listenwiththeearofyourheart

I’m going to try and give up procrastinating by writing a blog on this first Sunday of Lent. So what have I been listening to over the past month or so…maybe this will only be a monthly blog. As I reflect I realise I’ve heard a lot of things…so I need to refine that question a bit, maybe to what am I hearing today…from Love in particular, cause I’m still hearing the movie Linda and I watched last night pretty loud and clear. Maybe the strongest invitation I’m hearing is to write a blog. I’m going to ask for the grace to continue to hear that gentle encouragement until I post it, and edit it, and post it and… hence the 2 day delay…better late than never.

The next loudest thing I’m hearing is the invitation to enter into this Church season of Lent. Not really sure what that means for me yet but I’ll start with the traditional encouragement to step up / be more intentional with praying, fasting and alms giving and go from there. Sometimes its good not to have to reinvent the wheel. Tradition can be a blessing…sometimes.

Prayer: My New Year’s resolution or rather grace that I’m asking for in 2024 is to be more happy. I realized that if I’m happy the One who created me will be happy. Bringing joy to Creator is a good thing and being happy is OK too, especially for this melancholic, introverted aging soul. I’ve discovered the main way to be happy is to be / do what I was created to be…love, listen and labor creatively i.e. stained glass. All that to say this year I’m hoping I’m more happy by spending more time creating stained glass pieces. Spending more time in the studies doing my stained glass spiritual practise – prayer practise. It does feel good when the piece is finished and others enjoy it and Creator is happy we’re all happy so win/win/win…not that winning is what it’s all about and…

Fasting: My present “signature” on my emails is “Fasting during Lent is about making space through subtraction and making room for more love — love for God, my neighbor, and ourselves. Lent is a great time to practice absence so that presence increases. https://scottandclareloughrige.org/blog/what-will-you-give-up-and-what-will-you-add/  “ I’ve left the American spelling for “neighbour” seeing as that’s where Clare and Scott Loughrige live. I’m resisting promoting their wonderful book on the Enneagram – Spiritual Rhythms of the Enneagram: A Handbook for Harmony and Transformation – “now you know your number / energy space, now what?” Clare also wrote an interesting booklet – Motions of the Soul:

The Enneagram and Ignatian Spirituality – which I appreciated with the role of the Spiritual Exercises are beginning to play in my life. Fasting to make space for more love is a wonderful thing and so I’m limiting my leisure screen time…especially on Sunday. With all the books I have, less screen time – except for my Kindle – reading is a good thing. I’m also giving up ETOH for Lent. I passed on dry February and I’ve noticed that after a drink or so I’m less curious, and compassionate / loving – just wanna have fun. So I’m going to take a break from partying and make more room for Love…or party more soberly…lovingly…on Sundays only.

Almsgiving: Being generous without overthinking is hard for me … I seem to need reasons for giving … what the money I give will be used for etc.. It’s easy for my hamster brain wheel to imagine all kinds of things. Giving to those in need just because they ask or it’s being generous or just ‘cause … is a Lenten spiritual practise I’ve done before. Giving a toonie to the souls on the side of the road at the light without worrying that it’s probably going for booze or drugs – is being generous and it might be for food. Just for Lent of course. Hopefully I’ll continue to generous in a more rational and compassionate way.

I’ve discovered that limiting a behaviour which could be good or bad, screen time / ETOH / being naive, even for a little while, has a positive impact when limiting it doesn’t really matter as much. For example: limiting my leisure screen time – playing solitaire on my phone on Sundays only once, seems to make it easier to only play it only once during the week, when I’m justifiably needing a break. I’m guessing that reading instead of screen time during Lent will make it easier to pick up a book for a break rather than firing up the 1/2 dozen solitaire games on my phone. Although I must confess appreciating that endorphin rush when I win. Not sure a book will replace that. Going into the glass studio daily, even if it’s just to clean up will get me down there and who knows what creativity could happen – lots of patterns and glass. This is my latest co-creation.

I’ve learned / heard that good spiritual practises have a way of creating space in myself so Love has a chance to transform me – mind, body, heart and soul. I can’t force union with Christ but when I make space for union to happen I find Grace moves me closer to the heart of Love that energises and guides the whole universe to a better way / loving way of being.  As I wrap up this blog I find myself sorta gratefully looking forward to Lent 2024. It will be an interesting 40 days of praying / fasting / giving and transformation…Grace willing…and I know and experienced that She’s more than willing. Thanks be to Love. 

Through these channels/words

I want to touch you

Touch you deep down

Where you live

Not for power but

Because I love you

So love the Lord

And in Him love me too

And in Him go your way

And I’ll be right there with you

– No Footprints – Bruce Cockburn

I needed to make a disclaimer as I begin my blogging in 2024. Mainly because I’m hoping to blog more, hopefully weekly, and want my reasons for blogging to be clear as possible from the start, for myself as much as anything. This means, in part, that these blogs may not be as thought through as I previously desired … which kept me from publicly sharing many things I’ve heard from Love (my latest “naming” of that Mystery that created, empowers and sustains everything). I also really don’t want this blog to be a critique or about advice giving. So if you get that vibe from these blogs… please talk to me, maybe what I wrote triggered something in you that needs a conversation – which is advice giving, I slip into that mode so easily … and I really want to be about listening (check out my 21dec18 blog to read more about listening being my vocation / reason for being created https://listenwiththeearofyourheart.ca/2018/12/21/love-listen-create-part-2/) …and sharing what I’ve heard from Love … hopefully keeping as much ego (advice giving / critique) out of it as possible. And I’m still in the process of becoming 100% in union with Love and have a bit to go – so my writing may take on “tone”. I’m going to try really hard to only write what I hear from Love and then listen to my response to that and blog that, somehow. I’m hoping that writing what I hear from Love will be simply my way of sharing the love I’m experiencing which is an act of love to Love, myself and if other’s can pick up on the love, great…and I want this blog to primarily be about me reflecting on loving Love and letting Love know it. I counting on the process of thinking about what I hear and then putting that in words and seeing it on the screen to remind me of that love and my love and what goes around comes around…or something like that. It’s sorta hard to put in words, but I’m looking forward to the attempt and maybe others will find something here as well.

You may have got the theme of what my blogging will be primarily about. I will be using this blog to process my present relationship with Love…we’re in love and I believe I’ve been encouraged to write about it so here goes. It is a bit weird to be writing about being in love with Love / Creator / God, but that’s where I’m presently at so that’s what I’m writing about. The haiku I wrote this morning sorta says it simpler:

Love being in love

No expectations just love

Love being in love

I’m reminded how Mumford describes love in Sigh No More.

Love will not betray you, dismay or enslave you,
It will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be.
There is a design,
An alignment to cry,
At my heart you see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be

I’d have written “Be more like the person, you were made to be.” but then I don’t sell millions of albums. I do have that desire for everyone to see “The beauty of love as it was meant to be.” Not my version of love but each person’s personal experience of the love that created, energizes and sustains all that is. O, by the way I just heard Audrey Assad and her wonderful cover of this tune. https://youtu.be/3IHOnfhpAb8?si=dwQW-qI4gEGnoBWg

Let me end these rambilings with on of my favourite lines about Love from Steve Bell (who has written many other wonderful songs about Love)

“Oh Love, what are you thinking of?”

His question is one that personifies Love in the way that I have come to understand and experience the love of Love. It is a question I need to ask Love more. However we’re communicating more by simply loving each other nowadays – less words – and for an introverted soul, trying to be more contemplative, it’s a great way to start a new year. Blessing of Love for us all.

In the hands of a loving God.”

She’s got the whole world in her hands.

She’s got the whole wide world in her hands.

She’s got the whole world in her hands.

She’s got this wild wonderful world… and everybody here, and everywhere … in her hands.

Is 2024 approaches and the joyful and, for me, somewhat anxiety raising gatherings of family, faith communities, and other social events recede into memory, this morning I am contemplating “resting in the hands of a loving God.”

One thing I become aware of is these words are to comfort my soul as Kathleen returns home to Berwick, Nova Scotia, 2500 kms by plane. The first time she’s been away from her 30 month old daughter – for this far and long. She can’t fly out of the hands of a loving God so in a sense we are still together “in the hands of loving God.” May that somehow comfort her, Adley-Jo – who misses her mom when she can’t see her in the house, and all of us who love her dearly and will miss her wise warm positive regulating energy.

“Resting in the hands of a loving God” also comforts my soul and mind after relating to those I love but don’t often connect with – family and friends. I now know things, their joys and challenges, that quickly slip my mind with months of separation. Our lives are so rich and full, maybe these gatherings and story times are gifts to each other as we share our joys and release some of the pain that is part of living. It’s good for this introverted, slightly socially anxious soul that gatherings can be gifts of blessing and healing – if I let myself “rest in the hands of a loving God.” Times so needed in a world experiencing so much pain and confusion.

It’s comforting to sense, as the holiday season comes to an end and we return to our respectful homes and institutes of higher learning, that we are all still in the hands of a loving God, and therefore still together in a mysterious comforting way. Thanks be to Love. Alleluia. Bismallah. Baruch Adonai. Praise to the One. Thanks be to Love.

From Stephen’s iPhone

Wednesday 31may23 / 0849 / cell / .5

Visit of Mary to Elizabeth feast day – scriptures from app: Lectionary – Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, Church House Publishing, Aimer

Zephaniah 3:17b…he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love;

Psalm113:5 Who is like the Lord our God, that has his throne so high, yet humbles himself to behold the things of heaven and earth? 6 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ashes,

Romans 12: 9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 15b…do not claim to be wiser than you are.

Luke 1:45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’ 46 And Mary said,‘My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 48 for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Lectio – scriptures in bold are the ones that initially “spoke” to me.

Meditatio – personal application – seems like Love is on our side…grateful for that. Rejoicing, Renewing, Raising, Relating, Regarding with favor – re-writing it helps it to “stick”…will trust Spirit to help that too.

Oratio – Thanks Lord for the above. May I have the grace to be aware of how you are Rejoicing, Renewing, Raising, Relating, Regarding me today and always. Forgive me when I miss the mark and get distracted by stuff. Thanks for your chesed…Love you.

– love you too…keep keeping on; any suggestions?; good to remember that my ways / thoughts aren’t your ways and thoughts, to anthropomorphize myself…and my pace is usually slower than yours; thanks I will try and “trust in the slow work of God” thanks Teilhard; yeah, good guy that Teilhard, blessings my beloved; amen

Contemplatio – took this and my life into Centering Prayer.

Reflections on this post: The tattoo of the Hebrew word ‘chesed’ is mine, a permanent reminder of the steadfast love of the LORD. The link to Teilhard de Charden’s prayer is to the Ignatian Spirituality webpage.  I can’t endorse everything about Jesuits but I just finished their Spiritual Exercises – 19 annotation as step one in my noviciate in OCL  and my relationship with Jesus was definartely deepened through that 32 week prayer retreat. FYI – the next step in the noviciate is a course of study which I’m pretty sure will be some training with Brother Brian so I can be a spiritual director for those wanting to do the Spiritual Exercises. Here’s that link if you’re interested in learning more about that training.

It is with some trepidation I’ve included some of my personal communique with the Holy One as part of the Oratio movement. I put in italics what I imagine the Holy One saying to me – I want to listen as much as talk so… I hesitate to include this deeply personal content because I don’t want to even hint that I’m somehow special – hearing the voice of the Creator AND part of my “showing up” on this blog is letting you all know how Love and I relate…it’s not traditional – it’s deeply personal, not everyone’s experience. AND my prayer and hope for everyone, to have some kind of personal experience of chesed – “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases / His mercies never come to an end / They are new every morning / New every morning, great is thy faithfulness O LORD / Great is Thy faithfulness”… to quote a few lines from a song by Edith McNeil we’ve sung at GoWC-C forever. Peace and love to you all, now and always, as we walk this pilgrimage of faith and life together.

The last part of this title is highlighted at the end of this blog and connects with the intensive the Growing in Wisdom folk did at the end of September, entitled Radical Discipleship – Preparing for the Autumn of Our Lives – a nice way to say getting ready to die. Before I go any further I wanted to acknowledge that last blog I wrote that I was going to blog more of the process of discerning to become a novice in the Order of Common Life. Sorry to disappoint but I’m not going to blog it. I have it written out if anyone wants to read it, or take me out for breakfast and hear it in person, but it seemed a bit much so no blog. However I am going to blog some of my reflection on the first week…of noviciate and spiritual exercises and some of Thomas Merton’s ideas about “soul” – a central part of who I am and what I think about.

One thing that stood out for me that week was that despite being a novice and doing the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises (ISE) … I’m still me, good, bad, ugly and beautiful. I’m doing this and my life goes on. Loving Linda and everything – Linda being the easiest to love. Listening – spiritual direction is ongoing and continues to be a blessing, mutual I hope. Laboring – I’m slowing getting back into stained glass creation … mostly buying glass and I’ve got some projects on the go, which feels good. 

It is interesting / providential that the main thing that stood out as I reviewed my first week of journalling from the ISE was the day I meditated, using Lectio Divina, on Isaiah 34:1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: repeated in vs.7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” These words spoke to me about the LORD creating AND forming me. There was something about creating and forming that resonates with me. I journaled “I was moved that I’m more than created…thrown together from star dust… I was formed and made. Special attention to details… a unique creation … formed seems more personal … like when I make a stained glass piece … each one takes time to form and put together, makes a special bond with creator and created that is unique … each piece / I am unique and I have a unique bond with Love who made me. ; Thanks for the effort you made in creating me, Love.”  … was part of my response in prayer or colloquy – as Ignatius calls it. 

Part of my weekly review was also recording a sense of excitement, almost giddiness that seems to be going on in my soul when I think about ISE. Not sure why, maybe Suhail’s big build up contributes and years of +ve reinforcement. Maybe my soul is happy anticipating connecting with love so intentionally for 32 weeks. Whatever the reasons, it was also good to be reminded that this is a process, by my logical side…the part of me that likes to be in control and is wise enough to let my heart and body have equal says, sometimes. I’d say the combination of the three enable my soul to express itself. 

I just read some of Merton’s thots on the soul in Loving and Living (Kindle version) “Speaking as a Christian existentialist, I mean by “soul” not simply the Aristotelian essential form but the mature personal identity, the creative fruit of an authentic and lucid search, the “self” that is found after other partial and exterior selves have been discarded as masks.This metaphor must not mislead: this inner identity is not “found” as an object, but is the very self that finds. It is lost when it forgets to find, when it does not know how to seek, or when it seeks itself as an object. (Such a search is futile and self-contradictory.) Hence the paradox that it finds best when it stops seeking: and the graduate level of learning is when one learns to sit still and be what one has become, which is what one does not know and does not need to know. In the language of Sufism, the end of the ascetic life is Rida, satisfaction. Debts are paid (and they were largely imaginary). One no longer seeks something else. One no longer seeks to be told by another who one is. One no longer demands reassurance. But there is the whole infinite depth of what is remaining to be revealed. And it is not revealed to those who seek it from others. Education in this sense means more than learning; and for such education, one is awarded no degree. One graduates by rising from the dead. Learning to be oneself means, therefore, learning to die in order to live. It means discovering in the ground of one’s being a “self” which is ultimate and indestructible, which not only survives the destruction of all other more superficial selves but finds its identity affirmed and clarified by their destruction. p.4”  (bold type by me)

Not exactly sure how to make the connection between these two experiences on my present pilgrimage but the spiritual exercises continue to call me to a deeper place in Love and dying to self is a good way to do that so I’ll go with that for now.

As usual comments or coffee is always welcome. Blessings to us all as we live into dying to self and being born in Love. The first Sunday of Advent is in 5 days so here we are.

For most folk fall has become a time for new beginnings…almost more than New Year. That is the case for the fall of 2022 for everyone in my immediate family. Our youngest son, Thomas started a new job as a high school Electronics Teacher. Zee, his new wife / partner, started a new job as a MD in a couple urgent cares here in Winnipeg. Linda, my partner / wife, will probably start a new job as a supervisor in HSC, Winnipeg’s largest hospital – after beginning her well earned retirement in spring ‘22. With 40 years of nursing experience she has much to offer and feels she wants to contribute due to nursing shortage…go Linda go. Recently we celebrated our first granddaughter, Adley-Jo’s, first birthday with her parents in Nova Scotia. Joel, our eldest son, begins the fall as a brand new PhD candidate and Kathleen – his wife / partner of almost 10 years – started work again, after a year of maternity leave. She also starts fall ‘22 as part owner of the counselling business she works for / with. Life is certainly rich and full for us all.

This is my first blog after my lengthy announcement in January re: the postulancy in the Order of Common Life (OCL – https://www.orderofthecommonlife.org). No doubt many of you are wondering why I haven’t blogged since…I wonder too.  A quick synopsis of those months is – the postulancy went well. I managed to get to the bi-weekly zoom meetings, watch the weekly information videos by Jared and even journaled most weeks … all that was expected of me, much better than last time. Seems when the postulate is ready the postulancy takes. There seems to be a deeper felt connection with the folk in our cohort than many of my other zoom encounters which was one of the subtle confirmations that OCL is a good place for me to be. My next blog will be more about the postulancy and subsequent decision for novitiate, if you’re interested, read on and comment, ask questions, etc.

SO – my new thing for fall of 2022 is – after careful consideration, prayer, meditation, reflection, conversations I have decided to start the fall of 2022 as a novitiate in OCL – actualizing a long time desire to be part of a religious order. I’m still years from becoming a vowed member but whatever the outcome it will be a wonderful time … joy in the journey. (thanks Michael Card. https://youtu.be/GfW61yKyirY ) This decision comes with some anxiety … Can I do it right? … and excitement as I open my heart, mind, soul, spirit, body to whatever Love (my latest naming for the Source of All) will do in my life.

Like any good religious order there are expectations for novices including doing a course of study and the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises – a 32 week spiritual experience / practice which I’ve been interested in for years. I’m going to do the exercises first and am blessed that my present spiritual director just finished training to accompany folk in the exercises. Our first weekly meeting is tomorrow. Thanks be to God…or Love as the case may be. This discernment process highlighted that my deepest soul / heart’s desire is to be open to the love that created the universe and a commitment to do whatever Love invites me to – and OCL seems to part of the invite – so here we go. One of the other expectations is to meet with a group of novices monthly and it’s great there are 3 other novices in Winnipeg. My pilgrimage continues, with new companions and Love only knows what awaits me round the bend…

Tursday 25nov21 .5* – Psalm 90; Isaiah 21:1-12 ; Matthew 10:34-11:1

Lectio – words that spoke to my heart: Psalm 90:1 Lord, you have been our refuge …; Isaiah 21:12 The sentinel says: ‘Morning comes, and also the night.; Matthew 10:34 ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

Meditatio – Personal application: Not sure – Jesus / sword?? Truth. Reality. Jesus doesn’t always bring peace…but a sword…killing, attacking, destroying, war, – can be used for defence, protection, proof texting… I need some more information about this these words…turning to internet – same prayer “speak LORD your friend is listening” – listening with ear of my heart. I found www.quora.com and found the comments more helpful than quora’s input. It’s more opinions, of course. Tim isn’t very kind, but has some good points. Joe Lawson’s comments: Now, about the “sword.” In English, swords are always giant knives used as weapons. In the ancient Aramaic language of the Jews, there were two kinds of big knives that could be translated as “swords” because of their appearance. One kind was the actual weapon-swords that were one to several feet long, and the Aramaic word for that kind is not the word used in this passage. The other Aramaic word translated “sword” is the one used in Matthew. It’s a big knife about a foot long that was used as a kitchen utensil for cutting up food. They used great big knives for the same reason most modern kitchens have “butcher knives;” to cut-up or “divide” larger portions for cooking and eating. So when Jesus said he did not come to bring peace (unity, one body) but like a kitchen knife to divide a family like portions of a bigger amount — everybody back then would have immediately understood him and not questioned whether it was a kitchen knife and not a weapon.

Tim O’Neill’s comments – What is clear is that both (Luke -parallel passage & Matthew) were working from very early Q source material in which Jesus is depicted as citing Micah 7:6 about division within families in the context of his own time. Given his apocalyptic Jewish beliefs, Jesus seems to be saying that in the approach to the coming apocalyptic cataclysm, people are going to have to choose sides and that this will cause divisions and discord. The “fire” (Luke 12: 49) and “sword” symbolism (Matthew 10:34), if original to Jesus, are both in this context and are clearly symbolic. To pluck “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” out of this cultural, scriptural and textual context, assume Jesus simply said this and then think this means he was talking literally and talking about war is simplistic to the point of being totally stupid. No “saying” of Jesus can be simply assumed to have been actually said by him. And no “saying” can be analysed in isolation – its context in the text, the text’s context within the layers of transmission in the gospels and the meaning in the context of the Judaism of Jesus’ time and the developing theology of the various gospel writers all need to understood and inter-related.

Meditatio + – after including the above to my meditation I heard this personal application – whether symbolic language or kitchen knife used it seems to be about divisions … I hear Jesus was saying that to follow his teaching / way will cause problems / divisions even in families AND Lord you have been our refuge / there is morning and night … there is hope and healing in the midst of division. Maybe something new can come from / be “birthed” out of times of conflict … an early Advent meditation.

Oratio / Personal prayer – LORD thanks for being our refuge and bring light after / out of darkness. Thank you for being faithful, full of grace and truth…love and mercy. Help me to be faithful to the responsibilities I’ve been given, loving, listening, creating stained glass and leave the rest to you…and my brothers and sisters, other pilgrims on the road. May we all draw from the springs of living water, love and grace. May we love as we have been loved. Thanks for speaking and hearing my prayer. AMEN.

Contemplatio – took all this and my life into 20 minutes of Centering Prayer

* – I’ve started to include a number which reflects how I come to LD – It’s an acknowledgment that how I come affects how I listen. The Holy One is pretty consistent, I think, believe, hope…who am I to claim any truth about the Mystery whose Love sustains all reality. “Who are you God? Who am I?” was one of St. Francis’s all night prayers  which I often repeat as well. I don’t dare box the Holy One in AND I believe that the Creator of the Universe wants to speak to me each day. Blessed be the Name, the Name be praised. The good news is the Holy One speaks however I come. To generally reflect my present mental state I use a simple numbering method I learned from a friend years ago when I was worried if I was depressed: -1, 0, +1.  -1 for feeling down; 0 if feeling normal; +1 when feeling good. I’ve added .5 +/- cause I over think things. For someone like myself, who seems to be more melancholy than normal, it’s a good check in. I’m often surprised how much I’m more than 0…so maybe I’m not as melancholic as I think…I might even be enjoying life…if I have to I can, I guess. (Thanks Red Green) NOTE: If it’s -1 for a week or two…get thee to a M.D. for help – I’d even talk to a professional if it’s -1 every other day for a week or two. A mental health check-up can be as important as a physical one. Spiritual directors can do a spiritual health checkup. Got ya covered – whole person care.

Source: Musician: Alana Levandoski – The Heart of God, from album – Beyond I Make All Things New. https://youtu.be/NEh3fGj7zqI

Lectio: initial words / lyrics that spoke to me from this song:

The heart of God has been revealed, to bring love not hate, pour out not dominate; to forgive, not blame; make whole, not shame; Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah; the heart of God has been revealed.

Meditatio: after silence this is what I feel these words mean for me, personally and possibly others:

– bring love, pour out, forgive, make whole / saved – hallelujah. This is the good news Jesus revealed about God’s heart and the way to live, once I’ve experienced that forgiving, holy making love poured into my heart. I’ve discovered I need to take time to rest in the good news of being loved, forgiven, made whole, washed in the love…then… I can go and do what is I’ve been given to do, what’s in front of me in the moment or scheduled. Being then becomes Doing…maybe I’m Doing the resting and Being the actions – rooted and grounded in love. Either way works for me.

Oratio: my prayer

– LORD thanks for your unconditional love that forgives, saves, continually flows from your gracious, merciful, faithful heart…help me to rest in the love and also love as I have been loved. Forgive me when I hate, dominate, blame, shame. May I have your wisdom so I can lovingly direct – and when necessary, speak (thanks Francis). LIYM thanks for hearing my prayer and answering according to your loving will.

Contemplatio: 20 minutes of Centering Prayer

As I wrote in my 19oct21 blog – one can contemplatively read and listen to other writings, art, music, nature. I found this blog which has good advice how to “listen” to other ways Spirit speaks. https://tinyurl.com/u8dykjy8

This morning as I listened to what my heart was wanting to listen to – I was led to Alana’s music and this song in particular. May the words I’ve written and meditated on be pleasing to the One in whom I rest and restores my soul with new mercies each morning. AND if you’ve heard something from the song, or my meditation let me know. I’ve come to understand that sharing adds a dimension of reality to our thots and feelings and journalling … hence this blog. Blessings of Peace, Joy and Health