Category: Podcast

Released on the Spark My Muse podcast

Where's my Sunshine Mountain???

NOT sunshine mountain

I’m writing right now in the book “Life As Prayer”  about something those of the Catholic tradition are more acquainted with, and that is, that negative (so-called) portions of our spiritual journey are really a normal part of the process.

Usually we tend to see them as problematic, or like something has gone terribly wrong. Or, perhaps, we’ve gone terribly wrong. Dark times, un-SUNSHINE MOUNTAIN times, are part of what God uses, and are quite positive, though they might not feel like it. Many people tend to think of God’s displeasure, or his withholding of blessing when they don’t feel his love, or are suffering, or not being blessed. Is it because we live in prosperity? Maybe. But even the ancient story of Job reveals that his friends thought the same mistaken things. 

I’m going to unpack Gloom Mountain, and take the teeth out of it. Spirituality encompasses these dark times too, and may be what best prepares us for what God has for us. After the dawn, new richness is revealed than could ever happen before.

I’ll share some tidbits as I move along. Freely share your experiences or thoughts, if you’d like. 

Have you felt pressure to be happy when you were not, because you thought God or others wanted you to?

Rebirth and colored eggs?

 

colored eggs
colored eggs

Today, I helped another mom guide 40 kindergartners in coloring 4 eggs a piece. One child was allowed to do the activity if the project revolved around the curriculum of dinosaurs, and was a dinosaur egg project, (that is, it wasn’t not related to Easter, or pagan rebirth symbol in some way.)

Spring is a time of rebirth. Easter is the only holiday Christians celebrate that retains its pagan name, and keeps certain pagan traditions (rabbits, eggs, feasting, gifts, candy, much of which references futility.) “Easter” (Ishtar) is a pagan Spring fertility Goddess. “Death and Resurrection Weekend” is probably too wordy for Christians to deal with, so it’s stayed “Easter”.

However, here it is important to see where some spiritual truths reverberate in and through multiple cultures in time and space. Like it or not, they reflect Truth, (a Being) and too, they carry with them the power of spirituality in symbols that reveal that which is universally true.

Sometimes the simplest reminder that spring brings new life can awaken us to the spiritual. God wants to redeem. The pictures are everywhere, once we start looking. God whispers through the workings of his world, and into the desires of our hearts to be re-created and refreshed. Is it any wonder that new life would be celebrated in Spring? I, for one, am happy to decorate some eggs, and chew on some chocolate rabbits.

When it comes to this time of year, what is the most spiritual thing for you?

Taking your suggestions

I’m looking for reader feedback, the constructive kind–positive or negative, (or better yet, both) to have the best thing going here at “life as prayer”. I truly think “we” is better and smarter than “me ” (as in, one creator) in this endeavor. If you haven’t been here before (or if you’re checking back), please scout around, and let me know.

What is the best thing? What is missing? What is the worst thing? Any thing strike you that you’d like to share? Thanks for any help you can offer.

(The same help is appreciated on the author site, and Spirit=Breath of Life site.)

Blessings to you!

jealousy/desire

Until today, I never considered jealousy as positive for the reason that desire lies behind it. Desire (behind jealousy) that is not negative, but helpful, creative, productive, and beneficial to others– can be rightly directed. I have squelched all jealousy, tried to kill it dead, and even denied it, but it exists in all of us. (Or I have let it ferment so it hurt me.) Jealousy crops up with/beside love too. If we appreciate the desire behind it as good, and accept who we really are, and what we really feel, perhaps we can channel all we are for the best. (For ourselves and others)