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Making Sense of Interesting Times

11/10/2016

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Interesting Times
The recent presidential election gave new meaning to the old Chinese proverb "May you live in interesting times." How do we make sense of it all?

I have been reading a book by William McLoughlin which has contributed some insight. His proposition is that throughout American history, times of extreme cultural disorientation were precursors to momentous spiritual awakenings. There have been five of these since the coming of Europeans to the North American continent. The first was in the 1600s when the Puritans rebelled against the political and religious establishment in England. It resulted in the Puritans coming to the New World to establish a "city on a hill." The foundations for religious liberty and self-determination in our nation were established during that first awakening.

The last awakening was about 50 years ago, during the 60s. Many of us remember what a time of turmoil that was, with violence in the streets and on campuses as new ideas clashed with traditional structures. But the results included strides forward in civil rights, women's rights and cultural norms regarding personal liberty.

An Apt Description
Here is a quote from McLoughlin's book, which references the work of Anthony F. C. Wallace, a cultural anthropologist. Wallace wrote in the 1950s, but his description could well have been written this week:

"A great awakening occurs, Wallace says, when a society finds that its day-to-day behavior has deviated so far from the accepted (traditional) norms that neither individuals nor large groups can honestly (consistently) sustain the common set of religious understandings by which they believe (have been taught) they should act. When parents can no longer adequately guide their own lives or their children's, when schools and churches provide conflicting ethical guidelines for economic and political behavior, and when courts impose sanctions upon acts commonly recognized as necessary (or accepted) deviations from old rules, then a period of profound cultural disorientation results. Then leaders lose their authority and institutions the respect essential for their effective operation. Then men begin to doubt their sense and their sanity and to search about for new gods, new ways to perceive and comprehend the power that guides the universe." (Revivals, Awakenings, and Reform, p. 12).   
What This Means for Us
If Wallace and McLoughlin are on to something, then our country could well be on the cusp of the next great awakening. We need not be victims of interesting times; we can help shape the future. McLoughlin's work calls for leaders who can articulate a new vision to restore confidence while creating institutions that are better suited for a new reality. A fresh understanding of God follows each awakening, unleashing the spiritual resources we need to reclaim our identity as God's beloved children.

 Reflection Questions
Think back on a time when you experienced a personal disorientation that tested your faith. What was that experience like? How long did it last?

What was the outcome of your experience? What changes in your beliefs and lifestyle emerged? What aspects of  that experience remain unresolved? 

What meaning do you make of our current "interesting times?" What do you hope comes from this period of turmoil and confusion?

What commitments are you willing to make to be a part of the next great spiritual awakening? Where do you see the Spirit of Love at work? How can you become a part of that movement?



Copyright © 2016 It Starts here, All rights reserved.
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God's Great Knitting Project

8/31/2016

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The Knitting of a Human Soul
The Psalmist describes the creation of a human soul with the imagery of "knitting":


For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:13-14, ESV)


While it is possible, we know, to knit a one-color scarf, the more interesting knitting patterns call for multiple colors. I like to think of the knitting that produces a unique human being as having two strands:

- the inward strand of our personality - what is uniquely ours
- the outward strand of our environment - the context that has shaped us


 
 
The Inward Strand of Calling 
One of the greatest joys of my life has been to gaze upon the souls of fearfully and wonderfully made human souls. Whenever my clients and friends have dared to reveal to me their innermost being, my response is the same as the Psalmist -- "Wonderful are God's works."

This first strand of personality and giftedness is the foundation of our calling to serve humankind. We serve out of who we are.  


 
 
The Outward Strand of Calling 
The second strand of our calling is our external environment - the places we have found ourselves and what has happened there. Our experiences contribute to our understanding of our calling. As a psychologist once shared, "Experience shapes Psychology." Some of our life experiences are life-giving, supporting our confidence. Other experiences wound and leave scars.

We do not live out our divine calling in a vacuum; we lift up our eyes and look out at the world around us. We open our ears to hear what is calling out to us to be done.


Only when the inward strand of who we are is knit with the outward strand of where we are will the full vision of our calling be made clear.


 
 
Reflection Questions
Reflect on these words by Frederick Beuchner: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” What is your deep gladness? Which of the world's deep hungers most moves you to action?

What is your most apparent gift? What are your strengths? What distinguishes you from others?

What have been the three most impactful experiences of your life? How do they shape your sense of mission in the world?






Copyright © 2016 It Starts here, All rights reserved.
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Units of Goodness

7/28/2016

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A Defining Moment 
On a blistering hot windy day in northwestern Oklahoma when I was about twelve, my dad took us kids down to a small red-brick building next to the railroad tracks; the "ice man" crushed a big block of ice and sent us home with a bag filled with the chips. My mother got out a stainless steel pan, mixed together some milk, sugar, vanilla and eggs, turned up the heat and then nursed that sweet soup until it almost but never quite came to a boil. She sterilized a silver canister, poured in the thickened liquid and inserted a steel contraption with two wooden paddles. My dad took the canister out to the garage, put it down into an old wooden bucket with peeling paint and then packed in the ice chips. The final step in this carefully orchestrated summertime ritual was to sprinkle rock salt on top of the ice, push the mechanism with the wooden handle on top of the canister and then top off the whole thing with an old towel. 


My younger brother was first to sit on the towel-covered bucket while my sister, next oldest turned the handle. When her strength gave out (about the same time as his butt got too cold to sit any longer), she took his place on the bucket and I turned the handle. There were five of us children, and each took a turn sitting on the bucket to hold it down while the next oldest sibling worked the handle. Finally, when the turning got too hard for us, dad sat on the bucket himself and cranked that handle until it proved too much for even his strong arms.

With much pomp and circumstance, he removed the towel, released the handle, carefully scraped away the brackish ice and opened the lid to that canister.
We each scooped out a bowl of homemade ice cream for ourselves and gathered in the backyard to enjoy it. By this time, the departing sun had left the sky bright red and orange, and the hot wind had turned to a cool breeze. In that moment when I gulped down a big mouthful of sweetness, I had a religious experience. I knew that there was something good in life. That no matter what troubles or disasters or failures might come my way, the essence of life is good. And that goodness I called God.


 
 
Tasting Goodness
My favorite word for God is "goodness." The Psalmist wrote so long ago, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8 ESV) Life has handed out a plentiful share of traumatic experiences that have battered my poor tired soul and rendered me helpless. But I cannot doubt the goodness of life. When I count my blessings, those precious units of goodness, the painful memories yield in recognition of the greater power of goodness.  

 
 
Reflection Questions
What are some defining moments in your own life story? How have these experiences shaped your understanding of life? of God?

What are your favorite names for God?

Who are some of the people who have shared "units of goodness" with you? What are some ways you can share "units of goodness" with others?



Copyright © 2016 It Starts here, All rights reserved.
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Being Alive

6/27/2016

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I know I can walk through the world,
along the shore or under the trees,
with my mind filled with things
of little importance, in full
self-attendance. A condition I can't really
call being alive.


- from "I Happened to Be Standing" by Mary Oliver, 2012
 
 
A Three-Step Mantra
Spiritual director Bernard Tickerhoof begins his presentations by asking participants to repeat the following mantra:
"At this moment...I am alive."
"At this moment...I am the beneficiary of a tremendous gift."
"At this moment...I am given the opportunity of responding to an overwhelming outpouring of love."

Tickerhoof calls this three-step mantra an example of primal spirituality. By primal, he means the place where everything begins. (Presence Magazine, June 2016)

 
What Does It Mean to Be Truly Alive?
When I reflect upon Oliver's poetry and Tickerhoof's three-step mantra, I am aware of how little I know how to define what it means to be truly alive. I know that I feel more fully alive when I am engaged with people who are different from me, who challenge my assumptions and values. I know that when I am plugged in to nature, I am more grateful to be alive. And I know when I am overwhelmed by circumstances far beyond my capacity to figure out, those moments of absolute panic leave me feeling in some strange way, refreshed and recharged by something I would call Life.

And when I hear Bernadette Peters sing "Being Alive," I remember that our purpose here on this earth is to help each other become more fully alive.  

 Reflection Questions
If you were to create a three-step mantra that expresses where everything begins for you, what would it say?

Consider times in your life when you have felt truly alive. What do those moments teach you about what Life is all about?

What can you do in the next 48 hours to demonstrate your intention to be more fully alive?

Copyright © 2016 It Starts here, All rights reserved.





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Fret, Laugh & Plan - the Essence of Community

3/10/2016

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The Power of Community
Prevention, a publication for those of us trying to improve our health habits, recently posted an article about people who struggle with food addictions. Those who work a program called FA find various ways to keep their eating under control, including disciplined planning and precise measurement. But the key to recovery from a food addiction, those interviewed for the article asserted, is the help they find from others on the same journey: "It's that sense of community, the daily clutch of humans joining together to fret and laugh and plan their way through the daily struggle, that really sets them free." (February 2016 issue, p. 143) 
 
Fret, Laugh and Plan
What a wonderful image of community these food warriors have expressed. Fretting, laughing and planning together are activities that all of us can experience in our community of choice. Once we make an active decision not to go it alone, we engage in communal worry rather than the debilitating isolation of individual anguish. Sharing communal amusement in the midst of our foibles and failures is a better pathway to joy than a private joke. And there is nothing like a good planning session to bring out the best and worst of us -- along with a camaraderie that transcends the momentary conflict.   
 
Reflection Questions

What communities are you a part of? What is your definition of community?

How can you add forums within your communities of choice that provide opportunities to fret, laugh and plan together?

What are the things that you do communally with your "besties" that have made a difference in your ability to cope and thrive?  



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Learning to See

2/17/2016

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Observation Mode
Since I have become a mother, I often spend entire days in observation mode. On Monday, I took my daughter to an art lesson. I never touched the paintbrush; I sat in a chair behind her as she painted. That afternoon, I drove her to the stables for a horseback riding lesson. I rested my elbows on the fence and watched her try out new postures and moves. I am no longer the participant in the action; I am the observer. 

 
 
Learning to See
During the art lesson, I saw that my daughter would have loved to have painted wildly on the canvas, for the contours of the tree to have taken shape as if by magic. I knew it was not easy for her to patiently follow the steps prescribed by her instructor. I also saw the pride in her eyes when the painting was done; she had done it!

At the stables, I could see 
how badly she wanted to ride like the wind. But the instructor kept her tethered to the lunge line, methodically teaching the basics. When the teacher finally invited her to accelerate to a trot, she caught the rhythm and received her teacher's excited approval.

I wonder whether my child can see the relationship between the tedious practice and the thrill of mastery. How I can help her make the connection?

You can learn a lot by watching.


 
 
Reflection Questions
What did you see today? What did you learn from those observations? 

How often are you able to take time to reflect upon what you have seen? And to translate your reflections into wisdom?

What would you love to be able to see more clearly?

 


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Starting Over

1/14/2016

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Two Week Check-Up
Time to check in. We are now 14 days into 2016. How are you doing?

By now some of us have lost our momentum in pursuing our new year's resolutions. We may be feeling some disappointment or resignation. Some of us may be feeling confident because we have now made it two whole weeks -- and still going strong. Others of us have decided -- no resolutions this year, yet still hope that we'll be able to make some needed changes in our lives.

As for me, I'm sitting here thinking that I need to re-evaluate the resolutions I made. They are starting to look a little shallow.
 

  
Deeper Dive
The reason I'm re-thinking my resolutions is because I just read an article by Bruce Modahl that paraphrased a saying from Martin Luther in this way:
"No matter what we say, our god is whatever or whoever we fear the most, and whatever or whoever we trust to relieve that fear."

So now I'm just wondering whether once again this year, I chose my resolutions based on what I wanted to see happen differently in my behavior and attitude, and failed to consider how to tap into the part of me that is driving those behaviors and attitudes. Who or what is my god?
What would a new year's resolution look like if it was directed at giving less power to the lesser gods who rule my life? How can I get reconnected to the God of Love who seeks to relieve my fears in the deepest part of my heart?  
 

  
Reflection Questions
What are some things you fear? How do these fears impact your behavior? your relationships?

What are some ways you compensate for your fears? Or mask them? How well is that working for you?

How are some ways you trust in Love to relieve your fears? How can you do even more of that in 2016?





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Waiting on the Big Arrival

12/22/2015

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Waiting
Waiting on something, whether it be at the checkout line at the grocery store or the arrival of the kingdom of God -- well, let's just say -- patience is not one of my strengths.

Have you ever noticed how many stories in the Bible are about situations in which God shows up late? The prophet Samuel showed up late for Saul's anointing as king and then complained because Saul started the proceedings without him. When Mary and Martha called for Jesus to come heal their brother Lazarus, Jesus piddled around for a couple of days. By the time he finally arrived, Lazarus was already dead.

Sometimes God does not act on our timetable, our schedule.   
  
Who Are We Waiting On? I love the title of Alice Walker's book, We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For. It reminds me of the times when I have thought God was late, letting me down -- but in fact, I was not quite ready for the big arrival yet. It takes time for God to get our hearts ready to receive the kingdom. 
  
Reflection QuestionsWhat are you waiting for? What do you want for yourself, your loved ones or your world that has been late in arriving?

What can you do to prepare yourself for the arrival of the Lord? Where are you still fearful? What is God doing in your life that is still not quite finished?

During this Advent season, how can you demonstrate complete trust that your miracle is on its way? And that you are being nurtured by God to be ready for the big arrival - all in due time.

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The Big Lie

11/11/2015

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Why Can' t We Change?
Have you ever set an intention to change something about yourself -- lose weight, stop procrastinating, create more balance in your life -- and voila! Just like that, your behaviors changed and you reached your goal. You created a plan, worked the plan and saw the result you wanted.

How about the times when you were equally committed to change, but your good intentions petered out after a few days and you were back to your old habits?

According to Robert Kegan in his latest  book Immunity to Change, the difference between these two scenarios can be explained by a Hidden Assumption. In the first case, there is no hidden assumption blocking the behavior change. In the latter, there is some story you are telling yourself, some belief that you have, that overrules your good intention. The power of the hidden assumption blocks the power of your will to overcome.  
  
The Big LieI like to call these hidden assumptions the Big Lies. For most of the time, those hidden assumptions that block our growth are simply not true, or at least not the whole truth. For instance:
  • If I am too vocal about my needs, others will reject me
  • If I stand up for what I believe, I will be perceived as a goody two shoes
  • If I do what I am called to do, I will be unable to support myself and my family
  • Nobody else can lead that project as well as I can
  • My feelings don't matter
  • If I show my vulnerability, others will take advantage of me
  • If I am too successful, I will lose my spiritual grounding
  • I am not worthy of love

So What Do We Do?

If we want to get "unstuck", we must change our focus from working on our goal to uncovering our Big Lies. Only when we identify what belief is blocking our progress and begin to replace that Lie with the Truth can we liberate ourselves and continue our journey towards wholeness.
 
Reflection Questions
  • Consider a time when you failed to achieve a goal related to your personal, professional or spiritual growth.
  • What Big Lies got in your way?
  • What is the truth about you? How can you integrate these truths more fully into your daily life? 


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Strengthening the Core

10/5/2015

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A Tiny Stretch; a Big Impact

As part of my post-surgical recovery process, I've been going to physical therapy twice a week. After lying flat on my back for so long in the hospital, my muscles had atrophied. I tried to get back into shape on my own, working out at the YMCA, but to no avail. My neck, knee and hips just refused to cooperate. 

The therapist did an assessment of my condition and then prescribed a few exercises for me to do every day. One of those exercises was a simple neck stretch. I was supposed to lie on my back and nod my head gently, feeling a slight pull at the back of my throat. 10 times, twice a day. I was skeptical that such a tiny stretch could possibly do any good. But within just a few days, the stiffness in my neck had disappeared.  

I reported my progress to the therapist on my next visit. I also asked her for more exercises. I had improved so much in such a short time, I wanted more of it. "I need a new challenge," I said.  The therapist explained that the work we were doing was not like other exercising. It was not about setting a goal to achieve. She explained that what we were doing was designed to "strengthen the core." For the neck stretch, the purpose was to simply "be aware" of that muscle at the base of my neck which had lost its strength.   
  
Strengthening Our Core

The therapist's comments led me to think about the impact of very small "stretches," not only for our physical bodies, but also for our spirits. I asked myself, "What is the tiny stretch I need to do in my spiritual life that will strengthen my core? What do I need to practice being aware of?"

My first thought was "Self-Compassion." As author Paul Gilbert reminds us, it is very difficult to be compassionate with others when we are not compassionate with ourselves.

Reflection Questions

What is a tiny stretch you could make to strengthen your emotional or spiritual core?
What is a spiritual muscle you have that you need to become more aware of?
What life crisis did you experience that resulted in "forgetting" about that spiritual muscle? Envision that muscle moving from a state of atrophy back to full strength and vitality.
 


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    Margaret Morgan Maat
    Margaret Morgan Maat is a minister, coach, organizational effectiveness consultant, musician and motivational speaker. She lives in Houston, Texas. 

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Margaret Morgan Maat | 281-913-3328 | Houston, Texas

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