The RevJerryTroyer's Podcast

Thank You For This Day

In the US, we are reminded to offer thanksgiving one day a year. Often, it winds up to be about 45 minutes worth, possibly followed by crankiness when we are the ones who have to do the dishes.

But what if we consciously chose to reside in gratitude, not only for turkey and dressing, but for everything in our lives, including this day? Click on the link below to listen to my inspirational message, entitled "Thank You For This Day."

Thank You For My Self

In this month of conscious gratitude, in addition to this day and our friends (see previous weeks' messages), we must also offer gratitude for ourselves.

It seems to me that just about everyone carries some regret, shame and anger toward ourselves. The problem is that any negative thought of the past keeps us from the joy of this moment. And the truth is, on the path that brought us to this moment, we always did the best we could. If we could have done better, we would have. As we honor and celebrate ourselves as the beloved of God, we can offer "radical acceptance" to ourselves. Click on the link below to listen to my message from last Sunday.

Thank You For My Friends

"Everyone I meet today leans toward me to bless me." -- A Course in Miracles

I love this quote because it reminds me that everyone in my life is there for a reason, and offers me a gift--whether the gift is obvious or not. When we remember that, we can greet everyone in gratitude, for the blessing they offer us.

Summertime

If you were with us in church on Sunday, you remember we celebrated the Summer Solstice (first day of summer).  Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong helped us, with a rendition of the song, “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess:

     “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.
      Fish are jumpin,’ and the cotton is high.
     Your daddy’s rich, and your mama’s good looking;
     So hush little baby, don’t you cry.”

It’s probably true that the arrival of summer in Southern California can be a little anti-climactic.  Of course, we do (usually) release “May gray” and “June gloom” and jump into what a friend of mine used to call “July fry.”  But it a very different experience from the Upper Midwest and Northeast, where a profound change can be seen in nature, going from the colors of brown, gray and white in winter to the brilliant greens of summer.

In the Pagan and Wiccan traditions, the Summer Solstice celebrates joy, warmth and laughter.  The gift of imagination is in full tilt, as we plan and experience outdoor activities such as picnics, barbeques with family and friends, trips to the beach, and summer vacations.  Days are longer, which gives us more time to enjoy the sun and soak in its warmth.

Warmth can also be very healing, and with the brilliant light of the sun, we can use our ever available imagination to think “outside the box,” creating a new story about an old event or situation.

Start Where You Are

You may have seen the great movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, based on the experiences of Chris Gardner. In his new book, Start Where You Are, Chris says, "the power of the present offers each and every one of us the same new beginning....The present throws out a welcome mat as an equal opportunity invitation to come into your own--in order for you to shine as brightly as you were designed by the forces of the Universe to shine..."

But we have to start where we are--not in regret, remorse, or resentment, but in joyful anticipation of newness.

Standing In My Truth

My message on Friday was about treating others with love and compassion when the dynamics of a relationship change. But it is equally important that we treat ourselves with the same love and compassion.

We deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

We owe it to ourselves to see if there is anywhere in our lives where we are just "going along to get along." When we find ourselves in situations and relationships that no longer serve us, and may even be taking our power away from us, we must be the ones to say "this and no further." We do this with love and compassion, but in the recognition that we are the beloved of God, and only deserve the best.

It doesn't matter who it is--family, friend, business associate. As we recognize our worth, we become empowered to stand in our truth, and know that we are loved and supported by the Universe. What I know is that life is lived from the inside out. As we accept only the best for ourselves, we attract only the best to us and for us.

We deserve all the Good that Life has for us. When we refuse to settle for less, honoring and respecting ourselves, people and situations in our lives will do the same.

P. S.: A Course in Miracles reminds us that "God Himself would be incomplete without me." As the essence, expression and experience of Spirit (God, the Universe, our Higher Power), how can we settle for anything less than the best? Today I choose only love and respect. Won't you join me?

So How Do You Feel?

Remember in the movie Star Trek 3, after Spock was found on Genesis and returned to Vulcan for rehabilitation, he is working with the computer on restoring his memory. One of the questions the computer asks him is "how do you feel?" At first, Spock didn't understand, because his Vulcan part didn't have feelings. But his mother reminds him that his human part does.

Because we are Spiritual beings having a human experience, we have feelings. And they affect more than just our attitude. They also affect what experiences we draw to us. Click on the link below to listen to my message from last Sunday about feelings.

So Far, So Good

We have three full months and a couple of days until the end of 2011. Will we decide to end the year like we started the year, and carry the goals we have had before (possibly for years and years) on to our "New Year's Resolutions" list again? Or will we decide to finally, lose the weight, clean the garage and keep it clean, do the forgiveness work, or change the belief about money?

Notice the word decide. In the book, The Power of Decision, Raymond Charles Barker says that "life responds to your decision by corresponding...A decision alerts the subconscious energies that a sound and solid idea is being accepted by the conscious mind. Upon that acceptance, the law of consciousness acts and a new event or situation is born."

Not to decide to change what needs to be changed so we can do. be and have all that we came here to do, be and have, is to decide. We can stay stuck--but why would we? Spirit (God, the Universe, our Higher Power) always supports in deciding on our greater good.

Seventy Times Seven

If you were with me on Sunday, you remember that we talked about forgiveness. Yes, again.

Consider the importance. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), Jesus told his disciples that when they brought an offering to the temple, if you remember that your brother has any grievance against you, "leave your offering there upon the altar, and first go and make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your offering."

Now keep in mind that offerings and sacrifices were not done as an after-thought, or by giving whatever someone happened to have in their wallet. There were burnt offerings, cereal offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings and trespass offerings, all done regularly. So obviously Jesus considered that forgiveness stuff to be pretty important.

It is my experience that there is an opportunity to forgive whenever someone does something against my rules, or doesn't do something that would be in compliance with my rules. There is also the opportunity when I do (or don't do) something that I would have done (or would not have done) if I had been consciously conscious. In other words, when I am fully aware that I am the beloved of God, and so is everyone else, I treat everyone, including myself, with honor and respect, and without judgment. When I don't, there could be a need for forgiveness.

Rolling The Stone Away For Good

When was the last time you met someone named Judas?  I'll bet never.

As you remember in the story of the crucifixion of Jesus, Judas was the guy who betrayed Jesus by pointing him out to the soldiers.  He became the most hated man in Christian history.  He was depicted as treacherous, greedy, thieving, to be despised by all righteous people.

But what if there was a different story?  What if Judas was a saintly and righteous man, carrying out the command and mission of Jesus at a risk to his own life and reputation?

What if there is a different story in our experiences?  Are we open to the possibility that what happened had to happen for our growth?  Can we begin to see that there is a bigger picture?

Often, our feelings of resentment, guilt and shame (often as a result of "betraying" ourselves) can be the stone that, like on Easter, is waiting to be rolled away in order to express and experience all the good Life has for us.