May 5 is the National Day of Prayer. Its mission is to mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture.Many communities will host local celebrations and ecumenical services praying together for peace, guidance, and wisdom to live in today’s world.Ever think how we learn to pray reflects how humans learn language?First others speak for us, modeling the words so our brains and mouths can begin to comprehend how to work.Then we learn prayers written by others and possibly recited down throughout history: Now I lay me down to sleep, the Lord’s Prayer and a favorite grace to say at dinner time.Then we venture out on our own, trying to tell God what we want and what we think we need. “Me-me-me. It’s mine,” says the toddler. Or “Life’s not fair and I want it now,” says the teen.Later we learn to say please and thank you with prayers of gratitude and praise.Do we ever fully learn to surrender all of our hopes and dreams and release them into … [Read more...]
God’s Response
My world changed on June 5 2009. Kyla Eve Rummel was born, my first grandchild. I wrote on this blog shortly after that grand day:Did you hear it? That loud whooshing noise last Friday, June 5th?At the exact moment of my new granddaughter’s birth, with her first intake of air, Kyla Eve stole my heart. Love for this new child swiftly gushed into my core and changed me forever.Whoosh! Love exploded triggering a chain reaction. Every instinct inside me wants to protect her, love her, and see her daily.Whoosh! My arms ache to hold her, to touch her.I watch her now as a toddler, exploring the world, learning new words, and embracing each moment as newly discovered treasure. You may have read in one of my past blogs how I got my grandma name, Amma.On the silent retreat I attended last week, I read Robert Wick’s book, Crossing the Desert. In this book Wicks tells about the ancient desert fathers and mothers in the 4th century who provided guidance on how to live. The book companioned me on … [Read more...]
God’s First Temples: Trees: Quote of the Week
A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease. Every hidden cell is throbbing with music and life, every fiber thrilling like harp strings, while incense is ever flowing from the balsam bells and leaves. No wonder the hills and groves were God's first temples, and the more they are cut down and hewn into cathedrals and churches, the farther off and dimmer seems the Lord himself. ~John Muir … [Read more...]
Spiritual Lessons from Trees – Arbor Day
April 29th is Arbor Day – a celebration that encourages appreciations and the ongoing care of trees. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872, it's celebrated on the last Friday in April. I love looking at trees. Currently in Ohio they are bursting with spring green colors. Even their trunks have personality - with ridges and grooves shouting out their individuality. I love their silhouettes in winter, gently holding empty bird nests as symbols of hope and new life to come. See my post on this here: Trees are symbolic of so much of our spirituality: Being deeply rooted in God. Anchored in His love, we sway in the winds of change and storms of life. One of my current verses I am memorizing this year is:Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17 (New Living Translation)God must really love trees – the world is full of them and so is the Bible from the garden of Eden to the Cross where … [Read more...]
God Knows Our Name – A Resurrection Story
I spent part of Easter afternoon rereading the accounts of Easter and Jesus’ resurrection.One of my favorite stories is the encounter of Mary Magdalene with the risen Christ. “‘Woman,’ he said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away,tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’” (John 20:15-16a)I think one of greatest fears is being unknown and just think God, who created the entire universe and Jesus, who came to earth to be close to us, to die for us – knows our name. What intimacy! The sound of our names spoken from the lips of our Savior is the nearness that opens our eyes, dries our tears, and mends our devastated hearts. Jesus knows us so well, our names are carved in the palms of His hands. He draws us so close that we can hear the heartbeat of His love. Ron Rolheiser has a powerful reflection of these Bible verses on You Tube, titled “What are you looking … [Read more...]
Easter Morning
Good Friday Quote
Ponder today what God has done for us:Good Friday is the mirror held up by Jesus so that we can see ourselves in all our stark reality, and then it turns us to that cross and to his eyes and we hear these words, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." That's us! And so we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. We see in that cross a love so amazing so divine that it loves us even when we turn away from it, or spurn it, or crucify it. There is no faith in Jesus without understanding that on the cross we see into the heart of God and find it filled with mercy for the sinner whoever he or she may be. Robert G. Trache "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son."- John 3:16 … [Read more...]
Holy Week Thoughts – Keeping My Eyes on the Big Picture
“Keep your eyes on the big picture,” was the advice I heard a pastor say this week. I needed that reminder.This has NOT been a pleasant week for me. When the life gets complicated, schedules and plans shred apart, and too many commitments spill out from my too little time, my survivor mode kicks in. I withdraw into self-pity, self-centeredness, and lots of whiny “why me” self-talk.Not the way I really want to live and to be honest I don’t think the way God wants us to live either. I cling to my self-centeredness instead of dwelling in Christ-centeredness.My episode of feeling sorry for myself pales in comparison to what Jesus suffered the week before His crucifixion. His threshold point in the Garden, giving up His will into God’s hands, reminds me that Jesus too kept His eyes on the big picture.Jesus didn’t hang onto self-pity; He clung to Love.Jesus said not my will, but God’s.Jesus knew to keep His eyes on the big picture - God.God is the big picture. With God’s perspective, we … [Read more...]