Going on retreat is an essential spiritual discipline for me. Time for silence and learning informs the mind and forms the spirit. I leave refreshed, renewed, transformed – not quite the same as I arrived. I have always heard and wanted to attend the Upper Room’s Five Day Academy as they seemed to share my heart for spiritual formation and growth. My opportunity finally came around last week in Henry Illinois. This retreat provided time of silence, worship, music, laughter, walking and learning. The two presenters were Dr. Don Saliers, a scholar of worship and Rabbi Chava Bahle. Both speakers fed our minds and souls but I must say, Rabbi Chava was one of the best inspirational and moving speakers I have ever heard. I felt like I was sitting at the feet of a teacher full of wisdom. I gained a deeper understanding and love for the Jewish faith, our roots, our Judeo-Christian heritage. I learned new insights to the Jesus’s faith and what shaped him. I became more knowledgeable of … [Read more...]
The Season of Easter
Time to put away the bunnies? The plastic eggs? Didn’t we just celebrate Easter and it’s time to move on? When I was little, I thought Easter was only one day. I love it now that our churches celebrate a whole season of Easter, starting with Easter Sunday and continuing up to Pentecost. A whole 50 days! Our church’s liturgy during this seasons begins each week with the words, “Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!” This is a time to behold the resurrection and to study the appearances of the risen Christ. Maybe even see Jesus in unexpected places in our lives too. How can we celebrate the season of Easter? Here are some things I am pondering: Read the various Bible passages about Jesus’ appearances. One of my favorites is the Road to Emmaus story found in Luke 24. I think I will rewrite this story in my own words, journal as I unfold its meaning and silently sit with the Lord as I imagine what it would be like to be one of those disciples. How would my life, your … [Read more...]
Palm Sunday Ponderings
We are having a parade this weekend at church in celebrating Palm Sunday. I get to help lead the children in, waving their palms and shouting Hosanna. One of the few times they get to yell in church! I want to find one of those foam “number one” gloves to wear. Jesus is number one! Well at least he was the day he rode into Jerusalem to the praise of the crowds. Before everything changed from cheers to jeers. From hailing a king to crucifying the King. From adoration to abandonment. That finger that pointed heavenly, praising Jesus suddenly became a finger pointing to crucify him. In the midst of celebration and good times, the truth of the rest of Holy Week weighs on my heart. I know what is coming. I wondered about the custom of starting this holy time of year with this story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The celebration of Palm Sunday originated in the Jerusalem Church, around the late fourth century. By the fifth century, the Palm Sunday … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Gift of Laughter
I forget to laugh some days. Laughter is a healthy habit to practice, not only for the physical and emotional benefits, but also for social and spiritual reasons. What a gift laughter is. Think how laughter helps you: it reduces stress, recharges your focus, often gives you a much needed break, renews the spirit to find that courage to face a tough situation, connects people on a deep level, and I have read that it stimulates creativity. I believe the joy found in laughter comes from God. For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3:17 April 1st can be a fun day. Now, I don’t like practical jokes but starting this day from now on, I want to build more laughter into my life. We so easily allow ourselves to carry burdens, hurts and childhood baggage – why not drop one of those unnecessary weights and pick up a … [Read more...]
The Presence of the Lord – The Spiritual Practice of Silent Retreats
The song “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place” walked with me this past weekend as I practice one of my favorite spiritual practices – going on a silent retreat. Its words and music continue to surround me even today. The spiritual practice of intentionally taking a retreat – a time away from ordinary noisy days and spending time with God – takes me deeper in my love and experience of God than almost any other practice. I entered this time away with no expectations. In the past I brought questions to lay before God, issues I needed guidance or healing or even just a hunger to be with Him. This time was different. Several months ago my spiritual director asked me why I strived so much and had I ever considered just allowing things like creativity or guidance to “bubble” up. “Bubble up” became my mantra for this retreat. Now this was difficult for this plan everything and keep in control of every detail girl. Remember one of my favorite poems about God and the … [Read more...]
Lenten Fasting
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...]