Tag: spirituality

Abundance Continuance


Arts Live Here: Celebrating Joel Simon – Troop 276

Celebrating Joel: Arts Live Here

This is my world today. This is a sacred place within a sacred space within a community within a neighborhood within a city.

It’s a pretty cool place. Thanks to a Boy Scout named Joel Simon.

For my story, this place was completed on August 13th, 2021 – one day before the 18th birthday of the very man who created it.

It was completed on Friday the 13th. 13 is my lucky number.

Yes, Virginia. Great things are possible every day – even on Friday the 13th.

Thanks Joel for creating this place for us to enjoy!

Bloom where you are planted

Joel grew up in this community where we celebrate abundance, where we look for abundance, where we find abundance, where we shine a light on abundance.

I grew up in this community as well. Rather, I am growing up in this community.

So it made total sense for Joel to pick this spot for his final project in his journey to become an Eagle Scout. Because he quite literally grew up in this building. Well, at least one day a week. Sundays. A day of rest.

So Joel created a place to rest.

We bloom where we are planted.

Abundance Continuance Wide Shot
Our Community Fire Pit: A Place of Abundance

The Abundant Community: Broadway

This new community fire pit and art space is part of a magical space – The Abundant Community: Broadway. Inside, there are many rooms. And there is even a magical hallway called the Magical Arts Corridor! Come check it out sometime! It’s pretty rad, as my husband Brandon likes to say. I tend to agree.

There’s a lot more going on here DURING the week than there is on Sunday. Just saying.

Shining a Light on What is Already Here

When Joel Simon had to decide on a project for his Eagle Scout badge, he chose this place because he grew up in this church — in this community.

Because of that experience, he wanted to shine a light on what is already here today: abundance.

Seek and ye shall find.

Come, sit with me. Let the world be.

SRkian Haris

Thanks for listening.

Keep tellin’ the story.

Signed ever faithfully,

The Right Reverend Lord C. August Peacock III

Returning to The Rooms


Born Again. Again.

Yesterday was another milestone in my recovery journey.

I returned to The Rooms. And found God. Again.

If you know a little of my story, you know God has been in and out of my life. Lately, I’ve been a little angry with Her. But, I didn’t realize how deep that anger was until yesterday, sitting in another church basement with a bunch of recovering addicts.

Community Room - Broadway UMC
The Church Basement – Broadway UMC, December 2017.
The Community Room (its common name) is used today to host a weekly Queer NA meeting.

I didn’t realize how deep that anger was until I heard another addict talk about how angry he was at God for something in his life. That’s when I realized that I had been keeping score. And in my newly appointed position as The Right Reverend Lord C. August Peacock III, I felt like I had earned the right to be Divine.

Are we Divine?

In one sense, I’m right. I am Divine. As are you, As was Jesus. As was Buddha. As were all the great prophets and teachers and guides. That’s the Truth that I’ve come to believe in my journey of life. I am even working on a little ditty that tells that story!

I have decided to abandon Jesus.

He’s just a prophet like all the others.

His book’s just stories for livin’ life right

No turning back, no turning back.

Sung with Ukulele to the tune of “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus“

It’s all about CONTROL!

But in accepting my Divinity, I also took back Control.

If I can change my thoughts, which change my feelings and emotions, then by God, I must be in Control. I believed for a moment that if I was good enough, kind enough, loving enough – that I could control the Outcomes! I could fix the past and stop hurting. I could fix the future and stop the anxiety.

And then I heard another addict share about Letting Go, and Letting God.

Pin drop.

At the end of the day, all of these things are true.

I am Divine.

I can change my emotions by more carefully changing my thought patterns.

And yet, as the story goes, I am NOT in control.

Now we can debate about the existence of God, of the Son of God and even the Blessed Mary, Mother of God.

Or we can accept our Divine Humanity, and accept that while we are wonderfully rich and complex human beings with souls, we are NOT in control of anything other than our thoughts, actions and beliefs.

And in that acceptance, comes great Peace. Or as they say, Serenity.

Serenity

So just for today, God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I can not change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.

These little things matter.

These little things work.

These expressions are mantras.

Does God exist?

Yes, Virginia. God does exist. And yes, there is a Santa Claus. But that’s a different story for a different day.

Who is God? What is God?

GOD. Good Orderly Direction

GOD. The Doorknob.

GOD. The Universe

GOD. Energy

GOD. The Golden Rule

GOD. The Golden Ratio

GOD. You and Me and Jesus.

GOD. Love

GOD. Take your pick. Whatever works for you. But pick something!

Your peace depends on it.

And for God’s sake, give Her back the wheel! She knows what She’s doing.

Thanks for listening.

Keep tellin’ the story.

Signed ever faithfully,

The Right Reverend Lord C. August Peacock III

Life 5.3


I feel like an episode of Star Trek.

Captain’s log: Stardate 06272021, 53rd loop around the Sun.

Or The Twilight Zone! Or Big Mouth! Pick your series to binge. Here we are. The next episode of the next season of the new series by the same artist! Hold on for the ride.

Inspired by Julie, Julia and several other movies or songs that influenced me over the years, here I am. In early retirement. Or taking a year sabbatical. Or, as they say in some circles, a mid-life crisis. Or two. But so far, no sports car. Although…

Some might call this taking a year to find myself. Which, maybe I should have done at 22. or 18. or 43. Or 50. Or 2020. or 53. Wait…

Or maybe I did at 18, 22, 43, 50, 2020, 53. Like I do every year. It’s called Life.

So you see. It’s just another day, in another year. Not Life 2.0. Just Life.

What’s different? What’s the same?

Today, I’m able to make different choices. For that I’m grateful. Those choices sometimes mean changing the story in my head. Because THAT’s where I let myself down. And sometimes other people. Reliving the same story line, with different actors.

Sounds so cliche I know. Until it becomes one’s reality.

Anyway. (Awkward transition…)

Today’s Focus

So the words for today are:

  • Practice
  • Courage
  • Connection
  • Peace
  • Joy

And if I were running for office, or going into early retirement to live my life (what!? novel concept!), my platforms today would be:

  • The art of being human, especially intergenational ones in community
  • The practices of abundance, compassionate communication & ABCD
  • Sexual wellness, especially in repressive, conservative midwestern USA
  • Harm reduction as a form of long-term recovery from addiction & self-harm
  • The arts, including music, photography & performance art – especially spoken word, flow arts, and musical theater
  • Travel & storytelling

Words of Wisdom

And I’m reminded of the following tips I picked up along the way:

  • Wherever we go, there we are.
  • We are all doing the best that we can.
  • Show yourself some compassion & grace.
  • Show others some compassion & grace.
  • Don’t be stingy!
  • BE
  • Be you!
  • Everyone has a story.
  • Everyone hurts.
  • Hurting people hurt.
  • Maybe they are not the enemy.
  • We are all the villain in someone else’ story.
  • The power of a question.
  • Listen.
  • Not my circus, not my monkeys!
  • When in doubt, be kind.
  • I can choose to be right, or I can choose to be happy. I choose to be happy (most days).
  • Some forms of suffering are by choice.
  • People are in our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
  • No, you’re not alone. Really.
  • You’re special, you’re just not unique. Or is that the other way around?
  • Don’t be The Dragon Lady. Just don’t. Move on. That’s so 90’s.
  • Velvet rage is a thing. But don’t let it consume you.
  • Focus on the connection in social media. Leave what doesn’t serve you. It’s not all evil & conspiracy. It is what it is.
  • That which you despise most in other people is in fact what you despise the most in yourself
  • What are you going to do about it?
  • All of my stories are true. Some of them actually happened.

I just keep finding new ways to express myself. And I’m ok with that. This year, it will be intentional, with purpose. Isn’t that what Life is supposed to be about anyway?

Today’s Inspiration

The best thing I’ve seen on social media this week:

May be an image of text that says 'Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Maybe it's about unbecoming everything that isn't really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place. Author unknown'
Thanks Joshua T. for today’s inspiration!

Here is to a life of peeling back the layers of wallpaper, facades, masks, and personalities. And to choosing what story we are willing to share now.

Here is to rediscovering or discovering.

Here is to The Right Reverend Lord C. August Peacock III.

Keep tellin’ the story.

Indianapolis, IN. 27.06.2021