Love Remix

Pardon me while I engage in some "self promotion." But I just published an article called "1Corinthians 13: Greatest Gift Remix." It starts like this:

Y’all want to go viral with the next big thing. You’re uploading the monuments to yourself onto YouTube. You’re hoping that a publisher discovers the genius of your manuscript. You’ve been working on the best damn praise band in the land.

That’s all cool. You’re striving for great gifts. Yet I will show you a still more excellent way.

If my album goes platinum, but don’t have love, I’m an out of tune guitar or a clanging cymbal.

If I’m the smartest guy in the room, and understand all mysteries and have all knowledge, but don’t have love, I’m a big zero.

~~~
You can read the rest on the Presence site.

Rising Above Competition

Earlier today, I ran across this statement from Wendell Berry.

"Rats and roaches live by competition under the law of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy."

It's so hopeful by allowing us to see that we can actually find ways to help each other. And that is, I believe, the essence of love. We can reach beyond ourselves when we realize that we're all interconnected, integrated as mutual participants in the universe.

Love Notes (Loretta too)

Last week was a rough week. All in all it seems God is not pulling any punches. I am learning I am not above kicking and screaming, and crying into a pillow. Life really can be hard. Hearts get broken. Incomes/livelihoods reduced or lost. People get sick and are in pain or die. I can’t be happy about these things. Why is it so hard to let go and let God? At least it is hard for me.

I had two friends lose their jobs (to one it was a blessing and no biggie, to the other very scary); I have several friends and my Him dealing with serious health issues. One a lot more serious than the rest. I have some own stuff I am wanting to work through. I do try to live in the moment, but when being beat it seems you don’t want to live in the moment, you want to look for ways to stop future pounding, at least in your imagination.

Friday was particularly brutal. So, when I got home, I picked up my love-notebook where I write and keep quotes and words I like about Love, etc., so I can reread when I need inspiration. I also keep thank you’s or nice things people have said about me which I re-read when I’m not feeling the love for whatever reason.

Anyway, I came across the following…I read this sort of thing and I just melt into Love for all of our experiences. I wish I could keep that feeling all the time, but I need frequent reminding.


God speaks to us

God speaks to each of us as he forms us in the womb; then he leads us out, beyond our remembering. The words are obscured by the transition.

“You are being sent forth by your senses. Go ahead and dare to go to the far edges of your longings and your desires. There you will form me.

You are light! Blaze and flare-up like a flame. Make great flickering shadows where I can dance.

Let every feeling happen to you: Beauty and Terror and everything in between. No feeling is the furthest out, there is always more to feel.

Don’t let yourself believe that we are separate from one another. Where we will be is the place called Life. You will know it by its seriousness.

Give me your trust, I am holding you”

~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~ (a combination of translations tweaked by Keren for help with my own personal understanding)

Peace
Keren


Photo – “love notes” (or "why my cats will be never be models" – I can scratch that off income producing ideas):o)

The Hugging Saint

A "hugging saint" came to the city where I live a couple of years ago. She stood in an auditorium somewhere and people stood in line to be hugged and blessed by her. I so soo wanted to go get hugged by her, but had to work or something. Next time she comes – no excuses - I am there!

I thought about her yesterday as I was watching the communion line in my church, and then watching the people line up to shake the hand of our wonderful pastor after Mass, whose blessings have been important/impactful to me and indirectly to my family. So I googled her when I got home.

She hugs to spread the idea of motherly love and compassion "felt not only towards one's own children, but all people, animals and plants, rocks and rivers — a love extended to all of nature, all beings." Her name is Amma — nickname for Mata Amritanandamayi ("Mother of immortal bliss").

This is what I want to be! I have found a vocation to respond to in my own way. Seriously! This is one thing I enjoy about being older, I can hug most people without them thinking I have something else in mind or strings attached – when I was 24 that would have been different! Actually there is probably more to her “job” than meets the eye like everything else. Especially since some people can turn a kindness into an invitation or obligation.

It must take a tremendous amount of strength/fortitude, in addition to a tremendous reliance on the God you represent, to be in this sort of position. I have tremendous admiration and gratitude for all people who respond to this type of calling.

Here is more about Amma.

To be in Her presence is to experience the best that life has to offer...
a river of unconditional love, accepting anyone and everyone, and cleansing all their impurities.
Luminous rays of grace, radiating wisdom and joy... like the earth bearing us on her bosom.
By her love, consoling us, nourishing us, instilling faith in us...
in whose presence, the innocence of a child awakens within... the world becomes a wonder.
Such this and more is Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, Amma, Mother of Immortal Bliss.

Come... Meditate... Welcome to the Homepage of Amma
http://www.amritapuri.org/

Aster Struck

Stars and flowers have been on my mind. Probably due to the recent stories of the three magi who recognized and followed the star of the baby who would become king of the Jews (according to the gospel of Matthew)…and also due to my own discovery of Aster daisies with regard to future plans for replanting my (neglected of late) garden.

In the USA, we don’t officially recognize any royalty in this country. “Kings” are politicians or corporate/industry giants or Hollywood stars – recognized as “kings” only after doing something noteworthy. With regard to Jesus – the star-readers weren’t looking for his CV or accomplishments. Yet, he was born of a certain impressive lineage. However, he was poor and unnoticed/disregarded by most of the people most of the time. I don’t know much about any religions, but I have heard that when the (Tibetan Buddhist?) Dali Lama dies, his disciples search for a baby or child who appears to be the reincarnated self of the recently deceased Dali Lama, but I believe that baby once found is treated pretty well.

My simple ponderings led me to wonder…why is the expectation of deity paced on a baby anyway? Could it be because a baby has the capacity to grow?...yet a baby calls for nurturing and care. A deity baby needing nurturing? Wouldn’t a God be able to take care of himself without participation from humans?

That takes me to God who is Love. Take romantic love for example. It usually first somehow magically appears, it is “born” and joyfully recognized. Then, when there is hope for it to continue into the future, it is cared for and brought along, prompted, encouraged; faithfully handled with patience, gentleness, self-control, which results in a peaceful then fruitful union.

Could it be the same with God-in-us, i.e., the Spirit of our Creator here and now…the way He/She/It is recognized then developed within ourselves and shared with others?

Just some New Year and Monday night ponderings.

Peace and Love
Keren

PS Just so I don’t leave out the daisies…in my part of the world –certain aster daisies are actually perennial shrubs but only bloom under certain conditions.

Preparing the Jordan

“Too many people spend too much time trying to perfect something before they actually do it. Instead of waiting for perfection, run with what you’ve got and fix it as you go”… Paul Arden

This is my New Year’s resolution for 2008. Quit using the expectation of perfection to prevent me from experiencing anything or anyone (including myself).

Peace and Love
Keren

Peace on Earth

This is for everyone, but especially for my brother and my sister, and all of us who were teenagers in the 70's.

Peace and Love
Kembo

Loving Babies

Sometimes, it's hard to remember that love never fails. However, today I've seen no less than 5 babies less than a year old. They're giggly, bright-eyed, and spontaneous. They are doing nothing but being themselves. Whenever a baby enters the room, everything softens. Everything lights up. Love becomes apparent every time. It just never fails.

Le Getting There is Half Le Fun

....un pew diversion...

Joy - Expect the Unexpected

This is sort of an addendum to this post. I re-read it and decided it sounds a little cranky, but it is not intended that way.

*********

The season of advent is about paying attention, being aware, being expectant, preparing for the coming of the savior, the second coming of Christ, etc.

I totally believe in the blessing of centering prayer and reflecting on experience and I practice these myself in groups and alone.

There is a time and a place for everything. However...Interruptions may not be desired but be aware and awake that the greater cause of the interupption may be calling you to a new and wonderful place....or maybe it is just some happy loud-mouth, but you might make a new friend! Here is the original post.

**********

Have you ever felt really good, full of joy, exuberant even, for absolutely no reason at all?

Have you ever been told "shhhhhh" while you are feeling this way?

Have you ever had this feeling of exuberance and inadvertently brought yourself and your joy into a room where people are are quietly and reverently discussing our journey toward God?

"Sssshhhhhhhh, we are reflecting!" aka "Silence your joy so we can try to use silence to find ours".....huh?

I think children get rebuked this way often. Nothing wrong with silent reflection and I encourage it, but joy and exuberance need to be recognised too.

Today begins the season of Advent. Wake up, look around..something wonderful is coming. It can happen!

Peace and Joy and Love
Keren

Friends

“Each of us has contact with hundreds of people who never look beyond our surface appearance. We have dealings with hundreds of people who the moment they set eyes on us begin calculating what use we can be to them, what they can get out of us. We meet hundreds of people who take one look at us, make a snap judgment, and then slot us into a category so that they wont have to deal with us as persons. They treat us as something less than we are and if we are in constant association with them, we become less.”

“And then someone enters our life who isn’t looking for someone to use, is leisurely enough to find out what is really going on in us, is secure enough not to exploit our weaknesses or attack our strengths, recognizes our inner life and understands the difficulty of living out our inner convictions, confirms what is deepest within us. A friend.”

Eugene H. Peterson “Leap Over a Wall”

This is from a book about a divine nobody, David (of David and Goliath fame).

To me like anything else, all relationships grow and change and ebb and glow. Our souls always recognize the friends God places in our lives.

Peace and Love
Keren

Photo by Darla Winn

The Greatest

"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love."

You know these words written by Paul so long ago. Even if you've never read 1Corinthians 13, you've been to a wedding. And I think it is a legal obligation that 1Corinthians 13 is read at every wedding.

Anyway...it's odd (at least curious) to me how backwards I've practiced this sacred triumvirate. Faith has often come first. Have faith. Just believe. Believe in Jesus. Believe in God. Believe the Bible. Justification by faith. Salvation by faith. Faith alone. Believe the gospel and you'll be saved.

Then, for me, hope has played a big part. Looking forward to the time when God will sort everything out (like things aren't sorted properly now). Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Thy kingdom come. I hope that they will accept Jesus.

Love has often taken the back seat to both of these. I'll love you if you have faith (the "right" faith at that). If you share my hope, then I'll love. Love just gets in the way of getting people to have faith in the right hope.

At least that's been my experience for a large portion of my life. Yours might be different. It's not to say that I didn't consider my faith and hope motivated by love. I did. But looking back, I can see that love never really entered the picture. Maybe a little, but not much. The greatest of these three was always faith...with a capital F.

That's what I preached from pulpits every week for nearly 2 decades. "Come forward and confess your faith." Never once did I invite anyone to come forward to show their love.

Now, after a long time and a lot of personal anguish, I can see how Love trumps faith and hope. It's not that faith and hope are insignificant. It's like ice cream. Strawberry and vanilla are great, but nothing beats chocolate!

But even now, I can take it one more step. As great as Love is when we love, how much greater is God's Love! The God who is Love. The God who is Love triumphs over our faithlessness, faithfulness, hopelessness, hopefulness, lovelessness, and love; because the greatest is Love.

Take Me With You Everywhere You Go

(Love/God speaking to us....)

Don't go anywhere without me. Let nothing happen in the sky apart from me, or on the ground, in this world or that world,without my being in its happening. Vision, see nothing I don't see. Language, say nothing. The way the night knows itself with the moon, be that with me. Be the rose nearest to the thorn that I am.

I want to feel myself in you when you taste food, in the arc of your mallet when you work, when you visit friends, when you go up on the roof by yourself at night.

(rumi/us to Love/God)

There's nothing worse than to walk out along the street without you. I don't know where I'm going. You're the road, and the knower of roads, more than maps, more than love.

******
"The Essential Rumi" Coleman Barks
******

I love me some Rumi!
(notes in pink and emphasis in turquoise by Keren)

No Recall

Pardon me for going theological this morning. But I was reading in Romans this morning and 11:28-29 captured my attention.

"As regards the gospel they are enemies of God^* for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved, for the sake of their ancestors; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

I know this has a context and specific setting, but it seems like an eternal truth about God's love is lodged in these words. These "enemies of the gospel" were not excluded from the love of God. Even though they were "enemies" God continued to love them. They were beloved -- not for what they had done or failed to do. But God loved them for the sake of His promise.

God's overflows from God. It is not a reward for our obedience or disobedience to anything. Humanity is beloved -- and always will be -- because God's love is irrevocable.

If you start feeling bad about yourself or judgmental toward others, just remember this. God can't not love you. Unlike certain brands of toys with lead paint, God's love will never be recalled.

It’s not how much you’ve got but what is done with what you have

Love Reflections on Luke 17:5-10

Consider this… Our God (who is Love) is a servant God, an exceptional Aide. What if the message is to expect more from our servant, more than status quo - be assured that God/Love can and wants to do more for us than just the minimum. That is called faith.

Faith starts with an expectation of more than the ordinary. Faith is a seminal force – an atom – a seed that when expressed to its potential, can break through to the power of God/Love inside us. Faith can take us places we have never been. The power of God to truly comfort, heal, support, and motivate us to withstand all sorts of difficulties, through and past the mundane to the extraordinary.

Imagine how much gratitude we would express to God if we really let Him do His thing in us.


Peace and Love
Keren

Saint Francis of Assisi

"Most high, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart. Instill in me a correct faith, a certain hope and a perfect love; a sense and a knowledge, Lord, so that I may do your holy and true command." A Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Tomorrow, October 4th is the Feast Day of St. Francis. You will probably see a lot about him on the internet, and you may know all of this anyway. I just wanted to give him a little Love from the TLIO site also. St. Francis was joyfully in Love with God and all of God’s Creation. He embraced the connection and communion of all Creation and called everything in Creation (from people, birds, animals, the Sun, even Death) his Brother or Sister. He chose to live in poverty and purity; he gave assistance to the poor and sick; and basically lived in imitation of Jesus.

He is the patron saint of animals and animal welfare organizations among other things. Many churches have Blessing of Pets on October 4th or the closest Sunday to the 4th. Bailey and Loretta (a couple of nobody-cats who live with us) would have to go to work with me first to be able to go be blessed at my church tomorrow evening – not going to happen. I’ll have to bring some holy water home for them. Him and I get so much love and laughter from these two, they are blessings to us every day of the year.

God/Love Sightings

Yesterday I was in a building where I go on Sundays to worship God in community with some friends. My daughter and son-in-law were here visiting from far-away Florida. While I was standing alongside them, sandwiched between my daughter and another good friend, I was looking directly at other people I love up on the stage in front of me, and what joy there was in exchanging smiles of love as they sang for us all. My youngest son was up there too, and suddenly he broke out playing this lovely riff of a guitar solo, and I got tears in my eyes. What a gift to be surrounded by people I love, and listening to my son express himself through his creativity. I was filled with and surrounded by sacred Love.

And now I'm off to buy French Vanilla creamer for my daughter, so we can share one last morning coffee together before she flies home. I am cherishing these moments, this life, today.

The Unity of All That Is

Love unites all, whether created or uncreated. The heart of God, the heart of all creation, and our own hearts become one in love. That's what all the great mystics have been trying to tell us through the ages. Benedict, Francis, Hildegard of Bingen, Hadewijch of Brabant, Meister Eckhart, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Dag Hammarskjeld, Thomas Merton, and many others, all in their own ways and their own languages, have witnessed to the unifying power of the divine love. All of them, however, spoke with a knowledge that came to them not through intellectual arguments but through contemplative prayer. The Spirit of Jesus allowed them to see the heart of God, the heart of the universe, and their own hearts as one. It is in the heart of God that we can come to the full realisation of the unity of all that is, created and uncreated.
~henri nouwen

God's Directions

For several years. I lived with chronic back pain. I've undergone treatment and have been feeling much better...until Tuesday when a "flare up" began. This morning after attempting to sit down, I just blurted out, "Wow, it hurts so bad."

My five year old son, walked to me and patted my side. He said tenderly, "That will help you feel better." I replied, "You're so filled with love."

Without skipping a beat, he smiled and blurted out, "That's God's directions!"