Terry Hershey

This Sunrise of Wonder, Michael Mayne
Listening for the Heartbeat of God, J Philip Newell
Lost in Wonder, Esther De Waal
The Book of Creation, J Philip Newell

“But many religious leaders argue that those who search for God in calamities would do better to search for him in the aftermath — in the actions of those offering help and comfort. Rabbi Kanefsky recalled an essay on suffering by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, a noted 20th century scholar, who "was very explicit in saying when a calamity occurs, 'Why?' is the wrong question." Said Kanefsky: "The only question that we ask is — how can we help?”

“What has been lost is the true beholding of the light from the inner eyes. Grace is given to heal that inner sight, to open our eyes again to the goodness that is deep within us, for God is within us. The grace of Christ restores us to our original simplicity.”
- Eriugena

“One had to abandon altogether the search for security, and reach out to the risk of living with both arms. One has to embrace the world like a lover. One has to accept pain as a condition of existence. One has to court doubt and darkness as a the cost of knowing. One needs a will stubborn in conflict, but apt always to total acceptance of every consequence of living and dying.”
- Morris West

“You cannot earn this God. You cannot prove yourself worthy of this God. It is simply a matter of awareness. Deepening the awareness. There are moments when we believe it. Then it all makes sense. Once I can see it here, and trust it, even in this piece of clay that I am, in this moment of time that I am, then the compliment is also passed on to you. I am able to see the divine image both in myself and in your and eventually in all things. Finally, the seeing is one. How you see anything is how you will se everything. . .Either we see the divine image in all created things, or we don't see it at all.”
- Richard Rohr

“Lent asks us to be nothing, nothing at all, but the soul that God “beholds with merciful eyes.” It is freedom without limit, with no constraint but love, and it is a hard thing for most of us to endure.”
- Anne McConney

“Before every session I take a moment to remember my humanity. There is no experience that this man has that I cannot share with him, no fear that I cannot understand, no suffering that I cannot care about, because I too am human. No matter how deep his wound, he does not need to be ashamed in front of me. I too am vulnerable. And because of this, I am enough. Whatever his story, he no longer needs to be alone with it. This is what will allow his healing to begin.”
- Dr. Carl Rogers

“Spirituality means waking up. Most people, even though they don't know it, are asleep. They're born asleep, they live asleep, they marry in their sleep, they breed children in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up. They never understand the loveliness and the beauty of this thing that we call human existence. You know, all mystics, Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion, are unanimous on one thing: that all is well, all is well. Thought everything is a mess, all is well. Strange paradox, to be sure. But, tragically, most people never get to see that all is well because they are asleep. They are having a nightmare.

Last year on Spanish television I heard a story about this gentleman who knocks on his son's door. “Jaime,” he says, “wake up!” Jaime answers, “I don't want to get up, Papa.”

The father shouts, “Get up, you have to go to school.” Jaime says, “I don't want to go to school.” “Why not?” asks the father. “Three reasons,” says Jaime. “First, because it's so dull; second, the kids tease me; and third, I hate school.” And the father says, “Well, I am going to give you three reasons why you must go to school. First, because it is your duty; second, because you are forty-five years old, and third, because you are the headmaster.” Wake up! Wake up! You've grown up. You're too big to be asleep. Wake up! Stop playing with your toys.

Most people tell you they want to get out of kindergarten, but don't believe them. Don't believe them! All they want you to do is to mend their broken toys. “Give me back my wife. Give me back my job. Give me back my money. Give me back my reputation, my success.” This is what they want; they want their toys replaced. That's all. Even the best psychologist will tell you that, that people don't really want to be cured. What they want is relief; a cure is painful.

Waking up is unpleasant, you know. You are nice and comfortable in bed. It is irritating to be woken up. That's the reason the wise guru will not attempt to wake people up. I hope I'm going to be wise here and make no attempt whatsoever to wake you up if you are asleep. It is really none of my business, even though I say to you at times, “Wake up!” My business is to do my thing, to dance my dance. If you profit from it fine; if you don't, too bad! As the Arabs say, “The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.”

“A colleague of the missionary physician and music scholar Albert Schweitzer tells the story of being near the African equator and hearing a Bach toccata wafting down he Ogowe River at dawn. It was the eighty-six-year-old Schweitzer practicing on his zinc-clad pedal piano with the intensity of someone who was rehearsing for a gala recital in the jungle scheduled for that afternoon. The man went to work for Schweitzer in the jungle, so moved was he by Schweitzer's music. Music makes some go to war, it makes some melt down, it makes many cry. For me, music keeps Sabbath.”
- Donna Schaper

Don't miss this conference!

Gardens and Grace:
Gentleness and Beauty, Spaciousness and Healing, Stillness and Delight
May 21-24, 2006

Kanuga Conference Center
Gardens large and small, wild and manicured are extraordinary containers for life-enhancement and spiritual growth. This unique conference, in an exquisite garden setting, will provide breathing space; time for solitude and community, time for relaxation and restoration; time to learn about and to cherish the natural world. Inspirational meditations and workshops, teaching and input, sharing and celebrating will encourage a deepening of faith, hope and love. Come and see how the garden grows!

Speakers include:
Esther de Waal
Rev. Philip Roderick
Rev. Terry Hershey

Some of the workshops offered:

• Body Prayer:
  The gentle interplay between heaven and earth
• The Cardboard Band:
  Contemplative Christian chant with an Afro-Celtic flavor!
• Still Walk
  (A walk of awareness around the lake at Kanuga)
• Soul Gardening
  (Lessons the garden teaches us to live fully and with passion)
• Prayer and Healing in the Garden
• Creating a Sanctuary Garden
  (practical suggestions for making a sacred space, applicable to small or large gardens)
• The Garden and Sabbath
  (slowing down and stillness)
• The Gift of the Garden
  (spiritual, emotional, social benefits)
• Garden Design Workshop
  (nuts and bolts basics to consider for personal gardens and for Church memorial gardens)
• Caring for the Earth
  “Pledge allegiance to the earth, and to the flora and fauna and human life that it supports; one planet indivisible, with clean air, soil and water, with liberty, justice and peace for all.”
  - William Sloane Coffin
• Labyrinths and the garden

Workshop Information

THANKS FOR YOUR GRACE FULL ALL VERY GOOD
IN DIVINE ORDER, OMNISCIENTLY, OMNIPOTENTLY
OMNIPRESENT, AMEN!

Terry, It feels like I have had communion when I hear you speak. Thank you. S.

Hi Terry! Thanks again SO MUCH for a wonderful talk at our “Couples Night Out”. I dropped a copy of the evaluation results in the mail today -- everyone had a wonderful time, very positive feedback. I'm sure you'll appreciate the comments that "Marc Anthony" wrote on his evaluation about Cleopatra :)
Thanks again! We hope to have you back sometime!!
Becky Loewe, Bryan Medical Center, Lincoln, NE

Hi Terry, L in Tampa, Florida here. A couple of 'stories' for you... About a year ago, I dragged my husband to your workshop at St. John's Episcopal. We were both dreading the transition stage of our mid-lives: Empty Nest, as we prepared for our only child to leave home for college. So we were open to your message because we looking for something to fill the void. After your talk, I bought Soul Gardening. I read it few times and sometimes aloud to my husband. Now, I keep Spiritual Gardening either Sacred Necessities in my purse. Whenever I have to wait - I pull out a book and read. I cannot tell you how this simple practice has transformed me into a civilized, patient and graceful human being!

Another good thing to report: I visit my garden when I am stressed or when I need to sort through some issues. Pulling weeds is powerful therapy! It tempers anxiety, quells depressive episodes, clears the mind and brings me closer to God. My garden is a living chapel/sanctuary full of reminders of God's grace and blessings. It's sort of wonderful.

Last, I want to tell you about my Dad, who is Jewish and grew up during the depression and then the Nazi Invasions. From the time I was a little girl, he impressed upon me the joy one can get from life's simplest pleasures: Ice cream cones, vegetable gardens, homemade soup, a walk in the mountains, shooting stars, freshly mowed grass, the scent of honeysuckle, a gorgeous smile, a chubby baby... all of those treasures and more. He shared those joys with me and gave me the gift of exuberance in such experiences. So I hope you can understand how much of your work reminds me of my eccentric-in-a-wonderful-way-dad.

Thank you for the wake up call...I am looking forward to savoring the next half of my life. What is more, I am savoring today.

Terry, I wanted to say a big thank you for your time spent with us in Tampa! It really was a miracle that my husband came with me to the 2nd Friday and Saturday sessions. He, too, has a wonderful sense of humor so I hoped you all would connect. And if anyone needs to carve out some Sabbath space, it's he. It is my prayer that this will happen in some form. And by the way, our first dog was named Hershey. He was a chocolate Lab. and Australian Shepherd mix. We had him for almost 15 years, and now we own a mini-Dashshund named Winston. God's blessings to you,
MC

“To love at all is to be vulnerable.
Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possible be broken.
If you want to make sure of keeping it intact,
you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.
Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries;
avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change.
It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.
The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation.
The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”
- CS Lewis

You can read all of the back issues of "A Few Things That Matter" on our website. Scroll to the bottom to see an index of all issues. If you subscribe at terryhershey.com you will receive a new newsletter about once a month.

Contact us. . .send us a story. . .tdh@terryhershey.com
terryhershey.com
800-524-5370