I am a Messenger

Be it as an individual or a Minister we often feel in this fast paced society, that we were born, we grow up and then get tossed into a race. It’s like we’ve dropped ourselves on a great speeding conveyor belt that whisks us away to go around and around, our consciousness whirling faster and faster into confusion. It becomes easy to forget why we came and what our job is, much less anymore. Our ambitions, education and living sometimes become a blur of existence and only the most balanced and left standing.

This being the case it’s no wonder we search for ways to get off the treadmill. It’s no wonder so many of us give up, jump off and turn our backs on what we could have done or been. This is true in almost every walk of life and certainly in the Ministry. I know of preachers who are so blocked by the banging around they get in life that they consider and in a couple cases have, walked away. And who can blame them? The longer we allow ourselves to be “processed” in this way the more isolated from people and ourselves we become. And what of the people relying on us? Who by the way are riding the tape with us whether we remember that or not. Our families, friends, congregations and others even the sick and dying will feel the lack. And in many cases even feel it’s them, that it is actually their fault. And you know what? We are often more then happy to agree with them.

All of us go through this yes, but you might be asking “What does this have to do with the price of rice in China?” :o)

What if we could simplify ourselves? What if we could not only get off the treadmill but do so without loosing ourselves, without loosing time and without loosing our focus? Wow, how great would that be? I am presently in the middle of such an experiment. And that is what I am sharing with you here.

It occurred to me through my work in the seminary and my life that I was truly missing the obvious. I realized my work wasn’t about what I was doing. It is about what I am sharing. In the chaplaincy program we have studied many things and most recently grief. The instructor is great and there is a lot on what to do and how to be there for someone else. The course lesson helps us talk with people about the painful subjects of loss and confusion. Yet when I was in these situations there was something else. Messages. There was always a message I had passed on to them.

So often we see this as “the job” and rightly so we have a job with unusual benefits and expectations. We are capable of extraordinary things. Not because we’re superhuman but because we re super focused. However, what are we focused on?

Be it an individual or a Minister we come here to this lovely, wonderful, most exciting Earth for purpose. With each and every person we come into contact with we actually come into contact with a message as well. God works through us and we need to open ourselves to allow the message to come out.

So sure, that s great but exactly how do we do that? Well I’ll tell you what’s been happening in my experiment. First I pray and intercessory type prayer, a basic “help me be open so that the message comes through loud and clear.” I myself am a woman of private prayer and in my intentions I can get quite flowery when I pray. But it isn’t important how you pray. What’s important is that you pose your prayer with this purpose.

Throughout the day with each and every person, your children, spouse, partner, strangers, congregations or groups ask yourself consciously “What message do I have for you?” Remember this may be asked to yourself but it must be consciously and for each person or group.

Now, here is the kicker. I am not attached to the answer. Just by switching my focus to that question I have found that the messages come. By taking that second to stop and ask my mind stops there and I no longer am on the treadmill. Believe it or not by attempting, yes simply making the attempt at this one small thing, I have begun to transform my thinking, my practice and even my life.

Sometimes the message is small “my 3 year old needs this.” Sometimes it is profound and instructive to the person. And sometimes I find that the message is for me through the person that I am dealing and talking with. I am only beginning to see just how far this can take us.

We are all of us messengers. I put it to you to give this a try in your practice as a person, as a Minister. When dealing with grief we often wonder what will I say? What can I do? How can I help them? When meeting with them or during your prayer ask yourself What message do I have for them? You will find that the words and direction for the people are there. You will find that your heart opens wider. And you will find peace while you watch the treadmill. You are a messenger.
I would be honored to hear about your experiences with this. Enjoy! Rev. Anna

Something a bit different

For this post instead of giving my observations I would like to share and direct you to another person on the path. I feel that Chaplain Clare G. Weakley, Jr really has some great things to share with you. I was particularly drawn to his writings on ordination and the Lord's prayer. His site is most definitely worth the read. Have fun and God bless you. Rev. Anna

http://www.chaplain-101.org/

"You are needed, be there. That's all you need do"

www.ohmygoshco.org/revampohl.html

If nothing else it’s an interesting story.

I was told by one of my instructors once that “You put in a lot of thought into a small action...but it is often our behavior in small actions that speak volumes…”

And of course it made me think. (What can I say it’s what I do :o)

I remember years ago I was walking back to my car after finishing a show. I’ve been a performing artist my entire life before becoming a Minister and am quite a sight as “Skipper the Clown”. I ran into a man that day who seemed “homeless” who looked at me sideways. No surprise there as this clown smiled and walked by. But as I did so something hit me inside.

The man walked up to me and said “Do you have any change? I needed to buy some sugar at the store over there and didn’t have enough money. I just want some sugar for,” he paused “for my coffee I want to get?” I looked at him, still smiling tenderly because I knew there was something fishy about that and said. “No I don’t have any change but have a nice day” Do you need anything else, can I give you a ride? He declined looking a bit down but alright. And I shook his hand smiling like the clown I am and moved on.

As I walked away down the sidewalk I suddenly stopped in my tracks. Something hit me inside. I thought for a second and turned around to look. He was still there and I smiled one more time at him.

After getting back to my car I was compelled to drive to that store. I went in and I bought some sugar. I then went back and found that man. I walked up to him as he looked down not so sure he wanted to see me. I said “Hello again I found some change and bought you that sugar. And here is the receipt in case you want to take it back and get something else later”. I also found this.” I gave him some extra change. “I hope your day will be a good one”. I smiled again and in my Clown voice said goodbye and he looked at me stunned and not at all sure what to say as his eyes passed from sugar to clown and back again.

I have never really analyzed why I needed to do that since then. However that day I remember thinking “He’s got a choice to make now. He can go and use the sugar for “whatever” it was he was going to do or he can choose to do something else”. “There something really awful about that” I thought. What if he does something stupid? And then a voice came to me saying “That isn’t up to you. You gave him the choice I asked you to give him”. I hoped the best even though I confess a tiny part of me thought the worst and with a smile of knowing I drove away.

I will never know what he did that day. I do know that I paid attention to a little thing. In the end I paid attention to what I was “called” to do, both in the action and the thought. I gave someone a choice and that is no small thing.
How about you out there?
What small perhaps unusual actions have you put forth?
Have you found they made a difference to yourself and / or to others?
Do you know how they affected the other people involved?
Please share.

I’m not sure why I am compelled to put this here today actually. Someone is going to find something in it though. That, I am sure of. :o)

And as I wrote a new friend recently:

You are needed
Be there
That’s all you need do

Be blessed Rev. Anna :o)

What are Acts of Compassion?

Well, I guess this should be an easy one to answer. We all perform acts of kindness. Giving a freezing volunteer something warm to drink. Smiling at those around you. Dropping off warm clothing to someone who hasn t any. Giving food to someone how is hungry. Blah Blah Blah right? :o) The question becomes then what changes these from simple acts of kindness (which I highly recommend by the way) to real acts of compassion?

For me the answer is the intent. We have often been nice, listening to a friend in pain, stopping to help a stranger who has been stranded, but in order for these to acts of compassion one must care. I am not speaking of caring about being a good person or even doing the right thing. Compassion is seeded in the care of others not ourselves or our interests. We may not be being selfish mind you. So being a good person is great and important but that in and of itself is not compassion.

This being the case, acts of compassion are about why we do the act. Let us look at a simple example;

The act of picking up a glove for a person who has dropped one.

There are actually many reasons it would be wonderful to pick the glove up. And just being poite is a good one. However, let us say you notice the person is elderly, uses a walker and has trouble moving. Let us say that they have seen the glove fall and look at it for a moment as they seem to decide whether or not it is worth the effort to retrieve it. You feel a pang in your heart because you feel in those few seconds what it must be like for them with their limitations. Maybe you had a reason to have limitations at one time yourself. And suddenly you are them. You are where they are and feel so much of what they feel. You have entered their very moment. You pick up the glove try to clean it off a bit and hand it to them. You may even make a statement like, I loose mine all the time . This helps salvage their dignity as well. Now this is a very small example. It does however give one the idea.

The act of picking up the glove would have been a nice thing to do no matter what. And there is nothing saying every act has to be full of compassion. But what if we chose each act to be full of compassion. Not pity but real open caring compassion. At these times we can truly share in a persons life, moment and consciousness. We can care differently and so in my opinion be even more effective. Be well and blessings in your practice of compassion. Rev. Anna :o)