The Powerful Possibilities in Pondering Questions Questions can be a powerful spiritual tool that helps us hear God, stretch and grow and stay alive, not dormant and stale. What are the powerful possibilities in pondering questions? For a long time, I thought life consisted of finding the answers and playing by those rules. I didn’t like the tension between knowing and the living in the gray area of unknowing. I used to seek the supremacy of feeling you are in control, having your act together, wearing the prettiest mask. Questions leave us unsettled and searching. Questions magnify what we already know that we don’t know and are not in control. Questions rouse us from our comfort zones to enter the unfamiliar mystery of life and faith. As I gain the wisdom (HA!) of the second half of life, I am finding I like to stay with the questions longer – lingering in their unfolding. The green bud of curiosity and taking that second bite of an emotion or situation and allowing … [Read more...]
Who are the Beguines?
Who are the Beguines? I didn’t know about these women, collectively called the Beguines, until I began my spiritual direction education 12 years ago. Just today I had a conversation with a friend and we both shared that our knowledge of strong Christian women from our history is weak. I told her about the Beguines and just knew I had to feature them on this month’s Tending the Holy Thursdays. Tending the Holy Thursday highlights for several weeks a spiritual practice or a person(s) of faith, so we can explore the topic with more depth. For October, we will learn more about who the Beguines were, then dive deeper into several of the women who wrote and whose names we know. As usual with each month’s theme, I have an additional FREE download for you. I created something different this month: a fun wordsearch using words describing the Beguines. You can get this freebie by clicking on the button at the end of this post. Who are the Beguines? I could probably write a book … [Read more...]
What is the Zeigarnik Effect?
What is the Zeigarnik effect? I never heard this phrase, the Zeigarnik effect, before until a few weeks ago, then suddenly I hear/see it in multiple places. That usually is a sign for me to stop and listen: wisdom is bubbling up to teach me something… You have experienced the Zeigarnik effect but didn’t know its name. Ever wonder why a story that ends with a cliffhanger lingers in our mind? The infamous “to be continued…” Yep, this mental tension now has a name! The Zeigarnik effect is how our brain reacts to unfinished tasks by continuing to bring our attention to them. Once we finish, our brain eliminates them. Bluma Zeigarnik and the Zeigarnik Effect A Russian psychologist named Bluma Zeigarnik observed, in the 1920s that waiters could remember customers’ orders that were not paid better than those already completed and paid. Her further experiments showed that humans remember the incomplete, the unfinished, more than what is done, thus stimulating us to keep moving … [Read more...]
5 Things Everyone Should Know about Smiling
Can smiling be a spiritual practice? I think so. Ok - all together now – say cheese and SMILE! Smiling is powerful and is a practice that not only brings delight to our spirit and to others, but also can transform the world. Just think: Smiling costs nothing. A smile takes only a quick second but can offer encouragement beyond our imagination. Smiling creates good will and joy and nourishes relationships. World Smile Day Did you know the first Friday in October every year is World Smile Day? I didn’t until recently know about its history. You might not know his name but Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts created the well-known smiley face in 1963. Remember the scene from the movie Forrest Gump when Tom Hanks is jogging and wipes his face on a tee shirt and the man sees the smiley face and gets the idea. A funny reenactment of the birth of this image. But I digress… Harvey Ball became discouraged about the over-commercialization of his … [Read more...]
Monthly Musings –What I Learned in September
Monthly Musings Here are September's Monthly Musings. Each month I pause and take a look back at what I am discovering, learning, and exploring in life – I call these my monthly musings. I believe strongly in living a reflective life as a spiritual practice. We rush through life, often missing the lessons, enjoying the highlights and sleeping through what we should be paying attention to. Capturing these special moments gives meaning, depth, and delight to life. I record what I notice on the pages of my Monthly Musing Journal. You can use anything, scrapes of papers, a journal or a calendar. Copies of my Monthly Musing Journal are available on Amazon and are a convenient way to keep track of the little things in life we often miss. Or if you want to click the button at the end of this post to get a free copy of my one sheet Monthly Musing handout. Monthly Musings - What I Learned in September Lessons Learned My series on hospitality drove home to my heart that this … [Read more...]
5 Lessons about Cultivating a Welcoming Spirit
CULTIVATING A WELCOMING SPIRIT I believe in lifelong learning and fostering curiosity. Hospitality is NOT a gift that comes naturally to me so I am taking the chance to discover new things about this spiritual discipline. This month I have been exploring the practice of hospitality and cultivating a welcoming spirit as the topic for September’s Tending the Holy Thursdays. So far I have shared an overview of hospitality, tips for nurturing a welcoming spirit, especially for those of us who are introverts, and quotes and resources for this discipline. You can click on the highlight words in the previous sentence to find those blog posts if you didn’t get a change to read them. When I feature a spiritual practice or a person of faith I usually write an additional resource to share with you. This month I wrote a free download to accompany this study, titled “15 Thought-Provoking Definitions of Hospitality.” You can get it at no cost by clicking on the button at the end of the … [Read more...]
Am I Losing my Mind? Feeling Incomplete and Missing Pieces
Am I losing my mind? I felt that way. I wandered around the house, searching, feeling incomplete, knowing I am missing a piece. You see, I lost my Fitbit. I am as attached to my tiny step measuring buddy as I am to my smart phone and the Internet. Oh, and probably my hubby. WHERE ARE YOU??? (screaming this for my Fitbit, not my husband.....well, again, probably both) I hadn’t left the house since I checked my counter earlier in the day. Hey, it’s got to here someplace! We hunted. We peered under counters and inside the crumbs of my favorite chair cushion (found a quarter and two missing game pieces though) We aimed the flashlight into so many dark cob-webby corners I concluded I really do need to clean more precisely someday. We checked, rechecked and this morning checked again every nook, cranny and edge of existence. No luck. Disappeared. Down the black hole where all the socks and favorite pens vanish. Am I losing my mind? It has to be here … [Read more...]
Quotes and Resources for Cultivating Hospitality
Inspiring quotes and encouraging resources cultivate hospitality within our hearts. Exploring the practice of hospitality and cultivating a welcoming spirit is the topic for September’s Tending the Holy Thursdays. So far I have shared an overview of hospitality and tips for nurturing a welcoming spirit, especially for those of us who are introverts. You can click on the highlighted words in the previous sentence to find those blog posts if you didn’t get a chance to read them. When I feature a spiritual practice or a person of faith, I usually write an additional resource to share with you. This month I wrote a free download to accompany this study, titled “15 Thought-Provoking Definitions of Hospitality.” You can get it at no cost by clicking on the button at the end of the post. It is my hope and prayer that this series and the tip sheet will enhance your walk with God. I find the tiny bits of wisdom in quotes often give me much insight into a topic– sometime more than in … [Read more...]