Eastertide Week 2: Freedom

Because of Jesus' crucifixon and resurrection, we are new creations.  As Easter people the old is gone and the new has come.  We are free to be in this world and not of this world.

As Easter people we have free-will to choose however we have an advocate, the Holy Spirit who will intercede on our behalf and we have a Savior who will forgive us our sins.  God is a God of second, third, fourth and fifth etc. chances.

Freedom in Christ allows us to not be slaves to the hiearchies, the material goods and other trappings of this world.  God desires us to be who she has called us to be.  Each one of us is unique.  We are not living into our calling if we are copying someone else's relationship with God or we have become a nurse because that seems like something religious people should do.

In the scriptures, Jesus tells us to cast all of our burdens upon him and he will give us rest.  Like Max Lucado said in one of his books, put all of your burdens in the suitcase and let Jesus have the suitcase.  That is the tough part, experiencing true freedom as a disciple of Jesus the Christ means giving up control and moving on.

We are free to move on and not look back.  Lamentations says that God mercies are new every morning.  As Easter People let us claim our freedom and stop trying to old wine into new wineskins as the scripture says.  Let us allow our freedom in Christ to fill us with his love.  Let us allow this love to flow out in fresh creative ways to the world.  Our freedom is meant to draw others to Jesus not promote him like some program or list of rules that will get you to heaven.

"True encounter with Christ liberates something in us; a power we did not know we had,  a hope,  a capacity for life, resilence, an ability to bounce back when we thought we were completely defeated, a capacity to grown and change, a power of creative transformation." - Thomas Merton

Eastertide Week 1: Faithfulness

Faithfulness is one of the fruits of the spirit.  Practicing faithfulness means honoring our baptismal vows and keeping our commitment to being Jesus' disciple.  What does faithfulness look like in 2015 on the other side of the Resurrection?

I spent the Triduum and Easter with the sisters at St. Scholastica.  Being faithful for them means trusting God even in the midst of having to sell some of their property and make changes in how they do things.  It means showing up for prayer and demonstrating hospitality even when they don't feel like it.  Faithfulness for some means accepting a new job and moving to a place that they know nothing about.  For others, it is giving of their time to visit shut-ins and pray with the sick.

Faithfulness means listening to God's call and doing the best you can with what you have been given.  For me it means serving God as a wife, a spiritual director and a graduate student.  In all of these roles, I am called to do  my best and to show Christ's love in my daily tasks.

Yet giving God our best does not mean being perfect or checking off a list everyday; it means showing up and letting God work through us.  We do this  best by being willing and by asking God for strength each day.  In this we can take a lesson from the Sisters; while perhaps we cannot meet in a church for 30 minutes everyday at noon but we can pause throughout our day and dedicate our work to God.

Faithfulness is ongoing and for those of us who believe and live on the other side of the Resurrection; we are called to be committed to Jesus the Christ in all we do.  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;" (John 11:25. NIV).  The Resurrection transforms when we keep our promises and allow God to lead. 

Spirituality and Mission - "The purpose of [authentic Christian] spirituality is empowerment for mission."

This is a reflection on the book Called to be Sent: Co-Missioned as Disciples Today written by Anthony J. Gittins spublished by Liguori Publications in 2008..  All quotes are from this book.  

To learn more about Anthony J. Gittins, visit: http://www.ctu.edu/academics/anthony-gittins-cssp.

Gittins quotes this expression of Inagrace Diettrich’s , “the purpose of [authentic Christian] spirituality is empowerment for mission” because he wants to emphasize that mission and discipleship cannot be separated.   He states on a previous page that, “One of the first fruits of spirituality that is really new life in the Spirit is a new attitude toward neighbor: toward everyone.”  He is convinced that this is part of where the church has gone wrong.   Many people view mission as going to Africa and sharing Jesus. Mission is something that only a few are called to do.   Others see being spiritual as something only; those who can shut themselves off from the world are called to do.   They do not see the connection between spending time with God and sharing it with the world.  The Holy Spirit is to be our guide in developing an inclusive attitude that views mission as sharing Jesus with the world.  We are to live our faith  in the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year not just when we feel like it. If we are only interested in ourselves, then our discipleship only goes so far because we are part of the message of the Gospel. It is not our job to exclude or include people from the community of Jesus Christ based on whether or they drink, gamble, read the Bible, fit our church’s image or look attractive.

Gittins is advocating for Christians to be in the business of fulfilling Ephesians 2:14-18, “destroying the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.”(Ephesians 2:14).  This is done according to Gittins by developing a “Missional Christianity that is focused on 3 main components, (1) built on faith more than simply belief, (2) it is more than a process than a state, and (3) it is manifest in both skills and virtues.)”  Possessing authentic Christian spirituality can be described as trusting and being guided by the Holy Spirit, accepting that this is a life-long process and developing life-long disciplines, which lead you to fulfilling your vocation.  We cannot do these things on our own strength nor can do we do these things by simply joining a church and sitting in a pew.  We must spend time with God and with those also who can walk this journey of faith with us not to be an exclusive club but rather to give each other strength to be neighbor. 

I confess that I struggle with being neighbor both inside and outside of the church.  I am a member of a church but I am often very cynical about my faith community.  However, as I have begun to pray more for the church and those who lead, I can see the fruits of my time with God. I am more caring and more loving towards those in my church and outside of the church.  Relying on my won strength does not get me anywhere.  I can see myself being led in this direction as I begin my ministry.  I am hearing God’s call to be a spiritual director as a call to be welcoming to all, to not label myself as a United Methodist Spiritual Director or even as a Christian Spiritual Director but rather to listen and let the Holy Spirit guide.  The other piece of my calling as a contemplative is to pray for others and to be an encourager.  The Holy Spirit is guiding my focus to be attentive to those around me, to smile, say hello and even engage in conversation with strangers.  I have often fallen into the trap of believing that I cannot minister to others until I straighten up and do not have so much sin and suffering in my life.  However, I am realizing that just as the love of Jesus is not exclusive are neither joy nor suffering mutually exclusive.  When we are Spirit-led, joy and suffering can exist simultaneously providing us with the strength to continue to be neighbor.

Looking for something to read in 2015: What's on my Autograph Shelf?

One of the highlights of 2014 was getting to attend one of Christine Valters Painters's retreats and have her autograph several of her books.

Christine and I in Cape May NJ at St. Mary's by the Sea,  my autograph shelf features her books, Desert Fathers and Mothers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings, Eyes of Heart: Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice along with the Artist's Rule: Nurturing your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom - a twelve week journey. 

Tennessee Authors - 

Making Life Matter:Embracing The Joy in the Everyday - Shane Stanford 

Finding Balance: Loving God with Heart and Soul, Mind and Strength  - Becca Stevens 

The Distance to Nightfall - Patricia L. Hamilton 

Chainsaw Preacher and the Chicken Whisperer - Timm Hammer Jonson 

Authors - I have heard speak or attended a retreat/class led by them - 

A Wing and a Prayer: A Message of Faith and Hope - Katharine Jefferts Schori 

Seven Scared Pauses: Living Mindfully through the Hours of the day - Macrina Wiederkehr 

Hildegarde of Bingen - Carmen Acevedo Butcher 

Startled by God :Wisdom From Unexpected Places - Joe McHugh 

Five Practices of Fruitful Living - Robert Schnase 

Making Choices: Discover the Joy in Living the Life You Want to Lead and Gift of a Letter - Alexander Stoddard 

When We Talk about God...Let's Be Honest - R. Kirby Godsey 

Autographed Books Passed Down to Me - 

California Mission Days - Helen Bauer - autographed for mother in 1951 

Prairie Poets II : An Anthology of Verse - gathered by Pasque Petals and the South Dakota State Poetry Society autographed by Adeline M, Jenney, poet Laureate of South Dakota for mother and grandfather in  1966, my grandfather was her mother's pastor from 1932-1936 in Valley Spring South Dakota 

The Secret Life of the Soul and The Taste of New Wine - J. Keith Miller - my  mother attended a retreat done by him in 2007 

Hostage Bound Hostage Free - Ben and Carol Weir with Dennis Benson - I had this autographed for mother and gave it to her as a birthday gift in 1987

Brillant Idiot:An Autobiography of a Dyslexic - Dr. Abraham Schmitt as told to Mary Lou Hartzler Clemens - autographed in 1992 with a message to my mother, my sister and me 

Collections - 

 The Broad River Review - the literary review of Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, North Carolina - autographed by featured poet,  Patricia L. Hamilton 

Preaching God's Transforming Justice: A Lectionary Commentary, Year B - autographed by commentator L. Susan Bond 

Naked, And You Clothed Me: Homilies and Reflections for Cycle A - autographed by homilists - Michelle FrancL-Donnay and Christine Valters Painter 

Check out my pinterest board: http://www.pinterest.com/sayaming/cant-wait-for/ to see what I am looking forward to reading in 2015. 

Day 18: Finally Home: The Love of My Life, My Adorable Kitties and My Favorite Places in Jackson TN

Allan and me 

I awake early and get on the road only stopping when it is absolutely necessary. While I mentioned in the beginning that overall I focused on eating healthy especially when I was in the car by myself; I declared this day junk food and caffeine day.  I ate chocolate, drank coffee and played on the radio whatever I needed to do to stay awake.  I came back to Jackson to be greeted by my husband and my two precious cats; thankful for the trip but so grateful to come home to my family.  While in many respects Jackson will not be home; it is not where I grew up nor it is where my spiritual and cultural legacy was formed but it is where I am called to minister as a spiritual director and where Allan and the cats whom I love deeply are.  It is where I live for this season of my life.

Macademina (Mac for short) being her playful and curious self 

Saya Ming doing what she loves best sleeping

Favorite Places in Jackson TN : 

West Tennessee Farmer's Market - http://www.cityofjackson.net/farmersmarket/main.html
Cypress Grove Nature Park - http://www.jacksonrecandparks.com/leagues/custom_page.cfm?clientid=3046&leagueid=0&pageid=558
UT Gardens at West TN Research and Agricultural Center - http://west.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/
Alba Coffee and Cafe - http://www.albacoffeetn.com/
LIFT Wellness Center - http://www.liftjackson.com/
Rock'Dough Pizza - https://www.facebook.com/rockndoughpizzaandbrewco

Days 16 and 17: Homeward Bound

It is Monday morning, I load the car with more than I came with(can't escape my mother-in-law's getting rid of stuff although this time I did get a piece of luggage which will prove useful) and then say good-bye.  Scranton, Wilkes-Barre,  Harrisburg and east to Gettysburg, no time for touring but I stop at the outlet mall and walk around.  I find some slippers for Allan and also buy him some pumpkin cookies from Gertrude Hawk's store.  Back in the car and over to I-95 to meet up with the rush hour traffic and enjoy another night with Allan's brother and his wife.

Eat, sleep and then it is down west through Central VA and then down I-81 to Johnson City where I enjoy a friend's generous hospitality including a delicious Japanese dinner at one of the new restaurants.  She enjoys hearing about all of my adventures and then I listen to her tell me about her upcoming trip to Haiti.

View from a Virginia Rest Stop