Mid Morning Pause- “Seven times a day I praise you…” Psalm 119:164

Seven Sacred Pauses by Macrina Wiederkehr entered my heart and soul with its message. See the July 21 post. The next several entries will feature thoughts about the daily rhythm of pausing for prayer throughout the day and even in the night.
People have prayed at fixed hours for centuries. These moments can be called sacred pauses, the daily office, or the divine hours. The number of times each day varies from three to four to seven. Honoring God by honoring the hours connect us to the divine and increases our awareness to the movement of the spirit in our lives.
I invite your comments as we honor the movement of the rhythm of each day as we Pause and learn the lesson of that hour (background and specific themes for the featured hour) and stretch and grow (questions to ponder and practices to try)

I start off well with morning prayer, full of good intentions to bring my heart to God throughout the day. But in reality I get distracted by life, interrupted by other voices, and pulled in many directions. The world’s gold standard – multitasking – glitters and attracts my attention, so I wander away from God instead of centering on Him.

Perhaps that is why this series about pausing is so important to me. I know deep down my attention is on the world, my ego and my accomplishments, not on the One who created me.

The second time to pause is Midmorning.

Pause and Listen to the Lesson of the Hour
Midmorning is a time for a quick break to count your blessings. The day is still young with space yet to get work done. Wiederkehr borrows a line from Emily Dickinson to describe this hour “‘We dwell in possibility.’ The opportunities of the day are numberless. In the midst of all these possibilities, then, we try to be aware of the Spirit’s abiding presence.”

Wiederkehr calls this the “Blessing Hour.” When we grow in mindfulness, we see the blessings throughout our day -the ones we ignored or barely acknowledged when trying to juggle fourteen gazillion balls in the air at one time.

“Let your liveliness shine on us, and bless the work we do, bless the work of our hands”. -Psalm 90:17

Stretch and Grow
I find it difficult to even remember to pause midmorning -taking a moment to stretch and stop to glance out the window at a puffy cloud. I close my eyes briefly inhaling and exhaling slowly three times. I feel alive and grateful for the blessing of work - the sacredness of work – and honoring this hour I value the privilege and possibilities in work. I breathe in strength for the rest of the day. Kahlil Gibran writes, “When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.”

Here is a prayer from Wiederkehr’s book for the midmorning pause:

The newness of morning lingers as the day wears slowly on. Lovingly behold the work that my hands, heart and mind have achieved thus far. Receive it as part of my morning prayer. Let it be my love made visible. In this midmorning hour enlighten me that I may see the value of pausing to behold the blessings that surround me. Anoint my beginning efforts and give me a new heart to continue my journey thought this day. When discouragement sets in, remind me that I dwell in possibility. In Christ’s name I pray.

“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths or the turning inwards in prayer for five short minutes.” (Etty Hillesum)

Pausing for Morning Prayer-- “Seven times a day I praise you…” Psalm 119:164

Seven Sacred Pauses by Macrina Wiederkehr entered my heart and soul with its message. See the July 21 post. The next several entries will feature thoughts about the daily rhythm of pausing for prayer throughout the day and even in the night.

People have prayed at fixed hours for centuries. These moments can be called sacred pauses, the daily office, or the divine hours. The number of times each day varies from three to four to seven. Honoring God by honoring the hours connect us to the divine and increases our awareness to the movement of the spirit in our lives.

I invite your comments as we honor the movement of the rhythm of each day as we pause and learn the lesson of that hour (background and specific themes for the featured hour) and stretch and grow (questions to ponder and practices to try)

Morning people drive people nuts. How do I know? I confess that I am one. We find it easy and natural to begin each day in prayer. We awaken with God, a form of resurrection. Morning brings a fresh start and bubbles with possibilities.

There is the old joke: Some of us say, "Good God, it's morning!" and others of us say, "Good morning, God!"

But God still welcomes even the groggy, sleepy, pull the sheets over me and wake me up later people. After all He did lovingly wired each of us personally and still waits for us to accept His daily invitation to be with Him.

Pause and Listen to the Lesson of the Hour
From the earliest Christian times, the first hour of the day starts with praise. Themes are new light and celebrating the gift of another day.

The mystical poet Rumi writes, “ The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you; don’t go back to sleep.”

Just as our bodies awaken, so does our spirit as we pause and open our eyes to the world around us.

Stretch and Grow
Of all the seven pauses this is one I practice regularly. As I learn more about the divine hours, it is fun to explore various prayers patterns from books and the internet. Trying different routines and forms of prayer energizes the start of my day.

What needs to be awakened in our soul today? What can we see and be thankful for that we take for granted? Is there a new flower blooming in the garden? What new taste will tickle my tongue today?

Here are some quotes to ponder:

“Set the clock of your heart for dawn’s arrival. Taste the joy of being awake.” Macrina Wiederkehr

“Creator of the Dawning Sun, draw me with your eternal energy. Filter your transforming glow through every inner fiber of mine until I am transparent with the power of your enlightening beauty.” Joyce Rupp

"Bathed in morning light, pray that the lantern of your life moves gently this day into all those places where light is needed" Marina Wiederkehr

When you wake tomorrow, try drenching that first moment in praise and prayer for the new day. Good Morning, God!

Spiritual Pause Power

Take a deep breath. Now I mean it – stop for a moment. Take a deep breath.

Realize you are alive. Feel your lungs expand and the rush of air through your pursed lips.

Pause.

I have been pondering the power in pausing lately. Seven Sacred Pauses, written by Macrina Wiederkehr, provides the nourishment for my new venture into the spiritual practice of living mindfully by pausing to pray at set times each day.

She writes, “Living mindfully is the art of living awake and ready to embrace the gift of the present moment.”

This book is NOT about how to do the daily office, but contains reflections about applying the themes of specific hours to deepen our awareness of God and of life. Intentionally pausing at certain points each day awakens us, brings new insights that help us to go deeper instead of skimming along on the surface, and provides a touch point with our true self, not what the world is shouting to us to be.

“We practice pausing to remember the sacredness of our names, who we are and what we plan on doing with the incredible gift of our lives and how we can learn to be in the midst of so much doing.”

Let’s explore together these seven sacred pauses. The next seven posts will feature thoughts about each of them and I invite your comments as we honor the movement of the rhythm of each day.

As a side note: I now have a sign up form on the top right corner of this page if you want to get each new post as an email. Thanks!

The Spiritual Practice of Keeping your Mouth Shut and Listening to God

South African Terence Parkin won the Olympic silver medal in the men’s 200 breaststroke in Sydney in September of 2000. Though this is an accomplishment in itself, it is even more remarkable that Terrence has been deaf since birth.

Terence did not hear the cheering, the splashing of the water or the background noises in the swimming pool. Strobe lights announced the start of each race and launched him off the pad into the water.

What a feat to make the Olympics, to make the final match, and then win a medal on top of having a disability.

Coach Graham Hill noted that Terence’s biggest strength is his deafness. “He doesn’t listen to the nonsense around him”.

Keeping my mouth shut and listening more to God seems to be a lesson God is telling me lately. I laugh at the old adage that is why He only gave us one mouth and two ears. We need to listen more to Him, respond to His holy strobe light and forget the nonsense that the world throws at us.

I ponder once again what is written in Proverbs 8:34: “Blessed is the man who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.”

Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence – Book Review

If you could write down the words Jesus speaks to you, what would they be?

Sarah Young has written a unique 365 day devotional called Jesus Calling. In her faith walk, she intentionally began to open her heart more and “began to listen to what He was saying.”

Young writes, “I had been writing in prayer journals for years but that was one-way communication; I did all the talking, I knew that God communicated with me with the Bible, but I yearned for more. I decided to listen to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever I believed He was saying… my journaling had changed from monologue to dialogue.”

Each day in this devotional is written as if Jesus Himself was speaking. The gift size book has one or two paragraphs daily with a message tied to a Scripture. The author encourages the reader to read each entry slowly and to keep a journal to record any thoughts you receive as you listen to God.

Having a daily devotion time is a foundational practice for nurturing a healthy spirituality. Jesus Calling is not an in-depth, challenging book, but a simple heartfelt devotional to ease into your day and to quiet your soul to really listen to God. This book would also make a great gift for giving.

What is God saying to you? Are you listening?

Are You God’s Tapestry?

One of my favorite stories:

When I was a little, my mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. As from the underside I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat.
She would smile at me, look down and gently say, "Child, you go about your playing for a while, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side."
I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother's voice say, "Come and sit on my knee." This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy.
Then Mother would say to me, "My child, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."
Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what are You doing?" He has answered, "I am embroidering your life." I say, "But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they all be bright?" The Father seems to tell me, "'My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side."
Author Unknown

This story provided comfort for me when hurt by life and encouragement when stress piled up and overwhelmed me. I imagined myself as the young child, moving on and through God’s tapestry -two separate objects working together. I felt like I was walking on top of the embroidery being designed by God.

But I realized this week that the tapestry is not a detached item -

I am the tapestry.

This subtle shift in my recognition of how the Creator is working within me deeply affected me.

As we journey in this life, God continues to teach us, form us and yes, weave in various colored threads. I guess I never fully realized before I was God’s work in progress on His loom, still being tenderly assembled and designed. I will continue to ponder and pray about this insight.

My favorite psalm from the Bible is Psalm 139. I have read these verses multiple times and in all the various versions. Though the words were right in front of me, they never sunk into my thick head. God knits the yarn of my being and weaves me together – I am His tapestry.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. Psalm 139: 13-15 NIV

Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary and Finding God

Ordinary. Mundane. Routine. Common.

Does this sound boring to you?

We have entered the church season called the Ordinary Time running now until Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday before the beginning of Advent. A long drawn out season of 33 or 34 Sundays, depending on which calendar the church follows.

Ordinary time gets its name from the word “ordinal”, which means counted time and we count each Sunday as in the First Sunday after Pentecost, etc. The liturgical color for this season is green – very appropriate for summer time and for the idea of a fresh growth and new life.

So how do we keep growing during ordinary times of our lives?

Richard Foster in his wonderful book Prayer – Finding the Heart’s True Home, writes about the sanctity or holiness in the ordinary. “We pray the ordinary in three ways: first by turning ordinary experience of life into prayer, second, by seeing God in the ordinary experiences of life; and third, by praying throughout the ordinary experiences of life.”

This period of time is a great opportunity to discover God in our daily living, not just in the spectacular or in the media. Foster writes, “If we cannot find God in the routines of home and shop, then we will not find him at all.”

God loves the ordinary – He worked six days, He created, and He walked in the garden. He came to earth in a common stable to ordinary parents on what appeared to most, an uneventful night. We can find God in everything and everywhere if we just look outside of our own egos for Him.

To find the extraordinary in the ordinary, I need to stop, wait and look. As in the church’s ordinary time, we pause and count the astonishing holiness made visible in the commonplace.

I see God right in front of me – in a billowing storm cloud, the dancing of the golden summer wheat, or a face of a new grandchild. I hear Him in the birds singing, the laughter of gathered friends, or tick of a clock. I taste Him in popcorn, lemonade, or refreshing glass of ice cold water. I feel Him in the gentle morning breeze, splashing of the swimming pool or sinking onto the cool bed sheets at night. I smell Him in freshly baked cookies, my roses from the backyard or as the dish soap bubbles tickle my nose.

He is everywhere and always in the ordinary.

“Do not forget that the value and interest of life is not so much to do conspicuous things… as to do ordinary thing with the perception of the enormous value” – Teilhard de Chardin

The Spirituality of Beholding God’s Love

I witnessed love this week.

I watched my daughter Katie, holding her newborn baby, Kyla. With protective arms, supporting her still wobbly head, Katie smiled and hummed a quiet tune. It was like no one else was in the room. Their eyes, fixated on one another, radiated an intense love.

Amazing love. Amazing Love.

I, a mere creature, a human, can never fully comprehend how much God loves us. Yet when I observed this tender and adoring exchange between a mother and child, I caught a glimpse of the Divine.

“Listen to me…you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46: 3-4

Throughout our earthly journey, God continues to hold each of us in His protective arms, supporting our wobbly fears. Like a baby’s full reliance on a mother’s care, our faith rests in his promise to watch over us.

“As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.” Isaiah 66:13

As Katie’s face glowed with a tender smile, and I just knew God also smiles when he watches us. He “beholds” us, giving us His full attention. God knows the full plan so can easily smile even during our difficulties – he knows how our journey will end – once again in His arms.

“He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

I wonder what song God sings to us as he holds us tenderly in His strong arms. Just think: the God who never lets us go, also sings over us. What beautiful music that must be.

Who does the baby hear when a mother hums a quiet lullaby? Maybe Kyla can still hear God’s joyous melody enfolding her heart.

I watched my daughter Katie, holding her newborn baby, Kyla.

And I witnessed Love.