God Optional

This caught my attention on our way back from the museum in NYC.

"God optional" - interesting. Here's a section from the "about us" tab on their website.

"Fourth Universalist is non-creedal, which means you are welcome no matter what you believe, so long as it is bounded by justice and love. We see wisdom in the world religions as well as in each unique person. We want to be the friendliest congregation in town, warm and inclusive, while taking seriously the many challenges we face as individuals and as a society. We want to make a difference in the world, spreading hope, joy and love."

Click here for Fourth Universalist Society, NYC website

Thoughts?

Love, 

T

Look! God!

How lovely it is when we create the opportunity to follow our train of thought. 

Sometimes, during the week I jot down a random idea that may or may not become that week's blog. This week I thought of God and how in Bible stories we hear of instances where, when God appears, people turn their heads away. I think the thought stemmed from a conversation I had with Zachary about why all the animals bow down before the king. Anyway, what I wrote down in my own notes was this:

Why did they shield their eyes?

Why were they afraid to look?

Why are we terrified of our own divine and block our blessings?

Google search results of "Why did they shield their eyes" began with a CNBC article with Dr. Anthony Fauci concerning the use of goggles and eye shields as preventive measures against COVID 19. (The world we live in - SMH.) When I added the word "God" the book "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston came up and my original little random thought opened up into a whole world of literary content, commentary and the life and times of an amazing author who died over sixty years ago.

Click here for "Their Eyes Were Watching God" on Wikipedia.com

I'd better go do some reading now. Here's wishing us all the time and peaceful quiet required to follow our own little random thoughts this week... Blessed be.

Love,

T

Dream

There was this:

Then Zach started singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" (life is but a dream), which made me think of this:

So I looked up the story behind the song and found the poem which inspired it: "God God God" by Paramhansa Yogananda...

"...When boisterous storms of trials shriek,

And when worries howl at me,

I will drown their noises, loudly chanting:

God! God! God!

When my mind weaves dreams

With threads of memories,

On that magic cloth will I emboss:

God! God! God!

Every night, in time of deepest sleep,

When my peace dreams and calls, Joy! Joy! Joy!

My joy comes singing evermore:

God! God! God!..."

Like stepping stones, this stream of consciousness brings me to my most sincere wish for us all this week (and beyond) - that we may find peace and joy throughout our journey.

May the "God" of our own understanding, and the truth in our hearts, inspire and radiate Love and comfort. May we access that deepest part of the soul where dreams originate, and train ourselves to create sweet thoughts there.

Love,
T

The God Zone

I had a writing session in Manhattan this week. The first thing I noticed after I parked the car was the giant "TD" on the building across the street. :)

With a smile, I headed to Starbucks. I ordered two sandwiches and some drinks for myself and the other writer. After spontaneously bursting out into song and dance when The Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" came on - at THE SAME EXACT MOMENT the cashier did the same thing (causing several other customers and me to laugh) - my drink order came up and I hurried out to my session.

I had almost already passed by the homeless man out in front by the time I noticed him sitting there. I mentally reviewed my purchase, regretfully thinking that I had nothing extra to give, and kept moving, when I realized that I didn't even have my own sandwiches. I left without them! I turned around and headed back in, this time getting a full view of the man on the bench holding a sign. I inquired at the counter and was directed to the station that would be producing my two sandwiches shortly. The girl called my name and held up three sandwiches. I asked which two were mine.
       "All of them," was her response.
       "I only ordered two."
       "You paid for three. You can get a refund at the counter if you'd like." She indicated where the registers were. I didn't have time for that and collected all three from her. As soon as I turned toward the door, I realized who the third sandwich was for.
       "Ohhhh!" I said aloud as if God was standing there waiting for me to get it. I walked out and gave it to its intended recipient. "They gave me an extra sandwich. It's turkey bacon." The genuine "Thanks!" and smile had me thinking of all the signs we're given that we sometimes miss when we're too busy to notice. I almost hadn't noticed this man at all and was rushing to arrive to my session on time. God probably talks to us all the time like that. If only we heard the message more often.

The rehearsal studio was undergoing construction and the lobby on the main level was down to wall studs. My eyes scanned the elevator doors and their unfinished and wall-less edges, looking for the button. The attendant sat nearby like he was posing for a video shoot where he was playing the role of the despondent doorman. Smiling as I met his gaze, I asked him if there was a button or if it would just open when it came down. He pointed to the center of the two elevator doors and said, "the arrows." I laughed out loud when I followed his finger to a sign with THREE LARGE ARROWS pointing to a button to "PRESS HERE" for the elevator. He laughed out loud too! He said he got that all day long. Talk about being oblivious to the signs! There it was, in neon arrows! The day's events were reminding me of this scene in "Bruce Almighty."

Here's wishing us all a week in the God zone, where we see the signs. ;)

Namaste,
T

A Bigger Dream

This was the recurring theme all week: faith, acceptance, belief. It came up over and over again in different conversations with different people. I was reminded of one of my favorite Oprah clips.

Here's to a faith-filled week.

Namaste,
T

A Little Prayer...

Today I bought a little prayer book titled "A Book of Healing Prayer." I was looking for some prayers to say for a relative going through some health challenges. The book is a compilation of prayer submissions from people who have served as healers at The Healing Temple at the Spiritualist community of Lily Dale, New York. Proceeds from sales of the book will go toward improving and renovating The Healing Temple there. The book includes "verse and prayers of many religions, ancient and modern, that embrace the diversity of our world. Spiritualism believes that Spiritual Healing is available to all life." I sat down and read it from cover to cover. All the quotes used here are taken from it.

As I read through all the prayers, I was keenly reminded of how much we are all alike. There are words written from people all over the world. Sentiments from people of different cultures and from different times - all seeking comfort, love, peace and understanding.

When I look at the statistics of people who read this blog, sometimes I am astounded at the worldwide audience. This week alone, there have been views from Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Germany, Mauritius, Portugal and Saudi Arabia. I am so grateful to be able to connect here with brothers and sisters from around the world!

It occurs to me that as I seek out prayers for an ailing relative, people all over the world are doing the same thing for theirs. My hope this week is that we can all say a prayer or two keeping each other in mind. There are so many of us searching for the same thing - healing, love, peace, understanding - and asking for it in the quiet of our own hearts. May we remember that we are many. May that give us strength and reassurance.

"God Is Love

With bended knees, with hands outstretched,

do I yearn for the effective expression of the

Holy Spirit working within me.

For this love and understanding, truth and justice;

for wisdom to know the apparent from the real

that I might alleviate the sufferings of men on earth...

God is love, understanding, wisdom, and virtue.

Let us love one another, let us practice mercy and forgiveness,

let us have peace, born of fellow-feeling...

Let my joy be of altruistic living, of doing good to others.

Happiness is unto him from whom happiness

proceeds to any other human being."

- Zoroastrian Prayer

"O Great Spirit

Help me always speak the truth quietly, 

to listen with an open mind when others speak

and to remember the peace that may be found in silence."

- Cherokee Prayer

"For those who have asked us to pray for them,

For those that we have promised to pray for,

For those that have no one to pray for them,

May they know the embrace of God's healing touch and love.

Amen"

 - Anonymous 

"I ask the Great Unseen Healing Force to remove

all obstructions from my mind and body

and to restore me to perfect health.

I ask this in all sincerity and honesty

and I will do my part.

I ask the Great Unseen Healing Force

to help both present and absent ones who are

in need of help and to restore them to 

perfect health.

I put my trust in the Love and Power of God."

- Spiritualist Prayer for Healing

Namaste,
T

Dear God... (simply stated)

Maybe this is simple, but I think I’m going to change the prayer from:

            Dear God,

                        Please… Thank you… Sorry…

- Amen.

                                               

To:

            Dear God,

                        Thank you… Sorry… Please…

- Amen

I mean, let’s get our priorities straight.

-T

The Rainbow