Faith & Life Inspirational Message

Although the title for this inspirational reflection comes from inside the text of a small article I read online, it was the title of that online article that lured me into reading.   I routinely read quite a few religious and spiritual websites just so I can be more aware of what’s going on in the world.   And it is literally in the world.   Once upon a time, you were current if you knew what was going on in your city or state.   Really “with it” people had a good national awareness.   When I was growing up, I don’t think I knew anyone who had been abroad.   In those days on the Indiana farm, to go to New York City or DC was tantamount to going abroad!             With the internet things have changed.   The world is as near as the click of the mouse.   So I try to follow the global news, particularly in the spiritual sense.   If I am dealing with students in my class who may live til...

I very much enjoy reading things that make me think.   When I hit one of these pieces of literature, I realize how much my own routine imprisons my creativity and imagination.   I certainly do not think routine is bad.   I like my routine.   It makes me feel quite comfortable.   By nature routine is predictable and knowable.   There is usually a sense of security with our routines.   That is fine with me.             But I also know there is another facet of life that is just as intriguing.   The other facet of life points to the imaginative---the creative and innovative.   It is the side of life that is not routine.   It may be moments of serendipity.   It involves the unexpected and, even, the unanticipated.   Surprise is the dominant feature of this side of life.   I am drawn to this part of life, but I also confess it makes me somewhat uneasy and a little nerv...

I am not surprised to see a new study out which links spirituality and health.   For quite a while, people have thought there was a connection between spirituality and health.   In fact for quite a long time, I have assumed there are a variety of ways to talk about health.   Normally, I think people mean physical health.   That is a given.   If someone asks if you are healthy, they typically mean physical.   Or if I call in “sick,” the boss is going to assume I have a fever, a cold or some other physical malady.        But we all know there are ways we talk about mental health.   Everyone would assume health is not limited to one’s physical state of being.   I can be perfectly healthy and not feel “well.”   Ask anyone who has bouts of depression.   He or she may be ok physically, but not at all up to engaging life.   I can be physically in tip-top shape and not want to get out of the bed in the mornin...

A recent reading from the daily lectionary brought me to a familiar Psalm, Psalm 36.   The familiar words come in the middle of that Psalm.   The line I connected with is really a confessional, laudatory line.   The Psalmist says to God, “ How precious is your steadfast love, O God!”   Since most of us do not have the ability to read the Psalms in their original Hebrew, perhaps the best we can do is read a couple English translations.   A different translation of the passage just quoted goes like this: “How precious is your kindness, O God!” Clearly the first passage uses the English phrase, steadfast love, to capture a Hebrew word.   And the second passage uses the word, kindness.   In both cases the Psalmist is praising a divine attribute that characterizes God and God’s action in the world.   The Psalmist is confessing that this divine love or kindness is precious.   For some reason I very much like the idea of precious.   ...

I try to follow a daily spiritual discipline of some reading and prayer or meditation.   After all these years, I am still surprised at how it does not come easy.   Intentionality counts for so much.   The minute I am no longer intentional about doing it is the moment I began to fail.   For a long time, I thought I would outgrow that phase, but alas, I no longer think I will.   In fact, I think I could join a monastery and still have to exercise some intentionality!             But maybe it is not so surprising after all.   Perhaps most disciplines---spiritual or otherwise---require intentionality.   Naively I think the master musicians and athletes just do their thing---no intentionality required.   But actually I think that likely is not true.   Discipline is required at any level for effective growth and development.           ...

Some days can be frustrating.   On second thought, I don’t think the days themselves are frustrating.   They are what they are.   It is we who decide to be frustrated.   Frustration is an interpretation of what’s going on.   I suppose frustration is, in most cases, a reaction.   Usually frustration boils to the emotional surface when things don’t go our way.   I try not to spend much time in that emotional state.   It changes nothing and it uses up valuable energy to no good end. Nevertheless, recently I had one of those frustrating days.   It all started with a water meter.   Now I have no idea how to make a water meter into a spiritual lesson, so I won’t try that one.   But the water meter precipitated what would turn out to be a spiritual lesson for me.   For that I am grateful, in spite of some frustration in the process.   The story began a long time ago, it seems.   Apparently I have a meter inside my h...

Although the title for this inspirational reflection comes from inside the text of a small article I read online, it was the title of that online article that lured me into reading.  I routinely read quite a few religious and spiritual websites just so I can be more aware of what’s going on in the world.  And it is literally in the world.  Once upon a time, you were current if you knew what was going on in your city or state.  Really “with it” people had a good national awareness.  When I was growing up, I don’t think I knew anyone who had been abroad.  In those days on the Indiana farm, to go to New York City or DC was tantamount to going abroad! With the internet things have changed.  The world is as near as the click of the mouse.  So I try to follow the global news, particularly in the spiritual sense.  If I am dealing with students in my class who may live till 2085, I need to help them live with an awareness of the shrinking world the...