What’s Your Life Jacket?

I have a Peanuts Joke A Day Calendar.
Yesterday’s entry showed Peppermint Patty as camp tent leader talking to 3 little girls.

“All right, Girls, this is your Swimming Test!”

“You are to swim back & forth, across the pool 6 times, “Free Style”. Then you are to swim back & forth, twice more using the “Back Stroke”. And again, twice more, back & forth, using the “Butterfly Stroke”.”

When she finishes with, “Any questions?”, one of the girls asks, “Is this with or without life-jackets?”

Isn’t this just like life? Before we try or do anything, we want to know if there’s a life jacket available. What if we fail? What if we look dumb, when we try? What if we don’t do it perfectly?

The answer to such fearful introspection is SO WHAT?!

If you take a step back & examine Life with an unbiased eye, you’ll realize that living is about trying & doing things, often looking silly & imperfect, & sometimes failing!
God is our spiritual life jacket, & God is always present.
Besides, “Failing & looking silly & being imperfect” are usually based upon someone else’s opinion.
We can use a physical life jacket, until we learn to swim proficiently. And we can rely on our Real Life Jacket, God, to stay the course of our life’s journey.
So what is yours to do? Do you know your next step?

Each step you make in life is preparing you for the next!
God is your life jacket & God is always with you!
Thank you God!

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor

You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
— R. Buckminster Fuller

How in the World Can I Change Anything?

A pretty smart guy, Albert Einstein, once told us you can’t solve a problem on the level at which it was created.

If we are fighting the existing reality, where is our focus? On the existing reality. And so what do we get? More of the same. So many times we don’t know what it is that we do want, we just know that we don’t want more of this!

When this is the case, it’s time to try on our possibilitarian hat & be open to new possibilities. Some time in the stillness often gives me new ideas – though they are often NOT about whatever issue I think I am dealing with. Then when I relax & move away from my current issue focusing on the new idea, I frequently get a possibility for the old issue. It feels like I have to get my brain off topic, (because my focus is on the issue) before solutions can appear. In the meantime, the silence has given me new ideas about something unrelated.

If you have a hard time with the silence, try it with brainstorming… but include two sheets of paper… one for brainstorming ideas about changing the existing reality, & the other about totally unrelated ideas. When you’re in the process of allowing your brain to give you information, you’ll find that it doesn’t always stay on task… You might be surprised that the totally unrelated ideas may include some gems. Don’t let any of them escape. One of those gems might be the basis for a new model.

There’s a THIRD POSSIBILITY:
How about “Letting Go & Letting God?” Sounds like a plan to me!
Thank you Lord!

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor

…There Ariseth Light in the Darkness…
— Psalms 112:4

The Light Shines in the Darkness…
— The Science of Mind, page 345

Out Of the Darkness Arose A Great Light

Ernest Holmes tells us illumination is accompanied by light, whether it be the illumination of the mystics, or the illumination that comes from the release of the darkness that sometimes envelops us.

After over 30 years of counseling, I have realized the importance of acknowledging the shadow of the personality, & accepting these dark feelings. Only then can we release them & replace them with faith & love. As long as they are buried, they fester.

One evening, several years ago, I was having a session with a client at a rehabilitation center. He had laryngitis & could hardly speak. After two months of suffering, he finally went to the doctor who told him that he had an inflamed larynx & would have to desist from talking totally if he wanted to recover. As part of his treatment, I asked him the same question I ask all my clients. “Have you ever done anything you feel guilty about, or ashamed of?” He turned bright red & began breathing torturously. “Yes,” he muttered, “but I’ll never tell anyone as long as I live.”

I explained to him that this meeting was orchestrated by God & was giving him a chance to release the whole thing in a safe environment where he would not be judged. After a long while, he stood up, faced the wall away from me, & slowly began sharing his dark secret. In the middle of his sharing, he croaked, “I can’t believe I’m telling you this.” He finally finished & turned around. His face was absolutely radiant! An Inner Light was shining through him. And his voice was totally healed!

AFFIRMATION
As I go forth this day, when dark thoughts or feelings come upon me, I acknowledge them, accept them, release them, & replace them with the Love of God.
Thank you God!

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor

BRRRR! Said the Rabbit

It’s been quite cold, of late, deep in the heart of Austin, Texas. I shouldn’t be surprised, after all. IT IS January!

Besides donning layers of my scarcely-worn winter wardrobe, all this frigidity has cultivated in me, an even more grateful soul. I am grateful that I work indoors, that I have a warm house to protect me, that I have a car that runs well (even in cold weather), & that I have a garage that I can keep that car in!!!. I am grateful that I own layers of warm clothes, & wool socks, to match! Not to mention the blessing of not having to chop wood, to keep the home fires going! (Been there, done that!)

And on top of all of that, I am grateful central Texas is not beset with snow & ice, along with these sub-zero temperatures. I am adding blessings to those who get to work outdoors, & those dealing with broken/frozen pipes.

What are you grateful for on this cold day? How about hot chocolate on a cold day? Curling up with a book in front of a fire?

Look for things to be grateful for, & you will surely find them…
And the Universe may bestow more blessings, since you’ve focused upon them.
Thank you God!

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor