Living In Spirit

Sunday, May 10, 2015

The Footprints Of Alfred E. Newman

Remember Alfred E. Newman of Mad magazine fame? His gap toothed grin gracing every cover with the caption “What, me worry?” Alfred can be oblivious, but what of the dozens of things that tug at us daily? My children are all adults but I still worry about them. When one of the cats strolls outside I worry about them (don’t start, I have I tried to keep them in but they were all strays who just took over the house and when they want to go out THEY WANT TO GO OUT). In low moments I worry that somehow I have strayed down the wrong path in my life and won’t find my way back.

Today when worry creeps into my thoughts I turn to God as close to immediately as I can. When the World worries me I remember “The Captain is on the Bridge.” My children, gifts from God, so when I fear for them I ask God to do for them what they cannot do for themselves and to give me the strength to do what He would have me do in their lives, and not meddle. I don’t care what anyone says, letting your children make their own mistakes so they can grow just as we had to requires a lot of prayer. Cats? Well if you have cats you understand and if you are a dog person you aren’t supposed to get it and that’s not a bad thing. It’s not that you care any less for your dog but cats just assume you understand about their divinity. And when I begin to worry I have stumbled and lost my way I remember the truth:

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

So I guess Alfred had it right all along. Nuff said.

The Secret, Wayne Dyer, ACIM, Serenity, Enlightenment, Zen, Emmet Fox, How To Be Happy, Golden Key, Addicts Today, Chopra, Jesus, Healing Path Recovery, Einstein, Marianne Williamson, Sayeh Beheshti, AKUA

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Is God Too Busy For "Little" Things?

Sometime ago during a genial conversation on spiritual principles a participant tossed out the comment “I don’t trouble God with the little things, he’s much too busy.” This was said in all earnestness but little understanding of what Living on the Spiritual Basis entails. There are no “small” things to God. Everything interests God. Everything. Nothing in our lives is beneath His concern or healing. Tennyson wrote, “He is closer than hands and feet, closer than breath” which is most close indeed additionally Emmet Fox stated “God is always present; always ready to heal, to comfort, to inspire.” No barriers or arbitrary lines in the sand exist dealing with God’s level of involvement or commitment in our lives. He is within, right here, right now, seeking expression in every area of our lives, from the maximal to the minimal, big deals and little deals, if we are willing to step out in faith and trust. Arguably the most powerful prayer in the Bible is “Be still, and know that I am God” the knowing within, available 24/7. So we don’t concern ourselves with trying to sort out what is appropriate for God’s attention, instead we place everything in His hands, trusting in the infinite rather than the finite for solution and resolution.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Taking A Trip, Not Taking A Trip To Morbid Reflectionville

When we travel down the road of indignation, self-righteousness, fear, hateful and/or angry words and thoughts we invariably find ourselves embracing morbid reflection, leaving us holding a cup of spiritual distress for we always reap as we sow. Few situations in life are ever strictly black and white. When we condemn others we attempt, but fail, to overwrite the truth that there is a little bit of good in the worst of us and a little bit of bad in the best, no one is without sin, none of us live life error free. Remember “Living life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning to play the instrument as we go along” naked, so cut them and yourself a little slack.

So when you find yourself in morbid reflectionville, and we all do from time to time, gently turn around in prayer and head back out of town by recognizing the Presence of God where the disharmony and negativity resides; asking in meditation to be shown the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love, saluting the Divine Spark that resides within every one of our Father’s children.

It would be easy to end here, but an additional point needs to be made. We can and in truth must salute the Divine within all, but this does not mean we must continue to associate with or place ourselves in a position to be harmed by someone who wishes us ill. Our heartfelt hope and desire is that all will grow spiritually, embracing the path of peace and comprehending serenity, unfortunately not everyone will and the truth of change and growth is the desire must come from within. So release them with love and remember the old Scottish (James Kelly) proverb: “He that deceives me once; shame fall him; if he deceives me twice, shame fall me.” So trust in God, but cut the cards.

When we know, who walks beside us, on this path we have chosen, our fears fall from us.