Messengers from Heaven

Last week, I talked about the experience of shopping with your loved one and helping them to find the clothes that express their “beauty within.” This morning, come journey before the break of dawn through the flowering tress at Highland Park in search of the “beauty within.”

The Buddha is said to have given a ‘silent sermon’ once during which he held up a flower and gazed at it. After a while, one of those present, a monk called Mahakasyapa, began to smile. He is said to have been the only one who had understood the sermon. According to legend, that smile (that is to say, realization) was handed down by twenty-eight successive masters and much later become the origin of Zen.”~ Eckhart Tolle

Seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an essential part of our own innermost being, our true nature. The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in the evolution of human consciousness. The feelings of joy and love are intrinsically connected to that recognition. Without fully realizing it, flowers become for us an expression in form of that which is most high, most sacred, and ultimately formless in ourselves. Flowers, more fleeting, more ethereal, and more delicate than the plants out of which they emerged, become messengers from another realm, like a bridge the world of physical form and the formless. They not only have a scent that is delicate and pleasing to humans, but also brought a fragrance from the realm of the spirit.

Many times, Jesus took time to go off by himself to pray, to meditate, to allow the “beauty within” to grow inside so that he could continue to carry out his mission to bring compassion to the people.

Zazen is the practice of sitting meditation. It cultivates awareness, concentration, self-knowledge, compassion, and peace. It allows the mind to calm and worries to dissipate, giving rise to compassion and allowing us to be present for our fellow human beings. As you gaze upon the flowers and trees each morning, allow these messengers to help you let go of the tension and feel the healing and comfort of God’s love “within you.”

God prays for us as we reflect: “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” (Song of Solomon 2:12).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that they smile as they gaze upon the beauty of each flower that holds the essence of our true self. May we find happiness in the awareness that in each moment we are loved by our Heavenly Father.

Clothe in Beauty

“Every women’s store should have a couch in it with ESPN.” I actually heard this incantation from a gentleman who was walking aimlessly through the women’s clothing section while his partner was trying on some clothes. His body language revealed that he was not comfortable with this chore. Come to think of it, next time you happen to find yourself shopping at a mall or outlet store, take note of the various postures men assume while “waiting” for their ladies trying on clothes—be one’s spouse, partner, daughter or mom.

There is the “slouch” position as one leans over the clothing rack. This man looks tired and beat so he uses the rack to hold himself up from collapsing. Then, there are the nervous browsers who appear to be looking for something special while their maiden calls them over for a consult. Next, there are guys who “swing their shopping bags” which helps release nervous energy. Beware, you don’t want to get hit with what’s inside his shopping bag.

My favorite posture is the guy who “stands in place but keeps moving his feet from side to side.” This stance reminds me of a baseball coach on the baseline calling out signals to the player at bat. Most important is the silent, unspoken system where the man is called upon “to take a stance” on the color, design and style his soul mate might ask for guidance.

I highly recommend that you simply find a bench or chair near the changing section. On cue, when your “soul mate” calls out for an opinion you kindly offer not the typical “whatever” attitude but sincerely take a look at how everything fits and say “that’s you” or “you will find better.”

I wonder if we invited the Lord to come along to help us find clothes that are comfortable and make us look great what he might recommend. St. Paul told his followers to “put on Christ” and sparkle with a personality that reflects humility and kindness, gentleness and patience.

There are many moments in life when we are hesitant and look for some guidance on what will best fit our situation with style. What I know works best is an arm around one’s shoulder and words of encouragement that vanishes apprehension in that instant. I believe that we never forget the strength and reassurance we feel when our loved ones put their arms around us and quiet our pounding heart.

God prays for us as we reflect: “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
(Colossians 3:12)

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who find themselves swirling with decisions in life that make them scared and alone. My friends, if you will let God wrap His arms around you - you can be free from anxiety. I ask that the Spirit bless you with a Divine Touch. Let this one know that you will help them pick out the best clothes in life whenever you ask for guidance and help.

Stillness

I opened my windows this morning to listen to a glorious chorus of bird song. It’s still dark and before another busy day, I want to take you back to a moment when I bathed myself in “stillness.” It was Saturday morning and I planned to attend the Braddock Bay Birds of Prey Show. However, I was the first one in the parking lot at 6am, so I took a stroll over to the outlook to see who was migrating on the bay.

The stillness was healing for the first wildlife I noticed were two white swans drifting reverently on the pond as I said my prayers of thanks. Overhead you would hear the honking of the geese as they swoop down onto the water to look for prey. Of course, what made this moment of stillness special was that the whole scene was veiled in fog. This made the whole scene magic. How I wish all of you were at my side at this moment to relax and allow the mist to fill your veins with peace and contentment.

As I scanned the pond, the fog is slowly rolling in from the lake and bathing the cattails and willows with a shroud that made everything look like heaven’s doorway to eternity. Can’t you feel your tension and pain of many anxious years seeping away? Imagine now the Christ, holding you close with your head on his shoulder as you gaze over the pond and mist. You see you are never alone in your sorrows or pain. For the mist is the visible sign of the presence of our healing God.

I have no doubt that most likely you are at an anxious moment in your life when your veins are filled with chemicals that drive you mad with rage or sorrow, despair or fear. Let the silence of waters in the bay and the mist in the air fill your lungs and soul this morning with a calm like you never imagined in your life. In a whisper, invite the Lord into your heart and let the Spirit wash your fears and anxiety away with the courage and wisdom that says my “little one, please be at peace.”

God prays for us as we reflect: “ They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.” (Psalm 107:30).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who feel helpless by the troubles of life. Come and guide us to your calming stillness that removes all our fears and heals the wounds of this life. Help us to listen to the singing of the birds in the morning and feel your presence in the mist that assures us that we are never alone but rest in your tender embrace of pure love.

Nursery

Trimming the blue spruce trees in front of my home is a tradition full of trials and a lesson in humility. I purposely schedule this job on a Good Friday to remember how the Christ stretched his arms for my sins. The pruning requires lots of stretching up three fourteen-foot tress with hundreds of tiny cuts. My hands and arms are numb after three hours labor. The humility is when I discovered that I could easily have done the same job in the past twenty-five years with the hedge trimmers. The trimmings go into the compost pile and the spruce trees looked like gumdrops waiting for borders to take their residence inside the branches. What you don’t know is that these tress are the best nurseries for the local mourning doves to build their nests inside the branches to hatch their “little ones” in the spring.

Before the coming of Christ humility was little thought of, however with Jesus, he has a way of making us look at our trails and sufferings in a different way. Jesus ideal of greatness was the “little ones.”

Each of you walks a trail to tears from time to time. Sometimes we walk together, driven by our pain, but achieving no resolution. Then something mysterious happens. Jesus appears beside us. But we don't recognize him! He looks so ordinary. Somehow he gets inside our heads, and hears what we have to say, the load of grief we spew forth. His response is not rejection. Nor is it sympathy, a patting of the hand. Jesus takes the situation, and hoists it up to a new level.

There's more going on than meets the eye, he tells us. Jesus wants to reveal our affliction for what it is: not the final word, not meaningless pain, but rather the prelude to some bright glory, our own resurrection. Jesus walks with us in our sorrows. He tells us that the God who worked in his life, led him from a cross to a throne, gave his suffering a redemptive purpose -- this same God is at work in our lives as well, making sense from what seems senseless.

But do we see him? And if so, do we welcome him? Hear his message? Recognize him for who he is?

God prays for us as we reflect: “He remembers them, he forgets not the cry of the humble.” (Psalm 9:12).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who cry for “help” in a difficult situation. We thank you that you listen and that you do reward the humble. When we walk the trail of tears and believe all hope is dead, may you recognize a stranger walking beside you, who lifts from you your burden of hopelessness with his hands marked with wounds from the cross. And once you recognize him, let others know of your joy: that the Lord has risen and you are alive with his life.