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
Open Doors- Doug Millar
ReplyDeleteIn the Easter process I identify with Mary Magdalene. She opened the door on Easter. While the other disciples cowered in a room expecting the Romans to come in and get them, it was Mary who opened the door and found Jesus. I am continually puzzled as to why the she isn’t more revered in the Church. Peter may have gotten the keys, but Mary opened the place up for business.
Church doors are a really interesting study. Some are hidden and hard to find. Some are psychologically or physically locked. Some tell of history, others of money. Some tell stories. Some are simple and easy to open, others take two or more people. Some seem far easier to close than open. It says something about a church in how they choose their doors.
Don’t get me started on church windows…………..maybe next time.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWalking with Mary, Mother of Jesus
ReplyDeleteAs a mother, my heart foes along with Mary through this this week.
I hope she got another visit from an angel, or heard God’s voice within
assuring her that no matter what happened, Jesus would be okay.
Did Jesus himself tell her that it was going to be a rough Passover week?
There was another time when his brothers warned him not to go
to Jerusalem because there might be a “trap” being set for him,
so I’m sure she worried a lot about the stir he was causing.
Certainly, he was old enough to take care of himself and
had his contingent of disciples always around him,
but that hadn’t helped his cousin John the Baptist
and he too was a “Chosen One”.
And there was the history of many prophets.
Some did get chariot escorts to the heavens,
But others were not rewarded kindly for bring messages from Jehovah.
No matter what the ages of our children, we worry about them
And feel the physical or mental and emotional pain they go through.
Seeing her son beaten and pushed along, falling, suffering
And hanging on a cross, was the worst time of her life,
It wouldn’t have mattered if he or God did say he would rise.
Every mother whose child dies before them, from war, accident, disease
and other causes knows the pain of their child.
I would be shouting, “Okay, where are you God? Why are you letting this happen?”
The gospels list other women named Mary who were at the tomb, not his mother,
but I can’t imagine that she wouldn’t be there that morning.
Matthew says Jesus met them as they were running to tell the men
and He told them to go tell the others. Either she was there,
or he was coming from showing himself to her, I believe.
And although she was relieved to see him, she probably
wanted to wring his neck for not clearly giving her the exact details earlier.