April 14 - April 20

17 comments:

Tim Suttle said...

I did the hours yesterday, although other than the morning office I only did the Lord's Prayer. I'm hoping to do better today. I spend this morning learning about the death of Jesus in Romans. It is incredible.

Peace,

-t

Kristen said...

I missed all the readings yesterday but did do the Lord's prayer...I really missed the readings! Hooping to do better today although I will be in my car at 2pm...well 3/4 is ok.

Mandy said...

I did the hours today, although the 2 o'clock was the sacred gateway thing. I love it. BTW what is the Paschal mystery?

Kerrie said...

I have been camped out in Joshua. It is such an amazing story. Yesterday, I learned about the spiritual circumcism that we must go through, while they went through it literally. Gilgal, where they landed after crossing the Jordan, means "Full Circle" and leaned into how do I come full circle rather than to keep wandering. How do I reach the Promise Land here on Earth? It's been an awesome study.

Kristen said...

Mandy, I looked up the Paschal Mystery and here is what I found...Tim, please correct if this is not accurate.

The Paschal Mystery refers to the suffering (sometimes called the passion), death, Resurrection, and Glorification of Jesus Christ. People of Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian faiths celebrate this mystery in the sacrament of the Eucharist.


The "Paschal Mystery" as a phrase can be separated and examined to more fully understand the concept it represents. If you look at the first word, "Paschal" you can break that down to the root word "pasch". This word means lamb. The second word, mystery, describes a truth not yet understood, a truth that is still unfolding. To put these two words together, the phrase describes a truth not understood that is still unfolding about the lamb. This is talking about the truth that unfolds about Christ in our lives, the truth about passing from the slavery of sin to the freedom in the love of God.

Tim Suttle said...

This morning I did the BCP office. It was very good - although I have ADD and kept getting distracted. I've learned to keep my notebook open beside me and just jot down things that pop into my mind: "do this...email so and so...don't forget about this thing..." I've stopped feeling bad about it and just try not to be totally side-tracked.

Hey Kerrie, one of my favorite John Wesley sermons is called "Circumcision of the Heart." If you want to read it, you can go here:

http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/sermons/017.htm

Tim Suttle said...

I just thought of one of my favorite things about praying the hours. I always do this at the beginning of each one, even if I'm only going to pray the Lord's Prayer. It's what the monks do when they start each office of the day. They "chant" this and do the sign of the cross as they begin:

"Oh God, Come to my assistance. Oh Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever, Amen. Alleluia."

There is something about crossing myself when I say "Oh God, come to my assistance" that is really powerful for me. It could have just started as an "up-yours" to my southern Baptist heritage...but I think I’m past that point now. The other thing is that they bow at the waist on the 1st half of the Gloria ("Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit" - then back up). I love the bowing part as well - bowing when you mention the Trinity. It's just a way to acknowledge the holiness of God and it adds to the ceremony.

Don’t know why I never thought to tell you guys that part. I love that part. You guys are sensates and ascetics, right? You might actually get why it's fun for me to do that...

Peace,

-t

Kristen said...

WHOO-HOO! I am on my way to a perfect praying day, after the Compline tonight!

Thanks for the sensate/ascetics stuff Tim, I am going to try an implement those actions.

Tim Suttle said...

Nice work Kristen! I did the first three offices yesterday but I missed compline last night. More complications with our house guest.

I'm making an adjustment on my schedule. I'm going to keep doing the BCP when I get to work at 7:30 or 8:00am. Then at 9:00 I'll do the divine hours with everyone. I'm having trouble making myself engage well if I don't do prayers first thing before I check email and start working. I think an extra office might be nice. So I did the BCP hours this morning and it was really great.

Peace,

-t

Mandy said...

Hey
yesterday I did 9:00 (which I almost always do at 8:00), 2, and 4 then I prayed the Lords Prayer at 10:00. Love doing this with you guys.

Also I read this just now, interesting....."futile in their thinking"

Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.
- Romans 1:20-21

Kristen said...

EARLY BIRDS!!!! Sometimes I wish I could get up that early and get started on my day but that's just not happen'.

I love afternoon thunderstorms...nothing is better then turning of the lights and lighting candles, espcailly while the kids are sleeping.

this is my favorite prayer this week:
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen

Kerrie said...

Okay, I'm feeling out of it, since I'm not doing the hours. But, truthfully...it won't work for me- so I'm okay. I have been loving the Joshua story. Today was really convicting on just how much do I believe God can do what He says He can do.....great stuff.

Kristen said...

don't feel left out! I love reading about what you are reading and your insight of it.

Tim Suttle said...

Kerrie, don't feel out of it! Keep sharing where you are - we like it!!!

Friday Afternoon Confessional:


I confess that I’m pretty stressed out because my week has been hi-jacked multiple times by people or conversations. So I’ve not been able to carefully prepare for preaching Sunday morning. I confess that my stress level and subsequent whining and griping is something I’ve got to learn to manage much more effectively.

I confess that I prepared pretty well for tonight’s morph and I’m bummed because it sounds like very few people will be coming.

I confess that I’m sometime cynical about other people’s willingness or ability to change their behavior. It’s not that I don’t have compassion. It’s just that, as a rule, I don’t really expect that people will change for the better anymore. I think I’ve just watched too many people wreak havoc on lives and communities with the same old destructive behaviors.

I confess that I’ve got way too much reading to do and all I want to do right now is take a nap. As I write this, it’s 50/50 on what I actually do.

Peace, friends!

-t

Kristen said...

confessions:

I confess that I have pushed my kids aside too mcuh this week and that I need to push the reset button and do nothing but pay attention them.

I confess that it's hard to talk to my in-laws beacuse its all fluff and I want to talk about the nitty gritty but I know that it would not be good for our realtionship.

I confess that I loath selfish people.

I confess that I was 2 seconds away from going off on two old ladies at Target who were taking entirely way to long to order while my kids were about to explode into hunger rage. I don't like the way my frustration make me feel.

I confess to judgement of some homeschool moms today....although is it judgement when you know you are right? =0)

I confess to having the greatest husband on the planet.

kd

Kerrie said...

Thanks for the words of encouragement. My first confession would be embarrasment...I don't take that easily.

I confess to spending way too much time on the internet this week. Searching for vacations....the weather today is killing me.

I confess that I am a little sad to miss my kids carnival tonight. They look forward to it so much.

I am worried about Kadi having a boyfriend and trying not to be overbearing about it.

I confess that God answered my prayers and freed up some time for me tomorrow that I don't deserve.

The world hunger crisis has been at the forefront of my mind and heart this week...so I feel terrible worrying about groceries prices rising for my family.

I'd agree with Kristen....except that I think I have the other greatest husband in the world.

kerrie

Mandy said...

Friday Confessions:

I'm pretty sure I was selfish this week, with my time and energy

I gossiped (I'm embarrassed that I keep having this one on the list week after week)

I have a lot of anger towards a person in my life, and I don’t know how to let it go....maybe I don't want to, it feels good (in some obscene way) to be pissed at someone, always thinking they are the idiot. That sort of anger really distracts me from my own dysfunction, and I relish the distraction.

I confess to fear. I can let myself become gripped with fear sometimes. The fear that something is going to happen to one of my kids or Bill. Most times I can let it go, but some weeks I get really afraid of the big old world with all its psycho people, and I feel really vulnerable