Welcome to Advent

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

― Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude

Baptism

Baptism is one of those aspects of our faith that we don't talk enough about as adults.  We may if we have children or grandchildren that we want to be sure are welcomed into the family of Christ.  We also may not even have that concept, we may just want them "done", because we have been told it's important.

The Baptismal Covenant has always been a central tenant to my theology.  There are concepts in it that I can not completely explain.  But I know that it is a foundation to the faith tradition that I have claimed as my own.  With each question the response reminds us that we can only live into this path with God's help.  With each response there is no question that we will falter, but that when we do, if we turn to God, help will be there.

Recently I came upon a prayer that could be used with the Baptismal covenant.  It was written by Reginald Hollis,  It is encouraged to be shared if acknowledgment to the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer is given.  I share it with you today as a way to reflect on how our Baptism whether as a child or as an adult, calls us to discipleship.  Take time to reflect on the questions and wonder........ where is calling you today?

Praying the Baptismal Covenant

Do you believe in God the Father, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and in God the Holy Spirit? 

Our God, 

it’s one thing to say the creed

but another to put my trust in you.  

Help me to live with the assurance that you are my Father

and that nothing can separate me from your love,

trusting in your forgiveness expressed in Jesus

and looking to your Spirit to make me your person. 

Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers? 

Our God, I know I was not meant to go it alone

because you created the church

to be a supportive family for your children. 

And I know the church is made up of people like me

--so it isn’t perfect!

Help me to play my part in the church, 

so I can learn from the teaching,

be encouraged by the fellowship,

be renewed in the Eucharist,

and find strength for living each day through prayer.

Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? 

Our God, 

You understand that sometimes 

I do things I never intended to do. 

My sorrow doesn’t put it all right. 

Neither can I use y weakness as an excuse. 

Help me

to begin anew, 

to experience your forgiveness

and to walk again in Jesus’ way. 

Will you proclaim by word and example the Good news of God in Christ? 

Our God 

help me to live the way jesus called me to live. 

may my actions speak louder than my words

of your love and of new life in Jesus. 

At the same time, help me rise above my own stumbling speech

and give me the words to express what I believe.

Let me be a witness to the Truth. 

Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? 

Our God, 

all too often I have looked at people 

in a very superficial way. 

Help me begin to see them with your eyes,

knowing that every person is created 

in your image, 

as your child. 

If jesus died for that person,

how can I despise him? 

Give me a new love that reaches out to everyone

because Jesus died for all.  

Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being? 

Our God, 

I don’t want my attitudes to be shaped

by the injustices that mar society, 

by the discrimination, greed, and lust 

that spoil relationships. 

In Jesus

color does not count,

wealth carries no weight,

and gender is not important. 

Help me to live in Jesus,

to see people through his eyes,

and work for the harmony

that reflects your kingdom. 

*Praying the Baptismal Covenant” by Reginald Hollis c. 1993,  

may be reproduced with acknowledgment to the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer.  

Passing of a Season

Yesterday I was walking my dog on his favorite trail not far from our home.  The air was crisp and the leaves covered the trail.  For some the color has already left and for others the bright red and orange still    

jumped out to capture my attention. 

As I was walking along, my eye first went to this beautiful red leaf laying on the log.  One of the forms of prayer that I love, and don't do enough, is walking in nature without listening to technology.  No earbuds this day, just the sound and sights of the present moment.  On this day, that was my practice.  As I looked down, I saw this beautiful leaf, full of color, and yet it had fallen from the tree and was sitting majestically on this worn log.  Around it was a large bed of soft pine needles, along with other leaves in varying stages of change.  

One of the blessings of this practice, is the quieting of the mind.  With that comes the opportunity to see and know the world in a new way.  The season of fall is here and passing.  Letting go of the bright color, the brisk air and the season past.  Yet, this image gave me comfort to know that when we let go, it is only then that we can truly be held and know the loving embrace of God.  

Then as I looked up I saw this lone leaf hanging onto the branch, or is it resting, you decide.  I glanced up and began to walk away.  Because I was present, I was able to listen, and notice my thoughts.  Why was I so quickly moving away?  The lone leaf, nesting in the tree was drawing me, but I didn't want to look.  God is a loving and persistent guide.  I went back, looked up and knew that this, felt like a picture of that in between place, that place of having let go, while not quite sure how the landing is going to go.

We are blessed with the change of seasons here in New England.  It is a great opportunity to use these changes as an opportunity to reflect on our own lives.  Where are we growing and changing?  Where can we let go?  Where have we landed when we have let go in the past?

One of my favorite collects from the Book of Common Prayer comes from the Good Friday Liturgy; 

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look

favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred 

mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry

out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world 

see and know that things which were cast down are being

raised up, and things which had grown old are being made

new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection

by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus

Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity

of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

I hope we can all enjoy these days of fall, but know that with the closing in of winter comes the preparation for new light and life.  

A General Thanksgiving

As I return from vacation, I am reminded again, how very blessed I am.  We live in a beautiful place, we have the opportunity to eat wonderful food, plenty of clothing and a very cute new home.

God continues to use us in ways that we often can't imagine, and sometimes are not even aware of.  On this day, I was drawn to what is called, " A General Thanksgiving".  It is on page 836 of the Book of Common Prayer.  Over the years I have thought of writing my own and sat down to do that.  Today it became clear to me that reading and praying with these words, was where I needed to begin.

So on this new day, I invite you to join me in praying and reflecting of the words of "A General Thanksgiving" :

Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us.  We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love. 

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving 

care which surrounds us on every side.  

We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us. 

We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to 

acknowledge our dependence on you alone.

Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for the steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.  

Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know Christ and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things.  Amen.

"Our presence automatically liberates others."

Our Greatest Fear —Marianne Williamson

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other

people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

—Marianne Williamson

We live in a world that much to often judges us, or teaches us to judge ourselves by our looks, our material possessions, our work.  For many young people the experience of growing up and coming into their own is one that seems impossible.  For others it may seem to us like they have it all, and yet, to them the treadmill never stops, it is never enough, they are never enough.  

As people of faith we hear the words that Jesus taught us; "Love your neighbor as yourself." In the Episcopal Church, the faith community that I live in, we are taught that if we are able to love God with our whole hearts, minds and soul, that will lead and hopefully enable us, to love ourselves and then loving our neighbors will be intrinsic in that process.  

One of the wonderful things about a life of faith is that we are constantly growing and learning, hopefully.  I think there was a time in my younger years when I believed that if I lived into this discipline, or did my very best, that this would be a finite exercise.  Ah, the naiveté of youth.  Maybe it is only with age that we come to see the grace and blessing in loving God as never ending, never stagnate and  always growing.  

On this beautiful summer afternoon, know that you are loved beyond your wildest imaginings.  Know that living into the fullness of your light is a life time journey, and one that is never fully complete.  Know that there are those in your life that mirror back all the joy and light that is within you.  Recognize those in your midst that mirror back the darkness, and expose it to the light.  

You are the only 'You' out there.  Give God the most wonderful gift of all, rejoice and be very glad in it!!!

The Surprising Gift.

"By its very nature, contentment-the sense of having
 it all-can't be attained by achieving levels or goals set by others.  It also can't be attained if we don't know what it is for us, if we don't know what truly pleases us.  Such self-knowledge can be difficult to acquire in a world that places all its emphasis on appearances and status."

Having it All cannot happen without being content, and contentment is the essentials:

• Being comfortable in your own skin
• A sense of being your own person
• Truly feeling that being yourself is enough
• Not needing more than what you have
• Freedom from nagging desires 
• Freedom from anxieties

Contentment is not: 

• Satiation
• Happiness
• Personal achievement
• Fulfillment

Contentment, however, makes all of those things possible.  "

From:  "The Minimalist Woman's Guide to Having it All"  by Meg Wolfe

It is a dark, rainy morning.  I sit at a table in the apartment that I recently moved into.  We made the choice to move from the 4 bedroom house that we were renting, to downsize and reevaluate what we needed vs. what we wanted.  I must admit that this is radically new behavior for me.  Much of my life I have behaved as thought I thought that the more, the bigger, the happier.  I know that I am not alone and like many have gone through times when things were very sparse.  

Today I sit here with the awareness that living with much and living with little has brought me to this place.  Brought me to this place of knowing that with God's help neither is the answer.  That for me there is no specific answer, and I would argue that is true for all of us.  What I have come to know is that learning more about who I am, who I love, who loves me, and the work and passions in my life that give me joy need to be the determining factors in how my life looks.  

The last two months of my life have been spent giving cloths away to many different sources, recycling the many, and I mean many, different forms of technology(old computers, TVs, etc.), giving many car loads of perfectly good items to a place that raises money for the local hospital, and many, many, many trips to the local (wonderful) dump.  I will not bore you with the details of all I learned about where to recycle or redistribute your excess things, but I will tell you it can turn into a full time job.  The most amazing thing about doing it this way, as opposed to just moving it all again, is the real awareness of all the "stuff" you have.  How many vases does one couple need?  I'm not talking about family heirlooms, I"m talking about vases, just glass vases that sit on a shelf.  I just don't have fresh cut flowers that often.  

"A wonderful thing happens along the Minimalist path: you realize you've got enough mental and physical space to be yourself, that you are more that the sum total of your possessions, and you actually feel that you are enough in and of yourself.  That's a feeling akin to contentment."  Meg Wolfe

Settling in, clearing space, getting rid of boxes and piles will come with time.  But the gift that I have found under all these piles continues to be the most amazing surprise.  The gift of an increasing lightness, a gift of feeling more present in my skin, and the gift of not feeling trapped by my surroundings and my things.  God shows up in the most amazing and wonderful ways.  Sometimes we need to move things around to find the grace, the gifts that are there, waiting to be revealed.  

Gracious God, Thank you for the life I have today.  Thank you for food, clothing and shelter.  Thank you for the people in my life that I love and love me in return.  Thank you for those in my life that challenge me and enable me to grow.  Thank you for the many blessings in my life today, those I am aware of, and those I miss.  

Gracious God,  Help me remember that you are from which my life and joy comes.  Help me to remember that it is through you and the life that I am present in today,  that I come to know more and more who you need me to be.  

Gracious God, Help me to be the instrument you need me to be today.  Amen.  

"Is not life more than food? "

"Do not worry about your livelihood, what you are to eat or drink or use for clothing. Is not life more than food? Is not the body more valuable than clothes? Seek first the reign of God over you, God’s way of holiness, and all these things will be given you besides. Enough, then, of worrying about tomorrow. Let tomorrow take care of itself. Today has troubles enough of its own."     (Matthew 6:25, 33-34)

As I was walking the dog this morning I was struck by all the new life around me.  Buds are bursting from the limbs of tress and bushes, water is rushing freely into the lake, free from the ice, and green is everywhere.  Spring is an experience that each year feels new and fresh.  The wonder of God's creation stops me, takes my breath away, each year.  

I am in the process of moving from a 4 bedroom house, to a 2 bedroom apt.  The primary imputes behind this decision is the realization that we do not need all the space or items that we have now.  We also have spent far to much time working to pay for these very things.  How is it that we can simplify our lives, spend less time worrying about money or more, and spend more time living into the many blessings and work God has for us?  

God's abundance is all around us, all of us.  It occurred to me a couple of years ago that I felt trapped by a house I didn't even own.  How is it that we allow ourselves to be trapped in our lives?  How is it that we can open ourselves up to options that God sees and we can't?  Maybe we are trapped by a need to provide for those you love, but never ask or consult them as to how they feel.  Maybe we are trapped by the fear of change or letting go.  Fear of measuring up to others or the need for prestige is a very american trap, one that God may recognize as gluttony or greed.  Yikes, we hate these words don't we?  

15 coats hang in my front closet.  Yes, I said front closet, some I have not worn for more years than I care to admit, some I have moved three or four times.  This is the time, this is the year, I am going to let go of some.  I know, I did not say a number, I"m not sure even as I write this, how many.  But I do know that this process is revealing for me the need to hang onto things way past my need or even desire for them.  How many people are cold?  How many people can't afford a coat?  The truth is, I am not one of those people, and the chances are very good that I will not become one of those people.  Truthfully, the chances are better that I will see a new coat that I love and it will find it's way into my home.  I can share my abundance with others, thrift shops abound, as well as any number of other ways to give or sell for very reasonable prices those very things we hold on to.  

I share this story, because it is becoming very clear to me that this must and is becoming a spiritual exercise for me.  God continues to call us to trust in the abundance and blessing that are our lives.  The wealth that I feel and know comes from the security of my love and faith in God, my family and friends, and the ability to work in a way that serves the world and provides me an income.  

Gratitude is such an important element of a faithful life.  There have been times in my life when things were much more sparse.  It is with such gratitude that I never forget those days and yet am able today to let go and share some of what causes me to feel stuck.  It is when we share that we are truly able to open our hearts and minds to what God may be calling us to next.  

What is most important in your life?  "Is not your life more than food?"  Off to more packing?