“And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full and those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” Matthew 14: 20-21 You fed 5000, Lord? I panic with feeding 10 people at Thanksgiving. And that is after weeks planning, shopping, stewing over details. The multiplications of loaves and fishes – what a miracle to ponder. My eyes keep falling though, on the phrase “broken pieces." You tenderly gathered these leftovers, these unused fragments together – to be drawn upon later I am sure. You do the same with our brokenness too. Presently the hurts, mistakes, cruel words pile up – of little benefit. Yet I firmly believe, Lord, you fold them into your heart for future purpose. I don’t know how. I don’t know when. But you will work a miracle again with my broken pieces. I am amazed at this miracle – one that appears in all four gospels – that demonstrates your resourcefulness. How … [Read more...]
Let Faith be your Bridge – Quote of the Week – Maya Angelou
Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good. –Maya Angelou … [Read more...]
1000 Posts Already???
Ever miss an important day? Skipped over a landmark? Forget to notice a key milestone? Well I just did. On July 15 I posted my 1000th message on this blog. And I didn’t realize it until yesterday. OOPS! I am not sure if I really believe I have written 1000 posts. It doesn’t seem possible. Some posts I have liked and others, not so. Many that I didn’t think were very good received wonderful comments. Reading the comments many of you take the time to write or email to me builds connections and community and mean a lot to me. I do appreciate all of you, the silent ones and the more verbal ones. Love you all! Why do I keep writing? Writing a blog helps me think. I clarify my different experiences and where I am seeing God in my life. I gain a new perspective often when finding just the right words to put on each page. I have been so blessed by all of you – friends I have met in person and friends I only know over cyberspace. When you share that you have … [Read more...]
Sabbath Struggles
I struggle with keeping the Sabbath. I have gone on retreats about the Sabbath. I even led a workshop on this topic (“those who can’t do, teach", right?) I have read books. I’ve listened to speakers and preachers. I joined the wonderful group – the Sabbath Sisters – who share ideas and resources about Sabbath keeping. I have even confessed this failure of mine on this blog before. I don’t fully understand why something I say I value, I fail to put into practice. What is Sabbath to me? I think it is intentionally setting aside a time to honor and be with God. It is breaking from daily routine to rest and to be. Sabbath is letting go, emptying inside of doing, clinging, filling up with noisy clutter in my head and heart. Sabbath should look and be different from the other days. There is a rhythm to life and even to the workweek that I have lost. I turned off the computer on some Sabbaths. I have also snuck peeks at my smartphone since the computer was shut down. I … [Read more...]
If You Could Ask for One Thing from God – Lectio Divina
That night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, “What can I give you? Ask.” I Kings 3: 5b – The Message Lord you tell us to ask you. Ask for our deepest desires. Come to you and tell you what we think we need. That we can approach the Creator of the Universe with even our most meager wants. You say ask. You listen. You care. You respond. Solomon asked for wisdom. For clarity to discern the twists and turns of life. To insight to help others and ourselves. For understanding that nourished compassion and deepens love. Our gospel lesson describes faith the size of a mustard seed. Faith to know for certain in unclear mazes. Trust to hold onto your hand when all else crumbles. Believe when doubts and disbelief look triumphant. Faith and Wisdom – gifts to us only for the asking. Why don’t I ask? … [Read more...]
God Loves Us – Poem by Edwina Gately
God love us when we cannot; God holds us when we will not; God sees us when wee dare not; God knows us when we do not. But, oh, that we might come To love and hold ourselves, To see and know ourselves, That we might then glimpse God Edwina Gately … [Read more...]
Living the Questions
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” Rilke I used to more uncomfortable with uncertainty. That tension between knowing and the living in the gray area of unknowing. I used to seek the supremacy of feeling you are in control, having your act together, wearing the prettiest mask. What happen to curiosity? To taking the risk to ask questions you know you won’t be able to answer for a long time, if ever? To not know and to question and live with hazy vagueness? I know I am not the only one who recognizes as life goes on, we don’t have the answers and the only real path to growth … [Read more...]
What Will You Be When You Grow Up?
A few years back a friend causally said to me, “Look back to when you were six or seven or eight, what did you want to be? That is your calling.” I read a new version of this question this weekend – “What did you love doing as a child?” (This question came from a book I am reading that I plan on sharing on this coming Thursday blog. Be sure to come back!) Both questions could be helpful when discerning the next chapter on one’s life. Even if you wanted to be a fireman – maybe you are passionate about helping others. Or what if you wanted to be a rock star – maybe you are gifted at reading the Scriptures at church. These early dreams, passions, interests often appear clearer when we where younger and before we were told what we wanted or the world distracted us. Me? At eight I wanted to be a writer. A journalist. I even published a tiny newspaper for my neighborhood complete with the funnies. At 16 I felt a distinct (and right) calling to nursing and God blessed me with both. I … [Read more...]