Tuesday, March 09, 2010

In the Quiet Places

Added in a couple of items to the Tiny Lifestyle Changes today. One I’ve been doing for a while and it is working well for me. The other is a suggestion made by my associate rector, Matt, and it’s the kind of thing that would work for me if I did it regularly so I’m going to make the attempt to do that too.
The one that I’m already doing is from my pastoral counselor. He suggested that to handle stress and anxiety, since it was keeping me awake at night, I should turn over to God the things that were bothering me most. He suggested a journal, but I’m just doing it in prayer. I’ve been negligent of my prayer life, so this is a good way to get back in the habit of talking to God. When I was a new believer I used to fall asleep reading his word. I sort of miss that comfort and I hope this tiny step will lead me back to that, or at least to more consideration in the quiet of the evening when I’m lying there trying to shut down my day.
Last Sunday Matt gave a really good sermon that included 2 midrash. That may not be spelled correctly and it’s not the plural form. He told us during the sermon but I didn’t get that bit down. One of the midrash talked about the space between the lines of text in the Torah being the place where the true meaning was to be found. Then he talked about the name of God as it is in Hebrew YHVH, which is never spoken, and what the sound might be if we did try to pronounce it. Without the vowels that Christians have added in it sounds sort of like breathy sounds that one hears. The PH sound, the H sound, maybe some of the S, those where you are exhaling strongly. I kind of laughed when he first did that and tried to say it without the vowels. It sounded like a bit from Harry Potter. Then as his lesson continued I came to think, the breath sound might represent the breath of life that God gives us or that energy which was sent forth from God when he made the world. If that’s what we find in the quiet spaces maybe it’s a good idea that I go back and reread my priests’ sermons so that I can reflect on their teachings and gain what is between the lines of text. And that’s the second item I added into Tiny Lifestyle Changes.
Peace! Hope! & Joy!

8 comments:

Stella Jones said...

That's an interesting idea and worth following up. It reminded me of when I was studying art. If the subject we had to draw was difficult (on that particular day, it was a musical instrument - a tuba), we were told to just draw the spaces we saw between the solid masses. That way the subject magically appeared without our trying too hard. It's worth trying with a cheese plant too. You know, the one with all the slits in the leaves.
Blessings, Star

Lee said...

I like your connection to the spaces idea Star! When I took an art class once I drew the best picture I'd ever drawn by just creating the shadows. It took shape so beautifully it was amazing.

Cheers!
Lee

San said...

What a beautiful post, Lee. The spaces between the lines, between the breaths--those are the calming, profound places. Maybe that's where our prayers go?

San said...

What a beautiful post, Lee. The spaces between the lines, between the breaths--those are the calming, profound places. Maybe that's where our prayers go?

San said...

I repeat myself.

Sandi McBride said...

I can remember when my mind was so busy with "wind work" (as in the blowing of the wind) that I couldn't sleep. Then I started saying my nightly prayers and would just talk to God till I fell asleep.
As for midrash (the plural is midrashim) I was told by my Grandmother that this is where the term reading between the lines came from...I love trying to find out where all the old sayings came from. Looking forward to tomorrow and Scrabble!
hugs
Sandi

Sharon Claassen said...

Thank you for the idea of the Breath of God in His own name! I love it! I just started taking a beginning Hebrew class and we discussed the true name of God and how they purposely wrote His name in older script in newer Hebrew transcripts out of reverence for His name.

Sandi McBride said...

Lovely post Lee...thinking of your Mom as I read this. I somehow think it applies right now...hugs and love
Sandi