This is the time of year when there is much talk about giving thanks. The election made many of us question so many things. Perhaps it is time to get away from politics and back to the basics of faith?
How do we see the world as sacred again? By radical noticing. Looking for awe in all of life. -Lucy Jones
Regardless of whether your candidate won or lost, the world is still sacred. The majority of human beings are still kind. We were in traffic the other day and there were two other drivers actually letting folks turn left in front of them. We were delighted to witness that people can still be kind after all the ugly rhetoric that has been flying.
“Radical noticing.”
The leaves have finally all fallen from our spindly little oak tree out front. There is a nest that remains. Occasionally a bird will perch on the edge of the empty nest awaiting its turn at the feeder. I do not know who lived right in my front yard, right outside my window in our office where I write this blog. I find that amazing! I thought I was observant. Looking for awe in all of life, I missed that one! If I had a drone camera I would send you a picture of that architectural wonder nestled right along the trunk of that oak!
“Looking for awe in all of life.”
I asked Alexa to play music by George Winston during dinner the other night. Suddenly the theme from a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving came on. I thought, “Stupid Alexa. I asked for George Winston.” Ha! There is a George Winston collection called Thanksgiving and it not only has that song but also the Great Pumpkin Waltz and others. I had no idea, I just know I like his arrangements and compositions.
Time to take notice of the little things in life that have gone right past me. Eyes off politics and back to the wonders of creation and music and the Word of God.
Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and he did the same with the fish, until everyone had plenty to eat. John 6:11
Be filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father. Ephesians 5:18-20
In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
One thing that is difficult for me to do is to maintain quietness in my heart and mind. My “life verse” Isaiah 30:15 helps me with this, WHEN I remember it!
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15
In the Book of Common Prayer I am often frustrated because the scriptures used are not given a cross reference. I delighted when I came across this prayer in the Book of Common Prayer on Page 832. For this prayer, I already knew the Scripture!
O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
When Bob and Jeff were both confirmed in the Episcopal Church we stayed in that community for many years. When the choir director set up every song during worship in Latin, I was furious, declaring “If we are going to sing in Latin I think we ought to sing in tongues with or without interpretation!” Irish German temper showing there! We then migrated from the Episcopal church to the Vineyard.
When we worshiped at the Vineyard at the time they were on the cutting edge of contemporary worship music. Many scriptures were incorporated into lyrics. One of the best ways to learn scripture is to sing it! And we sang, learned and the Word of God went into our hearts. This is one of those songs from long ago. The lyrics for the song are below. Hear it as the Trinity singing to you.
Song for the Bride, written by Brian Doerksen
I have longed to hold you in my arms And take all of your fear away I will take your filthy rags And make them clean
If you receive my love If you will receive my love Return to me And hear my spirit say
In repentance and rest Is your salvation In quietness and trust Is your strength
Return to me Return to me And hear my spirit say
Return to me Says the Lord Let me love you once again
In repentance and rest Is your salvation In quietness and trust Is your strength
I hope you will sit with the song, listen to it more than once and open your heart and mind to God’s love for you, His Bride. Can you envision yourself as the Bride of Christ? He longs for our fellowship with Him. If you wonder about the image of a Bride consider reviewing these verses.
The Trinity desires intimacy with us just as a bride and groom are intimate with each other. Jesus literally wants to ‘walk with us and talk with us’ as we journey through this life. Preparations are being made to take us to His side in the next.
I pray you will find rest in with the Groom now, in this time and place. I pray you will carry a reminder that you can enter that rest at any time. Choose to stay there. Do not fulfill that last part of Isaiah 30:15 NRSVA “but you refused.”
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. Hebrews 4:9-11
I attended a Soul Collage retreat last weekend. Mooydeen C. Frees, (R.N., MAPC, MEd, diploma in Spiritual Direction, Trained SoulCollage Facilitator and Retired Deacon) conducts these on occasion at the Sisters of Charity convent. There are literally thousands of magazine photos cut out and arranged on tables by topic. Participants are provided with a work table, ruler, Exact-o knife, glue stick, matte board, scissors, roller, clear sleeves for storage, etc., everything you would need to make a 5 x 8 inch collage. We are then set free to make as many or as few collages as we desire.
Some folks have told me they did not want to attend because they do not see themselves as artistic. This does not have to do with art as much as finding pictures that speak to your soul and then assembling them in a collage to express yourself.
We arrived at 8:45 and began making our cards at about 9:30. Broke for lunch at noon and began again about 12:30. This process helps tap into some deep places of the soul. We are told to strive for metaphor as that keeps us out the part of the left brain where too much rational/logical thinking occurs.
I made one card that was wrenching with the honest pain of the past few months. I was exhausted when it was finished. Then I also made a card that reminded me of the wisdom of having fun. Some photos I had gathered at other Soul Collage retreats. This time I was determined to incorporate them in one or more collages for myself.
Mooydeen cautioned us about not posting these online as many of the magazine images are copyrighted. Well, I looked up two of the images I used and they were online so I assume they are alright to share?
In the lower right corner is a young child laughing. She reminds me of myself as a child. Next to her is the image below. As if she is watching Mr. Pavarotti and laughing with great joy!
Besides the serious opera star saying to me not to take life too seriously, he reminds me of my husband Bob. Bob cannot get in a swimming pool without spitting a similar fountain! Bob’s fountain is usually aimed at whoever is closest to him in the water.
Above Pavarotti is an owl perched on a pole. The owl always symbolizes wisdom, so of course the owl needed to be here. The owl reminds me there is wisdom in having fun.
Upper right hand corner is a wheelbarrow full of monkeys. The exact photo I used was online!!
Look at their varied expressions! Remind you of folks you know? “More fun than a barrow of monkeys!” Not a barrel in this case, but a wheelbarrow. Guess they like to ride? I do not see any straps or means of making them stay in, do you?
Card reading consists of using the statement, “I am the one who .. ” has learned to laugh even during difficult, painful times. ” I am the one who…” wonders what monkey brains are pondering as they ride along. “I am the one who…” is learning the wisdom of humor. ” I am the one who…” hopes I am never too old to delight like a child.
I used one image of an old woman shedding tears in two of my collages. Yes, there are things to cry about and tears help provide that emotional release. There is value in tears. There is also value in laughter.
Where are your humor images today? How can you keep laughing even in the midst of hard, painful times?
Somehow we got it in our heads that prayer must be polite. That there are only certain ways we should talk to God. Yet, the Bible is full of people talking to God with lament and anger and frustration and all sorts of things beyond adoration or groveling. (Read Jeremiah 12 for an example.)
The most genuine relationships are those where we can express ourselves openly without fear of censure or judgement. I have learned that my God can handle whatever form of communication I want to use with Him. When I was nine months pregnant with our first baby, my mother died suddenly. It took me ten years to adjust to that loss. When I was in the deepest throes of grief I cried out to God, reminded Him that in the Bible it says He would comfort those who mourn. Matthew 5:4 So where was my comfort? And comfort came. I can get angry at God and He can take it. Even then grace and mercy are not withdrawn from me.
Have you been transparent in your prayers. Are your communications with God authentic? Do you dare let yourself talk or shout at Him like you would a friend? The Scripture says to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 96:9) If you feel free to holler at God you are no less beautiful than one kneeling in silence.
There are so many Americans fearful of what the return of Donald Trump to the Oval Office will usher in. From scientists, to law makers, to immigrants, to those on the fringes of society, fear is rampant and on the minds of many every single day. With each appointment of cabinet members and advisors who seem outlandish to moderate Americans the cries of fear increase.
In 1996 I wrote this and even heard a melody to go with it. I have not pursued getting it published or sung in public. I believe it holds true especially today.
Somewhere in the knowing there is peace,
Right there in the longing is a pull to draw near,
Almost at the brink a hand reaches out to save,
In response to the cry of our soul.
Cry then, soul, out loud!
Feel all your feelings.
Declare to God every single thing.
He's not repelled, He made you and
He loves you.
So speak with Him
Through song or shouts of pain.
Independence is the bane of our lives,
Drawing near the bless`ed, chosen way;
Narrow though it seems,
Eternal vistas open forth,
As we sacrifice with Holy trust and praise.
Chorus
Give Him all your shattered dreams and longings,
Every vain attempt to take control;
He alone is worthy of the powers we desire,
He alone can save and make us whole.
Cry then, soul, out loud!
Feel all your feelings.
Declare to God every single thing.
He's not repelled, He made you and
He loves you.
So speak with Him
Through song or shouts of pain.
I would love for you to try being authentic with the Trinity. Your emotions are not too much for the Mighty One to handle. By being transparent you might actually move into a new dimension of prayer that you have not had before.
Cry the soul, out loud!
Say it like you mean it. Don’t begin with grit or faith. Start with disappointment, naming your pain and need to God. He collects our tears, and we begin by doing up the same, dragging up our painful experiences of his perceived absence, silence, or rejection. Tell God your disappointments in prayer, and don’t water it down. Forget your manners. Tell it like it is. -Tyler Staton from Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools
Each Sunday our 9:15 service ends with the charge from the priest,
“Our worship has ended. Now our service begins.”
I just love that call to action for Christ!
When I was participating in the other denominations, I still maintained my attendance at the Convent of the Transfiguration. I made it my business to learn the contemporary version of the Lord’s Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer so I would not be stumbling over the words of the prayer when we said it in unison. Now that we are back to worship at the Episcopal church I find myself having to concentrate on the words of the traditional Lord’s Prayer as they are not using the contemporary version. Always something to learn!!
Here are the two versions for your consumption.
Traditional Version from Book of Common Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
And the Contemporary Version from Book of Common Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Forgive us AS. I hope the AS always stands out in your heart when you say this prayer, what ever version you choose.
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 NIV
There is lots of grief among people I know regarding the election results. None of us know what the election of Donald Trump will mean. Bob read something that said, “When a clown enters a palace, he does not become king. When a clown enters a palace, the palace becomes a circus.”
Weird indeed. Fear of what may happen is tinging many parts of the US population.
Those who have been on the margins of society are fearful that the President Elect will unleash another wave of violence towards them in cities across the nation. Even people with valid American citizenship who do not look like the WASP population are fearful. What has this country come to?
I have waited my entire lifetime for the government to take notice of those who are on the margins, the mentally ill, the unhoused, those who look unlike me and all of us in need of help, compassion, mercy. That dream seems to get further and further away as I age. Instead those people seem to be neglected more each year.
On a recent visit to the San Francisco Bay area, Bob said that the homeless population seems to increase every time he visits. The climate there is temperate and the unhoused find it easier to live on the streets there than on the streets of Cincinnati. There is no national plan that I know of being made to approach this problem.
I was crushed in 1984 when the hospital for the mentally ill, Longview State hospital, closed in Cincinnati. Where were these folks to get help? I did not understand the problems with institutionalized asylums. I just could not comprehend turning people out in the streets. People that needed our care and compassion.
Now people are beaten in the street if they look Asian. Those of Mexican or South American descent are being told they will be rounded up and deported unless they can prove American citizenship. I wonder who is going to do suburban lawn care, pick the crops, slaughter the chickens and replace roofing on homes? Much less, clean motel rooms and manicure golf courses?
People in twenty some states are being sent texts telling them they should prepare to be picked up from their homes and be sent to pick cotton. What is this evil force being unleashed among Americans? As if farms even picked cotton by hand anymore! That pretty much ended in the 1970s!
Is this all politically driven or has America always been this mean? Has an undercurrent of hatred tinged every generation? Have I been a fool wearing rose tinted glasses my entire life?
Such violent hatred. Floods of intentionally unkind vitriolic language! How have we come to this blatant disregard for the ones we see as other? Do we not believe we are all made in God’s image and given certain rights? Each of us is human!!
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.Preamble to the Declaration of Independence
I do not have answers as to how we should solve all these problems but I do believe it begins with respecting other persons as part of us, the human race. I recently bought a license plate frame for my car that reads:
We are Humankind. Be both: human and kind.
Oh that we would all take this to heart! We are people. We are human. We each need kindness.
Even the President Elect. God help us, I pray.
Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day; Bless these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out: Bless the roof and chimneys tall, Let thy peace lie over all; Bless this door, that it may prove ever open to joy and love.
Bless these windows shining bright, Letting in God's heav'nly light; Bless the hearth a'blazing there, with smoke ascending like a prayer; Bless the folk who dwell within, keep them pure and free from sin; Bless us all that we may be Fit O Lord to dwell with thee; Bless us all that one day we May dwell O Lord with thee.
I purposefully began this blog with a photo of Mother Eva Mary who helped found the Convent of the Transfiguration where I am an Associate. Since one of their principles is cheerfulness, I believe she would have liked the prayer below.
We found this among my mother’s things after she died. She copied it from Reader’s Digest! Evidently, it was written by a Mother Superior who wished to be anonymous. I shared it in a group recently and had such a positive response I thought the blog readers might enjoy it also!
Lord, Thou knowest better than I myself that I am growing older, and will some day be old.
Keep me from getting talkative, and particularly from the fatal habit of thinking that I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.
Release me from craving to try to straighten our everybody’s affairs.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details. Give me wings to get to the point.
I ask for grace enough to listen to the tales of others’ pains. Help me to endure them with patience. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains. They are increasing and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint … some of them are so hard to live with… but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.
Oh yes, You know Lord that I want at least a few friends in the end! Keep laughing, especially at yourself.
Breathe out. Usually in my quiet time I begin with breathe out self, and breath in Christ. Quite a lesson for me below!
When we are walking at the Nature Center we always go to the cultivated garden. During the summer it is bursting with blooms. You can see Lucky in the lower left of the photo. This looks like a gnarly bunch of dead leaves, but what a lesson I gained here! I could not find a sign identifying the plant. I have tried to contact the Nature Center to help me with identification of the plant, but so far no response.
As we walked about the wire enclosure I came upon this aspect of one of the leaves.
Plants do not perform breathing in its literal sense. Unlike animals, they do not possess any specialized structures like lungs for breathing. Stomata, the minute opening in leaves, and lenticels found in woody stems helps plants in gas exchange. However, similar to other living organisms, respiration occurs in plants throughout their lives to fulfill their energy requirements.
Respiration in leaves occurs through stomata, the minute pores present in them. Gaseous exchange of respiratory gases takes place through diffusion via stomata and reaches other cells of the leaves. Carbon dioxide produced during respiration also gets diffused through stomata and moves out of the leaves. The opening and closing of stomatal pores during the exchange of gases are regulated by the guard cells.
Never would I have seen this in the summer. Autumn brings all sorts of treasures into my plain sight!
We returned the next day to get more photos.
Stay amazed at the grandeur of life! What are you breathing in, breathing out?
Strive to be aware of the holy in the most mundane of things and you will see it open before you: the everyday is the abode of the eternal. -Steven Charleston
Faith Prayer and Tract League is a religious organization that focuses on the distribution of religious tracts throughout North America, the Far East, and Europe. The organization was founded with the mission of providing people with religious materials that would help them grow in their faith. The group has been successful in distributing over 60 million religious tracts throughout the world. The organization is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When you go to “The Tract League” it seems as if most of the activity is now centered in India.
Many years ago it was popular in Ohio to print this poem and attached a few woven threads to it.
The poem The Weaver
My life is but a weaving Between my Lord and me, I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.
Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow, And I in foolish pride Forget He sees the upper And I, the underside.
Not till the loom is silent And the shuttles cease to fly Shall God unroll the canvas And explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful In the Weaver’s skillful hand As the threads of gold and silver In the pattern He has planned. -Grant Colfax Tullar
I think this bears remembering! I often say, “God knows! But He is not telling!” I understand that in the end He will explain everything. Hold to that hope, my friend.
Ouch. This date and June 14th both bring me pangs of anguish. My Dad died on November 14, 1961. My mom died June 14, 1975. If my Dad was alive today he would be 109 years old. I do not wish that on anyone. That said, I have a friend who is in her 90s. Should she die this week I must say I would miss her dearly.
I never knew Paul Arthur Rush as anyone other than Daddy. I had just turned eleven years old when he died in our apartment. I was angry with him that morning when I left for school, (no idea over what now). I do remember that I refused to kiss him good bye. Little did I know he would be dead before I returned to the house from my after school dental appointment. My mother was supposed to pick me up. During my appointment I cried out. The dentist had to stop and let me calm down. I think that was just about the moment my Dad died. What a mess.
When the dental office secretary unexpectedly drove me home (due to the chaos in our house), I entered a place where my life was changed forever. Why am I telling you all of this?
We do not know what the next hour of our life will bring to us or to those whom we love. John Wesley is credited with the quote below, but it is cited from the 1790s to the 1900s in various publications as being written by various people. I think we can all agree it sums up wisdom indeed.
Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.
On the morning of November 14, 1961 I had no idea how much that saying would impact me later in life. Yes, I wish I had kissed my Dad good-bye that morning. He suffered many years from repeated heart attacks and his heart disease is what finally killed him. For many years I was sorry for my inaction when I departed for school. I know I am forgiven.
I am grateful to my Dad in so many ways. They say he had a great sense of humor. I suppose that is where I got mine? I remember setting his hair in pin curls. For years I had totally straight hair. In my older age it is growing in wavy. His was wavy and I always envied that! After he died I would walk in a room and relatives would gasp and say, “Oh! It is Paul Rush.” So I guess I look more like him than I do my mom.
When I was diagnosed with diabetes I asked how that could be? “There is no history of that in my family.” The doctor told me that when my dad died from heart disease he likely was diabetic. There was no standard testing for diabetes at the time. His heart disease was likely due to his diabetes. (Not to mention the smoking, and drinking, etc.)
I will tell you that losing him set me on a quest to replace him. I found that no one could. However, that was the time when I did turn my heart and soul to the Lord God Almighty. I have found Him to be a most faithful Father Who will never leave me or forsake me.
So never miss a chance to tell someone that you love them. Seek most of all to know the heavenly Father.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. 10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. 11 Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:8-14 NIV
My Uncle made me pose the morning of Daddy’s funeral. I did not want to smile.
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 