Wednesday, August 3, 2022

JUST KIDDING AROUND


Dear All of Us,

No kidding!

It takes a long time 

for most of us 

to get good at

JUST KIDDING 

   AROUND

We were really good 

at it early on.

Then for years of when

we were schooled 

away from it.

"Come on! Grow up!"

"Don't be such a baby!"

"Be a Big Boy/Girl."

"Stand on your own two feet."

"Get serious about life."

"Stand apart."

"Take care of yourself."

"Be your own man/woman."

"Get a life!'

"Get an education.

"Get a job."

And most of us did.


I did.

Off to boarding school, 

seminary, college, university,

piling up those degrees.

Ordained, pastored 

all sizes and shapes 

of churches, taught

high school and college, 

helped lead a large 

diocesan school system, 

retreat master, spiritual director,

blessedly married, fathered, 

now grandfathering, writer, speaker.

A lot of a lot.

Most of it quite worthwhile.

All grown up.


Yet, well, something got lost,

not all together, 

but sadly too often and much -

a disconnect from simplicity,

source and center.

Growing up sometimes 

meant growing away

from the total trust,

the playfulness,

the centered spirituality

of childhood, the grace of

JUST KIDDING AROUND


These days, long of years,

short of breath,

I'm getting a second wind

as my days wind down.

Jesus and my little 

Grand Son, Ollie the Younger,

are taking me out to play,

to cut loose, romp, trust,

get "happied" up, secure in a

spirituality Source centered.

We're having a ball

JUST KIDDING AROUND.


I watch Ollie. 

He is centered in 

The Source.

It's not a "think thing".

It's a lived experience,

mediated by his Mom.

He loves her.

He needs her

and he knows it!!

He trusts her.

He is free and safe with her.

He dives into embrace and 

gets lost in snuggle.

They play.

He grows and learns

secure in their oneness.

A model and experience of

simple, Source centered

spirituality.

Ollie is a great coach 

and playmate.

He's really good at

JUST KIDDING AROUND


Jesus is out here in

the playground of life with us.

He smiles me simple and safe.

All kinds of oneness.

Together we get absorbed 

in the flowers and trees

and beautiful architecture 

of our neighborhood here in DC.

We feel expansive doing

water aerobics together,

delighted in the rippled 

light show of sun and water 

dancing together in 

the crystal-clear pool.

We take our time and savor 

the extraordinary meals  

my wife prepares every evening. 

We go up to the roof pavilion

many evenings and get lost

in the panoramic magnificence 

of the sunset over the cathedral.

There's mellowing in 

gentle family visits.

We read all kinds of great books.

We often and more and more 

just sit together, a rested oneness. 

        

        At about the same time, 

        the disciples came 

        to Jesus asking,

       "Who gets the highest rank 

        in God's kingdom?"

        For an answer Jesus 

        called over a child,

        whom he stood in the middle 

        of the room, and said, 

      " I'm telling you,

        once and for all, 

        that unless you return 

        to square one and 

        start over like children, 

        you're not even going 

        to get a look at the kingdom, 

        let alone get in.

        Whoever becomes simple 

        and elemental again, 

        like this child, (like Ollie)

        will rank high in God's kingdom.

        What's more, when you receive

        the childlike on my account,

        it's the same as receiving me."

                Matthew 18: 1-5

                   The Message


                 Is it ever so God 

               to finally get back to

            JUST KIDDING AROUND

                  Ollie the Elder

                      ******

       PS  

          Ollie has an extraordinarily 

          good father.

          More of the same Godness 

          in a different way.

          He is twice blessed to 

               The Source

                 ******


Hey, to all the new kids showing up 

here today, You're in! Let's play!


         frankly speaking

     spirituality for the street 

         (and certainly, 

       for the playground)

   johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

   click frankly speaking top left

         

          BEST DELIVERY

                Email

               Fridays

  Sign up top right online posting

        

      LAST FIVE POSTINGS

        Scroll down through 

        the current positing


        ONLINE POSTING

            By mid-day

           Wednesdays


             ARCHIVE

          Right column 

          current posting

              ******


     WOULD YOU PLEASE 

           HELP OUT?

    Sure would appreciate it 

    if you would pass this on 

    to a couple of friends, 

    family, colleagues today.

    You are the only advertising 

    I can afford. Thanks!!

               ******

             Come on!

             Let's go!

Ollie and Jesus are waiting for us.

               ******