My Writings (New 16)
God's Cathedral, The ForestIt seems the presence of God is more near in the forest where curling vines embrace the trees, and forms and shapes which are not the works of men, are all about. Underfoot the luxuriant growth of tender leaves and blades of grass, a living carpet, speak to our heart of heavenly things in their humble way.
The base of the trees are all lichen covered, that green moss which is symbolic of eternity in its evergreen quality, and which evokes to us a sense of life's everlasting promise. Truly a cathedral worthy of the Creator is the woods.
God's breath appears to stir the trees. His presence seems to be instilled in all around, and to permeate each substance, both living and inorganic. There is a beautiful music there also. The music seems to exist within us as well as outside of us in the surrounding forest. It is the music of the spheres. We almost seem to sense it with our being and spirit rather than merely hearing it, and we feel it deep within our soul.
All things in the forest seem to be knit in a common bond and mind, and to pulsate in accord, with each happy with the other and content just to be. If God be not there in the woods amidst His handiwork, then people look in vain for Him in churches. In the woods each sight and sound, be it tree, or bird, or stone, or the wind blowing through the trees speaks of God.
A Family of Raccoons
As I was walking along the edge of a field one summer day, a wooded hillside to my right contained some forest neighbors, a family of raccoons. Several half grown raccoons were scampering up a tree, playing and carefree as only the young are, while their mother watched from nearby.
They were unaware of my presence, so intent were they in their game. It looked to be a game of tag, or perhaps hide and seek. Whatever the game was, they really seemed to be having fun.
They looked like little bandits with their black masks, and their ringed tails were huge even in youth. I was reluctant to move, not wishing to startle and frighten them, and besides it was the best entertainment that I had seen for some time.
They seemed so childlike I could almost imagine I heard them laughing. More than once I turned to go, then stopped to watch again, for it was such a delightful scene. There was no stress there, no enmity, and none of the strife so rampant in our world. It was a scene of jollity, and of complete abandon from worry and trouble.
As the evening shadows lengthened I finally turned and walked away, and journeyed home leaving the little raccoons at their play, and leaving them in their happiness in being young, and in being alive.
Refraining From Anger
Dear Lord, I pray this day,
Take all my malice away,
And give me a kind heart,
That will only love impart.My prayer I relate,
That I may never hate,
May pangs of conscience come,
To render all my anger numb.Help me not to harm another,
Let me never hurt my brother,
let there be a heart in me,
Full of kindness and mercy.May no hurtful words I speak,
But only peace and love I seek,
May I never act with spite,
But always strive to do what's right.Take away my jealousy and pride,
And give me a caring heart inside,
Which feels compassion, not disdain,
And seeks to heal, not give pain.If someone to me is unkind,
Help me to put it from my mind,
And rather treat them with love,
Given from my Heavenly Father above.
The Moonlight
The moonlight gives the world an unearthly surrealistic appearance. The silver moonlight transforms our earth into a wonderland. Nothing seems quite real in the moonlight. Everything in the moonlight takes on an eerie dreamlike form, and strange shapes and shadows abound
The moonlight is not harsh like the sunlight can be, but the moon casts a soft, and almost tranquil light. The moon emits the perfect light for reverie as under its gentle light our thoughts turn quite naturally to what is fanciful and lovely. The world appears more fair in the moonlight, and has an aura of wonder and magic about it.
The coming and going of the moon has a great influence upon our earth and perhaps us as well, because of its gravitational pull. The moon regulates the ocean tides, and perhaps in some way we are synchronized with it as well. Though the moon may in reality be a barren, lifeless satellite of earth, nonetheless its soft reflected light is a source of constant wonder and beauty for us.
Insight
I believe that insight is something that all people have, but many people do not choose to trust enough to use or avail themselves. There are things we seem to sense or feel intuitively are true, that may be contrary to the widespread or popular opinion or view. Often we are afraid, or at least constrained from voicing, or otherwise making our differing view of things known.
Many scientific discoveries have been made as a result of insight which was contrary to the widespread view or theory of things at the time. Breakthroughs in every area of life have been the result of insight. Many business successes have resulted from insight, and many inventions that have greatly benefited society have come about from insight.
Often we are given insight in regard to other people. Insight senses things about a person that their words do not reveal. We should learn to listen to what our intuition is trying to tell us. This sixth sense is often more perceptive than we realize.
Sometimes we feel we have a special understanding of something in which we have no expertise, and which is outside our field of study. It seems almost impossible that we would be able to have this knowledge. I believe this is the result of insight. I do not know whether insight is spiritually endowed, or some resource we all have within us that on occasion is tapped into, and which could be more fully developed if we understood it more.
