Kind words are powerful. In the mornings I hear a chorus of chirpy dings as emails drop into my inbox. Notes from friends. New posts on blogs I follow. Headlines from a few news agencies. Yesterday one email changed my day. A person wrote me to tell me how much she liked reading Healthy Spirituality. “You never know how far yours goes but please know that you make a difference to a small Congregational church in Massachusetts.” Now I am not sharing this to brag or asking for more compliments. Mark Twain wrote: “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” Notice he didn’t say dwell on them, brag about them, or refuse them. He let them digest to build his inner strength and nourishment. What amazed me what my reaction to her email. Her kind words washed over me, refreshed me and lifted my spirits. I think I smiled the rest of the day. “One kind word can warm three winters.” A Japanese Proverb Her email also reminded me about my … [Read more...]
4 Lenten Quotes of Wisdom
I love quotes. I can chew on one bite of wisdom for hours, even days. I find the short insights from someone wiser than me or more experienced with God, guides me on my own journey. A fellow blogger, Nancy Ruegg, left me a comment last week after she read some of the other Lenten quotes I shared. Her plan was to take parts of the quotes and create her own Lenten Prayer. Isn't that a terrific idea? I found this post the other day, 40 Days to a New You.where 40 thought provoking Lenten quotes, perfect for Lent, were listed. Maybe these will inspire you to write out your own Lenten prayer. How could you use Lenten quotes? Here are four samples: An Ash Wednesday prayer: How often have I lived through these weeks without paying much attention to penance, fasting, and prayer? How often have I missed the spiritual fruits of the season without even being aware of it? But how can I ever really celebrate Easter without observing … [Read more...]
Let Your Light Shine – Lectio Divina
The Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him. Exodus 34: 35And while Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Luke 9: 29Lord, may my life shine with dazzling light for You.Purify me, Lord, so no tarnish blocks Your rays.Moses spoke face to face with You.Jesus conversed intimately with You, His Father.I come to Your throne not knowing what to say. What to do in Your presence. How to approach you carrying my sin smeared heart.Yet You invite me to come closer, to snuggle into Your arms, to hear You whisper my name.You gently wash me clean - squeaky, shiny, pure and spotless. There is nothing I can do to remove the shroud covering my heart. Only You can lift it with Your breath of new life.Ruth Burrows said, “If I let God take hold of me more and more; possess me, as fire possesses the burning log, then I give off … [Read more...]
Attitude – Our Daily Choice – Quote of the Week
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.“I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room …. just wait.”“That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied.“Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged … it’s how I arrange my mind.I already decided to love it … It’s a … [Read more...]
5 Interesting Facts and 7 Great Quotes about Ash Wednesday
I can’t believe it is almost time for Lent to begin. Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday marking the first day of solemn repentance for most Christians as we turn our hearts and minds toward Good Friday. Then we can celebrate with full gusto on Easter Sunday. Ever wonder about Ash Wednesday? Here are five quick facts about this day: 1. On Ash Wednesday, many churches hold a special worship service where the people are blessed with ashes, typically marking their foreheads with the sign of the cross. The blessing typically comes with a reminder that we all come from ashes, and to ashes we all will return. 2. The marking of the forehead has been a known custom since Pope Gregory the Great in 604. It has been said to have a two fold purpose, one being the ashes were marked for humility and mortality and then also for sorrow and repentance. In the 12th century the rule developed that the ashes were to be created by burning palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday. Many parishes … [Read more...]
Practicing, not Perfecting Sabbath
For the last several years I have written in my journal my desire to be more faithful in keeping the Sabbath. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8 I am a failure at keeping the Sabbath. I let my ever present to do list, my addiction to being online and my own ego driven desires rule that day. I focus my attention of the world instead of on God. Doesn’t honor the Lord much, does it? Then fellow blogger and Christian sister, Shelly Millerwrote about her struggles with Sabbath keeping and began a great series - Surrendering to Sabbath - on her blog, Redemptions Beauty. She even started a Surrendering to Sabbath Sisterhood for ongoing discussion and support. Shelly is sending out weekly emails to encourage us to keep the Sabbath; you can read one here. Shelly shared a wonderful quote by Margaret Feinberg: With rest, I noticed God-moments I might have missed before. My prayers grew clearer. … [Read more...]
Love Will Lead the Way – Lectio Divina
We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:Trust steadily in God,hope unswervingly,love extravagantly.And the best of the three is love.1 Corinthians 13: 12-13 (The Message)Lord sometimes I can’t find You.I look.I listen. I seek Your face and stain to hear even a tiny whisper.I don’t see You in this fog of human living.Like driving in a murky midst of grey, I get disoriented and confused.I can’t wait until this haze lifts and I gaze directly into Your eyes.But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:Trust steadily in God,hope unswervingly,love extravagantly.And the best of the three is love.But once again … [Read more...]
Independence – Strength or Obstacle? Quote of the Week
“Independence is the root of human sin, and it develops into conformity to the world. It is the broad, self-asserting and dominant “me” that would be a god. The first step, then, in the new life is surrender. Everything must be yielded to God, even the things that in themselves may be harmless. Why? For no other reason than to prove our will is wholly laid down and that God is all in all.”by ~ A.B. SimpsonThis quote stood out to me this week. For years I thought independence was a strength. I was proud of this characteristic; thankful for the courage and opportunities it brought to my life and even fostered this trait in my children. Perhaps I needed to rely on this crutch for that season of my life.But now I see independence as an obstacle between God and me and a difficult attachment to surrender.How do you view independence? … [Read more...]