Many thanks to Joan S. for sharing these thoughts from her experiences…

Having come from the Catholic tradition, I had been heavily influenced by the representation, in early catechism classes, of the soul as a half-pint sized “milk bottle” tucked beneath one’s sternum. Thought of in that way, the soul seems like such an insignificant piece of one’s existence. In the “milk bottle” model, small (venial) sins were represented as black dots on the soul; mortal sins turned the entire soul black. Surprising how deeply those early images had imbedded themselves in my subconscious. And so it was, when I first encountered these words by John O’Donohue (quoted in the recent Christian Playbook piece), I was completely taken with his idea of the soul:

“The soul is not simply within the body, hidden somewhere within its recesses. The truth is rather the converse. Your body is in the soul. And the soul suffuses you completely.“

When one visualizes the body as in the soul and the inner life with a depth and breadth every bit as vast a landscape as the outer world, the presence of the sacred takes on a wonderfully different dimension – and importance. This paradigm shift, for me, was huge.  I love this image – and I loved O’Donohue’s book Anam Cara,  literally “soul friend”, (from which this quote originated) when I read it a decade or so ago. Seems to me we put so much stock in our intellects that we forget how very much we can learn through our bodies and souls!

Wonderful commentary – thanks again, Joan!

ACTION: On this day, may we relax and allow O’Donohue’s vision of soul to suffuse us completely!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, April 29, 2018:

• Acts 8:26-40
• Psalm 22:25-31
• 1 John 4:7-21
• John 15:1-8

The Book of Common Worship is a wonderful resource that is available in printed form and also on the internet. While seeking prayers on any variety of subjects it’s a fabulous resource. This one seems to be calling out today – hopefully it’s Spirit-led to share meaningful perspective to you or someone you know?

How great is your love, Lord God,

how wide is your mercy!

Never let us board up the narrow gate that leads to life

with rules or doctrines that you dismiss;

but give us a Spirit to welcome all people with affection,

so that your church may never exclude secret friends of yours,

who are included in the love of Jesus Christ,

who came to save us all.

Amen. ~ #27 For an Inclusive Church; Book of Common Worship

ACTION: Are there ways today that you can show friendship and love to those of a different faith tradition?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, April 22, 2018:

• Acts 4:5-12
• Psalm 23
• 1 John 3:16-24
• John 10:11-18

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!  ~ Sitting Bull

“Embraces of the sun” is a great descriptor. For me, I’ll take 15 degrees cooler in the wintertime if the sun will just shine!

HERE are some additional springtime quotes from Guideposts.org, complete with a visual for each of the quotations.

Let your light shine today, and may you enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, April 22, 2018:

• Acts 4:5-12
• Psalm 23
• 1 John 3:16-24
• John 10:11-18

Some of us find it difficult to quiet our lives enough to meditate.

In this drum video, Christine Stevens talks about the value of drumming for the mind, body, spirit and community (the first 4 minutes particularly relate to meditation.)

Here are two other Youtube videos you may want to try to drum along with as you work towards enhancing “prayer without skipping a beat”

• Heart and Art of Drumming – several different beats you can play along with while meditating (become part of the community, virtually)
• Drumming for Meditation

If you don’t have a drum, don’t despair. A spoon (wooden or metal) on Tupperware or some other resonating item that doesn’t get easily ruined works fine. 🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the beat and the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, April 15, 2018:

• Acts 3:12-19
• Psalm 4
• 1 John 3:1-7
• Luke 24:36b-48

…Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As God who so loved me has sent me, even so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive sins, they are forgiven; if you hold them bound, they are held bound.” ~ John 20: 21-23

In The Rising**, Ms. Wright talks about these verses in John and says “What they {the followers} receive in this sacred aspiration is the power to forgive. It is as simple as that. This is the miracle of Easter, that whatever is bound, enchained, enslaved, or unfree, can be loosened, liberated, and freed through our forgiveness. In fact, if we do not exercise this God-given capacity, our lack of action is not neutral. Without forgiveness, we hold each other bound. Without being forgiven, we cannot be free.” (p. 131)

ACTION:  Since our lack of action is not neutral, maybe you’d be willing to join me over the next week in sharing/saying these Four Things That Matter Most*** to family members (and others!):

• Please Forgive Me [For Any/All Hurts You Have Sustained From Me]
• [If There are Things You Wish I Could Forgive, Know That] I Forgive You
• Thank You [For Being Part of My Life]
• I Love You

Expressing these four things does not suggest that hurts are gone or that you somehow excuse all that transpired. It does, however, affirm the desire for love and peace.

Let’s encourage one another to actively increase peace. Winning peace within our family and friends would be a great start, wouldn’t it?!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

—————–

** from The Rising: Living the Mysteries of Lent, Easter, and Pentecost by Wendy M. Wright

*** from the book The Four Things That Matter Most by Ira Byok, with added words in [ ]

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, April 15, 2018:

• Acts 3:12-19
• Psalm 4
• 1 John 3:1-7
• Luke 24:36b-48

Our Daily Bread’s daily audio devotions are a nice deviation from my usual reading of devotional material. Click HERE to hear the audio devotional about Bitter & Sweet** – it’s a really good one. The perspective from the Psalmist and Keila Ochoa is timely as several friends are dealing with substantial levels of “bitter tastes.”

The perspective Keila shares – “Mayans also valued bitter chocolate for its healing and medicinal properties.” – is important. We don’t always like the taste of medicine and the need to heal, even though they frequently lead to a better future life. In similar fashion, some of life’s most bitter moments lead to sweet next steps. Having perspective is so frequently the key.

That reminds me of an element of my daily prayers that fits here:

Thank you, God, for all the experiences of this lifetime, even those that hurt deeply! [James 1:2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers {and sisters,} whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.]

As you move through this day, may the bitter be effectively balanced with the sweet…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

** you can also read the devotional HERE if reading is better for whatever reason

P.S. Happy Birthday Mom – thanks for recommending Our Daily Bread to me. I love you!!!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, April 8, 2018:

• Acts 4:32-35
• Psalm 133
• 1 John 1:1-2:2
• John 20:19-31

Happy Easter! I hope and pray that you will have a glorious Easter day of worship and fellowship [or did have, if you’re reading this on Monday or later]

Now what?

In her book The Rising: Living the Mysteries of Lent, Easter and Pentecost, Wendy M. Wright talks about the “Easter Octave” – the 8 days of Easter and after. She tells some stories, including her experience of “putting yourself in Mary Magdalene’s place” in the John 20:11-18 verse.

When you have 10 minutes – maybe even right now? – do the following:

• close your eyes and imagine yourself in the role of Mary Magdalene – you’ve experienced the crucifixion and are going to visit the tomb
• read John 20:1-18 (listed below,) as though you are living what Mary Magdalene did – with Jesus saying your name
• pray that you might carry that sense of post Easter experience in the day ahead

In case you want a topical SONG, HERE is In The Garden, performed by Anne Murray

May the Spirit move through you vibrantly during this Easter Octave!

John 20: 1-18 [“PUTTING YOURSELF IN MARY’S PLACE” VERSION]

20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, I came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

20:2 So I ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

20:3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.

20:4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

20:5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.

20:6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there,

20:7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.

20:8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;

20:9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

20:10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.

20:11 But I stood weeping outside the tomb. While weeping, I bent over to look into the tomb;

20:12 and I saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.

20:13 They said to me, “Woman, why are you weeping?” I responded, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

20:14 After saying this, I turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but did not know that it was Jesus.

20:15 Jesus said to me, “Why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, I said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

20:16 Jesus said to me, “__________ {INSERT YOUR NAME HERE}!” I turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).

20:17 Jesus said to me, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

20:18 I went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and told them that he had said these things to me.

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, April 1, 2018:

• Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9
• Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
• 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43
• John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8