Lent begins this week and many people decide to fast from something during these 40 days before Easter. We hear our friends give up chocolate or ice cream or meat on Fridays during this time, forgetting the practice of fasting isn’t done by itself but accompanies giving and prayer too. Self-denial, though can leads to a greater sense of wholeness. Fasting has a long history both in the Old and New Testaments. In Old Testament times, fasting was observed to express grief. Fasting from something isn’t always food. One year I gave up sarcasm, which proved much difficult that I ever realized. Some people will fast from media or spending so much time on blogs or emails. Others try to give up gossip. Interesting to ponder what we are addicted to or what distracts us from God and give that up or at least reduced it during Lent. Martin Luther once said, “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.” A newer trend is not necessarily to fast FROM … [Read more...]
Spoice and Love
I learned a new word this week - SPOICE. Sage Kotsenburg tweeted a message after the American won a gold medal in the men's snowboarding slopestyle event in Sochi. “Keep it spoice." Was this a Russian word? Actually no. Surprisingly, it is good ol' US slang, rising from the snowboarding culture. I never heard of it before. The Urban Dictionary defines Spoice this way: "Spoice is an exclamation of gratitude towards life. It's the proper word to use when you find yourself in a situation involving a multitude of positive things at once. You may only utter it with pure joy behind it." Let's say this fun word together. Ready? SPOICE! Saying this word out loud it reminds me of the word: rejoice. I almost smile when saying it. A fun word. A festive word. A great word to use to celebrate and enjoy a special moment. I helped to lead worship Sunday morning. As we sang the Hymn of Praise, I faced the altar and looked up at the cross. For a moment it felt like I was … [Read more...]
My Un-Word
I wrote last month about my Word of the Year but am now seeing in various blogs the idea of choosing an Un-Word. Myquillyn over at the Nesting Place Blog first introduced me to the concept of a un-word. "The UN-word is a word that you are rejecting for the new year. You would like to Un-Do it." I like a challenge, especially a word challenge, so began to think about what is something I want to undo or stop this year. Instead of something to do or to be, what is on my to-don't list? What do I want to say good-bye to this year? This could be a great reflective question to ponder this time of year. What is an ugly, negative and even hazardous word in your life that you could get rid of this year? She stresses a un-word can be made up. For example if you don't want to be so bossy this year, your un-word is unbossy. Her word this year is undistracted. The Nesting Place hosted a link up last week where others shared their un-word of the year. Other people's un-words were … [Read more...]
I’m Imperfect and I’m Enough – My Attempt at Being Vulnerable
"I'm imperfect and I'm enough." Sounds good on the video, but not sure I really believe it. "I'm imperfect and I'm enough." Why did I ever sign up for this course and nobody will ever know if I don't write about it. I will just stay in the shadows and not take the risk. "I'm imperfect and I'm enough." Yeah, right. Had my hubby take the photo above - one of the class assignments - but of course I had to edit it and touch up my cold sore and age spots before posting it here. Then in a silly moment I told some others what I did and Kathy said to me, "I read your blog and now will look to be sure you post this." Rats, now I'm stuck out in the open. YIKES what have I done? I am feeling rather exposed, vulnerable, self-conscious here. You see I am taking an online class taught by one of my favorite teachers, Brene Brown. In readings, activities and videos it's like having a cup of coffee with a good friend, enjoying deep conversation. I finish thinking, sure I can do … [Read more...]
How to Spend More Time with God
How do we find or make the time for God? Too often I let busyness distract me or allow my to-do list and calendar to control my day. This sounds horrible, but I find there are times I am just too preoccupied with things of the world and not of God. After many of you completed the survey here last fall, I realized I wasn't alone with this struggle. Charles E. Hummel observed, “We realize our dilemma goes deeper than shortage of time; it is basically a problem of priorities. We confess: We have left undone those things that ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.” Or, as a cotton mill manager once told him, "Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important." I think it is ironic that we find that we have little time in our lives for the One who created and gave us our time. Many of us want to take some time out for God, but somehow we never quite get there. So how do we spend more time with God? I've been … [Read more...]
2014 Point of View
I have been pondering my point of view today. Northwest Ohio is experiencing a bitterly cold start to the New Year - snow upon snow, winds more than 40 mph and wind chills minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I only can see harsh winter from my office window. Yet a week ago I walked without a jacket in the Miami sun, cheering on my Ohio State Buckeyes at the Orange Bowl. Quite a different perspective. Many of you live in warmer climates. I know some of you live in other countries where it is summer, not winter. Just because I only see miserable winter weather doesn't mean that is the only point of view. Practicing Critical Awareness I am rereading Brene Brown's wonderful book, The Gifts of Imperfection (more on her writing on Thursday's post). She has this quote: "It's in our biology to trust what we see with our eyes. This makes living in a carefully edited, overproduced, and Photoshopped world very dangerous. if we want to cultivate a resilient sprit and stop fall prey to … [Read more...]
Epiphany
Epiphany - what a fun word to say. Say it aloud. Epiphany. The letters tumble from your tongue. January 6 is Epiphany, a Christmas celebration, recognizing the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus and in some churches, Jesus' baptism is also acknowledged. It can also be called the "Twelve night" as it is 12 days after Christmas. Epiphany goes back as far as 300 AD. The word Epiphany means to appear, manifestation or revelation. Epiphany is when Jesus was revealed as God's son or made known to others. This day celebrates God's revealing or manifesting of Jesus' identity as true God, Messiah, and Savior of the world. It not only commemorates the fact that Jesus appeared to save us, but that God revealed the identity of Jesus to the world. This holiday is celebrated in a variety of ways. When we visited Germany, we would see chalk on the front doorways of homes and business. This marked the blessing of the buildings done each year on January 6th. See the photo above, … [Read more...]
What are Antiphons? – An Advent Tradition
"It's time for the O's!" "I love the O's. They really get me ready for Christmas." "Oh, what are you two talking about?" I asked my friends. Not only did I hear the answer, but I learned a new Advent tradition. The O's they were referring to are the Antiphons or sometimes spelled O'Antiphones. These are seven prayers chanted in the evening the seven days before Christmas. Actually the Antiphons ritual begins December 17 until December 23. Their strange name, Antiphons, originates from the Greek language meaning responsive singing. What is special about these sentences is that each one is a title for the coming Messiah. They are, O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah. The Seven Antiphons December 17 "O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most … [Read more...]