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

A Visual Prayer - The Light that Darkness Could Not Overcome

The Day by Victo Ngai

I spent some time with this piece of art today, and I could not help but thinking--(Jesus) the Light that darkness could not overcome…  In these dark days, when the sun has already set by dinnertime, I feel like I need that assurance more than ever.

Listening Prayer - Libera - Deep Peace

My New Favorite Definition of Prayer

Prayer is not about trying to get God to listen to us.  

Nor is it about trying to make God 

spend more time with us.  

Prayer is about sharpening our awareness of God 

who is already in us and around us, 

present in every moment and every activity of the day.  
…
Prayer is not about

finding the right words to say to God, 
it is about

becoming alive to the loving presence of God 

in each and every moment.

It is about waking up to the fact that

the love of God shines through every act,

every object and every situation.

Returning to Our Senses: Imagining How We Pray
by Christine Sine

I just downloaded the sample version of this book on my iPad.  After reading only a couple of pages, I knew it was a book that I wanted to add to my paper and ink library.  I am eagerly waiting its arrival in the mail.  I am sure you will see more posts about the book on this blog.

A Blessing for the Senses

Visual Prayer Using Orthodox Icons

Above is the oldest known icon of Christ (Christ Pantocrator).

6th Century

Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mt. Sinai, Egypt

"One of the odd things that has happened to prayer in much of Western Christianity — in some churches with the Reformation, in others more recently — has been the drastic erosion of the physical dimension of spiritual life.  Prayer has become mainly an activity of the head.  Many of us have become like birds trying to fly with one wing. Icons can help us grow back the missing wing, the physical aspect of prayer."  Praying with Icons from the Eastern Orthodox Tradition by Jim Forest

Using Our Sense of Touch as A Tool for Prayer

As a Christian, I often struggle with staying focused when I pray. My mind seems to easily wander until I find myself thinking about things I have to do, things I want to do, things in the past, etc.  I must also confess that, if I am tired, I even fall asleep.  Many other Christians I talk to confess to the same experiences.  At times, our minds seem to have minds of their own.

For centuries, Christians have used prayer beads to engage the body, mind, and spirit in prayer.  Prayer beads hold no magical powers; they are simply tools to help us focus our mind toward God.  

As we move our fingers over the beads as we pray, we activate our sense of touch.  This act helps us retain our focus on prayer and, if our mind wanders, it helps remind us of our intention to pray.

A Visual Prayer - In the Shadow of Your Wings

In the Shadow of Your Wings

by Daniel Gerhartz

Daniel Gerhartz a renowned Wisconsin artist.

John Michael Talbot - Healer Of My Soul

Last night I have the privilege of hearing John Michael Talbot live.  His music has been inspirational to me since I was in high school.  (That is over thirty years ago.  Oh my!)  I invite you to click on the arrow in the link below, close your eyes, and pray along.



Healer of my soul

Keep me at even'
Keep me at morning
Keep me at noon
Healer of my soul

Keeper of my soul
On rough course faring
Help and safeguard my means this night
Keeper of my soul

I am tired, astray, and stumbling
Shield my soul from the snare of sin

Healer of my soul
Heal me at even'
Heal me at morning
Heal me at noon
Healer of my soul

http://www.justsomelyrics.com/567324/john-michael-talbot-healer-of-my-soul-lyrics.html

What is Prayer?

As I have been looking for a quote or bible verse to add to the title of this blog about prayer, I am having trouble choosing just one.  Many have written and talked about what prayer is in beautiful and meaningful ways.  However, none that I have found see to be broad enough to encompass everything.

There is a quote from Billy Graham that says:

Prayer is simply a two-way conversation with you and God.

I like that quote.  The only thing that it excludes for me is when I have experienced a connection with God, that I cannot express with words.  Does a conversation need to include words?  Maybe not.  Animals converse with each other, but not in the same language we speak.

The word that comes to me instead of "conversation" is "connection."  But, I must acknowledge that a connection could be one-sided, which leaves the word "connection" lacking as well.

Aha.   Maybe a better word would be "communication."  Yet, that does not sound very personal.

Conclusion:  Billy Graham is a wise man.

Welcome to My Journey

I have researched experienced how God's gift of touch can help me stay focussed in prayer, through the use of prayer beads. 

Another ancient visual prayer form that has interested me is the Orthodox practice of praying with icons.   Music has always been a meaningful way for me to pray.   Just recently, I have experienced how essential oils can be used as tools for prayer as well.

With that, I have decided that it is time to make a commitment to explore other tools for prayer that use our senses--God's gift to us of the 5 senses. 

Here is where I will share my journey.