Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 26 this year of 2020. Each year I listen for a theme for these holy 40 days before Easter and pray I lean into Lent with openness and obedience. Letting go is a practice calling to me this year. Letting go creates space for God, for my own spirit, for others to enter in. This follows well my theme and word for the year. Letting go is a path of subtraction, not addition. Letting go of what draws me away from God instead of closer to the Lord. Of holding my palms upward, holding all things lightly and given to God to do as he wills. Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, advocated making a regular practice of letting go: "To sum up, dear friend of Mine, unclench your fists, and let everything fly out of your hands. Clean yourself up nicely and stay faithful to your Creator." During Lent this year, I plan to listen. I hope to list all and any attachments that sidetrack me from keeping my eyes always on the … [Read more...]
20/20 Vision for 2020
20/20 vision? Don't you love the play on this year's name? Churches, organizations, and even individuals are exploring and updating their vision and thoughtful sense of direction as we step into the new decade. Two stories to consider as we look forward to where God may be leading us on our spiritual journey. Story Number One about Vision I was a chubby sixth-grader when the school nurse sent home a note saying I failed the routine eye exam. Already not very attractive and bullied for my appearance, I dreaded having to add glasses to my round face. My sight was no way near 20/20 vision. I was not a happy gal. Mom took me to the eye doctor and yes, the nurse was correct – I needed glasses. Remember those old-style frames with the flared upper outside edges. Ugly! About two weeks later we picked up the new glasses and I slouched in the backseat of the car as we drove home. I lowered my head, trying to hide, fearful what others would say. The whole … [Read more...]
What is Sacred Space? My Word of the Year
What is sacred space? You may at first think of a physical space such as a grand cathedral oozing with the presence of God or the delight of gazing upward amidst stately Redwoods. The awareness of sacred space may arise when watching meteors race across the sky or pausing to breathe in the colors of an amazing sunrise or sunset. God is quite the artist! Sometimes my prayer chair next to my home altar creates a sacred space for me. My word for 2020 is sacred space. Ok, that is two words, but I think both of needed. At least longed for deep within my spirit. Sacred Space Holy ground is all around when we see the sacred in both our physical and spiritual geographies. This year I want to intentionally practice noticing and honoring the sacred everywhere: In my ordinary flat territory (boring? bleak?) of northwest Ohio. Listen to the land where God has planted each of us for this season of life.In the space between others and myself as we share life, … [Read more...]
How to Create a Consistent Reading Plan – 2020 Goal
How do you create a consistent reading plan? Reading more books has been a yearly goal of mine for the past few years. And one I failed. Ok, maybe not a letter grade of "F" but certainly in the "C-" range. Yes I borrow books from the library.Yes I love buying books. Amazon addict here. And don't take me to a book store – I will disappear for hours.Yes I am always adding additional bookshelves. Yes I do love reading as it expands the mind, refreshes the heart and nourishes my soul. I have great intentions. I have twice declared on this blog my focus to read more (here is an example ) and yet my pile of unread books multiple each year like unsupervised bunnies. Even gathering dust as dust bunnies do. In 2019 I created a shelf in my office and selected some of the books that called out to my heart for reading. I read one. Failure. But I persist and am trying once again to read more this year, especially these unread ones summoning for attention and … [Read more...]
Honoring the Passage of Time – a Decade Review
Honoring the passage of time? How do we heed time on its swift journey? One moment it is January 7 and * blink * we are celebrating Christmas 2020. Time flies. Many psychologists will confirm that time really does zip by faster each year, Of course, time doesn't change its speed – each minute, second, moment is the same length as another. But mentally and maybe even spiritually, our perception tells us time zooms ahead at warp speeds. Reflection is a wonderful and effective spiritual practice for gently hitting the brakes and slowing life down a bit. Each December I reread my journal entries from the past year and write up highlights, key lessons, words and verses that resonated with my spirit and how I experienced God those 12 months. These yearly summaries capture time and help me honor the passage of time and the journey I am on. “People overestimate what can be done in one year, and underestimate what can be done in ten.”J.C.R. Licklider Besides a yearly … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Practice of Being Curious
"Be curious" This phrase was advised by a speaker I heard a few weeks ago in her talk about learning to observe ourselves – our behaviors, our patterns, our self – talk. "Don't be judgmental. We tend to criticize ourselves so easily. We get upset that we continue to do what we don't want to do. Overeat. Gossip. Allow self-doubt, fear, and disappointment to overtake our hearts. Don't judge yourself so harshly. Be curious, instead." The Spiritual Practice of Being Curious What a wonderful trait/skill to develop. I would rather respond with curiosity, then with shame and anger any day! Being curious allows us to be more objective in viewing our responses in our thinking, doing and feeling. Being curious shines the light on patterns and to give name to what we experience. Being curious gives us the space to step back to study, to learn and to ask questions. Being curious reveals options to our behavior and thoughts we never realized before. Being curious gives us … [Read more...]
How Creativity Connects with Wisdom
How is my exploration into creativity this year leading me deeper into wisdom? Wisdom, one of my three WWW's that frame 2019 for me, has been elusive to name, capture, and apply, but I am beginning to see her lessons appear in odd places. One of these hiding nooks is creativity. I write. I want to express a unique voice and with God's help, birth inspiring and innovative thoughts and ideas. A writer desires to create something new, yet often finds another writer wrote this before, better, and even more beautiful. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 Nothing new under the sun. I am discovering creativity often begins on rented land. An idea emerges, is nurtured by others, handed over to the next artist who adds his or her own spirit to its life. As I study creativity, I am reading interesting bits of wisdom from other artists about this process: "Everything that needs … [Read more...]
Walking an Unclear Path – A Labyrinth Experience
Have you ever walked a labyrinth? Walking a labyrinth is a spiritual practice that I seek on retreats and to be honest, whenever I see one inviting me closer. Based on the form of a circle and the spiral, this practice is an ancient and powerful symbol of wholeness and transformation. It is found in cultures throughout the world and has been added to many retreat centers as a form of walking prayer. Some of the earliest ones were found in Greece dating back to 2500-2000 BC. The path becomes a metaphor for the spiritual journey and for life, itself. The labyrinth is not a maze. Mazes have many paths and dead ends and they evoke a very different feeling than when we walk a labyrinth. A labyrinth is a unicursal with only one path in and the same path out. Its path meanders its way to the center. Walking this path enables you to experience peace, listen deeply, and reflect on where are you in your life. Some find healing or new ways to celebrate. Occasionally nothing is … [Read more...]