Goodness Weekly 11.7.22
“There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow. Today is the right day to Love, Believe, Do and mostly Live.”― Dalai Lama XIV
What’s Good:
Yesterday we celebrated 1 year of Rose Hip Coffee! It’s been one year of partnership, community, and an abundance of joy thanks to Katie Best-Richmond and the beautiful space she has created in our neighborhood.
We have watched Katie’s dream come to life, this special place she has nurtured is more than a place with amazing coffee & baked goods, but is a place where she has cultivated community—giving everyone a place that feels a bit like home.
Thank you for your work Katie and we can’t wait to see what this next year brings!
Message from Jess:
What do you need to let go of?
I don’t know about you, but often when I bring awareness to my body I notice an incredible tension in my jaw. I find that throughout the day I am holding so tightly to things that I am physically tense. I wonder if you did a quick body scan right now, if you notice any places of tension?
While on sabbatical, I had the opportunity to attend a gathering with the Parish Collective in San Diego. During my time there I attended a session of spiritual direction with social worker, jail chaplain, and author Bethany Dearborn Hiser.
Bethany shared Thomas Keating’s Welcoming Prayer as a practice that she felt might be helpful. She said that the prayer was written to address our needs for control, affection, and security—I literally laughed out loud.
Had she seen right through me? I laughed because I wanted to respond to her, “No thank you very much, I would not like to let go of these things because what would take their place?”
The prayer is:
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
I welcome everything that comes to me today, because I know it's for my healing. I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions.
I let go of my desire for power and control.
I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval, and pleasure.
I let go of my desire for survival and security.
I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself.
I open to the love and presence of God and God's action within. Amen.
That last line.
Could it be true that letting go of those desires makes more room for the love and presence of God? That welcoming everything that comes today makes room for God’s action within?
Join me this week in praying the Welcoming Prayer, or your own version of it each morning. Take notice of the differences you see. May you experience the love and presence of God in unexpected ways this week.
Upcoming Events
Sunday, November 13th, 4:30pm Chapel Worship & Liturgy
Wednesday, November 9th, 7:30pm Youth Group at The Stirmans
Saturday, November 12th, 9:30am-11am Family Morning
Sunday, November 20th, 4:30pm Outdoor Worship
Saturday, December 3rd Camelot Elementary Affordable Christmas!
Morning:
This morning I say thank you.
For the chance to start over again,
for the grace of a new day,
the wonder of your unending love and acceptance of me.
Help me to carry this love into
each conversation and interaction I have today.
May I bless someone else with my thoughts and words.
Give me strength to love—
My neighbor
and myself
Amen.
Evening:
What were the words that filled my mind today, Lord?
What were the tapes that were playing?
How would you have me attend to these things?
Help me to let go of what is holding me back
and keeping me from awareness of you.
Thank you for the gift of this day,
I rest tonight in your love—may this be true for my neighbor too.
Amen.
