Deep Calm

 Last night, as I walked my dog, I watched the snowflakes drift silently to the ground against a backdrop of glowing lamps and twinkly holiday lights.

I prayed silently, giving thanks for the beautiful moment and asking for peace after a difficult day. As I walked along, I was filled with a deep, unshakable calm that started at my core and radiated outward, like someone hugging me from the inside. The deep calm stayed with me through the night and is still here, thankfully.

This is the part of faith that is difficult to explain-the experience of an unseen, loving Presence giving comfort or joy or whatever we need in any given moment. It has nothing to do with doctrine or rote prayers or judging people  for "sinful" behavior and everything to do with a living, eternally present Creator who meets us where we are and loves us anyway.

This is grace...the "free and unmerited favor of God".  Like the purity of snow falling on this Advent night, grace falls on us, cleansing and restoring us, whether or not we open our eyes to see and accept the gift.

I find it sad that people have come to think of religion as a belief system that condemns and punishes those who don't conform to certain (mostly) man-made rules. Because of this misconception, many run from religion and fill the deep hunger for God with short-term "fixes" like alcohol, drugs, workaholism or social media obsession.

I feel like I want to shout it from the rooftops that there is a God who loves us deeply and cares for us tenderly, who can fill that void and set us on solid ground.  Even though sometimes bad things do happen to good people and life can seem cruel with all its ups and downs, He/She is there with us in the midst of it, giving us strength, courage and a deep, unshakable calm.

"Peace, be still"...in the silence we will find You...

 

 

 *Snow Falling on Salem Path, by Jeff Folger

From Darkness into Light

This morning, as the predawn sky begins to brighten, I find myself meditating on darkness and the coming of light. We are entering into the darkest time of the year. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we approach the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year, with the least amount of possible sunlight. During this time, we can fear and curse the dark, or we can embrace the lessons it has to teach us.

 There is something to be said for sometimes sitting in the dark: Darkness can be so soothing when you know it won't last forever; you can slip into shadow as a refuge, especially when the light has been pitiless. Spiritual wisdom has it that light is the truth, but there are many kinds of beauty in darkness, like the silver-golden glitter in the internal dark when we close our eyes and at twilight and at dawn...(Anne Lamott, Dusk, Night, Dawn).

Without darkness, we cannot see or appreciate the light. As we retreat into our homes, light fireplaces and candles, put up holiday twinkle and sparkle, we contrast the darkness and cold of the outside world with the cheeriness we create indoors. We celebrate light at this time of year, clinging to it as our natural world settles into the quiet of hibernation.  

Contrasts of darkness and light are major themes in many religions. Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights on November 4, celebrates the inner light that protects us from darkness and welcomes peace and joy.  Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights which begins on November 28, celebrates the reclaiming of the temple of Jerusalem and centers around the lighting of the Menorah for eight days. Advent is the Christian period of preparation for Christ's birth and second coming; the anticipation of the Light of the World being manifested in our hearts and minds. The Advent wreath and lighting of candles has special significance: The advent candles each represent a specific aspect of the spiritual preparations for Christmas. The three main colors are purple, pink, and white, symbolizing hope, peace, joy and love. The last (white) candle, lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent, is the Christ candle.

Whatever our religious traditions, we are entering a time of year marked by retreat and reflection, alternating with festive gathering and celebrations: the darkness of retreat contrasts with the light that we bring from within and manifest in our hearts and homes.

May we learn from the dark as well as the light, embracing each as part of the mystery that is life.  As we pause to gather with family for Thanksgiving this week, may we remember to give thanks in all times and circumstances!

Thank you God, for everything!

Everything in Divine Order

 Sometimes, if I tune into the news too much, I can start to feel like the world is in disarray.  Crazy things happen everyday and it can be very discouraging to focus on worldly affairs. But if I tune into nature, all seems serene and beautiful. The patterns of nature help me to see that there is Divine Order...everything is orchestrated, like a lovely cosmic dance and that this is something we can cling to in difficult times.

Out walking, I breathe in the morning air, feel its cold stir on my face as the first rays of warming sun fall onto earth, like a gift. The early light sparkles on the frosted grass like thousands of tiny diamonds and the colors of autumn abound everywhere.The birds greet the day with celebration, flying excitedly overhead, I greet a fellow walker with a smile and a wave as a lilting joy fills me. I know in my heart that all is well in this moment.

Of course, I worry about the climate crisis and will always try to do everything in my power to care for this beautiful planet.  But no one knows what the future holds or how an all powerful God will move to protect His/Her creation. So for today, I will have faith that the Spirit in whom we live and move and have our being will always provide protection, power and peace. I will not allow the world to be too much with me, as William Wordsworth warned in his famous poem:

The world is too much with us; late and soon,

Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—

Little we see in Nature that is ours;

We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!

This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;

The winds that will be howling at all hours,

And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;

For this, for everything, we are out of tune...

 

I will embrace the beauty of this new day and open my eyes to all that nature has to teach me.

Choose Wisely

 I've always had a difficult time making decisions.  I think it's because, from a very young age, I had the uncanny ability to see the ripple effect of my or someone else's actions: if I do this, Mommy will be sad/angry/happy and then...if that boy hurts the kitty, I will feel the pain and the world will have become a cruel place.  I think it's the result of an anxious but also empathic mind, having this micro to the macro view; being able to see all the possibilities of any given situation and not knowing what to do with that information can be a little frightening.

If you think about it though, even the simplest day to day decisions are, actually significant. What we decide to eat for breakfast or the color of the shirt we choose to wear can have an impact on our mood and productivity which in turn, can affect the mood of those in our realm of influence. Other, larger decisions, such as who to vote for or whether to commit to a certain cause or area of service, require some inner reflection and weighing of options, as these will certainly impact the lives of others.

Big, life-changing decisions can be the scariest...whether to move or change jobs, go to this college or that, or marry a certain person, can be life altering. When I decided to transfer to a different college after my first year, the result was that I met my husband, was married and had a child within two years. 
That one decision changed the course of my life entirely. Heavy stuff.

I've always tried to make big decisions prayerfully, seeking the inner guidance of the Spirit, which I think is very important.  I've relied on my heart, which some religious leaders say is not wise, but in my opinion, being ruled by doctrine or legalism and ignoring our hearts, is foolish.

I once had a wise spiritual leader say that, if we are prayerfully seeking the answer to an important decision, to consider open and closed doors.  If a door closes, we must decide to go another way and, though we may not see it right away, if we are patient, a new door will open and we will be guided.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks,

the door will be opened.       Matthew 7: 7-8