The Tilted Halo
The Tilted Halo podcast has a refreshing and honest perspective on the challenges pastors face in their ministry and those involved in ministry as a whole. Hosted by Pastor Kathleen Panning, who has seen it all, this edgy show explores the idea that we all have a "tilted halo" - a recognition that we are not perfect and all make mistakes.
Through personal experiences, interviews with fellow pastors, leaders, and insights from scripture, this show offers advice and encouragement for those struggling with the weight of their imperfections. From burnout and rude awakenings to personal failures and shortcomings, The Tilted Halo provides a safe space for pastors to share their struggles and find support from a community of like-minded souls around the globe.
With a focus on authenticity, vulnerability, and humanity at large, this podcast challenges the notion that pastors must have it all together and invites listeners to embrace their humanity and lean into the grace of God. Whether you are a pastor or someone looking for a fresh perspective on life's challenges, The Tilted Halo is a must-listen in the search for hope, healing, and a renewed sense of purpose.
The Tilted Halo
EP 44: Choosing Happiness Over Perfection
What if the way you choose to see the world is actually creating the world you see? That's a bold statement, right? Tune into this episode of Tilted Halo as I talk about the idea that happiness is a choice. I'm inviting all women in ministry, and anyone else who feels the pressure of perfection, to join me in challenging our perspectives. We'll be taking a deep look at some controversial topics such as immigration and abortion, unpacking how generalized viewpoints can skew our understanding. It's an opportunity to shift towards greater empathy and understanding. Remember, perfection isn't the goal, but awareness and acceptance of the world's complex nature is. So let's make an effort to see the goodness and kindness that often go unnoticed. Are you ready to choose happiness?
Welcome to the Tilded Halo. This is a new podcast and it's for anybody who's a woman in ministry. You might be a pastor like myself, a bishop, a priest, a rabbi, music minister, elder children's minister whatever your title is, you're absolutely in the right place, especially if you're someone who loves your ministry and you're doing it well and you're feeling pressure to sometimes be perfect and deep down inside you know you're not. And how in the world to deal with that? And men, you're absolutely welcome here too, because this is about ministry and the same thing can happen to you. So you're all in the right place. Let's get started with the show. What do you see? Or maybe I should ask the question what do you choose to see? I think about that because it was many years ago it was back in 1992 to be precise. I read a book called Happiness is a Choice by Barry Neil Kaufman, and in the very beginning of the book, on page five to be precise, he has a little part that's in italics and a separate little box on the page and he says the way we choose to see the world creates the world we see. And when I first read that back in 1992, I thought really you got to be kidding me, because I mean, I was thinking you know, there are facts out there. There are things that actually happen, there are things that happen to us and that's exactly how they are right, are they? Is that really true? And as I've thought about that, even that year further, I began to understand more of what he was saying, and it really applies to all parts of our lives, to every part of our lives.
Speaker 1:I listen to, at times, people who watch the news or read the newspaper. They say things like well, everything that's out there, it's all bad news. Why should I even look at it? And sometimes they choose not to. Then you know, and they talk about there are bad things out there. There's no question about that. I'm not denying that in the very least. But they also don't notice some of the other things that are said during the program or that are in other parts of the paper. Maybe it's a small article on the same page, but it's there about somebody helping somebody else, about something good that happened A neighbor who helped to rescue somebody from a burning building. You know, somebody who did a kind deed and started a fund to help somebody else. There are all kinds of good things out there. There are all kinds of very good people out there too, and, yes, the ones that make the news primarily, and the situations that make the news primarily, are the difficult things, the hard things and what we would often call the bad things that happen.
Speaker 1:And then when that's what we fill our news with, that's when that's what we fill our day with, that's what we end up feeling like, that's what life is all about, not just that day's newspaper or the news channel that we're watching, but that that applies to everyone and everything. And that that is the whole story about life about people, about a certain group of people. But because there's one person or two people in a group who behave a certain way or do something that's not right and that's not legal in that sense, then we begin to think that all the people in that group, or all the people who are like that, are also not right and that they're going to do things that are not legal. And we see that as people talk about those who are coming to this country across the southern border and they're not just from one country, they're from a whole variety of places and the way some people say that they should be treated just because there are some who do things like smuggle drugs in, then the idea is that everybody who comes across the border is smuggling drugs no, they're not. Or that everybody with a backpack? No, that's not true.
Speaker 1:And so we have to stop and think are we seeing the bad things and the things that are justifying our responses and then globalizing them to justify an even harsher response on a broader group of people? Or that everybody who does one thing with the abortion issue got people who are saying that those who are pro-choice want abortion all the way up to the time of delivery? That's never been promoted by anybody on the pro-choice issue, and yet there are those who are using that kind of statement and so they see the world and anybody who's pro-choice as really doing things like that. Or those who are pro-choice seeing that those who are anti-abortion as having that kind of radical thinking about what's going on. And so it works on both sides of the issue as to how we can take one thing that either resonates with what we're afraid of or what we're concerned about, or a belief system that we have, and how somebody else may disagree with that, and then globalize our response to everybody who disagrees with us, everybody within a group and then we choose to see people, situations, the environment, activities, all these things as not necessarily good.
Speaker 1:Now it could work the opposite way. We could choose to see the good in everyone. Sometimes we have to look a little harder, yes, I agree with that, but we could choose to see the good in each person. We could choose to see at least the potential for good in each person. We could choose to see God working even in the midst of situations that are painful or unfortunate. We could choose to see those things too. So, as much as we could choose to see negative things, we could also choose to see some very positive things, and whichever one we choose is really going to have a profound effect on the way we understand other people and understand ourselves and understand the world.
Speaker 1:The way we choose to see the world creates the world we see. If we see the world as a scary place and people in it as scary people, yeah, a world's going to become a scary place. We're going to have to protect ourselves and get all worked up about the things that are and the people that are not right and doing things that are not right. So the way we choose to see the world. If we choose to see the world as a place where people can be very good, a place where people can grow and can do things and learn things differently, you know that's going to be a very different kind of world that we get to live in. What kind of world do you want to live in? One where you have to protect yourself from everybody and everything because everybody's out to get you? Or where you know you're not going to get a fair shake no matter what, or especially if a certain group of people get to have a say in things, without the kind of world you really want to live in? Or would you like to live in a world where you know there are good people everywhere? There are good people in all parts of the country, in all parts of the, on all parts of the political spectrum.
Speaker 1:I have had the opportunity to live in a number of different parts of the country, of the United States, and there are differences in how people in different areas in general. This is not true of everybody in any place, but how people in certain parts of the country in general see things, and some places are more conservative in their views and some are a bit more liberal in their views and some people see possibilities. Other people see, you know, tend to be looking at more. You know we've got to put up some guardrails around some things and it makes a big difference as to the feel of the communities than when you go into them. But the other thing I've noticed is that there's good people everywhere. There are good people on who are liberals, there are good people who are conservatives. There are good people who believe things the way I do, and there are some who believe things on many things the way I do, but do some other things that I really would rather they not do, or some beliefs that I would rather. I think maybe not the best for them.
Speaker 1:So it is where we put our focus. You know every there's a camera here that allows me to be seen on YouTube. So for those of you listening on in a podcast and listening only on audio, there is a YouTube version of this as well. So there's a camera here and anytime you're on camera, you know that the focus of the camera is important. If it's focused on something close by, the things that are in the background are not going to be in focus, or if it's focused on something in the background, what's close to you is not going to be in focus.
Speaker 1:Where do we put our focus? With other people, you know? Where is our lens focused in this world? Are we choosing to see the good? Are we choosing to look for problems? Are we choosing to look and see the things that frighten us and scare us? We need to know those things are there sometimes, yes, but is that where we are going to put our focus and emphasis in this world? Yeah, it's a big question, and there are times and situations where life is really threatened, yes, where we need to focus on survival and protecting. That's true, and that's not exactly the situations I'm talking about. I'm thinking more of everyday life, where our immediate survival is not in threat. But sometimes we've got to stop and question what we feel like our survival is being threatened. Is it really? Is that really what's happening? Or are we choosing to see a world where that has happened, where we are being threatened when really we are not?
Speaker 1:So what do you choose to see?
Speaker 1:How do you choose to see the world it is creating?
Speaker 1:The world you see, is it a place where everybody who you disagree with or disagrees with you is a bad person, or are you choosing to see something more in each person? How do you want them to see you as their enemy, or seeing good things in you? It works that way too. So remember the words the way you choose to see the world creates the world you see. And we do have a choice. Always, we have a choice. Even in the worst of situations, we still have a choice. That is powerful to know, and it's even more powerful to act on that choice. The way you choose to see the world, the way I choose to see the world, creates the world we see. So I choose to see you as people who are open, who want to learn, who are willing to learn, who are people who realize your halo is a little bit tilted, just like mine is, and are open to understanding others who have a tilted halo too. I thank you for being here today and choosing you and choosing me too. So until next time, god's peace and God's blessings.
Speaker 1:And I am the Tilted Halo. I welcome you back for another episode. You have been listening to Tilted Halo with me, kathleen Panning. What did you think about this episode? I'd really like to hear from you. Leave me some comments. Be sure to like, subscribe and share this episode and catch another upcoming episode. For more conversation on ministry life, mindset and a whole lot more, go to wwwTiltedHaloHelpcom, where I've got a resource guide and other resources waiting for you, and be sure to say hi to me, kathleen Panning, on LinkedIn. See you on the next episode.