March 31 - April 6

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20 comments:

Tim Suttle said...

This morning I read 1/2 of the gospel of John. I'm going to finish reading it sometime today. Also I did staff lectio which was good but incomplete without Mandy and Kristen there. I'm struggling today because I feel like I've got a ton of stuff to do this week. My stress level is pretty high. Pray for me.

Peace,

-t

Kristen said...

I am glad to be back on the blog! I need this more than I thought I did.

I am preparring for community group tonight so I have been reading Luke 11:37-12:3 when Jesus is insulting the Pharises by calling them hypocrites...then in Luke 18:9-17 about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying to God is such different ways and people are bringing babies to Jesus for him to touch. My favorite part of that is when Jesus says, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them..."

I think this will be a good group tonight because we all stuggle with hyprcrisy on a daily basis and my group is starting to really open up...love those guys!

Tim, I will be praying for clarity and balance for you today and this week.

Thank all of you for your support and prayer during T's ordeal this last week.

kd

Kerrie said...

I am glad to be back also. I've only done the staff lectio today, but need this just like Kristen.

Tim Suttle said...

I did the BCP hours this morning. It was half-hearted at best. My problem is that I have begun to drop off the vespers and compline prayers and that just makes morning and daytime prayer sort of weak and fruitless.

But I did study Philippians for sermon prep and class and it was really fun. I got excited about some of what I'm putting together in my mind right now about what discipleship really is. So, I'm not beating myself up about the half-hearted daily office this morning.

Tim Suttle said...

I did the BCP Morning office this morning. My goal is to pray the hours all 4 times today.

peace,

-t

Kristen said...

I wanted to share a little from my devo.
"God continually introduces us to people in whom we have no interest and unless we are worshiping God, the naturalt tendency is to be heartless towards them. We give them a quick verse of scripture, like jabbing them with a spear or leave them with a hurried, uncaring word of counsel before we go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief for the Lord.

Are our lives in the proper place so that we may participate in the intercession of our Lord and Holy Spirit?

I thought this tied in with what we have been talking about lately with the more we know God the more we grow to be like him

have a great day!
kd

Mandy said...

Hey there, today I did the Sacred Pathways prayer and readings. Its a quickie, and I find it less medatative than the Divine Hours, but I loved reading John 3:16-21. "Those who do good deeds come into the light...."

Tim Suttle said...

This morning I did the BCP hours. It was good, the readings are really good right now. The OT reading was the story of manna & i'm so intrigued by the description there.

peace,

-t

Mandy said...

I did the Sacred Gateway prayer again today, it had no depth for some reason. I read in Proverbs also a little bit. Prov. 16:1-9 resonated for me. I feel like God is patting me on the back saying something like “I know you have your plans and your time tables etc., but I have plans for you too” Its really not hard for me to commit my plans to God, its just hard for me to trust that God knows what she is doing. I might have some control issues……….
Tim, where you successful in doing all 4 Hours yesterday?

Tim Suttle said...

Nope, I had high hopes but I didn't do them again after yesterday morning. I did do the Jesus prayer 200 times before bed. I've been leaning into that a little bit more lately.

I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. But the whole point of the hours is to order your days around prayer and to do it with other people. I actually want to find some people who will buy cheap digital watch and set an alarm for 9am, 1pm, 5pm and 9pm to do the 4 daily hours at the same time. Any takers?

Anyway, at your prodding I'm going to go do the vespers. With any luck I'll get compline in before bed.

Peace,

-t

Kerrie said...

I have had a wonderful time doing a faith journel this week. It is part of my Beth Moore study. It is based off of the story in Joshua and placing rocks in the water...she wants us to place our rocks,so that we know who we are and where we came from. I am usually so afraid to go back in my past, because I've had a lot of bad things happen as a young child, but this was so healthy. Her studies are so scripture rich. Plus, I've learned that I have truly forgiven so much and that is healthy. Also, I'm able to go back and see where God was, when I didn't walk with Him. It is so cool to see His protection and love.
Plus, I've loved reading the spiritual pathways stuff. Not mine as much, since I pretty much knew them....but to look at others and see where they come from and how they connect to God.

Tim Suttle said...

I did the BCP hours just now - a little late for morning prayers, but still...

Friday Confessional:

I confess to being critical and short with Kristin many times this week. I was the opposite of forgiving and graceful and I hate when I’m like that. I know that it makes me hypocritical and judgmental…yuck.

I confess that I’m easily frustrated by people when I think they are not doing their best, or when they are not doing a good job for some reason. This seems to happen in every arena of my life and it’s probably connected to my previous confession and my propensity toward being judgmental. More than anything I confess that it makes me miss the whole point…we were put here to love each other and help each other along as we try to become fully human. I hate when my perfectionism and ego derail what God is really trying to do in the midst of my days.

I confess that the Jesus Prayer has been my lifeline this week. I’ve been praying it fairly constantly since I got up this morning and it seems to be helping me to keep my patience with my kids.

I confess to feeling totally ambivalent about Spring. Everyone else seems really excited about it, but I wish we could have another snow.

I confess that I love “the office,” even though it is crass and profane. There is something profoundly human about the characters – I think it is a brilliant show.

I confess that I'm about to spend a bunch of money on books and that this could very possibly just be my tactic for getting myself out of my recent funk. How pathetic is that? Watch me as I consume my way to happiness!!

Peace,

-t

Mandy said...

I confess to having too much to do, (actually it might be just too much on my mind), so I have allowed myself to escape into fiction and the John Adams series on TV, avoiding the facts of what I need to do.

I confess to feeling really stupid this week, honestly I feel under attack much of the time lately, listening to voices that say I am not good enough, smart enough, together enough etc. I hate feeling insecure, it makes me insecure. And when I feel that way I turn usually to Bill who (in spite of his wonderful qualities), is not great at the whole sensitivity, let me encourage you, thing and does not help much. Wouldn’t it be great if I learned, in those times, to turn to my maker, and not put that on Bill.

I confess to being really frustrated with Sophia right now, she is in a really weird phase that I do not understand and do not relate to. So my efforts to be understanding and supportive are working my last nerve.

I'll buy a watch........

Kristen said...

I won't buy I watch but I will set my cell phone alarm, since it's always attached to me (that's sad).

I confess that I am tried of hearing complaints about our church yet those people have no desire to step up and help fix what is bothering them b/c they are too self-consuming.

I confess that Skylee wanted me to play with her this afternoon so I gave in but didn't enjoy it and eventually she gave up on me and went outside...now am feeling guilty.

I confess that Skylee is more deligient about praying throughout the day then I am...she bring me her "This is what I prayed today" book 3 times a day. I should take a lesson from my 5 year old.

I confess that I have been really easily distracted this week and haven't been able to focus on anything for longer than 10 minutes...not sure why this is.

kd

Tim Suttle said...

It's good to hear your confessions. Makes me feel like I'm not alone.

I think there might be something to this alarm on the watch thing. I'm serious about it. The cell phone thing is a stellar idea. I think I'll use that, too.

If you guys are going to try it with me, then you should help decide the times which are easiest for everyone...here are the original times I proposed.

Morning Prayers: 9:00am
Midday Prayers: 1:00pm
Vespers: 5:00pm
Compline: 9:00pm

Now that I look at them, I'm thinking Vespers should be earlier...like 4pm. Compline might be better a little later, 10pm? If we do 1:30, we would almost always dodge lunch. So here's a 2nd option:

Morning Prayers: 9:00am
Midday Prayers: 1:30pm
Vespers: 4:00pm
Compline: 10:00pm

Do either of those work for you guys? I like the 2nd one better, but feel free to propose something. Also, I feel wierd being the only guy so I'm going to try and recruit a couple others...Todd Way and Steve Stewart come to mind.

Peace,

-t

Kristen said...

You might ask J. Hall too...1:30 is hard for me...is 2:00 too late? If so I can make 1:30 work. The other times look fine...I agree with the 10:00pm vs the 9:00pm since my kids are usually going to bed at that time.

okay, so are all these prayers in the Divine Hours book? when do we start?

Tim Suttle said...

I don't see any reason that 2pm won't work fine. I think I'd say, do the Book of Common Prayer online in the morning and then the divine hours the rest of the day, with the caveat that if you are busy or can't get to a computer or a book, you just pause and say the Lord's Prayer.

What do you guys think?

Mandy said...

The 9,2,4,10 times work for me. I don't know how to use my cell phone to do that, but I will figure it out! I love to think that when I am doing the prayers, there will be others out there doing them with me...people I know and care about, makes me feel so empowered for some reason! Maybe that is the way we are supposed to feel, that’s why it is always better in community! Maybe we are just pack-animals after all!! I need the pack!

Tim Suttle said...

Ok, 9, 2, 4, and 10 it is.

I asked Kristin, and I think she might be into it. I'm going to try and recruit a few other folks who I think might get into it too:

Todd Way
J. Hall
Ryan Green
Nate Jackson
Steve Stewart

You guys will have to ask your husbands.

peace,

-t

Kristen said...

sweet! I am looking forward to this...