Prayerful Life

When I die I want the wind blowing into my face and around my head, and through whatever hair may still be growing there. Don’t package me up into a warm bed, in a warm room, to patiently await my expiration date. I want to be in the wilds, smelling the fresh pine, and not my own urine—if I am still able to smell anything at all. I want to feel that fresh breeze, blowing into my face; not pure oxygen from a tube thrust up my nose. Let me gaze out towards the horizon, and not up at the ceiling; out at the sky—streaked with golds and purple—and not up at an old brown water stain from a leak hidden someplace above the tiles. If I must go I want to go under the trees, and not in my bed, soiling my sheets. If you see me gasping and clutching at my chest, but I’m near a pond, on a mountain, or on a beach, leave me be. I’m dying my best death. Don’t ruin it for me with a call to the ambulance, or a trip to a hospital. When it is time to lay me down, into the earth, do not burn me. The time for fire is over; if I am to burn, let me burn while still alive: burning with love and burning with hope. Ignite me now with desire for all that is good, and all that is noble. Dress me in a simple gown, and place me in a plain pine box; and drop me into the earth to await my lord and king. And I don’t want to wear a suit, or a tie; those are fine, for other people’s funerals, but not for my own, thank you. I don’t need fanfare, I don’t expect a visit from dignitaries. Just close my eyelids, and set a little cross upon my breast. When I die, just say a little prayer and let me go. 

~FS

Prayer is the gravity that anchors our being in peace. Prayer calms the thoughts and puts order to our searching. Prayer is our center and our arrow; it aims us at our target—Jesus Christ. I know that many people today don’t understand a need for Christ, they think he is foolishness, uselessness, or even damaging. But this is confusion, if we think Christ is these things we deny our hope, our strength and our source of healing. All good things within our heart and mind derive from a close relationship with Jesus Christ. Prayer guides us into the intimate depths of this most essential relationship. We must spend time in prayer, to know the peace that brings the chaotic confusion of this life to rest. I understand very little about this world but I understand something about prayer. Prayer is the most essential thing. It is the means of transcending sorrow and pain; it is the balm that allows Christ access to our heart in order to heal us. 

~FS

Pain casts us into many roles. It is a clever dramatist. One moment we are smug and disdain it—when it is light—the next moment it can torment us into unrecognizable beasts—when it is at its worst. It has the power to inspire, turning us into saints who run to alleviate the pain of others, and it has also the creativity to debase, transmogrifying us into devils who run to destroy others in order to alleviate the pain within ourselves.

I could be a Hitler. Sure. I could be a Mother Teresa as well. I could also be the drug addict laying on the sidewalk. I could be the parent praying fervently at their child’s hospital bedside, or the parent drowning their children in a bathtub. Pain drives us to many different conclusions. It can make us mad, and it can drive us mad. There are not enough tears in heaven, I think, to soothe all the pain on this earth. There is a hope of a future world without pain, but for now, there is enough pain in one square mile of dirt, to fill an entire universe.

Sometimes we are able to bear pain, by God’s grace, and can extend our hearts to others, helping to bear their pain as well. We enter into their pain, and we share it, and together we are softened and drawn close in bonds of charitable love. We endure, we struggle, we pray, we do whatever we can to lessen the pain of those we love. We are broken by the pain, and are subjected to extremes. The pain we feel in our own heart ignites and burns within us, and we pour ourselves out: in anger, in rampant love, in vengeance, in hope and faith, in desperation. The pain we see in others can make us frantic—though once our efforts to help them appear fruitless—it can turn our heart cold, we let ourselves freeze, to protect ourselves from further pain. We cannot look any longer, we turn the other way. It is sensible, what else can we do? The pain of others, especially those we know and love, will tear us to shreds, it will annihilate us, and break us, seemingly, beyond repair.

Sometimes we prefer narcissism, hedonism, or some other diversion from the pain of this life. At some point it just can be too much to bear; everyone has their limit. How can we fault them? Certainly we can judge them, especially if we aren’t feeling too much pain ourselves at the moment. I can’t fault them. Pain dialed up to a certain intensity is the stimulus for all manner of human failings. I’m grateful I haven’t endured that much pain.

But I’ve certainly had my share of it, and more than I’d like. As we all have, I would suspect. So, how can I judge even those who judge, or those who accuse others? Human judgement of others is just one more human response to pain; to the frustration that life, and human nature, isn’t what we wish it would be. Pain is a vicious cycle; one pain leading to another pain, and that pain feeding the next one. There is an end to pain in the next life (supposing you believe in that), but for now, pain is a very demented dramatist—casting us into roles we’d mainly like to avoid.  

~FS

Are you perplexed? Are you distressed? Have you despair? Might you be harboring anger? Take a deep breath, and let your mind rest. Look up at the sky, at the wide expanse that stretches beyond view; the calming gray of the clouds rolling by, and the vibrant, clear blue. The sky is untroubled by our worries; let it untrouble you. The sun shines brightly upon us—lightly—and the rain falls, giving us life. If someone you love is nearby, give them a hug. If they are far off, pray for them, and draw them near with your heart; and by the movement of your kind thoughts, they may find light where they are. Charity, the love that gives, is never lost, when given away. Pray for your enemies too, and draw them with hope, into your circle of peace. They may not come willingly—but they are free—let them go as they wish, but always pray for them, calling them silently, with charity and hope. In this way, plant a garden within yourself, which will yield a bountiful harvest of simplicity and sweetness; and clear the weeds of hatred or self-righteousness which choke and constrict all that is good within you.

Give free reign to your goodness, but not that goodness which arises from your indignation; and be kind, but not the kindness that foments self-congratulation. Rather, let your goodness and kindness arise from below, nourished from above. Let your goodness grow up out of the soft soil of humility; hand out the fruit of your labors—to your neighbors, and your foes—from your knees, as it were. Looking up, and never down at them, as you share whatever gift it is that you possess to give them. If you are able, allow the soil of your humility to be fed by Divine Wisdom. Trust not in yourself, if you can resist that temptation; and trust not in the claims of this world, if you can resist that temptation. Rather, look only to the Truth that comes from above; seek it with sincerity and innocence. Cultivate faith and hope, for these things allow one to recognize that Truth.

Our world is at war with itself; with every faction fighting every other faction, tearing each other apart. For those with faith in the God of creation, He is our lodestone to guide us through the miasma of this world. We look for something to lean upon in the confusion that is growing and swirling around us, and it is the cross; the stake that is driven into this earth, and upon which all our hope and salvation hangs. Our world offers us many compelling truths, leading in many directions, to many different ends; but only one Truth leads out of this confusion, and into the light of peace, and into The Life that is eternal joy.

Try not to become addicted to bad news, which only manifests outrage and fear. Take deep breaths and long walks in nature. Fellowship with the plants and the animals, and closeness to the rhythms of creation, will help mollify anger and extinguish fear. For this reason, distance yourself from the allure of digital technology—what we are gaining in convenience we are losing in humanity. This technology is a chimera and it is deceitful, it promises us unification, but is delivering division; it is dividing our human family, and it is conquering us. Use it wisely and sparingly—as a tool—but not as a god, or as a nursemaid.

How can we, who can only understand ourselves in the smallest way, hope to understand the complexities of this world? Who of us understands our own emotions and motivations—how then can we understand what is in the heart of other people? For this reason, try to refrain from judgment or accusation; and keep praying for those you disagree with, or who actively hurt you. Pray for everyone who is suffering; which includes everyone on this planet. Try to do no harm; think before speaking, and wait before acting, and try to refrain from adding further injury to the problems that already are bringing such suffering and pain to our human family. Even so, we cannot avoid offenses, since competing truths are vying for supremacy here, and each truth is incompatible with the other.

For those of faith, hold fast to the Truth that is God the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, and defend it with charity, humility and firmness; never desiring offence towards anyone—even though offences will be interpreted and imputed to you by others. For those with a truth other than that found in God—if you are interested and able—begin to pray to God, read the Bible, attend services, befriend other believers, and learn the Truth that leads to ultimate human liberty, peace and eternal life. May God be with all people, and may His peace prevail. Above all, be below all. Make yourself as a little child; we are all little children before the face of God. We think, but we do not know; we act, but we fail. Therefore, forgive all people at all times. Forgiveness is the gateway to the kingdom of peace. Ask forgiveness, and give forgiveness, and may the God of peace gain entry into your heart forevermore.

~FS

Are you perplexed? Are you distressed? Have you despair? Might you be harboring anger? Take a deep breath, and let your mind rest. Look up at the sky, at the wide expanse that stretches beyond view; the calming gray of the clouds rolling by, and the vibrant, clear blue. The sky is untroubled by our worries; let it untrouble you. The sun shines brightly upon us—lightly—and the rain falls, giving us life. If someone you love is nearby, give them a hug. If they are far off, pray for them, and draw them near with your heart; and by the movement of your kind thoughts, they may find light where they are. Charity, the love that gives, is never lost, when given away. Pray for your enemies too, and draw them with hope, into your circle of peace. They may not come willingly—but they are free—let them go as they wish, but always pray for them, calling them silently, with charity and hope. In this way, plant a garden within yourself, which will yield a bountiful harvest of simplicity and sweetness; and clear the weeds of hatred or self-righteousness which choke and constrict all that is good within you.

Give free reign to your goodness, but not that goodness which arises from your indignation; and be kind, but not the kindness that foments self-congratulation. Rather, let your goodness and kindness arise from below, nourished from above. Let your goodness grow up out of the soft soil of humility; hand out the fruit of your labors—to your neighbors, and your foes—from your knees, as it were. Looking up, and never down at them, as you share whatever gift it is that you possess to give them. If you are able, allow the soil of your humility to be fed by Divine Wisdom. Trust not in yourself, if you can resist that temptation; and trust not in the claims of this world, if you can resist that temptation. Rather, look only to the Truth that comes from above; seek it with sincerity and innocence. Cultivate faith and hope, for these things allow one to recognize that Truth.

Our world is at war with itself; with every faction fighting every other faction, tearing each other apart. For those with faith in the God of creation, He is our lodestone to guide us through the miasma of this world. We look for something to lean upon in the confusion that is growing and swirling around us, and it is the cross; the stake that is driven into this earth, and upon which all our hope and salvation hangs. Our world offers us many compelling truths, leading in many directions, to many different ends; but only one Truth leads out of this confusion, and into the light of peace, and into The Life that is eternal joy.

Try not to become addicted to bad news, which only manifests outrage and fear. Take deep breaths and long walks in nature. Fellowship with the plants and the animals, and closeness to the rhythms of creation, will help mollify anger and extinguish fear. For this reason, distance yourself from the allure of digital technology—what we are gaining in convenience we are losing in humanity. This technology is a chimera and it is deceitful, it promises us unification, but is delivering division; it is dividing our human family, and it is conquering us. Use it wisely and sparingly—as a tool—but not as a god, or as a nursemaid.

How can we, who can only understand ourselves in the smallest way, hope to understand the complexities of this world? Who of us understands our own emotions and motivations—how then can we understand what is in the heart of other people? For this reason, try to refrain from judgment or accusation; and keep praying for those you disagree with, or who actively hurt you. Pray for everyone who is suffering; which includes everyone on this planet. Try to do no harm; think before speaking, and wait before acting, and try to refrain from adding further injury to the problems that already are bringing such suffering and pain to our human family. Even so, we cannot avoid offenses, since competing truths are vying for supremacy here, and each truth is incompatible with the other.

For those of faith, hold fast to the Truth that is God the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, and defend it with charity, humility and firmness; never desiring offence towards anyone—even though offences will be interpreted and imputed to you by others. For those with a truth other than that found in God—if you are interested and able—begin to pray to God, read the Bible, attend services, befriend other believers, and learn the Truth that leads to ultimate human liberty, peace and eternal life. May God be with all people, and may His peace prevail. Above all, be below all. Make yourself as a little child; we are all little children before the face of God. We think, but we do not know; we act, but we fail. Therefore, forgive all people at all times. Forgiveness is the gateway to the kingdom of peace. Ask forgiveness, and give forgiveness, and may the God of peace gain entry into your heart forevermore.

~FS

The Natural Wisdom of Children

I often reflect upon the humorous and pithy schoolyard sayings of my childhood. Many of them were brilliant one-liners that could pack a punch in an argument, and yet also could make you laugh. And they were tough comebacks, which gave your assailant little to say in response. In addition, they often rhymed and were also a lot of fun to say. For example, try saying this one: “I’m rubber and you’re glue, what you say bounces off me and sticks to you!”

It provides a funny visual image, of your attacker’s words flying through the air, bouncing off your forehead or belly, or whatever piece of anatomy you choose, and then twirling back and smacking your accuser right between the eyes. But it also expresses a powerful truth about accusations in general; that very often the person who is making the accusation is actually guiltier of what they are saying, than you are. It is a simple child’s statement that reveals the deeper psychological phenomena of ‘projection’, which most of us today have heard of and know a bit about.

Projection is a common human tendency to ascribe to other people the things within ourselves that cause us discomfort or shame. It is a defense mechanism, which people employ to shift the blame they feel, outward, to make themselves feel better, to shift attention away from themselves towards others, in order to find peace and freedom from the uncomfortable feelings they have inside themselves, which they aren’t able to deal with in a healthy way.

Another great saying we often used as kids, which also expresses an understanding of human projection was: “It takes one to know one!”  This little statement could stop bullies in their tracks, back in the day. It immediately put them on the defensive, and I remember the joy I felt as I watched them struggle to come up with their next line of attack, after I threw that little gem at them. Sure, it was a bit childish, but we were children!

In today’s world, accusation, slander, and shaming are rampant, and they are all practiced with dizzying regularity, in order to stop debate and make people stay silent. And of course, to make the ones lobbing the accusations feel better about themselves, in classic projectionist fashion. And these accusations are made with such regularity and such predictability that they are losing all meaning, and are themselves very childish. Take for example a recent accusation by a sitting Prime Minister, that a member of the Canadian Parliament was a Nazi sympathizer, however, she herself is a Jewish woman. So a Jew is accused of being a Nazi. Yes, this is the level of intellect that we have sunk to.  Or another example, which actually happens quite often now: a black person is accused of being a ‘white supremacist’. That actually defies logic, and is laughable; but then, most of these things do, and are, nowadays.  

So what can an intelligent, rational person do to defend themselves against these rampant childish attacks? What can we say in our defense, when they inevitably will call us a ‘racist’! The favorite accusation du jour. It makes no difference to these folks that we have been friends with people of other skin colors since we were kids together on the playground, and we are still friends with them now, and we work together, and we eat together, and we confide in one another, because we love one another. Nevertheless, we are still ‘racists’!—if we don’t say what our accusers want us to say, or do what they want us to do.

First, we must remember that they are most likely projecting their own racism upon us. They are the actual racists, and not us. Keeping that always in mind, the next thing to do is to pull out a time-tested, tried and true response. It will be difficult at first to use it, because we are nice people, and we don’t want to hurt anyone, but it is necessary. These crazy, immature accusations must be stopped! We must fight fire with fire! So, the next time somebody calls you a racist, this is your response: “I know you are, but what am I?!”

~FS