by Christine Sine
This year I am determined to start off on the right foot and for that rather selfish reason chose Starting the 2020s on the Right Foot as our Godspace theme for January 2020. Here is what I suggested to our authors:
I know that most of us feel that we don’t really start off right and as we look ahead the next decade looks pretty scary but what advice do you have for our Godspace readers? What words of wisdom, hope or promise do you have? What suggestions do you have for spiritual or even physical practices that can help our followers deal with the struggles and challenges ahead?
To be honest I think I need a bit of advice myself and am hoping that some of the other Godspace authors can provide it for me. Starting on the right foot has been a little challenging this year. Tom and I have not taken our usual New Year’s retreat yet and I find that my energy and focus is distracted by the horror of what is going on with the bushfires in Australia. It has paralyzed my creative energy.
However I am starting to find my direction and wanted to share some of what I have been doing that has helped.
Recalling.
Looking back over the last year has been both inspiring and hope giving for me.
I asked myself 4 questions:
- What were the joyspots?
- What were the challenges?
- What must I repent of?
- What am I grateful for?
2019 was a year filled with both delight and challenge. The joy of giving birth to The Gift of Wonder, as well the births of great nieces and nephews in Australia has left me with a warm glow. Unfortunately it has been tinged by the sadness of deaths within the family and of good friends as well as the illnesses of others. I have struggled too with the political situation in the U.S and the horror of the climate crisis we are facing. It has not been an easy year.
However as I looked through my journal it was not these major events that caught my attention, it was the accounts of waffle breakfasts and dinners orchestrated by our downstairs tenants. They were a special gift of love to us in the midst of the challenges.
It is often the small things like this that give me hope I realize, like the “star sky” I snapped a photo of a couple of days ago. Things like this are so easily forgotten or glossed over when we look back. Our memories have little place for them unless we actively work to bring them to mind.
What are the small and seemingly insignificant events of 2019 that give you hope for the 2020s?
Wisdom and Discernment
I find myself less inclined to set lots of goals these days and more inclined to listen for God in stillness at the beginning of each day and reach discernment that will nudge me into the next steps God wants me to take. Again there are several questions that come to mind:
- What spiritual practices draw me closer to God?
- What inspires and fills me with awe?
- What helps me slow down and take notice?
- What helps me focus and makes me less inclined to distraction?
Here it was not so much my journal that I looked back through but this blog. I smiled at the new spiritual practices I have discovered like making apple cider; and singing together some that I have reconnected to like walking barefoot and beach combing. These unexpected spiritual practices have enriched and delighted my soul. And I look forward with the hope and expectation that new practices will arise in 2020 with a similar impact
What practices did you create or re-discover in 2019 that enriched and renewed your faith?
Look Forward with Hope
I know that many people are struggling with where to find hope in the current political environment. And it is hard. Here are my questions:
- What are my dreams for the coming year?
- What are my fears?
- What provides the balance that I need?
As I commented above it is often the small and seemingly insignificant things that give us hope. As I look ahead I feel that God is reminding me of that. My dreams for book writing, gardening and travel don’t all need to be big. There needs to the balance of small and insignificant dreams that might in fact change me more than anything else.
A couple of years ago I created an epiphany garden that was one of the simplest I have made. It was all about balance. It was inspired by John O’Donohue words in Beauty: The Invisible Embrace : Stillness is the canvas against which movement can become beautiful. For motion to be fully appreciated it must move against a background of stillness. When everything is in motion, we end up with chaos and frenzy.
As I re-read my blog post on that I realized I still struggle to find balance. Activism comes naturally to me, contemplation does not. So once again at the beginning of this year I remind myself of the need for seasons of stillness and contemplation. It is this that fuels my activistic spirit in a healthy way.
How do you find balance between contemplation and activism as you look to the future?
By Lynn Domina —
A few years ago, I went with a group of friends to India, all of us studying interfaith dialogue. One of the few purely recreational activities was a “sunset camel ride” out into the desert near the village of Pushkar. Though I’d never heard of it before, I loved Pushkar with its mostly dirt roads filled with pedestrians, motorscooters, cows, and a few honking automobiles. I loved the market stalls filled with fabrics and vegetables and small paintings. I loved noticing how Hinduism so thoroughly infused the culture. And I was really curious about that camel ride.
Each of our camels was led by an individual camel driver who helped us climb aboard. A camel is a lot taller than a horse, something I hadn’t thought much about before. My camel, like all the others, knelt in the sand, each leg tucked under itself. Even so, its back was still pretty high up, so my camel driver helped me swing my right leg over the saddle before I hoisted the rest of my body gracelessly up. I wasn’t too nervous yet, though my camel driver kept instructing me to “lean back, hold on tight.” When a camel stands from a kneeling position, it raises its front legs first while its back legs remain kneeling. I cannot adequately describe the queasy whoosh that wheels through your stomach when this occurs, nor the conviction that you are about to tumble, somersaulting butt-first off the camel’s behind. “Lean back, hold on tight.” Then my camel lifted its back legs, too, and all seemed almost well—until we started walking. A camel’s gait is nothing like a horse’s either, and suddenly I had to worry not only about not falling off the back end, but also about not falling off either side. By the time we reached the desert, probably only about half a mile, I felt slightly more confident, though I never stopped holding on tight. The walk back was easier, and dismounting was easiest of all. I’d been afraid almost the entire time, but I’d had fun, too, and I was grateful that I hadn’t surrendered to my fear.
I remember that camel ride every year when Epiphany rolls around. I think about those wise men, those sages from the East, always pictured with their camels. They were certainly more practiced, less afraid of falling off, but surely there were moments when they needed someone to remind them to hold on tight, not to their reins so much as to their vision. Something important was happening, and they wanted to be part of it. So they rode across the desert, miles and miles, the wind blowing sand into their faces, their eyes stinging with grit. How many sunsets did it take to reach Bethlehem?
The Gospel of Matthew tells us about their arrival in Bethlehem, their encounter with Herod, their presentation of gifts to the baby, and their departure, but it tells us nothing about their journey. I understand Matthew’s choice, for his focus was on Jesus and his identity as Messiah, and he hones his focus throughout his 28 chapters. He’s not writing a big topsy-turvy muddle of a Victorian novel, heaping with characters and the rhizomic backstories of each one. He’s focused on Jesus.
My focus on Epiphany, though, is the journey. I don’t mean that the journey is more important than the destination, though that often is true. The sages’ destination of Bethlehem, where they would lay eyes on God incarnate, was undeniably important. I just mean that when I think about Epiphany, I keep thinking about what it took to get there. The trip must have been physically uncomfortable. There must have been moments when they wondered if they were still headed in the right direction, guiding star or not. One or another of them probably felt sick, at least for a day or two, for what traveler never feels sick? And wherever they looked, there was all that sand, softer than rock when they wanted to sleep but also coating their nostrils when they inhaled, their mouths when they yawned, and their food whenever they stirred it in its pot. Yet they kept on, ever westward.
That’s our challenge, to hold fast to the vision God has given us. To trust that the journey and the destination are both important. To refuse to surrender to our fear.
By Emily Huff —
Today is Epiphany which marks the Season of Light. In the church calendar, Epiphany comes after the 12 days of Christmas and lasts until Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent.
For over a decade, our family has carried on a tradition for Epiphany using a beautiful liturgy around our table, and over the years, it has become one of my favorite gatherings.
Each year on Epiphany, the liturgy invites us to use a piece of chalk and to write on our door. This year, we will write the following on our doorframe:
20 C M B 20
This tradition of chalking the door has been around since the middle ages. Some connect the letters CMB to the kings Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar since Epiphany is the time when we remember the wise men visiting Jesus on this day. Some report that C M B stands for Christus Mansionem Benedicat which means “May Christ bless this house.” The numbers represent the year- 2020.
My friend Kristin Kinser wrote the following to welcome this season: “Christ’s first home was a humble stable where shepherds came, at the bidding of angels, to worship the newborn king. The wise men followed a strange star in order to worship the One who was more than worthy of the precious gifts they brought.
That was 2000 years ago. Now, the risen Christ lives in us. Our very lives are the places that Jesus makes his home. When we invite a guest into our house we have the opportunity to be Christ to them. Whether it is through the hospitality of a meal, a place to sleep, a listening ear, or a cup of sugar, we have the opportunity to share the heart of God with those who pass through our doors.
The tradition of “chalking the door” is a way of marking our homes, usually at the front or main entrance, with sacred signs and symbols as we remember those who have passed through our doors in the past year and ask God’s blessing upon those who will pass through in the coming year. Just as the wise men followed the star until they found Jesus, we pray that those who come into our home would also encounter Jesus.”
The following liturgy is offered as a way to participate in the meaningful tradition of “chalking the door.” My favorite part is when we stop to remember and name all the people we can remember who came through our doors in this past year and then we pray that our home would be a light to those who come here in the new year. It is a time to remember what St. Benedict said over 1500 years ago that “all people who present themselves should be welcomed as Christ.”
A Blessing of the Home
(L=Leader, C=Community)
L: The Lord is with you;
C: And also with you.
All: Peace be to this house and to all who live, work, and visit here.
L: Let’s take a moment to remember the friends and family who have passed through our door during the past year and give thanks to God for them.
C: (say the names of friends and family who have visited)
L: The three wise men came to Bethlehem in search of the Lord. They brought to him precious gifts: gold to honor the newborn king, incense to the true God in human form, and myrrh to anoint his body, which one day would die like our own.
L: Let us pray. O God, you once used a star to show to all the world that Jesus is your Son. May the light of that star that once guided wise men to honor his birth, now guide us to recognize him also, to know you by faith, and to see you in the epiphanies of the daily experiences of our lives.
L: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord — Jesus born of Mary — shall be revealed.
C: And all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
All: As the Wise Men once sought your brilliant light, O Lord, so may we seek to live and work in your splendor.
L: O God of Light, bless this (our) house and this (our) family. May this be a place of peace and health. May each member of this family cultivate the gifts and graces you have bestowed, dedicating our talents and works for the good of all.
L: Make this house a shelter in the storm and a haven of rest for all in need of your warmth and care. And when we go out from this place, may we never lose sight of that Epiphany star.
C: As we go about our work, our study, our play, keep us in its light and in your love.
A Blessing of the Chalk for Marking the Door
L: Lord Jesus, through your Incarnation and birth in true human form, you have made all the earth holy. We now ask your blessing upon this simple gift of your creation — chalk. We use it as a tool to teach our children, and they use it as a tool in their play and games. Now, with your blessing, may it become a tool for us to mark the doors of our home with the symbols of your wise servants who, so long ago, came to worship and adore you in your first home.
People in turn mark the doorway with one or more of the symbols:
20 C M B 07
L: May we, in this house, and all who come to visit, to work, and to play, remember these things throughout the coming year. May all who come and go here find peace, comfort, joy, hope, love, and salvation, for Christ has come to dwell in this house and in these hearts. All: May we be Christ’s light in the world. Amen. (Copyright © 1999. The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church. Used by permission).
Heidi Haverkamp writes, “Receive every person who comes through your door as though they were bringing Jesus to you. Receive every person you meet as though you were encountering the face of Christ……Part of what makes a monastery a healthy place is to receive guests, so that the monks or sisters don’t get turned in on themselves, or imagine that they’re the center of the world, or that only they are good Christians. Part of what makes a church a healthy place is to receive guests, so that we don’t imagine we’re a club, or a secret place. A church should be a place anyone can come to meet Jesus, and a church is a place where anyone who comes can be a way for the other people there to meet Jesus. That’s why hospitality is so important. Because it helps us meet Jesus.” (http://www.stbenedict.ws/sermon/meeting-jesus-through-hospitality/)
I remember an article in a Young Life magazine years ago talking about Young Life leaders being “Jesus with skin on.” This Epiphany tradition helps us take time to remember those who have passed through our door this past year who has been “Jesus with skin on,” and we give thanks to God for them.
Each year, we gather around the table with candles with this liturgy to celebrate the Light. One of the things I love about liturgy is that each year, we say these words, and over time, it starts to sink in. Each year with different experiences that have marked our journeys, we bring more to the table, and hopefully we are able to savor the words and let them continue to have their way with us.
May 2020 be a year in which God gives us grace to see Him in the epiphanies of the daily experiences of our lives and may our home be a place where Christ’s light is known.
Robert Benson’s invitation sums it up best:
“Now the season of looking for Him everywhere is upon us — the season of Epiphany is what they call it. Heads up. Keep your eyes and ears and hands open. He is everywhere, and He moves in pretty surprising ways. You do not want to miss Him.”
This is a beautiful poem to contemplate as we approach the Eve of Epiphany. What star will you follow?
Creator of the Stars
God of Epiphanies
You are the Great Star
You have marked my path with light
You have filled my sky with stars
naming each star
guiding it
until it shines into my heart
awakening me to deeper seeing
new revelations
and brighter epiphanies.
O Infinite Star Giver
I now ask for wisdom and courage
to follow these stars
for their names are many
and my heart is fearful.
They shine on me wherever I go:
The Star of Hope
The Star of Mercy and Compassion
The Star of Justice and Peace
The Star of Tenderness and Love
The Star of Suffering
The Star of Joy
And every time I feel the shine
I am called
to follow it
to sing it
to live it …
— M J Ryan from A Grateful Heart
M.J. works as an executive coach to senior executives and entrepreneurs around the world to accelerate business success and personal fulfillment. She combines a practical approach gained as the CEO of a book publishing company with methodologies from neuroscience, positive psychology and asset-focused learning to help clients and readers more easily meet their goals.
NOTE: As an Amazon Affiliate I receive a small amount for purchases made through this link.
By Ana Lisa de Jong —
Are you waiting in the blue?
Is blue the colour of your heart.
Or blue the light that
falls upon your path.
Is blue the weight
that sits upon your frame.
Or blue the echo to resonate
within your chest.
Is blue the hue that covers you like snow,
or clouds carrying rain.
Is blue the light that envelops you,
or in the pain that pushes at your chest.
Remember blue is another colour with which
you are held close.
Loss lengthening like shadows in the longest night,
is always the underside of life lived to its full.
Until its treasure all consumed for now,
is wrung out like rain washed clothes.
Then blue is the light that covers you,
while what is waiting in the wings takes some unseen shape.
Grows ready like the burning sun to come round,
and burn through the vestiges of what remains.
Blue, the space between the old and new,
is the gentle pallbearer of your pain,
whose job is done when life
restored enters in,
to lift the covering edge
and do its alchemy of love,
absorbing the blue
in its rainbow hues.
Yes, are you walking blue?
Has blue become the weight in your step.
Grief that knows its season
will recede back, to greet the sun.
And if not yet,
then be assured of shortening nights to come.
By Lilly Lewin
Consider being a magi, a wiseman or woman, a wise counselor in 2020.
Imagine it! Picture yourself.
You are extremely smart, in fact you were in the top five in your class. A scholar! You are interested in everything, learning all that you can.
You spend hours reading and searching on line for information on a variety of subject. Friends, family, leaders come and ask you for advice and for help on their projects.
You want to know things. You are interested. You are inquisitive. You are always aware and available for new stuff to come along! You aren’t afraid to to search for new things. You aren’t afraid to go wherever you need to go to get the info you need!
After months of searching and reading and paying attention, you notice on line that things start coming together. Many things seem to point to a special event getting ready to happen in a distant city.
You get so excited taht you tell your friends! They start watching for the signs too!
Finally, when the evidence for this special event is so great that you just can’t miss it…you tell your family you have to leave, you have to go! You don’t know how long you will be gone. You don’t know when you will be back. You DO know that someone very special is about to arrive! And you want to be a part of it!
You pack your bags with special gifts. You and your friends leave to seek this special one who has been announced in all the signs!
You leave your home, your family, all that is familiar to you…
to Follow the Star
to Seek the King of Kings…Emmanuel. God with us!
ARE YOU READY?
by Lilly Lewin
How will you follow Jesus, The Star, in 2020? What does it mean for you to follow the Star? What does following The Star look like for you?
What do you need to leave behind in order to follow The Star in the New Year? What is holding you back from going on the journey?
What friends do you need to invite, or take with you to help you follow The Star? Pray for them to join you.
What gifts do you want to bring with you to give away in 2020?
The Magi didn’t know exactly where they were going…they stopped and asked for directions. What things help you stay on the right path? What do you need this New Year to help you stay on the path?
How can you see this New Year as an adventure in Following the Star? Draw a picture, write a story, create a collage, curate a playlist of songs, find a star, or get outside and look at the stars nightly to help you imagine the Journey and Follow the Star in 2020. Which one will you choose?
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
Ah, when the heart is too deeply grieved
sometimes the light is too bright a thing.
The hurt animal seeks a dark habitat to
hide.
Perhaps its safety that is perceived
in the half light.
Perhaps it is the same as wearing black
in mourning,
in that once there was apportioned a time to
rightly grieve.
Now, even grief is a thing,
we must examine in the shade.
The light can’t be tarnished by a people
casting shadows.
Ah, but when the heart is deeply grieved,
light comes gently.
At, first a sliver through the curtains
left a chink or two open.
And then, once we can bear it,
a sun beam cast upon the floor.
When we see the light will only shine
where we can receive it,
we will trust the way
it can illuminate our path.
The light with tender knowing
will not show us much up front,
So that we might just see our way
to the turn in the road.
Yes, all the garish light bearers
have long missed the point.
The light dawns slowly,
as sun traversing the hill.
Ana Lisa de Jong
Living Tree Poetry
January 2020
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