Simply Soul Searching
HOW IS GOD LOVING ME – AND WHERE IS GOD LEADING ME?
SUNBEAM MOMENTS
On a recent hike up Meek’s Mountain, I was pleasantly surprised to come upon these sunbeams lighting my path ahead! I regarded the scene as holy, and several familiar Bible verses came to mind…
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105
You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
I thought about how lovely it would be to have sunbeams lighting our way, guiding our path each day. To have the visible assurance that we are headed in the right direction, that God’s presence goes with us, that God is pleased to lead the way. When I reached the sunbeams, I paused to center myself in the sacredness of the moment, in the quiet joy of feeling immersed in God’s presence on this holy ground. And as I then resumed my hike, I turned to look back at the scene, longing to take it in one more time…
I couldn’t see the sunbeams.
The beams of light reflected in the mist were only visible from my earlier perspective on the path. Had I been hiking from the opposite direction, I could have been standing in a “sunbeam blessing” yet never have known. So much of how we see life depends on our viewpoint, our perspective.
An integral part of our faithful journey is to recognize that there is always more to life “than meets the eye.” Every moment might be a holy one, every step a guided one. Maybe the place we are standing on is holy ground, even if we aren’t quite positioned to see the sunbeams. This is the gift and essence of our faith–the peace and hope we can have in this present moment–as we trust that one day, our new perspective will reveal the blessing held within it.
Photos by Karen
All verses are NRSVUE, found at https://www.biblegateway.com/
REFLECTIONS OF GOODNESS–WEEK ONE
Each November, Sarah E. Westfall invites writers to notice and share the goodness they find in the small moments of the day, using the tag, #liturgyofthelittlethings on Instagram. These were my reflections from the week.
November 1st
On this All Saints’ Day
I lovingly recall
those who have gone before
but who always remain
through
love poured
wisdom shared
humility lived
grace extended
and
joy remembered.
November 2nd
Our local grandchildren live in a neighborhood that isn’t conducive for trick-or-treating, so we are fortunate to have another neighborhood near us that is. These generous people make Halloween special with lots of decorations and candy. We are grateful that our grandchildren have a fun place to go–along with about 300 other young people!
Last year, I began the practice of walking the neighborhood on November 1st to pick up any trash left behind. This small gesture is simply one of gratitude in return for their kindness.
But today I’m mindful
of the good people
who clean up messes,
not once a year,
not in return for a kindness,
not with recognition or reward.
The good people
who are not the mess makers,
but the ones who
regularly and humbly
clean up after them.
Thank you.
November 3rd
Normally this feather would have gone unnoticed, but today it has significance…
A few days ago, I read a post from a writer friend, who had found a similar feather on her daily walk. As she journeys through cancer treatments, this simple gift was a precious symbol of goodness and hope, reminding her of Emily Dickinson’s words,
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul…”
And so, today this feather immediately brought my friend to mind. I don’t know exactly how God works, but as I whispered a prayer for her, I sensed a holy purpose…
a few words written and received,
two writers walking similar paths,
and this one small feather,
connecting us
across time and distance,
inviting me to pray.
November 5th
There is a nest within my soul
where Love abides to stay.
A shelter from the storms of life,
a place to hide away.
There is a nest within my soul
though weathered now, and worn,
but Love finds this a perfect space
in which to be reborn.
There is a nest within my soul
now open to the sky.
For Love has brought me to this place
where I can freely fly.
November 6th
GOING FIRST
With courage to be colorful
and strength to stand apart,
may I make each day wonder-full;
your joy and peace impart.
Transform me in your love so bright
to shine with vivid hue,
and fill my soul with radiant light–
reflecting only you.
Oh, let me never hesitate
to be the first to start,
if I can help initiate
more love in every heart.
November 7th
This morning’s moment of goodness was a quiet pause underneath the pines.
“In November, the earth is growing quiet. It is making its bed, a winter bed for flowers and small creatures.”
~ Cynthia Rylant
November 8th
OPEN
I wonder what this day will bring;
will something new arrive?
Will my soul soon begin to sing,
or struggle to survive?
Whatever this day holds for me,
my heart’s an open door.
For I hope there will always be
a place for love to pour.
COACHABLE
When I began working as a service representative years ago, I signed up to play on the office co-ed softball team. I thought it would be fun to get to know my coworkers through a social outlet outside of the workplace. But I hadn’t thought about one potential issue: I had never played in a softball league. Other than neighborhood pick-up games, I had hardly played at all.
At the first practice, I–the newcomer–was immediately invited up to bat. I’m not exaggerating to say that I missed at least thirty pitches. Embarrassed, I was ready to step aside after ten, but the coach and players were kind; they encouraged me to keep trying, and they offered suggestions for my stance, my grip, and my focus. There was “great rejoicing” when I finally connected my bat to the ball!
I improved a bit over the season but never excelled, so I didn’t expect any awards at the end of the year. But I did receive one.
Most Coachable. 😉
Now, I probably received this honor because I was the one who needed the most coaching. But I was told that I had earned the Most Coachable award because I had been willing to listen and learn, to try the team’s suggestions, and to persevere.
Forty-five years later, I see how our life experiences lead to greater wisdom, how we learn through our mistakes and corrections, how deeper maturity comes through teachable moments and revelatory insights. The years have provided me with many lessons, and yet this day could be another opportunity for growth. And I wonder if “Most Coachable” will still apply to me.
Are there times when I believe I have seen it all–so now I know it all? Are my beliefs sometimes so firmly ingrained that I can’t see through or beyond them to discover new truths? Does more confidence lead to greater stubbornness?
If I am to grow in the wisdom that comes from experience–through faith, with age–I need to maintain the spirit of a novice; to delight in being “Coachable” more than being “Champion.”
My Creator and Coach,
I hope that you will find me coachable
as you teach and guide me through life.
Help me to thoughtfully…
~consider new ideas and insights,
~set aside defensiveness in correction,
~pause before responding,
~choose the kinder assumption,
~weigh rather than discount,
~and listen more than petition.
Thank you and Amen.
Photo by Winston Chen on Unsplash
TO BE WITH WHAT IS
Revelations from an autumn scene…
As daylight hours begin to wane, the leaves gratefully reciprocate a radiant new light, shining with the splendor that can only come from inner transformation.
The branch bows low in humility, its brokenness apparent, yet the tree steadfastly clings as if to say, “I will always be with you…”
The trees display the wisdom of sufficiency through every season; taking enough for sustenance, sharing what is possible, releasing what is no longer needed, and resting in barren stillness–the sufficiency that provides for seasons and cycles yet to come.
The leaves do not fall in death but as a return to the earth from which they came, becoming nourishment for the soil and protection for the vulnerable new seedlings, uniting with the fallen leaves of long ago that had once nurtured them into being.
The evergreens remain verdant, bringing to mind the unchanging, eternal gifts that remain through every season, gifts such as love, joy, peace, and hope.
Nature inspires us to be with what is…
accepting each season of life,
allowing for change,
responding with grace and dignity,
returning abundance and gratitude,
sharing goodness in beautiful ways,
and ever perceiving,
ever participating
in the work of the Creator.
(Photo by Karen)
SECOND THOUGHT: CONNECTIONS IN CONSOLIDATING
Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn, and you will. ~ Vernon Howard
I must continue to follow the path I take now. If I do nothing, if I study nothing, if I cease searching, then, woe is me, I am lost. That is how I look at it — keep going, keep going come what may. But what is your final goal, you may ask. That goal will become clearer, will emerge slowly but surely, much as the rough draught turns into a sketch, and the sketch into a painting through the serious work done on it, through the elaboration of the original vague idea and through the consolidation of the first fleeting and passing thought.
~ Vincent Van Gogh
We live in a world which in some respects is mysterious; things can be experienced which remain inexplicable; not everything which happens can be anticipated. The unexpected and the incredible belong in this world. Only then is life whole. For me the world has from the beginning been infinite and ungraspable.
~ Carl Jung
May I keep learning to consolidate all of life into one human experience of divine and infinite love.
(Photo by Karen. This is the last of my Connections series–thank you for reading!)
A TIME TO PAUSE…
I had another post ready for today, but the news has been so heavy, so sad… how can I write about embracing and consolidating all of life, when I can’t even begin to fathom how some are surviving it?
For today, I am holding the grief of the world in the silence of my soul.
Let’s be quiet for a moment. Let’s be generous in love. Let’s be hopeful for tomorrow.
Let’s be kind to one another.
Take care of you today, my friends. You are so very loved.
(Photo of a morning in mourning by Karen)
CONNECTIONS: CONSOLIDATING LIFE
I once was the shopkeeper for Scrap4Art, a non-profit organization that accepts donations of art and craft supplies from people who no longer need them. These supplies are then offered at a reduced price for teachers, group leaders, artists, and crafters. The shop’s mission is to steward the earth’s resources and support education by reusing these materials instead of adding them to landfills.
At that time, this vocation was perfect for me. I loved sorting the items and organizing them into specifically themed displays. I loved arranging, labeling, and maintaining tidy shelves. The old proverb, A place for everything and everything in its place became my guiding mantra.
As items sold and left empty spaces, or new items arrived that didn’t fit into the sorted collections, certain areas of the shop would need to be refigured; I would consolidate some groupings or redefine the bins and shelves. If a bin of white beads dwindled, I would combine them with the red and rename the bin, CANDY CANE. Or once the Christmas shelf became depleted, I would add other holiday items and rename the shelf, HOLIDAY. Depending on the supply, there could be labels as specific as REMNANTS OF STRIPED PURPLE FLANNEL or as general as FABRIC. I enjoyed finding ways to integrate every donation.
This practice can lend itself to all of life.
How often do we try to organize our lives into tidy inner files that help us make sense of our experiences or bring purpose to our being? But then we experience a loss, come upon an obstacle, or encounter a challenge that depletes our inventory of dreams and goals. Or we receive an opportunity, gain an insight, or discover an exception that doesn’t quite fit into our bins of beliefs and expectations.
My tasks at Scrap4Art now convey to me that life’s surprises, misfits, and exceptions–the things that initially bring chaos to my soul–can become invitations to expand, consolidate, and sometimes rename old files in order to encompass the new. They can serve as instruments for our souls to increase, learn, adapt, and embrace all that life brings.
While preparing this post, I looked up the definition of consolidate and found another insight. According to Merriam Webster, consolidate means “to join together into one whole, or to unite”–a gift for our personal integrity and spiritual wholeness. But it also means “to make firm or secure, to strengthen”–a gift for our personal perspective and spiritual foundation. Consolidation fills in our empty spaces, expands our understandings, accepts and includes our differences, and in turn, can strengthen our connections within ourselves, with God, and with one another.
Everything belongs. ~ Richard Rohr
(Photo by Karen)
SECOND THOUGHT: CONNECTIONS IN COMMONALITY
Our uniqueness is what makes us common. It is the same fact that we are unique that we as individuals have in common. ~ Morena Baloyi
This is one of the reasons we watch movies, attend recovery groups, read memoirs, and sit around campfires telling stories long after the fire has dwindled down to a few glowing embers. It’s written in the Psalms that “deep calls to deep,” which is what happens when you get a glimpse of what someone else has gone through or is currently in the throes of and you find yourself inextricably, mysteriously linked with that person because you have been reminded again of our common humanity and its singular source, the subsurface unity of all things that is ever before us in countless manifestations but requires eyes wide open to see it burst into view. ~ Rob Bell
We all belong on this earth;
we are held in the palm of the Creator’s hand.
May we behold every person as part of our common humanity,
embrace our beautiful diversity,
honor and uplift each individual,
and live in genuine love.
(Photo by Karen)
CONNECTIONS: OUR SHARED COMMONALITIES
Our family likes to play The New York Times’ Connections game. Each day we share our results in a group text, so I love that this game also “connects” our family on a daily basis! In this game, one is given sixteen words to sort into four groups that share something in common. The game challenges us because some of the connections are difficult to find and some of the words can easily fit into two or more categories.
Connections also serves as a humbling lesson in relationships for me. During the pandemic isolation and political division of these recent years–when the majority of my interactions with others came through social media–I struggled to keep from dividing people into US vs. THEM categories. Now, as I increasingly reenter community, I am reminded that I may have personal differences with someone and yet also find some commonalities. We all hold a variety of shared viewpoints, visions, and values; it’s impossible to completely sort people into distinct and separate groups with no exceptions.
Perhaps one step toward loving our neighbor is to first seek the things we hold in common. Where do we agree on societal issues, this life of faith, our hopes and dreams? Where might our lives lovingly intersect? Can we keep in mind that each of us belongs to the most essential and universal group: Created by God, Beloved of God? Last Sunday, I heard this sacred, inclusive invitation to gather for the meal of Communion…
THE INVITATION
We are here because Jesus has called us–
strangers and friends,
locals and visitors,
believers and doubters,
the certain and the curious.
It is always a mixed company that Jesus gathers and invites to his table, where, in bread and wine,
he meets us
and through him we, who are different,
are joined to each other.
So come,
not because you understand,
but because you are understood.
Come,
not because of how you feel,
but because God has food for you.
Come, not because you deserve a place,
but because Jesus invites you,
just as you are.
May it be so. For all of us.
The Invitation by Iona was found at https://eatprayloveliturgy.wordpress.com/2019/02/16/invitation-to-communion-2/
Photos by Karen
(In case you are curious about the answers. 🙂 )
SECOND THOUGHT: CONNECTIONS IN COMPANIONS
We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep. ~ William James
May I look beneath the surface,
past the superficial smile
of each person I encounter
as I travel every mile,
and watch for opportunities
to help them feel worthwhile.
What truly lies within the depths
of the one who stands before?
Is there connection to be made,
or friendship to explore?
Are we meant to remain strangers
or is there something more?
I feel your love surrounding me;
let me always keep in mind
that I am not the only one.
Guide me to seek and find
the love you have for everyone,
for all of humankind.
We are meant to be connected
with your bonds of love and care.
Let each of us become your link,
in faith your image bear,
that one day all on earth might find
your presence everywhere.
This is an additional reflection on my earlier post, Connections: Companions on the Way.
(Photo by Karen; Bar Harbor, ME)
Simply Soul Searching 