Finding life in unexpected places
Preamble:
Whoa. I thought today was Monday until I came here to write and saw that my last post was Sunday, which was not yesterday. Hmm. Time to get a dayplanner. Or more sleep.
I volunteered to go to the choir practice yesterday for today's Spiritual Development mass in Cold Lake. I thought this might be a good idea, since there seems to be an unspoken brownie point system for teachers when it comes to doing things you "don't have to do". [Right.] I got to the church a little late and when I walked in, I saw the poor youth minister, who is a young, hip, energetic guy with funky hair and clothes whaling on his guitar and trying to get a half dozen 45-50ish teacher women to sing the song the way it was written. It was amusing to watch. He was so very polite but unfortunately his "suggestions" were dismissed promptly with replies of, "Yes, we know, we've been singing this for years. Ok, next song. We're tired." Ha ha. Teachers can be the most ornery, unteachable creatures.
It's because we're control freaks.
Anyway, today was the "Spiritual Development" day for our school district. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I mean, what're they gonna do, make a Catholic outta me in one day? [Holy mother of Mary!!]
The day started out with a prayer: for the new year, the staff, the students, you name it, it was prayed for. Then they introduced Father Penna. He was the main speaker for the day, and he gave a series of "talks" based on different aspects of the faith.
Wow. Maybe it was because I had no expectations, but I received so much out of his insight into life. This is a man who walks with God, but who knows what it is to be a fully human, messy being. His underlying message was this: we make sense of our lives [the things that happen to us every day] by being in our faith community. And I thought this is so true! How many times have I been struggling with difficult seasons in my life, and had a tendency to isolate myself and want to think things through until I make myself ill? I need the perspective and insight of those around me; those who care for me, and love me. They bring sense to my chaos.
Another thing he talked about was spirituality versus religion. He said a lot of people like to say they are spiritual - they have an "inner" thing going on, they are at peace with themselves, or whatever. Maybe they have a thing going on with God. Spirituality is an inward focused thing. Religion is outward - it is actions, rituals, discipline. The problem comes when someone picks one and not the other. Religion should be spirituality worked out with other people: community. To be spiritual but not religious is like saying, "I am a loving person, but I don't love anybody."
Huh.
Another thing he said, I will tuck away for future mulling:
"A husband and wife are to feed God to each other."
What an image. Have you ever seen the cake cutting at a wedding? [Fruit cake is so gross, btw. I'm having ice cream cake at my wedding: 05.26.2007] Usually the bride and groom feed cake to each other. That's the image that I got when he talked about feeding God to each other. I like that.
Another huh.
All in all, I found that I really like what this guy had to say, and I even [gasp!] maybe "developed" spiritually today. You know that feeling when someone speaks something that is true and it resounds in your spirit? It's like a God-Yes. Like God in me says, "Yes! That's it!". I had a few of those moments today. It was like water when you're thirsty.
Anyway. Enough rambling. I have some sleep habits that need developing. :-)
==
Whoa. I thought today was Monday until I came here to write and saw that my last post was Sunday, which was not yesterday. Hmm. Time to get a dayplanner. Or more sleep.
I volunteered to go to the choir practice yesterday for today's Spiritual Development mass in Cold Lake. I thought this might be a good idea, since there seems to be an unspoken brownie point system for teachers when it comes to doing things you "don't have to do". [Right.] I got to the church a little late and when I walked in, I saw the poor youth minister, who is a young, hip, energetic guy with funky hair and clothes whaling on his guitar and trying to get a half dozen 45-50ish teacher women to sing the song the way it was written. It was amusing to watch. He was so very polite but unfortunately his "suggestions" were dismissed promptly with replies of, "Yes, we know, we've been singing this for years. Ok, next song. We're tired." Ha ha. Teachers can be the most ornery, unteachable creatures.
It's because we're control freaks.
Anyway, today was the "Spiritual Development" day for our school district. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I mean, what're they gonna do, make a Catholic outta me in one day? [Holy mother of Mary!!]
The day started out with a prayer: for the new year, the staff, the students, you name it, it was prayed for. Then they introduced Father Penna. He was the main speaker for the day, and he gave a series of "talks" based on different aspects of the faith.
Wow. Maybe it was because I had no expectations, but I received so much out of his insight into life. This is a man who walks with God, but who knows what it is to be a fully human, messy being. His underlying message was this: we make sense of our lives [the things that happen to us every day] by being in our faith community. And I thought this is so true! How many times have I been struggling with difficult seasons in my life, and had a tendency to isolate myself and want to think things through until I make myself ill? I need the perspective and insight of those around me; those who care for me, and love me. They bring sense to my chaos.
Another thing he talked about was spirituality versus religion. He said a lot of people like to say they are spiritual - they have an "inner" thing going on, they are at peace with themselves, or whatever. Maybe they have a thing going on with God. Spirituality is an inward focused thing. Religion is outward - it is actions, rituals, discipline. The problem comes when someone picks one and not the other. Religion should be spirituality worked out with other people: community. To be spiritual but not religious is like saying, "I am a loving person, but I don't love anybody."
Huh.
Another thing he said, I will tuck away for future mulling:
"A husband and wife are to feed God to each other."
What an image. Have you ever seen the cake cutting at a wedding? [Fruit cake is so gross, btw. I'm having ice cream cake at my wedding: 05.26.2007] Usually the bride and groom feed cake to each other. That's the image that I got when he talked about feeding God to each other. I like that.
Another huh.
All in all, I found that I really like what this guy had to say, and I even [gasp!] maybe "developed" spiritually today. You know that feeling when someone speaks something that is true and it resounds in your spirit? It's like a God-Yes. Like God in me says, "Yes! That's it!". I had a few of those moments today. It was like water when you're thirsty.
Anyway. Enough rambling. I have some sleep habits that need developing. :-)
==
posted by jacelyn at
9:12 p.m.
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