Meditations and Other Disciplines

As a gift to my church, I have created another blog: Meditations from Zion... this blog, for now, is a daily scripture, as selected by our pastor for contemplation during Lent. After Lent is over, I hope the blog will become a place for people to "echo" the sermons or share a story about connecting/reflecting God in their lives.

I've continued my daily prayer fairly consistently and more importantly, with a heart to do not just as a requirement. I've found my daily commitment to Practicing the Presence to be worthwhile and I've added Examen ... this discipline is important as a review of the day. I had hoped to do it in the evenings, but I can't seem to remember to incorporate a quiet time before I go to bed. I think that's something to move toward. Nonetheless, I am finding the Examen valuable even in the morning as I think about my previous day(s). The two questions that work best for me in this discipline is when did I feel most connected to God and the opposite, when did I feel most disconnected. Because of my nature, I tend to dwell too long on the disconnected moments. Inevitably, they are moments of anger or gossip or times when I want someone to think more highly of me as I tell of how someone else put me down. It's not a happy time to remember. But slowly I am learning to turn these disconnected moments over to God. That is, after all, the point. And conversely, give thanks for the connected time.

Practicing the Presence

I have marked Lent this year. It seemed important to mark it in a particular way. I just couldn't skip along through this season without laying down my heart before God and repenting of a number of wrong turns. Life is, after all, full of new beginnings.

I called my kids into the process as best I could and in the basics, they are "giving up" something... foods mostly, from French Toast to Pasta to Ice Cream... and me, I'm giving up Diet Coke... only those who really know me can appreciate THAT sacrifice... :-)

But they didn't get the "adding part." I thank our old priest/friend Jeff W for that insight ... that Lent is not just about sacrificing something we love but adding something as well: a discipline if you will. And so, I have resolved to re-enter amorning time again with God and to examine some of these disciplines. As good fortune would have it, I found a text that is ideal for my adventure called Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun. Similar to Richard Foster's, Prayer, this book touches on a number of disciplines and gives suggested practices for each one. She encourages the reader to skim through them initially to find the one that touches the heart the most. She covers over 60 disciplines.

At first, I considered investigating journaling further ... but really, once I read through her description and suggested practices, I could say, yes, I know this discipline. She adds, "There is no right way to journal. You don't need to journal every day or even every week. Find the rhythm of journaling that suits your phase and stage of life." Yes. I have been walking this world both on paper and online and her words gave me a type of permission to claim my on again/off again ways as OK... because they are mine. So, I'll never write the Golden Notebook... well, maybe I will... but for now, this is all good for this time of my life.

And so, I moved to another: Practicing the Presence of God... of course, that phrase is modeled after Brother Lawrence's book by the same title. I could never hope to achieve that level of devotion, but I do want to draw my mind and heart more frequently to God's presence. I've co-opted a simple tactic. I bought a little digital watch that chimes on the hour. What a revelation! A hour passes so quickly and the mind is sucked up into the cares of the world in moments. And even more amazing, it's even more difficult to stop each hour for a short prayer when I'm on my "own time" at home than it is at work! Hmmm, oh pride.

Other notes: our pastor has asked us to corporately read an assigned scripture each day. These have added to my examination of the heart. And I've started a Women's Bible Study in my home: Wisdom Seekers. I'm blogging/journaling that as well. Seeking wisdom... seeking God... seeking the deeper walk.