Category: Focus

Posted on in Aging, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Journal, Just do it, Listen, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Surrender, Thanks, Trust, Worship, Yield

Recriminations and Breathing Room

For a week or perhaps 10 days, I got all complicated about my disciplines. We were having new flooring installed in the sitting/sewing room and in order to do that we basically dismantled the room. There was yarn and all manner of sewing things moved into the office. Writing in that space became more difficult as I could barely move my chair. Somehow that overflowed into my morning disciplines. Suffice it to say I lost my focus. It was easy to heap recriminations upon myself. But not productive!

The flooring is now installed. The contents of the room have been replaced and in their original order, sort of. I will have straightening to do for many hours in the future. When we moved the yarn holders (think cloth shoe pouches that hang from the closet pole) yarn and crochet thread went all over the place.

This morning, when I sat down in my prayer chair, I realized I’d left my tablet some place. Remembered I had used my iPad in the living room. I went to retrieve it and there was no charge left. Even the attached keyboard failed to have any power. So my approach to prayer centering was greatly disrupted. That was not all bad.

Looking for a way to firmly connect with the Spirit of God, I remembered all the times I did that without any electronic devices. Just me, the Book of Common Prayer, my Bible, perhaps a dictionary and a desire to know, and be known by my God. This was a masterful reset. I know I stepped away from my disciplines, not deliberately but a little shift here, a little shift there, a little anxiety here about Bob and the dog walking in icy weather, distraction by A B and C, and next thing I knew I was walking an unproductive path.

The meditation I listened to via my smart phone spoke about finding some breathing room. And that is what I have done this morning. I have some breathing room and a path forward to better union with the Trinity.

So hopefully, now I have regained some perspective. I once again have a renewed awareness of how easy it is to abandon the way of life that is so very good for me. I found myself stumbling about with the way of self in the world. It was not fulfilling. Just frustrating and like sawdust to my soul and spirit.

Father, thank you for showing me myself clearly. Help me above all else to hunger for and maintain my connection to you. You are the source of life. You are living water to me. Keep me and direct my ways to the glory of your name. Amen.

The Rule of Saint Benedict says, “Always, we begin again.”

Posted on in Book quotes, Faith, Focus, Obedience, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Object Lessons

I do well with object lessons in front of me to remind me of God and the path I am supposed to be following. Lately I have been studying to be a lay minister through Stephen Ministries. I wanted to draw on my textbooks a giant ear. Over and over in the lesson material we are taught the importance of being willing to listen without judgement or giving advice.

I wondered where I might find an ear as a reminder. Around October I can sometimes find plastic hands or other body parts. This search begin in January. And then, of course, Amazon was happy to supply my desire.

They sent two cellophane packs of soft ears. One side is bright red (reminiscent of blood). The other side is generally representative of a left human ear. The ear is extremely soft and not very pleasant to hold. Then I realized it would adhere to the window with no glue.

What am I going to do with all of those ears, you ask? In March I will attend my first St. Timothy’s Stephen Ministry Leader meeting. I will take them to share with the others who also serve in this ministry!

You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger James 1:19 NRSUE

Quick to listen. Are you? I am not very quick to listen, but I am trying to do it better.

Whether you look up the 331 references to the word listen or the 347 ones that say hear, the Bible makes it clear this is an imperative trait for humans. We are rarely quick to listen, yet all of us truly want to be heard.

Even more important is the lesson that we should listen to and hear the words of God. In Deuteronomy Moses presents the people with the commandments of the Lord.

Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Deuteronomy 6:4-6 NRSUE

This evolved into a Jewish prayer that you have likely become slightly familiar with, be it through television or New Testament study.

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31 NRSVUE

I have read that the Jewish people are told to recite this at least twice a day. I think I should, also. Hear the truth about God. Listen to God and obey. Listen to our neighbor, always and intently. We have our work cut out for us! Will you modify your behavior accordingly?

Posted on in Art, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Yield

Prayer

I was blessed and delighted to read this prayer from Lectio 365. No note is made of the author, but I think we can all pray it!

I dedicate the coming week to Jesus:  

Thank you, Jesus, for your faithful and sacrificial friendship. Help me this week to be a faithful and sacrificial friend like you.  

Thank you, Father, for loving me with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. Inspire me this week to love you more with all of mine.   

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for listening to my many thoughts and words and dreams. Still my soul this week to listen much more carefully to yours.

I say, yes, Lord. And Amen.

We are said to be made in the image of God. I had never thought about God loving me with heart, soul, and mind. That stuns me to awe and silence.

The Trinity our faithful and sacrificial friends.

Still me Holy Spirit to listen more carefully to every thing You tell me.

How will you interact with the Trinity this week?

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Focus, Joy, Look, Nature, Praise, Rest, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth

Winter Abounds in Wonders

O God, your ways are holy. Is there any god as mighty as you? You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations. Psalm 77:13–14 (NLT)

I was not quite awake as I poured my coffee. Remembered there were snow flurries last night when I took the dog out. Flipped on porch light and looked at deck to see how much snow we received? Yikes!! The four inches that remained from the last storm is still there. This was not new snow but shook me up for a brief minute. No, I was not awake before but startled to reality now! Negligible snow in the night .

I do not remember the last time that snow lingered like this in our town. I just saw a forecast that calls for 1-3 inches of new snow tomorrow!

Our God of great wonders has blessed us with unusual weather this winter. I pray you can enjoy it?

We took a ride in the Sunday sunshine and Bob took photos of the snow and shadows. We knew a few older houses in downtown Batavia that would form icicles from the second story to the ground. Indeed, they did!

Our son took a vacation to Hocking Hills in the midst of this winter mayhem. Perhaps you are familiar with Old Man’s Cave?

photo by Jeff Dutina
photo by Jeff Dutina
photo by Jeff Dutina

Beauty from the Lord our God is every place we turn. Praying you will discover treasures in plain sight for yourself today!

Posted on in Art, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Obedience, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Yield

Amy Carmichael

I am still delighting in her devotional The Edges of His ways.

Luke 4:30: Jesus passing through the midst of them went His way

Our new month will bring us joys, for the Lord of joy is with us; it will also bring us sorrows, for sorrows are part of life. It may bring things which would “throw us down” if they could. But they need not ever do that, for it is possible for us to do just what our Master did when, passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
As, by His grace, we go on in quietness, we shall find those words we know so well come true: “My Presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Exodus 33:14

His Presence is always with us. He gives us rest. We need to stay in quietness and that is a serious challenge in this increasingly raucous world! Stay in quietness, trust, participate in His Presence, go on your way.

A new challenge for February. We will, with God’s help.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Art, Cooking, Faith, Focus, Just do it, Rest, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Thanks, Yield

Winter Weather Plans

A group of friends began a group text message. I usually do not enjoy those, as some folks text on and on for hours. They were sharing how they would entertain themselves as the bitter cold and snow moved in. From fantasizing about Chantilly cake to watching football.

Bob and I attended a “staged reading” by Friends of the Groom, hoping to get home before the winter storm hit. (Indeed we did.) Here is a summary of what we saw.

This is a big treatment of a very big story. For a work still in development, it was impressively delivered. The cast wore coordinated black attire accented by select costume pieces, allowing imagination to do much of the work. Alan Pote served as musical director and pianist, while Tom Long staged the reading and coordinated the accompanying slides, projected on the side of the stage area, suggesting future scenic and battle designs. A review from https://www.leagueofcincytheatres.info/in-development-francis-the-man-from-assisi/

Francis at the center with brown shoulder cover
Jocelyn and Tom are both in the back row

After the performance, taking our cue from Dan Cooksey’s favorite habit of having ice cream for dinner, we went to UDF. Made it home without incident. Later in the evening the snow began.

So my plans were to make wild rice porridge with cranberries and hazelnuts, crock pot oatmeal (because it is the creamiest and best), pumpkin pie filling without the crust (yum!) and make a winter hat for my neighbor.

I got the breakfast foods done. Tore up my thumb crocheting. I think I am getting to where a cortisone injection may be needed? The hat is done. A brace on my hand for 2 nights and one day now.

I have been setting up communication with the prayer teams at our church. That is not working too well yet. I am practicing praise choruses so my friend can write them on staff paper for those who read music at the church. I am editing all of the poetry for publication through Kindle Direct. Another friend is formatting that.

I have dressing balls to make that I never got made at Thanksgiving, Shepherd’s pie for Bob and who knows what else? Or right, coconut pudding pie!

I am so busy I decided to stay home Wednesday morning as bitter cold will still be here and I have too much to do! So I write this to you hoping you have had things you enjoy to keep you distracted from being cooped up at home?

All too soon we are likely to be running around with long lists of to do, to buy, to go see. As the earth is resting under the snow, may you also find rest in this fallow time. To everything there is time and a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3

Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Obedience, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Joan Chittister and Richard Rohr

At times I read devotional thoughts from both of the above authors. The first listed below in purple print is from Joan Chittister.

“Seek God, not where God lives,” write the Desert Monastics.

The search for God comes one day to the point where we know without a doubt that we are immersed in God. Bringing ourselves to finally recognize that is the essential task of life.

There is no such thing as “getting” God. The fact is that we already have God. God is not somewhere else. God is everywhere. God is here. With me. In me. Now. It is the awareness of that presence which life intends to teach us to cultivate.

Richard Rohr’s website Center for Action and Contemplation posted “What Do We Do with the Bible? Many Voices; One Text”

Carl McColman wrote “A mystical reading of the Bible sees it as a conversation with many voices chiming in. When we read the Bible to connect with those compassionate and just voices, it is not only the Bible that is saved, but we ourselves also become more whole.

“A mystical reading of Scripture can be a way for you to reconnect with the uncreated light that shines at the heart of those ancient words of wisdom and love.” Carl McColman, Read the Bible Like a Mystic: Contemplative Wisdom and the Word (Broadleaf Books, 2025)

I have been trying to read the New Testament with the ideas put forth in Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. I have finished Mark and Matthew. To me this method is similar to mystical reading. Not trying to look up cross reference and words meanings as in Bible study, but absorb the Word, let it soak into me and do its work on God’s behalf. As Joan Chittister wrote, keep me aware Lord of that presence which life intends for me to cultivate.

Oh Lord, yes, make me more whole. Reconnect me with your uncreated light! Strengthen my awareness and open my eyes and ears to Your closeness, in me and with me. Amen.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Focus, Listen, Music

Alexander Chapman Campbell

Piano music, how I love it! When I am writing there is nothing better than piano solo music in the background to keep me focused and moving along with bringing forward the thoughts of my heart. I also love it when I am crocheting, especially while learning a new pattern.

Amazon music lets me select songs for playlists. I came across this artist who I had used on a playlist in 2024? I had since forgotten him. Reintroduced to his music, I thought I would share it with you in case you also are a fan of piano solos? Here is just one of many compositions. Enjoy!

Posted on in Faith, Focus, Music, Surrender, Trust, Worship

Came Across This Artist

I love to have music playing, especially piano solos in the background as I write or read, (like right now). Music helps me focus. And if I lose focus, music can often return me to the topic. Recently I asked Amazon music to play piano solo hymns for me. I am familiar with a few artists, but this name was new to me. Dan Musselman. What a neat find!

If you click on the link you can read about him. His arrangements are available for purchase.

https://danmusselman.com/pages/about

If you have a music streaming service I hope you will request him. He even takes the most contemporary Christian music and plays it as a piano solo. His music is seamless and lovely. Below is a sampling. Enjoy!

Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Joy, Just do it, Obedience, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Thanks, Worship, Yield

A Prayer from Lectio 365

I recently heard this on the App Lectio 365.

You are wisdom, uncreated and eternal,   
the supreme first cause, above all being,    
sovereign Godhead, sovereign goodness,   
watching unseen, 
the God-inspired wisdom of Christian people.   
Raise us we pray, that we may totally respond    
to the supreme, unknown, ultimate, and 
splendid height of your words, 
mysterious and inspired…   
You fill to the full with most beautiful splendour   
those souls who close their eyes that they may see.

St Denis prayer from The Cloud of Unknowing , 
written anonymously in the fourteenth century.

If you have never used this app, I highly recommend it. No, I do not use it every single day, but I find it worthwhile practically every time I do use it.

The above prayer has kept me praising for several weeks now. I know it is from the 14th century, but it still applies to the God I worship in 2026! Scroll back to the top, then pray it instead of just reading it. When might you be finished praying this one?

The legend of Saint Denis is surrounded by fictional tales and a few facts. All I can be certain of is that if he indeed prayed like the prayer quoted above, he knew my God and how to draw me into a closer relationship with the Trinity.

The prayer is said to come from The Cloud of Unknowing, a powerful tome. “The medieval spiritual guidebook called The Cloud of Unknowing was written by an anonymous English monk. At the core is a mystical approach to Christian prayer, in which God is found not through rote knowledge, but through ‘blind love.’ It has been described as Christianity with a Zen outlook.” J.B. Hare

Saint Denis in his prayer is no less powerful. Come, Lord, and make us more like those who loved you then. Help us to totally respond to You! “You fill to the full with most beautiful splendour those souls who close their eyes that they may see.“