A Natural WHAT? You want to be NATURAL… But, NATURAL WHAT?
In today’s sermon, Rev. Steve Hundley at the Madison Valley Presbyterian Church used this as his sermon topic: “The Natural.”
If you’ve followed my blog for awhile, you know I have a habit of taking notes in poetry while listening to the sermon. It helps me listen better, and recall the message later on. I like to share my notes with you. Here are today’s:
The advertisement asked for A new pastor for a tired church, Worn down and worn out. They were left in the lurch.
The Hebrew Church felt
The way this ad describes.
Weak knees and weak hands was
How they were depicted by scribes.
Jesus, the High Priest, is superior, The scribes reminded them. Pay attention to what He said and did. They were given a long list from Him.
Be kind to strangers, remembering You may be entertaining angels. Be kind to one another, because You, too, will someday be strangers.
Be kind and compassionate Until that behavior is natural. When people call you Christ-like, Be sure that remark is factual.
Remember those who are suffering As if you’re suffering, too. Pay attention to those around – They surely need love from you,
Behavior becomes a habit If you practice it enough. So, practice loving behavior Until sharing it ain’t so tough!
Become a NATURAL Christian, One who loves without a second thought. Help us, Lord, to use our lessons daily – Being as Christ-like as we’ve been taught.
If I have the courage to “be myself” while realizing “I am a wonderful person,” then I need to be analytical. WHAT is it that I have been TAUGHT? And are all those lessons the ones I need in order to be a “Natural” at being a “Christian”? What does being a “Natural Christian” mean?
I need to ask myself, “Have you practiced loving behavior enough to be a natural at it? What’s your first response in the face of strangers?”
What do you think, friends, what are you a Natural at?
“In today’s world, despite ample material development, too many lack inner peace. One way to counter anger, jealousy and competitiveness is to cultivate non-violence and compassion towards others.”
When you have a friend who’s down, You may not be able to physically lift them up, But you can bend down to understand And massage their heart and fill their cup.
Giving comfort to others who hurt Seems to lift my spirit as much as theirs. Compassion is directed in as well as out, It’s a two-way street, an up-the-down stairs!
“And you? When will you begin that long journey inward?” – Rumi
I am certain that my friend, Lilie, is on the road to inner peace. Yesterday she quoted the wisdom I copied above from Rumi on her WordPress blog, Tea and Toast with Kindness.
I learn a lot by reading the ruminations of others. This week I especially appreciated the writings of Dr. Perry in his blog,
Dr. Perry, posted a blog titled, It’s OK to Have a Bad Day. It caused me to internalize this inward journey for peace and think about the habits I have worked to develop in order to be my own best friend.
He quoted Emerson, who wrote: ““Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Traveling inward, looking for contentment, I have found that I need to consciously adopt habits that foster inner peace:
Forgiveness
Positivity
Self-Acceptance
Recognition of Limitations
Confrontation of Temptations
Elimination of Blame
Hope in the Face of Despair
Celebration of Where my Hope Lies
Life-long Learning
Prayer
Reflect
In the process of traveling the Road to Inner Peace, it is important to stop every now and then to look back. Consider your progress or regression. Have you every noticed when you’re traveling up a hill that you don’t realize how steep it is until you look back at the incline you have just traversed?
Likewise, when the road is on a decline, you may not realize how drastic the angle until you stop and look back up to the place you began. Reflecting on where you started and seeing how far you have improved or deteriorated can be very helpful.
Dr. Perry, in the post I referenced above says it this way, “After a period of time, reflect on what you have learned and gained from the negative event or interaction in your life. More often than not you will find that you have learned something. Perhaps you will discover an inner strength that you were not aware of or a higher purpose for your existence.”
Find Purpose
In her September 27th, The Godly Chic Diaries posted a WordPress guest writer. She introduced Matik Nicholls by saying, “I’m a firm believer that if you have a pulse, you have a purpose. I say this with my whole heart, Everyone needs a blessing. And if you have the ability to bless others, be a blessing. And when you are a blessing to others, you will find ‘joy unspeakable’ in the process….”
Guest Blogger: Matik Nicholls wrote: “Every gift, ability and blessing we have is for the service of others. We are blessers not blessees! We carry the presence of God wherever we go for a greater purpose than just for us to be happy. It is our privilege and purpose to transfer the blessings of God to others!”
Traveling life’s road, I take joy in the journey. Spreading it’s my goal.
With The Godly Chic’s help, I discovered this new website, and decided to subscribe to it. The author, Matik Amilcar Nicholls, has created an inspirational web blog at http://www.Authenticjoy.org. This handsome, positive-thinking young man resides in the beautiful islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
On his site, he shared, “I am an engineer by training, having graduated from the University of the West Indies with a B.Sc. Computer and Electrical Engineering (with honours). More recently, I completed an M.B.A. with the Heriot-Watt University. I also have a certificate in Applied Theology (class valedictorian) from the Millennium Bible Institute and currently I am pursuing an online programme with the International Coaching Academy to become a Certified Coach.”
Naturally, reading about him, I am inspired to want to learn more. My Road to Inner Peace is made more successful when I can join hands on the journey with people like Matik. People in other parts of the world. People whose life stories are far different from mine, but who share the common purpose of wanting to “Be a Blessing.” I encourage you to let Matik’s JOY infect you as I found it to be quite “catching” indeed!
Like me, spreading joy – and the source of his joy (his FAITH) – is what Matik says he is all about. He wrote, “I love Jesus. I love spending time with Him. I love His mercy that keeps flowing endlessly in my life. I love what He stands for: love, grace, mercy, peace, truth, freedom, humility and transformation. I am committed to these values. I’m committed to doing my part to preach the gospel, heal the sick, feed the poor, comfort the hurting and free the oppressed… I enjoy seeing people walk in the fullness of all that God has for them to be and do.“
I waited 28 years For a card or letter from my #1 grandson. It was a card worth waiting for!!
God bless our post office! In spite of no PO Box number on it, it was delivered.
In addition to the surprise of a postcard from our #1 grandson, we also received a wonderful set of pictures exhibiting his phenomenal photography skills.
Aren’t they the world’s cutest couple?
I appreciated Mike’s photography so much in the few he sent me, that he created an Adobe album for me and sent some of the ones he has taken in Valais, Switzerland where he and Tania were born and raised.
That’s their town of Sierre below – where our daughter, DeAna, lives with her wonderful chef husband, Andre’ and her angelic mother-in-law, Denise, and our #3 grandson, Christian.Higher up the Alps, look down at the road they just traveled!They hiked up to Hotel WeisshornIsn’t that a gorgeous setting?
Mike, you are a treasure!!
Thank you, Mike, for sharing.
That postcard was worth waiting for – That trip to Greece was worth waiting for – That darling Tania was worth waiting for –
They make such an adorable couple, don’t they?
Everything worth having is worth waiting for. Trust in God’s perfect timing! Thank you God for letting me live long enough to see this #1 grandson so happy, and so willing to share his joy!
Thank You, God for answering prayers.
Have a beautiful day, my friends. I hope your dreams and prayers come true, too. Keep on praying and dreaming! Remember, they are worth waiting for!
Here are a half a dozen suggestions that work for me:
1. I Pray –
My faith in the Lord, knowing the Holy Spirit always is with me, is my first line of defense. I simply ask for His Peace to overcome the distress that is causing my stress. Usually that works if I just sit quietly long enough… and smile as I wait for His peace and confidence to flow through me. I know He is in charge – and He has my best interests at heart.
2. Take a walk or a ride
Go into nature and while I’m out and about, notice the beauty. Let the peacefulness of nature wash over me.
3. Reach out to friends.
Share my concerns with others and solicit their help. In the process, look for ways I can help them. Nothing makes me feel happier than being able to help another. My own stresses dissolve in the process.
4. Count my blessings.
Take my mind off the area that’s causing stress and remember all the areas of goodness & success in my life. Rejuvenate the “I can do this” spirit in me.
5. Put on some crazy music 🎶
… and let the theory of Music Therapy (the ISO Principle) wash over me as I gradually change crazy to rhythmic to slower, peaceful music. Watch … wait, and feel my mood change with the mood of the 🎵 music 🎼
6. Color!
Let the act of changing black and white to joyful color succeed in changing my stressful mindset to one of colorful positivity instead.
Which of those half a dozen ideas might work best for you?
