thoughts on the news today: Matt Dillon

hmmm…..

            James Arness, Dr. Kevorkian, and Sarah Palin are in the news today.  Palin because she got it wrong – her information about Paul Revere’s ride was dead wrong and the media has had a hay day with it.  Dr. Kevorkian passed away yesterday – whether he got it right or not is still under debate.  He is the doctor who assisted patients who had painful, terminal  diseases with suicide and was convicted and incarcerated for it. While you may or may not agree with his practice, you have to admit that he did much to create the compassionate hospice care practices that we have for the dying today.

            Now, James Arness got it right.  Well, his character, Matt Dillon did.  The Gunsmoke character that Arness played became a symbol of what an American hero should be.  He was strong, patient, compassionate, and not to be crossed.  He inspired devotion from those he touched on and off the television screen.

            I remember Gunsmoke and Matt Dillion.  The sheriff was a man I admired and wished I knew.  He always seemed to get it right – not like John Edwards, who is also in the news today for allegedly lying to the courts about his mistress.

            So it comes down to knowing and telling the truth.  First, you have to know what it is.  Spouting off without knowing the facts is not heroic.  Lying about an uncomfortable and inconvenient part of your life is not heroic.  Having the courage and compassion to address terminal suffering may or may not be heroic depending upon how you look at it. 

            But telling the truth and standing behind it is always American heroism at its best.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: paths

hmmm…..

            There is a traditional Malayalm story that has been adapted by Paulo Coelho and it goes something like this:

            A calf needs to cross a virgin forest to get back to his pasture so he creates a path through the thickets.  It is a tortuous path full of obstacles, but the calf makes it back home.  Soon all sorts of wild life are using the path, and then explorers also journey on it.  It becomes a road full of travelers and no one ever questions the path or the inconvenience of it.  They just merely follow along with what has been put before them – a two hour path, when one could be laid out better and easier that would take ¼ of the time.

            We do that, don’t we?  We say, “We’ve always done it that way” without questioning the practicality or reasonableness of the path we have chosen.  We could think outside of the box --  we could get creative and see where a  new path might lead us.  Often times we are hesitant because we might be wrong.  But what if we did?  What if we rejected the paths laid out so long ago when we knew less and instead forged a new, less cumbersome trail? 

            In our families, at work and in our spiritual life, we can set out to find new paths.  We can invite others to go with us so that it won’t be so scary.  And we can rejoice when we reach the other side – quicker, easier, faster, better.

            hmmm…..

         

thoughts on the news of the day: roses

hmmm…..

            I have been watching my roses bloom lately.  They start out as tiny buds – pips, really and over a day or two, explode into the most vibrant bundles of color – reds, hot pinks and pale soft creamy pink petals abound in my back yard. 

            We are like that bud, we are produced by the roots and stems of our physical growth.  If we are lucky, we also mature spiritually.  We begin to see the importance of relying on God, of having faith and hope and love in our hearts.  The spirit within us grows; it gets stronger and bigger.  And like a budding flower, it blossoms to all sorts of beauty.

            The trick is, it can never be put back into that little bud.  Like a corn stalk that can never be put back into the kernel of corn; like the oak tree that can never be shrunk back into an acorn, our spirits can never compress back into our old habits and patterns.  As Oprah says, once we know better, we do better.  And when we do better, it is pretty much impossible to go back to the way things once were.

            Our spiritual journey is a never ending spiral and as we keep winding up the mountaintop, the path gets steeper and narrower.  Our expectations for ourselves become more demanding, and going back to old bad behavior just doesn’t work anymore.  We are beautiful blossoms, and can’t be put back into our old tiny buds. 

            Enjoy the journey, blossom and mature.  And may God be with you as you grow.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: archaeology

hmmm…..

            The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt has more secrets inside.  A robotic device recently found markings inside a secret chamber that had been hidden for over 4,500 years deep in the tunnels of the Pyramid.  A camera that fit through a tiny hole in a stone wall was used to make the pictures.  Archaeologists are not sure yet what the markings mean, but they are hoping to discover what they signify and why the ancient Egyptians built the tunnels. 

            Archaeology is not dead; explorers of ancient ruins still have plenty of work to do.  All that is here on earth has not been discovered yet and the mysteries of the world continue to unfold.

            I recently went to a seminar where the presenter suggested that we do our own archaeology work on ourselves and our family systems.  In my case, this spilt over into my church family.  It is true, we can learn a lot by digging around in the history of our family tree.  Patterns emerge.  Thing like: succeeding generations of Pastors – or alcoholics. Interesting things like a love of cars or entrepreneurial talents are passed along for generations.  In our own governing body, our leaders for the past three generations have all been named Bill. 

            Why is this important? It is important because we can learn lots about ourselves by learning where we came from.  Those secret tunnels of our lives need to be explored so that we can more fully live out who we are.

            Dig a little, learn a lot!

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: meditation

hmmm…..

            Are you in the mood for meditation?  A friend of mine who is a volunteer teacher in Guatemala sent me this prayer by St Teresa of Avila. St Teresa was a Spanish mystic who lived in the 15^th century but her writings are timeless.   

            Let nothing trouble you.
            Let nothing scare you.
            All is fleeting.
            God alone is unchanging.
            Patience
            everything obtains.
            Who possesses God
            nothing wants.
            God alone suffices.

            Maybe meditation is too weird for you.  Sitting in a chair humming a mantra might not be your cup of tea.  But if you have a few minutes, you could try being still and breathing in and out as you say this prayer.   It might calm you down and center your thoughts on what is really important in your life.  I know it works for me.

            hmmm.....

thoughts on the news of the day: vision

hmmm…..

            Today the internet has an article on how to improve your vision.  The first suggestion is to eat more vegetables – like carrots.  I think I remember my Mom saying that.  It also suggested exercising your eyes; avoiding environmental toxins; and getting enough rest.  All good information on how to protect our eyesight.

            It occurred to me as I read the article that those suggestions could be handy for improving our spiritual vision, too.  First, we can ingest good things into our spirit.  Things like positive conversations, healthy television programs and reading material that focuses on improving our spiritual health.   I think I remember my Mom saying that, too.  Second, we can exercise our spiritual muscles by doing something nice for someone else.  Third, we can avoid those things that aren’t good for our spirit:  violent television, unwholesome movies and negative people can damage our vision.  And, of course, getting enough rest is also very beneficial when trying to become more visionary in our daily life.

            I was thinking today about a young man I know who has a sad life.  He lives in a house he can barely afford and his life consists of going to work at a dead end job and playing video games all night long on his big screen T.V.  His life right now is pretty much without hope or vision.  My prayer for him is that he would embrace some of these visionary practices, but I am afraid that his life will always remain the same.  And that makes me sad.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: memorial day

hmmm…..

            I know very little about war.  I know nothing about combat.  My experience with military matters is about nil. But I do know this: our soldiers, military and veterans deserve our deepest respect for the service they have given to our country.

            Today marks the smack dab middle of Memorial Day weekend.  The lakes will be filled with boaters and campers enjoying the first days of summer.  Parties and picnics will abound and probably a little drinking and carousing will happen, too. 

            But I went to the cemetery yesterday and was struck by the number of flags on grave markers that signified a person who served our country.  Not necessarily had they died in combat, but they had certainly guarded our country with their lives.  So today, even in our worship service, we will remember the sacrifice our servicemen and women have made.  We will remember those who have fallen; we will remember those who died.

            Jesus said, “Remember me when you do these things.”  He was talking about the act of sharing bread together; but I don’t think he would mind if we also borrowed this phrase to remember our soldiers and their sacrifice.  So my prayer for my nephew who flies for the United States Air Force and for all those who put their lives on the line for our freedom is that they would be remembered for their bravery and for their courage on this Memorial Day weekend.  Say a prayer for our veterans and our active military, they deserve our support and our prayers.

            hmmm…..