How’s the Lenten journey going after a few days? Still looking for something to “take on for Lent?” This Guideposts short contains a really nice perspective-building  idea.

Bet we all have a few folks in our lives who deserve a – “I wanted to write to tell you how much I appreciate you. You really bless my life!” – note…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 10, 2019:

• Deuteronomy 26:1-11
• Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
• Romans 10:8b-13
• Luke 4:1-13

As we begin the Lenten journey for 2019, Christian Playbook will be focusing on the book The Rising (by Wendy M. Wright) and various other devotional materials about loosening the bonds. For Ash Wednesday, part of the focus in The Rising is on this text from Isaiah:

“Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to your God? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house, when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own family?” ~ Isaiah 58:5b-7

In The Rising, Wendy talks about many fasts and non-violent protest that have been done in history. Whether done as one or with many, such efforts can bring substantial changes for an individual, communities and/or our world!

POTENTIAL ACTIONS:

1. Today, consider finding a church that does an Ash Wednesday service and spend the time worshiping in person
   
2. Consider “taking something on” or “giving something up” for the Lenten season

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 10, 2019:

• Deuteronomy 26:1-11
• Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
• Romans 10:8b-13
• Luke 4:1-13

As editor of Alive Now for several years, Beth A Richardson was great about sharing her faith, talents and passion in many ways. Today she writes a blog called All The Wonders and a recent post about Breath Prayer (click HERE) is worth a read by all you Christian Playbook readers should you have the time and inclination. 🙂

ACTION: Want a little more about Breath Prayers or more examples? Check out the Christian Playbook page HERE

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 10, 2019:

• Deuteronomy 26:1-11
• Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
• Romans 10:8b-13
• Luke 4:1-13

In his book Devotions published in 1624, John Donne shares wonderful, deep thoughts including these from XVII. Meditation

“The church is Catholic, universal, so are all her actions; all that she does belongs to all. When she baptizes a child, that action concerns me; for that child is thereby connected to that body which is my head too, and ingrafted into that body whereof I am a member. And when she buries a man, that action concerns me; all mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated; God employs several translators; some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice; but God’s hand is in every translation, and his hand shall bind up all our scattered leaves again for that library where every book shall lie open to one another.”

Wow, those are some packed sentences!

Focusing on “… when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language …” – when the end of life approaches for a cherished member of a faith community, we feel the tearing out emotions. Donne’s perspective – the chapter will be translated into a better language – is rich. Is Donne talking about 1) the passing from earth to heaven and the better place? 2) opportunities we have to take the example and pass it on? or 3) ???

With Donne’s wisdom in mind, may we “make haste to be kind, and be quick to love” on this day…

ACTION: If you have thoughts on this devotional, please reply to this blog or to salong.now@gmail.com, that we might share those with the CP community]

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 3, 2019:

• Exodus 34:29-35
• Psalm 99
• 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
• Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

The theme for this year’s World Day of Prayer is “Come – Everything is Ready” and Slovenia is this year’s host country (details are HERE.) Among the materials available include:

• Worship Bulletin (including discussion questions based on Luke 14:15-24)
• Action Guide (focus on Democracy. Education. Care for the Elderly. Substance Abuse Prevention. Inclusion of Those on the Margins.)
• Lot’s of additional FREE information on Slovenia and World Day of Prayer HERE

On this day, we pray for all. As a portion of the worship service benediction (linked above) states:

“Help us to respect the wonders of our nature And to protect them with all our power,  To mutually support one another On the path of freedom, justice and peace.”

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 3, 2019:

• Exodus 34:29-35
• Psalm 99
• 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
• Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

Are you ready for Ash Wednesday and Lent 2019? Hard to believe but we’re less than one week away…

One resource for Lent that I’ve really enjoyed is The Rising: Living the Mysteries of Lent, Easter and Pentecost by Wendy M. Wright. In the book’s introduction she says…

“The liturgical year roots our faith. It grounds the invisible, animating our lives in the visible, tactile world. It is elemental. It drapes flesh on the skeletons of our too-ghostly religiosity. It connects heaven with earth, divine with human. It allows us access to the mysteries of our faith. In its feasts and fasts we taste and see God.” ~ The Rising: Living the Mysteries of Lent, Easter and Pentecost by Wendy M. Wright (pages 13-14)

That flesh-on-skeleton commentary is inspiring to many of us as we spend more time in church and community while living the mysteries. May we indeed “taste and see God!”

POTENTIAL ACTION: Perhaps you’ll want to purchase Wendy’s book or pull another resource off of the church library shelves or your personal bookshelf to help uncover some clues to solving the Lenten mysteries?

May the Spirit move through you vibrantly during the Lenten season!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 3, 2019:

• Exodus 34:29-35
• Psalm 99
• 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
• Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

Prayer Hasn’t Changed That Much…But Experiencing It Can!

My dad’s pastor gave him the Pocket Prayer Book in the 1940s. The wonderful thing? Prayer just hasn’t changed that much!

The Prayer of St. Francis is one of the prayers in the Pocket Prayer Book and has become well-known over the generations. Savor a reading of it.

POTENTIAL ACTION: Watch this video (HERE) with Tom Sparough (Space Painter) doing a nice job with the prayer using gestures. Hope you enjoy it! 

Make it a great day, with a Christ-centered purpose!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 3, 2019:

• Exodus 34:29-35
• Psalm 99
• 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
• Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

It’s nice to see the number of different avenues that people can take to share love with others. If you’ve heard of Daily Skimm, you may have seen their Do-Gooder You section already. If not, check out this portion of their website (HERE,) with lots of ways – large and small – to share God’s love.

May these ideas fuel us and others to love and good works, in Jesus’ example and name!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 24, 2019:

• Genesis 45:3-11, 15
• Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40
• 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50
• Luke 6:27-38

Moving while praying can frequently enhance the experience. Several examples of “movin’ and prayin’ are HERE

Included on that webpage is this practice of “the whirling dervish” (HERE) Maybe it’s worth a try today? (http://bit.ly/CPPolishTheHeart)

If so, don’t get too dizzy with the effort!  🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 24, 2019:

• Genesis 45:3-11, 15
• Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40
• 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50
• Luke 6:27-38

A friend sent along this devotional (HERE) from Christian Century using the Luke scripture verse. I particularly like this concept from the devotional:

“There is no space between those who suffer and those who rejoice; we all receive the gift of the one who brings God’s kingdom, and we are receiving it in the same place—a level place.”

As we find ourselves today in this level place, may we help comfort the suffering and join enthusiastically in the rejoicing, whether we feel like it or not!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 17, 2019:

• Jeremiah 17:5-10
• Psalm 1
• 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
• Luke 6:17-26