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May 21st, 2022

5/21/2022

One of the challenges I face in being called to pray for people is that the need often comes from a difficult, sad, tragic, you name it, situation. Thus, I find myself unwittingly dwelling on the negative, and forgetting to give thanks for all the positive.
Case in point: climate change, which for sure can use some prayers. But gratitude is also part of intercessory prayer. We can also notice the beauty around us and give thanks. Balance the negative with the positive.

On my walk and in our yard

Prayer walk

12/28/2021

Since returning from Florence on the 17th, the weather for walking as been superb. In Florence, I walked about 7 miles; here at home, my walk is 2 or 3. That’s okay.
I’m committed to paying attention to the moment on these walks, noticing the surroundings, especially the trees; being aware of God’s creation and God’s gift to me to be living in this moment and in this beautiful space. God invites me to look up. And here is what gratitude I am blessed to enjoy and share with you.

Time for prayer

3/12/2020

I have chosen to stay home during this covid-19 pandemic. I’ll walk and slip into the supermarket if necessary, but that’s about it. What’s my response to this self-imposed quarantine. I love it.
A surprising benefit is that I have more time for prayer and meditation. Not just physical time to fit it in, but moments that appear as part of the rhythm of the day.
I’m also very grateful that walking can remain as part of the program. Signs’ of early spring appeared on today’s walk.

A beautiful walk in the neighborhood

5/7/2019

An afternoon prayer walk in the neighborhood. I’m very grateful that I live in the historic district among lovely old homes, including mine.

Prayer walk in Florence

12/12/2016

       I want to share yesterday’s cottagebythesea blog post about my morning walk to some of the churches in Florence. Every morning I start the day with a prayer walk before prayer in a church. This walk took a little longer than the usual hour, but as usual I stopped for a cappucchino along the way. Here are only five churches due to technical difficulty adding pictures to the slideshow.

     Even though I am living in this city for only two weeks, right now it is my home. So I decided to take an early morning walk to survey the exteriors of the major churches that have been a large part of the city’s history and that draw me here. These churches as we know them today were built, often on preexisting foundations, toward the end of the thirteen century to accommodate a rising city population. Although subsidized by city government, many represented a particular religious order.
     I started at Santa Maria dei Fiori, stopping along the way to take pictures of each façade, and to enjoy a couple of cappucchini. Santa Croce was my last stop.
Santa Marie dei Fiori: Cathedral church of Florence
Santissima Annunziata: Servites
San Marco: Domenican
Santa Maria Novella: Domenican
Ognisanti: Umilita
Santa Maria del Carmine: Carmelite
Santo Spirito: Augustinian
Santa Trinita: Vallumbrosan
Santi Apostoli
Badia Fiorentina: Fraternity of Jerusalem
Santa Croce: Franciscan

Prayer walk in Oban~

6/11/2015

    If you want to take a prayer walk, just walk and pray. It is that simple. No one has a patent to it, no one person has coined the phrase. It just happens when you set out with intention.
    I arrived in Oban about 1:30. Checked into my B&B before enjoying a smoked salmon sandwich from my favorite fresh fish place along the quay. Then the walk.
      Poor internet access. No slideshow today, folks. I’m off for fish and chips and my favorite restaurant, also along the quay.

Gratitude walk~

5/8/2015

One hundred five years ago my mom was born. What became clear to me as I accompanied her during her final years, and as I finished writing about her in Very Grateful, is that Mom’s entire life was filled with gratitude. As I move on, I become more and more aware that gratitude is one of the cornerstone of Christian faith, with love being the foundation of it all.

What if, throughout our day, we expressed gratitude for all that passes our way? Here’s my list for today, and it is only mid-morning: I’m grateful that I didn’t hit the deer by the side of the road early this morning, that I didn’t run out of eggs for breakfast, that I heard from a friend I’d been thinking about, that I had a good night’s sleep, that I have time to write this, and that I’m having lunch with a long-time friend today.

Here’s yesterday’s gratitude walk.

Early morning prayer~

4/27/2015

I’m home, back to my early morning prayer routine. The good thing about a transatlantic flight west is that I wake up early, very, before 5 AM, which is my best prayer time. In Italy, before the family arrived, I would get up early, 6:30, and take a five mile walk around the city before stopping at a church to pray. Now that I am home, I’m back in the AR (Angel Room) with my Bible and devotionals. There’s no right way to keep connected with God, but a morning prayer ritual gets me going and helps me stay centered for the day.

Prayer walk in Florence~

4/11/2015

I made it with ease to Florence. I am very grateful for this week alone, walking around with God, as I call it, before some of my family joins me on the 18th.

I notice that I am cherishing this part of the trip from outside myself. Rather than putting myself as the lead player, I am doing my best to view what is happening through a God lens, asking God to help me live each moment, each day, with purity of heart.

I call that being in a state of prayer: to live without judgment, fear or anger. When we can do that, even for just a moment, we live in love, which is God’s desire. This week I feel called to walk around this museum of a city in prayer, in love.

June 14th, 2014

6/14/2014

I tried Laurence Freeman’s suggestion on my walk today (see yesterday’s post). A prayer walk with less thinking, more being. I was able to let go of most of my questions to God and pleas to Jesus. In summary, I prayed the Jesus Prayer and enjoyed the scenery. Um, simple and practical.