Give me the strength that waits upon you in silence and peace. Give me humility in which alone is rest, and deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens. Possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love. Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one desire of love, that I may love not for the sake of merit, not for the sake of perfection, not for the sake of virtue, not for the sake of sanctity, but for You alone. Thomas Merton … [Read more...]
Polar Vortex – Spiritual Vortex
The harsh winter weather in North American introduced a new phrase into our vocabulary - polar vortex. The meteorologists loved to say those words over and over again to describe the dramatic rush of snow, wind and cold blanketing this part of the world. January can be cold here, but not this frigid. A polar vortex is super cold air that whirls around the Arctic. Occasionally this mass changes course and comes south to regions it normally doesn't visit. I found the words to describe this weather system interesting: lopsided, distorted, intense, turbulent, and even dangerous. A vortex is a whirling spiral of motion around a center like the water spinning down the drain of the bathtub. Once formed, vortices don't keep neat circles, but can move, stretch, twist, and interact in complex ways. A vortex seems pretty chaotic, unpredictable and ever changing to me. Mmmm, that sort of sounds like life, doesn't it? The metaphor of a spiral is often used to describe … [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...]
Finish Well – Lectio Divina
So here's what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart's been in the right place all along. You've got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. 2 Corinthians 8:10-11 (The Message) Every year, Lord, I start with a bang of enthusiasm, launching new goals and plans for the coming year. I ask you for your blessing and guidance on each year’s new beginning. But this verse in this unique translation stopped me cold. “Finish what you started last year” shouted to my heart and shook my good intentions into the light of day. What does this mean, Lord? I recognize the sound of your quiet whisper and am aware of your touch upon my spirit. I feel your nudge - “look again upon 2013 - finish what you have started.” I want to close the door on 2013. I want to move onto the fresh newness of … [Read more...]
Open the Book on the New Year – Quote of the Week
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. - Edith Lovejoy Pierce … [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...]
One Word for 2014
For the last few years I have focused on one word as a theme for each year. This is a phenomenon that many other people do, so not an original idea with me. And to be honest, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. One word is simple in a noisy world that is murky and complicated. One word grounds me and guides me back to God. Last year the word - Stretch - chose me. I am not one to remember my dreams but this word crept entered barged into my sleep one night and made itself at home within my heart. Stretch has been a good word for me this past year and described many of the adventures God offered me. And now let us welcome the New Year 'Full of things that nave never been. Rainer Maria Rilke What will 2014 hold for me? I love this time of year. I take out my journal and review the past year. I write down a summary. Then I prayfully ask God to lead me into thinking where he might want me to grow in the New Year. Choosing a word … [Read more...]
Count and Recount the Gracious Deeds of the Lord – Lectio Divina
I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord, the praiseworthy acts of the Lord. Isaiah 63: 7a Count your blessings. I hear that over and over again, Lord. But I so often fail to recount the merciful gifts from you. I ignore the days I walk without pain. The breaths I take without difficulty. The sleep I enjoy under your protective watch. The simple movements of my fingers on this keyboard. The whooshing sound of the flock of sparrows by the feeder outside of my office. The sun brightly shining in winter and white vapor of my breath as I whistle in the cool air. The smell of coffee on my desk in a familiar mug. The mixture of tastes in my breakfast of pineapple, melon and strawberries. The goodbye kiss of my hubby and the giggles of my grandkids. So many tiny incidences that transmit love from your heart into mine. You are present in every sound, smell, sight and moment. You are there in every second and you seep into the cells of my … [Read more...]