Aurora Movie Shootings - A Conversation

Yesterday, Sunday, July 22nd, I didn't deliver a prepared service.  Instead I asked the congregation if the needed to process their feelings around the armed assault at the Century 16 Theater in Aurora, Colorado.

Here are a few points from our conversation, in no order or particular context:

• Pray for the deceased and for the injured
• Pray also for the perpetrator… "wouldn’t his mother like us to pray for him, too?"
• See beyond the actions and look for something spiritual (this doesn’t absolve him from the worldly/judicial consequences of his actions)
• Identify him as spirit, not as his actions (not: he’s an idiot, jerk, evil, etc., but: he is a child of God, unaware of his divinity and acting-out like an idiot, jerk, in an evil way, etc.)
• Our spiritual identity is always there.  We may cover it up, reject it, and deny it, but it’s always there
• Attempt to see those who died (and those who were injured) as being spiritually alive
• Feel your feelings
• Practice forgiveness
• Reach out others (the lonely, struggling, depressed, disenfranchised, etc. )
• Remember John 13:34, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Bless everything,
Rev. Brad

Your Path...

Which way is the right way?

All of humanity is seeking the peace of God.  Everyone might not say it that way but I believe it to be true.  Every one of us does what we do in order to maintain, attract, or establish unwavering inner peace.

The world has numerous religions, and sects within each of those religions.  Which is the ‘right religion’, the ‘right sect’, or the ‘right way’ to the awareness of our connection to perennial joy?  I don’t have an answer for you because I am not the last word for you on your life, you are.  Equally true then is the realization that you are not the last word for another on their life, they are.

Each of us chooses our own path, our own way; some under the umbrella of an organized teaching, some with a personally developed spirituality all their own, and others with a strictly worldly perspective.

I believe that God loves all ‘His’ children equally and is simply ‘happy’ that we come home.  This point is made clearly in the story of “The Prodigal Son.”  The father cared neither where his son had been, nor what he had been doing; he was just happy he returned home.

Return ‘home’ via the path that calls out to you most deeply.  Begrudge no one the path they choose to travel even if they criticize yours; and if you feel attacked for your beliefs keep in mind (for yourself) Jesus’ counsel in John 15:12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Traveling with you on the path,

Rev. Brad

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To read the complete text of "Your Path..." from Sunday, July 15,  click here.

Overcoming a Lack of Love

For those who were at service on Sunday, a few bullet points to jog your memory:

• "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind." Romans 12:2
• Renewing your mind switches you from worldly vision and identification to spiritual vision and identification
• Kare Castle tells of being a young single mother and how she thought being married would erase her shame
• Once married, her husband became her perceived redeemer and she was unwilling to let go of that
• Kare's husband had a serious addiction problem
• After years and years of broken promises about getting well, and Kare's denial that her husband was seriously addicted, she started attending church to find spiritual peace
• Kare began a intentional, regular, spiritual practice
• Her church offered a class bases on Maria Nemeth's book, The Energy of Money
• The underlying philosophy of that book is, the way we handle money is the way we handle life.
• Kare recognized, "I have handled money completely unconsciously and that is exactly how I have been living my life - unconsciously." 
• In a moment of complete surrender she said a prayer that changed her life; "Dear God, please wake me up."
• The next morning she found her husband lying in a pool of his own excrement, unconscious from a drug overdose
• Three days later as she was at the hospital listening to her husband's apologies and confession of his horrifying behavior related to sex addition, the Voice for God beame progressively louder, overpowering all other sounds in the room
• The Voice said to her, "All is well. Your peace and safety lie in your relationship with me."
• Kare said she believed the Holy Spirit spoke through her when she responded to her husband, saying, "You have done some terrible things, but I know the truth of who you are. You are a child of God and for that reason I forgive you."
• In that moment of intense clarity for Kare, she made the choice for the experience and the expression of love through forgiveness
• When you surender, when you step back and let God lead the way you will become a happier, more peaceful, incredible you!
• Let love radiate into all the opportunities that come to you from both your inside world and what we think of as the outside world.
• What better life than one that is filled with God's Love?

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To read the complete text of "Overcoming a Lack of Love" from Sunday, July 8th, click here.

Either Way...

For those who were at service on Sunday, a few bullet points to jog your memory:

• Philippians 4:8 “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

• Proverbs 3:1-5 “My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you. Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake (abandon, desert, leave) you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart…  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.”

• The tapestry of our life is woven by every decision we make

• The experience borne out of our decisions is affected by our attitude

• "We have a stolen car and we can be upset about it, or, we have a stolen car and we can be OK about it.  Either way, we have a stolen car and I choose to be OK about it"

• “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.” (Hugh Downs)

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For those who would like to read the entire text:

"I’d like to offer you two pieces of Scripture:

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Proverbs 3:1-5 “My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you. Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake (abandon, desert, leave) you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart…  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.”

There is a thought-provoking scene in Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s tale, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Young Alice comes to a fork in the road and asks the Cheshire Cat which direction she should take. “‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.

"I don’t much care where –" said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you walk," said the Cat.”

Life is filled with decisions, many of which never even reach our conscious level. In which cup from the cupboard will I have my coffee or tea? Should I tuck my t-shirt in or leave it out? Which side of the couch should I plop down on when I’m going to watch TV? Most of these decisions are made out of habit.

On the other hand, there are some decisions that you spend time thinking about. What sounds good for lunch? Which voicemail needs to be answered first? Can the haircut wait until next week? These decisions may seem small and insignificant, but woven together, they form the tapestry of our daily lives.

Then there are life-altering decisions with which we may well struggle: Which career path is most in line with my unique skill-set and calling? Should I marry or remain single? Which church will allow me the best opportunity to grow and minister to others? These are often hard choices that deserve a great amount of thought.

Regardless of which of these "decision sets" you are in… there is yet another decision to make… a decision that surrounds and clothes all others; you have to decide what your attitude will be about what’s going on in your life.

Here’s a story, Attitude – One of Life’s Choices, from A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul, (P/185-187) story by Bob Harris.

• (synopsis for readers of this blog- Bob and his wife Tere return home to California from a trip (in their brand new car) to visit family in Houston, Texas. They are so tired from driving straight through that they don’t unpack their car when they return home.  In the morning they awaken to find their new car and its contents have been stolen.  Not only have they lost their car but all their luggage, clothing, cameras, wedding album, family heirlooms they brought home with them, Bob’s wallet, and both their checkbooks.
  
  Their car is found five days later.  In the interim, though, Tere becomes more and more distressed while Bob remains calm.  Tere asks Bob why he is not upset.  Bob replies, “We have a stolen car and we can be upset or we have a stolen car and we can be happy.  Either way, we have a stolen car and I choose to be happy.”
  
  There is more to the story and an amusing twist at the end but Bob’s reply is the point of telling the story)
  

Last week I suggested that all we need is one move and to use that move in the face of trials, tribulations, troubles and tests.

You know that I often have the opportunity to apply the teachings we share (aka – practice what I preach) in the week following any given lesson.  This past week has been a great opportunity... or, actually, plural. There have been a number of opportunities to practice principle and to choose my attitude.

• Wednesday: Accident in new truck

I have a dented up new truck and I could be upset, or I have a dented up my new truck and I can be happy.  Either way… I have a dented up new truck and my attitude is a matter of choice.

• Thursday: ran over and killed a cat

I ran over someone’s pet and I could be all upset, or I have a run over someone’s pet and I can be OK with it (accepting it and not spiraling down deeply into pain and suffering).  Either way… the cat is dead… and my attitude is a matter of choice. (I can extend love to the deceased cat and its owners and still feel the sting of running over the cat, but I choose not to let it push me into a funk)

It’s so important to be in the best attitude possible when we make decisions.  Our attitude affects our decisions (not the reverse).  Our attitude affects our:

• health
• happiness
• whether we feel like a victim or see an opportunity for spiritual expression/growth
• view of the world
• perspective on whether or not we can handle such and such (or not)
• how we feel about ourselves (see our value)
• whether we project, bury, or offer our feelings for transformation

“Let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you.”

Lastly, if the bible writer of Proverbs isn’t compelling enough, then let’s go to Hugh Downs (TV newsman, host of the Today show and the game show, Concentration) for our final word this morning, “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.”"

Bless everything,

Rev. Brad