Welcomed by the Spirit

I spent December 1st on a one-day intensive retreat with my spiritual director. It was an 8 hour span of time when I settled into not only the space of this Sabbatical, but also into the Advent disciplines. Much of my current Faith Formation Blog postings as well as the flow of the 2009 CRLC Advent Devotional I am writing will likely emerge from the seeds sown yesterday.

The first hour was a time to collect the images and life experiences that are most active in my prayer life.

The next two hours were a time of meditation, reading and writing.

Then another lengthy conversation with my spiritual director helped to discover a bit more about God's action that was popping through my time of focused prayer.

Then, another two hours of solitude... this time was quite peaceful. I was reminded of the waiting time when bread is baking. The dough has been mixed, kneaded, allowed to rest and then formed. It is placed in the preheated oven and then there is nothing more to do but "attend" its baking process. Like the pervasive aroma of bread wafting from the oven, God's presence continued to grace my thoughts, my sights...even my actions, like kneeling in prayer, walking outside, or making hot tea.

Finally, a shorter conversation with my spiritual director to sift through all the "gleanings" of the day to see if any were raising questions or wonderment.

After we prayed together, my spiritual director left me to gather together my thoughts, the intentions that had emerged throughout the day, and then to record in my journal my first impressions of what had been nudged.

I share with you now a wonderful prayer given to me by my spiritual director:

Birthing God, who beckons us to the dance of birthing and sustains us in our laboring, hear this prayer.

From the fear of the unknown deliver us. From the doubts of our creativity deliver us. From fear of ridicule by those around us deliver us. From our excuses about our abilities, our age, our education, our looks, our status deliver us.

With the promise of companionship comfort us. With your creative spirit bless us. With your pledge of sustenance strengthen us. With your embrace heal us and set us about your work to bring about life.

You who called us to life that you may be born again in us, enable us to imagine the unimaginable and to conceive the unexpected for all of your honor and glory.... Amen