Good morning…
Meeting for the first time in Lent, our therapeutic community group began with our normal feelings check-in with creative blob-figures. I chose to share about our son’s engagement, how I feel like the green figure below, diving into totally new territory, leaning into the friends (in yellow) who are skilled at swimming the waters of expanding families, and at the same time basking like the blue figure in total trust as I lean back to witness the beauty God is orchestrating.
After we all shared about our chosen blobs and the prominent feelings from our weeks, we were invited to write down on pieces of paper what we might want to give up for Lent. Since you know God has been teaching me in unexpected ways about giving up trying and just plain giving up, I wrote those words. We talked about stripping away our non-essentials to make more breathing room for our soul, the truest part about us. One man shared his favorite daily prayer: “Oh God, my soul in silence waits for you.”
Next we built a fire in the outdoor fireplace, and we took turns burning away the things we are giving up. One friend offered to do my burning, so I took pictures of him releasing my trying, releasing my wholehearted willingness to just “Give Up!” It felt very sacred to hear one another’s deepest desires and to watch our sacrifices burned to ashes.
I kept two of my ripped slips from a brown paper bag. One, a symbol my soul, the truest part of me. The other, my friend’s lovely prayer.
Oh God…
my soul
in silence
waits
for you.
I ·find rest [wait quietly] in God; ·only he gives me hope [ for my hope is in him] (Psalm 62:5, EXB).
…Sue…
P.S. Yesterday I returned to PAWkids to bead permanent name tags with the kids and volunteers and to watch the expansion of the solid human bridge God is building in the heart of our Atlanta community. Thanks to Rachel Farmer and her team who served an amazing dinner for a grateful crowd.
