Give Us Your Peace

 We live in a troubled world. There is so much to worry about, in every aspect of our lives that sometimes it can seem overwhelming. Yet, over and over, throughout the bible, the resounding message is that we are not to let our hearts be troubled. That if we only ask, we will be given "the peace that passes understanding". 

In the midst of every difficulty, we can pray for Divine intervention and be filled with a peace and calm that is beyond our understanding.

This is my simple message today and along with it I will share a hymn:

Give us your peace, Oh God
Give us your peace, your peace...

When we're afraid, running from truth,
gather us back to you.

Take every fear and fill our hearts,
Give us your peace, Oh God.

Give us your peace, Oh God
Give us your peace, your peace.

Lord, we belong to you alone,
show us the way back home.

Into your light, into your love,
Give us your peace Oh God

Give us your peace, Oh God,
give us your peace, your peace.

*Jesse Manibusan and Sarah Hart, "Give Us Your Peace"

Cathedral of the Woods

 I have always thought of a walk in the woods as something of a religious experience. Hiking on a path through the forest, with a canopy of green leaves above me and wildflowers growing in the spots where dappled sun shines through, calms and centers me. There is a hush in deep, old growth woods, inspired by birdsong and the hum of interconnected life all around, that brings deep peace whenever the world "is too much with me" (to quote Wordswoth).

It is so easy to pray when out in nature. There is beauty all around and much to be thankful for. Every living thing seems to vibrate with the Divine. Even when things are not going great in my personal life, I can escape for a time to this peaceful place where I can refresh and nourish my soul.

Recently, I read something on social media that really resonated with me:

How the Forest Heals You:

• Tree scent: Lowers stress hormones and boosts natural killer cells which strengthen the immune system.
• Color Green: Reduces heart rate and blood pressure
• Fractal patterns: Found in leaves calm the brain and reduce mental fatigue
• Bird songs: Reduce anxiety in the amygdala (the fight or flight center), restore focus and improve mood 
• Fresh air: Trees filter pollutants and deliver clean oxygen rich air to our lungs

Physically, mentally, spiritually, the forest is a magically healing place.

What Is Freedom?

 What is freedom?  It sounds like one of those existential questions posed in Philosophy 101, which requires an essay response.  But it is a question worth pondering now and then, especially around July 4th, when we celebrate our nation's independence.  "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...."  These familiar words from the Declaration of Independence remind us that life itself and liberty as the ability to make our own choices in the pursuit of happiness, are gifts from God.  No one should ever be able to take these away from us. Though we still have to abide by society's rules and respect our fellow human beings, we can, for the most part, find our own path in life and change course at any time. We are blessed to live in a country that allows us that freedom and we must do everything in our power to protect this sacred right.

So I begin this day by giving thanks for these gifts and countless others that I rarely acknowledge.  I give thanks for my physical body that, though it's getting older, is a miracle in itself. Every day, I wake up and am able to move freely. I can walk outside and see the sunrise, listen to the morning birds and smell the fragrance of the earth.  I can taste fresh strawberries and the first sip of hot coffee.  I can listen to music or sing, dance, write or read. I can hug someone or pet my dog, care for my garden, feed the birds...so many choices! If I have to go to work, I can change my attitude about that and find things to be thankful for in the job that I do, the people I am surrounded with each day. When we really think about it, the ordinary becomes extraordinary; we see that the things we take for granted everyday are really to be celebrated! 

So, if I were to write that essay on "what is freedom", I would say that, more than anything, it is a state of mind.  No matter what our physical circumstances, our spirits are as free as we allow them to be. We always have the ability to think, dream, imagine and pray our way through any situation. I would sum it up by saying that freedom is the ability to let go of anything that hinders, makes us feel constrained or unhappy and to fully embrace the blessings that each day holds, writing our own story as we go.  

To quote a familiar song by Bobby McFerrin:

 Don't worry be happy
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it double
Don't worry be happy!

Breath is Life

Breath is life...it connects us to the Source of all being. Quite literally, breath means "spirit". The Hebrew word "ruach" and the Greek word "pneuma" are both translated to mean spirit or breath. The Latin word "spiritus" translates to breath or wind. When we breathe our last, I've heard it's like a long sigh, a letting go and then, no more.

Often when I am upset about something and don't feel centered, I will simply focus on observing my breath for a few minutes and it calms me down (try it!) Through my breath, I can feel centered and connected to Spirit, regardless of outward circumstances.

For calming anxiety, soothing nerves or lifting depression, it's important that our breathing is deep, long and slow. We can do a counting rhythm: breathe in to a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, exhale to a count of 8. We can visualize something soothing as we breathe: a body of water, a deep forest or a sunset. We can breathe prayerfully: letting go of any negativity in our lives on the exhale; focusing on gratitude and joy for whatever is "excellent or praiseworthy"  on the inhale. Deep, slow breathing, pushing the air into the belly, counteracts the natural tendency to breathe shallowly when anxious or worried. It calms our central nervous system and puts us in a relaxed, prayerful state of mind.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you". Philippians 4: 6-10

Be present, slow down and breathe in Spirit...

I Love You, As You Are

 Unconditional love can be a really difficult concept to grasp. It is counterintuitive: no conditions, no strings attached; you love the person at his or her core, regardless of their behavior. 

For a parent, it comes naturally. You don't stop loving your two-year old when they have a horrible tantrum, or your teenager when they engage in rebellious behavior. You see, always, the shining light of their spirit. When you are done feeling angry and put out, it is important to let them know that their behavior is not acceptable, but that you love them anyway and you forgive them, because you know that the behavior does not make the person.

Beyond the parent-child relationship. unconditional love does not come naturally. But to love the unlovable, or to forgive someone who has wronged us and "love them anyway" is modeling the "agape love" that God has for us:

1. God never runs out of unconditional love

2. Unconditional love makes sacrifices

3. You can never lose unconditional love

4. Unconditional love means surrendering your expectations

5. Forgiveness is the soil that allows unconditional love to grow.

(*Crosswalk.com)

I really like that last statement, because without forgiveness, our hearts and spirits close up in self-defense. Love does not grow in the soil of resentment.

Perhaps today, we can pray for the ability to forgive those against whom we hold grudges or resentments and begin to allow the healing power of unconditional love into our hearts.

New Life

  It's finally warm enough to sit outside in the garden at first light this morning and as I look around, I am witness to signs of new life everywhere, which fills me with a sense of awe and wonder. There are spring flowers, green new shoots budding with promise, robins busy building nests and a tiny baby rabbit hopping into the shrubbery. These sights fill me with those gifts of the Spirit that give life meaning...peace, joy and hope.

Who hasn't held a newborn baby, a kitten or a puppy and been filled with a sublime rush of wonder at the miracle of life?  We are fascinated by videos of kittens or baby monkeys; enchanted by adorable creatures in miniature.

If you really think about the process of creation, it is very humbling and awe-inspiring. To think that an egg and a sperm united can become a child, or a seed that appears dead can sprout and grow when given water, soil and sunlight, should surely make us acutely aware that there must be a Creator. The Intelligent Designer behind it all has made an endless array of living beings, each one a small miracle.

We live on a beautiful planet, inhabited by beautiful beings and this morning, I am especially grateful. Just for today, I will release my worries about war and injustice, hatred and crime, poverty and pain. I will choose to see "whatever is excellent or praiseworthy"; I will give thanks for the miracle of new life and the hope that it can inspire in me.

A Day of Remembrance

This Memorial Day is a quiet one for us. The weather has been very rainy and family members are traveling, so our cabin picnic plans have been cancelled. I am going to spend the day planting flowers and weeding the backyard; hoping for a few glimmers of sun this afternoon to warm our rain-weary Rochester hearts. We'll do some backyard relaxing later on and fire up the grill for some healthy nitrate-free hot dogs and baked beans.

As I was reflecting on this special day, I thought it might be interesting to look into the history of Memorial Day a bit. Most of us think of it as a picnic day that kick-starts the summer, but it has historical roots that go way back to the Civil War.

Here is a look at the holiday and how it has evolved, according to US News and World Report:

Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday that is officially about mourning the nation's fallen service members, but it has come to signal the unofficial start of summer and a long weekend for picnics, travel and gardening. 

•  It falls on the last Monday of May. This year, it is May 25.

•  It’s a day of reflection and remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. military, according to the Congressional Research Service.

• The holiday is observed in part by the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. for a moment of silence.

What are the origins of Memorial Day?

•  The holiday's origins can be traced to the American Civil War, which killed more than 600,000 service members, Union and Confederate, between 1861 and 1865.

•  The first national observance of what was then called Decoration Day occurred May 30, 1868, after an organization of Union veterans called for decorating war graves with flowers that were in bloom.

•  In 1971, Congress changed Memorial Day from every May 30 to the last Monday in May.  The creation of the three-day weekend recognized that Memorial Day had been transformed into a more generic remembrance of the dead, as well as a day of leisure.

•  A year later, Time Magazine wrote that the holiday had become “a three-day nationwide hootenanny that seems to have lost much of its original purpose.”

It is interesting to think about the history and significance of the holiday to give us a full understanding of the costs of war. As we honor those who have given their lives in service to our country, may we also pray that war never be entered into lightly, without deep regard for the lives that will most certainly be lost and the many others who will be impacted by the actions taken by our government. 

Today, let us pray for world peace.