The Kidnapping and Adventures of Maewyn Succot

For those who were at service on Sunday, March 17th, 2013, a few bullet points to jog your memory. To read the complete text of "The Kidnapping and Adventures of Maewyn Succat" click here.

·        “Fear not, I am with you and will bless you.” (Genesis 26:24)

·        Maewyn Succat lived in Britain in the waning days of being ruled by Rome.

·        Both his father and grandfather held positions of local power: Grandad was a Priest and Dad was a Deacon in the church

·        Maewyn, a wild and disorderly child had no interest whatsoever in the church.

·        At about age 16, in the early 400’s, Maewyn was captured by an Irish raiding party, taken to Ireland, and sold into slavery.

·        Maewyn tended sheep on a mountainside, living outside with the animals every day and night in every kind of weather.

·        Alone (his captors were present but he was away from everyone and everything he knew) and lonely, bible verses, long forgotten prayers and homilies began to surface in his mind.

·        It was during this time that Maewyn turned to prayer. Later on he would write that he prayed 100 times a day, and almost as much at night, to escape and return home.

·        One night in a dream he was told he should escape now, make his way to the coast and find a ship back to Britain. Though the journey was perilous, he felt protected.

·        After six years in captivity and back in Britain, God’s grace had solidified his faith. He began to study in the monastery.

·        Some years later he had a dream in which he was given a handful of letters. He opened one and it read, “The Voice of the Irish.” The letter spoke to him and said, “Holy boy, please return to us, we need you.”

·        Many more years passed before the church allowed him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Maewyn was made a Bishop and given the Christian name, Patrius (Patrick).

·        Patrick spread the word of Christianity all across Ireland. Despite the fact that he was arrested and imprisoned 12 times (and escaped 12 times) he established monasteries, schools, planted 300 churches, and baptized over 120,000 Irish men and women.

·        Saint Patrick was an “over-comer.”

·        “Over-comers” are people just like you. They have challenges in their own lives but do not stop at the meeting of the challenge. They always see from a higher awareness.

·        What are you facing? Does it seem to be too big for you? Can you go beyond your humanness and ask God’s help?

·        Turn to that accessible power that is available to each of us from God and continue forward over, under, around or through your challenge, large or small.

·        “Fear not, I am with you and will bless you.” (Genesis 26:24)

 

Possibility Junction

For those who were at service on Sunday, March 10th, 2013, a few bullet points to jog your memory. To read the complete text of "Possibility Junction"  click here. 

 Every moment is an opportunity to choose. Richard and Mary-Alice Jafolla, in their book THE QUEST, describe this as "Possibility Junction," the moment in which we decide what we want to express (invest) in our life. Do we want to invest and experience more good by aligning ourselves with the creative power of God's Love, or continue to do the same old things that bind our happiness?

In John 3:3 Jesus tells us that, "...no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above."  In the context of the idea in the previous paragraph we might say that no one can see the Kingdom of God without aligning themselves with the creative power of God's Love.

Philosophically that is a great idea, but as one one of the foundational principles principles upon which Unity is built tells us, "Knowing principles isn't enough, we must live them." OK, so what can you do to help yourself be in alignment with the creative power of God's Love when you find yourself at "Possibility Junction?"  Here is a suggestion:

1. Remind yourself that you are worthwhile because God created you and that you are a part of God, not apart from God no matter how you feel in that moment.
2. Choose to feel oneness with God.  If you cannot remember that feeling, ask God to help you to remember how that feels.
3. Ask God, "What would you have me do in this situation?"  Be careful not to develop a couple of decisions and then ask God what would you have me do... this or that?  That's not deciding with God, that's asking God to decide with you.
4. Stay alert. Stop, look, listen, and feel.  Your answer can come from anywhere, at any time, in any way.  You may see, hear, or feel something that gives you one of those, "Light-bulb Moments," at which you say, "Thank you, God. That's it!"

JOY

Thak you, Sheryl Myers, for filling in for me last Sunday.

Here is a recap of Sheryl's message:

Galatians 5:22-23  NIV

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love,JOY, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.

Sometimes Joy can seem elusive or fleeting, and yet we are all equipped by our Creator to experience the JOY of living abundantly, at any time, in any place.  In fact, JOY can be as close as our very next thought.

As co-creators with God, we can set the stage for the experience of JOY.  We can create situations that are conducive for JOY to be a constant presence in our lives, as the Holy Spirit is a constant presence in our lives.  Let's look at JOY as if it were the headline story in tomorrow's paper.

* WHO can experience joy?  In all likelihood, joy is not an emotion reserved exclusively for humans.  All vertebrates share a brain very similar in structure and function.  Research on the behavior of chimpanzees, hippos, dogs, dolphins, and even rodents show that they can respond to each other with affection and empathy.  The actual experience of joy has to do with our body's production of chemicals called endorphins.

* WHAT is joy?  Oprah Winfrey's definition of JOY is as good as any.  She says, "I define joy as a sustained sense of well-being and internal peace - a connection to what matters."  The key word here is connection.  It is the feeling, the knowing, that we are part of the oneness.

*WHEN do we experience joy?  Because God is everywhere present, joy is also.  Marianne Williams says, "Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are."  Our cups runneth over.

*WHERE is joy experienced?  Joy is an inside job; it originates in the core of our being.  It happens because we are alive, aware, and connected to the things that give our life meaning. 

*HOW can we experience more joy?  A short list includes:
   -subscribe to a daily meditation on one of many excellent websites
     - stay in the present moment
     - practice meditation, prayer, or contemplation daily
     - CHOOSE happiness.
     - be outside with nature
     - do something for someone else
     - practice thankfulness'
     - practice forgiveness
     - sing, dance, and laugh
     - take care of you.

Bless everything.