I am re-reading Heschel's book on the Sabbath. I am finding the second time around to be even more saturating. Maybe I am starting to "get it." What ever there is to be "gotten!" This morning I am reflecting on these quotes:
"Observance of the seventh day is more than a technique of fulfilling a commandment. The Sabbath is the presence of God in the world, open to the soul of man. It is possible for the soul to respond in affection, to enter into fellowship with the consecrated day."
"When we celebrate the Sabbath we adore precisely something we do not see."
I am still walking through the meaning of Sabbath...I fear that all I have learned/experienced the last few months will be forgotten. I don't want what I am experiencing now to be a fad or trend...I know there is more, but the gravity of distraction is powerful at times. Remember the Sabbath to sanctify it (Exodus 20:8).
Sabbath Number Five - through the lens of photography
In my journey of discovering the beauty of Sabbath, a rejuvenating experience in creativity has occurred. Throughout the last few months, I have attempted to capture Sabbath through the eyes of a photographer. It has also led me to a new confidence and affirmation that I am a photographer, an artist. Matthew Fox writes “when we consider creativity, we are considering the most elemental and innermost and deeply spirited aspects of our beings.” To allow creativity has been challenging with the weight of the world, yet with the elements of Sabbath the imagination seems endless. It is a day for everything else to rest and limitless creativity to consume our souls. For me, Sabbath and art allows me to honor the child within and to connect with God in a way that is almost beyond words. That is why I love photography…capturing something without the obligations of words. Here are some photos I have taken and that demonstrate a few characteristics of Sabbath for me…enjoy!
Mary Oliver inspires Sabbath...Thank you Mary Oliver
Sleeping in the Forest
I thought the earth remembered me,
she took me back so tenderly,
arranging her dark skirts, her pockets
full of lichens and seeds.
I slept as never before, a stone on the river bed,
nothing between me and the white fire of the stars
but my thoughts, and they floated light as moths
among the branches of the perfect trees.
All night I heard the small kingdoms
breathing around me, the insects,
and the birds who do their work in the darkness.
All night I rose and fell, as if in water,
grappling with a luminous doom. By morning
I had vanished at least a dozen times
into something better.
from Sleeping In The Forest by Mary Oliver
© Mary Oliver
Sabbath Number Four- Humming Birds and Cuddle Time
Last weekend I ventured down to Portland to visit family for a night and pick up my in laws dog for company while my husband was out of town.
I woke up to an empty house, as everyone had gone to church and my intent was to start Sabbath off with a little solitude before being with family later. My in-laws back yard looks into a fantastic green forest. With a warm cup of coffee I sat down towards the view. I noticed that Sally and Jay had quite the set up of bird feeders hanging from a rope that connected from a tree to their house. I was amused by this as the free birds came and went for their proportion of seeds they could fly away with. Very peaceful. As I realized how satisfying this experience was, a lovely hummingbird came right up to the window, and I'm talkin' RIGHT up to the window. There was a feeder connected to the window and the bird must not have seen me. Oh it was amazing! The presence of one hummingbird was enough but I was fortunate to see 4 in the time that I sat in that lazy boy chair! In some peculiar way, I felt connected in those moments of watching those birds. Connected to God, connected to myself, and connected to creation. I felt as if it was an invitation into a day set apart from the other six.
Later in the day I was excited to spend some time with my niece. It was just the two of us as her parents went out for a movie. Alexis is around 19 months and a bundle of JOY! She is at the stage where I am content with just watching her as she discovers the world. Since our time in Mexico, her words and coordination have increased. I am thinking in the future that part of my Sabbath rhythm is to spend time with kids. There is nothing like their imagination and ability to experience the here and now. I mostly observed but one precious moment is when we had a tea party with her cool talking tea set. Oh the laughter and light hearted play that comes with being a child. I love knowing that my niece is a role model for me in how to play well. One last experience that is worth noting in regards to this day is when Alexis woke up from her nap. You can imagine that she is fairly active during play but this time I was blessed to participate in tender cuddles. I picked her up out of her crib and we sat in a chair for at least 20 minutes. The feeling is almost indescribable. The feeling of her soft breaths and the rhythm of rocking in the chair...that is a memory I hope to remember. Since I don't see Alexis every week, this was a special gift. It is those moments that feel set apart, uncommon to the day to day life. Even if that was my own child...I can imagine the gift is there for parents that see their kids day to day. I can imagine it is these moments that help parents set aside the fears and frustrations of raising a child and remember the goodness of God in the spaces between the challenges of being a parent.
BLESSED indeed
I woke up to an empty house, as everyone had gone to church and my intent was to start Sabbath off with a little solitude before being with family later. My in-laws back yard looks into a fantastic green forest. With a warm cup of coffee I sat down towards the view. I noticed that Sally and Jay had quite the set up of bird feeders hanging from a rope that connected from a tree to their house. I was amused by this as the free birds came and went for their proportion of seeds they could fly away with. Very peaceful. As I realized how satisfying this experience was, a lovely hummingbird came right up to the window, and I'm talkin' RIGHT up to the window. There was a feeder connected to the window and the bird must not have seen me. Oh it was amazing! The presence of one hummingbird was enough but I was fortunate to see 4 in the time that I sat in that lazy boy chair! In some peculiar way, I felt connected in those moments of watching those birds. Connected to God, connected to myself, and connected to creation. I felt as if it was an invitation into a day set apart from the other six.
Later in the day I was excited to spend some time with my niece. It was just the two of us as her parents went out for a movie. Alexis is around 19 months and a bundle of JOY! She is at the stage where I am content with just watching her as she discovers the world. Since our time in Mexico, her words and coordination have increased. I am thinking in the future that part of my Sabbath rhythm is to spend time with kids. There is nothing like their imagination and ability to experience the here and now. I mostly observed but one precious moment is when we had a tea party with her cool talking tea set. Oh the laughter and light hearted play that comes with being a child. I love knowing that my niece is a role model for me in how to play well. One last experience that is worth noting in regards to this day is when Alexis woke up from her nap. You can imagine that she is fairly active during play but this time I was blessed to participate in tender cuddles. I picked her up out of her crib and we sat in a chair for at least 20 minutes. The feeling is almost indescribable. The feeling of her soft breaths and the rhythm of rocking in the chair...that is a memory I hope to remember. Since I don't see Alexis every week, this was a special gift. It is those moments that feel set apart, uncommon to the day to day life. Even if that was my own child...I can imagine the gift is there for parents that see their kids day to day. I can imagine it is these moments that help parents set aside the fears and frustrations of raising a child and remember the goodness of God in the spaces between the challenges of being a parent.
BLESSED indeed
Sabbath Number Three- How to Sabbath while on "Vacation?"
It has been a few weeks since this particular Sabbath experience, but I will do my best to capture and share the words written in my journal while written on the beaches of Playa del Carmen! I attempted to be intentional in regards to Sabbath but I was confronted with the question, how do I Sabbath while on vacation? Shouldn't it some how seem easier to enter Sabbath due to the fewer distractions and relaxing warmth, ocean, and beach that invited me to play each day? I found myself wrestling with rest...crazy I know! Though this experience confirmed that the practice of Sabbath go beyond the concept of rest. There is a greater level of intentionality than napping and eating all day. So as I reflected, prayed, and read I was reminded of something Heschel wrote in regards to Sabbath. "To set apart one day a week for freedom, a day on which we would not use the instruments which have been so easily turned into weapons of destruction, a day for being with ourselves, a day of detachment from the vulgar, of independence of external obligations, a day on which we stop worshipping the idols of technical civilization, a day on which we use no money, a day of armistice in the economic struggle with our fellow men and the forces of nature..."
And so it was...I attempted to Sabbath with the intent of letting down my defenses, to lay down my weapons of destruction. I took on the day as believing that even my sin, the injustices of the world, grief, anxiety, and relational conflict needed to rest and be put aside. Why you may ask? In hopes for a "day of harmony and peace between man and man, peace within man, and peace with all things" (Heschel). It may an attempt to reclaim our authentic state, to participate life with gratitude and awe towards the goodness of God.
So practically this was difficult as I was challenged with my defensive thoughts towards the small frustrations that came up throughout the day. As I recognized I was hurt by something my husband said or the grief of poverty that swelled up in my throat, I simply prayed for God to help me lay these feelings aside...not out of avoidance...but affirming His sovereignty in all of this madness. Perhaps this is a practice that, with God's help, will be preparation for Eternity. who know?!
Here a few photos that I took while embracing this challenge to Sabbath while on vacation. When thinking about these pictures, more during the act of taking the photos, the word DELIGHT comes to mind!!! Yep that's right, I wrote it, delight! woohoo
Sabbath and lemons?
It has been awhile since I have written or transfered some of my Sabbath journals to this blog...though as I was researching for my upcoming project, I came across this video and knew I had to share. Pretty hilarious and creative! Enjoy
The Ten Commandments: No.3 Keep Holy The Sabbath Day from Global Mechanic on Vimeo.