Friday, September 25, 2009

Gifts continue

We each pray in our own unique way. No two of us pray in the same way. Why? Because none of us have the same relationship with God. Each one of us, we pray from the way God has taught us and is teaching us at this moment. Some pray with words, others with voices, others with body, others with work and the list goes on and on.

Over the years I have come across people who compare their prayer life to others. This results in one of two things: Either they get disappointed in themselves because they cannot pray the way someone else prays or else they get into hubris and wish the other person to be on their so-called "good level" of prayer and relationship with God. We must each have reverence for the other person's holy place because God is reaching each person in the place where they are at, there is no place and I really mean NO place that a person can find themselves in that our God cannot reach. The very fact that we exist means we are present to God even though, at the time we may not realize it or be aware of it. We can each learn and be taught from the prayer life of the people we share the secrets of our hearts with, which is the essence of prayer. There must be no judgement, no criticism, only a reverence for the presence of God in the place the person is standing in IS HOLY Ground.

One evening I was watching the sunset in San Diego and noticed a musical group standing on the bluff, facing the sun and playing their musical instruments. In those last dying moments of a setting sun, a new creation of music took place. I would love to have listened to a CD of that music, that is if there was one. Maybe those musicians choose to create a one of a kind music for a one of a kind moment. Music for a moment that never was before and never will be again. They made music for the here and now. We all need to ask ourselves the question, what is the music our lives are creating for ourselves and for others right now? What is the music that you are invited to dance to right now? In this dance there are no right steps or wrong steps. That is a great consolation for those of us who don’t dance too well. Do say we cannot dance because we cannot dance too well, is an excuse not a reason to join in the dance of life. Our steps will be guided by the truths within each one of us. The dance, our outwardly expressing right now are the thoughts, feelings, emotions of our present human condition. Our dance of life is a very unique form of prayer.

Recently, I have become more aware of the writings and the work of a Celt from Scotland by the name of John Muir. He was known for his passionate and eloquent descriptions of nature. This is something that he wrote many years ago, but it seems to be so pertinent for our day and age. There are no longer thousands of people entering into the wildness of the wilderness, it is now up to the millions.

He wrote the following,

“the tendency now days to wander in wilderness is delightful to see. Thousands of tired, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home: that wildness is a necessity: and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, fountains of life.”

“Climb the mountains to get the good tidings. Natures peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.”

I am happy to say I have been blessed with this experience and I wish the same for each one of you. That is why I write this blog. I see in nature a great revelation of God's dream for you and me. We together allow God to realize His dream for us and for all of His creation.

A dreamer's journey continues....

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