1 -Introduction

Introduction

Transcript

This episode is an introduction to the short-form, self-reflective podcast series based on the book, a Good Dose of God: Everybody’s Best Friend. Since the initial release of the small gift book, more than a decade before the development of this reflection series, I engaged in several internal contemplations on the book’s content, which I wholeheartedly believe equipped me to be more present (or prayerful, conscious, attentive, aware, mindful, contemplative) and ultimately more peaceful in my daily life. Eventually, I felt a strong draw to write reflections based on verses of a poem in the book, which led to the evolution and implementation of this series. This introduction begins to describe the meaning of a Dose of God through a short story illuminating its source of inspiration and initial interpretation as well as a poem that reveals a few examples of where a Dose of God may be realized.

Here is a brief story of the initial inspiration for the phrase, Dose of God, and the initial interpretation of its meaning.

A man sits in his office, slouched in his chair and plagued with discontent. He pauses for a moment of presence and the clouds of incessant thought disappear. Just then, the following words enter his mind: “What I need right now is a good dose of God! I need some medicine for my soul.”

He ponders this statement for a few minutes and then begins to write what a good Dose of God means to him. As he states:

Thankfully, one mustn’t travel far for a good Dose of God. In fact, one mustn’t travel at all. There’s no need to drive to the pharmacy or walk to the medicine cabinet. A good Dose of God can be had anytime, anywhere. You are constantly in the presence of this medicine. Not a moment passes that it’s not at your disposal.

God’s medicine is in your body, in your thoughts, in your voice, in the voice of another, in the food you eat, in the books you read, in the songs you hear, in the animals you see, in the trees you pass, in the games you play, in every experience in which you engage...it is everywhere, all the time. When you are fully present, free of all distractions…in everything you see, you will see it; in everything you hear, you will hear it; in everything you feel, you will feel it.

To administer it, you simply must open your soul and let it in. Upon entrance to your soul, the medicine takes immediate action. Your perceptions change. You witness the grace, purpose, and will of God in everything. You see beauty in that which was before seen as ugly; you hear the voices of angels in that which was previously heard as disruptive noise; you feel the comfort of the Lord in that which was formerly felt as pain.

You perceive everything for what it truly is and see the world without judgment. You allow yourself to realize the divine connections in all that exists and open yourself to acquire spiritual insights from each of your experiences. You begin to realize that the lessons you learn in one experience are transferable to many, if not all, other experiences in life.

Peace, comfort, and healing are delivered directly to your soul.

Suddenly, it occurs to him: Dose of God can be simplified to the acronym (D-O-G) “DoG.” He then recalls the adage stating, “A good dog is a man’s best friend,” and soon realizes an entirely new meaning to the truth of this statement. A good DoG is a best friend to more than just the pet lover. When used in the context of a “Dose Of God,” a good DoG is a best friend to everyone.

The following poem, The ABCs of a Dose of God, illustrates a sample of the infinite venues through which a good Dose of God can be found.

When you need a Dose of God, simply pause…look around

Allow your eyes to see all things…allow your ears to hear each sound

A dose of god can be had…anywhere, without a doubt

Such a dose is always near…you never have to go without

A Dose of God is in the Angels

Sent to you from up above

A dose is there while on the Beach

Relaxing with the one you love

It’s on the radio in the Car

When you hear your favorite song

It’s in the sound of your Delightful voice

When you decide to sing along

A Dose of God is Everywhere

Even in your darkest day

A Dose is there in your best Friend

Helping you to find your way

It’s in the presence of the Grief

As you lose someone close

It’s in the middle of Happiness

As you obtain what you want most

A Dose of God is on your Ice cream

When you receive an extra scoop

A Dose is there when you find Joy

As you twirl a hula-hoop

It’s in the pleasant sounds of Kids

As they play freely through your house

It’s on the Lips of a gentle kiss

As you say goodnight to your loving spouse

A Dose of God is in the Mirror

When you look at yourself and smile

A Dose is there when the weather is Nice

And you can run that extra mile

It’s there when you’re on the Open road

Without another soul is in sight

It’s in the energy of a Party

When out with friends on a city night

A Dose of God is in the Quiz

On which you earned a perfect score

A Dose is there when you do what’s Right

And give to someone who needs more

It’s at the lake on a Sunny day

When you jump into the water

It’s the refreshing Taste of lemonade

To cool you off when you get hotter

A Dose of God is Under the blankets

As you snuggle by the flame

A Dose is in the Value of moments

You spend throughout this lifelong game

It’s in your heart with your free Will

To choose how you will walk your trail

It’s in the eXtra effort you offer

That allows you to direct your sail

A Dose of God is here for You

Right now, and will forever be

The available dose cannot be Zero

Just look around and you will see

This concludes the poem.

Subsequent episodes in this series focus on the verses in the ABC’s of a Dose of God poem. Each episode addresses a single verse that represents a specific letter in the alphabet and includes a brief description of the verse, a personal reflection demonstrating how the verse has facilitated my own resonance with Doses of God in my life, a statement of gratitude, and a few guiding questions that may be considered for your own reflection.

Thank you so much for listening. May you consistently position yourself to accept and resonate with the Doses of God that are ever-presently here for you.