Compassion is the way of transformation. As we show compassion to ourselves and others, there can be restoration and healing.
Our retreat with Frank Rogers ends today. I have one more opportunity to soak in the teaching. It has been incredible, authentic, and life-giving.
The table fellowship, our listening circles, random conversations, etc. -- it has all been good.
The quote in the picture is one of the morning devotion quotes.
Another one by Nelson Mandela states: "Our human compassion binds us the one to the other- not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future."
Another quote for the day is by Thomas Merton: "The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another."
Compassion. Walking with others. Holding space for others.
As we walk through our own journeys, we are reminded of our connections and interdependence on the path to wholeness and well being.
One day a few weeks back, I happened to notice a tiny spot on my right leg that resembles a heart. It isn't perfectly shaped, but enough so to catch my attention.
#seeaheartshareaheart
It is a physical reminder to me to love myself.
Love God and love others are the two greatest commandments and ones I share often and attempt to live into. The 'love others' includes 'as you love yourself'. We are to love ourselves before we can love others.
We are to take care of ourselves before we attempt to take care of others. This isn’t selfish; it is prudent and crucial.
If you have flown, you have heard that you are to put on your own oxygen mask first before you attempt to help the young or elderly with you. Why? If you can't breathe, you are of no help to others.
Throughout seminary and the 2 year Academy I was reminded to take care of me, to take time for soul care and self care. I thought I had it it covered, but real life situations challenge my time management and my intentionality. I do okay. But I can do better. I want to do better. Because it isn't just for me. It is for the sake of others.
If I don't offer myself time apart, love, compassion, rest, etc., then how can I offer it to others and lead others there?
This week I am on retreat in Houston, Texas with the Fellowship of United Methodist Spiritual Directors and Retreat Leaders. Frank Rogers is the speaker and he is sharing about the radical way of compassion.
We are going back to the roots of loving God, loving self, and loving others.
Taking this time apart for what I thought was just part of my commitment to the board is refreshing and refilling my soul.
This morning's devotion included these quotes:
"In Asian languages, the word for 'mind' and the word for 'heart' are same. So if you're not hearing mindfulness in some deep way as heartfulness, you're not really understanding it. Compassion and kindness toward oneself are intrinsically woven into it. You could think of mindfulness as wise and affectionate attention." Jon Kabat-Zinn
"If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete." Jack Kornfield
How are you taking time to love yourself, to show yourself compassion? Are you taking some time to listen to the One Voice who calls you 'beloved'?
Practicing compassion for ourselves will lead to practicing it for others. We will be better equipped to love others fully when we make time to take care of ourselves.
Today's alarm went off at 3am so I could shower and get a cup of coffee before heading to the airport. My sweet husband was kind enough to take me at 3:45.
It is dark that early in the morning.
It was dark the entire first leg of the flight, until the last bit when the sun starting showing up on the other side of the plane.
Though I slept mostly on the first flight, I read on the second one. I brought one of the many piled and stacked books on my waiting list for this trip: Starting Something New: Spiritual Direction For Your God-Given Dream by Beth Booram. I had highlighted the book in a newsletter awhile back and Beth sent me a copy. There are so many connections in this book. I find myself identifying with quite a bit.
I have found many great nuggets already--quotes from other authors and information from Beth. This book is going to challenge and encourage me.
Here are two quotes from today's reading:
As I reflect today on the thoughts from this book, I also came across a picture and something I wrote with it two years ago as the retreat ended in Buffalo, MN at Christ the King Retreat Center.
"When faced with an overgrown path between yourself and a destination, look closely for the hidden worn path of travelers gone before and follow their steps. If no such step or opening exists, it may be time to forge the path for others.~d" July 25, 2014
Putting it all together is there a theme?
I don't know just yet. What I do know is that I have come for some time apart, to listen to the One Voice. I am setting aside time and space to listen and reflect.
What that means and where that leads.... we will see. That is part of the great adventure!
Immediately I thought of cotton candy and a song we sang at camp about cotton candy clouds.
The colors were calming and beautiful. I posted the picture on Instagram and Facebook and a florist friend posted that those colors were the 2016 pantone colors.
I didn't know what that meant, so I had to look it up.
I found a cool website on the Pantone colors of the year: Rose Quartz and Serenity. I learned some neat things about these colors: "As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern
day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning
for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent. Joined
together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance
between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue,
reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order
and peace". Click here to go to the webpage.
No wonder I find myself drawn to them. I do have a sense of peace when I see the cotton candy colors. They are soothing.
The song with the lyrics "cotton candy clouds" is "Master Designer" by Kurt Kaiser. I have written about it before. It's a song I learned at camp. Sometimes I think of it when I see big, puffy white clouds and at other times it comes to mind when I see the cotton candy colors, like last night.
"Master Designer" lyrics:
“Cotton candy clouds, so fluffy and white,
Who put you there in a sky of deep blue?
Or do you just happen to float along,
Pretty and white in a sky so blue, so blue, sky so blue?
Tall mountain, deep valley, fast river, cool stream,
Show grandeur and majesty in some grand scheme
All of these wonders that we behold,
Are only a part – it cannot be told, be told, cannot be told.
Master Designer, Whoever You are,
All of this beauty both near and afar
Can’t just have happened, the odds are too great,
There must be a plan, we’re not left to fate, to fate, not left to fate.
All of this beauty is far too convincing
Master Designer, Your word must be true,
Of all Your creations man is the dearest
Help me to simply believe now in You, in you,
Believe in You.”
Here is a blog post written about Master Designer and clouds in 2010: My Southern Mints Julep
Lyrics with instrumental
The King's Heralds singing "Master Designer"
"Master Designer" is one of my favorite camp songs. Quite possibly because it mentions clouds, mountains, valleys, creation, rivers, streams, etc. Also because Polly Cameron sang it all those years.
So last night when I looked up and just happened to catch a glimpse of the sky in a moment of cotton candy brilliance, I had no idea that the peaceful moment in the moment would take me to a place of learning about Pantone colors. Though I had the brief wisp of the camp song in my head last night, I didn't know I would go back there today.
Creation-- it allows us to be present in the moment, to learn something in the future, and to reflect upon the past.
It may not be the clouds in the sky that speak peace or truth to you in your journey. It may be other aspects of Creation. For me, it varies too. I am grateful, however, for a Creator who continues to speak gently to me through creation, reminding me of many things, including who I am and whose I am.
Speaking of being reminded of who I am and whose I am. Check out this posting by Shalem Institute. I am grateful to my cousin, David, for tagging me yesterday. Otherwise I would have missed it. Here is the quote that was on Shalem's Facebook page:
""Know that you are the beloved of God. Say it aloud, keep it in your
heart and on your lips. I am made in the image and likeness of God; I am
made in the image and likeness of God. I am the beloved of God. Let
this take root in your being. Ponder and rest in that. Let it flow
through you. You are a unique gift to the world and have a particular
contribution that only you can be and give. So, be
attentive—aware—listening for what that is. Live the questions: Who am I
called to be for the world? What is the unique way I can serve? What is
the piece that is mine to offer to the whole?" by Patience Robbins
With last Sunday's sermon and Scripture still in my mind, I drove around Rossville, GA today looking for folks who might be out in the parks and need some cold water on this hot day. Even though I have been in this appointment one year now, I still have lots of places to get to know in the three towns.
That became very obvious just now.
But, before I share that story, I will share that I was able to hand out one bottle of water to a woman at the park who was waiting to go to go her cleaning job. We spoke only briefly.
As I headed back to the office for a meeting, I noticed an "open" neon sign in English on the window in a building next to the church. In Spanish were the letters "Salon de belleza". I had never noticed that before.
I parked the car and walked over. The front door was locked, but they motioned me around back.
When I went in, there was a guy signing in and another in one of the chairs. I started speaking Spanish with them immediately and explained I had just noticed the sign. I told the I was still getting to know the area after being here a year. I asked how long they had been in business here, right next to the church. 12 years was her reply. 12 years?!? Wow. I guess others in the community who learned I spoke Spanish hadn't noticed it either because nobody has told me about the Spanish shop next door. Now I know. We spoke briefly. I left a card and told her I would be back to talk more later.
What a pleasant surprise for me to find out today that a literal neighbor to Simpson UMC is a Spanish beauty shop.
I look forward to getting to know these neighbors.
Have you been surprised by anything in your journey recently?
Blessings on your journey,
Debra
P.S. Here is an article I read about 25 Ways to be missional in your neighborhood. It can be applied to churches too, many of the ideas can be. Get creative and see what you can do in your unique situation.
This morning as I was reading Macrina Wiederkehr, this quote caught my attention in light of everything going on in the world: "A lot of space in the world is still filled with hate. As followers of Jesus we have no option except to try to fill up these spaces with love." Macrina Wiederkehr, Abide, p. 148
I put the two together this morning:
As I have been reflecting on this, I am grateful for several examples of love this past Sunday.
Pastor Robin Hager responded in love in her community in Venice, FL in a situation that had potential to be negative as a group came to protest her church. She took her leadership role boldly from the start and set the tone for love. It was beautiful.
Pastor Ginger Isom shared that a gentleman came to her church on Sunday right as church was starting. He wanted to talk. He stayed for the service, in spite of being a minority. He was welcomed. They spoke afterwards and the men of the church are reaching out in love.
These leaders encourage me. They are following the example of another leader, Christ, who continued to lead out of love.
There may be hate toward others, there may be apathy. There may only be a tiny hole open to fill with love in the moment.
Yet, if we are faithful to fill the hole, the spaces with love, then that is enough. That is what I am to do in the moment.
Will God use that love to break open the space wider and wider to dispel the hate, fear, ignorance, and apathy? I hope so. I pray so.
I also pray for boldness and courage to speak the truth in love in all situations, as directed by the One True Shepherd so that I might bring and share love openly and not give up hope.
Today I went to NHC Healthcare in Rossville, GA to join with Gail, Doris, and Bobby as they shared their gift of music with the residents there.
I recently learned that they go every 2nd Tuesday at 11am to share their gift of music. They play their guitars and sing gospel and country songs. When I learned that they go regularly, I told Gail I would put it on my calendar and meet them there. Gail told me then I would have to sing and I said I would. She held me to my promise today.
To my knowledge, there is only one resident in the three churches of the Holston GaP Parish at NHC. I planned to visit her while I was there and was able to after the singing/music time finished.
Much to my surprise, a lady whom I recognized came in pushing her walker about midway into the singing and the playing. It took me a moment to place her because I haven't seen her in over a year. She was someone I visited regularly when I was at a previous church before I took this appointment as pastor. I thought I recognized her, but I asked an employee to be sure. It was her. I took some time to talk with her, tell her my name, remind her how I knew her, how I used to visit her, and even that I visited her once on my motorcycle. I gave her a business card to refer to later, just in case. As I think back on the visits I had with her in her home, I am reminded that she has a birthday coming up fairly soon.
Seeing her 'all the way' in Rossville when I used to visit her in the Soddy Daisy area caught me off guard a little bit today. But, it was a blessing.
It was an added blessing to the music that was played and sung today. Watching the residents clap their hands, tap their toes, and sing along with some of the songs was a blessing. Getting to join in on a few of the songs was a blessing too.
Roaming around the room talking with some of the residents and just being with them for that time period.... that was a blessing.
Thank you God for the blessings of this day!
What blessings have you experienced in your journey today?
