Prayer opened the door of my heart during my recent retreat. I was surrounded and supportive with prayers from others from their own life journeys and prayers that bubbled up within me as I spent time with God.I am home now following this two-week retreat on the “Art of Guiding Individually Directed Retreats.” The setting was at the lovely St. Francis Retreat Center in Michigan and sponsored by the Dominican Center at Marywood. Our retreat leader was Sister Nancy Brousseau, my mentor and spiritual guide through my formation as a spiritual director. Nancy always invites us to go deeper, to let go and plunge into God. Knowing that should have prepared me for two weeks of not just learning with my head, but coming home with a new heart.I wanted to write a post today detailing the retreat about what I experienced and still am encountering with God. But I am lost to find the words to describe the intimacy and sacredness of these ongoing blessings.Instead I will share with you some of … [Read more...]
Bearing Fruit in Old Age – Lectio Divina
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;planted in the house of the Lord,they will flourish in the courts of our God.They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him. ”Psalm 92:12-15They will still bear fruit in old ageShe died over a year ago, Lord, just shy of her 100thbirthday.She may be gone, but her fragrance still lingers in my heart.She still teaches me, Lord.Teaches me to smile at each day.To plant flowers.To keep moving.To think and pray for others.She still bears fruit here, though she is with You.She bore much fruit in her old age.Lord, I have no idea how much longer I will walk here on earth.Illness, accident, or sudden life changing transitions may abruptly veer me off path.But I am Yours.I don’t want to rot on the vine, Lord.Sprinkle Your spirit upon me and nourish my roots so I bear fruit now and into my old age.May I give … [Read more...]
A Prayer – Martin Luther – Quote of the Week
FAITH (Photo credit: cacigar)Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it.I am weak in the faith; strengthen me.I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor.I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether. O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in you.In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have.I am poor; you are rich and came to be merciful to the poor.I am a sinner; you are upright.With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness.Therefore I will will remain with you, of whom I can receive, but to whom I may not give.Amen.Martin Luther … [Read more...]
Be a Cloud Chaser – Looking Beyond
This is the last post about what I am learning about being a cloud chaser. I hope you have enjoyed pondering the clouds with me. I appreciate your comments and insights.Meteorologists tell us that every cloud contains a weather message. God sculpts all types of clouds as messengers of hope from Him to help us weather the storms in life.Join me: Become a child once again and capture the wonder as a cloud chaser. God’s canvas shows us surprises every day if we just take the time to look up, look inward, and look beyond our ordinary day-to-day drudgery.Earth from space, Apollo 17 mission. Credit NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Scientific Visualization Studio. Source: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a002600/a002681/index.htmlLooking BeyondCloud chasing reminds us to look beyond our momentary problems and negative emotions. We find hope in knowing the sun does still shine on days when can’t see its light.Looking beyond into the Beyond helps me to focus more on God and less on the … [Read more...]
Be A Cloud Chaser – Looking Inward
This is a 4th of 5 posts about what I am learning about being a cloud chaser. The last one will be on Thursday. I appreciate your comments and insights.Meteorologists tell us that every cloud contains a weather message. God sculpts all types of clouds as messengers of hope from Him to help us weather the storms in life.Join me: Become a child once again and capture the wonder as a cloud chaser. God’s canvas shows us surprises every day if we just take the time to look up, look inward, and look beyond our ordinary day-to-day drudgery.Looking InwardI look outward too much. I look to others to prove my self worth. I see what others have and what they accomplish and I struggle with discontent. I fill my emptiness with temporary pleasures of the world, such as food and shopping. Cloud chasing invites us to look inward and to indentify what is churning within our hearts. As I write this post, it is overcast outside – one continuous grey cloud. I assume most of you have been in an airplane. … [Read more...]
I Wait for the Lord with My Whole Being
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,and in his word I put my hope.Psalm 130:5I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits.I sit at Your feet, Lord and wait.But I don’t always wait with all of me.My mind races out of the room and into the chaotic streets of the future worrying, fussing, and imagining all the things that could go wrong.Bring my mind back to Your calm waiting, Lord.My heart is also on its own journey - wandering lost, seeking the answers in other directions.Rescue my heart like You carry the lost sheep and bring it back into Your safe fold.My fingers fidget with anxiety and my feet squirm with restlessness – part of me thinking, doubting that You will ever respond.I long for the stroke of your peaceful hands upon my hands and soothing touch to my weary legs.My eyes look out the windows instead of staying focused on Your eyes.I hear my voice complaining and whining.Waiting is so hard, Lord.Thank you for this scriptural reminder to wait with my whole being.To bring all … [Read more...]
A Relationship with Abba – Quote of the Week
"I want neither a terrorist spirituality that keeps me in a perpetual state of fright about being in right relationship with my heavenly Father nor a sappy spirituality that portrays God as such a benign teddy bear that there is no aberrant behavior or desire of mine that he will not condone. I want a relationship with the Abba of Jesus, who is infinitely compassionate with my brokenness and at the same time an awesome, incomprehensible, and unwieldy Mystery. " — Brennan Manning … [Read more...]
Be a Cloud Chaser – Looking Up
This is a third post of what I am learning about being a cloud chaser.Meteorologists tell us that every cloud contains a weather message. God sculpts all types of clouds as messengers of hope from Him to help us weather the storms in life.I have been exploring clouds for a possible book proposal and want to share with you over a series of posts some of the lessons I have discovered by becoming a Cloud Chaser. Join me: Become a child once again and capture the wonder as a cloud chaser. God’s canvas shows us surprises every day if we just take the time to look up, look inward, and look beyond our ordinary day-to-day drudgery.Looking up Cloud chasing involves looking up, a physical act of raising the chin which alone may be enough to life the spirit and provides a momentary pause by focusing on new possibilities instead of our problems.Here are lessons I am pondering when I look upward: 1. Clouds have been called “Billboards of Coming Attractions.” How do clouds forewarn us of … [Read more...]