It's all good so far

10-02-11

Its that quiet time before we go to Church. The dogs have been walked, breakfast done and the newspaper finished. Sandra is getting ready, I have a cup of coffee and a little time in front of the computer. Looking to see how much of the morning blog can go out in the various media. First composing in plain text in Simple-note, then cutting and editing the status into a tweet, and ultimately bringing the whole message over into WordPress for publication. It’s now 9:00 and we are starting the have to get there panic. I will make another cup of coffee and watch.

We got to Church as planned, Sandra’s team had done the set up as needed and everything was in good shape for the service. I had a chance to visit in the Parish Hall, and spent some time making coffee and discuss making coffee, a verboteen topic while on the vestry.

The service went well, only a couple of rounds of glitches with the sound system. We hope to meet with the sound engineer who did the family life center work on Friday. A good turn out to hear the Bishop and see the confirmation.  The Bishop, Fr. Paul, Fr. Scotty, and Wendy were all able to use the altar space and communion went well.  After having been through the remodel of the Sanctuary, and knowing what it takes to produce a good service, I find myself on edge when the mechanics don’t work well.  We do have a plan to go forward with Phase II and have a meeting being set up with the sound man that did the work on our Family Life Center.  I need to remember that we have a plan in place that will happen on God’s time and remember that a bit of feedback is only a reminder that it is His Service and not mine.

Bishop Doyle spoke of change, of the need not to wall ourselves off from the world. He charged us to be out there in it, but also to expect for it to come back in with us. To remember that it is God’s church and we are only stewards. Echos well with where I need to be.  To trust more that things will work out the way they are supposed to, according to the schedule they have.

A Morning Resolution:

I will try this day to live a simple, sincere and serene life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity, and self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and the habit of holy silence; exercising economy in expenditure, generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust, and a childlike faith in God.

In particular I will try to be faithful in those habits of prayer, work, study, physical exercise, eating, and sleep which I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to be right.

And as I cannot in my own strength do this, nor even with a hope of success attempt it, I look to thee, O Lord God my Father, in Jesus my Savior, and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This is something I found that has been included for years in the Forward Day by Day booklets in our Church pamphlet rack.  I had a copy taped to the front page protector of my planner and had it set in page marker.  I need to figure out where to put it now so that I will see it on a daily basis, probably as a recurring event in Outlook or on my Google Calendar.

It does a good job of laying out things that I and others always seem to need to work on.  It makes a good core for daily prayer.

It also is sound advice about not trying to do it on our own.  I get reminded of this periodically especially when I don’t pray for assistance in these areas.

One thing it also means is that we need to trust God with the outcome which may be different that what we intend. I am more accepting of this now as I am getting older, but it was a struggle in the past, and there are times that it still is a struggle.  I can’t always tell but should trust that things happening in my life are according God’s will.

God’s time is not alway my time.  I have learned that sometimes He is letting me grow and develop before moving forward with something I want or need.

I think back on life prior to getting married.  I knew that I wanted a till death do us part type of  a relationship, and I have been very happily married for 22 years.  God made me take some time before entering this relationship to be sure that I had established my goals and identity before letting me met my wife and having our goals and identities merge in our marriage.

It works, it works on God’s time.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters,* I did not come proclaiming the mystery* of God to you in lofty words or wisdom.2For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom,* but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,5so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
“Grant Lord that all my intentions, actions, and operations be directed purely to Your praise and service.” Oracion Preparatoria by Juan Carlos Merchan SJ.

The five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced calls one to:

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.

My practice differs a bit. Prayer, then Readings from the Lectionary, followed by an email to the daughter with a scripture passage usually from Psalms, and then listen to the Pray as You Go Podcast on the morning commute. I try to capture a thought from this process and reflect on it in this blog during the day.

I do greet each day with gratitude and look forward to tomorrow.

The hymn this morning on the Pray as You Go podcast was the Oracion Preparatoria by a group of Jesuit Monks in Columbia. I had to do some Google research and translation, along with the use of the rewind feature to capture the intent of the hymn.

Oracion Preparatoria, as I now understand it, is a call to prayer. It is an intentional focusing.

My routine starts as I am crawling out of bead and runs through an opening prayer, the Apostles Creed and then my main prayer.

I pray thanksgiving for family and friends and the blessing in our lives. I pray that we continue to learn, love, live, laugh, andlead the lives the God has intended for us. I pray for immediate family in our actions for the day and our concerns. Next comes prayer for parents then siblings Nd their families by name. Then their extended families. Scouts and scouters in thei endeavors. Then I pray for our church, the clergy, councils, committees, staff and vestry. I pray for their cares and concerns, known and unknown.

Now I have to admit that this prayer sometimes runs on autopilot whether on the shower or shaving or waiting for the computer to boot up. The intent is there but not always the focus. Something that I must work on.