May You Be Blessed Movie

May You Be Blessed Movie: "Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light." This is a quote from Albert Schweitzer, but it captures the essence of what "May You Be Blessed" is all about.

December 6

“....Francis of Assisi, whose direct and simple and joyous dedication of soul led him close to men and to God till he reproduced in amazing degree the life of Jesus of Nazareth.  It is said of St. Francis not merely that he prayed, but that he became a prayer.”  Thomas R. Kelly, 1939, Daily Readings from Quaker Writings, 11/13

That word “became/become” intrigues me.  In the Bible it is first used to tell us that man “became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).  In the New Testament we are told to “become as little children” (Matthew 18:3), “become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17), and He gives us power to “become sons of God” (John 1:12).  The 1998 (MICRA, Inc.) Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary gives this definition: To pass from one state to another; to enter into some state or condition, by a change from another state, or by assuming or receiving new properties or qualities, additional matter, or a new character. So when St. Francis is said to have become a prayer we realize it is a state of being and no longer just an activity.  Man became a living being and then was given the power to become a Son of God.  How many of us treat it more like an activity?  What does it actually mean to be a living being and a Son of God?  God answered this when He became a man.  We know Him as Jesus.  We have the perfect example of what it means to be a living being and a Son of God, but we must first become as little children.  In the process we will become fishers of men, just like Jesus.

“In the beginning was the Divine Expression [Word], and the Divine Expression was with God, and the Divine Expression was God.  He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”  John 1:1-4

December 5

“Have you been in a predicament from which you cried out with a ‘great shout’ to heaven for help, and even after your ‘great shout’ and declaration of faith, the enemy still ran you down?....Do we sometimes almost superstitiously cry to heaven instead of to God Himself?”  Eugenia Price, S.P.S., 11/12

This “crying to heaven” that Eugenia speaks of never puts us in touch with God, really.  We may believe it does and thereby we receive some comfort, but I can’t help but believe the only time we can actually receive anything from God in our time of need is when we actually make contact with Him.  There’s a verse in a song that always comes to my mind... “to come into His presence is to be changed.”  We can’t help but be changed when we stand before God.  His very nature requires it.  The key, then, is whether or not we are actually in His presence.  For me, those times have always been marked by a true humility--not a feigned humility.  We humans have gotten pretty clever at acting how we need to “be” in order to get what we want.  Unfortunately, we’re so good at it that we begin to believe we are that person.  I think that’s why eccentric people peak our interest.  Their honesty in being themselves despite criticism is refreshing even though we may not approve of their behavior.  I think most of us really want to be genuine, but are afraid to be.  God, on the other hand, has declared that we must be genuine in order to come into His presence.  It is there that He can change us to be good.

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”  2 Corinthians 3:18

December 4

“Christ has undertaken His duties, knowing perfectly well what the responsibilities are.  He knows that He is dealing with very silly sheep who have no strength to protect themselves, no wisdom to guide themselves, and nothing to recommend them but their utter helplessness and weakness...There is only one thing that can hinder the Good Shepherd:  refusal of the sheep to trust Him and let Him care for them”  Hannah Whitall Smith, God is Enough, 11/11

Up until now I've only been aware of the tip of the iceberg.  Now God is showing me what is under the water--this in itself has been overwhelming.  Earlier this morning my phone call to a friend was an opportunity to "let love happen" and in doing so I was brought back above the surface.  This may be the only way we are able to deal with that hidden mountain of ego below the surface--it can't be chipped away by going under with an ax.  When we attempt to deal with ego that way we are trying to fight the enemy with the same means it is using to gain victory. This leaves us vulnerable to falling back into our old ways of the flesh. Instead we need to deal with it by remaining on the surface and expressing genuine love.  The surrounding water is warmed by this love and the hidden part of the iceberg begins to melt away.  This is the power of genuine love, which can only come from God through Christ. 

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff; they comfort me.  Psalm 23:1-4  

December 3

“It is a severe rebuke upon us that God makes us so many allowances and we make so few to our neighbor, as if charity had nothing to do with religion or love with faith....What we love we’ll hear, what we love we’ll trust, and what we love we’ll serve, ay, and suffer for too.”  William Penn (1644-1718), Daily Readings from Quaker Writings, 11/10

Love is the hallmark of a Christian, yet we do not make it a priority.  We think we do because we make a point of doing good, but that is not the same thing.  I had an encounter with someone yesterday who has a way of pushing my ego button with their ego.  I always automatically respond in kind.  This morning I realized I started it with something I said.  I couldn’t see that at the time.  Now I can see the reason it started is because like attracts like.  This other person’s ego reaction was just mirroring my own ego.  I couldn’t see that yesterday either.  Then as I read William Penn’s words, scripture came flooding in:  “Let love be genuine.”  I suddenly realized I had been trying to show love to this person and not actually loving them.  I understand why I cannot sustain that kind of love.  That kind of love can only come from God.  That is why we have to “let” it.  If I try just to show love, I will always fail because that kind of love is always looking for a return on its investment.   It’s that simple.

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good...outdo one another in showing honor.  Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer....Bless those who persecute you...Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep....do not be haughty...Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.”  Romans 12:9-17

December 2

“Each stage of our lives offers its own fresh opportunities.  Face with courage the approach of old age, both for yourselves and for those dear to you, realizing that it may bring wisdom, serenity and detachment...Bring the whole of your daily life under the ordering of the spirit of Christ.  Live adventurously.  In every situation seek to be aware of the presence of God, praying that spiritual energies in yourself and in others may be released for the furtherance of God’s kingdom.”  Advices, 1964, Daily Readings from Quaker Writings, 11/9

This Quaker Advice is especially relevant for me because I am indeed approaching “old age”.  In addition, I’m entering a new stage of my life because my youngest child will be graduating from high school in less than three years.  I often find myself wanting to ask my mother what things were like for her during this phase of her life.  Then I remember she’s no longer here.  I never thought to ask her before she died nine years ago because I hadn’t entered this stage yet.  This is one of those “bits of wisdom” I’d like to impart to my children now:  Don’t live as though you know everything already.  Because I felt I had a handle on life at the moment it never occurred to me that I might one day be caught off guard.  This doesn’t apply just to the many questions I wished I’d asked my mother, but also to the questions I need to be asking God right now.  The only way I will know there is even a question to be asked is to seek to be in His presence continually.  I mustn’t wait until later when I think I need God.  I need to know right now that I need Him all the time.

“Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;”  Isaiah 55:6

December 1

“Biblically, waiting on the Lord is never passive; it is always active.  Waiting requires us to cease our own pursuits and give God our complete attention.”  H. Blackaby, Experiencing God Day-by-Day, 11/10

I didn’t realize just how much I thought waiting for something was passive.  I’m so used to “doing”, as in forging ahead, that to be passive felt like sitting still with my hands folded in my lap.  I see now there is much to do while sitting there.  First of all, I can work on my thoughts about having to wait.  Then I can see if there is some old business I need to take care of before I can move forward.  For instance, I want to have more friends and relatives come to visit next year.  This desire is not based on reality.  Our families live all over the country and seldom visit.  We have no friends we regularly get together with now.   My plan is to invite everyone to whom I send my annual Christmas letter.  Whether or not they accept the invitation will be in God’s hands entirely.  Several things must happen, though, before that first visitor arrives.  I must be emotionally prepared to give up some of my privacy I’ve grown accustomed to.  I also must make sure any hard feelings I may have about their not coming to visit me in the past have been cleansed out of my heart.  Then the doing part can begin....getting my house cleaned and prepared to receive guests will take some time.  If I were to wait until that first visitor is due to arrive I could not possibly be ready to receive them.  As I wait upon the Lord to do His work in their hearts, I have to get busy!

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God...”  2 Peter 3:11, 12a