Last February I posted about being more intentional to honor Sabbath, titled Practicing, not Perfecting Sabbath. Fellow blogger and Christian sister, Shelly Miller has been writing about Sabbath and has a great series on her blog, Redemption Beauty, about surrendering to Sabbath. I so do appreciate her honest sharing with honoring this day as it has inspired me to continue in this practice. Honor Sabbath So how have I been doing? I did implement much of what I had planned and was actually noticing a difference on Sundays. I was more relaxed. I entered into worship and prayer at a deeper level. My dance card was packed on Sunday with the Lord filling all the slots. I connected and spent time with our Creator. BUT then we began to travel. We were gone many weekends. Airports and automobiles became my sanctuary. I unraveled. I wandered. Distractions and disarray reigned. I even noticed I didn’t sleep as well. I focused more on what I wasn’t getting done and less on … [Read more...]
Walking a Labyrinth – Spiritual Practice
Walking the seaweed labyrinth on the Iona About 15 years ago, just when I was beginning this new growth in my spirituality, walking a labyrinth appealed to me. A good friend drove me to a grassy one built on the back acreage of a retreat center, explained it to me, and invited me to enter in. That first step into its winding circle was also my initial step into my next phase of spiritual growth. 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. 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 … [Read more...]
Slowness – Spiritual Practice of Keeping Tempo
I was amazed at the comments and emails I received after Tuesday’s post about slowness and soul rest. You all made me feel better realizing I am not the only one struggling with busyness. Your words also reminded me to be grateful for the ability to be busy and to savor the opportunities as blessings. Thank you. Practicing slowness is a valuable spiritual discipline. At one of the retreats I attended a few years ago we intentionally practiced slowness. We spoke slowly. We chewed our food longer. We put our forks down between bites. We deliberately looked one another in the eyes. The routine at this retreat that struck me the most though, was how we physically moved from sitting to standing. I normally bounce up and get going. We moved in slow motion. More Eyorye than Tigger. Try that sometime this week. When you need to stand up or sit down, move very slowly. Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of … [Read more...]
Need a Rest Stop? A Soul Rest? – Spiritual Practice
“In the hustle of May, it can be easy to forget who we are.” I really identified with this quote written last week by Emily on her wonderful blog, Chatting at the Sky I sighed when I read that line since its words so appropriately captured how I was feeling. I need some soul rest. Soul Rest Too much have I lately wolfed down fast food pace of to do lists, deadlines and shallow living. I don’t want to live this way. Spring is a busy time. Nicer weather invites, calls demands our appearance in the garden. Flowers to be planted, ground tilled for peppers and tomatoes, cleaning out my small pond, and scrubbing outdoor furniture for future outdoor celebrations. The grass appears to grow two feet every night in spring, let alone weeds popping up all over. Then once again I have said yes to too many commitments: “sure I can squeeze that it in,” scheduling everyday with obligations that seemed important earlier but now annoy me like a bothersome nuisance. On … [Read more...]
Companions for the Journey
I love this painting of the Emmaus Road. Two friends walking together down the path of life with Jesus beside them. I have blogged about Emmaus Road impact on my spiritual walk before such on this link. Who is companioning you on your journey? Some will answer that question by saying Jesus is their companion. Others will reply besides Jesus, they share their faith stories with family and friends. In addition, others grow by speaking with a spiritual director. In my program to become a spiritual director we had the assignment to pick someone from history, a spiritual giant, to study with for two years. There is so much we can learn from studying others who came before us. I am not a fan of the word “spiritual giants” since these people are humans with weaknesses, difficulties and even poor decision making. Saints were not super humans, but in reality they were flawed and sinful just like us. But somehow they kept running that race; their lives reflect what we … [Read more...]
Bluetooth Discernment
Have you ever thought about discernment? My car and I talk: I push the Bluetooth phone button. “Ready,” my Chevy Equinox, so eager to please, responds. “Call home.” I direct. “Home?” the mechanical feminine voice asks. “Say yes or no.” I quickly say, “yes.” “Home?” the mechanical feminine voice asks. “Say yes or no.” “Yes!” I repeated rapidly after her second attempt. “Ok, good bye.” After this happened to me several times, I learned my lesson. If I respond with my “yes” too fast after her question, my friendly computer friend doesn’t understand and the communication fails. If I pause before I say “yes,” things go much more smoothly. I explained my little trick with my car to my husband the other day when the universal truth of what I said hit my heart. What good advice for making decisions too. Pause before saying yes or no. Things will go smoother when you don’t go too quickly. Pause before saying yes - a bluetooth or “bluetruth” … [Read more...]
Silence – a Spiritual Practice
Silence? How well do you do with this spiritual practice? I attended a silent retreat for four days this past weekend. Now a few of you who know me more than just through this blog probably think I wouldn’t last or would be expelled. Yes I do talk quite a bit. But I figured out this was my fifth silent retreat! I find this type of spiritual practice to be one of the most effective disciplines for opening my heart and bringing me closer to God. In fact the few years I didn’t attend one for more than 24 months, I missed them. Now I try to get to one annually. We arrived Thursday evening and have a talkative dinner together. After supper we meet as a group, sharing what we think God may be inviting us to experience the next few days. I have learned to let go of my expectations though. Often I will list in my journal questions I would love some insight to during my quiet time with God but then hold them lightly. Sometimes I hear answers; sometimes not. We begin the silence … [Read more...]
Walking with Strong Women From History – Take my Survey and Help Me Choose
Perhaps it started with the Dorothy Day quote I read the other dayOr maybe it was reading that tomorrow, March 8, is International Women’s Day.Or could it have been the fun and crazy voting and cheering on different spiritual giants in the Lent Madness brackets?Now fellow blogger Sarah Bessey is hosting a discussion about strong women. Check out her blog. But I am ready to walk with a strong woman from our Christian history.When I entered the program to become a spiritual director we picked someone to study. I chose, no, I believe she chose me - Dorothy Day. For two years I read her writings and other books people wrote about her. I really felt like she accompanied me on that part of my journey.Last June on retreat, Teresa of Avila sat with me.Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1I compiled a list of … [Read more...]