Transitions

transitions come into our lives
through the windows and door of our soul.
some come dancing and singing,
while others sneak in very quietly.

transition have a voice,
sometimes we hear them freely,
other times we choose to ignore them
and lock them away in the darkness.

transitions can be colorful
and ever so inviting, like a new rainbow.
some are gray and cold
and we look at them and turn away.

transitions whether good or bad.
bright, colorful or dark
are gifts and a calling
which we cannot ignore.

several transitions have moved within
they now occupy spaces of my soul.
I have accepted some and dined with them
while others are collecting dust.

what am I to do? I know not!
i am filled with joy and fear.
oh soul, you have never been good
at moving on, changing your routine.

weeks have come and gone,
and oh so soon months.
yet my soul and I have closed
those passages to the dark ones.

transitions they do not leave
they move right in and stay.
they gain their strength and power
when we ignore them do.

the time is now, I must be true
and look and listen to each one.
they bring a grace I really need
but am afraid to accept, me thinks.

transition are God's gift and call
they edge us towards the LIGHT.
Bright or dark, they have within themselves
a treasure so unexpected.

oh soul, be thou not afraid
you do not have to open them all today
mark your time, but be true indeed
to start to face their call.

transitions hold a treasure,
a wealth that drives us on.
they are a strength to grow and change,
to move unto the DIVINE.

oh, soul accept them unconditionally
your fear must fly away.
The LIGHT has entered in you
now glow with HIS warmth and love.

transitions are HIS GIFT and CALL
unexpected but with a purpose.
they have the message within themselves
to be all that we can be.

Transitions

Hi Blog -- How are you? I have missed writing in you. I must admit that I really do not know where the past two weeks have gone. The new job is very good and challenging. I already have several major projects in the fire. The creative challenge is fun and excellen; they have streached me in many regards. But like with any new job I am still trying to organize my office, my files and systems so that everything is formatted in a easy way for me to find it. There are so many players that have to sign off on things that sometime you are running around via email track=king down the approvals that you need. Ah, but it is all an excellent lesson in organization.

As I have said before, my drive is about an hour each way. I wish I had some way to dictate my thoughts that I want to enter here but a last no such luck.I have ideas running through my head. The ride home is a good time to process the days events. When I get home I am pretty worn out and do not want to sit down at my computer. I also want to get some good relaxing and meditative music to play in the car.

Also, I am saddened as my best friend that I have know for over 10 years and lives in my same complex is moving away. OK, only 20 miles but when you have seen someone almost everyday, and do things together and have great philosophical and reflective talks it is all sad. It is very hard for me to make the transition. I have not wanted to go to his place as he is packing and moving stuff out. Yes he will be around yet not so around. The closeness of being in the same building and our usual talks and dinners will be missed. He has been a great help to me during recent years of great suffering and transition.

I found this poem and I loved it -- great ideas that strengthens us everyday...

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow


There are two days in every week that we should not worry about, two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed, forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed. Nor can we erase a single word we've said - yesterday is gone!

The other day we shouldn't worry about is tomorrow, with its impossible adversaries, its burden, its hopeful promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is beyond our control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds - but it will rise. And until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day - today. Any person can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when we add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of today that drives people mad - it is the remorse of bitterness for something which happened yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore, live one day at a time!

Author Unknown

A Friday afternoon

I needed this after a very busy week, on a cloudy Friday afternoon....This has been a week filled with new tasks at work, life giving and life exhausting experiences, so this poem came at the right time mid-afternoon.


Energy of Happiness

Free-flowing energy
running through us as a river
from a hidden source
Finding outlets
in positive thoughts, actions
Energy continuing on
in those whose lives we touch
Multiplying
person to person
Inundating
Transforming our world ever
for the better
Energy of happiness
awakened in us
from the well-spring of unseen roots
lying just beneath everyday consciousness
Energy of happiness
brought to awareness
by claiming a positive attitude
Choosing to pull the good out of defeat
Choosing to multiply the good of success
Energy of happiness
aroused by free will to again turn
toward the sun of illumination
chasing away clouds of selfishness
Energy of happiness
ever available
by choices for the higher good
Ever sufficient to infuse our lives
with bliss and joy

by: Susan Kramer, M.A., M.Div.

For those that are lost and suffering.

Say a prayer every hour for the victims of the earthquake -- light a candle and keep one burning until all survivors have been recovered -- make an actual commitment to tangibly help the victims.

Pray this prayer every hour...

Merciful Lord,

In the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, we come to You for help on behalf of all the devastated victims and those waiting to be found. Comfort families grieving the loss of loved ones and calm the anxious hearts of those still waiting to hear from relatives and friends. May the injured feel Your healing and soothing touch at this time. May those laying alone and still unfound in the rubble feel you hand reaching out to them.

Lord, guide the hands of all those searching for the lost and dead. Give them energy and strength in this lonesome task. Renew their energy. Open there eyes to see what they might not see and to hear the weakest whimper for help. Walk with them and guide them. Be their LIGHT in the darkness.

Lord, help those facing the task of rebuilding their lives to find the fortitude and courage to move forward. Replace discouragement with hope for the future. Guide recovery teams as they work to restore power, water and communications in the disaster areas and shorten this time of restoration. Believing that You are willing and able to do all things, we ask in Jesus Name. Amen.

Today we liturgically celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. Most of us were baptized as infants and had no say in the process. Take today as a time to reaffirm your commitment to the LIGHT.

Spend time sitting in silence and ask yourself
-- how have you lived, -- how are you living, -- how will you live your commitment to grow in the SPIRIT OF THE LIGHT.

In this reflection allow yourself to be cleansed entirely, wash away all that keeps your from the freedom and strength HE gives and continue to be cleansed each day and each moment. Wash yourself daily in his LIGHT, and in the water of HIS salvation.

I offer the below as a means of meditation and reflection.

The Feast of The Baptism of the Lord -- Sermon by St. Gregory Nazianzen - Early Church Father

Christ is bathed in light; let us also be bathed in light. Christ is baptized; let us also go down with him, and rise with him.

John is baptizing when Jesus draws near. Perhaps he comes to sanctify his baptiser; certainly he comes to bury sinful humanity in the waters. He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake and in readiness for us; he who is spirit and flesh comes to begin a new creation through the Spirit and water.

The Baptist protests; Jesus insists. Then John says: I ought to be baptised by you. He is the lamp in the presence of the sun, the voice in the presence of the Word, the friend in the presence of the Bridegroom, the greatest of all born of woman in the presence of the firstborn of all creation, the one who leapt in his mother’s womb in the presence of him who was adored in the womb, the forerunner and future forerunner in the presence of him who has already come and is to come again. I ought to be baptized by you: we should also add, “and for you”, for John is to be baptized in blood, washed clean like Peter, not only by the washing of his feet.

Jesus rises from the waters; the world rises with him. The heavens like Paradise with its flaming sword, closed by Adam for himself and his descendants, are rent open. The Spirit comes to him as to an equal, bearing witness to his Godhead. A voice bears witness to him from heaven, his place of origin. The Spirit descends in bodily form like the dove that so long ago announced the ending of the flood and so gives honor to the body that is one with God.

Today let us do honor to Christ’s baptism and celebrate this feast in holiness. Be cleansed entirely and continue to be cleansed. Nothing gives such pleasure to God as the conversion and salvation of men, for whom his every word and every revelation exist. He wants you to become a living force for all mankind, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the great light, bathed in the glory of him who is the light of heaven. You are to enjoy more and more the pure and dazzling light of the Trinity, as now you have received - though not in its fullness - a ray of its splendor, proceeding from the one God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

The novelty of God

This was from Benedict XVI on Epiphany -- I like some of the ideas and challenges:

"We can, then, ask ourselves", said the Holy Father, "why is it that some seek and find, while others do not? What is it that opens their eyes and hearts? What is lacking in those who remain indifferent, in those who show the way but do not move themselves? And we may answer that too much self-confidence, the belief they possess a perfect knowledge of reality, and the presumption of having already formulated a definitive judgement about things makes their hearts closed and insensitive to the novelty of God. They are sure of the idea they have of the world and do not allow themselves to be intimately moved by the adventure of a God Who wants to meet them. They place their trust more in themselves than in Him, and do not believe it possible that God is so great that He can become small, that he can truly draw close to us.

"In the end", he added, "what they lack is the authentic humility capable of submitting itself to that which is greater, but also the authentic courage which brings us to believe in that which is truly great, even if it shows itself in a defenceless Child. What they lack is the evangelical capacity to become children at heart, to be amazed and to abandon the self so as to start down the path indicated by the star, the path of God. Yet the Lord", the Pope concluded, "has the power to make us see and to save ourselves".



Points I felt were good for further reflection:

*things makes their hearts closed and insensitive to the novelty of God. -- I love the idea of the novelty of God. I sometimes forget that there is a newness and freshness each time I allow myself to truly confront GOD. The message of insensitivity was significant as I sometime feel that I am so caught in my own world that I do not hear GOD's voice, as HE stands right next to my ear. I have a hardened heart so often, even though I think I am so open to the DIVINE. I want ti my way or no way. Open my heart oh LORD.

*not allow themselves to be intimately moved by the adventure of a God Who wants to meet them. -- How wonderful it would be to constantly have the intimate movement of the DIVINE withing myself. GOD wants to meet me, what a beautiful invitation. I am always caught in the seeking GOD that I never thought of the fact that HE wants to meet me. Meet me in the nakedness of my existence which HE created.

*lack the evangelical capacity to become children at heart. -- The Evangelical capacitor reinforced for me that we are not on the journey alone. We are literally called to share and bring the glow of the DIVINE within ourselves to others. It is not an option it is a CALL. Think of the gift and strength we can be to one another.

*to start down the path indicated by the star. -- This made me think that the star is not just a call we have at Christmas. It is a call and a guide that we have at all times. There is a need for me to look up more to see this invitation and the gifts that come through following HIS star.

The Day of Gifts

Today -- January 6th we celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings. As a thought for today I suggest that we each ask ourselves in total honesty and nakedness the questions below. I offer them as a point of meditation for today. Maybe only choose one of them or use them all throughout the day:

-What is the most significant gift you have received from the DIVINE and how do you cherish it, protect it and use it for the good of others?

-What is the greatest gift you have received from another -- have you made it known to them how much you appreciate it and cherish the gift -- do you hose it within a special room of your heat? Do you need to revisit it and remember its significance?

-What is the most difficult personal gift for you to share and how can you begin today to share that gift, giving it in an unconditional manner to others? What steps will you take to give this gift more freely?

-When did you last reach out to someone and tell them the GIFT that they are in your life? Do it today and without hast.

The poem below I found to be a nice reflection on the ancient tradition of gifts:

The Three Kings a Christmas poem by Longfellow

Three Kings came riding from far away,
Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar;
Three Wise Men out of the East were they,
And they travelled by night and they slept by day,
For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star.

The star was so beautiful, large and clear,
That all the other stars of the sky
Became a white mist in the atmosphere,
And by this they knew that the coming was near
Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.

Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows,
Three caskets of gold with golden keys;
Their robes were of crimson silk with rows
Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows,
Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.

And so the Three Kings rode into the West,
Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell,
And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast,
And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest,
With the people they met at some wayside well.

"Of the child that is born," said Baltasar,
"Good people, I pray you, tell us the news;
For we in the East have seen his star,
And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,
To find and worship the King of the Jews."

And the people answered, "You ask in vain;
We know of no King but Herod the Great!"
They thought the Wise Men were men insane,
As they spurred their horses across the plain,
Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.

And when they came to Jerusalem,
Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,
Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;
And said, "Go down unto Bethlehem,
And bring me tidings of this new king."

So they rode away; and the star stood still,
The only one in the grey of morn;
Yes, it stopped --it stood still of its own free will,
Right over Bethlehem on the hill,
The city of David, where Christ was born.

And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard,
Through the silent street, till their horses turned
And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard;
But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred,
And only a light in the stable burned.

And cradled there in the scented hay,
In the air made sweet by the breath of kine,
The little child in the manger lay,
The child, that would be king one day
Of a kingdom not human, but divine.

His mother Mary of Nazareth
Sat watching beside his place of rest,
Watching the even flow of his breath,
For the joy of life and the terror of death
Were mingled together in her breast.

They laid their offerings at his feet:
The gold was their tribute to a King,
The frankincense, with its odor sweet,
Was for the Priest, the Paraclete,
The myrrh for the body's burying.

And the mother wondered and bowed her head,
And sat as still as a statue of stone,
Her heart was troubled yet comforted,
Remembering what the Angel had said
Of an endless reign and of David's throne.

Then the Kings rode out of the city gate,
With a clatter of hoofs in proud array;
But they went not back to Herod the Great,
For they knew his malice and feared his hate,
And returned to their homes by another way.