God in Reality

“Anselm’s Argument”

            There is a God.  I have struggled with my concept of the existence of God.  My family followed the Christian religion.  The churches that we would attend always seemed to disappoint either my mother or father.  Then later when we were confirmed in the Episcopal Church and because of some church members’ attitudes of inclusiveness I began to question the existence of God.  It was not until later that I began to realize that God does exist through those people within our lives that hold us to a higher standard.  These friends or family ask us to be better than we see ourselves.  For example, I go to Life Change Church and I am a Christian, so I am challenged on a daily basis to live a life that lives out the example of Christ.  I also fail because I am human.  This understanding of God also plays out in with my family, work and school life.  It is how I present myself in these environments that will show people that being a Christian is not about being perfect, but doing our best to bring a real life existence of the being of God.  What does Anselm say on the existence of God?

            Anselm was a monk and later the Bishop of Canterbury.  He is the philosopher that brought reason and Christianity together.  Anselm is noted for his ontological argument.  The text book defines ontological argument as, “Arguments that reason from the concept of God to the existence of God.” (Vaughn) The ontological argument that Anselm gives is that God must exist because a deity that is in reality, but only existing in understanding would not make sense.  This being is the greatest being.  God would not be the greatest being if he only existed in our imagination.  “Logic would dictate,” (Spock) that there would be signs by design or evidence in the cosmos or with creation on Earth. 

            As I have written in my introduction the evidence for the existence of God is based in everyday reality.  For example, my son, who is Autistic, when he was around two years old, was not speaking.  As a parent I prayed for an answer in what to do for my son.  My belief is that God put people in our lives that could be his helping hand.  For example, his speech therapist when he was two and later his behavior resource teacher at school in the fifth grade.  Although, we are having trouble with getting his homework done he doesn’t stop talking mostly about social studies and politics.  God is in reality and in our understanding he can be as big or little as we can imagine.  We just have to open our eyes to those around us who exhibit characteristics as helping hands for God.

Leave the Old Life Behind

     I was in my twenties when I first discovered Paganism.  The idea of being this free spirit intrigued me and it was a form of rebellion that would not drive my parents off the edge of a cliff.  The hole I was trying to fill wasn't being filled and I did not have anywhere to turn.  When I married a man that said he was a Christian I tried my best to go to church, attend Bible Study and generally live the Christian "way".  It seemed to never be enough for me and I seemed to be trying way too hard in order to live a life that made Jesus proud of me.  The mystery is that my life was far from a life of victory.  My marriage was unhappy and in fact it was abusive.  My need for everything to be perfect and happy because that is what Christ wanted was getting in the way of victory.  It was not until I went full force back into Paganism, got divorced and married a man that loved me for me that I discovered that true meaning of being a Christian.  
     Barry and I began to go to church because we were in need of a morning routine.  We wanted to stop being lazy on a Sunday morning.  It was Barry that read an article that said married life is better when the family goes to church together.  Our spirituality was bringing more drama and pain then we thought that there needed to be in our spiritual life.  We were both slowly going towards the Christian faith because of the example of our friends.  My personal struggle was seeing that a faith in Jesus didn't mean that I had to be perfect.  The drama of everyday life was still going to be a fact, but it was how we would deal with the drama that set the old and new life apart from one another.  There is more peace.  Forward to this weekend in particular and my goal to be tolerant of other's faith.
     My favorite song writer and vocalist is part of the Pagan community.  Celia Ferran's concerts usually happen in a new age store.  It is a place that I do not shop at anymore because the superficial stuff I don't need to pray.  I only need my hear, mind and soul to pray to the one who created me.  I wanted to go see her in person again.  It had been a couple of years and I knew she had new music that she was promoting.  I got my ticket, sat down in my seat and said hello to persons that I haven't seen since I was in the community.  I noticed something that made me feel uneasy.  They didn't care that I was at the concert.  This maybe my fault because I was feeling insecure and unwilling to say hello myself.  Then I got to thinking that this was God's voice telling me that this was a life no longer for me.  The two hour concert became a one hour concert for me.  When the appropriate time came I got up and went home to see my family.  My mind kept going back and forth to the idea that I paid $15, and I should stay and get my money's worth.  What was God's will for me?  His will is for me to do what his word tells me to do and leave the old life behind because my life has been paid for by Christ's death and resurrection so that my life is made new.

2 Corinthians 5:17
"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

Where I was in 2010.

     I broke out the Women of Faith study Bible.  There staring in my face was scripture detailing what I should do about the anger I was feeling at this time in my life.  If I remember correctly I could not get through the day without crying.  I could not stop getting angry at life.  My son had Autism, my daughter refused to listen and my husband at the time was just plain mean.
     I have marked Proverbs 15:1, 18, I was not in a place where I listen to the nuggets of advice coming from God.  Why do I listen now?  The best answer is probably the most obvious is my surrender to God because I can't do this on my own.  The next best answer is my second husband Barry who is not afraid to lead.  I listen to God's word and with Barry's  help I obey.  The world today may say that obeying God and trusting my husband to lead is weakness.  God sees it as strength.  My willingness to listen makes me a better wife and mother. 

Take time to listen because you will gain strength.
    

Head of Household

I have a husband that loves me and loves our family.  He is not only my husband, but my best friend.  There are times that I will be in control of a situation then there will be times that Barry will lead the way.  I trust him to do be the lead when it is needed.  I am not only submitting to him as the church submits to Christ, but we submit to one another.  There is nothing wrong with this in marriage.  We all have rolls to fill.  Why do people judge then ask not to be judged?   We are taught as Christ followers not to judge.  God is my judge and I ask that it is left this way.  Tolerance is a two way streak.  I may not agree with someone, but that is not a reason why people can not be respectful of me.

"Just Say Om"

There are many benefits regarding the practice of meditation.  Joel Stein points some of these benefits out in his article “Just Say Om” for Time magazine.  These meditative benefits can include both mental and physical.  Meditation has only become a part of American life since the Dali Lama payed met with Western-trained psychologist in Dharamsala, India.  This visit brought meditation into the modern era.  There are now ten million people who practice daily meditation than there was just a decade ago.  These American can include lawyers, school children and even prisoners.  There are obviously benefits that Americans have picked up on or there would not be this surge in quietly concentrating on how we breathe.

            A starting point looking into meditation is to start with the physical benefits of practicing meditation at least two times a day.   These benefits can be anything from low blood pressure to fighting cancer. It also helps with chronic pain.  When dealing with my own pain as a hip replacement recipient meditation and prayer helped to quiet my thoughts on how much pain I was experiencing.  Joel Stein points out that meditation helps with pain because the meditator is taught to accept the pain instead of concentration on the pain itself.  Also, women are encouraged to meditate when dealing with breast cancer.  The study suggested that those women who meditate have higher immune cells known to combat the tumors in the breast.  In high levels of stress people may visit the doctor 60% of the time due to stress.  This may result in high blood pressure which can bring to the patient to heart issues.  These physical conditions have been shown to slow down because of meditation.

            When speaking of mental benefits of I think about what my own family has been through with my son’s struggle with Autism.  My son William was diagnosed with high functioning Autism when he was five and struggled with anger in elementary school. The one thing that I did was to go and buy a cd for meditation.  There are five stories that deal with anger as an emotion and how best to deal with his anger.  Along with the schools help, meditation and behavioral therapy William is on his way to a happier William.  Joel Stein points out that meditation helps with depression.  In particular Mr. Stein points out the story of Wendy Weisel, a daughter of two Holocaust survivors and the author of the book “Daughters of Absence”, took anxiety medicine for years.  She began to practice meditation and for two years she has not been on any medication. 

            There are many benefits to practice meditation.  It is no longer a group of monks in a far off temple.  Meditation takes form in yoga centers and has been proven by scientist and doctors’ .to help with quality in life.  My own life has been improved by prayer and meditation.  I am more focused and my son, William, has learned to focus his energies towards the positive and not the anger.  Meditation is not only good for the soul, but also for the physical and mental.

Family

            We all have family that can drive us batty.  We can feel love towards these individuals, yet these are the same people who can drive us absolutely crazy.  There are people in my own small community of family that just completely contribute to my brain just exploding.  I have complained to my friends, friends and the other members of this same community.  This has not worked for me very well.  My complaining has only allowed more stress to bottle up inside of my mind, body and soul.  It was just yesterday that God just smacked me upside the head. 

            What did God do?  I will tell you what God did to turn that light bulb on in my head.  I honestly cannot believe that I am writing this next phrase because as a girl I did not grow up looking in the Bible for my answers.  This is exactly what I did sitting in the Chic – fil – A parking lot.  There was one verse that I read and basically had my duh moment. 

Psalm 133: 1, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”   

      I know that probably gives you a clue of what I may be talking about, but I cannot give you too many details.  The voice that some of us call the Holy Spirit brought to my attention that I have moved on in my life.  God has my situation in his hands.  It is that simple.  God has my life in control.  There is a freedom knowing that my heavenly father has things taken care of because I cannot handle things on my own.  In that parking lot I learned I need to do what I do and God needs to do what he does best.  We as children of God have the simple instruction coming from the author of our lives. 

     In John 15:12, 17, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” “This is my command: Love each other” This is so simple.  When I see what Jesus was willing to give it should be easy.  We as humans are not perfect, so forgiveness needs to be practiced as well.  In this election year and as we proceed to pick our next leader let us as a community of family being children of God love and forgive one another.

Praying for Sanity

    

     We are at a milestone on Super Tuesday. This is because today a good number of states in the union will be voting in primaries and caucuses. These states have a choice between the Constitution and a fascist and two socialist. Donald Trump has called women names, said that he is going to register Muslims, cursed and here lately will not disavow David Duke who was a leader of the KKK. The idea of this man saying he is a Christian is laughable to me. Then I leave that last bit to God to take control. All of this is in God’s control.

     What can we do as a people who love our country and as Christian? It is pretty simple. We can pray. In one of Paul’s letters he writes to pray in everything and to never quit praying. I am not a Bible scholar, so I am paraphrasing. Today’s Super Tuesday and we can leave it up to God’s will. If it doesn’t go our way regardless pray again and praise God. There is a lesson here. We are giving what is God’s to man. We are giving our rights and even our relationship with God is going to man. Think about what you are willing or not willing to give up. My life is not for sell. #ChooseCruz if that doesn’t work out #FeeltheJohnson