Sep 04, 2018

12 Steps to Joy (20)

The Light (3)

In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God,

And the Word was God.

The Word existed in the beginning with God.

God created everything through the Word,

And nothing was created except through the Word.

The Word gave life to everything that was created,

And the life of the Word brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness,

And the darkness can never extinguish it.”

John 1:1-5.

“The light shines in the darkness,

And the darkness can never extinguish it.”

“Therein to be content.” These profound words by Hellen Keller pinpoints the definition of peace and joy in life. Just to be content in life is a state that few find a home in during life. Rare indeed is that feeling of contentment, and the more we own and the higher we move in the structure of society the less contentment we find. Always there is more to be had; if we have two cars we need three. If our 15000 square foot house on a 75 x 125-foot plot was amazing when we first moved in, now it is waaaytoo small. ….. and so it goes. Always we need the ‘next best/biggest’ thing. Until one day we discover that life has moved on and we have all this ‘stuff’, but do not have the peace and joy to enjoy it, for time has run out of our life. Maybewe will be lucky and have sufficient time to sit back and enjoy it for a while.

Or maybe we won’t.

Eileen and I have taken several cruises, and we are amazed by some of the people we meet. We always seem to meet at least one couple that travel almost continually, using their monies to soothe their bored minds by constantly finding something apparently new to look at. But I find it difficult, after a while, to find differences from place to place. On a recent cruise to the Caribbean we visited island after island, spending a day or so at each. We were amazed as we looked; it became difficult to remember differences as we island hopped – oh yes, languages were sometimes different, but most shared a common dialect that they had developed between them. Each island extolled the virtues of their own island, and the drivers of the van or taxi talked of the wonders, but the differences were small indeed. But I watched our fellow travelers, when in a moment of truth they would admit that little differences were present, but they were eagerly waiting for the next – even though it seemed like most had seen them all before.

This is life?? That was the question that Eileen and I asked one another. We are glad we went, but would not go to see those same islands again. We may go on another cruise, but just to enjoy the food and comforts and new friends, which were the highlights of the trip. We do wonder how some can go through years of similar vacations with no seeming responsibilities appearing. One couple celebrated their 50+ cruise on that line.

But eventually all of this pales under examination, especially when waking up at three in the morning. I believe it is in fresh moments of awakening in the middle of the night that the moments arise that forces us to look at ourselves and see exactly what we are and to acknowledge our wastefulness, and to start the process to learn how to live our life to the fullest – and that is following in the footsteps God has placed before us. It is always best to face our truth of life, and every moment is a gift to be burnished and put on the stand to provide light in the darkness. Becoming that light in the dark gives satisfaction and joy that cannot come from any other manner, for a light provides sight and shows the path and away from the danger not just for ourselves, but especially to join with other lights and reveal the abiding beauty given us in everyday life.

To be content! I could not be content with a life of nothing; I would feel that I am wasting that precious commodity called life. I find today that only when I am busy that life seems content, but I also know that at my age of 84, someday I will have to be satisfied and be content with doing less and be on the receiving end of another person giving themselves to care for me. And I hope that I can be content under that condition. I am beginning to see that now; I have reduced energy that limits my time in physical action.

Life conditions change, and our candle that we light in the dark has to change with life. I watch my older brother (89) who can barely walk move in a drugstore recently and greet everyone he saw, and the open joy on the faces of the workers as they stacked boxes and shelves greeting him as he openly greeted them and asked about their life. Many went out their way to walk over and to say hi, with a big smile on their face.

That is being content. I sometimes envy my brother in his ease to greet people and put others at ease.

Meditation

Oh Holy Love, I offer myself to you to be Your light in the darkness that fills our world. Let my light shine to erase the hatred that seems to be so fundamental to the nature of so much of humanity. I know that You have laid a curtain of Love as the fundamental particle of existence, and we do so much to hide that veil of Love that is ours to behold and rejoice in. Love is who You are, and all I have is Love abiding in every atom of my life, and in every atom of all lives and the entire universe. That Love is a single ‘field’ that makes all possible; I am so grateful to spend at least some part of my day immersed in that Love. I ask Your patience as I spend my life trying to increase the conscious contact with Your ever-present Love that is the source of what we call the universe, and light the candle given to me for that purpose.

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MY BOOK, THE 12 STEPS TO JOY AND HAPPINESS,IS NOW AVAILABLE FROM HAY HOUSE, BALBOA PRESS, AMAZON, AND BARNES AND NOBLE, AS WELL AS OTHER SOURCES, IN HARD COVER, SOFT COVER, AND EBOOK FORMATS. Click on the “Learn More” button for further information.

We are bound in the music of life where we dance and weave within that glorious melody, or what some call God. Now, God has said that we are the very image of God (Genesis 1:27), and as images of God, we have the inborn ability to have Joy and Happiness forever present in our life. The author, David L. Peters, is an octogenarian whose life has always been filled with joy, regardless of outward appearances. The wonders of the Kingdom of Heaven is everyone’s birthright, if you know how to let your Creator and the Universe enter your spirit. Jesus put it succinctly: “The Kingdom of God lies within” (Luke 17:21). The Kingdom of God, Paradise, Heaven: these lie within you, right now, waiting for you to only turn and see, and join in the dance. Paradise is right within us, but how do we unlock the door to this wonder of joy? This book lays a path open that the author has followed for almost 80 years, starting as a young boy in rural Ohio, and it operates as advertised. No matter how things look in life, how bad it seems, all one need do is look deeper within and find the joy that can fill life: life is good! The life of abundant joy and happiness is yours for the asking. Dip your toe in the living waters, and taste the Beauty of God that is awaiting. Click on the “Learn More” button for further information