Time to dial it down and sow seeds of love and put down roots of change that will flourish.

Good Evening Dear Ones!

I almost forgot to tel you that we are on Self-Care and Sabbath Rest Retreat Weekend! This is where we try not to rattle each other's nerves but seek to be co-nourishers one to another. Last evening I rattled a few cages in the blog but as many of you who have been readers from the very beginning I do speak truth to power when called to do so. I do not do this lightly just to be doing it for effect. I speak for the voiceless ones daily and have been one of those too and when God called me to use my outside voice in writing it sometimes surprises me too. Along these lines I posted a piece on FB and I would like to share it with you and then we shall enter into the holy:


I know many of you are riled up about the presidential election but here is where we really need to focus our votes and knowledge base. We need to look as the election this year as a ripple in the pond effect. We need to start at home and find out who is on the ballot locally. The pain and anguish many of us may be feeling is the feeling of not being listened to at the executive branch level, I believe is mis-focused. Our cities, towns, counties, and states have unique markers and problems that are all their very own. In Santa Maria we have issues relating to wide ranging issues surrounding violent crime, homelessness, and growing our community through a mixture of retail and businesses such as manufacturing, etc. We need to look at the problems of generational gang participation and how to stop this before it reaches generations 2,3, 4, and so on down the line. We need to look at how to make our homeless family members secure while at the same time acknowledging our need for security too. We need to do a comprehensive social service survey that includes what our churches and non-profits are doing not just municipal and county programs. We need to work on a plan where the old Valley Community Hospital is turned into a state of the art North County Mental Health facility that will house and treat our mentally ill persons. I would like to see one of the wings be turned into a safe-shelter for those who are on medication and don't have to go off their meds to find shelter because they need a drug test. See we have these issues and many more but we can't look to the President to fix them for us. We need to become active at the grassroots level and learn skills from PICO and community organizing so that we can help our leaders make the changes needed. We need to be the change and help our leaders be the change! We need to work together and not as we/They us and them,  kind of thing. So how many of you want to effect change by starting at the bottom where roots of our communities need to be watered, fertilized, nourished and have the right kind of soil in which to flourish? We can do this together throughout the country. Let us put down the wild words of rancor and work together for the good of all. Yes we need a president but we need much more than that, we need each other working together finding creative solutions that are meaningful, constructive, and don't lead to the blame and shaming kind of thing. Who is with me? Who is with us? Are we going to strive and thrive together? Are we going to respect the dignity of every human being? It starts with us and ourselves! It doesn't start with a Mr. or Ms Fixit ! We are all in this together. It starts when we put the good of all first and our own needs into perspective and maybe that means we are the last on the list.  ! It starts from the very depth of our heart home. It starts when we stop pointing  fingers and rolling up our sleeves and stop being arm chair critics. It starts when we do our home work. It starts when we decide not to run away and move because we don't feel safe. It starts when we speak truth to power. It starts most of all and primarily  with our relationship with God,who is calling us to be the CALM (compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful) Children of God who are called in the varied words of the prophet Micah" to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God!" Let us hold virtual hands and walk across the bridges we are building together and tear down the walls that seek only to divide us who are family members after all. Are we in this together?
How many of you can name who is running for office at your municipal level? Have you gotten their position papers to study? If you haven't please do. I love you all!

How about dialing it down tonight and take a virtual prayer walk together across the bridges we are building and tearing down the walls of division? 

I think it is time to dial it down and sow seeds of love and put down roots of change that will flourish! 


Let us place in our minds the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma!



Let us have a time  of sitting quietly in preparation for our candlelight prayer vigil and time of prayer.  10 minutes should do it for this week we will add time as we go along the way. For those of you who have problems with distraction because of white noise you may listen to this piece of sacred music: 
Spem In Alium -Thomas Tallis - The Tallis Scholars


Now take a look at your hands and imagine them in a peaceful position with open palms and unclenched fists. 

Stay there with palms wide open as if you are receiving a gift from God and God's present to you is God's Presence.

Now think on these words as we begin to prepare for  for our time of  prayer vigiling: 

Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD!

And these :

Psalm 141

² Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
   and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. 

Let us build bridges as we pray together in silence and extend our hands, hearts, and selves to one another as a gift of presence in peace. 

God we come to this night with our hearts and hands open as we light our candles and pray as we in the words of Psalm 141

 "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,

   and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. 

God may we come to you with a vision clear that this isn't a time of gimme, gimme, gimme or instant expectations but, with hearts full of prayers and thanksgivings not just for ourselves but on behalf of others and this world where there is great need. We pray that with our hands ready to serve you and the least of these we may find this a time of bridge building and peacemaking  We pray that with our open hands we may seek to use them as offerings of help, love, giving, and solace and our word for soothing of our souls, soulace*. We come to you as we lift up our hands in grateful thanksgiving and praise and that they may rise to the heavens in holy and enthusiastic joy and hope. We pray that we may extend our hands in peace to our enemies and those who hate us and offer to them a sign that we are here to build and not destroy. We lift these our prayers and place them in your loving and healing hands O God. We also present the Light of Christ to each other remembering these words as we close our time of prayer "The Light of Christ in Me recognizes the Light of Christ in You!"  We pray these prayers with hands and lights uplifted in Jesus most Holy Name. Amen.

*My word for the  calming of our souls!

Let's take our virtual bridge walk again as we did in March as  a reminder that we are all in this together as the loving Family of God.

Make sure your shoelaces are tied and that you are ready to walk this holy path.  Imagine who you would like to meet halfway. Who is/are the person(s) that you are having trouble with? What is/are the issue(s) that keep you from being united?  Now it is time to walk the holy pathway:
You may look around where you are walking or keep your eyes on the person(s) you will be meeting.  Remember to breathe, remember to smile, remember to foster forgiveness in your mind and heart. How are you feeling at this very moment? Any desires to turn back ? Are you afraid? Do you feel God's presence abiding in you and surrounding your every step?  Now we are just about halfway to our destination this is the time to let go of anything that you need to before you meet your family member who is a Child of God. Time for a mental Worry/Sabbath Box! Yes, friends we get to do that not just on Fridays! Let us now decide how we are going to greet the person. How would you like to be greeted? Like the Prodigal Son? Mary Magdalene at the Tomb when she met Jesus after His resurrection? Cautiously like Thomas? Quizzically, like Moses when he encountered God speaking from the Burning Bush? or are you going to greet by a simple handshake, gentle embrace, pat on the arm or shoulder. Maybe you aren't ready and all you can do is muster a smile and a gentle tone of voice.  That is okay too! The moment has arrived, you are now in the presence of the person in the middle of the bridge. Start by a simple 'Hello!" and smile, engage in small talk for awhile. No need to solve all of your problems and differences today. This is the first meeting! This is when you get to see God in the person's face. This is when you begin putting into practice the Love of God, Neighbor( Family member, least of these, enemy, hater) and yourself. What is your body, mind, or spirit feeling like? Are you ready to return  ? Did I forget that you needed to pack a pair of candles and a lighter? ( This is a virtual walk so we don't have to fear a wildfire during a drought condition) By the magic of this blog you now have candles and a lighter! This is what you will conclude your meeting with "The light of Christ/God in Me recognizes the Light of Christ/God in you! You light the candle and pass it to the person (s) they repeat the phrase back to you. Now you may pass the peace or some fond farewell greeting: The Peace of the Lord be always with you R: And also with you!
You may embrace, handshake, or do a gentle pat on the arm. Smile and wave as you leave. Walk at a slow pace, breathe, and enjoy God's Cathedral of life. How are you feeling? What are you thinking? Are you ready to do it again? In your time of small talk and before you left to return on your way did you make an effort to do another time of halfway meeting on the bridge?


Take time to use this meditation today, tomorrow, and in the days and weeks to come!

An additional time of prayer may be added!

God we pray for peace your broken world.
May peace and love prevail.

God we pray for women and children and the most vulnerable who are in danger or abuse.
May peace, love, and compassionate care prevail.

God we pray for our enemies and our enemies' family members who are caught in war's cross hairs.
May peace and love prevail.

God we pray for all refugees, captives, and all who are victims of human trafficking. 
May they be set free to live in safety and may peace and love prevail.

God we pray for  all of our leaders that they may stop legislating cruelty and be aware that when they are hurting another human or living being they are hurting and doing violence to you.
May justice roll down and may peace and love prevail

God we pray for all of us who are struggling to live out in the open as the beautiful children whom God has made.  May we not be afraid to live authentically into our own truth.

May we have strength and courage to be ourselves and may peace, justice, equality, and love prevail.

God we pray for all who are ill in body mind and spirit may they be healed of all their infirmities!
May health and healing take place and may love and peace prevail in our bodies, minds, and spirits.

God we pray for all who are in mourning over any kind of  loss.
May love ,comfort and peace prevail in their hearts.

God we pray this night for all who are homeless, hungry, and ill clad.
May we lovingly respond to their needs and may they find shelter from the cold and nourishment for their bodies.

God we add our thanksgivings, thoughtful thoughts, and additional prayers________________
Let us lift these our prayers in the Name of Jesus, our brother, friend, savior, teacher, and  healer. Amen.

Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! May you have a blessed and restful night! I give God thanks for you this night and always!


May love and peace prevail, 

Sara