Mom Is a Spiritual Warrior

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

"Christians" playing at "Christmas"

i love the holiday season. as a child it pretty much sucked. my mom was "forced" by us kids to cop to the "American consumer Christmas" . . . and when she fought to maintain some kind of balance with what she knew christmas was about, she was in so much denial of herself that it was forced and, of course, we rebelled against the lies her actions made of her words. its only a natural thing for a child to do.

so . . . what, as i wonder with all these Escalades roaming around right now, shopping at walmart filling up their car as fast as they can and rolling home to empty it before heading to toys-r-us to fill it up again . . . on the back of their car they wear their calling cards: a yellow ribbon to support the troops, the little boy kneeling before the cross praying, and for good measure, "my child is on the honor role" . . . a proud Christian, American parent.

you know, jesus was a rebel. that's what he did his entire life. took what was presented as "real" and the "truth" and he challenged it, and quite forthrightly told people when they were not being consistent. and you thought he merely died for your sins . . . that's funny. he died for the sins of everyone who wouldn't stand with him in support of the truth that we all really know but are usually so far in denial that it is our responsibility to stand up for it . . . yes, i suppose he did die for your sins and those like you who lived at his time.

Is ANYHING we see around us consistent?

what is missing is the "why?" from our self-reflective experience life is supposed to be . . . that inward journey to find god while interacting in the world.

i don't know, i'm just looking for a couple of christians who think that it is inappropriate for my 3rd grade daughter's elementary school's "dance team" performs a dance to "Candy Girl" for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parade here in las vegas . . . seems to me, that a song about boys talking about how sexy, hot and tasty their girls are is not quite appropriate?

and even after all this time denial is still the modus operandi, "Christians" . . . i have yet to meet one, a 'christian' that is, here in las vegas, and las vegas has more churches per capita than any other place in the united states and all those churches are filled with really good "Christians."

am i the weird one?

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back . . .

Oh, America
...
Oh, "Christian" America
...
Why can't we learn
things the first time?

And, just as the white church did in the 1960s, the church -- black and white -- are leading the way now. Leading the way of intolerance, of inequality, of prejudice, of denial of ourselves ... because as Jesus said, "that which you do to the least of these, you do to me." And, all across America the Church denied people's right to be married -- whether civilly or under God. Shame on you.

But, we know the church's foundation is Peter, the head denier of them all . . . and thus, we inherit the denial of truth in the foundations and structures of our churches. When WILL the rooster sound for the final time?

Do you REALLY think that Jesus would be opposed to two people joining in love and commitment? I realize that YOU may have a problem with it ... but do you think Jesus would?

If you say yes, I venture you are trying to justify ignoring his lessons of tolerance, acceptance of other's and their individual journeys without judgment. If you can give me one lesson of his that supports your prejudice and denial of equal rights to any other person for any reason, PLEASE, give it to me. I challenge you ... no old testament stuff, no letter from Paul ... Jesus, his lessons ... show it to me. And, if you can't, PLEASE look in the mirror and ask yourself, "why can I not just follow him? Why do I have to look for justification for my denial of equality to another human being?"

And, while you are at it, tell me why the two amazing girls in this blog are denied their right to have a family, equally, under the law?

Less than 40 years ago, it was the church who said that my marriage to my husband is an abomination to God . . . here, I sit with the truth. And, the source of that lie is the source of the one you voted for on 5 November 2008.

There is no way to say this is good. No way to say this is Godly. No way to say that "Jesus led me here." Unless you live in the world of crafted and created in the lies of prejudice.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

when the walls close in

god is bigger than ever.

in the midst of the darkest hours
when fear and the mind demons
come to play folly with your
dreams, it is the knowledge
that life is perfect in the
moment because you
and god are always
together in all
that you do.

remembering that your life and the moment you are in have a true, deep purpose that you may not yet understand breathes life into the fruits of the spirit. a simple knowing that gives joy when there should be nothing but disappointment and depression. faith is not tested in times of trouble, because in those times, all you have is faith. and from that faith springs hope, and from that hope flows love and forgiveness. because, in the end, that is what its about: forgiveness. the complete acceptance of what is without blame for what it is.

from there, the path you walk unfolds as you are patient and moved into action. real change happens when forgiveness is the springboard for your actions as they move you one step closer to love.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

the narrow path

lies strewn to the side
* * *
as we sit to contemplate our connection to god.

i haven't thought about jesus in a while.
i mean specifically.
yet every moment is laced with god.
it made me think ...

that you have to do anything,
even think about ...
pray to ...
worship ...
praise ... jesus christ
to have god dwelling within you
is contrary to the belief
that god dwells within you.

focusing thoughts on things that are contrived,
things that you feel you just "must do" ...
things that you do "for them" ...
thoughts that are based on someone else's reminders
about what it is to be connected to god:
what its like on their journey.

then the circular judgment (or comparison)
of a teaching to the journey of your own
is the complication religion and their leaders
contrary to the simple command
of the one who is The Teacher ...
"YOU, follow me."

since god dwells within ...
like it or not ...
defined or not ...
realized or not ...
accepted or not ...

i mean, god (however you look at god)
is the source of all.
and the source of all
cannot be separated from itself ...
right?

i guess we are all ok with where we are
unless we are not
and then its only a matter of acceptance
that god dwells within
and god's grace is
that "it is all good"
because god is good, right?

i think jesus would rather we skip
the external and live
the eternal.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

thoughts that drive away sleep

because it must be time to write another entry, my thoughts return again and again to things of the past. things learned, things lost, things experienced.

things learned . . . oh so many hours of my youth spent in church, memorizing scriptures that echo in my mind's voice but lost in the shuffle of the preacher's choice. choice of words and meanings believed to be true, but all jesus said was to be you. "follow me" he said time and again, they didn't get it. they thought they were to be sheep. baaaaa, baaaaa, baaaaa.

and sheep they became rather than the "i am" that he freed for each of us to be like him ... to eclipse him ... to know the kingdom within was the only way. the only way to see god, to receive god, to be god. to be one with god, one first must be who we came to this place to be. and that's not a sheep following someone else, but to be the shepherd, the teacher, the master, the truth, the good news to the lost.

'follow me' he said, not literally as jesus never sought to bind us to a life of slavery. which is what the church and the preacher want us to be, a slave to their understanding no matter how limited it may be. 'follow me' and fulfill the promise, 'greater things than these will you be able to do,' if you so choose not to idolize me, but rather choose to follow me.

things lost . . . the only thing that is lost is the need to say 'baaaaa, baaaaa, baaaaa'. gone is the notion that i have no power, that i choose to exist in a world separate from god, that all my responsibility is lost because he died for me.

things experienced . . . the power of god flowing through my hand, the power of god flowing through my mind. able to merely will that which i want, just like him, which brings forth the thought 'what more can i do?' because god is limitless which means i am too. if i continue to choose not to have jesus save me, but to truly follow him . . . knowing i'm true. just like the truth he said that "i am", birthing myself, my own "i am."

following him, he never looked very far for someone to save him, be merely did it himself. so, follow i must, knowing he can't nor would he try to save me from myself, my life, my destiny, my journey, my name, my 'i am.' the word that existed far before you and me, is the same that exists even today if we choose it to be. down to the core where denial resides, that i am not god is the only true lie.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

2007 global piece festival

ok . . . so, here's the plan . . .

oh, go here and read the plan there!

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

i guess its friggin' time to appear here

once again . . .

some of the anger has subsided . . .

some of the bruises have healed . . .

some things can be left unsaid . . .

and some things can't . . .


i don't know who said that . . . perhaps it was god.

but if god is good

and god created everything

then, it is all good

after that there's

only judgment

and pain

until u

say

no.

as for me and my house . . . "I will: " fill in your own blank.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'