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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