The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It has been a day, Lord
A day of meetings
A day of planning
A day of ministry
Also a time for reflecting
A time for prayer
A time to simply Be Still
A time to simply Be
Now, as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
Christine’s latest book, #giftofwonder is both a playful and profound invitation to spend time with God. Too often when I think of devotions or quiet time, I think of silence and trying to block out distractions (called monkey brain since your brain scrambles around like a monkey). This approach to living in the present and delighting in God is a delightful approach to simply being with God. Christine invites the reader to approach such time with God through the eyes of a child. To simply be in the present moment and delight in what God has to share with us. Through mediums such as gardening, coloring, creating, labyrinths, play, walks in nature, and photography, the reader is invited to playfully explore how Spiritual Practices can be both fun and deeply insightful. If you are looking for a fresh approach to your time with God, #giftofwonder will not disappoint you. Savor this book, enjoy this book, absorb this book, and enjoy what God has in store for you. Thank you, Madre Christine, for this gift!
This Rocky Mountain Elk Yearling was at our outdoor Chapel after lunch. A guest preacher? A visitor? Just passing through? After the morning I had at work, this was a perfect time to simply Be Still in the present moment.
Today is Holy Tuesday
Lord, you taught your disciples
As you approached the end of the road
As you approached the cross you said
The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light. (John 12:35-36)
I have been walking with so many lately
Walking through the Valley of the Shadows
Through Strategic Planning for our Congregation
So much to do
So little time
Yet you call me to Be Still
In the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem
In the frantic preparations for Passover
Help me to slow down and savor that message
Walk while you have the light
So the darkness cannot overtake you
The light shines in the darkness
The darkness has not overcome it
Lord, show us the way this and every day
May we become Children of Light
Lead us, we pray…
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
In the midst of Holy Week reflections
In the midst of funeral preparation
In the midst of meetings and discussions
In the midst of heartbreak in Paris
In the midst of it all
You were present, Lord
I needed to be reminded of your presence
This young yearling reminded me
Stop
Pause
Be Still
Be
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
Two pictures from my visit to Notre Dame de Paris in July, 2007
Holy Week, Monday: Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem
— Read on malcolmguite.wordpress.com/2019/04/15/holy-week-monday-jesus-weeps-over-jerusalem-6/
You rode into Jerusalem with crowds cheering
Today, Mary anoints your feet
Judas grumbles over the cost of the perfume
We will have poor with us always, you say
But Jesus, you came to serve and to save the poor
Now people will use your words against us
The elites will say they don’t have to do anything
Ah, I am beginning to understand
We will have the poor with us always
Only we will misunderstand the meaning
Those who consider themselves rich
Those who consider themselves to be self-made
Those who build bigger barns to store their riches
They are the ones who are poor
They are the ones who don’t see the need for you
Blessed are the poor in spirit
For they shall be comforted
You are with us
We only have to open the eyes of our hearts
Ah Judas, this is a gift to Jesus from Mary
What the poor need is our love and solidarity
The poor must be recognized as human beings
They must be recognized as children of God
That recognition begins with us
We may not always have you with us physically, Lord
But you will be with us always in Spirit
Even until the end of the age
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
Another Lord’s day is complete
Worship, Fellowship, Refreshment
Time of worship at the Living Center
An evening of music with a dear friend
Palm Sunday is over
Holy Week begins
As we walk with the Lord
May our hearts be transformed
Lord, in your mercy, hear this humble prayer
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
“So much of what passes for spirituality these days is about making us happy, about affirmations and having positive experiences. We so often engage in what the poet Hafiz calls ‘teacup talk of God’ where God is genteel and delicate.”
— Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within
On this Palm Sunday weekend Christians commemorate the “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus proceeded down the Mount of Olives, through the storied Eastern Gate into Jerusalem, and enthusiastic crowds shouted as he passed: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
— Read on ronniemcbrayer.org/2019/04/14/parades-of-power/
