Josh has dated Stephanie alot the last year. She just left for Utah State in Logan (about 2 1/2 hours from here). Josh got tickets to the Jack Johnson concert for Monday night and invited her to go. Yes, Josh IS almost 19 years old, but to drive home from Logan when he wouldn't get there --to Logan ,until 1:30 and then still have to drive 21/2 hours home-- made me crazy. So, being the control freak, keep my child safe mother that Iam (now you can see maybe why I have a little problem with the whole KENYA thing)...I insisted that he let me drive up there with him, drop me off at Preson's, pick me up after it was all over so I could drive back with him to keep him AWAKE. Which we did, and Megan decided to come along with me, and Josh was a great sport about it all and I drove home at 1:30 and we got here at 3:30 am ( I am TOO OLD for that--but I felt a little like Don Johnson on Miami VIce with the freeway so trafficless and Phil Collins on the radio). With that said, you will now understand WHY I was in Logan with Preston and the girlies on a Monday night. We had a yummiful dinner at Olive Garden and then Preston took us to his Buddhist Group meeting that he has been attending every Monday night for a while now. He is a great brother and has an amazing mind and he often shares his thoughts and life philosophies with me and lets me make up a few philosophies of my own:^) ANYWAY...I got to have my first ever Jeep ride on the way over( I don't get out much people, that's actually not that true, but still strange to be 45 and never been in a jeep). We met in this fellowship center that was in the house shown here and there were these cushions all around to kneel on for the meditation. I've done plenty of meditating before but not "formally" or with a group. About 13 or 14 people came and settled in to their positions on the floor...I sat on the couch pretty sure I couldn't stay on my knees or even Indian style for that long--Preston had prepared me that the meditation was usually 30 minutes. OK People. I LOVED this experience. I GET W H Y he goes each week. Our typical worship is nothing in comparison to this. A gentle man showed up and led us in a "guided" meditation with the theme being LOVING KINDNESS. We sat quietly about 10 minutes before he started reading a quote every few minutes. At first I was bugged thinking"Hey, I'm meditating here---I've got a lot of junk in the trunk to sort out and you keep interupting with your nice sayings...." But then I started focusing on the things he was reading and after he was done my brain would zoom in for this astonishing self analysis that was actually pretty LOVING AND KIND to myself, along with feeling alot of love for EVERYONE else on the planet. Anyway...who would have thunk that Natalie Harris would have been to a Buddhist Group meditating and loving it...but I did and I do and now I have one more new thing to love and want to know about....Here I come Barnes and Noble...I often wonder if I am the sole patronage keeping their stock rising.
5 comments:
Personally, I have came to the conclusion that Buddhism is nothing more than a very religious atheism.
After so many times of total domination in ultimate frisbie the leaders lost in the final moments to the scouts, 10 - 9. The scouts were lead by Sam who I'm sure couldn't sleep last night because he had overcome his ultimate frisbie goliath. I'm going to miss him in scout and quorum meetings.
Having good thoughts about ourselves and others, is a Band-aid on an open artery. As Jesus (the Messiah) clearly said "unless you repent, you will all likewise perish". I preach Christ and him crucified. Seek first the Kingdom of God. He is the "Peace that passes all understanding".
Roger
I'm interested in the idea of open artery
repentance. Open artery sinners are surely grateful for repentance; how
else would they stop the bleeding? I know I was grateful for repentance
when I was deep in sin. At some point though, I believe Christ would like
us all to put on our big boy (and girl) pants and stop opening up arteries by
taking responsibility for our actions and terminating the horrible sin.
When this is accomplished, it seems to me that stitches, gauze, Neosporin, and
antibiotics (calling on repentance daily or weekly) is overkill when a simple dressing
with a mere band-aid will sufficiently resolve a slight scratch. My
father and mother were never pleased when I continued to come home with F's on
my report card. You should have seen the look on their faces when I
stopped failing at life and starting bringing home A's. At this moment of
judgment, they looked at my scores and said "good job son!" I too look
forward to the ultimate judgment day when I can show Christ my report card and
thank him for his atonement on the F's, get a "good job son" on the A's, and
take my wallops for the B's. I am
willing to take my wallops on the B's that I just couldn't stop getting because
I, in good conscience, cannot continue to abuse the concept of repentance through
cyclical use without real personal change. I believe Christ knows a sinner when he sees one and sometimes goes by
the spirit of the law, as opposed to the letter, especially when he's chatting
with me about years of cyclical abuse! I'd love to hear any thoughts and for the record, I've never received an
F in the school of education…..the school of life, PLENTY!
Also, I have been pleasantly surprised to find Buddhism to be extremely complimentary, largely parallel, and seldom contradictory to the teachings of the Old and New Testament! Crossing the street without looking both ways will get you injured equally as well in Canada, Bolivia, China, or Russia, because laws of physics and mortality are universal. Universal truth, in regards to spirituality, also abound across Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, etc. Finally, when I go out to eat at my favorite restaurant (Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q), I don’t feel compelled to eat everything on the menu to feel full. A BBQ pork sandwich or the all you can eat chicken are my favorites, so that is what I select from that establishment. I don’t care for the salad bar at Sonny’s, because I set my quality control standards a little higher. The same is true for me when discussing spiritual concepts….not religion, but spiritual concepts. I no longer think Christians have the entire corner on the market of spirituality because of the simple truths I have found outside of Christianity that work very well in my life. If what I want is spiritual growth, or in other words a great BBQ sandwich and an awesome salad, then I must look beyond Sonny’s to fill my order and seek for truth in all things by making more than one stop on my restaurant run! I’m open to the idea of a one-stop shop for spirituality, but until I find it I’m up to the effort of walking across the street (looking both ways first) in my quest for a truly happy life.
I LOVE YOU, and you too Natalie! Thank you for loving me!!!!!
P.S. I heard a wonderful mind opener the other day....."have a great day, unless you've already made plans otherwise!"
WOWser!
Have your blog comments and postings gotten DEEP!
I won't go into all the religious philosophy....but it sounds like you had a super experience with the meditation at the Buddhist house! Great for you to try something new and discover you like it...or at least parts of it! The whole meditation thing is a bit like Quaker Meeting (Society of Friends) ...I've usually attended a "silent" meeting where we worship in silence for an hour but during the worshipping anyone who is moved by the spirit of God can stand up in their place and speak to the fellowship. Often one wonderful enlightenment flows into another and without meaning to a whole topic is covered within the hour's worship time. It's truly lovely and the human spiritual connection is so strong. Other times no one says anything at all...and that is very moving too.
Peace be with you, Natalie!
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