My Continued Search for Simplicity

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Every year I select a book to read throughout Lent. This year Lent doesn't begin until February 22, but I have already picked my book and placed the order. I can't wait.  I'm still on the journey of simplicity so this book fit right in.  Let me know what you are reading this upcoming Lenten season.

Simplifying the Soul
Lenten Practices to Renew Your SpiritBy Paula Huston

Award-winning author and Benedictine oblate Paula Huston invites readers to de-clutter their minds, hearts, relationships, and souls in a book of daily Lenten practices woven from the gospels, the Desert Fathers, and the author's own wealth of spiritual experience.

"What are you giving up for Lent this year?" It's the expected question amongst Christian friends each spring. In Simplifying the Soul, Paula Huston asks her readers a deeper, alternative sort of question: "How will you rid your life of excess this Lent?" Huston encourages readers to see Lent as a time to seek out silence and free themselves of "stuff"; to de-clutter minds, hearts, and lives; and to acknowledge the connections between what they pray about and what they do.

With honesty, vulnerability, and grace, Huston challenges readers to move outward and act, showing them how everyday actions like cleaning out a junk drawer, giving away something no longer used, or spending fifteen minutes in silence can be surprisingly powerful ways of experiencing a more meaningful Lent and a simpler life. Whether cutting up a credit card, visiting someone at the hospital, or forgiving someone with whom they are angry, readers experience, under Huston's gentle and expert care, how such practices lead to a more authentic Christian faith.

About the Author
Paula Huston, a National Endowment for the Arts fellow, wrote literary fiction for more than twenty years before shifting her focus to spirituality. She taught writing and literature at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and served as a core faculty member of the California State University Consortium Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program for many years before leaving academia to write full time.
Her first non-fiction project, Signatures of Grace, with co-editor Thomas Grady, earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Her book The Holy Way was a Catholic Press Association award-winner and Catholic Book Club major selection, earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly and a bronze medal from Foreword Magazine for Book of the Year in Religion. Huston has also published By Way of Grace and Forgiveness: Following Jesus into Radical Loving. A Camaldolese Benedictine oblate, Huston is married, has four grown children, and lives in central California. Visit her website at www.paulahuston.com.

All is Grace

The title says everything, "All is Grace." I hope you've read something by Brennan Manning - Ragamuffin Gospel, Abba's Child, Ruthless Trust, The Importance of Being Foolish, Patched Together, The Furious Longing for God, Souvenirs of Solitude, A Glimpse of Jesus, The Rabbi's Heartbeat, Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, The Wisdom of Tenderness, The Signature of Jesus, or The Boy Who Cried Abba. If not, start with Ragamuffin Gospel. It's my personal favorite - amazing.

I still remember reading Ragamuffin for the first time. Brilliant. It was the antidote to perfectionism and my incessent feelings of inadequacy; that sense that I could never measure up. Brennan wrote a story for sinners. People like me. And I loved it.

All is Grace is Brennan's memoir. Oh, what a story. I wasn't prepared to read about all he's been through; the depth of his struggles. But it made me appreciate even more Ragmuffin and the rest of the books he's penned. It also helped me understand the many friends at Open Door Fellowship who struggle with a lifelong battle with alcohol. Brennan's story also reinforced my belief that God uses people in spite of their failings.

I don't want to spoil any part of this fabulous book...but read it and be blessed.  All is grace.

Oh I love reading!

The joy of reading for me is an endorphin release of happiness.  I started a new book today, one I'm reading and reviewing for Zondervan.  Oh me, oh my, how I love Gary Thomas.  He's one of my absolute favorites so when I had the opportunity to read and review his latest book, Every Body Matters, I jumped at the chance.  I've just finished the first chapter and just like with Sacred Marriage and Sacred Parenting, Gary is calling me to a higher purpose in the care and treatment of my physical body.  I can't wait to tell you more.

This is Me

"My highest hope is for all of us to stop trying to fool others by appearing to have our act together. As people living in intimate union with God, we need to become known for what and who we actually are. Perhaps a good place to begin would be telling the world--before the world does its own investigation--that we're not as bad as they think. We're worse. At least I know that I'm worse.

"Let's get real. For every mean-spirited, judgemental thing some preacher has said, I've thought something nastier, more hateful and more cutting about one of my neighbors. For every alleged act of homophobia by my fellow Christians, I've done something stupid to demonstrate my manliness. For every brother or sister whose moral failure has been exposed, I've failed privately. No matter how boring followers of Jesus may appear to be to the outsiders, they don't know the half of it; trust me.... If we really believe the gospel we proclaim, we'll be honest about our own beauty and brokeness, and the beautiful broken. One will make himself known to our neighbors through the chinks in our armor--and in theirs."

As quoted by Brennan Manning in All is Grace from his friend's book (which I just bought!) Breaking the Rules by Fil Anderson (pages 80-81). BTW, Fil also wrote another great book I have greatly benefitted from, Running on Empty: Contemplative Spirituality for Overachievers.

Wisdom from Brother Dominique

"All that is not the love of God has no meaning for me. I can truthfully say that I have no interest in anything but the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. If God wants it to, my life will be useful through my words and witness. If He wants it to, my life will bear fruit through my prayers and sacrifices. But the usefulness of my life is His concern, not mine. It would be indecent of me to worry about that."

Final journal entry of Brother Dominique Voillaume from All is Grace by Brennan Manning

Setting Goals ... with a Teenager

As I've mentioned in a previous post, I am home schooling Matthew this semester in Christian Formation. One of the first things I want to do with him this week is set some goals. While we were watching some football this morning, I ask him about his goals. You would have thought I'd asked him to solve a quantum physics problem. 

I could easily draft a few for him. I think every parent can quickly make a list for their teenage! But I want these to come from him. I want him to own these goals. They can't be mine. And I realize that goal setting isn't necessary easy; you need to feel about stuff, want something that's currently out of reach, admit hope, and lack. 

I want to help him with this. I want to help me with this! So, thank you Google, I searched "teen goal setting" and found some helpful guidance. In the event you are in those teenage years like me I hope you find these words as helpful as I did. I don't think when I asked him the question that I realized that this was a life skill I would need to teach. I'm glad I asked the question.

Goal Setting for Teens

http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-issues/goal-setting.html

What do you get when you combine the talents, skills, learning abilities, and dreams of your teenager? Someone who is pointed toward success. However, one vital tool is missing - goal setting. With goal setting, you can help your teenager learn the skills necessary to help their dreams become reality.

"I never felt like I could do very much with my life." What a sad statement to make! This adult felt hampered by her situation as a teenager and lacked the necessary environment to feel like her goals could be accomplished. How can you, as a parent, avoid this same scenario?

First, open up communication with your teenager. Have a goal-defining session. Make sure you have plenty of time to work through the following exercise, at least an hour. Have them sit down with a piece of paper and answer questions like the following. Encourage them to be as honest and open as possible and take as much time as needed to answer the questions about themselves.

• What do I want out of life?
• What do I most enjoy doing?
• What gives me joy?
• What do I value?
• Who is someone I admire and what characteristics do they have?
• If I could solve a world problem, what would it be?
• What am I good at?
• What makes me motivated?
• Where do I see myself in 5 years, 10, 15, 50?
• Where would I like to go?

These and similar questions can help your teenager produce a goal-setting profile. This exercise can be repeated and kept confidential. However, encourage your teen to use it as they begin to set goals in their life. Second, teach your teenager goal-setting strategies. There are some specific steps to setting goals.

1. Define their goals (wishes are not necessarily goals because some are not probable or even possible to achieve, i.e. "I wish to go to the moon right now.")
2. Discuss and brainstorm the steps needed to achieve their goals. Do this step for each individual goal. If needed, research the goal online or at the library or talk to school counselors for guidance on how to reach the goal.
3. Go over the possible roadblocks to accomplishing the goals and how to deal with them. For example, are their financial problems or time constraints to accomplishing the goal?
4. Make deadlines. Don't be overwhelmed by large goals, set small goals to help meet the large goals.
5. And finally, have them report on their progress every now and again.

In connection with the final step, a good idea is to set goals and evaluations to work around the school programs. For example, grades can show academic success, or sports programs can show physical prowess. Also, set rewards for accomplishing goals. Talk about how good it feels to meet goals and the rewards that come. Teen goal-setting is a life skill that can take your child far. Watch them grow and succeed as they make their life dreams come true.

2012...A Year With Jesus

I am a glass half-full gal. I see hope around every corner. Already this morning I've been journaling and reading and pondering.  I love the first day of a new year.  Fresh and available.  It's also a day that I choose a devotional for the year.  I rarely have just one.  But Thomas Nelson Publishers put one in my hands this past month that I am really enjoying: A Year With Jesus, Daily Readings and Reflections on Jesus' Own Words, by R.P. Nettelhorst.

Unlike many devotionals that provide you with a scripture reference to look up, or a single verse, and then fill the page with personal stories or reflection, A Year with Jesus is a book you can use for a real scriptural learning, study and insight.  Each day (I love that you can start at any point since it is not associated with a specific date) includes an entire portion of something Jesus said. Then a half to a third of the page is insight into that passage. It's good stuff; meat to enjoy, learn from, and grow in your understanding of Jesus and his priorities. 

The book is organized into sections. Jesus' words on: love and hate; truth and lies; arrogance and humility; friends and enemies; belief and disbelief; patience and impatience; deserved and undeserved; good and evil; fidelity and treachery; and life and death.  And it's all Jesus. 

As Nettelhorst writes in the Introduction, "The best way to get to know other human beings is to spend time with them and to listen to what they have to say. We can then discover what matters and get a sense of their personalities."

I can think of no better thing this year than spending a year digging into Jesus' words.

(This book was provided to me for review purposes by Thomas Nelson Publishers)