Reflection Questions

I will focus on question number one: "What creative impulses, however small, have you felt since Lent began?" I'm glad the word small is in there, because I can't claim great strides here. What's more, it seems that Jesus said something about mustard seeds being the way God often works in our lives. What I am feeling, because of all the walking our group did in the Holy Land, is a desire, for the first time in a long time, to really exercise. My daily exercise for some years has been to walk our family dog Buffy once or twice a day at a brisk pace. But now I find myself wanting more...and more. Pray for me that that mustard seed will sprout.

What are the mustard seeds appearing in your life this Lent?

Brian

Strength in Vulnerability

I continue to feel jet lag after returning from the Holy Land last weekend. Or maybe it's just the third straight night of meetings here at the church--all good, exciting things. But I feel the tiredness in my bones.

I feel vulnerable. Yet when I am vulnerable, I know that I let go a little more. There is much wisdom to AA's saying "Let go and let God." I think this is indeed what the apostle Paul knew in 2 Corinthians 12. When do you let go and let God? When do you let loose of your need (if you have it) to control everything, as if we could do so anyway?

Peace to you as you get to know your weakness.

Brian

Signs of New Growth: Openness to Surprise

"Surprise me." It surprises me when my son Colin, off in his freshman year in college in Boston, prolongs our cell phone conversations. I keep thinking that he's got so many friends to go off with, that he's got so many classes to deal with, that he's got so many adventures before him, that he will want to get off the phone quickly. But no, he surprises me time and again. So often he wants to keep talking...about career paths, about my Holy Land trip, about his new part time job, about classes, about...anything, I think. I find myself blessed that he includes me in his life. Thank you, O God!

"Surprise me." Last week in the Holy Land--Israel, the West Bank, Jordan--I was surprised as I heard Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Catholic bishop who has given his life to helping Palestinians, whose family had their farm and home stolen outright by the Israeli army in 1948, say that he wants our friendship as Americans--but only if we also befriend the Israelis too. Surprise again! Thank you, O God!

Brian

Signs of New Growth: Openness to Surprise

"Surprise me." It surprises me when my son Colin, off in his freshman year in college in Boston, prolongs our cell phone conversations. I keep thinking that he's got so many friends to go off with, that he's got so many classes to deal with, that he's got so many adventures before him, that he will want to get off the phone quickly. But no, he surprises me time and again. So often he wants to keep talking...about career paths, about my Holy Land trip, about his new part time job, about classes, about...anything, I think. I find myself blessed that he includes me in his life. Thank you, O God!

"Surprise me." Last week in the Holy Land--Israel, the West Bank, Jordan--I was surprised as I heard Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Catholic bishop who has given his life to helping Palestinians, whose family had their farm and home stolen outright by the Israeli army in 1948, say that he wants our friendship as Americans--but only if we also befriend the Israelis too. Surprise again! Thank you, O God!

Brian

Signs of new growth: loving

I was in a relationship once where love, care, and joy were commodities. They had to be rationed out, just a little at a time, because there was only a certain amount of them to be offered. This is not a very life-giving way to live. I chose to walk away from this, because there should always be an abundance of love, care, and joy to offer others. Life is so good when we live out of a mentaliyt of abundance instead of deficit! Do you find it more of a challenge to love others, or to receive love? Do you agree with Erich Fromm?

- Melanie

Signs of new growth: creativity

I can't seem to drive by a yarn shop without stopping. And then I can't seem to leave without buying at least one skein of yarn. I could spend hours in a yarn shop, just soaking in all of the different colors and textures of yarn - there is something that happens in my mind as I'm looking at all of it - I see all of the potential projects and things that I could create, and I leave feeling energized! I finished my first sweater for myself, and I just made a little baby sweater for a friend who is having a boy soon. I found myself blissfully unaware of time as I sorted through racks of buttons, to find the perfect ones for the sweater. I ended up with little dinosaurs. I love it when I have time to work on creating things with my yarn - and when I'm knitting, I am most in tune to listening to God. What do you do that encourages your creativity?

- Melanie

New growth

My tulips are starting to come up! I just noticed it this weekend. All along my front porch, they are popping up - probably 3-4 inches tall. My best friend from high school came over to my house the week I moved in, and she planted tulip bulbs along the front of my house as a housewarming gift. And what a gift it has been! I love watching their growth each spring - they are such a wonderful reminder of where we end up at the end of Lent - in new life at Easter. Out of the cold, dark ground comes something new and beautiful.

My new discipline for how I start my days - the biggest difference I have seen is how grounded I feel as I begin each day. More thoughts to come on that...
Where are you seeing new growth?

- Melanie