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By the Pond
07 Feb

God’s Ways Not Ours

sidonamarie Blog 0 0

Let’s call this my pre-Lenten blog. Lent begins February 14 this year. Hope to give some food for thought to those of you who read this.

Sometimes we are surprised by moments in our lives. Saturday, February 3, 2018 was one of those times for me. The picture I chose for this blog is of my “mindfulness” wall. The three clearly wood carved items I bought from the Shepherds of Bethlehem. Below I am sharing a short Facebook post I wrote reflecting on the encounter. As I have mentioned in previous blog entries, I am Catholic. However, due to some intense experiences with the church over the last 25 years, I do not fully participate in Mass when I attend. I have set myself in a state of “excommunication.” The decision not an easy one and very personal. I do not expect or promote anyone should follow suit. It is between the Father and I, and something I must do to maintain my personal spiritual balance. This action feels right for me.

The Middle East, especially the Holy Land, and its centuries old issues trouble me. I do not claim to be well versed in all the details, but I do feel there to be truth in all sides of the issue. All conflicts begin with grains of truth in all points of view. Then, our egos and arrogance cloud us to only see a singular vision – our own without compromise. I see this in my everyday life as well as on the world scale. When the hurt and spiritual injury are great, seeing another’s point of view can be nearly impossible.

 

My Facebook Post Feb. 5, 2018:

This past Saturday the Shepherds of Bethlehem were at Blessed Sacrament. They are Palestinian Christians. Their carvings are made of olive-wood in Bethlehem. Christians have been doing carvings since the time of the crusades. It is the livelihood for many there. Christians are becoming fewer in the Holy Land. I believe there to be a grain of truth in all sides of an issue until our arrogance narrows our ability to see and empathize. The three wooden items in this photo have been added to my mindfulness wall. Talking to one of the young men and looking at his coal black hair, dark eyes, tan skin, and middle eastern accent, my heart recognized the way Jesus must have looked. I was moved to give him a pamphlet I have put together and use before Mass starts. It contains my thoughts and attempts at prayers. I never imagined an encounter where I might touch a few from the Holy Land and never considered they might be Palestinian. God’s ways are not ours. ??

God’s ways are not ours – such a simple sentence and thought. A small leap of faith is not insignificant. It whispers but can creates ripples and effect in ways only God sees. Here is the website for the Shepherds of Bethlehem: www.shepherds-bethlehem.com . Pictures of some of the beautiful hand carvings are shown there along with a little information about them.

Peace is a state of heart. –sidonamarie


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About the Author

Written by sidonamarie

My poetry has been my therapy over the years. In 1993, an unusual traumatic event occurred with me. Poetry over the years has been my sorting out process. I have always had a strong spiritual nature balanced by strong doubt. During period of tremendous confusion, my poetry (sometimes more like stories my son thinks) helped me remember who I am, how I feel, and what I think and always have from a child. The theme I hope comes through is that we should not have our heads too far into the clouds or too deeply into the dirt. Life lives as balance somewhere in the middle with little visits to both edges. All 56 years of my life I have lived in Michigan. I was born in Kalamazoo September 16, 1958. My parents separated when I was young do to my mother’s mental illness. Dad died in 1965 at 29 from a cerebral hemorrhage. I was 6 when he passed. Grandma Peggy (my dad’s mother) went to court 7 times in a year and a half to fight for my younger sister (Kim who was mentally impaired) and me, because my dad had asked her too. She won custody of us. So, I lived with her in Bangor, Michigan through high school and college. I didn’t begin to write poetry until I went to live with my aunt (my mother’s sister) in Wartervliet, Michigan while attending Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor. My aunt lived near my mother and her mother (my Grandma Elsie). After 2 years there, I attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts major in English and minor in Elementary Education. Right out of college fall of 1984 I was hired at St. Mary’s in Paw Paw, Michigan as a kindergarten teacher. I taught kindergarten for 1 year half days and was moved into a full-time first grade position for three years. I met my husband Gary during that time. On October 17, 1987, we married and I moved to Fennville, Michigan where I still live. Gary and I have a son age 24 and a daughter age 19.


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