Lighting the Candle

This is the day before Christmas.... the day we spend rushing around with last minute preparations for the “Big Day”.  This is the day we look forward to the coming of eve when our hearts and minds are centered on Jesus’ birth. 

Tonight there will be the lighting of candles as we Christians join together in celebrating the coming of “the Light of the world”.  This evening, too, our Jewish brothers and sisters light the first candle of the Festival of Lights....Chanukah.  I find it powerfully symbolic that this year when the world is so much in need of light, we join together in prayer ...prayer illuminated by the flame of a candle.  That flame is shared by millions of people lighting candles in every corner of the world. 

This Christmas eve, this Chanukah, unites us all.  Tonight we rekindle the flame of hope as we join in prayer with those persecuted, the poor, the immigrant, the lonely, the lost, the homeless.  We join with those who fight for our freedoms and to protect our earth.

So tonight when I light my little candle, its tiny flame will carry my prayer and unite it with the prayers of every other lighted candle.  Through that flame I join with you and all my brothers and sisters throughout the world, regardless of nationality or religion.  Tonight our human family becomes one....as it should always be.

Merry Christmas to you all!  May the light of hope, joy and peace always burn within!  God bless!

One with Mom

Mom and I didn’t talk about God very much but we didn’t seem to need to.  We both had an inner sense of the other’s relationship with God....one which went beyond and had no need for the expression of words.  In fact, I believe Mom and I often communicated more deeply in the shared silence than in conversation.  While she was in Hospice, in a comatose state, we continued to share that non-verbal, spiritual connection.

I sat by you and held your limp, non-responsive hand in mine.  I don’t know if you were aware of my touch but I needed yours.  As I caressed your hand, trying to communicate the love in my heart, my attention was drawn to the tree outside the window.  There I saw an uppermost branch gently moving in the breeze as if it was waving at me.

Tears came to my eyes and a lump formed in my throat as I realized your spirit wasn’t trapped in this unresponsive body I was holding onto so tightly, but was free.  I couldn’t help but smile, as true to form, you mischievously joined with the breeze and moved only the one branch.

“See,” you said to me, “I am one with the wind, with the sun, with the trees.  I am alive within all of Creation.

I am the river,
     the lake and the sea.
In the warmth of the sun,
     the cooling breeze.

With the birds,
     you hear me sing.
I bloom with the flowers
     in the Spring.

Be still and listen.
     I am there.
In the love that fills your soul
     I am there
        with God.”

Living Water

“...But whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never become thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become a well of water for him, springing up to eternal life."  (John 4:14 )

 “...Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (John 7:38)

“Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here...” says the Samaritan woman

So what is this water?  It’s a question I’ve asked myself numerous times and heard it spoken of in many sermons, but I never really came to know what Jesus was referring to until recently.  I’ve discovered that no matter how sad I am, or how I am suffering, there is always joy within me.  Oh, I sometimes cover it up as I fall into the pit of sadness or self-pity but I know it’s always there and it has a way of always finding its way to the surface.

I was describing it to someone the other day and he tried to tell me that joy is fleeting. “You can’t be joyful all the time.”

 I had to disagree.  “It’s not the joy that’s fleeting.” I tried to explain.  “To be joyful  isn’t the same thing as being happy, though happiness is a byproduct of joy.   It’s the happiness which doesn’t last.  But the spring of joy within ourselves is always there, bubbling up from the bedrock of love... which is God.  There are times too,” I told him, “when the joy bubbles up with such force it has to be expressed in an outpouring of love and praise.  It can't be contained.” 

I don’t know if he ‘heard’ me but that conversation is the reason for my writing this blog and it’s something I’ve mentioned before in my blog, “Joy and Sadness”.  I’ve entertained the idea of painting how I see the living water of joy within myself and thought instead, I’d share it with you here in a “painting of words". 

As I see the image of an ever flowing, bubbling spring within me, I think of Moses striking the rock and water  gushing out so the people may drink.  (Exodus 17:6)  The joy bubbles up from the rock of God’s love as a fountain.  Sometimes the bubbling water can only rise a short distance as I haven't opened the rock enough to let it through. (I’m not loving enough).  Other times, when I am filled with the love of God, the bedrock within opens wider and  the water of joy bubbles up with such force it’s beyond containing.  It must be released and shared. 

When we are firm in the knowledge of  God’s presence within ourselves and God’s everlasting, unconditional love for us, we will recognize and experience the living water of joy and never be “thirsty” again! 

All we have to do is tap the rock of God’s love and it will come gushing forth. 

May we always know joy!

A Response

I wrote this in response to an email from a friend and thought I’d share it with you here.

The thing about Americans is, we always rise for a common cause. The problem is, we don't know yet what that common cause is. There is so much hatred and anger buried beneath the surface of many Americans that things like reason and love are strange and unfamiliar.  We are afraid.

I pray, that if he does nothing else, Trump be the catalyst to bring people back together. This is a necessary time of growth. America has to realize we are no longer a leader in the world, nor can we set ourselves up as examples of "Liberty and Justice for All". Maybe we have to burn so we, like the Phoenix, will rise from the ashes.

There has always been, and will always be, a war between good and evil. This is the time for those who profess a love of God and neighbor to put words into actions. We are an "army". We just haven't come together yet because we put more emphasis on our differences than what we share in common.

There are more than enough who point out everything that is wrong..... which only brings us down into the swamp of negativity. It's time to shine the light on what is right. It's the nature of all to want to come out of the darkness into the light. We need the light. Let us rise up and shine for others!

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine."  Imagine how bright that light will be with all of us shining together!

Aross the Abyss

All the hatred, negativity, racism, greed, lies and false promises are like quicksand. The hatred and anger are contagious.  The demons’ snake-like arms reach up to us from the pit and threaten to pull us in.  With evil grins on their dark faces, they beckon us.  The temptation is strong because of their numbers and their promises of safety among them.

“Safety from what?” I ask myself.  “The only ‘safety’ I have is in standing here on the edge with these few, praying for the strength to resist.”

Then I hear voices in the distance....a great many voices.... coming nearer and nearer.  Others are coming.  Looking across the abyss, I see more coming from afar... from other lands... to this place where we must come together.

They are multitude, carrying rocks, stones and strong, thick logs.  My heart responds with joy.  We are the bridge builders.  Together we will build a bridge strong enough to withstand any force; high enough to be beyond the reach of those in the abyss; wide enough so there is room for all to cross and become united.

“Yes!  We are building a bridge”, I sing happily to myself as we work side by side and together, place another rock.

Dry Tinder

  Dry Tinder
 
  Hot winds
     blow.
  Rain doesn’t
      come.
 
  The tinder
     is dry
  waiting,
     aching
       to be lit
  with the fire
     of God.
 
  Out of control,
     wildfires
   destroy,
     threaten
  the dry
     waiting
       tinder.
 
  Are the small
     backfires
       of God
     enough
  to stop
   the onslaught?
 
  The threat
     is real.
  The tinder
    is dry.
 
  Which
     of the fires
  will set it
   to  burning?
                   (2016)

I wrote this a few days ago and wasn’t too sure why or what inspired it.  My thoughts at the time were of those who are seeking....wanting so much to find and know God in their lives.  They are the ones who are caught up in fear and don’t know which way to turn.  They fear the onslaught of violence, afraid it will suck them in...desperate for the knowing of truth and love of God.  There is the constant struggle of good vs evil and even good people find themselves doing evil things....afraid to stand against it.
 
There are so many posts on facebook stating how much our country needs God....as if God has deserted us.  I wonder if the people who post these things realize that if we, as individuals,  don’t actively know and share God, neither will our country.

We are the tinder.  It is dry, it is fragile and it takes no more than a spark to set it aflame.  It’s our choice whether we burn with the fires of the love of God or allow ourselves to be fuel for the violence, ignorance and greed which seems to be sweeping over us.

We are ready to burn.  Which will set us afire?

Joy and Sadness

In a recent conversation with a friend I observed, “It’s possible to experience joy and sadness at the same time.”  She laughed in agreement.  She knew exactly what I meant.

Since having that conversation, I find myself reflecting on the fact....especially because of my emotions concerning Mom.  So.... I take the trip inward to see and understand my own co-mingling of joy and sadness.

It’s within myself I see the source of each.  The joy, which has become pretty constant, is not of me.  Its source is the God within myself and comes through me.  The sadness, I have to admit, is totally mine.  It is me feeling the void left by the loss of a loved one’s physical presence.

I can see how God’s gift of joy mixes with the sadness of self.  They rise to the surface together, expressing themselves in tears of both joy and sorrow.  Sometimes one is felt more strongly than the other and that’s okay.

I know both.

JOY