FAVORITE

Dear All of Us, 

I am blessed with 

three, dear, delightful 

daughters.

Each quite unique.

Each and I relate 

in correspondingly 

quite unique ways.

I love them

big time, 

major league!

I tell each of them

she is my favorite.

And she is!

I do it this way:  

   "Karissa, you are 

    my favorite first born."

  "Caly, you are 

    my favorite second born."

  "Janelle, you are 

   my favorite third born."

Got the idea 

from God.

God is crazy nuts,

over the top, 

out of the box,

wildly in love with 

each one of us

and relates 

to us each 

in our 

greatly loved

uniqueness

as God's very

FAVORITE

In myriad and 

diverse ways

sacred scriptures,

the wisdom 

of our elders,

seers and sayers,

mystics, saints

and my Mother

all say the same 

in marvelous

manner varied.

We have it on 

as good authority

    as it gets

that we are God's

    FAVORITE

    and so is 

   everybody 

       and 

   everything 

      else.

      Now, 

on the chance 

  that some 

may be tempted

to dismisses this

  - plain old 

   "dissing" -

as softy, fluffy,

Hallmark Card

   feel good,

  "nice, nice",

let's quick 

as a bunny

check out what is 

THE NUMBER ONE

THE BEDROCK

THE FOUNDATION

    of our entire 

    spiritual life,

the whole enchilada.

        

            It is the

awareness and experience

              that

   WE EACH ARE TOTALLY

      LOVED BY GOD

    WE EACH AND ALL 

         ARE GOD'S 

         FAVORITE

        TOGETHER

  Scripture speaks it: 

   "God is Love."

    1 John 4:8

(that's who/how God is)

  God created us 

   "In his own 

image and likeness"

(we are created 

  to be God like)

  Genesis 1:26

 "I am the vine, 

     you are 

  the branches"

(our life source is 

   God's Love

flowing through us)

   John 15:1-8

  "In him we 

   live and

   move and 

   have our being."

    Acts 17:28

    (We "be", 

    we are "in" 

      God)

We are made 

of Love, by Love

of God, by God.

We are at core

an incarnation

of Love Itself

of God himself,

and God is no 

self-hater 

- completely 

the opposite.

God happens in 

the endlessly

unique creations

we each are,

rookie to Rock Star 

        as

      God's

   FAVORITE

 different each 

         as 

my daughters are

times uncountable.

Most of us

rested in this,

felt this,

experienced this,

as babies 

and infants.

In our mother's 

love and nurture

we were snuggled, 

cuddled,

nurtured and nourished, 

in love

  in God's Love

    mediated 

 warm and safe

         in 

   Mother Love.

It gives us 

the green light 

to be all we can be.

It is our security

and stamina. 

        Sadly, 

   some were not 

      so loved

     and sadly

 many who were so 

    God Loved

  have forgotten.

The most important,

  the most central 

        need

  in our entire life

        is to 

 rest secure again

         in 

God's Divine Love,

 in and for us his 

  FAVORITES

That is 

pointedly so 

right now.

We are only 

too aware

these days 

that we are

vulnerable 

in an extremely 

perilous time

fast on its way 

to a hell of 

a lot more peril.

Portfolio, politics, 

position, power

and whatever 

social prowess 

we can muster

are not going 

to spare us from 

some degree of it.

Awake and aware 

of being God favored,

       though,

we are solid strong,

we are good to go.

We are empowered 

to be who and how 

we really are.

We are 

free for fullness.

We are centered 

and energized by, 

         our

      Oneness

          in 

        God

and that together

So, we awake 

to God's Love 

within us and 

all about us.

     That 

      "in" 

      and 

      that 

  "all about"

 are beautifully 

located for us by

  Bonaventure,

     mystic, 

medieval scholar,

      saint.

He locates us

     " in "

    The love 

   that is God     

 (1 John 4:8).

He maps out for us

the mystery 

and presence

of that Love

in which we 

"...live and move 

and have out being."

      as God's 

      Favorite 

  We are where 

       God is

        and 

  Bonaventura 

  shares that:

      "God's

      center 

  is everywhere

        and

       God's 

  circumference 

   is nowhere."

      "God is 

 uncircumscribed

   in everything."

"God is the essence  

    of everything."

Free translation:

God is totally pervasive,

God is our essence,

God is our core

and God is

the very same for 

everyone and thing else

There simply is no end

to God's presence. 

        We Wake Up 

        to God

        to ourselves 

        to all that is 

        in an unending 

        Litany of Love  

We live pray it.

We force nothing and

experience everything 

trustingly as God enjoys 

spoiling the liv'in heaven 

into us. 

We let God 

set the pace 

and lead us   

way aware.

We slow down

to catch up 

with God because 

God is everywhere

We're already there!

God snuggles, 

cuddles,

delights us,

secures us,

supports us,

strengthens us,

relates to us

in easy or hard times,

in good friends,

in a field of flowers,

in mystical moments,

in our spiritual community,

in soul full strength 

    when accosted by evil,

in a good movie

   (I heartily, 

    enthusiastically,

    recommend 

      Nonnas),

in times of temptation,

(I recommend none of them!!)

in trials and tribulations,

in triumphs and successes,

in our workplace,

in an art gallery,

in work with

    Habitat for Humanity,

in the world's best peaches at

    Best Farm, Hackettstown, NJ

        (They really are!)

in a road trip to Colorado, 

    or to New Mexico 

    if we're from Colorado

in standing up against 

     the knock down of 

     Mother Nature,

in a Blue Grass concert,

in protecting civil rights

    and democratic process,

in endlessly and 

unlimitedly more,

     always 

  everywhere

Being God's 

 Favorite

puts us at one 

with everyone 

and thing

because 

they are too!

     and 

 we all are 

rooted same 

Wonder of Wonder

As my Mom said,

we and all that is 

        are

      GOD'S

    FAVORITE

     ******

     For now or later.

For prayerful meditation

            this

      FUTHERENCE

"There's infinitely more than

  the experience of love

  we already know.

  Push against your borders.

  Dare to move through

  the next threshold

  to the freedom awaiting you."

             Paula D'Arcy

          Sacred Thresholds

"Lord, my God.

 When your love 

 spilled over

 into creation,

 You thought of me.

 I am from Love, 

 of Love, 

 for Love.

 Let my heart, O God,

 always 

 recognize,

 cherish,

 and enjoy

 Your goodness 

 in all creation.

 Direct all that is in me

 toward your praise.

 Teach me reverence

 for every person,

 all things.

 Energize me 

 in your service.

 Lord God,

 may nothing 

 ever distract me 

 from your love.

 Neither health 

 nor sickness,

 wealth nor poverty

 honor nor dishonor

 long life or short life.

 May I never seek,

 nor choose to be

 other than you 

 intend or wish.

    FIRST PRINCIPLE
    AND FOUNDATION

  of St.Ignatius Loyola

     Paraphrased by

   Jacqueline Bergan

           and

   Sr. Marie Schwan

 

A FAREWELL PRAYER

"May the peace of Christ 

 go with you, wherever 

 He may send you.

 May he guide you 

 through the wilderness,

 protect you 

 through the storm.

 May he bring you home 

 rejoicing at the wonders 

 he has shown you.

 May he bring you 

 home rejoicing

 once again

 into our doors.

   Celtic Daily Prayer

        ******

Thanks to Karissa, 

Caly and Janelle 

for being such 

delightful Favorites.

     Thanks to 

Michael Schaadt 

       and 

  Stan Kapica

for sharing the 

  good words

of this week's

FURTHERENCE

   ******

 

    WELCOME

  So good to be 

   One in God

and were we ever 

a One this week!

   What A Wow 

    Of A Week

We were down right,

    make that 

    Up Right

    blessed by 

 record numbers 

    of us from

     The USA

The Netherlands

    Hong Kong

      Brazil

       and 

much many more

All together as

God's Favorites

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     with others.

       Thanks!

See you next week.

    Love to all.

    God Bless,

    John Frank

        frankly speaking

   spirituality for the street

johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

            ******

          

 

    

   

  

AM

Dear All of Us,

Someone barks at us,

 "Hey! Who the hell 

  do you think

  you are anyway,

  God Almighty?"

  Can we calmly, 

 non-belligerently, 

     sincerely

     respond

  " Hey, how 

 wonderful that

   we all are."?

That such an exchange 

seems incredulous 

puts in painful bold relief 

the single most 

lethal sin in the world,  

(sin being separation from 

Reality-Goodness-God),

           that

          so few

      know so little 

          Who 

        we are

           in

         God

That sets us at odds 

with ourselves 

       and 

consequently 

with others.

That snares steps 

forward and together.

That metastasizes into 

death dealing malignancies,

personal and social:

    depression, anxiety,

    loneliness, hostility, 

    suspicion, splits,

    one over and at odds with,

    inequality, injustice, 

    political and civil chaos,

    degradation of Nature

Ultimately, we fall into 

hell holes of waring

and annihilations.

Just check the news!

Way back when, 

the Greeks had 

   a try at a

 philosophical

  Who's Who:

"Know thyself."

Trouble was, 

for all their 

head strive, 

they really didn't. 

They got tangled in

loops of concept.

Concept is good, 

       but

concepts don't 

have breakfast,

go to work, 

make love,

get carried away by 

Blue Grass to Bach,

or pay taxes.

Not only Greeks. 

Many most haven't 

and to this day

don't allow 

themselves 

to be taken 

concept beyond,

    absorbed in 

experienced union

 with deepest self

         and 

        God, 

    wondrously 

        the 

      Center 

       and 

     Source

       of

    who we 

most basically 

      are.

Such a miss, 

such a major

question unanswered, 

spins fast nowhere 

    but trouble. 

       Fortunately 

   the prime question 

 was well put early on 

          to the

   Very Source of All,

    

     Moses to God:

    "Who are you?"

The response bespoke 

    bed rock Reality,

 God's and ours in God.

      God to Moses:

         "I AM"

      Exodus 3:14

 The Hebrew root for

         "am"

  is the verb hayah, 

        to "BE."

God is

      "BE"-ING, 

       What "Be's"

       "Am"-ness

       WHAT "IS"

       EXISTENCE 

       ACTUALITY

       REALITY

That includes us.

We are. 

We have 

"Be"-ing.

Our ex"is"tence, 

our "I am"

is participation 

     in the 

    Ultimate 

 Foundational 

   Unlimited 

     "I AM"

  EXISTENCE

  that is God.

     We are 

part and parcel 

    of God

and yet unique.

       A 

    Divine 

   Paradox

   Mystery

   Wonder

Bonaventure:

We are not God and 

we are not, not God."

 

       PHEW!! 

That's a workout!

Let's stretch 

for a minute or many 

- take some 

  deep breaths.

The whole question of

     who is God,

     who are we

        in God,

  gets a wondrous 

       WORD 

   in response.

       "The 

      WORD 

    was made 

     "FLESH"

     (human)

       and 

dwelt among us

    John 1:14

God lives the answer.

God moves in with us.

         "I 

         AM 

      the way, 

      the truth,

      and the 

        LIFE."

       Jesus

    John 14:6 

  "I have come that 

   you might have 

        LIFE

    and have it 

    to the full."

      Jesus

   John 10:10

Paul underscores 

      our being 

          in 

   God's Being:

     "IN him 

      we LIVE

     and move, 

     and have our 

      BEING

     ...we are his

     OFFSPRING."

     Acts 17:28

What a blessed wrap,

  divine intimacy,

    uniqueness, 

      a shared

     ONENESS.

   Our Oneness 

       in God

     shows in

- the way we drive

- practical care for our 

  part of the planet

- times of divine intimacy

- generous & supportive

  community embeddedness 

- raising kids

- shared prayer

- elder care and company

- a simplifying, 

  uncluttering lifestyle

- soul saturating

  scripture immersion

- seeking, supporting justice

  at work, in our social circle

  through civic involvement

- patience and hope 

  under stress

- inviting the left outs in

- extravagant generosity

- religious life, truly communal 

   pure and simple

- let's have a go at five more

  ................................

  ................................

  ................................

  ................................

  ...............................

  

    It sure is a 

       WOW

     of a way 

   to go about 

        life,

for each of us to 

      to BE,

   to be able 

 to live and say

in that living just

   who I really

       AM

    ******

     One day we'll take 

       a look/listen

         with the 

         "I Am"

        sayings

          of 

        Jesus.

     WELCOME ALL

   How wonderful to 

           BE 

       together.

A special shout out

to large groups from 

  The Netherlands

         USA

       Russia

who have joined in

       with us 

in the past few weeks.

Wonderful! Welcome!

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Thanks to all who share

with others

        frankly speaking

    spirituality for the street

johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

  What a blessing to know 

      who we are and 

       whose we are. 

    See you next week.

        Love to all.

        God Bless,

        John Frank

         ******

    

  

                               

       

       

                            

                                              

                                         

NEEDED

Dear All of Us,

In anger:

"Who needs you anyway?"

What a put down.

Flipped, what an up lift.

Plenty of people 

   need us.

God sure does.

It all goes together.

Jesus has a great 

two liner for us:

     "You are the 

       light of the world. 

      

       You are the 

       salt of the earth."

        

       Matthew 5:13-14

Free translation:

  "I empower you, 

   I need you, 

   to make a heaven 

   of a difference 

   in a world 

   that so often

   darkens down 

   its spark and spunk, 

   whose freshness and

   savor sours and spoils.

   You are my 

  

   point people,

   my light and salt

   for others.

   Your light brightens,

    

   warms to growth.

   Your salt 

   preserve good, 

   brings out the best,

   the zest of things."

In all reality, 

Jesus is asking us 

to be in on 

the right now 

continuance

of Creation.

Interestingly, 

in the Genesis 

Creation Story

the first thing 

God did was

splash light

all over the place.

Important, too, 

to remember that 

in the ancient world

salt was as valuable 

as gold.

Light and Salt.

That's us

for others

says Jesus.

Hey, we are 

  NEEDED

light and salt

these dim days 

   of spoil.

We can impact

sadly little of

world events.

The money-power 

fiends at 

the controls 

of Empire 

have that 

locked up.

But we are working 

        with 

 Jesus The Christ

    to establish

The Kingdom of God. 

That's residence in

     Relm Real

     God Good

from here to eternity.

We not only create. 

In The Spirit 

we re-create

that which has been

damaged and defiled 

by sin and evil.

    We bring 

  light and salt,

  enlightening 

       and 

  

   freshness,

  right where 

 

      and 

  as we live.

 

SPECKS OF LIGHT

SPRINKLES OF SALT

We nod and smile, 

making room

for another in the

supermarket aisle. 

It's a flicker 

of light bright,

a pinch of

favor flavor.

We show up at work

going full torque

bringing zip to it.

We don't 

get all over 

a friend

"going through 

 something"  

and being in a 

mood mean 

 

just now.

If we farm, 

it's regenerative 

farming.

We coach/mentor

needful youngsters.

We set up a weekday 

Zoom Prayer Group.

        

We, our family 

and friends,

spend lots of 

time together

 - meals, reading, sports,

   chores, crafts, music,

   casual to deep down 

   conversations, 

   scripture sharing 

   and prayer,

   having company over.

We do that temperately

not in a frenetic, 

multi anything manner.

We glow go it, 

slow savor it.

We bring joyful vigor 

and generous sharing 

to our faith community.

If we are storytellers 

we tell, 

if musicians we play,

bright zest

for others.

We make sure 

the elderly are 

as much a part 

of things as they 

are able.

When they are not 

we bring things 

to them,

most especially 

respect and affection. 

We go out and invite 

     folks to our 

faith communities,

        to be 

   God absorbed,

        to be

 welcome wrapped 

         in 

for real fellowship,

       to be

in service to need,

       to be 

justice advocates.

If we have the 

talents needed, 

we serve on 

school and library 

boards.

As "salt of the earth", 

we work to preserve 

air, water and soil,

all of Nature's 

God Goodness. 

We seek to bring out 

     the best 

in little children, 

in the handicapped,

in people's 

gifts and graces.

We work

to preserve the 

wisdom and 

achievements 

of then and now. 

As "light of the world" 

we help others see 

the gifts they 

are and have.

We support 

their growth

in wholeness. 

We don't push or pull.

We just let the 

God Light 

at our center

radiate as 

God chose to

shine from us. 

In personal, practical 

and communal ways 

we are indeed the 

   light and salt 

   of the earth.

As appropriate

and possible 

we live out the 

 spirituality

 psychology 

      of

Serve and Return.

It's like tennis.

We serve and 

another returns,

back and forth

in simple civilities 

to major 

soul and social

interchanges. 

Living out 

the trust of Jesus

is a lot like 

planets and stars.

Planets absorb energy.

Stars emit energy.

   "You are the 

     star light of the 

     planet earth."

Living out the 

trust of Jesus is 

like salting 

the precious,

- preserved 

  safe and 

 

  secure,

flavoring life,

 

bringing zip and zest 

to our world.

"You are the salt 

 of the earth."

When I was 

ministering 

in local churches 

I used to tease that

"A pastor is a person 

 who has a job 

 for everybody."

Well, God is our

Universal Pastor 

with a job 

for everybody.

   We are

  NEEDED 

Our light and salt 

are his for us to give.

They won't make it

to the evening news.

Way, way better,

they make an 

eternal difference 

    for many. 

    For that 

we each and all 

are very much 

   NEEDED

   ******

A MILE-WIDE WELCOME

              to

          regulars

        some timers

         first timers

    This week we had 

 first time participation 

            from 

        Suriname.

      You bless us.

ONLINE POSTINGS

Thursday afternoons

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See you next week.

    So good to 

 shine and shake

  light and salt 

  for the people

  and world 

  around us.

 Love to all.

 God Bless,

 John Frank

         frankly speaking

   spirituality for the street

johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

              ******