Lighting up the Sky and Our Hearts

Posted on April 9, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Buttermilk Sky above Kalanianaole

Good Morning, God!

Yes, the Taj Mahal is beautiful! But Your sky last evening was alive with LIGHT. How GOOD it is God, that You LAVISH BEAUTY on us all — rich or poor.

Your Heavens are for all of us. And You send Your Blessings of Rain on the Just and the Unjust alike.

This morning I will go off to the Farmers’ Market and see the bounty of Your Land. Buying some to take home — and stopping just to admire the orchids, hibiscus and anthuriums.

We are, God, SHARING this World You have given us. One SMALL World. And IT SPINS. Earthquakes in Japan send WAVES that sink boats here in Hawaii. Radiation leaks also flow out and around the World. And just yesterday I saw a map showing how the huge aggregation of broken buildings and things from Japan was going to slowly float across the Pacific over the next few years — ending up in the enormous North Pacific Garbage Dump.

CONSEQUENCES. And in the Face of Such Traumas we Ask, WHAT CAN WE DO? Last night, God, I sat next to a woman who was making quilts to send to Japan. She has already sent three and is working hard to get two more done. Quilts for children, made in Hawaii, going to Japan. Kit and I have given money — and need to keep on giving. But, handmade quilts carry so much more love. Please help us, God, to send forth LOVE — ALL AROUND OUR WORLD.

Posted in Heavens declare the Glory of God, LOVE, perspectives, Sunsets

The Taj Mahal — and living “temples”

Posted on April 8, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Taj Mahal

Good Morning, God!

The Taj Mahal is a glorious building and this photo was taken by dear friends who just got back from their trip to India.

My Dad took a photo of it too, many years ago, and a lovely enlargement of it hangs in my Mother’s apartment.

It’s monument to a beloved wife — Emperor Shah Jahan’s favorite — the Empress Mumtaz Mahal — whom he married in 1612. By the time she died in 1631 she had had 14 children. I suppose, God, that is a fact that women might notice — much more so now that women are having only one, two or three children. And, I must say, God, it puzzles me that some of the groups most zealous about You seem to think having a LOT of Children is a good thing. War by reproduction? Sigh.

Taj Mahal at sunset -- side view

As for me, God, I would not want a building in my memory. Although, judging from the number of buildings NAMED for donors on the various school campuses, many people, do.

For that matter, Empress Mumtaz Mahal may not have wanted it either.

Ah, but, God, we humans LONG to do something LASTING. As if that will make our lives meaningful. As if, the simple living of our lives is not enough. Ah, God, for me it was not enough until YOU filled that God Shaped Hole within me.

When we invite You to enter into us — to forgive us, cleanse us, and renew us — then we become Your Dwelling Place — Your Temple. Your Taj Mahal? Hmmm. I find that a scary thought! Please, God, help me to CLEAN UP!

Posted in a series of molts and upgrades, A Spiritual Spring Cleaning, LOVE, New Creatures in Christ

Caring — all around the World — and back home again

Posted on April 7, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

seed pods in a friend's garden

Good Morning, God!

I woke up late this morning — and I am still not AWAKE! I am not, God, totally HERE in my office. Part of me is still back in this lovely yard in the upper Niu Valley where a dear friend was telling me about her “evangelical” work sharing the book ANTICANCER with folks taking chemo with her. THEY NEED TO KNOW!

Another part of me is in Swaziland with Heidi and Noah and the Holck Family as they work together with local pastors to plant vegetables in a huge garden to feed and help orphans. It is a JOY, God, to pray for their mission of HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT.

Then, too, I have “been” in San Jose praying for the Head of the Advocates for Africa’s Children’s Prayer Team and her family. Thank You, God, for the incredible gift of PRAYER. The very idea that YOU want us to come before You with our requests and concerns must seem foolish to many people. But, it is such a JOY to KNOW that You LONG to have us come — into Your Presence — asking for Your Help and Guidance — CARING about others all around the World, and at home.

CARING — not judging or condemning — LONGING for ALL of us here on Earth to CARE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER AS YOU CARE FOR US.

And, yes, I must not forget caring for myself, too. I have just finished my last “exam” and it seems all is well. But, Japan has given me renewed perspective, God. There is no point in storing up goods here on Earth. It comes to me that all we really “HAVE” is what we have GIVEN AWAY.

Posted in LOVE, Perspective, Prayer

Courage and Humility — A Tribute to the Japanese People

Posted on April 6, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

A Physical Map of Japan

Good Morning, God!

In the past few days I have gotten two memorable posts on Japan. The first was an email from a friend who has a son living in Japan. It contained stories of the Japanese people’s responses to the assorted traumas from the Earthquake, Tsunami and what followed.

In one of them a person reports “I saw some small children speaking to the train conductor. The said, “Thank you for working so hard yesterday to keep the trains running.” The conductor started to cry. I did, too. In another report a man said to a a train conductor, “Things sure are tough” regarding the decision to run the trains all night. The conductor smiled and said, “The times call for it.”

Another report was of a woman giving out free bread, and another of a woman holding a sign to people walking by — for hours — saying her bathroom was open to people in need of it.

Ah, God. affirming one another — by word or by deed — is a strengthening act. These quotes gave me hope. Courage has a ripple effect — in the Tahrir Square, or on the trains in Japan. Thank You, God, for people making me proud to be human!

The second email was about the Tsunami, not people, and it humbled me. It was a video of the ocean water flowing in to a Japanese city — flowing in and in and in — picking up cars, then trucks, and finally large buildings and just floating them off. I kept waiting, God, for the water to stop. To recede. It just kept coming. My understanding has been STRETCHED way beyond comfort. But, that, too, is good. Thank YOU, God!

Posted in Affirmation, courage, humility, imagining, Meaning

When to Affirm and When to Laugh

Posted on April 5, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Over-the-Top BLING! A smart car covered in Swarovski crystals

Good Morning, God!

I’ve been thinking about affirming PEOPLE — as opposed to affirming THINGS. I’m not sure I’ve made this distinction before. But, it is beginning to seem very important.

I’ve been conditioned to be polite and admire stuff. A friend buys a new dress and I tend to find something to admire or affirm. And since I don’t hang out with folks that buy flashy cars or boats I haven’t had to “draw-a-line.” But, if I had a friend rich enough to buy this car-covered-in-crystals, God, would I be able to LAUGH at them? I hope so!

This incredible acceleration of bigger houses and longer yachts deserves to be held up to social ridicule! What are people thinking, God? Do they think that stuff will give them anything more than a momentary “HIT?”

Of course, we are free, God, free to spend our money anyway we want. But, as I think of a person spending THIS much money to say LOOK AT ME — I feel really sad for the person. Such a poverty of imagination, God! Or maybe, as Dr. Arch Hart has pointed out, when a person is TOO BUSY for TOO LONG they have built a wall around their pleasure center. Small ordinary pleasures can’t get over the wall. It takes something spectacular. That person is STARVED for JOY!

It makes me think of what Mother Teresa said: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” Please help us, God, to remember and experience the joys of belonging to each other.

Posted in Belonging to each other, Meaning, simple joys of daily life

Affirmations and Relational Seas of Respect

Posted on April 4, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

90% of an iceberg is underwater -- and not seen

Good Morning, God!

Icebergs? Did You wake me up, God to talk about ICEBERGS?

It feels as if You woke me up to have me see — just how FAR from what I “intend” — my words and deeds may extend. Yes, as in an iceberg!

So, I’m thinking — if the TIP of the iceberg is my verbal output — then there is 90% that I don’t see or hear . That would be my tone of voice, my facial expressions, my body’s stance and gestures. In this aerial photo of an iceberg I can see that the iceberg doesn’t just extend down — it extends OUT to the sides. Beware to passing ships — or people!

And that takes me back to Watzlawick’s Communication Axiom #2: Every communication has a content aspect and a relationship aspect such that the latter classifies the former and is therefore a meta-communication.” Put more simply, the RELATIONSHIP we have with someone will “determine” how we understand the CONTENT of what is said or done.

Or, God, to continue on with the metaphor — the iceberg is my CONTENT but it floats in a sea of RELATIONSHIPS. Hmm. So, God, maybe MORE BASIC than my desire to AFFIRM is the question of what sort of sea does my iceberg float in? A SEA of RESPECT? Or a Sea of Judgement?

Does that mean that my desire to affirm those around me must BEGIN with my entering into an “Assumption of Respect” Relationship toward them? Hmmm. I need Your Help, God!

Posted in Affirmations, Communication, LOVE, respect

There is no Non-Communication

Posted on April 3, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Jogging around Kapiolani Park

Good Morning, God!

Almost every Friday I jog around Kapiolani Park with a friend. And because we are busy talking I don’t notice other joggers. But, yesterday, as I was out jogging at home I made it a point to wave, nod or say Good Morning to everyone I passed.

That’s is when it hit me that I was affirming them. Kit is fabulous at doing this — and he has been gently encouraging me to do the same thing.

Yesterday, I was doing my second blog for the day and wanted to quote Paul Watzlawick and needed to spell his name right. I read him decades ago. In checking I stumbled on his FIVE AXIOMS and put that link in my blog. Then, later, I went back and reread the axioms.

Axiom 1 is Cannot not. “One cannot not communicate.” Because every behaviour is a kind of communication, people who are aware of each other are constantly communicating. Any perceivable behaviour, including the absence of action, has the potential to be interpreted by other people as having some meaning.”

That axiom seems to extend into all parts of life. It certainly put a new light on my behavior — or lack of it — while passing joggers. If I don’t “notice” the person I am passing — I am not “not communicating”. The absence of an acknowledgement MIGHT not be noticed. Or it MIGHT be seen as a sign of indifference or even disrespect. Oh DEAR!

Actually, God, I am not really so concerned about my fellow joggers, as about my family and friends. Silence isn’t always golden, is it God? Hmm. How far, God, does our communication ripple?

Posted in Affirmation, Communication, complexity, Silence

Just a few more thoughts on Affirmations

Posted on April 2, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

a closer look at the Banyan Tree

Good Afternoon, God!

As I was out jogging — for the AFAC Team in Swaziland — it came to me that: 1) we can affirm people without knowing them 2) it only takes a nod or smile or wave 3) affirming people is YOUR BUSINESS, God.

Hmm. That last point really calls out from amplification, but not now. What I mean is that Connecting With You is to lead us naturally into connecting (affirming?) with others.

Oh! To let YOUR LOVE flow through me. To be unable to contain it! Please, God, help me — even on runs — to nod, smile, wave and say Hello!

And now to go down and AFFIRM Kit! Ah, to begin in my dear FAMILY!

Posted in Uncategorized

Going on an Affirmation Feast?

Posted on April 2, 2011 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

Leaves of a Banyan Tree in Kapiolani Park

Good Morning, God!

Yesterday I was chatting with a dear friend about her upcoming Daniel Fast — named after Daniel in the Old Testament who didn’t eat the King’s food. He ate beans and grains and vegetables and drank water. He and his friends ended up healthier than those eating the King’s food.

I thought about this, God and I felt “convicted” about my food. I want to do better — but, alas, like most of us — not quite yet.

Then as I was chatting about the diet it came to me that Jesus said that it isn’t what goes INTO a man’s mouth that makes him “unclean” but what comes OUT of a man’s mouth!

Hmm. It came to me that I could go on an AFFIRMATION FEAST. Of course, it could be called a fast from negative comments. But, it sounds a LOT more appealing to me when I call it a FEAST!

Somehow, God, we humans think that criticizing is the best way to help. But, my experience is that criticism makes us defensive and combative. How much better to affirm a person’s strengths — in fact, how much better just to AFFIRM those around us. And, just as these beautiful leaves were there in the Banyan tree — strengths and beauty ARE there in those around us.

Affirming a person’s existence can start with something as simple as using his name. Again, I think back to Paul Watzlawick’s wonderful quote: The Primary Purpose of Human Communication is to Confirm Our Existence as Human Beings.” Affirmed individuals seem to me, God, to be better able to BEHAVE better. Please help me, God, to go on an “Affirmation Feast.”

Posted in being together in a compassionate presence, changing who I want to become, Communication, food questions

Choosing to SEE — just for a moment

Posted on April 1, 2011 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Polar Bears and our mutual future

Good Morning, God!

I stumbled on a set of videos on the Big Melt — referring to the Polar Ice Field. And it made me sad, God. I really like this world just the way it is right now. It might have been better earlier, but I would gladly settle for keeping the status quo.

Only, it sure doesn’t look as if that is going to happen. The poles are melting and that means less reflective white ice and that will cause the melting to accelerate still faster. It is a positive feedback loop with disastrous changes for the polar bears. And, probably us, too.

But, then I remember that 7,000 years ago there was the Red Ocher Culture centered around the Arctic Circle. Hmm. I think I have that right. The world changes. Our current world will give way to future worlds. And, I am trying to put this all in Your Hands, God.

Actually, God, this is really all I can do — put my concerns in Your Loving Hands. It is tempting to think that we might gather ourselves together and make some voluntary radical changes in our energy production and usage. But, I don’t think that will happen. Too many people still point to a cold winter and say What Global Warming?

Ah my. And the forces of business grind on — the forces of “Business as Usual” being pretty powerful in my life, too, God. Sigh. And as I reread what I have written here, God, I can really understand the “usefulness” of Willful Blindness for us humans. Please, God, Help me Focus on what I can do — then help me to do it.

Posted in a matter of scale, our small blue dot, seeing