Transitions

Last weekend I attended the funeral of a colleague, Sandy Chappell. While I believe that Life is eternal, our existence on this plane as spirits having a human experience is limited.

In Sandy’s case, her years were far too limited for my liking and the liking of her many other fellow flight attendants, pilots, family and friends who attended the services. The fact that she was three months my junior was a jolt to my otherwise confident assumption about my own life expectancy.

I flew with Sandy many times over the past seven years that we were at the DC base. I did not know her well, but she appeared to have lived life fully and without regret. At least that’s what I’m choosing to believe. She was authentic, always smartly outfitted in her original flight attendant hat (no longer an approved uniform piece, but I never knew of anyone challenging her on that!) and, of course, her signature bubble gum pink lipstick. If there was a difficult passenger on board I always knew she could turn the customer around.

I want to be more like she was - sans the lipstick, not my shade – and simply be me. My friend, Arleen, lives by the adage “I neither defend, justify nor explain my actions. I let the results speak for themselves.” I never shared that with Sandy. I believe if I had she would have looked at me with a blank stare on her face as if to say, “Yeah…and?”

Be willing this week to pick up the phone or send a card (you know, the paper kind that requires a stamp) to someone you love. Let them know the difference they’ve made in your life. The Centers for Spiritual Living ministers on our listserv have been doing that this week with an amazing outflow of love and appreciation for those who mentor us in life.

It’s just life. We all have mostly  the same issues. Let’s all help one another to enjoy it to the best of our ability. I think Sandy would have liked that idea. Safe flights now and forever, Sandy.

In Spirit, Truth and Playfulness,

Terry

Take Just a Moment

I stopped at the post office one day last week for some stamps on my way into my office at Unity of Harrisburg. I asked if there were any “Love” stamps and the clerk quickly got them out of his drawer for me. “These are the only kind of stamps we should be selling,” he said. “With all the awful things going on in the world,” he continued, “we need more love.”

I suggested to him that if we look in the right places we can find so much good in the world and in our community. Though, I admitted to him, it’s not usually found on the news. When he complained that there wasn’t anywhere locally that was positive, I smiled and gave him my business card from Unity. “You’ll find it here,” I said, “every Sunday at 10:00am and we’re just down the street!”

He laughed and said he should have known he was talking to a pastor. I didn’t see him on Sunday, but it got me to thinking just how easy it is to show someone who is obviously in distress that there is an alternative. I also realized that my attitude shifted as well, leaving the post office feeling deeply grateful that I have a people in my life who are willing to do something about their lives instead of buying into the “stinkin’ thinkin’” with which we can come into contact on a daily basis.

At the bottom of this blog you’ll see a link. It’s to a “TED talk”. If you’re not familiar with TED (technology, entertainment and design), it’s worth a look. It’s a stellar example of how many people in the world are making a difference. This particular link is one that will take you about ten minutes to watch. I encourage you to do so. Besides being an amazing visual treat, I found it to be centering and uplifting.

At least I did the second time I watched it. The first time I brought it up on my laptop, listening to it, glancing occasionally at the images, while I caught up on email on my desktop and programming my new mobile device. MADNESS!

Take just a moment today. Stop what you are doing and look around at the world around you. Nothing in your sightline will ever be the same. Do you really want to miss that? Being in the moment and being mindful of our surroundings allows Spirit to revive us. In that flow of Divine Love all is possible.

Here’s the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=gXDMoiEkyuQ&vq=medium

In Spirit, Truth and Playfulness,

Terry

Stop the World!

For some reason the name of a play from the early 1960s, Stop the World – I Want to Get Off has been running through my mind. A quick look at my Google calendar would explain that reason. Are you feeling a little over-scheduled and hectic lately?

I hope not. My prayer for you is that you are enjoying life to the fullest and surrounded by like-minded, loving individuals. Then again, I am experiencing that and I still feel stressed sometimes. Why?

It comes from the fact that even if we are doing what we love to do we can still use a change of pace or a new venue from time-to-time. I’ve heard someone say, “Well at least he died doing what he loved!” Maybe if the guy had taken a break and re-focused his energy once in a while he’d still be doing what he loved instead of being dead.

In a recent email, Rev. Noel McGinnis reminded me of this fact:  We have freedom of choice, but not of consequence. While I truly believe we are Spirit having a human experience I also understand that our bodies were not meant to run non-stop, never resting. Yes, my car can be driven over 300 miles on a tank of gas, but soon after that it will come to a stop if I don’t refill the tank. The same is true for us.

At some point this week … please … stop your world. Take time for yourself. Be selfishly indulgent. Love yourself like you were taking care of the person who holds the biggest place in your heart.

                                                                                       

In Spirit, Truth and Playfulness,

Terry

Cash, Check or EZPass?

I use the Pennsylvania Turnpike quite a bit. In fact, since I moved back to the eastern part of the United States over ten years ago, I’ve used a number of toll roads, bridges and tunnels regularly. Knowing this would be the case, one of the first things I did when I returned to the East was sign up for the EZPass system.

This “drive through lane” or “whisk through the express” method of paying tolls saves me a tremendous amount of time and money. I don’t have to sit in lines waiting to pay, fumbling for the change or a credit card. I also get a substantial discount by using the system.

What amazes me is the number of people I see in the long lines who choose to continue paying cash or charging their tolls in person. I’m sure many of them pay the tolls as much or more than me, so why would they not make a simple call or go online to secure the account and use EZPass?

I suppose (and now you’ll understand why I’m using this long example) that it’s the very same reason we prefer to complain about our other problems and yet not reach out for prayer support to actually do something to change our situation. It’s the same reason we keep doing the same things over and over again and expect different results.

Those reasons are, (1) our ego, and, (2) a desire to stay stuck. Our ego must be right; it demands it every time. Normally that’s a good thing because our ego is part of the mechanism we have for realizing that the stove is hot and we need to move our hand. It’s just that our ego has a whole lot of pride, an unnecessary need to think that it’s right all the time and a relentless need to be in charge. It’s time to thank your ego for its service, but put it on notice that you – not it – are the one who makes the decisions for your life.

Second, if we are stuck we’re receiving a payoff, meaning in spite of the fact that the situation sucks in some way we’re getting something out of not getting what we want. I know this sounds counterproductive, perhaps even a little cold and unfeeling, but it’s true. There’s a payoff in being a victim because we get sympathy from those clouded enough in their reasoning to actually buy into our nonsense. We also get to stop ourselves from being the true lights we are in the Universe. After all, if we are stuck in the mud it’s pretty darn hard to shine like a star.

Take a moment this week to see if your problems could use an “EZPass” solution. We do not pray “hoping” the prayer will be answered. Rather, we pray because we know the answer is already in the prayer. It’s free. Remember, there’s no roaming charge for God.

In Spirit, Truth and Playfulness,

Terry

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

There have been a number of events in my life lately that have given birth to this week’s blog message. I needn’t go into details. Details often cloud the issue, don’t you think? Suffice it to say that I’ve been sufficiently advised by the Universe that we all need to remember this … now!

I can get so very distracted when there’s so much to do. I’m not completely moved into my new office at Unity of Harrisburg, yet my schedule is already full each day with meetings, counseling appointments, visitations and running a corporation with a six-figure budget. I hope this week between writing my talk for Sunday and getting out my weekly message that I’ll manage to get the boxes of books unpacked in my new office!

And that’s my point – it is not easy to write a talk while looking at boxes of books that “should” be put on selves, categorized and alphabetized. But the books are not more important than having a talk for my Mother’s Day service on Sunday. It’s about prioritizing and that means something may not get done.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. The books will get put on the shelves eventually and they are, for now, out of the way. But here’s the Cosmic Giggle when it comes to setting a thing or two aside instead of making oneself crazy attempting to do everything for everyone at once:  When we focus on just one thing and do it well, we end up completing the task in record time. Why?

The longer we keep in mind a positive outcome to our dilemmas the more energy we are focus on accomplishing the task instead of worrying about not getting it done. The reverse is also true, which is why the more anxious we become about what is not yet done the more frantic and scattered we find ourselves.

Consider your projects for today and pick just one upon which to concentrate your efforts. Reap the rewards of accomplishment as you feel satisfied about following through with your plans. Then, put your feet up and relax for a few minutes. You just worked hard and deserve a break!

In Spirit, Truth and Playfulness,

Terry

Are You Trying Too Hard?

If you are a person who works to be a better person, often through study and personal reflection, you may find there is always something more to do. It can seem like no matter how hard we try we just can’t seem to get our lives to reflect the excellence for which we strive.

Perhaps you are trying too hard. There are just so many hours in a day and so many days in a week. Yet we use our electronic devices to accomplish far more, often simultaneously, than we could possibly do without them. We may use medications to keep us awake or put us to sleep, disregarding our physical need for rest and our attunement to the cycles of life on our planet.

Take a moment to think about what really needs to be done today and what could just as easily wait. Our “to do” lists can roll through our lives like a bulldozer and that is no way to live. Eliminate at least enough from that list today to take a half hour to do nothing, or to do something that will revive, excite and enliven you in a way that you’ve not experienced recently.

That problem, whatever “that” is, will probably not even been a dim memory in a year or five years. Is it really that important now? Life is for living, not struggling. Life is to be enjoyed, not to be endured.

in Spirit, Truth and Playfulness,

Terry

Got Is...

Let me begin with the acknowledgement that you may substitute any other more palatable word for “God” in this discussion. Many people still see God as the old man in the sky who punishes us if we’re bad and blesses us if we’re good (maybe…if He’s feeling so inclined).

In the New Thought Movement we have a very different concept of God as an intelligence with which we have a direct connection. But, if Spirit, Divine Love, Universal Intelligence, or something else works better for you, I ask that, for the purpose of this discussion, you just substitute that term for God.

When we pray affirmatively we acknowledge the unification of ourselves with God. And yet, even that statement is hollow. “With God” still indicates a separation. How can we be “with” something if we are part of it? How can we be “part of it” if there is only One?

BAM! (That’s the sound of the brick wall with which you may have collided after reading the above paragraph. I dearly hope that you have had your morning coffee before reading this, or at least have been awake for a while!) The confusion and disconnect felt when discussing the Oneness of the Universe stems from two basic reasons:  language and perception.

English and most other modern tongues are not languages of inclusion or unification. They are, by the very nature of their structure, a means of communication that exemplifies separation, division and differences. It is not the fault of our languages, for our languages reflect the parameters of our culture. In English we call that frozen white stuff “snow.” One Native Alaskan language has 26 different terms for snow. Why? That area of the world is more affected by snow than other areas.

We talk in metaphysics about the “universality” of God; that God is timeless, endless and infinite. Yet we live in a world of beginnings and endings, and of birth, life and death. We live a linear existence in a holistic universe. The truth is that whenever we finish the sentence, “God is…” with anything we immediately limit God. How can we begin to describe the infinite with words designed to convey the finite? This is a situation in which words alone cannot be the most effective way to communicate. The definition must be felt, internally and personally.

We also describe God as “all-knowing” and “all-powerful.” God is neither. Does that surprise you? You see, if God is all there is then God is not all-knowing; God is Knowledge. God is not all-powerful; God is Power. Re-read this paragraph. Breathe into it. Let it settle into your consciousness and feel your emotions, for words alone cannot effectively conceive this notion.

We must be careful in prayer to acknowledge our unity. But at the same time we would do well to cut ourselves some slack so that we don’t get hung up on worrying about whether or not we are expressing ourselves as universally as we feel we should. You cannot pray the wrong way, though with practice we can make our prayers more effective.

Go with what is in your heart, but at the same time be cognizant of the words you use. What we say is reflective of what we believe. And, what we believe is behind the thoughts we have that result in our experiences.

In Spirit, Truth and Playfulness,

Terry