You Are In Everything and Everywhere

Hello friends! How are you today?

Yesterday, I came upon some prose I wrote when our children were eleven and fifteen years old. I'm struck by the word become in the second to last verse--a word that was resonating then and still is. Interesting how a word can speak to the heart for so long.
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You Are In Everything and Everywhere

Your grace descends 0 Lord, and I see You everywhere.
Are You not in the chirping of the huge flock of birds
deciding which direction to go mid-season?
Isn't that You I sensed
when my own patience would have failed me,
but extra patience—Yours--
helped me stand firm in a trying time?

Weren't You there when the corn meal spilled in my clean refrigerator, reminding me to die to self,
and in my dirty oven that the children messed up--
speaking about inner cleanliness,
as I wiped out its interior?

How about Lord, in the morning, when I awake,
isn't that You that fills me with fresh energy and joy?
Your spirit reminds me to pray--
prompting me over and over—
encouraging me to stay faithful.

Oh, the creative idea I had for my classroom!
You gave that to me, right?
For not a good thought passes my mind
that You are not in it.

In disappointment, I heard your voice uttering wisdom—
giving me knowledge and direction.
You are in all things and everywhere.

If I look at the bushes that have withered this winter,
I am reminded that You sustain all life--
nothing survives without You sending rain from above.

And if I see the new green grass
and flowers beginning to bloom,
I am given hope.
Isn't that from You too?

All day long You remind me of how
I am to be--of how I am to become--
like You. Calling, beckoning, bidding me come.
When I am so weary--waiting patiently, until I respond.

Isn't that I who is now here with You?
You who were always here, always near,
always in everything and everywhere. S.M. '96
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Later, I will share more on "becoming" from a book I am reading called Poverty of Spirit.

In His peace,
Sheila

Attributes of Peace

Good morning friends!

In the wee hours of the morning, oh dear, a river of attributes for women of peace came spilling into my interrupted slumber, but when the inspiration comes, pen must write before the gift is forgotten. This list, still incomplete, is in no order of priority.
They are in the "present continuous" tense to show actions or a state of being that can be happening now or in the near future, and signify the process of becoming.

ATTRIBUTES:

thinking on these things (Phil 4:8)
breathing deeply
abiding in a spirit of poverty
surrendering self
listening attentively
renewing mind
opening heart
knowing the Word
pondering carefully
seeing with faith
obeying quickly
confessing sin
repenting sincerely
sinning no more
forgiving readily
accepting self
overcoming fear
interceding for others
extending justice
helping neighbor
building the Kingdom
being loving
becoming holy
living in true righteousness
worshiping in spirit & truth
participating in community
rejoicing heart
celebrating life
singing a new song
sharing gifts
playing like a child
having fun
handling stress well
refraining from gossip
diving into mercy
renewing godly desires
choosing wisely
keeping mind on Thee
managing time well
speaking the truth
complaining not
drinking new wine
tasting divine life
trusting in Him
reconciling relationships
suffering long
making reparation
thinking positively
resolving matters
uniting to God
responding to call
seeing body as temple
trusting God's promises
seeking purity
praying for humility
sacrificing for others
begging for graces
walking in light
making a home
creating beauty
organizing chaos

These can be taken to prayer, asking the Lord which one(s) to focus on this week. See which one resonates most with you. That's probably the one the Spirit is bringing to your attention. For me, I will be pondering "seeing with faith" and "diving into mercy." You might try a colloquy like I shared in yesterday's post. If you think of something else I've forgotten that's important to you, please let me know. I will add it to the list.

I wish you a blessed week of joy and peace,

Sheila
p.s. and do visit again!

Intimate Conversation

Dear friends,

How are you this day of bowing heads, of giving thanks,
of going to the house of the Lord to worship?
I want to share with you a piece of colloquy--
that is, an intimate conversation with Jesus I had
the other day while pondering the gospel accounts
of Christ calling his followers.

A colloquy, in case you are unfamiliar with that term, "is made, properly speaking, as one friend speaks to another, or as a servant to his master;...asking some grace,...blaming oneself for some misdeed,...communicating one's affairs, and asking advice in them." (Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius)

Please note in the colloquy the S=Sheila & J=Jesus.

S--My Lord, I hear you clearly saying,"follow me."
You invite me to "come and... see," Jn. 1:39
and instruct me to "put out into the deep." Lk. 5:4
I want to follow you wherever you go so I too
can be a "fisher of men." Mk. 1:17
Where do you want me to follow you?

J--It is not where, it is whom. Follow ME.
I will lead you to life everlasting.

S--You ARE the one I want to follow, so I may become
who you ARE.

J--Indeed, this is the call, the true call.

S--Lord, what do you want me to "come and see?"

J--I want you to experience this for yourself,
see for yourself, have your own stories to tell.

S--I have seen. I do have stories.

J--Then tell them. Ps 107:22
     I am alive. I have sent my Spirit to lead and guide you.

S--Yes, it is your Spirit I want to follow...

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Reflection:
It is not so much in the doing, or in the going, but in the becoming Him.

And we are the witnesses who have stories that tell of His faithfulness to us.

So dear friends, I invite you to visit this place again, to come and see with me, to put out in the deep together, and we will see what we catch.

Have a blessed and joyful day!
Much love,

Sheila

Daily Dressing

Daily, and mysteriously eternal,
even while in my polka dot pajamas,
when I lift my arms and say,
"Papa, I am Yours!"
"Mama, totus tuus!"
the annunciation "Yes" ascends. (Lk 1:38)
Remembering my nothingness,
borne of dust to which one day,
I, too, shall return.
I can not give myself breath,
nor the Spirit,
nor any good thing,
for all is gift from You above. (Jas 1:17)
So,
I surrender my nothingness
knowing You
can make something of me,
as You see fit.
And if you make something beautiful,
it is Yours not mine;
and if not,
your grace will enable me
to accept Your perfect will.
as on the day You were baptized
in the River Jordan by John,
your glory was revealed
in your spirit of poverty.

Yet, I declare
my true baptismal identity
as your child, Father,
as priest, offering my life to You for others;
as prophet, listening for Your voice,
as king, standing firm in full armor
against...the powers of darkness...
and always...praying...(Eph. 6: 10-18)

Now I am dressed,
and ready to go out
(well, I need to change my pajamas)
into the world,
to share
the Gospel of peace.


Thank you for visiting again, friends,
and peace be with you,
Sheila

Prayer chair

Wake, stretch, morning offering
still in bed
slippers shuffling for the coffee pot
plop!
into the prayer chair (Mt. 6:33)
Upon entering
His holy presence,
before me and all around,
my breath deepens,
remembering the first man's breath.
The rise and fall of the chest,
the diaphragm expanding--
all for this deep breath
needed for the life that bears peace.
And in this remembering,
somehow,
a child again arises quickly-- within
as if a giant needle just wove
my life-long breaths together.
Ahhh...the silence, stillness, food
for a soul hungering
for her true Love...r.
Breathing, waiting, mind clear,
distracted not,
or if so...
thanks for the grace to return again.
Sinking deeply into His embrace,
allowing myself to be loved
so that in love I may go forth.
Listening for His voice,
for His Word to speak
to His people's hearts.
Candle flickering in the darkness
stirs my soul,
allows the embrace to linger.
No arctic blast will cease the echo of one to another ...
bird... still carrying the universal song,
so I too will sing.
O Spirit, where are you moving?
Closely, I want to follow,
ever so closely
because your surprises are
better than what I can ever plan.
O, now I hear You..
pen writing what You've spoken to my heart
so I will not forget
that today
you will prove your faithfulness again,
O Faithful One!

Grace & peace,
Sheila

p.s. It's raining down snow here in Tulsa.
May He reign in your heart today!

Blizzard Glory

There she stood tall & strong,
though the blizzard fell all around her,
it did not stay upon her;
it did not mar her glory.
And she stood out
in that blanket of white;
her colors of red and green sustained,
her shoulders held in dignity,
not bowing to any weight.
Though the photo shows her crying,
she was speaking loudly in her silence.
The winds whipped around her
and she only slightly fluttered.
Nandina is her name.

This second day of posting beckons for a dedication.

Three women come to my mind
~~~~a trinity of women~~~~
three of one heart--Sacred
who have helped me in the blizzards of my life:

+my own earthly mother, now in a nursing home
She can not walk,
or talk,
or feed herself any longer,
but she sits strong ...
tears well in my eyes
as I tell you how her silent presence
has blessed me,
spoken a thousand words to me;
she smiles although her eyes are closed.
A blizzard fell on her
and although it covered her for awhile it lifted,
and she passed to the other side right here on earth;
she is still with us
resting comfortably
in deep serenity.
She is a woman of peace,
her name is Kathryn.

+my heavenly Mother,
I can not see her
though I feel her presence;
even as a child I loved her
and I knew she loved me.
She hardly spoke a word either
while she was here on earth,
but when she did
there was power
and her words continue to give life.
"Do as He says"
at the wedding feast
before the water became wine.
She gives me a blizzard of graces
that have sustained me in the blizzards of my life
and helped me to move from "glory to glory." 2 Cor 3:18
She is the Queen of Peace,
her name is Mary.

+and a dear friend, a spiritual mother
who made this blog site possible;
when I did not know how to begin
she began for me...
during the biggest blizzard of my life
many years ago
when I was a principal and she
a teacher in the same school,
she gave me the Word
that I saved and the Word saved me.
Like Mary, she stood with me--
her presence making the cross bearable
and the fruit is ripe now,
a rising in the dying,
a going forth today and tomorrow.
She too is a woman of peace,
her name is Dianne.

Mary                     Kathryn                    Dianne

Have a beautiful day!
I hope you will come again tomorrow,

Sheila
p.s. please visit Dianne's blog site at
www.everythingelsethrownin.net

Greetings and Welcome to Becoming Women of Peace!

On this Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the temple, February 2, 2011, I make to You this presentation of Becoming Women of Peace blog site. I remember Joseph and Mary as they took the Lord to the temple according to the precepts of the Jewish law to present him to the Father and offer a sacrifice. He was set apart for the Lord's purposes, and this too is my desire for this blog site. As I present it to Him, I offer a sacrifice of praise. (Heb. 13:15)

As at the Wedding Feast at Cana, I will fill the water jars and hope that the posts on this site will be turned into choice wine for you.

My dear precious mother, Kathryn, who is so much a part of this ministry was inspired to write these beautiful words for me to share at the first Women of Peace workshop/retreat in September 2001.

"The lives of women move mysteriously in context with water--amniotic fluid--the watery world in which we spent the first months of life, and in turn, nurtured our own children during pregnancy. Our thirst was first quenched by colostrum, sweet watery milk, a veritable love potion, repeated with our own newborns. Throughout generations, the ritual of ablution--washing infant bodies, washing old bodies--equally are acts of tender love. Sacramental waters of Baptismal Initiation, and ultimately, of Resurrection, wash over generations of women as rhythmically as the tide. Our tears of joy, sorrow, and compassion water the earth, from which springs life giving fruit.

Throughout all events, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the work Jesus did on Earth. We do so with the particular giftedness of our womanhood. As in the painting, we wear wreathes of flowers, denoting reverence toward the Other, as Mexican women do today when they attend Mass. We are pregnant with wisdom accumulated on our life journeys into inlets, rivers, and randomly, on turbulent seas ready to deliver the Life that is within us to a parched world." K.G. '01

Thank you for visiting.

Grace & peace,

Sheila
p.s. do come again!