not seem to be anything for which to thank God? What then? Perhaps this is when we thank God for being God, for being our Source of hope and blessing in everything. In Unity we practice “seeing the Good in everything.” I think this is a helpful way to practice “being thankful in everything.”

Paul had something to say about this, as well. In Romans 8:28 he says, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” And in verses 31 and 37, we find: “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” And so we can say, thank you God!

jbm

October 2007 ~ Harvest

2007-10-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

As I was thinking about what to jot about this month, I kept getting the word “harvest.” This led me to remembering a man by the name of Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. I met the good rabbi through his book “From Age-ing to Sage-ing” several years ago when I was invited to offer a workshop on “eldering.” I connect him with the word “harvest” because of the particular way he uses the word in his book.

He says, “By harvesting, I mean gathering in the fruits of a lifetime’s experience and enjoying them … When we harvest, we consciously recognize and celebrate the contributions we have made in our career and family life. We also appreciate the friendships we have nurtured … Harvesting can be experienced from within as quiet self-appreciation or from without through the honor, respect, and recognition received from others …”

Working with this concept personally has made me aware that “harvesting the past” is not just for people who are “really old!” Everyone has a past, be it long or short, and looking at the past with regret seems to come naturally to us sooner, rather than later. Dealing with the past is the livelihood of therapists and counselors and the work of any of us who seek to live in the present.

Some of us may have grown up in a culture that frowned on “self appreciation,” calling it “pride” or even “sin.” However, sound psychology teaches us to acknowledge our pluses as well as our minuses. Often we are reminded to “see the good” in those things we regret. This is another way to understand “harvesting.” Seeing the good in those things we are happy about is also important in our overall mental/emotional/spiritual health. Again, we remember that Jesus taught a way of loving others that is based on loving ourselves.

Harvesting a lifetime may seem like a large task to those of us who have accumulated a significant length of “lifetime.” But, like everything else, it’s one day at a time! Taking a few minutes at the end of each day to identify three things that we are grateful for is a good way to begin.

jbm

September 2007 ~ School

2007-09-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, September was one of my favorite months, running a close second to December. While December brought Christmas, September brought The First Day of School. I was always excited and ready for school to begin. The new tablet and crayons and especially the lunch box were part of the fun. And deciding what to wear on the first day always took some discussion with my mother.

I liked school, then and now. I would like to think it was because I liked “learning,” but I’m not sure that was true. I liked being in the atmosphere where there were books and notebooks and an order to things that you could count on. I liked having art and music.

For several years our music teacher produced an operetta with all the grade school kids. I always had a singing part. The operetta I remember best was about a princess who was turned into a witch and then got turned into a princess again. I played the part of the princess. My high school aged cousin “did” my hair and I wore a green dress under a black cape and hat. I felt glamorous and mysterious, which was not an easy thing for a little red-headed girl with freckles and gold-rimmed glasses.

When I was in the third grade, I learned to play the soprano saxophone and joined the band. Our little schoolhouse did not have a gym or any other space for a band. On “band day” we carried our instruments and walked “out town” to a car dealership that had an empty showroom. This is where we had band for many of my grade school years. The man who was the crossing guard told me I was going to grow up with one arm longer than the other because I had carried my saxophone so many miles.

Perhaps you have seen the bumper sticker that says, “If you can read this, thank a teacher.” Every time I see it, I pause for a moment and give thanks for the incredible gift of learning to read. I remember the little paperback primer we started with… Dick and Jane and their dog, Spot. I remember the momentous day we were permitted to bring the book home. I sat in the front porch swing and read the book aloud to my neighbor, who was as thrilled as I was. I began to read in the fall of 1939 and I have not stopped. Of the many important “learnings” in my life, learning to read was and is the most important. There is no area of my life that is not nourished by reading. I am continually grateful for reading and for all those who write the books that I read. These authors are among the teachers who have blessed me over the years.

Recently, I tried to remember the names of all of my teachers from grades one through eight. I can see their faces but a few names have slipped away. That I became a teacher is not a surprise. My mother was a teacher, as were many of my aunts and uncles. My mother was my teacher when I was in the sixth grade. And I remember spending a day with one of my aunts who taught in a little one room country school.

So, as September moves into its special expression of colored leaves and cool breezes, may it also quicken our awareness of the daily opportunities we have to teach and to learn in the schoolroom of life. And, oh yes, if you can read this, thank a teacher!

jbm

August 2007 ~ Heritage

2007-08-01T20:48:00.000-07:00

The month of August is not known for a national holiday, but to those of us in the Unity movement, it is a very important month. Our co-founders, Myrtle and Charles Fillmore, were born in August. Myrtle was born on August 6, 1854 in Pagetown, Ohio. Charles was born on August 22, 1863 near St. Cloud, Minnesota. What were the chances that they would meet and marry, that they would discover a new way of healing that they would share with the world? What were the chances?

Fortunately, their destiny was not a matter of chance. Fortunately, they were committed to the guidance of the Spirit of Truth and were willing to follow as they felt led. Perhaps this is their most important legacy to us today. More than a new way of understanding God and our relationship to God, more than a new way of understanding our oneness to all creation, more than a new way of understanding the scriptures and the freeing message of Jesus Christ, the reality and availability of Divine Guidance is our most precious heritage. Expressing through us as instinct and insight, as common sense and intuition, as information and inspiration, as doors that open and doors that close, Divine Guidance is always our salvation.

When Charles Fillmore defined Unity as “a practical application of the teachings of Jesus Christ to every aspect of daily life,” he made it plain that Unity is about living every moment from an “inner knowing” that leads us on a clear path and allows us to be fearless and faithfilled. Surely this was Jesus’ example. Surely this was the example of our co-founders.

In 1942, while looking through some old files, the librarian at Unity headquarters uncovered a document in Mr. Fillmore’s handwriting that was signed by Myrtle and Charles. The document had remained a secret for fifty years, but the spirit of the “covenant,” as it has become known, had shown itself time and time again since the Fillmores signed it on December 7, 1892, for it is the spirit that motivated their life and work. (from The Story of Unity)

DEDICATION AND COVENANT

We, Charles Fillmore and Myrtle Fillmore, husband and wife, hereby dedicate ourselves, our time, our money, all we have and all we expect to have, to the Spirit of Truth, and through it, to the Society of Silent Unity.

It being understood and agreed that the said Spirit of Truth shall render unto us an equivalent for this dedication, in peace of mind, health of body, wisdom, understanding, love, life, and an abundant supply of all things necessary to meet every want without our making any of these things the object of our existence.

In the presence of the Conscious Mind of Christ Jesus, this 7th day of December, A.D. 1892. (signed) Charles Fillmore / Myrtle Fillmore

Today, as we honor our past and embrace our opportunity to carry the work of Unity into the future, may our purpose and our progress be firmly dedicated to the same Spirit of Truth that has been our foundation from the beginning. May we never lose sight of what we are as we set our sights on what we may yet become.

jbm

July 2007 ~ Freedom

2007-07-03T13:57:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the opportunity to participate in a group conversation around the theme of “freedom.” As we stated the meaning of “freedom” for each of us individually, it soon became clear that we, collectively, valued our freedom to choose… what we say, what we worship, what we print, who we vote for, what we join… all of these and more. The “right to choose” is our dearest freedom.

This is hardly a surprise to any of us, given, as we are, to raising our voices and our banners on behalf of “rights,” whether for animals, humans, or the planet. And, in each case, we are supporting the right of everything to be authentically what it is, by nature and by choice, without fear or interference.

It occurs to me to wonder if, in our passion for the “right to choose,” we have paid enough attention to the “ability to choose” in ways that are creative and wise. Most of us can attest to having made some choices that were neither creative nor wise. Most of us have made some choices that did not lead to happy endings, but rather, to sorrow or embarrassment. So how can we learn to make better choices, now that we have the right to do so? Who will teach us? Jesus laid a foundation for good choices when he said, “As you would that others would do unto you, do so likewise unto them.” This “rule” is expressed in many or most of the world’s great religions. Here are a few:

Christianity
All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:1

Confucianism
Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state. Analects 12:2

Buddhism
Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Udana-Varga 5,1

Hinduism
This is the sum of duty; do naught unto others what you would not have them do unto you. Mahabharata 5,1517

Islam
No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.

Judaism
What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary. Talmud, Shabbat 3id

Taoism
Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss. Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien

Zoroastrianism
That nature alone is good which refrains from doing to another whatsoever is not good for itself. Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5

As ancient as this teaching is, we have an important “right now” opportunity to put it into practice. I am referring to “living green” in ways that bless ourselves, our neighbors, and all life on our planet. A quick internet search on “living green” yields many fine websites with practical tips for doing just that… making small changes that can reduce the damage that we are inflicting on our planet, and consequently, on each other. One that I especially enjoy is campaignearth.org. Here is a small paragraph from this website:

“Begin thinking of ways to reduce what you consume: bring canvas bags to the grocery store, buy yourself a travel mug and bring it with you to the coffee shop. Eat one less meat meal per week and buy local food whenever possible. If just ten percent of us were to take these simple steps we would make a substantial difference.”

Perhaps Helen Keller said it best, when she declared: “I am only one, but still I am one, I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

Be Green!

jbm

June 2007 ~ Dad

2007-06-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

June has long been the month for celebrating fathers. It has also long been the month for celebrating my father’s birth. He was born in June of 1900. This year was the 107th anniversary of his birth. He lived into his 98th year and passed in January of 1998.

Father is an uncomfortable word for some, I am told, for many have not had a positive “father” experience in this life. How grateful I am that I did, that the word “father” sounds a sweet note for me, even though it is not a word I ever used much. My father was my “dad” and so he remains.

Father was clearly a comfortable word to Jesus, using it, as he did, as his primary name for God. I am always moved by his use of the affectionate term “Abba,” as when he prayed in Gethsemane, saying, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet not what I want, but what you want.” (Mark 14:36) The clear, childlike faith expressed in these words reveals an intimate relationship that allows for such candor and trust. Oh, that each of us might know such relationship with our heavenly father, whatever our earthly experience has been. Such relationship is possible for us all, says Charles Fillmore. “Abba is a word of endearment signifying father. It is only as we come to know our sonship, our true relation to God, that we enter into the consciousness of love and tender affiliation with Spirit, signified by the word Abba.” (Revealing Word, pg. 7)

When I think of my father, my Abba, I think of his hard work, his humor, his never ending concern for the welfare of his family, and for his love that always assumed the best. I recently wrote a poem in his honor. I share it here.

Dad

What can I say about my father, my daddy, my dad?

What was there about him that defies or deserves description?

Was he tall, was he dark, was he handsome?
No, not by common definition.
He was what some would call “nice looking.”

He was nice looking, even though he had lost his hair at seventeen.

He was not so tall, and the color of his skin came from long years of working in the sun… on the railroad, for the clay works, in the garden.

He could sing, when he wanted to.

And I remember how, long ago, he played the harmonica in a homegrown variety show.

He was friendly and he liked to tell funny stories.

He took care of things and always made sure the tank was full whenever my mother used the car.

He didn’t always know what to do with babies who became children, who became teenagers, who became college students and got married and had babies of their own.

But he loved them, no matter what.
He believed in them, no matter what.
When I think of unconditional love,
I remember my dad.

jbm

May Jotting ~2007 - Something to Think About

2007-05-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

I recently came across this quote: “Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.” (David Lloyd George) Thinking about these wise words has caused me to recognize some of the ways we try to cross a chasm in two small jumps. Let’s start with this one. How many times do we put off making an uncomfortable decision. Usually the decision involves saying “no” to someone whose feelings we are afraid we will hurt!

On a recent Oprah show, members of the audience were asking questions of a guest psychologist. One young woman said, “My husband and I have only been married a few months. Our families seem to think we should spend our evenings with them. We’ve made up reasons and excuses, but they just don’t get it that we want to have time together in our new life. What can we do?” What would your answer be? My answer would be this: “You are trying to cross a chasm in small jumps. Tell your family, lovingly, but firmly, that you and your husband need time to be together. Perhaps you can set up a flexible schedule for being with your families. But take the big step of claiming your right as adults to shape your own life.”

Another way we try to cross a chasm in small jumps is in regard to “quitting” something. Whether it is smoking, overeating, drinking, worrying, complaining… whatever it is that we want to “quit” requires a big step if we are to be successful. Often we try to “quit” by doing less of whatever it is or by doing a “healthier” version of whatever it is. Suppose I habitually eat a big bowl of ice cream every night before bed. Suppose I want to quit this habit, but instead of quitting (taking the big step) I change to sugar free ice cream (taking small jumps). It may (or may not) be healthier, but the “need” that I satisfy with ice cream has not been addressed.

Sometimes taking the big step means being truthful with myself or others beyond what I am comfortable with. It may mean being truthful with myself about what I say I want, but am not willing to “go for” full out. Maybe I need to admit, “I’d love to be more slender, but I’m not willing to change my eating patterns.” Notice the use of the word “willing” here. That’s the crux of the matter when it comes to chasm crossing. Who am I willing to be? In her book, “Mastering Life’s Energies,” Marie Nemeth writes, “Your most power gift is your capacity to be willing.” She calls the words “I am willing” the most potent of all affirmations.

Being willing makes taking the big step possible. It is saying “yes” in the grandest way.

“For all that has been: Thank you!
For all that is yet to be: Yes!”

Dag Hammarskjold

jbm

April Jotting ~ Surprise!

2007-04-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Leaving the March Jotting on the website for half a month was not intended to be an April Fool joke!! Somehow I let April sneak up on me without a “jotting” ready for print. So, here at mid-month, I am sharing something that someone sent to me. It speaks to me and perhaps it will speak to you.

LIFE IS THE COFFEE

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, and some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

After all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

"Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it’s just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was the coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... and then began eyeing each other's cups.

"Now, consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, houses, cars, things, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us. God brews the coffee, not the cups ... enjoy your coffee.

“Being happy doesn't mean every thing's perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections.”

Author Unknown (to me)

jbm

March, 2007 ~ Something to Think About

2007-03-01T00:13:00.001-08:00

I grew up in a culture where “wise sayings” (also known as “proverbial sayings” and “platitudes”) were a common part of the language. Sayings like “a stitch in time saves nine” and “never put off till tomorrow what you can do today” and, oh yes, “anything worth doing is worth doing well.” Every so often one of these sayings pops into my mind and shakes its finger at me! This happened recently and I found myself thinking about the meaning of “two wrongs don’t make a right.” Now, that is not a complicated proverb. As I get it, the fundamental meaning is something like this: if I sock you in the eye for no apparent reason and you respond by socking me in the eye, for what looks like a good reason… nothing is solved. Each of us has a black eye and neither of us has addressed the anger that prompted both of them!

As I thought about how often we see this played out at home and on the world scene, it suddenly occurred to me that the proverb could be reversed and still contain an important message. Here’s what it becomes: “Two rights don’t make a wrong.” Perhaps it is this version of the proverb that most clearly speaks to the world scene. Let’s apply it to religion, although it could be applied to forms of government or any other important life arena.

Suppose I have a religion that is “right” for me and I decide that because it is “right” for me, it must be “right” for everybody. But you already have a religion that is “right” for you and you see no reason why yours is not “right” for everyone. Here we are… with two “rights!” Because we are encultured to think comparatively about things that differ, we say, “If I have a religion and you have a different religion… they can’t both be right… one of them has to be wrong.” And we set about the task of converting each other instead of understanding that “two rights don’t make (or require) a wrong!”

For the most part, we don’t struggle with people having differing careers or kinds of houses or models of cars, but things that we value deeply tend to come up for comparison. For a long time, the role of male and female fell into this thinking… some things were “right” for men to do and be and some things were “right” for women. We’ve come a long way with this, but it still exists in regard to sexual identity and what does and does not constitute “marriage.”

Am I saying there are no “rights” and “wrongs?” No. Any kind of abuse that one person inflicts on another person (or any living being) is “wrong.” My point is this: something is not “wrong” just because it is different. It is possible to have a healthy world of co-existing “rights” when we live according to spiritual law in the same way that it is possible to produce music from the differing tones played by an orchestra, when the tones are in alignment with the laws of harmony. Call it Oneness. Call it Wholeness. Call it Unity.

Something to think about.

jbm

February 2007 ~ Something to Think About

2007-01-31T21:41:00.000-08:00

About 25 years ago I was browsing in a gift shop when I saw a poster that said,”Love is a helluva lot of work!” A bit profane, to be sure. But the profanity gave the message a certain “punch” that “love is a heckuva lot of work” or “love requires a great deal of work” just don’t have. Anyway, I loved the poster. I considered buying it but decided it might not be appropriate for my office at Unity Village! I’ve never forgotten the poster, however, and have wished more than once that I had bought it.

Love is a helluva lot of work! What a great line! What a great way to say what anyone who has ever been in a love relationship has found to be true. We’re talking here about the kind of love that keeps us together after the thrill of romance and sexual attraction and honeymoon bliss have come and gone. We’re talking about the kind of love that keeps us together when we don’t like each other very much. We’re talking about the kind of love that is not so much an emotion as it is a decision, a promise, a commitment. This kind of love is needed, not only between spouses or partners, but between parents and children, neighbors, co-workers, church boards, city council members… whomever... wherever.

Love as “work” is all-encompassing. The nitty gritty stuff of living together, in any arena, puts a demand on our energy, our attitudes, our sensitivities and our faith. How nice it would be if our relationships were 50/50 all the time. But this is rarely so. The scale tips to one side or the other on a regular basis. Sometimes we find ourselves required to give 60% (or more). At other times, we may be the one who can only contribute 40% (or less).

It occurs to me that, while the poster message seems to be referring to the work of love in terms of quantity, it may be more accurate to read the line as referring to a quality of love. A quality of love that is less about ways of behaving and more about ways of being. This, however, does not diminish the importance of behaving in loving ways. Ways that are summarized so beautifully in these lines from 1st Corinthians 13 ~

“Love is patient; love is kind; love in not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

It’s clear that we don’t just wake up one morning and find ourselves patient, kind, free of envy or resentment, and so on. We know too much about the way the mind, and by extension, the emotions, work to think it’s that easy. It’s not really about “doing” at all. It is about “being” at such a deep level that the “doing” comes naturally. (Say that three times fast!)

That “love” is one of the twelve powers, one of our God-given spiritual qualities, is no surprise… in fact, it is a relief! To know that we already have the potential for love is helpful, especially on those days when “like” is almost more than we can muster. Here is a little of what Charles Fillmore understood about love as a spiritual power:

“Love is an inner quality that sees good everywhere and in everybody. It insists that all is good, and by refusing to see anything but good it causes that quality finally to appear uppermost in itself, and in all things. Love is the pure essence of Being that joins and binds in divine harmony the universe and everything in it.” (RW)

So, back to the poster. Why is love such a lot of work if we already have it within us? I don’t know. Maybe because we are still trying to understand love. In our struggle to “find” love, we have lost sight of the truth that we already have it. Love is not a product that we “get” and then we’ve “got it.” Love is a power, a process that is constantly going on in our lives. Try this on for size: everything that is in my life at this very moment is here because I love it! Yep… all the good stuff and all the grungy stuff. Love, as a magnetic power, attracts to me what I think about consistently, what I am most willing to work for. There’s that word again… work. Mr. Fillmore said: “The true object of all work is to express the power of one’s being and to benefit humankind.” And what exactly is the work? It is the work of inner transformation that Unity has taught from the beginning... the work of self observation and a disciplined practice of denial and affirmation.

When we view it this way, the poster makes sense and gives us something to think about!

jbm

January 2007 ~ Something to Think About

2006-12-31T21:30:00.000-08:00

“The way to peace of mind is to finish everything you start.” Dr. Phil is credited with this bit of wisdom. And while, at first glance, it may not sound all that profound, I have found it to be very good advice. During the two years that I have been retired, I have devoted significant time and energy to “unfinished business,” or “finishing things I started.” I find this work interesting, surprising, sometimes difficult, and always freeing.

Unfinished business tends to fall into three basic categories: relationships, personal maintenance, and creative projects. Most of us know about unfinished business in regard to relationships. Sometimes it involves unspoken gratitude and appreciation, actually writing those “thank you” notes that we so often think about. More often it involves misunderstandings and resentments that have been allowed to linger. The “finishing” work usually requires communication on some level and a liberal application of forgiveness. For me forgiveness boils down to giving everyone safe passage through my mental and emotional world. It doesn’t mean I want to be “buddies,” but it does mean I have stopped defining myself and the other person by whatever happened in the past. Each of us is free to move forward.

Personal maintenance is a broader area. It may include diet and exercise, spiritual practice, self identity, and esteem. It may include education, formal and informal, and financial and career responsibility. How many New Year’s resolutions have I made about these things, resolutions that soon relapsed into whatever caused me to make the resolution in the first place? Finishing what I start here begins with taking a hard look at the promises I make to myself, before I make them. Asking myself: Why am I making this promise? What do I really want? How will my life be better if I follow through? How will I feel if I don’t? Am I willing to pay the price? Being honest with myself and taking authentic action out of that honesty may or may not lead me to change. Either way, it brings closure to what was before and clears the way for something new.

As I prepared for retirement I accumulated a “project drawer” of kits, materials, books, and plans for creative things I would do when I had more personal time. To my amazement, I found, when I did retire, that I did not have an interest for most of what was in the drawer. How to finish what I had started? Again, by being honest with myself and letting it be acceptable to not want to do those projects, letting it be acceptable to give things away… to children, to schools, and the Hospice Thrift Store!

I was well into my life before I allowed myself to read only part of a book. I have finally learned that finishing a book or a project may mean actually completing it; it may mean deciding not to complete it and to give it away; it may mean to make a new decision about starting it! Not every book needs to be read from beginning to end in order to be enjoyed. Some books are so enjoyable that they need to read again and again! Fortunately, I have learned to recognize which is which.

Going through life feeling burdened with unfinished business is mentally, emotionally, and physically tiring and forever keeps us looking in the rearview mirror. A new year is a good time to begin something new, and it is a wonderful time to finish what we have already started. I like to affirm:

Releasing all that no longer serves me, I am free to live joyfully and abundantly!

Thanks, Dr. Phil for giving us something to think about.

jbm

December 2006 ~ Will

2006-12-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

Over the past year I have shared a series of poems based on the teaching of the Twelve Powers. The complete series of “Power Pages” is available in the Janet’s Jottings file of this website. In addition to this month’s page, I have included a special writing on Love.

“The will is the center in mind and body around which revolve all the activities that constitute consciousness. It is the avenue through which the I AM expresses its potentiality.” Revealing Word, pages 209.210

What is this Highest Good,
this God’s Will
that we seek and yet find hard to know?
What is this seeming Fate,
encoded into our universal destiny
and the core of every little life?

Is there such an end?
Or are we facing in the wrong direction,
looking for a result,
rather than for a reason?
Ah! Now something begins to sing ~
not Will, but Willing!
This is the truer telling.

We need not know
nor even guess
the ultimate Grand Design ~
but only trust our knowing
that it is Good
and
predisposed to our benefit.

We need not fear
nor even praise
the ultimate Will of God ~
but only surrender ourselves
to the sure path ~
the path that begins
with
being willing.

“…yet, not my will but yours be done.” Luke 22:42

Affirmation: I am willing to be all that God has created me to be!

Love
The Power of Fulfillment

Love and Life become Creativity.

Love and Release become Purity.

Love and Strength become Courage.

Love and Judgment become Wisdom.

Love and Order become Harmony.

Love and Power become Healing.

Love and Zeal become Passion.

Love and Faith become Trust.

Love and Imagination become Beauty.

Love and Understanding become Compassion.

Love and Will become Surrender.

Only Love Prevails

jbm

November 2006 ~ Understanding

2006-10-31T23:21:00.000-08:00

I have recently written a series of poems based on the teaching of the Twelve Powers and am sharing them in this column. Combined with a quote from Charles Fillmore’s writings, a scripture, and an affirmation, I hope you will find these “Power Pages” interesting and inspiring.

“Spiritual understanding is the quickening of the Spirit within. Spiritual understanding is the ability of the mind to apprehend and realize the laws of thought and the relation of ideas one to another.” Revealing Word, page 202

If I could have one wish granted,
one heart’s desire fulfilled,
one fondest dream realized,
what would I choose?

If I could reach into the very Mind of God
and take for myself one thought,
one power, one divine attribute,
what would I choose?

If I could ask for anything at all,
no limits set, no holds barred,
what would I want?

Surely it would not be any of those
little human wants like money, leisure, or fame.
Perhaps it would be one of those enormous spiritual wants
like cosmic consciousness or enlightenment!

I hope I would be like Solomon,
when he was faced with this very choice,
when God appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Ask what I shall give thee.”

I hope I would remember to ask for the true treasure,
the treasure that moth and rust cannot destroy.
I hope I would remember to seek the true riches
of an understanding heart ~
a heart that is pure,
a heart that sees only Good.
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:8

Affirmation: Through Christ in me, I understand what is true.

jbm