As we travel through this life we unconsciously collect memories with each day. It's as if we have a virtual net scooping up all the happenings that are too big to pass through. It's an automated motion and self manages it's own storage system. Occasionally, we may need to plug into this mental hard drive and browse for certain files to recall a name, date, etc.
However, what seems to happen often is a trigger mechanism. Smells, sights, sounds and touch prompt the wiring to find a memory by association.
The beauty is that this corner of the brain is ours. No one knows the full content but ourselves. We're the only ones that can access it. While we can't necessarily control input and output, we have the only window.
The amazement is the power that this storage unit has over us. Quite easily synapses can cause a gamut of emotions that overtake our composed nature. It's this action that seems spiritually calculated. Why would that stranger just happen to be wearing that perfume? Why would that song come on the radio right now?
Happenstance, sure, it could be.
Although, doesn't that seem like an ideal opportunity for the Holy Spirit to show presence in your life. How better for God to sneak his way into our memory box and force the file to our consciousness. While our mind is busy churning it's daily thoughts, it takes an ethereal tug to take us away into another plane of emotion.
This ironic happening and the direct connection with a memory is uniquely personal because all the parts fit. And it's ours and only ours. This conceptual occurrence serves many purposes such as a friendly reminder to call an old friend or for logistical needs such as paying the rent.
Even so, the most powerful affect seems to be when you are transported back to a time you had long since experienced. Our only way of time travel. It's as if God lets us visit this time either for comfort or to remind us of times we have overcome. A waking dream. It's as if He is reminding us that yes, that did happen, you were there, and so was I.
It's one of His ways of grabbing us for a moment.
And reminding us that we are more than the present.
Leaving your everyday environment and escaping the worries and fuss that plague us daily is sometimes very difficult to do. But if we take some time, even if its only 10 minutes, we can shrug off the stress that can consume us. For me, the best way to do this is to be in nature. Whether it is sitting quietly around Phoenix Lake, watching the waves from the bluffs of Muir Beach, or my personal favorite spending some serene moments in Muir Woods. I feel that nature provides us with this incredible opportunity to connect with the spirit! In my opinion when we interact with nature we get to come into contact with some of God’s creation that isn’t influenced by the technology that at times seems to run our life. I think the best way for us to experience nature is to leave all of our iPhones, iPods, iPads, and whatever apple releases next at home or in the car and go by ourselves and just sit and be with our thoughts for as much time as we can. For me the best place for this just happens to also be one of the most gorgeous places known to this planet, and we are all fortunate enough to have it so near to home. Muir Woods is so wonderfully silent and the sound of the ancient trees swaying in the wind makes me feel a connection with not only the spirit but with all of God’s creation that has come before me. So I urge you, the next time you have even the smallest amount of free time, spend it in God’s beautiful creation and embrace the silence.
In my last blog, I wrote about accessing the sacred from within by pushing past our fears and our own internally fabricated limitations. The “inner sacred” is what I think I can only describe as the Holy Spirit gently chiseling away on us from within. Today, I’d love to dig deeper and ask you to hop in my passenger seat for a minute or two.
During this Lenten season, having limited past experiences with actually participating in Lent, I failed miserably at my attempt to give up something in order to make more room for my spirituality. Well. I take that back. I made it almost two weeks. :)
The funny thing is, even though I ceased to cut back on one physical aspect of my life, I have lately still found myself plowing full steam ahead on this thought-provoking and life changing path to self-discovery and spiritual awareness.
As Amy described beautifully in one of her prior posts, one of the many reasons that we moved out of Los Angeles was to get away from the mindset that seemed to run rampant in the city. It’s hard to actually put it in to words, but we both knew LA was not the town where we wanted to settle down. And that’s fine. For many others, it’s where they need to be in their lives. We just knew it wasn’t for us. Our dedicated time and placement there had expired.
Maybe it comes from entering another decade, but over the last couple of years I’ve started to really think about my life path: where I came from, where I’ve been, the triumphs, defeats, personal tragedies, and epiphanies that I’ve had, and the various life lessons that I’ve learned along the way. I’ve also thought a lot about how my perceptions have changed throughout the years with these experiences, and how it may continue to evolve as I carry on throughout my life. It’s amazing how our personal experiences really can mold our opinions on subjects and people in general. I’ve started to realize that sometimes these revelations can be incredibly inspiring and eye opening, and other times they really suck. But the reality is that it’s their journey. It’s their personal experience and individual path. It’s also their decision to do what they want with the knowledge or new experience that has been presented before them.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that there is a very real hazard for inner and outer turmoil when we start to pass judgment on others and their life journeys, particularly when we have no clue where they’ve been or to where their life journey will lead. We are usually only given a very small slice of the big picture.
Not to say we shouldn’t stand up for the oppressed when injustices occur as a result of the actions of others, but I’m speaking more on the smaller level of reacting to their personal choices in everyday life.
In that realm, there is so much more room for gratification by focusing on our own paths instead of judging or even comparing ourselves to the personal life journeys of others. It’s important to remember we learn as we go. And that each new experience is a building block to achieving inner and outer peace, a chance for gaining a new understanding, an opportunity for achieving inner and outer harmony, and obtaining a closer relationship with God.
To me, the sacred is the path that I take. Road bumps and all.
The music video below is a live performance from a concert in Japan of a song written and performed by Jason Mraz. For the past 10 years, it hasn’t stopped being my favorite song no matter how hard I’ve tried to find another. But for now, I’m starting to realize that there might be a reason for that. I should probably let it be and share with you this mere tidbit from along my sacred path that still speaks to me today.
Life is not always easy. It’s messy and complicated, discouraging and overwhelming, heartbreaking and devastating. It’s also beautiful and miraculous, mysterious and intriguing, euphoric and filled with wonder.
It takes a night to make it dawn, and it takes a day to make you yawn brother, and it takes some old to make you young, it takes some cold to know the sun it takes the one to have the other.
I would say No Perfect people allowed explains in a way good sees everyone in his house. For an example I heard from the priest at my church say " If you think your perfect and don't think there is something wrong with you, shame on you."
God knows everyone isn't perfect. God forgives people when they sin, because god knows we arn't perfect.God loves all of our wort's, scars, misfortunes, faults and looks pass the ugly truths.
Monday, March 19, 2012
From Jason:
I'M A CHRISTIAN By Maya Angelou
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.
When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
but, God believes I am worth it.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.
This poem by Maya Angelou makes you look at yourself as a Christian and ask those questions of what it all means. We are not perfect and dont preach that we are. Everyone has needs and seeks somewhere to go for that guidance and help. Sometimes its within ourselves or by going to a physical place to find Christ. For everyone it could be a different place or activity that brings us closer to Christ, whether it be walking out in the woods, or just taking some alone time to meditate in your own special place. We all have flaws, heartaches, and sins that we need to seek guidance in healing and that is a big part in being Christian and finding that place where YOU find Christ.
Over the past few days my facebook newsfeed has been filled with calls for prayer. Yesterday, Ada United Methodist church in Northern Ohio was consumed in flames. This was the first church my mom attended as a small child, and it is a special place to my family and so many others who found sacred community there. There is something really terrifying about seeing a church, an image of sacredness, peace and stability ablaze. Looking at this photo, I couldn't help feeling like nothing is safe.
Then today, I saw the news that Lori Webster, my old boss and friend, is still facing a hard battle with cancer coupled with lupus. Lori is an amazing worship leader, friend and mother; and she is easily one of the most passionate, creative and encouraging people I have ever met. The cancer they had thought she'd beaten has come back with a vengeance, and her blood disease has made it impossible to treat the cancer and has led to multiple strokes. This news is heart-breaking to say the least. You can read more about Lori's story here.
In the wake of tragedy that feels senseless, sometimes it is hard to find the sacred. I feel inadequate to make sense and hope out of these dark places. There is no easy fix-- sometimes no matter how deep our faith, or how fervent our prayers, pain and destruction swallows up people and places that we love.
But somehow I still believe that even the places of death and destruction are not beyond God's reach. During lent, I am reminded that the desert journey sometimes looks hopeless, and darker than we can bear. But I find comfort in knowing that God is with us even here, and I know that God is not indifferent to such suffering. Somehow, I feel that God's heart is breaking with mine.
This hauntingly beautiful song by Josh Garrells (with incredible animation by Daniel&Arien) reminds me of the Easter promise that God is present with us, even as the night comes.
"when the night comes and you don't know which way to go... You will never be alone."
Do you remember the first time you did something bad?
I do. I was in second grade and a book fair came to school. My parents had given me money to go buy any book I wanted. Well, as a wide-eyed, shopper-in-the-making, I quickly got swept up in the glitz of the posters, stickers, pencils, markers and everything else that wasn't a book. I spent my allotted funds and walked out of the elementary school library with a big ol' bag of goodies. I got back to my classroom, sat at my desk and thought I'd be so excited to show off my new possessions. But the excitement never came.
Do you remember the first time you did something right?
After awhile of letting my six-year old brain sort through the situation, I walked back to the library, returned my items and bought a book. I can still remember it was a children's novel about a mouse that rode a motorcycle. As I walked back to the classroom, I stared at the cover of that book and felt such an intense pride in my decision and knew that I had done the right thing.
To this day, I can clearly visualize that walk back to the classroom, holding that paperback. In fact, I recall this memory a lot and on purpose. I use it as my touchstone of truth and doing the right thing. Remembering the pure bliss that follows a honorable action.
To me, there's no other explanation for that feeling than the Holy Spirit.
There's always this moment where we have the choice. It's usually filled with pressure and a ball of knotted thoughts spinning in your mind. I believe that blink-of-an-eye moment is sacred because it seems to be the most sincere moment of truth within ourselves. It's the test of a knee-jerk reaction we hope we've trained ourselves well for. We pray that we have strength and faith without having to think about it.
When I blink in those moments, I hope that there's a vision of a mouse on a motorcycle.
When you are going through life and having a hard time you look to a higher god. I had lost my grandma someone dearly close to me. When I met Jason god had bless me with him. God has put me through rough and tough times but, I have found my way through.
I went to church one day and kept asking god a special question "What should I do with the church group?" God answered and said " Go my child". So I went on my church school retreat and had a blast. That's when I knew I had a special connection with god. That's when I knew I believed in God The Almighty.
Did you know James, the brother of Jesus, frequently knelt while in prayer and supposedly formed callouses on his knees earning him the nickname 'camel knees.' In our home we don’t have calloused knees, but we do have a litany of running shoes and well-worn cycling tires. No matter where I am, the trails of Marin, or around the canals of the Amsterdam, or between the cornfields in Pennsylvania, I find a renewed sense of peace when I’m out on a long run. For Jay taking a moment between intervals at the top of Mount Tam keeps life in perspective. Jay and I both find our endurance activities give us a pause in the day to reflect, to listen and to think on life.
Where do you go to find God?
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author an perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
