ULTIMATE REALITY

We look into the distance and we dream and we wonder.

Yesterday I had plans, nothing new in that, yet none of them where carried out. We were delighted to have a visit from Sandra and Randy and later Cathy; who had been at a baby shower for baby Uri, dropped by. I wanted to finish a quick read of my library books but my mind could not even settle on that. Dad did take it easier so that was good.

When I look out upon the ocean and it seems like the world stresses forever and here I am in this moment of time.
Is there an ultimate reality? Is there One Truth?
Is there "The Ground of All Being"?

Christianity maintains it does have a foundation upon which we base our truths. The writer Paul Tillich points out that there is a infinite center of human life that points to the power or the spirit that calls forth all living creatures; an inner reality. This seems to be where modern writers are taking us even further beyond the transcendental, external, personal God to a Being that breaths life into us and opens for us the very meaning of the existence of life.

Christianity recognizes that that Jesus was in touch with this ultimate reality that spoke so powerfully it offend the religious leaders of his day. My garden right now seems to have a mind of its own as it grows and spreads and yet there is a harmony and a unity that gives it beauty. How can there be so many different varieties of flowers and plants and trees and rocks etc.? Each beautiful in their own way yet magnificent when rocks form a mountain and flowers a garden and trees a forest. We are just guests or visitors here on this earth given the responsibility to looking after it. Sadly when oil spills happen like in the Gulf of Mexico we are all horrified at the results. When one ship is invaded by another killing and causing disaster like the Israels did to the activist bringing aid to the Palestine country which has been blockaded.

We never seem to learn.

We feel saddened by the world of violence and disrespect that we see around us. If I turn from the shore and look not very far down the street; in fact in the alleys just behind the big buildings I see the poor pushing their buggies full of odds and ends. They seem strangely happy. Like when I offer our friend a few bottles and cans I have collected he is grateful.

More grateful than a gift certificate for the Safeway.

My reality is different than all of theirs and yet I find happiness in simple things to. I treasure the visits with my family. I treasure the times dad and I snuggle together to watch our favorite shows.

Today we are off to Gracepoint Church to enjoy a different type of service and a different type of message! The message within the message is always about loving and sharing and being thankful and caring.

CERTAINITY

The Sylvia Hotel is still one of the landmarks in Vancouver that mean a lot to some of us who have lived here a long time. Yes, there have been changes but the moss still growths up the walls and the rooms are small and old fashioned.

We all like a degree of certainty but there comes a time when we must think about change. We can abandon the old ways and turn to embrace change but this is never easy.  In the Bible it is called repentance.It is so easy to think we know the answers and be intellectually stuck. And one of our greatest traits can be sheer stubbornness.  Some of us think small changes are all that is necessary. That will not help as it may take a complete turning around and starting in a new direction.

MOSES AND THE LAW

A happy little duck swims on the stream down by Scottsdale Mall.

Moses led his people out of Egypt through the Reed Sea into the desert and into freedom. This historians will agree began a new beginning for the Israelites. With freedom comes responsibility; and the awareness of the rights of others.

Moses clearly believed that on the sacred Mount Sinai he was given a law for his people. Yes, other civilizations had also been given similar laws but I do not know much about that. Moses experienced what would seem like a divine intervention when the Israelites escaped from Egypt.

In a Sacred place Moses again hears what he believes to be God, Yahweh [the Lord] giving him instructions.

They are not to worship any other gods but the one who delivered them and has given them salvation and freedom from bondage and now will call them into a relationship that binds their hearts in worship and in instruction of the law.

1. You shall have no other gods, before Me

2. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything that is in
heaven above or earth below or in the water under the earth. You shall not bow
bow down and worship the. [We have failed to keep this commandment]

3. You shall not make wrongful use of the Lord's name. Do not lie in the name of
God.

4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. We need to work but we also need to
rest and to worship with a grateful spirit. Just think if for one day a
week we just were thankful all day long.

5. Honour your father and your mother. Respect for our parents makes us healthier
and is the foundation of our families.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery. Respect what belongs to another

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house, wife or slaves, or animals or anything
that belongs to him.

Jesus draws us deeper into the very heart of God as he reminds us that God searches our minds and hearts and even our thoughts should come under control. Bad thinking leads to wrong doing.

Beth's law.
Today dad is going to take time off from building he is overdoing it and has had two bad headaches. I will not go striding off on my long walk but we can saunter through the forest or in the mall together.

WARMTH

LOVING-KINDNESS

The last time we drove down to the Sylvia it was a dull and dreary day but just being in our favorite place and then walking by the water made it seem brighter.

I was thinking of how the words we say and the things we do, especially little acts of loving kindness, how they affect our lives. Having supper over at the home of Sandra and Randy, having Theresa come and fix us a really good salad, dad taking time to drive me to White Rock on a day when I was too dizzy, little notes on facebook or comments on my writing are many of the ways I feel blessed. Mr kind friensds like Shirley who make such an effort to have rice crackers for tea so graciously prepared.

One of the ladies I visit in the Nursing Home wears jewelery every time I visit so I am going through some of my old stuff to find something to add to my rather plain appearance. I give her a big smaile and a gentle hug and tell her she is a positive influence on me. And truly they are.

Words of encouragement are what we all need. Words to live by like hope, trust, joy, faith, mercy and peace are but a few. The greatest of these is love. Love expressed in kindness means a lot.

"Philosophers and theologians, according to the book "The Future of Faith", were often torn between two convictions believing society needed religion to maintain order and yet they themselves could not honestly assent to such mythical propositions." How many preachers preach from their hearts with honesty and love?

As I pick up my mystery I know that the cruel and evil person will be murdered and often he or she does deserve to die. It is harder to figure out the person who appears to be good but whose hearts is so full of passionate rage they actually murder. We all have murderous thoughts at times or at least dark broding thoughts.

We compare our religions and find that if we could live the positive values that are present in their words of truth we would find the inner peace we are searching for.

TRAVELLING!

This is not like the old fashioned train I use to ride on. Trains were noisy and rattled as they sped along. Our holidays were always on train trips, to the beach or out here to the coast or to see my best friend who had moved to North Battlefield.
I thought they were exciting. Nice to see the sun this morning!

As a child I would sit on the train and gaze out the window and see a house in a small town we slowly passed through, or a farm with trees and animals and I would dream of living there, riding the horses or chasing the dog.

On this Christian ride through life I see myself as travelling and stopping at many houses where I get comfortable and then find I must move on. You see, this is a spiritual journey, where I find I cannot rest and be satisfied but I need to keep going. Everything I am reading now is forcing me to look back but also to carry on forward.

I think home groups will become the place where we discuss honestly our faith and where we are in our journey. Discussion with laughter that makes us think and learn to express what we feel deep inside. I think right now I am in a tent that is movable.

There are now changes in all religions moving away from dogma and rigid orthodoxy.

Enjoyed our discussion with Jane and Geof. at Zeller's. Then Theresa arrived bringing bread from New Westminster and supper for us all. Dad has a sore throat and a very runny nose but hopefully will be better today. He enjoyed showing the children his new deck and they love it. Will be doing my visiting today and dad may work on his tree deck.

FAULTS

Yes, I have a few, but don't we all. And if I forget dad helps to remind me. "Do you know that you forget to buy the lids back on jars tightly?" I will have to try harder. It would seem easy enough to do but i have my mine on more important things.

It is so much easier most of the times to see our own faults when the faults of other jump right out before us. Black and White.

Now we have been having problems with cars parking all around us and in front of us; but this was just a little too much. I do not know if the picture tells the story but the nose of the car was actually blocking the driveway; and it stayed there and stayed there.

I am not good at driving and especially backing up so dad put a note on the windshield. Now it just so happens I am reading a book about a speaker who was a teacher, then became a preacher, and then a speaker and before he came to speak yellow slips of paper were put on cars warning that this man was a liar etc. Yes, these were good Christian people afraid of seeing their faults.

I think that there were faults on both sides of the Israeli and pro-Palestine clash; and this too seem to be caused by fear and the need to control. I have mixed feelings about protesters.

When my children would come in complaining no one would play with them I would say "Well whose fault is that? Are you playing nice?" I should have been more understanding but being busy doing the cleaning or laundry made me unsympathetic. I could have done more listening and learned the real problem.

I have just received all my blood work back and it is looking good. I have decided if I am not happy with my doctor it may be partly my fault, just a little, so I will have it done in 6 months. He seems to like this.