sparkling

Ministry is not just for ministers:  In the new spirituality, a minister is anyone who chooses to use our resources to tend to the wounded heart of the world.  Anything we do can be a ministry, from menial labor to the highest professional endeavor.  It is our ministry if it is an activity we use to spread peace and forgiveness and love. 

We transform our work into a sacred experience by transforming our sense of its purpose--from that of serving our own needs as we define them to that of serving the work of God.  This shift in purpose--from a focus on ourselves to a focus on God's love--activates a chain of miracles.  For anytime we walk into a situation with a higher sense of why we are there, we are bringing down the light.  ~Marianne Williamson, Everyday Grace

If you're a regular reader, you know that I'm likely to take the "God" in that quote and translate it to something that feels a little more comfortable for me.  Maybe "the inner divine" or "my higher self" or something along those lines.  I do believe that we have souls and that that soulful essence is our most divine place.  Maybe there is a God--who knows?  None of us--we won't know the answer to that until we've moved on from the physical part of this life.  Some believe that we carry within us a divine spark.  Maybe we're all just God's little sparklers...meant to stroll the earth not just to bring forth light to situations, but in our best moments to bring forth even more--the kind of brilliant sparkling light that elicits gasps from small children.

But here's the part Marianne doesn't address in those quotes:  We can only give what is open to being received.  We can sparkle our little butts off in our workplaces, but sometimes we're surrounded by people who not only don't gasp at the light we're trying to share with them, they douse our sparklers with buckets of water. 

Remember how fun sparklers were when you were a little kid?  That was the best part of 4th of July for me.  In my hometown, the fireworks were set off at the harbor.  But many years they were obscured by fog--you could hear them, but not always see them.  When we were little, my younger brother and I would each get a package of sparklers.  We'd step out of our 1964 Ford Fairlane in our pajamas onto the sidewalk along Front Street and light sparkler after sparkler.  Remember how fun it was to wave them around in the darkness?  (Hell, I still enjoyed doing that in the driveway in Portland about six years ago...)  Hand me a sparkler today and I instantly transform into a little girl.  I've yet to meet a small child who doesn't squeal with glee at waving a sparkler.

We are meant to shine in this life.  We're meant sparkle and dazzle.  If we're getting doused so often that we feel like we're surrounded by a bucket brigade, then we need to take our sparkly goodness somewhere else.  At the very least, we can save our best sparkler moments for people who appreciate them. 

If I had a church, I'd call it The Church of the Divine Spark.  Everyone who came would be handed a sparkler.  We'd begin each service by turning off all the lights, lighting our sparklers and waving them while jumping around and dancing and laughing.  Our inner light is to be celebrated.  Light your sparkler today...laugh with glee at its dazzling light...and know that there are others out there who rejoice in your sparkly goodness.  You might feel like you're celebrating at a service for one...but we'll all be with you in spirit.

Comments

[la vie en rose]

girlfriend i'm joining your church...today...now! i love this deffintion of minsitry. i've always known in my heart that i'm a minister...just not in the traditional sense. and i tried the traditional sense when i worked as a chaplain for 2 years. i just don't fit the mold because my "God" doesn't fit the mold. Chocolat is my favorite movie ever because i think it is a story about a minister...who didn't minister in a traditional sense...but used chocolate. so, when the firework stands open up for new years i'll be purchasing myself a box of sparklers...well, several because i'll need to keep some on standby.

[Jill]

The Church of the Divine Spark -- I love that! I'm joining, too.

[pam]

The Austrian inlaws put sparklers on their Christmas tree. I love the bit when they turn off all the lights, light the sparklers, and the room goes all quiet. I'm a feet of clay non-spiritual kinda gal, but oh, the light! The light! You can't deny the magic of the light!

[Kathryn]

I would definitely join that church. :)

[jeri]

I'm in! Especially if I get to light a sparkler and dance around and such...

[samantha]

'we are bringing down the light' - I love that.

This idea is something that I think the laity (to use a church word) is really taking to heart. It's not just our ministers, those who feel 'called' or go to seminary and get commissioned, etc. who are called to minister. It is ALL of our 'jobs' per se, but a job that should full of joy. And on the days where the balance is there, it truly IS - we can express our light and our joy, to extend it to those who need it in their own darkness. Or for those who brought sparklers to the party. ;)

[deb]

Amen sister! I'm with you (and marianne) around the idea of ministry having little to do with an official church.

Related to that: did you know you can actually become an ordained minister online? (just like chris from northern exposure - there was no more reverent reverend than he!) ;)

About 3 years ago friend of mine became ordained online when some good friends asked him to do it so he could officiate at their wedding. Since then he's performed 4 other weddings and I watched from the sidelines all this time thinking it was really cool and wishing I could do it, and then (duh) I realized I could. (hello? online ordination!? anyone can do it!)

So we're planning a whole ritual/celebration around it (haven't settled on a date yet - sometime in early '06)...and now I think I just might add some sparklers to the party! :)

[violetismycolor]

I so agree about the 'moving on if surrounded by the bucket brigade' part. You have to put yourself in the best, most positive atmosphere to grow in. I love the Church of the Divine Spark...complete with dancing and sparkler-twirling. Wonderful!

[Alda]

Amen! Off to find those sparklers...

[melanie]

i love this post. it's so what i needed right now. and your church? count me in! Sparklers... laughing... dancing... celebrating... now, THAT'S true religion.

[Rebekah]

The belief that each of us has a ministry to embrace and take to our world is so true. I love the idea of being a sparkler of light in my environment. And the example of the quiet ministry in Chocolat from la vie en rose above is perfect. My favorite movie ever too, for that reason.

[Joy Des Jardins]

Marilyn, this is wonderful. Touching and real...I love what you say, and I've always felt the same way about sparklers. The Church of the Devine Spark...now that's a church where I could easily be part of the
congregation. Amen!

[Nancy F.]

Let us all shine as we were made to shine.

[Jacqueline]

thank you for adding sparkle to my day! hold those sparklers high over head, girlfriends, and let your light shine!

[stephanie]

I'm in! This is one of your best posts. I think I say that every time. All of your posts are good, but I like this one. Your light can sparkle anytime with me, sister. :)

[Beth]

Great pic. Read an article in the paper this morning about camera tossing, which has similar results.

[patry]

I feel like I"ve just been handed a sparkler and i'm waving it. Thanks for such a wonderful post.