Do Not Disturb

How did it make you feel when you read the title of this entry? It's the equivalent of someone telling you to leave them alone or asking you to go away, isn't it? But, this is a fairly common thing to see in hotels, hanging on the doors of some rooms. I've put these on my hotel door before, because I needed some extra rest or if I was working on something in my room. As off-putting as it sounds, I know from my own experience that I never meant anything bad by it. Still, the words can look like a wall.

I'm thinking that it's a desire for most of us to not be shaken out of what we are doing. But really, being disturbed can be one of the most wonderful things that can happen. Magical things can come from a chance meeting or phone call, things that can benefit us or benefit others.

I've been looking for someone or some thing to tap me on the shoulder and interrupt me for the last month. I have been focusing entirely on work and on "starting the year right" ever since the holidays and haven't written anything during that time. Now, that's not to say that I haven't thought about it. I've thought about it almost every day, but I haven't been able to break free of the immersion that I have been in for the whole month of January. But, last night as I was driving home I remembered a wonderful book that I read years ago. The thought seemed to come out of the blue, like a tap on the shoulder.

The book is Life's Interruptions - God's Opportunities by Larry Jones, the founder of Feed the Children. I will say that I am so sad to learn that Larry, his daughter and his son have all run into recent corruption issues within Save the Children, but in his beginnings as a missionary his heart was in the right place. In Life's Interruptions he tells of the time that he gave 20 cents to a little boy to buy a meal in Port Au Prince, Haiti and he realized that with so little money for a meal, he could personally make a difference. Through the help of  others that he connected with in the States, he laid the groundwork for a movement to feed hungry children all over the world.

You have to wonder, what can you accomplish by just being open to interruptions in your life, and not shutting them out because you are too wrapped up in the day-to-day, like I have been all these weeks? What miracles can happen in your life by stopping to talk with someone, or listening to a story on the radio? The more that we stop and pay attention (see Paying Attention post in October 2011), the deeper our lives become. Larry Jones didn't plan to have that little boy in Haiti beg him for money. The boy just appeared in front of him. How unfortunate it would be if a life-changing opportunity was right in front of us, but we were too busy to see it!

Let's take the sign off the door and see what happens! 

Healing Past Hurt - Our Evolving Language

It is wonderful to find something that simply must be forwarded in its entirety because it is so important to consider in our daily lives. What follows is today's DailyOM online message. DailyOM can be found at www.dailyom.com.

I send this message in honor of my brother David, who has suffered with the stigma of  schizophrenia for decades. Another reason to think twice when tempted to say that someone is "schizophrenic" when they are all over the place and can't make a decision.

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We can create positive change by choosing not to use these words and phrases as we come across them in our vocabulary. 

There are many troubling phrases in our language that we use without considering their full meaning simply because they have been accepted into common knowledge. Even as our ideals progress, our language maintains some phrases from our past that no longer serve us, for example: Boys don't cry; good child; boys will be boys; problem child; illegitimate child; and many more. While these phrases may be used without harmful intent, they are inherently negative. Children can be especially sensitive to such phrases, which may stay with them their whole lives, adversely affecting their self-image and wounding their self-esteem. We can create positive change by choosing not to use these words and phrases as we come across them in our vocabulary.

It is challenging to examine our habits in terms of the words we use to express ourselves, but it is also exciting. Language is an area where we can exercise our free will, creating positive change in the world around us by simply choosing carefully the words we use. It may seem like a small thing, but our words have a rippling effect, like a stone thrown in a pond. People naturally pick up on the way other people speak, consciously or unconsciously changing the way they speak in response. We don't need to actively try to influence people; it happens without our even thinking about it. All we have to do is choose to be more conscious ourselves, putting to rest words and phrases that are outmoded, insensitive, or harmful. We can also exercise our creativity by creating new phrases that carry positive and loving energy to replace the old ones.

You may already have some ideas about phrases you'd like to transition out of your language, and now that you’re thinking about it you may come across many more. As you consciously decide not to use these phrases, you may feel lighter and more joyful, knowing that you have chosen to drop baggage that was handed down to you from a less conscious time. As you do so, you elevate the language for future generations who would no doubt thank you if they could.

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Paying Attention

I’ve heard people say that God never shows them anything that influences their lives. Well, the reason why we don’t hear God and not see the miracles that are by His hand here on earth is that our world is TOO LOUD and we are TOO DISTRACTED by all of the things that we busy ourselves with every day.

Think of it, we are bombarded by noises and visual stimuli all day long, from the moment that we wake up (to your alarm clock) to the television that you watch at night. In between those times are car horns, jets flying overhead, telephones, radios and lots of people to engage with. I won’t even talk about computers, cell phones, PDAs, iPads, etc. My Goodness, where’s the quiet?

The quiet is where God is. You may not be hearing His voice because His voice can’t be heard!

Try this. Whenever you feel most relaxed – could be in the morning, or at night – go to a quiet place. Maybe it’s a room, outside away from the action, a library, etc. Close your eyes and visualize a beautiful landscape, or road in front of you. At the end of that road is a colorful sunset or something that you find calming, but that inspires you. Breathe regularly. Push the stress out through your breath.

After a few minutes, when you feel calm, simply ask God to be with you. I say “I am here, God”; you could choose something different. It’s not praying, or asking God to tell you your purpose. It’s just being there and waiting patiently as you relax. If you don’t sense anything, that’s OK. At least your forming a connection.

God very rarely says something directly to me. But, I’ll hear His words through other people, or see His actions in things that are around me. How many times have you looked at something or seen something and said, “my God, that is beautiful!” Well yes, from God it is beautiful. It was placed there just for you.

So, try it. Try slowing down for God and he will communicate with you. The thing is that He will communicate with you when He’s ready, not necessarily when you ask him to. You have to train yourself to wait for Him. He’ll say something, or do something for you. You just need to be paying attention to what you see and hear.