Midweek Faith Lift
November 12, 2023
Todd Davis, Guest Speaker
“Go Where the Grass is Green!”
Good morning, my friends, and welcome to Unity Church of Ames! Top of the mornin’ to all of you! No, it’s not St. Patrick’s Day. I just felt the need to say that.
My name is Todd Davis, and I am Rev Deb’s husband. Deb is currently visiting Bridget in Lincoln, Nebraska. Thank you all very much for joining me and it is an honor to be in front of you this morning. It is fantastic to “see” your beautiful faces & spirits. Both here and online!
Go where the grass is green! I chose this topic because I realized through the years that I had been drawn to people, places and situations that not only didn’t feed my spirit but were energetically draining. It was not green and it did not feed my soul. I had a kinship with financial lack, drama, frustration, sadness & feeling invisible & unimportant. I saw myself as less than I actually was, constantly being hard on myself. Sounds like a totak blast, right? Not! I’ve had jobs where people didn’t even smile when you arrive in the morning or walk into the room. There is something about genuine smiles that are healing & affirming. I had to learn to smile at myself, don’t cha know?
When I was at a hotel showcase in Tucson this week, each of us had notes to choose from at our tables. The card I chose said, “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love.” – Mother Teresa
*I have a disclaimer. Please do not confuse this topic with, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” I am not talking about jealousy or envy of others. Just so we are all on the same page.
While I was growing up, oftentimes, my comments or questions were met by silence, ignoring me or yelling at me. It was no fun being the youngest. My environment was not warm, life affirming or kind. It was an emotional desert. Not dessert, but desert. Luckily, I did have one older brother & one older sister who took interest in me. I remember, once I told a joke; “What is the largest floor in the world?” and my sister said, “What?” And I said, “Florida!” She smirked and she didn’t say another word. Yes, folks, Florida is a 58,000 square mile tabletop!
As a younger adult, I took jobs where I was underemployed and underpaid. It’s hard to feel appreciated when the job doesn’t need your true talents and gifts. In the past, I have placed too much emphasis on being grateful, being friendly and saying the “right” things and not enough time aligning myself with like-minded AND like-hearted people. I will repeat that.
If there is too much strife, confusion, miscommunication, and tension in a job, church, or relationships, you are not in a green pasture.
Below are signs that you may not be with a “green grass” person or group.
- You find yourself apologizing repeatedly for the same thing or for small things.
- You make statements such as “I didn’t intend it that way.” or “I am sorry.” or “I am not feeling heard.” or “There must be a misunderstanding.” Or “I am confused with this conversation.” There is a reason why you may be confused. It should not be this hard with every little thing.
- When seeing this person or persons, they don’t make eye contact with you, smile, or seem glad to see you or be with you.
- They oftentimes do not return communications such as phone calls, texts & emails.
- Or, they. Just. Don’t. get. You.
Do not ever change the core of who you are to evoke a certain response from someone. I promise you, it will not work. I certainly know this from experience. If certain people do not resonate with you, that’s perfectly OK. We each can explore our own green pastures.
So, what are some possible paths or solutions?............
First, you have to realize where you are if you are not in a green pasture. Go where you are spiritually fed and go to where you are able to spiritually feed others. Situations in this new consciousness may not always be easy, however, you can tell that there is a flow to it. Easier said than done, eh?
Below are signs that you may be moving in the right direction:
- You are engrossed in a meaningful conversation, and you lose track of time.
- You laugh more and laugh with others as well.
- Upon leaving a person or group, you feel more energized & optimistic.
- However strange, like mine, they “get” your sense of humor.
- You discover a deeper sense of meaning & purpose.
- The other person listens, nods, reciprocates & smiles. Makes eye contact.
- The person, persons or group seems genuinely interested in you as a person.
- You feel respected, heard & treated with value. You have good rappaport with others.
I am not referring to wealthy vs. poor, Democrat vs. Republican, North vs. South, or Cyclone fans vs. Hawkeye fans. I am talking about having heart connections with people with whom you resonate. So, what does the 23rd Psalms have to say?
I chose this passage because the color green represents love. The fourth chakra or heart chakra is the color green & represents love. When folks think of green, they think of money, which is wealth. True wealth is that of love & inspiration and being true to your Christ consciousness. Let me repeat that.
Psalms 23: 1-6
1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3 He restores my soul. God leads me in right paths.
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
I am not referring to death, as the 23rd Psalms is often times read at funerals. The truth is that all of us die and born each day in our own way, through awareness & consciousness. In citing this passage, I am affirming life, the green life for the living.
Let’s look at some possible interpretations:
Verse one is self-explanatory.
2 God makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters. – When you are aligned with your higher Christ consciousness, you will find, “green grass & green pastures.” Green is the color of love, which I will share later. The still waters represent calm energy and emotions. Take time to recognize it when you see it.
Verse 3 is self-explanatory.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. – All I can say is, haven’t we all? God is in us, through us & as us through dark times. The rod is a stick & represents balance and assistance in walking over the rocks and boulders in our life. The staff has a crook and is used to herd sheep. You can use the staff to “bring” the green grass into your awareness and life, into your heart.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. – The table represents God consciousness, a feast. Enemies represent the energy, which holds you back and says, “no.” It is the opposite of inspiration. Receiving as well as allowing yourself to feel and experience love from God and others. In the Old Testament, oil represented wealth: symbolically wealth in love and spirit.
Verse 6 is self-explanatory.
The 23 Psalms is from the Old Testament. So, what does Jesus have to say about this?
Matthew 7:6
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.
That is in incredibly powerful passage from Jesus. Now, I know that we all love dogs! Why does it say THAT? Well, in Biblical times, dogs were not pets & were considered wild. The passage essentially says to not give your energy and attention to that which may hurt or minimize you, such as certain relationships, groups or clubs, or work or career situations.
Folks, we are the pearls! Pearls have value and it is our journey to recognize our value and where, inside of us, our green grass lies. Whatever you do, please don’t sell yourself short and do not settle. There is a green pasture for all of us.
I would like to share a story about a transition that I was going through in 2009. A year earlier, I had left a job where I was not valued. I was criticized, micromanaged, and questioned with several duties of my responsibilities. The organization was very top down, obedience oriented and managed like it was the 1950’s.
I found two very different opportunities. One was a director of sales position at a hotel in West Des Moines. This job offered a good salary, good hours, and with very reasonable benefits. The other was being an independent associate, working from home with a 17-year-old company where it was 100% commission based and I would need to build my own business, including finding my own clients. My beginning salary was exactly zero. A great big old goose egg. My intuition told me to go with the latter, even though it didn’t make logical sense. I did this and took the three-day sales training in Phoenix. While out there, I had a beer with the GM of the famous resort where we were doing the training. He and I spoke as equals and as friends. I realized then that this was my path and I had made the right choice; the “green grass” choice. It was a true turning point in my life and I came home and started making cold calls……during the Great Recession. I never looked back, and 14 years later, I have absolutely no regrets. I don’t make buckets of money right now, but I am incredibly wealthy in my experiences with my professional knowledge, travel & all the amazing people I have met along the way.
In closing, I would like to share a handful of quotes that are relevant to “Going Where the Grass is Green.”
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope” – Maya Angelou
“My mission in life is not merely how to survive; but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.” – Maya Angelou
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again. – Nelson Mandela
“Surround yourself with people who are only going to lift you higher” – Author unknown
“Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.” – Henry David Thoreau
“Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thank you so much, my friends!
With HUGE thanks to Todd Davis,
Blessings on the Path,
Rev. Deb