Last night, I fell asleep with the TV on only to awake early this morning to a southern twangy preacher lady frothing at the mouth espousing the words of Jesus. With all the flambouyance she could muster, she wowed her audience with talk of miracles. The scene seemed so outrageous to me. Here was an arena filled with people who when the camera panned them, looked like robotic droolers mesmerized by this talk of God and Jesus and miracles. Every now and then, a member of the congregation would smile a distant smile and nod their head like this preacher made sense.
I could've been watching aliens from another planet and I would've had the same response. I just find this way of expressing and practising religion too commercial and impersonal that it just turns me off. And yet, I sat and watched this bizarre reality show wondering how someone becomes so much of a believer that you become a receptive portal to all that is shovelled at you.
Then I thought.........Why are people not only accepting this individual's diatribe without question or have they really thought about miracles? That thought led to wondering about how I would define what a miracle is and do others have the same take on it? So,despite my disdain for the type of TV show I awoke to, I was left with an idea and a plan. And I followed up on it.
When I got to work, I sent an e-mail to an eclectic group of pals and colleagues and asked them:
Slowly their responses trickled in......................some were succinct, some were longer stories....all were thought provoking touching messages sent from their hearts. More than half responded, with a few others who said they liked the challenge of the question and needed type to formulate their answers.
All believed in miracles. One person described a miracle as an event or circumstance that is unexplainable by our laws of nature or reasoning. That they happen more than one realizes, and if we remain aware of the happening of a miracle it seems that others are recognized.
One lyrical heart wrote about the daily events.........a morning star in an indigo sky, and unexpected kiss on the cheek from your teenage daughter, the pattern of last year's leaves at the bottom of a clear puddle of water, and the wonderful melting goodness of chocolate on my tongue. She was also quick to point out that there other events that result from divine intervention, and there is no such thing as coincidence.
Another friend in his description added that one should not forget the miracle of red wine. No....one shouldn't ever forget that! I'm with him. Red wine to gladden your heart.
Over the next couple of days, I plan to sort through the responses to pull together a collaborative piece to share with them this Easter week............the week of miracles. And while I do that.............what don't you try to answer my questions............and share them with me. I'd love that!
"Seeing, hearing and feeling are miracles, and each part and tag of me is a miracle" Walt Whitman
I could've been watching aliens from another planet and I would've had the same response. I just find this way of expressing and practising religion too commercial and impersonal that it just turns me off. And yet, I sat and watched this bizarre reality show wondering how someone becomes so much of a believer that you become a receptive portal to all that is shovelled at you.
Then I thought.........Why are people not only accepting this individual's diatribe without question or have they really thought about miracles? That thought led to wondering about how I would define what a miracle is and do others have the same take on it? So,despite my disdain for the type of TV show I awoke to, I was left with an idea and a plan. And I followed up on it.
When I got to work, I sent an e-mail to an eclectic group of pals and colleagues and asked them:
- Do you believe in miracles? If so,
- How would you describe a miracle?
- Do they happen sporadically, or often in your life?
- Can you share an example of a miracle that happened to you?
Slowly their responses trickled in......................some were succinct, some were longer stories....all were thought provoking touching messages sent from their hearts. More than half responded, with a few others who said they liked the challenge of the question and needed type to formulate their answers.
All believed in miracles. One person described a miracle as an event or circumstance that is unexplainable by our laws of nature or reasoning. That they happen more than one realizes, and if we remain aware of the happening of a miracle it seems that others are recognized.
One lyrical heart wrote about the daily events.........a morning star in an indigo sky, and unexpected kiss on the cheek from your teenage daughter, the pattern of last year's leaves at the bottom of a clear puddle of water, and the wonderful melting goodness of chocolate on my tongue. She was also quick to point out that there other events that result from divine intervention, and there is no such thing as coincidence.
Another friend in his description added that one should not forget the miracle of red wine. No....one shouldn't ever forget that! I'm with him. Red wine to gladden your heart.
Over the next couple of days, I plan to sort through the responses to pull together a collaborative piece to share with them this Easter week............the week of miracles. And while I do that.............what don't you try to answer my questions............and share them with me. I'd love that!
"Seeing, hearing and feeling are miracles, and each part and tag of me is a miracle" Walt Whitman
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