THE INCARNATIONAL TRADITION
Have you ever considered that the everyday aspects of your life --- cleaning house, loving your spouse, going to work---are as important to God as the spiritual aspects? Let's discuss!
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5 comments:
going to work
This one, yes. There have been times when I've even prayed for my coworkers as well as for the customers who visited our store, as hokey as that may sound. :)
The other two, not so much. Cleaning is a necessary evil to me, and Loving* Drew just seems like the logical thing to do if I want our relationship to remain healthy.
What do you see that is spiritual in housework and attempting to Love one's spouse?
*To me, lowercase-l love is about feelings and/emotions we have about someone and capital-L Love is about how we treat them.
Personally, I'm all over the place with this one. I might try being pointed about trying it one day and the next I've totally lost it. If I was more consistent, I think I'd feel more peace and gratitude, especially with stuff around the house.
What might be some ways we could better bring this into the daily activities of life?
Some moments I seem to wake up and be able to be present, breathe in the moment and sense God in the air, the space, the love, the complexities and failures and grace of everyday life. Other times I wade through life blind and semi-conscious. Can you guess which way is more joyous and feels more spiritually significant? ;)
Yes, Nancy, I think you're on about the consistency thing. I would like to be consistent.
The following poem came to mind as I was reading your comments. It was written as a group in a break out on exploring new forms of worship at the spring Emergent Women's meeting in IL.
Finding Sabbath
If I don't clean the house
why would I take care of my temple?
Because it is a lot harder to shove your thighs in the closet
when your friends come over!
Even when I think I outta be playing
cards with my kids
I know I'm better off seeking
God's face on my exercycle...
or when driving my car
(with my eyes open!)
I cry out to God
It's better than cursing the other drivers
and the traffic doesn't care anyhow.
When I am in a good place
it's worshipful to do the dishes
or shop and clean the bathroom
I can declare what God has done
to the dust bunnies under the chair
How can I rememeber God
in the clamor of this world?
Life can be so loud
so distracting
How can I remember not to forget?
Bring an offering and come before God
with willing heart.
We lay before you -
a joyful heart
dog hair
a clean house
a good meal
fresh-baked cookies
an abundance of kind words
puppy kisses
earthworms
Find Sabbath in all of these things.
Hi, Ladies! I hadn't checked over here in quite a while.
Like Nancy, I have moments when I realize that my everyday responsibilities are important to God. Moreso as I take care of our kids. This year we have a lot of homework and I do feel that the time I spend helping them; reading and encouraging are very important.
Now, the daily food prep and cleaning can be more difficult. I think I most see them as important to God when I see thetheir effect on those around me.
Regarding "loving", I do see a connection there. I see active loving as impacting personal and spiritual health.
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