Tap on the Shoulder

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?” God declares through the prophet Isaiah. “Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15–16).

Does God tap you on the shoulder? Presenting you with an “uh-huh”? Perhaps I should pay attention to this?

With my drink cup and snacks in my hand, I am about to slide into the right seat of our Odyssey while on our Colorado vacation. My husband Roger, already in the driver’s seat, calls my attention to the hood of our vehicle.

Looking up, I think perhaps a bird or other critter would appear in my sight. But, instead, I notice a book resting on the driver’s side of the hood. The Practice of the Presence of Jesus, by Joni Eareckson Tada.

Puzzled, I reach out for the book and caress its cover for a minute or two. “Hmm. I thought I took you up to our room last night.”

Somehow, last night my tired brain had said enough. Amid the piles of things I gathered to bring in from the car, the book had apparently silently slipped to the ground and a kind stranger had put it on the hood for me to find.

I forget what to do. I just go on autopilot. I plop the pile of stuff on the hotel room table along with my purse, jump into the shower and fall into bed with the cool sheets lulling me to sleep. Losing myself in my thoughts.

But God wants to have that book and taps me on the shoulder… “Hey, Bonnie. Read this page.” I come out of my reverie and take Joni’s book into the car and turn to today’s page. To Know God. Joni, a quadrapelgic due to an accident when she was young, beautifully addresses this day the importance of making Jesus the center of your thoughts, to delight in me and do your most ordinary tasks with an eye to His glory. To Know God. To Focus on Him. Yes. To be present to bring Jesus’ love light to the world around you.

My schedule for the morning had not started as it should, so God brings me back to the present… shining his Light, nudging me in the right direction. What nudges you back to the present…to focus you on your Creator?

What helps me most right now is the daily intention of starting my day PEACED, with a schedule. I work to ingrain this in my daily habits to put PEACE of God first intentionally and focus on HIM.

This means start with Praying (including worship with Bible), exercise my body and mind and animals, do animal care for two aging pets, chow some hopefully healthy food, do Email / communication and Devotion of the Practice of Presence of Jesus. Then dive into my schedule.

It usually starts for me with just bowing in gratitude and guidance to let go to the God that loves me through all my forgetfulness, my humanness, difficult circumstances… and 20 minutes of silent prayer to get in tune with Him. To become aware.

His loving reminder, when you are aware, sometimes is in finding a book on the hood, sometimes a word from a friend, sometimes a playful pup, sometimes breathless mountain walks with a tree hug or beautiful foliage, sometimes, a text or note from a friend. Perhaps, a smile from a stranger or an unexpected “door” opens for you that you do not expect showing you that that you are not alone. Someone is aware of you.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not easy. Phone calls, house emergencies, family needs, lots get in the way. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to just forge ahead. Making that list. You look around and see so many projects that are on your plate. Where do you start? You feel frozen. Overwhelmed.

But no matter how often you forget, God loves you so much he will not let you go. Jesus knows you overwhelm…he has been there and has given his life that you may live. And now, the Holy Spirit is tapping you on the shoulder, remembering his child with love. “Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15–16).

Be Still and Know

Storm Cloud Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

God’s Loving Hand works in mysterious ways. When do we know that what we are sensing to do is from the Holy Spirit?

The book of 1 John reveals so much of Jesus’ dear apostle and friend. John’s unwavering belief in the Son of God and Jesus’ undeniable complete trust in His Father continues to show God’s beautiful Love to all. Jesus the Christ carries out his human yet divine journey to save human life through resurrection.

Christians believe through study of the Word the deep connection available to imperfect humankind via faith, grace, forgiveness and Love to each other and all other living things in Creation.

So, what brings this to the front today? Grace, forgiveness and Love of my very imperfect self, truth be told.

While watching my dear husband and neighbor bowl at Monday league, I received a call from our worship leader at church where we often do technology for services. Earlier that day I had had back-to-back meetings and was just preparing to get back into what I needed to follow-up on from Sunday.

“The remote for the LCD worship team projector is missing and I have looked everywhere,” she said. “I usually put the remotes on top of the soundboard, I responded. Perhaps, it may have slipped off the top of the board when the rack was moved and onto the floor in back of the soundboard in the closet.” I asked her to call me later on Monday when she had more news.

My imperfect self guiltily remembered the remote was not immediately apparent on the sound board when I went back, still in church clothes, to pick something up at church later Sunday. I wished I could have taken the time to thoroughly search. I had dashed in to pick up something on the way to a planned lunch and my husband was anxiously waiting my return to the car.

I had told my husband at the time, but he seemed to think it would turn up soon and not to worry. (He was right, but for a different reason). I remembered the leader had had the remote in her hand to check for batteries, so…. More reflection brought several scenarios to mind like the one I mentioned that would likely lead to finding it. I prayed about the remote and now this call. I knew God would provide an answer, but somehow felt guilty and impatient.

Completion of a very detailed class paper made time fly by. The paper finally done, I set out to get carry-on filled. Finally, I just had to get some sleep. But, a late evening storm front that went through woke me up. I remembered the remote and said another prayer. Then I remembered I hadn’t heard back from her. I hoped that maybe she had found it and had been as busy as we were.

So, I checked on my 16-year-old dog Rascal, sound asleep on his back on the bed. He was so peaceful. To him, all was well with the world. Mom and dad and his cat brother were here and he was safe. I rubbed his belly and smiled as he leaned in and I thought I need to always be this confident about God taking care of me in my life. I have so much to be grateful for. I drifted off with a roof over my head, a loving husband….so many graces. I relaxed with verses of God’s love for us playing in my head and fell into sleep.

A deep nudge from the Holy Spirit woke me early with a very strong urge to go to my closet and look for my pink coat I had worn at service the day before. It was a peaceful, but very persistent nudge. So, I groggily got up and quietly opened the closet door. I shuffled my clothes and found the coat.

I reached into the closest pocket, nothing there. I cocked my head. A memory started forming, hurrying me along into the next pocket. I felt something metal and rectangular. There it was. Stunned, I realized that it had been there all the time… when I had finished the service, when I went back to look in the sound closet, and when I hung the coat up and said a prayer to find the remote. I was just too busy to notice. To take time to be aware. A couple familiar buttons popped into my eyes as I lifted the object out of my pocket.

I simply stood there. The prayer was answered.

Groggily things came into focus remembering the leader handing me the remote after she had checked for batteries. I had then quickly moved into the next task for the worship day. In reflection, I must have put the remote into my pocket then and forgotten about it. I never have put the remote on my person before, so it never occurred to me to look in my pockets, despite the suggestion it might be there made earlier Monday.

Something shook me out of my reverie and I looked for the darkened bedroom clock flashing 12:00 indicating that power had gone out. I stumbled out into the kitchen looking for my phone to message her but with the power out, my phone was not charged. My computer had automatic backup so I immediately messaged her the remote was found and it would be at church first thing in the morning, and apologized for any inconvenience. She would have it when she checked her messages, so I could do nothing more. I sighed a prayer of gratitude and asked for forgiveness for my assumptions and human error. I put the remote by my purse and smiled.

I pondered the irony of the remote. The remote connector to the LCD is like visually being present, being open to what was there, ready to respond. To clearly listen to signals coming to me from God, Holy Spirit, from my friend and my surroundings and giving God’s love back to them.

I wish to be more present and awake to love and listen to a nudge from the Holy Spirit, whatever form it takes. When I walked into the church to bring the remote, I was given grace and forgiveness by caring friends who know that things happen…we are all human and love each other through things. Drawing closer together in doing so openly with love.

Just a side, if you take time to smile, you will by consequence, be more present and aware of what is going on. Take a few life-giving breaths in and out. To remember to trust in Whose you are and Who loves you more than anyone else.

Will I mess up again? Undoubtedly. But I know who will forgive me. And love me always. And I pray that you, as well, will always grow in understanding, give grace and forgive. Thank you, Jesus. Amen

Hope Arises

Her eyes watch me as I wring the dishrag to wipe the tables off at a community supper. Hope catches my eye. She (not her name) sits still. Quietly Hope raised her spoon to her mouth again, savors the warming sensation of the soup and then takes a sip of lemonade…

After a little while the petite middle-aged woman looks up into my eyes and rises from her chair. She steps forward toward me. Hope reaches out and hugs me, whispering into my ear. “Bless you for all that you do. I just got married a week or so ago and we so appreciate assistance. My new husband is there.” She points to where a quiet man sits apparently deep in thought.

I hug her back and hold on a little. “May God hold you close and give you many blessings” comes flowing from my mouth… This child of God knows that she is being taken care of and is grateful. Open in expressing her gratefulness to others.

Our eyes hold each other for a little and feel God’s love flow between us. The moisture from the cold wet cloth brings me back to the room. Such a giant expression of love for what, at the moment, seems like a small thing. But to Hope it isn’t small.

I pause, letting the rag drip on the floor. It doesn’t matter. I smile at her and feel uplifted in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. God touches us unexpectedly with such tender love.

John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

She turns back to her meal. How can we reach out to others in love. to let God’s beautiful light of love flow through us in the stream of life?

Thriving with Love…the Defiant Lilac

Quiet, fluffy white flakes of new snow fill nooks and crevices everywhere. At first glance, the landscape echoes bareness and desolation.

Yet, in the depth of winter solitude, way out in back corner of our yard, there stands a young, bare deep purple lilac. Although now stripped of its once green, leafy and flowering branches, this winter lilac courageously stands alive bare and wide open to cold winter wind and resiliently proclaims for a 6^th winter, “I am here.”

Our tender fledgling lilac, a very small cutting from my mother’s giant purple lilac bush at our family home, has grown deep roots and wishes to thrive just where it is. We never had transplanted a bush before and my extension service friend said all we could do was try. Year after year, Lilac defiantly has decided to stand its ground amid subzero weather and deep snow, parched drought ground, hungry munching animals, close shaves with the lawnmower and trimmer. What keeps it going?

It keeps coming back. This dear friend seems to thrive. We, in our humanness, provide hope-filled efforts at tender loving care, wiring, kind words, supplements, covers, watering. What keeps it going despite our imperfect care? We know it really is not us.

Deep down beneath our cold sterile ground, unbeknownst to surface onlookers, life nurtures life. Deep flourishing roots are fortified under the snowy earth, filling the teenage to adult bush with all it needs to not only survive, but thrive the seasons.

Within my heart lives the image of the Gardener’s warm and tender, large Hands, He gently but firmly reaching down and providing the hopeful, awaiting lilac all it needs, nourishing the thirsty soil in unexpectedly bountiful ways…through the year, the tough seasons, to make our lilac strong to face whatever comes.

God is like that with us. In the seasons of our lives, we are tempted to feel in our bodies the cold, the pain, the lack. But as Jesus taught us, remember to look up, expectantly with Hope in our hearts. Just as our lilac innately knows, we have Faith to know that what you need will be provided because we are loved beyond measure. God will provide. Maybe not in the manner or time you expect, but perhaps, even in a more beautiful way than you could imagine.in just the way we need it to happen.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us… “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.” Tenderly and warmly we are given what we need when we have courage to openly thrive for Him as we are held in and by Love.

How can we get through these difficult seasons? Look up. Listen. Pray. Read Scriptures. Hold another’s hand. Reach out and find no one is ever alone. We are in this together. Amen.

The Broken Lamp

Why doesn’t this lamp work? Something is getting in the way of the conductivity. Perhaps, if we moved it? Checked the wiring? A disconnection would be discovered and ever so gently fixed.

Friends, I lovingly created this lamp and its twin over 25 years ago after bringing its base back from Europe. Scotland, actually. Never having wired anything before, this was a real adventure in creation. I had to find just the right wire and just the right connections to plug it in allowing it to create light. Then, the project of threading the wires, just so, angled in the right way to completely connect all parts together in its journey through the piece. The shade to let just enough light through was another piece of the project.

The base, a Scottish shepherd boy with a bagpipe, reminds me of years spent in a bagpipe and drum band and walking the hills of Scotland. Its twin, a winsome, gentle Scottish maiden reminds me of a younger version of myself taking a walk with the creatures of the field in the meadows.

Both lamps have stayed with me through many moves and adventures. Gently wrapped to stay safe in their journeys.

I feel a lot like this beautiful, yet frayed lamp. Longing to share its light with the world, but with the connectivity just not working right, all the time. God’s light radiantly dwells within me as the Holy Spirit and shines LIGHT from me WHEN I LISTEN and stay focused on Him.

God knows we are sinful and erratic, human beings, not perfect in our ways, yet God loves us completely and eternally and gives unending grace to those that have faith in and Love him. Coming back time and again.

These literal jars of clay, like the figurines of the lamp base, do not project the love and joy of Christ on their own, but through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside. Sometimes this world with its deadlines, stoplights, interactions with other beings and distractions tries to disconnect, the light from shining…And is, sad to say, successful as long as we choose to let it be successful.

2 Corinthians 4 says… ⁵For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.

We must be open to let God into the heart of our being, feeling the loving beating, fire of the Holy Spirit available to us at any moment. GO deep within. Be awake in all our senses and beyond to Christ’s love in every form imaginable. Focus. God will guide you in a way just for and known only, intimately between you two.

God knows how we are. How to follow the wiring, disconnect from the bits and pieces lying around or fizzling, crackling loudly at us to make us look away.

So, how do we do our part to be open? The ways are too innumerable to count. How do we know how to do our part to stay connected and reconnect? Yes, you will make errors, you are human. But, God loves each piece of clay. You. Priceless and will not give up on you.

Here are some simple suggestions. Try to develop a habit to do these things as you are able as a Child of God in this distractable world.

First, look up and pray, coming close to God. Close out the world for a while. Take a sabbatical*. (Muller, 2000). Whatever is in your heart. God already knows your need. Five minutes, an hour, a week or as long as you are able. He loves every moment spent between you.

Second, look into the pages of the Word of God which is timeless and meant just for you. Just open the Scriptures and read. Let it connect with you. It does, you know. Through the power of the Spirit. If you are open to know, a journal or just reflect. Whatever is on your heart. Talk with a friend or counselor.

Third, look outward. Into the Body of Christ. Your friends, acquaintances, the unending noisy traffic, work, illness and disease, the homeless, or anyone else…, strangers needing and sharing that humanness you have…a smile, a nurse’s touch, a kind salesperson, a phone call you feel the urge to make, a beautiful word written on a page …opening a space in line just for you, an opportunity opens up and there you see it. God’s love. All for you. For each of us.

Not at all easy. Christ is our example. Tough situations seemingly beyond endurance, or so it feels. Seemingly disconnected in Darkness and hurt, losses of friends, loved ones, a job, a change you think intolerable. But the Creator, our intimate Father, is there to reach out to you when you ask. In any shape or form. God can appear to you to provide the strength, the connection you alone need to go on. To Light that world as only you can do. His Son led the way in his human/divine nature, knowing the best way to connect to Light the way for his dearest creation. You.

And finally, focus on the Creation. The world around you. Lovingly created just for you. tenderly, focus on giving back the love, the smile,the soft touch, or kind word, the nutrients filling needs only you can provide. As God sent his Son to teach us how to come alive, to Light the way.

As I make a step forward to work on my beautifully imperfect lamps, I remember I just have started my journey. The solid love of God, faith in the unending grace of God, his forgiveness and mercy that appears and the Holy Spirit Who quietly reaches out nudging me forward to Connect. Keep trying. Peace be with you.

Amen.

*Muller, W. (2000). Sabbath. New York City: Bantam Books.

Advent practice:

Deepening Calm through Lovingkindness Practice

Beautiful practice for everyone…. In this time of Advent, often seen as a busy time for the commercial world, let us take five minutes to develop dive into a contemplative practice that can assist you in feeling calmness, lovingkindness.

I bring the practice to you courtesy of my contemplative friend and psychologist Ronelle Langley; Richard Rohr, Franciscan monk and author of the Center for Action and Contemplation; and Hospice worker and psychotherapist Kathleen Dowling Singh (1946–2017)¹ who taught how her spiritual practice of offering loving-kindness to herself and others deepened in the second half of her life:

Another thing that is noticeable is the transformed nature of my relationship with a practice of loving-kindness for self, at first, extending then to others, through the inner merging with a version of the following thoughts in one version of this prayer: “May I (you) be happy. May I (you) be well. May I (you) be peaceful and at ease.”

A You tube video of this practice…

Singh remembers that…the first few times I found powerful resistance in my mind…I felt I wasn’t worthy. The resistance was the belief in my unworthiness, my conviction that I didn’t yet deserve to be happy or hadn’t yet “earned” being peaceful. It was both sad and stunning to become aware of the resistance of all those deep, damaging, draining beliefs.

She adds, And, of course, my kind wishes for others were a bit shallow, not really authentic, when I couldn’t even hold them for myself. Gradually I began to rest in a dispassionate place of stillness where there was enough clarity to see the stories that gave rise to those mistaken beliefs and—just observing, just looking—they began to dissipate. After a while, it made me laugh to myself to see how stuck I’d been. Metta practice began to happen from a new place—actually resting in loving-kindness.

Give this practice a try. Also, take a look at Center for Action and Contemplation

¹Kathleen Dowling Singh, The Grace in Living: Recognize It, Trust It, Abide in It (Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2016), 81–82, 83.

Simply Sabbath…

simply Renew your heart

“In today’s world, with its relentless emphasis on success and productivity, we have lost the necessary rhythm of life, the balance between work and rest…” according to Wayne Muller, author of the book Sabbath.

Sabbath doesn’t have to be on a Sunday or even schedule an entire day. Sabbath can be an afternoon, a Sabbath hour or a Sabbath walk. I think it is vital for us spiritually.

A person petting a dog

Description automatically generated A close-up of a piano

Description automatically generated I find that for me, Sabbath can take many different forms. For instance, taking a special day or part of each day just to use my time of sacred rest to be quiet with my God Who is all around me, in me, through me is life-giving. Immense joy floods my soul by simple acts as hiking in nature, riding bikes, doing various spiritual practices, journaling, taking photographs, enjoying time my family with pets, reading, playing music on my piano will bring my body and soul back into balance. I feel rested, stored and renewed… creativity and life-giving connection with our Higher power, the Almighty can help us no matter what faith we profess and age group.

It isn’t the length of time, it is the intention that you take to join with Someone, something bigger than you. loving you, nourishing your life. Do take time this season to be with God. Knowing down deep in your soul that you are precious in His sight. See him in those around you. Beautiful trees, fresh air, warm sunshine, a harmony of joyous sounds brought into being by the God who loves to shower you with unexpected joys, if only you are awake, aware enough to be with them.

Fullness of God’s Love

When the sun shines encompassing a field of flowers, does it choose to give its warmth to just the most perfect flowers with no flaws? Definitely not. If not, can we then as imperfect human beings in today’s world feel the fullness of God’s Love when we are not perfect? I believe so, since devoted Christian apostle Paul, as Saul of Tarsus before conversion, had mercilessly persecuted Jesus followers.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 the apostle Paul spoke of his joy in the strength of faith, hope and love in newly converted Christian Thessalonians in 50AD during the Roman rule in the midst of a Grecian idol-laden culture. No one was turned away from his teaching which seemed to many counter-cultural of the time with Grecian idol worship and military might so prevalent.

During this 2^nd missionary journey from 49-51AD with Sylvanus and Timothy, despite sometimes strong violent opposition from some in leadership, devoted Christian apostle Paul preached the abundant Love of God, salvation and humility of Jesus to diverse economic and cultural backgrounds at the thriving hub seaport of Thessalonica.

Countless men and women alike along this major northern Grecian city were drawn to Christianity through the teachings of this well-spoken and educated Jewish Roman citizen. Long after Paul and his friends were forced to leave, Timothy returned to witness the flourishing in their faith. the Son shone brightly through the power of the Holy Spirit to this community of faith to all who wished to hear.

Nourished by Christian agape love, individuals in the growing faith community now greeted each other with “Grace and Peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” …instead of speaking the Roman slogan of “Security and Peace” advocating control through sometimes violent means. Loving each other through difficult times, standing fast in their faith.

We are motivated by the deep Love of Jesus to seek God with all our hearts. We need to remember God listens to even the smallest cries of our hearts for mercy, grace, compassion, understanding, ess… in bounded fullness of Love.

The eternal control is God’s who has given humanity free will. Our God loves us unconditionally. In today’s world there are conflicts in Middle East, disharmony with diversity in belief and religions, environmental crisis, and more. We have to remember that Christian community can and will flourish through staying deep in the Scriptures, pray always, listening and accepting each other in Love. This is far from easy; but we can make it with our Christ.

Love’s Evidence

By Laurie Jane Brandt

The words, “I love you,” have been said many times to me. It has been said out of lust and manipulation and it’s also been said honestly. In the last few years, I finally realized that there is a way to know if someone actually loves you. In the Bible, I Corinthians 13: 4-7 describes how love comes with evidence like patience, gentleness, kindness, and self-control. Love shines, like endurance through hard times, hoping for the best, believing good things and rejoicing in God’s truth about who he made me to be. If someone says, “I love you,” but is not exhibiting any of these characteristics, then it is a delusion.

Now just because someone doesn’t love you, does not mean you should not love them. Jesus told us to love our enemies. How? With kindness, gentleness, self-control, etc. (I Cor. 13). At times, it may mean that you distance yourself from someone if needed so that you are safe. Some of us may need the help of a friend or counselor to discern the truth about our situations and to learn to love ourselves and others.

Dear God, help me to know that not everyone who says “I love you,” actually loves me. Help me to receive the true love of God. “No greater love has a man than to lay down his life for his friends.” Thank you for helping me recognize and receive true love and to love others the way you would like me to. Amen. (John 15:13)

My understanding begins…

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

The Creator’s Eyes…

Genesis 16:13 (NIV)

^13 “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen^[^a^] the One who sees me”

How glorious is that fraction of a moment!

To see the awakening light plant the seed, nourish the plant, spread the fire of growth,

Of Light flowing from the creator, rippling at light speed through the universe to the heart of a dear one’s need

Exactly what is needed for that moment…that physician renewed with new wisdom,

Images created in the mind and frustrations held in the heart are enveloped in the light,

What joy in the creator’s eyes to feel joy touching a child who sees her father as the doors of Heaven open its light saying all is good.

In harmony with the new pet warming its new family’s bonds, unity with others cuddling the warmth of the soft music of the octave reverberating throughout Life

‘What plans I have for you my Child,’ the Creator murmurs softly.

Lying in the grass under the stars, what lies behind the shining stars, the pulsing light

The coolness of the night air, the depth of the connections from within the bodies lying in a split second of time. Changed forever and moving still closer through the awakening light

Each star, each planet, each blade of grass, each song, the ignition of the Light that takes away and gives back life.

It is all good, as the instructor creator views his children, knowing that those who see with positive light grow kinder, softer, stronger, with the knowledge of His Son. The Word echoes deeply in their hearts deep within, changing, trusting, unknowing yet believing.

The Spirit guiding from within each living thing each struggle to grow closer to the Light. Yes. All is well. All is Good.

The moment passes to the next. The new note arises from the Creator’s heart.