How do you create a consistent reading plan? Reading more books has been a yearly goal of mine for the past few years. And one I failed. Ok, maybe not a letter grade of "F" but certainly in the "C-" range. Yes I borrow books from the library.Yes I love buying books. Amazon addict here. And don't take me to a book store – I will disappear for hours.Yes I am always adding additional bookshelves. Yes I do love reading as it expands the mind, refreshes the heart and nourishes my soul. I have great intentions. I have twice declared on this blog my focus to read more (here is an example ) and yet my pile of unread books multiple each year like unsupervised bunnies. Even gathering dust as dust bunnies do. In 2019 I created a shelf in my office and selected some of the books that called out to my heart for reading. I read one. Failure. But I persist and am trying once again to read more this year, especially these unread ones summoning for attention and … [Read more...]
Honoring the Passage of Time – a Decade Review
Honoring the passage of time? How do we heed time on its swift journey? One moment it is January 7 and * blink * we are celebrating Christmas 2020. Time flies. Many psychologists will confirm that time really does zip by faster each year, Of course, time doesn't change its speed – each minute, second, moment is the same length as another. But mentally and maybe even spiritually, our perception tells us time zooms ahead at warp speeds. Reflection is a wonderful and effective spiritual practice for gently hitting the brakes and slowing life down a bit. Each December I reread my journal entries from the past year and write up highlights, key lessons, words and verses that resonated with my spirit and how I experienced God those 12 months. These yearly summaries capture time and help me honor the passage of time and the journey I am on. “People overestimate what can be done in one year, and underestimate what can be done in ten.”J.C.R. Licklider Besides a yearly … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Wisdom of Mr. Rogers
Wisdom appears in many places. I had a date with my hubby a few weeks ago. We were joined by a special person – Mr. Rogers. Our date comprised seeing the new Fred Rogers Movie – A Beautiful Day in the Neighbor with Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers. Yes a delightful time together. Yes, a great movie. Yes, I did indulge in buttery movie popcorn. And wow, what spiritual wisdom! Just think – Fred Rogers died in 2003, yet last year his story was told in a popular documentary and this year in an Oscar-worthy movie. His authenticity and legacy are powerful, lifegiving and encouraging in a bitter, angry world. We need Fred Rogers. We need to be more like him. The Spiritual Wisdom of Mr. Rogers Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and a journalist, this movie is a story about grace, forgiveness, and love. Our life story too. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood soothes people of all ages in this time and culture of anger, … [Read more...]
Monthly Musings – What I Learned in November
Monthly Musings. Wow, the end of the year is fast approaching. Ohio definitely looks like late fall/early winter now and most places are shining with Christmas lights. Time to reflect on the past 30 days – its lessons and growth edges for us. Each month I look back at what I am discovering, learning, and exploring in life – I call these my monthly musings. Capturing these special moments gives meaning, depth, and delight to life. Let’s wake up to the wonders in the ordinary all around us. I record what I notice on the pages of my Monthly Musings Journal. You can use anything, scrapes of papers, a journal, or a calendar. Copies of my Monthly Musings Journal are available on Amazon and are a convenient way to keep track of the little things in life we often miss. Or if you want to click the button at the end of this post to get a FREE copy of my one-sheet Monthly Musings handout. What I Learned in November How can I best respond in love? This is the question I am asking … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Practice of Being Curious
"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...]