July 4, 2009-May it be safe and happy for all

Lectio Divina - a faith tool

In Fall 2008 while attending a retreat centered on praying the hours, I purchased a book by Christine Valter Paintner and Lucy Wynkoop, entitled “Lectio Divina Contemplative Awakening and Awareness.” During a portion of the retreat, Ms. Valters Paintner led us through Lectio Divina exercises incorporating music, sacred icons, and Holy Scripture. Perhaps due to my current age and disposition as well as the skill of the leader, I found a new comfort with the discipline and have since used it purposely from time to time in my devotional practice.

This week as I opened the small book with which I’m accustomed to opening my personal prayer time, “A Diary of Private Prayer” by John Baillie, I was compelled to linger on the words of the prayer – captured by them. I felt the need to linger, to repeat, to study, to digest this prayer. A prayer I’ve read numerous times – in fact, every second day of the month for several years – strangely, I never left that prayer – it became the center for my worship. It said something different to me that I hadn't heard before – perhaps something that I especially needed to hear.

These are the opening words of that prayer – “O God my Creator and Redeemer, I may not go forth today except Thou dost accompany me with Thy blessing. Let not the vigor and freshness of the morning, or the glow of good health, or the present prosperity of my undertakings deceive me into a false reliance upon my own strength. All these good gifts have come to me from Thee. They were Thine to give and they are Thine also to curtail. They are not mine to keep; I do but hold them in trust; and only in continued dependence upon Thee, the Giver, can they be worthily enjoyed.”

There are several more paragraphs of the prayer but the point of this post is not so much the prayer but of the power of Lectio Divina and how the discipline of it seems to have pervaded not just my sacred reading, but my secular reading, writing, music and visual art experiences. Recently rereading and studying words and images that fell on my youthful ears and mind and meant little or nothing to me at first observance, I am now compelled to read again, discovering the same words fall on my mature ears rendering a completely different and very relevant result. The same Holy Scripture - stories of Jesus, the Jews, Herod, the woman at the well – they are the same familiar words but are now often so filled with power for me, I shake my head in disbelief at how I missed the message the first hundred times I read or heard the story. Being of faith but not of faith in the absolute literal dictation from God of Holy Scripture, I am awed with the power of it to teach and transform throughout my life, appropriate to the time and history of where I am in my faith journey. I am grateful for the knowledge of Lectio Divina and for the wisdom to apply it more and more often in my faith journey.

Have you experienced the discipline of Lectio Divina? Have you experienced the changing images that Holy Scripture brings to you in your life now as opposed to the first times you delved into it? Are you still surprised to see Holy Scripture evolving for you as your evolve in your own life as a person of faith?

Sensory recall - a gift

Image by Randy OHC via Flickr

Over at Lucy's site this week there was a post regarding being transported in time through memories, memories translated into joy and sometimes into unexpected exuberance when recalled. I highly recommend you visit her site for a read. I responded to the post about music having transported me in time as well, and I share my expanded thoughts of that transport here.

An album that I purchased and downloaded this year from ITunes is "Chant - Music for the Soul" by the Cistercian monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz. I knew I loved the music the first time I heard it but as I've played it again and again, I realized the why of my enchantment with "Chant."

The memories, brought to me by the Cistercian monks, are those of worship participation some years ago at a seminary in New York City. The music recalls the rich intonations and enhancement of strong, worshiping voices echoing back and forth across the chapel. The memory doesn't make me want to go back in time - just to remember and to feel that aura of a blessed moments there in worship.

The gift of memory is truly an amazing one and I don't take it for granted. Participating in worship in many places during my life, I feel blessed that some mornings as I make the bed or brew my decaf, I find music in my presence, in my mind; a hymn of unknown origin greeting me, simply, unconsciously. The memory of the last place I heard the music is not so important as the reminder that I'm receiving another gift besides just the tune. I'm receiving something holier and more blessed than perhaps my human mind can comprehend. I'm being reminded of worship some time, some place - either near or far - making me aware of the gift and of the spirit for which I yearn regularly. The gift and the spirit or there just for the asking, or the remembering, or just for the humming.

Do you speculate or consider right now your memory of blessed music, or a memorable sunset or site, to be a gift?......... or have you never thought about not having the memory of the music, the site? A blessing to have all. I try to remember that point regularly and Lucy's post reminded me of those blessings today. Did you need to be reminded also? Maybe?

Photo - General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church - The Good Shepherd Chapel - by Randy OHC via Flickr

"Life is a sacred adventure"

My life online is not excessive but it does exist. I have favorite bloggers that I read just for the pure joy of contact with them and for learning more about the world as seen through the eyes or words of those blogger friends. I also find it refreshing to be able to actually engage in a civilized conversation with friends or acquaintances of faiths other than my own and from time to time that sort of dialogue does happen.

Some would pooh, pooh this idea of blogger connection and consider it a frivolous waste of time, but as I've indicated in my first few words today, I treasure this time. Seldom do I spend more than a few minutes in reading but that I find God is right there on my computer sending me encouragement, refreshment, and reminders of Holy Existence in my life.

Stopping today at this site, one I visit occasionally and from which I've spent the last month experiencing words and ideas from a Quaker's point of view, I came upon these words:

"Life is a sacred adventure. Every day we encounter signs that point to the active presence of Spirit in the world around us. Spiritual literacy is the ability to read the signs written in the texts of our own experiences. Whether viewed as a gift from God or a skill to be cultivated, this facility enables us to discern and decipher a world full of meaning."

How can I doubt that this message was displayed for me to read? How can I fail to be reminded of my sacred adventure too often? Is it easy to miss the signs that point to the Holy Spirit in my life - well, yes, if I'm not looking or receiving I suppose the Holy Spirit could do anything, even strike me down, and I might not notice. Giving myself the opportunity to relate to others of faith online, and those without faith is a gift that I believe is heaven sent.

Do you ever find religious or seemingly God-sent messages online from blogger friends, from strangers, from completely out-of-the-blue resources? Ever think those messages may not be coincidental? Perhaps those messages were sent directly from the Heavenly Newsroom for your perusal, editing, enjoyment, or enlightenment - what do you think?


Photo - SS - part of my sacred adventure - the Grand Canyon

No limit on how close?

From Julia Cameron's book, Faith and Will, comes this scripture and reminder to me and maybe to you too-

"Proverbs 1:5 - Let the wise also hear and gain in learning. This scripture advises that no matter what level we have reached in our faith, there is always another level to which we can go. There is no limit on how close we can get to God."

It is so true that my faith and confidence in that faith can sometimes swell to perhaps just short of righteousness/arrogance? Conveniently and sometimes painfully, because the compassionate God to whom I worship is ever protective of my "over-confidence/conceit," I find She always has a way of putting out that stumbling block and saying "whoops" where is it you were going with that confidence?!

Have a great Sunday, worship some, play some, and let's be downright outrageously generous with our faith and thanksgiving! God will let us know if and when we over-do it!

Photo - Sunrise Sister - St. George Episcopal Church, Leadville, CO

The Dinner Party

Image via Wikipedia

And why is it that although I have a handle on entertaining guests in my home, I am occasionaly gripped with fear of failure? What if they can't come, or don't want to, or cancel at the last minute? What if I'm planning a recipe that is so far out of their eating comfort zone that it is rendered inedible? What if I've prepared it several times and my husband declares it is "definitely a winner - "company" food" as he calls it. Meaning that it is so delicious to him, why wouldn't everyone love it?

When was the last time I went to a very nice restaurant or even to someone's home and was totally disappointed with the food - why? Why not? It was too salty, it was too rich, it was too heavy - o.k., o.k., even the best chefs might have a bad night. But I mean in the scheme of things how off could I be? Even if they don't like it, they'll eat a little - although I wish they wouldn't if it's really bad. They'll wonder where I ever came up with such a recipe or maybe I didn't have one - oh, who knows? But, if they're friends, it won't really matter will it? We'll have a good time, we'll laugh, we'll tell crazy stories and maybe years from now we'll commiserate over that awful dish I served them years ago...............

Maybe I should paint the dining room red tomorrow a.m. - like in the photo - I used to have a red dining room and I only remember very good meals served in that venue......I am quite certain that my guests, as I would in their homes, are looking forward to fun, food, and conversation, with food really being the last on the list - I hope. (The damp red paint might signal desperation wouldn't it?)

And if nothing else can pull my head together on this subject - go for the religious - I mean Jesus was the definite and ultimate superior feast planner and although everyone attending remembered there was a menu, disciples then and now still only fixate on the bread and the wine and on the important conversation that happened during the meal. So there, that's it, I'm calm now - a good prayer always helps everything!

EVER feel like this?

Oh, and P.S. the recipe really is a winner - if the guests love it, maybe I'll share it on MindSieve.

Even one sparrow?

Image by jwinfred via Flickr

Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
31:So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

We had a small death in our backyard on Wednesday evening. I heard my spouse yell sharply - "RILEY!" .....and indeed our precious Westie, Riley, did drop the small baby sparrow that he had in his mouth but probably not prior to giving it an extra "squeeze" before the release. He is a dog after all bred as a hunter.......

The frightened, struggling sparrow was gently laid on a ledge and when I went out to inspect it, certain that I could verify the small creature was not to die but just frightened, it was making sound motions with its little beak but there were no sounds coming out. I suggested that we should place it in a nearby shaded flower urn because no matter what I wished for, the bird was dying and I couldn't bear that it was on a hard surface with no comfort around. Mercifully, as Steven picked up the little bird, it breathed its last. I choke on the lump in my throat as I tell you of this small innocent loss of a bird's life.

I know the lump of sorrow and mourning in my throat is real but I believe the lump is made up of more than this small bird's dying. I believe it may be due to the gruesome news coming from Tehran prefaced by the CNN News reporter warning "what we're about to see contains graphic images." Graphic indeed, an innocent girl's bloody and senseless dying caught on a video phone clip. The helpless bystanders, me via the news being one of them, screaming internally and externally, why, why, why - life is so precious, life is so short, why, why, why must this world hate, hate, hate? How do young persons have the nerve to take their lives in their hands for democracy's promise of freedom? Do they not know how precious and short their lives are? Do they believe they will be protected because they are on the "right" side of an issue?

Or maybe it's the news that another "troop" or two of ours - would that be a child or friend, a human living being, that "troop" that was just killed today or the innocent bystanders blown up by a fanatic seeking his right to die in the world, or maybe it's the newspaper's report of a 24 year old walking brazenly armed into a high school gymnasium and killing a former coach of his in cold blood. I cry out again to the only entity that will possibly hear and know my anguish - I ask God, why, why, why?

Why do I cry? It's all so logical to me, the answer does not have to be in clearly spoken English words, the logic being, that mankind has been given the freedom to run this world of ours and even though God could intervene at any time and in any place, the sparrow, the precious girl, the "troop," the coach in his class space, die because one of us is in charge. The lump in my throat is for all the needless death and suffering in this world and the part of me stuck inside my throat asking why, why, why? How do we escape the sorrow, the hurt, the anguish of innocents betrayed and slaughtered? I don't think we do - we may yet be personally alive and breathing, but for Jesus' sake we do not escape the responsibility of needless death and dying. It sticks in my throat, does it stick in yours?

Why am I surprised?

Having been on the grand road trip (2800 + miles in the car) in the last couple of weeks, I tend to forget quickly how important my moments of prayer and meditation are to my everyday existence. ( No, I do not always take that time when I travel.) But upon returning to that habit, why am I so surprised that it's a comfort, it's a confidence builder, it's an important part of my life to recognize publicly, in private, that my soul yearns for connection with God; that my mind and creativity feed on the fragments of myth and reality that travel through my still mind in meditation.

I seldom miss church, even when traveling, so I have that community connection with God on the road, but along with a daily reminder of God's presence, I also miss my weekly spiritual formation group - a place to share openly "all fears and failures, even our joys and successes"* confidently knowing the group will embrace them without need for judgment nor rationalization.

Why am I surprised, indeed? Encouraging or convincing others of the importance of daily connection with God sometimes seems fruitless and to fall upon deaf ears. Perhaps someone will stumble across this post today and realize that they too might benefit from a daily connection with their Creator...........

*Renovare/A Spiritual Formation Workbook - words from Order of Meeting

Photo - SS - Angel's Gate, Grand Canyon Vista

Ordinary details in an ordinary day?

Image via Wikipedia

Ordinary Grooming - or not?

The bristles lie still, prickly, inanimate
The handle cool to the touch
Only an effort will bring it alive

The mane standing silly
So creative on its own
Who will notice the work of the brush

The attention of the mind

The determination of the spirit

The task of mere grooming tempting the coif to fullness

The same with the soul, I say
Still, bristly at times
Comfortable to just be

But how silly the soul at waste is
Yes, creatively picking at random its path
How does one nourish the starving soul

Feeling the call to mind and emotion
The scripture, the devout silence, the longing
Gently coax the soul to attention

The curious, the called, hesitantly responding to the breath of holiness
Attention, action, hunger, fullness
Like the coif, what a joy the fed and groomed soul

Photo - Medieval Coif - Wikipedia

Ordinary Life - is it?

From Thomas Moore's Care of the Soul I read the following this a.m..........

In ordinary life, creativity means making something for the soul out of every experience. Sometimes we can shape experience into meaningfulness playfully and inventively. At other times, simply holding experience in memory and in reflection allows it to incubate and reveal some of its imagination.

Reflecting on these words, I find that making "something for the soul out of every experience" would seem a daunting task for me. However, the second part of the statement that "holding experience in memory, etc." puts a wonderful, roomy gloss on the possibility of expanding precious moments (and even the not so precious) into a space of infinite exploration and restoration. My painting, writing, prayers, study, home work, exercise, time for family and friends - these things do all bring joy into my life, thereby I think, enriching my soul through what I would normally see as common everyday happenings.

So the question for me is, and maybe for you, do the ordinary things I choose to make happen in my life enrich my soul in the doing or does my soul enrich the quality of my day to day choices? What do you think?