Lent

Ash Wednesday, February 25th, begins the season of Lent. Lent lasts for 40 days (not counting Sundays when we commemorate the Resurrection) and ends with Holy Week on Maundy Thursday. I can remember growing up being very excited about Lent. It was a time when our family truly revolved around the church. There was extra music so both the youth choir and the adult choir had very serious practices besides going to Lenten suppers and services. Sundays were connected to the season with more anticipation toward Easter and spring. As a child I remember feeling closer to Jesus in that time of Lent. It was a time when we really studied the person of Jesus. The music, the colors, the scriptures all called us to a closer relationship with the Lord.

This year, once again, we will gather around the themes of Lent. We will pray, and sing and study. Lent is a time to focus in on your relationship with Jesus. May you center on the church and may you approach with anticipation the devotion of the season of Lent.

Come to Jesus

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls” --Matthew 11:28-29

Stress and anxiety seem to be on the rise. It could be the times, with all the economic and housing crises. It could be that those events began the cycle of unemployment, high cost of living and salary freezes. It could also be that as we have become more and more busy, more and more focused on things instead of relationships, and more and more away from church, that the stress and anxiety have raised. I hate to sound legalistic, but that is what some are saying. They are saying that with the turn away from God and church, we were bound for this recession.

I don’t know. But this I do know – Jesus is the answer. You know what relieves stress? Jesus relieves stress, for in him you will find rest. You know what lowers anxiety? Jesus lowers anxiety because he is humble and gentle. It doesn’t always just happen, but how can it happen if you aren’t in relationship with him? This is the day to remove some things from your life in order to make room for the most important.

In this time of stress and anxiety, come, be with us at Abiding Love for worship and fellowship. Together we face the day. We laugh. We cry. We pray. We come to the table. Come.

Spiritual Tool -- Art

This will be last of my series on Spiritual Toolbox! Art.

For many people art is an excellent means of worshipping God. The Christian Church has gone through phases of creation, abuse and even destruction when it comes to ‘art’. There was a time called the ‘Iconoclast’ movement when misguided followers thought that others were worshipping the items of art as idols that were opposed to God, instead of using the item as a way to better connect to God. Today, I believe that we have a better understanding of icons, as means of support for our expressions of worship.

I would offer two ways of trying this ‘tool’. First, you can find a piece of art that you are interested in, maybe because of it’s beauty or maybe because it challenges you. As you study that piece of art, talk to God about how the art glorifies God. Maybe it is an ancient picture of Mary and the baby Jesus. It could be a weaving of multicolored threads. Or, maybe it is a piece of sand art. It can really be just about anything that helps you to talk with God.

The second possibility is to create your own piece of art, all the while praying and asking for God’s help in the creation. After hours of work on your own little masterpiece, knowing that you prayed all the while, you can feel a wonderful connection to God within your very own icon. Every time you see the piece, you reconnect to that feeling. It is not about how good it is or how creative. It is about how the art helps you to worship and glorify God.

Good luck with your toolbox of spiritual ways to add to your devotion. I pray that you keep your spiritual toolbox in good shape as you use these ideas regularly.

Spiritual Tool - Journal Writing

This month for our “Spiritual Tool Box” we take a look at journal writing. Keeping a written record of your spiritual thoughts can help you to enter into a more disciplined approach to your Bible study, prayer life and meditation. It doesn't really have to be like the old horror days of the teenage diaries! Instead, you can have a notebook where you write down what you are praying for, what you are reading and what stands out in that reading, or maybe what you are learning and giving thanks for. This can be a wonderful expression of your life that you can save and review for years to come.

Some people keep a "Go to Hell Journal" (I know pastors shouldn't say that!, but it is an honest feeling that real people have and despite what others say, Pastors are real people too!). This kind of journal can be used as a way of working on anger management and personal development. First you write down:
*What happened, then
*How you felt (physically and emotionally), and finally
*Evaluate who you were really mad at.

I've found that I'm usually really mad at myself. After a while you start to recognize the 'triggers' that can set you off and you can learn to stop the reaction.

This year, try keeping a spiritual journal. You don't have to commit to a year, maybe just a month and see how it goes.

Writing is healing!

Spirtitual Tool - Prayer

As Christians we often fall into a time of sloth when it comes to spiritual devotions. In order to stay spiritually fit we need to have a well used ‘tool box’. This is the first of a series of articles on ways to spend a little time with God.

When I lived in the Benedictine Monastery (that’s a story for another time) I first learned of “Contemplative Prayer”. This practice of meditative prayer is as old as the Early Fathers of the church and was valued in writing as far back as the 4th century.

This spiritual skill is a kind of prayer that involves neither spoken works nor images. It is sitting in silence, eyes closed and thinking on or resting with a word. This word is one chosen by you for your time in ‘unknowing’ or silence to see the word as a sacred word. As you ‘think’ on this word, turn yourself totally to God. Just breathe and think on your word – if you should wander, it’s ok, just return to thinking of nothing other than your word. You can try words such as ‘love’, ‘peace’, or ‘joy’. You could try more difficult words such as ‘embrace’ or ‘wisdom’. Take about 20-30 minutes twice a day for this exercise.

It is important to realize that the benefits of centering prayer are usually not found in the time during the prayer, but instead they are found in the day to day activities of your life after the prayer.

Joseph G. Sandman wrote:
“Those who regularly practice centering prayer have identified additional benefits. These include: greater access to God’s own wisdom and energy; a significant increase in creativity; a decrease in compulsive behavior; a reduction of painful emotions and negative thoughts and greater freedom to respond positively to them when they do arise; a greater ability to accept difficult situations with peace and joy; an expanded capacity to accept others on their own terms without judging them or desiring them to change; an ability to love others more selflessly; and a greater awareness of the presence of God in every person and situation we encounter.”

I pray that you center your life in God and that you add this tool to your ‘faith box’!

See you in church,
Pastor Lynnae

Spiritual Tool Box

My Tool Box has been getting a lot of attention since I moved into the new house. I have a hammer, standard and ‘other’ screw driver. I have pliers and I even know what a Molly bolt is! But, just knowing what the tools are doesn’t mean that I’m good or even comfortable using them. To do that – to be good and comfortable with my tool box, I have to use the tools. I have to consistently swing the hammer, drive the screw and lock the pliers.

What if we had a ‘Spiritual Tool Box’ - tools that actually help us SPIRITUALLY? Tools like; centered prayer, journaling, and expressive art. These kinds of tools keep us ‘hanging straight’ and ‘put together’ well. We all need to use such techniques in order to be spiritually strong. We need to have a Spiritual Tool Box.

I am going to begin a series of articles about the tools that can help us grow spiritually. Next newsletter I’ll share some ideas on Centered Prayer as a way of enhancing your life with Christ and with others. I hope you’ll join me in putting together a good Spiritual Tool Box.

See you in Church!

Change

When the trees start to change their colors – even in Austin, TX where the average temperature is still mid 80’s – we know its autumn. Autumn is a season of change. The leaves change color because they aren’t taking in as much water and eventually they die and fall off the tree. The tree isn’t dying – just the leaves. It is about the changing seasons. Our lives ebb on through the changes and we know the seasons of our own days. Birth to growth, decay to death. But, something lives on. We are a community of faith, a church that lives because of change.

Do you pray for change? Mostly, I like to keep things organized and the same. But, I believe we should pray for change. Change is really growth. Spiritual growth is about taking risks, stepping out of our comfort zones and stepping into change.

Autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons! May the colors of fall lead you to pray for change.