Ash Wednesday--Lent begins

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. The Lenten season is a 40 day preparation season leading up to Easter. Only Sundays don't count in the 40 days, as Sundays are "little Easters". What's all the preparation for? In the past, it was a time for people to learn and prepare for baptism. Overall, it's a time of reflection leading toward the death and resurrection of Christ. These are my words. You can find more scholarly explanations out there in books, devotionals, on the internet. 

As I was reflecting yesterday about Ash Wednesday, I saw a JGP (photo) about Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day that really resonated with me. It caused me to think further about things. I wrote a short post about it and included a short portion from Psalm 139 from Nan Merrill's Psalms for Praying.

"Ooohhhhh. This is perfect! God, who is love, created us in God's image. Thus, we are love. We are from love and will return to love when our time in this realm is over.

What a great way to reflect on Ash Wednesday.

Here is Psalm 139: 23-24 from Nan Merrill's Psalms for Praying, as an additional reflection this day:

"Search me, O my Beloved, and know my heart! Try me and discern my thoughts! Help me to face the darkness within me; enlighten me, that I might radiate your Love and Light!"

Remember you are love and to love you will return."

I spent time with a group of great folks from my spiritual direction program on Zoom for a bit. It was wonderful to re-connect with them and to establish a new space with them going forward in our journey as spiritual directors in group supervision.

Riley and I went to lunch in a new place for us, OB3B. It was a cute and fun deli. The reuben was delicious!

When I got home, I took some photos of the crocuses in the neighbor's yard.

I went to Welcome Home of Chattanooga, as is my custom on Wednesdays. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that a barbershop quartet was coming that afternoon. And, the wonderful "cookie lady" brought special cookies for the day. In addition, I had several great conversations.

Upon arriving home, I was told Cliff put out petals for me leading to a beautiful bouquet of roses on our dining room table. Cliff is our sweet dog. Who knew?!?!

We headed over to Burks UMC where we would be attending the Ash Wednesday service. Prior to the service, I wanted to walk and pray the labyrinth that is found on the back of the property. Unless I make an intentional effort to go there, I don't. Last year it was my Lenten practice to walk and pray the labyrinth once a week. That's not a bad practice. I decided to incorporate that again into my week. Maybe I can do more than once a week.

As I walked and prayed the labyrinth yesterday, there were several things that swirled in and out as I walked the path of the labyrinth. There were two thoughts that stood out about everything else: "thy will be done" and "joyful obedience". 

I participated in the readings with the pastors Rev, Dr, Brian Burch and Rev. Leslie Daniels for the Ash Wednesday service. I am grateful for the opportunity to assist. I received my ashes.

It was a full day, a good beginning to the Lenten season.

Deb

A "wow" day

Have you ever had one of those days?

A day when the Holy Spirit gently blows in and everything seems to connect and go well?

Today was one of those days for me.

The Holy Spirit showed up over and over again.

My morning started off with a phone conversation with a friend from 6th grade, chatting about life, concerts, and all the things. 

Then I had a delightful thirty minute conversation in Spanish over ZOOM. We meet most every week for conversational Spanish. Sometimes it is mom and two kiddos and sometimes it is mom and one kiddo and sometimes it is one kiddo. It is always fun for me, to see where the conversation goes, to allow them the space to practice the language and give me the opportunity to speak it.

After we finished our conversation, I grabbed a cup of coffee from the coffee store in whose parking lot I had been using for my "office" and then headed down the road to Brainerd UMC to meet with my District Superintendent for our yearly meetings. I arrived a few minutes early, but that wasn't a problem and we were able to get started. He had some questions for me, along with some affirmations. This was definitely Holy Spirit time and Holy ground for me. It was good to share about ministry, life, and to end in prayer. It was also good to share about Bamboo Encounter, my heart for Spanish, what Welcome Home of Chattanooga does, and talk about spiritual direction.

After this conversation I had about a half hour before my supervision call with my spiritual supervisor. I asked Google to show me the nearest parks. If it had been closer to time, I had planned to stay in the parking lot. Google showed me "Overlook Park" very nearby. I drove to it to only learn that though it was definitely a neat little park with benches, there was no parking. I ventured onward and headed down the road, going through a little town called "Ridgeside" that I had never seen before (to my recollection). I drove on through that area, all the while trying to think of a place to stop and have my supervision call. I thought about the South Chickamauga walkway off Shallowford, but remembered there was a cemetery nearby. So, off to the cemetery it was! I like cemeteries! They are fairly quiet and have very cool statues.

I drove to the very back of this cemetery and found a sunny spot for my supervision call. This was my next to last call with her. As we were on the call, I noticed two big deer running through the grass in front of me.  They were at quite a distance, but I could see them. It was a serene setting for our conversation. We talked about supervision, finishing up, going forward, life, etc.  Supervision has been a very fruitful part of the spiritual direction program and I am extremely grateful for my supervisor!

On my way out of the cemetery, I stopped to get a photo of one of the statues that caught my attention from the back. I parked the car and walked to the front of it to get a good look at it. Jesus was in the middle of several sheep and was holding one in his left arm. Appropriately, the sign beneath the statue was John 10:11 and read "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." Based on the word "giveth", I am guessing this is the King James Version (KJV). To read the verse in other versions, check out this link from Bible Gateway. You can choose from MANY versions by selecting from the pull down menu on the right side. 

I went home and and enjoyed a nice lunch.

Then I headed over to Welcome Home of Chattanooga, where I volunteer once a week as a chaplain and companion. I have been there over a year now (since September 2022) and it has been such a gift to be there, to get to know the residents, staff, and volunteers. It is an amazing place that truly offers hospitality and a home to those on hospice who have no other place to go.

From Welcome Home I went to Burks UMC, the church I attend (mostly) while on voluntary family leave of absence (VFLOA) [and the church that sent me into ministry] for a spiritual direction session with a first time directee. It was a good session, from my point of view, and as always, it is such an honor to sit with someone as the Holy Spirit directs a conversation. I continue to learn and grow in my listening skills and am grateful and humbled that this is part of my journey.

Overall, today was a day of listening, sharing, being open to the Holy Spirit, receiving affirmation and encouragement.

It was a "wow" day! :)

I am grateful and humbled.

Deb