Good Evening Dear Family of God!
Happy Take Care Tuesday! I'm sure that you did. If you did not, please do that is part of caring for God's temple of the Holy Spirit that God loaned to you. This thing we call a body is only the jewel box for the soul. What it looks like on the outside and how it functions is of little import because the soul after all is what drives the body and gives life to the lungs. We all must treat our bodies with respect. Sometimes our bodies, minds, and spirits do not match and that is how we find ourselves being at odds with ourselves. No matter how we try to convince ourselves and others trying to convince us otherwise we can't put a round peg into a square or triangular hole. Yes friends, I'm talking about accepting ourselves as who we really are the authentically beautiful children of God. Sometimes wires get crossed before we were born and we find ourselves needing to make adjustments either with medicine, education, surgery, and therapy. Do these actions repel you? I hope not ! As a special needs kid you'd have to imagine how terrifying it was to find out that I wasn't "Normal" and had to be shipped off to another school in town for Special Education. My parents grieved the loss of the Sara they thought was normal and had for awhile had to hide the fact that I wasn't. I think many people may feel the same way about our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community and all communities where there are perceived differences either politically, faith wise, socio-economically, resident and immigrant status, race, and whatever else divides by lack of understanding, bigotry, hatred and an unwillingness to engage in a healthy dialogue to get to know and love our enemies and those who differ from us. Before we take aim at our family members who are different I would like us to ask ourselves these questions?
How would you like to be called names? Think of the multitudinous list bad names that hurt a person, race, minority group, sexual orientation, gender, and faith group. I was called the following; Faggot, Jap, Mongol, Ugly, Retardo etc.
How would you like to be discriminated against due to many factors?
What if someone physically attacked a family member violently just because they were different and even a different gender or sexual orientation?
Would you be the Good Samaritan and step in to help assist one of our family members who needed help by taking them and getting them medical help or speaking up for them without fear?
Where do you stand on the side of history?
How is your relationship with God and God's children who are your brothers and sisters?
Ask yourself am I my family member's keeper whomever they may be?
What is God calling me to do?
Am I loving towards all of my family members at all times.
Do we accept and love Ourselves, Our souls, and bodies* and all other person's souls and bodies even if they are different and may have to make some adjustments just to be physically, mentally and spiritually healthy?
Take tine to ponder these questions and then take a break and use the bathroom. No, I'm serious I want you to be ready to pray without having to hold it!
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Let there be peace on Earth and Let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on Earth and Let it begin.
Let there be peace on Earth
Let there be peace.
Be Still and Know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Let there be peace on Earth and Let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on Earth and Let it begin.
Let there be peace on Earth
Let there be peace.
Be Still and Know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Let there be peace on Earth and Let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on Earth and Let it begin.
Let there be peace on Earth
Let there be peace.
Be Still and Know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Let there be peace on Earth and Let it begin.
Let there be peace on Earth
Let there be peace.
Be Still and Know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
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God we thank you for making us in your image and likeness. We light our candles tonight to pray and find our way out of the darkness that has infected the planet you gave us to live and be good stewards of. We pray that we may shine your light to our family members who are in need of a hand and heart to help them light the way out of terror, bullying, and abuse. God we pray that as we shine this light to others we may shine a light on the places in this world and in our own country where there is injustice, hate, and inequality. We pray that we may seek raise our voices on behalf of the least of these who need a place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear, and family members to love and care for them. We pray that we may follow the good examples of Jesus, The Good Samaritan, The Woman with the Alabaster Jar, and the woman who wiped Jesus' face on the Via Dolorosa. Help us with the light that you have given us to see God and Jesus in each other and be able to see only loving souls as beams light to help light the way to become CALM (Compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful) beings made in the image and likeness of God. Amen.
Here is my What Matters Most List:
What Matters Most:
Loving God
Loving our Family Members
Loving ourselves
Caring for the least of these
Clothing the naked
Welcoming the stranger
Feeding the hungry.
Housing the homeless.
Sheltering those who live on the streets with warm and safe places to spend the night.
Giving water to those who are thirsty
Treating everyone with dignity and respect.
Handling everyone's tender selves with care.
Treading upon God's Cathedral of life with reverence and awe.
Making each day and moment we live holy.
Seeing God in each other.
Following in Jesus' footsteps where ever he leads us.
Loving our enemies.
Making peace in our hearts and in ourselves. Becoming peacemakers at home and throughout our worldwide neighborhood.
Accepting and including everyone even if they rub you the wrong way
Being a voice for the voiceless
Speaking truth to power
Respecting the dignity of every human being.
Comforting the widow and orphan
Comforting those who mourn.
Vigiling at the bedside of someone who is dying.
Respite and loving care for the care giver!
Learning to love and accept each other's differences with Love Energy!
Relaxing and renewing our bodies, minds, and spirits so that we may serve God and each other in God's Kindom and Kingdom.
The list is endless!
What Matters Most to you?
How do we make changes happen in our lives and what must we do?
How do we do this?
We rid ourselves of unnecessary labels.
We rid ourselves of or potential divisiveness
We rid ourselves of hate
We rid ourselves of the need to one up each other
We rid ourselves of unjust thoughts and actions
We rid ourselves of all harmful thoughts and prejudices
We rid ourselves of misconceptions.
We rid ourselves of the many ways in which we seek to destroy each other
Then what must we do?
We see each other as God's beautifully and unique child of God made in God's image and likeness.
We see to strive to be united with God and each other.
We put on the garment of love and love one another
We level the playing field and see each other as equals.
We sew seeds of justice, love, mercy, and peace.
We place in our minds thoughts of hope, joy, love, peace, and compassion.
We learn about one another and draw upon each other's strengths and courage.
We sew seeds of love and rely upon each other as family members and neighbors.
We must seek to love all humanity, living things, and care for God's Cathedral of living, loving, moving, and being.
Let us be at prayer!
God we pray that we may lean upon one another and find perfect love and solace with all of our family members.
God we pray that we may finally take away all labels that divide us.
God we pray that we may sew seeds of love not hate.
God we pray that we may see each other as equals and know that in your Kingdom we all get in and know this because of Jesus' saving action upon the cross.
God we pray that we may help promote peace and respect everyone's dignity.
God may we place our minds in the paths of right thinking .
God may we learn and lean on one another so that we may see our similarities not differences.
God may we draw upon each other's strengths and courage and be a soft place in which to fall.
God may we rely upon one another and not treat each other as invisible.
God may we strive to love one another and all of your animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms.
God may we with you sew seeds of love, mercy , and justice.
God we pray for ourselves and all of our family members who have requested our prayers, thanksgivings, remembrances, and celebrations especially__________________
Jesus who called us to be friends ,may we be united one to another and lay these our prayers at your feet and loving arms and in your most Holy Name. Amen
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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! Have a blessed and restful night! I give thanks to God for you this night and always! Remember we all matter and that's what matters most!
With love and blessings!
Sara
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