I hate clocks and watches - they become a prison for me that I can’t escape. I become obsessed with, “what time is it” and “being on time” and meeting “dead” lines. For me living by the clock or watch makes me “times” prisoner rather than a means to “keep” time. In fact clocks and watches often prevent me from entering fully the precious moment I am in– as I am always trying to grasp the next moment to come (playing “beat the clock”). Many years ago (about 10) I gave up the “wrist manacle” and began to live free from a time keeper.

In light of that… I have stopped watching watches and offer the following little bits and piece I have picked up over the years on the mechanical ticking that can tie us up.

“Clocks slay time… time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.” ~William Faulkner

“…being attentive to the times of the day: when the birds began to sing, and the deer came out of the morning fog, and the sun came up. The reason why we don’t take time is a feeling that we have to keep moving. This is a real sickness. We live in the fullness of time. Every moment is God’s own good time, His kairos (gk. for opportune time). The whole thing boils down to giving ourselves in prayer a chance to realize that we have what we seek. We don’t have to rush after it. It was there all the time and if we give it time, it will make itself known to us.” ~Thomas Merton

“One act is required - and that is all: for this one act pulls everything together and keeps everything in order… This one act is to stand with attention in your heart.” ~Theophan the Recluse

“Nevertheless I am alway with you: for you hold me by my right hand.” (Psalm 73.23)

That last verse from The Book of Psalms is one that I like to keep in mind - when I “instinctual” want to look at the clocks time - to remind me - no watch on my right hand, but God is with me! So enter into the NOW - for “there” is where time is full and God is present.

Writing is tough! I think the greatest thing a person can do in helping them become a better verbal communicator is to work harder and more intentionally at writing. It doesn’t stop there, that is if you want to become a better writer - to become a better writer one must become a more diligent reader (reading good books, journals, and articles).

So, if you want to speak well, write well; if you desire to write well, read well.

In view of that…

A writer is someone for whom writing is harder than it is for other people… Len Sweet

As the old saying goes: Writing is easy. You just stare at a blank page until drops of blood form on your forehead. – Marshall Shelley

Peace.

There is nothing like a great story. It doesn’t happen often enough, but when it does; well, it is magical. Gathering around a crackling fire on a cool, clear night and then the magic, “Tell us a story!” Ahh… the pressure is on! It’s a great pressure, though - to weave a tale that excites, holds the attention, keeps ‘em guessing and then comes together at the end with surprise or relief or, at the least, a “fairly” logical resolution. Some of the finer moments in my time with family, friends and youth ministry all took place around a fire sharing a “good story.”

Nothing can capture us like that - our imagination, our attention, our emotions and maybe even shaping our vocation and our character. Lately I have been experiencing that as I have been walking around and in my daily chores living with a couple particular stories from the New Testament - and I have been noticing: they don’t seem to have a bottom, you can go so deep; and they don’t seem to have an end, they just keep unraveling; and they don’t seem to stop revealing and teaching, they illumine more and more.

Then yesterday I stumbled across this quote from Parker Palmer,

“The marvelous thing about learning from a story is that the story never ends, so our learning from it need not end either.” (from The Active Life. Harper & Row. 1990. p.98)

Yes!!

Don’t ever stop listening to or sharing a great story, there is nothing like it.

Most mornings I head to the barn to feed and turn out the horses (from mid-Fall through early Spring). It was a cold morning this past winter when I was heading through my routine - I walked the 250 feet from my back door to the barn past the front pasture; I fed the horses their grain; I broke the ice off the watering trough; I put out flakes of hay for the horses to graze on in the front pasture and I was turning my wife’s swedish warmblood out into the front pasture when I heard my wife’s voice (over my iPod) and saw her frantically waving (that by the way was not part of our morning ritual). My wife was trying to get my attention - because apparently as I went through my morning routine I failed to notice the 30 foot tree that had fallen through the fence in our front pasture (25 feet of it, at least, was IN the pasture on the ground).

What, was I blind?

How could I have missed it - once I saw it - I couldn’t see anything else?! I had walked past the fallen tree, I had been in the pasture filling the trough and putting out hay - yet I had never opened my eyes beyond my own footsteps to see what had transpired in the night. Going through the motions with little to no engagement. Unaware and distant from the moment - can you say, “not present.” I wasn’t blind; I was just lacking any awareness and attentiveness to my surroundings (or is that the very definition of being, “blind”).

After that incident, (after coming to terms with, “How didn’t I see that!”) I began to reflect on, how often am I “going through the motions” and how much do I miss?

I am working on living in a more alert fashion. I am trying to slow and to live with a greater appreciation for the present. It is a slow process. It is sort of ironic that next month I am leading a spiritual retreat for folks on this very topic. I think I am learning that God often leads me to such opportunities - not because of what I can offer - but because it is how he can teach me.

I hope to hear and obey the words of Benedict in the Prologue to his Rule:

“However late, then, it may seem, let us rouse ourselves from lethargy. That is what scripture urges on us when it says, the time has come for us to rouse ourselves from sleep. Let us open our eyes to the light that shows us the way to God. Let our ears be alert to the stirring call of his voice crying to us every day: today if you should hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” [St. Benedict’s Rule, A New Translation for Today, Ampleforth Abbey Press, 1997. p. 11]

I love this prayer from Phyllis Tickle’s The Divine Hours for the second week of Lent:

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

I find the power in that prayer behind the fact that Jesus who was tested by temptation to go another way - instead chose willingly and obediently the walk to the Cross. I find hope that the one who chose the cross is mighty enough to empower and assist me in facing my temptations. I find great love underneath the phrase - as you know us.

A wonderful prayer to accompany us this second week of lent.

Wisdom from the ascetics in the desert from Thomas Merton’s The Wisdom of the Desert.

Some powerful truth(s) about our view of others from hermits!

“One of the elders said: A monk ought not to inquire how this one acts, or how that one lives. Questions like this take us away from prayer and draw us on to backbiting and chatter. There is nothing better than to keep silent.” (p. 74)

“Abbot Moses said: A man ought to be like a dead man with his companion, for to die to one’s friend is to cease to judge him in anything.” (p. 75)

“Once two brethren came to a certain elder whose custom it was not to eat every day. But when he saw the brethren he invited them with joy to dine with him, saying: Fasting has its reward, but he who eats out of charity fulfills two commandments, for he sets aside his own will and he refreshes his hungry brethren.” (p. 77)

Finally.

Our weekly wisdom brings us to one of our Desert Mothers (Syncletica - one of the few women who has contributions in “The Sayings of the Fathers”). She provides us with some helpful wisdom that resonates with me in the cold days of November; and challenges me when I complain, “why is this so hard.”

“Abess Syncletica of Holy Memory said: ‘There is labour and great struggle for the impious who are converted to God, but after that comes inexpressible joy. A man (sic) who wants to light a fire first is plagued by smoke, and the smoke drives him to tears, yet finally he gets the fire that he wants. So also it is written: Our God is a consuming fire. Hence we ought to light the divine fire in ourselves with labour and with tears.’” (Thomas Merton, The Wisdom of the Desert p. 55)

Today no ancient wisdom; but nonetheless it is wisdom as old as the earth. The wisdom comes from an unlikely place and yet that is often the place where we find true wisdom (I Corinthians 3.18, “Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise.”) So today we turn to find wisdom in a little known Christian Alternative band. I uncovered this little gem while working in a church as an associate pastor and it was the music of these artists that I often turned to in times of pain, feeling misunderstood and finding myself amidst the pressure and the glass house of expectations that can accompany public ministry.

I often led our youth in worship singing this song. At first the teenagers enjoyed the novelty and the intrigue of the verses of this particular song - it felt out of place to be singing many of the words as part of our “worship” in church. Yet, over time the song became one that led us to some of our most deep and transcendent experiences of worship. More than one time the song ended and a holy hush filled the room; time stood still and we were one with our Maker.

I think of this song often - each time I turn on Skype and see that message about “breathe deep” and many times the refrain of this chorus fills me up as I walk amidst God’s creation.

So may this universal message of God’s wide mercy and extravagant grace remind us of our privilege to know and encounter God and our need to be His agents of restoration to all people.

Breathe Deep (the Breath of God)
from The Lost Dog’s debut album “Scenic Routes”
Music and lyrics by Terry Taylor

Politicians, morticians, Philistines, homophobes;
Skinheads, Dead heads, tax evaders, street kids;
Alcoholics, workaholics, wise guys, dim wits;
Blue collars, white collars, war mongers, peace nicks.

(repeat chorus)

The Lost Dogs performing “Breathe Deep” on Cornerstone Mainstage 2008 (Bushnell, IL)

I am sure this is making the rounds out there - but honestly haven’t seen it except here. I imagine this prayer penned by Shane Claiborne is one he imagined President-elect Obama reciting. It is a prayer I resonate with - and maybe you will too.

I will join in praying:

God of Abraham, Miriam, Hannah, Rizpah, and David…
God of Elijah, Amos, Ruth, Isaiah, Deborah…
God of Mary, John the Baptizer, Peter, Paul, Philemon and Onesimus…
God of Anthony, Ambrose, Dirk Willems, Teresa of Avila, and Francis of
Assisi,
God of Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, William
Wilberforce, and Oscar Romero
and God of love, grace, and hope…

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Wisdom today is from The Wisdom of the Desert compiled and paraphrased by Thomas Merton.

An Elder was asked: What does it mean, this word we read in the Bible, that the way is straight and narrow? And the elder replied: This is the straight and narrow way: that a man should do violence to his judgements and cut off, for the love of God, the desires of his own will. This is what was written of the Apostles: Behold we have left all things and have followed Thee. (Page 45)

“…not my will but Thine be done.”

“not mine, Thine.”

peace.