(A bit of an old story in the beginning, and a whole new one at the end!)
Once upon a Sunday morning, quite some time ago, 11:00 arrived as it almost always does, and it was my turn to preach. There were a few challenges, that particular day.
It was a Sunday in October. A Sunday for which the Lectionary (complicated calendar of which scripture passages are “for” what day) was utterly unprepared!
You see, in addition to it being whatever Sunday in Ordinary Time, it was also Stewardship Sunday, on Pink Ribbon Sunday for breast cancer awareness, in National Domestic Violence Awareness month.
Yep! Money, sex (Well, some people think so!) and power, all cued up for Sunday morning.
The three things you learned – if you were raised right in the time and places I was – not to talk about!
But I did, because I couldn’t have lived with myself or faced the Creator of my understanding if I hadn’t. I mean, people dealing with all those challenges were sitting in our folding chairs, and not talking about it wasn’t going to help anyone!
This moment feels just like that, somewhere deep in my raised right heart which has learned a whole lot of new things.
One of those new things, since then, is Grammy-ness. Elder-ness.
I’ve also learned that flying our Real Me flags is the best thing for us as humans-in-progress.
And, that’s exactly what I want for my grandteens!!!
Actually, it’s what I want for all our Littles. I want it so much that I’m going to make a profession… I am officially beyond the whole raised right thing. As in done-done!
And this feels like a really good time to claim it. To notice that the Universe is in a place we’ve never been before… a portal, if you will. And it’s our job to join the team! (I’m liable to make a t-shirt!)
Money, sex, and power have always, always, always been huge issues. We get to re-frame them! Consciously. Intentionally. With honor to those who survived before us. And those who did not survive.
Here’s my attempt, much to the dismay of my inner editor who is convinced that she hasn’t had long enough to ponder…
Money is a tool. Not a matter of worth. We can use it for good, rather than simply for control.
Sex – or gender – is an expression of self… and we get to decide whether to love and uplift, or to dominate.
Power is always relative to something or someone. We get to choose to claim power for, rather than power over. Even though a whole lot of people, through a whole lot of time, have chosen over, rather than for.
Now is our time to choose… not just for ourselves, but for the future of the world. And, in this particular story, for those of us in the USA, now means 104 days.
I’m choosing a world in which all our Littles have choices. And voices. And sovereignty.
Many, many of my ancestors and family members did not have those options. The same is true for your family, whether you know their names and stories, or not.
Two of my great aunts – sisters named Mary and Alice – were hanged as witches in Salem. On the same day. Charges that often resulted in women being tried as witches were being in possession of, and able to read, a book other than the bible and having no living husband, father, brother, or son to control their money and property.
Those who did the accusing and judging, all those years ago, believed they held the only truth and were entitled to put women to death for those reasons.
Far too many of their descendants – genetic and political – believe that they hold the only truth and are entitled to similar powers in our time.
It’s time, and long past, to end the current expressions of such errant and tragic beliefs.
This is my heart-image of what that might look like…
Raise your hand. Gather your power-for. Claim your place in the circle. The time has come!
ps… this post is dedicated to my Grandmothers, Elsie and Elizabeth. Activists, both… in their ways and times.
pps… the painting in the middle is a #RedMadonna project, entitled Womb of Creation. May I – and all of us who choose to do so – create on!