Wisdom and Dr. Maya

I have mentioned here many times that I am an Oprah fan.  Her show has taught me a lot.  I’ve heard some of the best advice on her show.   I have spoken this advice to myself internally over the years and I’ve shared it with others.

Oprah also has an “Oprah”.  Her name is Dr. Maya Angleou.  You know her.  You’ve heard of her books, read her poetry, seen her speak at Presidential Inaugerations, and seen her on the Oprah show.

Two bits of wisdom that Oprah has shared from Maya that stick with me and will never leave me are:

1. When people show you who they are, believe them.
2. When you are in the midst of pain and fear and complaining and worrying and whining…stop…stop and say thank you.

Word.

That is some serious wisdom people.

If we lived by those two things, we could live in joy and gratitude. Am I right?

Today I watched Maya do it again.  She is 85 and she was being interviewed on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday.  She said this:

I am a child of God. It is through Him that I live and move and have my being.  When I know this…I am unstoppable.  When I forget this, I am in danger and I am dangerous.

Go ahead, read it again.

I know, right?

She is soooooo good.

Every time I screw up, every time I lash out, every time have been unkind, it is because I am not operating from this thing I know.  I KNOW I am a child of God. It is in Him that I live and move and have my being. This line comes from Acts 17:28 in the Bible so we have heard it before but I also love the part she added about when we forget, we are in danger and dangerous.  So true.

So my prayer moving forward is this:  Lord, help me to remember who I AM.  Help me to stay connected to you, my source and my strength.  Help me to get out of my own way.  Quiet the voices of competition and striving and accomplishments and lies and betrayals and assumptions and gossip and fear.  Quiet the noise.  Put your loving hand over my ears when I need to not hear.  Put your loving hands over my eyes when I am heading toward seeing what I don’t need to see.  And Lord, PLEASE put your hand over my mouth when I’m about to spew anger and judgment and gossip and slander and nastiness.  Yes, cover up my mouth and protect me.  Keep me safe by shutting me up.  As you know, there are times when this will be a tall order.  However, I know you are up to the task.  Thank you. Amen.