Friday, October 13, 2006

The Things Crossing My Mind

Happy Friday the 13th to you all!

So, I promise I will explain the pictures in my last post, just not right at this moment. Just let me say that I was looking at them again this morning, sitting at my desk, and I love all of them. They epitomize moments, or emotions, or events of the summer, and that makes them special.

This morning I officially became one of the c-train ladies I used to mock in my head as I commuted to and from school. I wore running shoes with my dress pants and clothes, and carried my high heels in my bag. You see, I have had problems for years with the tendons in my feet developing tendonitis, and they were sore this morning, and I decided I didn't want to have to stand on the train in heels, or make the fifteen minute walk from the train to my office in heels, so I wore runners. You may now all engage in mocking laughter. But, in my defense, they are very cute runners (which I tried to find a picture of on the web, but couldn't, and which didn't in any way match or blend with my outfit!)

I'm trying to develop a bit more disciplined routine of prayer and bible reading. So I'm doing this thing, where, as I crawl into bed to read before I go to sleep, the first thing I read is a chapter of scripture. Then I grab a new journal I bought, a small one, and I write down one or two lines from the passage I just read that caught my attention. Two nights ago it was "the kingdom of God is near." Last night it was, "I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners," and "The sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the sabbath." After that, I write a short prayer, end it with Brennan Manning's prayer "Abba, I belong to you," and put the bible and journal away.

The thing that makes this a discipline is that it is the FIRST thing I do when I crawl into bed. It has priority. I don't pick up the novel that I left in a really tense place, I don't play something on my ipod, I don't flip through a magazine, any of the things I might do to unwind before sleeping, until this is done. It doesn't go by the wayside like my old routine, where I might read a novel, and then suddenly realize the time, and just choose to put off scripture reading until the next day.

And the little journal - it travels with me. If I'm thinking or praying on the c-train - which I often am - I can jot down anything that seems significant as I pray.

Here's to hoping that this works. I really would like to establish a more disciplined routine of spending time daily with God.

2 comments:

Hope said...

I often pray that Brennan Manning prayer, especially when I am in need or when nothing else will come to me. I do the whole in breath Abba, outbreath, I belong to you, and find it very calming.
Were you at his conference several years ago in Calgary? Dearest one and I were there. We got to go out for dessert with Brennan and a few other people because of someone we knew there. It was cool.

Lisa said...

Hope, no, I wasn't at the conference. I've actually only ever heard one of his messages, and I downloaded that from somewhere on the net. I've heard that he's very good, and I'm intending to read some of his books soon... yet another of many on my list!