WITHOUT THE STRUGGLE, THERE ARE NO WINGS
A family brought in two cocoons that were about to hatch. They watched as the first one began to open and the butterfly inside squeezed very slowly and painfully through a tiny hole that it chewed in one end of the cocoon. After lying exhausted for about ten minutes following its agonizing emergence, the butterfly finally flew out the open window on its beautiful new wings.
The family decided to help the second butterfly so that it would not have to go through such an excruciating ordeal. So, as it began to emerge, they carefully sliced open the cocoon with a razor blade, doing the equivalent of a Caesarean section. The second butterfly never did sprout wings, and in about ten minutes, instead of flying away, it quietly died.
The family asked a biologist friend to explain what had happened. The scientist said that the difficult struggle to emerge from the small hole actually pushes liquids from deep inside the butterfly's body cavity into tiny capillaries in the wings where they hardened to complete the healthy and beautiful adult butterfly.
The lesson?
WITHOUT THE STRUGGLE, THERE ARE NO WINGS.
MAY WE APPRECIATE MORE FULLY THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE AND GROWTH IN THIS COVID-19 SEASON WE ARE ALL ENDURING.
SO BE IT!
(Rev. John R. Simon)
Catching a warm breeze
O Lord, in quiet, in dark
My breath and your breath exchange
My heartbeat, slows
Joins your heart’s rhythm
Music, sweet music pervades
I drift, upwards, over, soaring
catching a warm wind.
I tear at the beauty in this moment, suspended,
in warmth, my cold heart warms.
Why do I contend so much?
Why do I fight?
Why do I try so hard?
I soar, catch another warm breeze, scanning
how small all looks from these heights;
A different view,
Clouds drift by,
Misty cotton puffs
This must be heaven
Why wouldn’t I want this to last forever?
Ahh, such wonder … Is this real?
Can I trust it?
I do.
I do.
I do …
jdn, written 7/21/2020
A Blessing
A Blessing
Blessings upon your hands,
and their healing touch, sensitive even through protective gloves;
Blessings upon your eyes,
as you see through shields and goggles, never looking away;
Blessings upon your feet,
as you move from need to need, hour after hour;
Blessings upon your mind,
focused even when heavy and pushed by immense complexities;
Blessings upon your heart,
as you feel for your patients and their families, and your own;
Blessings upon you,
for you are a blessing.
Amen.
—Chaplain John Ehman, 4/1/20
Penn Presbyterian Medical Ce
contemplative journaling
An Invitation
Those of you who know me, know how highly I recommend journaling for self-care, daily meditation, devotions, and contemplative practice.
I encourage you to think about adopting personal journaling as a practice for your own development and spiritual formation. We should never stop learning, growing, becoming, the human critters that God created. We are all from the same gene pool.
Consider for instance, the first four beatitudes as a starting point to begin focusing your thinking and reflection.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
(Here is where we begin, with the realization that we all are in serious need to find God within us, that we are, in deed, needing to find that which will fill the void of our emptiness.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
(We carry bucket loads of grief around, and there are few rituals where we can lay those burdens down ...)
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."
(Meekness is soft power that moves more that forceful power; how do you find meekness in yourself? ...
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, ..."
(Here is a biggy! How do we satisfy our thirst and hunger for justice, peace, honesty, authenticity?
Personal Journaling will take you places within yourself that will surprise and stimulate you beyond your normal. It's the trailhead that begins a continuous journey into the wonderful critter, the wonderful creature, that God created, That critter is you. Dare to go there, especially in these days of transition and transformation.
Look for more about journaling, and some sharing of journaling, in later postings.
Thanks, JimN
[See download "Reflecting on Journal Writing"]
The Times They Are a Changing
JD Nenninger
Wasn't long ago we were singing these words of Peter, Paul, and Mary, as we wondered what our future would be in the USA. We lived through it and it changed us. For some it had a "hardening" effect, for others a "reality check," and for some it didn't matter much. Times were much "looser" for us than what our parents experienced in their lifetime; and, of course we had rock and roll music, the sexual revolution, introduction of drugs, LSD, and the initiation of the drug culture. Viet Nam demonstrations divided us as much of our youth was spent in rice fields and swamps in some distant Asian country (countries we never really studied in school) and our very lives were at stake. Many didn't come home, but we survived. Now we are the "old ones" and what wisdom do we convey today?
Today is in many ways like those days; yet different, much more intense and complex. A deadly pandemic is added to this mix, concerns for the health of our world, economic collapse threatens, shortages of medical supplies and equipment, unresolved racial justice issues, confederate statues, polarization of our political parties, a lingering presence of hate and mistrust in our midst, and many will not wear facial masks and PPE for the fight against Covid-19. What happened America? Where are we? Where is the "we" in "WE the people ...?" What's happening to our democracy?
I've discovered one good thing from Covid, it's forcing all of us to think more deeply on what we believe and value. A process I've found most helpful and liberating is to do my own thinking and logic making as I watch TV and listen to all the "talking heads." Some are really good, having good logic, and information that fits and supports other information. I appreciate those who maintain and practice ethical, respectful, and moral attitudes towards others, no matter how different others may be. I listen to other sources, other than my favorites and imagine being of like mind to understand. Listening and reading news and journalists from outside the US from time to time is helpful. And reading various books and histories that can fill in background information helps, too. Combating the lies and untruth in the news is hard work. And always, to look at the "fruits" of people's lives: do they fit with what I "hear" from the person.
What fears me most is the delicate balance necessary to maintain and secure our American democracy. John Adams, who followed George Washington in the presidency, and one of the creators of our Constitution was very fearful that the rich and powerful could overtake our democracy. How do those without the resources keep those who are greedy for power and control at bay in our democracy. The power of the vote, that's how. But even that is being threatened. Please exercise your right to vote.
Covid has been keeping us home, creating an opportunity to read and reflect on what we value and time to reset our priorities and rethink what is important in our lives. I've been reading more than ever, since I was in college and seminary. Two suggestions, if you're interested follow:
1) The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, John M. Barry, Penguin Books, 2018. This book gives an excellent overview of the 1918 epidemic that our parents survived.
2) "You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is a Confederate Monument'" An exceptional Essay written by Caroline Randal Williams, 2020. This essay has helped reframe my views on white racism.
3) The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness. Rhonda V. Magee; Penguin Books, 2019.
Credo Hispano in english
http://beatitudessociety.ning.com/forum/topics/progressive-christian-
We believe in God, the Father Almighty
Creator of the heavens and the earth;
Creator of the all peoples and all cultures;
Creator of all tongues and races.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his Son, our Lord,
God made flesh in a person for all humanity,
God made flesh in an age for all the ages,
God made flesh in one culture for all cultures,
God made flesh in love and grace for all creation.
We believe in the Holy Spirit
Through whom God incarnate in Jesus Christ
Makes his presence known in our peoples and our cultures;
Through whom, God Creator of all that exists,
Gives us power to become new creatures;
Whose infinite gifts make us one people: the body of Christ.
We believe in the Church
Universal because it is a sign of God’s Reign,
Whose faithfulness is shown in its many hues
Where all the colors paint a single landscape,
Where all tongues sing the same praise.
We believe in the Reign of God – the day of the Great Fiesta
When all the colors of creation will form a harmonious rainbow,
When all peoples will join in joyful banquet,
When all tongues of the universe will sing the same song.
And because we believe, we commit ourselves:
To believe for those who do not believe,
To love for those who do not love,
To dream for those who do not dream,
Until the day when hope becomes reality.
Amen.
(The United Methodist Spanish Hymnal, Mil Voces para Celebrar, page 70, Justo Gonzalez)
A DIVIDED LIFE
From Jim's Journaling ...
Living a divided life presents personal and social problems. When who we are on the inside is not accurately reflected on the outside and we try to live both lives at the same time we end up in a jam. And if we live that way over a long period of time, we can become sick, very sick. And even more, we become very unhappy. Living a divided life not only affects us but also affects those who live around us. We may think we are getting away with something by living dual lives, but those around us are nice, and they help us keep our secret; but they know! Even those who are close to us may be doing the same thing, living their own dual lives. Secrets and more secrets; masks and more masks!
How do we stop this debilitating behavior that robs us of our true self and steals our joy? The answer lies in the struggle to regain our integrity, to claim back our wholeness, to be whole again. Divided we fail, we fall, and broken we will be.
This has been part of my recent musings as I journal and reflect on life. In part, I have been influenced by Parker Palmer’s book on A Hidden Wholeness, and his thoughtfulness on the divided life. I encourage you to find some practice of daily prayer and meditation in life; be it through journaling, praying, contemplative prayer, inspirational reading, Biblical readings, Hymns, whatever practice that brings a more complete balance of heart (soul) and mind together. Perhaps, prose, poetry ...
Forget your life. Say God is Great. Get up.
You think you know what time it is. It’s time to pray.
You’ve carved so many little figurines, too many.
Don’t knock on any random door like a beggar.
Reach your long hand out to another door, beyond where
you go on the street, the street
where everyone says, “How are you?”
And no one says How aren’t you?
Tomorrow you’ll see what you’ve broken and torn tonight,
thrashing in the dark. Inside you
there’s an artist you don’t know about.
He’s not interested in how things look different in moonlight.
If you are here unfaithfully with us,
you’re causing terrible damage.
If you’ve opened your loving to God’s love,
you’re helping people you don’t know
and have never seen.
Is what I say true? Say yes quickly,
if you know, if you’ve known it
from before the beginning of the universe. - Rumi
ring the bell that still can ring
Leonard Cohen - Anthem (Live in London)
You Tube: http://smarturl.it/lc_ytm
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
The birds they sang at the break of day
"Start again", I seem to hear them say
Don't dwell on what has passed away
Or what is yet to be
Ah, the wars, they will be fought again
The holy dove, she will be caught again
Bought and sold and bought again
The dove is never free
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack,
a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
We asked for signs, and the signs were sent
The birth betrayed, the marriage spent
Yeah, the widowhood of every single government
Signs for all to see
I can't run no more with that lawless crowd
While the killers in high places say their prayers out loud
But they've summoned, they've summoned up a thundercloud
And they're going to hear from me
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
You can add up the parts, but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march, on your little broken drum
Every heart, every heart to love will come
But like a refugee
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
That's how the light gets in
That's how the light gets in
(Lyrics by Leonard Cohen)
Silence inspires
What inspires some, does not inspire others. I enjoy silence in these years. There is much that goes on in life, so much stuff that too often I am distracted from what is holy and what is most cherish-able.
Scriptures remind me of the many times Christ moved away from the crowds and distractions to seek quiet, silence, prayer. Contemplative time to do the absolutely necessary inner work required by the spiritual person; soul work, that's what it is. How can we hear the Holy Spirit if we are busy, running to and fro, talking all the time, thinking all the time? Our minds race us through the day and we fall asleep late at might tired and exhausted; and too often further from home than when the day began.
We have taken away the sabbath, the day of rest, and made it like any other day.
I invite you to bring back the sabbath in your life, and to schedule time to be silent, quiet, still, and to listen to the whispers of the Holy One who seeks you.
I am hopeful we can share this MEDITATION PAGE with each other. Use it, share a reading, a writing, a reflection that has warmed your heart. May the Shalom of Christ bless you.
No Mud
David shared this wonderful lyric from Bob Sima
No mud no lotus haven’t you noticed
The patterns of the pain in your past
The things that broke you, they also awoke you
To the questions you needed to ask
The sleepless nights and the dizzying heights
And the dreams some of which came true
Tough breaks, heartaches, perfect mistakes
Created this version of you
Everything you go through grows you, exposes who you are
If it hurt it made you softer
If it was hard it fueled the hunger
If it touched you your heart took hold
If it was simple it made you wise
If it was sweet it made you smile
It weaved an indelible impression on your soul
Your feet they walked and your lips they talked
Your hands dug around for the proof
Every look, every book, picture in your mind that you took
Created this version of you
Everything you go through grows you, exposes
The roots of an endless summer, part time temporary lovers
And the swoon of the deep blue sky
As the time flew you planted and gathered your truth
As it passed before your eyes
The wound is where the light gets in
Revealing the masterpiece just beneath the skin
In the glow of your own light, your pedals open wide
You bloom right where you are
Everything you go through grows you, exposes who you are
© 2017 Bob Sima Music, The Movers The Shakers and The Peacemakers, Released 26 October 2017
Crocus
As I was walking
As I walked into the house from the mailbox this morning, I noticed some crocus already bursting through, reminding me winter is ending. Get ready for Spring. The crocus represents joy and cheerfulness and that is exactly what I experienced when I first saw these shoots this week. And as it blooms the crocus becomes a symbol of hope---winter will indeed end, and spring will come with all its wonder. Life will burst forth again from the earth.
I have been practicing the use of a short mantra or prayer throughout my day. I take a deep breath, hold it for a short time, then release it and allow my lungs to be momentarily idle, then I repeat breathing this way several times. Breathing in, I pray, “I have arrived;" and breathing out, I pray, “I am home.” It doesn’t matter where I am when I pray ”I have arrived---I am home.” I am really arriving, in this moment, at this place; and this place (right now) is my home. Praying this prayer helps me to become quiet and mindful of where I am and my surroundings. I am in this wonderful place right now; whether I am holding a steering wheel, making a dinner, writing these words, walking my dog, sitting on a rock overlooking a valley, I am home. Ah, I have arrived, I am home.
The practice of quieting our minds from all the chatter.
the practice of slowing down and ceasing the running from one distraction to another.
the practice of entering a time of quiet and silence for ourselves.
these will help us dialogue with our inner voice and deepen our awareness of being.
Just to be.
A great teacher once taught, we are more than to “be” but to “inter-be.” That is we are all part of a system, ecosystem, natural system, a creation. Becoming conscious of how much we depend upon this wonderful home in which we live, and all the natural furniture and provisions we would ever need; and from these how we are interdependent with nature. The air, water, earth, smells, life, energy, sun, shadow, food, sounds, crocus, … all these, every day, every night, every week, month year, our natural lifetime---this is our home.
This pandemic has gifted me with an opportunity, the necessity of going deeply into my inner reserves. Reserves unrealized, reserves awakened and renewed. Just as nature is our home in our physical consciousness, there is another consciousness, better than the outer consciousness. Within lies the journey of the heart. The universe of soul. Into these depths we discover living waters that quench our thirst as we drink heartily from it. Call it your secret place, your Holy Grail, your Interior Castle, your Prayer Closet, your Prayer Cave, you sacred Temple, but name your revered place where you go to be in silence, where you whisper your heart’s murmurings, where you listen in the quiet, in the stillness, for encouragement to come.
Take YOUR time to be patient, be silent, be still --- listen.
I have arrived. I am home.
I am home.
The Light Leads us out of darkness
Chaplains in the Belly of the Beast
Weekly I’m with “my guys” in the trenches, wishing I could be in the trenches with them. Aging, health, and COVID-19 make me a risk and a liability more than an asset. Aging and Retirement take seniors out of the fray. The best I can do is provide support by listening, caring, praying, and offering my two-cents worth of input in the discussions, sharing, and dialogue. These times are taking us to the core of our own being in search for meaning and purpose.
Our struggle with hope for the living and caring conversations help one to bridge the chasm of passing over. The follow up with families feeling guilty and at odds who could not be present at their loved ones’ most critical last moment. The isolation of patients and families from the dying family member is the horrible part. Our struggle in coming to terms with suffering, dying, and death are on the table everyday, 24/7. One patient’s death may not be completed before a code is called for another. The Code Team must reform to convene at yet another bedside. The patient grasping and gasping to breathe. As one nurse stated, “all my hands do anymore are codes and watching people die.”
These tragic deaths occur every minute across our nation, indeed, and multiplied around our globe. One TV cameraman caught a Brazilian COVID-19 patient being wheeled into an ER on a wheelchair screaming and crying. He was a terrified young man. He knew, as others knew who were watching from a distance, as they stood in a silent stupor, knowing that he would never walk out of that hospital. The hospital was understaffed, out of supplies, no vaccines, no ventilators, and all the staff could do was try to provide comfort care. The Brazilian strain of the virus is reported to be, one of the worst, as COVID-19 continues to infect brothers and sisters all over the world.
Spirituality in the midst of Crisis
I was one of twenty professional chaplains on this zoom-call this week. We were from Australia, Hawaii, Canada, Miami, Los Angeles, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Colorado, Florida, the Carolina's, Atlanta, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and this was just one of multiple Chaplain support groups that meet each week. Issues upon issues were raised: from the relaxing of hospital regulations to the inclusion of ancillary help (Mental health, poets, readers, hoc groups, etc). The issue addressed in this group was isolation and observations of patients just giving up.
Providing aid to those dying is dependent upon our front line staff and those support lines behind them. If we care for our hospital workers, they will be better to care for the patient. One chaplain remarked he does a 3-minute devotional talk, going from floor to floor and staff will cluster for those 3 minutes, if they can, for self-care, prayer, and encouragement. Requests at the close of this support included the use of a poetry dialogue group (off-hours) as a way to change mental focus with dialogue and meaningful support and inspiration; another suggested occasional motivational speaker; and the use of the hospital public address system for short messages of inspiration broadcast throughout the day and night.
Suffering Servants
Contrasting what is happening in the Belly of the Beast, as our front-line workers are doing all they can to save lives and losing patient after patient on their floors, every hour, are those on the street and in our communities who continue not to wear masks, or keep physically distant. This is a disturbing behavior in our society. And until we get on the same team and unify our efforts, we will continue to see this virus have its way with those too weak to fight it off. The carefree, macho, self-centered, or whomever have this attitude are killing us. Listen to the hard-liners who came down with the virus, that is, those who survived, and how they changed their minds about practicing cautionary measures.
Jonah was as hard-headed as the best of us. He ran, he hid, he denied, he was angry, depressed, scared to death. He knew what he was going to do and he was doing it. But!!! In the belly of the whale he changed his mind. Then, being thrust onto the beach in the whale’s vomit, he took action, and his actions were instrumental in converting a city, the beautiful metropolis of Nineveh. He helped save people from death.
We are in the belly of the beast and we have got to recant our ways, pull together, and put all our efforts toward positive actions to effect significant changes in our lives to defeat this terrible plague.
What does the LORD require?
To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly in the presence of the LORD.