I did the BCP hours just now. I had a lousy week last week in terms of devotional life. I did not keep the hours very well. I blame this on the fact that I was in class from 8am to 12:30 every day and really missed two of the hours, but we all know that's a crock. It was good to get back in a routine this morning.
Anyway, at least class was pretty good. I hope to get on confession from last week sometime today!
There is a prayer called The General Thanksgiving that is very helpful for me when I don't have any words of my own to say. There is one line that stuck out to me this morning: "give us such an awareness of your mercies." I need to spend some time thinking about awareness.
Finished my Bible Study this morning for CBS tomorrow. Genesis 29 & 30-Jacob, Jacob's wife he loves, Jacob's wife he doesn't love so much, Jacob's wife he loves' maidservant, Jacob's wife he doesn't love so much's maidservant and their 11 kids (so far). Cool how God accomplishes His Will despite the interesting choices we make to try to get our way...even so, I'm reminded that it's not enough to discern God's Will, but seeking His way is just as crucial.
I did the BCP office just now. Such a focus on faith in the readings. I am reflecting on the connection between faith and the presence of God. It is God's presence - moment by moment - along with our conscious awareness that God is with us, the Spirit is living within us and in the world around us, which draws us into the eternal kind of life right now. I want to live in the presence of God today.
I am doing the study that my women's groups has started which is an everyday thing...I just have to remember to get to the blog and tell ya'll about it.
i can say that the thing that has impacted my spiritual life the most lately is reading Irresistible Revolution with my community group. We have engaged in some great discussions with this book.
I am praying for my CM meeting tonight. I hope that God chooses to bless this ministry for His glory. I'm praying that God remove the roadblocks of life that can keep my leaders from attending. I am praying that I can please Him with our conversation tonight.
Hello, I have been pretty faithful in praying the hours (except on weekends) and I am still reading in John. I know there are the miracles, and the conversations that Jesus had with Nicodemus and the Samaritan women...and all that amazing stuff. But what really stuck out to me reading John this time is that the disciples and the Jews around Jesus did not and could not have understood his death. They surely could not have understood that the central proof of him being the “living word” was his death. I am unsure about what the Jews and early Christians knew about resurrection, but I think that when Jesus was crucified they presumably felt like they had put all their hope and faith in the wrong guy. That was really sad to me.
Still thinking about awareness (and memory). Psalm 71 says, "My mouth shall recount your mighty acts and saving deeds all day long; though I cannot know the number of them." It reminded me of this quote by Joel Green. He says, "So pivotal is narrative to the formation of identity, including the formation and articulation of beliefs, that in the absence of memory humans will create stories by which to make sense of their present situation." Memory is a communal thing. Otherwise, we'll create illusions about the way things are that are contrary to the story of God. My memory sucks sometimes.
I've been doing the hours pretty faithfully this week. Nothing earth-shattering. Mostly I'm disciplining myself to enjoy the boys and Kristin more. I'm trying to be more emotionally present to them & not distracted by work and school. The response is so immediate that I've been more invested in that discipline than in the spiritual disciplines of late. But that's probably not a bad thing right now.
Started Hebrews this morning. Lots of thoughts rolling around...mostly about righteousness. I was especially struck by v.5:14 and it's implications. "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." I guess it's the "constant use" part...for me I know I have to stay in God's Word or I am tempted to be swayed by worldly or twisted thinking about what's right and what's wrong. I'm always tempted to justify my actions by asking myself, "Is it really that bad?" If I'm honest with myself, God's answer is usually, "Yes." I have a deep desire to look differently from the world - to be set-apart - and I know there are many areas where I just plain blend in.
I've been working on the Good Samaritan story for the elementary room tomorrow. I love trying to look at it from their perspective....because then I always find something new.
okay, so I have been horrible about the blog. I have been spending time in the Word (although not enough lately) but don't get on here. Here is my feeling this week: overwhelmed. I feel like I don't have enough time in the day to get everything done. My goal this week is to do my study five days. More to come as I share my progress.
each week we will have a new post through which to interact. you can post comments as often as you want under each week in order to share what you are reading, disciplines you are engaging in, or encouragement to each other.
12 comments:
I did the BCP hours just now. I had a lousy week last week in terms of devotional life. I did not keep the hours very well. I blame this on the fact that I was in class from 8am to 12:30 every day and really missed two of the hours, but we all know that's a crock. It was good to get back in a routine this morning.
Anyway, at least class was pretty good. I hope to get on confession from last week sometime today!
There is a prayer called The General Thanksgiving that is very helpful for me when I don't have any words of my own to say. There is one line that stuck out to me this morning: "give us such an awareness of your mercies." I need to spend some time thinking about awareness.
Finished my Bible Study this morning for CBS tomorrow. Genesis 29 & 30-Jacob, Jacob's wife he loves, Jacob's wife he doesn't love so much, Jacob's wife he loves' maidservant, Jacob's wife he doesn't love so much's maidservant and their 11 kids (so far). Cool how God accomplishes His Will despite the interesting choices we make to try to get our way...even so, I'm reminded that it's not enough to discern God's Will, but seeking His way is just as crucial.
I did the BCP office just now. Such a focus on faith in the readings. I am reflecting on the connection between faith and the presence of God. It is God's presence - moment by moment - along with our conscious awareness that God is with us, the Spirit is living within us and in the world around us, which draws us into the eternal kind of life right now. I want to live in the presence of God today.
I am doing the study that my women's groups has started which is an everyday thing...I just have to remember to get to the blog and tell ya'll about it.
i can say that the thing that has impacted my spiritual life the most lately is reading Irresistible Revolution with my community group. We have engaged in some great discussions with this book.
I am praying for my CM meeting tonight. I hope that God chooses to bless this ministry for His glory. I'm praying that God remove the roadblocks of life that can keep my leaders from attending. I am praying that I can please Him with our conversation tonight.
Hello, I have been pretty faithful in praying the hours (except on weekends) and I am still reading in John. I know there are the miracles, and the conversations that Jesus had with Nicodemus and the Samaritan women...and all that amazing stuff. But what really stuck out to me reading John this time is that the disciples and the Jews around Jesus did not and could not have understood his death. They surely could not have understood that the central proof of him being the “living word” was his death. I am unsure about what the Jews and early Christians knew about resurrection, but I think that when Jesus was crucified they presumably felt like they had put all their hope and faith in the wrong guy. That was really sad to me.
Still thinking about awareness (and memory). Psalm 71 says, "My mouth shall recount your mighty acts and saving deeds all day long; though I cannot know the number of them." It reminded me of this quote by Joel Green. He says, "So pivotal is narrative to the formation of identity, including the formation and articulation of beliefs, that in the absence of memory humans will create stories by which to make sense of their present situation." Memory is a communal thing. Otherwise, we'll create illusions about the way things are that are contrary to the story of God. My memory sucks sometimes.
I've been doing the hours pretty faithfully this week. Nothing earth-shattering. Mostly I'm disciplining myself to enjoy the boys and Kristin more. I'm trying to be more emotionally present to them & not distracted by work and school. The response is so immediate that I've been more invested in that discipline than in the spiritual disciplines of late. But that's probably not a bad thing right now.
peace,
-t
Started Hebrews this morning. Lots of thoughts rolling around...mostly about righteousness. I was especially struck by v.5:14 and it's implications. "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." I guess it's the "constant use" part...for me I know I have to stay in God's Word or I am tempted to be swayed by worldly or twisted thinking about what's right and what's wrong. I'm always tempted to justify my actions by asking myself, "Is it really that bad?" If I'm honest with myself, God's answer is usually, "Yes." I have a deep desire to look differently from the world - to be set-apart - and I know there are many areas where I just plain blend in.
I've been working on the Good Samaritan story for the elementary room tomorrow. I love trying to look at it from their perspective....because then I always find something new.
okay, so I have been horrible about the blog. I have been spending time in the Word (although not enough lately) but don't get on here. Here is my feeling this week: overwhelmed. I feel like I don't have enough time in the day to get everything done. My goal this week is to do my study five days. More to come as I share my progress.
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