“What is our (my) takeaway from this study?...

“What is your take away from the study?

What have we learned this time…?”

Impossible questions.

I’ve never had the luxury of studying through the entire Bible thematically – salvation history – without the pressure of lectures, classes, papers and tests. All studies lasted 14 weeks September to December or January to May or an intensive few summer weeks.

Or I’ve been on the teaching side; framing/presenting/testing/entertaining/trying to learn more all the time/trying to captivate. Never till Red Tent did I have the luxury to scurry off with my book, notebook, Bible and catechism, and do the weeks assignment with the only pressure to get it done.

Unheard of learning.

And the learnings? There were so many each week. Oh, those impossibly repetitive Hebrew Scriptures stories! Our ancestors lived their cyclical patterns: prosperity, too much comfort, eyes off the Maker, the fall, the rising up, the falling down, finding out where “they“ went wrong.

At some point early on, it stopped being about our ancestors. In my morning prayer the Lord pointed out that I was behaving like my ancient siblings. Ouch! The us/them, me/them binaries had to give way.

Week after tedious week, my Wednesday mornings were my Bible oasis. 

There was the time in winter when the daily mass readings were paralleling our weekly sessions. Maria and I watched the drama unfold from the lectionary.

My brother raised sheep, and now spends months of several seasons with his Colorado girlfriend, whose ranch hands shepherd thousands of sheep and thousands of steer. She manages the entire operation. My brother gets the job (usually turning me green with envy)  of riding the range or alongside Julie when they’re helping the shepherds in bringing the animals in. Then there’s Lorraine and Maggie and all their work behind the scenes! They do it for love. Oh the headaches, worries! They don’t have to gather us in for the unpleasant, but they do ride the range, right from their studies or kitchens or living room. They watch the 20 something of us – as we as we tend our families, our students in our every day pastures, and sometimes deal with our own lost sheep. They pray for us. 

So my friends, the morning fog is burned off now, and the Holy Spirit within is as excited as the birds who have delighted me as they sang up yet another sun. Thank you Red Tent sisters, my point and counterpoints, thank you for your patience, and thank you Lorraine and Maggie for setting the academic free for a year!

“Rejoice and be glad.” Each day we have been given life anew.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

Lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will direct thy paths.”

Proverbs 3: 5-6

Mph 

26 May 2020

Reflecting on Session 22 on 5/13 - Sauls Trip to Damascus

I thought more about the question , "how does Saul's experience give you hope ?". 
I have been praying for a surrendering for one of my son's, for him to submit to God, ask for forgiveness of his sins and repent.  To give up the old man and put on the new man.  I've been praying for 3 years now, through some really tough situations with him. And I always get back to , it has to be God's timing, and not my own, and not to get ahead of God by trying to make it happen my way. And I know God will do this at the time when He knows the result will be His best.  I always wonder, well how will it happen, when will it happen, what will be the thing God uses to cause my son to surrender to Him. And God showed me as a result of our session, that just like He did with Saul, He can cause a 180 degree conversion immediately if He wants to.  So, I am not to worry, I am to trust that God will do this, and I'm not to worry about the timing. What seems like a delay or a period of long suffering is all part of His plan, and he wants me to TRUST. He reminds me that I've seen too much in my life to know that God is real, and I've seen Him do miraculous things.  So, yes this story about Saul has shown me the goodness of Hope in my life. 

The 2nd thing I stumbled on today when studying Ephesians, was Ephesians 18:18-19, in Paul's letter to the church of Ephesis, he is in effect telling them what happened to him on the road to Damascus,  18 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe".   1- eyes being enlightened : Saul's "spiritual eyes (eyes of your heart) were opened  2- He surrendered to God and has experienced God's fullness of His glory. 

🙏

Reflections on Wednesday 4/1 session

Hi ladies!

Happy Palm Sunday, everyone! Oh, how I miss our normal celebrations and gatherings on this day... However, having been invited to "participate" online to not just one, but several Palm Sunday masses, I am reminded of how connected I can still feel...in the deep familiarity of the service, in those oh-so-special readings, through the virtual presence of the priests and ministers on my screen, with all of our gathered church communities--universally!--so near and yet still too far away.  I guess the most surprising sadness that overwhelmed me this morning was when I watched those who were actually right there, the ones who "got to" taste of the physical bread of the Eucharist...*sigh*. How poignant has the Truth become to me now: "Distance doth make the heart grow ever fonder." 

So, here's hoping that everyone's heart and spirit are faring well as we enter week, what, three? four? two hundred billion? of COVID19 quarantine and social distancing. Please know that we are all praying for each other--for the special intentions and truly heartfelt prayer requests that have been coming through our study group. Thank you, Lorraine, for sending them out--and thank you to everyone who has been able to post and comment and keep us connected! Love to you ALL!! I know that I haven't been able to keep up with the usual banter in texts or emails (or blog!), so please forgive me if I sometimes fall away from the conversation at hand.  It's been a fascinating challenge keeping the household running while practicing full-on quarantine measures. hooboy...and wow, have I developed a keen appreciation for the clean up crews in hospitals, hotels and public facilities.  It is HARD keeping all common areas clean and contaminated areas contained.  And that's with all of my charges being well-informed and capable adults!!! Hah!

Ok--so, first off--wow! What a wonderful session last week...again! Thank you to all who were able to join us with your voices and smiling faces.  The Scripture verses everyone offered were wonderful "jumping into" places from which we literally dove into our discussions about trials vs opportunities (perspective!), distractions vs time of sequestering and re-set (seeing/working/walking/THINKING in real Truths that REALLY matter), Trust, joy and excitement (even in the midst of sorrow) in everything--from new approaches to individual prayer and true relationship to a deepening appreciation for the privilege of corporate gathering for worship in music and prayer... And of course, there resurfaced the ever-present, oft-repeated concept that ALL remain under God's sovereignty and love for us, where the bigger question looms: ARE we choosing to walk in the Truth of a resurrected life of Christ-love-and-hope...or are we CHOOSING to wallow in the darkness of judgment and condemnation, not just of self, but of 'others'...you know, we all know these "others"--the ones we consider "more" different (from me), the "more" lost (than me), the "more" unworthy (than me...)...?  Great questions came up about the bewildering surrealness of the pandemic--and how it has taken away the given notions of normalcy--the given notions of not just everyday work, but of the given notions of necessary work, school, grocery shopping, travel, exercise, celebrating... "normal" sickness and dying, even--as we all used to think of it. I loved the Truth spoken that no, this pandemic is NOT of God (allowed by Him, perhaps, as a means to a reset, a time to go back to our corners, to our tribes, to our selves, and reconsider...remember...rethink...who and what and where and why...and just how we have become what we have become...).  I also loved the reminder that no, the pandemic is not of God BUT...redemption IS. And once again, we began to consider for ourselves: am I walking in the spirit of redemption? in the spirit of the resurrected life, the second chance, the aha! moment we will all be celebrating--quietly, personally, in small groups of less that 10--in one week...? 

Where am I as we all walk through "the valley of the shadow or death"? Do I KNOW that God walks beside me, through me, with me, IN me through this time of...redemption? Who (or what) is currently sitting upon the throne room of my heart, my focus, my mind...?

Cool stuff, ladies. Stuff that, as someone mentioned, makes for a really really REAL...Lent.

Here are some of the verses that I managed to catch (please add if I missed any). Look them up in your bible when you have a moment...and see what wonder-filled pauses the HolySpirit so desires to speak into your moments this week:

Jeremiah 29:11-14

Matthew 6:33

Romans 8:28-39

Prov 3:5-6

Psalm 37:4

Ephesians 3:16-19

Romans 15:13

Romans 5:5

Ephesians 6:10

For THIS week, we will be moving on to--the NEW TESTAMENT!!! YAY!!! We will be discussing Session 18: Messianic Fulfillment Part 1 (pp 129-132 in the workbook). Please try to view the DVD session as soon as you can BEFORE the class, so that everyone is on the same page for discussion. The readings center around the first 9 chapters of Luke through the Transfiguration--again, all familiar wonderful stories that, maybe we can read through slightly different lenses...! 

Ok--that's it from me. Hope to see everyone on Wednesday!!

Love,

Maggie

The Five D’s

I didn’t expect it at all.

The podcast I listen to weekly, “Building a StoryBrand with Donald Miller,” usually features speakers with great stories of how they make their unique businesses flourish.

And then there was Jon Gordon. 

He’s worked with almost every major league coach and football team, as a speaker on leadership and teamwork.

And now he’s talking about - what? Good and evil?

Apparently he’s got a book coming out called “The Garden.” Its premise – which totally locked me in (he used my favorite literary device which helps lock in memory) - is that the devil uses five “D’s” to trap us, to get us off course. The five D’s?

Doubt – discouragement – distraction - distortion - division.

He got me.

I found myself stopping on my walk to write it down on my phone.

He was so right. Completely captivating. All week, one of those ‘D’s would surface - all the while conscious of who I am in Christ.

His antidotes were harder for me to remember because they weren’t alliterated.

Basically, I have to claim the D’s have no power over me.  

In addressing doubt, I can use trust, and stop reacting in fear - there is a Bible quote from Matthew I used in my book - “fear is useless, what is needed is trust.”

I loved how Gordon spoke of truth as an antidote - speaking truth to lies. When we doubt, we are often attacked in a place of our identity. We must remember it is God who created us. As for me, I’m always asking God to give me new lenses – to see more as God sees, love sees. It’s a very tall order, but at least a little grace can get me out of the funk of my limited, restrictive vision.

Jon Gordon also spoke about encouragement in the face of our discouragement. He quoted another leader who says we should sometimes talk to ourselves instead of listen to ourselves. For me, letting the little girl within speak is the most accurate voice I can find – after my Creator’s of course. She never steers me wrong, always tells me the truth – which I often don’t want to hear.

And focus? Indeed Gordon said that distraction is the enemy of greatness. Since living here, my prayer life has deepened in a time of withdrawal, healing and intense preparation. In my heart, my creator speaks my truth to me. Last summer, before my daughter’s wedding, he’s very clearly said, “the wedding is but a distraction.“ We had a two month prep time to ready this old new to us house and grounds for it, but He didn’t want me to loose the focus on my prayer work. “The wedding is a distraction.” 

And I heard Maggie say that word in the same way this week ladies.

Distraction? Indeed, what a sly trickster that one is. When I see things through the stethoscope of my wounded heart, personalizing or catastrophizing, I loose sight of today, living in the now, using the gifts I’ve been given, doing my work that I’m called to in this day.

And the last D? Division - divide - indeed, that seems to be so timely. When we see the world in terms of victim/villain, us against them the wicked “other,” we divide. Gordon’s antidote? Communicate, commit, care - serve and commit to each other.

So as we shelter in place (for those of us who can) we can become aware of these five D’s and call them for what they are! Claim them as falsehoods, as tools of destruction – they are not about the healing love of Christ who calls us to be one in him.

28 March 2020

Going to remote conferencing for our classes--ZOOM!

Hi ladies!

Well--this has been a wonderfully eye-opening week of new adventures in 'tribal' living (i.e. living in the enclosed spaces of one's own "tribe"). I am hoping that all the moms are slowly but surely and successfully managing the new onslaught of tasks that are necessarily associated with in-Home Instruction, full-house meal prep, in-between laundry and keeping the household sanitized and sane!  I, too, quickly discovered the downside of "working from home" (even if for me that just means trying to keep our study going "remotely"... Gee, how much, um...easier it was to merely "escape" for a few hours every Wednesday morning! Hah!). 

Needless to say, between getting caught up in the news at hand, responding to requests to fill hungry tummies (my boys are currently banned from the kitchen and common-area utilities until they have proven themselves all-clear from their recent travels spanning 6+ airports in 10 days), fending off a bored (and curious!) kitty, and keeping up with the laundry that has suddenly seemed overflowing since everyone is home and I don't have the musical to distract me...I found I had a bit of difficulty completing my studies for this week!!

So, KUDOS to those who were able to complete the reading and homework, and maybe even view the DVD--you did better than I was able to! And thank you, Lorraine, Mandy and Maryann for contributing to the blog discussion for this session. Your comments were compelling enough to make me sit down in the wee hours of this morning to jump back into the books of Sirach and Wisdom!  

Ok, so as all of the schools, from post-grad, grad and college all the way down through the primary grades, have now turned to remote classes and e-learning, most of us are facing a daunting social experiment in vigorous online applications in work and education, while at the same time, more interestingly, being thrust into the trials of rigorous self-guided self-supervised management of time and restricted-space sharing! Because we are three-quarters of the way through our own in-depth bible study, Lorraine and I feel strongly that we should continue some means of weekly conferencing and thought-sharing in order to keep the study going. 

Yesterday, we tested out Zoom video conferencing across several different devices (thank you, Mandy and Maryann for your time and help!). We ran it across cell phone, iPad, PC and Mac--and it actually worked very well! From what I understand, we can also record our conference so that invited members who couldn't attend can watch/listen at a more convenient time as well.

So! Here's what we propose:

-SET ASIDE time throughout your day (it doesn't have to be much!) to give over to dedicated scripture study and prayer. We cannot emphasize how important this is during this time of worldly trial and testing! Every moment you give over to sitting at the feet of Christ will strengthen you and encourage your soul, filling you with the courage to remain steadfast and steady in your minute to minute encounters with life, love and "loss"! Amen? AMEN!

-Do your homework as best you can throughout the week.  

 Give priority as follows: 

(1) READ through the questions to see what Scripture to focus upon

(2) READ the assigned passages

(3) ANSWER the questions

(4) LOOK at the answers given at the back of the book

 

-IF you can at all manage it, please WATCH the DVD session anytime BEFORE class starts. 

-JOIN us on Wednesday mornings via Zoom:

9am-10am (corresponding with the WMC online schedule): View DVD on your own if you haven't already done so.

10:15am-11:15am: JOIN in via Zoom for audio/video conferencing

 (As usual, we will "gather" for discussion of the main points, concepts and questions that have come up from the week's readings and questions)

I will send a separate email with instructions on how to access Zoom. 

Ok, ladies--here we are diving into the cyber-age with both feet! Praying we will stick that landing!! I AM BELIEVING!!

Let us know how you are doing, ok? Watch for little miracles happening in the every day moments with your tribe...and don't forget to reach out to the ones who have no one to call "tribe".  WE are church--and we ARE Jesus's hands and feet today!

love

maggie