The Office

Have you ever watched a preacher on television by the name of Joyce Meyers? She has a number of books and tapes out on how to re-direct your attitude and look at things in a new way.. or perhaps God's way. I have never subscribed or purchased any of her books however since my cousin Kim turned me on to her misnistry some 10 years ago I'd try to catch a Joyce episodde or two when I was on vacation.. these days God has afforded me the time to make Joyce a morning ritual with my coffee! What a luxury.

Another summer delight in addition to watching Joyce each morning is the ability to leisurely discern my future on a daily basis in a peaceful oasis.. and I do this with careful thought and consideration mind you. I have been fortunate to spend my afternoon time once again this summer, at what has come to be called, (jokingly for years), "My Office". The Office, is my.. well... "Office"... in the summer! (Not a classroom.. or is it???) I love the fact that since I began "renting space" at the Office each summer, numbers of life-altering events have gone on in my existence.. and yet the office continues to remain its beautiful, picturesque, oasis of learning overlooking the channel of the Atlantic. It is a place quite frankly, where life does stand still and changes simultaneoulsy.

The Office is open for business most days from 1:30 to 4:30... well, for me that it is. God gives you the luxury of choosing your own hours! The rent is cheap and the accodomations perfect! (There is rent control.. it hasn't been raised in 15 years and it is still very reasonable- nothing!) My maintenance fees are fixed... it is to just clean up after myself when I use it!) Obvioulsy, being out of doors, the weather can be a factor, but unusually, I only need to pay for the days I need to use the office!! (Where do you find that deal?) Many of you who know me have visited the Office in these years for an afternoon or two.. Parking is free, the furniture may not be up to your liking- but your welcome to bring your own. Like work, you can bring a lunch, or simply enjoy an occasiononal beverage from our wetbar! I don't need a secretary, so appointments are readily available, affording us the time to sit the afternoon away discussing what is important or.. just sit and discuss everything that is not!

It is a place to forget your stresses and be awestruck at God's delightful images of tranquility. It is a place to know that each day I am exactly where I am supposed to be. A place to get your work done. Your real work! It is a place where magic happens. It is beautifully and luxurioulsy decorated. The ocean sparkles like diamonds. Ladybugs are the Admins, flying in and out sometimes to bring us a message. The afternoon agenda is crammed with spirtual books or friends coming to discuss them... we laugh an afternoon off instead of worrying about what's for dinner. (Or honestly, out there, you could fish for it.. as many do). The utilities are the most efficient in any setting I've been in! FREE. It offers central heat and air..(and mist, to keep your pores refreshed once a week!) The sun shines and warms you like no furnace or fireplace could. The air-conditioning always kicks on around around 1pm. It is powering the most beautiful screensaver, a sailboat with its white billowy sails that is moving across the horizon line of my computer... it kicks on just in time for that needed break to refill our cup, and walk around the office and stretch! You can have animals if you choose, and if you do not, some are provided for you! Visitors from all over come to visit the Office. They come to watch how God conducts business each day. They take pictures of it and remember it as a place where heaven touches life.

It is here that I take my continuing education classes every summe! The "magazines" in the wating room are the best. Or perhaps, I bring my memory of Joyce's AM message with me to think upon as I discern my spiritual wholeness. I can listen to the signs and sounds of God's "Musac", squawking seagulls, rippling tides crashing against the rocks or a multitude of foreign dialects around me, (Japanese, Spanish, or a mother yelling at her kids!) The point is that the sounds and sights will be different for the indiviual out there in God's business office! We've all been hired for different jobs!

My latest read, ("The Alchemist"), and coincidentally, (or not), Joyce's message this morning speak of the same theme. And that is, to know what we have been called to do. Our path and to not rush it! Not easy work you say!! (and I say).. and yet I'm told repeadedtly in these days of August that in fact its a whole lot easier than we know! (Like the way the Office runs).

I am reminded constantly that God has work for us. A clear path of our goal that is also divine. The book suggests, "we all have a personal legend". Our mission, if we choose to accept it, is to get on the path of finding the legend. We all have one! Although, we must wait for the signs of what and where to do this! We are told that we innately know what this is and choke that filter of knowledge with every day living hassles and stress! We put our faith into worry and not into .. trust. We don't want or can't find the time to listen. To wait for our walking papers, so instead we panic and move toward directions that are not on the road of our legendary make up! We watch others and compare our living to them. We are convinced they are doing this better! We struggle to find out why things happen unfairly. Why something has ended prematurely. Why greed and control seems to win out! We spin our tires worrying about what is not for us to worry about.

Yesterday, I was at the Office alone. I was reading a very large document for a future meeting which may or may not be part of my legendary road map.. (we'll see). And I had opted to listen to God's Musac being pumped through his overhead Bose speakers down there..It was the sound of struggle. I put my document down realizing that I was witnessing an Office "altercation" at the "water fountain." I observed a seagull.. beautiful in stature and color. (strong). Tugging and digging and relentlessly pulling something from the shoreline. He was working with such determination and strength. I easily watched him for 10 minutes. (Love when God gives us a show to watch in the midst of our working day with him). Finally, the gull pulls out a large and lovely fish! Goodness it was amazing!!! I also noticed some other gulls hovering.. of course! No one helped him.. he did it all by himself. However, there was another gull around. Not being an expert on gulls I am not certain as to why this one is so different. It was quite large, brownish, spotty,and certainly not striking like the grey and white variety. It was also quite angry! Mean. It was hovering as well.. but hovering in a way that wasn't needy for the catch of the day.. but needy to take this away from the gull who had worked so hard for it. The ugly bird was heavier and bolder, for sure. But, I tried to be fair to the old bird.. and yet its interior ugliness was the part I was most unhappy with!

Not minutes after the grey gull retireved a fish fillet for himself and his constituents, (tail still flapping and neck wriggling around in the bird's beak,) the old brown bird made its place known! The old bird spread its large and overwhelming wingspan and ran after the gull. The other "birds" sat there and watched! The old bird yelled in seagull-ese at the grey gull! The grey gull couldn't respond much as it was needing to hold that flapping fish in its mouth tighter and tighter! The old bird got angrier as the grey gull turned and brought the fish over to the others. It became obvious to me that he was some sort of leader in this particular gull community. The one responsible for feeding the many. As soon as the gull turned to do his job, feed himself and the others, the old bird began pecking and biting the grey gull.. it surprised me however that after only one time of him using this abusive tactic did the grey gull drop the fish right in front of the ugly bird.. and walk away.

Ironically, a few events occured after this heartbreaking moment, during this "God Broadcast", commercial interruption if you will, that were my lessons yesterday! As soon as the ugly fish had possesion of the fish.. it stopped moving! It seemed dead to me in a way that only animals innately know NOT to eat something that might make them sick. Quickly the other "birds" rushed over to that old bird.. someone had to feed them afterall.. and when they got around the old bird and the flapped out fish lying dead.. they smelled it and walked off! The old bird no longer wanted it either, proceeding to throw it back into the ocean.. but remaining at the shore perched! Perhaps looking for another gull to find it some food before the sun sets that day.

And as for our silver gull, I watched him mostly especially! (He was silver to me now). Couldn't keep my eyes off of his movements after the surrender of the fish. He too sat at the shore of life and waited. Once in awhile he bellowed out a call.. but for the most part he sat idly and quietly. He was indeed, embarrassed at first.. and angry at himslef. I watched his pride fill up in his breast as he just gazed out blankly across the mist and fog. The other "birds" they did not bother with him.. although they really hadn't pre-hunt either. I felt for him. I felt for his lack of control in that situation. His obvious fear of being "pecked to death"..(sorry couldn't resist).. And him knowing the "pecking order" that was involved here! (again sorry). I watched him. I watched him watch the fish die that he worked so hard to pull out and feed himself and many with.. and yet, still he sat. I kept thinking to myslef, "What is going through his head while he just continues to sit there... seemingly oblivious to what just happened??"

In about 10 minutes following this silence I picked up my manuscript and decided that life needed to resume. The action was over. It was quiet and no one was squawking any longer. The other birds started hopping away and the silver gull remained silent, but now "aware" at the shore.

The old bird was still hanging around .. couldn't keep to itself either, it was still fixated on the silver gull. Yet the silver gull, without care of who or what was watching him, in a matter of moments surprised us all as he dove down quicker than you can say "EEL"... and had one triumphantly clutched in his mouth! It was wriggling about and it was completely and totally different than the fish! It came as such a surprise to me to see his his quiet, unplanned comeback!!! And with his eyes fixated up to the sky he gracefully opened his mouth wide, (like when you throw a grape up in the air and catch it in your mouth), and as the old bird came running over to swoop in ..he swallowed the whole thing in front of him....one motion.. gulp!
It was gone and.. in him! He fed himself this time. He then walked away without hestiation to hang out with some other birds and have fun!

I was so proud of silver boy! He learned his lesson.. A lesson intended for me to learn at my Office! "The Alchemist".. talks of listening to the Language of the World in nature. It speaks of observations that shouldn't be overlooked in seeking our Personal Legends. Yesterday was one of those days!

If you ever want to visit the office, just remember appointments aren't needed, nor is furniture, or refreshments.. just an open mind, heart and soul! Its a place where the sky is always clear and the ocean will wink back at you as it twinkles below the warmth of the afternoon sun!

Thanks for coming! Be sure to come again,
Miss Dawn