Spiritual Journey Thursday: Pause to Reflect

Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link, invites us to pause to reflect, to cultivate a slowdown spirit for our August Spiritual Journey posts.

Thursday night I sat down to put together a few thoughts for this post, only to discover that we had no internet. I planned to share some words from a July Reflection Questions email by Emily P. Freeman. And a day later, I still want to share them.

"Rather than rushing right into August carrying the exact same load, here is a moment at the end of the month for you and for me to look back before moving forward.

 

This takes courage, to be sure. Depending on the month you've had, looking back may feel intimidating, scary, or even a little annoying. But the skill (yes, you can learn it!) of reflection is an important one. It requires courage, compassion, and the ability to observe something without trying to judge, grade, or fix it."

 

And when I read her words, I was drawn to that last sentence about the skill of reflection.

"It requires courage, compassion, and the ability to observe something without trying to judge, grade, or fix it." And therein is the reason I often resist reflecting. You see, I have not cultivated this ability to observe without trying to judge, grade, or fix.

 

Today I had a string of unlucky/lucky events. After watching the grands this morning, I headed to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for my husband who has Covid (unlucky). They didn't have the medicine (unlucky) and told me the closest pharmacy with the medicine was 25 minutes away (unlucky again). They also shared that this pharmacy was closing for lunch break in 30 minutes (unlucky once again). 

 

I immediately headed there and managed to snag the prescription before the lunch break with two minutes to spare (lucky). I pulled away from the drive through window and noticed that a library I had been wanting to visit was across the street (lucky). So I popped in and managed to snag Kate Bowler's latest book, Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day (lucky). I continued my lucky streak by discovering Chapter 23, a blessing for a good pause.

 

"This is the moment. I can feel it.

It is the microsecond pause . . . 

 

This is the sacred space of the nothing-yet,

a place where I can become aware

that you are pulling at me, tugging at me.

Be present with me here,

in these whirring seconds,

at the tiny crossroads that is this moment,

slowing me long enough to wonder:

Is that you tapping me on the shoulder?

 

All right. I'm listening." 

(Kate Bowler, Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day)

 

Each chapter begins with a scripture or quote, followed by a few introductory paragraphs, a poem, and a reflection prompt. 

 

May we have more microsecond pauses, that leave us wondering, "Is that you tapping me on the shoulder?" And may we be led to answer, "All right. I'm listening." 

I like to think of today's lucky moments as times of wonder. I'm grateful for the crossroads and pauses that led me to recognize goodness in a busy, harried day.

Spiritual Journey First Thursday: My Path

Welcome to Spiritual Journey First Thursday,

a group of friends who blog monthly about our spiritual journeys. 

Donna who blogs at Mainely Write and our host for September,

has chose the theme My Path as our focus.

When Donna invited us to write about "my path," I ended up thinking about paths that have mattered in my life. In Proverbs 4:26 we read: "Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy ways be established." I came up with five meaningful paths: my family path, my reading path,
my baking path, my friendship path, and my discipleship path. 

Anyone who reads this blog knows how important family is to me. I'm blessed to be close to my siblings - two sisters and a brother. Even though we lost our parents when they were quite young (both were in their 60s), we have managed to stay close even though we live thousands of miles away from each other. I'll always be glad for the love I share with my husband, for our two fantastic children,
their wonderful spouses, and our two delightful grandsons!

My reading path is one that I've nurtured my entire life. When I became a mother and heard women say they hadn't read a book since they'd had children, I vowed that I would not become one of those women. So I started a book club with friends from our church congregation and neighborhood. When I moved to the Pacific Northwest, it was less than a year before I started another book club. We are currently celebrating our 20th year together. And it's impossible to think of the years I spent as an educator without remembering the books I shared with students and the joy that filled our classroom

as we shared the words of favorite books.

I'm not sure why I decided that my baking path was significant, but it matters to me. I'm not a gourmet baker, but I love 
to share cookies, breads, and cakes from my kitchen 
with friends, neighbors, and loved ones. 

My friendship path is tied up with my reading path and my baking path since some of my best friends are those that I share books

(and baked goods) with frequently. 

"What are you reading?" is my favorite way to greet a friend. 

I hang onto my friends as long as I possibly can. 

I've adopted a quote from a book I once read: 

"If you're ever in my life, you're always in my life."

The path of a disciple of Christ is one that can be challenging and demanding, but so fulfilling. I've chosen to share a poem that I wrote forty years ago as a young missionary in Hong Kong.

I meditate

        Listening to the rhythmic ocean

        Watching the white-capped waves rushing to shore.

I remember

        An Oregon coast

        My first love

        Days forever gone.

I realize

        As the waves rush to meet the shore and subside

        So must the days of our lives

        The woman I am today carries only the

        memories of the girl of yesterday.

I wonder

        Heavenly Father in His wise purposes knows me.

        What small lessons am I being taught each day?

I awaken

        A figure clothed in white brings me to here and now

        A group of the Lord's servants meet for a rebirth

        That birth most important, of water and of the spirit.

I ponder

        A mission is only the beginning of my life

        What will Father ask of me in the coming years?

I pray

        For the strength to always say I will

        And faith to walk with Him by my side.

Thanks, Donna, for encouraging us to ponder our paths. While my paths may seem rather ordinary, without any surprising doors or amazing opportunities, I'm grateful for the lessons I've been taught and for the opportunity I have to walk with the Savior by my side.