Our church has erected a new sanctuary, but unlike any building most of us have ever seen. It's a "sprung" building, similar to the one linked here. The building has been dubbed "The Tent" which is not bad and certainly better than some other things that come to mind when looking at its shape. ;-)
As part of preparing to move into the facility, interested church members were asked to submit a 250 word devotional which will be put together into a booklet for each family to share in the 40 days prior to our grand opening.
This opportunity to write led me to think again about consecration and fire. The piece I wrote turned into a 2-parter and through this writing, I was reminded of the absolute necessity to walk through "fire," in whatever form that fire might take. This fire might be tribulations or pain or sorrow or loss, but it is the stuff that refines the heart. We often want to insulate ourselves away from adversity and pain, but whether we are able put off our trials of today for another time or not, we will face the fire sooner or later. Like a clay pot that must be fired for its true beauty to be revealed, so too, must we experience and allow fire to reveal our own inner strength and beauty ... the God-given part that comes from within.
Exodus 40:34-38
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Monday, January 09, 2006
Pilates and me
Just feeling invigorated by my new Pilates class. What's amazing is to realize that we were learning "pilates" in acting school 30 years ago in New York. It must have been so new & trendy then that it didn't have a name. If I only could have guessed, I could be a Pilates guru now. My apologies to Bobby Troka and all the other movement/body folks who kept trying to convince us that this body work was the wave of the future. Ah well.
Nonethess, it's pretty cool to still be able to do many of the moves and to keep up with the "gen-ys" in the class. I bought a mat tonight on the way home from class and hope
It's a good thing because I needed this. I've been so tired of being sick the last week or so and generally feeling crummy. I've never been very good about "rising above" my illnesses. I can't even fathom how folks with serious diseases are able to maintain their good humor and face each day with hope. Of course, they say, human beings tend to rise to the need. God bless 'em. Perhaps part of my down feelings were "me" giving myself permission to slow down and "do nothing." I've never been good at that either.
I don't like that driven feeling at all and yet, like white noise, it hovers about me pretty regularly. Well, awareness is part of the healing. And I think, body awareness is too.
Three challenges are on my plate besides the regular stuff (work, home, kid etc.):
1) Write a meditation on "consecration" for a brochure that will be distributed to our church in February.
2) Present my workshop: Navigating the Cereal Aisle of Life, How to Build a Personal Mission Statemnt next week.
3) Write & rehearse (along with a young woman) 4 vignettes for a woman's retreat end of February.
Take a breath, breathe out slowly. All will be well.
Nonethess, it's pretty cool to still be able to do many of the moves and to keep up with the "gen-ys" in the class. I bought a mat tonight on the way home from class and hope
It's a good thing because I needed this. I've been so tired of being sick the last week or so and generally feeling crummy. I've never been very good about "rising above" my illnesses. I can't even fathom how folks with serious diseases are able to maintain their good humor and face each day with hope. Of course, they say, human beings tend to rise to the need. God bless 'em. Perhaps part of my down feelings were "me" giving myself permission to slow down and "do nothing." I've never been good at that either.
I don't like that driven feeling at all and yet, like white noise, it hovers about me pretty regularly. Well, awareness is part of the healing. And I think, body awareness is too.
Three challenges are on my plate besides the regular stuff (work, home, kid etc.):
1) Write a meditation on "consecration" for a brochure that will be distributed to our church in February.
2) Present my workshop: Navigating the Cereal Aisle of Life, How to Build a Personal Mission Statemnt next week.
3) Write & rehearse (along with a young woman) 4 vignettes for a woman's retreat end of February.
Take a breath, breathe out slowly. All will be well.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Rituals and Routine
Yesterday was a blessed day as I slowly wound my way back into creative work and routine.
I started a Pilates class which was great and really energized me. And although I have been fairly faithful (not while I was out of town, ok, I know) about working out, it was great to embrace something new into my routine.
Mike read my manuscript and that was scarey because he can be disparaging sometimes, but I think he was much more open this time since I had read his screenplay (1/2 done) while we were in Nebraska and because of Brenda Ueland, I was able to give him lots of praise and encouragement. It's what he needed. It's what I needed. Gosh, something actually worked between us for a change.
I spent a lot of time in my space yesterday and it just glowed and glimmered throughout the day. The weather was gloomy outside, but the many candles and soft lights in my sanctuary made it feel very womb-like. I had prayer time and writing time and just sitting or sleeping time.
Although I didn't sleep well last night, still struggling with a chest cold, I woke early enough to begin my day with prayer and get the boys off to their first school day after break without a battle, and I put in a full day at work.
It's still pretty early and already, I have put in my requisite 300 words on my manuscript and I have accepted another gig - to write/produce/perform 4 short dramatic vignettes in late February at a women's retreat. I hope that wasn't a mistake, but it felt right to say yes.
One last thing to share... Sunday night, during the evening service, a masked gunman came into the sanctuary of our church and robbed the people there, forcing children to walk up and down the aisle collecting wallets and purses. I'm glad I missed it. What a travesty. What will that mean for other churches in the area? What will it mean for us?
I started a Pilates class which was great and really energized me. And although I have been fairly faithful (not while I was out of town, ok, I know) about working out, it was great to embrace something new into my routine.
Mike read my manuscript and that was scarey because he can be disparaging sometimes, but I think he was much more open this time since I had read his screenplay (1/2 done) while we were in Nebraska and because of Brenda Ueland, I was able to give him lots of praise and encouragement. It's what he needed. It's what I needed. Gosh, something actually worked between us for a change.
I spent a lot of time in my space yesterday and it just glowed and glimmered throughout the day. The weather was gloomy outside, but the many candles and soft lights in my sanctuary made it feel very womb-like. I had prayer time and writing time and just sitting or sleeping time.
Although I didn't sleep well last night, still struggling with a chest cold, I woke early enough to begin my day with prayer and get the boys off to their first school day after break without a battle, and I put in a full day at work.
It's still pretty early and already, I have put in my requisite 300 words on my manuscript and I have accepted another gig - to write/produce/perform 4 short dramatic vignettes in late February at a women's retreat. I hope that wasn't a mistake, but it felt right to say yes.
One last thing to share... Sunday night, during the evening service, a masked gunman came into the sanctuary of our church and robbed the people there, forcing children to walk up and down the aisle collecting wallets and purses. I'm glad I missed it. What a travesty. What will that mean for other churches in the area? What will it mean for us?
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Hiatus and More Beginnings
Two months. I can't believe I haven't written here since October. But I know the reason, really. I have not been able to split my energies to include the blog. Even today, I am torn with other responsibilities and desires. I need to prepare for my "personal mission" workshop that's coming up in a few short weeks, I need to return to my manuscript (which came to a screeching halt in the face of the holidays and preparations for my problem-solving/creative thinking workshop in December) and I have "the bills" which appear to have a little gremlin perched above them who screeches obscenities at me for not paying "the bills" before the New Year. ("You'll be sorry," it squeals, "you didn't pay your bills by the New Year, you'll be poor all year long!" - ah yes, I remember now, that was my mother who always said that.)
And yet, despite the cacophony, this New Year heralds sweet promises. Historically, New Year's Day hasn't meant much, I prefer my birthday as a time marker, but 2006 feels full of change and wonder. All right, I confess, I do have a few little rituals like wearing something new on New Year's Day (today it's pink socks) and having money in my wallet; and Mike has always insisted we eat black-eyed peas and spinach, so I've gotten sucked into that one after 20 years as well. I also make a few standard resolutions for improvement: the perennial diet, the unread classics, the unorganized desk, the unpainted bathroom (or bedroom, or closet - there's always something that needs to be painted) etc.
But truly, there's a hopefulness in this year that I haven't had in a long time. Perhaps it's because I sense big changes are coming. Perhaps it's because I believe in my mission and I'm actively pursuing it. I don't know. But I am back and I want to tackle the challenge of chronicling this time of creativity as best I can.
Here's my latest read: If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland, original copyright 1936. It's awesome. Oh, that I would have had such a mentor to spark my writing, my desires, my heart. Oh, that I could become more like her and spark the hearts of others. I can. I will.
And yet, despite the cacophony, this New Year heralds sweet promises. Historically, New Year's Day hasn't meant much, I prefer my birthday as a time marker, but 2006 feels full of change and wonder. All right, I confess, I do have a few little rituals like wearing something new on New Year's Day (today it's pink socks) and having money in my wallet; and Mike has always insisted we eat black-eyed peas and spinach, so I've gotten sucked into that one after 20 years as well. I also make a few standard resolutions for improvement: the perennial diet, the unread classics, the unorganized desk, the unpainted bathroom (or bedroom, or closet - there's always something that needs to be painted) etc.
But truly, there's a hopefulness in this year that I haven't had in a long time. Perhaps it's because I sense big changes are coming. Perhaps it's because I believe in my mission and I'm actively pursuing it. I don't know. But I am back and I want to tackle the challenge of chronicling this time of creativity as best I can.
Here's my latest read: If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland, original copyright 1936. It's awesome. Oh, that I would have had such a mentor to spark my writing, my desires, my heart. Oh, that I could become more like her and spark the hearts of others. I can. I will.
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