Banking on Tomorrow

  Imagine the air filled with the voices of thousands of crane … Lower Saxony (Germany) 7:54 am (October 2018) @cloudless_skyPHOTO@norden.social

 DAY ! - CELEBRATION   Adoration shifts prayer from “God, help me” to “God, help me see who you are.” Psalm 145:3 “ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. ” This kind of prayer may feel unfamiliar at first because it is not driven by urgency. It asks us to slow down and pay attention to God’s character. We adore God not because God needs flattery, but because our souls need reorientation. Adoration reminds us that God is greater than our fears, deeper than our questions, more faithful than our failures, and more beautiful than anything else we seek. Choose one attribute of God and repeat it slowly in prayer. Examples: God, you are merciful. God, you are faithful. God, you are holy. God, you are patient. God, you are near. God, you are love. Then add: Help me see you today. Amen. Reflection Questions When I pray, how often do I simply dwell on who God is? pretty much only when I run into the "Blessed be the Lord" chants in the liturgy ...

  U.S. Coast Guard navigational buoy beached by nor'easter on Dewey Beach October 2nd, Stewart Verdery Jr 

DAY  - PRAYER OF TEARS  Key Idea: Tears can become prayer when they are brought honestly into the presence of God. The Prayer of Tears as part of the inward movement because tears often reveal what is happening deep within us. They show us what we love, what we regret, what we fear, what we have lost, and what we still hope God will heal. Pray slowly: Lord, have mercy. Receive what I cannot fix. Receive what I cannot explain. Receive what I cannot carry alone. Amen. Day 1 Reflection What kinds of sadness do I usually bring to God ? The questions - the why, the what can I do, the despair, the doubt What kinds of sadness do I usually avoid ? the anger, the reproaches, the bitterness, the resentment, the depression, the unbelief Do I tend to see tears as weakness, honesty, or prayer ? He already knows the rebellion and the hurt He knows I feel the need for consolation and relief from anxiety  What might my tears be trying to tell me ? What strength I had or thought I had is ...

  The European Space Agency’s Juice mission captured this photo of Earth as the spacecraft flew by our planet on Monday, Sept. 28.

 Formation Prayer asks not only, “ What do I want God to do ?” but “ Who is God forming me to become ?” DAY 1 - FIX OR CHANGE Formation Prayer is not self-improvement with religious language. It is not about becoming impressive. It is about becoming more open to the life of Christ in us. Read Foster’s prayer connected to Formation Prayer.  "O Lord, My God. Form me more fully  into your likeness. Use the circumstances and interactions of this day to form your will in me.     From the frustrations of this day form peace.    From the joys of this day form strength.    From the struggles of this day form courage.    From the beauties of this day form love. In the name of Jesus Christ who is all peace and strength and courage and love.  Amen  " What kind of person is this prayer asking God to form ?  What desires are being reshaped ?  What would it mean for me to pray something like this honestly ?  Right no...

  Wooded path by a river A painting in oil, by the Danish painter Peder Mørk Mønsted in 1894

DAY 1 - OPEN HANDS  Sit with your hands clenched for a moment. Name silently what you are holding. Then slowly open your hands and pray: God, this is what I am holding: the worry about Gem and the kids I bring it to you. I do not know how to let go fully. Teach me to trust you. Amen. Reflection Questions What am I holding tightly right now ? problems with the family Gem struggling with finances Alex and Lorelei struggling to get on an even keel River still mourning Tommy excessively Kit not recovering from her heart attack and her daily needs Bonita's metastasized lung cancer that has reached her liver What outcome am I trying to control ? I just want their wellbeing What desire do I need to bring honestly before God ? Fix it, please, make their way smoother What makes surrender feel difficult or frightening ? He hasn't answered I don't know what the outcome will be I wonder how we all will cope with what happens next My friend went blind 10 years ago.  She has retinitis pi...

  Sunrise over Lake Superior

 Day 1:  Prayerful Noticing We notice moments of gratitude, peace, joy, irritation, fear, sadness, resistance, compassion, and love.  We ask: Where was God present? Where was I open to God? Where did I resist God? What might God be inviting me to see? I find it hard to see the Lord moving in the mundane things - doing the laundry, cleaning up around the place, scrolling on social media, et al.   This prayer assumes that God is already present in our days. The question is whether we are learning to notice. Read Foster’s prayer connected to the Examen.  Spirit of the Living God, You have been with me today, and I thank you. There was sunrise and sunset, and I am grateful for both. Family and friends are gifts of your grace. The creativity to envision new possibilities and the strength to bring them into reality are signs of your action in my life. Thank you, Lord for being with me today. Amen.  (Foster, Prayers from the Heart) As you read, ask:  Wh...

  Scarborough Marsh in September

Moments that seem to define an entire generation: My grandparents remembered the day the stock market crashed, which came to mark the beginning of the Great Depression.  News was slower for that generation and this was more of a gradual onslaught of consequences for everyone.   My parents could tell me where they were when they heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor that precipitated the US joining in WWII against fascism - and introduce the world to the horror of atom bombs My generation can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when the news that JFK had been assassinated was spread.  On that day we lost the idea of Camelot and the days that followed laid the foundation of a deep distrust of what the government was telling us. My kids know where they were and what they were doing 25 years ago today.  This was the start of the Patriot Act, TSA, Islamophobia, and wars in the Middle East "to combat terrorism" that only seems to have made matte...

Day 1: Honest Prayer 1. Stop and reflect--where am I and what am I feeling? 2. Imagine--what words or thoughts describe who you are and where you are at THIS moment? 3. Pray for 3–5 minutes. Here are some possible starting points: Right now I feel hurt, and disregarded, unappreciated and devalued..  The one thing I wanted in life was to matter and I don't feel like I do.  Granted that I have never made work my identity, but I did expect myself to be seen as a professional, not as housekeeping.   God, here I am . . .   This is what is true in me today : I am unmotivated to work, to sew, to do anything.  I just want to distract myself from reality.  I'm not happy with myself when I am like this - and if I don't like myself, how can I expect others to care about me.  How can I expect the God to give a damn if I don't? Meet me here.   I'm sorry.  "Lord I am not worthy; only say the Word and my soul shall be healed" Reflect: Where do I feel ...

  Beinn Eighe in the morning Bottom to top:  Lewiston Gneiss: 1.65 billion years old.  Torridon Sandstone: +/- 1 billion years old.  Cambrian Quartzite: A mere 550 million years old. Photo by Steve Carter @GetCarter@mastodonapp.uk

 Today is the 6th day of the 36th week, the 4th day of the 9th month, the 247th day of 2026 [ with only 111 shopping days until Christmas ], and: Bring Your Manners to Work Day College Colors Day Eat an Extra Desert Day National Chianti Day National Food Bank Day National Lazy Mom's Day National Leadership Day National Macadamia Nut Day National Newspaper Carrier Day National Spice Blend Day National Wildlife Day Stand Up to Cancer Day Wear Teal Day the moon is at its last quarter as of 3:51 AM EDT Quote of the day: " Time and memory are true artists; they remold reality nearer to the heart's desire " ~ John Dewey - American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer  [ no relation to Melvil Dewey who created the Dewey Decimal Classification ]  Today in my photo memories app, this picture from 2017 pooped up.  The fountain was located in a gazebo in the middle of the grassy area between the three buildings.   It was a peaceful place on the grounds ...

Del Mar in San Diego County, California, just north of La Jolla https://petersironwood.com/2022/08/06/castles-made-of-sand/

 Today is the 4th day of the 35th week, the 26th day of the 8th month, the 238th day of 2026 [ with only 120 shopping days until Christmas ], and: International Dog Day - promoting dog adoption and animal welfare since 2004 Make Your Own Luck Day Musical Yoga Day National Cherry Popsicle Day National Got Checked Day National McChicken Day National Toilet Paper Day - the date when the first roll was sold back in 1871 by Scott National WebMistress Day Willing-To-Lend-A-Hand Wednesday Women's Equality Day - the 19th Amendment was ratified by the 36th state [Tennessee two days ago] and on this day in 1920, the Secretary of State officially signed the proclamation that made it part of the Constitution.   World Painted Dog Day - AKA the African wild dog   the Blood Moon is at waxing gibbous and 98% full - and there is a partial lunar eclipse tomorrow Quote of the day: " Christmas is the day that holds all time together ." ~ Alexander Smith - Scottish poet and essayist from ...

  The Gunpowder from the NCR trail posted by Michael Swygert

 

  "Today's weather" posted by Steve Carter the NW Scottish Highlands