Quotes continue to encourage and stretch me... Macrina Wiederkehr

Over the past couple of weeks, the Shalem Institute has continued to post quotes that have caught my attention.  I have shared some of them on my Facebook page.  I am being introduced to new writers and reminded of others that I've heard of yet haven't read yet.

Most of the quotes are accompanied by photographs that grab my attention and allow me to engage more deeply with the quote.

Here is a recent quote that caught my attention:

"Take off your shoes of distraction. ~ Take off your shoes of ignorance and blindness. ~ Take off your shoes of hurry and worry. ~ Take off anything that prevents you from being a Child of Wonder. ~ Take off your shoes! ~ The ground you stand on is holy. ~ The ground you are is holy."
-Macrina Wiederkehr

This quote caused me to start thinking about those things that do distract me.... what are they?  What prevents me from being a "child of wonder"?   What distracts you?  This is worth some reflection time.

I did a little searching and found that this comes from Seasons of Your Heart.

Here is an excerpt from that book which included the entire poem, found on Tracy Radosevic's website.

"To be a child of wonder you must learn to take off your shoes often. Taking off your shoes is a sacred ritual. It is a hallowed moment of remembering the goodness of space and time. It is a way of celebrating the holy ground on which you stand. If you want to be a child of wonder, cherish the truth that time and space are holy. Whether you take off your shoes symbolically or literally matters little. What is important is that you are alive to the holy ground on which you stand and to the holy ground that you are.

My bare feet walk the earth reverently
for everything keeps crying,
Take off your shoes
The ground you stand on is holy
The ground of your being is holy.

When the wind sings through the pines
like a breath of God
awakening you to the sacred present
calling your soul to new insights
Take off your shoes!

When the sun rises above your rooftop
coloring your world with dawn
Be receptive to this awesome beauty
Put on your garment of adoration
Take off your shoes!

When the Red Maple drops its last leaf of summer
wearing its ‘burning bush’ robes no longer
read between its barren branches, and
Take off your shoes!

When sorrow presses close to your heart
begging you to put your trust in God alone
filling you with a quiet knowing
that God’s hand is not too short to heal you
Take off your shoes!

When a new person comes into your life
like a mystery about to unfold
and you find yourself marveling over
the frailty and splendor of every human being
Take off your shoes!

When, during the wee hours of the night
you drive slowly into the new day
and the morning’s fog, like angel wings,
hovers mysteriously above you
Take off your shoes!

Take off your shoes of distraction
Take off your shoes of ignorance and blindness
Take off your shoes of hurry and worry
Take off anything that prevents you
from being a child of wonder.

Take off your shoes;

The ground you stand on is holy.
The ground you are is holy."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I decided I needed to read more of Macrina Wiederkehr, so I have ordered and received Abide: Keeping Vigil with the Word of God.  As I make more progress in this refreshing book, maybe I'll share what I'm reading and learning.  So far, so good.... it's a powerful little book that utilizes lectio divina as its way of abiding in the Word. 

Blessings on your journey as you take off whatever shoes are distracting you from being a child of wonder and stand on holy ground!

~Debra ☺