Living in grace

In PrairieFire class this month (learn about PrairieFire here) these words were said:

We live in grace, wholly completely.

... and they caught my attention.

Grace is the essence of the kingdom of God. Grace is not something God gives, like a present. It is the atmosphere, the structure, and the foundation in which we move. It's not that we have grace at times more so than others - like God "gives us grace" when we ask/need, which implies we have it at times and don't have it other times. No. Grace permeates the world in which I live. It is always there, always active whether my outward self recognizes it or not. There is an inward, deep "Yes" to this knowing, as if my spirit knew this all along and it was simply waiting for my humanity to see...

I live in grace, which is an aspect of the character of God.

I live in grace, which means so does everyone else.

I live in grace.

So how do I live in awareness of that, at all times and in all places? Perhaps by coming more deeply to know and to experience that I am, first, a spiritual being, created in the image of God ...

Blessings.

PrairieFire

I have been accepted to participate in a 2-year program (better said "journey") for personal spiritual formation called "PrairieFire." (If you're interested, you can read more about it here.)

We had our first class last week, and it was wonderful. The day just flew by. What a great group of people, good facilitators, and wonderful discussion - plus time spent in prayer and silence together. I really think I'm going to enjoy our time together. That's not to say it will be all easy - realistically, I expect to encounter some times of discussion that I won't enjoy... but I pray they will be times of learning. Don't be surprised if I post from time-to-time about it.

What are you doing to nurture your own growth in awareness of God's Spirit?

p.s. The image on this post is from Soul of The Prairie, a working farm and retreat center in rural Hubbard, Iowa. I spent a fabulous two days on a personal retreat there early this summer. They have created more than one labyrinth mowed into the prairie grass. I hope to go back again before we get too much snow this year. Absolutely beautiful, restful, and nurturing - and Mary and her husband are gracious hosts. (You can check it out here.)

Many blessings.

a hole in a flute

Have you ever had one of those moments where you read something or see something and you have such an immediate response that it’s almost a physical sensation? Today I read this by Hafiz:

I am

a hole in a flute

that the Christ's breath moves through,

listen to this

music.

It made me catch my breath... Yes! That is such an apt description of all I hope I am. A part of a larger hole; an instrument through which only the love and grace and mercy of Christ flow; and in being filled with Christ’s breath I become a single note in God’s musical score...

I pray that this is so, everyday. Yes!

You ARE Called

Calling is a recurring theme in my life. I have blogged about it here, and you can find a sermon I’ve written about it here. It came up in conversation yesterday with a friend – so here I am blogging about it again because it’s on my mind… Warning, this is a longer post than usual – perhaps this will get it out of my system. (nah, probably not!)

Each of us is called to faith by God. We are called to live in relationship with God, and to live in relationship with one another. How we live – the things we do, the thoughts we live out, the actions we take – is our response to God’s call in our life. Calling is not something unique to only a special few. It’s not something that only the mystics or the “most spiritual” among us have.

You. ARE. Called.

Yes, calling is special – not because only a few are called. Calling is special because it is God who does the calling. So how we respond is important. How you live your life in relationship to God is important. And because each of us is uniquely made, the look, the feel of our calls may seem different because the outward way of relating may look different. But at its essence, our calls are the same – because they are from the One God.

Now, I realize this may not be the idea of “calling” that folks think of when they say someone is “called.” But it is the most important one – within it is the foundation of our living and our understanding of who we are in relation to others and the world because of our relationship with God.

I believe followers of God are the “called out ones.” It’s not that we are “special” or “chosen” and others are not – for God calls everyone. Some hear and are ready to respond; some hear and are not; and some are not aware that it is God they hear. No, everyone is special because each is created by God and called to God. What is different about being the “called out ones” is the lens through which we view life. When we have chosen to walk in awareness with God, we (hopefully) begin to view life and others as God does. We seek to see each person’s createdness in God, and we seek to respond with grace as God does. We have hope, because there is One who is working to bring about healing and wholeness. And we have purpose – to join God in working toward that end.

It is the last part – how I understand my purpose in living – that shapes the more common understanding of “call.” It is guided by our passion and giftedness, and where the needs of others tug at our heartstrings. Sometimes we seem to almost happen into a work that feels we are fulfilling how we are made. Often we doubt this as calling because it “comes too easily.” Other times we come to a place in our journey where we feel pulled or pushed into a new direction, a new way of work that feels we are fulfilling how we are made. Regardless of how it comes, what we do, how we live bringing healing and wholeness to life is our way of living out our calling in God. It appears in so many ways – being a parent, teacher, scientist, cashier, farmer, waste collector, lawyer… Sometimes we live it out better than at other times – that is, more closely in step with God’s purpose – but regardless of what it looks like, it is our way of fulfilling our called-out-ness in God.

The difficulty is, in part, that we often feel the need to compare ourselves with others – perhaps even taught by others to do so. (see “Being Akiba”) We compare our journey, our work, our relationship with God with what we see in someone else. … I see two immediate problems with that: I can only view another’s life from the outside, not the depth and breadth of their life as it is; and comparing with others creates a ranking of “good” and “better” that God does not have. How you live out your passion and giftedness is unique and wonderful – just as you are. Different is not a value, it is simply a fact – and something to celebrate.

So please, celebrate! Celebrate who you have been created to be – with your own unique blend of gifts and talents and passions. Celebrate that every other person is unique as well. Celebrate the opportunities you have to live out your uniqueness. Celebrate that you are called by God to live in relationship with God and with others, sharing God’s grace and working for God’s justice. Celebrate that every other person is called by God in this way, too. Celebrate the One who calls all of us, who knows each of us by name – and who loves and affirms you right now, exactly as you are. Celebrate.

Being Akiba

My devotion this morning reflected on this story from the Talmud:

“When Akiba was on his deathbed, he bemoaned to his rabbi that he felt he was a failure. His rabbi moved closer and asked why, and Akiba confessed that he had not lived a life like Moses. The poor man began to cry, admitting that he feared God’s judgment. At this, his rabbi leaned into his ear and whispered gently, ‘God will not judge Akiba for not being Moses. God will judge Akiba for not being Akiba.’”

I read this story for the first time, in a slightly different version, several years ago. And my reflections then led me to similar thoughts as my devotional book did today: Why is it that we consistently seek to compare ourselves with others – to our own detriment? Why do we devalue our giftedness in favor of another’s gifts and strengths? Why do we find it so difficult to value and honor the gifts in ourselves – honor and cherish who we are as amazing, unique individuals, created by God, each fearfully and wonderfully made?
More recently, however, when I consider this story, I wonder why we find it so hard to accept with grace the person we are today? Why do we beat ourselves up comparing ourselves with who we “should” be, who we “ought to” be – thinking that we should be better, somehow “more” than who we are? Why is it so difficult to understand and to live out the knowledge that all that we are is enough? Who I am at this moment is understood as a daughter of God, fully loved. Created by God, I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139) – and so are you.
Certainly, we are not perfect. Yes, we have the opportunity to become more fully the person God created – but that is not a statement of “lack”. It is not that I have to find something to add to me to become “better” – some new skill or gift or ability. I just need to understand how to be more fully me – how to walk closely with God embracing the way in which I have been fashioned so that I can experience God’s presence and share God’s grace with all the fullness of my being. In opening myself to who I am, I will find I am able to open myself more fully to who you are – and in that place the face of God can be seen.
So how do we learn to see and to accept with grace who we are at this moment? How do we learn to see ourselves as God sees us and, perhaps, learn to see others as God sees them? For me, it begins with the intentionality of my journey – seeking to live each day purposefully aware – and time spent in prayer, and study, and in fellowship with others of faith. Through these acts I find a deepening of peace, an expansion of acceptance, and a growing desire to walk living and sharing God’s grace.
What about you? How do you find God’s grace in your journey? What is helping you become more fully you?

reaping what others have sown

I am really enjoying the seasons here - yes, even the winter with its almost 60 inches of snow... which will come again soon enough, I'm sure.

Throughout the spring and even into early summer, I have enjoyed spending time on the back deck of the house we're renting. So restful enjoying the birds feeding only a few feet away, enjoying the breeze and cool temps. If I sit quietly enough, the chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits will come close to feed on what the birds spill out of the feeder. Fabulous.

It has been fun watching the growth in the plant beds. Bulbs sprouting, shrubs and trees blooming - all of which were planted and tended by people long before we came.  It's been exciting to see what will appear next, not knowing what will grow and bloom - reaping the sowing that others have done. Isn't that the way of life - always reaping what others have, in some fashion, sown... but we like to think we've done it. Always in control, always on our own - dependent on no one, society says, is proof of your worth... What an illusion. We are inter-dependent, whether we see it or not, whether we know it or not... Ah, but how much more exciting that makes living.

Blogging again...

It's been more than an year since I've written a post for this blog. In that time I have transitioned from ministry with a congregation in Florida to a congregation in Iowa. (Yes, Iowa!)

To be frank, my blogging ended when the primary impetus of my spiritual growth and struggles came through the myriad parts of the process of discerning God's call to be in ministry in a new place. I found it impossible to set all that aside in my writing for this space - to honor what was happening with me, internally and externally, while at the same time being faithful/honest in my public writing knowing that members of my congregation read my posts. ... So I stopped writing publicly.

We, my husband and I, have been in Iowa for 10 months now - and love it, which I will share more about later. We are relatively settled in. And I'm feeling the call to write again in this space. Thank you, to those of you who have politely reminded me that "it's been a while" since I've written. :)

I look forward to continuing the journey with you, and pray that my writing will be an encouragement to you, just as your companionship, reading and comments are to me.

Many blessings.