Be exalted, O Christ our King!

Resurrected Christ by Grunewald

I know this is a depiction of the Resurrected Christ, but somehow ... Grunewald's interpretation of our Lord's resurrected power and glory reflects the Revelation Christ we have read about in the daily lectionary. Glimpsing upon the transfigured brightness of His appearance ... and we too fall before Him in worship.

Today's readings from the Psalms: 107 and 108 declare God's steadfast love for us that endures forever. Psalm 107 marches us through all the wondrous works that God has done for us, to us, in us, upon us, before us ... inviting us, the redeemed to fall before Him in worship and praise and thanksgiving. It says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so...!" Let them remember how He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. Let them remember when He delivered them from their distress and brought them out of darkness, that he burst their bonds apart. Let them remember that He sent out His Word and healed them and delivered them. Let them extol Him in the congregation of the people and praise Him in the assembly of the elders! And, that's what Psalm 108 is about.

Be exalted, O God, above the heaveans! 

Let your glory be over all the earth! 

For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; 

your faithfulness reaches to the clouds!

That is where Christ our King is seated even now. Tomorrow we remember ... we the redeemed remember Christ our King. What will you bring Him? What praise will flow from your heart and burst from your lips in offering to your King? What will you take to give Him ... for His steadfast love that endures forever for you and all the redeemed? This is a great day to consider it, to be ready for His coming. Whoever are wise, let them attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

New Choreography ... Hilda of Whitby

St. Hilda in Hartlepool Door by James Clark

Talk about a new choreography! Talk about walking as though your feet kiss the earth ... and leave a bit of heaven in your steps. Today we remember Hilda of Whitby. Like Lilias Trotter, Hilda is one of my BFFs: Best Friend Forever.

Among Celtic believers both men and women could exercise leadership within the church. At the age of 43, Hilda founded and became the Abbess of a Celtic monastery in Northumbria ... a monastery for both men and women. Her boundless energy and love for the Lord drew others to faith in Him and encouraged them to serve Him. Under her leadership the men and women of Whitby Monastery were required to read and study the Bible and live out their faith in service and good works. They cared for the poor and helpless of Whitby. And, because Hilda recognized and encouraged the gifts of those under her care, the monastery soon became a center for learning and the arts. The poet, Caedmon ... originally a herdsman for the monastery's flocks ... flourished under her leadership and encouragement.

Hilda's wisdom was so well-renowned that princes and kings sought out her advice and counsel. In fact, King Oswiu held the Synod of Whitby at the monastery in order to weigh counsel and advice from many within church leadership regarding the date for Easter. (This needed to be decided upon as his wife followed the eastern date and he the western date. This meant they often observed Lent and celebrated Easter at different times! This did not foster marital harmony.) The Synod's decision to follow the western date (Rome) meant a change for Whitby Monastery. It established Roman monastic practice as the rule, meaning women could no longer lead.

The Venerable Bede writes about Hilda (or Hild, the old English form), "All who knew her called her mother because of her outstanding devotion and grace." Hilda of Whitby shows us the way to walk with steps that kiss the earth. She shows us a new choreography ... that perhaps is an ancient one. Our Celtic brothers and sisters in Christ could show us a new step or two. (No you will not see me River Dancing! A Hava Nagila perhaps...)

Kissing the earth ... with prayer ...

... and touching heaven. 

Into His Presence, Ron DiCianni

In your new choreography ... dancing as though your feet kiss the earth ... do you find that because your living is different than it was before, it puts you out of step with others? That's what I'm finding. And, that "out-of-stepness" with others challenges the new choreography. And, those challenges ... or maybe challengers ... tempt you to go back to the old choreography, the old way of living. They want you to dance to their steps, their rhythm again. But, you know you can't go back. You've tasted the freedom and joy of the new choreography, its new rhythm for living. And, even though it feels like you are dancing it alone, you know that Jesus sees you and is praying for you and will come to you when it is the right time. His timing is the right rhythm.

As always, when the challenges come, God sends encouragement (in answer to Jesus' prayer?) to keep practicing the new choreography ... in my case ... living in the NOW, practicing the present of His Presence in the present. The encouragement came from Lilias Trotter. Miriam Rockness posted this from Lilias' journal:

It has come these days with a new light and power, that the first thing we have to see to, as we draw nearer to God day by day, is that 'our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.'  If we can listen in stillness, till our hearts begin to vibrate to the thing that He is thinking and feeling about the matter in question, whether it concerns ourselves or others, we can from that moment begin praying downwards from His throne, instead of praying upwards towards Him.   20 March 1926

Sit in stillness. Wait for the heart to vibrate - take on the rhythm, a new choreography - of the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit within us. Then, our hearts pray from God's perspective ... trusting that He has all in hand. There in His Presence is the rhythm of peace.

In stillness before God, I am finding my new choreography ... and the new rhythm of a deeper faith which directs my steps. I still look for open positions, I still send out resumes and profiles, I still email and call, I still look for other possibilities and options ... I still take these practical steps but with this new choreography it is from a heart that believes and knows that God's hand is on my back and leading the way.The challengers of uncertainty, worry, control, striving, fear, and anger that want to cut in and lead me back into the old choreography ... I refuse them. They will never lead me into the dance of to deeper faith. In fact they will only trip me up. I tell them to go away. They usually listen to me, especially when I tell them with Whom I am dancing. But, I don't always get it right. Like Miriam, I am only a beginner in this new choreography. But, one thing I know ... God is always, always, always standing by with His hand extended toward me, waiting with joy ... for me to come back to dance with Him. And, that is heaven on earth.

enjoy today! in gold letters even.

This is the first thing I read this morning. God's encouragement to live in the NOW, keep dancing that new choreography, row, row, row your boat! 

If you don't understand what I just wrote, please read prior blog posting.

Dance steps that "kiss the earth"

Someone that Ann Voskamp knows has been reading Living Buddha, Living Christ, by Thich Nhat Hanh. This someone said to Ann that "you should wallk through life as though your feet are kissing the earth." The only reason I know it came from Thich Nhat Hanh is because it was on Farrell Mason's summer reading list. And, her blog post about it opened my eyes to see that it is about living in the NOW.

Walking through this life, living this daily life as though our feet kiss the earth is about

• keeping our inner focus on God
• being attentive to His Presence in the world around us
• being aware of His Providence in the people and place of our NOW
• holding these people and place lightly in our hands before Him
• being mindful of His grace given to us in them
• offering thanksgiving ... and praise.

David certainly knew about living this way.

His daily living was taking care of the family flocks, living in the out-of-doors witnessing all kinds of beauty and danger. In that daily living he recognizes the LORD's relationship to him as his Shepherd ... who makes him lie down in green pastures, leads him beside quiet waters, restores his soul; who leads him in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake, is with him always, gently comforts him with His rod and staff; who abundantly blesses him providing for every need ... indeed, his life overflows with God's blessing, his heart overflows for God's goodness and mercy follow him all the days of his living. (Psalm 23)

At another time though enemies and troubles encamp all around him David says, "One thing I have asked of the Lord; one this I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." And, later, "You have said, 'Seek my face.', my heart says to you, 'Your face Lord will I seek." (Psalm 27.4, 8)

David walked through life as though his feet kissed the earth. As a friend of God, a man after God's own heart, his inner focus was on the Lord ... His Shepherd, His Savior, His Comforter, His Provider - to behold His fair beauty, to seek His face in worship ... to see God. Maybe that's how David could write such songs ... such very honest and vulnerabe songs ... to the Lord. David's inner focus was on God, attentive to His Presence in the world around him, aware of His Providence in the people in his life and where he was - his place. And, David did not hold on to the things of earth ... whether of beauty or of danger, but saw them as God's grace and offered them to the Lord in psalm, in worship ... always giving thanks. I venture to say it took a lifetime of practice ... even for David ... this living life as though our feet kiss the earth.

The Hymn Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing came to mind this morning and its words express a prayer for living life as though our feet kiss the earth. This link is to Church of the Apostles Laudamus recording. After you link to the site, click on the hymn to listen ... it's in the upper right hand of the page. 

Church of the Apostles, Laudamus: Come Thou Fount

Keep dancing ... um, I mean rowing ...

This morning my spirit flagged. I awoke taking in my room in my sister and brother-kin's home ... my home for the next couple of months as I wait. My heart welled with thankfulness for their graciousness and kindness and generosity ... and then it sank from the thoughts that flooded in, "This is not where I thought I would be. This is not where I want to be. O, woe is me!" Even the first snow fall of the season that greeted me as I pulled up the blind failed to cheer me ... and anyone who knows me knows that is something! I love snow!

After making a cuppa, I settled to prayers. Before I opened my Bible, I picked up a chapter copied from a book that my friend sent me. I don't know the author and I don't know the book. But, again as in days past, God's voice was encouraging me that He is at work and is with me in this. I wish I could share the entire chapter with you, but here is a bit of it that I hope will encourage you to keep dancing the dance of God's Present Presence with you, to keep rowing even when you can't see Him.

It was dark now, and Jesus had not yet come to them. - John 6:17

"... Doesn't peace always follow obedience? Perhaps the disciples had the same expectation. They only did what they were told. Jesus told them to get into the boat, so they did. They didn't question the order; they simply obeyed it....What was the result of their obedience? 'It was dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The followers got into a boat and started across the lake to Capernaum. By now a strong wind was blowing, and the waves on the lake were getting bigger' (John 6:16-17).

What a chilling phrase, 'Jesus had not yet come to them.' Caught in the storm of the 'not yet.' ...The disciples had been on the sea for about nine hours. John tells us they rowed four miles (John 6:19). That's a long night. How many times did they search the darkness for their Master? How many times did they call out his name?
Why did he take so long?
Why does he take so long?...

Mark tells us that during the storm Jesus 'saw his followers struggling' (Mark 6:48). Through the night he saw them. Through the storm he saw them. And like a loving father he waited. He waited till the right time, until the right moment. He waited until he knew it was time to come, and then he came.

What made it the right time? I don't know. Why was the ninth hour better than the fourth or fifth? I can't answer that. Why does the Lord wait until the money is gone? Why does he wait until the darkness has lingered? Why does he wait until the other side of the grave to answer prayers for healing?

I don't know. I only know his timing is always right. I can only trust he will do what is best. 'God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them.' (Luke 18:7).

Though you hear nothing, He is speaking. Though you see nothing, He is acting. With God there are no accidents. Every incident is intended to bring us closer to him....
So what does God do while we are enduring the pain? What does he do while we are in the storm? You'll love this. He prays for us. Jesus wasn't in the boat because he had gone to the hills to pray (see Mark 6:46). Jesus prayed. That is remarkable. It is even more remarkable that Jesus didnt stop praying when his disciples were struggling. When he heard their cries, He remained in prayer.... He still prays for his disciples. ...

So where does that leave us? While Jesus is praying and we are in the storm, what are we to do? Simple. We do what the disciples did. We row. (We dance. We give thanks!) The disciples rowed most of the night. Mark says they 'struggled hard' to row the boat (Mark 6:48). The word struggle elsewhere is translated as 'tormented'. ...

Much of life is spent rowing. Getting out of bed. Fixing lunches. Turning in assignments. Changing diapers. Paying bills. ... More struggle than strut. More wrestling than resting. ...
...at the right time, God comes. In the right way, He appears. So don't bail out. Don't give up! Don't lay down the oars! ...

When you can't see him, trust him.

He is praying a prayer that he himself will answer.

Living in the NOW ... God at it again ...

It's very strange when one sets one's mind or heart to do a thing and then God continues to bring it to one's attention. I'm talking about living in the NOW ... something on which Ann Voskamp, Lilias Trotter, and Farrell Mason have focused lately. Today, I was sifting through a stack of papers and found a book a friend gave me. The Devotional Paintings of Ron DiCianni. Here is what he said in the Introduction:

"At this juncture of life and work, I have begun to ask myself some very hard, deep questions, not the least of which is, 'Where do I go from here?' ... Frankly, I don't know, nor do I care. I have come to treat every day as a gift from God and to try to do my best to obey and serve Him as my King, one day at a time. ... It just doesn't matter to me anymore what God has in store. As long as His presence is with me, I'm okay. Whatever He allows, as long as His hand holds mine, I'm okay. Wherever He sends me, as long as He comes with me, I'm okay. ... I'm not saying I'm there yet; I'm saying my heart is.
Theresa of Avila noted:
'Here is a secret: God's love and His humility can never exist in you unless you grow in this state of detachment from everything that is of this world. As long as any created thing has power over you, you cannot 'rule' over it in the love and humility of our King.'"

At church yesterday a number of people asked me how I was doing, how was the search going, where was I living, how was I living ... etc., etc.? I responded with something like, "I am doing well. Really and truly well because a little while ago I decided to do my best to live in the NOW and see each day as a gift from God, a gift of His Presence with me. He will take care of the future. Oh, I still search for what is next, but my eyes are wide open for the possibilities He is bringing me today. It has made a wonderful difference in living life." Strangely enough, they didn't exactly know how to respond. I can't blame them for that. We have a tendency to put upon another how we think he/she should respond vs. allowing his/her own response. These kinds of interchanges encourage me that this "living in the NOW, in today, in the present" ... this is what we need to encourage one another to do! It is the only way the troubles and cares and difficulties and challenges of this life will not rule us. Will we still have them? Yes! But, living in the NOW gives the mind of the heart the ability to rule over them "in the love and humility of our King" who is always present with us!

I hope the following DiCianni meditations will encourage you to living in the NOW ... perhaps, God is speaking to you too?

Victory

http://gallery4collectors.com/RonDiCianni-Victory.htm

Weight of the World
http://gallery4collectors.com/RonDiCianni-WeightoftheWorld.htm 

Never Alone

http://gallery4collectors.com/RonDiCianni-NeverAlone.htm

Still living in amazement... in the NOW.

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco rises about 220' above sea level...

The tallest of the Muir Woods Redwoods rises to 258 feet ... 38 feet taller than the Golden Gate Bridge. This same variety of redwood living farther north can grow to 379 feet! 159 feet taller than the Golden Gate Bridge and 74 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.

Amazing.

The last time I visited these gentle giants with my sister, we heard a fantastic cracking noise. We stopped in our tracks, searching the woods while holding our breath! What was that? Did we need to run?! The Park Ranger strolling by said we were perfectly safe. We were far from the tree that was going to fall. In fact, it had been in the process of falling for years now. Years? Yes. It can take years for a redwood to fall to the earth, pouring forth its groanings as its axis begins to split apart.

The question comes to mind, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" This question makes me sigh. It is so human-centered ... as though we are the center of creation. John Muir, after whom these woods are named, said, "Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another." (Our National Parks, 1901) Muir consistently praised God for the wonder of nature, its wildness that heals us and keeps us ever amazed and mindful of our Creator. John Muir would not have asked the question about the tree and the sound it makes. He knew that nature sings its song to God in endless rhythms to give Him glory ... whether we hear it or not ... and it reminds us, these gentle giants remind us to sing along as we walk with Him in the NOW.

With these gentle giants let us sing, "My mouth is filled with your praise and with your glory all the day long." -Psalm 71.8

Walking with attention and intention

Ann Voskamp's post yesterday spoke about walking with all attention and intention ... giving thanks for the beauty of the LORD that is before us in the TODAY, the NOW each and every moment of the day. She said of her Mom walking through the woods

there’s no loud and flippant way she’s letting anything make her miss the now right under her, no way that that now could just up and slip out from under her

Today, nothing was going to slip out from under me. Today, I took my own walk in the NOW ... in Muir Woods with my sister.

Here in the NOW of these ancient giants everything slows down
and settles quiet into your soul.

Here in the NOW of these ancients we are "married to amazement"* ...

Here in the NOW of these ancients of yesterday, today,
and tomorrow our hearts stretch ... expand ... to take in the height
and depth and breadth of
The Ancient.

Here in the NOW in the midst of these ancients of days ... is His perfect provision for TODAY. Has not The Ancient of Days cared and nurtured and grown and made strong these mighty giants? "God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods." - John Muir

How can I, standing in the midst of these ancients of days ... me, so small ... these ancients, so giant ... how can I not trust The Ancient of Days for his perfect provision for TODAY? How can I not trust Him to care for me, save me from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods? How can I not trust in, live in His perfect provision of NOW?

NOW is the destination.

"I used to envy the father of our race, dwelling in the new-made fields and plants of Eden; but I do so no more, for I have discovered that I also live in 'creation's dawn'. The morning stars still sing together, and the world not yet half made, becomes more beautiful everyday." - John Muir

*Mary Oliver

All Saints Day! What a new choreography can look like ...

http://donsweeting.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/all-saints-day-2.png

This image above is not the usual image one sees for All Saints Day. 

Usually icons like this one...

Icon of saints surrounding Christ in heaven

... or a painting or mosaic within a church like this one ...

Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, St. Petersburg

... graces the front of our All Saints Sunday bulletin. But, for me this image ...

... is what a new choreography can look like. In this dance of all the saints around the Heavenly Throne there seems to be room for a poor saint like me to join in. Even though it's just as crowded as the other two examples (heaven is and will be crowded with people from every tribe and tongue and race and nation!), this view seems a bit more approachable, accessible ... more like you-and-me saint kinda people. No halos. They're inviting us to join arms and hands and rejoice with them ...even though they are in heaven.

When we come to the Table today we join that heavenly throng  - the angels and archangels and all the saints in heaven singing, "Holy, holy, holy! LORD God of power and might! Heaven and earth are full of your glory! Hosanna in the highest!" When we do this we practice the Presence of God with us ... His Perfect Provision for us ... today ... in the Bread and Wine, in the Body and Blood of Christ ... and we glorify Him and enjoy Him in a present that is for all eternity. Thanks be to God!

Today, may you know His Perfect Provision in His Always-present Presence. +++

Choreography Wisdom from Lilias Trotter...

He's done it again! God makes me smile and shake my head. OK, I get it!

Yesterday, after posting about the new choreography, I found a bit of wisdom from Miraim Rockness in my inbox. Miriam considers portions of Lilias Trotter's painting journals and shares them with us. Through these amazing women, God has invited me again to join him in a new choreography ... choosing to drink deeply from His well of living water today knowing it is His perfect provision. And, His well will never run dry ... it will always be accessible for every today in the future. Some days the water may sit deep and still, which means I will have to let down a pail for it. Other days it may be a fountain bubbling up to overflowing, splashing over the edge. Either way God's blessing, His Presence is Present and it is His Perfect Provision ... both today and for the future.

Choose to take 3 minutes to read it ... a new choreography ... and may you drink deeply, too.

Parable of the Well Water

What can a new choreography look like?

Sunrise ... Bay Bridge,  San Francisco

I'm watching the day awaken here on the west coast. The sun's softly strengthening rays are painting the horizon with autumn's colors. She reminds me that in the change of seasons our earthly home takes on a new choreography ... a needed new choreography, so that it may continue in its purpose: to bring praise and glory to God. Farrell Mason's post reminded me that we too need seasons of new choreography ... seasons that continually awaken us to our purpose in life: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. (Westminster Confession)

God has been encouraging me to do this for some time now ... to move into a new season, take on a new choreography. One would think that 10 months out of work would be a new choreography enough! And, it has been. Being called out from a wonderful place with even more wonderful people into the wilderness of not knowing what is next ... well, these past 10 months have taken me deeper into trusting that God is who he says he IS and he IS Trustworthy. I don't know that I would have learned this lesson in this deeper way had I remained in that "choreography".

So, about that new choreography...

During October Ann Voskamp's blog has presented 31 Days of Calling on Jesus – coming closer to Him, resting in Him, remembering His Presence with us. Today she wrote:

Your presence is always in the now
I am with You now — where I AM always is…
Now is the destination

Over these 10 months a good deal of my focus has been for my future ... what's next? This was and is needed ... I do need to pray and look for what is next. But, in the new choreography Jesus calls me to choose to dance with Him today and let Him take care of tomorrow. His perfect provision is not just for some future day, it is for today ... the present, the now. NOW is my destination. NOW is my future.

Making that choice is incredibly freeing. Making the NOW my focus is allowing me to trust even more in God's promise of perfect provision ... for today and for that future day, that destination I do not know. The awareness that His provision for me for TODAY is perfect and good and all I need (give us this day our daily bread!) ... it makes me smile. He IS my provision and I don't need to look any further. HE is my provision. That is true for you too ... no matter what your circumstances. Doesn't that make you want to dance?

Ann went on to write:

Today, I will rest in the present moment with I AM
because this is where I find the rest of myself.

I rewrote this for me to say, "TODAY, I will choose to be alert and attentive and aware of His Presence in the Present ... in the NOW ... because this is where I am." The new choreography is choosing ... moment-by-moment choosing the awareness that we are tucked into His arm, His steps leading ours, His hand guiding us ... for TODAY and for our future. May He give us the fortitude to choose and keep choosing this choreography with Him. That glorifies Him and in it we enjoy Him ... today and for ever.