Blog Archives

Christ's hands, lips, and love~

11/30/2016

Christ has no other hands but your hands
to do his work today;
no other lips but your lips
to proclaim the good news;
no other love but your love
to give to the rejected, the lonely,
the persecuted, the marginalized.
Celtic Daily Prayer

I blithely posted this as today’s Daily Quote. How good it sounds. But did I really ponder what it could mean for me? No. What would it be like to surrender my entire life to be guided by Christ’s hand, lips, and love? Awesome! I start out each morning with such an idea in mind, but then life happens. I fall short. But I don’t have to give up, and I won’t. After all, God won’t, so why should I?

Very grateful~

11/24/2016

I woke up this Thanksgiving day remembering my mom, who began each day offering gratitude for family, her health, and her life; and my dad, who, as we stood around the table, offering a toast to family and friends not present with us.
Sometimes gratitude starts as a way to cover up sadness and fear; at least that can be so for me. But then I hear God still speaking, shifting me away from the pettiness of today’s problems. I am aware that that can sound like a privileged position, but it’s the best I can do to start the prayers of compassion flowing. Prayers for immigrants, the GLBTQ community, the unemployed and underemployed, for those effected by war, and for those have trouble being grateful for family, health and their life. Thanks Mom and Dad for give me a lift today.

Christ the King Sunday

11/20/2016

In case you’re still worrying about the political climate in our country, remember that today is Christ the King Sunday. Paintings and mosaics of Christ being crowned are powerful images of Christ as other--teacher, friend, savior, redeemer.
But there is also the Christ in each of us, in that place where love abides. Whenever we claim and live our life out of love, love becomes King of our worldly kingdom.

Praying for 'inward peace'

11/17/2016

     Amy Carmichael, a missionary in South India (1895-1951) wrote: It is good to remember that immediate answer to prayer is not always something seen, but it is always inward peace.
     I need to hear this. How hard it is to remember the basics of faith, which I sum up as inward peace and love, these days. Jesus tells us not to be afraid, a message purported to be mentioned in the Bible 365 times, one for each day of the year. When I read the paper and listen to the news and I get afraid. My heart, where prayer and inward peace abide, gets smothered by my mind.
     After centering prayer this morning, I heard that I must stay away from the news if I want to answer God’s call to pray. What is a connection between do not fear and enter through the narrow gate?
     This post is surely a work in process, and hopefully progress as well.

No self-pity allowed~

11/14/2016

     I woke up this morning fretting about my computer problems—due to my ignorance and to Apple. I was into righteous indignation. Then God stepped in, and led me to gratitude and prayer. I recalled a comment my mother made soon after my dad’s death: I need to stop this self-pity and be thankful for all I have and have had. Mom wasn’t denying her feelings, just putting her life in perspective.
     Next I heard God’s call to me to pray for people and reach out to those needing a listening ear. Every day we can hear God speaking; our challenge is to take a moment to stop our worldly chatter, and listen.
     I came home to hear of the death of Gwen Ifill. How to stay in a state of gratitude when it would be so easy to let my sadness slip into inertia?I stopped to listen, and then took a walk to visit my friend Ruth who is in her mid-90s. And now, here I sit at the end of the day, with my computer problems solved, my heart filled with sadness but no self-pity, and a sense of deep gratitude for friends.

"Pray without ceasing," and "Rejoice always."

11/10/2016

     One step at a time. That’s how I’m moving two days after the election. How to lead my life without the safety net that I live in a country that accepts, cares about, helps, honors—I could go on, and of course you have your own list--all people.
     Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies, a challenge for me right now, and yet I know that is what I am called to do as a Christian. I, who have had very few enemies in my life, now have millions (everyone who didn’t vote as I did). I’m being a little dramatic here, but admitting and naming millions helps me welcome the truth of how I feel.
     When I woke up yesterday I asked God what God wanted me to do. My mind jabbered on and on. And then I heard God’s small voice telling me to pray, pray without ceasing as Paul suggests in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. That’s it. No long conversation. I’m doing the best I can, but it sure is hard to stop all the chatter, analysis, judgments that I do so well as a human being.
Oh, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, in the verse just prior, Paul tells us: rejoice always.

Be a beacon of hope~

11/9/2016

This morning in prayer this scripture from the Gospel of Luke appeared.
The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.
Luke 6:45
I posted the following on my www.cottagebythesea.net blog but I want tell you what God spoke to me before I even got out of bed. 1. Do not place your energy in the details of the election or in any postmortem about it. 2. Pray, pray for everyone; that is your call. 3. Be a beacon of hope.

     "How do we carry on today, this day after Election Day? Not just carry on, but move on in a positive way. Approximately half the country is happy with the results; the other half unhappy, and many of those are scared; scared for the LGBTQ community, for reproductive choice, for Muslims, for the environment, for immigrants, for peace.
     "Like the psalmist we can lament; and then, like the psalmist, we can raise our thoughts beyond ourselves, and grab onto hope in something pastthe human response. If we don’t do this, we will remain wallowing in the vitriolic hatred that was the signature of the campaign that just ended.
     "There is much we can do to work for peace and justice in our country and in the world. It starts with who we are, with our hearts open to unconditional love, which is where the hard work is. As I go out today, my challenge is to express positive energy and maintain hope. In the end, love wins."

Covenant of Respect

11/7/2016

As this phase of the election comes to an end, I'm grateful to have a church community to anchor me. In the November Messenger of Memorial Congregational Church, Pastor Tom reminded us of the Covenant of Respect that we created a few years ago. Here it is.

A few years ago we sought to establish a covenant to guide our relationships at MCC. Our "Covenant of Respect" is meant for all interactions but it's especially useful during times of conflict and stress. It helps to focus our attention on God, to recognize the divine in others, and to open our hearts with genuine curiosity. It's always available at MCCsudbury.org but also summarized below in the hopes that it will assist you in the coming days and weeks.

We will approach all things in prayer. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

We will speak from our own personal experience. (1 Corinthians 3:16)

We will speak face-to-face, honestly and without rancor when there is disagreement. (Ephesians 4:15)

We will listen with an open and non-judgmental mind and try as hard to understand as to be understood. (Proverbs 4:7)

If we are unable to effectively communicate with each other, we will ask a third party to be present to assist us. (Matthew 18:16)

We will support the final outcome of the decision-making process. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

As forgiven people, we will choose to forgive one another. (Luke 11:4)

Pray for light~

11/2/2016

Today it has come to me that, although there are many kinds of prayer—praise, thanksgiving, confession, petition, repentance, intercessory—there is one prayer that covers it all: Thy will be done. Not that we need to give up our particular cries for help, but I something find myself overdoing it--talking it all out with God, giving God all the details, and telling God what to do for the outcome I want.
Then, when I shut up and lift the person or situation to the light, I feel peace and I know that who and what I am praying for is feeling it, too.