Mom’s health is now at a place where someone is with her in her room or the next room 24/7. As I write, Brenda and I are working remotely with our ministries from the table just outside Mom’s room while she watches Jessica Fletcher from her hospital bed. She has just had her morning meds and is slowly falling back to sleep, which she does a lot these days.
I generally have the night watch. I sleep really well in the recliner at the foot of Mom’s bed (an ability no one else in my family shares).
Mom is usually up at least one time in the night if not twice. This has radically changed my sleep schedule and that has blessed me greatly. One of the things I have always wanted to implement in my prayer life was the Benedictine rhythm of prayer: Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline.
I have managed to implement the sessions but not in their proper time slots…that is… not until this season of life.
Mom’s nighttime schedule has made it very easy to get up and pray for Matins and Lauds. I have to say, spreading out the hours of prayer into more evenly spaced sessions has made the prayer-life balance so much richer. Life flows out of prayer, then life flows back into prayer. One of my hopes is that I will be able to establish this rhythm permanently and naturally into my life.
Today is my sabbath. I will be spending some time thinking about the subject of inner peace. Here are some of the meditational thoughts I will be dwelling on.
THIS YEAR OUR CONGREGATION IS FOCUSING ON DEVELOPING 7 PRACTICES ARRIVED AT THROUGH A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE BOILED DOWN INTO SOMETHING WE HAVE DUBBED THE CONGREGATIONAL SENTENCE, WHICH SAYS … “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“
I HAVE BROKEN THIS SENTENCE DOWN INTO 21 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS TO SHARE HERE THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. HERE IS OUR 6TH DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT. THIS WEEK WE WILL… PREPARE OUR SOULS TO PRACTICE AND FEEL COMPASSION.
Is it always necessary to feel compassion before we practice compassion? Is there a place where we practice compassion simply because it’s the right thing to do regardless of how we feel about it?
The answer to that question is….OF COURSE. The book of James teaches us, “17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” James 4:17
There are many things we do in our Christian walk that go against our “feelings”. Walking in the Spirit means letting the spirit (that part of us that connects to the Spirit of God) lead rather than our souls (our logic, personal will and emotions). We begin walking in the Spirit by coming to know and obey the commands and principles of the Bible. After a time of such practice we can begin to hear the voice of God directing us in the place of prayer.
What I have discovered is that when I practice walking the way the Spirit leads, my emotions line up with the Word, but if I wait to obey God until I feel like obeying Him my “feelings to want” godliness never grow.
Our church is comprised of small groups of people we call Doing Life Together Groups. Each group is encouraged to
STUDY THE BIBLE TOGETHER/ TO PRAY TOGETHER/ TO FELLOWSHIP AND BUILD DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER/ AND TO MEET NEEDS IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
One of our “DLT” groups is a group of men called The Steadfast Sons. This year they chose to minister to the greater community of men in our church though and event called “BE A GODLY MAN”.
About 40 men from 8 different DLT groups showed up for breakfast lunch and five breakout sessions
Andy Ross and Stephen Sandoval were our co facilitators in Doing Life Together for the day.
Here are some of my take aways from the day.
BOYS CANNOT CONFER MANHOOD ON THEMSELVES. MEN NEED TO CONFER MANHOOD ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF MEN.
WORRY IS ANTI-PRAYER.
JESUS NEVER OFFERED US A COMFORTABLE LIFE. THERE WILL BE CHALLENGE AND PAIN.
YOUR PROBLEMS ARE NOT OTHER PEOPLE. TROUBLE IS ALWAYS CENTERED IN THE SPIRIT REALM FIRST AND FOREMOST.
MEN MUST CONTINUALLY “GOSPEL” THEMSELVES ACCORDING TO EPHESIANS 6.
THERE ARE NO CHUBBY BREASTPLATES IN THE ARMOR OF GOD. THE ARMOR MAKES US FIT AND ENCOURAGES US TO STAND IN THAT FITNESS.
THE ARMOR SHOULD MAKE US FILL THE WORLD AROUND US WITH PEACE.
THE ARMOR OF GOD IS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN LINKED WITH A BAND OF BROTHERS.
PRAY THE WORD NOT JUST THE NEED.
Our men had a great day of fellowship together. I was greatly blessed by all the relationship building I saw going on.
In our final sessions I got a few more thoughts to think about.
STRONG MEN ARE SABBATH MEN. ADAM RESTED FOR WORK NOT FROM IT. REST IS FOUND IN JESUS NOT IN “REST”.
GOD LONGS FOR US TO BE IN RHYTHM NOT NECESSARILY IN BALANCE.
GOD HAS CALLED US TO PERSEVERE.
GOD HAS CALLED US TO HUMILITY AND SUBMISSION
GOD HAS CALLED US TO SERVE.
It was a great day of worship, spiritual reminders and challenges, fun, and fellowship.
1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.
2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.
3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a particular subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.
4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.
5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.
6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!
7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.
8. Have fun!
THE WRITING PROMPT FOR THIS WEEK IS THE WORD….CLUMP
“CLUMP”. It is such an unattractive word. I am almost afraid to write about it for fear of what ugliness will come out. Mostly… I hate clumps. They are unattractive lumps of nothing usually having no purpose other than to be taken over by some outside force and having to be dealt with severely in order to restore…well…order.
Case in point my yard. It is full of clumpy things.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a certain beauty to my clumps, a certain wildness. The woods and the brush pile have attracted loads of song birds and the rock pile is home to a cute little family of chipmunks, but all the clumps make me feel a little out of control, if I am honest.
Here’s a confession, I am afraid of what I will lose if I get rid of my clumps. Wait! that sounds like hoarding talk! Am I hoarding my outdoor clumps? Maybe a little….Maybe it is something I have a mental block about, as bit of an avoidance disorder in the making. It does make me wonder why I keep from fixing the mess outdoors. I keep saying I have been busy, but I think it might be more than that. Maybe I stay busy so I don’t need to deal with the “clumps”…. is it for comfort?…is it for control? I am going to have to consider this.
We are facing great challenges here at The Vicarage. “We are pressed on every side”, as Paul the Apostle said, but we are not crushed!
Music helps me to hold on to my faith perspective during seasons of hardship. Here is one of the songs I am currently listening to to bolster my faith.
DOES MUSIC HELP YOU TO FOCUS? OF SO WHAT SONGS ARE HELPING YOU THESE DAYS?
Well my indoor garden has sprouted. My friend Jody says I have planted too early. It may be so, but that is the glory of experimentation. We shall see what the future holds for my garden… and other things. I am finding a weird sort of peace in the face of all the current uncertainties. I possess a kind of contentment in the midst of uncertain circumstances that is based in eternal certainties.
I don’t know if my garden will grow to fruit.
I don’t know how long my mother’s failing health will hold.
I don’t know how long the church’s current favor in the community will last.
Pastor Amanda volunteering at the CAC Bowling Alley
I don’t know about my future prosperity. my regions future prosperity. The country’s future prosperity. The world’s future prosperity.
I don’t know a lot of things…..But there are things I am certain of.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. ROMANS 8:28
I CAN BE… confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. PHIL. 1:6
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[a]11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.[b] That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 2 PETER 3:9-13
So I can see the forest. It’s the trees I am struggling to see.
The last few nights have been difficult for Mom. She has been having a hard time sleeping. Last night when she did sleep she had vivid dreams that spilled over into waking hallucinations. We had chickens dancing on the ceiling and great anxiety over the house running out of oil. Haloperidol is one of the medications that is helping us through this part of her illness.
It’s Sabbath today and so I am spending some time resting in prayer. Mom has been a bit more restful throughout the morning so that has been helpful. Here are some quotes about reality I am thinking about today.
“Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW MONTHS I WILL BE REPOSTING THESE DEVOTI0NAL THOUGHTS I WROTE DURING OUR CHURCH’S 21 DAYS OF FASTING AND PRAYER. TODAY WE CONTINUE TO…
PREPARE OUR SOULS TO PRACTICE AND FEEL COMPASSION.
In Matthew 9 the Bible says, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
A heart of compassion starts with God moving on that heart to see things the way He sees them. When we see a need that is the beginning of God moving on our hearts to build compassion. The recognition of the need is the first step.
When we begin to pray for God to send someone to meet the need we further align ourselves with His plan, because I promise you He wants to help.
I love that Jesus told the disciples to start praying for God to send someone to help and then as God He sent them into the very harvest field they were praying about…
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Mat. 10:1, 5-8
When we learn we are the answer to our own prayers for help for others and then become willing enough to actually do something rather than make excuses we will have gained a heart of compassion.
Every week I am choosing to enter a blogging community challenge. One of may personal favorites is SHARE YOUR WORLD.
This challenge has been a part of the blogosphere for many years and has had several hosts. Check out the current hosts blog when you have finished reading my answers to her questions.
1. What do you normally have for breakfast? I am pretty ritualistic when it comes to breakfast. Most mornings I start with two glasses of water, a cup of coffee, two pieces of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and half a banana. About twice a week I will switch it up and have two fried eggs with toast or an English muffin and a half a banana 2. Do you prefer to cook using gas or electricity? I don’t really have a preference. I have always been a little leery of a gas stove, if I am honest. 3. When you are working on your computer/laptop/tablet/mobile device etc, do you listen to music or have something else on in the background? Not usually. I sometimes pray with music on, but if I am writing or working I generally do that in silence. 4. Do you hang pictures on your walls, or prefer to have personal photographs on shelves? My home was built with two “photograph rooms”. The photo rails are built just above eye level. I guess when the house was built it was considered that photos should not be everywhere in the house, but only in specific rooms.I have also been told, It was also considered improper to hang things on the walls. Today those shelves are jammed with photosand I have photos and art hanging all over the walls.
Gratitude: I have said it before. I am very grateful for family, friends and professional hospice workers who are helping to make Mom comfortable for however long she has left with us.
Notes From the Vicarage 
