Happy New Year!

I have been reading about New Year Resolutions, not making any, getting inventive about them, just living in the present, and creating an epic life.

Epic?  Epic is defined as very great or large and usually difficult or impressive.  I don't want my life to be large, or difficult but maybe a little bit impressive.  Rather, I would like my life to be significant which is defined as very important.  I think having a life that is important is easier than large, difficult or impressive.

Lots of authors on self-improvement have a great many ideas on what works and what doesn't.  Most of what many say, don't work for me.  I have discovered that my mind works differently than most minds.  So, what works for me is asking different questions about what stimulates me into action.  

Questions like:

1.  What gets me really excited about the New Year?

2.  What new things would I like to do, or learn or find out more about?

3.  What would I like 2015 to stand out in my mind in 2016?

4.  What would be really fun and exciting to do?

 5.  What does my ideal life look like?

Rather than getting depressed about having more resolutions bite the dust in February, I look at resolutions in a completely different way.  Most of why I do this is to make sure that my life works for me.  How about you?

New Title?

Last Sunday was my last with Unity of Norman.  Apparently, the Jr. Church leader admonished the kids to say "good bye" to me after the service.  One little guy, probably about six with front teeth missing, came up to me and said, "Thanks for being our priest."

It took all I had to be serious with him and say, "You are welcome!"  

Ministry has such wonderful experiences!

Things that open my heart...

Beautiful Christmas music by orchestras.

Puppies discovering snow for the first time.

Kindness of strangers - sometimes in a strange land.

Changing scenes out my office window.

The smell of coffee early in the morning.

Someone reminding me of an early memory we shared together.

A laugh taking me back to my childhood.

A decorated Christmas tree that is filled with red ornaments, white lights and red ribbons.

A small puppy demanding some attention - a quick hug, a snuggle and a quick tongue lick means, "That's enough for now."

A pipe organ playing "Silver Bells."

Walking through an art gallery with beautiful paintings, sculpture and art objects.

Little children giggling on a merry-go-round as one of the grown ups pushes it faster, faster and fastest.

Did this help you remember some for yourself?  Allow this season to "open your heart."  

Wait! Whose Story is This?

During a conversation with a good friend, she, off the top of her head, explained why all of "my" activities of the recent years were exhausting me  when I told her that I was tired and had again given notice that my last Sunday at Unity of Norman would be December 28, 2014.

Listening to her talk about my story stunned me.  Wait, whose story is this and why is she telling ME my story?  

And the light dawned!  She has no story to tell.  How sad that she choose to tell my story as something that she discovered.  

Just as recent, an acquaintance of mine, called me and suggested I read a book about the "Harbingers of the Old Testament" because she wanted my opinion on it.  Why would I want to read about a radical Rabi justifying being Jewish?  I have enough books to read about being a good Science of Minder.

While in the ministry, I have accumulated several thousand books which I have professed on several occasions that I want to read.  I have done that and have disposed of many.  Many more to go.  My story friend, suggested I reread Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way," to get an inspiration on what to do next in my life.  

It took everything I had in me to not blast her!  You read the book.  Tell me what You got out of it.  It is time for You to live Your dream and allow my dream to be all mine.  No wonder we are encouraged not to tell people what it is that we want to experience in our lives.  The ideas and dreams get dumped on big time.  

Have I learned my lesson?  You bet!  She can get her news from me through our annual Christmas letter.  Maybe she will discover something she would like to do, or dream, or have an idea of her own.  God, I hope so.....

It's Terrribblle

Between coughing, sneezing, achy muscles and a runny, runny nose, it's terrribblle.  I can't remember ever being this sick!  There is a way of saying terrible that Alan makes it sound just awful.  Well, that's me right now.  Just terrribblle.

I had all of these plans to get done before I started on my Christmas stuff and now all I am doing is shuffling around the house being beyond miserable.  Being in bed is terrribblle - my back is so sore.  About the time I get comfortable in the recliner, I have to sneeze, cough or blow my nose.  It is terrribblle.

This is not complaining, mind you.  This is just stating the facts that I am sick.  Normally, I would take this time and get some reading done, watch some shows I missed "On Demand," or just sleep, sleep and more sleep.  None of that is working for me this time.  

Don't know what has invaded my body, but it is achy beyond hurting.  None of my "meds" is working for me this time.  Being in bed just makes me ach all the more.  So, my solution is to camp out in the recliner for the next several days.

I will be back when I am feeling better....

Holidays

I am convinced that holidays were invented to remind us to be something better than we are.  Thanksgiving is to put us into a state of mind that fills everything with gratitude. Even the titles of the holidays allow us to fill in what it is that we need at the time.

Valentine's Day is for us to remember that love surrounds us all the time and that we can give and get love whenever we feel the need.  I remember a class I took years ago, we had to find fill out a card to ourselves and the following Valentine's Day, we received it in the mail.  I was thrilled to find out that I loved myself - there it was in writing - in my own hand - and it said, "I love you."

Easter is to remind us to use our imaginations and play with eggs, candy and baby bunnies.  One Christmas, in one of my sermons, I told the congregation that we, as Religious Scientists, didn't believe in Christmas because we were not Christians, but that we did believe in the Easter Bunny.  So sad, so many people without a sense of humor. 

This holiday, Easter, is to remind us that we entomb ourselves and that sometimes we need help in rolling away the rock that keeps us stuck in whatever.  When I remember, during those times that just suck, that within three days, it will all be over and I will be in a different state of mind.

Why do we have Labor Day?  And we get to rest on a "labor" day.  Doesn't make sense to me.  But rest I will.  

Christmas remains the myth because most of us believe it in.  I know, it is fun to give and receive wonderful gifts.  Some of us are very creative and know how to do more with very little.  

Veterans Day is obvious.  We need to remember that there are those to are willing to give up their lives for us.  A trip to Washington D.C. and seeing the Vietnam Memorial was and event I will never forget.  It moved me beyond words that so many men gave up their families, friends, and life for us.  I don't know whether or not I could do that.  So, I am grateful for the reminder that there are those who are that courageous and generous.

Whether holidays are character building or not, I like it that whatever holiday comes up, it is a reminder that I need to think about, reflect, maybe make some changes, and create something better for myself.  I will willing to take your hand while you support me in this...