Lenten Writing Project Reboot 2020! Writers' Reflections in the Wilderness of Lent
Words of Faith
Spirit to Spirit Writing Project
The word Lentcomes 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
Saturday, February 27, 2016
#16 Offering Up Our Praise and Lament to You, O God
Lenten Writing Prompt #16
Today, write a Psalm of lament, praise, or both.
O God The Great Mother Parent Creatrix Benevolent giver of love Patient listener to all my worries and fears You generously bless every one of my daughter’s stuffies at her nightly entreat You bless us with the gift of laughter and delight But we must seek for these gifts in a broken world War Bullies Violence Neglect Distraction and isolation We must search amid broken chaos and step across an endless ocean of jagged glass to look for a grain of peace
You are the very core of Love Why must you trickle it down In such small drops? As soon as we strain our tongues to quickly lap it up we are left starving again We need peace in abundance We are thirsty for it Dying for it
My anxiety grows with each news report The gift of love is so precious and so bitterweet it causes me to wring my heart with worry daily
You are steadfast And because I know love I know Intimately A tiny shard of you
I answer your call to seek you To celebrate you To roll you around in my soul savoring you
Please remember me And my little plea For peace
Let your peace roar over us all Smooth and dull our knives Open the bullies with love Break and disarm the guns Whisper peace to the mental unrest that lays in wait and frustration Heal our world And guide our hands which daily break it to reach out to others and build one kingdom of peace.
“Why?” It’s the question that parents ask when they are surprised. “Why?”, they asked their seven and eight-year-olds, “Why don’t you want to go to church anymore?” Two day ago their sons sang in the children’s choir, prayed with the congregation and laughed with their friends ,,, at the church. “Why now?” “Because …” their sons cautiously responded, “because … when someone comes to shoot the brown people, they will shoot us, first.”
“Why?” It’s the prayer parents pray when their children are troubled, when their young children believe someone wants to shoot them when their wonderful children believe someone will shoot them in church.
“Why?” It’s the prayer we all pray when we are afraid when the trouble is too real when the questions are too much.
It is there in that place in that question where we wait for the words of love “I am here”
Prayer of Lamentation and Entreat
ReplyDeleteO God
The Great Mother
Parent
Creatrix
Benevolent giver of love
Patient listener to all my worries and fears
You generously bless every one of my daughter’s stuffies
at her nightly entreat
You bless us with the gift of laughter and delight
But we must seek for these gifts in a broken world
War
Bullies
Violence
Neglect
Distraction and isolation
We must search amid broken chaos
and step across an endless ocean of jagged glass
to look for a grain of peace
You are the very core of Love
Why must you trickle it down
In such small drops?
As soon as we strain our tongues to quickly lap it up
we are left starving again
We need peace in abundance
We are thirsty for it
Dying for it
My anxiety grows with each news report
The gift of love is so precious and so bitterweet
it causes me to wring my heart with worry daily
You are steadfast
And because I know love
I know
Intimately
A tiny shard of you
I answer your call to seek you
To celebrate you
To roll you around in my soul
savoring you
Please remember me
And my little plea
For peace
Let your peace roar over us all
Smooth and dull our knives
Open the bullies with love
Break and disarm the guns
Whisper peace to the mental unrest that lays in wait and frustration
Heal our world
And guide our hands
which daily break it
to reach out to others and build one kingdom of peace.
very evocative! "Seek those gifts in a broken world" "Strain our tongue ... left starving again" yes
DeleteIlove this! Especially, the ending prayer.
DeleteThe piece as a whole is a great Psalm. The end is a great doxology and should be sent out to churches. A masterful work.
DeleteWhy?
ReplyDelete“Why?”
It’s the question that parents ask
when they are surprised.
“Why?”, they asked their seven and eight-year-olds,
“Why don’t you want to go to church anymore?”
Two day ago
their sons sang in the children’s choir,
prayed with the congregation
and laughed with their friends ,,,
at the church.
“Why now?”
“Because …” their sons cautiously responded,
“because … when someone comes
to shoot the brown people,
they will shoot us, first.”
“Why?”
It’s the prayer parents pray
when their children are troubled,
when their young children
believe someone wants to shoot them
when their wonderful children
believe someone will shoot them
in church.
“Why?”
It’s the prayer
we all pray
when we are afraid
when the trouble is too real
when the questions are too much.
It is there
in that place
in that question
where we wait for the words of love
“I am here”