Today is National Renewal Day.  Ever hear of this day before?  I hadn’t. National Renewal Day was created to honor new beginnings and fits well in the spring time growth occurring in the northern hemisphere. Its purpose is to reinvigorate us after a long winter and refresh our spirits. The dictionary defines renewal as the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again: the state of being renewed.  I like the phrase “strong again.”  Yes, I want to be strong, not cold and dying. We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Ways to Celebrate National Renewal Day You could use this day in a tangible way. Plan your spring cleaning. Commit to repaint a room. Refinish a dresser. Open the window to the fresh air (not a good idea here today in northwest Ohio. I think I will wait for a warmer, drier day) Renewal can be physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually, too. How can you recharge yourself … [Read more...]

Buzzing along a few weeks ago in my car, I passed a friend’s house with my cruise control set at 58 mph. Yes, minding the law and following the rules… He was walking up his gravel driveway, his back to the road, mail in his hand. I tooted my horn. Immediately, he raised his arm and extended his hand in an automatic gesture, returning my honked greeting. A spontaneous hello. I don’t think he even knew who signaled this greeting. He naturally returned the welcome with a friendly wave. This tiny incident lingered in my heart. I am not a spontaneous waver; I am more reserved. Waving Equals Being Friendly We moved to this small village in 1981.  I remember one of the first things the wise school superintendent told my hubby and I was this:  This is a friendly town. If someone honks, you wave. Wave even if you don’t know who is passing by. Knowing that piece of wisdom from many years ago, my assessment that I am slow to wave made me think about how this simple act conveys … [Read more...]

  I remember I felt shocked, uneasy, and troubled, the first time I heard the following story. Its words almost sounded foreign to my heart. I wondered why the account made me so uncomfortable. “A man told the audience about a dream he once had.  He dies and as he enters heaven, he sees Jesus waving him over to join him at a small round table. He feels welcomed and accepted as he sits down in this intimate setting with the Lord for tea and conversation. ‘I have a question for you,’ said Jesus.  The man panics. Here it comes, he thinks.  I am about to be grilled on how many people I brought to Christ. Or what about that time 20 years ago that nobody knows what I did. Or I’ll have to account for my bazillion lies and failures.  And I know I didn’t pray enough. Or serve enough. Or love enough. Jesus leans forward, intently listening for his response to his question: ‘Did you enjoy the gift of life?"  Do you enjoy the gift of life? As I pondered this tale and it effects on my … [Read more...]

The results of my life assessment test rested before me. I could guess the score already, as this was the third time I completed one of these self-identity tools. I love taking these peak inside of my life quizzes– it affirms what I know about myself and often gives me a new perspective about why I do or think certain ways. You know these kinds of tests. They look something like this: Rate yourself in the following categories from one, being the lowest/weakest to 10, being the highest.  Life areas assessed are categories such as physical, mental, emotional, social, financial, spiritual, family, joy/recreation, personal growth, time, career, etc.  They may be listed, in a checklist or a wheel. My lowest?  My “F” in the report card of life?  My “why can’t you do better” score?  Joy/recreation. I flunk celebration. I race from one completed job to another without stopping to enjoy the accomplishment. When I retired from public health, they practically had to drag me to my own … [Read more...]

Ever hear of the Dialogue Prayer? I attended my annual silent retreat a few weeks ago. The spiritual directors for the retreat offer us guidance and ideas to deepen our experience of God during our time there – one suggestion was to use Dialogue Prayer. I have journaled for years. I often write out my conversations with God – my hopes, concerns, fears, etc.  I also have recorded what I think God is inviting me to go, to do, to be.  But I have never used this formal technique before. What is Dialog Prayer and How It Works Dialogue prayer reflects the basic definition of prayer – a conversation with God. What is different is the format when writing out the prayer. The entire process is bathed, submerged in prayer. Solitude and silence joins on this holy ground too. On my retreat, my dialogue prayer looked like a dramatic script for a play. I imagined sitting with God, often on rocking chair on the front porch of a cabin, and we talk. One retreat we sat on a picnic … [Read more...]

The 7 C’s of the spiritual practice of study have been the focus for March’s Tending the Holy series. Each month on my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. I call this series Tending the Holy Thursdays. I am so glad you are here today. Exploring the practice of study as a spiritual discipline strengthens our faith and feeds our mind. I think this practice leads us to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul. The first two weeks we looked deeper into the practice of study and last week we unpacked the first three C’s of the 7 C’s of study:  Curiosity, Commitment, and Concentrate. Today we’ll finish us with the C’s of Cultivate, Comprehend, Contemplate, and Conversion. As usual I created a free download for you and this month it is something different – an infographic called “The 7 C’s of the Practice of Study.” You can get this infographic for your reference and even use as a bookmark at no cost by clicking on the button here. Click … [Read more...]

What are the 7 C’s of the spiritual practice of study? In March, we are exploring how the practice of study as a spiritual discipline strengthens our faith. Each month on my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. I call this series Tending the Holy Thursdays. The first two weeks we looked deeper into the practice of study and today will unpack three of the 7 C’s of study:  Curiosity, Commitment, and Concentrate. As usual I created a free download for you and this month it is something different – an infographic called “The 7 C’s of the Practice of Study.” You can get this infographic for your reference and even use as a bookmark 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 download will enhance your walk with God. Our Healthy Spirituality community is growing.  Be sure to sign up to get Healthy Spirituality in your inbox so you don’t miss any of the weeks (I promise I never … [Read more...]