Lisa Colón DeLay

Our reactions betray us

roar

At first blush we might assume circumstances cause our reactions. I say circumstances betray us more than the situation in which we find ourselves. Our amounts of self-control, maturity, self-awareness, compassion, humility, are revealed on the proving ground of life, in the difficult situations, and oddly enough, in the successful times.

So, when someone is raging, icing over a cold shoulder, or enjoying a lot of self-satisfaction, it really reflects his or her character more than anything else. We can consider how circumstances undermine our best, and enslave us. They can also be opportunity to grow, and know who you are in reality, so you can focus on those very areas for growth and betterment.

Embrace the challenge.
Release yourself from your reactions.

photo credit link

Confusing God with the dad you got

bad_dad

It’s amazing the gut level response of people with problems against God, and those who believe in him, who fail to see how much their over-reaction gives them away.

God isn’t a man in the sky. He isn’t a “he”. “He” doesn’t pee on people, he doesn’t zap people, stand around glaring, or torching people. He doesn’t sleep through disasters, get kicks from evil acts, or remain aloof when humans encounter poverty, disease, or suffering. It’s a bit more complex.

This view is quite common, but also quite infantile as view of the spiritual of reality. However, we all begin somewhere. Essentially, the problem of understanding something–like the spiritual nature of existence, and a supreme Creator,–which is beyond the scope of eyesight, earshot, etc. and our full comprehension, involves first letting go of the physical assumptions we cling to. We continually thrust these suppositions on how the world MUST be and work, from our human-ego standpoint.

No, one cannot “prove God” with weights and measures. One can’t prove ideals either, but hardly anyone is ridiculous enough to toss those away. Is anyone going to toss out ultimate Justice? What about Truth? Or Beauty? Or Goodness? Or Hope? Are they just fiction? Well, we can’t really prove them. If we take them away, a black hole is created, right in the middle of us, and what we hold dear. It’s nihilism. It assures its adherents that there is no point to existing, and many of its true loyalists end up killing themselves. Its not exactly a philosophy for bettering the world, and making it a happier and more beneficial place.

But just look around. One can’t waste the gift of life like that. Yes, it’s short, and pain and turmoil are found in many spots, but there is beauty and joy to be found as well. There is goodness, and one can do good. There is redemption, and hope. There are people to love and help. And, in the end, God, in a sense, “looks” like the dad everyone wished they had, as we carry out love in Spirit. But, yet “he’s” Other and not really like a human after all.

Reader response invitation…

Did you have a good dad, a good enough dad, or a crap-tastic one?

When Pluto was a Planet

pluto

My daughter, a kindergartener, told me about the 8 planets in our solar system, and she could name them in order. At first I was thrown off. What was the matter? 9. We have nice planets, right? Oh, that’s right Pluto was kicked off the list last year. My daughter will never know anything but 8 planets. I thought I’d look it up a little. Most people can say, “I remember when our solar system had 9 planets.” But, just when you think the solar system is getting simpler or smaller, terms like “dwarf planet” and “small solar system body” change the game.

To some it seems small, distant Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld (Greek Hades) dejected, slumps–only a rock. Actually, its demotion is more like a clarification. Since objects cross its orbit in the asteroid belt of Kuiper, and its mass is small, it is considered a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union who finally came to a consensus on celestial bodies. Its moon Charon keeps its moon status.

There are two other dwarf planets nearby. One is Ceres, found in 1801, our largest asteroid, inhabits some space between Mars and Jupiter in the big asteroid belt. In 2003, “2003 UB 313” was found beyond Neptune. This provisional name will be exchanged for a permanent one in a few months.

With the Hubble Telescope repairs, we should be able to locate dozens more dwarf planets near and beyond Pluto. Small solar system bodies are objects orbiting the sun that do not possess enough mass to have a spherical or near spherical shape. Hundreds of these will be found in the near future.

All this makes me think I really should look at the night sky more often. There’s a lot going on, on a whole different scale, and it puts things in perspective, once you start to take it in. Planet means “wanderer,” and it’s funny that even though we are on firm ground, really, we are planets too.

God's goldfinch

Maybe my eyes view the world differently than many people. I’m artistic, passionate, visual, creative, curious, perpetually pondering, and spiritually-geared. But, that’s not the only reason. It’s been my journey, and more so recently, to radically shift the paradigm of my perception of reality to comprehend and appreciate that ultimate reality is Reality. That is, reality is really the Creator, the Supreme Being, (some call God, Yahweh, or Trinity, etc.)

Really, this means I count experiences as spiritual many might consider ordinary, and I end up have many extra-ordinary experiences as a result, by anybody’s standards. For me, and often others I share them with, they are not just poignant, but deeply engaging, and also powerful interactions with Spirit God, the Lover of my soul.

Today, I encountered a baby bird, and we reckoned each other, and I was able to hold him, and connect with him as God’s beautiful creature, and a precious blessing. He was not afraid, and fell asleep in my palm. The love I showered to him that was overflowing in me, he gave back, in his creaturely way. I give a few details of the encounter at my personal blog

It’s amazing what happens when we awaken to all that is spiritual. God is all around, and filling his world abundantly.

Thank you for visiting.

Feel free to leave your comments…

enjoying God

If one begins to study ancient pagan deities, and what was required for proper worship, it seems a poignant attribute comes to the surface. Pagan gods needed a lot of service from humans, and much was required to appease them. In stark contrast, the Treaty of Sinai set up an agreement, of asking very little of its loyalists, by comparison. Every thing from sacrifices making one ready for priestly participation, to tributes, to honor requirements to their Sovereign were truly turned upside down.

For example, all regional deities had huge temples for themselves, some up to a mile long. God’s temple for many years occupied the size of five car lengths by three car lengths. (puny) It wasn’t made from exotic materials, but worshipers could dismantle the tent structure, and reassemble it at a new spot. Very Convenient. Fit for the God of the universe? God thought so. He’s what you would call the modest type. Regional gods demanded temple prostitutes, infant, toddler, and virgin sacrifices, and that humans degrade themselves in all kinds of ways to secure the god’s position as ruler. God forbade any such things, and protected his people from degrading themselves for him, or with each other. Their clothes were even fashioned with tassels to resemble a priestly class, no matter what their clan or economic status was. This was to honor them as treasures and royalty. Again, a role reversal. Regional gods demanded literally hundreds of sacrifices per day of expensive animals to stay in their good graces. God asked for one per year for the whole nation as a tribute. Most “animal sacrifices” required throughout the year consisted of burning a bit of animal fat, giving a slice of the meat to the priest to enjoy who’s been the butcher, and having the rest for a BBQ picnic with family and friends. Very enjoyable. The list goes on and on.

This really shows us something that should sink in deep, today. The character of God isn’t one that is demanding that we serve him. It may please him when when do, but that’s not at all the point. It seems we are here so he might serve, and honor us. How sweet and gracious! He seems to want us to enjoy life, (working and playing) enjoy “him,” and enjoy each other. We are not slaves to him, like property or indentured servants, and were never suppose to be. It is a relationship of respect and regard, mutually–when we understand it rightly.

He really offers us a life of emotional enjoyment and relaxation in knowing he loves us. Sometimes with this in mind, it makes the perception of a burden, the one we’ve strapped on ourselves, melt away, and we can begin to love and yield our whole lives and heart to God in a new way.