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Dear God,

There are times when I can see the through-line. This is one of those times. Wow, just wow. Even so, I am nervous. Forgive me. I ask that you would make me give myself over. I clearly don’t know how to release myself in your loving arms. Just let you hold me; make me the resting conduit.

In your holy name,

Amen

Heartful

I have already confessed to Rob (my husband), about all the many times I have judged him for obsessing about his blood pressure. Now I’m making a go of it. It’s all heart around here these days because my own BP cuff arrived. I hope this simply is the result of the last dregs of the cooties. I am imagining that when I go back to the doctor in three months, this pressure won’t be as high as when I birthed babies.

Yesterday in her homily, Mother Linzi told us the adult body has ~60,000 (!!) miles of vessels. That’s a lot of passageways for moving the blessed blood that nourishes me. The circulation system is quite a long stretched-out container; best not to give it more juice than it can handle.

That said, I appreciated Linzi’s other references to the amazement of embodiment, providing many opportunities to consider what has gone, and can continue to go, well.

Miércoles de Ceniza estilo Latino: By Violeta Siguenza

Miércoles de ceniza es el inicio de la Cuaresma, palabra que se deriva de cuarenta o sea 40 días en que intentaremos acercarnos más a Dios. En nuestras comunidades de fé, aquí en US, muchos de los pastores optamos por abrir nuestras Iglesias en este día desde las 7am hasta las 10pm, para darle oportunidad a el mayor número de personas de recibir las cenizas. Planeamos la misa usualmente un poco más tarde (8:00PM), nuevamente pensando en los diferentes horarios de trabajo de nuestra gente que no llegan a casa sino hasta las 7pm o incluso las 8pm. Para nosotros los Latinos, este día marca el comienzo de la época de oración y recojimiento o/y de penitencia, la cuál es utilizada para guardar ayuno de aquellas cosas mundanas que de cierta forma nos esclavizan y no nos dejan gozar de una vida plena. Muchos se quitarán el café, dejarán ir a las fiesta, dejarán de comer comida chatarra o tomar Coca Cola entre otros. Pero un fénomeno que yo personalmente experimenté fueron las llamadas “mandas” o compromisos con Dios para dejar de tomar alcohol. Cada año recibía principalmente hombres que venían a pedirme que oraramos juntos y que sirviera de testigo de estas “mandas”. Lo interesante era que muchos empezaban a venir a la iglesia, se envolvían en la vida de la comunidad y se quedaban como miembros pero otros su “manda” duraba solo 24 horas y nunca más los volvía a ver. Como podemos ver el cuerpo de Cristo (la iglesia) crece de formas inesperadas y muchas veces nuestros paradigmas y moldes de como se hace iglesia seran confrontados y quebrantados por personas que buscan a Dios dependiendo de las necesidades que tengan en un momento particular. El ministerio con la comunidad Latine les traéra muchas sorpresas, muchos retos pero también muchas bendiciones.   Ash Wednesday, Latine-style:Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, and in Spanish we call it Cuaresma, which means 40—forty days to try to get closer to God. In the United States, our faith communities and our pastors usually choose to open our churches on this day from 7am to 10pm, to give the opportunity for as many people as possible to receive ashes. We typically schedule our Ash Wednesday Service a bit later than other churches (often at 8:00 pm), to give enough time for our families to get home from work and go to church that evening. For us as Latinos, this day marks the beginning of a season of prayer and seclusion and/or penance, in which many will practice fasting from those worldly things that prevent us from living life to its fullness. Many will give up coffee, others will stop going to parties, others will stop eating junk food or drinking Coca-Cola. But a phenomenon that I personally experienced often as a parish pastor is called “manda,” which means a commitment to God; in this case, to stop drinking alcohol. Every year, I would receive many of these men (in particular) in my church requesting prayer and my presence as witness to their “mandas.” What was so interesting was that many of these men would start coming to church and get actively involved in the ministry, while for others, their “manda” would last only 24 hours and I would not see them again. To me, this shows that the body of Christ (the church) can grow in unorthodox ways. Many of our traditional paradigms of how to grow the church can be challenged by those who look for God’s grace on their own time and in their own circumstances. Doing ministry with the Latine community will bring surprises and challenges, but also many blessings.

Ash Wednesday

If you are like me, those two words conjure up thoughts and feelings of solemnity. Then it snowed during the early service. We were delighted. Even being the wuss that I am, I had a great chuckle driving home. No way would I have ventured to church at noon (my original plan) on slippery roads. Rolling over unexpectedly at 6 AM allowed for this frivolity to start the season. No snowballs were thrown, that I know of, but God had their way with me, once again.

After two years of blogging frequently during Lent, I am going to give it a whirl again. I’ve invited guest authors too. For instance, during the two weeks we travel to Israel, Palestine and Jordan, poet Seyi will chime in.

I don’t plan to share these posts regularly on Facebook, so if you want to read along, re-visit http://www.alwaysbridging.com. You are (and will be) welcome here.

Today I bike-strolled “the bells” on the orange Townie, an upright hand-me-down from Mom. My biking-fool Dad came too. He’s been dead for years. So what?

It was crisp and sunny, so I sported my shades. Whispered to a deer along the way, “Hello, Friend.” Fantasized about my wildest dreams. No coughing fits. Whistled Matt’s lyrics and Greg’s tune:

“Be still and rejoice in God, as God rejoices in you.”

Who knew prayer could be like this?