paravanes:meditations

One of my favorite films, Wim Winders' Wings of Desire , and a lesser knock-off ( City of Angels ) inspired me to practice a spiritual exercise which has helped me tremendously. In both films, angels who have assumed (from the viewer's perspective) human form live among real humans, observe our actions, and attempt to comfort us in times of sadness or confusion. Ironically (and unfortunately), neither film explores how God actually comforts those who follow Him. Still, in both films, key characters make this assertion: "I can't see you, but I know you're there (or here)." I can't see God, but I know He's here. From early years Sunday School lessons to readings of Brother Lawrence's The Practice of the Presence of God , some of us have struggled to remind ourselves of God's constant and unavoidable presence in every space and in every place. Reflecting on the message of both films, I created this practice and invite you to join me in i...

Last week, I met a friend for an early dinner at Tim Hortons. I remembered how much I have enjoyed their Cafe Mocha, and ordered a cup along with dinner. Things are not as they once were. Or, perhaps I'm getting a little pickier about how beverages are served. Or, perhaps I should have remembered I was in a fast food restaurant. My cup was over-filled, with too much foam on top. When I attempted to flip back the small opening in the cup's lid, coffee spilled onto the top of my tray and flooded most of my napkins. Ugh! After cleaning my tray and getting cold water from a server to spot clean a stain on my skirt, I decided I needed to work on creating a cup of Cafe Mocha that would free me from my dependence upon Tim Hortons. Here goes: Deb's Foamless Cafe Mocha Concoction (Makes a mix that will serve two people using latte sized cups. This recipe should double easily to serve more people) Prep time: 5 minutes, plus time to heat water 5 heaping tablespoons ...

From Sacramental Meditations and Advices , by Rev. John Willison (1821). “Meditation XIII.”   Read or download the full text of Willison’s book here .  ********************************************************************* “O love that passes knowledge! How shall I think of it and not stand amazed! That the general should die for the soldier, the physician for the patient! That the righteous Judge of Heaven should come to the bar, put Himself in the malefactor’s clothes, and be condemned for him! That the blessed Son of God should interpose his innocent breast to receive the moral stroke for us! That God all-sufficient should be exposed to hunger and thirst, to grief and weariness, and the vilest reproaches and indignities, for worms like us! Behold the Creator of the world wounded, mangled, and killed by ungrateful creatures, whom He came to save! ... Behold His heart burning with affection towards them that cruelly pierced it! Surely a believing view of t...

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." --Deuteronomy 11:18 & 19. In this passage, God is telling His people not to abandon the pursuit of moral teaching, or teaching what is right and honorable and honest and necessary. How often I have heard teachers and coaches and mentors tell young people: "Do what is right, so that you will stay out of trouble!" That is not the imperative of true moral teaching. And that is why the message of loving God and loving what is right has been so badly damaged and displaced. Do what is right because rightness is good and you will become what you practice. Do what is right because that is the only real path to purpose and power and spiritual joy. But who is to say what is right? The God of the Bible is the...

"Take away the love of sinning, Alpha and Omega be, end of faith as it's beginning, set our hearts at liberty." --Charles Wesley,  " Love Divine, All Loves Excelling " On and after Ash Wednesday, conversations emerge about what we are going to "give up" for Lent. Some say they will eat meat less often, reduce the amount of sugar consumed, exercise every other day-- no promises for daily exercise !--, read the Bible daily, be kinder to co-workers, etc. The list is endless. My prayer for Lent is this: Dear God, take away the love of sinning from my heart. I am not very fearful about what used to be called "great, big sins", but there is a part of me that may be tempted to think I am better off doing things my way instead of doing things God's way. There is a part of me that still thinks I know more than does God about what will bring me lasting peace and satisfaction. Thinking in that way may be the clearest picture of sin. As I ...

 I do not remember how I first learned of the Black and Missing Foundation, but I am glad I did. This organization, founded in 2008 by a former law enforcement official and a public relations specialist, does good work by forcing all of us to think about how we view the world, the people in it, and how we respond to those who are missing, especially those who are black and missing. Before anyone asks why is there a need for an organization called "Black and Missing Foundation", please know this: ABC News reported that FBI statistics say nearly 40% of missing persons are "people of color ." Would you know this from watching traditional newscasts about missing persons? We are talking about hundreds of thousands of missing persons "of color", most of whom TV viewers or consumers of other media have never heard about. Why is that? Don't doubt this: if some unknown disease or unaccounted for event "disappeared" that number of American citiz...

Good food is a gift from a good God . This time of year, I am seeking spinach each time I shop. Considering price, safety, and versatility, fresh bunches of spinach are a great value. I normally shop twice per week, because I prefer fresh ingredients that aren't canned or bagged. Canned spinach scares me a bit, because I know the sodium content inside of the can offsets all of the nutritional value of the leaves inside. After the bacterial outbreaks involving bagged leaf vegetables, I am willing to sacrifice convenience for safety. (Try googling the phrase"spinach bacterial contamination" if you are truly curious about this). Because I enjoy raw spinach in salads and on sandwiches --try an open-faced tuna sandwich with spinach, tuna ,homemade mayonnaise, and pickles!-- I avoid frozen spinach. That leaves lovely bunches--pardon the pun!! How to select the best fresh spinach in a "regular grocery store"?  (It's winter where I love, so no farmer's m...