July 26, 2023 – B

Tulip Magnolia 04/12/2013 Oil Paint Rendered — The Bog Garden, Greensboro, North Carolina
The new religion
is reading the circumstances
as they unfold about us,
knowing what is called for
and responding out of our original nature
and the virtues/characteristics 
packed into our DNA,
perfecting our response patterns over time
and learning to trust ourselves 
to know what to do when, where and how
out of our body of experience
and our physical body of inner capabilities.

Paying attention to the here/now
and to ourselves paying attention to the here/now
is the path to seeing/hearing/knowing/doing/being.

No theology, 
no doctrine,
no dogma,
no catechisms,
no Bible...
Just seeing/hearing/knowing/doing/being. 

We get better at it with time,
and begin to enjoy it,
and look forward to it.

The adventure of being alive!

Not striving to force our way
onto the situation--
just seeing/hearing/knowing/doing/being.

And letting the outcome become merely
the next situation 
in which we see/hear/know/do/be.

It is a game,
a dance,
a joy,
a delight,
matching up with the circumstances
and playing our hearts out,
time after time.

This is the new religion of being alive!

–0–

Published by jimwdollar

I'm retired, and still finding my way--but now, I don't have to pretend that I know what I'm doing. I retired after 40.5 years as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, serving churches in Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina. I graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, in Austin, Texas, and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. My wife, Judy, and I have three daughters, five granddaughters, one great granddaughter, and a great grandson on the way, within about ten minutes from where we live--and are enjoying our retirement as much as we have ever enjoyed anything.

2 thoughts on “July 26, 2023 – B

  1. Password problems and Substack sign in problems, so I will just tell you that I “like” all your posts. This is such a food one and echoes a conversation I was having with a friend yesterday. You’re a treasure in my life.

    Carmichael

    Get Outlook for iOShttps://aka.ms/o0ukef ________________________________

    Liked by 1 person

  2. And password problems meshing with sign-in problems are such a wonderful place to practice being alive! Good luck with all that comes your way! Persistence! Resilience! Determination! In the Sisyphean work of life day-to-day!

    Like

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