Day 7 - I Give Thanks For ...

My current gratitude practice is to share at least 10 things for which I am grateful for each day without repetition.

Today, I Give Thanks For ...

1. Making the decision to stay home last night.
2. The meme to the left about taking care to select awesome people to surround me.
3. Realizing that there is greatness within me because I am a vessel for God.
4. A Saturday with nothing on my calendar.
5. The new Maytag Washer & Fryer I bought a few months ago. Much more efficient.
6. This quiet putzy day.
7. The brand new Aldi that just opened in Rochester Hills.
8. I made Dearborn Brand Kielbasa & sauerkraut for dinner. I like this brand.
9. Listening to Wyndham Hill Celtic Christmas Vol 2. A favorite for many years.
10. My wonderfully working eyes!

Peace & Plenty on this planet, Peace & Plenty here & now.

Ric

Thanks As A Way Of Living - Day 17

Porkchop's New Blanket

1. I am grateful for this new blanket for Porkchop's bed in my home office that I bought at Aldi for a really good price. He seems to like it too since his old blanket was worn out and he likes to be covered up and warm.
2. I am grateful to have a plan in place for someone who can pick me up and get me to URO to deliver the Sunday lesson if the roads are too bad fr me to drive. It is important to me that we have service even if only a small number of people attend.  Carol has a Yukon, yeah!
3. I am grateful to have a warm house on this cold night. I am mindful of the many people in our area who are homeless and the many people working to provide shelter.
4. I am grateful to discover a young (he will be 16 on Christmas Eve) musical genius named Ethan Bortnick tonight on PBS. What a blessing he is as he inspires young people to transform the world. Wonderful talent and he reminds me that the best is yet to be so hang on world!
5. I am grateful to have a dishwasher which is running as I finish this blog entry and work on the sermon for tomorrow. For most of my life, I was the dishwasher.

Always in Love,

Ric

#LivingThanks

Thanks as a Way of Living - my gratitude practice till the end of the year (at least). A minimum, of five things each day that I am grateful for and why without repeats.

(c) 2016 by Richard L. Beattie, All Rights Reserved

Thanks As A Way of Living - Day 3

Thanks as a Way of Living - my gratitude practice till the end of the year (at least). A minimum, of five things each day that I am grateful for and why. Oh, and no repeats.

1. I am grateful for Porkchop - my dog, because he reminds me everyday not to take anything too seriously.
2. I am grateful to Deanna and Colene for selecting me as their wedding officiant. I have known these two for several years and am honored to facilitate their marriage after 23.95 years.
3. I am grateful for my scalloped potato making skills. Growing up my favorite places to be was with either of my grandmothers in their respective kitchens. Tonight, I made cheesy scalloped potatoes with ham and was so aware of my grandmother Ledger as I sliced and chopped.
4. I am grateful for retirement savings. After several; years without saving for retirement, I received my welcome package from the 403(b) plan for Unity Worldwide Ministries - woot!
5. I am grateful to hear about the neighbor who stopped this morning to compliment our volunteers on the way the grounds look at Unity of Royal Oak. One of our goals is to be a good neighbor and it is gratifying to know that the neighbors appreciate the efforts  of our team.

Always in Love,

Ric

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#LivingThanks

(c) 2016 by Richard L. Beattie, All Rights Reserved

5 Day Positivity Challenge Day 4 of 5

1. I am grateful for this beautiful backyard view, almost another room - a sanctuary, which has anchored me for several years.
2. I give thanks for the unpredictable Michigan weather which has not brought the rain forcast for this holiday weekend.
3. I am blessed by the recent addition the technology of Fitbit and the way it integrates my MyFitnessPal.com to help me remain focused on health related goals.
4. I am deeply centered by the evening sounds of crickets and tree frogs which are powerful music for meditation.
5. I give thanks for the ability to "connect with" the Voice for God in the stillness of the silence.
6. I am joyously aware that summer is not over until 10:29 pm on September 22, 2014

5 Day Positivity Challenge - Day 1

I accepted a challenge to post 3 positive affirmations for 5 days. I declined to part about calling other people out by name. I do challenge you to begin a gratitude practice. What you feed grows. 

1. I celebrate the love of God that shows up in the form of my dog, Porkchop.
2. I am grateful for the waiter I watched take extraordinary care of an elderly couple this afternoon.
3. I am living in the divine flow--fabulous ideas for my sermon this Sunday are flowing freely into the outline.
4. I am beloved of Spirit and a powerful co-creator of love and blessings. 

God Loves Me! Really.

During service last Sunday, we paid tribute to Dr. Maya Angelou who had made her transition into the Light on May 28. 2014. Part of our program was showing a video clip of a Super Soul Sunday segment where Oprah asked Dr. Angelou, "Where do you go for solace and comfort." Dr. Angelou shared that she was a student of Unity and then shared an idea she gleaned from the book Lessons in Truth that "God Loves Me." Maya shared the journey of that powerful idea from intellectual understanding to soul knowing.

In a sweet and mystical way, it feels like the Universe has hijacked this day, June 3, and used many elements to remind me that God Loves Me, too.

Understand that I deeply know that God love you and me and all of life. I speak it and teach it and am witness to the truth of it in the lives of people all around me.

Today, I am reminded that beyond my story about God loves me is the experience of Love that rushes into me and floods my soul, filling my entire being when I let it happen.

Since last Friday I had felt a cold settling into my chest. I took some supplements and powered through the weekend and even through a Monday morning appointment that my mom had for some lab work. I woke up several times early this morning coughing and feeling like I couldn't breathe. Okay, I knew that this was more than a cold so I went to the urgent care center and after an exam and X-ray got the diagnosis that there was a cloudy area in one of my lungs -  "walking pneumonia" and a prescription for an antibiotic. I even knew which drug would be dispensed. The doctor told me to take all the pills, drink plenty of fluids and get some rest if possible. All of this was very routine because about once every 12 or 18 months I get one of these infections.

Garden of Healing and Renewal

Miracles and Mitzvah

While I was waiting to be seen by the doctor, I sent an email to the church to let folks know where I was and after the diagnosis, I sent another email (my name is Ric and I am a smart phone addict) as had been requested to update my status.

When I got through the discharge process and got to my car, I noticed this garden across the street from where I parked - a Garden of Healing and Renewal. The sign and the scene felt inviting, peaceful and were a reminder for me to notice where Love was moving in my life.

Then the emails started. One of my colleagues let me know that several of my "to do's" over the next few days had been taken care of and that I had been banished from being part of our Adopt A Park project this weekend so I could take some time off. Then another colleague emailed that there was nothing going on that through the end of the week that needed my attention. A few seconds later, a text inquiring how I was and then a phone call to encourage me to take a couple of days off to heal and renew. Oh and to make plans for the vacation I had mentioned I wanted to take this fall.

When I got home, my neighbor was mowing the last small part of the bottom of the hill I had not had time to get to last Friday. Then a sweet message via Facebook. And another message from a colleague.

I got it. The Universe was conspiring to remind me that God loves me. The Garden of Healing and Renewal is a lovely garden and it can be a state of conscious, almost overwhelming awareness that God Loves Me. The simple, powerful Truth for me and for everyone. Life itself can be profound Spiritual Practice when I notice that God loves me and take that idea to heart.

If God loves me then I might find the ways to love me as well. God loves you too, so I can love too. I tend to live like a human doing at times. Time to balance the doing and being.

How and what is the Universe whispering to you this day? Better to get the message when it's a whisper.


Grace and Peace,

Ric






(c) 2014 by Richard L. Beattie, all rights reserved

Reflections on Porkchop

Porkchop

A little before 7 am, Porkchop decided that I should get up. Evidently he didn't realize that the alarm was intentionally not set this morning. Now, after an hour of snuggle watching the news and a cup of coffee for me, he is fast asleep on the back of "our" chair and I am wide awake and wondering. Reflecting and wondering about almost everything -- as always.

I was sleeping!

It has been 11 months since my brother Matt died and I brought Porkchop home. It was just a temporary thing until my niece Alicia moved and she could take him. Porkchop has truly been a family dog since he was a puppy. Making his way into my sister Dion's home when he was very, very small. My sister ultimately gave the dog to our brother, Matt, who needed a companion and was a dog lover. Dion had another small dog and two cats at the time I am grateful Matt had Porkchop during his last 18 months. Just prior to Matt's death, our mother and her dog "Lady" moved into my sisters home and Lady is very jealous of Porkchop which prevented his return to his "Mamma."

When I discovered my brother's body, and turned around in the skiving room, Porkchop jumped up into my arms. He had been alone in the house and I am sure was confused because Matt wouldn't move.

I had been thinking about getting a pet for some time. I was owned  by a cat for 20 years that had come to me via my sister and the twins but that is another story. After the cat I took time to grieve and to be without the responsibility of a pet to care for. I told myself that my hours were too irregular for a dog and I spent too much time away from home to give a dog the love and care required. A friend introduced me to a breed of giant dogs called Leonberger and arranged for me to meet some around the same time that Matt passed. That meeting never happened.

Little did I know that opening my home and heart to this 10.4 pounds of lap dog (I had called all small dogs yip dogs and NEVER wanted one) would have such a profound affect on my life. His dependence on me to feed, take outside, pet and play with is humbling and life enhancing. If I work in my home office for more than an hour or so, he comes in and either wants on my lap or insists that I pay attention to him by jumping, barking and playing. Porkchop makes me play and not take most things quite so seriously. God knew what I hadn't realized, that I needed to get my mind off of me.

I never realized that dogs and children could teach me so much about being a pastor. My first job as a minister at Renaissance Unity was as Youth Minister. From those years and again from being Poppa to a Miniature Pinscher ,  I have learned and relearned several important things:

• Meet others at their level, towering over people or animals is intimidating.
• Be considerate of the potty time needs of others. Sometimes I must put the needs of others first or deal with the messy consequences.
• Opening the heart is good for the soul.
• Not everyone cares what I have to say and that is okay.
• Being stronger does not make me better or right.
• Life is more fun when I am connected to other beings.
• God is everywhere present, equally in Its fullness.

Some say that dog is God spelled backwards. I have come to see that this dog points the way to God several times everyday.

Loving the journey!
Ric




(c) 2014 Richard L. Beattie, all rights are reserved

Shelter Week #2 is Complete.

Renaissance Unity, where I serve as a  minister, has been hosting the Macomb County Warming Center rotating shelter for the past week. We have provided a hot meal, human connection, a warm/dry/safe place to sleep and breakfast to 50/70 people each night. During a week that has been the coldest of this winter season.

Today, we handed off hosting duties to Grace Episcopal, in Mt. Clemens. Our guests have followed the rotation. Shortly after our guests headed out of the shelter, the MCWC trailer rolled out of our driveway loaded with soiled bedding, on its way to the laundry and then on to the next host church.

I am finally awake after an afternoon of napping since I got home from our Sunday service. It feels odd to suddenly "stand down" from Shelter Week related activities. The focus of my life for the past couple of months has been my mom's health, the Services for the Holidays and Shelter Week. Mom is home from hospital, the holidays are now history and we have completed the first of two Shelter Hosting Weeks for this season.

It will take me a while to catch up and process this experience, which has been quite different from our first hosting week last March. I spent more time this week being a pastor to our guests this week. Perhaps I was more available to the role of talking to and praying with people who are looking for hope and direction. Looking for a reason to keep going. Some are wondering if they will ever find a job, or be able to quit drinking or stop using heroin or get the medical attention they need. People wondering if they will ever have a place of their own again. I absolutely know it is possible for all of these things and more because I know and have demonstrated in my own life that with God all things are possible. Now for the how to do it piece. the larger challenge of helping people connect with the services and programs that can really help people break out of homelessness and hopelessness. 

I am so blessed to serve the congregation of Renaissance Unity. Our volunteers allowed Spirit to flow through them into expression as a warm open reception process, fantastic food,  a warm place to sleep and fellowship. Check out the pictures I took, of our volunteers in action.

My heart is full of gratitude for the amazing staff of our church who work tirelessly behind the scenes to support the ministry and for our Board of Trustees and for Rev. Jim & Rev. Sandy, my colleagues. So much love, support and encouragement.

One of our guests asked if I thought our people were judging the guests, looking down on them. He also asked if this was just a "project" for us. I thought about his qiestions and responded, no and no. I shared that we were on a journey of attempting to follow Jesus Christ's command to Love One Another as a way of life.  I asked him if he felt judged or looked down upon and he said no and the reason her asked is he had gotten a bit cynical over the past two years but was still looking for a reason for hope.

We have another opportunity to host the shelter in 10 weeks. Perhaps I will have more guidance for the tough questions. 

After my conversation with this particular man, who was bright, articulate and had a manufacturing background similar to my own, I thought about my faith journey and personal mission:  To experience and express Christ as fully as I can  in every moment of every day.

Then I cried.

Grace & Peace,

Ric


(c) Richard L. Beattie 2013, all rights are reserved.