The season of Lent begins next week…as Christine says, Lent is the time we get to prepare our hearts for Easter and the Resurrection. As Father Ed Hays says, it’s the opportunity to fall more in love with Jesus over the next forty plus days. The Season of Lent has three traditional areas of focus: Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving or Prayer, Fasting and Acts of Service and Justice.
How can we put these three areas into practice between now and Easter?
Too often we think only of fasting from foods…but food is just one thing we can fast. I have low blood sugar, so I’m not a good food faster. My plan is to FAST from the news again this year. I can read the headlines once a day, but not listen to it! I get too caught up in all the political drama and it distracts me from being present to my neighborhood and loving other people right where I am. I’m also going to fast from busyness, and I’ll be adding in more rest and practicing sabbath. These might be a great choice for many of us!
When it comes to prayer, why not try a visual prayer practice this year? In keeping with our theme of the Lord’s Prayer, check out the newest prayer book by Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson
May it Be So Forty Days with the Lord’s Prayer: It’s a great way to engage God each day with a short prayer by Justin, and a beautiful visual created by Scott helping us engage the Lord’s Prayer in a new way. Justin says “When I pray “Our Father,” I join countless family members who share the same entanglements, frustrations, joys, dreams, and hopes that often lead me to pray. I am not alone. Neither are you.”
They have another book on prayer that would also be a great devotion to use during Lent, called Prayer: Forty Days of Practice. Both of these books can help us to be present with Jesus and grow closer to him between now and Easter. And all ages will enjoy them.
These books might even inspire you to create your own visual prayers or seek other art to pray with during Lent. You might also check out the Lenten Photo a day challenge by Rethinkchurch as another way to practice prayer visually.
Pope Francis says,
“Fasting, that is, learning to change our attitude towards others and all of creation, turning away from the temptation to “devour” everything to satisfy our voracity and being ready to suffer for love, which can fill the emptiness of our hearts. Prayer, which teaches us to abandon idolatry and the self-sufficiency of our ego, and to acknowledge our need of the Lord and his mercy. Almsgiving, whereby we escape from the insanity of hoarding everything for ourselves in the illusory belief that we can secure a future that does not belong to us. And thus to rediscover the joy of God’s plan for creation and for each of us, which is to love him, our brothers and sisters, and the entire world, and to find in this love our true happiness.”
Take some time to consider what practice you might ADD or what things you might need to subtract from your life in order to grow closer to Jesus between now an Easter. Ask Jesus to show you and allow this to blossom and grow!
Check out Scott Erickson’s Stations in the Street for more inspiration for prayer this season. you might want to download them for your entire church community to experience visual liturgy and prayer!
Are you in the Seattle area or know of friends and family who are? Would you like a fresh perspective as we enter into the Lent and Easter seasons? We would love to have you join us on March 28th, 2020 at the Mustard Seed House in Seattle, WA for the Gift of Wonder workshop led by Christine Sine! This interactive workshop is full of creative opportunities to reawaken your inner child with fun exercises. Click on the workshop page below for more information and to register. We are offering students a discount for this workshop as well!
Want to help us spread the word? If you have a blog, go to church in or near Seattle, or just want to share our flyer with others, please download our Gift of Wonder flyer.
By Keren Dibbens-Wyatt –
Do you remember difficult anniversaries? In a couple of days it will be 24 years since the last day I was able to work. That night I took myself off to a GP’s appointment, hoping to be signed off for a two weeks, so that I could rest and get rid of the crippling tiredness that had been gaining ground on me for nearly a year. But a fortnight later I was no better, nor a month, nor a year. Nor a decade. Nor two. Even the eventual diagnosis of M.E. made no difference, as no-one knew how to treat it. And so being permanently sick and exhausted gradually became my “normal” and I forgot what it felt like to have any strength or energy. Anything left in the battery went on fighting this disease, and mostly failing. Have you ever asked, as I do, whether God is here, in such immense lack?
Weakness is part of who I am now. I am constantly drained, live most of my life sitting up in bed, playing with words and colours when I am able, dealing with headaches, pain, exhaustion and various system failures as they arise. Can God do anything through or with this wreck of a human being?
The answer to both my questions is yes. Whilst we have the breath of life in us, we have the breath of God in us, flowing back and forth. Whilst my heart continues to beat, albeit weakly or in fits and starts, God is pumping holy life-giving oxygen through my inert body. And whilst these places are no longer part of the world and its hustle and bustle; they have become something different, like an old ruin off to the side of the road, beautiful in its own crumbling way. Soft sandstone revealing fool’s gold in the fading light, a way of being that is not mindful of appearance or achievement, but that sits and listens and waits.
And I hope it encourages you when I tell you that this displacement, this calling out to a quiet, dreaming place, where I have learned to root myself in order to survive, is now my home. I am ill, but I do not feel ill-at-ease. I still have many worldly problems that I need to deal with. There is a great amount I cannot do, and yet I have been shown gifts and talents that were hidden away deep in my heart and soul that I would never have discovered if I had not been coaxed and wooed by God into this most spacious confinement.
Don’t imagine it was easy, or that my ego didn’t have to fall away (is still, and will always be falling away) like the cascading edges of icebergs, or that letting go of everything I thought I was and everything I thought I would be didn’t feel like very real deaths. I am still grieving those things. I am heartbroken that I did not have children (though I have a lovely stepson) and miss the freedom of walking more than I have words for. And don’t imagine I went willingly. I dragged my heels and gritted my teeth and man, did I sulk. But there is a but.
But… Saint Hildegard, Doctor of the Church, tells us that she felt like a feather on the breath of God, and she too suffered from chronic illness.
It is true that I am sustained and carried by his sweet, warm breath, his life-giving words. But if I am indeed a feather, then I have got stuck on barbed wire, like a piece of stray sheep’s wool, and no amount of prayer or pleading has freed me. Maybe this is because I am learning gentleness, brokenness and stillness, watching the flocks in the field. Maybe I am coming to know my own vulnerability and softness, dealing with the harshness of cold winds, of feeling unprotected, of encountering other waifs and strays.
One day perhaps, that warm wind might appear again as if from nowhere and blow me to a new sanctuary, but for now, I am where I am meant to be; learning all kinds of lessons, and praying all kinds of prayers, writing all kinds of everything. I am learning to breathe in and out with God, one moment at a time, and though it is often deeply painful, both physically and emotionally, there is nowhere I would rather be.
By Donna Chacko—
“For the spirit of God made me,
the breath of the Almighty keeps me alive”.
Job 33:4
Nestled on the couch, I watched the fire dying low. I finally dragged myself from my cozy nest and opened the fireplace screen doors. I nudged the logs, rolling one over, and creating a little space between the logs. I didn’t even have to blow on the logs because very quickly the flames started rising, first flickering and then twisting higher until all the logs were blazing. What a vivid demonstration of how just a little more access to oxygenated air can inflame a fire.
As a doctor I saw how important oxygen is. We pay very close attention to the oxygen level in the blood, especially for very sick patients. We are all sadly aware of the catastrophic results a prolonged low oxygen level, known as hypoxia, can have on a human brain. Fortunately, we can often add supplemental oxygen if needed during a major illness or a chronic lung condition. This doesn’t cure the underlying problem, but it sustains life.
Athletes also pay close attention to their breathing. Even if they don’t specifically think about or measure their oxygen level, they are keenly aware of their breath. Breath control and breathing techniques are reported to increase performance. And, it’s not just in athletics. Breathing practices are well known and taught to enhance performance in public speaking, acting, and singing.
I was particularly fascinated to learn how stress is reduced by a form of breathing called deep belly breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing.
This type of breathing elicits physiologic changes in the body known as the “relaxation response. “ This reverses the “stress response,” which is the physiologic cascade of hormones and chemicals in the body that occur when our mind registers a threat. Most of us have personal experience with this relaxation response. Recall how it feels when you are tense or stressed and you slow yourself down enough to take a couple of slow deep breaths. You feel your body soften and your head clear.
I ponder the relation of breathing with a type of prayer known as Centering Prayer, a meditative prayer strongly based on Christian tradition. This prayer involves resting in the presence of God without words or feelings. When I practice Centering Prayer, I am aware of my in-breaths and out-breaths. Sometimes my mind wanders. I wonder—is it possible that my in-breaths are welcoming the spirit of God in and my out-breaths are expelling the detritus from my life?
Christine Sine’s Meditation Monday is a moving blog called Breathe in Yahweh, including a prayerful breathing meditation video. Yet another beautiful way to conceptualize breathing.
We value healthy air, like the fresh air from windows flung open on a spring day or a deep breath as we pause on a mountain trail or at the beach. Words like air, spirit, breath, breeze, and wind conjure up images of energy, power, cleanliness, and health. Nowhere do these words have more power than in the Bible, starting with Genesis.
Then the Lord God formed man out of the dust from the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
Job said:
So long as I still have life breath in me,
the breath of God in my nostrils. Job 27:3
The Psalms beautifully speak of the spirit.
By the LORD’s word the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host. Psalms 33:6
Send forth your spirit, they are created
and you renew the face of the earth. Psalm 104:30
Finally, the New Testament:
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the holy Spirit”. John 20:22
We are still alive even if we ignore or close ourselves to the Holy Spirit. God is always within us, the ember of unconditional love. But we are certainly not living our God-given life to the fullest if we neglect that ember. I write this message for me as much as for you because I have neglected the Holy Spirit by praying predominately to God the Father and to Jesus. So, how can you and I let the Spirit in so the flames will burst high and wide?
We can give space and time to God and practice opening ourselves by listening, by waiting, and by relishing sacred silence. We can stand up tall, smile, and then take deep breaths so as to consciously draw in the Holy Spirit. Whether we do this in dedicated prayer time, walking, or while washing the dishes matters not. The Spirit is always ready for fire power.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle
in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Amen.
I hope my words tickle your brain or your heart in some way that stir you to open yourself to the Spirit! It would be a joy to hear your story of being filled with the spirit.
By Carol Dixon —
Cocooned in God’s eternal love,
With confidence I face this day,
Uplifted by the peace of Christ
Within me as I rise and pray.
God’s power holds me as I wake,
God’s spirit blesses as I bathe,
Christ sits at table while I eat
And walks with me upon my way.
My Lord is in each daily task,
In every person that I meet,
In random thoughts and idle chat,
He comes to me in all I greet.
God’s presence warms each shop and home,
With each kind word Christ welcomes me;
Should I forget that he is there,
Then signs of God around I see.
I see him in the rolling hills,
In drifting clouds across the sky,
In snail trails on the city streets,
In sound of raindrops, raven’s cry.
In children’s laughter, old man’s smile,
In work-worn hands I glimpse God’s care,
In tear-filled eyes, companion’s kiss;
In all creation, God is there.
Cocooned in God’s eternal love,
I lay aside my cares this day;
Christ’s peace will keep me through the night,
Within me, as I rest and pray.
For me, the heartbeat of God transforms everything in life. As a Companion of Brother Lawrence I try to practice the presence of God in everyday life as Brother Lawrence, the 15th century Carmelite lay worker in a monastery in France did. As you can imagine seeing God in all things doesn’t always work for an earthbound person like me. Sometimes though I do hear the heartbeat of God in the ordinary and when I do, I want to sing about it. I am delighted to say a few years ago God gave me a hymn that I revisit from time to time when I need to tune into God during the course of the day (music below).
Sometimes I hear the heartbeat of God in the beauty of creation, in the lovely countryside around me in Northumberland. At other times it comes to me through the love of my family, especially my grandchildren. I heard it loud and clear when I saw the photo of my 2nd granddaughter holding her baby sister.
Today you might like to think what kind of extraordinary ordinary things draw you into the heart of God and listen to the comfort of God’s heartbeat like the baby in the womb hears the heartbeat of its mother so that, whatever circumstances you find yourself in, you can face the day in tune with God.
by Christine Sine
I am getting ready for Easter. Lent is just the pathway of preparation. And I am not getting ready for Good Friday, which often seems to mesmerize us and demand our attention. I am getting ready for Easter Sunday and the celebration of new life, new creation and resurrection living.
As we get ready for Lent it is easy for us to forget why we observe this season of penitence and self examination. I wonder if we place too much emphasis on the cross and not enough on the kingdom. Jesus came to show us how to live – passionate for justice, caring for those at the margins, compassionate, loving and humble. The cross was the consequences of this way of life, but it was not the end, it was the beginning.
My symbol for Lent and Easter this year is the butterfly. and as preparation I have created my first ever origami creation. I excitedly placed it in my contemplative garden, lit my candles and immediately singed one of the wings. My first thought was Must make another! but then I remembered that the resurrected Christ bore the marks of crucifixion, the life of new creation is in some ways marred and made beautiful by the scars of death.
Waiting for resurrection
Butterfly resurrection begins with the death of the old caterpillar self and the embrace of a cocoon. I wonder if the old caterpillar resents the process just as we do. Or is it impatient for change.
The new birth must not be hurried, it looks painful but oh what magnificence emerges.
We enter Lent like caterpillars – unattractive, slow, vulnerable. This is a time for patience, for allowing the process for transformation to take place and preparing for the magnificence to come.
What is your response?
What types of transformation do you think God wants to accomplish in your life this year?
What is God giving birth to in you?
What Lenten practices would most encourage this new birth?
Why don’t you make your own origami butterfly. Think about resurrection and process of new birth Lent is preparing you for.It is very simple
All you need is:
A piece of 6×6″ colored paper: I used this one. Some in the pack are colored on both sides, some are white on the back which gives this beautiful 2 colored butterfly.
Liquid glue
String or yarn .
Watch this tutorial – it is very simple. Once you have made one you wil want to make lots more!
This version of The Lord’s Prayer was written by vintage blogger Andrew Jones way back in 2002. However I feel there is still a lot that makes it worth adding to our series for all of us to meditate on… not just if we are bloggers.
Our Father who lives above and beyond the dimension of the internet,
Give us this day a life worth blogging,
The access to words and images that express our journey with passion and integrity,
And a secure connection to publish your daily mercies.
Your Kingdom come into new spaces today,
As we make known your mysteries,
Posting by posting,
Blog by blog.
Give this day,
The same ability to those less privileged,
Whose lives speak louder than ours,
Whose sacrifice is greater,
Whose stories will last longer.
Forgive us our sins,For blog-rolling strangers and pretending they are friends,
For counting unique visitors but not noticing unique people,
For delighting in the thousands of hits but ignoring the ONE who returns,
For luring viewers but sending them away empty handed,
For updating daily but repenting weekly.
As we forgive those who trespass on our sites to appropriate our thoughts without reference,
Our images without approval,
Our ideas without linking back to us.
Lead us not into the temptation to sell out our congregation,
To see people as links and not as lives,
To make our blogs look better than our actual story.
But deliver us from the evil of pimping ourselves instead of pointing to you,
From turning our guests into consumers of someone else’s products,
From infatuation over the toys of technology,
From idolatry over technology
From fame before our time has come.
For Yours is the power to guide the destinies behind the web logs,
To bring hurting people into the sanctuaries of our sites,
To give us the stickiness to follow you, no matter who is watching or reading.
Yours is the glory that makes people second look our sites and our lives,
Yours is the heavy ambience,
For ever and ever,
Amen
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