So where is your spirituality?

The post this a.m. is from Episcopal Relief and Development's Daily Meditations for Lent -

"You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?" Luke 12:56

"How can we tell when it's going to rain? How do we know what we know? From experience, mostly.*

Jesus was not contrasting worldly knowledge with spiritual knowledge to its disadvantage; he was merely pointing out that we will learn those things we consider important and will remain ignorant of the ones we don't care much about.

So where is your spirituality on your list of priorities? Is your conversation with God a thing you've made it your business to learn about by spending more time at it?"

Thanks for reading - enjoy your day!

*Photo - Experience has taught us that late February and early March often brings rain on Maui:)

Strayed from the path already?

Over at The Painted Prayerbook on March 4, Jan Richardson wrote a beautiful post regarding a Benedictine's life, along with commenting about Jesus' strong reaction to Peter imploring Jesus not to continue toward the danger Peter felt was inherent in Jesus' direction - "Get thee behind me Satan!"

My thoughts about Peter, poor Peter, such a familiar figure you are to me. Loving Jesus, attempting to follow him, and doing your best to be a good disciple and yet, Peter, you and I still unable to get it quite right.

The journey into Lent is under way and I'm doing relatively well in following the path to which I believe I'm called. Regrettably, my steps do wander and I find myself "somewhere" off the path, mentally scolding myself - (BTW those are not "my" hairy legs drifting off the path in the photo!) all the while knowing that there is NOT a magic formula for a successful Lenten journey and attempting to be grateful for the days that I've lived so far, I mean, who knows what a "successful Lenten journey" looks like anyway?

So, I thank Jan for her words about the Benedictines, about Peter’s weaknesses, about the possibility Jesus rebuked Peter so strongly in order to keep his own resolve intact. Keeping my own resolve intact was never so clear as when I began Lent with a desire to walk with Jesus. While disappointedly finding myself “lost” from the path sooner rather than later, I need to take a breath and step back on the path, all the while reminding myself of the grace that is there.

I pray your journey is going well and that your footsteps and mine stray less and less as the Lenten wilderness days are experienced.


Photo - "Off the path" by CP, Ohai Trail, Maui

Paradise - where is it?

The Hawaiian fantasy, respite, vacation, event - whatever I would like to call it is coming to an end in just a few more days.....I know, I know - in "just a few more days" is more than some people are ever even to imagine. I need to assure you that this time away has not been taken lightly, as an entitlement, as a reward. I have given thanks each day for the beauty of the land, for the freedom that is found in traveling to others' homes, to other states and to share what beauty some may even take for granted, while, by the way always remembering the wonderful home I have waiting for me at the end of this holiday.

I have been blessed with a wonderful mortal partner in this month's journey and I believe even a host of angels from above, below, around, beside me. Loving me, encouraging me to read, to rest, to exercise, to stretch, to write, to create, to share the creative gifts with which I have been endowed. I say this all confidently but I promise humbly as finding one's creative place on this planet has been a surprise and joy to me - truly a gift from my Creator.

If you follow my words on this blog, you will not be surprised with the quote that Mr. Merton has given me in the past few days and here it is ..............

“Here is an unspeakable secret: paradise is all around us and we do not understand.” *

During this solemn season of Lent, may I remember to honor and treasure this gift of life and whether I am on the soil and sands of Maui and Honolulu, HI, or on the soft and soon to be green grass and soil of Walla Walla, WA, may I treasure Mr. Merton's quote about paradise!

Where's your paradise? In your heart, in your home, in a faraway place? Maybe you know where it is, maybe you're still searching......it may be closer than you think.




From A Book of Hours, Thomas Merton, Editor Kathleen Deignan, Page 46

Souls - who has one?

With apologies to Riley and Andy, I encountered a cute little doggie this week on Maui who seemed, in these photos, to be contemplating his shadow......his soul? "Hey who are you, and why do you keep following me?"

"Hey, hey, stop movin' - I'm talkin' to you!"

Sweet animals we tame and call pets - they bring us joy, teach us patience, bring us tears and laughter, and give us unsurpassed love; lastly they wait and wait and wait until we decide we want them to pay attention to us! Now, don't you think a being of that nature has a soul? Or, o.k. it's a leap in Lent...........that pets in "their waiting for us" are a lot like God by our sides?

Think about it!

A Little Lenten Parable

(While on Maui)......fresh off of an exciting whale watching excursion and bolting for a land based women's room, I encountered a young mother and child entering a small public restroom. The mother turned to lock the door and I said, "Oh, excuse me - aren't there two stalls in there?" The mother immediately replied, "yes, of course" and allowed me to enter the space as well, I into one stall and the mother/child into the other one. As we got down to business in our own ways, the mother was impatient and rushed, telling the child not to touch things, to hurry up, and then to hold the mother's things as she needed to use the space as well to meet her own needs.

I heard the little girl ask, "why were you so nice to that lady and now not to me?" I realized then that I had unthinkingly pushed my way into a space provided for two persons when actually there were three of us. I was a bit desperate but in my hurriedness, I overlooked the fact that both mother and child were in need of the same thing I was. I answered back from my "space" - "your mom was nice to me because she could see how badly I needed to come in here." I could have just as well replied because your mom had compassion on me, but that seemed a bit of exaggerated language for such a little girl. Through my pop analysis of the situation I could have also said that your mom's not actually angry with you but with me and you are the "me" that she's being impatient with......but you know I sort of just left it alone instead of trying to act as Dr. Phil in a public toilet space!

As I was washing my hands, I reflected as to why we humans think it important to show compassion to a stranger, even if only in a bathroom situation, and then take our impatience and annoyance with the stranger out on a person very near and dear to our hearts? It wasn't a big deal but it was just one of those moments when I connected with treating others (especially those we love) as we would want to be treated ourselves. You might say it was a reminder moment, an aha moment, a learning opportunity, maybe even a parable?

Fear and Prayers

I pray for all haters and for their innocent victims that for reasons unknown to either, but to God alone, their hearts may be softened, their grievances forgotten.

Hatred's evil came sharply into focus as friends here in Hawaii were part of a group scheduled to speak in Honolulu to a state senate committee. The committee's purpose - to consider "the authorization of civil unions for same sex couples." My friends entering and exiting the building were met by hate-filled, well-organized pickets from church and anti-gay groups shouting vitriolic slurs at bill supporters.

A mob, turning like hyenas on any creature other than their own, is not a lovely image and raises these questions for me. Is a sense of freedom and peace, believing times have changed, people are different, we are civilized, a true picture of today's society in the USA? Do we possess freedom to select our own places to live, to worship, our own friends, our own life partners? Some of us would perhaps naively say yes, the hate-mongers - using Christianity as a cloak of righteousness - would say no! They do not believe in those freedoms and use the Holy Bible as proof of their God-given agenda to prevent those freedoms to anyone who goes against their version of "the truth!"

So the shadow of hatred and the light of forgiveness have been prominent in my prayers this week. Refusing to allow fear to dominate my thoughts, I've prayed every day for my friends and for the haters.

In my prayers and meditation over hatred and forgiveness, I have been somewhat encouraged and comforted by words of reconciliation from Erik Kolbell's, The God of Second Chances. "In a spirit of reconciliation, let us forgive old hurts and forget new slights." Further, the author's questions - "Is it possible to forgive others and still hold them accountable for their misdeeds? Can forgiveness be a liberating experience for the forgiver?"

I believe the author and I are in agreement on at least part of the answers.....Yes, I can forgive old hurts and believe that forgiveness is liberating for the one forgiving. I do not lightly consider that in forgiving and forgetting, I may open myself (and my friends) to further pain, aggression and humiliation. However, I believe those assaults may be borne by trusting in the love of God, and by rightfully keeping my fear of evil at a level to enable clear thinking and right judgment even in the face of hatred.

Can we forgive and remember without vengeance and proceed fearlessly with caution?" How would you answer that question?

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in your;
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
Psalm 25:1

Who is more little.....

Words from Thomas Merton, The Book of Hours for Dark - come back at night if you're not ready to read this now......

"Who is more little, who is more poor than the helpless who lies asleep in bed without awareness and without defense? Who is more trusting than he who must entrust himself each night to sleep? What is the reward of his trust? Gentleness comes to him when he is most helpless and awakens him, refreshed, beginning to be made whole. Love takes him by the hand, and opens to him the doors of another life, another day.

(But he who has defended himself, fought for himself in sickness, planned for himself, guarded himself, loved himself alone and watched over his own life all night, is killed at last by exhaustion. For him there is no newness. Everything is stale and old.)

When the helpless one awakens strong at the voice of mercy, it is as if Life his Sister, as if the Blessed Virgin, (his own flesh, his own sister), as if Nature made wise by God's Art and Incarnation were to stand over him and invite him with unutterable sweetness to be awake and to live."

I hope that you've enjoyed this piece from Mr. Merton.... May your nights be filled with restful peace and your awakening with the sense and knowledge of a new day's salvation. Walk with God, remember to honor Christ in the other, live your day in joy - Happy Sunday!

Photo - SS - Maui