Earth teach me stillness as the grasses are stilled with light. Earth teach me suffering as old stones suffer with memory. Earth teach me humility as blossoms are humble with beginning. Earth teach me caring as the mother who secures her young. Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone. Earth teach me limitation as the ant which crawls on the ground. Earth teach me freedom as the eagle which soars in the sky. Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall. Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring. Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life. Earth teach me to remember kindness as dry fields weep with rain. — Ute prayer … [Read more...]
A New Serenity Prayer – James Martin – Quote of the Week
God, grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, which is pretty much everyone, since I'm clearly not you, God. At least not the last time I checked. And while you're at it, God, please give me the courage to change what I need to change about myself, which is frankly a lot, since, once again, I'm not you, which means I'm not perfect. It's better for me to focus on changing myself than to worry about changing other people, who, as you'll no doubt remember me saying, I can't change anyway. Finally, give me the wisdom to just shut up whenever I think that I'm clearly smarter than everyone else in the room, that no one knows what they're talking about except me, or that I alone have all the answers. Basically, God, grant me the wisdom to remember that I'm not you. James Martin … [Read more...]
To Be – Quote of the Week – Evelyn Underhill
We mostly spend life conjugating three verbs: to Want, to Have and to Do. Craving, clutching and fussing, on the material, political, social, emotional, intellectual, even on the religious plane, we are kept in perpetual unrest: forgetting that none of these verbs have any ultimate significance, except so far as they are transcended by and included in, the fundamental verb, to Be: and that Being, not wanting, having and doing, is the essence of the spiritual life. Evelyn Underhill … [Read more...]
Quote of the Week – Francis Bacon
It’s not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity. Francis Bacon (1561 -1626) … [Read more...]
I Cannot Do This Alone – A Lenten Prayer – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I Cannot Do This Alone O God, early in the morning I cry to you. Help me to pray And to concentrate my thoughts on you; I cannot do this alone. In me there is darkness, But with you there is light; I am lonely, but you do not leave me; I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help; I am restless, but with you there is peace. In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience; I do not understand your ways, But you know the way for me…. Restore me to liberty, And enable me to live now That I may answer before you and before men. Lord whatever this day may bring, Your name be praised. Amen P.S. Don't forget to enter below the March 13 post to win a $50 Amazon gift card as part of my 5 year celebration. You can enter once each day - spread the word to your friends. You have until Monday at midnight to enter. Thanks for celebrating with me. … [Read more...]
Quench Our Thirst Quote
If we wish to quench our thirst, we must lay aside books which explain thirst and take a drink. Jean Pierre de Caussade … [Read more...]
10 Quotes about the Heart for February
I started this month of February with love quotes to ponder. Let's draw towards the end of this month by pondering the heart. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. Ralph Waldo Emerson Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God. Martin Luther All great artists draw from the same resource: the human heart, which tells us that we are all more alike than we are unalike. Maya Angelou There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. Blaise Pascal Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee. St. Augustine Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart ... Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens. Carl Jung The worst prison would be a closed heart. Pope John Paul II Gratitude is the heart's memory. French Proverb A joyful … [Read more...]
Who You Are – Quote of the Week
Your problem is, you don’t know who you are. Let me tell you who you are. You are a ray of God’s own light. You say you seek God, but a ray of light doesn’t seek the sun; it’s coming from the sun. You are a branch on the vine of God. A branch doesn’t seek the vine; it’s already part of the vine. A wave doesn’t look for the ocean; it’s already full of ocean. Martin Laird … [Read more...]