When I was in high school I took up bird watching and found lots of rare birds. I would go to places and habitats at times of years where a rare bird might occur. There would be a flock of thousands of birds and I'd pick through every one, on many occasions, on the off chance that one time I'd find something out of the ordinary. And I would often find something that didn't belong--a bird from Argentina in Arkansas, for instance.I'm no longer the serious birder I once was, but I still look … [Read more...]
Begin and End
November 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
As you go about your day, begin each task with a short prayer and end each task with thanksgiving. For instance when you go to check your email pray that the peace of God will be with you in your correspondence and after you close your email thank God being present. This is a way of becoming conscious of our dependence on grace as well as a way to be present in each of our activities. … [Read more...]
The Daily Examine
November 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Daily Examine is one of the key aspects of St. Ignatius of Loyola's classic spiritual exercises. Using this daily examine at the close of every day is a wonderful way to offer our day to God, work through any problems the day presented, and prepare for the next day.There are five steps to The Daily Examine. We recommend you practice this while sitting quietly in a straight-backed chair for the best focus.1. Become aware of the presence of God: Light a candle, say a short prayer, b … [Read more...]
Ask This Question
November 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Sometimes our own perceptions are skewed, we can't always evaluate ourselves. From time to time we need to check in with our friends and family to help us see where we are. Today is one of those days and the question at hand is what kind of good news have you have shared. Ask it on Facebook or in person, but ask it--"what good news have I told you verbally or through my actions." … [Read more...]
Read the News
November 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Today is a day filled with news, with analysis, with wondering at what the election will mean. But this news isn't of great consequence in the midst of the much more important news of the Gospel. Today instead of spending too much time obsessing with the news of the day, read the news that really matters--pick one of the Gospels and read from it. What does the news of Christ's coming, Christ's love, Christ's death and resurrection mean? What difference will this news make? … [Read more...]
A Sacred Pause
August 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
In the middle of the week we are far too often wrapped into a multitude of tasks, worried that we won't get them all accomplished before the weekend. We can't settle on any one thing, jumping from window to window on our computer, multiple tabs open and our minds becoming increasingly frazzled. In our conversations we find ourselves rushed or distracted, we are unable to truly listen and be present with the person with whom we are talking. The answer is to perforate our day with sacred pa … [Read more...]
Game with Minutes
July 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The "Game with Minutes" is a way to practice God's presence developed by Frank Laubach. The goal of the game is to think of Christ one second for every minute of a given period of time. Eventually, the hope is to work to every minute of the day, but to start we can try it for an hour or even for twenty minutes.Pick one period of the day and attempt to play the Game with Minutes. It could be your lunch break, your morning commute, or even during a meeting. For whatever period, attempt to … [Read more...]
Wash Dishes
June 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Finding God's presence in the most mundane tasks can be a challenge, and requires practice. Today, even if you have a dishwasher, wash dishes by hand and with each dish concentrate on conversing with God, just as if God were sitting there with you in your kitchen. … [Read more...]
