a little devotion

Thanks so much to First Presbyterian Church in North Palm Beach for including two of my writings in their Lenten Devotional for 2012. 

My contributions were a little bit unconventional this year (i.e. one regarding Facebook and the other about Turkey Buzzards), so I especially appreciate the loving kindness (and good-hearted humor) of my treasured friend, Sara M., for including them.

Here they are: 

(photo above courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)

Saturday, March 17, 2012

“You must first understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness.” – James 1: 19-20 (NRSV)

            Facebook – do you love it or hate it? Maybe, like me, you simultaneously feel both emotions about the popular social media outlet. At times, my visit to the site uplifts me. I delight to read an inspirational article or quote shared by a friend. Other times, I am plunged into utter despair when I read hateful and judgmental statements which - more often than not - are sadly made by fellow Christians.

            I was in just such a frustrated state the other morning when an online friend complimented me about my good listening skills. Suddenly, I was rendered speechless. I realized with utter clarity that I had completely lost my spiritual gift for Sacred Listening when it came to Facebook. I was guilty of an intense, ego-driven need to constantly share my own thoughts, interests, and opinions. I began to consider that if everyone else was as consumed as I was with what they were personally saying, then could anyone really be listening to anyone else? And if no one was actually listening, then why in the world did we all continue to keep talking, talking, and TALKING?

            Five minutes later I posted a statement declaring my profile page a “Sacred Listening Space.” For the past week, I have (mostly) only permitted myself to listen intently to the conversations of my friends. I comment just when I have something positive to say. In fairness, I also force myself to read the postings of viewpoints with which I do not personally agree. I then try to use the period after my Facebook time for prayer and reflection rather than give into the sinful emotions of anger like I used to do.

            The wisdom I am learning through this ongoing exercise of discipline continues to bless me daily. With Christ’s help, I am learning ways to better love the people I dare to call my “Friends.”

“Holy Father, please zip my lips whenever I am tempted to speak on my own accord. Keep me silent until you directly place into my throat the words you wish me to share aloud. Grant me the courage to then speak those words with Love in Christ’s holy name - Amen.”

Robin Bradley Hansel

(photo above courtesy of Dr. Ron Hilliard) 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

“For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” – Psalm 91: 3-4 (NRSV)

The Turkey Buzzards are back. They are staring straight at me from atop my neighbor’s roof. In the past, I’ve counted up to ten of their dark, shadowy figures. Today, there are only three.

For me, the vultures’ presence used to elicit an ominous feeling of trouble on the horizon. This morning, I observe them with a peaceful soul for I know they merely symbolize the shedding of an old, decayed sin from my heart. Today, I am a witness to the beauty and grace of each awkward bird. They stretch their giant wings and shine brilliantly in the late morning light.

Interestingly, I’d found a Turkey Buzzard feather earlier in the week while walking our dog. Not realizing its origin at the time, I lovingly placed it on my writing desk dreaming of great majestic cranes, eagles, hawks and osprey. During dinner, I brought it proudly to the table to show my family. They burst into laughter recognizing immediately what it was. I angrily rushed to grab my laptop to properly identify it but found, unfortunately, that they were absolutely correct. I promptly threw the feather in the garbage and set about disinfecting my hands and every household surface that it had touched.

But today, on this quiet morning of reflection, I can laugh aloud for it suddenly makes perfect sense. First, I believe I needed to really take a long, hard look at my own brokenness. It was important for me to pick it up, hold it in my hand and turn it over for awhile. Eventually, I had to stop trying to justify the ugly significance of my sin and see it as death and destruction. I had to ask God to help me cast it out of my life. Only then would the Holy Spirit arrive with winged wisdom and reveal to me that through Christ’s love and sacrifice I was already washed clean.

“Loving Father, thank you for all the quiet ways you speak to me through your Creation.  – Amen”

Robin Bradley Hansel


P.S. Thanks, God, for this inspiration: http://greenletterbible.com/index.php

Listening for the Sacred

 http://pinterest.com/pin/226024475018402679/ 

I want to hear the whispers behind your words. I want to ask you questions and then create a silent, sacred space that allows me to hear the your answers - not my own.

I want to become a Listener...

pondering

I hesitate to write this because I really don't have the words formed anywhere near just the way I'd like. But I am getting something like that pounding, bursting, hot feeling in my chest that happens occasionally when I find myself sitting in a large gathering of people and suddenly feel there is something pressing I need to say out loud. The incredibly frightening part of getting such a feeling (like that and like this) is that I rarely ever have a clue what I will actually be saying out loud until after I open my mouth. For a person (like me) who is deathly afraid of public speaking, this fairly frequent occurrence can be more than a little unsettling.

But it's been many hours since the Solitude Retreat this past Saturday morning when I sat silently on a bench  staring at my own feet and outward at the feet of Mary, and this suggestion of a thought is now rambling around and around in my brain so loudly now that no matter how hard I try to distract myself, I only think it will get louder until I finally stop, submit and write it out.

(This is how things seem to go for me. Big stuff sticks and won't turn me loose. I simply have to write it out.)

Maybe this suggestion is sort of radical. Or maybe you have thought about this idea yourself for a long time and to you it makes perfect sense (if so, please let me know). Because I don't know (and hopefully I don't have to understand it, but merely name it). For me, this growing awareness began surfacing many years ago, when I finally began stretching awake from the dark and sleepy stupor of myself. Since the moment the alarm went off, my stumbling, morning walk has been equal parts comforting and terrifying in a kind of "it all seems so simple and so incredibly impossible" type of way.

But anyway, here goes...

What if the Second Advent we are preparing for during this Christmas Season of Expectation is less of an external event than it is an internal one? What if those of us who have accepted Jesus into our hearts are now being called to a deeper awareness of the physical and figurative in-dwelling of Christ? What if the Kingdom of God is so readily "at hand" that it exists right this very moment, right inside our very own hearts, and that we are walking around not even aware of it? What if, like Mary, we are each - man, woman and child alike - preparing ourselves for a great and sacred Birth that is impossible to fully comprehend and also impossible to delay? What if this "Birthing" is really a "Submitting" to the Christ who has always been Alive and Dwelling in our hearts/minds/souls from our very first breath on earth? And, what IF Christ's heavenly entry back into our broken, human world is intended and necessary and required to start in the womb of our own broken human lives and bodies? What if this miracle can only happen by way of the LOVE we commit to share with one another and  ALL THE OTHERS  through the surrender of the gift of our lives?

I hope this was what I was supposed to say out loud to whoever might read this today. Thanks for listening.

Peace for your Path,
Robin