Saturday, April 23, 2016

The Issues Of Living In The Now

Two thoughts: 1) We have just listed our house for sale. 2) I know I am to be living in the NOW because each moment may be an opportunity for my Spirit Guide (the Voice for God) to create a Holy Encounter.
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) states [T-8.III.4 (emphasis mine)]: “When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter. As you see him you will see yourself. As you treat him you will treat yourself. As you think of him you will think of yourself. Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself or lose yourself. Whenever two Sons of God meet, they are given another chance at salvation. Do not leave anyone without giving salvation to him [through forgiveness – remembering you and him are one] and receiving it yourself. For I am always there with you, in remembrance of you.
To be in a position to allow a holy encounter to occur, I need to be Honest, Open and Willing – what old timers in AA called the importance of HOW.
I need to always turn inwards, whether I like the person or not, whether I agree with the person or not, whether I respect the person or not. How I am seeing, treating or thinking of that person (try Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton or a skin head white supremacist on for size) is really how I am seeing, treating, or thinking of myself. In the person I have encountered NOW, I will either find myself or lose myself. As I have said before, this is not a once-and-done proposition. According to Jesus, this is true ALL the time, with everyone, always,
This means to me that everything is always internal. I am always the issue. Trying to control external events, people, or situations is futile, frustrating, exasperating, and disappointing. That is not a picture of peace and serenity. A lovely quote I got from someone somewhere is scribbled on my corkboard: “Strive for control over your experience of the events/people of your life – not control over the events/people themselves.”
It’s always internal!
All this brings me to the act of selling our house. A neighbor told me, “When you put your house up for sale, you no longer own your house. You have become the constant caretakers of your house.” How true that is.
Every day it seems like my to-do list grows. Regardless of how diligent I think I have been, the list just grows all by itself. I find myself wishing my vigilant wife wasn’t so vigilant. Paint the grates. Scour the decks. Move pictures then caulk and paint the walls. Move furniture for the carpet cleaners, Rearrange and clean out my bookshelves. Clean the gutters. Wash down the outside of the house – and don’t forget the windows! Oh! The decks look lovely – now, what about the fence?
The chores are simply constant. So, I think to myself, “Donnie, you are preparing this house for your next home. Someone in North Carolina is going through this exact same process for you. They are wondering where you are.”
“Wonderful, but where are my buyers?” I answer myself. “Where are the seekers? Why isn’t anyone coming? Are we ever going to be able to move? Am I stuck here? Will we get such a low offer that we’ll have to eat dog food on stale crackers I have pilfered from Wendy’s?”
 Oh! Woe is me! I am on my royal pity-pot, whining as I sit in my king baby chair.
Where in this process has my NOW gone? Where is my awareness of my continuing holy encounters? Where is my willingness to engage with the Voice for God to participate in the oneness of all I meet?
My HOW had gotten lost in the anticipations and expectations of a perfect (to me!) sale: my timeframe, my price, my inspections, my closing. In short, my perceptions had become my reality and my perspective and awareness of my Spirit Guide had been shunted into the deep background.
I was becoming a mess. Frustrated. Irritable. Short-tempered.
I didn’t like it at all.
That internal awareness of my discomfort has been – in the end – a wonderful wake-up call for me. Hence this message for you is really a reaffirmation for me. Although these messages are mostly for me, thanks for listening to me and knowing me – warts and all.
As always, feel free to forward this message to your friends, family, and those accompanying you on your spiritual journey.
Don
#4 Apr 2016

Copyright 2016

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