Good morning…
When we gathered together for our final Friday class, we read these words out loud from the lips of ninety-four-year-old Betty Skinner. “The conscious and disciplined work of awakening our senses is vital to the life of the Spirit within us. It helps to move us from our heads to our hearts. The marvel of the five senses is that we can experience the same world five different ways. This is Creativity’s gift, which when nourished, fuels our imagination. The imagination is infinitely and uniquely individual. It is our borderland, our dreamland between the outer and inner senses” (Crenshaw and Snapp’s The Hidden Life Awakened, 114).
“Sue,” she wrote on the first Friday we were not allowed to gather. “On my morning walk through the National Forest in Blue Ridge, I tried more intentionally to use all senses as Betty described. I (almost) always feel closer to God and often pray while walking and appreciate his beautiful creation and love the songs of the birds (especially early morning).”
Her email continued: “Today, I closed my eyes and listened to the wind in the trees and so many birds singing. I paid attention to the crunchy leaves as I walked in the woods. I noticed the dancing pine needles and swaying trees. As I always do, I marveled at the sun dancing on the lake and how peaceful that makes me feel. The sunshine on my face felt magical. I took deep breaths of the fresh air (my dog was doing much more smelling than me as he enjoyed his off-leash freedom). I spread out my arms and let the wind take away my fears and cares and filled up with God’s peace.”
She concluded: “This afternoon I walked to the eagles nest two miles away and was rewarded with the miraculous site of two bald eagle parents flying in and out of the nest. Missing our group time but thankful for sharing Betty’s book and spiritual journey.”
We are all missing our group times together, but what creative gifts fuel your imagination on this special day of Sabbath, as you marvel at the world using your five senses?
She Speaks:
I went down to see if blossoms
were on the walnut trees,
grapevines, and fruit trees.
But in my imagination
I was suddenly riding
on a glorious chariot (Song of Solomon 6:11-13, CEV).
…Sue…
P.S. To worship with our Northside Church community from the sanctuary of your home, please join us this morning via Facebook or Vimeo: 9:45AM Contemporary Worship and 11:00AM Traditional Worship as usual. Our hearts are open but our doors are officially closed through March 29.
