"A Very Happy Un-Birthday"

Well, I missed it. I missed my own "half-birthday", August 6th! I had been thinking it would be good to celebrate in some way the mid-point to this year of Re-Birthing for me. I thought about it in June. It crossed my mind in July. And then I totally spaced it out until today!

This forgetfulness is not a total tragedy. Clearly it is possible to celebrate Re-Birth in every day, and August 9th is as good as the 6th for a Happy Un-Birthday to me! So where have I been, (and more importantly), what have I learned in this six months of Re-Birthing?

1. I have learned that moving on (even a little) in the direction of God's desires for me is like Jesus walking on the water! It is good to recognize progress made and to rejoice in every success we achieve.
2. I have (finally) realized that an "All or Nothing" approach to life is counter-productive. Perfection is highly over-rated and focusing on it robs us of so much of life's wonder.
3. I have come to reject the lock-step, one-size-fits-all approach to transformation. If change is to be lasting it must be personal.
4. I have learned that observation is not the same as judgment, and that nobody can observe themselves objectively. That is why we need community!
5. I have begun to recognize the intertwining threads of my life - especially when it comes to emotions and fears. You cannot pull one without affecting the others.
6. I have seen how limiting my own judgments can become. I can be an artist (or anything else) if I decide to see the beauty of my creativity, and if I believe that anything is possible.
7. I have learned to practice prioritizing. It is a waste of time to major in the minors.
8. I have improved my ability to stay fully present to the presence of God in the present. This requires hanging in with myself and then letting God be God.
9. I have realized the folly of trying to run from change. The best response is to rejoice in the opportunities change presents.
10. I have found that every beginning begins with an ending. Life is all about saying "goodbye" in order to say "hello".
11. I have recognized the crazy-making patterns of thought. No more "what ifs", "if onlys", or "comparisons" for me!
12. I have affirmed the importance of Sabbath and the practice of agility. We all need to take time to remember what time is for.
13. I have discovered that to follow my desire for re-birth is to keep that star in my sight. It requires me to follow to places I cannot even yet imagine.
14. And... I have learned to celebrate every step along the way. Every dream, vision, and goal deserves a life of joy at the moment of its conception and throughout its path to completion.

Not bad for six months! Let me return again to the prayer which sustains me and propels me onward, this prayer for Re-Birth:

You, God, have placed your Truth in my inner being;

Therefore, teach me the wisdom of my heart.

Forgive all that binds me in fear, that I might radiate love.

Cleanse me, that your light might shine in me.

Fill me with gladness; help me to transform weakness into strength.

Look not on my past mistakes, but on the aspirations of my heart. Amen.

(From "Psalms for Praying", by Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 51)