Month: May 2016

Adventures, Africa, Home, Inspiration

Out of Africa

Rev Kathy
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Sunset over the Nile River in Uganda

One never comes out of Africa. It is said that once you have been to Africa, you will never come all the way back. I can identify with that statement. Coming back from living in Africa was one of the most difficult times of life for us. It was a magical place to live, filled with wonderfully friendly people, acres of lush banana groves, rolling hills spotted with growing things, verdant tropical rain forests and mountains capped with snow.

On the plains of Africa we saw elegant giraffes, gazelles, zebras, elephants and cape buffalo meandering through swaying grasses that move with the breeze. The hippos splashed in the water only an arms reach from our boat. The Ugandan kob ran gracefully across the vast expanse. The great Rift Valley invited a sense of awe with cliffs several thousand feet high.

It was an experience to remember always. But even more significant than the natural beauty of Africa was the experience that we shared with the people of Uganda. Stripped from all of life’s comforts by the brutal reign of Idi Amin, the people were so eager to move into a better life. We joined them right after Idi Amin was deposed. It was a time of digging water wells, taking seeds, fertilizer and gardening tools into villages, offering blankets, medicines, protein supplements, sewing supplies, books and other educational materials, sports equipment and Bibles. It was a time for grieving their losses, healing, and rebuilding their lives. Sharing that time with them made it seem unfathomable to leave.

But we did, and we returned to America with a huge piece of Africa in our hearts, where it remains after more than thirty-five years. It is really true: once you’ve lived in Africa, you’ll never come all the way back.

Courage, Dreams, God's Faithfulness

Paintings in the Sky

Rev Kathy
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Photograph by Sorina M

Sometimes nature paints the sky with brilliant color to remind us of vibrancy and energy. Often such a painting in the sky comes to us when we’re downcast. It is a gift, a grace gift sent by God to caress and comfort us. It is a thing of extraordinary beauty.

Perhaps it is a message to us to reach again for the sky and dream new dreams. It is a message that says, “Take back your energy. You are strong. You are resilient. You can get through down times.”

Life has taught me that when I fall face down in the dust, I can, and I will, get up again. I will face another day with courage and joy. I will move forward on this journey, and I will proclaim victory over whatever assails me.

I am not afraid. I am not permanently discouraged. I am simply taking the time I need to refresh myself. There are times when all of us are exhausted from acting stronger than we feel. It’s not necessary to pretend. It is healthier to own the place where we are, no matter how painful it might be at the moment.

I often recite this verse from the Bible when I need an extra burst of strength.

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

That scripture, along with occasional paintings in the sky, bring me renewed hope and strength for another day’s journey.

sadness, Sorrow

Stronger than My Sadness

Rev Kathy

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I am stronger than my sadness. Because of that, I don’t dread sadness so much anymore. I just take it in as a part of living. Some days for me are just sad days. Yesterday was one of those days – Mother’s Day – and I spent it without my child or my grandchildren. So I figure it was most appropriate to feel sad.

I have learned, though, that sadness passes and brighter days are just around the next bend. That reality keeps me going and reminds me that I can take whatever comes in this thing we call life. Life brings all sorts of emotions, happiness, joy, pride, elation, peace, excitement, and yes, sadness too.

I love the poetry of Khalil Gibran who wrote “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”

 

And when I am sorrowful, I always return to Gibran’s writing on joy and sorrow:

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being,the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

And that’s that! I am stronger than my sadness.

Courage, peace

Want to Be Happy? Eleven Things to Let Go Of

Rev Kathy

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Let go of toxic people in your life. They don’t have any positive impact on your soul. They spread negativity all around, and that negativity can do damage inside you.

Let go of regretting past mistakes. You cannot change the past, but you can concentrate on the future. You cannot re-do what is done, but you can learn from past mistakes and make fewer of them going forward.

Let go of the need to be right. It’s not worth the energy it takes to convince others that your viewpoint is the right one. Celebrate the peace that comes when you don’t obsess over being right.

Let go of feeling sorry for yourself. You won’t gain a thing by lamenting. Others weary of hearing your self-deprecating rants.

Let go of negative self talk. It never helps you have a positive outlook on yourself. It focuses on every little thing that might be wrong in you. It never changes you for the better.

Let go of the need to impress others. You usually can’t impress anyone anyway. Trying only wears you out and makes you bitter when no one seems impressed with you.

Let go of beliefs that limit you. Let the sky be your limit. Dream new dreams. Believe that you are worthy of happiness.

Let go of the need to please everyone. It just never happens. Some people can never be pleased. What you do is never enough for some people. Work to please the people that add joy to your life.

Let that fight go, or at least be sure that what you’re fighting for is worth the battle. Sometimes it is better to have peace than to be embroiled in continuous, unproductive warfare. Most of the time there is no clear winner

Let go of complaining. It covers you up with negative energy and doesn’t accomplish a thing. Plus, no one wants to hear it!

Let go of worrying about the future. You can’t control it. You can’t predict it. Worrying won’t affect it one way or the other. Instead, you can embrace the future with optimism and joyfulness.

Politics

Where Freedom Lives

Rev Kathy

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What a time for those of us who are interested in politics! It isn’t just about amber waves of grain and purple mountain majesties. Not this time!

It isn’t that we are so focused so much on a specific outcome, victory for a particular party. It is more that we are interested in the candidates, marking every move, every speech, watching for signs that reveal their true character. We look for sincerity in public service. We look for compassion in serving the people. We look for knowledge and wisdom. We look for maturity and experience. We look for the man or woman who has at heart the best interest of our country.

Often what we find is rancor, insults, divisiveness, even hate speech. We find self-serving individuals who lust for the power of elected office. We find persons devoid of high standards and ethical views. We find ordinary candidates who seldom rise above themselves to reach greatness.

It is fair to say, I think, that most Americans long for a president that sincerely desires to serve the people, and who will do so with integrity. As for me, I am appalled, concerned and disappointed to hear so much language of hate and exclusion. I am disappointed to observe a land divided and fractured. And I am most disappointed when certain presidential candidates cause divisiveness to have its way in America.

It is so important that we sincerely care about what goes on around us. It is important that we do not turn a blind eye to the rhetoric that holds the power to destroy us. It is important that we are engaged citizens, working, speaking out and praying for what is best for our country.

“Remember, it didn’t start with gas chambers. It started with politicians dividing the people with ‘us vs. them.’ It started with intolerance and hate speech and when people stopped caring, became desensitized, and turned a blind eye.” ~ Andi Shenker Saidowitz

With eyes wide open, with a heart that cares deeply for our right to freedom, with hands at work to help preserve all that is good about America, we move forward with hope and with faith in our forever destiny. We move forward in love for the country that nurtures us. We long for the place where freedom lives and where we live in the light of freedom. We labor to preserve it in all the ways we are able. That is how we cling to our legacy.

“When an American says that she loves her country, she means not only that she loves the New England hills, the prairies glistening in the sun, the wide and rising plains, the great mountains, and the sea. She means that she loves an inner air, an inner light in which freedom lives and in which a person can draw the breath of self-respect.” ~ Adlai Stevenson (paraphrased)

Life storms, Risk

Keep On Keeping On

Rev Kathy

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Life has often been a stormy way for me. The good news is that I have survived many of the storms in my life. And the poet asks us the question: “Who is happier? The person who has braved the storm and lived to tell it or the person who stayed securely on the shore and merely existed?”

I’m glad I braved the storms. I’m glad I took the risks. I’m even glad I endured some losses. I suffered. I wept. I was often angry. I made many more messes than I could possibly clean up. Whatever corner I backed myself into was worth it. The battles I fought were worth fighting. The friends I lost were not really friends in the first place. To be sure, I did much more than just exist. I weathered the storms, and I survived to live another day.

Life has taught me to move on, to get beyond hurts and bad feelings, to reach out again and again for happiness, in spite of the risks. I have learned to keep on keeping on, no matter what. I love the words of Steve Maraboli:

“Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.”

Spirituality or Religion?

On Spirituality

Rev Kathy

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I have been asked many times to explain the difference between religion and spirituality. So today, I will give it a try.

Most of us long for a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and that Longing typically involves a search for meaning in life. We call that longing for connection spirituality, a universal human experience that touches every person. Spirituality asks its own questions about life and identity, such as:

Am I a good person?
What is this feeling I have deep inside myself?
What does it mean to abide with the Divine?
What is the meaning of my suffering?
What is my connection to the world around me?
Do things happen for a reason?
How can I live my life in the best way possible?

Christina Puchalski, MD, Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, says that “spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or the sacred.”

Perhaps the most meaningful explanation of spirituality comes from its root: The word spirituality comes from root words in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that all mean wind, breath, or air—that which gives life.

In my spiritual quest, I look for the breath that restores my life, the fresh wind of the Spirit that carries me on the wings of the morning, the air that allows me to breathe in the world that surrounds me.

 

Spirituality and Religion

While spirituality may incorporate elements of religion, it is generally a broader concept. Religion and spirituality are not the same thing, nor are they entirely distinct from one another. The best way to understand this is to think of two overlapping circles like this:

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Venn Diagram of Religion and Spirituality

– In spirituality, the questions are: where do I personally find meaning, connection, and value?
– In religion, the questions are: what is true and right?
Where the circles overlap is the individual experience, which affects the way you think, feel, and behave.

 

Obviously, spirituality is difficult to define. Words do not seem adequate to describe something that is swirling inside every person. It’s a soul thing, and everyone has a unique soul. But, as always, the words of Bishop Steven Charleston offer us the most eloquent description.

I have been thinking about the cycle of spirituality. It is very much like the rain cycle. First we rise up into the clouds, seeking out inspiration, and then we return to earth, entering into the ground of reality to bring forth new life. Spirituality only works when that cycle continues. Too much time in the clouds and we disconnect. We fail to nourish our own world. Too much time on the ground and we wither. We miss finding renewal. Spirituality is a process, a balance, a constant movement between the high winds of wonder and the organic struggle for the birth of hope.

Hope, Sorrow

Gentle Hands

Rev Kathy

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Sadness and sorrow . . . frequent companions. There is no escape from times of sadness in this life. We feel like victims of sad times that are difficult to navigate. Sorrow assails us at times, unrelenting in its sway over us. Yet, we do not have to let sorrow have its way. We have the resilience to overcome our days of sadness. Most importantly, we have a God who is always with us as we suffer. I have pondered this quote and allowed the words to penetrate my spirit.

We are not alone in our sadness or our sorrow. There is a quiet spirit that shares our deep emotion, aware of our feelings, our hopes too fragile to even acknowledge for fear they will disappear like smoke, our longings held tightly in the silence of our worry. We are not alone, for a presence stands beside us, there, if only we will trust it, reaching out in whispers eloquent of a love that will never leave us, no matter how hard the path ahead. We are not alone, and never will be, for the one who gave us life holds that life, in hands as gentle as they are strong. – Steven Charleston

I am content to rest in those strong, gentle hands, knowing I am not alone, knowing that God’s love will never leave me. When I am in the silence of my worry, I am confident of the hands that hold me close. Thanks be to God.

Child protection

Failure to Protect

Rev Kathy

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Looking back on various dates leads to nostalgia at best, horrific memories at worst. Almost exactly 53 years ago yesterday – on May 2 in 1963 – the Children’s Crusade began in Birmingham, Ala. as thousands of school aged children marched to protest segregation and were met with hoses, attacked by police dogs, and jailed.

It’s a scene we can hardly imagine today, and yet there are so many ways even in 2016 that we fail to protect our children. There should be no child in America going to bed hungry. No child in this country should have to sleep in alcoves on city streets. Children should not be victims of trafficking. Children should not have access to weapons and drugs. Children should not be used as pawns between warring parents. Children should not be victims of court-ordered abuse. Children should not be continually surrounded by violence. Children should not be incarcerated, rather they should be offered restorative justice. Children should not be physically, emotionally, spiritually, educationally or sexually abused.

Children should live in loving, nurturing families. They should attend clean, safe schools where they can get a quality education. They should have health care and mental health services.
They should be a part of caring, protective communities.

Shame on us if we fail to protect every child.
If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. NRSV

 

Courage, Inspiration

Life Lessons

Rev Kathy

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Often we learn life lessons from unusual places. These are some of my favorite life lessons gleaned from a most unlikely source. Enjoy a dozen life lessons from Dr. Seuss.

  1. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
  2. You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes.
    You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
  3. So be sure when you step, step with care and great tact. And remember that life is a great balancing act. 
  4. Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!
  5. If you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you will learn. Go, the most wonderful stuff.
  6. Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.
  7. If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew, just go right along and you’ll start happening too.
  8. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.
  9. It is better to know how to learn than to know.
  10. Don’t give up. I believe in you all. A person’s a person no matter how small.
  11. Today you are you. That is truer than true.There is no one alive who is youer than you.
  12. Today is gone. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.

 

Contemplation

No Words

Rev Kathy

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Today, I have no words, at least none that seem meaningful. I have learned not to struggle with my writing, but instead to let it be what it is. Today it is nothingness. Expressions won’t come to me. Phrases are forced. So it is time to simply be quiet, to let my spirit speak to me, and to refrain from doing all the talking. So I’ll cross the bridge ahead quietly, silently, embracing the peaceful quiet of the morning sky and the dark ripples of the river that flows below.

I think our deepest love finds its voice when we have run out of words to express it. There is no language that can capture what a lifetime has brought to be, the private journey of a single soul through the twists and turns of time. We are the sum of what we feel when feeling defies reason and runs to places no logic has ever seen. As careful as we are to wear our masks among the crowd, alone we know the untamed extravagance of a spirit that wants to care more than to control. So let us, each one, in silence share our truth, seeing in one another’s eyes the mirror of our own silent story.

Bishop Steven Charleston