Friday Morning Freewrite

Here I am with a fifteen minute timer. I am listening to a book called The Narrow Road to the Deep North. It is about Australians in a POW Camp during World War II. I need a break, and the sun is shining for the last time today at 10:13 because the clouds are coming in. I really "should" be out walking, but I have not gotten myself out of my chair. 

We had a pastoral coach stay here for a couple of days while she and another coach debriefed an international worker. She was delightful, and we had much in common. I liked her. 

I am tired. I didn't have a ton of directees this week. So I am not sure why I am. Maybe just having a guest makes you always on your toes? I don't know.

I also finished the audiobook A Bullet at the Ballet. It was a pretty good read. 

I have been consistently having Two 20 minute sits for Centering Prayer this week, and it really has been good and transformative! I don't know the mechanism behind all this, but after that coordinators meeting, I read on their website:

One time a day for maintenance

Two times a day for transformation

I had never read that before. I usually will have a time in the middle of the day anywhere from 20-30 minutes. Then I will do another one at another time, but it might be shorter. But the website quote intrigued me. Why not try this for a week?

Well, again, I don't know the mechanism, but focusing my gaze on God twice a day HAS been transformative. Letting go at other times have been so much easier. I dropped a mug on a crystal salad bowl we were given as a wedding present. It was beautiful. but I said, "Oh well." (Come to think of it, I think it was a regifted wedding gift from a couple that divorced within five years. Then she passed away in her 20s. You ask me how I know that it was regifted? They left the card they received from the original gift giver IN THE BOX! Uh-oh!).

Back to the salad bowl. It wasn't a big deal. I didn't have to convince myself it was a big deal. I just let it go instantaneously with the shattering of the bowl. 

Is this the result of Centering Prayer? I don't know, but there were other things that happened this week. Little things, but there was this baseline peace that was always there and is here as I type.

I love this Friday because we had this guest. So I didn't schedule anything for today. It was great. 

I like meeting new people. 

I was asked by someone on our field leadership team to be their "overseer" but really it is more like spiritual direction, and I am honored. I think I will do it. 

I also think I will be an intern to become a trainer of spiritual directors. They really are my people more than any other people I have ever met. So, training people who want to become directors will be really lovely. 

Well, I am getting the itch to go out and walk a bit. I think I will take a flat route and just walk with no destination in mind (which might be to go get a gift for George's 61st birthday). 

Bye.