When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.Luke 7: 36-38 NIVShe came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.She came as she was - sinful, broken, and weeping.She fell at your feet.She brought you her most precious possession.All that she had - an alabaster jar, filled with perfume.Broken from past sin, spilling all her future before you - she gave her all. Everything.The air brimmed with the fragrance of forgiveness.The spirit embraced her as a child of God, loved and accepted.Healed, restored, she found the light of hope in you. She found new transformed life. Lord, I come to you on bended knee.I sit … [Read more...]
The Search for It – Quote of the Week
Most of my life I've been in search of IT. And I thought IT came inside a big box with a bow on top carefully marked and labeled and numbered. I brushed away all the 'incidental' discoveries like cobwebs. But now everything counts. Now I search for traces of miracles, and I find them everywhere. Monique Duval (The Persistence of Yellow) … [Read more...]
Wise Lessons from a Four Year Old
I witnessed a wise lesson from a four-year-old last Sunday. Kyla, lower right corner, with friends making crafts My granddaughter, Kyla, celebrated her fourth birthday with a huge party. Both adults and kids attended. All the elements of a grand festivity took place: welcoming guests, playtime, craft, opening gifts, blowing out the candles while singing the traditional birthday song and lots of decorated cake. Everyday leading up to the party, if you would ask Kyla what she wanted, she only had one answer: a pink bike. I heard this multiple times. When I looked over the large pile of presents waiting for her, sure enough by the edge of the table was a large pink plastic wrapped gift. Kyla opened her presents, remembering most of the time to say thank you. About half way through the process, she turned to the large wrapped item, smiled and opened it. Pealing back the wrapping, a big garden set, complete with multiple tools appropriate for her age, awaited … [Read more...]
Good Choices vs. the Best Choices
How do we choose between the good choices vs the best choices? I read this quote the other day which got me thinking about this common dilemma. “The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best.” Oswald Chambers, Utmost for His Highest I can’t remember the last year I wasn’t reading Utmost for his Highest as a devotional. I sometimes miss days but at least four times a week, this is one book of wisdom I read in my morning time with God. Most mornings it is like reading his words for the first time and quite often they are just what I need to hear for this moment in time. Good Choices vs. the Best Choices The quote above by Chambers resonated with me. I highlighted it and reread it several times. Too often I choose something because it is good, not necessarily the right thing for me to do. Or I do the urgent items on my to do list instead of … [Read more...]
I Still Belong to You – Lectio Divina
Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.Psalm 73:23-28 (New Living Translation)I still belong to you –Though I neglect youI still belong to you –Though I forget youI still belong to you –Though I try to fill my life with worldly thingsI still belong to youThough my heart wandersI still belong to youThank you for being the God who clings to me no matter how I behaveLoves me no matter how I actForgives me no matter how I strayThank you Lord for never giving up on me and help me always remember thatI still belong to … [Read more...]
In the Desert – Quote of the Week
In the desert the most urgent thing is--to wait.The desert does not take kindly to those who tackle it at breakneck speed, subjecting it to their plans and deadlines.Instead, the desert welcomes those who shed their sandals of speed and walk slowly in their bare feet, letting them be caressed and burnt by the sand.If you have no ambition to conquer the desert, if you do not think you are in charge, if you can calmly wait for things to be done, then the desert will not consider you an intruder and will reveal its secrets to you.Allessandro Pronzato in Meditations on the Sand … [Read more...]
Spiritual Wisdom from a Six Foot, Three and Half Inch White Rabbit and the Gift of Imagination
Where do you find spiritual wisdom? I am a Jimmy Stewart fan. My favorite movie of all times is “It’s a Wonderful Life!” But another much loved one is Harvey. Harvey is a great black and white movie classic. Elwood P. Dowd’s best friend is a six-foot, three and half inch invisible white rabbit who accompanies him throughout his day helping him. It doesn’t take you long to fall in love with Elwood’s charming innocence. The movie also has some great spiritual lessons too: Spiritual Wisdom from Harvey Ponder these delightful quotes from Elwood: “Well, I’ve wrestled with reality for thirty-five years, Doctor, and I’m happy to state I finally won out over it.” “In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant.” “I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whoever I’m with.” “Harvey and I warm ourselves in these golden moments. We came as strangers - soon we have friends. They come over. They … [Read more...]
My Conditional Love and God’s Unconditional Love
A few years ago, as part of my work in spiritual formation, I helped to facilitate the education of a small group of people called to be spiritual directors. One book we used for discussion was Gerald May’s book Will and Spirit. This book fed my soul and mind in numerous ways, but one section in particular resonated in my heart concerning God's unconditional love. Understanding/Misunderstanding Unconditional Love Buried in the middle of May’s chapter on love, he lists ways we get confused about our understanding of love. One obstacle May writes is “expecting unconditional love from human beings” and the second one: “expecting conditional love from God.” Suddenly upon hearing those phrases, though among many, I sat alone with God. What does this mean, Lord? Why did those phrases so deeply touch my spirit? Expecting unconditional love from human beings will set us up for failure, anger, bitterness and discouragement. We just can’t do it as humans, yet I … [Read more...]