Category: Spiritual discipline

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The Shack

Have you read the book or seen the movie?

When it was first published it was quite controversial. Many have found solace and understanding of the Trinity from this book and the subsequent movie.

“So what do I do now?” asked Mack. Jesus replied “What you’re already doing, Mack, learn to live loved. It’s not an easy concept for humans. You have a hard time sharing anything.” He chuckled and continued, “So yes, what we desire is for you to ‘re-turn’ to us, and then we come and make our home inside you, and then we share. The friendship is real, not merely imagined. We’re meant to experience this life, your life, together, in a dialogue, sharing the journey. You get to share in our wisdom and learn to love with our love, and we get …. to hear you grumble and gripe and complain, and …”

The Shack Page 174-175 by Paul Young

The subtitle on the book reads “You are never as alone as you think.”

If you have not read it check your local library. Or try to get the DVD or movie through Hoopla at the library. It will certainly have you thinking about your relationship with the Trinity and their work in your life. Well worth your time and in my opinion, something to give you a good long think!

The most difficult thing about the Christian concept of the Trinity is that there is no way to perfectly and completely understand it. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also teaches that there is only one God. Though we can understand some facts about the relationship of the different Persons of the Trinity to one another, ultimately, it is incomprehensible to the human mind. However, this does not mean the Trinity is not true or that it is not based on the teachings of the Bible.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html

The Shack is just one interpretation of the Trinity. No one person knows for certain how to teach and understand the complex nature of what we worship.

LORD, help our lack of understanding. Lead us deeper to Your heart. Help us learn to live as loved. Amen.

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Collection of Quotes, Faith, Listen, Nature, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Worship, Yield

Verb?

Multiple times I have run across this idea that God is not a noun. God is a verb. Of course, I did not note the places where I first began to hear this. Trying to resource it on-line led to several authors. These are by no means exhaustive!

Perhaps the most commented upon is a book by Rabbi David A. Cooper entitled “God is a Verb.” He bases his book upon studies of the Kabbalah, a branch of mystical Judaism. He writes about God as a verb and our ‘co-partnering in God-ing.’

And as Jason Derr at Huffington Post writes,

God is not a force who acts on the world through coercion, violence or the suspension of physics and free will. God is a verb, an action we bring to the world to make love, justice, mercy, joy and goodness known.

Jason Derr, contributor at Huffington Post

This quote challenges the conventional understanding of God as a fixed entity or concept, suggesting that God should be perceived as an active and dynamic force or presence in the world.

https://www.rarequote.com/god-is-a-verb-not-a-noun-r-buckminster-fuller

When I was re-reading my notes from The Shack I was only mildly surprised to find this one from Page 204!

My very essence is a verb. I am more attuned to verbs than nouns. Verbs such as confessing, repenting, living, loving, responding, growing, reaping, changing, sowing, running, dancing, singing, and on and on. Humans, on the other hand, have a knack for taking a verb that is alive and full of grace and turning it into a dead noun or principle that reeks of rules: something growing and alive dies. Nouns exist because there is a created universe and physical reality, but if the universe is only a mass of nouns, it is dead. Unless ‘I am,’ there are no verbs, and verbs are what makes the universe alive.”

The Shack by William P. Young

Certainly this gives us each food for thought. I will likely never be able to not personalize my relationship with God. Call it anthropomorphism if you want. Just how I was raised and at 72 years old likely too late to undo the thinking. But all of this does make me think hard about the idea. How about you?

There was a statement not long ago saying, “Your God is too small.” Yes! What if our concept of God is not BIG enough? A creation that continues to expand, unfold? I am not certain about any of the arguments for or against this. I do know that the LORD shows me things I never knew before. I want to interact with the participating presence of the Holy One in whatever way I am asked to interact. Will you yield to that?

Posted on in Aging, Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Music, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Traveling, Yield

Lay Your Burdens Down

On my way to prayer time one morning I heard this song in my heart.

The song makes it sound easy. Check your shame at the door. Lay your burdens down. The true story is we must be willing to let go of those things.

In 1678 John Bunyan published “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” The main character, Christian, carried a burden in the story. This is an allegory of Christian life, “a symbolic vision of the good man’s pilgrimage through life.” There are characters and monsters, difficulties and challenges. Christian carries a heavy burden on his back. All these things occur on his way to the Celestial City.

Christian RAN, but not without great difficulty, because of the heavy load on his back. He ran on thus until he came to a place where there was a hill, and upon that hill stood a Cross; and a little below, at the bottom was a sepulcher.

Modern English edition of Pilgrim’s Progress

Sepulcher means a burial vault, tomb or grave.

“So I saw in my dream that just as Christian came up to the Cross, his burden fell off his shoulders and back, and began to tumble, until it came to the mouth of the sepulcher, where it fell in, and I saw it no more!”

Modern English edition of Pilgrim’s Progress

My question is why do we have to be urged to lay our burdens down? It seems too often we enjoy punishing ourselves for faults and failures. As if we could be the ultimate judge of our own character! Perhaps our burdens “for” others is truly just our desire to control and direct their paths as if we think ourselves omniscient?

Bunyan encourages us to give our burdens over to the cross and the empty tomb. Let your burden roll away and be seen no more. Let the Christ of the Cross take care of you and your burdens. He is more than able.

If we released all that burden-carrying energy into simple love and adoration of Christ our relationship with God would truly change.

Until we reach the Celestial City we are kept by our Father. The indwelling Spirit can check our behavior with a conviction that is beyond any church doctrine or moral code. The Holy One can lead and guide us, protect and correct us if we are willing to come under the authority given from heaven.

Perhaps this is a challenge that can lead you into a new phase of your spiritual life? Here is the song Christian sang at the end of this chapter.

"Thus far did I come laden with my sin;
Nor could anything ease the grief that I was in.
Until I came here, What a place is this!
This must be the beginning of my bliss!

"For here, the burden fell from off my back,
And here, the chains that bound it to me, did crack!
Blessed cross! Blessed sepulcher! Blessed rather be,
The Man who there, was put to shame for me!"
Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Discipline of Self Examination

When I was in formation as a Third Order Franciscan I was introduced to the discipline called Self Examination. It was difficult for me to learn as my family of origin thrived on criticism and negativity. Learning to look at myself kindly was hard as that inner critic, so firmly planted as a child, had a nasty condemning voice.

Saint Ignatius put an emphasis on “self examen” and taught a simple way to approach it with little or no condemnation. Recently I have been reading the series by Sharon Garlough Brown entitled “Sensible Shoes.”

Using her ideas from Page 178 and what I have learned over the years about self examination I have begun to do this practice with some regularity. The Franciscan formation notes teach about using self examination as we look at self-denial. Not eating chocolate is not what is meant by self-denial. It is more “a way for us to get out of God’s way, to put aside our own limited concept of ‘self’ in order to embrace a more complete self-hood in Christ. This is the discipline of saying ‘no’ to oneself by putting God first.”

I can imagine some of you are asking, “Say what?!?!”

I will just post the outline I have been using and pray that answers most of your questions. You will understand the process best if you actually use it for yourself for a few days, weeks, or months.

These are some questions you can adapt and use in examen:

  • When were you aware of God’s presence today? When did you sense God’s absence?
  • When did you respond to God with love, faith, and obedience? When did you resist or avoid God?
  • When did you feel most alive and energized? When did you feel drained, troubled or agitated?

Examen 1. Place yourself in God’s presence. Give thanks for God’s great love for you. 

2. Pray for the grace to understand how God is acting in your life. 

3. Review your day — recall specific moments and your feelings at the time. 

4. Reflect on what you did, said, or thought in those instances. Were you drawing closer to God, or further away? 

5. Look toward tomorrow — think of how you might collaborate more effectively with God’s plan. Be specific.

When did I resist You?

Do you see how the inner critic is mostly silenced through this method? I must confess I have great difficulty doing this in the evening. I have never been good at evening prayer, etc. mostly due to the medications I take that make me very drowsy come evening. So I do this in the morning hours.

As you begin the practice it is a helpful way to try to keep in touch with the LORD throughout the day. Brother Lawrence instructed that we talk to God all day long. St. Francis lived that method of worship. We make notes all day, mentally, on our phones or on paper, about things we need to do. Why not makes notes about God, too?

As stated, this is a discipline. It does not seem inviting at first, but as the Word says,

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11 ESV

Just to let you know, I had not done my self examen this morning. I stopped just now and did it for myself. It does not matter if you use all the suggestions above or just some of them. The point is to look at yourself and examine your behaviors and attitudes in comparison to the Lord and what He is leading you towards.

Take the time for this. It is so worthwhile!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Nature, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Like Breath of God

Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash

Thus am I, a feather on the breath of God.

Hildegard of Bingen

I heard this quote many years ago at a retreat. I was so inspired I actually collected feathers and made some note cards with the quote.

What does it mean? The breath of God is a powerful thing. Can you be as moveable as a loose feather? Can you be willing to go where He asks you to go?

This quote is from a blog, written by Jean Wise, (interesting name!) She was so succinct that I cannot improve on her writing!

God calls each of us to be His feather – responding to where He calls us. To be responsive to His nudges. To be open to His grace.

 I want to live as a feather. Not burdened down with the heavy concerns of my heart, but focused, surrendered, dependent entirely on God for every moment. Ah, to be a feather. What a lovely image this is.

https://healthyspirituality.org/a-feather-on-the-breath-of-god-hildegard/
Photo by Hari Singh Tanwar on Unsplash


I pray a gentle breath from God is all it takes to move me. I hope I can be a feather under His direction, doing His bidding.

Posted on in Aging, Challenge, Faith, Illness and Health, Journal, medical treatment, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth

Aging with Minimal Complaining?

Gee, did I just write that title? Sitting here at my desk watching a black cloud settling in to pour it’s rain over a nearby neighborhood, I have been pondering all the physical changes Bob and I have been going through. Sort of like having that black cloud park over our home. I was hit by a triple whammy recently.

Had a steroid injection in my right shoulder on a Monday afternoon. Just imagine the most tender spot in your body, put a needle in it. Inject steroids and see what happens. As a Type 2 diabetic those steroids (and every other situation) make my glucose react. This time to jump sky-high. Yes, next morning my glucose value was 210! I average around 79-110. Pounding headache arrived that Tylenol could not touch. Night #1 slept in recliner as no comfort to be found in the bed. Did not even try to go to sleep in the bed on Night #2. Meantime, I must have eaten something funky. In protest my bowels decided they must be emptied of all substances.

Before those things began my ear decided it was living underwater – or some such, with fluid that would not move out. Eventually, the steroid stopped making my glucose skyrocket. The BRAT diet of banana, rice, applesauce, and toast became just rice. Then a rice cake. After days of trying to hear my ear is still funky after plain Guaifenesin and Pseudoephedrine to try to dry it up. One ear felt left out so it too started to slosh. Shoulder is still touchy. Did not expect injection to heal the partial tear, just give some pain relief. Doc is still talking surgery. Need to sign up for PT. Again.

Meanwhile, Bob has had lung difficulties, pain that wakes him in the night, discomfort that makes it hard to sleep. You know, aging is NOT for sissies! Who knew the decline that comes with aging is not just losing your strength.Nothing here is unusual to humans. If we are blessed with a long life we will have illness, decline and perhaps suffering.

One neighbor fell at the community mailbox and bruised both eyes, chin, face and is fortunate not to have broken anything. Later turned out she did break her elbow. Another neighbor fell in his bathroom and needs shoulder surgery. The doc says he cannot repair both places, only one place in his shoulder. Another friend fell and broke her pelvis. Has been suffering all kinds of severe pain. Another friend flew home from Kentucky only to get home with fever, sore throat and likely Covid. Is it that new strain?

Photo by Sai Abhinivesh Burla on Unsplash

As we lose strength, dexterity and even our health can we fix our eyes on Jesus during these trials? Will we do our best to remember these are things we are going through? It seems when I experience these sorts of set-backs I never quite recover the strength I had prior to the event. Just a little slower, a little weaker, a little less young when things stabilize again.

Perhaps the most important lesson to hold on to is ‘these are things we going THROUGH, not camping here, just having to endure.’ Even chronic pain will not go on forever. When we die and go to Jesus we are promised a new body. Thank goodness for that! Cling to Jesus now. Like the tendril on this morning glory vine sculpture, we wrap our hearts and minds about Him the best we can. He holds us. We hold to Him.

Again and again I am brought back to my own prayer,

I have determined that this day, 

each time I am drawn up short by pain, 

I will praise You 

for I love You better than life – 

even better than quality of life.

Molly Lin Dutina

I am always amazed that if I pray this with focus and sincerity, (usually from a 4 x 6 card), my attention is drawn to Jesus and away from all the what-ifs and if-onlys. We cannot control our circumstances, but we can control our hearts, our mind-set. Using the pain to draw myself back to Christ is a powerful panacea.

Photo by Danie Franco on Unsplash

May you lean hard upon the One who loves you best and knows you even in the sleepless nights. Blessings, Molly D.

Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 46:4 NIV

Posted on in Aging, Challenge, Faith, Family, Poetry, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

Loneliness

The vile mud pot that bubbles through my life. Wants to contaminate everything. Makes me irritable. Unable to see the best in others.

There was a poem I found that helped a bit. I first read this while on retreat recently. I believe Joan Chittister had it in one of her devotional books.

Home of My Loneliness   by Karl Rahner

In the curve of my heart 
lies a hollow place 
where grudging loneliness asks a welcome. 
In that empty chamber of solitairiness 
You rest Your consistent, welcoming love 
on the heartsick and patterned 
discontent of my gloomy days 
and shredded dreams. 
You care for my loneliness with affection 
during the times when no one 
and no thing soothes 
the deep yearning 
sitting listlessly 
inside the arid place of my discontented self. 
The Home of Loneliness welcomes me.

As I found solace in this poem I also remembered a piece of coral we found in Hawaii.

“You rest, Your consistent, welcoming love,” “You care for my loneliness with affection”. The Holy One knows my hollow place. I am held in that consistent, welcoming love. My loneliness, which at times I detest and want to deny is cared for by the Trinity. Even that place. Even those feelings.

Chronic illness has taught me so much about loneliness. Only those who have suffered can truly understand the plight of the chronically sick. The ambivalence of taking medication that may or may not help. The side effects that can send you into a ‘tizzy.” The wisdom of prayer and listening to your own body when making decisions about self-care. The Word says to ask God and He will give you wisdom. James 1:5-6 NIV

Photo by Tijs van Leur on Unsplash

My parents dying when I was young (aged eleven when Dad died, aged 24 when Mom died) has taught we so much about loneliness. When your family of origin is gone when you are just forming your own family, the word difficult does not describe the impact upon your life.

Next time you sense that “deep yearning sitting listlessly inside the arid place of (your) discontented self” I urge you to turn that place and those feelings to the Holy One. The internet says there one hundred verses about God holding us in or with His hand.

Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.

Psalm 73:23 NIV

Once during a retreat I spent several hours walking the retreat grounds and envisioning the Lord holding my right hand. Though that was many years ago, to this day I remember how poignant that experience was. You might want to try that for yourself. The Holy Trinity is always with us and walks close, even when we are unaware.

Photo by Iryna Marienko on Unsplash
Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth

Move Your Mind

Yesterday was tremendously difficult. Bob and I were both struggling with frustrating chores and situations. Then I snapped at him and things got even worse. I had to really work to get my brain and soul into a better, calmer place. There was nothing earth shattering, except great difficulty mentally and spiritually. I apologized for my outburst. He forgave me and the day went on.

Photo by Evgeniya Litovchenko on Unsplash

This morning on a podcast I heard an interviewee tell the moderator that with his broadcast he casts a ray of sunshine on an otherwise dark network of podcasts, social media, etc. I thought, “You know, that is that is what I try to do with this blog. A ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark world.” Then I returned to my desk and lying open was the following paragraph written by John Eldredge in Resilient.

Photo by Rocco Caruso on Unsplash

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, right and pure, lovely ad admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). Think about something beautiful, something that reminds you of the goodness of God. A place you love. A sweet memory. Something in nature. Something that makes you smile.

Now stay with that today.

Resilient by Eldredge Page 172

Even when things are terrible, we have the ability to move our minds to other places. We can cry out to Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help us. Nothing is easy when the warfare is raging against us. There are times I think for the Christian in this day and age nothing is easy period.

The chorus from the following song was rolling around in me this morning. I pray that if you come upon a warfare struggle like what I faced yesterday you can move towards Jesus and not away.

Lord I give you my heart
I give you my soul, I live for you alone
Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord have your way in me
Have your way
Recorded by Hillsong music, written by Reuben Timothy Morgan, 2002
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Rest Here A Moment

“May I rest here a moment”, asked the tree?

“Certainly”, replied the rock.

The tree placed it’s hand-root upon the rock. Fifty years later it was still there.

Found during hike at Hocking Hills

Have you given yourself a time to rest in the LORD?

He is the rock of our salvation.

Psalm 62:6

He said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while.”

Mark 6:31a NIV

Jesus our rock tells us to rest. Enter His rest. Be restored. Are we doing those things? They are all to our benefit.

Posted on in Book quotes, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Yield

My Mind

Recently I came across something that said I need a mind that is peaceful, still, serene and quiet. That led me to the idea that all those things are promised in Scripture. I would imagine you could use a mind like that also? Here are some passages and images that might help you get to that state of mind.

You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

Another version reads “Whose mind is staid on you.” Staid as in fixed. Read that again and just sit with it a moment. Those of us who are familiar with the Bible tend to run right past the verses we think we know. Can you live this verse?

The mind that is still.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

Psalm 46:10a

It is easy to read or say “be still” but can you do it? Still yourself. Quiet yourself. Even sit still for an extended period of time? Dan Harris, former ABC news anchor, now heads up 10% Happier, an app based on his best selling book. He says even one or two minutes of stillness can make a huge difference. Take a pause right now to try that.

The mind that is serene. That brought me to two different passages. If you read Psalm 23 you begin to realize how serene life with the Shepherd can be. Though there may be dangers and enemies, He is able to keep His sheep. Philippians 4 with emphasis upon verse 8 came out on top though! It gives us very clear instruction about our mind and what to do with it!

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 

Philippians 4:4-8 NIV

We CAN take captive our thoughts to Christ Jesus. No, it is not simple, but oh so very worthwhile! Think about such things!

And finally we are urged to have a mind that is quiet. It is exhausting to have a busy, busy mind. Here is help for that situation. But you must DO it.

But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

Psalm 131:2 NIV