Slowing Down and Yielding to the Beautiful

I noticed the daylilies were in bloom this morning.  While googling "daylilies" because it is highlighted as misspelled in this post, I realized that they are edible.  That means that all three of these yellow flowers in my gardens are edible.  Kinda cool.

The Elizabeth Gilbert quote I included in the graphic I just found, and I love it!  It seemed to fit perfectly with my thoughts, as I yielded to absorb the beauty of the blooming yellows I found.

Chalk House Blessing

When I read about the Epiphany Chalk House Blessing on the Liturgy blog, I wanted to do it with our own home.  The only problems were that we only have a sliver of trim above our front door.  (The top of the door is basically next to the ceiling.)  The other problem was that we do not have any brick on our house like is shown in the picture on the Liturgy blog post.  So, the question was, “Where would I put it?”

Then, I remembered the framed chalkboard I had, and I realized there was no reason why I could not hang it outside.  Click on the Epiphany Chalk House Blessing link above to find out more about this meaningful practice.

(I know that it is past Epiphany, but I decided that did not really matter.  Next year, I will be ready.)

God’s Blessings to your Hearts and Homes this New Year!

Christine

Creative Prayer Journal - Our Loved Ones in Heaven, Pray for Us

Putzing and praying around the house this morning, I felt the urge to sit down and create this.  I have not done very much with my prayer/art journal, but having a visual of what I ways pondering and praying was very helpful to me.

I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the needs for prayer right now.  Thinking of all of those who I know are praying too, brings me comfort.  Then, the idea occurred to me that there are some special people I love in heaven that I can ask to help pray came to me.

Maura, Mary, Grandpa Luthard, Grandma Ada, Grandma Sophia, and Loretta - pray for us.  Amen.

The Spiritual Discipline of Wonder

Beauty and the Five Senses from Three Bridges West on Vimeo.

The Next Best Thing to Being Next to the Ocean - YouTube and Google Chrome

For Christmas last year, our son and his family gave us a Google Chrome device.  Basically, it is a small thing that you plug into your TV so you can watch things from your computer on the TV screen.  We have used it with Netflix to watch movies, but yesterday I had the idea of putting up an ocean video from YouTube.

That may sound really corny, but it is amazing how just sitting, watching, and listening to a video can be a prayer practice.  The real ocean would be much better, but when that is not possible, a video can be the next best thing.

The weather here has been cool for this time of year and rainy.  The forecast this week calls for rain every day.  I like rain, but I am feeling the need for a little sunshine and warmth too.  Imagining being on a beach helps.  Meditation and prayer also helps calm my anxiousness.  There is something about the movement of the tide washing ashore that assures me of God's steady and non-ending love.  No matter how I feel, and no matter what the weather is like, I can rest in the presence of my Lord and Savior.


Here are some YouTube links for videos of nature and water:
The Shore Shown Above
Watching the Ocean from Above a Rocky Shore
Tropical Beach
Woodland Stream
Woodland Waterfall

What Keeps Me From God?

I always consider Lent a time to reassess my relationship with God.  It is a time of new beginnings for me.  It is a time when, as the Benedictines say "Always, we begin again."  (However, with the Benedictine Rule, that is a saying that applies to every moment of life.)

Sometimes I feel that I am asking God to forgive me for the same things over and over again.  Sometimes I even decide that I am going to give up and not even ask.  I am sick of myself, and I figure that God must be sick of me too.

Reading this book, The Willpower Instinct, has helped me look at my unwanted ways in a new light.  By understanding how and why my brain says and responds to the statements--"I will," "I won't," and "I want"--I am better able to see how I can control my temptations.

As I mentioned in my last post, listening to an audio book has presented me with a few challenges in itself.  I realize that I am most definitely a visual learner.  Listening is really a challenge to me!

At first, I tried to scribble down a few messy notes while listening and walking on the treadmill.  I soon realized that why I was writing something down, I was missing what was being said next.  My penmanship was also lacking.  (It is hard to write when you are walking.)

I know that I am missing things by choosing to listen to the book in the audio format on the treadmill, but I know that I am not only exercising my body.  I am exercising the audio portion of my brain, which needs some help.  After I finish the book in the audio format, I plan to read it as well.

A Lenten Devotion Using a Non-Religious Audio Book Focussed on Willpower?

For some, this choice for a Lenten devotional might seem very unorthodox and even sac-religious.  There are no bible verses to refer to.  (At least, I have not heard any yet.)  There is not even any mention of God.  (Accept for one mention that some might consider epithetical.)  So, why would I even call it a devotion for a Christian Liturgical Season of the year--namely Lent?

When I started listening to this book, I did not consider it a Lenten devotion even thought I started it yesterday, which was Ash Wednesday.  However, when I read a devotion today that I receive daily via email from the Upper Room, I began to look at the book a bit differently.

The email talked about taking on something vs. giving up something for Lent.  It talked about taking on something that brings restoration and direction in preparation for Easter.  This book was not on the list of suggested options in the email, nor was it even close.  But, it is certainly something that I am taking on that will give my mental and physical health restoration and direction.  If we believe (as I do) that our physical and mental health can definitely affect our spiritual health, the idea of using this book for a Lenten devotional might not seem so far out.

During my yearly physical (the day before Ash Wednesday this year), my doctor mentioned he was listening to in an audio version of the book My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind.  I had heard the author interviewed about the book on NPR a bit ago, but I had forgotten about it.  I was also interested because I had thought about getting a book on tape to motivate me to walk or get on the treadmill.

When I got home, I looked up the book My Age of Anxiety on Amazon and noticed that this other book had quite a few stars.  The title of the other book was: The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It.  It is written by a Stanford professor and he has also offered the contents as a class.  Reading the overview, I decided it was a book I wanted to read or hear, for that matter, so I signed myself up for a free one month trial of Audible and and received my free audio copy of the book.  (You get two free books, so I also downloaded My Age of Anxiety to listen to later.)  It took me a bit to figure out how I could listen to the book, as it did not seem to work on my iPad.  However, it does work on my iPod.

One of the first things I noticed when I started listening to the book is that I have no way to see how much is left of a chapter, which makes it a little lesson in letting go of control.  The other thing that is interesting is walking on the treadmill listening to an audio book that talks things in your body that you are currently experiencing, like exercise for instance.  (Note that the book is about much more than exercise.)

Another interesting thing I found is that I actually stayed on the treadmill longer than I planned because I wanted to hear the whole chapter.  Hmm…I can see it will be an "interesting" journey for me this Lenten Season.  I think God is going to be teaching me in a very different way.

A Photograph Prayer

A Facebook friend of mine shared this post from The Episcopal Church page today.  I loved not only the words of the prayer, but how the photograph seemed to speak the same words.

Prayer Stones

I am creating a little pile of prayer stones in the window above my kitchen sink.  So many times I intend to pray for someone, but I simply forget.  On each of the rocks, I am going to write the name of someone I want to pray for.  As I stand in front of my kitchen sink at some point every day, I thought it was a good place to put them.

Another thought I have had is to carry around one of the stones in my pocket if I want to keep someone specially close in prayer.

It is very possible that the window ledge will get full.  In that case, I will transfer them to a bowl or basket.

My Word for 2014 - Adoration

For the last couple of years, I have chosen a word to ponder and focus on for the new year.  As I was looking at the faces of the angels in the painting--Adoration of the Christ Child by Carl Marr--that I posted yesterday, I decided that what I was seeing in those earnest little faces was not wanting but adoration.  They were not looking for something to happen, they were adoring what was right in front of them.

Therefore, I decided that my word for 2014 is "Adoration."

I invite you to choose a word for the new year as well.  As Christine Valters Paintner would say, it is often the word that chooses you.

(I would also highly recommend following Christine's blog--
Abbey of the Arts.)

Eagerly Wanting to Adore Christ

Closeup Detail from Adoring the Christ Child by Carl Von Marr

Over Advent I thought about what it would really mean if I waited with earnest for Christ to come.  Have I become complacent?  Do I even believe it will really happen?  Have I simply given up waiting?

Now, during Christmas, I am pondering what it would feel like to experience the awe of the second coming of Christ.  Can I even wrap my mind around it?  Do I dare dream about it--expect it?  Do I dare stretch on my tiptoes to eagerly watch for it?

"Want" and "expectation" have become negative words to many who have developed the practice of mindfulness in their lives.  Is there a place for them?  How does "want" differ from "hope"?

Digital Liturgy of the Hours App for Smart Phones and Tablets

Today I noticed that the Divine Office Facebook page was still offering 25% off their Liturgy of the Hours App.

For those who are not familiar with the practice of praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Wikipedia has a helpful overview.  

Help Me to Spread Thy Fragrance, Dear Jesus

www.americancatholic.org

Waiting for the Coming of the Messiah - Waiting for the Messiah to Come Again

On this dreary day, with the rain and temperatures falling, I am finding that sometimes a little candlelight during the day time can be just as special as candlelight at night.

I am glad I can light the Advent wreath any time of the day, and I do not have to wait until the evening to light the menorah.

Come, Lord Jesus

Advent - A Season of Longing and Desire

After my post last night, I have been pondering the connection I feel with longing and desire this Advent.  When I was a child, that longing and desire was displayed through circling all my favorite things in the Sears Christmas Catalog in hopes that my parents would buy them for me for Christmas gifts.  As I grew up, I felt that kind of wanting was childish and selfish, so I tried to burry it.

This year I am not longing for a list of material things, but I still feel that sense of wanting something.  And I want to feel it even more.  I never associated this song with Advent, yet it speaks to those deep embers of desire I want to turn into a flame 'Til all that I want All I desire is You - All that I need All that I require is You - Consume me.

A Christian Menorah: The Fifth Night

Tonight is the fifth night of Chanukah and today is also the beginning of the Advent Season.  I do have an Advent wreath, but after lighting the menorah after sundown for five nights, I can see something that often gets missed with the Advent wreath tradition.  The Advent wreath can be lit anytime of the day or night, but there is something special about candlelight after dark.

As someone who is not particular fond of all of the darkness we have here in the Northern Hemisphere right now, I long for daylight.  That is probably why one of my favorite bible verse this time of year is the following:

The light shines in the darkness, 
and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5

May I long for Christ as much as I long for daylight.  Amen

A Christian Menorah: The Fourth Night

My previous post sent me looking up the words "Shabbat Candle."  I knew "Shabbat" meant Sabbath, but I did not know about the tradition of lighting the Sabbath Candle every week.  (This is separate from Chanukah.)

Apparently, the timing of the lighting the Shabbat candle is very important.  There are even websites dedicated to stating the proper time depending on where you are on a specific date anywhere in the world.  The proper time is eighteen minutes before sundown on Friday night.  Once the Shabbat candles are lit, the Sabbath begins, and it does not end until sundown the following day.

There is much more to the tradition, and it is quite meaningful.  So, I will definitely write more about it in the future.

Until then, I found this article particularly enlightening - Shabbat Candles: Shedding light on the day of rest.

A Christian Menorah: The Third Night

I am cheating a bit tonight and posting my intended post for last night tonight.

The center candle on the menorah is called the Shamash candle.  It is the first candle lit, and the one that lights all of the other eight Chanukah candles.  (Note: This is not really possible to do with votive candles, so I had to improvise.  Now I know why traditional menorahs use taper candles.)

Shamash and Shabbat candles are two different things.  However, because the Sabbath began yesterday and it was also Chanukah, people of Jewish faith lit candles for more than one ceremonial tradition.

This was one of the posts from Chabad.org yesterday, which I follow on Facebook:

Shabbat candles are lit inside our home.  By contrast Chanukah's candles have to light up the darkness of light, into the street. 

Shabbat candles bring light within, but the Chanukah lights go further, also transforming the darkness outside.

May Christ be our Shabbat candle that burns inside us.  And may we bring light to everyone we meet.

Amen.

A Christian Menorah: The Second Night

Does anyone else have a favorite musical version of a Psalm?  I do.  And unfortunately, when I try to find another one to take its place, nothing seems right.  The Lord is my Light and My Salvation (Psalm 27) by Gary Miles is like no other to me.

I found an MP3 version, but it is only a very short sample.  It does not even include my favorite parts.  Still, it is the link I have decided to post for tonight.  Maybe you have another favorite version.  If you do, please post a link.

www.communityofcelebration.com/zen-cart/media/The_Lord_is_my_light_and_my_salvation.mp3

A Christian Menorah: The First Night

For the last couple of years, I have had a desire to follow the Jewish celebration of Chanukah by lighting a Menorah.  I am new to the practice, so I had to do a little reading on the tradition.

One thing that I thought was interesting and significant with the songs that have been going through my mind tonight is that a menorah is lit from right to left, like one reads Hebrew.  However, when a menorah is placed in a window, it should be lit for whoever is outside.  That means it is left to right from the inside.

That is meaningful to me as I think about, and pray for all those outside my house at the moment.  As Chanukah coincides with Thanksgiving this year, I remember and pray for all those in need and at the same time thank God for all I have been given.

Above is a list of the songs that I have found meaningful this first night.  Below are a couple links to a website that I found helpful.
www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Winter_Holidays/Chanukah/chanukah.html
www.hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Holiday_Blessings/Chanukah_Blessings/chanukah_blessings.html