I still have NOT missed even ONE day. I have set aside a time to meditate every single day since purchasing the App. The cool thing is that the App counts my consecutive days meditating. The App calls it my "Current Run Streak." This morning, my current run streak said ZERO! Yesterday's effort had not been logged. As a matter of fact, next "in Line" was the same meditation I did yesterday! I am nothing short of MOROSE!
Oh, trust me! I am aware of the problem! And somehow, through the maze of the World Wide Inter Web, I think my little Buddhist Monk was reading my mind! He knew I was just trying to get to 90 days! He knew I was treating his App the same way I treat Nike Plus. He knew my motivations had gone askew. He knew I was being "mindful" only for the streak. He understood that the streak was cancelling out any benefit I was gaining from the practice. He knew that deep down I wanted to broadcast my "90 Consecutive Days" just like I informed the world that 10 Mile Run last Saturday.
Can I not do ANYTHING for the right reasons? Are my motivations and intentions always going to be this ego-centric and self-centered? Apparently so!
The funny thing is, I have no idea how my little Buddhist Monk knew to end my streak on the same day that I celebrate the most important streak in my life. How did that dude know that I got married on April Fool's Day?
Twenty-Six years ago today, the most significant streak in my life began when Hike pronounced a life sentence on my bride and me and that streak continues to this very day.
Miraculous is the only word to describe it. It is truly a miracle that I was not kicked to the curb several years ago just like the weekly trash. It was what I deserved. It was not what I got!
So, my frustration with my Meditation App will go away. I'm actually grateful to my little Buddhist Monk for helping me see the importance of the truly meaningful streaks.
The meaningful streaks are why I will continue to meditate and I will continue to use this seemingly unreliable App. The App is teaching me to be mindful. And today, the App taught me to be grateful.
And gratitude is not a bad place to be.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Jesus Didn't Die for a Street Name
For those of you keeping score, you know that I turned down an opportunity to go into ministry on a full time basis last year. If that scenario had played out, I would have started in that role on January 1 of this year.
We are now well into March and not a day has gone by that I have not second-guessed that decision and wondered if I did the right thing. In reality, I think very little would have changed. The only difference is that I would be getting paid for it and become one of the very things I have always despised.....the dude that's preaching for a paycheck. But that's another topic for another day.
Today, my heart is heavy and troubled because my faith tradition is disappearing and I am seemingly powerless to do anything about it. Churchitis is killing my church. We are so "churched up" that we have lost all perspective as to why we even assemble on Sunday.
In Texas, and in many other places, we name our churches by the Street Name where the building sits. Except for one. It's actually on Marsh Lane, but carries the street name of the crossroad just north of there! I know. It gives me ice cream head, too!
When one goes into the assembly at these congregations, he is "street-named" to death.
"Would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to <Street Name>."
"<Street name> is a loving, caring bunch of people."
" Please let <Street Name> know if we can serve you."
It goes on and on and on ad nauseum. We put our faith in <Street Name>. We put our confidence in <Street Name>. We put our hope in <Street Name>. We say INCREDIBLY stupid things about <Street Name> and its impact or reputation in the community.
And I wonder what our Savior thinks about that? I wonder if he almost weeps and and wishes that things were different. I wonder if he is jealous of <Street Name>. I wonder if he ever says, "If they would only put their faith in me! If only their confidence was in me! If only they had hope in me!"
Oil-Can has been making hash marks on attendance cards for months, keeping tally of the times that preachers mention Jesus in a sermon as opposed to the times they mention the church or <Street Name>. I think the most recent average is about 9 to 1. <Street Name> gets 9 mentions for every 1 mention of Jesus.
<Street Name> or what I like to call "churchitis" is killing our church. One <Street Name> I used to attend and love very dearly is deader than a mackerel and another <Street Name> right around the corner is heading in the same direction.
In both these places, on a Sunday morning, one gets "Street-Named" to death. Bless their hearts. They don't recognize it. They never will. Because they are so in love with their <Street Name>.
But almost weekly, they continue to act ASTOUNDED that the Millennials are leaving their <Street Names> in herds! I'm not astounded. Really! Sadly! I am not.
We are now well into March and not a day has gone by that I have not second-guessed that decision and wondered if I did the right thing. In reality, I think very little would have changed. The only difference is that I would be getting paid for it and become one of the very things I have always despised.....the dude that's preaching for a paycheck. But that's another topic for another day.
Today, my heart is heavy and troubled because my faith tradition is disappearing and I am seemingly powerless to do anything about it. Churchitis is killing my church. We are so "churched up" that we have lost all perspective as to why we even assemble on Sunday.
In Texas, and in many other places, we name our churches by the Street Name where the building sits. Except for one. It's actually on Marsh Lane, but carries the street name of the crossroad just north of there! I know. It gives me ice cream head, too!
When one goes into the assembly at these congregations, he is "street-named" to death.
"Would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to <Street Name>."
"<Street name> is a loving, caring bunch of people."
" Please let <Street Name> know if we can serve you."
It goes on and on and on ad nauseum. We put our faith in <Street Name>. We put our confidence in <Street Name>. We put our hope in <Street Name>. We say INCREDIBLY stupid things about <Street Name> and its impact or reputation in the community.
And I wonder what our Savior thinks about that? I wonder if he almost weeps and and wishes that things were different. I wonder if he is jealous of <Street Name>. I wonder if he ever says, "If they would only put their faith in me! If only their confidence was in me! If only they had hope in me!"
Oil-Can has been making hash marks on attendance cards for months, keeping tally of the times that preachers mention Jesus in a sermon as opposed to the times they mention the church or <Street Name>. I think the most recent average is about 9 to 1. <Street Name> gets 9 mentions for every 1 mention of Jesus.
<Street Name> or what I like to call "churchitis" is killing our church. One <Street Name> I used to attend and love very dearly is deader than a mackerel and another <Street Name> right around the corner is heading in the same direction.
In both these places, on a Sunday morning, one gets "Street-Named" to death. Bless their hearts. They don't recognize it. They never will. Because they are so in love with their <Street Name>.
But almost weekly, they continue to act ASTOUNDED that the Millennials are leaving their <Street Names> in herds! I'm not astounded. Really! Sadly! I am not.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
I'm More Zen Than You!
Yesterday was my FIFTIETH day in a row to meditate. So....today was 51! The money I could have made if I had laid a wagering line on that streak!
The stats indicate that you are bored with this topic and very few of you are reading and keeping up. I totally understand that. However, your lack of interest forces me to remember that this exercise was supposed to be all about me, anyway, and hopefully, I could find some peace by simply getting these thoughts out of my head and launching them into cyber-space.
It's been suggested by at least one of you that I'm not "a meditative, mindful kind of guy" and that this fad will soon pass and I will get back to being the curmudgeon that I so relish in portraying. I'm not sure I can argue with that. There probably should be an "odds line" put on that notion.
But I will say this....I think....no, I know I have NEVER done something so potentially positive for 51 consecutive days in my entire life! For those of you thinking that I'm exaggerating because I'm a "man of prayer," the contention remains true.
Now, here's the rub: I am really bad at it. At least I think I am. My little monk keeps reiterating that it's okay to find theses exercises difficult. But I just keep thinking that this Cat has no idea what a dangerous neighborhood I'm in when I'm in my head! Bless his heart! Everyday, though, he continues to provide a positive, encouraging word that is seemingly beneficial, even though I struggle to process exactly what is going on here. At age 50, however, I am experiencing a few things for the very first time:
1) REST---Not sleep. Rest for my tired head! At the conclusion of each session, I feel as though I have given my busy, racing, churning brain a rest. It's just like a cool drink of water. Refreshing.
2) PRESENT---For 15 minutes each morning, I am present. At least as much as I can be. Of course my mind wanders. But, I am getting such a pay-off for simply trying to be right HERE, right NOW, for a few minutes each day. If only for 15 minutes, I am attempting to avoid the wreckage of the future. Relief.
3) MINDFUL---I hate this new catch-phrase as much as you do. I actually find it annoying. But mindful is the only word I can come up with. This has especially been true as I am in the middle of the series on Relationships. Wow! I'm spending time being mindful of the ones I love, the ones I'm indifferent to (weird...have no idea why he added that element), and you guessed it, the ones I truly do NOT care for.....the ANNOYING ones....99% of you! Respect.
I am not going to try and educate you as to what is happening here. As stated earlier, I'm not sure I know. It is no different than the running. There is no way I can describe what "hitting the wall" at Mile 20 feels like. You have to experience it for yourself. Less than 1% of the population of the globe will ever experience it. My guess is that the same is true for meditation and mindfulness. I can promise you this, though. It's not for those who need it. YOU ALL NEED IT! It is only for those who want it.
Today, I want it.
The stats indicate that you are bored with this topic and very few of you are reading and keeping up. I totally understand that. However, your lack of interest forces me to remember that this exercise was supposed to be all about me, anyway, and hopefully, I could find some peace by simply getting these thoughts out of my head and launching them into cyber-space.
It's been suggested by at least one of you that I'm not "a meditative, mindful kind of guy" and that this fad will soon pass and I will get back to being the curmudgeon that I so relish in portraying. I'm not sure I can argue with that. There probably should be an "odds line" put on that notion.
But I will say this....I think....no, I know I have NEVER done something so potentially positive for 51 consecutive days in my entire life! For those of you thinking that I'm exaggerating because I'm a "man of prayer," the contention remains true.
Now, here's the rub: I am really bad at it. At least I think I am. My little monk keeps reiterating that it's okay to find theses exercises difficult. But I just keep thinking that this Cat has no idea what a dangerous neighborhood I'm in when I'm in my head! Bless his heart! Everyday, though, he continues to provide a positive, encouraging word that is seemingly beneficial, even though I struggle to process exactly what is going on here. At age 50, however, I am experiencing a few things for the very first time:
1) REST---Not sleep. Rest for my tired head! At the conclusion of each session, I feel as though I have given my busy, racing, churning brain a rest. It's just like a cool drink of water. Refreshing.
2) PRESENT---For 15 minutes each morning, I am present. At least as much as I can be. Of course my mind wanders. But, I am getting such a pay-off for simply trying to be right HERE, right NOW, for a few minutes each day. If only for 15 minutes, I am attempting to avoid the wreckage of the future. Relief.
3) MINDFUL---I hate this new catch-phrase as much as you do. I actually find it annoying. But mindful is the only word I can come up with. This has especially been true as I am in the middle of the series on Relationships. Wow! I'm spending time being mindful of the ones I love, the ones I'm indifferent to (weird...have no idea why he added that element), and you guessed it, the ones I truly do NOT care for.....the ANNOYING ones....99% of you! Respect.
I am not going to try and educate you as to what is happening here. As stated earlier, I'm not sure I know. It is no different than the running. There is no way I can describe what "hitting the wall" at Mile 20 feels like. You have to experience it for yourself. Less than 1% of the population of the globe will ever experience it. My guess is that the same is true for meditation and mindfulness. I can promise you this, though. It's not for those who need it. YOU ALL NEED IT! It is only for those who want it.
Today, I want it.
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