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Thu 06/05/2008
The Foolishness and Fun in Simplistic Thinking
Topic: Making Changes
My 12-year-old grandson is visiting me this week, for a writers' camp. Oh, how we are connecting--even at this moment when he's writing his book that he started on Monday and hopes to finish by the end of the week. Micah is starting to see the fooishness of simplistic thinking in his 3-year-old brother. His favorite story right now is Matthew's writing all over the newly-painted wall in the master bedroom at home , then coming to "tell on himself" without knowing he had. "Mommy, come see what I did"! Of course, he was soon to be scrubbing and finding out that what he did was not so delightful. As we learn to laugh at the simplistic or odd way of seeing things, laughing as we realize how "nice" it would be if the world could be that simple, we start to see how much children are like animals. We delight in them; but are glad they eventually grow up, even as we grieve. Same as we do with ourselves. As we take giant steps, or small ones, toward maturity.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 12:01 AM CDT
Wed 06/04/2008
Seeing the Complexities in Facts AND Feelings
Topic: coping
Just as it is good to see the many complexities that we place in our definition of God, it's also important to look at the complexities of the problems and potential solutions to any issue that we encounter. Children simpify. Mature adults take the long look and aren't afraid to do so. In fact, taking the long look gives us a new perspective. It may frustrate us that we cannot find a perfect solution or explanation. Yet it is in the ambiguity that mature adults find peace and resolution, ironically. Adolescents, on the other hand, need to have things all figured out. So do some of my relatives, when it comes to family issues. I was certainly there for a long time myself. With ambiguity, we find ways to laugh and bring about creative moments, living with the fact that we will never have it all figured out. And it's okay. In fact, that's what makes life so challenging. And interesting.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 7:36 AM CDT
Mon 06/02/2008
Giving Up the Rigid God
Topic: spirituality
Oh, how easy life would be if we all had a set of rules that we were forced to live by! We could be a lot like the people I once met face-to-face. They stared straight ahead, but nobody was “home.” No need to make decisions. The decisions were all made for them. Twice in my life, I encountered these groups. Though in very diverse environments. The first was in a long-term state mental health facility for chronically mentally ill patients, many who were classified as “criminally insane.” The second was on the subway in Moscow, where people were on their way to work. Somewhere within them, I believe the Spirit of God was stirring even though they gave no indication of being aware of this. They were living by a myriad of man-made rules, both groups. It was impossible to sort out what anyone was thinking. Impossible to see any signs of energy. Except for once in the Moscow subway, when some of the older women connected with a smile, when they saw a very unusual sight. My two tiny grandsons. Children (usually only one per family) are kept home in Russia, where they can be cared for and out of the way. The city streets are almost wiped clean of any small children and the energy and smiles they bring. So the next time you are worshipping the God of Rigidity. Or even thinking how nice your world would be if everyone was forced to follow “God’s rules“ with strictly-imposed fundamentalist tactics” or just the rules that you choose to live by or see as best, try visiting these scenes in your mind.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 12:01 AM CDT
Sun 06/01/2008
Giving Up the God of Prosperity
Topic: spirituality
Growth in numbers or earthly treasures isn't always a sign of success. So many of the churches that are really growing these days seem confused about the meaning of houses and lands. Or cars and jobs. Or eating out and big celebrations. “Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father.” These words are quoted often by people who live in abundance and don’t seem to realize that their visible abundance is NOT a good gift from God. In fact, it can be a curse. Especially if it has been obtained with plastic or some easy loan. The health-and-wealth theology has a list of rules to live by. If one lives by those rules, especially ones that have to do with how much is “owed” to the church that uses a show-biz sort of worship that pumps people so full of emotion that they can’t sort out the real gifts from the phony ones, then they are going to be blessed by God. Blessings, of course, meaning an earthly prosperity. Truth is that we have the things we have primarily because we have: 1. Been born in places of greater abundance and natural resources 2. Have been able to develop coping skills or possess an intelligence that allows us to attain a degree of economic well-being that is far beyond most others in the world who do not have our personal or national resources. All of this is true even though we may feel like very little if we compare what we have to the people we see in our little world of our own country or neighborhood. Or because 3. We have learned to limit what we accumulate because we don’t want the burdens of things or the debts they create to acquire things we really do not need. Our economic state may or may not reflect our spiritual state. If so, it will only be related in a cause and effect way to Number 3. The other two have nothing to do with whether we have lived on a higher plane spiritually. For gifts that are visible in a monetary sort of way do NOT come from God. Nor do they reflect that we have necessarily made good choices about important things. “Whatsoever things are lovely….” have nothing to do with these things. They have nothing to do with God either. And I know full well that I spend far too much time “thinking on those things.” Along with all the other things that I am tempted to believe “I deserve.” In a world where fairness and justice aren’t even generally expected most places. Where people do not have the luxury of time to even think about “licking their wounds“ or speaking up for changes that are so important. Except in our own little corners, where God is so often associated with prosperity.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Thu 05/29/2008 7:45 AM CDT
Fri 05/30/2008
Giving up the Stingy God
No matter who we are, we are given gifts or abilities that allow us to better function in this world. Just because we don’t see them right in front of our blind eyes, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Our blindness, generally caused by our own false sense of powerlessness, comes from a low opinion of ourselves. When we are able to see ourselves as a gift to this world, without viewing this idea with an arrogant or narcissistic attitude, we begin to open our eyes. Not just to see our own gifts, but the gifts that others possess. It is only then that we begin to understand that the giver of REAL gifts, those of the spirit, is not stingy at all. Problem is that we often don’t even understand what the gifts would look like if we found them. Mainly because we think of gifts as something that comes wrapped in shiny paper, with a monetary price tag. True gifts are the gifts that give us energy and the spiritual power that allows us to disregard our old understanding of what power even is. Because the Spirit moves within us, even when we feel nearly dead, we can stop needing the stingy god that has occupied our minds for so long.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 12:01 AM CDT
Thu 05/29/2008
Giving Up the Polarizing God
Topic: spirituality
A very nice lady was complaining to me about the sky-rocketing gas prices recently. While I am as alarmed as anyone in America, the truth is that we are catching up with the rest of the world because the rest of the world is catching up with us in our more global economy. As I see it, this isn't really bad. We'll find ways to adapt and survive. Maybe become more humble, too, and simplistic. Perhaps even kinder, more creative and generous. As we move down a peg. For I've lived on the other side of things, where I had to pay much more for gasoline and most everything else than America would ever tolerate.. Yet, thanks to a cost-of-living adjustment given to us by our Board, we could afford what most people around us who were living in grass-roofed huts, could not. Though, I can assure you, we lived very humbly compared to most Americans! Of course, the lady looked at me like I was from Mars when I expressed my opinion. After all, she is a choir leader in a fine church and not in need of any adjustments to her way of life. Nor, like most Americans, can she see how that relates to the rest of the world. God, by not polarizing, doesn't "agree" with any of us. Nor with any nation or group or institution. Not even the Pope, dare I say it, 100% of the time! Probably FAR less than that, in fact. The Spirit moves within us, whether we have very simplistic solutions to the world's problems or to oppression or abuse or any other topic that is complex. The Spirit makes us consider all angles of an issue, change our opinions, and find ways to keep changing as we see just how complex so many things are. The Spirit also allows us to formulate opinions and to take stands when our courage wanes. From the Spirit, we draw energy without asking for it. We don't need to go around talking about all of this as a "requirement" for being "right with God." We just accept it and move forward, with understanding, while treating with respect those we may very well see as "dead wrong." In so doing, we may bring about changes faster than if we stayed in our own little worlds, licking our wounds.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Thu 05/29/2008 7:37 AM CDT
Wed 05/28/2008
Giving Up the Killer God
Topic: spirituality
Most Christians believe in what I'd call "grace with contingency." It works like this: "God loves and shows grace to those who are civil and think the way God thinks." Of course, if I make that statement, that's assuming that I know how God thinks. Rather arrogant assumption; but certainly a tempting one, I'll admit. It's really another way of making God into our own image. As if we needed God to have a brain or eyes or ears. Something visible, instead of being a Spirit that moves within us and doesn't need any of those things. If we are thinking spiritually, it seems to me that we have spirits that are made in God's image--not bodies. Now, you can disagree with all of that. I may disagree with myself in a year or two, but this is how I've understood God for quite a few years now. It works for me because it makes me much more loving--when I remember to keep this all in mind. Much of Christianity worships a killer God. Yet doesn't admit this. God killed, according to the Old Testament, when people went against Him. Either in the future or (depending on how you interpret things) immediately after death or after a time in purgatory, those who haven't "served God" the way God wants to be served will be tortured. Not to death, but they will wish they were dead as they burn in a Lake of Fire. Problem is that, depending on who you listen to, it's up to us to figure out how to avoid that worse-than-death experience. God also is on the correct side in wars--just as George Bush, the King of America! He'll tell you how God thinks, no bones about it!!!! Problem is that the militant Muslims think exactly the opposite as Bush about who God condones killing. The God that I embrace is gentle and listens and seems to validate some things I espouse. God even does the same for people I consider to be "full of the Devil" (to put it in my old fundamentalist tongue). I decided to "kill" the Killer God some time ago. Doing so has enriched my life, made me more humble, worry much less about people I love, and helped me understand heaven in ways that the old theology of my anxious childhood couldn't start to imagine!
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 12:01 AM CDT
Tue 05/27/2008
Respecting the "Silent" God
Topic: spirituality
Spirits, like the wind, do not speak audibly. So why is it, when we don't hear people reflecting what we believe God should be saying, we decide the Spirit is asleep? Or even that the Spirit doesn't exist? Perhaps it is because we have trouble distinguishing what we think should be said at the moment from the inaudible truths that are more powerful than anything we can put into words. How quickly we forget that all of us are frequently afraid of speaking what we know. In fact, courage is usually born in silence. As we are willing to wait in silence, waiting on others who may also be too petrified to speak or act in ways that would stand up to abusive systems, we can learn to live effectively in what Parker Palmer calls the "tragic gap" between what we long to see happening and what we see when we look back, comparing each of these to where we are today. Each time I find myself willing to wait, I renew my joy in many things in my life. Eventually, coming back, when the time is right to see things happening that were beyond my own finite dreams in the slow work of raising the consciousness of individuals about a variety of psychosocial issues and global issues that concern me. Not the least of which is sexual and domestic violence.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 12:01 AM CDT
Mon 05/26/2008
Memorial Day -- a Day for New Pledges
Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a time to remember those who have done heroic things, often losing their lives in so doing. It is a time to be silent and reflect. This morning I said a brief prayer for the many sisters and brothers who have gone to their graves without ever speaking of atrocities that deeply impacted their lives. Not just Americans, but victims of the Holocaust and other wars, as well as those who have taken their own lives because they were unable to find ways to function because of the abuse or violence they experienced in their own homes, churches, or schools. May we not just remember but find ways to prevent the wars, the domination of one country over another, the oppressive world leaders, and the violence and abuse in every form in this world of immature people where resources are hoarded instead of shared.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 11:31 AM CDT
Fri 05/23/2008
Giving Up the Magician
Topic: spirituality
The wind is not a magician. It "blows where it listeth" we are reminded in John 3. We are born again and again and again as we allow the Spirit to blow across ourselves, but this often requires that we wait for new insights. Or, to put it in another way, to wait until we feel the wind blowing. Meterologists can't predict with absolute accuracy which way the wind will blow. They often miss this and have us bringing out sweaters on days when we might do better to have grabbed a coat. We somehow want God to always be there to do magical things for us. Perhaps more than ever before. I wonder if this isn't related to our obsession with happiness today, which we equate with having luxuries or "necessities" that the rest of the world considers to be luxuries. It also means that we are always winners or people who believe that justice is a 100% given in this world, so that when we don't get it we see ourselves as being "God-forsaken." Or to put it another way "forsaken by the Big Magician" who is supposed to make everything right. "You can fire that god anytime," I hear Dee Babcock saying. That god is just a child-like dream, a figment of your imagination. A common figment, I might add.
Posted by Dee Ann Miller
at 12:01 AM CDT
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