Tag: grace

My Christmas gift for a fan, inspired by St. Nick

I’m giving out something especially fun this Christmas, but first, I  want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and hope that 2010 will be a blessing for you.

Bishop Nicolas giving treats

When I started this blog in February 2009, I didn’t know what would happen. I couldn’t imagine the outpouring of kindness and devotion that would come. I started with about 10 hits/visitors a week, and now I get that many by 6 a.m. Thank you all for coming along with me this year. I will be working on this blog, writing almost every day to engage the heart and mind, and injecting fun and humor as well. Plus, in February, I like to give gifts, because it’s my birthday month, so stay tuned for that too, if you like getting amusing, or helpful goodies in the mail.

I thank you so much for your friendship and support. Technology can produce wonderful connections, growth, healing, and joy. It has for me, and I hope you find it here too. I encourage you, if you haven’t in a while, to check the blog categories, and archives to see what you’ve missed.

This is the time of year when my family and I celebrate the advent (arrival) and the most gracious gift of Jesus, the Incarnation. In the spirit of generosity, inspired also by St Nicholas, and many other spiritual giants, I’d like to extend an opportunity to all of you, by way of a contest for a special and very fun Christmas gift. I wish I had the resources to give each one of you this funky gift, I found while cruising around the “interweb,” but alas, the joy of giving will still be there, and I’m SO excited to send it out!

This handmade wallet is quite the neat treat. Made from genuine legos, it’s a snazzy gear for holding plastic cards, bill money, keys, tissues, mints, coins, chap stick, receipts for Christmas gifts you have to return, or other small objects. It’s a fun conversation starter, or a unique gift for a lego lover, (especially a “boy,” ages 5-55). It will also be enjoyed by anyone (male or female) with a taste for fun, or a penchant for innovative, and creative design.

It will be given to the 100th responder that does one of the following:

1. Follow Life As Prayer on Facebook and Twitter http://LifeAsPrayer.twitter.com, and send out a message about it.

2. Retweet this: < @LifeAsPrayer has a funky Lego Wallet Christmas gift for the 100th RT > *(Please include 1 reason why you like Life As Prayer, or how you found out about it.)

3. Send 2 friends (new visitors) to view the LifeAsPrayer blog, and have them leave a comment containing your name.

That’s it!

Have fun.

~MERRY CHRISTMAS~

 

Secret Giving as a Spiritual Practice, courtesy of Santa Claus

 

Bishop St. Nicholas of Myra

Giving in secret is a valuable spiritual practice. Why? Because it gives us the benefit of showing charity, love, and kindness without a public benefit, or selfish personal advantage. Giving in secret allows us to give graciously for the sake of generosity alone; and exercising this activity can help us realize that giving–even as a private practice–is a gift in itself for everyone involved. It is a practice and modeling of grace.

The tradition of giving in secret, especially to the needy, spread worldwide among Christians becasue of the influence St. Nicholas. That is, Nicholas of Myra, a saint, and Bishop of Myra(Demre, in Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey). c. 270 AD-December 6, 347 AD. 

This video was created and sent as a Christmas greeting from a business associate, Ed Redding (of R&D Communications) and I just had to share it with you. It’s a wonderful 5 minute video that makes Santa Claus, and the spirit of Christmas come alive, for people of all ages. Please pass it along.

A Prayer for Guidance – Advent Meditation

Thank you for visiting today. I invite you into a short spiritual exercise of prayer and meditation.(It takes 2.5-4 min.)  Simply read over the following almost 1,000 year old prayer, about 3 times, (preferably out loud-even a whisper is fine). Each time think carefully, for 30 seconds or more, about something in the passage that stands out to you, before you re-read. Then, speak with God for a few minutes about the thoughts that came to mind.

Your comments, or reflections about your experience, or this prayer are quite appreciated.

Thank you, and happy Advent Season.

Page 28, Third week of Advent Meditation section-

Holy Bible: Mosaic, Tyndale Publishing, 2009.

Prayer for God’s Guidance

-The Sarum Breviary, 1085

We beseech Thee, O Lord, let our hearts be graciously

enlightened by Thy holy radiance, that we may serve Thee

without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of 

our life; that so we may escape the darkness of this world,

and by Thy guidance attain the land of eternal brightness;

through Thy mercy, O blessed Lord, who dost live and

govern all things, world without end. Amen.

 

Advent Meditation-Day Spring

Today, we’ll reflect on the arrival of Jesus as Day Spring. It is a strange visual for winter, and of course, Jesus was not actually born at the time of year when we celebrate his birth. But, the reminder of hope and new birth at the time of darkest night during the winter season is powerful indeed.

3rd verse of O come, O come, Emmanuel -written in the 12th century (in Latin). Translated into English by John Mason Neale in 1851.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer


Our spirits by Thine advent here


Disperse the gloomy clouds of night


And death’s dark shadows put to flight.


Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel


Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Please leave your comments, or thoughts. 

thank you for coming by. Happy Advent to you.

Advent Meditation-hope

The passage of Scripture I am sharing is featured this week in the NLT version of Tyndale’s new Bible called, Holy Bible: Mosaic. Weekly meditations, placed in the beginning of the publication before the Scriptures, take the reader through the seasons of the Christian calendar year, starting at Advent. This year Advent starts on November 29, and lasts four weeks.

A passage I will call you to reflect on today is written by church father, Paul. In this portion he offers the church in the city of Corinth words of hope concerning the Reality of their situation, despite the troubling circumstances, and internal strife. He clears through the smog of human weakness to reveal the power of God, and the strength and hope that resides in having confidence in the message, promises, and Spirit from God that have already transformed them.

If you are struggling this season, take hope  in the God who is everywhere always, who wants the best for you, who will not give up on you, or stop his transforming work in you. Have hope beyond your troubles, and place that hope outside yourself, in One who will be faithful, and carry you through to the end.

(thank you to biblegateway.com for Scripture version: link included)
1 Corinthians 1:4-9
View commentary related to this passage

Paul Gives Thanks to God

I Corinthians 1:4-9

“4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

(emphasis mine)

Friend, concentrate please on verses 7-9 especially, and take in the hope offered here. This hope isn’t just for the Christmas season, but for all year long, and all life long.

I invite you-right now-t0 re-read the passage slowly, roll it over in your mind and heart, and then pray to God about it, or some portion or  aspect that personally connects with you. Then, please share one or more of your reflections, thoughts, or feelings.

Thank you.

Blessings to you this season.