Dear All of Us,
And you sure are just that -
ever so dear.
Here's hoping things go well
for each and every.
In regard to how things go,
a rather
pivotal/practical/personal
question.
Do we get ten miles ahead of
the next fad/fashion,
angling to be
"Chi Chi" sharp/successful?
Or do we hang back ten miles,
waiting to see how
it all proves out
and be safe secure
in an armored vehicle
of caution?
Now, I don't own any vehicles
other than a lightweight walker,
and I'm way too old
to jump at anything.
But then I do want
to keep moving
and stay abreast.
So, I guess
I'm mostly middle man.
I go for the mantra:
"Be not the first by whom
the new is tried,
nor the last by whom
the old is laid aside."
I'm not the first
in my neighborhood
to get the latest hula-hoop,
nor is our home
completely furnished in great,
great, grandmother's furniture.
When it comes to
our spiritual lives,
it's a major lift
to have
Proven
BEST PRACTICES
over the latest and
hottest spirituality fads,
such as every morning
beginning prayer time
by drinking eight glasses
of celery juice
spiked with paprika,
while standing
completely naked,
mentally picturing
peaceful and flowing
fields of flowers
and chanting
"UMMMMMMMM"
until we experience nirvana,
or
need to head for the restroom.
Then again, it's important
to leave behind practices
that are and need to be,
such as kneeling
up straight
on a cold, hard floor,
for two hours
slowly praying
a ten-page novena
to St. Flagelatio
after a dozen swips of
The Discipline
that sick, sordid,
supposedly ascetical,
Cat and Nine Tails.
Hey, Reductio ad Absurdum
sure helps makes the point!
Spiritually,
THE
BEST PRACTICE
is not to have one
until we first have
the best and right
attitude.
That means we turn off
the flashlight of control,
open wide
the shutters of self
and let
The Sun of Spirit
shine/sparkle
as it will.
Most of us need to do this
every thirty seconds or so!!
We are just that much
in the dark,
addicted to fussing with
our flashlights of control.
Any spiritual practices
are best if they are
appropriate to our
condition and potential.
An off the chart
Myers Briggs
extrovert does best with
a group/interactive retreat,
and certainly not an
Ignatian thirty day
silent one.
We happily high
introverts do best
the other way round.
Listening, deep and still,
putting into practice what
The Spirit
Shares
is what it all comes to.
"The work of the Holy Spirit
in our lives is to reveal to us
the truth of our being
so that the way of
our being can match it."
Wm. Paul Young
So Some
BEST PRACTICES
- soul soaking in
The Sacred Scriptures
- sitting on a park bench
watching the birds and
squirrels dance divine
- meditation, gentle deep
- reading solid
spiritual authors
such as
Joan Chichester
Richard Rohr
Rob Bell
Doroty Day
Henri Nouwen
Barbara Taylor Brown
Thomas Merton
Frederich Buechner
Evelyn Underhill
among many
- doing as Jesus counseled,
go to our room alone,
close the door and
pray to The Father -
that "room" can be
one with a door,
it can be outdoors,
but vey much
just the two of us
- that's got an active twin -
soul listening/loving
speaks us forth in
Lived Love
in extravagant
service and care
particular to our
situation and competence
- wholehearted participation
in a spiritual community -
the wisdom of folk religion
proves positive -
"We don't go to heaven alone"
- listening to The Spirit
leads us to see and share
our giftedness -
a living out of
God Gift Given
To Be Given
The Spiritual Gifts Inventory
online from
Discipleship Ministries
United Methodist Church
is free and quite good.
- Simplifying our lifestyle
so as not to be tied down
by stuff and busies.
That way others can be
lifted up to sufficiency and
we can be set free,
Present Centered
- Participating in retreats,
revivals, hymn sings,
bible studies,
small group ministries,
e.g. Men's Spirituality,
outreach ministries,
e.g. tutoring needful children
- various devotional practices,
e.g. Stations of the Cross,
rosary - important not to get
"thingy - clingy - culty""
with them-
use only as a clear
means to pray.
- fasting: from food,
social media, anything
that helps keep us from
the trap and tangle of
unreal control and comfort.
- take counsel with a wise and
spiritual director, or a wise and
deeply spiritual acquaintance
A BIGGIE:
be where we are,
be present to the present,
be in the flow of now,
be here,
that's where God is,
in the majesty and mess
of the moment,
be attuned, attentive,
Here and Now
that's where we
"Practice the
Presence of God"
The Presence
is always present.
We need to be as well,
present in The Presence.
If not, when we try
to activate some
spiritual "practice"
nothing real happens.
It's like turning on
a computer
that is not connected
to the power source.
Put another way,
be open, receptive,
and responsive to
The Presence
as and how it presents.
God is in what's going on,
all of it,
easy, hard, sweet, sour.
We need to be also.
Spiritually, we need to be
"Present to be accounted for."
Being on the phone
and the computer
while cooking supper
means being out of touch
and missing in action.
Absorbed and responsive
to immediacy is the best of
BEST PRACTES
As mentioned above,
before any particular practice
comes the going of control
and the opening to
The Spirit
Then we are clear and clean,
ready for
SPIRIT- ual
BEST PRACTICES
******
Whether this is our first
or our umpteenth
time together
it's just plan
WONDERFUL
that we all
are together
here at
frankly speaking
spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
a weekly
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******
Again and as always,
great to be together here.
All the best.
See you next week.
Love to all,
John Frank
******
