 | |
Peace Is Always Possible!
|
|
|
|
|
Subscribe and/or Donate
|
|
|
|
Life is messy. Some of us (and my own hand is raised here) have equated "messy" and "bad" in our lives for so long that it is really, really challenging to just accept that no matter what I do, life is messy. As a kid, I was terrible at keeping my room clean. My sister and I shared a room, and she was as unskilled at neatness as I was. Our mom wasn't a great housekeeper either, but our room really was off the deep end of the messy scale. The bar was actually quite low: I remember my mom telling us that we at least needed to keep a clear path to our beds in case the house caught fire and we needed to be rescued.
There was always a feeling within me that if I was really the "good girl" I thought I should be, my room would be neat and sparkly clean. I never did cultivate the "neat and sparkly clean" skillset.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Babies get sick, friends misunderstand us, bosses hold unrealistic expectations, and the "wrong" political party wins. Car alarms go off, oncoming drivers swerve into the wrong lane, and the loves of our life wake up one day and tell us that we are not really what they wanted. Parents die, pets die, dreams die. No matter what, these things will happen, and it has absolutely nothing to do with how good or bad we are.
Learning to release our mistaken beliefs is a necessary step along the path to peace. As I finally realized, it turns out that messy does NOT equal bad. Likewise, neat and sparkly clean does not equal good. Messy is just messy. Neat is just neat and sparkly is just sparkly.
I have come to enjoy the presence of Order in my life. Despite that relatively new preference, I still frequently find myself dodging stacks of books on the floor or rummaging through piles of paper on my desk. I have ceased to believe that these things are value judgments. Life in my world is still quite messy. AND it is good.
The circumstances of our lives will always be changing; that's the nature of life in human form. Those circumstances are neutral, only good or bad as we choose to name them. We will laugh, we will love, we will cry, we will be angry, we will grieve. Laughter is more fun than grief, but one is not good and the other bad. One is laughter and the other is grief. Both are part of a well-lived life.
Learning to accept ourselves, our co-humans and the day-to-day messiness of life is the only sure path to peace. Once again: we live in paradox. Healthy striving good. We have within us a basic evolutionary urge to more fully express the Good-Without-Opposite which is our True Christ nature. No matter how messy things appear, peace is always an available option. We cultivate our spiritual abilities so that we can hold this awareness of the omnipresence of the Peace of the Christ even when, most especially when, life is at its messiest and most challenging.
Whatever this moment looks like for you, embrace fully the Truth that peace is always present. It is never further away than your choice to claim it. Nothing - no amount of messiness - has the power to destroy the eternal Peace within you unless you choose to allow it to do so. Pause, breathe, know that Peace is present, and choose wisely.
REMEMBER YOUR TOOLS!
PAUSE: When you find yourself focusing on the messes present in your life, practice bringing a smile to your face, and choose peace. It will seem strange; let that be okay. Breathing is helpful.
ASK: Where in my body can I feel the Source of Peace? Perhaps it is in your heart, perhaps it is in your belly. Perhaps it is in your mind's eye.
RELEASE: The next time you hear yourself making a snap judgment of good vs. bad or right vs. wrong, consider if there is a mistaken belief behind your judgment. Are you willing to consider something might just be uncomfortable or just not how you would prefer, without necessarily being "bad" or "wrong"?
BE: Begin to express the Peace of the Christ in your daily activity. The next time you drive, imagine that you have the power to claim peace for every driver on the road. When you go to the grocery store, imagine that the peace in your heart is growing and growing until it fills and overflows the whole building.
CONTINUE: As an exercise in stillness, imagine the most peaceful environment possible. What does it look like? Where is it located? What are the sounds and smells present? Are there animals or people or plants? What colors can you see?
DO: Try something that sounds like it would be enjoyable. You may or may not actually end up enjoying it, but give it a try.
REST: When was the last time you just put your feet up and daydreamed for 10 minutes?
Namaskar-- the divine within me recognizes and honors the divine within you!
 ********************
Upcoming Events:
December Outreach:
Our Sunday School students are coordinating our monthly outreach, which will focus on Heifer, International. Bring in your pennies, nickels, dimes, dollars, and checks to help our kids help others, who in turn pass along the good they receive by sharing. Visit Heifer's website to learn more.
Gino Walker is returning for her annual visit this coming Sunday! December 24 Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 6:00pm
Come experience this dual celebration as we honor the birth of the man, Jesus, who exemplified what it looks like to live a fully-human, fully-divine life, as well as the birth of the awareness of the Christ within each of us.
December 25
Christmas Morning Service (VERY Casual!)
10:30am
We celebrate Christmas, family-style. Wear your comfy clothes, and enjoy a very informal morning with friends.
December 25
Christmas Potluck
11:30am
Bring a dish and enjoy a good meal with friends. Feel free to bring your friends, as well!December 31 New Year's Cleansing Bowl Release Ceremony 6:00pm
We celebrate the transition to a new calendar year with prayer, meditation, and intention....and coming soon...  If you missed Greg when he visited us four years ago, you missed a great show, and your second chance has arrived. If you DID see Greg last time around, you really don't want to miss this opportunity. Tickets would make a terrific Christmas gift! Click here for your tickets!
General Information:
CHILDCARE IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE DURING SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE
Our Sunday School teachers look forward to sharing Unity principles with your children aged 4-12. Our nursery is available for the very young ones, as well. We provide professionally trained and screened childcare for those ages 0-3, so that you may enjoy attending service while knowing that your little ones are well cared-for.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
There are many things which need to get done here in our center, and Susan Smith is working to make it easier for you to become involved. Please check at the information table to see what might be fun for you to do.
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES (ICS) RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES
To volunteer through our affiliation with Interfaith Community Services, you can contact, their Volunteer Coordinator, Tori Carlson, either by phone at 520-297-6049 ext. 217 or visit their website
If You Could Benefit from ICS resources, referrals are available
Interfaith Community Services provides a wide range of services for seniors, disabled individuals and people in financial needs. Please contact Susan Smith or Rev. Nita with questions about ICS services. Contact Susan via email.
|
|
|
|
|
