This Week

This week at praxis...Cosmic Candy Store

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; 
and God said, "Ask what I should give you."  
And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast 
love to your servant my father David, because he 
walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, 
and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have 
kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have 
given him a son to sit on his throne today.  
And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant 
king in place of my father David, although 
I am only a little child; I do not know 
how to go out or come in.  
And your servant is in the midst of 
the people whom you have chosen, 
a great people, so numerous they cannot 
be numbered or counted.  
Give your servant therefore an 
understanding mind to govern your people, 
able to discern between good and evil; 
for who can govern this your great people?"  
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.  
God said to him, "Because you have asked this, 
and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, 
or for the life of your enemies, 
but have asked for yourself understanding to 
discern what is right, I now do according to your word. 
Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; 
no one like you has been before you and no one 
like you shall arise after you.  
I give you also what you have not asked, 
both riches and honor all your life; 
no other king shall compare with you.  
If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes 
and my commandments, as your father David walked, 
then I will lengthen your life."
----I Kings 3:5-14

Ask, and it will be given you; search, 
and you will find; knock, and the door will opened for you.  
For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, 
and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
----Jesus, Matthew 7:7-8

Desire, ask, believe, receive.
----Stella Terrill Mann

An affirmation is a strong, positive statement that something is already so.
---- Shakti Gawain

All you need to do to receive guidance is to ask for it and then listen.
----Sanaya Roman

Look and you will find it --- what is unsought will go undetected. 
----Sophocles

An affirmation is a positive statement of (positive) belief...
Affirmations help achieve a sense of safety and hope...
Just try picking an affirmation.  For example, 
"I, ____, am a brilliant and prolific potter."  
Write that ten times in a row.				 
----Julia Cameron, The Artists Way

Some of you may be thinking that this sounds like the magic-wand chapter:  
I pray and presto! Sometimes, that is how it will feel.  
More often, what we are talking about seems to be a 
conscious partnership in which we work along slowly and gradually...
then one day, presto! ...In other words, pray to catch the bus, 
then run as fast as you can...If we learn to think of receiving 
God's good as being an act of worship ----cooperating with God's 
plan to manifest goodness in our lives---we can begin to let go of having to sabotage ourselves.											----Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way
 
This approach (letting go, lightening up, being more gentle, 
and not making such a big deal) is very different 
from practicing affirmations, which has been a popular 
thing to do in some circles.  Affirmations are like screaming 
that you're okay in order to overcome this whisper that you're not.  
----Pema Chodron, Start Where You Are




Questions:


	If you were asked by God what you wanted, what would you ask for?
	How do you ask God for what you want?  Do you know what you want?  Do you think you have the right to ask for what you want?
	What kind of asking was Jesus talking about?
	Do you agree with the quotes that suggest that you should seek what you desire, and believe you will receive it? Or do you prefer Pema Chodron's view that we must be with what we are experiencing?