Over the past nine weeks I have been exploring what it means to engage in creative prayer and I have learned more than I thought I would. If you'd like to see more specifics, check out my previous posts. In general though, I have learned that prayer looks so much different than I ever knew it could.
Prayer seems to spring up within us if we can only quiet our minds, it does not need to be forced or follow any given format. Growing up I learned that prayer was kind of like a letter, it has an introduction, it has a middle and it has an end. Of course the introduction is your invocation or calling on of God's name and your end is the "Amen". The body of the prayer is come combination of thanking God and asking for God to interceede on both your behalf and the behalf of others. This form of prayer is most commonly found throughout our church services and in our small groups and yet this is only one kind of prayer among a limitless number of ways to pray.
What I found the most amazing was that when I was able to get out of my own way. When I was able to let go of how I thought I "should" pray or what I "should be praying for" and simply spent some quiet time with God that my prayers seemed to bubble up to the surface. What was even more amazing to me than this was the depth that my prayers had. It was as though I was finally listening to something deeper than the immediate fleeting thoughts that consume my day. It was as though I was able to hear my own deep yearnings and desires that I normally do not let into the light of the day. I was able to hear God speaking in my life. And I was able to hear and see those around me and their deep joys and needs.
It's pretty amazing; you stop thinking and worrying about what you should be praying for and your actually opened up and able to see the things that need prayer. There is a simplicity to it and yet it is so incredibly difficult to get to that place of deep listening.
Over these past few weeks I have learned a lot about myself, my own deep desires and yearnings as well as about what God is saying to me and how my eyes have been opened to those I encounter. I look forward to exploring this further and seeing where m practices take me.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Created to Create
Truth be told, I meant to write this post about nine weeks ago when I began this journey into creativity and prayer. As part of this class, besides the random google-ing I've done about prayer and creativity, different artistic practices and techniques and the background of movement in meditation and prayer I was also tasked with reading a chapter or two from Daniel Wolpert's book "Creating a Life with God".
If you haven't read this or any of Daniel's other books, I highly recommend you take the time to do so. They are accessible and inspiring. In this book, Daniel has a chapter called "Creativity and the Divine: To Create is to Pray". For being a short chapter (only 10 pages) it packs quite the punch, explaining what it means to be created to create and what that means for prayer.
Daniel begins with the Bible and the fundamental and foundational image of God as one who creates which is carried out not only through the Genesis story but through the entire Biblical narrative. He explains that "Creativity is the sign that God is God; no one else can create as God creates." (92). At first hearing this, it would seem as though we should all throw in the towel since nothing we create could ever amount to anything compared to God. But then, Daniel links the creative power of God to God's love. It is through the love of God that all things are created and brought into life and that includes human beings who have been created not only by God but in the image and likeness of God. Daniel says, "So, just as God sees visions of what is to be created and then creates, so too we are designed to see visions and create in accordance with the power and presence of God in our lives." (92).
We are created out of love and given the power and ability to enter into that creative process. This is a pretty basic idea found throughout the Bible but how does it relate to prayer? It is very simple actually. Prayer connects us with God and creativity connects us with the creative power and creative acts of God and that means that entering into creativity becomes a prayer practice.
We are all created to create and it is our own leanings and getting-in-the-ways that separate us from this form of prayer. We have all grown up in a culture that teaches us that we are not creative and yet the more I have talked with people the more I have heard an underlying desire to create despite feeling inadequate and under qualified. I believe this desire trumps what we have been taught by the world because it has been written into our very DNA by the creator of world. But in order to engage in creative acts, in this kind of prayer, we must get out of our own way and trust in the creativity that is within us. So I leave you with a quote from Hildegard of Bingen:
"Humanity too is God's creation. But humanity alone is called to co-operate with God in the creation."
If you haven't read this or any of Daniel's other books, I highly recommend you take the time to do so. They are accessible and inspiring. In this book, Daniel has a chapter called "Creativity and the Divine: To Create is to Pray". For being a short chapter (only 10 pages) it packs quite the punch, explaining what it means to be created to create and what that means for prayer.
Daniel begins with the Bible and the fundamental and foundational image of God as one who creates which is carried out not only through the Genesis story but through the entire Biblical narrative. He explains that "Creativity is the sign that God is God; no one else can create as God creates." (92). At first hearing this, it would seem as though we should all throw in the towel since nothing we create could ever amount to anything compared to God. But then, Daniel links the creative power of God to God's love. It is through the love of God that all things are created and brought into life and that includes human beings who have been created not only by God but in the image and likeness of God. Daniel says, "So, just as God sees visions of what is to be created and then creates, so too we are designed to see visions and create in accordance with the power and presence of God in our lives." (92).
We are created out of love and given the power and ability to enter into that creative process. This is a pretty basic idea found throughout the Bible but how does it relate to prayer? It is very simple actually. Prayer connects us with God and creativity connects us with the creative power and creative acts of God and that means that entering into creativity becomes a prayer practice.
We are all created to create and it is our own leanings and getting-in-the-ways that separate us from this form of prayer. We have all grown up in a culture that teaches us that we are not creative and yet the more I have talked with people the more I have heard an underlying desire to create despite feeling inadequate and under qualified. I believe this desire trumps what we have been taught by the world because it has been written into our very DNA by the creator of world. But in order to engage in creative acts, in this kind of prayer, we must get out of our own way and trust in the creativity that is within us. So I leave you with a quote from Hildegard of Bingen:
"Humanity too is God's creation. But humanity alone is called to co-operate with God in the creation."
Thursday, November 21, 2013
The Not so Glamorous Side of Prayer
So this is the last week of my class and my last prayer practice for it. Make no mistake, I will carry many of these practices with me from this moment forward both in my own personal prayer life as well as in my professional ministry life.
I have long been intrigued by the stories of monks who tackle daily tasks at their monistaries and turn them into part of their prayer practice. Tending the garden, baking bread, scrubbing the floors and any number of other every day activities are transformed into a meditative or contemplative prayer practice that helps to draw them closer to God even as their hands or bodies are busy with other tasks. For me, engaging my body in some kind of regular activity, whether it is cooking dinner or going for a walk has always allowed my mind to quiet and get out of the way, so attempting some kind of daily activity as prayer sounded like a good next step.
This week I decided to try this as I cleaned my horse's stall. Anyone who has taken part of this incredibly "earthy" task knows that with it comes, on its worst days a feeling of drudgery and on its best a theraputic quality. So as I walked up to the stall, pitchfork in hand and trailing the wheelburrow I began to think about who I should pray for and was once again immediately in my own way. So I settled into the normal rhythem of scooping and tossing and as my body worked my mind let go of all the shoulds, quieted down and started to wander to loved ones and those I have encountered over the past few days and weeks. And with each scoop they were lifted up to God, both with thanks and with requests.
When I was done with the stall I almost felt as though it was too simple, there were no elaborate and flowing words and yet that didn't matter. Through my movement I was able to get out of my own way and the prayers simply flowed without needing to use any words and this is what I learned:
1. muscle memory is key to this kind of prayer so that our minds can let go and wander
2. letting go of the traditional way we have been taught to pray with words is really hard to do
3. when all else fails get moving and focus on the task at hand, the prayers will come and even if they don't you've at least accomplished something, but trust me, the prayers will come
4. we don't always need words, a memory or an emotion means just as much if not more than the words we would try to use to say the same thing
5. this really does take a lot of practice
I have long been intrigued by the stories of monks who tackle daily tasks at their monistaries and turn them into part of their prayer practice. Tending the garden, baking bread, scrubbing the floors and any number of other every day activities are transformed into a meditative or contemplative prayer practice that helps to draw them closer to God even as their hands or bodies are busy with other tasks. For me, engaging my body in some kind of regular activity, whether it is cooking dinner or going for a walk has always allowed my mind to quiet and get out of the way, so attempting some kind of daily activity as prayer sounded like a good next step.
This week I decided to try this as I cleaned my horse's stall. Anyone who has taken part of this incredibly "earthy" task knows that with it comes, on its worst days a feeling of drudgery and on its best a theraputic quality. So as I walked up to the stall, pitchfork in hand and trailing the wheelburrow I began to think about who I should pray for and was once again immediately in my own way. So I settled into the normal rhythem of scooping and tossing and as my body worked my mind let go of all the shoulds, quieted down and started to wander to loved ones and those I have encountered over the past few days and weeks. And with each scoop they were lifted up to God, both with thanks and with requests.
When I was done with the stall I almost felt as though it was too simple, there were no elaborate and flowing words and yet that didn't matter. Through my movement I was able to get out of my own way and the prayers simply flowed without needing to use any words and this is what I learned:
1. muscle memory is key to this kind of prayer so that our minds can let go and wander
2. letting go of the traditional way we have been taught to pray with words is really hard to do
3. when all else fails get moving and focus on the task at hand, the prayers will come and even if they don't you've at least accomplished something, but trust me, the prayers will come
4. we don't always need words, a memory or an emotion means just as much if not more than the words we would try to use to say the same thing
5. this really does take a lot of practice
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Joys of Creativity and Collaboration
Just ran across this article about the beauty of childhood creativity
Lately I have seen many things going around on pinterest and facebook about letting your child start a drawing and then the parent finishing it and I thought, this is a fun and amazing way to enter into artwork with your children, spark creativity and encourage their confidence. This article however is seemingly in a whole different ball park. This mother begins by sketching a portrait and allows her daughter to finish it. Rather than the adult pulling the image together in a tidy bow, she allows her child to. I know this is a small difference and yet it speaks to me in an amazing way and I think Mica's (the mother) words capture this feeling that I have. She says, "I learned that if you have a preconceived notion of how something should be, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE DISAPPOINTED. Instead, just go with it, just ACCEPT it, because usually something even more wonderful will come out of it."
This is the lesson I have learned over and over again lately, whether it was through my own attempts at artwork, prayer or even my stewardship Bible study. It is about letting go and accepting ourselves and the outcome rather than trying to bully it into what we think it should be. It's hard to do and yet when we're able to "just go with it" I have found that the outcome is always more amazing, profound and intense than I could have ever come up with on my own. This is the joy of creativity and what I believe to be the working of the Holy Spirit within us, to create amazing things that would have otherwise been unreachable for us alone.
So be creative! Enter into some kind of creative act and just go with it, accept it, get out of your own way and allow God to move within it and you won't be disappointed.
Lately I have seen many things going around on pinterest and facebook about letting your child start a drawing and then the parent finishing it and I thought, this is a fun and amazing way to enter into artwork with your children, spark creativity and encourage their confidence. This article however is seemingly in a whole different ball park. This mother begins by sketching a portrait and allows her daughter to finish it. Rather than the adult pulling the image together in a tidy bow, she allows her child to. I know this is a small difference and yet it speaks to me in an amazing way and I think Mica's (the mother) words capture this feeling that I have. She says, "I learned that if you have a preconceived notion of how something should be, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE DISAPPOINTED. Instead, just go with it, just ACCEPT it, because usually something even more wonderful will come out of it."
This is the lesson I have learned over and over again lately, whether it was through my own attempts at artwork, prayer or even my stewardship Bible study. It is about letting go and accepting ourselves and the outcome rather than trying to bully it into what we think it should be. It's hard to do and yet when we're able to "just go with it" I have found that the outcome is always more amazing, profound and intense than I could have ever come up with on my own. This is the joy of creativity and what I believe to be the working of the Holy Spirit within us, to create amazing things that would have otherwise been unreachable for us alone.
So be creative! Enter into some kind of creative act and just go with it, accept it, get out of your own way and allow God to move within it and you won't be disappointed.
Tips and Tricks for Starting a New Creative Prayer Practice
Throughout this journey, I have found a few things helpful in clearing the mind and settling into a creative prayer practice and thought I would share them with anyone who might read this and want to give it a shot. So here they are in no particular order:
1. Pull out your materials and have everything ready, within arms reach and organized so that you can enjoy your practice and be "in the zone".
2. Listen: listen to yourself, listen to God, listen to the day
3. YOU CANNOT DO THIS WRONG! Remember that there is no right or wrong way to do this so be gentle with yourself
4. You are doing this for you and God and no one else. It does not matter what anyone else thinks about your artwork. It is a part of you.
5. Don't be afraid to express a side of yourself you don't normally let into the light. I often present prayers of thanks or joy and repress prayers of pain or struggle in my own life but this is the time to express your deepest and truest emotions, desires, thoughts and self to God.
6. If you're having trouble getting started take a few deep breaths, let go of any frustration or expectations. Begin not by figuring out what your painting or sculpture will look like but instead with one color or one shape and let the rest flow from there.
7. I find it helpful to have a comfortable space (a comfortable chair, open window, natural light etc.) and a hot cup of tea so that I can relax and more quickly let go of the day and calm my mind and body. This creation of space helps me to set this time aside as sacred.
8. Don't give yourself too many options. By this I mean stick with 2 or 3 colors to begin with or a small piece of clay. You can always add more as you go but by starting with a limited number of options you can avoid any extra feelings of being overwhelmed.
9. If you find yourself unsure of where to start and silence/meditation isn't working try reading a Psalm; they are the long held prayers of those who have come before us and can speak to us in ways that allow us to hear our own hearts.
10. If you begin to get frustrated take a break. Take a short walk, grab another cup of tea, take a few deep breaths, and begin again. Not every day or every attempt will bring about a piece of artwork or a prayer but it is in the practicing that we are able to more clearly listen to ourselves and God.
1. Pull out your materials and have everything ready, within arms reach and organized so that you can enjoy your practice and be "in the zone".
2. Listen: listen to yourself, listen to God, listen to the day
3. YOU CANNOT DO THIS WRONG! Remember that there is no right or wrong way to do this so be gentle with yourself
4. You are doing this for you and God and no one else. It does not matter what anyone else thinks about your artwork. It is a part of you.
5. Don't be afraid to express a side of yourself you don't normally let into the light. I often present prayers of thanks or joy and repress prayers of pain or struggle in my own life but this is the time to express your deepest and truest emotions, desires, thoughts and self to God.
6. If you're having trouble getting started take a few deep breaths, let go of any frustration or expectations. Begin not by figuring out what your painting or sculpture will look like but instead with one color or one shape and let the rest flow from there.
7. I find it helpful to have a comfortable space (a comfortable chair, open window, natural light etc.) and a hot cup of tea so that I can relax and more quickly let go of the day and calm my mind and body. This creation of space helps me to set this time aside as sacred.
8. Don't give yourself too many options. By this I mean stick with 2 or 3 colors to begin with or a small piece of clay. You can always add more as you go but by starting with a limited number of options you can avoid any extra feelings of being overwhelmed.
9. If you find yourself unsure of where to start and silence/meditation isn't working try reading a Psalm; they are the long held prayers of those who have come before us and can speak to us in ways that allow us to hear our own hearts.
10. If you begin to get frustrated take a break. Take a short walk, grab another cup of tea, take a few deep breaths, and begin again. Not every day or every attempt will bring about a piece of artwork or a prayer but it is in the practicing that we are able to more clearly listen to ourselves and God.
Friday, November 15, 2013
A Very Windy Walk Through Town
Today I decided to try a new prayer practice. It's a beautiful, sunny, almost 50 degree day so I thought it would be a good chance to try walking around town and praying. I had high hopes to begin with, I mean how hard could this possibly be. Well the answer is: a LOT harder than I thought. The trouble was that my mind was wandering hard core. I would do ok for a while, being mindful of the houses, businesses or people around me and lifting them up to God but then I'd start to think about how I was going to write about this, what was left on my to do list, what to have for dinner and get at the store and on and on. And then to top it off, I turned the corner and got a face full of wind and like a silly person I didn't bring a hat with me and as my ears got colder the harder it was to snap myself back into a prayerful/mindful mindset.
As I was beginning to feel as though today's attempt at a new prayer practice was an utter failure, I made one last ditch effort to salvage my attempt. I decided I was trying to do too much. I was trying to be aware of all the houses and people and businesses around me, lift them up to God, walk and keep my mind from wandering. So I switched gears to something incredibly simple. I focused on each step I was taking and tried not to worry or think about anything else. To my amazement, it worked, or at least I think it did. In the refocusing and quieting of my mind and body a hymn came into my head; What a Fellowship, What a Joy Divine.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms;
what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms;
oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
This hymn is my prayer today. It is my prayer for the people of our town who have, over the past few days experienced so much pain and sorrow. It is my prayer that we would know this peace and love and joy and that we would be able to lean in God's arms.
So all in all, it wasn't a completely hopeless attempt at prayer and here is what I learned:
1. If it's November, even a really beautiful day in November, make sure to bring a hat with you.
2. I need more practice.
3. Prayer can't be forced, it just happens.
As I was beginning to feel as though today's attempt at a new prayer practice was an utter failure, I made one last ditch effort to salvage my attempt. I decided I was trying to do too much. I was trying to be aware of all the houses and people and businesses around me, lift them up to God, walk and keep my mind from wandering. So I switched gears to something incredibly simple. I focused on each step I was taking and tried not to worry or think about anything else. To my amazement, it worked, or at least I think it did. In the refocusing and quieting of my mind and body a hymn came into my head; What a Fellowship, What a Joy Divine.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms;
what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms;
oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
This hymn is my prayer today. It is my prayer for the people of our town who have, over the past few days experienced so much pain and sorrow. It is my prayer that we would know this peace and love and joy and that we would be able to lean in God's arms.
So all in all, it wasn't a completely hopeless attempt at prayer and here is what I learned:
1. If it's November, even a really beautiful day in November, make sure to bring a hat with you.
2. I need more practice.
3. Prayer can't be forced, it just happens.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Yoga
So I'm a week behind in actually writing this post but such is life sometimes. This week I began my three weeks of exploring what it means to move and pray. Over the past six weeks I have explored what it looks like and means to pray my prayers to God through painting, to listen to what God is saying to me through sculpture and now it's time to attempt to be pushed out to pray for others through movement. A little weird at first I must admit, but surprisingly awesome.
When first crafting this class I thought it would be amazing to work with some kind of dance instructor and explore prayer through that creative medium but dance instructors are in short supply here in Kittson county so I redirected to other types of movement. This week I decided to start with something I know at least a little about; yoga. I first started doing yoga a few years ago, not that I'm an expert by any means, but I do have some of the basics under my belt. Two years ago a yoga instructor planted a seed that has intrigued me ever since; dedicating your practice to someone or something. At first I didn't quite understand what this would look like, feel like or do and it was clunky to say the least. What exactly happens when I dedicate my practice to someone else? Is it some kind of magical transference? Well, probably not. But what I have found out since is that it's an ancient Buddhist practice that seeks to send the benefits of the practice, the centering, calm and cleansing, to that which you have dedicated your practice to. It gives you something or someone to focus on and send your light and love to.
To be completely honest, I had forgotten about this part of yoga practice until recently and decided to give it a shot again but in more prayerful focus. So I began by sitting on my yoga mat, breathing and deciding to dedicate my practice, to pray, for my husband. He was a natural choice as he has been so amazing to me throughout our entire relationship but especially through this pregnancy. Now came the hard part. I'd decided to dedicate the practice to him but what does that really mean? Do I just focus on him, holding him at the forefront of my mind and trying to send him the good vibes that come from yoga or do I actively pray for him, intercessing on his behalf to God? I couldn't pick so I just began my pratice and hoped for the best, trying to keep focused on him through all the breathing and stretching.
The interesting thing was that it was much easier than I thought it would be and it actually made my practice more enjoyable. It was as though we were sharing in this yoga practice together, which any of you who have taken a yoga class know that it's way better with a friend than by yourself. What also surprised me was that in focusing on Frank made it easier to hold poses for longer amounts of time. I had him to focus on rather than my aching/shaking legs or my horrible lack of balance now that my proportions are off. And it was incredibly joyful to go through the movments and think that in some small way I was sharing the peace and calm that I was feeling with him.
So I didn't actively pray for Frank but I did focus on him, keep him at the forefront of my mind and not just focus on myself. As I went through my yoga practice there were moments where this came naturally and there were moments where I worried that this wasn't actually prayer. But when I had finished I realized that it was prayer, and maybe a powerful kind of prayer, that I had never known before. It was prayer that didn't need words but instead focus and attention and movement. It allowed me to get out of my own way, out of my own inward and at times selfish focus and spend time focusing on someone else, someone that I love very much. It was not asking for my own wants and desires for him but instead just lifting him up to God.
When first crafting this class I thought it would be amazing to work with some kind of dance instructor and explore prayer through that creative medium but dance instructors are in short supply here in Kittson county so I redirected to other types of movement. This week I decided to start with something I know at least a little about; yoga. I first started doing yoga a few years ago, not that I'm an expert by any means, but I do have some of the basics under my belt. Two years ago a yoga instructor planted a seed that has intrigued me ever since; dedicating your practice to someone or something. At first I didn't quite understand what this would look like, feel like or do and it was clunky to say the least. What exactly happens when I dedicate my practice to someone else? Is it some kind of magical transference? Well, probably not. But what I have found out since is that it's an ancient Buddhist practice that seeks to send the benefits of the practice, the centering, calm and cleansing, to that which you have dedicated your practice to. It gives you something or someone to focus on and send your light and love to.
To be completely honest, I had forgotten about this part of yoga practice until recently and decided to give it a shot again but in more prayerful focus. So I began by sitting on my yoga mat, breathing and deciding to dedicate my practice, to pray, for my husband. He was a natural choice as he has been so amazing to me throughout our entire relationship but especially through this pregnancy. Now came the hard part. I'd decided to dedicate the practice to him but what does that really mean? Do I just focus on him, holding him at the forefront of my mind and trying to send him the good vibes that come from yoga or do I actively pray for him, intercessing on his behalf to God? I couldn't pick so I just began my pratice and hoped for the best, trying to keep focused on him through all the breathing and stretching.
The interesting thing was that it was much easier than I thought it would be and it actually made my practice more enjoyable. It was as though we were sharing in this yoga practice together, which any of you who have taken a yoga class know that it's way better with a friend than by yourself. What also surprised me was that in focusing on Frank made it easier to hold poses for longer amounts of time. I had him to focus on rather than my aching/shaking legs or my horrible lack of balance now that my proportions are off. And it was incredibly joyful to go through the movments and think that in some small way I was sharing the peace and calm that I was feeling with him.
So I didn't actively pray for Frank but I did focus on him, keep him at the forefront of my mind and not just focus on myself. As I went through my yoga practice there were moments where this came naturally and there were moments where I worried that this wasn't actually prayer. But when I had finished I realized that it was prayer, and maybe a powerful kind of prayer, that I had never known before. It was prayer that didn't need words but instead focus and attention and movement. It allowed me to get out of my own way, out of my own inward and at times selfish focus and spend time focusing on someone else, someone that I love very much. It was not asking for my own wants and desires for him but instead just lifting him up to God.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Pay Attention!
This week is my last week with clay, gosh it went fast. It is also the last week of focusing on what God is saying to me in prayer (it's not really the last week of this, but for the sake of my class it is). Up until this point I have focused my prayer with meditation and listened to what I think God is saying to me and this week I decided to take a slightly different focus. This week I picked a piece of scripture and listened to what God is saying to me through the scripture. I chose to look at Matthew 6:19-24 which my Bible study groups will be focusing on this week. I think I chose to look at this piece of scripture because this is what I struggle with in my own stewardship story, the dreaded financial stewardship, and I wanted to see where God was leading me through these words:
"'Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or - worse! - stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and ruse and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have. You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and Money both." (Message)
As I read through these verses several times (lectio style), I was captivated by verses 22-23 "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have." And with these words came the image of an open window looking out into the world with wonder and delight of all that God has created. So I began to sculpt.
I was being reminded to keep my eyes open, to see the treasures that God has placed in my life, see the world God has created and go out into it. Nothing that I have belongs to me, it all belongs to God and it is how I use it all that shows which god I worship. This is the message we have been talking about a lot in my Bible studies and I suppose it is the message God is sharing with me as well (I guess we never stop learning ;)) . It means that I must pay attention; pay attention to how I use what I have been given and to especially pay attention to those I encounter and where their need is. In this way, I can have my eyes wide open in wonder and belief and in turn be filled up with light. I will know where my treasure lies and it will not be in my own possessions and gifts but in Christ. That is what I'm being told today; PAY ATTENTION. Do not be so focused on yourself and give freely of all you have and are.
"'Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or - worse! - stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and ruse and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have. You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and Money both." (Message)
As I read through these verses several times (lectio style), I was captivated by verses 22-23 "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have." And with these words came the image of an open window looking out into the world with wonder and delight of all that God has created. So I began to sculpt.
I was being reminded to keep my eyes open, to see the treasures that God has placed in my life, see the world God has created and go out into it. Nothing that I have belongs to me, it all belongs to God and it is how I use it all that shows which god I worship. This is the message we have been talking about a lot in my Bible studies and I suppose it is the message God is sharing with me as well (I guess we never stop learning ;)) . It means that I must pay attention; pay attention to how I use what I have been given and to especially pay attention to those I encounter and where their need is. In this way, I can have my eyes wide open in wonder and belief and in turn be filled up with light. I will know where my treasure lies and it will not be in my own possessions and gifts but in Christ. That is what I'm being told today; PAY ATTENTION. Do not be so focused on yourself and give freely of all you have and are.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Patience
Yesterday I sat down, pulled out my clay and spent some quiet time listening to what God is saying to me today. I have to admit, this kind of listening to God or discernment seems to be easier than listening to my own deep needs, wants and desires but sculpting the response seems to be a bit trickier than painting. Maybe this is easier because I have more practice or maybe it seems easier because of all the time I've spent engaging scripture and God's people with the Bible study I've been leading. Being in conversation with others around our daily practices of stewardship and encouraging one another to use those practices in God's world and where God is calling us seems to be a pretty good jumping off point for my creative prayer practices. I don't seem to get in my own way or worry if what I make will be good or right instead there seems to be a slight worry that what I am hearing will be from within me rather than from God and I'm not sure what to do with that. I guess it's part of the questions we all have when in the discernment process. But as a man in one of my Bible studies this week said, "we can only try and listen to where God is leading us and hope that if we're on the wrong path God will straighten us out." I thought that was pretty profound.
So yesterday I sat down at my table in silence, pulled out my clay and began warming it up in my hands, listening (I use Sculpy clay for those of you wondering. It doesn't ever seem to dry out as long as you keep in in zip lock baggies and you can bake it when done.) And as the clay warmed in my hand a word came to mind; patience, and then an image; cocoon. So I began sculpting, firsts a cocoon and then a leaf and as I worked my mind continued to stay quiet except about what this image means in my life and soon the image of a cocoon and the word of patience had a whole lot more meaning for me.
Right now, I am on the cusp of so much newness and at times it can be overwhelming to try and imagine what the next 6 months looks like with a new baby, a changing marriage relationship, finishing the candidacy and schooling process, graduating and seeking a call not to mention trying to envision what the next 5 years looks like. I just don't know, and for all of those of you who know me, I like to have a plan and right now my plan is pretty vague. Now don't get me wrong, I'm excited about all of it; getting to meet our little girl, sharing in that with my husband, finishing up classes and internship and the candidacy process and setting out to see what God has in store for me but there are also many unknowns. And yesterday, and today for that matter, God is reminding me to be patient, just as a butterfly must be patient before it sets out into the world with a new set of wings. Right now I am in a cocoon. It is relatively safe and secure (just like internship and school) and yet the whole wide world awaits outside its protective walls. I may not know what is ahead of me and my family but I do know that just as God provides for all of the plants and animals, He also provides for all our needs. I do not need to try and look far into the future and see what is coming, it is not time for that right now. Right now, I need to be patient, stay in my cocoon a little longer and wait to see what my wings and the rest of the world will look like. It's not an easy thing to hear, that it is time to be patient and not worry about planning too far ahead but it is a good reminder to live in the moment and enjoy what I have been blessed with now inside my safe little cocoon.
So yesterday I sat down at my table in silence, pulled out my clay and began warming it up in my hands, listening (I use Sculpy clay for those of you wondering. It doesn't ever seem to dry out as long as you keep in in zip lock baggies and you can bake it when done.) And as the clay warmed in my hand a word came to mind; patience, and then an image; cocoon. So I began sculpting, firsts a cocoon and then a leaf and as I worked my mind continued to stay quiet except about what this image means in my life and soon the image of a cocoon and the word of patience had a whole lot more meaning for me.
Right now, I am on the cusp of so much newness and at times it can be overwhelming to try and imagine what the next 6 months looks like with a new baby, a changing marriage relationship, finishing the candidacy and schooling process, graduating and seeking a call not to mention trying to envision what the next 5 years looks like. I just don't know, and for all of those of you who know me, I like to have a plan and right now my plan is pretty vague. Now don't get me wrong, I'm excited about all of it; getting to meet our little girl, sharing in that with my husband, finishing up classes and internship and the candidacy process and setting out to see what God has in store for me but there are also many unknowns. And yesterday, and today for that matter, God is reminding me to be patient, just as a butterfly must be patient before it sets out into the world with a new set of wings. Right now I am in a cocoon. It is relatively safe and secure (just like internship and school) and yet the whole wide world awaits outside its protective walls. I may not know what is ahead of me and my family but I do know that just as God provides for all of the plants and animals, He also provides for all our needs. I do not need to try and look far into the future and see what is coming, it is not time for that right now. Right now, I need to be patient, stay in my cocoon a little longer and wait to see what my wings and the rest of the world will look like. It's not an easy thing to hear, that it is time to be patient and not worry about planning too far ahead but it is a good reminder to live in the moment and enjoy what I have been blessed with now inside my safe little cocoon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)