Easter to me:

The longer I am on this earth, the more I understand the significance of this holiday and the ideas conveyed from the Cruci-fiction story. And No, that's not a typo. And, it's timing of taking place in the Spring is no coincidence either.

To me, it's a melding of the Christian and Earth based Spiritualities into one "story" of dying to the old, releasing and allowing the new to be rebirthed in each of us, and in the planet. In order for anything in nature to be renewed each year, it must release that which no longer serves them, whether it's winter coats, or old leaves or dead branches, in order that the new glory of Spring can express the magnificent colors of Spring and Summer.

With us, in order for us to move on with our lives in any way, we must allow the stale, old, unserving ideas of yesterday go, in order for new ideas to be birthed in us.These ideas can be ideas of unworthiness, lack, dis-ease, dis-ability, anything which keeps us from stepping out of the old and seeing ourselves and our lives in new light.

Until we are willing to allow the old ideas to fall away, until we are willing to let go of our stories, no matter how justified and real they may seem, there is no room for new good to flow into our lives. This is never easy, because ego says, "but this is who I am!"

I remember when I had trouble letting go of one of my businesses not too many years ago. I didn't have a job to go to, I hadn't been in the corporate business world for many years. I had a lot of good reasons to stay where I was and watch this crumble around me, but it wasn't serving me anymore, and I let it go and I stepped out and took a $10/hr job to tide me over. It was work I was good at, but I knew it was only temporary, and sure enough within a year, a small part-time business I had started on the Internet bore me fruit. It literally went from petty cash to full time income.

That's the way the Universe works when we get out of the way, and don't try to make it happen. In no way did I sit back in a closet and wait for Spirit to produce, I got out there and did my work, but I was open to whatever good was going to appear from whatever place it might come, and I didn't wallow in the mud of my despair. I don't believe in despair. I choose my direction and move that way, and Spirit says, "do you want this?", "or this?" I was even turned down for my $10/hr job, when I applied, and told they hired someone else. Then 3 days later they called me back and asked if I still wanted it. How cool is that?

I died to the old ideas and was born again into this new idea of who and what I could be and have.

God is out there seeking us. Are we willing to let go of our stories and step out into the dark knowing the light will come on and illumine our path? Are we willing to be resurrected or reborn into something even greater?

I'm doing it right now. How about you?

in peace,

jim

From Walter Starcke:

"Easter is not complete without loving the one who made it possible-Judas. Forgiveness becomes possible when we transcend appearances and realize that those people who represent the Judases in our lives and those qualities within ourselves that seem to have betrayed us have been the divine process growing us into Christs. It's all Love."

I forgive!!

With the knowing that there is an infinite power back of all things, that guides, directs and influences my life and every one of our lives, I know that I am directed to do that which serves my fellow beings everywhere and always. As I forgive myself and others for all the mistakes of our pasts, I allow myself to move forward into a greater expression of myself, and I see a greater expression of everyone else also.

I am open to the Loving Presence of the Divine to express in, through, and as me, and in, through, and as everyone else. As I allow all beings express themselves in greater ways, my world grows in greater and greater ways. As there is only One force acting and One force expressing, I realize that there is only good in my world and this good is always expressing as the out-picturing as my world. It's glorious and grand, and I am in awe as it just gets better and better. I am grateful, ever grateful for this out-picturing as Peace, glorious Peace.

I always allow it to be.

and so it is.

~ jt

The Not-So-Final Word:

Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting golden delicious.

-- Bill Meyer

Love, Peace & Happiness,

Reverend Jim Starke

Spirit on the Road

904-874-0179

http://www.spiritontheroad.com