Friends,

Some of the women in our church are meeting over several months to discuss Don Miguel Ruiz’s book, The Four Agreements.  We meet next at 10 AM on Thursday, April 14.  It’s good to share what we are learning because the spiritual knowledge contained within the book finds resonance in all of our world’s religious traditions—and most certainly with Christianity.  In the last newsletter I shared with you the first agreement:  BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD.  

The second of the four agreements is DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY.  The insight mined from this agreement is nothing others do is because of you.  What others say and do is a projection of their own reality.  When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.  Just like the famed lyrics go in the movie Frozen, we too can let it go.

I’m glad I had that agreement on the tip of my tongue the other day.  I was checking out at Albertsons and the young cashier sighed and told me she was coming to the end of a tough shift.  I asked her why it was so tough.  She said people checking out were blaming her for the store’s lack of inventory, and she was receiving a lot of negativity.  I told her not to take it personally; it wasn’t her fault.  All the people who come through her line have backstories; we have no idea what they are dealing with either.  Then I distracted her by asking what she had planned for after work.  Her face then lit up and she told me about her dogs and boyfriend.  

This Sunday is Palm Sunday and as such begins Holy Week.  May next week be deeply meaningful for you followed by a joyous Easter!  

Peace, 

Co-Pastor Sandi