"When . . . glory . . ." - Matthew 25:31
Dear Friends in Christ -
Every year, my friend has those Christmas candle lights in all her windows. When I drive past her house in the evening, they're always on. Always. After several years of running around the house every night to get my lights plugged in, I asked for her secret. When she got finished laughing at me, she said two words: "Light timers."
Ri-i-i-ight! Why didn't I think of that???
So this year, I went out and bought light timers. I hooked them all up and - presto! Light! Every night!
Except. Except when something else interferes. There are a surprising number of possibilities. Dead bulbs. Outlet switches that get turned off accidentally. Timers that get unplugged so that someone can plug in something else.
There are a surprising number of things that can interfere with our ability to experience the light of God's glory. Disappointments that cause dead spots in our hearts. Anger that switches our listening off, so we can't hear God's voice. Places where our relationship with God is unplugged due to busyness.
Choosing to be a Christian is like choosing to buy a light timer. We do it because we know we need light - consistently. But the one-time purchase won't solve all our problems. We have to tend the connection in order to shine.
Faithfully with you, seeking to shine,
Janet+
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
"Do You Hear What I Hear"?
"The word of the Lord came . . . But they refused to listen, . . . Therefore great wrath came from the Lord . . ." - Zechariah 7:8ff
Dear Friends in Christ -
It's a popular Christmas carol, so lots of famous people sing it: Bing Crosby and Vanessa Williams and Carrie Underwood and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir among many others. Often, musical artists say they want to avoid doing the song as it's always been doing and about their desire to "leave their mark" on the song.
But I wonder: did this song leave its mark on them? This song is about listening. It's about really hearing the traditional things in the Christmas season that we might pass by or take for granted.
As the days count down to Christmas, may we choose to slow down rather than to rush, so that we may see the star, hear the song, and know the power of the Babe in the manger - who is Christ our Lord.
Faithfully,
Janet+
PS - I've been doing a lousy job of going slow enough to see and hear. Sigh. Lack of posts here are evidence of an important thing I've been rushing through - time with Scripture. Hopefully my time with God over the next few days will bring to ME more peace and throug me to you more posts!!!
Dear Friends in Christ -
It's a popular Christmas carol, so lots of famous people sing it: Bing Crosby and Vanessa Williams and Carrie Underwood and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir among many others. Often, musical artists say they want to avoid doing the song as it's always been doing and about their desire to "leave their mark" on the song.
But I wonder: did this song leave its mark on them? This song is about listening. It's about really hearing the traditional things in the Christmas season that we might pass by or take for granted.
As the days count down to Christmas, may we choose to slow down rather than to rush, so that we may see the star, hear the song, and know the power of the Babe in the manger - who is Christ our Lord.
Faithfully,
Janet+
PS - I've been doing a lousy job of going slow enough to see and hear. Sigh. Lack of posts here are evidence of an important thing I've been rushing through - time with Scripture. Hopefully my time with God over the next few days will bring to ME more peace and throug me to you more posts!!!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Wide-eyed Wonder
"Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." - Jesus (Mark 10:14-15)
Dear Friends in Christ -
Happy St. Nicholas' Day!!!
Today, December 6th, is the Feast of St. Nicholas, the real saint after whom Santa Claus is patterned. Traditionally this day is celebrated by giving an unanticipated gift or doing an unexpected kindness - things that push people out of the ruts of their everyday lives and stir them to wonder . . . How did I get so fortunate to receive this? Where did this come from? Is there more where this came from?
Whenever the commercialism or the pressure of the season gets me down, all I have to do is spend some time with children. Even more than they want stuff, they want to throw themselves headlong into the mystery, wonder and fun of it all. They want a series of little surprises to lead them like a trail of breadcrumbs through Advent to Christmas. They want to hear the stories again: the story of what Christmas was like when Grandpa was a little boy, as well as the story of the Baby who was born in a barn.
This Advent, may you come to the manger like a child: not knowing quite what to expect, eagerly noticing everything, hoping for some great surprise. God will surely meet you there!
Faithfully moving toward the manger,
Janet+
Faithfully
Dear Friends in Christ -
Happy St. Nicholas' Day!!!
Today, December 6th, is the Feast of St. Nicholas, the real saint after whom Santa Claus is patterned. Traditionally this day is celebrated by giving an unanticipated gift or doing an unexpected kindness - things that push people out of the ruts of their everyday lives and stir them to wonder . . . How did I get so fortunate to receive this? Where did this come from? Is there more where this came from?
Whenever the commercialism or the pressure of the season gets me down, all I have to do is spend some time with children. Even more than they want stuff, they want to throw themselves headlong into the mystery, wonder and fun of it all. They want a series of little surprises to lead them like a trail of breadcrumbs through Advent to Christmas. They want to hear the stories again: the story of what Christmas was like when Grandpa was a little boy, as well as the story of the Baby who was born in a barn.
This Advent, may you come to the manger like a child: not knowing quite what to expect, eagerly noticing everything, hoping for some great surprise. God will surely meet you there!
Faithfully moving toward the manger,
Janet+
Faithfully
Monday, December 5, 2011
Advent reflections . . . on living!
Jesus answered them, "[God] is God not of the dead, but of the living.’ - Matthew 22:32b
Dear Friends in Christ -
We're alive, but are we really living? We're going through the motions, but do we have joy in the midst of it all?
Our Advent reflections are an attempt to reconnect with what life's really all about. These words of Richard Rohr (from his book, "Preparing for Christmas") have stirred my mind and heart to press on to "really living" - and I pray they'll touch you, too.
In His peace and joy . . .
Janet+
"'Come, Lord Jesus' is a leap into the kind of freedom and surrender that is rightly called the virtue of hope. The theological virtue of hope is the patient and trustful willingness to live without closure, without resolution, and still be content and even happy because our Satisfaction is now at another level, and our Source is beyond ourselves.
We are able to trust that the Lord will come again, just as Jesus has come into our past, into our private dilemmas, and into our suffering world. Our Christian past then becomes our Christian prologue, and 'Come, Lord Jesus' is not a cry of desperation but an assured shout of cosmic hope!"
Dear Friends in Christ -
We're alive, but are we really living? We're going through the motions, but do we have joy in the midst of it all?
Our Advent reflections are an attempt to reconnect with what life's really all about. These words of Richard Rohr (from his book, "Preparing for Christmas") have stirred my mind and heart to press on to "really living" - and I pray they'll touch you, too.
In His peace and joy . . .
Janet+
"'Come, Lord Jesus' is a leap into the kind of freedom and surrender that is rightly called the virtue of hope. The theological virtue of hope is the patient and trustful willingness to live without closure, without resolution, and still be content and even happy because our Satisfaction is now at another level, and our Source is beyond ourselves.
We are able to trust that the Lord will come again, just as Jesus has come into our past, into our private dilemmas, and into our suffering world. Our Christian past then becomes our Christian prologue, and 'Come, Lord Jesus' is not a cry of desperation but an assured shout of cosmic hope!"
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Hope
Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up. — Anne Lamott
Dear Friends in Christ -
Is there something you're tempted to give up on? Something you've longed for for so long that you are beginning to think the time for it has passed?
Well, then this prayer of encouragement by King David (from Psalm 20) is for you:
"The Lord answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary,and give you support from Zion. May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favour your burnt sacrifices. May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans."
It may seem like God's not listening. It may seem like good will not prevail. But God's promises are true, and our hope is sure.
In this Advent season, you could give up. It's always an option. Therefore, it's an option you can risk NOT exercising now. It may not be easy, but you can . . . wait . . . work . . . watch . . . And when the dawn comes - and it WILL come - you'll be there to receive it.
Faithfully in hope,
Janet+
Dear Friends in Christ -
Is there something you're tempted to give up on? Something you've longed for for so long that you are beginning to think the time for it has passed?
Well, then this prayer of encouragement by King David (from Psalm 20) is for you:
"The Lord answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary,and give you support from Zion. May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favour your burnt sacrifices. May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans."
It may seem like God's not listening. It may seem like good will not prevail. But God's promises are true, and our hope is sure.
In this Advent season, you could give up. It's always an option. Therefore, it's an option you can risk NOT exercising now. It may not be easy, but you can . . . wait . . . work . . . watch . . . And when the dawn comes - and it WILL come - you'll be there to receive it.
Faithfully in hope,
Janet+
Friday, December 2, 2011
The secret of Life
"Seek the Lord and live . . ." - Amos 5:6a
Dear Friends in Christ -
As you may have figured out by now, I'm celebrating the season of Advent by offering up an Advent meditation each day. The daily writing process draws my personal need for Scripture together with my desire to connect with you about how God's Word impacts our daily living.
So far, I've been slow in getting the daily posts up. The days have been so full of work and family life that I've been falling asleep over my computer in the evening, still in the midst of my prayers at the end of the day. But my hope is to turn the corner and find time FIRST THING in the day for extended time with God's Word. I know from the witness of the Saints, as well as from my own past experience, that doing so puts my day in a whole different frame. And boy, do I need that alternative frame! Others do, too, it seems: in the past five minutes, 26 people have come into the Starbucks where I'm writing and only one of them is smiling. Maybe that's not an indication of anything other than the cares of the day, but I wonder: how many of these folks started their day with Jesus?
As we move deeper into this Advent season of waiting, may we discover that the words of the prophet Amos are true: real, hopeful, joyful LIFE comes to us as we seek (first!) our Lord.
Faithfully with you, seeking -
Janet+
Dear Friends in Christ -
As you may have figured out by now, I'm celebrating the season of Advent by offering up an Advent meditation each day. The daily writing process draws my personal need for Scripture together with my desire to connect with you about how God's Word impacts our daily living.
So far, I've been slow in getting the daily posts up. The days have been so full of work and family life that I've been falling asleep over my computer in the evening, still in the midst of my prayers at the end of the day. But my hope is to turn the corner and find time FIRST THING in the day for extended time with God's Word. I know from the witness of the Saints, as well as from my own past experience, that doing so puts my day in a whole different frame. And boy, do I need that alternative frame! Others do, too, it seems: in the past five minutes, 26 people have come into the Starbucks where I'm writing and only one of them is smiling. Maybe that's not an indication of anything other than the cares of the day, but I wonder: how many of these folks started their day with Jesus?
As we move deeper into this Advent season of waiting, may we discover that the words of the prophet Amos are true: real, hopeful, joyful LIFE comes to us as we seek (first!) our Lord.
Faithfully with you, seeking -
Janet+
Thursday, December 1, 2011
It all adds up . . .
" O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart . . ." - Psalm 15:1-2
Dear Friends in Christ -
Today is the Feast Day of the Saint Nicholas Ferrar, the founder of the British spiritual Little Gidding. The peace and power of the chapel at Little Gidding was immortalized in T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Four Quartets."
In February, 2001, I went to Little Gidding to do research for my final project at the Institute of Sacred Music. The little chapel, built by Nicholas Ferrar as the cornerstone of his little Anglican community, is a mystical place.
What makes the chapel at Little Gidding special is not its beauty (though it is remarkably lovely), not its quiet (though it sits in isolation in the English countryside), and not its longevity, (it is one of many little chapels that dot the landscape_. What makes the Little Gidding chapel special is that it's clearly a prayed-in space. From the founding of the chapel, Ferrar and his community focused not on the "thou shalt nots" of their faith, but on simply doing the things they knew to be right, the things they could do, one day at a time. The simple, good acts of Ferrar and the gathered community added up to righteousness that echoed out in their community and echoes still, down through time, to those who spend time at Little Gidding.
(To take a peek at this place of deep blessing, visit http://www.littlegiddingchurch.org.uk/)
May this be a season in which we pause to take stock and ask, "How are the little things I'm doing day to day adding up?" And may we be investing ourselves in daily goodnesses that echo out into our community and down through time . . . to eternity!
Faithfully yours,
Janet+
Dear Friends in Christ -
Today is the Feast Day of the Saint Nicholas Ferrar, the founder of the British spiritual Little Gidding. The peace and power of the chapel at Little Gidding was immortalized in T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Four Quartets."
In February, 2001, I went to Little Gidding to do research for my final project at the Institute of Sacred Music. The little chapel, built by Nicholas Ferrar as the cornerstone of his little Anglican community, is a mystical place.
What makes the chapel at Little Gidding special is not its beauty (though it is remarkably lovely), not its quiet (though it sits in isolation in the English countryside), and not its longevity, (it is one of many little chapels that dot the landscape_. What makes the Little Gidding chapel special is that it's clearly a prayed-in space. From the founding of the chapel, Ferrar and his community focused not on the "thou shalt nots" of their faith, but on simply doing the things they knew to be right, the things they could do, one day at a time. The simple, good acts of Ferrar and the gathered community added up to righteousness that echoed out in their community and echoes still, down through time, to those who spend time at Little Gidding.
(To take a peek at this place of deep blessing, visit http://www.littlegiddingchurch.org.uk/)
May this be a season in which we pause to take stock and ask, "How are the little things I'm doing day to day adding up?" And may we be investing ourselves in daily goodnesses that echo out into our community and down through time . . . to eternity!
Faithfully yours,
Janet+
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