Olive Crest United Methodist Church
7180 North 60th Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68152

Our Pastor

Rev. Debra Tompsett-Welch

Need a Daycare?

Hearts

Minds

Doors

The Spiritual Life

February 2005

Lent, Then Easter To Get Unstuck

By Rev. Michael Lee Burgess

Lent is the time in the church year where we look at our lives and ourselves. Self-examination is never really fun, but how can you get unstuck if you can't see where you are stuck? Most of the time our lives are so busy, we are pulled in so many different directions we are not even sure what we feel, much less where we feel stuck. Over the centuries the church has kind of figured this out and used the time of preparation for Easter and Jesus' Resurrection (Lent) as a time to get refocused and see where the broken parts are in our life. God in the form of Jesus is constantly trying to get us to let the broken parts of our life die in order that they may be reborn whole and healthy. While that is not literally true, like abandoning your friend you have a broken relationship with, it can feel emotionally true. If my relationship is broken, what part of myself contributes to that brokenness and what in my attitudes need to change? Growth is never comfortable and fast change usually hurts. But God doesn't want us to stay broken forever and in constant low-level pain. God wants us to be whole and live full rich lives.

Ok Rev. Michael, that sounds like the doctor telling me to eat more fruits and vegetables, I know it's a good idea but how? They don't offer fruits and vegetables at McDonalds.

Well that is part of the problem. Our ordinary lives aren't scheduled for times of quiet reflection or self-discovery. If the television doesn't drown out the still small voice in your soul, the phone sure works at it. But all Christians are supposed to spend at least a small part of our day in prayer. It's kind of critical. How can we have a love relationship with God if we never spend any time with God?

Rev. Michael, I try, but it just doesn't happen. Now I just feel guilty and don't want to try.

Well part of the problem is often our definitions of prayer. Any relationship takes time or it doesn't last, but you don't do all the same things when you spend time with the ones you love. It would get boring if every time you called your friend up you talked about the same things in the same way. Well there are many ways of praying and spending time with God as well. Here are some from the UMW study I am leading on Prayer during Lent:

So there are lots of different ways to spend time with God. Vary them and you fight the big bad "B" word, boring. I hate that word when my young people use it (^.^)

Another special and rewarding prayer style is meditation, especially when used with meditation breathing. But that one does take more focus and time so I'll talk about it at the end. Here I am focusing on the faster kinds and kinds you can do while doing something else, like you could when spending time with a good friend.

I do want to lift up the Breath Prayer though. It can be a form of meditation when used with focus or an all day thing if you let it become a habit and so you can walk with God all the time, no matter what you are doing. Also from UM Women's study on Prayer I am leading:

Breath Prayer is a very short prayer, usually only one sentence long. This form of prayer comes from the Hebrew word ruach, which is translated "wind," "breath," or "spirit." Breath prayers are a form of intercessory prayer that can be used not only in our daily routine and prayer life, but also during times of anxiety, fear, distress, frustration, during surgery, and times of illness. Breath prayers assist us to 'pray without ceasing.' . . .

In his book "Into The Light," written by Ron Delbene, the author outlines several steps that one can use in creating breath prayers. The following is an adaptation of Delbene's Five Step self-directed program for creating breath prayers:

Sit quietly in a comfortably and be still and calm. Close your eyes and imagine that you are in the presence of God. Recalling a favorite passage of scripture can help prepare you for this living into this moment.

Imagine that God is calling you by name. Hear God asking you: "(your name), what do you want?'

Respond to God with whatever comes honestly from your heart. Ask yourself: what do I really want that will make me whole? It could be peace of mind, healing from an illness. Your response will be at the heart of your prayer.

Choose your favorite name for God (God, Jesus, Christ, Lord, Father, Creator, Spirit...)

Combine your name for God with your responses to God's question of "what do you want?" and you have your own personal breath prayer. Write the prayer down and use it several times during the day. Let the prayer become a part of your daily life. Repeat it several times as you breathe in and out....................

Examples:

What I want is peace; my name for God is Lord; and my breath prayer is: Lord, let me know your peace.

What I want is God's presence; my name for God is Creator God; and my breath prayer is Creator God, lead me to the light of Christ.

Pray your breath prayer as you breathe in and out. It should become as natural as breathing in air and exhaling it.

-- Doris Peterson, Worship With Words and Movement(Women's Division of Christian Service, Board of Missions, The United Methodist Church, New York,1970), p. 19. Meditation: Calming Your Mind, Body and Spirit, from http://www.MayoClinic.com., special to http://www.CNN.com.

If you vary the ways you spend time with God and try to work them into all the different parts of you life, you can find you are becoming much closer to the one who loves you above all others. If you spend the time, you can feel loved enough to have the courage to change. Then change can lead you into the resurrection life Jesus came to demonstrate for us.

If we all try to practice being in prayer and encourage each other, we can be ready for Christ to bring resurrection to our broken and dry lives. Thank you for being part of our church family. Thank you for being willing to be part of the effort God is making to change the world into the kingdom of love, starting with your own heart.

May God be very close to you, especially in the hard times of change.

Your brother-in-Christ, Rev. Michael Lee Burgess

MEDITATION STYLES AND EXAMPLES

Sit quietly in a room alone. Think about all the things you are thankful for, then offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

Breathing exercises. Relaxation breathing can calm and help you focus. Breath deeply and slowly, become aware of each breath. Especially if you breath in through the nose and out through the mouth and as slowly and deeply as you can.

Yoga. This form of meditation in motion is an ancient Hindu practice that incorporates proper breathing, movement and posture. The goal is to achieve a union of mind, body and spirit.

Tai chi. Tai chi is an ancient Chinese form of martial arts. It involves gentle, circular movements, combined with deep breathing. It is described today as a form of "moving meditation."

Walking. Walking is an excellent way to relax and meditate with nature. Observe your surroundings; look at God's creative powers in the universe. Whisper prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude for all of creation.

Listening to music. Select music that has a calming, relaxing affect on you. Playing a musical instrument can also be a good way to center oneself and meditate.

Journaling. Writing ones inner most thoughts down in a journal while meditating or during moments of solitude is a meaningful activity.

Using written prayers of others. Praying prayers of others, reading hymns, the Psalms can help create a meditative mood.

You can also make a special list of prayers or quotations you find especially powerful and keep them in a notebook or make flash cards with them. Then when you find it hard to focus you can use them to help you get your mind in the right space to be in the presence of God.

LITURGICAL MOVEMENT EXAMPLE

Starting position: Stand facing front with hands at sides. Step forward on R. foot - at same time focus eyes upward - raise both arms, palms facing body - L. hand overlapping R. hand - pass hands close to mouth, lift arms high and than open them to denote "all the lands."

Half kneel, R. foot forward - lower arms - outstretch hands in position of giving -focus still upward. Be glad.

Rise to standing - take 2 steps forward - at same time take arm position and movement of first line except end with hands not separated, with R. hand slightly higher than L. Focus still upward.

Continue same position except clench fists in a controlled movement - lower arms slightly, raise again for emphasis.

Bring R. hand down pointing to but not touching self. Lower and reach forward with L. hand - palm up (to include all people). On "we are his" raise both hands high and fairly wide.

Hold that position then- on "sheep" drop to half-kneeling position and look down on "pasture" as hands move out to side and back together with palms down. On "his" (last line) focus upward.

Rise to standing - take 2 steps forward - hands loosely clasped in front of chest - look upward, then downward.

Take 1 more step forward - raise hands high and separate them about shoulder width.

Drop to a half kneel - bring hands down and clasp them loosely in front of chest -focus upward - on "bless his name" raise hands upward, R. hand slightly above L.

Rise to standing - stand tall - raise clasped hands high and press them together tightly - focus upward.

Movement continuous. Circle arms outward, sideward, downward, crossing them in front of body and continuing until they are stretched high - on "faithfulness" bring arms forward downward to shoulder-high with L. palm up - R. palm down - move R. hand to R. side and back to denote "all generations" - finish with R. palm up, slowly raise arms high, separate them somewhat. Hold.

Upcoming Events