Yes, Chocolate can make life better

I'm supposed to be turning into an expert on spirituality at this point, and I don't want to just start tossed my opinions around willy-nilly quite yet, but I think I also have science on my side here too, in this case.

It seems to me that chocolate has some spiritual benefits.

I'm going to do my own research as I take my gi-NORMOUS bag of peanut M&Ms to my 9 hours of Contemporary spirituality class tomorrow.

Details to follow, if I don't get ill on the stuff.

Favorite things this week

Gingerbread

Rock salt

Finding old friends

Trash bags on sale

Centering prayer

Daughter's coloring

Camera phone

Baked Oatmeal

. . . . how about you?

disaster averted - no children were shot

today an automated call came from the superintendent of my children's school district that a child planned to bring guns to school today, but was averted and arrested. No further details could be told she said.

We were snowed in and school was canceled anyway. When you get a call like that, it is quite chilling. You wonder why things are so unsafe, even among the world of children. You start to list the many reasons why. Video games? Cable tv? The abundance of glorified violence? Lack of proper bonding? No mentors? Dysfunctional families?

Improper spiritual formation? (certainly). From my perspective, of course, I'll end up here because I study this. I see all problems as spiritual ones at their root. And are they not? When we cannot live with each other, or we wish to hurt each other, that is a spiritual problem. It comes out as a criminal problem. It gets met by law enforcement. It becomes punished by what is called justice, but really is largely secular retribution and recompense.

Will this young person be healed? Will he (or she, but we all know this is highly unlikely. Don't boys cry in bullets?) be soon reinstated into loving community, found, and healed? That is his only hope really. Will he find his way because he realizes what grace is, what love is, what forgiveness is? Or will he grow hard and cold? Will he stay lost? Will he stay hateful?

People are scared. It's strange to live in a place that seems safe, but of course is like any other place, normal, which means, American, and therefore chaotic and prone to violence.

I'm glad disaster was averted. I hope no one will hope to copy him on a day when bad weather isn't a factor that changes the day.

My mind is spinning.

trying for the best

Sometimes when you have an opinion, or make an observation... even an incredibly obvious one, you can be crucified for it (socially I mean). Sometimes physically, but not usually, of course, at least not in my country.

You can get maligned.

You have to ask yourself the important question, in those cases. If you can save a person, (or persons) from potential damage, you should try to do it, even if it costs you dearly. Even if its unpopular. Even if the discomfort of the pointing out the obvious will target you for revenge of the inner guilt you rouse in others.

Trying for the best isn't easy or safe. I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes. Like Eve, I been deceived by a serpent or two. In learning from those mistakes I hope to save some lambs from the jaws of some wolves, even wolves in sheep's clothing if that's the case, if at all possible.

This use to really surprise me, even depress me how hard it was to do well, or better. It does not surprise me any more. It's hardest among people you would hope it would be easiest. There you have it!

Spiritual formation is a journey. We have to try to for the best. When we fail we have to keep trying. I FAIL. I must press on.

Disappearing . . .

When I was young sometimes I would get the sense that if I closed my eyes I might completely disappear. I might not just sink into the floor or fade like a vapor-though sometimes I wondered that too-but maybe I wouldn't exist because I was not existing. Was I there if I felt invisible and unnoticed? Was it possible to disappear? Does this speak in some way of how a child absorbs things that are less than loving-neglectful things; or is this more of creativity and how one imagines and gets use to one's metaphysics?

Remembering that, and the potential adult manifestations of those sorts of topics, gets me to thinking about love. It seems it can bring us back, to life. It can make us reappear, maybe something like clapping for Tinkerbell could bring her back to fairy-ness.

But too, I think that disappeared person has to be able to feel that love first too. Those perceptions cannot be too deadened. If one's been under the ice too long and gotten too numb, a quick warm up does not "do the trick". Then the cut off has been too great, though a thaw can happen, rescuers must be patient.

How do we make people reappear?

Loneliness and Love

Loneliness will drive us to do unwise things.

Love will drive us to do very unwise things.

Does it seems a great many people don't take the care to tell of which one is driving them?

The former will condition seems to rarely settle down into one that begins out of the latter condition (love).

The latter condition keeps the former condition from happening at all.

If it weren't for the great gap, and horrifying feeling and condition (both) of loneliness, could we not love so much better and more wholly?

possessing nothing

In reading Tozer, I have enjoyed his take on this "possessing nothing" issue. It can encompass a worldview.

Tozer (in the Pursuit of God) says, "I have everything, but I possess nothing." If this is the perspective, nothing possesses us. We are not "other possessed", but have no chain to anything, and then can be given, or shall we say, released, to God.

I think the image here isn't that of apathy toward things. We may care quite deeply, and engage fully, love fully, even lay our lives down for friends and enemies. The difference I see is that we do not clutch anything.

So, I may love my child, my spouse, my friend, with all my heart, but I know that God gave them to me. They are God's, not mine to clutch. I possess nothing. (I don't contend I have this mastered, but only that I'm beginning to understand this as working as such!)

Your comments are welcome!