Walking the Labyrinth::September 30

(Written on Sunday, September 27)

Today, after I prepared the altar for Eucharist, I went out to the patio at St. Mary's and walked the labyrinth.



I started walking around, keeping my eyes to the ground and my mind on praying. As I made it about 1/3 of the way through, I noticed a cigarette butt in my pathway, so I picked it up. As I continued, another butt, so I picked it up too. A little farther in was a broken clasp to a backpack, so I picked it up. As I neared the outer edge, I saw that there was a plastic bag laying by the bush. When I picked up the bag, I saw some cardboard that someone had written a "will work for help" cardboard sign that had blown under the bush, so I picked it up. As I continued walking and thinking, I picked up the trash and put it in my bag. Then, when I thought I'd been gone too long and better get back inside so I was on time, I walked by the outside garbage can and threw away the bag full of garbage.

I realized that those moments had been an allegory.

I started the journey for myself: I wanted to quietly meditate and walk before the service started.

As I walked in, at first I was totally caught up in my own thoughts, but after praying for a while, I noticed some garbage that needed to be taken care of directly in my path.

As I walked more and more, the more and more ways I saw to serve. A bag was provided, and I continued to see ways to improve the courtyard while still continuing on my path.

Isn't that so much like life? The more we pray and the closer we try to be to God, the more we see the "garbage" that needs to be taken care of and ways to be of service. The more we serve, the more we see ways prepared for us to help us help others. And so on, and on, and on.



♥ Melody

A Reminder::September 29

The Problem:


The Solution:


Because:
"Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel."
~ author unknown


♥ Melody

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O God, my strength and my redeemer::September 25

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O God, my strength and my redeemer." ~ Psalms 19:14

Those are the words that Peter, my priest, says before every sermon he gives. That scripture, and his example, has made me be more thoughtful about what I say, as well.

"Open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence and take not your holy Spirit from me.
Give me the joy of your saving help again and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

This prayer is found in the morning devotions, and I find myself more and more asking God for those same things as I interact with my children, my husband, my church discussion group, and my book club group, as well as with others that I come in contact with from day to day.

I also include a petition to help me keep my heart and mind open.

Important stuff.

Sometimes we (read: I) get so caught up in a conversation and a desire to say the things from my heart in such a way that won't block someone else, or perhaps I need to keep my heart open because someone is saying something that could really hurt my feelings if I let it (they aren't intentionally being rude, sometimes things are said that make us/me defensive, even though they don't mean it that way. If they were intentionally trying to be rude and hurt my feelings, I'd excuse myself from the conversation, hopefully before I returned harsh words.) but I'm unsure of what to say. I say a small prayer in my mind and heart and then proceed to try to get those thoughts out, hoping that the other person will understand the things that I'm saying in the same spirit that I'm intending them to be heard.

Lately I have been repeating the mantra to keep my heart and mind open a lot.

Sometimes it is hard to know the right things to say in each situation. Sometimes, God only knows what the person needs to hear to be comforted. That is why I love Peter's style of praying for guidance of his words. That is why I love the morning devotions prayer. And that is why I pray to keep my heart open.

My dad says that my life is a 3 ring circus; he knows me well. ;) Because of that, I have to live as close to the Lord as I possibly can, because I don't know the things that all of my monkeys need to hear, but He does.

Have a blessed day.
♥ Melody