Friday, September 25, 2009

Dearest God,

What can transform anger, resentment and bitterness into compassion and mercy? What power is great enough to turn the tide?

I am a vessel, Lord, one of yours. What I have learned through many life lessons is that my vessel has the capacity to hold a wide variety of beliefs, attitudes and emotions. My attitudes and beliefs can trigger emotions that can cause me to soar or to dive. I've done both many, many times.

When I have an attitude of openness and a desire to rise to higher levels of faith, my beliefs tell me that it is possible to soar. When I offer myself to you during the course of my day believing that you are present, the fertile soil of my mind, heart and spirit can receive the blessings you have for me. I become more conscious, more aware of your awesome spirit. Like gifts dropping from heaven, I am able to discern when I am being blessing yet again.

On the other hand when I am closed like the petals of a flower at nighttime, I have found that I am too hunched over to see, taste, hear and smell the divine goodness of heaven. I can't breathe in the wondrous grace you have waiting for me. Such moments leave me prey to negative thoughts, attitudes and actions. I can believe that the world is dark, unforgiving, a polluted land filled with enemies such as doubt, fear, and hatred. Very quickly I can begin to dive downward leaving me downtrodden, hopeless and afraid.

And so at the beginning of each day I believe I make a choice. Will I hunker down, my hands and arms covering my body, my head hanging, my legs and feet tucked inside, my heart in an awkward position, the natural flow of things hampered? Or will I rise to the divine occasion? Will I lift my head toward heaven's reign and allow your message to speak to my heart? Will my spirit and soul dance to the tune of heaven's sacred song? Will I anticipate the subtle joys of simple things and know whose hand has provided them? My choice, my decision.

As I consider six little bodies in sleeping bags all around my bed, grandchildren ages 4 to 9, today I choose to soar on the wings of angels.

Each morning
I open
my eyes
to you,
dear God,
for I know
you are
the power source
of a
victorious life.
My gift
of rest
during the night
is a sign
of your
loving kindness.
I breathe
my prayer
even before
I rise
from my bed.
Like joy
from heaven
I know
your living presence
will be
with me
all day long.
I stretch
and stand,
making a pathway
from your heart
to mine.
I plug in
to your
divine power
beginning my trust anew,
celebrating our relationship
one more time.

Love, Andrea