Thoughts, feelings,
Perceptions and sensations
Going and coming,
Coming and going.
In and out,
Over and over again.
Is this mad babble me?
Who am I?
Where am I?
Not-self.
Not-separate.
No-where.
I am no-thing.
I am no-where. Continue reading
I am sharing this experience and the theology behind it with you in the hopes that it will be helpful to you. It represents a powerful healing experience for me. I hope you find the experience and the thinking behind it helpful.
In September, I attended a workshop at an Episcopal church on healing ministry. I thought I was going there to learn about healing others. I soon found out that I was going there to learn about myself. We learned about journaling and reflection. During a period of reflection, memories of past hurts came to the fore. I had thought about some of these things before and had never resolved them. They came together this time in a powerful way that was almost overwhelming. I shared what I had journaled with members of the teaching team and they invited me to meet with members of a prayer team at a later date to deal with these things. Continue reading
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. (1 Thess. 5:16-19)
Is Paul a Buddhist? No, Paul is not a Buddhist. Paul is a leader in the Jesus movement. In the early church, the Jesus movement was a sect, like the Pharisees, within Judaism. Continue reading
It is pretty damp and dank in the cellar [The cellar–close your door and go into your cellar when you pray.] this morning. We are in the midst of three days of much needed rain. I usually think of rain as something bad whereas sunshiny days are something good. Rain is not negative. It is a positive life force. Water is the sign of divine healing and Abba God is healing our severe drought. Praise the rain and the life that comes from it. Praise the creator who brings it to nourish and sustain us.
It is the second Thursday in Advent and John the Baptizer’s disciples come to Jesus with the question, “Are you the one who is to come should we look for another?” Continue reading
He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down;
He tumbles it to the ground,
levels it with the dust.
It is trampled underfoot by the needy,
by the footsteps of the poor. (Is. 26:5-6)
These words from Isaiah are powerful. I immediately think back to Mary’s Magnificat when I read them. God will bring down the high and mighty when the high and mighty ignore the word of God. The high and mighty have little to teach us—domination, greed, and power. Continue reading