Living in the Present (Alive Now, Jan/Feb, 2011)

helpING unclutter your heart all year long.

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Visit us at alivenow.org Now featuring: • Tips for Living in the Present • Beth’s blog • Lectionary readings • Creating a breath prayer • Collective wisdom and inspiration from the Alive Now community • Getting ready for Lent • New design!

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Living in the Present

Next issue: March /April 2011

The Gift of Sorrow Includes Guide to Lent

Being Truly Present

by Trevor Hudson Page 30

Daily Reflections They’re Back!

Page 45

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contents living in the present

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Waking Up Frederick Buechner

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In the Presence of God’s Truth Pamela C. Hawkins

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An Hour with Jesus John Indermark

10 This Moment Is Holy Carol McCrea 12 Walking Day by Day Wendy M. Wright 14 The God of Pots and Pans E. Glenn Hinson

Alive Now® Helping unclutter your heart all year long.

15 The Sacredness of Doing Chores Brenda Peterson 17 Jesus Said Ann Freeman Price 18 A Calm and Quiet Soul J. K. Wuest 20 The Iris Wendy M. Wright 22 Let God’s Love Speak Flora Slosson Wuellner 23 Fragile Splendor Sharon Brown Christopher 26 Being Truly Present Trevor Hudson 28 Botany 302 JoAnn Evans Miller 30 Reading the Newspaper Macrina Wiederkehr 32 A Life of Gratitude Lynne M. Deming 34 Junk in the Basement J. David Muyskens 35 Babysitting the Past Mary Lou Redding 36 Having Dinner Marc David 37 Eternal Now Wayne E. Simsic 38 Lighting a Candle Brother David Steindl-Rast 40 Breath as Spirit Daniel Wolpert Departments: 3

Perspectives

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From the Editor

24 The Center Beth A. Richardson 40 Practice – Breath Prayer Jane E. Vennard 44 Daily Reflections Visit us on the web at alivenow.org Photos this page & front cover: iStockphoto/Thinkstock; back cover: Hemera/Thinkstock

For writer’s guidelines and upcoming themes visit alivenow.org Questions?

Contact us at alivenow@ upperroom.org

Beth A. Richardson EDITOR

Gina Manskar Editorial Assistant

Rita Collett Sharon A. Conley Carmen Gaud Lynn W. Gilliam Susan Hay John S. Mogabgab Editorial Advisory Staff

Sarah E. Wilke Publisher

Lynne M. Deming Executive Director of Publishing

Karen A. Greenwaldt General Secretary GBOD

Nancy Terzian Graphic Design

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Unless otherwise designated, scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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perspectives “Let go!” says God. “That was then; this is now. Walk with me on the sacred ground of the present moment, and you will find me in some unexpected places.”

—Elizabeth Canham

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If I did not simply live from one moment to the next, it would be impossible for me to keep my patience. I can see only the present, I forget the past and I take good care not to think about the future. We get discouraged and feel despair because we brood about the past and future. It is such folly to pass one’s time fretting, instead of resting quietly on the heart of Jesus.

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—Thérèsa of Lisieux

There is nothing left for me but to live fully and completely in the present, praying when I pray, and writing and praying when I write, and worrying about nothing but the will and the glory of God, finding these as best I can do in the sacrament of the present moment.

—Thomas Merton

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from the editor

ello, friends! I’m delighted to be back on the staff of Alive Now magazine. I started my editorial vocation here back in the 80s under the guidance of Mary Ruth Coffman. Those were the days before computers, when editors’ tools included typewriters, light boards, and X-Acto® knives. In 1996, I left Alive Now to work in The Upper Room’s web ministry.

As I return, I bring things I have learned in the digital world and, I hope, building blocks for our future.

I look forward to getting to know you. I want to hear about your joys and struggles as you try to navigate this toobusy world. When you have a chance, please come by alivenow.org and introduce yourself -- we have a short survey for you to fill out. While you are there, take a look around at the new website.

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Jenni Sturgis

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We’ve got tips and prayer practices related to each theme and other resources to nurture your spiritual life.

You’ll notice that there have been some changes with this issue. I invite you to turn to page 48 for information about changes to the print edition and the website. Also there, you’ll find some suggestions for using Alive Now. I hope Alive Now becomes your companion as you seek to unclutter your heart – to make room for God – in the midst of noise and chaos and distractions that make up life today.

With this issue we welcome Nancy Terzian as Alive Now’s designer. And we welcome back to the printed page Alive Now’s Daily Reflections. (You will still be able to receive them electronically at alivenow.org.)

Living in the Present W

hen I was a child, I went through a time when I couldn’t sleep at night – I was afraid. I worried about things like automobile accidents or being kidnapped. My mom told me about Jesus’ words in Matthew 6: “Do not worry about your life. . . . Consider the lilies of the field. . . . If God so clothes the grass of the field . . . will God not much more clothe you?” (From Matthew 6:25-34.)

I found the reading in a Sunday school book, cut it out, and taped it to my mirror. Before bed, I read the scripture. If I was too afraid to sleep, I spoke the scripture to myself. These words from Jesus helped me get through this period of childhood anxiety.

I still struggle with worry.

So when I discovered that the theme of my first Alive Now issue was “Living in the Present,” I knew that I was in the right place. Living in the present is the spiritual practice I use most to

combat my worry and fear. When I live in the present moment, I am best connected to God. The present moment is not always an easy place to be. Sometimes it is filled with uncertainty and pain. We may be waiting for a test result from a biopsy. We may be living through cancer treatment or watching a loved one enter a journey into dementia. We may have uncertainty about job status or financial security.

I suspect that we all struggle to some extent with rushing into the future in worry and anxiety -- or looking back at the past in regret or longing. But Jesus calls us to live in today – breathing in and breathing out, eating today’s bread, reaching out to touch the hand and heart of the person right next to us, open to God’s spirit moving in us as we become Christ’s presence in the world.

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waking up Darkness was upon the face of the deep, and God said, “Let there be light.” Darkness laps at my sleeping face like a tide, and God says, “Let there be Buechner.” Why Not? Out of the primeval chaos of sleep he calls me to be a life again. . . .

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. . . He calls me to be this rather than that; he calls me to be here rather than there; he calls me to be now rather than then. . . .

Waking into the new day, we are all of us Adam on the morning of creation, and the world is ours to name. Out of many fragments we are called to put back together a self again. —Frederick Buechner From The Alphabet of Grace. Š 1970 by Frederick Buechner.

Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publisher.

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Give us this day our daily bread.

—Matthew 6:11

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pirit of the Living God, I live this day in the presence of your truth, by the power of your grace, with thanksgiving for the longing I have for you and the longing you have for me. Drench me, shape me, move me. Amen. ­—Pamela C. Hawkins From The Awkward Season: Prayers for Lent. © 2009 by Pamela C. Hawkins. Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

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Imagine Jesus has said he would join you for an hour this day. Where would you most like Christ to be with you? What would you like to be able to do? How might Christ’s presence change something you do today?

Go ahead and make that change.

Christ is with you.

—John Indermark From Gospeled Lives: Encounters with Jesus. © 2008 by John Indermark.

Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

Tell us about your hour with Jesus today. Join us at alivenow.org for conversation and opportunities to go deeper into the spiritual life. january/february

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This Moment Is

A

t age 38, I stopped my nightly wine drinking. With nothing to sedate it, my anxiety during the day grew. Over time, as my brain and body began to heal, I was able to truly know the driven, too-fastpaced life I had lived before.

A beloved mentor told me that my mind and body were split from each other; they

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existed in different places at different times. I would be thinking about something as I was driving and miss an exit. I would snap at my husband or kids if they asked me a question. I solved work problems while showering. My mind lived in the future, worrying about what was to come, or in the past, regretting or resenting.

I had to practice living in

Holy

Carol McCrea

the moment. If I was scraping a carrot in the kitchen, I needed to focus on that humble task, see the color of the carrot, inhale its smell, hear the click of the blade. Whenever my mind raced like a runaway rabbit, I had to pull it back to the moment. Sometimes I stopped in the middle of the street, realizing I was somewhere else in my head. I practiced looking at my feet. Were my mind and feet together in the same place at the same time? Eventually my mind and body rejoined, and there was delicious peace.

Peace is only in the moment.

The moment is sacred, for it is here, in the intersection of space and time, that we are with God. In this moment I can

be as close to God as I can get in this life.

Recently my understanding of the moment has deepened.

I thought some moments -worshipping with others, praying, meditating, and giving to others – were holier and more worthy than others. But no, every moment is precious to God. Each humble task, if done consciously, is full of grace.

Hanging a piece of clothing in a closet is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing and is blessed by God. This moment is holy. At this moment, God, you and I are in the holy present. So be it.

Carol McCrea is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Warren, NJ. A formerly agnostic English professor, she embraced Christianity and a new career.

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Walking Day by Day Wendy M. Wright The path of love that I walk is neither predetermined nor clear cut. It is forged in the process of walking day by day, listening deeply to the silence brooding beneath the noisy instructions issuing from without and within our own hearts. God’s will is not a puzzle to be solved but a mystery to be lived into. It is a mystery whose contours emerge as we journey on.

From The Rising: Living the Mysteries of Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Š 1994 by Wendy M. Wright. Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

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The God of Pots and Pans E. Glenn Hinson

One day, washing dishes in the kitchen, [Brother Lawrence] discovered that he could talk to the God of pots and pans, or as he phrased it . . . , he could “practice the presence of God.” In whatever he was doing, he said, he maintained an attitude of attention to the presence. Brother Lawrence had a passionate regard for God. “I turn my little omelette in the pan for love of God,” he said. He fell head over heels in love with God and let that transfuse and transform everything he did.

From Spiritual Preparation for Christian Leadership. © 1999 by E. Glenn Hinson. Used by permission of Upper Room Books.

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The Sacredness of Doing Chores Brenda Peterson

There is no more comforting sound to me than the spinning of that washer or dryer. It is the whole world spinning in there, cleansing itself and me.

As long as the washer and dryer spin, I tell myself, I am safe and those I love may choose to keep living alongside me. For there is laundry to be done and so many chores — chores of the living. There is so much to be remembered under the dust of our old contempt for cleaning up after ourselves, picking up our own socks. There is much to be swept away and shined bright and scrubbed down to its deepest, most illuminating level. Think of all the chores we have yet to do, quietly and on our knees — because home is holy.

From Nature and Other Mothers, © 1996 by Brenda Peterson. HarperCollins, 1992; Fawcett/ Columbine, 1995. Brenda Peterson is the author of sixteen books, including Build Me an Ark: A Life with Animals, selected as a “Best Spiritual Book.” Her recent spiritual memoir is I Want to Be Left Behind: Finding Rapture Here on Earth. iwanttobeleftbehind.com

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do not worry

“Don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t sow seed or harvest grain or gather crops into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Aren’t you worth much more than they are? Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? Notice how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t wear themselves out with work, and they don’t spin cloth.

But I say to you that even Solomon in all of his splendor wasn’t dressed like one of these. If God dresses grass in the field so beautifully, even though it’s alive today and tomorrow it’s thrown into the furnace, won’t God do much more for you, you people of weak faith? Therefore, don’t worry and say, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’

Gentiles long for all these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. Instead, desire first and foremost God’s

kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, stop worrying about

tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” — Matthew 6:25-34 (CEB) From The Common English Bible. © 2010. CommonEnglishBible.com

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Jesus Said present time is where you live your life heart open each moment no past — future worry — just loving in the now — Ann Freeman Price Ann Freeman Price is a writer and composer living in the little town of Stillwater, NJ. She is an active member of Sparta United Methodist Church in Sparta, NJ. She does her best to live her life in present time.

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A Calm and J. K. Wuest

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ome people seem to come with a built-in gene for worry. But, in truth, worrying is just a habit; and habits are learned. We learned to lean on worry somewhere along the line; and, if Jesus is talking about it, then clearly it has been a mode of coping with life for quite some time.

Jesus uses ordinary examples of food, drink, birds, lilies, and grass to show that all worry is worthless. Worry has its basis in fear. God knows more clearly than we ourselves do what we need, and God will How do you provide for us. Our fears of not being enough make a habit of trusting God instead of and not having quite enough are brought on giving worry too much by trying to serve wealth and knowledge, power in your life?

Share your thoughts at wisdom, control, and the like. Much and too alivenow.org. much are still not enough.

I finally acknowledged that I had learned the habit of worry from my mother — as much as I protested that it was not so. At the time of this discovery, I was leading a small-group study on the subject of stress. One approach we tackled was unlearning patterns by replacing them with something healthy.

We would let one bad habit go and fill the void with something worthwhile. I chose to eliminate worry and replace it with prayer. I wrote a few simple and easily memorized breath prayers that I could immediately turn

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Quiet Soul Suggestion for Prayer: to when my mind As you breathe in, breathe in shifted into the worry hope; as you breathe out, breathe mode. While this venture out fear. (Repeat as necessary.) was not a snap, it was fruitful; and I still practice this approach.

How do you make a habit of trusting God instead of giving worry too much power in your life? Who needs your encouragement to do the same?

From Upper Room Disciplines, 2008, Š 2007 by Upper Room Books.

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The Iris Wendy M. Wright

Lying on my bed [recovering from surgery], without much range of motion possible with my neck, I was nonetheless able to watch the iris in the bouquets. Over the period of a week they slowly and graciously unfolded their gifts to me. Each day, a tightly furled bud would begin its slow-motion selfrevelation, until by the end of the day it would be in full expansion. Next morning, it would have closed in on itself only to allow the next bud positioned farther down the stalk to display its breathtaking beauty.

The very being of the iris, their incomprehensible delicacy and extravagance, the furry, petaled dip and curve of them, the modulations of color, the various textures of stalk, stem, stamen, and pistil all elegantly displayed themselves for my wonderment. There was a wordlessness to the experience that is impossible to convey. The iris simply were. They were inexpressible gifts. Unique. Unrepeatable. Unforgettable if only I could be present to really see and receive them.

I knew I had never seen iris before. I was not sure I had ever really seen anything before. But now I knew. I had seen iris.

From The Rising: Living the Mysteries of Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Copyright Š 1994 by Wendy M. Wright. Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

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Let God’s Love Speak Flora Slosson Wuellner At some moment in the day, deliberately gaze at a tree, a shrub, a flower, a bird, a cloud, sunlight, rain, and greet it as a loving partner. Look at it fully and lovingly. Touch it if you can or open your palms to its presence. Let God’s love speak, reach out to you Try this exercise and through it. Move gently share your deeper than the outward story at appearance and greet the alivenow.org. hidden, living mystery.

From Prayer, Stress, and Our Inner Wounds. © 1985 by Flora Slosson Wuellner. Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

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The fragile splendor of wildflowers stops me in my tracks, sucks the breath out of me, and opens me to a moment of awe when I pay attention and give myself to the moment.

— Sharon Brown Christopher Sharon Brown Christopher, member of The United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops, is in her retirement exploring creativity as a dimension of God’s Spirit. She resides with her spouse, Charles Logsdon Christopher, in Nashville, TN.

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the center

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I’m always lagging behind on hikes. On this excursion to Mt. Pilchuck there was so much to see. I caught a glimpse of this fern and stepped off the trail to shoot a few pictures.

Living — and seeing — in the present moment takes time, slows me down. I savor those moments of seeing with “present eyes.”

— Beth A. Richardson

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Being Truly I

learned the word present in my first year at primary school, though it would be many years before I discovered some of its rich meanings. I can still remember sitting in my kindergarten classroom while the teacher took attendance. As she called out the names, each of us answered “present.” Even if half asleep, preoccupied with playmates for break, or daydreaming about the sports match after school, I would automatically say “present” when she called my name.

Then I little realized that I was often far from being present at all. There had taken place, to use an arresting phrase from the writings of Douglas Steere, an “interior emigration” of my mind and heart from the living moment (Douglas Steere, Together in Solitude). We experience this interior emigration in daily life. Our distracted, frantic, and hurried lifestyles can keep us from being truly present to those around us. I’m sure that,

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without too much effort, you can think of a recent encounter when you were not really “all there” for the other person.

I had this experience as I wrote this piece. I had just picked up my son from school, and he was sharing excitedly some news about a forthcoming soccer match in which he would play.

My mind, however, was preoccupied with a commitment I had that afternoon. Sensing my total absence from the present moment, my son suddenly said, “Dad, tell me what I have just said.” I couldn’t. And in that moment I felt again the aching sadness of not being present to those I love most. . . .

Let me describe what it means to be truly present.

Being present involves letting go of our constant preoccupations, immersing ourselves in the here and now, and giving ourselves wholeheartedly to whatever is at hand. . . . It’s about becoming more aware, alert, awake to the fullness of the immediate moment. If

Present we are with another person, it means engaging with him or her with all of our heart, our mind, our soul, and our strength. Such wholehearted attention requires patience, time, and disciplined effort.

Trevor Hudson

And it is one of the greatest gifts that we can give to those around us, especially our suffering neighbor.

From A Mile in My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion. © 2005 by Trevor Hudson. Used by permission of Upper Room Books.

try this at home T

o develop a more present-minded way of living, you might experiment regularly with an exercise that I first came across in the writings of Metropolitan Antony (School for Prayer).

The basic steps go as follows: Set aside some time, perhaps five minutes, to do nothing. Simply sit down in your room and say, “I am seated; I am doing nothing. I will do nothing for the next five minutes.” Having declared your intention for this little space of time, decide firmly that nothing will pull you away during these five minutes. If you find yourself emigrating mentally into the past or the future, bring yourself back to the here and now with the thought, I am here in the presence of God, in my own presence, and in the presence of all the furniture that is around me, just still, moving nowhere. I have discovered that doing this exercise regularly builds up the capacity to live more deeply in the present within our everyday lives. —Trevor Hudson From A Mile in My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion. © 2005 by Trevor Hudson. Used by permission of Upper Room Books.

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Botany 302 JoAnn Evans Miller

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n Botany 302, Plant Taxonomy, I fell hopelessly in love.

Randolph Macon Woman’s College was not far from the Blue Ridge Parkway with its wide range of altitudes within a short driving and hiking distance.

The woodlands in spring burst forth with beautiful wildflowers.

I learned to stalk the wildflowers (but NEVER pick them because many are endangered species), to identify them by their distinctive differences, and to appreciate their struggle for survival. I fell in love with wildflowers. I still am in love with wildflowers because they draw me near to the heart of God. Each spring I keep a diary of wildflower names, dates, locations, and inspirations I receive. I re-visit the niches rich with variety and proliferation. I make notes about unusual voids, possible obstacles to blooming, potential threats to their propagating next year, insights into reasons for their thriving. I also am 28 ALIVE NOW Hemera/Thinkstock

thrilled when a flower new-tothis-spot emerges from the dry, brown leaf litter. Sometimes a wildflower surprises me by blooming after several years of my not finding it where it has always been.

I meet God the sustainer in spring’s order, beauty, and complexity. I meet Jesus the teacher when I have opportunity to share the wildflower pilgrimage with another disciple. I meet the Holy Spirit in the comforting rhythms of the season and cycles of the weather. I find metaphors for survival, grace, humility, and community meeting me at every turn. I learn spiritual lessons about adaptation, inclusiveness, sharing, and competing in every niche.

In two seasons of spring I was fortunate to walk the Mount of the Beatitudes within sight of the Sea of Galilee.

Meadow wildflowers, mostly red poppies and blue larkspur, carpeted the hillside down to the sea. What a blessing that a

See more photos of JoAnn’s wild flowers – or share your own pictures – at alivenow.org.

gospel writer captured a timely encounter between Jesus and those who had come to hear this outrageous teacher. How deeply Jesus lived in the present. May we be inspired to do likewise.

I fell in love with God in Botany 302.

JoAnn Evans Miller lives in Brentwood, TN where she finds stories for those who seek healing.

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Reading the

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Newspaper Macrina Wiederkehr

I’ve never been very good at feasting on the daily newspaper. It turns bitter in my mouth. And yet, this is my world. This face of suffering I must embrace as a part of my responsibility. Part of the feast is becoming aware of the world that is mine. Part of the feast is owning this broken world as my own brokenness. I clasp the newspaper to my heart and ask once again in the stillness of the night, “What are we doing to the image of God in one another?”

Selected excerpt from A Tree Full of Angels. © 1988 by Macrina Wiederkehr. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

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Lynne M. Deming

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A Life

he many shades of green on the trees in my neighborhood. The tension on a work colleague’s face when something isn’t going well. The way my little granddaughter scrunches up her nose when she’s trying to figure something out. Bald women wearing baseball caps. These are the kinds of things I take note of these days.

I was never astutely aware of my surroundings. A “head in the clouds” kind of person, my family would say. But an encounter with cancer changed all that. As happens with most any traumatic, life-changing event, I came out of that cancer experience with a new appreciation for the people, places and things in my life -- and for life itself.

In the midst of it all, when I could do little else but sit on the couch, I often prayed for the strength to get through each day. I was existing in the present, but I was hoping and praying for the future. When the chemotherapy was over, it seemed important to discern the gifts that came from that experience. Of course, the gift of healing came first to mind. And after that, the gift of being able to live in the present -- to take in We’d like the world around me and savor it. To to hear your stories – live a life of gratitude. have you had an

Lynne Deming is World Editor of The Upper Room, and lives in Nashville TN. She and her husband have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and one granddaughter.

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experience that gave you “the gift of the present”? Go to alivenow.org and tell us.

of

Gratitude

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Junk in the Basement J. David Muyskens We may discover a lot of junk in the basements of our inner selves. Old wounds, past losses, and shameful deeds may lie covered, out of sight most of the time but still bothersome. A good housecleaning may be needed—not just the living room but the basement as well; not just tidying up a bit but getting rid of accumulated stuff.

Unrepented-of sin prevents us from welcoming Christ into the center of our being. Harmful attitudes and behaviors can obscure the grace of God for us.

Metanoia in Greek, “repentance” in English, means a change of mind, a new mental state. We exchange the self-centered mind for the mind of Christ. We let go and receive divine forgiveness. We pray for the power of the Spirit to free us from harmful practices and attachments.

From Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer. © 2006 by J. David Muyskens. Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

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Carrying around unresolved hurts requires energy. As long as we have to carry them and keep them under control, they drain off emotional and spiritual resources. Instead of having all of our energy available for the new situations that each day brings, we must use some of it to babysit the past.

—Mary Lou Redding From Breaking and Mending: Divorce and God’s Grace. © 1998 Mary Lou Redding. Used by permission of Upper Room Books.

If you feel comfortable doing so, tell us about some of the junk in the basement that you need to get rid of. Visit alivenow.org.

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Having Dinner Marc David

This is the heart of whole body eating: Be there when you eat.

Achieve the fullest experience of your food. Taste it. Savor it. Pay attention to it. Rejoice in it. See how it makes your body feel. Take in all the sensations.

But don’t just eat the food. Eat the ambiance. Eat the colors. Eat the aromas. Eat the conversation. Eat the company sitting next to you. Eat the entire experience. . . . We don’t just hunger for food alone. We hunger for the experience of it — the tasting, the chewing, the sensuousness, the enjoyment, the textures, the sounds, and the satisfaction.

From Nourishing Wisdom by Marc David. © 1991.

Reprinted by permission.

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We find our home in the present moment, a gate into the eternal Now. It is here in the dynamism of the present that God finds us. — Wayne E. Simsic

From Weavings: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life, January/February 2001, Vol. XVI, No. 1. Š 2001 by The Upper Room.

Used with permission.

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Lighting a Candle

Brother David Steindl-Rast

38 ALIVE NOW Beth A. Richardson

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o light a candle by myself is one of my favorite prayers. I am not talking about reading prayers by candlelight. The very act of lighting the candle is prayer. There is the sound of striking the match, the whiff of smoke after blowing it out, the way the flame flares up and then sinks, almost goes out until a drop of melted wax gives it strength to grow to its proper size and to steady itself. All this and the darkness beyond my small circle of light is prayer. I enter into it as one enters a room. My being alone is essential to this prayer.

The presence of even one other person would completely change it.

Something would be lost.

Tell us about one of your favorite prayers at alivenow.org.

From Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer: An Approach to Life in Fullness, by Brother David Steindl-Rast, Š 1984 by David Steindl-Rast. Reprinted by permission of Paulist Press, Inc. Mahwah, NJ. paulistpress.com

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The

Breath

B

reathing may seem like a ridiculous focus for prayer. Yet most of us do not breathe in a manner conducive to experiencing God. We restrict our breath, often taking shallow, quick gulps of air. Yet scripture presents breath as the fundamental metaphor for the Spirit of God, suggesting the breath’s special significance. It is through breath that God gives life (Gen. 2:7), and it is through breath that Jesus bestows the Spirit (John 20:22). . . .

Breathing as prayer is similar to silent prayer, and it can be done at any time, for we are always breathing. The practice is simple: Take some time to notice how you breathe. Sit upright in a silent place. Draw your attention to your breath. Most of us breathe with our chest only, yet our deepest breath comes when we breathe from our abdomen, allowing our diaphragm to expand fully. As our stomach muscles expand, we breathe in, and as they contract we breathe out. Watch a baby and you’ll see this natural deep breathing in action. Set aside some time to practice breathing like this; you might begin with ten to twenty minutes. Breathe slowly; breathing too quickly can cause you to hyperventilate.

Pay attention to the sensation of completely filling your lungs and slowly releasing the air. You may find breathing differently hard at first. Ask God to fill you with the spirit of life. —Daniel Wolpert From Creating a Life with God: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices. Copyright © 2003

by Daniel Wolpert. Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

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Prayer W

J a n e E . Ve n n a r d

e sometimes take for granted our breathing. I remember thinking how silly my dance teacher was to say in the middle of our expressive movements, “Don’t forget to breathe.” But as she continued to call us to awareness of our breath, I realized the many ways I would hold my breath, breathe only into the top of my lungs, or breathe rapidly when

I became anxious. As I paid attention to my breathing and learned new ways to breathe, I discovered how my breath could support my movements, allowing more flexibility, strength, and endurance. And so it is with prayer. Our breathing supports our practice.

Breath prayers are a modern adaptation of the ancient prayer of the heart. We create them to express our deepest needs. They help us keep God in the foreground amidst our daily living and clarify our relationship with the holy. Most breath prayers are six to eight syllables and fit easily into one inhale and exhale. Some examples are “Help me rest; give me peace,” “Make clear my way, O Holy One,” “Out of darkness, into light,” or “Fill me, Spirit, with your love.”

Ron DelBene, who has written extensively on this prayer method, suggests the following steps in creating or discovering your personal breath prayer.1 1. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and remember that God loves you and you are in God’s presence.

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2. Imagine God calling you by name, asking “(Your name), what do you want?”

3. Answer God honestly with whatever word or phrase comes from deep within you.

4. Choose your favorite or most natural name for God. 5. Combine your name for God with your word or phrase to form a brief prayer that flows smoothly. Examples: What I Want

Name for God

Possible Prayer

God Jesus Eternal Light

Let me know your peace, O God. Jesus, let me feel your love.

Eternal Light, guide me in your way.

Peace Love Guidance

Repeat the prayer for a few minutes, allowing the words to settle into a regular rhythm. If more than one idea arises, you may need to ponder what the deepest desire of your heart is. A helpful question to ask is, What do I want that will make me feel most whole? In creating your own breath prayer, you might take several days of reflection to discover what is best for you. Be patient, and let the words emerge from your deepest longings. When you have discovered your prayer, begin to practice it at different times during the day. You might pray it before you get out of bed in the morning. Or try turning off the car radio and pray while you drive. You could breathe and pray when you become anxious, frustrated, or bored. The breath prayer reminds us that praying is as natural as breathing.

Excerpted from The Way of Prayer: Participant’s Book by Jane E. Vennard with Stephen D. Bryant. © 2006 by Upper Room Books. Used with permission.

1 Adapted from Ron DelBene, Herb Montgomery, and Mary Montgomery, The Breath of Life: A Workbook (Nashville, Tenn.: Upper Room Books, 1996), 12-13. Used by permission of Upper Room Books.

Visit alivenow.org for: • Additional information about the breath prayer.

• Guided meditations to help you learn new practices.

• Other resources related to Living in the Present. january/february

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daily reflections Monday, January 3

Read Isaiah 42:1-9. Which verses catch your attention? Read the scripture as if you are God’s servant. How does this change your understanding?

Tuesday, January 4

Read Psalm 29. Write, draw, or sing your own prayer of thanksgiving and praise.

Share your prayer at alivenow.org.

Wednesday, January 5

Read the words of Frederick Buechner in “Waking Up” (p. 6). As you wake up to the day or to this moment, what challenges keep you from living in the present?

Thursday, January 6

Epiphany of the Lord. Read the story of the magi in Matthew 2:1-12. What does this story tell you about being wise? In what areas would you like to grow in wisdom?

Friday, January 7

Read Acts 10:34-43. What is most surprising to you in this passage? In what ways does it change your understanding of baptism?

Saturday, January 8

Read Matthew 3:13-17. Pretend you are standing along the River Jordan. What do you see? Hear? What are your impressions of this man called Jesus?

Sunday, January 9

Baptism of the Lord. When were you baptized? Do you remember anything about the day? What does your baptism mean to you today?

Prayer

God of Baptism, you have called me Beloved. Hear my song of thanksgiving.

Amen.

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Monday, January 10

As you read John 1:29-42 reflect on the names John the Baptist gives to Jesus: “Lamb of God” and “Son of God.” What do these names tell you about Jesus? What do you call Jesus?

Tuesday, January 11

Many believe that Isaiah 49:1-7 describes the coming of Christ, the Messiah. What are the qualities of the servant of the Lord?

How did Jesus fulfill these qualities? Discuss this with others at alivenow.org.

Wednesday, January 12

Reread the passage from Isaiah 49:1-7.

Reflect on the meaning of servanthood.

What does it mean to be called a servant of God? Thursday, January 13

Read Psalm 40:1-11. Reread verses 9-10 out loud. When have you told the glad news?

What have you done to reveal your faith in God’s salvation? When have you declared God’s steadfast love and faithfulness?

Friday, January 14

Pray “In the Presence of God’s Truth” (p.

8). Stand, holding your body open as you repeat the prayer. In times of stress during the day, stop and pray the prayer again.

Saturday, January 15

As you read 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, imagine that you are reading a letter written to your congregation today. Who are some saints you know? What do you find most remarkable about this passage as a greeting to your church today?

Sunday, January 16

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Read Wendy Wright’s “Walking Day by Day” (p.

12). How does it inspire or challenge you?

Prayer

Loving God, form me in your image and make me your servant. Amen.

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daily reflections

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Monday, January 17

Monday, January 24

Tuesday, January 18

Tuesday, January 25

Wednesday, January 19

Wednesday, January 26

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Reflect on the life of Dr. King. Join others in celebrating his life. What can you do today to break through attitudes of racism and inequality in your neighborhood?

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This week, Christians around the world pray for unity. What creates unity? division?

Write a prayer every day. Share them at alivenow.org.

Continue to think about unity as you read Corinthians 1:10-18. Which conflicts still exist in the church? Choose one conflict and add it to your prayers for Christian unity. Think of ways you can work to increase the unity in your community.

Thursday, January 20

Read “Lighting a Candle” (p. 38). Step into a darkened place and light your own candle. How does the simple act become a prayer?

Friday, January 21

Read both Isaiah 9:1-4 and Matthew 4:12-23. Notice how the words are the same and different. What does it mean to walk in darkness? to see a great light?

Saturday, January 22

As you read Psalm 27:1, 4-9 reflect on the meaning of God as your light and salvation. How have you known God’s salvation? Where do you see the face of God? Sunday, January 23

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. As you reflect on where you see the face of God, read “Botany 302” (p. 28). Take a walk and look for the face of God in your own neighborhood.

Prayer

God of Salvation, give me eyes to see your salvation in those who are different.

Forgive me when I offer judgment instead of grace. Amen.

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Read “Let God’s Love Speak” (p. 22). Gaze out the window or go outside. Focus your attention on one natural element and follow the suggested process. Share your experience at alivenow.org.

Reflect on your prayers for Christian unity during the past week. What has happened to you as you prayed? What has happened to the world around you? What have you learned?

Read Micah 6:1-8. Write the definitions of justice, kindness and mercy. Reflect on each word and how you live it out in your life today.

Thursday, January 27

Compare Psalm 15 with Micah 6:8b. How are they alike? different? What choices have you made to express these values?

Friday, January 28

Read Matthew 5:1-12. What new insights do you gain from this reading? Reflect on the nature of God’s requirements from Micah 6:1-8 and Psalm 15. What do you learn about yourself?

Saturday, January 29

Read “Reading the Newspaper” (p. 30).

How can reading or hearing the news become a time of prayer and of living in the present? Try praying the news for the next few days.

Sunday, January 30

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. How are Christians called to live differently from the ways of the culture? What choices will you make differently today if you follow this teaching?

Prayer

God of Justice, forgive me when I follow the ways of the world. Guide me in seeking your foolishness in my living. Amen.

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daily reflections Monday, January 31

Isaiah 58:1-12 calls us to fast for the sake of others. Try a fast today — abstain from all foods or from certain foods (such as coffee or sugar). Whenever you feel hunger, pray for those who have no food.

Tuesday, February 1

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Monday, February 7

Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. The Israelites have come to the end of the journey across the wilderness and are ready to enter the land God promised them. God challenges Israel to choose life. What does that phrase mean for you?

Reread Isaiah 58:1-12. Consider what you can do to feed a person who is hungry.

Take your lunch instead of eating out.

Make a donation to a soup kitchen. Take groceries to your local food bank.

Tuesday, February 8

Wednesday, February 2

Wednesday, February 9

Read “Having Dinner” (p. 36) and reflect on your experiences of fasting and feeding others. What have you learned?

Prepare a meal today and enjoy it with people you love.

Thursday, February 3

As you read Psalm 112:1-10, consider the “wealth and riches” in your house. Gather up things you don’t use and give them away. Offer a prayer for those who will receive your possessions.

Friday, February 4

Read “Junk in the Basement” (p. 34).

Having cleaned out junk in your house, now reflect on the author’s invitation to discard the junk from your soul. What is cluttering up the basement of your soul?

Share your discoveries at alivenow.org.

Saturday, February 5

Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 and choose one verse that speaks to you. Carry that verse with you today.

Sunday, February 6

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Read Matthew 5:13-20. Reflect on the nature of salt and light and the way they change everything they touch. How are you like salt? How are you like light?

Prayer

God of Generosity, forgive me when I hold onto your gifts. Fill me with grace and great generosity. Amen.

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Read the three quotes in “Perspectives” (p. 3). How does living in the present prepare you to receive God’s gifts? How is living in the present a way of choosing life?

Read Matthew 5:21-37. How are you challenged by Jesus’ words? What do these teachings have to say to us in our culture today?

Thursday, February 10

Continue to think about Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 as you read Psalm 119:1-8.

How does living in the present make you happy? How is it a form of praise?

Friday, February 11

Read “The God of Pots and Pans” (p. 14) and “The Sacredness of Doing Chores” (p.

15). Where is God present in the common, everyday actions of your daily life? Tell us at alivenow.org.

Saturday, February 12

As you read 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, think about the image of God as gardener.

Remember the people God has used in your own life to plant and water your faith. Write or call to thank those people.

Sunday, February 13

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The period of the church year between the Baptism of Jesus and the beginning of Lent is called “ordinary time.” How have you experienced God in the ordinary this week?

Prayer

God of Life, keep me watching for your presence in my daily actions. Amen.

daily reflections Monday, February 14

Valentine’s Day. On this day of sharing love, think of someone who may not be receiving greetings. Call, email, or visit this person.

Tuesday, February 15

Read God’s commandments in Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18. Do you think these commandments apply to us today? Why or why not? If you take them seriously what changes will you have to make in your life?

Wednesday, February 16

Read Psalm 119:33-40. What do you want God to teach you? What do you need to do to open yourself for God’s teaching?

Thursday, February 17

Read “An Hour with Jesus” (p. 9) and ponder how you would want to spend that time. What would you like to learn from Jesus? What would you want to say?

Share your thoughts at alivenow.org.

Friday, February 18

Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23. Think about the image of you as God’s temple.

Draw a picture of yourself as God’s temple.

Saturday, February 19

Read “This Moment Is Holy” (p. 10).

Ponder the author’s understanding of being the temple of God. What challenges you in what she says? With what do you agree or disagree?

Sunday, February 20

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Read Matthew 5:38-48. Think of your enemies — personal, communal or national. Write the names of two or three and hang them on your refrigerator. Every time you open the door, follow Jesus’ instruction to pray for them. What happens as you pray?

Prayer

Holy God, make me a temple where your name is praised and your faithfulness celebrated. Amen.

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Monday, February 21

Presidents’ Day (U.S.) Give thanks for leaders. Pray for the U.S. president and for other national and world leaders.

Tuesday, February 22

Read Isaiah 49:8-16a. Notice the images of care. How does it feel to have your name written on the palm of God’s hand?

Whose names are written on your palm?

Wednesday, February 23

As you read Matthew 6:24-34, think about your worries. Write each worry on a separate piece of paper, and put them all in a box or basket. Consider ways to set your worries aside. Share your worries at alivenow.org.

Thursday, February 24

Read “A Calm and Quiet Soul” (p. 18).

Reflect on the author’s questions at the end of the article. Hold the papers from yesterday and use the breath prayer. As you breathe, drop the papers one by one.

Friday, February 25

Read Psalm 131 out loud. Replace “Israel” with your name as you read. What does it mean to hope in God in this moment and forever? Write a psalm telling God exactly how you feel right now.

Saturday, February 26

In 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, Paul calls us servants and stewards of the mysteries of God. What can you do to be a servant and steward of God’s mysteries in this present moment?

Sunday, February 27

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Read “Being Truly Present” (p. 26) and reflect on what you have learned about living in the present. How have your reflections transformed your living, your worries, and your prayers?

Prayer

Gracious God, you call me to be both servant and steward. Fill me with your mystery. Send me to serve you. Amen.

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changes . . .

Change requires a great deal of effort from anyone engaged in it, even if the change is positive.

— Sarah Parsons, A Clearing Season: Reflections for Lent

Friends, you’ll notice some changes with this issue of Alive Now. Daily Reflections • D aily Reflections are back! You asked for the return of Daily Reflections to the print magazine, and we heard you. They will now appear in the final pages of each issue.

The weekly lectionary scriptures are highlighted in color, and each week includes all four lectionary scriptures. (They’ll run Monday-Sunday.)

• Visit alivenow.org to interact with other readers about the Daily Reflections.

Daily Reflections are also available as a daily email. Sign up to receive these at alivenow.org.

Prayer Practices • Alive Now continues to address a relevant theme in each issue. (Look for Household of God, Finding Time, Enough, and Hope in upcoming issues!) Along with that relevant theme, we’ll offer guidance on spiritual practices that relate to the theme.

(Like we did with Breath Prayer in this issue.)

• Visit alivenow.org for more articles, videos, and guides for growing your spiritual life!

Format • Look for more short prayers, poetry, and quotes in upcoming issues.

• Beautiful photography – visual psalms – will grace the pages of Alive Now both in print and on our website. If you pray with your camera in hand, join our Visual Psalmists group on Flickr – flickr.com/groups/visual-psalmists/.

Website and Social Media • At Alive Now, we want to both support and learn from you on your spiritual journey.

So join us on Facebook, Twitter, and at alivenow.org.

• We want to hear from you!

Facebook.com/Alive.Now.magazine Twitter.com/UR_Alive_Now AliveNow.org flickr.com/groups/visual-psalmists/

48 ALIVE NOW

helpING unclutter your heart all year long.

january/february

Visit us at alivenow.org Now featuring: • Tips for Living in the Present • Beth’s blog • Lectionary readings • Creating a breath prayer • Collective wisdom and inspiration from the Alive Now community • Getting ready for Lent • New design!

| 2011

Living in the Present

Next issue: March /April 2011

The Gift of Sorrow Includes Guide to Lent

Being Truly Present

by Trevor Hudson Page 30

Daily Reflections They’re Back!

Page 45