As my silence on this blog communicates, this has been a busy month for me. Busy and somewhat full of stress and anxiety. My time of prayer this morning found all of these feelings reaching their boiling point. Anxiety manifests itself very powerfully in my body, and I needed to engage my body in finding peace.
So I tried a new visualization. Breathe in love, breathe out the fear. I kept my knitting God by my side to keep an eye on things, and I breathed.
And it hurt.
Breathing in love was like pouring hydrogen peroxide over all the sore spots that have been festering inside. Breathing out fear was a cry of pain.
I stuck with it, because there was obviously some infection happening, and I needed to let love bubble away and do it's work.
Just breathe in. Just breathe out.
When I stopped, I felt clean and pink and very raw. And vulnerable.
And that's how the knitting God and I left it, for today. Although she did give me a scarf, to protect my heart.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
On Taxes
A rant....
Recently, our congregation had a visit from a wonderful stewardship consultant, who talked with many of our lay leaders about the idea of church stewardship. His definition was something like this... Think about where your congregation has been, where it stands now, and how you want it to be in the future. Then think about what you need to do to make that happen, knowing that this is YOUR church. How do you want to take ownership of it? Taking ownership means that you give your time and your energy and, yes, your financial gifts, in order to ensure that the church, which really amounts to each of us, all together, is able to do it's work in the world.
In this way, giving financially to a church is a way of saying, this is my church and I want it to be vibrant and healthy, and to live on and do its important work for many years to come. And it's a gift that gives back ten-fold, because it's a way to deeply experience belonging. You give here, because you belong here, and what a spiritual gift that sense of belonging is!
And I was thinking about this the other day as I watched a campaign ad on TV that talked about how much everyone hates taxes. And when I saw a sign from the Stewart/Colbert rally that said " I hate taxes, but I like roads, schools, etc. so I pay them." And I was frustrated, because even the argument for paying taxes invokes the idea of necessary evil. What if instead somebody was out there saying, you know what? I DON'T hate paying taxes. I am glad to be paying taxes because this is my country, and my fate is wrapped up in the fate of every other person in it, and I want us to be vibrant and healthy, and I want my country to be a better place for my children.
To all these people who say with entitlement, "This is MY country," I want to say "Yes! This is your country... so take some ownership! Know that a country is a collection of people, and that if you say this is your country, you are saying these are your people. Be committed to their well-being. Be a steward of this country as it passes beyond you to the next generation. Support it. Be generous. Give in gratitude, because you have a place to belong."
Recently, our congregation had a visit from a wonderful stewardship consultant, who talked with many of our lay leaders about the idea of church stewardship. His definition was something like this... Think about where your congregation has been, where it stands now, and how you want it to be in the future. Then think about what you need to do to make that happen, knowing that this is YOUR church. How do you want to take ownership of it? Taking ownership means that you give your time and your energy and, yes, your financial gifts, in order to ensure that the church, which really amounts to each of us, all together, is able to do it's work in the world.
In this way, giving financially to a church is a way of saying, this is my church and I want it to be vibrant and healthy, and to live on and do its important work for many years to come. And it's a gift that gives back ten-fold, because it's a way to deeply experience belonging. You give here, because you belong here, and what a spiritual gift that sense of belonging is!
And I was thinking about this the other day as I watched a campaign ad on TV that talked about how much everyone hates taxes. And when I saw a sign from the Stewart/Colbert rally that said " I hate taxes, but I like roads, schools, etc. so I pay them." And I was frustrated, because even the argument for paying taxes invokes the idea of necessary evil. What if instead somebody was out there saying, you know what? I DON'T hate paying taxes. I am glad to be paying taxes because this is my country, and my fate is wrapped up in the fate of every other person in it, and I want us to be vibrant and healthy, and I want my country to be a better place for my children.
To all these people who say with entitlement, "This is MY country," I want to say "Yes! This is your country... so take some ownership! Know that a country is a collection of people, and that if you say this is your country, you are saying these are your people. Be committed to their well-being. Be a steward of this country as it passes beyond you to the next generation. Support it. Be generous. Give in gratitude, because you have a place to belong."
Monday, November 1, 2010
On my heart...
"God send us a real religious life, which shall pluck blindness out of the heart, and make us better fathers, mothers, and children; a religious life, that shall go with us where we go, and make every home the house of God, every act acceptable as a prayer."
-- Theodore Parker
How do you carry the house of God with you? How do you live your prayer?
-- Theodore Parker
How do you carry the house of God with you? How do you live your prayer?
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