What is on your summer reading pile? I like to periodically update you all on what I am currently reading. Here are three I have read lately that are lingering in my mind and heart: A Prayer Journal – Flannery O'Connor Interesting collection of journal entries of writer Flannery O'Connor written between 1946 and 1947. Most are her prayers/conversations with God and her discernment as she discovers herself as a writer. What a great writer even in her journal entries. Lovely words like this: "Dear God, I cannot love Thee the way I want to. You are the slim crescent of a moon that I see and my self is the earth's shadow that keeps me from seeing all the moon. The crescent is beautiful and perhaps that is all one like I am should or could see; but what I am afraid of, dear God, is that my self shadow will grow so large that it blocks the whole moon, and that I will judge myself by the shadow that is nothing. I do not know you God because I am in the way. Please help me to … [Read more...]
Paying Attention When God’s Speaks – Come thy Fount of Every Blessing
I wasn't paying attention. The spiritual practice of paying attention is a key way to open your heart and ears when God speaks. But last week during the worship portion of Speak Up conference, I allowed distractions to take me away from the moment of praise and attuning to the Lord. If fact, I stewed critically about the old, out of date words in the hymn on the screen before me. I loved the melody, but my heart scrutinized the lyrics in what I believed to be old fashioned "what in it for me?" narrow-focused terms. I silently mouthed the first two verses with aimless alertness. Then God surprised me with tears when I sang the next verses. Immediately I was present, before him. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God… How His kindness yet pursues me Mortal tongue can never tell… Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here's my heart, O … [Read more...]
What Anchors Your Soul?
"This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us." Hebrews 6:19-20 (NLT) ****** "Home is where the anchor drops." Unknown My favorite short-sleeve shirt displays an anchor on its pocket. Throughout summer anchors materialize on clothing, menus, billboards, advertisements and most importantly in my heart. Anchors stir my thinking. What is my anchor in life? What is yours? An anchor can be defined as a strong object that holds something in place; a reliable and main support. Anchors bring safety to travelers on ships being rocked by storms. Anchors prevent us from drifting too far off our path, heading possibly into dangerous dark places. Anchors help us feel grounded, settled, and connected to Something larger than ourselves. Anchors root us deeply in a solid foundation. Spiritual Moorings What are the spiritual anchors in our lives? Some … [Read more...]
July Joy
Do you sense July Joy? July starts with a bang – with fireworks, festive activities, and celebrations. Even the flowers, especially daily and lilies now blooming, smile this month. Joy is a beautiful gift from God and one I am embracing this month. This essence brings healing, energy, and an invitation to dance with the spirit. I celebrate God's delight – his goodness and faithfulness. I wrote a whole series of the spiritual practice of celebration a few years ago. You can check it out here and here is the link for a free download accompanying this practice. Click here to get the download With this week bringing a holiday for those of us in the US, take a few moments to enjoy and embrace celebrations and joy. Pause and pray with thankfulness for all God has given us. We do have lots of reasons to celebrate. Celebrate our freedom. Celebrate our friends and family. Celebrate our faith. Quotes about Joy We have God’s joy in our blood. Frederick … [Read more...]
Monthly Musings – What I Learned in June
June Monthly Musings June erupted with unique and blessed sounds – birds, silence and a newborn. The birds harken me this summer. More music. Continuous choirs. Multiple choruses. Anyone else tuning their ears to the birds this year? I facilitated a 6-day silent retreat in June. Most of the time those attending were silent except for meeting with me as the spiritual director. What an honor to listen to pilgrims share their faith journeys and experience with God – sacred ground. The voice of God whispers best in the quiet of our souls. Most important and cherished sound of all – snuggling with my newest granddaughter born in June. Welcome, Gia to my heart! ♥ Each month I look back at what I am discovering, learning, and exploring in life – I call these my monthly musings. Capturing these special moments gives meaning, depth, and delight to life. Let’s wake up to the wonders in the ordinary all around us. I record what I notice on the pages of my Monthly Musings … [Read more...]
Breath Prayers – A Spiritual Practice
Hit the pause button! For just a minute in the midst of your hurry-scurry of reading blog posts, responding to emails and juggling your to-do list, stop. Take a deep breath. Breath in – feeling the external air enter your lungs. Breath out – exhaling the internal. Air inward. Air outward. Breathing is so intuitive and intimate. Both conscious and unconscious. Lifegiving and life transformational. Breathing and praying share many of the same characteristics. Breath God in. Breath ego, worry, fear out. God surrounds us like air – invisible, life-giving, all around and within. We are like fish in the sea wondering what water really is. This powerful force sustaining and nurturing us on our journey. Breath Prayers The Bibles teaches us to “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) How do we do this? One type of prayer that has helped Christians across the ages to fulfill this command is breath … [Read more...]
Creativity, Inspiration and Whimsey, Oh My!
Creativity. Ever enter a room radiating this essence? I visited a friend's pottery studio last week. Every cell in my body tingled as I breathed in her imagination on the workbenches. I felt like the first time I walked down Walt Disney World's Main Street - all my senses bursting with glorious inspiration. One room held mounds of grey clay waiting to be shaped. The primary studio presented a great array of partially completed animals – dogs, cats, armadillos, mice, birds, - wearing unique forms of transportation – wheels, skateboards, balls, wagons, boats, planes. Quirky, humorous animals with unusual moving parts – all being molded by my potter friend for a show in Florida this coming winter. What an imaginative combination. My world whirled with wonderful whimsey. Her originality and imagination reminded me of my visit to the Marietta Museum of Art and Whimsey in Sarasota, Florida. A must see for any of us who needs some joy. Visiting their displays comes with a … [Read more...]
NOT YET
"Not yet." Wise words from my Weight Watcher leader a few weeks ago. She used this phrase when confessing to our group, she didn't like cauliflower. "At least not yet. I am staying open-minded. Someday I will find a recipe using cauliflower that I will like, just not yet." Not bad advice for acquiring any new taste in food. Or stepping out of our comfort zones to new adventures. Or giving grace to our souls and the souls of others. Not yet. "Not yet" comes from the old English meaning "till now, thus far" implying opportunities still await us. Her phrase lingers in my heart. Two simple words, releasing the locked gates around a self-limiting belief. An unassuming phrase to let go of a past experience that burdens and weighs us down. A surprisingly strong expression empowering us to keep at it, to be open, not to give up. Not yet moves us forward from helplessness into hopefulness. Using the phrase "not yet" gives a framework to change negative thinking … [Read more...]