Find a Spirit-buddy or Partner for Success, Material and Spiritual

I am writing this opinion today as we approach Christmas and other festival days, and the New Year, 2010. I have always been a student of ethics and peace. By peace I also include what Jesus Christ described as "that peace that passeth all understanding." I think that we (especially I) and people who do not live alone, need to make peaceful overtures with everyone in their homes. This is essential for stability, success of all kinds, and especially "tuning" in the positive energy. (I will try to use neutral language, although this opinion is shaped and inspired by studying the Bible and inviting the Spirit to dwell where we dwell).

Forgive me for saying that my former wife is not a Christian (she is a believer and God only knows her true respect and/or admiration for my Savior, Jesus the Mesiah). So during the years when our two daughters were in middle school, I introduced family meetings before weekend family dinners. In this way we got to have one of the girls lead us in saying Grace before eating. The meeting was also a way to have each one share the positive and negative things that happened to him/her during the week. Many other traditions will call this kind of meeting "checking in." In retrospect, I waited too long to start such a process and procedure for unity and stability for each of us in our family. Secondly, in hindsight I ought to have extended the time of prayer to at least 5-10 minutes of quality time that was spent together.

What should a non-believing family do? (Again, I am thinking that the Spirit of Truth or Spirit of Peace enters a space that is positive; hence my thinking which follows, here). It is of the utmost importance that people who live together talk and communicate, not merely grunt needs to each other. Everyone one of us should say something positive and avoid sharing a negative thought, with every person we encounter each day. This little discipline will build a positive atmosphere incrementally. (Usually, we are less diplomatic with the people who share our homes, be they spouses or children, or others). If there are just a man and woman in the home or apartment, they ought to arrange to sit quietly listening to music before bed, or do this first thing in the morning. There must be a leader in each living space; someone who is willing to say, "Let us do ...." Whatever you choose to do, make it a relationship-building exercise, even if it is watching a spiritual movie together. As this last point makes clear, a spiritual space is created for more positive developments if the activity is not colored by loudness, lewdness or rudeness. I owuld definitely avoid competitive games, be they chess, scrabble ot tic-tac-toe. But tennis and any physical exercise together will also crate opportunities to talk quietly, be it during the breaks or times of colling down.

I have benefitted by praying all this year on the telephone with a friend from my previous church (A.M.E.) Since I know he is truly committed to Jesus and the Great Commission, we get together either on Sundays or Mondays on the telephone, and after checking in for a few minutes (sometimes an hour) we pray in turn. This has helped me stay positive during tough times, weeks or months during 2009. I would advise everyone to have a prayer-partner or "spirit buddy." In religious terms, whenever two or three are gathered together with a positive attitude - "with one accord" (as the disciples did when Jesus had risen; per Book of Acts, in the Bible) - a lot of good (Success?) is not only possible, it is assured. I know human beings are relational and social beings who will always make excuses for getting together; I am emphasizing that we do this at least once a day (week?) with mindfulness. When we do things like I have been suggesting with "intention ... that is, attention and direction" ... we invite many positives onto the same platform, or living space, with us. The benefits will astound you!

This is my new year reslution then; that instead of preaching this to others, I will increase my number of spiritual buddies in 2010, and get together physically to pray, or lacking that opportunity, I can always seek to talk on positive subjects with dear friends each day or week. I can always choose other friends and occasions to do what the world offers us to do and say/dream. But for peace (and the Spirit of stability and joy) to inhabit our spaces, we must respect the humans with whom we live, and most importantly, we must spend quality time with each of them. If all else fails, and no one responds to a volunteer leader's suggestions to say grace together and so forth, an individual can still sit quietly and show his or her example: praying quietly for all in the home. One need not do this obviously, but the very act of quieting oneself and sharing positive thoughts for all those in that space before a common meal or activity together, will earn the same benefits. The latter includes opportunities to dilute the power of negativity (the Evil one) in our dwellings and places where we abide. May the Peace that passes all human reason be with you and abide with your families in 2010 and always. Shalom-Salaam-Shanthi Om--Amen!