I had
planned on writing each day of Lent for #LoveLife. We plan and God laughs. Here is my attempt to catch up. Blessed be our Lenten Journey.
Conversion
Each morning when I awake I know
abundant life. For me there is a deep
knowledge that each day is a gift I have been given. I was born with congenital heart disease and
my parents were told I wouldn’t live past age 12. Then God saved my heart and my life with ground
breaking surgery. I have a full and
abundant life. Each morning I wake up
and my first thought is “Yes, another day, thank you God!”
And then my feet hit the ground and
I get busy and I forget to stay present in the moment. I still have a long way to grow, to stay
present, to stay thankful, to remember each breathe is a gift and opportunity.
Gospel
What new word is God speaking to you today?
Stirring.
Scripture
Write a wish for your journey along the way.
Write a wish for your journey along the way.
Holding in tension things earthly
and things heavenly. I wish for the “sweet spot” where earth and heaven
meet. I have a colleague who uses the
term “sweet spot” when they feel the
Holy Spirit take them over and they feel heaven even though they are fully
earth bound. I have had those
moments. They are amazing! I have also blocked myself from those
moments. I wish to stay open to the
movement of the Spirit, to experience the “sweet
spot”.
Revelation Conversation
Can you allow yourself to be vulnerable and be
embraced?
At some point in my life I stopped
chasing after love and started accepting love.
I couldn’t tell you the day, the decision, the moment, the impetus. One day I just realized I was allowing people
to love me, I was allowing God to love me.
Then my heart burst open and I wanted more. Getting more means being vulnerable. Now that can be a daily (hourly) challenge. It takes a lot of courage to be
vulnerable. It takes bravery to share
our story – because once we share our truth it is out there to be embraced or
rejected. I have been both. What I know to be true is God already knows
my truth, long before I allow myself to be vulnerable enough to realize my own
truth and courageous enough to share it.
And God loves me in my truth, even the broken parts of me. In my brokenness God can introduce wholeness.
Love
What do you understand about who God is?
For me God is Love. A love so powerful I couldn’t walk away from
it (I tried), I couldn’t deny it (I tried), I couldn’t drown it out with other
idols (I tried), I couldn’t escape it through anger (I tried), I couldn’t
reject it (I tried) and I can’t live without it (I tried). For me God is love; all consuming,
relentless, passionate, everlasting love.
Thanks be to God!
Relationship
How could you be playful in showing love to others
today?
I am so blessed to be a mother. Our God is a playful and funny God. I am a serious person who tends to take
things way too seriously. Can’t do that
with kids. I think God graced my life
with children to keep me from taking myself too seriously and missing out on a
lot of life. Best mom moments ever? When your kids belt out the deep belly
giggle. Nothing in this world like
it. You laugh so hard you cry. Playful love.
Acceptance
What is your reminder that you are loved?
“God adores you…that’s the truth.” If we open ourselves up to be loved by God we
can see it everywhere. Everywhere. The truth is it’s a choice we make. A dear friend of mine asks “are you going to
bless it or block it?” Indeed. Am I going to open myself up to the powerful
love of God and be forever transformed?
Risky. Amazing. Or am I going to close myself off and block
the love? I remember my life when I was
blocking the love. I don’t choose to go
back there.
