"Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."
2 Corinthians 9:6
Simple enough--we reap what we sow, right? But Pray-As-You-Go adds another ponderous spin to this reading today by asking what areas of our lives do we sow sparingly and what do we sow bountifully? There are probably a few of each in our lives and the areas we sow sparingly may be worth taking a look at to see if we can bump up our sowing. PAYG also asks what areas of our lives do we see God's generosity poured out to us and what are we doing with those gifts? Personally, I think God gifts me with such a powerful presence. I can sense God all around me, in people, in creation and nature, even just in sitting still and feeling a calm wash over me. It's hard to explain but unmistakable to me. And what do I do with that great gift? Do I share that or clutch it tightly to myself? Some days I'm definitely more clutch-y. This weekend, let's spend some time praying with these questions...are we sparingly sowing the gifts God has given us or are we freely giving what we have been given? Can we recognize God's gifts in our lives? Can we see the world through the more loving eyes of God? Seeing others with loving, compassionate eyes may help us sow more lavishly to others. Love from the treehouse, heidi
Friday, August 10, 2018
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Weather the storm...
"After they had gotten into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, 'Truly, you are the Son of God.'"
Matthew 14:32-33
This was yesterday's Gospel, but something I heard on Pray-As-You-Go about it whirled around in my head through the day yesterday. PAYG invited us to sit with Jesus in the boat after the storm had calmed down. After everyone was safely back in the boat (like you, Peter) and they were just stunned by all that had happened (they had also watched Jesus walk toward them on the sea) it hit them. Jesus was the Son of God. I sat with Jesus in my own little boat (the treehouse) and felt much the same way. Through all the "storm" of the last several months, the move, retiring, hail storm, selling my house, all of the storminess of that, I sat in the metaphorical boat with Jesus and just said, "Wow, you're awesome! Look how it's all worked out!" But just because that storm is behind me, every single day I need to recognize Jesus in my day because Jesus is always accompanying me. And I need to share with others how Jesus was a life-line for me during times of uncertainty. Jesus didn't just wave his arm and beam me into Boise, but Jesus gave me all I needed to weather the "storm," and forge ahead. Jesus gave me friends, family and even strangers who helped me, too. Now, Jesus will put me in the path of others who are weathering storms, far more scary and difficult than the the one I just came through. My desire is to listen to Jesus and do all I can to help them through their storms. Love from the treehouse, heidi
Matthew 14:32-33
This was yesterday's Gospel, but something I heard on Pray-As-You-Go about it whirled around in my head through the day yesterday. PAYG invited us to sit with Jesus in the boat after the storm had calmed down. After everyone was safely back in the boat (like you, Peter) and they were just stunned by all that had happened (they had also watched Jesus walk toward them on the sea) it hit them. Jesus was the Son of God. I sat with Jesus in my own little boat (the treehouse) and felt much the same way. Through all the "storm" of the last several months, the move, retiring, hail storm, selling my house, all of the storminess of that, I sat in the metaphorical boat with Jesus and just said, "Wow, you're awesome! Look how it's all worked out!" But just because that storm is behind me, every single day I need to recognize Jesus in my day because Jesus is always accompanying me. And I need to share with others how Jesus was a life-line for me during times of uncertainty. Jesus didn't just wave his arm and beam me into Boise, but Jesus gave me all I needed to weather the "storm," and forge ahead. Jesus gave me friends, family and even strangers who helped me, too. Now, Jesus will put me in the path of others who are weathering storms, far more scary and difficult than the the one I just came through. My desire is to listen to Jesus and do all I can to help them through their storms. Love from the treehouse, heidi
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Wisdom from Dorothy Day...
"So she (Dorothy Day) thought each one of us, with our particular gifts and interests, was good. It's not that we need to change to be holy; we need to live what we are in the consciousness of God."
Judith Gregory, as quoted in "Dorothy Day: Portraits By Those Who Knew Her" by Rosalie G. Riegle
So, I am on a Dorothy Day kick right now and am just fascinated about all I'm learning about her. I sat in the treehouse and pondered the idea of living what we are in the consciousness of God. What does that look like in our everyday lives? Dorothy Day loved music, opera, specifically, and listened to it as much as she could. She didn't restrict her music to Gregorian chants or hymns. She loved opera, and while that isn't my cup of tea, I love that she loved it in all its secular-ness. I think that living what we are in the consciousness of God means that we live our lives, uncovering our True Selves; who we are when we aren't trying to impress anyone or get ahead or make people like us. We are who we are, and God made us that way. As we can appreciate that and be fully aware and present to that means we are living in the consciousness of God. Awareness of God threading through all of our decisions and choices, attitudes and actions means we are living in the consciousness of God. I invite you to pray with the phrase, "we need to live what we are in the consciousness of God." Maybe journal with it or just sit with it for a bit. What does God say to your heart? Love from the treehouse, heidi
Judith Gregory, as quoted in "Dorothy Day: Portraits By Those Who Knew Her" by Rosalie G. Riegle
So, I am on a Dorothy Day kick right now and am just fascinated about all I'm learning about her. I sat in the treehouse and pondered the idea of living what we are in the consciousness of God. What does that look like in our everyday lives? Dorothy Day loved music, opera, specifically, and listened to it as much as she could. She didn't restrict her music to Gregorian chants or hymns. She loved opera, and while that isn't my cup of tea, I love that she loved it in all its secular-ness. I think that living what we are in the consciousness of God means that we live our lives, uncovering our True Selves; who we are when we aren't trying to impress anyone or get ahead or make people like us. We are who we are, and God made us that way. As we can appreciate that and be fully aware and present to that means we are living in the consciousness of God. Awareness of God threading through all of our decisions and choices, attitudes and actions means we are living in the consciousness of God. I invite you to pray with the phrase, "we need to live what we are in the consciousness of God." Maybe journal with it or just sit with it for a bit. What does God say to your heart? Love from the treehouse, heidi
Monday, August 6, 2018
The Transfiguration in the iPhone age...
"As they were coming down from the mountain, (Jesus) charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead."
Mark 9:9
If we ever have wondered why Jesus came into the world at the time in history he came, today's Gospel gives us a clue. Can you imagine if Jesus waited until our time to come into the world? Peter, James and John would have had their phones out filming the Transfiguration and it would have been posted on Facebook within seconds. There would be no waiting to share until the Son of Man was risen from the dead! But, even more importantly, I think, the three disciples would have missed the impact of the whole event in the effort to capture it all on their phones. There's no personal interaction when there is a phone filming the event. There was a wonderful video of Paul McCartney on James Cordon's show doing Carpool Karaoke a while back. When Paul and James emerged from Paul's old apartment in Liverpool, many people had gathered on the street to catch a glimpse of Paul. But all Paul could see was a wall of cell phones, filming the event. There were no faces to see and greet, just phones. What if today, our August Monday, we have a chance to be present at an exciting and uplifting event? What if we have a chance to meet someone who touches our hearts? Can we be fully present to the moment and leave our phones tucked away? If we really live the moment fully, we won't need a little film of the event, it will be forever present in our minds and hearts. Love from the treehouse, heidi
Mark 9:9
If we ever have wondered why Jesus came into the world at the time in history he came, today's Gospel gives us a clue. Can you imagine if Jesus waited until our time to come into the world? Peter, James and John would have had their phones out filming the Transfiguration and it would have been posted on Facebook within seconds. There would be no waiting to share until the Son of Man was risen from the dead! But, even more importantly, I think, the three disciples would have missed the impact of the whole event in the effort to capture it all on their phones. There's no personal interaction when there is a phone filming the event. There was a wonderful video of Paul McCartney on James Cordon's show doing Carpool Karaoke a while back. When Paul and James emerged from Paul's old apartment in Liverpool, many people had gathered on the street to catch a glimpse of Paul. But all Paul could see was a wall of cell phones, filming the event. There were no faces to see and greet, just phones. What if today, our August Monday, we have a chance to be present at an exciting and uplifting event? What if we have a chance to meet someone who touches our hearts? Can we be fully present to the moment and leave our phones tucked away? If we really live the moment fully, we won't need a little film of the event, it will be forever present in our minds and hearts. Love from the treehouse, heidi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)