Spirit to Spirit Writing Project
The word Lent comes from an old English word meaning lengthening of days. In Christianity, it refers to the time before Easter, traditionally observed through repentance and learning. It's a season to be intentional about changing and growing. Some people give up items to create space and time for new life and habits to grow. Instead of giving something up, I invite you to try to commit to answering these writing prompts each of the 40 days of Lent. The discipline it takes to set aside time each day to reflect and write about God and your relationship with spirituality is a journey that you will emerge from with a renewed spirit. Every writer has their own special voice to add to this project, whether poetry, prose, essay, thoughts, lists, or through comments, prayer, and encouragement.
How do I participate?
Each day, a writing prompt will be posted. A prompt is a question or statement that is meant to inspire your thoughts in whatever genre you feel moved to write. Post your reflections as a comment under each day's prompt (for further instructions, see 'How To Post' on the right side of the page). It is up to you if you write, read, or pray along with us each of the 40 days of Lent or just drop in from time to time when the spirit moves you to participate. Writing regularly is a discipline that many writers struggle with and this is a way to involve that discipline as a Lenten practice. Through writing and leaving encouraging words for others in this project, we become a supportive spiritual writing community
BREAD OF LIFE AND LIVING WATER, PORTION OF OUR LIVES
ReplyDeleteHe walks in the simple acts of kindness, prayers, courtesy, smiles and greetings.
He sits among two or three who share their deepest worries and longings and pass around comfort, assurances and encouragement.
He laughs with the children spontaneously giggling and adults laughing together about their own frustrations, foibles and failings.
He shakes his head and sighs at our stumbles and falls that we might have avoided had we listened and understood His voice inside us,
yet nods approval as we get up and try again.
He wraps a hug of love around us as we grieve our losses of relationships
and deaths of loved ones.
He touches our attention and directs it to the ignored, the downtrodden and
the victims around us.
He stands with the advocates for peace, justice and restoration of love and dignity.
He cries for the suffering, the pain- wracked, the abused, and the hungry and
nudges and empowers us to be His emissaries of change.
He roots for and celebrates our discoveries and advances for the welfare
of all living things.
He dances in our midst as we awaken and care about life in all its complexity, mystery and wonder.
He opens our eyes, ears, hearts and minds and welcomes us into life anew every day.
Thanks be to God!
Coin/Inhaler Metaphor
ReplyDeleteThe woman in the Bible who turns her house upside down
In her deft search for that coin
Which is like Jesus
Searching tirelessly for each one of us
Think about when you lose your daughter’s inhaler
When she is starting to breathe with a wheeze
At 1am
And you know you have a few inhalers, but for some reason you can’t find any.
You won’t simply stop looking for it
You will put on your robe, shoes
Risk looking funny to any late-night neighbors who are walking or getting home
You will go out in the rain and the wind to the car
Even though you are a afraid of what might be in the dark corners of the driveway
All that is pushed aside so that you can get to this all-important inhaler
You search through the middle console in your car
Where you think you stashed it after her gymnastics lesson
Jesus searches for us
Like a Mother searches for her child’s inhaler
When they are having trouble breathing
Late at night.
She will search everywhere
As quickly as possible
And if she can’t find it
She will take that sleeping child into the car
Even though it will wake her
Bother her
And drive to the emergency room at 1am
Even though the mother is tired
scared
She will not stop until that child can breathe.
That is how Jesus will not stop searching for us
Reaching out to us
Through our pain
Through our cynicism
Through our doubt
Or busy-ness
And will not stop until we are found
And we can both breathe easy
Just a note that though I have searched outside in my car at 1am for my daughter's inhaler, I've never had to drive her to the emergency room, thank God!
DeleteVery compelling and dramatic. Great interweaving. (Sorry, I have been grading papers all afternoon) Wonderful. Doug Millar
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