Awakening the Heart

Dear Members of the Parish,

When I surrender, I see.
When I see, I am present.
When I am present, I can be surprised by joy.
Although it seldom comes packaged the way I expect. ~Terry Hershey

For the last 2 weeks in Grace Discussion Group we have been talking about Sabbath time. Taking time out of our busy, over-scheduled lives to just sit and contemplate a flower or listen to the birds or play a board game with our children or grandchildren seems impossible most of the time. But as we discussed, it's not so much that we don't have the time, it's prioritizing the things that matter. We all know that we are happier and more productive if we take time out to breathe deeply or engage in something totally different from our daily life and tasks. That might be cultivating a hobby like painting, reading, riding a bicycle, taking a walk or baking bread. Anything that takes you out of your routine and puts you in a different frame of mind can be a Sabbath moment.

Here are some great web sites to inspire you right at your computer. Perhaps they will give you some ideas to change your routine and spend some quality with your spouse, your family, or a dear friend -- perhaps even God!

Here's a prayer from Hildegard of Bingen to get you started:

Holy Spirit, giving life to all life,
moving all creatures, root of all things,
washing them clean, wiping out their mistakes, healing their wounds,
you are our true life, luminous, wonderful,
awakening the heart from its ancient sleep.

Blessings and Peace,
Miriam

http://www.terryhershey.com/764.htm Sabbath Moments by Terry Hershey -- very well written with poetry from different people and various faith traditions

http://www.readyclickgrowyourfamily.com/index.php lots of fun activities for young families

http://www.readyclickgrowyourfaith.com/index.php great web site full of prayers, bible study, etc.

www.365.org Daily on line devotions with instrumental music (you can turn it off if you prefer silence)