On what you do and don't believe

I want to share something extremely personal. It's a quote from my mother.

A little background: My mother has a double masters in pastoral theology and social work. She has a heart for service to the community. She has friends from all walks of life and raised me, by example, to have an open mind and heart. Both my parent's raised me to stand up for what I believe in. The circumstances of my life have given me a unique perspective (as unique as anyone else's) and have led me towards advocacy for many causes including but not limited to peace, AIDS awareness, child sex-trafficking awareness and support for victims, minority issues and the issues of the LGBT community. 

Here's the quote. It's not a complete quote but it's what I'll share with you:

"...it's difficult being part of a community where your beliefs differ - but isn't that what a community is all about? Just like family - we love them no matter what - but we don't always agree. Just be kind and continue to listen..."

I wanted to share it because I think it applies to not just being part of the community she and I were discussing but for participation in all communities. It applies to being part of a family, a neighborhood, a church, a city, a state, a country and the human race. 

There will always be difficulties because there will always be differences. This should not discourage you from taking part. Don't be afraid to be around people who think, act, or live differently than you do. It will challenge you beyond your own experience. And, doing so with an open mind and heart will increase the potential for two wonderful things to happen in your life: finding what is truest to your heart so that you may live by it and removing beliefs that are unhealthy and limit your potential as a human being.  

This is why I chose a church community. Heck, that's why I chose a marriage. Though, I don't think either relationship would last if I wasn't encouraged by both to think for myself and come to my own understanding. Relationships that don't encourage you to think for yourself shouldn't last. You can't live by someone else's belief system if it contradicts what is truest to your own. 

So, do I always agree with everything? No. But, I'm very grateful to be in a marriage and in a church that leaves room for my diferences and doesn't turn me away because of them. I'm also grateful for what I have learned and what has changed in my own life for having allowed someone to challenge me. We are not islands unto ourselves. Like it or not, as humans we are a community. Our country and our world need room for differences. The potential is everywhere for us to live as one. 

Be kind.

Continue to listen.

Love them no matter what.  - LM

 

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Here's a rough demo of a song I wrote a while back. I think it kinda of says what I mean.

 

Posted via email from Laura Marie Blogs

Valentine Shmalentine: Be Love

He was a martyr. One of many that we don't celebrate on this day. That's all I know about St. Valentine. But, not all I know about love.

It doesn't really bother me that this has become some sort of crazy superficial holiday that celebrates the idea that we should hold one person as special enough to be worthy of our love. It doesn't bother me but, that's not what I believe. I believe love should be shared universaly in as many expressions as possible. We should live for love. We should be love....in all our actions, words, thoughts, etc.

Am I love? Yes. Am I perfect in my expression? No. But it's my intention. An intention I have to remind myself of when that annoying person comes my way, my children do something that bothers me or that politician or pundit says something I don't agree with. 

So, if this is going to be a day that celebrates love, let it be a day of intention to love as perfectly as I can. Let me be love in situations that call for love. And, all situations call for love. Let me be patient with people in traffic. Let me be kind in my thoughts to that person who has been driving me crazy. Let me look beyond what annoys me, what disturbs me...let me leave some space for whatever love brings my way. 

 

 

I was going to post a new video but the song wasn't appropriate for this day. I'll do that on Monday now that my computer is fixed. <3

 

 -LM

 

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. - Rumi

 

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

 

We cannot give what we do not have: We cannot bring peace to the world if we ourselves are not peaceful. We cannot bring love to the world if we ourselves are not loving. Our true gift to ourselves and others lies not in what we have but in who we are. - Marianne Williamson

 

Posted via email from Laura Marie Blogs