Devotion for Being Apart -
July 23
This summer, I will share new devotions from time to time,
and invite you to browse through devotions that have been posted on this blog.
Last night Maisy called me into her room. She'd had a rough day, feeling down and despondent for most of it. But I could see when I entered her room that something had shifted. Her eyes sparkled when she said, "Hey mom, I was just talking to my friend Greta, and I asked her how she is such a content and happy person so much of the time. She told me its gratitude. She tries every day to notice all the things she's thankful for. I just did it, and Mom, it really works!"
"That's great, honey!" I replied. Then, in typical Maisy-style, never letting me be a bystander but pulling me into life, she said, "You try it now. Just look around and name what you're thankful for in your head."
Then she watched me expectantly.
So I did it.
I looked around the room and felt thankful for the roof over our head and a strong sturdy house, and noted that I really am thankful for that. When I turned back my eyes fell on the dog, and then slid onto Maisy. I was surprised to feel a heart-squeeze of deep gratitude. She nodded, smiling. I could see in her eyes that she knew I was thanking God for her and for Khaleesi.
I smiled at her and left her room, letting my mind go already to more things I felt grateful for.
Wouldn't you know it, Maisy was right. Suddenly being told to name what I was thankful for, and obeying for just 60 seconds, pulled me into a different headspace and heartspace for a moment. It changed how I prayed for her when I returned to kiss her goodnight and and put her to bed. It changed how I laid my tired self down put myself to bed. Just a little bit more aware, a tad bit more in touch with the mystery it is to be alive at all.
It's nice to be given a liturgy by a couple of 13 year olds. (That's Church!) Also, we have this practice deeply embedded in our Christian faith. I think of Eva's favorite hymn, "Count your Blessings..." and of countless theologians and mystics before Eva who've turned to gratitude as a way to stay grounded in God's bigger picture.
Specifically, I love the work of Brother David Steindl-Rast on gratefulness, and I will send anyone who is interested a copy of his book, Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer. It's excellent. I'm serious that I will mail you one if tell me you want one.
(So tell me. Do it).
True gratitude doesn't deny what's in front of us, it looks more closely into what's in front of us and into ourselves, for the Kingdom of God. It assumes we can already taste the Kingdom of God, catch glimpses of it. It assumes God made the world good and goodness is all around us. To rejoice in the good doesn't deny the evil or the brokenness is there, it acknowledges all that is here, but that means we acknowledge the goodness too. And we direct that acknowledgment at its source. Gratitude is one of the shortcuts out of the Way of Fear and back to the Way of God. (False cheerfulness and platitudes are not).
In the meantime, here are some things I am grateful for this week, that I want to share with you.
This conversation with David Steindl-Rast, about gratefulness.
This Krysta Tippett interview with Pauline Boss about "Ambiguous Loss", which is loss without any promise of a resolution - how that impacts us and how we can navigate it. (I shared an introduction to it in the "prayer and poem" section of this week's announcements).
Finally Theresa Latini wrote this lovely reflection on masks, along with a blessing for masks that she uses with Eleanor whenever they leave the house with their masks.
CONNECTING RITUAL:"That's great, honey!" I replied. Then, in typical Maisy-style, never letting me be a bystander but pulling me into life, she said, "You try it now. Just look around and name what you're thankful for in your head."
Then she watched me expectantly.
So I did it.
I looked around the room and felt thankful for the roof over our head and a strong sturdy house, and noted that I really am thankful for that. When I turned back my eyes fell on the dog, and then slid onto Maisy. I was surprised to feel a heart-squeeze of deep gratitude. She nodded, smiling. I could see in her eyes that she knew I was thanking God for her and for Khaleesi.
I smiled at her and left her room, letting my mind go already to more things I felt grateful for.
Wouldn't you know it, Maisy was right. Suddenly being told to name what I was thankful for, and obeying for just 60 seconds, pulled me into a different headspace and heartspace for a moment. It changed how I prayed for her when I returned to kiss her goodnight and and put her to bed. It changed how I laid my tired self down put myself to bed. Just a little bit more aware, a tad bit more in touch with the mystery it is to be alive at all.
It's nice to be given a liturgy by a couple of 13 year olds. (That's Church!) Also, we have this practice deeply embedded in our Christian faith. I think of Eva's favorite hymn, "Count your Blessings..." and of countless theologians and mystics before Eva who've turned to gratitude as a way to stay grounded in God's bigger picture.
Specifically, I love the work of Brother David Steindl-Rast on gratefulness, and I will send anyone who is interested a copy of his book, Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer. It's excellent. I'm serious that I will mail you one if tell me you want one.
(So tell me. Do it).
True gratitude doesn't deny what's in front of us, it looks more closely into what's in front of us and into ourselves, for the Kingdom of God. It assumes we can already taste the Kingdom of God, catch glimpses of it. It assumes God made the world good and goodness is all around us. To rejoice in the good doesn't deny the evil or the brokenness is there, it acknowledges all that is here, but that means we acknowledge the goodness too. And we direct that acknowledgment at its source. Gratitude is one of the shortcuts out of the Way of Fear and back to the Way of God. (False cheerfulness and platitudes are not).
In the meantime, here are some things I am grateful for this week, that I want to share with you.
This conversation with David Steindl-Rast, about gratefulness.
This Krysta Tippett interview with Pauline Boss about "Ambiguous Loss", which is loss without any promise of a resolution - how that impacts us and how we can navigate it. (I shared an introduction to it in the "prayer and poem" section of this week's announcements).
Finally Theresa Latini wrote this lovely reflection on masks, along with a blessing for masks that she uses with Eleanor whenever they leave the house with their masks.
Perhaps tonight before we go to bed, whatever time that is in each of our homes, we can pray in this way, and so join our souls with each other and the people of the whole earth:
Tonight, I will let Maisy direct us in prayer.
Simply stop wherever you are and look around.
Start naming the things you feel thankful for - they can be big or little, silly or deep, just start listing them.
Being still in place and noticing is simply the starting point - let your mind wander out of the room to other things you are thankful for too.
Don't just say, "I'm thankful for..." - thought that's a terrific start. Try saying, "God, thank you for..." and speak right to the God who is present here with you.
. . .
When you are finished, listen in the silence for a response.
. . .
Amen.
Tonight, I will let Maisy direct us in prayer.
Simply stop wherever you are and look around.
Start naming the things you feel thankful for - they can be big or little, silly or deep, just start listing them.
Being still in place and noticing is simply the starting point - let your mind wander out of the room to other things you are thankful for too.
Don't just say, "I'm thankful for..." - thought that's a terrific start. Try saying, "God, thank you for..." and speak right to the God who is present here with you.
. . .
When you are finished, listen in the silence for a response.
. . .
Amen.
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