Lifestyle – James Robert Kitson

Feeding My Mind for the Next Level

If someone could read my mind, I would be embarrassed. No, not for reasons you might now be thinking. I would be embarrassed at how selfishly mundane my thoughts are at any given time. They would go, “Boy, I could really use a nap.” Or, “I wonder what I should have or lunch.” Elevating stuff like that.

Probably more out of my concern for creature comforts than for social/contemporary issues, I noticed a report this morning that Metro, the grocery chain, is reporting a 10 percent increase in sales from a year ago. I’m happy for them and their employees. It is said to be a sign that during the pandemic people have been eating more at home. I immediately think that’s a good thing, but then, yeah, the restaurants and service industry workers, what about them? Nothing is simple.

“Give us this day our daily bread,” Jesus said we should pray in one way or another (Introducing what we call the Lord’s Prayer he said this is how you should pray, meaning, I think, we shouldn’t be just repeating it without taking it as a kind of template). However we go about it, it seems God wants us to be fed. At the plainest level, God doesn’t want anyone going hungry.

Since we never look at any bit of Scripture in isolation, we recognize that this comes right after, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Tellingly, Jesus does not get us then to say to the Lord, “And good luck with that.” No, he then says we should pray for our daily sustenance. Implication, as I would take it: God is ready to equip and sustain us for having part in seeing that God’s will is done on earth. Taking an even higher elevation view, we see this is part of the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the Beatitudes and their character of compassion and peace-making and love of neighbour on earth.

When I answer my idle mind with its prompting to check what’s in the fridge, I resolve to be reminded what I am really being sustained for — especially with much of what passes for Christianity these days consuming itself with us-and-them-ism.

Collective Craving, Shared Hope

So as of this coming Friday, July 17, most of Ontario will enter Stage 3 of reopening, meaning, while still socially distanced, we can dine in restaurants, go to the gym, and more. Along with more practical reasons for happiness at this, there is probably an expel-a-long-breath sense of relief at being able to be a bit closer to other specimens of our species in something like a more everyday sort of way.

Maybe at some level there is a similar appeal, even craving, involved in a flurry of extra terrestrial connecting. Three nations are launching scientific missions to Mars this month (there’s a window for that now). And some of us are excited about comet Neowise, visible in the early morning sky.

If as a species we go to some lengths to explore possible proximity (relatively speaking) with other parts of the universe, it seems really not much of a big deal to do the very simple things that will help move along to being closer to one another again right here: You know, the distancing, masking, hand washing. How can any of this be an issue?

Some basic efforts about basic things are worthwhile, in all kinds of ways. I for one want to keep this in mind in a world where it easily can seem that only selfish, I-am-my-own-little-cosmos evil-influenced people succeed.

The Bundle Deal

It is reported that around 1.7 million Canadians work in the gig economy. And it’s growing, especially in the current reality. It is said to be part of a trend, where more and more of us are in temporary, casual, or otherwise unstable jobs (Toronto Star, May 19, 2020).

How can a person be encouraged if drawn into this growing new world? Depression is said to be an increasing problem in the months ahead, as we all struggle with getting to, well, whatever is yet coming–a second coronavirus wave, even more economic and social instability, even chaos?

I find resonating in me the often repeated observation in facebook posts: I will believe what you do more than what you say. But our identity is not any one thing we do, or job that we did not exactly aspire to (or choose, in spite of some tie-dyed 70s style psycho-babble-speak claiming that whatever situation you’re in is what you chose–especially unhelpful for those dealing with abuse). I am tempted to say there is honour in any work, and while I believe that, a person might not emotionally be in a space to hear it.

Instead, I am inclined to foist on this situation an observation or two about what makes you you and me me. First off: it’s not any one thing. Certainly not a job (those who love their jobs need to know this, too, if they are not going to be one-dimensional). Is not each of us a whole bundle of amazing stuff, with a unique personality, certain aptitudes, a heart for some concern or concerns no one else may even know about, and a special set of experiences. The idea here isn’t to make you feel worse about where you’re at (“What am I doing in this?”). It is to see that you and I have so much more going for us that any one thing we do. It all needs to be explored and brought out in some way. It is extremely rare to have a job in which all of this can be explored. In other words, at the risk of being corny, find some way to celebrate the wholeness of your life, the gift that you are.

And maybe the self-realization will propel you to new things.

Having Issues

A certain world leader recently referred to his own “great and unmatched wisdom.” You and I might speak of ourselves in such terms–in a tone of light self deprecation. He wasn’t joking.

Most of us would find his claim laughable or just plain pathetic. If we are ruthlessly honest, however, we might harbour self perception that is not dissimilar.

Maybe you have avoided obviously disruptive or destructive living. You figure you have it pretty much all together. So you don’t condescend, manipulate,dominate, move any or all conversation to your own person, bestow your ‘help’ and advice unbidden on others? You have, that is, no issues at all?

Truly impoverished are those if us who consider that only others “have issues.” We are then missing the true wonder of the humanity within us and of which we each are part. Such awareness and self discovery leads any of us with any consciousness to seek growth in our understanding and manner of relating to others and the world at large.

Consider: “We are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed” (1John 3:2).

Feeling inadequate, failed? God knows what fulfillment you are yet to know.

Feeling smug? You are missing something.

Hungry?

German shepherd and kitten nuzzling. Deer fawn and golden lab cavorting in a forest-bordering backyard. Cat and parakeet poking playfully at each other. Cute, but I can’t help but wonder how many such encounters end tragically, with most (?) having been set up to see what will happen, with YouTube glory in mind from the get-go.

My interest here, however, is the great maw of an appetite we humans have for this genre. One possibility: boredom reaches deep and wide in our culture. Another, kinder thought: Our appetite for this material points to a hunger, a hope, for happy homey relations among fearful, suspicious, wounded and angry humans.

If such is our hunger, we nay be well prepped for the plea from a wise man who is actually more than a wise man, who said, and I’m paraphrasing here, “You will wind up being fulfilled and satisfied if you have a deep, relentless hunger and thirst for the putting right of human relations” (Matthew 5:6).

If you look it up (my paraphrase being bait for you to check the real thing), you will find, in most versions, the word righteousness, which you might find preachy-sounding and off-putting. My understanding of the term puts it very close to justice, which basically has to do with the putting right of human relations. I would like to see more written tiday about a correlation between social polarization and economic disparity.

Would we at least have the same appetite, even hunger, for human reconciliation as we do for animal togetherness (at least when they are well fed)?

White Christmas

It looks like it’s going to be a foggy, soggy Christmas here in southern Ontario–certainly disappointing for those hoping for a White Christmas, with softly falling sinow flakes having just the right consistency for snow persons.

A White Christmas is one of the ways we want everything to be ‘just right’ at Christmas time, even while we know it is a time that accentuates everything, good or bad. It makes me wonder if it is the mere turning of the year that follows that leads us to make new year resolutions. Maybe this urge comes also out of a time of wanting everything to be ‘just right’–or as close to it as possible. So we resolve to make life better in some way.

That’s a good thing. Let’s go for it. Ultimately, though, we will want to remember that our true peace does not depend on circumstances, saying, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11).

Bread with a Purpose

The United Nations has just released the second part of a study on the effects of climate change. It seems, no surprise, it will mean our over-consuming lifestyle is ever more certain to contribute to displacement, hardship and hunger, especially for those least able to deal with such developments. Meanwhile, there has also just been a warning that for some of us our breakfast is going to get more expensive–something a lot of us, if we’re honest–will be more directly concerned about.

This may be impetus for some of us to pray more frequently and fervently for the Lord to give us “our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). But there is a more complete way to draw on this part of the model prayer Jesus gave, in connection with what comes before that particular part. Before the petition about what we need for each day, there is the invitation to hallow the Lord’s name, welcome the realization of his kingdom, and to look for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Perhaps then, the “daily bread” part that then follows has to do with being nourished and strengthened to have our part in the fulfilling of the previous good things. In so doing, perhaps we will conduct our lives in a more responsible way, one that will help to alleviate, maybe even start to correct, some of the problems of supply in our earthly life that might have led us (back) to prayer in the first place.

Creating Summer, Sort Of

“It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter” (Psalm 74:17 NIV).

It is almost “officially” spring. Today (above photo just taken) there is a mix of freezing rain, snow, and ice pellets. Personally, I find very appealing the proposal, reported today in a Canadian Press article, for a 365 day a year, retractable roof summer theme park for Toronto. If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, or sincere praise, maybe the Lord wouldn’t mind if we imitate his work just a bit -:)

How Controlling Are You?

It has been widely reported in the last couple of days that there is now a blood test that can determine if y ou are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The question is then asked, “Would you want to know?” Setting aside the possibility of false positives, many people apparently would say “yes,” saying it could help them and their loved ones prepare.

It might be worth pondering if you would want to know, even as an exercise in attitude toward how we feel about having control in life. There is no point in any of us claiming that there is not some degree of control freak in us. On the other hand, I find I enjoy going to meetings more now that I am not in a position to chair them. I think one reason I like public transit is that, if anything is going to go wrong, there is nothing I can do about it anyway, so I just relax.

But knowing with some precision when someone else will have to take charge of my ordinary business of life? I honestly don’t know. But considering the question might be a way for any of us honestly to examine our issues around control in the here and now.

Surrounding Voices

I like public transit. Really. Sure, there’s something about getting in a car and going where you want when you want. But, in addition to environmental concerns, there is something I really like about public transit.

I thought of this once again while having coffee on the upper level of a McDonald’s at Queen and Spadina in Toronto, looking out at the corner (phone photo above), with streetcar after streetcar going through the intersection. In a car you are insulated from the world (yes I know, that can be the appeal). In public transit, you notice more around you, or at least have the opportunity to do so.

It’s not always pleasant, but it does help connect you to some degree with the lives and condition of some part of humanity you might not otherwise encounter. And that’s a good thing, especially for those of us who presume to bring Good News to that humanity, and even more if we are prepared to acknowledge how much we have in common.