Megahaul of Good Fortune aka Proof Against Atheism

I have an interesting tale to relate today. I attended a meeting this morning of people who were largely agnostic and atheist. I have considered myself agnostic for some time, because I no longer believe in the faith tradition of my youth. While I think all religions espouse good, I personally don’t believe in any one religion anymore. I’ve struggled to figure out what I do believe.

One atheist I spoke to at this meeting said he believed all things were coincidental and he hadn’t seen proof that there was a God. I respect his right to believe that. But my feelings are different on that subject matter. I have had so many answers to prayer. Many of my answered prayers came in an immediate way. After much search and no luck finding items, I will remember to pray. It is then-and only then-that I feel guided to where the lost item is hiding.

This week I went to a local food bank and had several large reusable grocery sacks full of heavy items. I needed to carry them a distance to my second-floor apartment and I didn’t relish the thought of doing so. I said a quick prayer that someone would offer to help me carry the items. As I walked up the path, someone saw me with my heavy load and offered to carry it upstairs for me. 

Was this coincidence? An atheist would say “yes.” A person of spiritual belief would say “no.” An agnostic person would say “maybe.” While I am agnostic in not knowing many things of a surety, I started to question this small miracle today after speaking with atheists. But this thinking left me feeling unsettled and very alone in the Universe. So, I thought I just would continue not to know the answers to these spiritual questions until the following happened…

I had planned to write this afternoon but felt drawn first to look in a bag I had just taken out of my storage unit yesterday. It was an unexpected bag as it had DVD’s on the top of it and I had only taken bags with DVD’s from my storage unit. Underneath the DVD’s, I found a megahaul of good fortune. (My son uses the term Megahaul when he gets a bunch of items for his birthday or that he ordered for use in his YouTube videos.) I have had quite a few items on my mind lately: some that I desired but didn’t know where they were, some that I wanted only recently and some that I’ve been missing for years.

I have been obsessing recently about getting a new perfume but I couldn’t bring myself to select one and pay the exorbitant price. Item #1 I found was a bottle of perfume I don’t even remember having but whose fragrance I like. Item #2 is something I’ve wondered as to the whereabouts for a few years. I found the perfect shade of magenta lipstick from MAC a few years ago. It was a limited edition shade, so I bought an extra lipstick for later use. Earlier this year, I ran out of my favorite lipstick shade and haven’t found a suitable replacement since. So, item #2 was my long-lost favorite lipstick still new in its package.

Recently, I sold almost all my jewelry as I don’t feel the need to have as many things. But, I wondered where this one fuchsia fused glass pendant was located as I wanted to keep it. Well, as you guessed it, that pendant was item #3. Items 4 and 5 were things I’ve been meaning to buy recently, moisturizing chapstick and new pens. I found new versions of these items. Item #6 comprised quote cards I kept on my bathroom counter some time ago and which are in my bathroom now. Item #7 was my favorite quote book, called “Everyday Mindfulness.” This book has a mindfulness quote for each day of the year, such as “I opened up two gifts this morning. They were my eyes.”

Item #8 was particularly special to me. Back before Covid 19, I taught a meetup group, called “Worry Warts No More.” For that group, I came up with a list of 16 ways to reduce worry and negative thinking. Since that time, I couldn’t find the file I wrote with those 16 ways or the printed paper handout I made for the group. I’ve started to write a book based on the concepts I taught in that group and that handout would prove very helpful. Well, you guessed correctly again, Item #8 was my notebook from that group and contained the handout of 16 ways to reduce worry.

Many of these items saved me a ton of money and some were priceless. More importantly, they restored my faith in something out there in the Universe higher than myself and gave me proof over atheism. An atheist might still call this coincidence. But the timing of this amazing megahaul was exquisite; some could say divine. Just when I was lost spiritually, I felt directed to an unexpected bag with answers. I could have called this blog, “Lost and found items of the universe,” including my soul.

Magical Oven

I made a Southern favorite casserole, Poppy Seed Chicken. Just the thought of it makes my mouth water with the sour cream, ooey gooey cheese and the crispy buttered bread crumbs on top... Crispy! I've got to Pre-heat the oven.

I pushed the oven buttons and nothing happened.  I tried several times and still nothing. I've used this oven before so it should work. I tried some different configurations: pushing bake first, then start and vice versa. I was starting to think I'd have to cook the casserole in the microwave with soggy breadcrumbs.

Then I thought to say a prayer. I pushed the bake button again and it lit up. I was able to bake my casserole for a crispy top.
I thought about this experience and the many other similar experiences when I prayed to find something lost or to open a stuck zipper. When I pray to find something lost, I immediately feel drawn to the object's hiding place. After I pray with stuck zippers (tent, purse...), the zippers open like butter melts on a hot knife.

For me, these experiences help me believe that someone or something out there is watching out for me, listening to me and helping me. These experiences are comforting to me and faith-promoting. I've had a crisis of belief but my blog posts remind me that something supernatural has helped me many times. I just have to ask for help.

If you ever feel alone in the multiverse, I can assure you, youre not. Try the experiment of prayer and see. I'm thankful for my magical oven, which apparently runs on prayer.

Yard Sale Miracle of Four Items I Really Wanted

 

It was a drizzly day last Saturday here in northern Utah. The rain fell cold as it prepared for snow. In the morning, I had some free time. So, I decided to attend a yard sale (which I never do).

Recently, I have wanted four items: an electric skillet to cook in my room, a soft lap blanket for my recliner and two types of art easels: one to draw and color upright and a flat seated lap art desk. With these items in mind, I braved the raindrops with $20 in hand and went to a local yard sale.

The first item I eyed was an upright easel for $5. Next, I noticed an electric skillet. I asked if the skillet was used or new. Upon opening the box, we discovered the electric skillet was indeed new. I talked them down to $8. This was a fantastic deal as I had been eyeing electric skillets on Amazon for upwards of $40.

As I walked into the recesses of their garage, I found a soft lap blanket for a couple bucks. Lastly, I found a lap art desk like I had wanted. It was for $1. I found all four items I had wanted at this yard sale. Plus, I spent less than my $20 on them. I got a real bargain that day.

I began to ponder my experience from the day. Could it be coincidence? Really? Could it be the power of intention of which the former Wayne Dyer spoke? Could it be a higher power, God or the Universe?

I’ll let you decide that. But as for me, when I send out intentions of good things I desire out of my mind, the Universe or God provides. In fact, that has been my catch phrase lately: “God provides.”

If God or the Universe can help me go to the perfect local yard sale to get all four items I wanted at an amazing price, do you think that this higher power can help guide us to the perfect job or companion? I’m quite certain that this is a reality.

Let’s put our trust in a higher power and expect and look for miracles. I know the Universe will not disappoint or neglect us. God takes care of the little birds. These little birds don’t know where their next meal is coming from, where they will retire for the night, but I bet these little birds spend any time doubting that their needs will be met or even worry what their next move will be.

Doubt and worry are the antithesis of faith. In many faith traditions, the first principle is faith. We must first believe or be willing to take a step in the dark as we reach toward the light.

In this November month of Thanksgiving, let’s give our gratitude to the higher power without and within us. This higher power or Benevolent Force (as I choose to refer to this phenomenon) brought me the four items I wanted at a yard sale and is willing to give us hard lessons or life experiences from which to learn and grow. 

Let’s be full of faith, look to the heavens and be willing to dodge the raindrops to a yard sale perfectly prepared for us. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Put your Car in Neutral in God's Car Wash

My car was so dirty, it was spotted with dirt as if it was sprinkled by a rain shower but not sprinkled enough. It was either face strangers writing "wash me" on my car or break down and wash it. I decided to not face ridicule and headed to my local car wash instead and got way more than I paid for.

After lining up my left tires for the car wash tunnel, we all know the drill...the car wash attendant pointed to a sign to take your foot off the brake and put your car in neutral. Rolled up windows is quickly learned.

I put my car in neutral and entered the car wash tunnel. I always feel a bit like I'm in the boat ride in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as I do this. Try to recall your first trip to a car wash tunnel with all of the moving gadgets. It can be a bit startling at first. The sights, sounds and smells delight the child in all of us. My local car wash even smells like candy.

It's remarkable to enter the car wash so dirty and come out sparkling and shiny clean. What a transformation.! I got to thinking this last trip to the carwash...

What if this was God's or a higher power's carwash and we were the figurative car and the car wash tunnel was our lifespan?Would we be willing to put our car into neutral and let go of control to God (please insert your belief here)? Would we trust the process? Or would we question every step of the way? Why is this gadget used here?

Would we argue why things are done a certain way in our lives? Are we startled by a certain area of our car being treated in a particular manner? Perhaps we don't realize that a painful challenge in life like divorce, mental or physical illness or heartbreak over children actually buffed out a spot on us or our character and made us shinier.

Are we tempted to put our car in drive gear and go at a faster pace, thinking we know better than our Creator? Do we not realize that each step of our carwash and lives serves a purpose? Do we clench our hands on the steering wheel, trying to turn the wheel, thinking we're in control? This reminds me of the country song, "Jesus take the wheel" about giving control over and trusting God.

Would we believe we could be transformed into something amazing, better than on our own? Since we don't see the end result until the end, it's possible to lose hope and want to leave the car wash early by ending our life. Don't despair or lose faith.

God will take you the rest of the way to a sparkling destination and a shiny you, with all your dull spots buffed out.  So, remember to put your car in neutral in God's car wash. Unclench your hands from the steering wheel and enjoy the ride. It's an awesome one.

Finding my Dream Shirt Sparked a Spiritual Discovery

I found a most beautiful shirt flocked with creme lace at Ross but in one size too small. I must admit I was bummed. Later that same shopping trip, l  thought to look at dresses, which I never do. Among the dresses was the shirt I wanted but in the size I needed. My dream shirt was the only shirt out of place in the dress section.

With this small miracle, I started to believe in the universe again, that someone or something is watching out for me  I had given up all hope on the infinite. It has been a few years since I believed ...in well, anything.

I had an existential crisis in 2019 and threw the figurative spiritual baby out with the bathwater. Even though I didn't believe in a particular or any religion anymore, I threw out God, the Universe or anything divine. I simply stopped believing.  In comparison to earlier years of believing, I felt very dark, lonely and confused. This existential crisis was very painful to my mind as I sought to unravel my brain's synapses with core religious beliefs.

Then I met with a spiritual advisor recently and shifted further. She gave my daughter Carinna an identical deck of star seed oracle cards to what I bought a few years ago.

Today, I opened up to a card in the guidebook about double the mission and being a light worker. I've always been driven to create and fulfill my specific mission in life as spoken of in my patriarchal blessing  for my faith at age 12.

I've felt since a strong spiritual experience on Good Friday in 1999 that I could write books to help women especially. Little did I know that my future life experiences with upcoming bipolar in 2003 would be just what I needed to prepare me to fulfill this mission. I want to be a spiritual guru.  Is that too much to want? Is any dream too big?

It's funny how life reminds us that we're not alone and someone is smiling down on us. Something as simple as finding my dream shirt in a store sparked long dormant spiritual feelings in me. It feels good to believe again in something greater than myself. And my dream shirt is very lovely too.

Carinna is an Inspiration to Everyone She Encounters

My daughter Carinna is a huge inspiration to me and to everyone she meets. She just turned 22 and has really blossomed into a stellar adult. Well, those who knew Carinna from a young age, already knew she was stellar.

She lights up a room with her smile and amazing attitude. Carinna made the sweetest Happy Mother’s Day gifts for me that took a few days to make. Several years ago, Carinna often spoke of “Believing is seeing,” rather than “Seeing is believing.” Carinna also believes in the power of intention and of manifesting what we want into our lives. Carinna is a person of strong faith and hope. She’s also had remarkable dreams of a heavenly nature.

Carinna has the strongest attitude of gratitude I’ve witnessed. She gets super excited about any gifts. I recall Christmas time when she opens presents. She’ll whoop and holler at the top of her lungs as she opens a gift. Then, she’ll ask, “What is it?” It’s so cute to watch how she gets excited over gifts she doesn’t even know what they are.  It’s a delight to give gifts to someone so appreciative.

She started writing compliments on restaurant receipts a few years ago. We were at an Indian restaurant, and she wrote a compliment to the chef saying, “Thanks for being a good cook. Keep believing your dreams will come true.” The cook was so touched that he sent out a free dessert for Carinna. Since then, when we go to that Indian restaurant, they give her a free Mango Lassi drink. Carinna has written compliments to the server and the server even bought her a Christmas present.

Restaurants aren’t the only place giving her free items. Recently, she went into a local convenience store to get a diet drink. When Carinna got to the counter, the clerk said the drink was free because Carinna had such a nice smile, whereas most people don’t smile.

Carinna has had some challenges this past year which she has passed with flying colors. Earlier this past year, she was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. This required a major change in her eating habits. Prior to this diagnosis, she loved McDonald’s. When she was fifteen years old, she even had a “Chip Party,” with different types of chips.

Carinna has completely changed her eating habits and has become very knowledgeable about carbohydrates and foods acceptable for diabetes. Carinna has done so well with her new way of eating, that her diabetes is in remission. She continues to eat healthy with allowing herself one cheat meal per week. She’s lost over 120 pounds since last May. She weighs herself each week and continues to lose weight. Carinna is so proud of herself for her achievements, as she should be.

Carinna made another huge accomplishment. She used to have issues with self-harm on a regular basis. But it has been over a year since Carinna has done any self-harm. Congratulations, Carinna for continuing to grow into an amazing young adult. Carinna, you’re an inspiration to anyone who encounters you and your amazing spirit.

Are we ever too old for Winnie the Pooh?

 Dedicated to Joanna

 

I recently came across a fervent Winnie the Pooh lover and it gave me pause for reflection on how Winnie the Pooh has impacted my life. Where would we be without Winnie the Pooh in our lives? Are we ever too old for Winnie the Pooh?

So, I looked up a variety of Winnie the Pooh quotes and was pleasantly surprised at the treasure trove of lessons that we can learn from Winnie the Pooh and his friends.

I’ve always marveled at the variety of personality types in Winnie the Pooh, yet they always get along fairly well in spite of their differences. Let’s hear from some of those characters.

I love how Winnie the Pooh said, “People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” That is classic Winnie the Pooh. Everyone seems to love and adore Winnie the Pooh and I was contemplating as to why.

Well, fat bears are very cute, but the underlying reason I love Winnie the Pooh is that he is happy with who he is. He’s completely genuine, open and comfortable in his skin. He’s a very simple bear who loves honey.

I think that if we were more comfortable with ourselves and truly lived in the moment, we would be more care-free and joyful like Winnie the Pooh. There would be less neurosis in the world.

Now, let’s hear from some of Pooh’s other close friends.

Winnie the Pooh has a special love for his dear friend, Piglet. If you recall, Piglet is a little on the nervous and anxious side and Pooh is ever patient and encouraging. Here’s a gem of wisdom from Piglet:
“The things that make me different are the things that make me, me.” I wish everyone could internalize that statement. I wish we embraced differences and valued our individual worth for the quirks that make each of us different and unique.

One adorable thing that makes Piglet unique is his excitement for living. Piglet said, “I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?”

Even sad and lonely Eeyore has his gems of wisdom. Eeyore said, “A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” That is so true. Who knows the impact we can have on others with the slightest consideration for others? A smile, a kind word, may lift another soul in ways unknown to us.

Eeyore, for all his pessimism, has occasional glimpses of optimism. Eeyore said, “It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine.” A brighter outlook always makes things seem more hopeful.

Winnie the Pooh knows a thing or two about friendship. He said, “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.”  Pooh also stated, “Any day spent with you is my favorite day. So, today is my new favorite day.” I love this from Pooh, “If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.”

Who can forget effervescent Tigger, full of life and energy? Tigger always sings, “The most wonderful thing about Tigger’s is, I’m the only one.” Each of us can insert our name into that statement and value our uniqueness. There will never be another person like you. Ever.

I could go on and on with lessons learned from each character. But I need to focus on Winnie the Pooh’s best friend, Christopher Robbin. Christopher Robbin had that soothing British voice and encouraging effect on Winnie the Pooh. Christopher said to Pooh, “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” Oh, that each of us could have a true friend like Christopher Robbin. I wish even further that each of us could be a true friend like Christopher Robbin.

Here are some concluding statements of wisdom from Winnie the Pooh himself. Pooh said, “Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” What a beautiful treatise on mindfulness and being in the moment? Also, of not bothering or worrying.

Here is another insightful remark from Winnie the Pooh: “Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” Patience was a hallmark of Pooh, except when he needed honey. Pooh often said, “I’m so rumbly in my tumbly.”

Pooh summed it up well when he stated, “Those who are clever, who have a Brain, never understand anything.” We need to learn and feel with our hearts.

In conclusion, I think we can learn timeless lessons from Winnie the Pooh and that its principles are ageless. So, if you want to be a Winnie the Pooh fan until the day you die, you won’t be in poor company. Finally, Winnie the Pooh said, “Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”

Please pass Winnie the Pooh and friends love to everyone within your realm of influence. Most importantly, pass along this love to yourself. I think that would make Winnie the Pooh happy.

Wisdom of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Who can forget orange-faced Oompa Loompas singing and dancing? Or when Charlie opens up a corner of a chocolate bar and sees a peek of a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Who can forget Charlie dancing with his Grandpa in their poor circumstances, hopeful of a brighter day? 

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is one of my all-time favorite films. But it was only recently that I discovered wisdom and life lessons in it. 

I want to jump to the end of the movie but first I need to explain that there are different obstacles or temptations in the film for the “golden ticket” participants of Willy Wonka’s contest for a lifetime supply of chocolate. Who doesn’t long for a lifetime of free chocolate? I know I do. 

Well, from the opening of the chocolate bar with the golden ticket, a creepy character named Slugworth, enters the scenes. He whispers in the ears of Charlie and the other participants that if they can give Slugworth an Everlasting Gobstopper, then they would be rich. 

During the tour of the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the others have an opportunity to snatch an Everlasting Gobstopper. We see the other participants drop out of the race for a lifetime of chocolate through a variety of means that exposes their true character. Greed, avarice…. Whether it was a goose that laid golden eggs, or a piece of gum that turned its chewer into a large blueberry, no one could stay the course except for humble Charlie. 

By the end of the film, it seems evident that Charlie will gain a lifetime of chocolate. But that’s when the movie takes a twist. When the Grandpa inquires as to when Charlie will receive his chocolate inheritance, Willy Wonka says, “You lose! Good day, sir!” We can see Charlie leave Mr. Willy Wonka’s office with a heavy heart. Then Charlie turns around and silently slides an Everlasting Gobstopper onto Mr. Wonka’s desk.  

Much to Charlie’s surprise, Willy Wonka becomes very animated and exclaimed, “Charlie, You won! You did it! You did it! I just knew you would!” Then Mr. Wonka has Mr. Slugworth come in, who was an employee of Mr. Wonka all along, to test the participants to see who was truly worthy of the prize, 

Then, an exultant moment begins while Mr. Wonka and Charlie and Grandpa go on a magic elevator that can move in all directions, to show Charlie that he has won much more than a lifetime supply of chocolate. Charlie has won all that Mr. Wonka has. He is the next heir to the Chocolate Factory. 

Now, wasn’t that worth it, the test, in comparison to all that Charlie won? Isn’t this life or test worth it, to win all the Creator or Universe has, and is anxious to give to us? 

On dark, discouraging days, which we all have, take heart. Each of us has a golden ticket, or opportunity to prove ourselves. I believe there is a benevolent force in the Universe that will richly reward us in our efforts. 

Don’t give up hope. A lifetime supply of chocolate or your wildest dreams may be just around the corner. Never forget, they are around the corner. 

You’ve Been Chopped!

The infamous words, “You’ve been chopped!” strike terror into the hearts of chefs and viewers alike. “Chopped” is a cooking championship TV show in which chef contestants are given “mandatory mysterious ingredients” and judged based on their end-products. Each Chopped show starts with four chefs with three rounds: appetizer, entrée and dessert. One chef is eliminated or chopped from the competition in each of the first two rounds. The last two remaining chefs go head to head in the dessert round. Then the judges determine a Chopped Champion based on the cumulative efforts throughout the entire competition. In addition to mysterious ingredients, such as worm salt (with real worms), rocky mountain oysters (bull testicles) or a root beer float (for an entrée dish), there is a time constraint. There are 20 minutes for the appetizer round, and 30 minutes each for the other rounds.

I’ve viewed many Chopped episodes and there are some common elements. Shock at the ingredients in the basket. Chaos. Frustration. Even heartbreak when things don’t turn out as planned or initially hoped. Then there’s the assessment by judges and uncomfortable waiting to find out the results and await further testing. Shock by contestants as they are chopped or dropped from the competition. Even shock by the victor that they are still standing.

In my stay with my family in Georgia, I regularly watch Chopped with my mom. Today’s episode struck a different chord with me and I watched Chopped from a different perspective. I almost had my head half-cocked in my contemplation. While my analogy isn’t perfect, here’s what I came up with: Chopped is like life in several ways. We come to this competition or life and are given mandatory mystery ingredients with which to work at various stages in our lives. These could be anything from a birth defect to a physical or mental illness, loss of a loved one, unemployment, divorce, a wayward child, addiction…

We are given these ingredients in our lives and we must do something with them. It is often uncomfortable dealing with these mystery ingredients. Some ingredients are so mysterious that we can’t even make sense of them. Who can make sense of cancer or Alzheimer’s or the death of a child? How are we supposed to combine the mystery ingredients together into something worthwhile that makes sense in our lives?  There can even be heartbreak when things don’t turn out as planned or initially hoped in the kitchen or in our lives.

In life as in Chopped, we are up against the clock. Time waits for no man (or woman.) In Chopped, there seems to never be enough time to adequately respond to the constraints of the competition or test. I think some of the chefs would like time to grieve over the mystery ingredients they received but time marches on. Many people have a bucket list, but few people accomplish all of it in their lifetime. The chefs, just like us, always want to do more. Every key mystery ingredient must be utilized. The dish (or we as people) must end up balanced in flavor. Some chefs and people find out they spent too much time on one ingredient and not enough on another. Some people spend too much time working and not enough time living. “Nobody on their deathbed has ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office,’” heard from Rabbi Harold Kushner (attributed by some to Senator Paul Tsongas.)

Then there are the judges. During the phases of the competition, the judges give helpful commentary on the sidelines for those chefs with a listening ear. In the end, the judges do what they must do: judge. The judges give praise for what they can and constructive criticism for missed opportunities or ways to improve in the future. Wise are the contestants who listen to the judges and give heed to their words.

In my analogy, the judges are God and Jesus. God or life gives us mystery ingredients and sees what we do with them. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “What you are is God’s gift to you. What you do with yourself is your gift to God.” In Chopped as in life, we are given the test first before we can learn from it. Vernon Law stated, “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.” The one difference from the show Chopped is that the only way we’re eliminated from the competition is to die. Richard Bach, stated, “Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished. If you’re alive, it isn’t.” So, if you’re still breathing, your life test isn’t over or complete. We continue to get more rounds in life with more mystery ingredients and life lessons.

Throughout the competition of life, the judges or God clap for our efforts and cheer us on to keep going. I believe, at the end, each of us is a Chopped Champion for having made it with our own mystery ingredients in this life. The end-product or creation is ourselves. In the midst of our chaos in the kitchen of life, if we listen and give heed to God on the sidelines, we’ll become as well-seasoned as the dishes on Chopped.

“Taken” with my Hero

I went to lunch at an Indian buffet (of course) with a couple girlfriends for my birthday this week. Somehow in the conversation, one of my friends mentioned the movie, “Taken.” It’s a psychological action-packed suspense thriller from 2008 with Liam Neeson. I sat on the edge of my seat as my friend explained how the movie began and the basic gist of the movie. Now, this isn’t the type of movie I normally see. My closest friends all know that I’m not into serious films but that I like funny, zany comedies and entertaining shows. But something about my friend’s description of the movie, “Taken,” intrigued me. I rented it for that night to watch with a friend.

I don’t want to give away too much but the basic gist of the movie is that Liam Neeson plays a retired spy and has one child, a teenage daughter, who travels to Europe with a friend. His daughter gets abducted not for ransom but to be sold into sex trafficking. Then the race is on for Liam to find his daughter in less than 96 hours before she disappears, never to be found again.

As I watched the film, I was amazed at the love and extreme dedication Liam had to find his daughter at any and all costs, even at the expense of his own life if necessary. Even though it was a psychological action-packed suspense thriller, the movie made a strong spiritual impression on me. I imagined that the child in the movie was me, lost and taken by enemies, and that the kick-ass father was Jesus fighting to find me and save my life, who would stop at nothing to find me. I believe Jesus fought for all of us but would have been willing to fight and suffer even for just one of us…and that includes you.

Photo by Dhyamis Kleber from Pexels

After watching this movie, I became so grateful that I had a hero in my Savior Jesus Christ who could fight all my enemies, even sin and death. I thought of the hymn this morning, “I Stand All Amazed.” From the first two verses, I cry and sing with the angels: “I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine to rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine.” “I tremble to know that for me he was crucified, that for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.” And then the refrain, “Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me! Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”

I share my witness of my Savior Jesus Christ and that I’m so grateful that I’m important enough to Him to be worth His soul-saving efforts. If you elect to see the movie again or for the first time, try envisioning Jesus as the hero who cares for us so deeply as God’s children that He risks His life to save us. In the movie, the daughter may have been “Taken” but I am taken with my hero, the Savior of all humankind.

A Camping Miracle

I just thought I’d share a mini-miracle that showed me God is real. Some of you know that I searched for spiritual answers awhile back and was agnostic for a second before returning to the faith of my youth.

Recently, I went on a camping trip with my family to Castle Rock campground in central Utah. We have camped there every summer for over 20 years. All my kids went and it was great. They didn’t argue as much and the long car ride was much more peaceful. We camped for two nights.

I slept in a tent with my teenage daughter with special needs. One night, she needed to pee really bad in the middle of the night. She was pressuring me to find a flashlight and zip open the tent so she could make it outside in time. I was flustered and tried to open the tent door quickly. This only got the zipper very stuck. My daughter was insistent that she get out of the tent and I was fighting with the zipper. I knew she would have an accident very soon if I didn’t get that tent door open…pronto.

Finally, I said a prayer aloud. And, as I did, I felt power course through me to the zipper and it opened as easy as butter to a hot knife. My daughter made it out of the tent just in the nick of time. I sat back in the tent, amazed at what had just occurred. Wow, God is real and He immediately answered my prayer in an unmistakable way. As I write this now, tears fill up my eyes. A few have overflowed.

If any of you wonder if God is real or if He really hears our prayers and can answer them, I am here to witness that He is real and that your prayers are indeed heard. Why did I have a time of spiritual doubt? I'm not really sure. But I know God knows why and that is good enough for me. My impression and hope is so that I will be an even better witness for Him. God knows I chose Him after looking at a lot of other options.

I had faith that God could open that tent zipper and I called upon God for His help. If God helped me with a tent zipper, how much more is He willing and interested in helping in even more important areas of our lives? In my experience, God is very interested in us and in our lives. Dang it, I can’t stop crying. This camping miracle was a spiritual breakthrough for me. I hope it will be for you.

Are You a Worry Wart? I was!

I needed to take my son to Salt Lake Community College for placement testing. In the past, I would’ve worried and dreaded everything in advance. How to get there? How to find the building on campus? How to find parking? How to find the room? What would I talk with my son about in the car? Would the drive be awkward?

That’s a lot of questions and worries. But that’s not what I did today. I trusted God and the Universe. I gave thanks. Mentally, I let go. I didn’t live in regret of the past nor live in dread of the future. I believed that things would eventually work out. And, if they didn’t, I would still be okay. I mean, the birds are still singing. God takes care of them…so why not me?!

I PLACED NO EXPECTATIONS ON THE FUTURE. This is different than placing hope in the future. I simply lived my life in the moment.

If you don’t have expectations or rather fixations of the future, then you won’t be disappointed and your brain won’t get stuck. You won’t let your brain down. Then your brain won’t throw a tantrum, giving you emotional distress. Let go of the future so you can live in the present.

While waiting for my son to complete his college testing, I ate lunch across the street at A&W. Normally, I would’ve worried about crossing a busy street (Redwood Rd).  But I decided to slow down my thoughts and trust. As I approached the busy road, all was clear and I easily crossed it.

Why do we make life more difficult than it needs to be? If I had worried in advance about crossing the busy street, it would’ve wasted mental energy and left me feeling distressed, no matter the outcome. I would’ve stressed myself out. How many of us do this? I think far too many of us. I know I sure did.

There was a time near the beginning of my anxiety that I couldn’t stand to be alone or rather be alone with my thoughts. I had to be constantly busy to avoid my thoughts. I even asked my mother-in-law to help me, which she graciously did, although she didn’t understand what I was going through. My mother-in-law would have me come over a couple times a week to help her tie quilts. I had no interest in these activities. I just needed my brain and time occupied and to not feel alone; because feeling alone is scary.

Back then, if I didn’t have all my time planned out for the day, I would panic mentally. I couldn’t make decisions in the moment. My brain was so panicky that I couldn’t even plan what to have for dinner. Therapists would just suggest helps for meal planning but that wasn’t the problem. They didn’t get anxiety or what I refer to as brain attacks.

Some people have heart attacks. I had brain attacks. My brain would—in essence—malfunction. My brain would freeze up in panic and it was not a pleasant feeling. It was completely unnerving and unsettling. A brain attack is similar to trying to drive a manual stick shift car on a busy highway while stuck in a gear. My brain gets stuck in ruts and mental gears.

I have monitored my mental status and progress over the years by how well I think when I don’t have to think and I’m alone with my thoughts. A few examples include what do you think about when you’re taking a shower, doing meditation or watching a movie in the movie theater.

Of course, some worries and extraneous thoughts will naturally surface. It's usually fairly easy to acknowledge a thought and then return to stillness. I find the best indicator of my mental wellness is my back thoughts while I’m watching a movie in a dark theater. Am I worried about one or more items? Am I preoccupied? Can I focus on the movie or am I habitually drawn to my back thoughts?

Usually, I am anxious, worried and preoccupied behind the scenes while watching a movie. Recently, I watched “Wonder Woman” on a date. I don’t recall feeling worried or having troublesome thoughts percolate up to the surface of my awake mind.

Also, now I feel comfortable to be alone with my thoughts. When I had time to kill, I would usually read a book. Reading books is great and many things can be learned from them. But now, I just contemplate and meditate. I am still. And that’s a very good place to be.

I have reduced stress in my life right now. I’m not working or going to school. I'm just with my kids this summer. I’m sure that’s partially the reason for my serene stillness. But my hope is that I can keep some of the serenity I have now when stress is reintroduced into my life. I plan to start working again soon. I’m also starting a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling later this summer.

I have spent years attempting to retrain my brain. I think training a brain is harder than training a puppy. It hasn’t been easy but I’ve come a long way from my early days of needing my thoughts occupied every moment. I’m sure there will be setbacks and ups and downs. I do have bipolar disorder so that is bound to happen. But I never thought I’d be mentally well after 14 years of being mentally ill. Is it possible? Am I dreaming? If so, please don’t burst my bubble.

What I Learned From Captain Jack Sparrow

My son really wanted me to see the latest “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie with him. I hadn’t watched any of the prior four Pirates movies so my son had me watch the first Pirates movie on Netflix so I would have at least a basic understanding of the characters and plot. Even having done so, I had some gaps in my understanding when I went to watch the fifth movie installation. 

But, one thing was clear: Captain Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp) was still the same and up to his old antics. I’m not sure why but this time I saw Captain Jack Sparrow in a whole new light. I saw him more for his virtues than his vices. This is what I learned from Captain Jack Sparrow as I watched his character on the big screen:

I’m not sure how much of his character was from the rum or hot Caribbean sun but I liked his easy going, go with the flow attitude. He never seemed to worry…period, whether he was about to be hanged or have his head cut off with a guillotine. Captain Jack Sparrow just went his gut instinct, trusting that things would work out somehow. Doesn’t life seem to work itself out most of the time? How much of our time is spent worrying about things we cannot change or may never happen?

Captain Jack Sparrow was all about living in the moment, enjoying himself, finding humor in every situation and never second guessing himself. He doesn’t take himself or life too seriously. I’m sure we all have known people who took life a little too seriously.

Captain Jack Sparrow seemed happy to be himself, quirks and all. He also didn’t seem to be particularly concerned about what others thought of him. He didn’t worry about this and he wasn’t a people pleaser. He was just true to himself.

The character of Captain Jack Sparrow was extremely likeable. He made lots of mistakes but people couldn’t seem to stay mad at him for very long, except for some questionable women and cursed pirates.

Another aspect of Captain Jack Sparrow’s character that I liked was his persistence. Even when he fails, he picks himself back up and tries again. The Captain doesn’t seem to dwell on the past and kick himself for errors. As mentioned, he also doesn’t worry about the future. He simply lives in the moment, taking life as it comes. I think there is a lot to say for that. Many people spend a lifetime trying to accomplish living in the moment and truly enjoying life.

It’s fun to watch Captain Jack Sparrow in action. He is so resourceful and stumbles into solutions by accident or serendipity. He is spontaneous, willing to take on new adventures in a heartbeat.

There are those who may say he was a drunk and womanizer but he was the best Pirate around and his crew or friends were deeply devoted to him…well, most of the time.

I got to thinking about the significance of his last name, Sparrow. Now, I love little birds, sparrows. And this is the reason why. God cares for little birds in all their needs. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us not to worry in Matthew Chapter 6. About the birds, Jesus said, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”

I also love to watch sparrows because they don’t seem to worry about where their next meal is coming from, if their housing situation will work out, etc. They are just happy and they chirp and sing….or hum like a pirate.

Now my purpose of writing isn’t to glorify Pirates…but perhaps we all need a little of the spirit of Captain Jack Sparrow. Ahoy, matey!

Inspired Shopping Adventure

Janessa and I couldn’t believe the sign on the door of Ross in Bountiful, Utah on September 30, 2016. The hastily scrawled sign said “Cash Only. Our Credit/Debit machine is down.” A little dazed and confused, we walked into Ross. Inside, it was like a ghost town, with only a handful of people milling around. They looked a little dazed and confused, too.

One never knows what treasures are to be found at Ross. As we walked back to the toys, Janessa said, “I hope they have Littlest Pet Shop Toys.” I said, “I hope so, too” as I said a silent prayer that her request would be granted. I wanted to get a new bedspread but had no luck. While Janessa searched in the toys, I went to look at the next item on my list: new towels. I know, very exciting What really makes them exciting is that I’m giving them to Ron as a surprise birthday gift (he likes surprises, no matter how mundane). Word to the wise: this is what you get when you won’t ask for anything for your birthday-ha ha.

Then, Janessa and I reunited with our finds. She found a large Littlest Pet Shop set for half the price. Then, I suggested we walk back to the towels so she could pick some towels for the kids. On our way, we “happened” to pass the tall shelves with pull-out wicker drawers (I call it a wicker organizer.) This made Janessa stop in her tracks. She said, “This would be perfect for my LPS” (Littlest Pet Shops, for those in the know).

Then, came the issue of how to pay for all of it in cash. I usually just carry a $20 bill on me for emergencies. (Janessa later said, “This was an emergency.”) I had brought some items to exchange but it wouldn’t be enough for all we wanted to buy. Then, I remembered a pair of boots I needed to return to Famous Footwear that were in the car. So, we put our items on hold (except for the wicker organizer) and booked it to the car and then to Famous Footwear where we made a refund.

With cash in hand, we returned to Ross. We quickly walked to the back of the store and the wicker organizer was still there. We each had a cart full of items and we headed toward the front of the store. There was a super long line in comparison to the few people that were in the store. This was likely due to there being only one cashier.

Then another cashier showed up at customer service. I got in the empty line for “Returns/Exchanges.” I felt a little bad as all the people in the regular line glared at me as I was taken next in line.

I hadn’t really added things up. I was just trusting in the Universe. The cash register was super slow and I began to wonder if it would work. I said another silent prayer. I returned the items for in-store credit as the credit card machine still wasn’t working. I came up short. But I still had cash from the boots. I ended up with $20 left over from the boots. Yay!

Janessa waited by the front with our items while I drove the van to pick up the wicker organizer. Truth be told, I didn’t really want to carry the wicker organizer to my van. As I was about to pick it up, a strapping young Ross employee was heading for the exit and I enlisted his help.

We got home safely. I told my son Ryan about our grand shopping adventure. When I told him I bought towels for Dad’s birthday, he didn’t believe me. Then I showed him the towels and he believed me.

Janessa later told me she had said a silent prayer that the cash register would work too. Like mother, like daughter. We both like a good find and an answered prayer.

Could You Describe Love in One Paragraph?

I'm applying for chaplaincy school and have to write a dozen papers as part of the application. Chaplains can work in a variety of settings: military, hospitals, hospice, jails and prisons, emergency departments, large organizations, etc. The shortest paper for the application is to describe love in one paragraph. Could you do it? Below is my attempt:

I believe love means we have God’s heart to see as He sees and to love as He loves. God uses our hearts and hands to reach out to others but it is difficult to love as perfectly as God does and to see others as God sees them. In 1 Samuel 16:7, it reads “For the Lord does not see as man seeth, for man looketh at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” In order to love as God does, we need our heart expanded. So we must fervently pray and ask for this gift of charity or perfect love of Christ (Moroni 7:47-48.) In Paul’s writings (1 Corinthians 13:4-8), he gives some examples of what charity is (suffers long, is kind, rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and never fails) and what it is not (doesn’t envy, doesn’t vaunt itself, is not puffed up, doesn’t behave unseemly, is not selfish, is not easily provoked, doesn’t think evil, doesn’t rejoice in iniquity.) But these do’s and don’ts do not capture the full essence and magnitude of this great love of God. Other LDS scriptures (Mosiah 18:8-9) describe this true love of Christ in terms of willingness to bear the burdens of others, mourn with others and comfort others. All of these scriptures combined (not to mention the commandment to love others as God does) comprise my feelings on love. I want to see others as God sees them and be His loving embrace, His shoulder to cry on, His hands to hold, and His feet to run to others in times of distress. Use me, Lord. The truest longing of my heart is to be thy servant of love.

The Story of the Hairdresser

I woke up one morning and had the idea to get a haircut. I was tired of styling my long hair. I wanted something really different but I was afraid to change. I looked at pictures online to get ideas. I found some pictures I liked, and, with phone in hand, I walked into the beauty salon.

I talked with the hairdresser and showed her the picture. I had long hair and wanted to go super short like a pixie cut. She looked at me kinda funny and began to lead me in a different direction with her questions. As she asked me for my preferences and gave her input, we both searched up topics rapidly on our individual phones. Finally, she said, “Voila! Here it is.”

She was right. The haircut pic was love at first sight. I asked her, “What search criteria did you look up?” She said, “Orange asymmetrical haircuts.” That was our aim. She wanted something face framing for me as she thought it would be the most flattering.

While she washed my hair in the shampoo bowl (this was Fantastic Sam’s, after all), I peppered her with questions: ”Do you think this will turn out? How difficult will it be to style? What color level is my hair? How does the color process work?” I went on and on.

Finally, she said, “Just trust me.” And I shut up.

While she was blow drying my hair, I had the following epiphany: I wondered if how I was with my hairdresser of peppering her with questions and not trusting in her, is how many of us (including myself) are with God or the Universe (insert your beliefs here). Except the questions are “Will my life turn out? Will I fulfill my mission? Why am I going through this? Do you know what you’re doing?” Finally, God says “Just trust me.”

Are we open to His suggestions of what would best suit us or do we sit in the heavenly beauty salon chair and argue with Him or not take His suggestions? Do we consult with God or do we just demand good haircuts like we demand for certain things to happen in our lives? Sometimes I go to the hairdresser or God with the craziest ideas or no idea at all of what I want for my hair or my life. I definitely need direction or the results could be disastrous (anyone ever had a bad haircut or a bad life decision?)

We come into this life with preconceived notions of what our life should be like, such as wanting a pixie haircut or a specific outcome of our life (love, fame, health, wealth, etc.) God knows what would suit us best and will steer us in that direction…if we let Him.

Sometimes He steers us in a different direction in our lives than what we intended. Do we trust Him? Or are we constantly worried and nervous while He is metaphorically cutting our hair (trimming us of our dead ends, shaping us up, giving us a whole new look or heart)? Are we afraid of changing our hair or our lives?

And we might just end up with a haircut even cuter and a life even better with His artistic hairdresser flare in our lives. Personally, I would love it if God were my hairdresser. I’m thankful He is so much more in my life. I know He has a plan for my hair and a plan for my life. Let's turn our hair and our lives over to God. He might just give us a makeover.

P.S. Thank you God for returning my spiritual feelings to me after a three year spiritual blackout.

P.PS. See Isaiah 55:8-9, Luke 12:7; Luke 21:18 for fun scriptures on God’s plans for us and hair.

A Night of Small Miracles with my Daughter

We had a fun Friday night together. Janessa collects Littlest Pet Shop figurines and heard online that some people had found some at Goodwill. Before we made the trek to the Goodwill in Salt Lake, I said a silent prayer that we’d find a Littlest Pet Shop figure. When we got to the store, the toy section looked puny and my hopes began to crash. But we looked anyway. Goodwill had the small toys assembled in grab bags hanging on the wall. Janessa looked on the lower racks and I looked above. Then I saw one. Janessa informed me that this was a Littlest Pet Shop and it was a rare one with glass eyes. In the same grab bag, was another Littlest Pet Shop figurine. Janessa expressed her gratitude for my prayer and for God helping us with this small miracle.

 

When we got home and she looked at the other items in her bag, she came across a Lucky Charms fortune teller where you click it and the dice is inside. The responses were Yes, No, Maybe, Doubtful, Try Again, Always. We spent the rest of the evening asking questions of the fortune teller. Most of the answers seemed plausible and even spooky. It was fun!

Later, Janessa curled up by me on the couch as I was writing. Then Janessa asked me what I usually write about. I was sad to say that it’s usually about my problems, how to get better and how to help people with similar problems. I showed her a book idea I was working on and she read aloud the following excerpt:

“Trust that the universe will take care of me. Enjoy each day! Await miracles. Don’t despair. Hang in there.”

At one point, Janessa said “Don’t disappear.” I wondered where that statement came from. Then I realized she said that instead of “Don’t despair.” I love it! She totally made my day.

If you’re ever feeling down, spend time with a child. You’ll leave with a stronger belief in miracles, dreams coming true and life is fun!

"What makes me special?," Asked my Child

I’ve spent some precious time recently with my 8 year old daughter Janessa. I was working on my laptop one night and Janessa came and curled up beside me. She asked, “What makes me special?” Then she wanted me to write down what made her special from anyone else in the world. She even had me do some breathing exercises to focus on what to write. I was trying to see if I could come up one liners that described her. I came up with eight statements; one for each year of Janessa:

Janessa is so cute and precious. So innocent and pure. She wanted a spoonful of chocolate frosting and ended up with a spoonful that was half the can of frosting! Devious little squirt…who pays me with hugs.

Janessa is made of sugar and can eat her weight in sugar.

Janessa has a soft gentle heart and a fun sense of humor.

Janessa pays for favors with her hugs. She once tricked her parents to buying her toys back from her.

Janessa is as magical as any fairy but as down to earth as any tree.

Janessa is kind and good and always says her prayers.

Janessa’s sweet whisper heals my heart and transforms my soul.

Her full teeth bare smile reminds me of a wolf or dog. She is genuinely herself and happy in her own skin.

Recently, I sent a card to Carinna (Janessa’s older sister) telling her what made her special with a list of attributes and the things I love about her. She loved it!

Kids love to hear about themselves. Spend an evening with a child telling them what makes them unique and special. Your children may even pay you with a hug, just like Janessa. Write down for a friend what makes them special. For a pick-me-up, write a list of attributes about yourself. Everyone is special and needs to be reminded of it from time to time.

Playing Peekaboo with God

Imagine a baby who had a close relationship with her parents and whose parents went on a date. What might the reactions of the baby possibly be when the baby can’t see her parents and feels alone? The baby might be sad, scared or even mad. The baby probably isn’t really mad at her parents; the baby just misses them. And just because the parents are out of the picture for an evening doesn’t mean the parents have forgotten the baby or love her less.

What if we apply this to adults and their relationship to their heavenly parent, God? Everybody wants to be close to God. When God is perceived as being distant from us, we might be sad, scared or even mad. Are we really mad at God? Well, sometimes. But more than anything, we miss the closeness to God. Does God love us less even though we can’t feel Him near? Definitely not.

Back to babies. When parents play peekaboo with their babies and put their hands over their face, the babies are disoriented when they can’t see their parents and may get upset. Do you know any adults who seem disoriented in this life? The babies become so distressed when they can’t even see their parents for a moment, just imagine the distress in our lives when we think we can’t see God for a moment! But God is always waiting behind the hands. But I believe it isn’t God’s hands as the barrier. I believe it’s our hands that separate us from God.

“Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God…” (Romans 8: 35, 38-39)

 

We have the power to pull down our hands down at any time and see God’s smiling face and feel the closeness again. When we see God at last, we might even laugh and clap our hands with joy like a little baby playing her favorite game...Peekaboo!

Want Peace of Mind? Try the Serenity Prayer

The words in the Serenity Prayer may seem simple but I assure you they are powerful. Give them a try!

I want to share something with you that has helped me immensely and given me peace of mind.

The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference.

Yes, I know we’ve all heard the Serenity Prayer. I’ve only just started applying it in the past 6 months with rave results. I’ve found this prayer to be the solution for many ills. I know this prayer is recited at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and other 12-step programs. I think this prayer could help any ailment by applying its principles. I have the Serenity Prayer on my mirror which reminds me to use it every day. The prayer is among the best known but its nuances were lost on me until just recently. I’ve since found a treasure trove of insight and enlightenment.

Let’s break it down: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.” As you wish, insert your own word (Infinite, Universe) instead of God. This prayer came along long before current writers on acceptance and “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle.

Per Wikipedia, acceptance is about a person’s agreeing with reality (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it or protest. The concept is close to acquiescence, derived from the Latin…(to find rest in).” The basic definition of acceptance means the act of taking or receiving something offered. Do we accept what life offers us, good or bad?

One of my favorite writers, Eckhart Tolle, wrote my favorite quote: “When you accept what is, every moment is the best moment. That is enlightenment.” This is my aim in life to take the good and bad equally without resisting.

Acceptance is contrasted with resistance, usually politically. But this can be applied to us as well. Do we accept or do we resist? If you’re not accepting something, especially when you cannot change it, it’s like banging your head against the wall. I’ve done this plenty of times and boy, does my head hurt. Not accepting only yields frustration and personal suffering. A Star Trek phrase of the enemy Borg taking over the universe is “Resistance is futile.” How true.

Now, every time I have a thought that yields emotional pain, I challenge the thought with the first part of the serenity prayer. If I’m worried about something, I ask myself “Can I change it?” If the answer is “no,” then I promptly let go of the thought. Any worries of the past can be promptly dismissed as they cannot be changed. Worries of the future usually can’t be changed and those thoughts can be dispensed with as well. This has greatly helped my worries. Each moment we choose freedom or frustration as we choose whether or not to believe lies of our mind.

Next, “courage to change the things I can.” This can be challenging to effect meaningful and lasting change in our lives. Some have espoused that this step should come first, action, before accepting what cannot be changed. Albert Einstein said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Change is hard. People don’t usually change until they have to. "Nothing happens until the pain of remaining the same outweighs the pain of change." said Arthur Burt.

I live near a couple railroad tracks. One track is very active and the trains are moderate to quick-moving. The other railroad track is rarely used. But when a train does come, it will stop across the road for 20 minutes or more. Such was my lot a few days ago. I came across the train and it was stopped at a standstill. I happen to know a shortcut around the train track. It involves snaking through a neighborhood. Sometimes when I come out the other end, the train is gone and I wonder about my effort going around versus waiting. But this day, the train was still there and I was glad that I took the shortcut. As I considered it, I thought maybe it was good to go around the train either way than sit still. Taking action is always better than inaction.

The last part of the prayer is “wisdom to know the difference.” The philosopher W.W. Bartley combines Niebuhr's prayer with a Mother Goose rhyme and expresses a similar sentiment:

For every ailment under the sun

There is a remedy, or there is none;

If there be one, try to find it;

If there be none, never mind it.

 

It does require wisdom and discernment. I used to have negative thoughts inundate my mind over 90% of the time. I was miserable most of the time. Now I’m beginning to get control over my negative thoughts and starting to feel greater peace. If we always knew the difference between action vs. inaction and acceptance versus resistance, then we would feel true peace of mind or serenity, as the title suggests. Eckhart Tolle said, “There, strength, peace and serenity are available when one stops struggling to resist, or hang on tightly to what is so in any given moment.” Here’s to greater peace of mind!