And you'll get nothing more than random.  I'm in a sort of worship coma right now.  It's a good thing, but I'm still sort of not all here:

     Though no one knows for sure, there seems to be some evidence to support the idea that the book of James in Scripture may be written by James, the brother of Jesus.  I so want that to be true.  James is not for the faint of heart - and ol' Martin Luther wanted it drummed out of the canon - but the no nonsense approach to a life lived in faith seems to line up pretty well with many of the words of Jesus.

     Be honest now: wouldn't your life be simpler if you let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no'?  I was raised by a mother who felt the need to explain, in detail, why she was returning a blouse or why she couldn't attend a friend's party.  I have learned over the years to follow the advice of Churchill and never complain, never explain.  (or I TRY to, anyway..)
  
     How would your life change if you always tried to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger?  I'd venture to guess about half of our problems in life would dissipate if we followed that.


     One of the things I love the most about the teachings of Jesus is his insistence on moving past just not doing bad, but by overtly doing good. Sounds like James, huh?: if someone  knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for them it is sin.  


     And of course, all that wisdom about the need to tame the tongue.  Mercy.  He quits preaching and goes to meddling right there.  


     The entire book probably doesn't take 15 minutes to read, but a lifetime to absorb.  Find your favorite translation and sit with James one afternoon on the porch.  Then find another translation, then another.  Time spent with James may help bring about another sort of spring cleaning that can make your life a better reflection of Love.

A NUMBER OF MONTHS AGO, I wrote a blog about Ontological Blessings 
(it's in the October, 2013 file).  That was based on a sermon I had given that seemed to invoke a great deal of resonance.  So go read that now.  I'll wait.......

Finished?  Okay.  Now keep that in the back of your mind. 

I will admit a true confusion with certain aspects of the human condition.  I have my quirks, foibles, faults, and downright sins - and they are many.  But I cannot understand some things, and wonder what causes them:

~why is it so important to be on TV?  I don't mean starring on a series, or the Daily Show.  I mean, why do otherwise intelligent people mug for the camera?  Waving hysterically, making faces, mouthing "hi, mom"?  Is it to prove you are somewhere important enough to warrant a television camera being there? (And it's not as if a television camera is such a rarity nowadays.  Cameras are around for every ribbon cutting in America)

~Someone's autograph?  Okay, SURE, I can understand getting one on the bottom of a cashier's check  :-)   But just to be able to say, "I own a piece of paper that Tom Hanks signed" ?  Maybe in a financial sense, one could sell it at some point for a profit. Otherwise.......?

~what is it about pictures of celebrities? I can understand pictures of someone is a true inspiration to you - maybe.  If it's a grandchild, or favorite teacher - certainly.  But be truthful with me now.  You see, say, a famous athlete or singing sensation at the airport, or walking in Starbucks and you shout:  "QUICK!! Get a picture on the phone!!"  Really?  Why?  Because they're there?  To show you saw them? (are you such a liar that you have to prove you saw them because otherwise no one will believe you?  And what is the importance behind the fact that you DID see them?)

~Who thinks they are important enough to jump into someone else's picture?  "Hey - there was this high school reunion group saying good bye in a restaurant, and I totally jumped into their shot". (And probably ruined it)  Um, why?

~And selfies?  Now, I understand wanting to get a picture of you and some friends without finding a disinterested third party to take a snap shot, so you go to arm's length and take your own; or taking a shot of your new hair cut, or bridesmaid's dress.  But to take shot after shot of yourself -  smiling or frowning or looking silly, then posting it or putting it on Facebook or your website or twitter account?  So someone will respond "You're pretty", or "looking good"?  

I have a theory, and it has to do with the above mentioned ontological blessing.  Can it be that we are soul starved enough to have to take pictures of ourselves to prove we exist?  Do we stand next to someone famous to prove we have worth? Do we own signatures to show we have been close to someone important, thus being sort of important because we were in fact close to them? Do we mug incessantly behind some poor sports reporter in order to announce that we are THERE and we BELONG??

I think there is a spiritual issue being addressed in this. Furthermore, I am afraid that taking a picture will not solve anything.  I agree that probably 99% of human beings on this planet need to feel that someone sees them, truly sees them, for who they are; they need to have people in their life who  see the potential and power of God within them; they need to feel that somehow, somewhere, they belong. But I don't think any of that can be accomplished at the end of an iPhone, by an autograph pen, or on a TV screen.  

Do you need someone to see you?  Volunteer at Gateway Homeless Shelter. Do you need to take pictures? Take shots of animals waiting to be rescued, or pictures of a flower garden to send to someone homebound.  Do you need an autograph?  How about the signatures of 24 first graders who are thanking you for helping to rebuild a playground. Photo Bombs?  How about offering to take the group shot, and leave yourself out of it? And selfies?  You're on your own at this point.................... 

I've had a pain in my neck for the last couple of weeks. A real pain in the neck.  I've applied heat, and cold, and changed my pillow, and used stretching exercises, and kept my neck warm, and prayed for relief.

Nothing.

Then I remembered something from a counseling course I took years ago.  The instructor reminded us that we are souls with bodies, not bodies with souls.  He said that often when we have aches and pains it is wise to ask ourselves if our bodies are trying to tell us something:

~If we have a sore throat - is there something we need to say but are keeping swallowed back?

~If we have a stomach ache - is there something we are keeping inside ourselves that we need to express to someone?

~If our shoulders hurt - is there something heavy we are carrying, the burden of which we need to share or remove?

~If our neck hurts - who is the pain in the neck? (Literally?)

Well.  That did it.  I was able to pinpoint the pain in the neck.  (Not any of you, of course........)  By doing that, I was able to start the process of dealing with said pain.  

Situation's not solved.  But the pain in my neck is gone.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I"ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11: 28-30  from The Message