Monday Morning Pages
One early spring day I went to visit Corrie ten Boom, survivor of the Nazi Holocaust who shared her story in The Hiding Place. In her latter years, she lived in Southern California. My friends and I were able to help Pam, her companion, learn basic things about Corrie's disability and her wheelchair. after our short training session, we sat in Corrie's backyard, admiring her early spring flowers and enjoying the warm sun on our backs.
The day was filled with activity, yet relaxed and slow paced. After we enjoyed the flowers, we went into the kitchen for tea and chocolates. After tea we read the Bible and prayed. Then we retired to the parlor and talked. I was amazed how quickly the day flew by, yet how peaceful and stress free it seemed. Pam explained. "Tante Corrie and I never do lots of things at once. We don't sit outside, read, and enjoy tea and chocolates. We space everything out so we can truly appreciate the individual pleasures of each activity." That day I witnessed the glory of God in watching spring flowers bob in the breeze ... in savoring the taste of dark chocolate ... in smelling the fragrance of Earl Grey tea ... in listening to an elderly saint pray ... and of discovering new insights in God's Word. All because I lived the day at Corrie's pace.
Someone has pushed the fast-forward button on our days. As the microwave heats our morning danish, we pay bills online, listen for the chime on the dryer, all the while eavesdropping on Dr. Dobson on Christian radio. Little wonder we feel stressed out. Galatians 5:25 says, "Let us keep in step with the Spirit." Often the Spirit takes very slow steps. Push the pause button, and find a way you can slow down today. Enjoy God's glory in every small thing.
Spirit of Christ, help me to keep in step with you today and not run ahead.
taken from Pearls of Great Price by Joni Eareckson Tada
Hope this blesses you as much as it did me this morning ... In His Arms, B.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Love Sunday
Sunday Afternoon
March 15, 2009
I am well overdue for a Love Sunday post so .... having said this I will just begin with the fact that I do indeed Love Sundays! This past week I was given an amazing challenge to think about Sunday, the Sabbath, a day of rest. What does that look like for me? What about for you? Is it the day it is truly meant to be. Has God not commanded in His Word to "Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy"? (Exodus 20.8) What does it mean to keep this day Holy? Is it just like any other day when I can lay around and read the Sunday newspaper, shop at the mall, go to a movie or sit for hours on end and watch TV? I read on today in Exodus 20 and God says that "Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any kind of work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then he rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy".
It seems as I read more about this I found myself further missing the mark of "Keeping the day Holy." What does it mean to have a day of rest dedicated to the Lord? And what about "set it apart"? How does my Sabbath look any different than the other six days? Oh and how about yours?
Then as I was writing this today as I work (serve) at the desk of New Hope Church on a Sunday I asked a co-worker hey you work on Sunday what does the Sabbath mean to you and what is your Sabbath like? He proceeded to share with me that since Sunday is his work day he takes Monday as his Sabbath. He said that he loves to sleep a bit later on Mondays (his Sabbath day) and catch up on some rest that he has missed out on in the previous six days. He states he wakes up and grabs his Bible and his Journal along with a couple of books he is working his way through right now, Death by Love and a Piper book. He likes to just spend extra time in the word and currently he is reading through Romans 12. (this happens to be one of my favorite passages of scripture as it is a powerful personal prayer).
I loved that even in thinking about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy has spurred on a deeper conversation with others about what it means.
March 15, 2009
I am well overdue for a Love Sunday post so .... having said this I will just begin with the fact that I do indeed Love Sundays! This past week I was given an amazing challenge to think about Sunday, the Sabbath, a day of rest. What does that look like for me? What about for you? Is it the day it is truly meant to be. Has God not commanded in His Word to "Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy"? (Exodus 20.8) What does it mean to keep this day Holy? Is it just like any other day when I can lay around and read the Sunday newspaper, shop at the mall, go to a movie or sit for hours on end and watch TV? I read on today in Exodus 20 and God says that "Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any kind of work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then he rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy".
It seems as I read more about this I found myself further missing the mark of "Keeping the day Holy." What does it mean to have a day of rest dedicated to the Lord? And what about "set it apart"? How does my Sabbath look any different than the other six days? Oh and how about yours?
Then as I was writing this today as I work (serve) at the desk of New Hope Church on a Sunday I asked a co-worker hey you work on Sunday what does the Sabbath mean to you and what is your Sabbath like? He proceeded to share with me that since Sunday is his work day he takes Monday as his Sabbath. He said that he loves to sleep a bit later on Mondays (his Sabbath day) and catch up on some rest that he has missed out on in the previous six days. He states he wakes up and grabs his Bible and his Journal along with a couple of books he is working his way through right now, Death by Love and a Piper book. He likes to just spend extra time in the word and currently he is reading through Romans 12. (this happens to be one of my favorite passages of scripture as it is a powerful personal prayer).
I loved that even in thinking about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy has spurred on a deeper conversation with others about what it means.
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