GOD IS a verb. GOD IS…I AM

  One of the funniest sayings I’ve heard in a while is “God made man in His image and likeness and we’ve been trying to return the favor ever since.”

I think the most ironic thing about that is how true it is!  Thousands of years have passed since the Bible was first written, and yet, we are still stuck in the same quandary of attempting to define God through our limited human perceptions.  I know when I teach Sunday school, I am constantly helping the students become aware of how they describe God in human terms…especially when they refer to God as ”He.”  Again and again I ask them, “So, you believe God is a man, right?”  They always reply, “No, God is both male and female.”  Oops.  Well, according to Christ Jesus, in the kingdom of God there is neither male nor female.  They usually then tell me God is Spirit.  What is Spirit, I ask?  It is not anything you can see, touch, smell, hear, or taste, and yet, it is still a “thing.”  For children (and probably many adults) it merely turns God into a ghost-type figure….always “out there” and separate from us and our world.  I stop, yet again, and clarify why it is we believe this, and then gently lead them away from defining God as human.  It is not an easy task, and one that requires consistency and diligence.  Undoing thousands of years of beliefs will definitely take patience!

In Michele Longo O’Donnell’s book, The God That We’ve Created, she writes:

     Unfortunately, most of us still see God as man.  We say that we don’t, but we do.  We judge the nature of God to be as the nature of man.  The whole Old Testament writings do that.  We read that God is jealous, angry, requiring just retribution and demanding impossible sacrificing and suffering to cause Him to change His present course of action.  We have Him sorry that He made certain choices and determined to correct His previous decisions.

     The reason for these inconsistencies is that we speak what we understand.  This was what men understood and their highest sense of truth was what they recorded.

     You will notice how radically the images of truth changed when Jesus entered the scene.  He brought a sense of God as Spirit, as attributes of a nature, more than a person.  And yet he personalized God by calling Him Father, and the source of all being.  He introduced God in a way that men could not perceive at that time and for the most part still don’t.

Are we ready to redefine God?  Some are.  In fact, many metaphysicists have stopped using the word “God” because far too many preconceived ideas are attached to that word.  The truth is, no matter what name we put to the idea of God, we are wrong.  Why?  Well, just as was said in the earliest writings of the Bible, God cannot be named by man.  Our terms are limiting.  There is, in fact, no possible way for us to imagine the infinity and eternity of All That Is.  It would take us eternity to imagine eternity!  Perhaps it is time for us to stop thinking of God in terms of a “noun” (person, place or thing). 

When I write “God is a verb,” I am doing the best I can to move my students to a new way of thinking.  Yes, I know how difficult it is to stop thinking of God as a noun!  I have difficulty, myself.  However, my understanding has shown me that God is not just the stuff of the universe, rather, God is the “action” of Being around it.

I have thought long and hard on this subject of how to define God.  Even after years of contemplation, I cannot do it.  I can’t contain this Beingness into one word.  I use many of them, because I see no other way.  If God is everywhere and everything, no word I use will include All That Is.  If I say God is Love, I’m forgetting about Grace.  If I say God is Beauty, then what of Omnipotence?  Even if I say “God is All,” I cannot possibly comprehend that term, so I will only be able to experience a portion of what that means.  Thus, the best I can offer you is a multitude of words, always urging my readers to continue seeking more.

Even after several thousand years have passed, we have progressed very little in our discovery and willingness to know God more.  The faithful cling to their Bibles, declaring it to be the Word of God.  And yet…it is they who explain the meanings of the words within.  They call it “truth.”  They offer up so many contradictions about God, people are starting to question their authority.  How can God be both loving and vengeful?  Why were we promised Jesus died for our sins so we would have eternal life, and yet we live in a world of carnage and death?  If God is a loving Father, why do good people and young innocents face tragedy?  Is there any way to reconcile suffering as an act of a gracious Creator?  Why are we being punished for the sins of people we don’t even know and how do we know what is pleasing to our Father?  If God only loves “good” people, then how come many of the most revered saints were also some of the biggest sinners?

The authors who wrote of God, thousands of years ago, did the best they could to explain the why behind the lives they lived.  They wrote heartfelt stories and prayed fervently to a God who may or may not listen.  They wanted, so much, to understand the purpose of life.  When enlightened rabbis came to share a higher understanding, the ears that heard did the best they could, with the knowledge they had.  So much was still unknown…so much still is.  The wrote about it anyway.  So do we.  But how much do we really understand?

I do not pray to a distant Father who sometimes hears me and other times chooses to punish me.  That makes no sense to me.  I am a parent.  I know the love I feel for my children, and I know I would never, ever want them to hurt.  Yes, they may choose to do things which will cause them pain and perhaps I have said or done things that hurt them, but it has never been my intent to cause them suffering.  If I had mystical powers to give them love, peace, and eternal joy, that would be my desire for them.  Would a God of Love want anything less for us?  No?  If you agree, then you are going to have to rethink your own idea of who or what God is. 

The teachings of the past were wonderful and they served us well for a long time.  But this is a new day and new discoveries are pointing in a new direction.  It is time to come together to take another look at our beliefs.  I ask you to take time out today to think about who God is to you.  Perhaps this will be the day you, too, realize it is time to let go of ideas and beliefs that no longer serve you.  Who knows, maybe you will agree that God is not a noun…no longer will human attributes be able to contain something so grand, eternal and wondrous. Yes, I know how difficult it is to let go of all those beliefs from thousands of years past.  But what if surrendering those beliefs opened up to the most magnificent revelation?

Could it be that God is not a being…but simply is Being?  I challenge you to define “the image and likeness” in a new way…a way that includes All.  It won’t be easy, because it will include those you despise.  How can you rectify this?  I can only promise you this–it will require you to be “born again.”  You will need new eyes to see and new ears to hear.    

Once you know God as All, Being, miracles start to manifest.  I think O’Donnell agrees, as she writes:

     We need to realize that Life is not what we are doing, but the Presence of an un-interruptible rhythm, an unseen, invisible Spiritual Presence, who is revealing itself as, and through, all that it has made.  We then can allow it to reveal itself to us…and eventually as us.  Then there truly will appear the Oneness of God and man, and the prayer of Jesus will be fulfilled, “That they may be one as we are one, we in them and they in us…”  One! Perfect God, perfect Life flowing in perfect rhythm, establishing and maintaining perfect order everywhere it is seen and acknowledged.  

First, however, it must be seen and acknowledged.  

I AM…Jodi
www.godisaverb.com/blog

   Freedom.  Today, in the United States, we celebrate our freedom with cookouts, family outings, and massive fireworks displays.  There is a part of me that is grateful, on this day, and there is another part of me that is only reminded of our separation beliefs on the Fourth of July.

I am lucky to live in a country where we have a great deal of freedom.  I realize that, and I’m grateful.  I understand how many soldiers have lost their lives in order to keep things this way.  I’m appreciative of that, as well.  Nonetheless, how can I celebrate when there is still a large part of our world who does not have all that I have?  I woke up to cardinals and sparrows chirping outside my window, this morning.  Across the ocean, children are waking up to the sounds of screaming, crying, and gunfire.  How can I be happy when I think of the hatred that has caused us to kill one another?  We’ve killed more people in the name of God in the past century than in all other eras of mankind combined.  Is it not possible to live in a world of peace?  Yes, I know world peace is a tall order and one that is often joked about, but the idea of living in a world of peace is a beautiful one. 

When I see people decorating their homes, cars, offices and bodies with an American flag, I always feel a twinge of sorrow rise up inside me.  What is it about us that makes us want to publicly declare our separation from the remaining world?  How can we be proud of the imaginary boundaries we’ve created to keep us apart from all of mankind?

The other day, I was shopping for a new mattress for my bedroom.  I went to a place where I was immediately greeted by a man with a huge smile and a big hug.  He asked me to look at him so he could see my eyes.  I smiled as he said, “Beautiful!”  We laughed and joked and had a wonderful time selecting my new mattresses.  I loved the beautiful accent of this kind man, and I soon asked him where he was from.  Greece, he declared.  I shared with him that Greece is the one place in the world I’ve vowed to visit before I leave this lifetime.  I have always felt an affinity for the country…I’ve dreamed of being there.  He reached over and patted my hand and said, “They will love you in Greece!”  He explained how affectionate the people are there, and he told me they love to touch and show their feelings.  Because I did not mistake his affectionate ways as a sexual threat, he believed I would be welcomed in Greece.  I found this so fascinating, and it made me think about how unique and beautiful every culture of the world is.  Why can’t we appreciate our differences and see them as variations of God’s expressions, and not as threats to our freedom? 

In my world, there is peace.  No one can take that from me except me.  I cherish it with all my heart and I share it with all the world.  In my world, there are no boundaries.  Everything is one in the same, and it is good.  Even though it sometimes seems this is such a small gesture toward world peace, I know it is the best thing I can do.  If enough of us do this, we can shift mass consciousness and finally live in a time of grace and compassion.  When I have a quarrel with another, I don’t look to the other person to resolve it.  I look within myself for the belief that is keeping me from freedom.  The only thing that really separates us is our beliefs.  Think about that.

So, on this day of celebration in the United States, I choose not to wave a flag or shout “God Bless America.”  Yes, I love and appreciate my country, but I love and appreciate all countries.  I cannot feel complete until the world celebrates freedom, together.  I’ll rejoice when the only flag that flies is one that symbolizes oneness with All That Is.  Rather than separate myself from the world, today, I will offer my loving, peace-filled experience to the vibration of Love in hopes that it touches the hearts of not just those in the land where I live, but those in all parts of the world.  I extend the hand of love to every person on every continent.  I applaud our independence from separation beliefs!  One day, perhaps, our world will no longer recognize boundaries and borders.  One day, perhaps, we will only greet one another with a big smile and a huge hug.  We will honor the God in all of us and see Consciousness as All. 

Now that will truly be a day to celebrate freedom.  S’agapo!

I AM…Jodi
www.godisaverb.com/blog

  John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

Let’s talk about the subject of salvation.  I get a lot of questions about it, so I’ll do my best to give you my take on it.

Now, I know the first thing I would get when speaking with a very conservative, Christian fundamentalist is a few quotes from the Bible (with their translation of what each verse means…generally obtained through “others”).  How Bible verses are interpreted is one of the most controversial issues of religion and the reason we now have so many different churches representing so many “truths.”  Nonetheless, there are those who are adament that their truth is the right way.  When I have the chance to talk to those who strongly believe in their religious doctrines, I like to begin with the question, “Who told you this is absolute truth?”  Of course, they generally answer it was their priest or pastor.  I then ask, “And who told him/her this is absolute truth?”  I keep taking this back until they understand all interpretations of biblical verses come from mankind… and none of them, of course, were living during the time when the verses were actually written.  Often, this is the first time believers actually realize the words they have taken in as their beliefs did not come from God…they came from another person!  Without going one on one through various Bible verses, let me explain how I came to my own beliefs about this subject.

Raised in the Christian Science church, I was never baptised.  We did have a yearly “communion,” which consisted of kneeling on the floor and repeating certain words.  I was never saved nor did I ever rededicate my life.  Of course, I know many Christians who have done all the above.  I have no quarrel with them and their beliefs, but unfortunately, that kindness is generally not reciprocated.  Many have doomed me to eternal damnation.  That’s okay.  I do not dwell on our differences.

Do I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins?  Yes and no.  First, I don’t think Jesus was the only person who came to Earth as God.  We are all God.  In light of that, I would remove the word “Lord.”  Jesus was a man…a human being.  Thus, I prefer not to list his last name as Christ.  I do think such a man walked the face of Earth, and I believe he was an amazing rabbi with a unique differentiation…he was christed.  Christ, you see, is a title.  It means someone who is highly evolved or enlightened.  It is a rare thing to find a human being who can be in the world but not of it.  He was, most likely, just such a person.  Now…let’s get to this sin thing. 

I do not believe the sin of Adam and Eve doomed all mankind to hell.  First off, the story of Adam and Eve is, at best, mythology.  It is a suggestion of how we came to be on this planet, but if you checked into it, you would discover that same story existed in at least two other previous cultures before Moses included it in the Old Testament.  During the early times of biblical stories, this one was told often…and myth was the common genre of the day.

If you look closely, in the Bible, you will also find there is not just one story of creation.  There are two.  The first chapter of Genesis describes the entire creation process…and it does not follow the same order as the Adam and Eve version.  By the way…in that story, both man and woman are created by God at the same time.  In Chapter 2, after “the mist rises,” the creation story starts all over again, but this time we get the Adam and Eve version.  So, which story is right?  If the Bible is absolute, then they must both be correct, right?  Hmmmm.

Now, let’s move along about 1000 years later and go into the New Testament.  Here, we start seeing many references to salvation, especially in conjunction with words spoken by Christ Jesus (which, in case you don’t realize it, were not recorded by Christ, himself).  I would really start to differ with a conservative Christian here, because we do not translate these verses in the same manner.  Many Christians interpret his words very literally.  I don’t.  I always look at them metaphysically.  Who is right?  There is no way to know, because we weren’t there to hear the spoken word.  We didn’t live during that time and we can’t see the gestures and hear the intonations.  Without that, we are all merely guessing. 

Also, the Bible was not put into a single book until 300 years after Christ died, and despite what the most conservative believers tout, there were edits.  Entire books were edited out completely!  Human beings put the Bible together into one book, and they made decisions as to what was included and what was omitted.  Never did they think the book would become so powerful!  They assumed it would serve their purposes, but then fade away.  No real effort to translate these verses was made.  It wouldn’t be possible.  The books came from many places, many cultures, and many languages.  Every book was a copy…none were originals.  The span of time included in the Bible covered 1500 years, and in the early days, stories were not written–they were told from one generation to the next.  Well, I could go on and on with all this, but let’s assume this at least has some people thinking.

So, let’s go back to the verse I listed at the beginning.  Is this saying we must believe in Jesus in order to be saved?  I don’t think so.  I think it is asking us to consider his teachings.  In the parables Christ Jesus shared are the answers to our questions and if we are able to grasp the greater meaning behind the morals of these stories, we will save ourselves from living a troubled life.  We can uplift our Consciousness to that of Christ if we understand what he taught.  It isn’t an easy thing to do, because the language of Christ is so mystical and veiled without metaphysical interpretation.  We must remember he lived on Earth but was not of it; thus, he spoke from a higher understanding.  If we cannot match his level of enlightenment, we are, more than likely, missing out on the greater meaning of the words he spoke.  The language of the day was poetic and symbolic, and to take the words and merely translate them literally is to miss out on the beauty of the language.

The world (and even I) can be saved through these teachings.  Not saved from damnation into a fiery pit called hell, but saved from an existence that lives from the place of ego, alone.  In contemplating the meaning of the words of Christ, I can come to a place of understanding that moves me into higher consciousness.  I can be aware of both heaven and hell on Earth.  Salvation is something only I can do for myself, but the saving of my soul has little to do with the ways of the world.  Whether or not a human being (generally a man) dunks me into a pool of water has nothing to do with my life and death.  Consuming bread and wine won’t place me inside the gates of Heaven.  Finding my way will have to come from something much less physical than that.

I’ve spent most of my life studying spiritual lessons.  I have, for the most part, been a good person.  I’ve shared and I’ve served in many, many capacities.  I read the Bible and other spiritual books more than most people.  I’ve taught children and helped hundreds of people with healing.  I spend hours in meditation and look for God in everything.  I’ve done my best to emulate the teachings of Christ Jesus and other wonderful masters of enlightenment.  Am I going to hell, in spite of all this, simply because I was not baptised?  What about the innocent children of the world never exposed to the teachings of the Bible?  Are they, too, doomed to hell?  If a child dies before being cleansed of his/her sins, what will become of that soul?  Are people like Gandhi and Buddha really not going to get into the pearly gates because they are not Christians?  I ask you to consider all this, and then see if perhaps this idea of salvation has been gravely misunderstood.

And what if I’m wrong?  Well, I’ll be damned…but I’ll be in good company!

   I enjoy going through various discussion group pages to see what is being written about the Law of Attraction.  I’m still amazed to see how many are frustrated because “this thing just doesn’t work for me.”  Yes, it does.  It isn’t something you can turn off or on.  Like Being, it simply “is.”  Goodness flows effortlessly.  It is only when we try to force it to happen according to our will we run into problems.  In those times, we are pushing away that which God is offering because we think we have a better answer.  Think of it like two positive ends of magnets trying to be forced to connect.  You can push and push, all day long, but it simply is not going to happen.  The energy fields oppose one another.  The only way they can connect is if the vibration is a match.  Let them go and they will immediately do this all by themselves.

It is hard for many people to give up control.  I know, because I’m one of them–although I am getting better and better at allowing.  I’ve learned that sometimes surrendering is the fastest and best way to allow good things to come into my experience.  If I am using up vast amounts of energy to force something to happen my way, then I know I am in the energy of resistance.  It is exhausting and frustrating.  Often, it seems I don’t get what I have asked for.  I know it is my ego standing its ground.  I am resisting surrender to the higher Consciousness in myself which always has my best interests at heart.  When I recognize this inner struggle, I turn within and suggest, “Not my will, but thine, be done.”  The question is, whose will is being done? 

I believe all struggle is within the self.  The different aspects that make us who we are do not always agree what is best.  Generally, the ego (or thinking mind) wants to be in control.  It always thinks it has the best possible answer.  It knows everything…or so it “thinks.”  While the ego has its place in this world, it often has to be reminded it is not the master, but rather, is the servant.  Consciousness is the purest form of Love, and in this state of Being, all good things are possible. 

If you find yourself in the process of trying to force a particular outcome, you are existing in a state of resistance.  I advise you to step back and see what Consciousness has to offer.  Ask Consciousness to show you the way.  Whatever it is you want or desire in this life will always and only come from that place.  It will never come from others.  Define what you want and then agree to listen.  Yes, the ego will probably attempt to squeeze back into the solution, but gently remind it that you prefer to listen with your heart…not your mind.  Trust what you feel, because your emotions are the communication device.  In doing so, the answers come easily.  Inspiration and intuition guide your every move, and you find yourself in a state of uplifted gratitude for having received.  When you feel that kind of bliss and grace in your experience, you know you are truly going with the flow.  Amazing things begin to happen and you are blissfully surprised at solutions you never would have pursued left to your ego-mind alone.  Rather than blocking the good that wants to be experienced, you are floating along with it.  Everything about it feels right and effortless, because you are now in the energy of allowing.

We always receive that which we ask, but it is important to clarify whether we are asking from ego mind or Consciousness.  Funny thing is, there are only two choices–resisting or allowing.  The real question is, who is doing the asking?  You’ll know by the way you feel.  Is it hard work or is it easy breezy?  Oh…now I get it!

This Law of Attraction stuff always works!

I AM…Jodi
www.godisaverb.com/blog

   Yesterday, while unpacking boxes, I heard an old song on a television show about “one hit wonders,” or people who had one hit record and then weren’t heard from again.  The song was titled “What if God Was One of Us?”  In her interview, the recording artist was talking about hate mail she received after recording the song.  Some people did not like the idea of her bringing God down to human level. 

Dayna remarked that she liked the song, although this was the first time she had heard it.  I giggled and said, “Well, it was good she made people think about it, but I don’t think she went far enough.”  I think she should have asked “What if God is ALL of us?”

Some people do okay with this idea of God being us as long as I am talking about a “good” person.  They coil in disgust, however, when “bad” people are mentioned.  But the truth is…if God is everywhere, that means there is no place or space where God does not reside.  We cannot exclude anyone or anything from all.  To justify this concept, we are required to come at it from a different understanding.  It helps to know those who are resistant to God’s qualities (aka “bad” people) are merely flexing the ego muscle to such a great degree, the inner Consciousness does not appear to shine through.  It is there, however.  It is everywhere.  If our beliefs/perceptions are filtering it, it appears that God is not in that particular space, but that is not possible.  We are simply focused on a tiny aspect of the larger picture.  Once the ego and the body are reduced in proportion to God Consciousness, it becomes clear that they are nothing but specks of dust floating in infinite Consciousness.

Illusion is a big part of this life.  We translate light into so many patterns it is difficult to remember things aren’t as they appear.  There are many analogies to describe this, but I like to demonstrate this with two telescopes.  I get two people and have them focus on a flower with the lens narrowed so they see nothing but the petals.  I ask them to each describe what they see in their “world.”  They describe different things.  I ask them which one is telling the truth.  Of course, they both claim to be correct.  I then have them widen the lens.  Again, I ask them to describe what they see.  Of course, it is not only different from the other person, but it is now different from what they first saw.  I do this a few more times, and finally, I have them put down the telescope and look all around.  At that point, they can really see the bigger picture, and they can finally understand how limited viewpoints might appear to be true, but they are not exclusively “right.”  Both of them were correct in describing what they saw, but they were focusing only on a particular aspect of a much grander picture.

As I sit here on my back porch, a honey bee buzzes around the nearby table and I realize how helpful it would be to us if we sometimes saw things through their eyes.  Bees, you see, don’t see like we do.  To them, the world looks like “snow” you see on the television screen when you come across a scrambled television station.  If we look at life in the quantum world, that is how everything appears to us, as well.  I think it would be useful to see everything in that way because we could no longer use limited perceptions to define objects as individual things.  We would, at long last, see the sameness of everything.  We would sense how God is not only one of us, but All That Is.

Everyday, we are inching nearer and nearer the idea that our world is much different than we have been told.  In a recent interview I was listening to with Bill Harris, he was talking about how we mistake the map for the territory.  The map is very useful in getting us around in our world, but if you try to drive on the squiggly lines or take a dip in the colorfully drawn lakes, it simply won’t work.  I liked his second example even better.  He said we sometimes mistake the menu for the food.   Imagine how much better it would be to taste the actual fruit, not just a word describing it!  Sound familiar?

Science and spiritualists alike are discovering how everything is much different than what we’ve been told.  We are not separated beings…we are intimately connected.  We are within the All, and more, we are the All.  We are discovering how much grander our world actually is when we step back and see it through unlimited vision.  While I understand that some still cannot bring themselves to utter the words, “I AM God,” I do believe this is exactly where we are headed.  The day is coming quickly now, and those who are already surrendering the ego will find it much easier to understand we’ve being living as though the map is the territory.  We’ve been living the illusion.  It is time to expand our vision.  See? 

Yes, there will be resistance to the idea, because we have believed something much different for so very long.  However, the time will come when those who hold out against this idea will be the minority.  In time, it will make no sense to resist seeing what everyone else sees.  The day will finally arrive when everyone puts down the telescope to see a much bigger vision of All That Is.  They will see themselves standing in it.  The day is here.

What if God is all of us? 

As you contemplate that idea, I encourage you to repeat familiar words from the Bible.  This time, however, say them as though you are personally speaking them to yourself.

“Be still and know that I AM God.”

I AM…Jodi
www.godiesaverb.com/blog

   Work.  Ugh.  Don’t you just hate it?  Wanna play hooky?

This morning, I was teasing my husband about wanting to play golf right in the middle of moving from one house to the other.  I asked him how he could even consider “playing around” when there was so much work to do.  He shot back, “Well, you take time to write your blog every day.”  I answered that it was part of my job.  Albeit…it is one of the parts I truly enjoy. 

The truth is, a day off, here and there, to go play golf is a major part of my husband’s life.  He works very hard in his home-building business, and he does deserve some fun time, as well. 

Looking at our jobs makes me appreciate how lucky we are to be doing things we really enjoy.  It is not uncommon for Billy and I to put in long hours, doing things most people our age would never consider doing.  Just a while ago, we carried a heavy dresser up the stairs, and when the moving company shows up on Monday morning, they will, once again, be surprised to see that we have already moved most everything ourselves.  It isn’t uncommon to see us climbing up tall ladders and walking across the rooftops of houses.  We plant trees and shrubs and lift heavy items.  We work most every single day, and rarely stop until dark.  And you know what?  We love it!

I often hear people talking about how they hate their jobs.  They furrow their brows and say “it pays the bills, however.”  I wonder why they continue to spend time in situations they really don’t enjoy.  I believe if these same people would take a closer look at the experience, they might find the real reason they are there.  In doing so, they might also discover they could move on to a different place…one they would actually enjoy!

I believe wherever I am is exactly where I’m “supposed” to be.  No one forced me here…I chose it.  I might sometimes think it isn’t what I want in life, but then I remind myself to look closer.  If I’m here, there is a reason. 

When people tell me they hate their jobs, I suggest they reconsider their purpose in being there.  There is something there for them to learn.  Sometimes, we choose employment situations without understanding that.  We might think it is about money or about opportunity for career advancement.  It might be.  However, sometimes it is about something completely different than what you think.  What if you are there because someone needs your light to shine for them?  What if you are there to develop patience or to practice tolerance?  If you learn to look at the deeper meaning of your experience, your “work” takes on a whole new meaning.  It might even become fun as you start to play detective. 

Look around you.  Is there someone in your office who bothers you a great deal?  Is your boss an overbearing, obnoxious jerk?  Is the girl in the cubicle next to you always whining and complaining about something?  Are your co-workers prejudiced and judgemental?  Is the lonely nerd in the corner always depressed about something?  How about that flirty girl who always wears the tight pants and low-cut blouses…does she annoy you?

In every single case, this is not about “them.”  It is always about you.  The characters in your play are there for a reason.  Yep…you auditioned and chose them for the role they are playing in your life.  What is it you need to learn from them?  Everything you don’t like in others is a shadow side of yourself that needs to be addressed.  Unless and until you deal with it, you will continue to put yourself in these circumstances.  Ask yourself when you have acted as they do.  Be honest!  Look at it in yourself and recognize how you have done something very much the same.  Analyze why you behaved in that manner and see if you might have something yet to learn about it.  In other words, if I can’t stand the person who is always complaining, I need to ask myself if I have ever been that way.  The answer will be yes!  I then consider why I behaved in that manner, and I contemplate whether my complaining was uncomfortable for others.  The answer is yes!  I forgive and understand this aspect of myself and I decide to do better in future times.  I have now become aware of this part of myself and I have taken action to clear this pattern from my life.  In doing so, I have now replaced the shadow with light.  I will no longer attract that type of person into my experience, because I have no need for it.  More than likely, I will be surprised to learn the whining, complaining girl has been transferred to another department…or I will find myself in a new position.

Once you start to play around with this idea of addressing the things you don’t like in others as things you have inside yourself, your life will change.  One by one, you will uncover the dark side of your hidden beliefs, and the light you shine on these qualities you once thought were only in others will clear from your experience.  Amazing things will start to happen!  New opportunities will reveal themselves to you, and every experience you encounter will be an opportunity to learn and grow.  Never forget to play detective!  Discover the lesson behind every single event in your life by turning and really looking at it for what it is.  Think of “others” as a reflection of yourself.  They can only mirror back to you what you project. Ask yourself why you placed that situation or those people in your path?  Why are they in your story?  What are they trying to show you about yourself?  There is no need to hate work, because it can be great fun to seek out the larger lesson.

Once I FINALLY understood this concept…my whole experience looked different.  Now, I can’t wait to see what person, event or words will trigger my next negative reaction.  When it happens, I observe myself growing resistant, and I ask, “What is there in me that needed this to happen?” 

If you know the answer…you can play hooky today!

I AM…Jodi
www.godisaverb.com/blog

  If you love something, set it free; if it comes back, it’s yours.  If it doesn’t, it never was.  (Anonymous)

That line was made famous in the movies and in songs, and it has been quoted and re-quoted between parting lovers for many years since.  Although it has a sentimental pull (as well as a romantic method of escaping a bad relationship), I really don’t agree with that statement.  Nonetheless, I do understand the futility of trying to hold on to something good…never wanting it to end.

When Dayna was a little girl, I used to tease her about growing up.  I would softly push down on the top of her head, telling her I was not going to let her grow up.  I wanted her to always be a child.  Of course, she thought that was great fun, so she would stand on her tippy-toes and reply, “But Mommy, I have to grow up!”  Each year, on her birthday, she would cheerfully burst into my bedroom and  gloat, “See, I did get older!”  I would sigh and shake my head, pretending to be forlorn. 

It is not always easy to let go of the things we love, but the truth is, nothing is static in this life.  Regardless of our attempts to contain, restrain or maintain the same, change happens.  Rather than wanting things to stand still in time, maybe we can see a greater truth behind this experience of life.  Transformation is eternal.  The creative process of expressing through form and formless is a glorious and beautiful process.  Resisting it is pointless and exhausting.

I have a dear friend who lost someone he loved.  The measure of adoration he brought into their relationship is something most of us would envy.  When he lost the one he called his soul mate, it felt like his own life had ended.  He couldn’t breathe.  He had no desire to eat or communicate.  He was exhausted with the process of moving forward.  His mind was blank and his heart-space was filled with deep, deep anguish.  He could only ask, “Why?”

When the time was right, I introduced an idea to him.  I first asked him what he loved about her.  He immediately described the playful youth, her smile, how much fun she was, and how she made him laugh.  In his mind, all those things died when she did.  However, I pointed out that the qualities of fun, joy, energy, and love were still very much alive.  I explained what he loved about her was not gone, but that he would have to look for it in other people. 

“The things you loved about her,” I explained, “are qualities of God.  They don’t die.  You won’t find them in her body, now, but you can find them again, in time.  When you are ready, you will start to see those things in other people.  When you allow yourself to appreciate those things in others, you are honoring her memory.  This is what keeps her spirit alive in the world.”

He breathed a sigh of relief, understanding he could let go, even though he had made her a promise to be with her always.  What better way to be with her than to keep those qualities alive in his life?

When we try to hold on to someone or something from our past, we are resisting the good that is being offered in the present moment.  If you are in a relationship where your partner is not reciprocating your feelings, and yet you are not willing to let them go, who is being hurt the most?  You are!  You are probably holding on to a different idea of who they are or what they “could” be, and the more you cling to this idealistic dream, the more you are locking yourself in resistance.  You’ve clearly attached the qualities to a particular body; however, those concepts are not physical, at all.  Perhaps you fear the change so greatly, you prefer to hold on to what isn’t working.  But the truth is…they have gone on, anyway.  You are not holding on to that person, you are holding on to a version of what was or what might be.  What would happen if you let go of that resistance?  Could it be the best gift you ever gave to them and to yourself?  It’s time to understand everything we want is found in God.  God is the only Source of Being.  And where is God?  Everywhere!

I will say this…if you love something and you set it free, it will come back to you.  It might not come back to you in the same way it arrived, but it is always there for the taking.  When we understand the larger picture, we know there is no other way.  Whatever qualities of God you love most are always available to you.  Once we stop attaching God’s aspects to certain physical bodies, we realize they are everywhere.  They always have been and always will be.

If you love something, set it free.  It will come back to you because it is a part of All That Is.  The package that presents itself might look different, but what is inside the box is always the same.  Divinity is wrapped in many guises.

I AM…Jodi
www.godisaverb.com/blog

   Experiencing something as separate from everything else requires space around it.  If we had no space, all would be melded into one thing, and could never be experienced in any other way.  The space between is necessarily definitive.  When I contemplate creation, I think about that. 

I like to begin by “trying” to imagine that everything was once like a vast Ocean.  There was no space around or in it.  It filled everything.  Of course, imagining infinity is impossible, so in order to grasp this idea, I drew a circle and pretended it was All.

Looking at my “infinite” world, I could see how everything was one.  Nothing could be apart from the allness.  However, as my imagination came into play, I realized there was a way to create an All within All.  There was a way to experience the sum by becoming the parts.  I only had to add space.  At first, I expanded the area around the circle, putting emptiness in that area.  Once that was done, I could now move the outer edges of my perfectly shaped circle.  My circle became abstract in shape.  Suddenly, huge waves lifted into the space around them, and each one was distinctly different from the other.  “How beautiful!”  I thought. 

Intrigued with this idea, I decided I could take it even further.  As the waves leaped into the space above, tiny droplets could temporarily free themselves and soar through space.  What fun that was!  I increased the spaciousness within the Ocean itself.  By doing this, I could divide the entire Ocean into droplets.  From those, I could create all kinds of wonderful shapes and patterns.  I also realized the droplets could transform into vapors, forming clouds in the area surrounding the ocean.  In time, of course, they would return to the Ocean…but just for a while, they could experience a new form. 

As time passed, the droplets became rain, dew, mist, snow, and ice.  Within the Ocean itself, many other shapes were taking form.  As diversity grew, the Ocean expanded into countless expressions.  With more space came more creations. The Ocean looked around and saw that it was good. 

In time, however, some of the creations forgot they came from the Ocean.  They didn’t realize the space around them was also born of the Ocean, and they started to believe the space was somehow magical and mysterious.  They recognized the space is what gave them form.  They began to be afraid as they felt separated from their source.  Yearning to be one with the All, they began to worship the space, hoping this would win favor.  They argued among themselves as to which creation was right.  They no longer believed they were all one.

Thousands of years passed.  Creation was reshaping and transforming into countless other formations, but the fun of the experience was changed.  Rather than enjoy this opportunity to be unique and expressive, the forms became more and more confused about how this all started.  Sometimes they were happy, but often they were sad.  Out of their fear came resistance.  Explanations were vast and varied.  When the creations transformed from solid to vapor, they didn’t understand.  They called this death and they felt very much alone.  Some felt the Creator no longer cared about them.  They were abandoned.  Some decided there simply was no Creator.  Others imagined the vapors disappeared into a special place where the Creator loved them, once again.  They named it Heaven.  The creations they labeled “bad” were believed to go to yet another horrible place where the fire would eternally punish them.  They called this place Hell.

One day, however, a group came together to study the process of creation.  As they traced the events back in time, they understood there was a time when space did not exist.  All the drops were contained in one Ocean!  Alas…they understood that the space around them was a part of the Ocean!  Yes, even they were a part of the Ocean…everything was!  What they were experiencing was the All-in-All.  They realized nothing could be outside of it because everything was it.  Never again would they be afraid they were separated from their source, because it was impossible to be outside of it.  All the creations that had come to be were actually contained within the Ocean.  It was a remarkable discovery.  At long last, when the droplets soared into the space above, they felt great joy!  Now that they understood they could never, ever be outside of All, they remembered how much fun it was to experience being unique. Whether droplet, wave, fish, cloud, human, or space…everything was the Ocean, Being!   

Life was never the same after that.

I AM…Jodi
www.godisaverb.com/blog

   My sister is soon going on vacation to Europe.  My brother and his wife will celebrate their anniversary on an Alaskan cruise.  My younger son is headed to a cabin in Montana and my parents will return to the mountains of New Mexico this fall.  Seems like everyone is taking time to just get away from it all.  At least, that is the perception.  The truth is, you can never get away from All.  I suggest it is only a part of it we sometimes desire to escape.

Because we spend so much of our lifetime experiencing through the perception of the mind and the senses, we tend to often feel overloaded and exhausted.  Most of our day is spent doing and thinking…both requiring energy.  When we squeeze out the “space between” to fill our experience with more and more energy, we find ourselves feeling drained.  Although we are not consciously aware of the vast amount of space in physical form, the majority of our bodies is comprised of it.  We are not solid objects.  As we attempt to fill our experiences with more and more energy, we are pushing against the space between.  We experience resistance.  This is exhausting.  

I understand the value of a vacation.  Distancing one’s self from the repetitive experiences of our day to day living is refreshing.  It often feels like it is the only time when we can relax, because, while on vacation, we don’t spend as much time in thought and action.  On vacation, we tend to spend more time being.  But, the truth is, we don’t actually need to escape to someplace else to feel re-energized.  We need only recognize that space within.  It is always there. To calm and quiet the chaos around us, we have to step outside the ego mind to experience ourselves as the consciousness behind that.  As Eckhart Tolle says, “we have to become conscious of being conscious.”  So, how do we do that without going somewhere else?  How is it possible to do that when we are stuck in an office, sitting at a desk, forced to think and do all day?

I would suggest placing a live plant at your desk.  Please be sure this is ”the real thing,” not artificial.  Several times each day, stop to take a few minutes to merely observe the plant.  Just look at it.  Notice that while you are looking at it, there is an inner you observing it through the body’s eyes.  It isn’t the “voice in your head,” but it is the silent observer that is noticing what the body is doing.  Both parts are aware of the plant.  As you do this, you will soon realize there is a third part of you (Consciousness) that is aware of the body and the witness who is observing.  That part of you is observing the other two parts of you experiencing the plant.  When you get to the place where you are aware of Consciousness, you are now in the vast space between energetic particles and waves.  You are recognizing the God within everything.  Getting into the space between fills your experience with serenity and calm.  As the space between expands, the energy within it is no longer congested.  You can breathe again!  Allowing space to return ends resistance and you are born anew.  In time, as you get better and better at this, you will be able to maintain this awareness for longer and longer periods of time.  What you will experience, as a result, is a calmness in the midst of the storm.  “Peace, be still.”

Of course, meditation, walks in nature, and using Emotional Freedom Techniques can also help to alleviate the activity of the body and mind.  Using any of these can be a mini-vacation for the Soul.

If you are not able to take a vacation to another place today, you do have the opportunity to take a vacation from all the doing and thinking.  Allow yourself time to just be.  As the space around you expands, you will find yourself feeling like you just returned from a week on the beach.  Just be sure to brush the sand off your sandals before you come back, okay?

Yeah….this is the life! 

Be sure to take lots of pictures and bring me a souvenir.  (I love those touristy t-shirts that say, “My parents went on vacation and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.”  Size medium, please.  Oh, or one of those refrigerator magnets…or a bunch of sea shells in a bag…or a sand crab…or a post card that says…) 

I AM…Jodi
www.godisaverb.com/blog

    When my mother married my stepfather, Claude, I became one of the luckiest kids around.  I got two for the price of one–two amazing parents, that is.  Claude (or Pops as we call him) is one of those people everyone just loves being around.  On Saturday, a nice young man stopped by my booth at the Celebrate Life Festival in San Antonio and asked if I was related to Claude McDonald.  I was surprised he had made such a connection, but I told him yes, that is my father.  He then spoke endless praise of Pops, which did not come as a surprise.

A few years ago, I spent some time thinking what it is about Pops that everyone loves so very much.  Yes, he is  kind, compassionate, interesting, intelligent and a great storyteller, but there is something much more than that.  My husband offered that what he finds so amazing is how Pops listens to others.  He explained that when anyone goes to my stepdad with a problem, they always walk away feeling much better.  It isn’t really that Claude solves their problems for them, but he simply listens until the person figures it out for themselves.  You see, Pops is a retired minister, so it would be easy for many to conclude that his gentle ways come from his years of ministry.  But no…it is more than that.  Not all ministers are gifted with his peace-filled aura.  It is something more.

My mother also has this uncanny ability to make everyone feel better just by being near her.  At first, I thought it was because she is my mother.  We share a mother/daughter bond that is without boundaries.  But then I realized other people also feel this same way.  So what exactly are they doing?

Whenever I go to my parents’ house with a problem, they immediately stop whatever task they are doing and ask me to sit down and tell them what is troubling me.  They quietly listen to my story–without interruption.  They have no need to tell me how to handle this; rather, they listen.  Their body language offers “I hear you.”  When I finish my tale of woe, they always start with praise, lifting my confidence and spirits to where I feel I can handle whatever it is that I face.  If I go on and on, for hours, they remain intently focused on my situation, encouraging me by suggesting how I am a wonderful mother or caring friend.  They continue to be there with me for as long as it takes for me to relocate the ability to cope.  You won’t see them fidgeting with text messaging, glancing at the clock, or busying themselves with other activities while we speak.  In fact, if the television is on (which it rarely is), they shut it off.  They just listen.

In time, I started to understand what draws people to my parents.  It is because they have a remarkable ability to stay in the present moment.  In the instant they are needed, they stop doing and start being.  They become The Presence.  Nothing feels so wonderful and peaceful as being in this energy of awareness and alertness.  Whoever is blessed to be with them feels loved and powerful.  When anyone speaks with them, they get their full attention.  They aren’t thinking about what they ”should” be doing.  They are still…in the now. They know they are doing exactly what they should be doing.  Being. 

As I observe the younger generation losing the ability to communicate one-on-one, due to the advent of cell phones, computers, Blackberrys, stereos and television, I wonder if they realize what wonders they are missing.  Do they see the beauty of a flower?  Have they sat quietly and watched a hummingbird as it hovers and darts in the sky?  Will they take time out to feel the sand tickle the bottoms of their feet when an ocean wave laps the shore?  Are they able to become still enough to feel The Presence in everything? 

Rarely do I see the younger people able to tolerate quietness.  It seems they always have some type of background noise.  Even though they sit side-by-side, rather than communicate with each other, they are busy pushing tiny buttons to communicate with a cyber friend.  Generally, they are multi-tasking to such a great degree, there is no possible way they can actually focus on anything.  Adults have now made themselves so accessible to each other their 8-hour work days have turned into twelve or more.  There is never enough time to get things done.  They are enormously busy “doing.”  Well-meaning parents are hustling around to get their children to soccer practice, piano lessons, tutoring sessions, and day care.  We have become experts at over-doing!  Are we, as a human race, slipping further and further away from being?  Who will be there to listen when this art is lost to those who pass from this experience?  Wouldn’t it be best to teach our children how to become still in this chaotic and frenzied world in which they live?  There is no greater legacy we can hand to our children than the knowledge of The Presence.  When the time comes for us to leave this earth, will they be able to survive without knowing where to find all answers?  Who will listen to the children?

Every day, I take time out to just “be” in this moment.  I talk to my children about this.  I demonstrate it.  I encourage them to do likewise.  Sometimes I reach this stage through meditation, and other times, I quietly sit on my back porch and just observe the beauty around me.  I practice The Presence because I have seen what wonders it offers.  I have been blessed to have two wonderful teachers who showed me there is no better way to serve God than to become It. 

With age, I’m learning, more and more, to stop so much of this doing.  Progress will never be found there.  All intelligence, inspiration and creativity comes from Being.   I AM.  Humanity must return to this wisdom if it is to survive.  Our children and grandchildren are the guardians of the human race.  If we fail to pass on this ability to get still, we have failed them.  Listen to the elders.  Observe them.  Become like them.  They did not get to where they are to be ignored, mistreated and disrespected.  They earned great honor because they “got it.”  Every day, you will see them demonstrating how to live life.  Being.  What a grand day it would be if the youth could understand what the elders know.  There is only one way we will ever have that chance.

We will have to be still long enough to hear.  Everything we seek can be found in the stillness of Being.

I AM listening.

I AM…Jodi
www.godisaverb.com/blog