Prayerful Review of the Day 2 & 3

I started this two days ago, and my computer was accidentally not plugged in. So, I didn't bother to reboot when it conked out. So, I am combining Days 2 & 3 (November 8-9)


Update from Day 1 - Showing Love

This is a more detailed update than yesterday: Well that was so fun! I asked God what my "one thing" should be to show love, and he told me only to "bake bread." So I dutifully woke up at 6:15 am (on Election Day) and started the 3 1/2 hour process. He told me He would let me know further directions. 

First, the smell of warm fresh bread was so lovely as my kingdom community praised through Psalm 145 and prayed for the world, the persecuted believers in our world, our friends in the community, and each other. Love, love, love. We broke with bread. God is good. I could bless those four women whom I am already loving more and more. 

Second, three of the five of us decided to go to the mosque. I grabbed one of the three loaves and went to meet with 10 women huddled around a table reading the Qur'an with my friend, G, teaching from it. There were snacks at the end, and one of ladies had cut up my bread and brought it to the table. G, the teacher and my friend, said, "Did you know that in Syria when you bring bread to someone, it means you are bringing love?"

I did not know that, but I told her that I asked God how I could show love to someone, and He told me to bake bread!

WIN WIN

So here is the review of what I am doing. The post from two days ago gives more detail:

After  saying  thank  you  to  God  for  the  gifts  received through  the  day,  we  take   time  to  notice  where  we have  felt  most  alive  and  responsive  in  the  past   twenty-­four  hours.  This  is  often  a  sign  of  where  we have  lived  in  tune  with   God’s  dream  for  our  lives  in the  world.  Then  we  take  time  to  notice  where  we   have  felt  most  dead  and  unresponsive.  This  is  often  a sign of where we have most probably been living out of tune with God's dream. I am discovering that noticing these differences on a daily basis has the effect of fine-tuning my capacity to make future decisions more in tune with God. I am gradually learning that our daily cooperation with God depends upon making faithful choices in the matters that confront us, both big and small. 
There are two other important bits to this practice of a daily review. We also look back over the day to see where we have failed to live as a faithful friend and partner of God. Bringing these failures to the cross each evening opens our hearts to receive afresh the mercy and forgiveness of the divine friendship and keeps us growing in it. The last bit is to imagine one practical thing that we can commit to do the next day that will express our love for God and others. Obviously we will need help and race with this so we ask for this as well. This is the creative part of the review where we are able to exercise our initiative for the sake of realizing God's dream in the world. 

Thanks to  God  for  the  gifts  received through  the (last two) day(s):

The gift of this group of Tuesday Kingdom Women who look at the Words of Jesus and obey them by loving God, their families, and their neighbors. 

Sunshine and a 10 mile bike ride among Fall leaves. Took my breath away. So thankful to live in this town. 

Friendship with people of other faiths. Finding common ground. Bridging the gap. (Visit to the mosque was so lovely!) 

Living in a democracy.  

Gift of diversity of thought and opinion.

The peaceful transition of power.

Notice  where  we have  felt  most  alive  and  responsive  in  the  past   twenty-­four  hours:

Riding my bike through Fall Leaves!

Talking to my hubby and him giving me the freedom to stay home and rest instead of traveling up north to be with him and his mom and ailing aunt.

An enlightening email exchange with one of my besties over this election and coming to a meeting of heart and mind. (I did not vote for either candidate in case you were wondering.)

Notice  where  we   have  felt  most  dead  and unresponsive:

The anger of friends who did not like the outcome of the election. YIKES! 

Imagine one practical thing that we can commit to do the next day that will express our love for God and others:

Pray for Peshmerga advance on Mosul. Few casualties (as per Sinor's request).  

Take care of and love on Aunt Dot tomorrow.