Good morning…
Looking back over our weekend, so many multifaceted gifts were unwrapped at our Awake To Wholeness Women’s Retreat. Musical meditations. Wise “Aha!” moments. For some of us, tenderizing tears. One tiny tangible gift was tied inside each napkin given with our yummy boxed lunches. A young girl from the church had hand-painted for each participant a bookmark with a unique saying from our guiding book, The Hidden Life Awakened by Kitty Crenshaw and Dr. Cathy Snapp. Mine sweet strip read, “For love is seeing as God would see.”
I placed my bookmark between pages 212 and 213, savoring the book quote I would read aloud after lunch.
“Our spiritual journey is a love affair,” reminds Betty Skinner, Christian mystic, spiritual mentor, forever friend. “It is a leaning into God, listening longingly for His heartbeat. Our breathing becomes synonymous with the Breath of Life and brings harmony with the divine flow of life. It is a transcendent resting in, being with, and living in the Presence all of the time. It is all about acceptance. Are you willing to face the darkness of the tomb? If we are, God finally grants us the wonderful opportunity to look back at our lives – and retrospect is such a beautiful view – and say, ‘Aha! So this is what that was about!'”
“Life is a joyful dance,” says Betty, “but we must have the courage and the hunger to step into the dance. God is the dancer. Are we going to let Him dance us any way He wants, any time, any place? It hurts sometimes, but it’s part of the dance and it hurts much more if we resist. We learn to take one step into the dance – the flow of trust – and we allow God to dance us. Then we take another and another, and if we continue to take the next step, one day we start dancing and never stop. I can tell you it is so.”
We experience the great gifts of the divine dancer as we lean into God, rest our head on His chest, and listen longingly for His heartbeat.
Lean.
Rest.
Listen.
Our mind and our heart breathe quietly in sync, swaying to the Spirit’s innermost music, following each step fit for our own feet.
Overtime, of us it is said: Their lives will be like a well-watered garden, never again left to dry up. Young women will dance and be happy, young men and old men will join in. I’ll convert their weeping into laughter, lavishing comfort, invading their grief with joy (Jeremiah 31:12b-13, MSG).
Miraculously, our weeping converts to laughter. Our grief is invaded by joy. God finally grants us the wonderful opportunity to look back at our lives, and, as Betty often said, “Retrospect is such a beautiful view!”
…Sue…
P.S. If you live in the Atlanta area, don’t miss a generous opportunity to receive and to give great gifts.
This Tuesday. Nov. 9, 10-4, at Wing & A Prayer Studio
Corinne’s Art Giveaway
Come to my studio this Tuesday, 10-4, for some special pre-holiday shopping. I will match whatever you purchase with an equal monetary donation to YOUR favorite nonprofit. Plus, all purchases of art on my website — www.corinneadamsphoto.com — between now and Nov. 9 will be included. A huge and diverse array of art, photography, jewelry, art wearables, artist books and more…everything 50% OFF STUDIO PRICES. Wing & A Prayer Studio, 3725 Powers Ferry Rd. in Buckhead, in the backyard of Sardis Church. 678-576-4450.
See you on Tuesday for a wonderful shared time of Thanksgiving. – Corinne
