Being Divine Light

 One of my best parts of the day is in the morning when I walk up the stairs to the garret, and I turn on the twinkly lights around the window and then light up the sparkly fairy tree. Next is my desk lamp, followed by a small candle and the floor lamp near the Girlfriend Chair. 

I welcome the light. Not because I fear or dislike the darkness. In fact without the darkness I can't see the light.

No, these little lights remind me to know the Divine Light within me. 

And to live as that light in the world. 

Each of us has the task to expand that light into the world.

Here's an example. My husband has been collecting items needed by those whose circumstances have forced them to live in tent encampments in our metropolitan area. The numbers of people without homes is staggering, and imagine what it means to face a Minnesota winter living in a tent. Bruce initially responded to a request from our neighborhood social media site, and then he put out a call to our congregation and wow, the results have been amazing. He takes the donations he receives to a central site, and they are distributed as needed from there.  

And then there was light! 

I have written before about my mother's habit of turning on a lamp in my bedroom whenever I was home visiting. She did that before the dark descended. And then no matter when I went to bed, there was light to welcome me. 

I think that is what is happening outside, too. Last night I stood on our front steps and noticed all the homes lit up with exterior holiday lights. Not only earlier than previous years, but many more than last year. There may be logical reasons for this: the weather has been conducive for outdoor decorating, and our street has lots of young families now, and you know how children love decorations. 

But I suspect the reason is deeper than that. Not only do we need the light, but we need to BE the light right now. We need to extend the light into the world. 

And then there was light! Divine Light

An Invitation 

Where are you noticing light and how are you extending light into the world? I would love to know. 

Do You Care?

I begin my day by reading historian Heather Cox Richardson's  newsletter, "Letters from an American." I confess I do this even before I make the bed and before I head to the garret for my morning devotion time. Often what I read in her daily commentary becomes the basis for my prayers.

What I read Sunday morning almost took my breath away. 

            Excerpts from a new book by

            former President 
            Barack Obama, due out next week, reveal 
            McConnell’s response to a plea from then-
            Vice President Biden to pass a worthwhile bill. 
            McConnell answered: “You must be under the 
            mistaken impression that I care.” 

McConnell, of course, refers to Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Let me repeat McConnell's words.

       "You must be under the mistaken impression that I care."

Take in those words. Close your eyes and hear them being said. The man saying them was elected by citizens to serve in the Senate. If you are from Kentucky, how does that sound to you? And in the rest of the country, how would you like it if the man or woman elected to serve the people in your state said he or she didn't care? 

I don't know what the bill was that McConnell was asked to consider, but I expect those who represent me in government positions TO CARE, no matter what the issue is or what position is taken. Care enough to consider, to study, to listen, to investigate, to look at all sides, to ponder, to think, to ask questions. And yes, to challenge. Care at least that much.

Part of my morning devotion time is reading Barbara Brown Taylor's new book, a collection of her sermons, Always A Guest, Speaking of Faith Far From Home. As always, I find her provocative and inspirational. She cares. Her text for a sermon called "How To Lose Your Life Everyday," was Romans 12:14-18.

            Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not

            curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep

            with those who weep. Live in harmony with one

            another; do not be haughty, but associate with the

            lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not

            repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what

            is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as

            it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

These verses are full of admonitions to care. Reread these verses, substituting the word "care" where it makes sense.

            Care for those who persecute you; care and do

            not curse them. Care for those who rejoice, care 

            for those who weep. Live in caring harmony 

            with one another; do not be haughty, but care 

            for the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you

            are. Do not repay evil for evil, but care about what

            is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far 

            as it depends on you, live peaceably with and

            care for all. 

Hear that, Mr. McConnell. 

Hear that, Nancy, for, of course, those words are for me. 

For each of us. 

How many times have you heard both before and after the election, "What can I do?" Well, we each have to come up with specific answers, and there are plenty out there, but the first step is to care. 

Just care. 

Right now one way--a big way--to show you care is to wear a mask. 

An Invitation

What are some ways you show you care? Where do you see evidence of caring? I would love to know. 

Relief: Post Election Thoughts

 

I heard the news about the Biden-Harris win Saturday morning and exhaled. A deep, long exhale. 

 

I don't think I realized how I had been holding my breath. Not just during the past few days, but for weeks, maybe months.

Throughout the day I felt my body ease, releasing tension, as I inhaled and then EXHALED. 

With each exhalation, I made room for relief and gratitude. Where I had been holding tightly, hoping for hope, I gathered light. 

And just for the moment, that was enough. Let's just delight in the moment, I said to myself. Let's just feel the joy and the exuberance. Let's just honor the work that made this outcome possible, along with the belief that democracy is worth the effort.

But now that we have listened to the grace-filled acceptance speeches, and the fireworks have ended, the work of "what now?" begins. The work of healing and the work of becoming, really becoming the nation we say we want to be. It's time to truly prove that we are a nation of opportunity and justice for all. 

Sunday morning following our online worship service, we moved into the adult forum time, all on ZOOM of course. During that hour we were divided into small break-out groups where we talked about next steps and how we each might make a difference. I imagined the nation on a ginormous ZOOM meeting where we would divide into break-out sessions. Small groups of diverse people with a wide range of beliefs. Small groups in which we would need to introduce ourselves because we have never met each other. 

Our task in those groups would be to listen to one another with the ears of our heart. What are your hopes for our country? What worries you? Where do you find joy? What losses have you experienced? What do you most want me to know about you? What would it take for you to feel more confident in the direction of our country? 

I hear the term "civil discourse" used frequently, usually in the context of how rare it has been in recent years. Civil discourse is a worthy goal, but I want something more--maybe it's "holy" discourse or "sacred" discourse. Discourse that is less about persuasion or even clarity and more about listening each other into our best selves, about remembering that we are all beloved children of God, and we were created to love another. Discourse that is possible because we take time to ground ourselves, to make room for spiritual practices in our lives, and to pay attention to the movement of God within and around us. 

I remember hearing my mother exhale deep sighs as she settled herself into bed at night. It was almost as if she needed to shed the worries, the work, the day's ups and downs before she could rest and restore. Only then could she prepare for the next day. 

And so I exhale. May we all find new ways of breathing together.

An Invitation
As you exhale, what are you making room for? I would love to know. 

"...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." 

                                                            Philippians 4:8

"When what has always been becomes more important than what might be, institutions die, relationships die, excitement dies."

                                                            Joan Chittister

"The path forward may sometimes be unclear. And it may be messy. But the shared heart is calling, and we have an opportunity to make lasting shifts toward love and justice in our world."

                                                            Kristi Nelson

"This is one of the lessons that Jesus gave through his example: before action, contemplation must take place. And for true contemplation to happen, one must step outside oneself."

                                                            John Valters Paintner

             

                   

    

Election Day: What Will You Do Today?

 First and foremost, If you haven't voted, VOTE!!

Even if you aren't standing in a long line, the day itself is going to feel long--and chances are, we won't know the final results for several days, so plan how you are going to use this time.

Here are a few random ideas:

Leave the House.

           Go for a drive. 

           Walk or bike in your neighborhood. Walk longer than you normally do. Take two walks.

            Pack a picnic and go to a nearby park. Bundle up if it is cold.

            Deliver food to a food shelf. 

            

Create.

          Color. Sketch. Paint. 

          Finish the sweater you started knitting last winter.

          Make a collage. I am putting together favorite photos of Bruce and me with our granddaughter who turns 18 this month.

          Bake cut-out cookies and decorate.

         Untangle your exterior Christmas lights and start decorating. 

Write.

          Compose a letter, not an email, but a chatty, warm letter.

          Start a new journal or continue one.

          Begin putting together your ethical will. Here's a good resource: Ethical Wills, Putting Your Values on Paper by Barry K. Baines.

          Draft your annual Christmas letter. Address envelopes.

          Write a thank you note to someone from your past, even if they are no longer living. 

Clean. 

          Sweep the garage.

          Look for warm clothes to donate to homeless or others in need.

          Rearrange your pantry.

          Dejunk the junk drawer.

          Toss random plastic containers, especially those without covers.

          Scrub the inside of your refrigerator. And while you are at it, throw out old jars of jelly and salad dressing.

           Toss the pumpkins. 

Change.

           Your bedding. In Minnesota it is time for flannel sheets.

           Your sofa pillows and mantel arrangements.

            Your background picture on your phone or laptop or profile picture on Facebook.

             Your routine. 

Start a BIG project.

            Begin to organize the boxes of photos. How long has this been on your list?

            Write the first pages of "The Great American Novel."

            Cut out squares for a quilt.

            Read the first pages of Moby Dick and then keep reading.

            Make lefse. (Look it up, if you don't know what that is.)

Read. (You knew this would be on my list!)

         Reread a favorite book. 

         Read a novel, if you prefer to read nonfiction and vice versa.

         Read a children's book. Aloud.

         Read poetry. Aloud. 

         Read before you take a nap and after you take a nap.

         Read during lunch or dinner.

         Read in your favorite chair or try a new location.

       Make a list of books you want to read and start reading.

         Start rereading a favorite series like the Harry Potter books or Louise Penny's mysteries. 

          Ask a friend what she is reading and what she thinks you should read.    

          Request books from the library and/or place an order with your favorite independent bookstore. 

Research.

          Plan a trip somewhere you've never been or ok, if you must, someplace you want to go to again. Research flights, places to stay, restaurants, activities, sites. Plan your day to day itinerary. 

          Explore volunteer opportunities.

          Study a topic that interests you.

        Pull out a cookbook you haven't used for awhile and plan menus for the next few days--new recipes or old favorites.

          Gather catalogs that have arrived in your mailbox and start ordering Christmas gifts. 

Play.

          Set up a Scrabble game.

          Start a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.

          Practice the piano or other musical instrument. 

           

Rest. 

        Take a nap--a long nap.

           Enjoy a bubble bath. 

           Crawl into bed and read.

           Listen to soothing music. 

                   

Pray.

Meditate. 

Pray.

Meditate.    

An Invitation
What are you going to do today? I would love to know.  

           

             

          

      

          

           

Paying Attention to the Signs in Front of Us

 

While driving along Minnehaha Parkway, I was surprised by a red-tailed hawk as it flew from one side of the road to the other, low and right in front of my Jeep. I wish I had been able to follow his sky path on that cold day, but I was at least grateful for the brief moment of lift. 

According to Jamie Sams and David Carson, creators of Medicine Cards The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals, hawks are messengers, teaching us to be observant, to see the bigger picture, and how to discern and follow our personal vision. 

I first became aware of hawks when we lived at Sweetwater Farm. An albino red-tailed hawk was a frequent visitor--sometimes sitting in the willow tree or soaring over the pond where the Great Blue Heron came to rest in the morning. When I walked out the back door, I automatically scanned the horizon looking for its presence, and when I spotted it, I felt blessed. Blessed, but also reminded to pay attention, to remember "You are only as powerful as your capacity to perceive, receive, and use your abilities." 

During our Ohio years I was always on the look out for the familiar football shape of hawks as they sat on telephone poles or bare branches of winter trees. Once, during the two years when I made monthly six hour trips to my spiritual direction training in Pennsylvania, I felt accompanied by a succession of hawks, for every few miles I noticed another one. One after another. That was a challenging time in my life for a variety of reasons, and I was reassured by the guidance of hawks along the way. Their message to me seemed to be, "Stay the course." 

Here in St Paul I don't see hawks too often, and in fact, am more likely to see eagles, which is certainly a gift, but somehow they don't seem quite so personal. 

So what was the message of this particular hawk that crossed in front of my Jeep? 

I can't be sure, but I think this hawk was a reminder that companions on our journeys are always available, and sometimes they are right in front of us. So wake up! 

Here's something more. Hawk flew in front of me on Wednesday, but it was only days later that I gave it much thought. Part of my process in writing posts for this blog is to do a kind of examen of the days since my last post. What has impressed me or moved me, made me think deeper? What has touched me? What is still with me, even days later? 

Hawk. 

More than likely you, too, are gifted with signs, with messages, with nudges as you move through your days, but they only become wisdom or opportunities for spiritual growth when you take time for reflection.

Sit quietly, close your eyes lightly, not tightly, and rest in the passing of recent days. Who or what has been your hawk? What wants to be remembered? What lives in you still? What surprised you? What is the message and how will you respond? 

Pay attention. Stay awake.

An Invitation
What has flown in front of you lately? I would love to know. 

Some Recommendations from the Last Week

1.    Sunday Prayers, The Lord's Prayer--Nadia Bolz Weber's version. https://nadiabolzweber.substack.com

2.     Richard Rohr's summary of spiritual development https://cac.org/spiritual-development-2020-10-25/

3.      The Covid Cello Project playing Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings https://youtu.be/0ly61HpQ3mU

4.      "We Shall Overcome" sung by the Aeolian Choir at Oakwood University https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBtmPiCgToI

Preparing to Hibernate

Colder temperatures have arrived, and snow is on the way. In the meantime, as my husband puts the gardens to bed, we are relishing the last bouquet. Beautiful, right?

This bouquet is not only a symbol of how gorgeous the garden has been all summer long, thanks to Bruce's efforts, but is also a reminder of the natural rhythm of the seasons. 

The golden glory days of fall are fading with more leaves on the ground than on the trees. The days of sitting in the sun reading a book during lunchtime have passed--at least without a blanket and fire pit or heater. Taking a walk requires a few more layers for comfort, and all the outside gatherings we've had this summer may move to ZOOM or on hoped-for mild days to the garage. 

It is time to prepare for hibernation.

If you have read this blog over time, you know that I am a winter person and welcome the inside time. Cave Time normally does not oppress me, but this year is different. 

This year we are not choosing to hibernate. This year for our own safety, we must hibernate. Living, as I do, in a cold weather climate where winter lingers for months, the opportunities to see friends and families on patios and in backyards will be greatly diminished. No matter how many layers we wear. 

Dreading these upcoming months will not help--or decrease the impending isolation. 

Instead, it is time to overcome confinement with coziness. Get out shawls and candles and a throw for your reading chair. Stock up on cocoa, and add a string of lights around inside windows. Dig out from the back of your closet, scarves and mittens. Have your fireplace cleaned if it needs it and arrange for wood to be delivered. Do you need a new robe or slippers? All these are recommendations for living the hygge lifestyle.

Hygge is a Danish term that is hard to define, but has to do with creating cosiness in one's life and enjoying the simple pleasures of life. 

This year, however, we may need more than hygge to get us through to spring. This year will require a bit more intention, a bit more thinking ahead and now is the time.

Do you need to upgrade your winter gear, in order to get outside more regularly? We have snowshoes we haven't used since living at Sweetwater Farm, but this year how about going to nearby state parks and trekking the trails? 

Do you need to gather supplies for crafts or art that you have enjoyed in the past, but haven't made time for recently? Or is there something new you might try?

What routines in your life have become boring or so routine that you don't even notice them? We eat our dinner on tv trays while watching the news. Well, maybe it is time to get back--after the election, that is--to having dinner at the dining room table. Maybe not every night, but at least some of the time. Set a pretty table, including lit candles. A grilled cheese sandwich tastes even better when served by candlelight on your best china! 

What about the upcoming holidays? We won't have the traditional Thanksgiving dinner at our house, for example, but we can gather on Zoom sometime that weekend and perhaps, each household can have the same game and we can play it together. And what about decorating the outside of the house more than usual as way to spread some Christmas cheer to the neighbors? I imagine sending more Christmas cards this year than I normally do as a way to connect with friends near and far. 

How will you make up for the events you normally attend during the holiday time? St Olaf has cancelled its annual Christmas Festival and oh, how we will miss that traditional start to Advent, but I know there will be many concerts online, and we can "attend." I bought a household ticket for the Guthrie Theater's online production of A Christmas Carol, and maybe instead of going out for dinner before heading to the theater, we will have a popcorn supper during the performance. 

This is a time when self-care is necessary, but also think about how you can care for others. Is there an issue, like homelessness or food insecurity or immigration or racial justice, that particularly concerns you? Now may be the time for you to educate yourself more completely. Read. Investigate. Contact relevant organizations and find out what you can do, how you can be involved in a way that maintains your safety. Many of us are spending less money right now. If that is true for you, donate more. 

What spiritual practices ground you? Or is this a time to create space in your life for a spiritual practice? Can you welcome a bit more quiet and solitude into your life? Here's a sampling of some of my favorite books about spiritual practices.

*    Desperately Seeking Spirituality, A Field Guide to Practice by Meredith Gould.

*    An Altar in the World, A Geography of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor

*    The Sacred Year, Mapping the Soulscape of Spiritual Practice--How Contemplating Apples, Living in a Cave, and Befriending a Dying Woman Revived My Life by Michael Yankoski

*    A Sacred Primer, The Essential Guide to Quiet Time and Prayer by Elizabeth Harper Neeld

*    The Soul of a Pilgrim, Eight Practices for the Journey Within by Christine Valters Paintner

*    The Soul's Slow Ripening, 12 Celtic Practices for Seeking the Sacred by Christine Valters Paintner

*    Fully Awake and Truly Alive, Spiritual Practices to Nurture Your Soul by Jane E. Vennard

I suggest you start a Hibernation List for yourself. You know how hard it is to come up with something helpful when you are feeling blue or paralyzed or overwhelmed. That's when having a list can help. Your list can be your in-house spiritual director. 

And in the meantime, enjoy the last roses of summer.

An Invitation
What will you include on your Hibernation List? I would love to know. 

NOTE: Here's a Hygge Post I wrote a year ago

One more thing: 

So Many Needed Prayers

 

How do I begin? And once I begin, how do I come to an "Amen"?

The need for prayers is unending. Has it always been this way? Yes, of course, it has. The world and all its people have always needed the kind of holding, the kind of attention and awareness, the kind of connection and conversation that prayer creates. 

But today, right now, is what I carry with me into prayer time--the time set aside for prayer and then the almost unconscious time for prayer that I wear like a sweater on these cool days. 

At this very minute I hear a siren--first, quite faint, and then more distinct--and I whisper, "May all be well." My first intentional prayer of the day, but I know more will follow. 

When I am not too overwhelmed by worries and concerns--big ones and little ones--I try to enter prayer with gratitude. Oh, yes the usual ones of gratitude for the health and the well-being of my family, for our home and church and community and the love of good friends, but I also try to note particular joys and delights, the unwrapped presents I've received.

An email from a church friend sharing the delights in her life.

A drive in our little car along the river--color in the bluffs, eagles in the sky, sailboats on the river, friends and conversation and pie in an outdoor setting.

Pumpkins. More pumpkins. Pumpkins on the patio. Pumpkins in "Paris."

Applesauce for dinner.

Reading time on the patio, wrapped in a shawl.

Completion finally of the draft for a new chapter.

A leisurely walk in the neighborhood. "Look, the witches are holding hands," I hear two little girls exclaim, and I think, "Why don't we all hold hands?"

A new flannel shirt.

A good annual physical with a doctor new to me, and I am relieved to really like her.

Roses still blooming in the garden.

And then I turn to what is on my heart. Who am I holding? What transformation is needed around and within me? Where is there hurt, fear, a lack of hope and what words, what actions can I offer?

I know some of what I pray is on your lips as well--prayers for our country and for the upcoming election, prayers for the homeless, for the food insecure, prayers for all those who are oppressed, who need justice. 

A big list. A long list. An important list.

And then I turn to the specific on my heart: the friend undergoing chemotherapy for a serious cancer; our daughter-in-love's father awaiting a liver transplant, our granddaughter as she faces college applications, the two detained immigrants and the healthcare workers on the front lines who I write to weekly, friends who are grieving the loss of their only son, and many others. 

A big list. A long list. An important list.

And then I return to the joys, the delights, the list of gratitudes that grows when I pay attention: this quiet time, the comfort of the Girlfriend Chair, the sound of Bruce fixing his breakfast and opening the door to get the paper, the fresh air coming through a barely open skylight, the journal almost completed, but another one awaits. And the openness of the day. Yes, tasks to do, but on my own time, my own schedule. More delights to discover. 

Amen.

An Invitation
What brings you to prayer? What do you pray for? I would love to know.

Some Recommendations from Last Week

1.   Gloria Dei Lutheran Church This is actually on ongoing recommendation. Our Sunday online worship services are amazing--the sermons, the music, the creativity, the personal connection, and you are invited. Perhaps you are unchurched and feeling a need to experience worship again. Perhaps you are committed to a faith community and will remain so, but your church doesn't have the ability to produce a well-done online worship time. Or perhaps as a reader of my blog who is Jewish said to me, "It is clear how important your church is to you, and I am just curious about it." Come. 

2.    Podcast: The Confessional with Nadia Bolz-Weber, specifically the September 22 episode with journalist Maria Hinojosa.

3.    An article in The Atlantic on the definition of reparations. :  https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/reparations-definition-2020-candidates/590863/.