Happy Lent!
Welcome to the season of introspection and finding out what it means to be “you” and how that fuses with what it means to be a follower of the Christ. I always look forward to the beginning of Lent and welcome the occasion to slow down, ponder, pause, pay attention and be more intentional about reflection. The kick is that the groundwork established during this season harvests a life change.
As is true for most journeys, it is wise to take a good read along to accompany you on the journey. For me, this Lenten season, I’ve chosen two: SEIZING THE NONVIOLENT MOMENTS: Reflections on the Spirituality of Nonviolence by Nancy Small and THE ART of PAUSING by Judith Valente, Brother Paul Quenon, OCSO and Michael Bever.
Always looking for a good read, what texts and tomes are accompanying you this season? (NOTE: I think of scripture as a given).
I want to slow down and live from my center not my to-do list.
Believing that we are made in the image of the Creator and therefore we are each creative, I want to write more and find the discipline so to do. Favorite poet, Mary Oliver (if you have not yet read her writings I strongly encourage you to pick up a book of her poetry --- yes, she’d be a wonderful journey mate) writes, “Discipline is very important. We are creative all day long and we need to have an appointment to get that out on the page.” This is one appointment I will seek to keep, not so much for anyone else, yet, first of all for myself.
In that light, the book THE ART of PAUSING is arranged by a series of haikus written and shared by the three authors. I like a haiku with its structure of three lines with the first line being 5 syllables, the second line 7 syllables and the last line 5 syllables all based around a topic, a moment, an encounter.
I am going to daily write a haiku. On what? Who knows --- whatever speaks, strikes or celebrates on the given day.
I may find the courage to share a few.
I’m extending an invitation to folks to join me in this exercise. If courage rises and you want to share your haiku ---- I vow on my Pittsburgh Pirates baseball cap that I will honor that sharing and respond in kind.
Let the journey begin anew…..
sj;
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Saturday, February 7, 2015
A few rants and a reflection
The news that another novel by Harper Lee will be published and released in mid-July made me say, “well, what have I been waiting for??”
Speaking of the new novel by Ms. Lee, I am at once excited to read the new book and at the same time troubled as to whether or not this is something Harper would want. After over a half century of holding fast to her position that she would never write another novel and then within months of her older sister passing on the second novel is passed through….hmmmm.
Today, 7 February, is a big day for writers as it’s the birthday of Charles Dickens, Sinclair Lewis and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’d bet my lost Super Bowl wages (run the ball, Pete!) that each of us has at one time or another read something by these authors.
Dickens is revered as one of the greatest authors in the English language and was also reported to use his finances and fame to convince the wealthy in England to give of their money to help the poor. That, little Dickens!
I may be a bit grumpy, yet, I am incredulous at how self-centered and self-obsessed our society has become. Hover parents refuse to get their kids vaccinated without thought nor care for the numerous children on the block, in the school or at the park. A woman talking on her cell phone speeds through a crosswalk without even a tap of the brake or a notice of the elderly couple crossing in the middle of the street. A bus full of people cuss out the bus driver who stops on a cold, snowy morning to pick-up a person waiting at a bus stop who also happens to use a wheelchair.
I’m a big supporter of the concept of the shared common good. Or, to put it another way, we are, whether we choose to realize it or not, in this together. I worry about the lack of compassion and empathy for persons whom we do not know because they do not traffic our neighborhoods, schools, faith communities, gathering places. Not only is their no concern, there is instead blame and disdain. (See Nicholas Kristoff’s recent columns in the New York Times).
Friends, the “I got mine (or inherited mine) good luck getting yours” philosophy of economics and community building is destroying both. Martin Luther King stated, Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?”
Answer well. Live better.
sj;
Speaking of the new novel by Ms. Lee, I am at once excited to read the new book and at the same time troubled as to whether or not this is something Harper would want. After over a half century of holding fast to her position that she would never write another novel and then within months of her older sister passing on the second novel is passed through….hmmmm.
Today, 7 February, is a big day for writers as it’s the birthday of Charles Dickens, Sinclair Lewis and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’d bet my lost Super Bowl wages (run the ball, Pete!) that each of us has at one time or another read something by these authors.
Dickens is revered as one of the greatest authors in the English language and was also reported to use his finances and fame to convince the wealthy in England to give of their money to help the poor. That, little Dickens!
I may be a bit grumpy, yet, I am incredulous at how self-centered and self-obsessed our society has become. Hover parents refuse to get their kids vaccinated without thought nor care for the numerous children on the block, in the school or at the park. A woman talking on her cell phone speeds through a crosswalk without even a tap of the brake or a notice of the elderly couple crossing in the middle of the street. A bus full of people cuss out the bus driver who stops on a cold, snowy morning to pick-up a person waiting at a bus stop who also happens to use a wheelchair.
I’m a big supporter of the concept of the shared common good. Or, to put it another way, we are, whether we choose to realize it or not, in this together. I worry about the lack of compassion and empathy for persons whom we do not know because they do not traffic our neighborhoods, schools, faith communities, gathering places. Not only is their no concern, there is instead blame and disdain. (See Nicholas Kristoff’s recent columns in the New York Times).
Friends, the “I got mine (or inherited mine) good luck getting yours” philosophy of economics and community building is destroying both. Martin Luther King stated, Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?”
Answer well. Live better.
sj;
Sunday, January 4, 2015
The dew is still on it.....
Happy 2015!
This post starts five days into the New Year to give us a chance to have made resolutions and determine which ones have a chance at being kept. May your resolve be strong so your resolutions are kept...at least until next week….hey, baby steps...baby steps….
This year will mark the 150th anniversary of the end of the US Civil War with the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox and also the 150th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
As a nation with cries of “Black Lives Matter” continuing to ring, we will mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Selma and the longer march from Selma to Montgomery for voting rights for African-American citizens of this country.
For those of us whom are of a certain age, this year will mark the 30th anniversary of the film “Back to the Future.” I went to that film with friends, one of whom was able to get the keys to her parents car to take us there...sigh…..
For 2015, I want to ponder more and slow down.
For 2015, I want to pay attention so, I am “dazzled at least ten times a day.”
For 2015, I want to give time and effort to important relationships in my life.
For 2015, I want to get in balance --- in spirit, physically, mentally, work and play.
For 2015, I want to be more about honoring the two sacraments of my faith tradition --- baptism and communion --- and therefore spend significant time near water and at table in shared community.
For 2015, I want to participate frequently in what Anne Lamott calls the “sacrament of the lawn” and blow bubbles and play catch with any and all takers.
For 2015, I want to linger longer in the places where there is magic.
For 2015, I want to commit deeper to the labor for justice whenever, wherever and whomever.
For 2015, I want to listen to more stories and tell more of my story.
For 2015, I want to be bold.
There’s my list….five days in…..how goes it with you?
sj;
This post starts five days into the New Year to give us a chance to have made resolutions and determine which ones have a chance at being kept. May your resolve be strong so your resolutions are kept...at least until next week….hey, baby steps...baby steps….
This year will mark the 150th anniversary of the end of the US Civil War with the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox and also the 150th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
As a nation with cries of “Black Lives Matter” continuing to ring, we will mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Selma and the longer march from Selma to Montgomery for voting rights for African-American citizens of this country.
For those of us whom are of a certain age, this year will mark the 30th anniversary of the film “Back to the Future.” I went to that film with friends, one of whom was able to get the keys to her parents car to take us there...sigh…..
For 2015, I want to ponder more and slow down.
For 2015, I want to pay attention so, I am “dazzled at least ten times a day.”
For 2015, I want to give time and effort to important relationships in my life.
For 2015, I want to get in balance --- in spirit, physically, mentally, work and play.
For 2015, I want to be more about honoring the two sacraments of my faith tradition --- baptism and communion --- and therefore spend significant time near water and at table in shared community.
For 2015, I want to participate frequently in what Anne Lamott calls the “sacrament of the lawn” and blow bubbles and play catch with any and all takers.
For 2015, I want to linger longer in the places where there is magic.
For 2015, I want to commit deeper to the labor for justice whenever, wherever and whomever.
For 2015, I want to listen to more stories and tell more of my story.
For 2015, I want to be bold.
There’s my list….five days in…..how goes it with you?
sj;
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