Snow Shoeing

I had my first chance at snow shoeing today. What a glorious way to be out in nature. There is nothing better then working up a sweat while you are out in the cold air. The powdery snow was fun to play in. I felt a bit like a child going on a new adventure!

Here in the foot hills of New Hampshire's White Mountains, the air is beautifully crisp and clear. I was so glad to be leaving the city behind for a couple of days. It is one of the best things I could have done. I am serving as chaplain for a family retreat this week. My topic for devotions and Bible Study has been prayer.

This is the week before Lent begins. Ash Wednesday is tomorrow. We will once again hear the words from Jesus instructing us to pray the "Lord's Prayer" and reminding us not to wear our religious practices out in the open for fear of falling like the Pharisees.

This season of the church year is one where we so often talk about our spiritual disciplines and practices, including prayer. I think the last thing we all need to to be taught once again, "how to pray." I think we often have been lead astray.

There isn't just one or two ways of praying. There are hundreds. Prayer is a life attentive to God's Holy and life giving, steadfast presence.

Be intentional. Chose to do an activity because you are seeking the Holy. Don't just go on the walk or on a snow shoeing hike in order to become more physically fit. Go out with the intention of soaking up, diving into God's beautiful creation.

And pay attention. This has to do with focusing ouor minds and hearts on God as we engage into our activity. Being present in the moment. I really think that the eastern religions have this practice down and we Christians have a lot to learn.

Relationships

Today was the funeral of my Great Uncle who died at the age of 91. I was not able to attend the funeral because I am many miles away from my family and where the funeral took place. I loved my uncle for his humor, honesty, 'frank' way of speaking, and even for his stubbornnes and sometimes in his later years, crabby personality. He was a dear man who lived and loved his family; me included.

I am single and living alone. I currently do not have any family in the area or even in the state that I am living in. I have many relationships here because of being connected to a church. Yet, I am still struggling to find and connect with people outside of the church.

Relationships are tough, tricky and sometimes just plain hard. Over the last year the relationship with my mother has declined and the relationship with my sister has grown. I guess it is all about the ebb and flow of life. The ins and outs of the Holy Spirit working through each one of us.

I often wish that She would work a bit harder to soften my heart. Or maybe I am the one who should be doing the work. I miss being closer to my sister, mom, dad and their spouces. But honestly, being away and on my own makes life a lot easier. I really do not know if that is a good or a bad thing that I am living far away. Have I taken the easy way out?

And life within the congregation is often very frustrating as well. Communication is hard, which then makes maintaining relationships difficult. Sometimes, like today, I wonder why. Why has God given the responsibility of living in relationships to such weak and vunerable creatures. At least a half of a dozen times today, I got frustrated with someone or was plain annoyed. Ugh. Not a pretty place to be especially when I am their pastor.

My prayer is that the heart be open and that the Spirit has room to do her work. Soften away. Offer me patience and peace. Help me to know that I am not the center of life and it is because of other people that I am to be here. We are nothing when we are not in relationship with others. I think that the definition of relationship should be: struggling and experiencing God's grace over, and over, and over again.

God bless you Uncle. May you truly know the peace and love of God unconditionally and thank you for loving me and teaching me about God's grace. With love, your great neice.

Was ist das?

There are only three students in the confirmation class that I teach (actually, only two usually show up.). We have been studying the Small Catechism from Martin Luther. In all of the explinations for each section, he starts it with the words, "Was ist das?" What does this mean?"

This month marks my official year and half mark of living and serving here in the Boston area. What does all of this mean? I hope that this blog will help me to be more dilligent at my own reflections on life's sections and various parts.

It seems as though life would't be worth living if one wasn't truly obsorbing it and taking it all in. I live in one of the most interesting cities in this country filled with culture, interesting and intellegent people, and so many opportunities. Have I taken full advantage of it all? If I was honest with myself, I think I would sadly say no...

Today is a new day! And tomorrow is even newer. May this new blog, this new opportunity for writing and refection be a new opportunity each day to be thankful for all that I've been given! Life is good!