SOMETIMES, I JUST GOTTA PREACH A SERMON

One day, during an e-mail ‘chat’ with a friend, I wrote these words.


“Humans are always creating. That’s how we were made. We’re creating beauty, harmony and love, etc., or we’re creating more chaos, confusion and fear all the time.”

The moment I wrote them I was struck by the fact that those words are powerful TRUTH.

I’ve known this truth for a good while now. But this time, when I ‘said’ them, it struck home with me in a different, deeper way.

Every thought we have is a springboard for creation. And I don’t mean it’s an opportunity for creation…I mean the thought itself is the power that moves the creative force within each of us into action!

Think about that!

If that is true, how important is it that we learn to train our minds to dwell on the desired results…thereby creating more ‘desired results’…

......instead of the undesired results….thereby creating more undesired results?

It’s the whole Power of Attraction concept…which I believe is TRUTH.

To me, that concept is easy to believe. What’s harder is the ‘training my mind’ part.

Most of us are familiar with this passage from the Old Testament.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6

I’d always thought that verse meant to teach a child how to act. Today, I believe something different. I believe it’s more about teaching a child to train their minds…to teach them to recognize truth…that we ARE creators…..to make them aware of and help keep them focused on…creating beauty, harmony, healing, love, joy, peace and all those things which we call ‘good.’

Instead of teaching them to ‘act’ right, it’s teaching them to ‘think’ right.

The thing is…if the parents of those children don’t know how to do that, they most certainly can’t teach it. I know I couldn’t, when I was mothering my two sons.

But then, I wasn’t taught it either.

And neither were my parents…or theirs….

That wise, old Cherokee tale of two wolves is appropriate here, I think.

TWO WOLVES

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

******

Here’s another interesting quote from Philippians 4:8.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

If those words are good and true ones, what do they mean? What does the instruction mean, literally, to ‘think on these things.’? And for what purpose?

I believe that those words are instructions on how to create your life….plain and simple.

If so, what purpose then, is served by allowing our minds to dwell on things that are untrue, unjust, impure, ugly, 'bad report' –like gossip and fear-mongering?

Furthermore, we’re admonished to think on things of virtue and praise. That leaves no room for road rage, back-biting, resentment, blame or shame, does it?

What is created if we dwell on those things?

Nothing I want in my life.

Here's the thing, though...we can't wait until we're in the middle of a panic attack or a deep depression or some kind of unfolding drama…………and then think...Oh, I need to change my stinkin' thinkin’!

We have to learn and practice… i.e. train our mind… in order to be able to keep our mind focused on good BEFORE those events come into our life. And that will only happen when we decide we'd rather do the work to change…. than to stay the same.

There's another verse...the one about loving God with all our heart and soul and MIND. Jesus told us to do that.

It’s Mathew 22:37 if you want to look it up.

.Now, can you tell me how we are loving God with our whole mind, when we are dwelling on past mistakes, or being mad and resentful at our moms or dads or husbands or wives or kids…criticizing anybody… or worrying about anything at all?

I really think the human race...and especially religious teachers...might have missed the boat on this whole 'mind' thing.

In DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD, Necie, very wisely says, "I just want to think pretty pink and blue thoughts."

I know lots of  people think that's a pretty naive way of looking at things. But I'm not so sure of that.

This much I know  is TRUE.

Ever since I acquired my attitude of GRATITUDE….it’s been lots easier to think on things of ‘virtue and praise’. And somehow, for some reason, everything just seems to be easier, happier, more joyful, peaceful and downright fun in my life.

Amen?

Amen!

Sermon over.

Well.......I just 'thought' it was.

Right after I finished what I thought was my last edit to this 'sermon', I stepped out onto my patio and saw this.

I've been needing a picture of a bird at my birdbath for another post I've written.  I was GRATEFUL to get this, but there were lots and lots of birds sitting on the telephone lines.  So, I 'thought', Good morning, birds.  I would just love it if some of you would go to the birdbath, too.  Maybe you can be a blessing to a lot of people when I put your picture on my blog."

This, as God is my witness, is what happened next....within seconds!

COINCIDENCE?

OR CREATION.