A Prayerful Life

The question now arises how to attain to this prayerful attitude in life.
In the first place, for those whose prayer is one of praise, if their whole life is to assume a prayerful attitude, they must carry this praise and gratitude into the smallest details of life, and feel grateful for the slightest act of kindness done to them by anybody.
Man falls very short of this ideal in life.
He is so stiff, he misses so many of the chances of giving thanks.
It is sometimes because of his riches, while at other times he is blinded by his power.
All that is done for him he thinks is his due because of his money or his influence.
When a man has been able to attain this attitude of praise and thanksgiving for all things in life, then his life may indeed be called a prayerful life.

Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan

Already Broken

“You see this goblet?” asks Achaan Chaa, the Thai meditation master. “For me this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; I drink out of it. It holds my water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If I should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it. But when I put this glass on the shelf and the wind knocks it over or my elbow brushes it off the table and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ When I understand that the glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious.” -- Mark Epstein, Thoughts Without a Thinker

Burned Biscuits

When I was a little boy, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then.

And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.

On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad.

I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!

Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school.

I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits.

And I'll never forget what he said: "Baby, I love burned biscuits."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned.

He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired.

And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"
You know, life is full of imperfect things . . . and imperfect people.

I'm not the best housekeeper or cook.

What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults -- and choosing to celebrate each other's differences -- is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
And that's my prayer for you today.

That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life.
Since when were burnt biscuits a deal-breaker?
We could extend this to any and all relationships, in fact -- as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!
Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket -- keep it in your own.

Connected To Life

He that plants trees loves others besides himself. -- Thomas Fuller

Trees take many years to become beautiful.

They start out small and scrawny, and they need attention and care.

Planting them is a lot of work for very little payback in the short-term.

But over time, trees become big, beautiful, and useful.
When we plant trees, we are doing it for the people who will come after us.

We care that this place will be beautiful for them. To help them make decisions, some Native American tribes ask, "What will be the effect of this decision on the children to come after us seven generations from now?"
Seeing ourselves as part of life is truly a gift.

We can feel the connections with those before us and those yet to be born.

Let's do it with love.

Prayer for the Day:

Higher Power, help me feel connected to all of life today,
and help me to act lovingly with care for the past and the future.

God Grant Me... by Anonymous

Renunciation

The final victory in the battle of life for every soul is when he has risen above the things which once he most valued. -- Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

The final victory in the battle of life for every soul is when he has abandoned, which means when he has risen above, what once he valued most. For the value of everything exists for man only so long as he does not understand it. When he has fully understood, the value is lost, be it the lowest thing or the highest thing. It is like looking at the scenery on the stage and taking it for a palace. Such is the case with all things of the world; they seem important or precious when we need them or when we do not understand them; as soon as the veil which keeps man from understanding is lifted, then they are nothing.

Do not, therefore, be surprised at the renunciation of sages. Perhaps every person in the spiritual path must go through renunciation. It is not really throwing things away or disconnecting ourselves from friends; it is not taking things to heart as seriously as one naturally does by lack of understanding. No praise, no blame is valuable; no pain or pleasure is of any importance. Rise and fall are natural consequences, so are love and hatred; what does it matter if it be this or that? It matters so long as we do not understand. Renunciation is a bowl of poison no doubt, and only the brave will drink it; but in the end it alone proves to be nectar, and this bravery brings one the final victory.

The real spirit of renunciation is willingness; and willing renunciation comes when one has risen above the thing one renounces. The value of each thing in life -- wealth, power, position, possession -- is according to the evolution of man. There is a time in his life when toys are his treasures, and there is a time when he puts them aside; there is a time in his life when copper coins are everything to him, and there is another time when he can give away gold coins; there is a time in his life when he values a cottage, and there is a time when he gives up a palace. Things have no value; their value is as man makes it; and at every step in his evolution he changes their value.

by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan

Occasionally A Lawyer Educates A Bureaucrat

Occasionally A Lawyer Educates A Bureaucrat (occasionally)

LOUISIANA - Part of rebuilding New Orleans caused residents often to be challenged with the task of tracing home titles back potentially hundreds of years. With a community rich with history stretching back over two centuries, houses have been passed along through generations of family, sometimes making it quite difficult to establish ownership. Here's a great letter an attorney wrote to the FHA on behalf of a client. You've gotta love this lawyer . . .
A New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client. He was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the lawyer three months to track down. After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply.
(Actual letter)
“Upon review of your letter adjoining your client's loan application, we note that the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out that you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin.”
Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows (here's the actual letter):
“Your letter regarding title in Case No. 189156 has been received. I note that you wish to have title extended further than the 194 years covered by the present application. I was unaware that any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, would not know that Louisiana was purchased, by the U.S. , from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application.
“For the edification of uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France , which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain. The land came into the possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Isabella. The good queen, Isabella, being a pious woman and almost as careful about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus ' expedition.
“Now the Pope, as I'm sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that God also made that part of the world called Louisiana. God, therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back, to before the beginning of time, the world as we know it AND the FHA. I hope you find God's original claim to be satisfactory.
Now, may we have our loan?”
The loan was approved.

Procrastination

Higher Power, it was so easy to put things off during my addiction.
I pray to remember that postponing facing up to reality is really self-pity in action.
When I procrastinate about solving problems, I am only making the problems worse.
Let me remember that solutions come from taking action.
I pray to stop wasting precious time.

The 12 Step Prayer Book Volume 2 by Bill P. and Lisa D.p