"Be curious" This phrase was advised by a speaker I heard a few weeks ago in her talk about learning to observe ourselves – our behaviors, our patterns, our self – talk. "Don't be judgmental. We tend to criticize ourselves so easily. We get upset that we continue to do what we don't want to do. Overeat. Gossip. Allow self-doubt, fear, and disappointment to overtake our hearts. Don't judge yourself so harshly. Be curious, instead." The Spiritual Practice of Being Curious What a wonderful trait/skill to develop. I would rather respond with curiosity, then with shame and anger any day! Being curious allows us to be more objective in viewing our responses in our thinking, doing and feeling. Being curious shines the light on patterns and to give name to what we experience. Being curious gives us the space to step back to study, to learn and to ask questions. Being curious reveals options to our behavior and thoughts we never realized before. Being curious gives us … [Read more...]
Preparing Your Heart – Advent Devotional Resources
Christmas is fast approaching but first Advent. Advent Advent is the four weeks before the celebration of the birth of Jesus. December 1 is the first Sunday in this season this year and at our church, we will light the first of the four candles surrounding the white Christ candle. The candles symbolize joy, hope, peace, and love. This time before Christmas is a time of anticipation and waiting for the gift of this holy season. If we pay attention, God will surprise us with his presence. If we wait in stillness, we will find him in unexpected places like a manger in Bethlehem. “Advent, like its cousin Lent, is a season for prayer and reformation of our hearts. Since it comes at wintertime, fire is a fitting sign to help us celebrate Advent. If Christ is to come more fully into our lives this Christmas, if God is to become really incarnate for us, then fire will have to be present in our prayer. Our worship and devotion will have to stoke the kind of fire in our souls that can … [Read more...]
Finding Joy and Direction in Seasonal Rhythms
Seasonal rhythms erupted in northwest Ohio this past week. Trees ignited in reds, yellows, and oranges. We actually experienced several sunny days accentuating the fall colors. One season brilliantly illuminating the way into another sequence of time. Time changed a few weekends ago too – bringing darker mornings. Now we are transitioning from colors to drab. Yet I hold the promise of new life as bird nests once hidden suddenly appear. Read more here about my lessons about bird nests. I am not a fan of the gloomy winter days. I long for the joy found in the light and warmth of summer. But there is a comfort in living into the rhythms of each year. The discovery of each season's gifts. The understanding that there is a time of everything in life. A few weeks ago I heard a speaker say we really only deal with 2-4 main issues our entire lives. Like a spiral, we keep coming back to the same flaws, strengths, and desires over and over again but with a different perspective, … [Read more...]
Quotes to Stir and Stimulate your Heart
10 quotes to ponder. I do love quotes. I gather them and tuck them into my heart like a squirrel amassing acorns for the coming winter. I collect these nuggets of wisdom that feed my soul in times of hunger, discernment and seeking. Here are a few recent quotes I discovered and deposited into my heart: Prayer is sitting in silence until it silences us, choosing gratitude until we are grateful. Richard Rohr ****** Prayer pushes us through life's slumps, propels us over the humps and pulls us out of the dumps. Prayer is the oomph we need to get the answers we seek. Max Lucado ****** I serve. I do the dance I must. I plant trees, but I am not the doer of this work. I am the facilitator, the instrument—I am one part of the symphony. I know there is an overall scheme to this symphony that I cannot understand. In some way, we are each playing our own part. It is not for me to judge or criticize the life or work of another. All I know is that this is my dance. I would plant trees … [Read more...]
One More WOW Woman – Catherine Marshall
At my meeting last Tuesday night, I mentioned a wow woman who influenced me both in my younger years and continues yet today: Catherine Marshall. The women in the room never heard of her. Even an older woman stared at me blankly with no recognition of her name. I knew Catherine Marshall needed to be the next woman featured in this series. Who Was Catherine Marshall? Catherine lived from 1915 to 1983. In the 40's she married Peter Marshall who became the chaplain in the US Senate. They had one son, Peter Jr. Tragically her husband died of a heart attack and Catherine was left alone to raise their 9-year-old son. Soon afterward, Catherine began to write. She shared the story of her husband in the popular book titled A Man Called Peter and she published a collection of sermons by her husband. She ended up with more than 20 books to her credit. Her most famous work was the 1967 novel, Christy, inspired by her mother's journey into Appalachia to teach. Christie was made … [Read more...]
Another WOW Woman – Argula von Grumbach
Many stories about women in history are forgotten, hidden or never told. Learning about strong women who made a difference in their world inspires me and I want to tell their stories. Lately, I have uncovered more and more of these WOW women and thought I would share a bit of their lives with you over the next few weeks. Last week we met one and here is a new one today Enjoy the series. WOW Woman – Argula von Grumbach The chatter about what happened in town couldn't be stopped. Everyone in Ingolstadt, Germany heard about the trial of young Arsacius Seehofer and how the church had silenced him by exiling him 160 miles south to a Benedictine monastery. The year was 1523 and the German Catholic Church practice damage control of the rising Reformation movement. Two years before this, Martin Luther published a German translation of the Bible that was now, thanks to the new-fangled printer presses, a best seller. Arsacius spoke about these new beliefs at his university and the … [Read more...]
WOW Women You May Never Heard of Before
I love the background stories of strong women making a difference. Lately, I have discovered more and more of them and thought I would share a few of their lives with you over the next couple of weeks. Enjoy the series. Matushka Olga Michael Matushka Olga Michael lived in Alaska in the early 1900s. This WOW woman was an indigenous Alaskan of Yupik origin and born in1916. Her given name in Yup’ik is Arrsamquq, and Olga is her “church name”. She was one of the first in her tribe to be baptized as an infant. Her husband, Nikolai Michael, was the village postmaster and manager of the general store, who later was ordained a priest and subsequently was elevated to Archpriest. Their marriage was arranged and as the wife of the priest, she was frequently by herself to raise their eight children. On top of being a busy mother, Olga became known for her compassion for women who suffered abuse, especially sexual abuse – a taboo most people denied and never discussed. A woman ahead of … [Read more...]
How Creativity Connects with Wisdom
How is my exploration into creativity this year leading me deeper into wisdom? Wisdom, one of my three WWW's that frame 2019 for me, has been elusive to name, capture, and apply, but I am beginning to see her lessons appear in odd places. One of these hiding nooks is creativity. I write. I want to express a unique voice and with God's help, birth inspiring and innovative thoughts and ideas. A writer desires to create something new, yet often finds another writer wrote this before, better, and even more beautiful. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 Nothing new under the sun. I am discovering creativity often begins on rented land. An idea emerges, is nurtured by others, handed over to the next artist who adds his or her own spirit to its life. As I study creativity, I am reading interesting bits of wisdom from other artists about this process: "Everything that needs … [Read more...]