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Prayerful Tuesday – Why Have You Forgotten Me?

Posted on December 17, 2013 by a quiet walk

Psalm 42:9-11

⁹I say to God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?”
¹⁰As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?”
¹¹Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

I have to admit I haven’t always lead an exemplary life and the life I have led has been on roads and paths G-d might have preferred me to avoid. Those bumpy roads led me to places where I felt abandoned and alone. But, I have to remember that I choose those roads, I choose to ignore the sacred voice within and live outside of G-d’s love. I choose to be there, even when the event that got me there was none of my doing I still choose NOT to recognize I wasn’t alone. I couldn’t or wouldn’t see G‑d walking beside me every step of the way. I choose to see only darkness; I simply refused to see the luminous darkness that was G-d.

Yes I blamed G-d for all the bad events in my life, isn’t that what every human does? As a human being I saw the worst and assumed the worst. I rolled around in my self-pity, yelling at G-d that life was unfair and therefore G-d either didn’t exist or didn’t care what happened to me. I yelled at G-d telling her “why are you doing this to me, why aren’t you there for me, why am I so alone.” I was so busy trying to run from those comforting arms that I never recognized that it was G-d holding me up, that Jesus was the one helping my broken spirit and that the Holy Spirit was trying to dry my tears. Because I did not recognize G-d I was afraid, so afraid. My bones shook with fear until I thought they would break. I could not see that what happened to me were the consequences I had to experience and live through in order to find my way back to a better place.

It wasn’t until I ran out of tears, ran out of words, until I ran out of myself that I was able to open the door and let you in, G-d. Only then, O Divine One, did I feel your presence and finally rest in your outstretched arms. I was still afraid, but I wasn’t alone any longer. My fear was not as frightening because I knew you were there, and I know it now, in this moment of time I now live.

Why do I put myself through all of that? Why do any of us? Is the struggle to return to you G-d after I have rejected you so important to my understanding of you as unconditional love? Well I think I know the answer to that question and it is yes. Yes it is important to walk through the darkness in order to see the light. Sometimes I have to test my own limits before I learn that you have no limits.

You, Oh G-d, will always welcome me back when I have strayed from your side. I know you are always there in the dark with me but my eyes are blinded by your startling bright light and I cannot see. Because I can’t see I fear you’ve left me to stumble in the darkness. It is only when I regain some hope that you are there, that my eyesight begins to clear. When I choose to hope, I choose you, oh G-d. It is when I choose not to recognize you, there beside me, that I become hopeless and unable to see your glory all around me.

So I will choose hope, I chose you oh G-d, I am choosing you G-d. I have made my choice and I choose to live in your light, your love, your hope. Will I sometimes forget that choice, probably? In some future time I will again fail to see your presence in the dark and you will be there walking right beside me. You will not leave me alone even if I believe you have. But the big difference now is I know you forgive, I know you offer me grace and I will fall into your arms when the tears and words run out and you will comfort me.

O patient G-d I am grateful for your presence, even when I push you away. Grant me my moments of struggle and suffering even though you suffer with me because, in my suffering I discover again your amazing love. Amen

Ruth Jewell ©December 16, 2013

Prayerful Tuesday – An Attitude of Gratitude

Posted on November 26, 2013November 25, 2013 by a quiet walk

Psalm 100 (The Message)

A Thanksgiving Psalm

^1-2On your feet now—applaud God!
Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.

³Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn’t make him.
We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.

⁴Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.

⁵For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.

This past Sunday at Queen Anne Christian Church, we celebrated in song, word, prayer Thanksgiving. We also decorated the church for Advent, which starts next Sunday. And we have a new and tasty tradition at Queen Anne; the kids decorate gingerbread houses, while the parents enviously look on. Cherry S is a baker first class and she makes the gingerbread, puts together the houses, parents bring the candy for decorating and then we turn our budding artists loose. I must say they have a great time and the houses look wonderful.

As I sat and watched the kids, took video and a few pictures I couldn’t help but think about the worship service. The Scripture was Psalm 100 and Pastor Laurie’s reading from The Message gave me much to think about. First of all Psalm 100 was my father’s favorite and it was read, from the King James Version (KJV), at the beginning of every Thanksgiving meal in our house. But when I heard Pastor Laurie’s reading I was struck by the joy and celebration that resides in this Psalm that I hadn’t heard before. I felt the celebration inherent in this Psalm. However the words in Verse 4 jolted me upright. “4 Enter with the password: “Thank You!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise, Thank him. Worship him.” I thought what you have to have a password to enter G-ds presence, is not my gratitude and thanks enough, now I have to know a password. Well it is a simple password, and one I learned to use when I was a child. Still I have to say “thank you” to enter into G-d’s home! Why would G-d want my gratitude?

What does it mean to acknowledge your gratitude, out loud, and/or in writing? Well the expression is a witnessed event; people hear or read of your gratitude. They learn you are capable of good will by acknowledging the works of others. They in turn are blessed with your gratitude and that encourages them to also wish to express their thanks for their blessings. One person expresses thanksgiving for a small act of kindness, and the recipient, or someone who observes it is then empowered to offer their thanks to someone else and the boundary of the circle of kindness extends into infinity.

You might think saying thank you for a job well done, or a gift, does little to help you or anyone else, but you’d be wrong. Remembering your blessings grows an “attitude of gratitude” within all that you do throughout your life. In the late 1940’s Bing Crosby sang a simple song in the move “White Christmas,” Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, and for many years it was a popular tune. The premise is an easy one to remember, counting your blessings is more productive than counting all the wrongs you’ve received. In fact once you begin counting you discover that the hurts and wrongs far fewer than blessings.

For me I have all too often let anger and resentment cloud my vision preventing me from counting my blessings and that has resulted in some very unpleasant times in my life. One of the spiritual practices I have been doing on my life journey is to change that pattern of behavior. Now every morning I offer a gratitude to the Divine Spirit before I even get out of bed to start my busy day. And every evening I end my day with a review of the blessings I received during the day. It has made my life much more joyful and I am now more likely to see the face of the Divine in all that I do. So I have two questions for you to ponder this week:

1. What gets in your way of expressing gratitude? And . . .
2. Have you counted your blessings lately?

It is a joyful practice to count your blessings and say thank you. It is not really a password; it’s a way of life, to live in gratitude for the blessings we receive day in and day out, offering our lives as a blessing to those around us. Can you imagine the kind of world we’d live if everyone just counted their blessings?

So my gratitude for this Tuesday Morning is that I am grateful for the ability to write to each of you, I am grateful for the blessings I’ve received from my loving husband and family. I am grateful for the comforting presence of my companion animals, the fur kids Fred and Suzie, and the feathered kids Cuddles and George. And I am simply grateful for my life, for being alive today, at this moment. May all of you remember all of your blessings this week.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Ruth Jewell, ©November 25, 2013

Prayerful Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Posted on November 12, 2013 by a quiet walk

Prayers for the Philippines

(Bullit Marquez/AP/NBC News) Bea Joy Ortega and her Mother Emily — *(Bullit Marquez/AP/NBC News)*
Bea Joy Ortega and her Mother Emily

As Typhoon Hayian struck the Philippines this last weekend I, like so many others, sent my prayers flying that the people would be safe. Of course not everyone was. People in the millions have had everything they know ripped from them by this storm, which so many say is the largest ever to form. More than 10,000 people have lost their lives. The survivors have little food or water, and no shelter. As people from all over the world respond with aid the people of the Philippines, as people try to leave the islands for safer places a miracle occurs. A woman gives birth in an airport. Bea Joy Ortega is born after her Mother Emily swims to safety. A baby is always a sign of hope, a gift of promise. In the hardest of times with death all around life still grows and makes her presence known.

I know there will be those who will say the people of the Philippines must have done something horrible to deserve this act of G-d. I know there will be those who say G-d only does such acts to punish the evil deeds people do. Well I say Bologna! G-d doesn’t punish innocent people in such brutal ways. No one ever deserves to be in the middle of a disaster. We are not uneducated people who have to ascribe to everything that goes wrong in our lives, or the life of our planet, to some mysterious force we happen to call god. G-d is much bigger than that. G-d was with Emily holding her up and helping her swim to a safer place to give birth to a miracle, Bea Joy.

G-d was with each victim who died during the storm and heard their cries of fear and cried with them. The G-d I know is with them still, in the lines waiting for food and water, in the hearts of mothers and fathers who hold their surviving children and family members, in the hearts of those who come bringing food, water, and medicines. The G-d I know is in the hearts of people across the world reaching out with their donations. G-d is in bodies of the volunteers, giving them strength and courage with support and comfort.

No G-d has not abandoned the Philippines rather G-d is in every hand that offers help in some way to a people who are in. So this Prayerful Tuesday I ask that each of you offer up a prayer of your own for the Philippines. G-d will hear and deliver those prayers.

This week the following prayer was posted on Facebook by Christians Tired of Being Misrepresented, a prayer that in the midst of disaster we hear the voice of G-d even in the worst of places and most difficult of times. I offer it to you as my prayer. It is a prayer of peace, a reminder that G-d is not punishing or delivering vengeance, rather G-d is there in your pain and sorry and when you are still you will hear G-ds voice and feel G-ds presence.

God Speaks to Man

I speak to you. Be still – Know I am God.
I spoke to you when you were born. Be still – Know I am God.
I spoke to you at your first sight. Be still – Know I am God.
I spoke to you at your first word. Be still – Know I am God.
I spoke to you at your first thought. Be still – Know I am God.
I spoke to you at your first love. Be still – Know I am God.
I spoke to you at your first song. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the grass of the meadows. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the trees of the forests. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the valleys and the hills. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the Holy Mountains. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the rain and snow. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the waves of the sea. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the dew of the morning. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the peace of the evening. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the splendor of the sun. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the brilliant stars. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the storm and the clouds. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the thunder and lightning. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you through the mysterious rainbow. Be still – Know I am God.
I will speak to you when you are alone. Be still – Know I am God.
I will speak to you through the Wisdom of the Ancients. Be still – Know I am God.
I will speak to you at the end of time. Be still – Know I am God.
I will speak to you when you have seen my Angels. Be still – Know I am God.
I will speak to you throughout Eternity. Be still – Know I am God.
I speak to you. Be still – Know I am God.

[God Speaks to Man – Essene Gospel of Peace]

Ruth Jewell, ©November 12, 2013

The Hardest Task

Posted on August 9, 2013 by a quiet walk

Morning Scripture Psalm 33:12-22

G-d fashioned me from the heart of the SPIRIT,
and all creation with me.
I cannot see the immensity around me,
only the little shelf I stand on do my eyes perceive.

I think my knowledge is so great,
that I no longer need G-d.
Yet all that I am is because of G-d.
All the strength in my arms
is worthless; all the knowledge
of my mind takes me nowhere.
I stand like a child on the side of a mountain
but see only trees, not knowing
much more lies beyond the next bend

I say “I see the mountain,”
I say “I understand,” yet much lays hidden
in caves so deep I cannot imagine.
I think I am so smart,
yet G-d knows how much is still to learn.

My hope for success has no future
without the G- d of creation.
Only the LORD of all
can grace me with life and vision.
Only when I open the ears of my heart
to the SPIRIT within and around me
will I find what my heart seeks.

I hear the voice of the Ancient of Days calling:
“Trust in the LORD, and rest in the SPIRIT.
Only then will your door to life and hope
open wide and your path made smooth.
Our hearts together will beat as one
and they will sing with joy.
The sound of lute and harp
will resound in our ears
and the taste of sweet celestial honey
will delight our mouths.”

All I have to do is trust, to rest, to give to G-d.
Why or why is that so hard?

Let your steadfast love, O LORD,
be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22