WEB SITINGS 4 - WONDER AND REST, MERCY REMAINS, RESOLUTIONS

 I spent some resting time Sunday night and went through some of the postings that I had bookmarked in the past couple of weeks and some that appeared through my Facebook friends.

Here's one from a blog called a foothold that's familiar written by Rebekah Mae and suggested to me by Keri Wyatt Kent.  These are the first paragraphs. Click the link to read the rest.

FINDING REST ALLOWS US TO EXPERIENCE WONDER
Today is Saturday and I am resting.  Easier said than done.  I seem to remember a time when resting, taking an intermission to lean into whatever feels life-giving, was a well developed habit in my life.  Unfortunately, like most good habits, excuses and lousy justifications crept into that sacred space and claimed it for other things.  Today I am reclaiming the habit of Sabbath-ing.  It doesn’t feel quite natural yet, but I can feel the tight and closed parts of me begin to relax and open, even if they can’t quite fully release yet. Life has shifted dramatically in its rhythms lately.  They are melodic rhythms indeed, but are ones somewhat unfamiliar to my steps.  I have often found myself skipping my feet to catch up, trying to sync my step with the newness beside me.  Left, right, left, right….left left…right…left.  I catch up most of the time..but sometimes I trip or fall behind or just collapse entirely.  My feet have become triumphantly tired.  And so today I rest.

I am head over heels for my classes this quarter.  Theologians: The Inklings feels like a class tailor fit for me.  Wonder, imagination, the Shire, awe, childlike humility, play, nature…all these words danced around the room in our last class discussion.  I practically swooned.  At one point, the question was voiced, “What does it look like to live with more wonder?” Questions as lovely as this deserve space and have a right to hang in the air.  “Awake, my soul,” a phrase that has been a steady drum on my heart as of late, is what sprung up in response.  Living with more wonder means being awake to the spirits and spaces around us.  It means we sit still long enough to be good noticers.  Living with more wonder requires rest. In her book Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity, Keri Wyatt Kent writes, “To pause between the notes of our lives turns noise into music.  It’s called resting.  It’s the antidote for our restlessness, but one we don’t think of.  When we feel restless, we often think, “I’ve got to do something!”  We rarely think, “I’ve got to do nothing.”  But therein lies the beautiful paradox of Sabbath rest.  To practice Sabbath is to practice a stillness that brings clarity to our lives.”  It is then that we begin to feel ourselves fill with wonder once again. MORE

Once again from my friend Stef Sellers, who uses her Facebook Page for encouragement of others: A thousand times I've failed, Still Your mercy remains."

From Leonard Lee, OFF WE GO NOW


WHAT I DECLARE MATTERS A LOT ... HOW I RESPOND TO LIFE MATTERS MORE


I am not sure what this New Year will bring to my life and my family.  If last year is any indication I will laugh a lot, cry some, pray less than I feel I should but pray none the less.  I will grow in some areas of my life and in others I will repeat sins.  I will keep promises I have made and break promises I have made.  I will disappoint myself and others and delight myself and others.

If last year is any indication there will be some people mad at me and some people will thank me and others will ignore me.  I will struggle with some real issues and lose and struggle with some real issues and win and in the end… realize that sometimes the victory is that in a year I will have matured even if I did not win every battle.

I will need to apologize to some people and some people will need to apologize to me, this is the cost of choosing to live in close relationships with others.  I will see some dreams come true and other not get off the runway.  I am sure I will assign blame in wrong places and I hope take responsibility when I do and I will get blamed for things that I did not do.

My family will change this year, life and growing kids has a way of making this happen.  I will change this year, I really want to live maturely in 2011.  Change will happen around me in 2011 and some of it will be the doorway to an amazing adventure and some of it will leave a scratch on my heart… sometime it will be the same change doing both.

On January 1, 2011 here is what I know!

• The God I worship and love will not change!  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
• His Grace is enough!  Life will not take me where His grace cannot keep me.
• I will not thrive apart from His Spirit, His word, vibrant prayer and His people.  His plan, not mine!
• My attitude will determine every part of my journey and God has made me a steward of this attitude!
• My family will be strong!
• I am blessed beyond my ability to know, no matter what!  Joy is mine.

Psalm 62 is a great Psalm and I am claiming it for 2011
¹ My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. ²He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.


In these sentences are some pretty amazing statements.  They are clear declarations from the heart of the writer.  This is what my soul will do – Find rest in God alone.  This is why my soul will do this – He only is my rock, salvation, fortress and this is the only unshakable life.

Interestingly enough this sounds like a January 1 kind of spiritual resolution!  This is what I will do and this is why I will do it… HAPPY NEW YEAR!