Beverly Hills, The Getty Center and Meaningful Work

Posted on March 17, 2010 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

The Beverly Hills City Hall

Good Morning, God.

When Beverly Hills puts up a “SHOP in Beverly Hills” banner, you know the economy is BAD.

And as Suz and I drove around L.A. there were a lot of empty shop windows — stores I had been in and bought things in — going or gone.

We need help, God, LOTS of HELP. I wish I knew what kinds of help. But I’d like one kind to be for all people to have a chance for fulfilling work. Yes, I noticed I said FULFILLING work. Most of the world would take ANY work.

Looking back at the Getty Center entrance at night

So, enter stage right — the Getty and the ARTS. I saw on its website an invitation to view L.A. at sunset from the Getty Center — free parking (normally $15) and open until 9:00 p.m.

Here, God, is a temple on a hill — a temple to Art — a modern Cathedral –built to honor J. Paul Getty — a money making whizz — and not, perhaps, the most admirable of men. And, God, it was a lovely place to be. Do You mind? Somehow I don’t thing You do.

And it brings me back to fulfilling work — work for artists and writers and actors and architects — librarians, even. ALL of us people need MEANING in our lives. Fulfilling work — work that we enjoy — that brings out our gifts — that connects us — is a major source of meaning for us.

Can we, God, mobilize wealth — mobilize ourselves — to work toward a meaningful life for ALL people? There are SO MANY of us. But NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO YOU! And You Love each and every diverse different one of us.

Posted in meaningful work, Temple to the Arts, The poor and underemployed

Repotting in Spring — And Being Repotted

Posted on March 16, 2010 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

The view from Suzanne's kitchen window

My week off — to rest and restore — is almost over, God. Thank You for a really good time. Thank you for a surprisingly SEASONAL time.

I arrive to the tail end of Winter — fleece jackets, heavy wool scarves and gloves. I’m leaving in a sleeveless top and sandals. We seemed to have zipped by Spring and landed in Summer. Only, I know that is just what happens in March in L.A. It’s premature seasonal change.

Suzy said to me yesterday — people have seasons just like plants do — only we aren’t aware of them. Hmm. Premature ones?

Ah, God! The wonders of Chronobiology. We have our daily sleep and waking rhythms — and Suz tells me the Chinese masters have divided the 24 hour cycle into two-hour periods by our organs. But that is just the easy part — there are far deeper inner changes. We have our Solar Annual — and I think our Galactic Annual is 200,000 years — and how many other “annuals” there must be between those two. There is, God, so MUCH more than we can even guess at.

Suz's kitchen at night - with repotted plants

But, back to here and now. One of our Mother-Daughter activities has been REPOTTING! Neither Suz nor I live where we can have a garden — so indoor potted plants — become an expression of a need to bond with The Other. Plants as companions? Yes, I do feel that way about my palms. Unnamed friends? Smile! Ah, God! Who would ADMIT to such a thing! No matter, YOU know what I am trying to say!

Repotting is a singularly apt analogy for what we are called to do with relationships, too. I had Suzy in TOO SMALL A POT! Or maybe it was that I still had her in MY POT? Ouch! That HURTS! She deserves Her Own Pot!

How lovely to see that we are always to be about the business of repotting and BEING repotted. Perhaps, God, You are repotting me?

Posted in a series of molts and upgrades, being repotted, cyclical nature of the universe, daughters, developing helpful definitions of love, family visits, finding hidden fears, inner paths of the heart

The Excitement in Eating Traditional Foods

Posted on March 15, 2010 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

Flame, a Persian Restaurant with a Jonathan Gold rave review

Thank You, God for really GOOD FOOD! Yesterday it was Persian Food. It was like the Lebanese and Vietnamese in that they eat lots of fresh herbs. How did it happen, God that American’s just put a sprig of parsley on the plate?

Hmmm. Shirl Bramhill said that the English used to use fresh herbs. But then when canned food came in to existence people stopped using herbs — to show that their food wasn’t slightly over the edge and needing herbs to hide that spoiled taste. “Progress” strikes again!

It makes me think of what Michael Pollan said — all traditional foods support healthy life — except the American. We American’s have turned food over to FOOD MANUFACTURERS. We could use some help here, God.

a mostly eaten Persian salad

Suz and I had eaten most of this simple salad before I thought to take the photo. The the walnuts had been presoaked in water to remove that slight walnut bitterness. And the pile of herbs didn’t need dressing. FRESH! So fresh and so GREEN.

I really want to do more with herbs, God. I want to eat more greens and more FRESH FOOD. You devoted a whole Book to what to eat and what not to eat. And from that book came Kosher food and Halal meats. What about me? What can I do? And, You are so right in whispering that I might START by reading Becky’s cookbook — The Blonde Vegetarian. Your wisdom is at hand — if I will open my eyes.

Please, God, Help me to Open my eyes and apply what I see to my ordinary — far too routine — life.

Posted in an invitation to abundant life, appreciation, becoming the change I wish to see, Eating for health, simple joys of daily life, so much to learn, The difficulty of changing, Uncategorized

The Getty Center and Gifts

Posted on March 14, 2010 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

The Getty Center on a Saturday night

Thank YOU, God, for yesterday! A day of lows — of being real — that led me to a higher level of understanding of my oldest daughter.

And, what could better express that than being at the Getty Center — build high on a hill overlooking L.A.

And, even getting up the hill was symbolic. We parked lower down — stood in line for the tram — and were carried up the hill on this AIR powered tram. For me, this captures how it is that greater understanding seems clearly to involve BEING CARRIED UP TO IT. Carried by Others — Carried by You — Carried beyond that which we can achieve by ourself.

My daughter helped me to enter into the Cosmos of the Introvert. The closes I can come to describing it — was that it was like putting on InfraRed Goggles and seeing what had been invisible to me. And, YES, God, I know that putting on these Goggles was a special gift to us both.

Stairs on the side of the Getty Center

In spite of my “Moth and Bat” type stories illustrating how UNAWARE we all are of MAJOR DIFFERENCES between people — I remained totally unaware of there even being Another Cosmos — the Cosmos of the Introvert. Or maybe it was like suddenly seeing that Dark Matter that scientists have only postulated must exist?

Now, God, I AM THANKFUL. I don’t want to waste too much energy being appalled or sad or mortified that I didn’t understand EARLIER! I do hear You saying that the Secondary Gift is That it is HUMBLING! Yeah, it is humbling. And THANK YOU FOR THAT, TOO!

Posted in accepting gifts sight unseen, courage to see myself, daughters, Introverts, The gift to SEE others

Poppies and People

Posted on March 13, 2010 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

California Poppies

Thank You, God, for Poppies!

I guess poppies are right up there with Native Grasses, God, as far as trendy goes. These were part of the landscaping in a nice area off of Third Street — a newly trendy part of L.A.

Poppies bring back wonderful memories of driving up and down California in the Spring when the poppies grew wild along the highways. Poppies and stands shaped like oranges that sold orange juice. California was the promised land back then.

My mom’s dad came over as a three year old when his folks left Michigan and came (by train) out to start an orange cooperative in Redlands. Gosh, God, I even remember when Orange County was filled with orange trees — lining the way to Disneyland.

Memories are interesting things, God. I hardly ever go back to root around in them. And I dare say that is not entirely good. Still, I feel as if I have processed and reviewed enough. Hmmm. Processed isn’t a verb you use with GOOD Memories, is it. I suppose I was referring mostly to losing Patty. That required LOTS and LOTS of processing.

If I could do over, that time after Patty’s death — I would drag us all to family counseling — drag us kicking and screaming if need be. Alas, back then, when I brought it up, a dear friend and clinical psychologist laughed — declaring me So Healthy!

Ah well, what I have learned — and value — is that we can ALL be HEALTHIER! I love that as a goal and a process! People, like Poppies, mostly grow without much in the way of help. Maybe that is why I was so delighted to see Poppies tended and watered and fed? Please, God, help us to seek Your Help as we work on watering and tending ourselves.

Posted in accepting my need for help, beauty, Being ENJOYED by God, being planted, blooming

Palm trees, native grasses and Fast Fats

Posted on March 12, 2010 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

The Palms of Los Angeles

Good Morning, God

Here I am back in the city I was born in — the city I went to junior high and high school in — and nothing evokes L.A. for me like these palms. I don’t even know their name. But to me they mean L.A.

It is the coconut palm that evokes Hawaii, and the live oak that means coastal northern California. I am not a gardener, God, but I am noticing plants more and more. A few months ago I was mulling over the increase in CO2 and I thought that What we NEED are tall towers that convert CO2 into something useful– then I realized OH! We already HAVE THEM. We call them TREES! You created a SUSTAINABLE WORLD.

I’m not sure just how useful palms are in the work of converting CO2 into oxygen. But they are stately and create fabulous silhouettes at dusk or dawn. I hope, God, that our new ethos of sustainability will make for more beauty, not less.

I just read where Stanford is experimenting with planting native grasses — hoping to replace grass. Then I remembered that Arizona and New Mexico used to be grasslands back at the end of the 1800’s. The prairie grasses all across the midwest had roots so deep that people couldn’t farm until the steel plow came along. Oh, what we have undone!

We have planted corn and soybeans and brought forth a grain based diet — helped by the fact that our government actually “helps” the farmers so that the FOOD PROCESSING COMPANIES can buy corn BELOW what it cost to raise it. Then, because grain is Nature’s way of STORING nutrients — it is used to create packaged food that will sit on the shelf for years — filled with SLOW FATs. Alas, steers fed corn are also filled with SLOW FAT. Steers (or buffalo) that feed on grasses are filled with FAST FAT. Funny thing, God. Grass based food provides FAST FATS that make for better brains and hormonal systems. Hmmm. This CHANGE might explain a LOT of things. Maybe, God, You could help us think about this?

Posted in Eating for health, Slow fats and Fast fats, Unnoticed Changes

Illuminated Manuscripts and an Illuminated Life

Posted on March 11, 2010 by a moment with god — 1 Comment

View looking down the Getty's entrance stairs

Thank You, God, for a wonderful day yesterday!

I’ve always wanted to go to the Getty Center, but never got around to it. But yesterday, we went with our friend Faith to a Seminar on Illustrated Ethiopian Manuscripts.

an image from the Getty's website

The seminar featured 3 experts in the field — and lots of marvelous images from the late 1300’s to early 1400’s which is Suz’s favorite Time Period.

As it happened, Faith had just returned from Ethiopia were she had been the guest at a seminary and toured monasteries. I love it when You do that! You bring exhibits and people together in ways we couldn’t arrange if we even thought to try.

I bet we don’t see even a tenth of what You arrange for us! Oh? More like one thousandth . . . yeah . . . more even than that. Thank YOU!

And, speaking of thank you — I wish I had thanked the Ethiopian speaker who flew in from St. John’s College in Minnesota where he teaches. I really liked what he had to say. I especially liked his sensitive response to the man who embraced the idea of Christianity coming to Africa via Ethiopia — not the Europeans.

I so understood his question, God. Alas, the ones who BRING Your Word — bring themselves with it. And we are such clay vessels. Only, No, it is far more than that. The damaging key problem isn’t that we are all flawed and human. It is that the Europeans came with a culture of MASSIVE DISRESPECT for the people they wanted to “save.” Respect vs. Disrespect?

Respect — to resee — can we resee others and even ourselves through YOUR EYES? There is a wonderful quote from Paul Watzlavwick in which he says that the PRIMARY purpose of human communication IS TO CONFIRM OUR EXISTENCE as human beings. And, God, I have found it true that when a person’s existence as a human being has been confirmed, secondary problems, tertiary problems are far easier to resolve. Now, God, what is to be done with that thought? Help me, God, to ponder that.

Posted in respect

An Iris in LA — In the Flow of God’s Love

Posted on March 10, 2010 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

An Iris in West LA

Thank you God, for flowers standing all alone — calling out STOP — LOOK AT ME! And I did! I came to a full stop and got out my camera to capture it. Mind You, God, my daughter, Suzanne, looked at the photo and observed that it had made the purple blue too pastel. Perhaps it did.

But, of course, the point wasn’t really the capture — it was the appreciation. There is a Japanese word that basically means — that which is MORE beautiful because it is fleeting. So for me to appreciate this iris — to admire it — is to appreciate YOUR WORK, YOUR WORLD, YOUR CREATION.

All of this, all of us, set in the context of TIME. This lovely iris is glowing and yet it is only for a few days. I think it was in Madeleine L’Engle’s book, A Wind in the Door, where she asserts that Size doesn’t matter. And I think, perhaps, Time doesn’t matter either. I don’t think You see TIME that same way we do. We are IN it. YOU CREATED IT. The best I can do, God, is to think that to You Time may look like a sphere.

I’m sitting here, smiling at myself. Imagine me trying to see things (especially TIME) from Your perspective. But then, maybe that isn’t so silly. Your Perspective is Love!

I never feel that as strongly as when I am praying with someone. Then is seems as if I get caught up in YOUR perspective — just a bit more aware — of the FLOW of YOUR LOVE. A bit more Aware of Your overwhelming compassionate attention in which we live and move and have our Being.

Thank You, God. Thank YOU! And, oh, yes! Help me to accept Your Invitation to Join You in Your Compassionate Attention to all creatures, great and small.

Posted in appreciation, people as gifts, Perspective, perspectives

Zebras, Lions and Me

Posted on March 9, 2010 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Zebras in a game park in Swaziland

I’ve been thinking, God, about social fears. It was discovering my fear of being different from the group — not eating grain — and so forth– that enabled me to lose some weight. Once the fear was in the open it seemed so small and silly. I thought the important thing was to find the hidden fears — uncover them — then they lost their power.

But then yesterday I happened to be telling a story that came from Robert Sopolsky’s book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers. He teaches at Stanford and during the summers he studies baboons in Africa. One summer night he was sitting around a campfire chatting with other researchers. The zebra researchers were complaining about how hard it was to tell one zebra from another. So they came up with a great idea! They would put a blob of bright colored paint on the rump of one of the zebras — then they could easily follow him. They did it and the very next day they got up and looked for “their” zebra. Couldn’t spot that painted zebra anywhere. Then, just toward the end of the day they found the remains of a zebra — and there on the tail — the blob of paint. What terrible luck! But they did it again — and again found only the remains of their zebra. The zebra researchers never would tell just how many zebras they painted — before they realized that Lions also have a hard time telling one zebra from another.

Sigh. So, standing out from the crowd / herd makes you an easy mark for predators. I guess that is where the seemingly small social fears got wired in. Creatures without those fears didn’t leave as many descendants as the fearful. God, I think those fears are meant to “help” us. But they are MUCH more powerful than I want to realize.

Surely God, once we survive adolescence, those fears aren’t quite as important? Help me face up to them and then STEP SLOWLY THROUGH THEM. Please, God.

Posted in courage, fears, finding hidden fears, Trusting God

A red ti plant and the Burning Bush

Posted on March 8, 2010 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

A red ti bush at the Honolulu Convention Center

Good Morning, God!

I saw this red ti bush at the HIM Conference and it brought to mind the BURNING BUSH You set before Moses. That Burning Bush was spectacular! And, rightly so as You were setting up a MAJOR EVENT in the history of our species.

A bush that burns, but is not consumed commands attention. A red ti bush glowing in the sunlight, INVITES our attention — a small invitation to STOP and ADMIRE — YOU and Your Creation. I did stop. And I thought about how important it is to simply stop in Your Presence. Hmmm. Well, I probably didn’t stop for very long — I quickly looked for my camera to take the photo.

You say, if I had simply stopped, You might have had a Word for me?

Yes, You still have words for us! Thank you! And, I apologize for not stopping — but merely pausing. Now that my Four Days of WORD PRAYERS are over and my house guests have gone — I will return to Centering Prayers — a most useful exercise in stopping. It is a time of Stopping and listening — and giving YOU permission to enter into the time between thoughts as I sit in silence.

Odd how our society abhors silence — and emptiness. But, perhaps we are afraid that IF we DID stop and listen — You might really ask us to do something. There are a lot of things to be done. First, God, help me to come to a full stop and listen!

Hey! I am flying off to LA tomorrow morning — help me make that a WEEK of REST — a WEEK of Stopping in Your Presence. Please, God.

Posted in appreciation, fears, stopping, stopping to listen, stopping to see