I was on retreat last year when I shared with the spiritual director my ongoing frustration of the divide between my head and my heart. I think too much. I deeply want to trust. I step out into life before seeking God first. I think I run the world, not the One who really does. Off with her head – I wanted to scream! My director calmly asked what image comes to mind when I ponder my head and heart. Immediately I knew – an hour glass. Open on top and bottom but constricted in the middle. She suggested I pray for a new image and see where God leads me. Odd prayer, isn’t it? Dear Lord, how do you want me to see my head and heart? How can I better visualize them working together not tearing my soul apart? Please show me, Lord. Over the next few days of the retreat God slowly showed me a new image – a tree. My heart is the roots, growing deep in his love. My head are the branches – intentionally reaching out to him in his light and love. In between where the restricted narrow … [Read more...]
10 Plus 1 “Don’t List” Items for 2015
I am often consumed by my to-do lists and felt the deep need to pause and imagine a “don’t list” to follow in my life. I read this old joke the other day: A guy who goes to the doctor because his hand hurts when he moves it. "It hurts when I do this," he says to the doctor. "Then don't do that," the doctor answers. Which is, when you think about it, excellent advice for a lot of things. The practice of reflecting what would be on a don’t list made me think and I hope take notice more quickly when I revert to my default mode of old habits and comfort zones. So here are some things I thought of for my Don’t List: Don’t say yes when I really want and need to say no. Don’t choose lazy and tired over fit and active. Don’t let my to –do’s ruin my delights. Don’t allow my self-talk defeat my determination. Don’t tolerate the world’s and my ego’s definition of success in distracting me from God’s plan. Don’t let my eyes revert to short-term detours instead of focusing … [Read more...]
Keeping A Journal – A Spiritual Practice
If you have followed my blog for a while you know I keep a journal. I find writing my thoughts, prayers, quotes I like, worries, and happenings ground me and give me a perspective to life. Keeping a journal is a priceless spiritual practice. Each year at the end of one year and the joyous opening of the new year, I reread my journal, summarizing events, reflections and ongoing questions from the past, then prayerfully writing where I feel God is leading me in near future. Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. --William Wordsworth How often you write in a journal, doesn’t matter – daily, weekly, or only occasionally. But each time we write, we capture a moment in time and create a significant signpost for our journey. I have tried various forms of journals and keep returning to a 5 by 7 inch, spiral bound journal found in book stores. What is new the past few years is I am cutting out more quotes, photos and using colorful pens for my entries. Some people get … [Read more...]
One Word – One Verse
Many people skip New Year’s resolutions and let one word guide them throughout the year. I have embraced one word for the last few years and found it’s fun to see how its meaning threads itself among the details of daily life. Often I don’t see it until I “harvest” my journal in a day of reflection. My word for 2014 was ENFOLD. If you have asked me a few weeks ago I would have told you I failed to hear my one word much last year. That is until I spent time rereading my journal and reflecting on the year – a wonderful spiritual practice, by the way. In hindsight I saw how God ENFOLDED me at multiple points of last year. And I know with some sadness that I have missed experiencing His hug by not paying attention. I focused more on discouragement, disappointment, and difficulties than on God’s presence. I hope not to live so mindlessly in 2015 and miss his lessons next year. Last year I even discovered a second word, an “UN” word that evolved as a compass for the year: … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Practice of Taking Your Tambourine
Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. Exodus 15: 20 “Don’t forget your tambourine,” the speaker said. Once she explained her meaning, I never thought of tambourines the same. She was referring to the verse above from the Exodus story. Miriam, Moses, Aaron and all the Hebrews were leaving Egypt. They packed in a hurry, taking only a few precious possessions that they could carry. Amid the chaos of a sudden escape, being chased by the Egyptian army, they headed to the Promised Land. Dusty bedlam, unknown future and fear also pursued them. God interceded and the waters crushed Pharaoh’s horses and chariots. They were safe on the other side of the sea and leaving the past behind, they began their journey into a new future. This is when Miriam and the women brought out their tambourines. Do you see it? I missed it the first time. See it? Before they left. Before … [Read more...]
Pray for Jerusalem
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: Psalm 122:6a “Please pray for Jerusalem.” “Pray for peace in our land.” On our recent trip to the Holy Lands, we heard these statements multiple times. Our tour guide asked. An employee at one of the hotels mentioned it. But it was a store clerk in a gift shop that I remember the most. We were visiting the Garden Tomb, a pleasant walk not far from our hotel. A walled green patch in the middle of Jerusalem, its beauty, charm and peacefulness fades the fact it probably isn’t the actual site of Jesus’ burial. A quiet place of contemplation in contrast to the crowded chaos of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. A nice way to spend the last day in the Holy Lands. Like good tourists, we entered the gift shop and found a few more souvenirs. As I chatted with the store clerk, I couldn’t help notice her distinctive American accent. I politely asked her and she confirmed she was originally from the U.S. She married a man from Israel … [Read more...]
Giving Thanks – Quote of the Week
“Giving thanks awakens me to a God giving Himself, the naked, unashamed passion, God giving Himself to me – for me – a surrender of love. ‘Gratitude is the most fruitful way of deepening your consciousness that you are a divine choice,’ wrote Henri Nouwen. A divine choice! He chooses His children to fully live! Fully live the fullest life: the astonished gratitude, the awed joy, the flying and the free. The discipline of giving thanks, of unwrapping one thousand gifts, unwarps God’s heart bare: I choose you, Live!” One Thousand Gifts – Ann Voskamp … [Read more...]
Today Let’s Just BE
Shh, let’s just be today. Forget that to-do list. Sit quietly in your chair. Take a few deep breaths and be. Do you realize we check our cell phones an average of 110 times a day? According to Computer World, in the United States we average 16 minutes every hour on social media. Distractions bombard us continuously. Distractions – phone, internet, and pestering to do’s deter us from giving our full attention to the One who most deserves our devotion. I hunger for stillness and quiet and just to be. Perhaps that is why I love to start my morning in contemplative prayer. Usually I ramble off my concerns and a few wants to the Lord, then I just rest in his arms. Heaven doesn’t open up and I don’t see angels ascending and descending – just being in his presence. I don’t hear God’s mighty voice or lean in for his gentle whisper, We just enjoy each other’s company. No agenda. No items to discuss. Just being together. But I fail often. My mind wanders … [Read more...]