Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Oh my gosh! The Conan O'Brien video on the ULC homepage is hilarious!
Universal Life Church
Anyway, I'm ordained through the
Church of Spiritual Humanism
as well as the ULC.
I admit I became ordained through these churches because it's fast and free. But, also because this means I can perform legal marriages in most states. Lots of celebrities are ULC ministers.
Beginning in 2003, I studied for a year and a half through the University of Metaphysics. I paid a good chunk of money, and earned an unaccredited Bachelors and Masters of Metaphysical Science as well as a Metaphysical Practitioner's certificate and ordination in the International Metaphysical Ministry. I graduated with high honors and my thesis on dreams was accepted. I learned a lot about Religious Science and New Thought. I remained affiliated with them, submitting my monthly ministerial activity reports and paying my yearly affiliation fees for several years, until it began to feel like they were in it more for the money than to spread enlightenment. Many states don't recognize their ministers legally either. I cut ties with them and decided to check out free online ordination. I know I did the work, accumulated the knowledge, and feel qualified to minister to those who ask for my help.
You may think metaphysics is only worthy of an eye roll, but all of the major world religions are based on the same metaphysical principles. Believe me, I've done the research. I was born into this world a Catholic, later considered Mormonism, became a Lutheran during my first marriage, then studied and practiced Wicca after the turn of the millenium. If this freaks you out, click on the link. Wicca is not at all what many think it is. There's no Satanic worship. It's a nature religion, that acknowledges the presence of God in everything and everyone. Many aspects of God are recognized, both male and female. I began studying Wicca because I was concerned about my youngest's desire to become a witch. Boy, did I have my eyes opened!
For me, now, Religious Science and New Thought are the best fit.
I respect everyone's right to believe and practice whatever works for them in their lives, as long as they're not harming anyone else. I do take issue with those who try to convert others to their religion. But even then, I realize their strong belief that there is only one path to God must make them want to help others to see their way.
Universal Life Church
Anyway, I'm ordained through the
Church of Spiritual Humanism
as well as the ULC.
I admit I became ordained through these churches because it's fast and free. But, also because this means I can perform legal marriages in most states. Lots of celebrities are ULC ministers.
Beginning in 2003, I studied for a year and a half through the University of Metaphysics. I paid a good chunk of money, and earned an unaccredited Bachelors and Masters of Metaphysical Science as well as a Metaphysical Practitioner's certificate and ordination in the International Metaphysical Ministry. I graduated with high honors and my thesis on dreams was accepted. I learned a lot about Religious Science and New Thought. I remained affiliated with them, submitting my monthly ministerial activity reports and paying my yearly affiliation fees for several years, until it began to feel like they were in it more for the money than to spread enlightenment. Many states don't recognize their ministers legally either. I cut ties with them and decided to check out free online ordination. I know I did the work, accumulated the knowledge, and feel qualified to minister to those who ask for my help.
You may think metaphysics is only worthy of an eye roll, but all of the major world religions are based on the same metaphysical principles. Believe me, I've done the research. I was born into this world a Catholic, later considered Mormonism, became a Lutheran during my first marriage, then studied and practiced Wicca after the turn of the millenium. If this freaks you out, click on the link. Wicca is not at all what many think it is. There's no Satanic worship. It's a nature religion, that acknowledges the presence of God in everything and everyone. Many aspects of God are recognized, both male and female. I began studying Wicca because I was concerned about my youngest's desire to become a witch. Boy, did I have my eyes opened!
For me, now, Religious Science and New Thought are the best fit.
I respect everyone's right to believe and practice whatever works for them in their lives, as long as they're not harming anyone else. I do take issue with those who try to convert others to their religion. But even then, I realize their strong belief that there is only one path to God must make them want to help others to see their way.
Me on Pinterest
I wasn't sure about Pinterest at first, but I'm really enjoying it! It's a great way to make connections, and you're exposed to things you didn't even realize you liked and wouldn't have found otherwise.
I wasn't sure about Pinterest at first, but I'm really enjoying it! It's a great way to make connections, and you're exposed to things you didn't even realize you liked and wouldn't have found otherwise.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
First I want to start off with some shameless advertising. Here's a link to mine and my daughter's artfire handcrafted gifts studio, Youphorium.
Although I refer to myself as a craftsperson, a portrait artist, and a minister, I do those things for the love of it. I make very little money from the first 2, and none from the 3rd,.To pay the bills, I am head housekeeper at a hotel. I was coming home from work today (I've been working 6 days a week to keep my head above water) on the bus and had an aggravating encounter with a fellow passenger. He was aggravating, and then I got aggravated at myself for the way I handled it. First, let me say, I'm single and live alone. This sometimes has me more on the defensive than I need to be. And I was tired this afternoon, dead tired. For some reason, lots of unstable people seem to ride the bus on Saturday afternoons. There was an extremely intoxicated and/or crazy man talking mostly to himself, but also occasionally to others. He decided to poke me in the arm to engage me in conversation. OK, now, in my own defense, my dad was a certified lunatic, so I'm really gun shy around mentally unstable people. AND, in his ramblings, I had heard him say he wants to live in the same apartment complex where I live. I tried so hard to ignore him, even when he insinuated I'm prejudiced, but when he poked me, and asked if I heard him, I said "yes" and looked him in the eye. I was worried that if he saw me get off the bus, he might follow me to ask me questions about the apartment complex. Everyone on the bus was avoiding the man. Black, white, men, women. I was the only person who decide to say anything to him. When I looked in his eyes all I could feel was empathy. He was just a lonely soul looking for a connection. I felt ashamed of myself. What kind of minister must I be if I couldn't muster up more than one single word for someone obviously hurting so badly. And then I forgave myself.
I've learned a lot about myself and people in general since moving to a major metropolitan area. Most of what I see reinforces my belief in the basic goodness of the human species. All of it is interesting.
One of our products. A terra cotta pot, handpainted, lid included, for rainy day money, or whatever.
Tongue-in-cheek, just for fun, a good conversation starter.
Although I refer to myself as a craftsperson, a portrait artist, and a minister, I do those things for the love of it. I make very little money from the first 2, and none from the 3rd,.To pay the bills, I am head housekeeper at a hotel. I was coming home from work today (I've been working 6 days a week to keep my head above water) on the bus and had an aggravating encounter with a fellow passenger. He was aggravating, and then I got aggravated at myself for the way I handled it. First, let me say, I'm single and live alone. This sometimes has me more on the defensive than I need to be. And I was tired this afternoon, dead tired. For some reason, lots of unstable people seem to ride the bus on Saturday afternoons. There was an extremely intoxicated and/or crazy man talking mostly to himself, but also occasionally to others. He decided to poke me in the arm to engage me in conversation. OK, now, in my own defense, my dad was a certified lunatic, so I'm really gun shy around mentally unstable people. AND, in his ramblings, I had heard him say he wants to live in the same apartment complex where I live. I tried so hard to ignore him, even when he insinuated I'm prejudiced, but when he poked me, and asked if I heard him, I said "yes" and looked him in the eye. I was worried that if he saw me get off the bus, he might follow me to ask me questions about the apartment complex. Everyone on the bus was avoiding the man. Black, white, men, women. I was the only person who decide to say anything to him. When I looked in his eyes all I could feel was empathy. He was just a lonely soul looking for a connection. I felt ashamed of myself. What kind of minister must I be if I couldn't muster up more than one single word for someone obviously hurting so badly. And then I forgave myself.
I've learned a lot about myself and people in general since moving to a major metropolitan area. Most of what I see reinforces my belief in the basic goodness of the human species. All of it is interesting.
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