Guidance Systems Old and New

Posted on November 9, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Good Evening, God!

This is is a photo our dear friend Martha-Lee took on her recent cruise around the islands. It is a lovely photo but I wanted it for the lighthouse. Not that long ago lighthouses were important navigational aids. They weren’t just to warn ships that they were close to land. Each lighthouse had a distinctive set of flashing lights that told the sailors just where the lighthouse was.

I thought about that has Martha-Lee and I had just used Google Maps as a navigational device on our way from Whole Foods (picking up sandwiches) back to an evening workshop at Koolau. Normally, I wouldn’t need navigational help. But, the backup on the Pali meant that we wanted to find a faster way back. Martha-Lee who had lived in Kailua suggested we take the Quarry Road. But, it had been many years since then and as she said . . . .it looked different. Well, different it was! And I was happy to depend on Google Maps as we turned on to the saddle road and then briefly onto the H3 highway.

Being on the H3 caused her a certain about of distress but as the driver I was confident that the lovely voice of “the Google Girl” would get us there. And, sure enough, we got off at exit 11 — just a few hundred feet from the left turn into Koolau.

Times have changed. And they have changed rapidly. Or rather, they ARE changing rapidly. This means that the old cultural “lighthouses” have seen a mushrooming of new navigational “helpers”. Some really are helpful. But, many others are not. It requires a spirit of discernment to decide which navigational devices we will depend on.

We have so many options . . . but that means making so many more choices. And that means much more personal responsibility is required as we design a good and meaningful life. I think about I Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” These still act as useful lighthouses as we navigate our lives.

Tagged with: Google Maps, lighthouses, navigational aids
Posted in Light, LOVE, Meaning, Personal Responsibilty, perspectives, responsibility, self care as maintenance

The Joy of Beauty

Posted on November 8, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Good Evening, God!

Thank You! Thank You for so much beauty! This is a hibiscus belonging to my spiritual director. I think she was puzzled as to why I was taking its photo. She sees theses every day. Hibiscus are Evanescent . . . .only lasting for a day. . . but maybe even more delightful due their short lives. It is easy to see outwardly expressed beauty. Inner beauty requires eyes that truly see.

Last night I went to a training session on how to be a Listener . . . a good listener. The purpose was so that those of us being trained could go back to our congregations and discern what concerns them. The presenter was the head of FaithAction and her inner beauty shown out. And that beauty was accompanied by JOY. She was a delightful presenter. I wanted to hear her. Joy and enthusiasm radiated from her. Hmm. I wonder. Just how are inner beauty, joy and enthusiasm intertwined?

The concerns that she is looking for are ones that can be broken down into actionable issues. Issues that we – or our governments – can actually do something about. And even better she is looking for issues that are not divisive. She wants to bring the various faith based groups together to get things done! SO SENSIBLE!

How I wished our congress and other organizations would focus on things like that! Working together on what we all agree on. Things like infrastructure, job training, affordable housing. Hmm.

Tagged with: FaithAction, Honolulu, working together
Posted in beauty, blooming, Enthusiasm, Faith, JOY

Swimming with the little fish

Posted on November 7, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

15-mullet-migration Good Evening, God!

This morning I swam in the midst of a school of little fish and it was magical. Hundreds and hundreds of fish in one school that wheeled and turned as one. I turned with them. How could I not? Their “oneness” was enchanting!

How I wished I had an underwater camera with me! But it really needed a video to capture their joyful dance. Even that wouldn’t capture what it was like being in the midst of them. . . fish on all sides of me. Well, not above me, that’s true. But swimming in their midst I could feel myself becoming one with them.

Being with. For some time now I have been aware that when I am with a person there is a “Being With-ness” that goes far beyond words. Something “MORE” is going on. I cannot put it into words because it is beyond words. And I can’t even say if it is more basic than words or if it is “above” words.

But, this morning as I sat chatting with my spiritual director she talked about how — in Centering — there is a time when we release words and even thoughts and enter into Your Presence. And I thought about that as I was turning joyfully with the school of little fish.

That sense of “being with” the fish . . . of becoming more . . . made me hold on to that as a close analogy to what she meant about being with You. For me, it is a visual image of spiritual reality. And I hold it dear. Thank You.

Tagged with: a big school of little fish, Kaimana Beach
Posted in Being ENJOYED by God, Being With, Belonging to each other, Centering Prayer, connecting, gratitude, JOY, web of life

The View from Above

Posted on November 6, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Diamond Head Good Evening, God,

looking down into Diamond Heaad

I couldn’t resist posting an image of Diamond Head taken from above. Flying to the mainland I have caught a glimpse of the inside a few times. But, it is still somewhat of a surprise seeing this view verses the postcard views of Diamond Head.

Sigh. I am trying to remember that everything looks different from Your perspective. When I can get a grip on that reality it helps me feel better. It reminds me that my viewpoint is so short term . . . so small . . . and misses almost everything.

Just the other day I was listening to a TED talk where the speaker was saying that our conscious minds can only grasp 40 or so of the thousands of data points swirling around us second by second. Actually, 40 seems like a lot more than I process.

When I do step back and put my life in context . . . heck, put our species life in context . . . it is staggering. We are definitely newbies on this planet. And, then with photos from the Hubble telescope showing billions of galaxies my brain goes into overload.

All of this is by way of putting myself into Your Context. The idea of a Creator who loves us individually is such Good News that many of my fellow humans cannot believe it. Odd, God, how meaninglessness is so much easier for folks to accept than Meaning. Is it that we don’t want to believe in a Power higher than ourselves?

Or is it that You are not “interfering” in the ways we want You to. Why so much hatred and pain and poverty? And, as I ask, I hear You asking me, “What are you doing to make things better?”

Indeed. How am I caring? How am I sharing?

Tagged with: a look inside Diamond Head, Diamond Head
Posted in Caring, caring for the widows and orphans, connecting, embedded in God's Time, LOVE, Sharing, The Flow of God's Love, time

Perspective and Points of View

Posted on November 5, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Koko Crater Good Evening, God!

My wonderful husband, Kit, came back from his afternoon run with this lovely photo of Koko Crater. Only it doesn’t look like the Koko Crater that I normal see. The angle is different! I know that is IS Koko Crater but, not the one I see normally. And, of course, it looks rectangular — not circular — which is what it is.

It is beautiful . . . but not familiar.

In fact, if I was shown this image without knowing it was taken on Oahu and East Oahu at that I am not sure I would have been able to name it.

One of our tasks as we mature is to learn to recognize “reality” from a variety of viewpoints. The speaker at our women’s retreat showed us a number of images which could be two different things — for example either a vase or two faces. The reality of the image is such that both images can be seen with just a slight shift of focus. But, if we don’t know that about the images we could have vicious arguments about which it is. Faces! No! A Vase!

That seems to me to be a spot on analogy of our multiple divisions in our country. And, once launched on an argument with our emotions engaged — it is very difficult to look for another way of seeing.

I suppose, God, that wouldn’t be quite so bad if it were not for our tendency to demonize our opponents. Perhaps, this is a basic problem with living in a dualistic world view. Right or Wrong! Good or Bad. Hmm. Reality is way too complex to be bifurcated.

Now wouldn’t that be a marvelous thing to teach children . . . well, to teach all of us.

Tagged with: demonizing, dualism or complexity?, Koko Crater
Posted in complexity, connecting, images, The power of images, web of life

Finishing up

Posted on November 4, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Good Evening, God!

Through a series of miscommunications I had a full day at home. Knowing I had all day I was able to tackle organizing tasks that had been too overwhelming before. That is not to say they are done. They are not! But, I am getting closer. And I am enjoying the slow but mostly steady progress. So I want to share a “done” corner of my office.

The York Minster certificate shows that our daughter Patty bought me One Minute of upkeep for York Minster. That was back on August 14, 1979 when she was on an Earth Watch dig in Scotland. Sigh. Every time I look at it I wonder if I was appreciative enough. I know that I didn’t immediately pin it up! And that means whatever appreciation I had — didn’t show very well.

I cannot help but think of the General Confession that I used to say every Sunday as an Episcopalian. “We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us.”

And as I say that I remember that I am forgiven by You. And I need to forgive myself and not load my dear self down with energy sapping sorrows and regrets. Besides, I am hoping that Patty from her heavenly vantage point is seeing her loving gift in its proper place and smiling.

I am smiling too.

Tagged with: big projects, memories, orchids, organizing
Posted in beauty, being FORGIVEN by God, connecting, Forgiven!, Forgiving, opportunities to forgive myself, Peace, supportive organizational structures

A surprise this morning

Posted on November 3, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Good Evening, God!

I’ve been swimming for exercise for my frozen left shoulder . . . swimming in the shallows at Kaimana Beach. And most mornings there is a bridal couple from Japan posing for photos . . . and some mornings there is a sleeping monk seal. Of course, there are almost alway snorkelers, kayakers, folks on surfboards, swimmers and dog paddling people and occasionally a dog paddling.

But this morning I got a surprise! This young man and a friend were coming back from spear fishing . . . clearly armed . . . and I saw them as I was breast stroking along. Caught a glimpse under water out of the corner of my eye, but it was enough to identify weapons! Yes! A surprise! Shock maybe. Although my brain came up with Spear Fishermen quickly enough.

It makes me feel so fortunate that I hardly ever see weapons. Really fortunate!

As for the fish he had caught . . . I greeted him by saying, “You caught some!” His friend said, “He’s even more surprised than you are!” A good surprise — even though as a snorkeler I see fish as beautiful creatures to be admired.

Tagged with: Kaimana Beach, spear fishermen, Surprises, swimming, weapons
Posted in connecting, Enjoyment, simple joys of daily life, stopping to see, thankfulness, The World of our Senses, web of life

Humility and Hope

Posted on November 2, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

view of rain over the ocean Good Evening, God!

The scripture verse for today was from Proverbs 22:4 NIV “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.”

Oh Boy did I get plunged into humility today as I worked on building structure in my life. My goal was to be able to see a history of exercise I did (especially swimming) from my iWatch. I called Apple and got a young woman who had been trained . . . but didn’t have her own iWatch. And I guess she was relieved when I suggested maybe she could pass me over to a senior iWatch person. Jamie did have an iWatch and quickly explained I could find this information by tapping the History tab in the Activities app.

Done said I . . . totally incorrectly . . .and hung up. Then I went to my Watch app on my iPhone and tapped on Activities and searched in vain for the History tab. Big misunderstanding! Jamie was talking about a NEW APP called Activities! Not the section called Activities in my Watch app. I guess I shouldn’t have hung up so soon . . .

But after five or six or seven searches on Google I finally understood! And sure enough after I downloaded the new Activities app — there was the History Tab! DUH!!!

So humility — or an accurate view of reality — swept over me. The hope came a bit later. I realized that I CAN build structure. The realization flowed over me that HEY, I can be Organized! It just takes Time and Effort. And for the next few days I have both.

And Centering more often today has helped with Humility (known as perspective!) and also with Hope. I am grateful for both!

Tagged with: iWatch and humility, technological support structures
Posted in connecting, humility, Humility or Needing Help!, organized, self care as self compassion and humility, supportive organizational structures

Structure

Posted on November 1, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

good bones Good Evening, God!

I was leaving my spiritual director’s home when I spotted these marvelous burst of lines. The lovely blue flowers were long gone. But, I found the structure of each former flower delightful. In fact, I saw them as themselves . . . exuberantly reaching out in joy.

But further thought made me think about how they were the structure that supported the lovely blue blossoms. And, as I look around at my office, I think . . . ah . . . I need some structure here!

Structure is such a clean architectural word. And, I like it. It is what I need and what I want. So, tomorrow after Centering I will imagine and design. Design a structure that will help make what I do easier to see . . . to visualize. Right brained folks need to SEE what is coming up . . . what wants to be done.

I see this as one of the unforeseen byproducts of having our home painted inside. Creative destruction? You bet! Having everything boxed or relocated means we have gotten used to not seeing them. And somehow that gives us the freedom to toss them, reposition them, or repurpose them!

I can’t help thinking I’ve wanted to do this before . . . but I feel relaxed about it now. . . as if I have both time and energy. And, I do.

Tagged with: creative destruction and recreation, supportive structure
Posted in connecting, Creating, creativity in loving service, JOY, simple joys of daily life, supportive organizational structures

The Joy of Color

Posted on October 31, 2018 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Good Evening, God!

My wonderful husband, Kit, loves music. . . this month we saw the Broadway show, Hello Dolly, the opera Romeo and Juliet, and a symphony. But, music surrounds us most of the time. Actually, not just music but news, too. I think he has a radio going in at least two or three rooms. Sound is his thing!

While my delight comes from COLORS . . . so this evening’s sunset makes my heart sing. The dark of the palms silhouetted agains the yellow and orange of the sunset . . . ah . . .

All of this underscores how diverse we are. Just recently I tripped over the Extrovert/Introvert Divide. I was urging friends to bring their siblings to a party — saying that I would love to meet them. After a pause . . . our friends allowed as how their siblings didn’t really want to meet us. I’m hoping that it wasn’t so much US as a group of folks they don’t know. And, I like to think I understand. But, I am an extrovert and my understanding is cognitive — not visceral!

Understanding one another viscerally is a challenge. And I confess, God, that mostly I go through life thinking most folks are just like me. I don’t focus on hearing people down to their core. Hearing their innermost being.

Hmm. You know us that way, don’t You. You know us far better than we know ourselves. And You love us. I’m wondering, God, if You helped us know one another in a deeper more visceral way — how would that feel? I suspect it would turn our worlds right side up.