Leaning into the season of Advent with fully human, fully divine

It's the first Sunday of Advent and I have chosen to use the devotional fully human, fully divine by Whitney R. Simpson this year as my advent guide. 

I couldn't have made a better choice for where I am this year.

I used the Advent Poem for Bamboo Encounter yesterday and just in the preparation time, it spoke to me. Based on the poem, I decided to offer the spiritual practice of breath prayer at Bamboo Encounter and the breath prayer that came to me as an example from the poem.

(Bamboo Encounter is a once a month outdoor worship service that meets outside in creation as we listen to the Creator. You can click on the link above in the first mention of it to learn more.)

Here is the Advent Poem that Whitney wrote. It's in the beginning of her book:

We wait.
We notice.
We sense.
We remember.
We anticipate.
With our whole selves, we seek hope, peace, joy, and love.
They are within our reach, yet we often rush past
         and miss them.
Will we choose to slow down and embody these gifts,
         like the wise ones?
Yes. Indeed! We are wise ones.
Help us get ready; open us up, Lord.
Give us the willingness to pause and prepare to receive
         your gift this season.
Let us embody what we discover as we await the divine.
Let us savor your hope, peace, joy, and love
         more fully this season.

Here is the breath prayer that came out of the poem for me and what I shared yesterday at Bamboo Encounter:

A breath prayer is a short prayer that fits in with your breathing in and breathing out. It can be something that captured your attention from your readings or anything on your heart/mind/soul. You can use a name that you most identify with in the moment, whether that is Creator, Great Spirit, God, Divine Mystery, etc.

If I were to have a breath prayer from today’s readings, it might be this: ‘Open me up Creator to savor all things more fully this season.’  As I breathe in, I pray “Open me up Creator” and as I breathe out I pray “to savor all things more fully this season.” 

--------------------

I was able to jump into the book last night, reading the introduction, preparing for Christmas, embodiment as Presence, and contemplative practices to explore. I still have two more short chapters to go before I begin Advent 1 readings on "Slow Down and Hope".

I mentioned that I couldn't have made a better choice for a devotional this year for where I am. Though I cannot fully explain that remark, I think it has to do with how the first pages have resonated with my heart, mind, and soul. 

From the quotes at the beginning of each chapter (so far-- Howard Thurman, Charlie Brown, Thomas Merton, Claudia Mair Burney) to the content, I have felt the expansion in me as I "drank" from these waters. 

My senses are engaged from the very beginning as Whitney offers in the introduction insight into how we can feel, see, smell, taste, and hear Christmas coming. Words such as "savor" resonate deeply, likely because of the spiritual direction program I've been in these past two years and how I'm learning to savor things and invite others to savor as well. 

Hearing the coming of Christmas in the 'stillness of the earth' resonated within me as Whitney wrote: "If you take a step outside in the middle of that dark night and simply pause, you'll hear it in the silence, the anticipation, the waiting, the feeling like the entire earth is taking a deep breath, slowly inhaling and exhaling, standing on the edge of whatever comes next. It reminds you to listen." (10)

Whitney brings herself, her gifts and graces, and her experiences to this devotional. Though it has been years since I have seen Whitney in person (we met at a SoulFEAST at Lake Junaluska one year), I have kept in touch with her and followed her because she offers much to the world. I'm glad I have kept up with her so that I learned about this Advent devotional.

As I journey into Advent this year, practicing breath prayer, mindfulness, lectio divina, visio divina, meditation, contemplation, and presence, I hope to share what I learn and experience along the way.

If you haven't decided on an Advent devotional yet or if you have space for another one, I invite you to check out this one by Whitney. There's even a Wednesday online component from The Upper Room that you can join. I don't know if my schedule will allow me to do that yet or not. I haven't checked out my calendar yet for that.

Here's to savoring these next four weeks, to opening up to all that Creator has to offer, as I (hopefully) listen attentively and turn my attention and focus toward hopeful expectation to the One who is coming.

Peace on your Advent journey, 

Rev. Deb

Facing Life's Uncertainties.... quotes from the "red book"

I often use the "Guide to Prayer" books from the Upper Room for my devotional time.  The three that I have are the red, the green, and the blue.  There has recently been a black one published too.

The red one, A Guide to Prayer For All God's People, caught my attention this week.

The title for the week with Sunday coming between August 7 and 13: "Facing Life's Uncertainties".  It starts on page 253.

The Invocation for the week:

 

Almighty God, who always moves with clarity of will and singleness of purpose, help me to live and work with certainty in an uncertain world.  Light a lamp before me so that my feet do not stumble.  Make my path clear so I may never wander from your chosen way.  I pray in the name of Jesus who comes to make your way clear before our eyes. Amen.

One of the quotes shared:

"Suppose your whole world seems to rock on its foundations.  Hold on steadily, let it rock, and when the rocking is over, the picture will have reassembled itself into something much nearer to your heart's desire."--From The Seven Day Mental Diet by Emmet Fox

I thought that was interesting quote by this person Emmet Fox, but I had never heard of Emmet Fox, to my recollection.  So, I did what all curious folks would do.  I searched him out.  What an intriguing story.  I learned from this biography site that he had a ministry in New York and that mainline church folks reading his materials would be considered closet readers.  At least at the time of the publication of that material.  Dr. Fox was born in Ireland.  He seems like someone I would like to know better.   

A second quote in the week's reading that caught my attention was one from the view of a potter.   I enjoy pottery and have a few (okay, if "few" literally means three, then I have more) pieces of pottery that I have bought in NC at a variety of places, plus the chalice set from KY, and the very first chalice set from my friend that she made for our wedding.  The process of making pottery intrigues me too, so the analogies never cease to draw me, connect with me, or feed me.

http://www.chemistryland.com/CHM107/EarlyChemistry/ClayChemistry/potteryWheel.jpg

"The woman potter summarized not only the making of a pot but her basic belief about life:

Both my hands shaped this pot.  And, the place where it actually forms is a place of tension between the pressure applied from the outside and the pressure of the hand on the inside.  That's the way my life has been.  Sadness and death and misfortune and the love of friends and all the things that happened to me that I didn't even choose.  All of that influenced my life.  But, there are things I believe in about myself, my faith in God and the love of some friends that worked on the insides of me.  My life, like this pot, is the result of what happened on the outside and what was going on inside of me.  Life, like this pot, comes to be in places of tension.  Life comes to be when we learn how to avoid looking for answers and finally learn how to ask the question that will bring us to life.

       There is a tendency in us to want to live tension-free.  But, like the woman potter, I believe that this tension is God's gift to us, a gift that sometimes will not permit us to escape its presence.  I believe that creative energies are activated by just that kind of upsetting tension.  It is in responding to this gnawing discomfort that we have the possibility of giving shape to dreams that are at once faithful to who we are and who we can become."

                                                   -- From Growing Strong at Broken Places by Paula Ripple

 

I didn't know who Paula Ripple was either.  So I wanted to found out more about her.  Though I wasn't able to find a biography easily, I did find some of her writings, and several places that mentioned the above book from which the quote came.   She wrote an article about divorce, "The Journey Through Divorce".  From what I was able to find, I see that she spoke and wrote on family issues and was of the Catholic faith.  I am using the past tense, but I don't know if she is still alive or not.  She won an award in 1988, the Rev. James J. Young Ministry Award, but there wasn't anything other than a picture for her.

 

Even though I can't find a whole lot out about either of these persons, their writings still touched and inspired me this week.  As I continue to reflect on both the quote and the writing from the potter's perspective, there are quite a few things that shake out and settle into my life as I face my own uncertainties.  The phrase that stands out to me most at this time is this one: "the possibility of giving shape to dreams that are at once faithful to who we are and who we can become"

 

What about you?

 

As you read the quotes, what word, words, and/or phrases stand out to you?  Where do they speak into your life?  How can you carry them into your situation?

 

Blessings on your journey,

 

Debra

 

 

 

Reflecting on my Academy experience...survey completed sixteen months later

Sixteen months after the request came to fill out a survey for the 2 Year Academy, I sat down and clicked on the link for the Survey Monkey and filled it out.  (I was on Academy #32.)

Why did I wait so long, you ask?

First, I didn't want to fill it out prior to the last session, #8, because I wanted to experience it first.  Then, I didn't want to fill it out immediately after session #8 (April 2013) because I wanted and needed to reflect.

I intended to review my notes to refresh my memory whenever I did the survey.  I have written myself sticky notes AD NAUSEUM and notes on multiple pieces of paper over the past sixteen months since I first got the email with the survey inside it. 

For whatever reason, today was the day.

But, I didn't gather up my Academy bag (yes, I have an Academy bag-- with all my notes and big... BIG notebook and handouts) to review anything or refresh my memory.

I searched my email for the one containing the survey (3/22/13), opened it up and started.  I was surprised at how many memories flooded my mind immediately as I began that survey. 

Of the eight sessions, I was able to recall all faculty presenters in fairly strong detail in my mind except 2 from the same session.  My mind must have been on overload that session.  I could recall them, but not enough to rate the session without finding my notes. 

The survey took me back through memories of the facilities, the worship time, silence, the team, our community, the learning sessions, our health and nutrition times, covenant groups, etc.

If it hasn't been made clear from any of the blog posts I've written from the times I was at my 'home away from home' at the Academy, I will state it here:  The Academy for Spiritual Formation had a profound impact on my life personally and in my role as a leader. 

That is my opinion. 

This ENFJ was able to finally get back into her introverted self, making time and space for silence and solitude that had been awakened as a kid, but had long been ignored.  The rhythm of the Academy time apart allowed me to look forward to those times of silence and solitude every quarter.

Knowing that I would miss that, I found a way to incorporated silence into my life through a Centering Prayer group here locally.  Though I don't make it every Friday, it has become another 'home away from home', a very special place.

Going away to seminary for the intensive classes is a way for me to have time apart.

Without the experience of the Academy over those 2 years, I wouldn't have that foundation.  Nor would I have had that incredible bilingual experience..... with the people, the faculty, the worship.  Not only was it bilingual with Spanish, it was multilingual and multicultural.... with Korean and French (merci, Stephane!).

What I learned about faith, religion, God, myself, and others was priceless!

Through email, our bilingual covenant group still keeps in contact with one another and they continue to be a tremendous blessing to me. 

At some point I hope to put all my pictures from that journey together.... all the beautiful worship altars, the scenery from around the Life Enrichment retreat center, the alligators, the Jesus Doll, etc. 

The Academy for Spiritual Formation is sponsored by the Upper Room, as is the Walk to Emmaus.  I realize that it may not be for everyone.  But, I would encourage you to at least check it out, to consider prayerfully a 5 Day Academy where you get one week's taste of the 2 Year Academy. 

If God ever calls me up to serve on a team and the timing is right, that may be the second next exciting thing to having gone through the experience.  Much like serving on Emmaus teams has been for me over the many years since my Walk in 1998.

Meanwhile, I am grateful for that day in October 2010 when Johnny Sears announced to a room full of people at a 5 Day Academy in TN that the next 2 Year Academy coming up would be a bilingual one.  I don't think I will ever be able to forget the silence in that room that was broken by my breath literally being sucked out of me upon hearing such incredible joyous news.  Yet, at the same time, wondering 'how in the world could I do a 2 year commitment when it took an act of God to get me to a 5 day?'.  You know what?!?!  An act of God got me to.... and through the bilingual 2 Year Academy.

I will forever be grateful.

What is something for which you are forever grateful on your journey?

Blessings as you travel the path before you,

Debra

P.S.  If you want to go through and read the various specific posts related to the Academy, just search "Academy" or "2 Year Academy".

Helping the Cuba 5 Day Academy

 

I've not been to Cuba yet.  It's not that I haven't tried or not that I haven't wanted to, it's that the opportunities haven't been the right timing for me yet. 

I have wanted to go to Cuba ever since I was a little girl when my maternal grandfather ("Papa") shared stories of going over to Cuba when he was State Forester of Georgia to check out the pine trees prior to the closing of the borders.  I can't tell you why that stuck with me, but it did.  And then I learned Spanish and fell in love with the language and the culture, covering Latin American and the Iberian Peninsula.  Though I'm not fully versed in all things Cuban, I enjoy Cuban food, Cuban music, and I am more than willing to travel to the beautiful island to learn more about its people and culture.

Until I can go there, I support others who do and can.  Friends have been there on mission trips.  One of my Academy colleagues goes there to minister to pastors.  Now, there is going to be a 5 Day Academy this upcoming November in Cuba, sponsored largely by leadership from my Academy #32.

Just recently I learned a way that I can help the team preparing to go to Cuba in November.  Through The Academy for Spiritual Formation (sponsored by the Upper Room), I was able to set up a Donor Page to help raise funds for scholarships for the Cuba 5 Day Academy.  I set my goal at $1000 and started the donations with a personal donation.   I benefited from a scholarship when I went to the TN 5 Day Academy in the Fall of 2010.   Because I know how helpful the scholarships are, because I know how incredible the Academy rhythm and experience is and how it can impact one's life, I wanted to help the Cuba team in their efforts to help the Cuban people.

If you are not able to give financially to the Cuba 5 Day Academy, would you consider praying for the team leaders as they prepare for this new adventure?  Would you also pray for the Cuban leaders that will be on this 5 Day Academy?  Thank you in advance for any and all support you are able to give, whether in prayer or through finances.

To learn more about The Academy for Spiritual Formation, click here.

To go to my Donor Page to learn how you can help and what the monies will do for the sponsorship of this 5 Day Academy, click here.

I am looking forward to the team getting there and sharing their experiences with those of us who are not able to go in person, but who support them and go in spirit and prayer.

Thank you for taking some time to read about helping the Cuba 5 Day Academy!

Debra

Journey to the Manger... it begins today

The season of Advent officially began this past Sunday.  It's preparation time for the coming of the Christ child.  Now, I realize that there is much discussion in some circles concerning when the birth actually took place, why Christians would choose to celebrate it during a formally pagan celebration time, etc.  However, to me, it isn't the when that matters.  To me, it's important to celebrate the birth of Christ yearly and to reflect on who Christ is and what Christ means to me.  Just as I celebrate the birthdays of friends and family (if and when I remember--thank goodness for calendars and FaceBook reminders!).  As I think of my friends and family and who they are in my life and what they mean to me, so I am able to do with Christ.

As we journey onward in the Advent season, what are your traditions for celebration and remembering?  Advent candles and/or advent wreaths?  Chrismon trees? (trees decorated with church symbols such as doves, the Chi-Rho, star of David, butterfly, Alpha, Omega, anchored cross, Ichthys (fish symbol), etc. 

[For more on Chrismon trees and their history, go to: http://www.chrismon.org/site/chrismon/about.htm.  I learned quite a bit about the Chrismon tree!  The founder of this tree (Frances Kipps Spencer) died locally on Signal Mountain, TN.  Here is a link with pictures of various Chrismons: http://www.umcs.org/chrismons/.]

You may celebrate the Advent season with special devotionals, with traditions from other religions, etc.  However you choose to celebrate this season, it is a time of reflection and preparation.
A new resource for the season of Advent for children is "Journey to the Manger" written and illustrated by two members of my home church, Burks UMC in Hixson, TN.  Starting today, December 1st, the child has an activity, a Scripture verse, and space to write or draw (depending on age) their feelings, reflections, and experiences from that activity and Scripture.  It is a great way for the parent and child to spend time together daily.  I would argue that this is a great resource for children of all ages. ☺

Day 1 says "Straighten your room." and has the verse Colossians 3:23 which says: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people." (Good News Translation)

That is something I could put into practice! (Both the activity and the attitude expressed!)
There are tiny footprints on each page, walking in the sand each day, all the way to the manger. 

I'm pretty taken with this resource!  I wish someone from Abingdon Press or The Upper Room would contact these ladies and mass-produce it! 

But, let me come back to the journey..... the true journey.... preparing our hearts, minds, and souls for the birth of the Christ child. 

How are you preparing this Advent season?  Whatever you do, take time to reflect on who the Christ child is to you and what the Christ child means and has meant in your life.
Advent blessings,

~Debra