Carrie Newcomer’s Holy As the Day is Spent stands as one of my all time favorite songs. It speaks to the everyday holy moments of “folding sheets like folding hands, to pray as only laundry can.” May your week be full of the Holy enmeshed in the daily.
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In Him together, Susan Gaddis
I live in a typical American small town with my house located in what used to be a rural part of our community. This house is situated so that large picture windows overlook oak covered hills off of our back deck, which is an extension of our living room. Highway 101 is my immediate neighbor across the street. During the weeks of the popular California Mid State Fair, just up the highway from us, the traffic noise can last until 2:00 in the morning.
This seems an odd location for a girl raised on a ranch—on one side I view the hills and quiet meadows, and on the other side, I view a steady parade of big rigs, RVs, and lots of cars. Obviously, I spend more time on the back deck than on the front porch. Yet, this is where God has placed me to live the life he has given me, and for that I am grateful.
This is the house where I have raised our six children, battled my private demons, and is the main spot of earth where God has shaped me. I can be fully human here—the good, bad, and ugly in me all meet here with the God who became human. This house has become my “thin place”—a sacred place where heaven and earth connect.
I think for a house to become such a place, a thin place, there has to the element of “real”—raw living that faces the struggles of life not with strength, but with the grace of God that teaches and molds us into his image—one living, eternal cell at a time.
Maybe becoming a thin place includes living in one location long enough to have the “real” permeate the foundations, walls, and rafters of the house. I’m not sure about that, but I wonder. Anyway, I’m glad walls can’t talk.
There have been many times in the past when I have wanted to move away—leave the bad memories along with the good—if it would help take pain away. But pain signals the need for healing and bad memories can become landmarks of the work of God in my life if I’m willing to go through the pain rather than escape it. This house has seen a lot of laughter, but a lot of pain and healing too. The laughter over shadows the pain and leaves a residue of joy.
Is your home a thin place? Has the element of “real” carried you through the painful times to where heaven and earth connect? Does your house contain the decorations of the Spirit obtained through time and struggle? Has your house become a home—a habitation for the God who became human?
In Him together, Susan Gaddis
Celtic Christians lived an intertwined life of work and prayer, knitting the two together in such a way that the work of the day became the prayer of life.
In her book, The Celtic Way of Prayer, Esther De Waal explains the Celtic practice of work and prayer. “… there was no separation of praying and living; praying and working flow into each other, so that life is to be punctuated by prayer, become prayer.”
Morning hygiene happened slowly and in the name of the Trinity as each palmful of water was splashed upon the face.
The palmful of the God of Life, The palmful of the Christ of Love, The palmful of the Spirit of Peace, Triune Of grace.The task of making the bed became a time of prayer as seen in this Irish prayer, one of many collected in 1906 by Douglas Hyde.
I make this bed In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit In the name of the night we were conceived, In the name of the night we were born, In the name of the day we were baptized, In the name of each night, each day, Each angel that is in the heavens.Alistair MacLean recorded this prayer in Hebridean Altars for days when our work load seems overwhelming or dull.
Even though the day be laden and my task dreary and my strength small, a song keeps singing in my heart. For I know that I am Thine. I am part of Thee. Thou art kin to me, and all my times are in Thy hand.And finally, this prayer from Hebridean Altars:
Seven times a day, as I work upon this hungry farm, I say to Thee, “Lord, why am I here? What is there here to stir my gifts to growth? What great things can I do for others—I who am captive to this dreary toil?” And seven times a day Thou answerest, “I cannot do without thee. Once did My Son live thy life, and by His faithfulness did show My mind, My kindness, and My truth to men. But now He is come to My side, and thou must take His place.”What comes out of your heart and mouth as you work your way through your day?
In Him Together, Susan Gaddis
My youngest son graduates from high school tonight. His five brothers and sisters have made their way out into the wider world, and I’m sure this one will too. This beautiful Celtic blessing is my prayer for James. I hope you enjoy it, and pass it on to those you know who are celebrating a significant event in their lives.
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In Him together, Susan
I wish life was predictable, but it is not. Yet, blessings often sneak in unexpectedly if we have prepared our hearts to be interrupted.
I sometimes view unexpected phone calls as interruptions to my planned day, especially if the call is from someone needing something from me “right now.” Slow traffic, long lines at the grocery counter, work related demands, and the neighbor who drops in unexpectedly when I have been up all night with a sick kid and the house hasn’t seen “clean” in a month—these interruptions frustrate me.
What if all the people involved in these situations were viewed as unexpected guests into my life? Might a new perspective adjust my attitude and my interactions with them?
Brigid of Kildare was a woman who looked for the unexpected. She lived between 450 and 523 and was known for her generosity and hospitality to all, but especially to strangers, the poor, and the sick. She never saw people as interruptions to her life, but as guests to be welcomed. This is one of her house prayers still used by many as they prepare their hearts and lives to be interrupted by unexpected guests.
I would welcome the poor and honour them. I would welcome the sick in the presence of angels and ask God to bless and embrace us all. Seeing a stranger approach, I would put food in the eating place. drink in the drinking place, music in the listening place, and look with joy for the blessing of God, who often comes to my home in the blessing of a stranger. We call upon the Sacred Three to save, shield and surround this house, this home, this day, this night, and every night.You’ll find more of Brigid’s prayers in Celtic Daily Prayer—Prayers and Readings From the Northumbria Community. (See right sidebar for more details.) But for now, how do you prepare your heart and life to be interrupted by the unexpected guest?
In Him together, Susan Gaddis
Those of my heart, Lord,
Into your hands and into your keeping,
This day and this night,
In the name of the Father,
The Son, and the Spirit Holy.
I hold them before you, Lord,
In the tasks they have to do;
In the decisions they face;
In their worries and fears—
Be their Companion, Guide, and Best Friend.
I hold them before you, Lord,
In their joys and disappointments
In their successes and failures;
In their goings and their restings—
Be their Lord, their King, their God.
Those of my heart, Lord
Into your hands and into your keeping,
This day and this night,
In the name of the Father,
The Son, and the Spirit Holy.
Copyright 2009 by Susan Gaddis
My son left home this morning. Packed his car to the ceiling and stuffed a grocery bag full of carrots, peanut butter, bread and energy bars into a left over hole. He’s left home before—two years in Northern Ireland a few years ago. As with most men at age 23, this will probably, hopefully, be his last time leaving home.
He’s headed to Massachusetts to discover adventure and his future. I prayed this blessing for him this morning from To Bless the Space Between Us, A Book of Blessings by John O’Donohue.
Every time you leave home, Another road takes you Into a world you were never in. New strangers on other paths await, New places that have never seen you Will startle a little at your entry. Old places that know you well Will pretend nothing Changed since your last visit. When you travel, you find yourself Alone in a different way, More attentive now To the self you bring along, Your more subtle eye watching You abroad; and how what meets you Touches that part of the heart That lies low at home.
Well…I’ll let you find the rest of the blessing hidden amidst many more daily blessings and experiences in To Bless the Space Between Us.
Go forth and conquer, Jonathan. Our prayers and blessings go with you.
In Him together, Mom
Four down and two to go. My nest will become empty someday.
I’m a big fan of St. Patrick of Ireland, and Saint Patrick, by Jonathan Rogers, didn’t disappoint me. Its 132 pages pack a lot of information for one of the small books in the Thomas Nelson Christian Encounters series. Myths, legends, and facts are discussed concerning the life of Saint Patrick, leaving us with a more realistic view of the man than the brief descriptions put out by the St. Patrick’s Day news briefs.
Roman rule was marginal on the outer rim of Saint Patrick’s Britain and quickly fading during Patrick’s lifetime. Rogers weaves the historical record of the demise of Roman influence with the reality of Patrick’s rough journey in becoming a missionary from Britain to the “barbarians” of Ireland. Such evangelism seemed senseless under Roman Christianity. A former slave going back to his captors as a missionary was absurd.
Appendix A and B contain Patrick’s original writings, which provide the baseline for scholarly speculation by Rogers. Reading St. Patrick’s words, along with Roger’s commentary, helps illuminate the challenges Patrick faced in life.
Rogers is a gifted writer, communicating an overview of data with humor and a smooth writing style. He is obviously very fond of St. Patrick and I gleaned information that I had not known from my other readings on the patron saint of Ireland.
Patrick’s references to God as his authority in the few surviving documents he wrote seem to foretell Celtic Christianity’s view of bishop independence. The flourishing of Celtic Christianity, which evolved from Patrick’s service in Ireland, impacted the survival of Western Christianity. I wish that Rogers had given these aspects of Patrick’s legacy more investigation in this book.
I hope this short review will encourage you to examine St. Patrick and his Celtic Christianity beyond the trappings of the shamrock and beer. I recommend Saint Patrick for an enjoyable quick understanding of the saint and his times, but I also suggest rounding out the book by reading Listening for the Heartbeat of God by J. Philip Newell, The Celtic Way of Evangelism by George G. Hunter III and Celtic Treasure by Liz Babbs. (Click each book cover in the sidebar for a description.)
For a quick overview of Celtic Christianity see the post Exploring the Paths of Celtic Christianity.
In Him together, Susan Gaddis
Celtic Christians understood that finding the Holy in the daily meant harmonizing their lives with the rhythm of the Holy. Each act of the day, from stepping out of bed to evening’s sleep, was prayed through hymns, poems, and songs. Many of these were collected and translated by folklorist Alexander Carmichael between 1855 and 1910 in the Carmina Gadelica. The following prayer was sung as a child began his day.
St. Patrick’s Breastplate stands as one of the most familiar Celtic protection prayers. Although Patrick probably didn’t write it, the prayer communicates the faith Patrick needed as a missionary traveler in a hostile Ireland. It has been used for centuries for protection on trails and roads. Many now pray this prayer as they travel the freeways of a modern world. Here is a portion of St. Patrick’s Breastplate, also called “the deer’s cry.”
I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through God’s strength to pilot me; God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s hosts to save me … Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me.
In Him together, Susan Gaddis
Marcie and Vickie
I have lots of friends, many on Facebook. The depth of these friendships varies, yet these people each walk a way with me in my life journey.
Some friendships are information oriented—Twitter type updates about our kids and life in general. Other friends trek with me in the twists and turns of daily life, laugh and cry at the appropriate times, and mark my days with memorable stories of life lived and grief endured.
On a deeper level are my soul friends—those companions on my path who walk beneath the surface of my life. Soul friends allow my good side and my bad side to be exposed; they don’t freak out when the bad side monopolizes my day. My “old man” and my “new man” are not hidden from them. These friends relate to me just as I am without unreal expectations.
Soul friends nourish my soul. Their love and forgiveness allow a depth to develop where I can discover all that God is calling me to become. By their attitudes, words, and actions, the grace of God is extended to help me face other kinds of relationships—the ones that are more expectation and obligation focused.
Most of my personal growth takes place as I walk with my soul friends. They hold me accountable in my shortcomings without judgment or condemnation. Encouragement is offered along with coffee and heavy cream. Confusion vanishes in conversations where laughter is mixed with an understanding of God, his word and his ways. Their companionship keeps me alert to the presence of Jesus and the movings of the Spirit Holy. Daily they lift me before the Throne of the One who guides our journeys.
Everyone needs a soul friend. Who might your soul friends be and why? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.
And pass this post on to a soul friend, letting them know you value their friendship.
In Him together, Susan Gaddis
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