Positive Views of PEACE

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Sunday, April 3, 2016

Positive Views of PEACE

Again, I am featuring students at St. Viator’s High School in Arlington Heights. I visited the school some days ago, in the lunch room. Anyone was free to come up to the table I had set up on one side of the large room to make a sign with their definition of PEACE.

This was a wonderful chance to talk with young people and get their viewpoints on PEACE.

Kevin’s personal definition: “Peace is living in the moment without worrying about past or future.”

Such an insight! I asked Kevin for more information. He responded, “There are so many things in life. It is so easy to get caught up in the past or in the future, what you’ve done, or what you maybe might do in the future. You just have got to enjoy yourself in the NOW.”

Kevin, that is so right. Getting caught up in the past is not beneficial. The past is the past, and there is very little anyone can do about it except change one’s behavior in the present, the NOW. Similarly, it’s not a positive thing to always focus on the future. If we do that, the possibility is that one can be paralyzed and end up doing nothing today. NOW.

Gina’s personal definition: “PEACE is getting along and being happy with others.”

I asked her to explain. She said, “Peace is getting along, which is no fighting! We need to work together for a good cause. That way we all can improve the world and live happily.”

Such a positive definition. No fighting. That can work either on an individual or a group level. Working together helps so many people. Harmony and togetherness break down barriers.

Dear God, such wonderful ideas. Please help us to continue talking about PEACE, to continue working together and focusing on the positive things in life. Thank You, God.

@chaplaineliza

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Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza  And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

Pursue PEACE – Harmony, Wholeness, Hope

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Thursday, February 11, 2016

Pursue PEACE – Harmony, Wholeness, Hope

I have been following some sort of spiritual discipline during each Lenten season for the past number of years. As Lent got nearer and nearer, I had not been particularly moved by any special Scripture reading series or prayer discipline, as in years past. However—I have been intrigued by the idea of PEACE for several weeks.

Peace got lodged in my brain, and would not go away. I thought about it more and more, and finally came up with this idea of the Pursuing PEACE Project.

My name is Elizabeth, and my personal definition of peace is harmony, wholeness and hope.

Harmony – I have a bachelor’s degree in music. I have sung in a number of choirs and singing groups, over the years. Music is important to me! Harmony is something I look for, yearn for. Harmony between people, between groups, among families—something I wish to encourage and promote, as much as I can. Doing my little bit.

Wholeness – comes from the concept of the Hebrew word shalom, which means peace. Yet, it means much more than peace! Shalom can also mean whole or wholeness, completeness or safety. A whole basket of meanings! That is what I want from my definition.

Finally, Hope – expectation, trust or desire. (At least, that’s what Merriam Webster says, in part.) I am a glass-half-full kind of person. I have that expectation. I trust that peace is a possibility. I don’t think this idea is pie in the sky, but a realistic desire.

Even if my part is small, I will be doing something positive, encouraging, and loving in making PEACE a reality. God willing, I am doing what I can to pursue PEACE.

@chaplaineliza

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Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

Loving Someone, Loving my Higher Power

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Sunday, November 15, 2015

Loving Someone, Loving my Higher Power

Today’s reading was even more practical than usual.

When people are caught up in their addiction or compulsion (whatever that is), they are often totally focused on themselves. Their preoccupation with their addiction or compulsion. They often try to fix, manage, or control outcomes. Or, people, places and things.

However, once we are on the recovery road, things radically change. Love becomes a possibility in the life of recovery. When my heart opens up to love God and to love my neighbor as myself, I am living the way God wants me to live.

What is more, when you or I am on the road to recovery, finding God as each of us understand God, miracles can happen. God can come into each person’s life in an extremely personal way. Yes, love is powerful. Yes, my Higher Power loves me, unconditionally. And, recovery from addiction or compulsion is also powerful. With God (or, the Higher Power), there is a solution.

I particularly like the Action for the Day: “I will list three things I love that help me know my Higher Power/God is near me.” [1] That sounds like a worthwhile exercise. Something I can really sink my teeth into.

Dear God, help me to be more loving, to everyone. To anyone who especially needs love, comfort and encouragement, help me offer it freely. And, help me know that You are there, even when it doesn’t seem that way. Lord, in Your mercy, hear my earnest prayers.

@chaplaineliza

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Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] Keep It Simple: Daily Meditations for Twelve-Step Beginnings and Renewal. (Hazelden Meditation Series) (San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1989), November 15 reading.

Have I Stopped Listening, God?

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Monday, November 9, 2015

Have I Stopped Listening, God?

So many people giving advice. Too few people listening to that same advice.

Do you hear me? Have you stopped listening? Is there something in the way of your ears? Or, is it something in the way of my heart?

Some people are just too stubborn to listen. Or, too proud. Or, too busy. Some people are much more selective in their hearing, not choosing to hear good advice. Or prudent suggestions. Am I one of those? Are you?

Let’s take this selective hearing thing one step further, and consider it through the lens of recovery.

Very often, people who are actively drinking or using have selective hearing. They are unable to hear their bosses, their family members, their spouses or parents or children when they say, “Stop drinking, please! Stop using drugs, please! We love you! We care about you!” Even though faced with sensible reasons and love and kindness, that selective hearing thing takes hold. It gets its claws into so, so many people!

But once people get into recovery and the haze of drinking and using starts to disappear, what a change can happen! People open their ears and have the opportunity of listening. Hearing words of caring, compassion, and wisdom at meetings; from their sponsors, and from other people in recovery. Words of experience, strength and hope.

Thank God this is a possibility! Now, I need to ask myself, “Are my ears open to advice and words of wisdom? Have I stopped listening, God?”

Good question. I appreciate Your assistance, God! Thanks for helping me reflect and respond. Thanks, God.

@chaplaineliza

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Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

Day #3 – In the Garden? In Prayer!

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Thursday, February 19, 2015

Day #3 – In the Garden? In Prayer!

As I read today’s suggestion, I remembered something I had been thinking about, a few months ago. Having a community garden at our church.

Let me back up. In today’s reading (in 40acts: Act #3), I read about an empty lot at the end of a road. Formerly a dumping ground, a forlorn piece of useless property, it has been transformed. Cleared out, cleaned up and planted with some fruit trees, this community orchard is now a lovely area! All because some people got together, cared about the property, had a viable plan, and carried it out.

That’s what this 40acts of generosity and kindness is all about! Each day, a generous suggestion is put forward. Today, the suggestion is to 1) clean up an outside area and 2) plant!

Today’s act is, as the Day # 3 post says, being generous to our environment. Helping the world to be a more beautiful place in which to live. What a wonderful thing to do! Just as God gave humanity the world at the beginning—in Genesis—for humans to tend and take care of, so I am urged to be a good steward and clean up, clear out a little area. Even a larger area, and see whether I can make the area more beautiful.

As I mentioned when I began this post, I had been thinking about doing this exact thing: starting a small community garden at our church. We have a good amount of land, and this could be a great thing for the area food pantry! The vegetables grown in the church’s garden could go to support the food pantry.

I’ve seen similar, raised box gardens in my area, with chicken wire around the perimeter of the boxes. (So rabbits and other varmints won’t be as likely to munch on the growing vegetables.) The garden spaces are three feet by six feet, or four feet by eight feet. Sounds like a great possibility! Pray with me, that I can get some interest in the box gardens.

I hope so. I pray so. God, may it be so!

 

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Why not visit my sister blog, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.

(also published at www.matterofprayer.net