Lent is coming. This sacred season begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14 this year. Isn't it cool we can spend time with the Lord of Love on Valentine's Day? I wrote about this church season previously on the posts titled How to Observe Lent and Be Ready for Easter, and Are You Ready? Lent is Coming Quickly. Here is a little video for you to enjoy. If you are reading this post through email, please come over to the blog if you can't see the video. I hope it inspires you: Do you know what Lent means? Lent is the 40 days before Easter, excluding Sundays. In French, the word "lent" means slow and is our invitation to slow down and be with God in new ways. How will you be transformed if each day we intentionally paused, prayed, and prepared ourselves for Easter? How will you grow closer to God this season? Here are 5 ways to deepen your experience with God and to slow down before Easter: Create a daily quiet time with God. Carve out in the morning or evening or whenever at … [Read more...]
O Come, O Come Emmanuel Hymn Story
O Come, O Come Emmanuel is one of the favorite Advent hymns sung in many churches. The haunting tune and pensive lyrics invite us into this holy season. Instead of a long blog post today, just pause. Read the words of this well known song. See what stirs in your soul. Talk with God about what you experience. O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. O come, O Wisdom from on high, who ordered all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to your tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times did give the law in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem, unto your own and rescue them! From depths of hell your people save, and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain O come, O Key of David, come and open wide our … [Read more...]
In the Bleak Midwinter – Hymn Story
Quick quiz: Do you know the hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter”? Do you know who wrote it? This song called to my heart this Advent, so I thought I would explore it. Come along with me. Often when a word, phrase or like this a song resonates in my heart, stirs my spirit, invites me closer – I pay attention. I talk with God about it. I sit quietly, holding the gift in my open hands, listening to its lesson or just enjoying its presence with its Creator. Who Wrote “In the Bleak Midwinter”? Poet Christina Rossetti wrote the words of this hymn. She lived from 1830 to 1895 and originally published this as a poem called “A Christmas Carol.” Rossetti never married and lived quite independently. She used her poems and words to bring attention to issues of the day, such as slavery, animal experimentations and sexual exploitation of young women. She was often sick and without much money, but devoted her life to her family, her faith, and ministry with former prostitutes. Quite a … [Read more...]
Ever Hear of Lost and Found Day?
Lost? The second Friday in December is National Lost and Found Day. Ever hear of this holiday before? I certainly hadn’t, but the idea invited me to consider how being lost and found weaves throughout my life experiences. Lost and Found Day Lost and Found Day encourages us to return any items that we may have found during the past year to the people who have lost them. The official Lost and Found Day is a day for renewed hope and belief that lost items should never be forgotten or abandoned to lost and found limbo. A time to try to find any personal belongings which we have lost and put an end to the frustration of having to go without something we need. Celebrated first in 2012, this fun day is an unofficial holiday that reminds people to not give up on the things they have lost and to increase their efforts to find them. I read one survey that reported that one in five of us loses or misplaces personal items every week. Car keys are the number one item lost and cell phones … [Read more...]
Being Grateful – Henri Nouwen
Being grateful. I am being grateful to you all today. Let's give thanks to God today and everyday. Check out this post about the powerful practice of gratitude. Being grateful was a spiritual discipline one of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen, wrote about. Besides turkey, chew and digest these words today: "To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives—the good as well as the bad, the moments of joy as well as the moments of sorrow, the successes as well as the failures, the rewards as well as the rejections—that requires hard spiritual work. Still, we are only truly grateful people when we can say "thank you" to all that has brought us to the present moment. As long as we keep dividing our lives between events and people we would like to remember and those we would rather forget, we cannot claim the fullness of our beings as a gift of God to be grateful for. Let's not be afraid to look at everything that has … [Read more...]
How To Savor the Season
The holiday season is upon us. In the U.S. this week welcomes Thanksgiving. Advent begins December 3 then time spins and speeds to Christmas and New Years. I don’t know about you, but I was bombarded by Black Friday ads right after Halloween amidst Christmas music. Whew! How do we catch our breath during the busy holiday rush? Wait! I want to savor the season, not just survive its spiraling spin. How can we slow down and breath this time of year? Savor the Season Tips When I began to write this post, I tried to create a clever acronym, an easy to remember witty expression or a wordy recipe to follow. I felt tense, making things too complicated. My writing mirrored the crazy muddled holiday emotions I was striving to avoid. I paused. I hit delete. I chose simplicity. Not a bad plan of action for the holidays either - pause, delete, and chose simplicity. Here is what I am going to do during Thanksgiving and Advent to prepare my heart to welcome … [Read more...]
Seven Fun Facts about the Fourth of July
The Fourth of July has arrived. Where is the summer going so quickly? In the U.S., we celebrate freedom as today was the day the country’s founders signed the Declaration of Independence. In essence, our country’s birthday. Or was this the actual day? I’ll answer that question later. Reflecting on both our personal, our family’s, and our country’s history helps us understand ourselves better and how we fit into God’s grand plan. Whenever I study a person of faith’s story or read about a past faith movement, I take the time to also explore their world view. What else was happening around them that shaped their thoughts and beliefs? What is happening right now in our world that influences us too? Does terrorism make us more cautious? More fearful? Does the political atmosphere drive us into action or press us into the shadows of doubt? How does the current culture affect our faith and the practices we use to express our relationship with God? How would you describe your … [Read more...]
What is Pentecost? – Let’s Celebrate!
Pentecost! What is your favorite faith holiday? Families plan big get togethers for Christmas. We decorate our homes – inside and out. We bake up a storm – sharing all the caloric goodies with everyone the whole month of December. We hunt for just the right gift to bring a smile to our loved ones. We hold candles and sing hymns that stir our hearts in holiness on Christmas eve. Families plan big get togethers for Easter, too. We bake the ham. Put bunnies on the table. Hide eggs in the backyard. Gorge ourselves on Cadberry eggs and jellybeans. The old wooden cross and a crown of thorns brings tears to our eyes. We vow to love more like Jesus and to live as he did. What about Pentecost? My latest pet peeve is that as Christians we go all out to celebrate Christmas and Easter, but what about this significant holiday in our faith? I think it is time for Pentecost to have its due! Christmas – God came down to us. Easter – Jesus rose, defeating sin and death. Pentecost – the … [Read more...]