sugar magnolia "secret"

a simple walk through an april shower day.

i hear people talking of "the secret" the recent book/movie. "its not religious b.s., it is inspirational," i have heard one person comment. the secret seems to be everywhere. parts of the secret are good...positive thinking, visualizing heaven, realizing we can actual create heaven or hell with our very own thoughts, understanding our creative potential, what it means to be created in the likeness of God herself. but, some other things make me wary.

there is a temptation in a materialistic world, to use prayer as a grocery list or a wish list of: i want this, i want that, lord help this in my life, help that. and the whole point of prayer, of a conversation, of truly connecting with God, of being able to stop and listen and actually hear a God so infinite draw near, to be able to speak and say all of our hearts contents, a place to be real, to surrender, to say your will be done, your way with me and this world, the transforming power of prayer to become more like God and less like us, all the deep sacred holiness of prayer feels mitigated by a purpose of superficial demands of us to use God to fit into our own little store of a mind instead of maybe letting God open our minds to God herself.

that's not to say we can't ask for things. for i believe if it is pressing on your heart and you speak it, God hears and it recieves it with great care knowing how much it means no matter how we humanly or culturally judge it.

i just hope people won't think that this is all the universe is. i hope they won't stop with the secret. i hope they won't praise the laws of the universe and not the maker of it. that they will not think that this is all that God is. that they will use it to pursue God more. to pray more about not only what they want but also to love God not only for what is given as a gift but for who God is and for God's love for us.

certain points still out as whoooa, creepy in my mind. like the phrase, "i am sohappy and grateful now that." now that?!?!?!! for we are taught in scripture to not let circumstances or material items or anything to control us. that mere happiness if controlled by circumstanes. but that a fruit of the spirit is not happiness, but joy. joy despite whatever the circumstances may be. joy because we love God and live for God alone. therefore even though Paul might be locked away in prison, he is still joyful in his being. he is content with who he is in God's world.