Faith & Life Inspirational Message

As we think about the season of Lent, we realize that there are many different ways in which we prepare for the life that God has in mind for us.  And I do believe God has something in mind for us.  I see Lent as a time for raising our consciousness---a time for becoming both intentional and using discipline. As I look back over my life, there have been obvious times of preparation.  Every time that I went out for a team sport, there was a time to prepare.  If I made the team, I began by going to practice.  Day after day, I worked on the fundamentals.  I never saw practice as drudgery; I loved playing. All of the foreign languages that I have learned involved times of preparation.  I had to learn new words---new ways to create sentences.  I had to get used to hearing different sounds.  But what a thrill, after I learned, to live life in a new and different way! Both of these examples---playing sports and leaning a new language---involve...

The theme of Lent is preparation for Easter---preparation for real life.  Lent is a special time for me because it allows me a chance again to re-engage a process of making something out of life.  Maybe you are like me.  I get disgusted at myself when I make life worse rather than better.  Lent is always that time and opportunity to listen to God saying, “Oh, you really can do better.  Come on, now!” A key to this process is to let God come into our inner world and reshape us---remodel us.  In one sense, when we allow this divine Spirit into our inner world, we become an artist of the Spirit.  Unlike a scientist who may be handed a manual, the Spirit grants experiences out of which we make life – make it better or worse. Albert Einstein pursues this image in this one-liner.  He says, “the greatness of an artist lies in the building of an inner world, and in the ability to reconcile this inner world with the outer.”  Our inner worlds are ...

Today is the beginning of the season of Lent.  The theme of Lent is preparation for Easter- preparation for real life.  Lent is a special time for me because it allows me a chance one more time to re-engage a process of making something out of life.  Maybe you are like me.  I get disgusted at myself when I make life worse rather than better. Too often it is appalling how easy it is to make life worse!  Lent is always that time and opportunity to listen to God saying, “Oh, you really can do better. You really can do better.  Come on, now!” A key to this process is to let God come into our inner world and reshape us – remake us.  In fact, one of the good things about Lent is that it calls us to consider again our inner life.  It is so easy to live life every day without any attention to our inner world.  So much of life deals with externals…with the demands of others, the expectations of those who care about us, our own concern for reputatio...

The theme of Lent is preparation for Easter---preparation for real life.  Lent is a special time for me because it allows me a chance again to re-engage a process of making something out of life.  Maybe you are like me.  I get disgusted at myself when I make life worse rather than better.  Lent is always that time and opportunity to listen to God saying, “Oh, you really can do better.  Come on, now!” A key to this process is to let God come into our inner world and reshape us---remodel us.  In one sense, when we allow this divine Spirit into our inner world, we become an artist of the Spirit.  Unlike a scientist who may be handed a manual, the Spirit grants experiences out of which we make life – make it better or worse. Albert Einstein pursues this image in this one-liner.  He says, “the greatness of an artist lies in the building of an inner world, and in the ability to reconcile this inner world with the outer.”  Our inner worlds are b...

For the western Christian tradition (all those who are not Greek or Russian Orthodox, etc.), this week has brought us the season of Lent.   As usual, my childhood memory of Lent is non-existent.   Basically, Quakers did not observe Lent.   It is not so much that we were against it as that it was not necessary.   Quakers are a funny bunch.   At least originally, they sought to be serious about their faith on a daily basis.   I still find that laudable.   So it meant they were not inclined to set aside days and periods when a Christian should be more serious and others days and seasons when they could lighten up. On the surface, I still agree with my Quaker heritage.   However, I also know the downside of that heritage is that it could produce the sour, dour Quaker who took everything so seriously that there was no longer any spice to life.   There was no reason to laugh and, maybe even, celebrate things.   To be chronically serious is...