Prayer a priority

This quote may seem a little harsh. I provide it here not to make anyone feel guilty. Seriously - don't go there. It's simply a reminder to myself and because I feel particularly challenged these last few weeks to upgrade my prayer life, specifically concentrating more on Presence in all circumstances. I am so addicted to thinking!

Here's a challenging gem from Henri Nouwen via Christine Sine*:

My main problem is that I have not really made prayer my priority. … much of what I am doing is motivated by many other concerns: getting back in shape, learning some manual skills, knowing more about birds and trees, getting to know interesting people… and picking up many ideas and experiences for future teaching.  But if prayer were my only concern, all these other laudable things could be received as free gifts.  Now, however, I am obsessed by these desires which are false, not in themselves but by their being in the wrong place in the heirarchy. (p42)

*Source: http://godspace-msa.com/2015/07/28/preparing-for-retreat-thoughts-from-henri-nouwen/
*Photo: Rod Janz

Clearing

This poem describes where I am at right now... waiting.

It feels like a "dark night" in contemplative language. Nothing satisfies. Despite my desperate need for more income, I'm tired of chasing after shiny things and don't want to start anything new. The whisper I hear is to simply "be a practitioner."

I am trying to be patient, live one day at a time and allow life to unfold.

So here I am.

Creating a clearing.

Clearing 
by Martha Postlewaite

Do not try to save
the whole world
or do anything grandiose.
Instead, create
a clearing
in the dense forest
of your life
and wait there
patiently,
until the song
that is your life
falls into your own cupped hands
and you recognize and greet it.
Only then will you know
how to give yourself
to this world
so worthy of rescue.

Thanks to Christine Valters Painter for posting on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinevalterspaintner/posts/10153590340182089