Featured by Karen Twinem

Ignore Your Inner Critic

Do you remember a time when you were told who you are? It’s nice to hear that you’re kind or smart. But sometimes you hear that you are clumsy, stupid, ungrateful or worthless.

Where do those names go? Yes, they are still in your head. And often they become part of the inner critic who doesn’t like much of what you do. Today’s Christian mindfulness exercise is helping us to recognize that your inner critic is talking and to learn how to stop listening to it.

It is all part of detachment, the art of experiencing feelings without allowing them to control you. Numbing out feelings is unhealthy. That’s not what I’m suggesting. Detachment steps in to allow us to make choices about our thoughts and actions. In Christian mindfulness, we allow ourselves to walk with Jesus and to do God’s will.

Learning to focus on the presence of God helps us to recognize the negative impact of our inner critic. We do what we should do, regardless of how we feel. This allows us to be loving to people we don’t like and to participate in situations where we have felt awkward in the past. We can do hard things with hard people.

The first step is to pray. Ask God to help you listen to your thoughts. Spend some time writing down what you hear. Are you getting criticism and ridicule? That’s the inner critic. Be aware of what the inner critic sounds like. Keep a list of what you hear, if that helps. These hurtful statements from the past have little to do with your identity in Christ.

Once we recognize our inner critic’s voice, we need to deliberately ignore it. When the words arise, pray before you take any action. Ask for an increase in God’s presence. And turn your thoughts towards praise and gratitude. Then do the next right thing.

Ignoring your inner critic can help you to detach from emotional reactions and walk in the ways of peace.

Featured by Karen Twinem

Think: It Could Be the Last Time

My former boss died last week. I worked for her for 13 years. She taught me how to be a communications strategist, how to embrace New York, and how to deal with difficult people without losing your cool. We went through her divorce, the deaths of her parents, my son’s disability, and the deaths of my father and sister-in-law. I have many good memories and a little sadness from difficult times.

The last time I saw her was at a Christmas party just before the pandemic. She was busy with a client, and I needed to leave. So I stood near her, waiting for an opening. It was brief. I gave her a hug and wished her well. I don’t remember what she said to me. It was the last time I saw one of the most monumental people in my life.

Sometimes we are fully conscious that we are saying goodbye to a loved one. It was so at my dad’s deathbed when they took him off a ventilator. My mother, brother, sister and I watched him take his last breath in full awareness of the finality of the moment.

But those times are rare.

This Christian mindfulness exercise helps us be less cavalier about seeing your loved ones. It’s simple: Just remind yourself that this could be the last time you talk to them. This sounds like Debbie Downer created the exercise, but it also helps you to be more aware of the person. After all, death comes to 100% of us, and not always in the order we were expecting.

We are often distracted, particularly around our family. We half-listen. We get annoyed. We don’t recognize how important every interaction is. I even think this colors our reaction when we lose someone to death. I wish I’d known … I wish I’d said … I wish we’d gotten past this.

Try listening to a loved one with the idea that it could be the last time. It makes the future better.

Featured by Karen Twinem

Pick a Family Feast Day

Be still and know that I am God.

Once a year, gather your family to celebrate a family feast day. You’ll need to invite Jesus, of course.

You can pick a date that works best for you and your loved ones. Mine is the second Friday after Pentecost, the traditional date of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. (If you are the only one in your family who wants a family feast day, just do it. Jesus will be with you, and you will enjoy His presence.)

At my house, we have a nice brunch. Then we look back on the previous year. What changes occurred? How are the New Year’s Eve resolutions going? Do you see a change in your faith life?

Then we look ahead to what we would like for the coming year: faith life, church life, family life, social life and travel for us. You can add work, studies and anything else significant. Since I have a rule of life, I can take a look at it to see how it’s working and if it needs to change. (You can find my rule of life here.) If you don’t have a rule of life or a family/personal mission statement, your feast day would be a good time to develop one.

For example, we have a grandparent mission statement that says: “Our mission is to offer our granddaughter love, safety, and exposure to new and fun things. We hope she will feel secure in our presence so she can be her authentic self. We want to be trustworthy and supportive of her parents. We hope to help our granddaughter experience our attributes: love of learning, love of the outdoors, creativity, kindness, humor, joy, and compassion and mercy for the less fortunate.”

We close the feast day discussion with prayer. Since we have chosen the Sacred Heart feast, we use this prayer: 

Most sweet Jesus,
Redeemer of the human race,
look down upon us humbly prostrate before you. 
We are yours, and yours we wish to be;
but to be more surely united with you, 
behold, each one of us freely consecrates himself today
to your most Sacred Heart.
Many indeed have never known you;
many, too, despising your precepts, 
have rejected you.
Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus,
and draw them to your Sacred Heart.
Be King, Oh Lord,
not only of the faithful who have never forsaken you,
but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned you;
grant they they may quickly return to their Father's house,
lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.
Be King of all who are deceived by erroneous opinions,
or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth
and the unity of faith,
so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.
Grant, O Lord, to your Church
assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; 
give tranquility of order to all nations;
make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry:
Praise to the divine Heart that wrought out salvation;
to it be glory and honor forever. Amen.

symbol of God pouring out his spirit
Featured by Karen Twinem

Prepare for Pentecost

Today we have arrived at the peak of all blessings. We have reached the capital of feasts. We have obtained the very fruit of the Lord’s promise.

John Chrysostom

Pentecost is one of the holiest, happiest days of the Christian year. Coming 10 days after the celebration of the risen Christ’s ascension into heaven, Pentecost commemorates the gift of the Holy Spirit upon the first Christians. This was the day that Peter stepped forward to speak to the crowd. As a result, thousands of people who first thought the Christians were drunk at 9 a.m. decided that Jesus really was the Messiah after all.

How can we prepare for this day, which falls on May 28th this year? We have time to devote ourselves to opening up to the power of the Holy Spirit before Pentecost. Here are a few intentional ways to do so.

  • Before Pentecost, every time you see a bird, say “Come, Holy Spirit.” This honors the symbol of the dove representing the Spirit. But it also opens us up to calling on the Holy Spirit throughout the day.
  • Review your Lenten resolutions. How did it go? Pray over them again. Perhaps you should continue doing some of them, in part or in full.
  • Listen to songs about the Holy Spirit. Several in this list have similar names, but they are different songs.
    • “Come Holy Spirit” by Vineyard Music
    • “The Change in Me” by Casting Crowns
    • “Spirit of the Living God” by Vertical Worship
    • “Spirit of the Living God” (Fall Afresh on Me) by Phil Wickham
    • “Spirit Fall” by Chris Tomlin
    • “Fresh Wind” by Hillsong Worship
    • “Come Holy Spirit (Need You Now)” by New Wine Worship
  • Meditate over the role of the Holy Spirit in your life. I think about the traditional gifts of the Spirit:
    • Wisdom
    • Understanding
    • Counsel
    • Fortitude
    • Knowledge
    • Piety
    • Fear of God
  • Pray that God with bless you with the graces necessary for you to demonstrate the fruits of the Holy Spirit:
    • Love
    • Joy
    • Peace
    • Patience
    • Kindness
    • Goodness
    • Faithfulness
    • Gentleness
    • Self-control

Preparing for Pentecost Sunday can bring more intention to your life.

Featured by Karen Twinem

The Church in Crisis: Jesus Who?

“Is the church in crisis? If so, what?” That’s the answer I found in a notebook I retrieved to go a community meeting.

I don’t even remember the meeting where we discussed the question. But my answer is there: “The crisis is that the truth of Jesus has been obscured, often by His own people.”

I wrote it about a year ago, and it’s more true that ever.

Exhibit A: The failure of my Lenten pledge.

I wanted to find a group of committed Christians to deepen my experience of contemplative prayer. The first two Christian groups I tried were miles away from the truth about Jesus. For example, this is the meditation passage I was sent this week from one of the groups:

“Jesus answered: I am the way of love, I am the truth of love, and I am the life of love. No one comes to God except through love.”

Hmmm, that’s not what my Bible says. It would be fairly easy for these folks to persuade others that all religions worship the same God. Because some faiths believe in multiple gods, that’s not really possible. .

Exhibit B: Christian nationalism

Americans aren’t God’s chosen people. Look it up. Self-righteousness, particularly when exhibited with hate and vile name calling, doesn’t reflect God’s character. It makes Jesus look bad when people say they are Christians and hate others, particularly other Christians. These days many people don’t even bother to keep quiet about it.

Exhibit C: Hypocrites

Religious leaders who are hypocrites or abuse their position, hurting others, are poor reflections of Jesus. In fact, the Bible indicates that they are among Jesus’ least favorite people.

I believe, from experience, that a close relationship with Jesus results in love, joy, peace, patience and the other fruits of the spirit. The Lord teaches that you can tell a good tree by its fruit.

How can we reflect the truth about Jesus? Through kindness. Through empathy. Generosity. Listening to understand. Respect. But, most of all, love.

Non-Christians watch Christians. When they see exhibits A, B and C, they think that is who Jesus is. Those of us that want the world to know Christ need to strive for holiness. So when people think “Jesus who?” they can see He’s reflected in your behavior.

Featured by Karen Twinem

Resource: Enjoying the Presence of God

The most delightful experience I had this Lent was reading “Enjoying the Presence of God: Discovering Intimacy With God in the Daily Rhythms of Life” by Jan Johnson.

I met Jan Johnson on Zoom doing a class during 2020. Calm and funny, she seems like a person who has great insight into God. She also was a close associate of Dallas Willard, so she was well taught.

Her wonderful short book gives examples of how others have spent the day … and night … with Jesus during their ordinary circumstances. As the back cover says, “It shows that continual awareness of God is not just for the super-spiritual, but that anyone can sense His companionship in the mundane, in-between moments of life.”

Easy and quick to Read, Yet Profound

The contents are divided into three sections: Moments to Turn Over, Skills to Develop and Questions to Ponder. The first chapter is “Trying Too Hard,” which has been a serious problem for me. I have tried to practice the presence of God by talking to him continually, which gets tiresome, I’d guess, to both of us.

Jan Johnson talks about weaving prayer into activities and praying without words. She also dispenses good advice about asking God questions and addressing our deeper fears, including coming to believe that God actually loves us.

For example, in the chapter “Hearing God,” she writes, “Continual conversation with God means that there are moments when God speaks and we listen. Even though it may be scary to think of God speaking to us, it is normal and not weird.” Some of those ways include:

  • Recurring thoughts
  • New ideas
  • Fictional characters
  • Works of art
  • Kinesthetic experiences
  • Journaling

I’m not alone in loving this book. It has an average 4.41 star rating with 150 readers on GoodReads and a 4.9 star average rating with 87 readers on Amazon. Trust me. This book can change your walk with God.

cross and crown of thorns
Featured by Karen Twinem

Fridays in Lent

Adding the Stations of the Cross to your Lent routine allows God to vividly display what Jesus endured for us. During Lent, I add this to my lunchtime routine on Fridays. The prayer “Look Down Upon Me, Good and Gentle Jesus” is another good addition.

The Stations of the Cross developed out of a desire for Christians to walk “The Via Dolorosa” in Jerusalem, the route from Pontius Pilate’s praetorium to the cross. It’s popular in Western Christian traditions, including Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist.

In churches, 14 pictures or plaques are on the walls or on an outdoor walk that allow Christ followers to go from station to station. We stop at each station to pray and reflect.

This free PDF from the Diocese of Manchester takes you through the stations so you can do them at your desk or your kitchen table. The Archdiocese of Portland offers this PDF of the stations, with some preliminary prayers.

Stations of the Cross are available on YouTube. I particularly like this one, which is less than 15 minutes long.

When you only have a few seconds to yourself on Friday at noon, you can pray this:

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Your face I humbly kneel and with burning soul, pray and beseech You to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment, while I contemplate with great love and tender pity your five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me and calling to mind the words that David, your prophet, said of you , my Jesus, “They have pierced My hands and feet, They have numbered all my bones.”

Featured by Karen Twinem

Celebrate Ash Wednesday at Home

If you can’t attend church today, here’s an Ash Wednesday service you can do at home.

Write down a list of your sins. Burn the paper in a bowl or ashtray. Then pray: 

Let us ask our Heavenly Father to bless these ashes, which we will use as a mark of our repentance. Lord, bless these ashes. Wearing them reminds us that we are from the dust of the earth. Pardon our sins and keep us faithful to the resolutions that we have made for Lent. Help us to prepare well for the celebration of your Son's glorious resurrection.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Mark each person’s forehead in the sign of the cross saying, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel.”

Close with this prayer: 

Loving Father, today we start Lent. From today, we make a new start to be more loving and kind. Help us to show more concern for the less fortunate, the hungry and the poor. Help us to love you more and speak to you more often. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Featured by Karen Twinem

How Do You Want to Spend Lent?

Ash Wednesday is this week, so today is a good time to prepare our Lenten resolutions. I’ve used Lent to give up bad habits, but more often I take this time to create positive habits.

Think about how we can improve our prayer life, fasting and giving. Some families pick a charity and put their change into a bowl each day. Others give up eating out and give away the money they saved. My church took a recent pledge to not have cell phones at the dinner table. We can find many things to improve if we think and pray about it.

I also always have a Lenten reading program. In the past, I read a biography of a Christian I admired, a devotional and a general book about faith each Lent. Today it’s a lot more random. I just look at the bookshelves to see what I think would be helpful and inspiring.

Take some time today to figure out how you want to spend Lent. Your resolutions can be positive and prayerful. May you have a blessed Lent.

Featured by Karen Twinem

Try Scripture as a Breath Prayer

Breath prayer is an important part of my Christian mindfulness practice. That’s common. The Christian breath prayer is a supercharged mantrum: the repetition of a word or phrase repeated in conjunction with a breath to center the mind on the presence of God.

I have used the phrase “Come, Holy Spirit” frequently during the day for more than 20 years. I inhale on the word “Come” and exhale on “Holy Spirit.” I plan to continue that practice for the rest of my life, but there are times when I could use another phrase.

Some Christians use short pieces of Scripture in breath prayer, and I see an advantage to this. I’ve found several ideas on Christian websites. For example, a piece written by Joe Iovino for the United Methodist Church website nicely summarizes various ways to expand our prayer lives, including using breath prayer. As he says,”The Holy Spirit is as near as the air we breathe.”

The mennoniteusa.org website offers a pdf on breath prayers with good ideas for using breath prayer. Two are different from anything I’ve seen before:

  • Confessional Breath Prayers: Exhaling, you breathe out a confession of a personal failing or worry. Inhaling, you breathe in an assurance of God’s love. An example that they give is: (exhaling) I breathe out worry. (inhaling): Grant me your peace.
  • Breath Prayers for the World: In this style, we exhale as we live up the sins of the world. We inhale as we breathe out corrections, such as “I am the hands and feet of God in the world.” The corrections are about love and justice. One example from me: (exhaling) I lift up all the suffering in Ukraine. (inhaling) May you bring peace and justice.

Finding Answers

Finally, the website Soul Shepherding talks about breath prayers as a way to “deal with stress, overcome anxiety and be more effective in ministry to others.” The author, Bill Gaultiere, offers more information in his book “Your Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke.” He recommends using Bible verses in breath prayers.

One of Gaultiere’s suggestions that I love is asking God a question first. Then do a breath prayer to “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”

You can find Bible verses that meet your needs in “The Bible Promise Book,” which has verses organized by topic. Any other source that presents Bible verses for various situations could work as well.

The breath prayer is an important tool in Christian mindfulness. Using the Lord’s own words can expand its use.

emotionally healthy woman
Featured by Karen Twinem

Resource: Everything Belongs

Fr. Richard Rohr’s outstanding book “Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer” is for people who “hunger for a deeper spiritual life but don’t know what contemplation is.”

He does an excellent job explaining it, and, even more, he helps us to understand a form of prayerful living that’s not based on speech. I’ve seen the book called “meandering” in my reviews. I think it follows the forms and shapes of real life.

Repeatedly Rohr challenges us to move beyond our comfort zone to a deeper rest in God. There, he says, we can find the freedom to become all we can be. Only when we “live and see through God can everything belong.”

What does that mean? Rohr writes, “Everything belongs; God uses everything. There are no dead-ends. There is no wasted energy. Everything is recycled. … I believe with all my heart that the Gospel is all about the mystery of forgiveness.”

Contemplative prayer can help us to see that God loves us as we are. And then we can better see who we are.

But it’s not easy. Rohr notes, “Our first response to anyone calling us to truth, greatness, goodness or morality at a higher level will be increased anxiety.”

Later on, he writes, “That’s what happens in the early stages of contemplation. We wait in silence. In silence all our usual patterns assault us. Our patterns of control, addiction, negativity, tension, anger, and fear assert themselves. That’s why most people give up rather quickly. When Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness, the first things that show up are wild beasts (Mark 1:13). Contemplation is not first of all consoling. It’s only real.”

Yet, once you open yourself to this journey, you discover more peace. “Know that things are okay as they are. This moment is as perfect as it can be. The saints called this the ‘sacrament of the present moment,’ ” he writes.

The book has been revised and updated with a reading guide. It received 4.25 stars out of 4,556 ratings on Goodreads and 4.2 stars out of 4,541 ratings on Amazon. It is a book to read and re-read. Enjoy the journey.

Fr. Rohr is on a journey himself as he has stepped back from public ministry after a cancer diagnosis last year. May God bless his life and work.

Cross formed by large group of Christians
Featured by Karen Twinem

How You Can Advance Christian Unity

This time of January is the traditional time to pray for Christian unity. Jesus did this at the Last Supper. You might even call it one of his dying wishes.

Today, the Christian church is far from unified. Searching about this unity online brings up a lot of material about why unity is not a particularly good thing. As well as some divisive material on both sides of the political spectrum.

Weird, isn’t it? I myself have experienced hateful behavior from other Christians who view issues differently than I do. Surely this is not what Jesus wants for us, especially when everyone in the disagreement is sure that Jesus is on their side.

What Martin Luther King Can Teach Us

Recently, I attended a Vineyard USA workshop on principles and practices that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used as the core of the civil rights movement. This was a nonviolent movement, so much so that Dr. King told people who couldn’t promise to remain nonviolent to stay away. His “10 Commandments” of nonviolence offered me inspiration for dealing with the divisive nature of today’s Christianity:

  1. Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.
  2. Remember always that the non-violent movement seeks justice and reconciliation – not victory.
  3. Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love.
  4. Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.
  5. Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free.
  6. Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
  7. Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world.
  8. Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.
  9. Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
  10. Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain on a demonstration.

If we follow these rules (which King insisted that even nonChristians in the movement do), we will find it much easier to approach each other as Christians.

Pray for Christian Unity

Then we can truly pray for Christian unity. I’ve adapted this prayer from “Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers.” 

Oh Lord, help me to speak and behave in Christian love with all who claim you as Savior.
Give me the grace to have courtesy and refrain from violence of tongue, heart, fist and online behavior. 
We pray to you for your holy Christian church in my own neighborhood and around the world.
Help us to accomplish reconciliation. 
Fill the church with your presences and your truth.
Keep it in your peace.
Where it is corrupt, reform it.
Where it is in error, correct it.
Where it is right, defend it.
Where it is in want, provide for it.
Where it is divided, reunite it.
For the sake of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. 


			





			
				


	
			suffering child in bombed out area
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
The Suffering of the Innocent
	


	


	


	

		

The feast of the Holy Innocents falls just three days after Christmas.  And that’s no accident.





Jesus came into the fallen world as an infant to start the process of ending suffering.  But the world was filled with evil then, and it’s filled with evil now. This day we can meditate on the suffering of the innocent in our own time.  Think of Ukraine. Afghanistan. The unborn and the born who are hungry and cold in wealthy nations.





Today we think about how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to suffering children.  





This prayer, from the Catholic Household Blessing and Prayers, is a good one to contemplate: 





Heavenly Father,
your holiness revealed in Jesus
challenges us to renounce violence,
to forsake revenge,
and to love without discrimination, without measure.

Teach us the surpassing truth of the Gospel,
which puts worldly wisdom to shame,
that we may recognize as one with us
even our enemies and persecutors
and see all people as your children.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Take the Christmas Pledge
	


	


	


	

		

As the first week of Advent begins, decide to enjoy the season with Christian mindfulness. I always take a Christmas Pledge.





I wrote this down decades ago, and I can’t find the source online.  It has served me well.





The Christmas Pledge





    

  1. To remember those people who truly need my gifts.
    2. 




  2. To express my love for family and friends in more direct ways that presents.
    3. 




  3. To rededicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family.
    4. 




  4. To examine my holiday activities in light of the true spirit of Christmas.
    5. 




  5. To initiate one act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends.
    6. 






Amen to that.

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Prepare for Advent
	


	


	


	

		

The first Sunday of Advent is the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  It’s a great time to make sure you have your supplies, books and ideas ready for the season. 





Having a mindful Christian Advent is a time of joy and wonder.  It’s a quiet time spent intentionally concentrating on the miracle of Jesus’ birth rather than the commercial version of Christmas.  This kind of Advent is build peace instead of panic. 





two books for Advent





Some ideas for Advent prep include: 





    

  • Get or make Advent candles.  (We are doing beeswax candles from a kit this year.  You can find the kit here.)
    • 




  • Purchase an Advent calendar or stock up one if you have a reusable model.
    • 




  • Get the Advent wreath out of storage … or buy one.
    • 




  • Order a new Advent devotional or order new ones.  This year I’m using two favorites:  “Preparing for Christmas” by Richard Rohr and “Living in Joyful Hope” by Suzanne M. Lewis. 
    • 




  • Get out your Christmas music.
    • 




  • Organize children’s Christmas books. 
    • 




  • Pick the name of a saint or devout Christian.  You can study their life during the season. I’m doing Henri Nouwen this year. 
    • 


			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Overcome Election Anxiety
	


	


	


	

		

Bombarded with fears about what will happen to the United States? Feeling the crush of election anxiety? You’re not alone.





I am a registered Independent because neither party has a platform that I fully endorse.  I dislike the lack of civility, the tone of campaigning and the name-calling that has infiltrated our political system.  And I’ve experienced fears for our democracy that I never expected to have in my life.  As Sarah Young writes in “Jesus Listens,” “People are calling evil good and good evil.” This leads to anxiety. 





Jesus does not want us to lead lives filled with dread. So we have to deal with anxiety thought by thought by thought. We can be sure this is possible because Paul tells us to “take captive every thought.” (2nd Corinthians 2:5) Christian mindfulness makes it easier to fulfill this advice.





To take your thoughts captive and overcome anxiety, you have to do five things repeatedly: Notice. Stop. Pray. Refocus. Act. 





NOTICE: Listen to your thoughts. We know that paying attention on purpose helps us to listen to the chatter in our minds. It’s a good thing, too, because our thoughts direct our emotions.  Whenever we get wound up in anxiety, bad thoughts are at the core. 





STOP: Take a few deep, slow breaths.





PRAY: Once we feel a bit more calm, we need to pray for God’s grace to help us keep focused on Him.  You can pray:





Lord, help me to not be overcome by uncertainty and fear. Help me not to wallow in fears of evil. I know none of what’s happened is a surprise to you. I know in the end You will triumph. And I know that I may not even be understanding this correctly. Instead, I trust in you as my constant companion.  





REFOCUS: God wants us to focus on His presence in the moment. So visualize Jesus alongside you. Think about God’s character and all the ways He is with you. Focus on God’s goodness.





ACT: God wants us to be a light shining in the darkness. You can do this if you practice the presence of God. If you seek His will for what you should do to become a force for good. Fill your calendar with things that you know God wants you to do.  Such as?





    

  • Spiritual practices, such as all types of prayer, Bible study, Sabbath, gifts of your time and money, and intentional Christian fellowship in church and small group.
    • 




  • The seven spiritual works of mercy: Counsel the doubtful. Instruct the ignorant. Admonish the sinner. Comfort the sorrowful. Forgive all injuries. Bear wrongs patiently. Pray for the living and the dead.
    • 




  • Acts of corporal mercy to address the needs of the poor and helpless:  Feed the hungry. Visit the imprisoned. Buy clothing for those who need it. Care for the sick. Shelter travelers. Offer drink to the thirsty.
    • 




  • And what you say. If you can’t communicate in ways that show the gifts of the Holy Spirit, be quiet. Talk to God about your concerns, instead of dumping them on family, friends and social media.
    • 






Focus on the good you can do. God has prepared works in advance for you to do. As you become a force for good, your anxiety melts away. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Experience Grace During Suffering
	


	


	


	

		






Suffering is a given in any life. But, for some Christians, suffering is a shock.  A sign that God isn’t paying attention. Or a symptom that they are praying incorrectly. The idea that a Christian life is all prosperity and popcorn is widespread … and wrong. 







“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus, John 16:33





How can we “take heart” when pain and sorrow, fear and loss take up center stage in our lives. God is omnipotent. God can do anything. God could fix this in a second. Why does He allow our suffering? 





Jesus warned us that we would have trouble on Earth, but He encourages us to remember that He has overcome the world. In fact, He says “so that in me you may have peace” in almost the same breath. So what does that mean exactly when pain, sorrow and loss are center stage in our lives? And how do we get there? I believe some answers come from Paul’s words about his pain and trouble in 2nd Corinthians 12:6-10.







Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul, 2nd Corinthians 12:6-10





This statement makes perfect sense when combined with the idea of a God who consents to Satan’s request for test a person, as He did to Job (Job 1:6-22) and to Peter (Luke 22:31). 





God knows that suffering develops humility, a true understanding of who we each are and who God is. Without this depth of awareness, we can’t be in a strong relationship with God. Our trials not only build faith and character; they also open our eyes to the reality of our existence





Jesus prays for us in times of temptation and suffering. For example, He told Peter that He had prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. It’s notable that Jesus did not pray that Peter would not deny Him. He knew the terrible experience was necessary for Peter and for all who later learned about it.





The phrase “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger” is not from the Bible. It’s from “Conan the Barbarian,” with the script slightly misquoting Nietzsche. Actually, suffering makes us weaker, which is a good thing. 





Why? Because God wants people to see His presence in His Christians (and not just in Paul and Peter, either.) Suffering breaks up the vessel of our self-centeredness, our self-regard. A broken vessel displays the light of God’s presence within to others. Maintaining faith, joy and hope during a serious calamity is the best Christian witness we can ever give. 





How do we do that?  The good news is: It’s not up to us. 





God tells us, as He told Paul: “My graces are sufficient for you.”  I believe that this means that God will give us the abundant graces we need to deal with suffering without fear and anxiety, but with His peace and joy. All we need to do is be open to accept these graces. 





I have found this to be true in my life.  I open myself up to God in continual prayer and thanksgiving, using Christian mindfulness. God fills me up with peace and joy even in the hospital waiting room, in a locked psych ward with a loved one, at the funeral home, on the scene of the accident, in the board conference room and during the dark of the night. It’s not up to me. God is doing it for me and through me.  





When we suffer and rest in God’s grace, God responds.







I will give you the secrets of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know I am the Lord, the God of Israel who summons you by name.

Isaiah 45:3





Kay Warren,  co-founder of Saddleback Church, has called this experience “gritty grace.” Maybe the abrasion we feel is good for everyone. 

			





			
				


	
			woman picking up cell phone
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Think When You Reach for Your Phone
	


	


	


	

		

Here’s a shocking statistic: Average Americans check their cell phone 344 times per day.  About once every four minutes. 





That statistic comes from a survey by reviews.org.  I tried to find information that disproved it, and I couldn’t. 





Our addiction to picking up the phone is scary and mindless. Christian mindfulness offers us an opportunity to approach our cell phones with curiosity. And to slow down the obsessive behavior.





Here’s a two-step practice that can help: 





    

  1. Catch yourself when you pick up your phone casually. 
    2. 




  2. Ask yourself:  “Why did I pick up the phone?”  Are you bored?  Are you worried? Is your job (or a person at your job, like your boss) getting to you? 
    3. 




  3. Pray about that condition. If you are truly bored, find a way to be a force for good at work and at home? Are you at work all the time now? Is that what God wants? 
    4. 






Once you start to think each time you pick up your phone, you will find yourself reducing the pattern. It’s addictive behavior, which is never good. 





You also can make some guidelines for yourself about your phone usage. Here are some ideas:





    

  • Create specific ringtones for key people in your family and at work so you only react to texts from them.
    • 




  • Set a specific time to check the phone for emails and other texts.
    • 




  • Reduce or eliminate notifications for other things.
    • 




  • Use the do-not-disturb feature. (You can make exceptions for key people, such as a kid in college or an elderly parent.) 
    • 




  • Turn your smart phone into a dumb phone by eliminating most apps. 
    • 






Take a moment to think about why you pick up your phone.  It can improve your life. 






			





			
				


	
			worms eye view of spiral stained glass decors through the roof
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Add to the Light
	


	


	


	

		



If you are already in the fellowship, you should work unceasingly to keep it true to the whole gospel of Jesus Christ. You should see that your personal life and conduct cause no dimming of the light. With unflinching courage, you should seek to eliminate all barriers to genuine fellowship until men know that you are Christ’s disciples because you love one another. And above all, you should urge and encourage all people everywhere to forsake their evil, selfish ways and to come into the kingdom that they, too, might be part of the light of the world.

Clarence Jordan

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Making Jesus Known as He Is
	


	


	


	

		

Every Christian life reflects on Jesus. Sometimes we can make Him look terrible. We hope that walking with Jesus in Christian mindfulness makes it easier to help people to see how wonderful He actually is. 





That is not because we are wonderful.  It’s because we are surrendered.  When we strive to see the presence of God in the present moment, we grow closer to the Lord.  That allows Him to shine in our actions and words, just a light would do through a lantern.  Only God can empower us to show His spirit. 





The August issue of “Give Us This Day” magazine contained writings from two believers, a century apart, who were practicing Christian mindfulness, rather they knew it or not. 





Fr. Daniel P. Horan is director of the Center for Spirituality and a professor at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. He wrote a sentence that stirred my soul: 







In a world that encourages us to take care of ourselves above all else, it does not make sense to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable and heal the brokenhearted as Christ did.







The choice is ours, he said. We can “shirk the Gospel by living according to the standards of worldly interests, or risk appearing foolish because we are striving to walk in the footprints of Jesus Christ.” To me, Christian mindfulness is the best way to walk in Jesus’ footprints. 





Another inspiring piece of writing in the issue came from Elisabeth Leseur, who died in 1914. These were some of her resolutions: 





  • To persevere steadily with my daily prayers and meditations and my communions at least weekly.
  • To increase and strengthen, by divine grace, my spiritual life.
  • In all circumstances to remain gentle, serene and full of love for those around me. 
  • By my words and actions, to try to make Jesus Christ known and loved. 
  • To ask that He work through me for the good of those for whom I can be the instrument of Providence.
  • To work first for God and then for my neighbor each day.
  • To speak to each one in the language they can understand. 





These resolutions are mine as well, although I fail far more often than I succeed.  If we all tried to live in the presence of Jesus in the present moment, we might make his nature more obvious to a skeptical world. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Stop Struggling
	


	


	


	

		

Are you trying too hard to be at peace?  Fighting hard to practice mindfulness?





Stop struggling. 





Calm down.





I feel I am striving too hard to abide in Jesus.  Instead of opening the door for Him to enter, I am pounding on the other side of the door … straining to keep pure thoughts and to practice my daily round of spiritual practices. That isn’t necessary, productive or even helpful.





God is already here. Yet I behave as if it all depends on me.  Yes, I need to quiet down and let God be present.  I am grasping for someone who is all around me, yet my grasp comes up empty. It is only when I relax and submit that I feel God doing the work to allow me to abide in Him.





Is it just me?  When I mentioned this in a gathering of Christian friends, I got a lot of blank looks. 





Yet, one Christian friend responded with a new phrase I love: Try softer.





That’s the title of a book by therapist Aundi Kolber. She believes we don’t have to white-knuckle our way to God or to life, in general.  Her book is a corrective for overfunctioning (one of my greatest issues) and anxiety. 





Perhaps I have reached the “let God and let God” phase of my spiritual development.  Yet again. 





I found some tips on the Woman of Noble Character website that can make this effort to stop the struggle more concrete. 





It’s not what I need to stop doing as much as it’s what I need to let God do. Stop struggling to achieve grace and: 





  1. Look for a show of God’s power. 
  2. Accept God’s comfort.
  3. Let God work things out for the good of those who love Him, including me. 





Yes, I need to practice my daily round of spiritual practices. But I need to move forward in a more gentle, open manner, trusting God to do his part.  Without God, I can do nothing. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Get Ready for a Calm Christmas
	


	


	


	

		

As we hide away from heat advisories in sweltering August, preparing for Christmas is a fun item on the to-do list.  I picked up “Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy” by Beth Kempton for this purpose. 





I already consider myself a mindful Christmas practitioner.  Yet Kempton took an approach that I found fascinating. She proposes that Christmas has five storylines: 





  1. Faith: The celebration of the birth of Jesus and the Christmas story involving church-based traditions and rituals like Advent candles, the creche and traditional Christmas carols.
  2. Magic: The story of Santa Claus, his reindeer and the elves, plus magical Christmas movies and songs.
  3. Connection: Things that connect us to Christmases past, such as “The Christmas Carol,” Christmas trees and treasured ornaments, Christmas dinners, holiday events and Christmas movie traditions.
  4. Abundance: The joy of getting and giving presents. 
  5. Heritage: The Christmas practices of your family of origin and your background. 





As a Christian, my Christmas celebrations focus on faith. But I was surprised to realize that my family also finds Connection as very important.  For one family member, doing the same things that we have done, as in Heritage, is deeply important.





Talk to your family to see what about your Christmas celebration is most important to them. You can create an intentional approach to the season that meets everyone’s needs and desires. 





“Calm Christmas” also offers a variety of ideas for a mindful approach to the whole season. I especially liked the author’s idea of spending the time between Christmas Day and New Years Day’s as a “hush” season. This is, she writes: “A time of long walks, hot coffees, languid lounging with leftover chocolates, adding birthday dates to the new diary, telephone catch-ups … and everything on pause.” 





Wow!  Can I have that in August, too? 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Christian Mindfulness in Exercise
	


	


	


	

		

Research shows that people who focus on the sensations of exercise and on their surroundings enjoy the experience more. Christian mindfulness can support our exercise program, and the exercise program can build our Christian mindfulness. 





How can we do it?





  1. Pray before your exercise, offering thanks for the body you have been given.
  2. Unplug. Exercise without music or other input so you can focus on the experience. 
  3. Pay attention to the changes you feel as you exercise: changes and strains in your muscles, your mood and emotions, your breathing and all else you experience. 
  4. Notice pain and decide what to do about it. Be nice to yourself. 
  5. Observe the surroundings, whether they are nature or the walls of a room. 
  6. Listen to your thoughts. Are you in dread? Watching the clock? Feeling competitive with others around you? 
  7. As you cool down, offer gratitude for your body, inside and out.





Exercise can be many things, ranging from an addiction to an experience to avoid as much as possible. Bringing Christian mindfulness into the activity can add some calm and clarity to it. 

			





			
				


	
			a passageway in a beautiful stone monastery
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Prayerfulness as Christian Mindfulness
	


	


	


	

		

Christian mindfulness is a relatively new term for an ancient practice.  One of my favorite spiritual teachers, Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB, writes about it in “The Breath of the Soul.”  She calls the practice “prayerfulness.” 





Prayerfulness, on the other hand, is the capacity to walk in touch with God through everything in life. It is the internal awareness that God is with me — now, here, in this, always. It is an awareness of the continuing presence of God.
Sr. Joan Chittister, “The Breath of the Soul”





That definition absolutely aligns with mine for Christian mindfulness: living in the present moment with the presence of God. 





Sr. Joan has been a huge influence on me since 1990, when I read “Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today.” At the time she wrote that book, she was prioress at the Benedictine Sisters of Erie in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Now she is known internationally as an important spiritual writer, with dozens of books to her credit.





So I am not surprised that we arrived on the same path with different terminology.  





Sr. Joan writes that prayerfulness is her inner dialogue with the living God who inhabits her spirit and mind.  Not only does prayerfulness allow us to see and talk with God everywhere, it lets us to submit the present moment, with all its uncertainty and anxiety, to God. 





As Sr. Joan puts it, “It trusts that no matter how malevolent the situation may be, I can walk through it unharmed because God is with me.” 





Sr. Joan shares her spiritual practices through her website here.  You can subscribe to her monthly newsletter, “The Monastic Way,” on the site. You also get free webinars and Zoom calls with Sr. Joan and her group, an online movement called Monasteries of the Heart. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Insects: A Mindfulness Exercise
	


	


	


	

		

Insects in the summer used to just bug people.  Now, concern about reduced number of bees and other insects give us all a chance to practice mindfulness. And to be thankful for their place in God’s plan for Earth. 





This idea first developed when I learned about a study in the journal Biological Conservation in April 2019. It said about 40% of insect species are threatened with extinction. Wow! It turns out that scientists have been concerned about the reduced number of insects for several years.





In its January 2021 issue, the science journal Proceedings of the National Academies of Science (PNAS) put together a series of 12 separate studies from 56 scientists in several countries about insect populations. University of Illinois entomologist May Berenbaum equated the issue to the first studies on climate change 30 years ago. She said insects are critical to the natural food chain and pollinate human crops. On the other hand, many humans hate them.





These studies were released about the same time that I developed skeeter syndrome. Yes, that’s a real thing. It means that I am allergic to the saliva of mosquitos. Each bite swells up into a small mountain on my skin that itches and hurts for weeks. 





Searching for prayers about insects also was informative. Almost all of them were prayers to make insects go away, rather than be fruitful and multiply. While I may want the mosquitos to stay away from me, I also want them to exist. Even if they are sometimes identified as the deadliest life form on Earth, God has a purpose for them.





Be thankful for insects





So how can we bring Christian mindfulness to insects? The easiest way is to notice them and pray for them. I have adapted two prayers that I found online. The first one, which I changed into modern English,  is about bees:  





Lord God, Almighty, you created heaven and earth, and all the animals that live in the air and on the earth for the use of man. You have directed that the ministers of Your holy Church should light candles made of beeswax when the holy sacrifice is offered in which the Sacred Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, Your Son, becomes present and is consumed. Send down Your blessing on these bees, that they may multiply, be fruitful and be preserved from all harm so that the product of their labor may be used to Your honor, and to the honor of Your Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the most blessed Virgin Mary. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
catholic.org





Another prayer I found online begins like this: 





May compassion and love reign over all the earth for all the tiny beings who live in the soil, the trees, the water, and the air, creating harmony and balance with your songs, your pollinating of flowers, your graceful flight, your mysterious transformations, and your miraculous ability to literally create soil in which new plants can take root.
allcreatures.org   blog





Five ways to help insects survive





A mindful approach to insects also could include helping them survive.  Here are five ideas I found: 





  1. Reduce the number of times you mow your grass.
  2. Plant native plants. Many insects need these to survive.
  3. Avoid pesticides and go organic in your yard and garden.
  4. Leave old trees, stumps and dead leaves alone. They are home to countless species.
  5. Support and volunteer in conservation organizations.





The Lord made insects as part of His plan for planet Earth.  Let’s help Him keep them alive. 
















			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Create Your Own Childhood Summer
	


	


	


	

		

The happiness expert Gretchen Rubin has a great idea to “design your summer” by planning to add enjoyable activities to your schedule.  While you are planning, be sure to re-create activities from your own childhood summers.





In elementary school, summers were wonderful and endless.  I would create a tent out of a old blanket hanging off the backyard fence and use another old blanket for a floor.  There I would spend hours outside (yet inside the tent) reading books from the library.





Mother, who was a housewife, carted us to the pool when she could get the car from Dad. Otherwise we had a baby pool to roll in when we got hot, sprinklers to jump through and a garden hose to drink from when we were thirsty. We played school and other games in neighborhood basements. 





Box fans tried to cool the hot house. No one in the neighborhood had air conditioning. So we often sat outside and watched the lightning bugs. Or we’d pack up snacks to go to a drive-in movie.





In junior high, my sister and I rode our bikes uptown to the bakery for doughnuts and then to the library. The pool was a constant, and we enjoyed heading there on hot days from our non-air conditioned house.





Fast forward a number of decades. The community pool is down the street, and I haven’t been in years.





This summer join me by making sure you add at least one activity to your summer routine that reminds you of childhood.  I’m going to read outdoors. I’ll be on a comfortable outdoor sofa instead of a tent. But that’s okay.





When we’re enjoying that activity, let’s praise God for our good memories of summer.

			





			
				


	
			a yellow bird in a tree
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Play First Bird of My Day
	


	


	


	

		

“First Bird of My Day” is a worldwide game that began when an English woman decided to be mindful about which bird she saw first each day. 





In the May 2022 issue of  The Simple Things magazine, Hannah Bourne-Taylor told her story. It began when she and her husband moved to a remote village in Ghana for his work. She felt depressed and disconnected at first. Then she noticed that the birds around her were unfamiliar and beautiful.





As she began to learn about them, she began a mindfulness practice of looking outside each morning to note what bird she saw first. When the family returned to England, Hannah began sharing her game on Twitter using the hashtag #firstbirdofmyday.  (Her Twitter handle is @WriterHannahBT)





Over time, people around the world have started playing the game. On the day I wrote this, one man was sharing a map of everyone’s first birds on the Twitter hashtag. She even gets posts from Antarctica, which the bird mentioned is often a penguin. 





Creating mindful routines and rituals like this can build mindfulness and add joy to life. Those of us practicing Christian mindfulness also can pray over the first bird and its winged brethren. Due to the global climate change, many species are experiencing declines. We can thank God for the birds, which Jesus loved to observe, and pray for their future. 





 






			





			
				


	
			boy listening to sea shell
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Go Outside and Listen
	


	


	


	

		

Listen. One of the pandemic’s benefits has been an increase in the amount of time spent in nature. In fact, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development used the pandemic to study the benefits of time in the fresh air. 





The results were even better than expected. Not only did spending time outdoors improve general well-being, but it also altered and improved brain structure. The areas of the brain impacted affect mood, concentration and working memory. Spending time in nature could not be a better idea.





Christian mindfulness practices are all easy to adapt to the outdoors. One of simplest is mindful listening to the quiet around you. Is silence ever really silent?  Tuning into the sounds around you is a great way to stay in the present moment. And hearing those sounds offers opportunities for prayers of gratitude and worship for the world God made. 





The practice is simple.





  • Go to a place outside where you can feel safe and relaxed. 
  • Close your eyes, if you’d like, and listen to the sounds of your own breathing first.
  • Thank God for this opportunity to be in His creation.
  • Listen to the sounds as they occur. Hear them come and go.
  • If you identify a sound of something you love (a robin, for example), praise God for it. 
  • Notice how this impacts your mood and your body. 
  • Close with a time of worship by thinking about the creation around you.





It’s like your mother said: Go outside and play. It’s good for you. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Pray for Your Pastors
	


	


	


	

		

But I do more than thank. I ask – ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory – to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is He is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life He has for Christians. Oh, the utter extravagance of His work in us who trust Him – endless energy, boundless strength! 
Ephesians 1: 17-19, The Message translation





Praying the same prayer for nine consecutive days is an old practice called a novena.  We all need to do a good old-fashioned novena for our Christian leaders and pastors. 





Dealing with all the issues surrounding pastoring in a pandemic has worn them out.  Paul’s prayer from Ephesians 1 is a good one.  (I’m going to pray it for myself and others working in lay positions at our church as well.) 





A novena is not … and never has been … a “magic” formula. But concentrating on the same prayers … slowly and deliberately …. for nine days in a row can reveal the voice of God to us as well as send blessings to our pastors. 





 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Never Forget the Holocaust
	


	


	


	

		

I remember watching filmstrips about the liberation of the concentration camps in Europe in elementary school in the early and mid-1960s.  I thought that the Holocaust happened very long ago among heathen peoples.  Looking back, I know what I saw had happened only a decade or so in the past.  The heathens thought they were civilized, even superior, people. 





Today is Yom HaShoah, the time to remember the Holocaust. It’s time for me to remember how many people who thought they were good Christians participated … actively or passively … in it.  As the eyewitnesses leave this Earth, we must all remember and fight those who want to deny reality. 





O God, we are conscious that many centuries of blindness have blinded our eyes so that we no longer see the beauty of your chosen people, nor recognize in their faces the features of our privileged brothers and sisters. 
We realize that the mark of Cain stands upon our foreheads.
Across the centuries our brother Abel has lain in blood which we drew or which we caused to be shed by forgetting your love.
Forgive us for the curse we falsely attached to their name as Jews.
Forgive us for crucifying you a second time in their flesh. 
God of Abraham and of Moses, we pray for the Jewish people, the first to hear your world.
As you have made them your own, so make them continue to grow in love of your name and in faithfulness to your covenant.
You are our God, living and reigning, for ever and ever. Amen
Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Try Radical Acceptance
	


	


	


	

		

Your mind is labeling everyone and everything, but you may not even notice. Yet those labels or judgments show up when you interact with people. 





Have you ever noticed that you suspend disbelief when you listen to Person A but react with cynicism to what Person B says?  Does walking down a particular hallway make you feel stressed?





You can become more aware of this with this Christian mindfulness exercise. It helps us to not behave on automatic pilot, but to become more aware. That way we can walk through our day with Jesus, not our half-buried emotions, leading the way. 





  1. Pray to ask God to give you the ability to listen, really listen, to your automatic thoughts. Ask for blessing for this exercise, which you can do all day or just for a few hours.
  2. Be open to surprises and new insights. You may know how much you dread seeing one supervisor.  (I used to have a boss with the company nickname “Attila the Hen.”) But you may not know how you automatically feel toward people who cause you less auto-stress. 
  3. On a “typical” day, listen to what jumps into your mind when you see individuals, attend groups or go places. For example, walk through the halls of your office space, and notice what you are quietly saying to yourself. How does it feel when you see This Person or pass That Person’s office door?  Does a certain room or sight make you feel uneasy automatically? 
  4. Acknowledge these emotions. We don’t want to run away from our feelings. We want to be aware of them so we will not behave on automatic pilot.
  5. Realize that you can’t control your emotions, other people or situations. But you can accept that you have some emotional reactions to people and places. And you can control your actions. asking for the grace to walk with Jesus through our daily activities. 





This is part of “radical acceptance.” Introduced into American culture by Tara Brach, the concept is used in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It is a close relative of mindfulness.  We pay attention to only what is happening in the present moment (mindfulness) in the presence of God (Christian mindfulness), and we accept that we cannot control reality (radical acceptance). 





By realizing the reality of the emotions that we have attached to people and places, we can bring those feelings to Jesus and make a more sound decision about what to do. It’s a good idea to conduct this exercise quarterly or whenever you experience a significant change in your surroundings.  






			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Resource: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
	


	


	


	

		

“The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer speaks of Christian mindfulness without uttering the phrase. Comer, a pastor and podcaster from Portland, Oregon, is clearly writing to a congregation much younger than my Baby Boomer self. But his concepts are eternal. 





In the book, Comer gives an excellent overview about how we all got so speeded up. Then he presents principles for winding ourselves down to human speed.  His view is that we need to do three things in life:





  1. Be with Jesus.
  2. Be like Jesus.
  3. Do what Jesus did in his life in our own surroundings and circumstances.









This 30-minute video outlines his thoughts. 





I first heard his ideas on “John Mark Comer Teachings Podcast,” a listen-worthy collection of his sermons.  It can be found on most podcast apps. There’s real wisdom in his words, even if the language seems very Portland-ese.





He encourages us to “unhurry” our lives through four practices: silence and solitude, Sabbath, simplicity and slowing. He also encourages us to develop a rule of life, sharing 20 ideas from his own. 





“The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” is really about living a modern contemplative life in family and church. I highly recommend it.





Other resources for Christian mindfulness can be found here on the Resource page. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Beat Burnout
	


	


	


	

		

As we enter the third year of the pandemic, burnout is everywhere. The American Psychological Association, in its 2021 Work and Well-Being Survey,  found a frightening level of burnout that’s no surprise to most people. 





The survey found that 79 percent of employees surveyed had work-related stress in the previous 30 days. The occupations reporting the highest levels of burnout were (again, no surprise here) health care and education. But the symptoms of burnout spread across most occupations. The level of negative impacts reported include:





  • 44% had physical fatigue (a 38% increase since 2019)
  • 36% had cognitive weariness
  • 32% reported emotional exhaustion
  • 26% felt lack of interest, motivation or energy
  • 19% reported lack of effort at work





So what is exactly is burnout? Back in 2019, the World Health Organization defined it as a syndrome resulting from workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It has three dimensions: 





  • Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
  • Increased mental distance from one’s job or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
  • Reduced professional efficacy 





Is this you? 





Three Christian mindfulness practices to fight burnout





Just One Thing:  Pick one task a day to perform with Christian mindfulness. Pray before and after. Ask God to be present with you as you do the task. Focus your full attention on the work in the presence of God. You could change tasks each day. 





Ask for Change: Starting a new job is generally exciting, if somewhat stressful, because there is so much to learn. Use prayer and reflection to think about what new thing you’d like to learn. Or what new responsibility you’d like to take on. Come up with a proposal about how to learn to do those things. Take it to your boss, who may be happy to help if just to get you to stay. 





Add a Prayer Break: Adding a five or 10-minute prayer break to your day is fairly easy. Mark it on the schedule, using a code word if necessary. Then stop to pray for your work, upcoming meetings, your co-workers and your organization’s mission. You may feel more purpose and insight when you get back to your work. 





Be sure to bring your burnout into the healing power of Christian mindfulness. It will help you decide if it’s time to join the Great Resignation or if you just need to make a change in your current job. 

			





			
				


	
			cloud's with light streaming through like the voice of God
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Develop a Conversational Relationship With God
	


	


	


	

		

“Developing a conversational relationship with God” is the subtitle of Dallas Willard’s book “Hearing God.” Some believe that God stopped speaking when the Bible was organized. Willard (and I) think nothing could be further from the truth. 





Hearing God’s voice fits into the larger context of walking in a close friendship with him. In fact, Willard believes that God speaks mostly to people who obey His teachings and want to do His will. 





As Jesus said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” Abiding in Jesus minute by minute through Christian mindfulness puts us in a position to hear God specifying His will.  We become as Willard wrote “someone who leads the kind of life demonstrated in the Bible: a life of personal, intelligent interaction with God.” 





Feasting on God’s word





The Bible fixes the boundaries of everything that God will say to humankind, Willard writes.  Indeed, God speaks most often during Bible reading and study.  Have you ever had a verse jump off the page to you, even though you’ve read it many times?  That is God speaking. 





But this can also happen while listening to another person, whether it be a sermon or a conversation. I also believe that synchronicity can point the way to a message.  If you hear the same verse repeatedly … in Bible study, in a sermon and in a book you’re reading … it may be God emphasizing something to you. 





God also speaks through dreams, visions and events.  But most of the time he speaks through  a small, still voice that can only be heard in quiet. God’s voice comes in a spirit of peace, joy and good will. So God’s voice sounds like Jesus.  And we can only know what Jesus sounds like through Bible study. 





Seven steps toward hearing God 





This summary may help you as you seek to hear God’s voice. 





  1. Begin with a prayer in Jesus’ name for protection from evil influences.
  2. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to listen well.
  3. Remain alert.
  4. Reject anything that is contrary to Biblical truth.
  5. Feel welcome to write down the thoughts that come for further study.
  6. Understand that real communications from God are:
    • Biblically sound
    • Glorify God
    • Advance the kingdom
    • Help people
    • Help you to grow spiritually
  7. Thank God for the time together.





Walking with God in Christian mindfulness is a sweet time of communion. We should expect that God will help us learn what we should know and what we should do. 

			





			
				


	
			woman picking up cell phone
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Look Up
	


	


	


	

		

Look Up is an easy Christian mindfulness exercise.  Yet it helps us to grow our perspective, gratitude and visual mindfulness. 





How easy is it?  Just two steps.





Step 1: Look up.





Step. 2: Give thanks for what you see. 





When you deliberately look up, you notice many new things.  I am short, so looking up sometimes lets me see things that taller people view everyday!





What’s up there?  Roofs, treetops, interesting architecture, ceiling treatments, light fixtures, clouds of varying colors and shapes, birds and more. 





This exercise improves our awareness of the world around us. And it builds our gratitude for our cozy inside spaces, our cities and neighborhoods and the glory of outdoors. It helps us to get outside of our interior worries. 





Give it a try a few times a day, and see what happens!

			





			
				


			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Find the Silver Lining
	


	


	


	

		

“Inside every silver lining, there’s a dark cloud,” comedian George Carlin used to joke. Some days we all agree with him.  Recently I discovered a secular practice called “Find the Silver Lining” that easily adapts to Christian mindfulness. 










The practice was from the Greater Good Science Center website. The center is at the University of California Berkeley. It provides research-based tools and training to shift our culture toward a kinder, more compassionate society. 





The site has a lot of positive psychology materials:





  • An online magazine featuring stories and tips for building social-emotional well-being.
  • Free e-newsletters.
  • Research-based practices for happiness, resilience, kindness and connection. 
  • A cool monthly Happiness Calendar with daily tips. 





One of the research-based practices is the Find the Silver Lining  practice.  It can bring new perspective and even some peace of mind to our most difficult experiences. Here’s how to do it as a mindful Christian:  





  1. Go before the Lord to thank him for things you easily appreciate: your health, your church, trees, whatever comes to mind.
  2. Then write about something that has been negative in your life: an event, person or any life circumstance.
  3. Look for two or three things that are the silver livings to that negative experience. 
  4. Pray a gratitude prayer for them, and ask the Lord to help you to see silver linings more easily.





The poet Maggie Smith tried the secular version of this practice.  You can read about her experience on the center’s website here. More resources for leading your mindful Christian life are found on the Resource Page here. 











			





			
				


	
			a man feeling depressed
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
How to Suffer
	


	


	


	

		

If you know how to suffer, you suffer much, much less. And then you know how to make good use of suffering to create joy.
Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022)





Learning how to deal with suffering is both a God-given grace and something we can learn. It helps us to be content and even joyful in times of suffering and injustice. Contentment is an inner condition cultivated in humility. We can have a teachable spirit prepared to bend to God’s will.





Rich Nathan, founding pastor at Vineyard Columbus, taught a sermon years ago that offered a three-part plan to be content no matter what suffering we may endure. Here are his three points.





No. 1: Practice surrender.





The Bible teaches that everything, even our loved one’s illnesses, has to pass through God’s hands before it happens.  As Elisabeth Elliott put it:  “Whatever happens is assigned.” God’s power is unlimited, and he rules all our lives.





Matthew 10:29-30:  Jesus says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  The very hairs on your head are all numbered.”





Romans 8:28:  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who live him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  We will never suffer trials unless God allows them and watches over them.





The most important example of a person who trusted God under terrible circumstances was Jesus himself.  Have we ever been in so much agony that we sweat blood over it?  Yes, Jesus understands how we feel.





We learn things from suffering that we probably couldn’t learn anywhere else: reliance on grace, humility, perseverance, quality prayer, faith, trust, and a real relationship with God.





If we can’t accept this for a lifetime, Rich suggested that we accept it “just for today.”





No. 2:  Practice thanksgiving.





Start being grateful for the littlest things:  grass, sky, trees.  Spend a day looking for things to be grateful for.





No. 3: Practice abiding.





This means that you connect with God’s person.  This is the essence of Christian mindfulness. You focus on the present in the felt presence of God. You can do all things through God who strengthens you, but you have to abide in God to do so.





Rich encourages us to welcome the Holy Spirit into areas where we’ve grumbled, where we are discontented, where we are frustrated. Invite the person of the Holy Spirit to come into that part of your life. Contentment will grow where we abide in God.






			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Celebrate Winter Sunset
	


	


	


	

		

Sunset in January and February brings more dread than joy.  But we can change that when we make the winter sunset hour a time to celebrate God’s presence and care. 





In a Fast Company article about staying sane while living in 24-hour darkness, Julia Herbst provides five tips for dealing with winter light (or the lack of it). One of them is “Don’t fight the darkness.” It’s an encouragement to enjoy winter through hygge, which can include Christian mindfulness. (Another is to get a light box or Happy Light, which I totally endorse! Here’s the one I use.)





Britain’s “The Simple Things” magazine suggests stopping the day’s events to enjoy tea and dessert at sunset in the winter. (This could lead to a Backwards Meal, which my kids and I used to do on April Fools Day.) 





For those who practice Christian mindfulness, watching the winter sunset while practicing the presence of God is a quiet revelation. God is still there in the cold and the dark earth around us. And He is still making things of beauty for those who take the time to watch. Adding a gratitude practice … giving thanks for  five things from the day … can only bring God’s presence closer. 





Some may want to enjoy the winter sunset with some beautiful music or a book that makes you feel alive.  Reading some poetry also adds an element of celebration to sunset.  Here’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rossetti: 





In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.





Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.





Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.





Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.





What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Overcome Sunday Night Syndrome
	


	


	


	

		

As Sabbath closes on Sunday night, a sense of dread can set in.  It’s even got a name: Sunday night syndrome. (Actually it has more than one name. The British call it Sunday night scaries. It’s also called the Sunday night blues.) A sense of anticipatory anxiety about the week ahead comes in and steals away the last remaining hours of the weekend.





It’s a common problem. LinkedIn’s survey in 2018 found 80 percent of respondents experienced it. 80 percent! The younger you are, the higher the figure: 90 percent among millennials and 93 percent among Gen Z. The No. 1 cause was worry, specifically about workload size, work-life balance and the things left undone last week. 





Here’s how Christian mindfulness can help





Create a Sunday night practice. Do something different on Sunday night. It can be watching your favorite television show, watching a funny movie, reading a book, listening to a playlist, calling your best friend or otherwise doing something that makes the night fun. Keep your promises to yourself and do this every week. It reframes the evening so that it’s guaranteed to have pleasant moments. 





Talk to God about your workload and your work-life balance. This is part of your Sunday night practice. As in all Christian mindfulness exercises, stay in the present moment in the presence of God. Share your worries and concerns about the week ahead. Ask for God’s guidance as you decide what to do. 





Write every task down. It helps to keep it out of your head at night. Mark what can be delegated and what can be delayed (or not done at all). If your schedule allows, you can also do this last thing Friday afternoon so you don’t have to think about it at all Sunday. 





Do a loving-kindness meditation.  You’ll find out how here. 





Put self-care on next week’s schedule. Block out times on your schedule for self-care during the week. If a micromanaging boss is reviewing your schedule too much, block out times with words that are acceptable in your workplace environment. Also, pray about looking for a different job. You don’t have to work for a difficult person these days. 





Add a nature walk to your Sunday routine.  Walking in nature, also called forest bathing, reduces stress. Just stay in the present and speak to God about what you see during the walk. 





Keep your interior (and verbal) language positive. Whining and moaning make things worse. Try replacing “I have to” with “I get to.” Offer genuine prayers of gratitude for your work, your workplace and your co-workers. 





Keep off your phone and emails. When the fun part of Sunday night begins, put your phone in another room. Stop looking at work emails. If it looks like you are fine with working on Sunday night, you’ll be working every Sunday night. There’s a worker shortage. Take advantage of it to take care of yourself. 





Avoid drinking alcohol.  You know, don’t you, that this makes it worse. Find something else to drink that makes it better. 





Figure out how tired you are.  If you still feel exhausted at the end of the weekend, go to bed early. Or plan to have an early night in bed on Monday evening. 





Sunday night syndrome involves the opposite for Christian mindfulness. You are thinking about the future and you are not counting on the presence of God to help. Use these practices to move into the present moment with God and release those worries. 











			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Pray for Christian Love
	


	


	


	

		

This week in January is the traditional time to pray for Christian unity. And boy do we need it! Remember the old song “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.” Not so much anymore. 





I know many, myself included, who have discovered to their shock that their Christian friends have entirely different political beliefs than they do. In the past, that was just a matter of opinion. Now it’s a source of division. Too many of us, on both sides, consider it almost an article of faith that “real Christians” support our own political beliefs. 





I don’t think God is happy about that. He would prefer that we take up prayer during this time seeking Christian unity. Clearly, Jesus prayed on the last night of his life that Christians stay united in the Spirit and in love.  He knew what was coming, and He prayed against it. 





This prayer from “Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers” puts it beautifully: 





Almighty and eternal God,
you gather the scattered sheep
and watch over those you have gathered.
Look kindly on all who follow Jesus, your Son.
You have marked them with the seal of one baptism,
now make them one in the fullness of faith
and unite them in the bond of love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

As we pray for unity, let's look at our intentions and our thoughts. Let us seek to be kind and open to those who disagree with us.  May people again come to know we are Christians by our love. 






			





			
				


	
			keyboard with sign that says break time
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Take a Mini-Break
	


	


	


	

		

Are you standing in line today? Take a mini-break. In the shower? Take a mini-break.





Why? Mini-breaks are rapidly joining the endangered species list of activities.  When we can always pull out our phones, the opportunity to rest our minds and recenter our spirits diminishes.





Our brains are not designed to constantly take in data, wrote Jade Beecroft in an article in Breathe magazine, issue 44.  We need pauses to reflect and, frankly, to think. Yet the transitional times for this are fading away. It’s a lot easier to scan email or Instagram during those odd moments. 





Beecroft cites a University of Texas study that found even the presence of a face-down smartphone on a person’s desk reduced that person’s cognitive ability. Why? Because part of their brains were engaged in the effort of not picking up the phone. Yikes!





Beecroft’s article even includes some scary information: Constant use of the smartphone can create a condition called digital dementia. We underuse the frontal lobes of our brain, causing short-term memory issues, lack of concentration, anxiety, depression and insomnia.





In Christian mindfulness, we need mini-breaks regularly not only to think, but to reconnect with the presence of God.  Saying the Jesus prayer is a good option while waiting for the microwave to reheat coffee, for example. 





The way to take a mini-break is simple:  Put your phone away in a consistent spot where you can’t see it. (So you don’t end up worrying about finding it.) Say the Jesus prayer. Be present in the moment. 





The result can be a great idea. (There’s a reason that good ideas happen in the shower.) Or you can enjoy a deep moment of inner peace. Either way, it’s a better space than doom scrolling ever will be. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Let 2 Index Cards Guide Your 2022
	


	


	


	

		

This Christian mindfulness exercise is one of the best ways I’ve found to find out why you love (or dislike) your job and/or your life. It starts with two index cards. Ideally, you can find two different card colors: one green and one yellow, for example. Depending on the size, you may need more than one of each. 





You are going to carry those cards with you for at least three days.  Every time you do a task that drains or upsets you, write that task on the yellow card.  On the green card, record every task that gives you  joy, pleasure or energy. 





In just a few days, you’ll be able to see visually if you do more tasks you like or more that you don’t like. If you are doing lots of things you don’t like, you need to pray about that. Are you actually doing God’s will, or does He want you to change something about your life?





This exercise can help you decide if you need a different job, if you should change up your spiritual disciplines, if you need to work on a relationship or if you need to go get counseling.





You also can incorporate more of the tasks on the green card into your days, so you can enjoy more happiness. You can delegate or stop doing some of the things on the yellow card. 





When I tried this in my second-to-last job, I found that the green card was actually a job description that I  looked for in my next job. And later, the green and yellow cards helped me to plan my retirement, which has been joyous even in a pandemic.





Just be sure to pray over the results, so you don’t just see what you want to see.  It’s an easy way to make 2022 a better year. 






			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Look Back … Do You See God?
	


	


	


	

		

New Year’s Eve is a traditional time for reviewing the past year. We create annual Good Riddance lists to burn during the evening. Those lists contain the things that we hated about the year.





This year, we also created two more lists: a gratitude list and a list of events where we saw God at work The gratitude list is self-explanatory.  The list of God at work takes a little more thought. 





I look back through the journals of the year to find days of unexpected blessing … when I can see God at work. Sometimes it’s obvious:  a sermon that hit me over the head and changed the way I acted for the rest of the year.  Or a family member who agrees to take medicine needed to improve his life. 





Other times I can see God is little acts and coincidences: the time I accidentally knocked a treasured prayer candle I’ve had for decades off the mantle. The glass part separated from the candle and the metal, landing without injury in an empty basket. How did that happen? I think it was God, who demonstrated His presence in the tiny, but deeply important, aspects of my prayer life. 





Looking for God in all the small places and the big events is an excellent way to begin 2022. Please join me in having a holy encounter on this New Year’s Eve. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Mindfulness Behind the Wheel
	


	


	


	

		

Driving during the Christmas season is a chance to start a new habit: practicing Christian mindfulness behind the wheel. It’s an exercise in awareness and kindness.





So often we drive in a semi-conscious state, not truly sure how we got there when we arrive.  Have you ever “accidentally” started driving to work, when you were going somewhere else? I know I have. 





So first, we respect the reality: We are operating driving a potentially deadly piece of heavy machinery. We don’t want to be distracted. Staying aware helps us stay alive. 





Awareness allows us to be intentional about practicing kindness and courtesy to fellow drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclers. Allow people to merge, for heaven’s sake. (And I mean that literally.) Watch out for those walking and cycling around you. And calm yourself when someone is actually obeying the speed limit in front of you.  How many times have drivers raced around your car to find themselves sitting next to you at the next light?  Plenty, for me. 





Author Judith Hurrell, in a recent article in either Breathe or Oh! magazine (I lost the reference), suggested that we remind ourselves that everyone who is driving experiences happiness and suffering.  She uses words from the loving-kindness meditation to bless people as they go by. 





Blessing our fellow drivers helps us to recall that Jesus loves all of us, even the motorcyclist roaring by you without a helmet. 





Bringing words of peace and kindness into the car with you also helps, whether it be a helpful podcast or beautiful music. In my former job, my commute could range from 30 minutes to 90 minutes depending on traffic. I truly enjoyed every moment because I was listening to calming (or funny) audio the whole time. I always arrived at work in a better mood than when I left the house. 





The mindlessness of driving can be converted into a flow experience. When you bring intense focus to a task that involves skill and the ability to respond quickly, you can become deeply immersed in your driving.  You can enjoy the shades of blue in the sky and the colors of the trees. This time of year, you can enjoy the lights and holiday displays, giving thanks to God for the joy that they create. 





It’s a great time to communicate with God, who made all these things. Praising the Lord as you head to an appointment is a good way to be open and attentive during the day.  





Starting now to be a holy driver can create a habit that brings joy all year. 






			





			
				


	
			Advent candles
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Five Ways to Celebrate Advent
	


	


	


	

		

The four weeks of Advent are the beginning of the Christian year. Bringing mindfulness and intention to those four weeks helps you create a different holiday season from Christmas … one that prepares you for the commemoration of the birth of Jesus. Advent is quiet, not festive. Simple, not overstuffed. Focused on the spiritual,  not the material.





 The season is best known for Advent wreathes and Advent calendars. (You can get a Christ-centered calendar in addition to one with toys or chocolates.)  Other ideas include: 





  1. Use a creche that you can fill gradually to tell the Christmas story.  Week 1: Put up the empty creche. Week 2: Add the animals.  Week 3: Add the shepherds and their sheep. Week 4: Add the angel. Christmas Eve: Add Mary and Joseph.  Christmas Day: Add baby Jesus. Epiphany: Add the wide men and their camels. 
  2. Wrap 20ish books in Christmas paper, and put them in a basket.  You pick out one book per night to read to your children. 
  3. Put out a basket to collect money for a cause during Advent. Keep a list in the basket of all the good deeds that the kids (and you) have done.  Discuss the good deeds at Christmas Eve dinner. 
  4. Find Advent playlists on Spotify to find out the difference between Advent music and Christmas music. 
  5. Make or buy consumable gifts, such as food, to reduce clutter and waste. 





Once you are in the Advent frame of mind, you can create your own traditions. When my kids were little, we had a small manger and a baby Jesus. When the kids did something nice, they got to put hay in baby Jesus’ manger to make him more comfortable. One year this did result in a hay-throwing situation, but overall it was successful.





Advent is a joyous time of year that prepares you for the Christmas season.  Do enjoy it! 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Make Blessing Bags
	


	


	


	

		

Making blessing bags for homeless people is a nice addition to your Thanksgiving holiday.  We all know Thanksgiving should be much more than turkey, football and family close-encounters. An approach based on Christian mindfulness turns the day into a celebration of gratitude and a chance to help others.





Blessing bags can be in your car or your bag (if you take a train or bus around town) all year. When you see a homeless person asking for money, you can ask them if they would like the bag. 





A Blessing Bag





Use a see-through container – either a large ZipLock bag or a see-through plastic bag. Then fill it with items to feed and help the homeless, such as: 





  • Warm socks
  • Gloves
  • Hat
  • Face masks
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Beef jerky
  • Trail mix
  • Granola bars
  • Peanut butter crackers
  • Mints
  • Lip balm
  • A washcloth
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Single-dose packs of pain reliever
  • Band-Aids
  • Comb and brush
  • Bottled water
  • Hand warmers
  • Deodorant
  • Soap
  • Shampoo
  • Tampons for women
  • Fast food restaurant gift cards
  • A few dollars
  • A note of blessing (You can buy a pack of blessing notes at Hobby Lobby.)





If you keep a place in your home for blessing bag materials, you can put packages you get at the dentist and other freebies in the bag. Assembling these bags can make a great Thanksgiving activity for kids and other family members. 





Other aspects of a mindful Christian Thanksgiving can include: 





  • Send thank you cards to people who have made your life better this year.
  • Create a gratitude pumpkin for your table. 
  • Spend time writing down your blessings.
  • Thank God for answered prayers.






			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Christian Mindfulness and Implicit Bias
	


	


	


	

		

The last two years have taught some of us that we might be more racist than we think, at least unconsciously.  A research-based article in Mindful Magazine’s December 2021 issue argues that mindfulness exercises may give us tools to reduce unconscious bias. And I see the point.





Neuroscientist Wendy Hansenkamp, who is a visiting assistant professor at the University of Virginia, wrote the article. I cannot find the article online. But discussions about it and other information on mindfulness and bias are on the magazine’s website here.  





She writes that “society, culture, media and power structures” can instill prejudice in our subconscious without us realizing it. The big idea is that engaging repeatedly in practices that increase awareness, focus on our similarities as humans, and develop care and kindness can combat this implicit bias. 





Hansenkamp goes into several studies that indicate that this works. I believe it on its face, and I think Christian mindfulness gives us an even better chance of rooting out stereotypes and subconscious fears. 





She focuses most on the loving-kindness practice, which I have adapted for Christian mindfulness here. This practice retains enough distance from the subject to emphasize our common role as God’s beloved children. Hansenkamp also discusses a 2014 Yale study that showed that participants who had been practicing loving kindness reduced their implicit bias, while those who only learned and discussed the subject did not. 





By seeing each individual around us as a creation of God and blessing those people in our words and actions, we can come closer to ending any unconscious prejudice we carry. Take a look at your practice and see if you can incorporate the faces of those different from you in your work on your own compassion. 

			





			
				


	
			exterior of decorated mood box
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Create a Mood Box
	


	


	


	

		

Developing a mood box or book is a good exercise in contemplative Christian mindfulness, particularly when you are fighting against negative thinking. I’ve used this practice with people struggling against serious illness and/or depression. It is just as effective for the ups and downs of daily life.





The first step is to determine what mood you want to feel. You can create mood boxes or books to encourage hope, joy, optimism, trust in God, contentment and more. 





Select an attractive box or blank book that, if possible, reflects this emphasis. This is a private exercise, so the box has to speak to you and no one else. You also can decorate the box or book to please yourself.  I’ve also used decorated photo storage boxes to get a head start on the look I wanted. 





Then fill the box or book with cues that encourage the mood you want. Try to appeal to many of your senses. You can add:





  • Scripture verses
  • Quotes from books
  • Song lyrics
  • Photographs
  • Images cut from magazines or books
  • CDs
  • Essential oils
  • Souvenirs
  • Fabrics
  • Items from nature





If you are creating a book rather than a box, you can put essential oils or perfume on the pages to get scent. Continue to add to the box over time, or to remove things if they lose their appeal.





One of my friends has a mood box based on hope, originally created as she served as caregiver for a sick loved one. When the person died, she made a ritual of emptying the box and starting to collect box contents again. 





Put the mood box or book in a place where you can see it daily.  When you feel far from your desired mood, use it for a few minutes to help yourself go on the right path. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Be Kind With Your Phone
	


	


	


	

		

Super Sad True Love Story, published in 2010, was set in the near future … also known as now. Author Gary Shteyngart wrote about Americans who were tied to their devices, rarely looking up and rarely putting them down.  It was appalling at the time. 





What was science fiction in 2010 is reality today. Research shows that Americans spend an average screen time of 5.4 hours on their mobile phones daily.  About half of that is time spent on social media. We have 294.15 million smartphone users in the United States. The U.S. population is 329.5 million. That means almost everyone who isn’t a little kid has a cell phone.





Like every piece of technology, smart phones can be used for good. 





Ten ways to use your phone as a force for good





  1. What apps would Jesus have? You can read the Bible, do a meditation, read a devotional and pray a piece of liturgy on your phone. Some recommendations about apps to download are in the resource section here. 
  2. Be intentional about what you post on social media.  Think it through and decide what you want to accomplish. You can only post things that cause people to smile (or laugh).  You can spread thoughts of peace and kindness.  You can be intentional about who follows you. 
  3. Make rules for yourself about cell phone use.  Such as, put the phone on recharge during meals to keep it off the table during a meal. Or, never read email until you’ve done morning prayer. 
  4. Designate time to read emails and calm yourself first.  Pray before you open your email. Ask for wisdom, discernment and calm. Scheduling time to read them keeps you from constantly scanning your phone for emails. If people need to contact you from work, you can let people know that you read your emails at these specific times. If anything is too urgent to wait until that time, they can text or call you. 
  5. Express your appreciation to someone. Write a post giving someone (a friend, colleague or a person you admire but don’t know personally) a compliment.  This is especially nice if you are sending it to a person who means a lot to you, but doesn’t have hundreds or thousands of followers. 
  6. Write a recommendation about a colleague or vendor on LinkedIn.  Taking the time to give positive reviews is very welcome. 
  7. If Starbucks has a personnel shortage, don’t offer to pay for the person behind you.  Counterintuitive, I know. But paying for the person behind you makes the cashier’s job more difficult.  In a time of personnel shortages, that can be tough. Find another ways to pay it forward. 
  8. Promote a small business.  If you’ve had a good experience with a small business, say so in a nice review.  You can also share their posts on your social media. 
  9. Like a newsletter or blog,  If you’ve been reading someone’s blog for a while and like what they doing, let them know.  You also could pick a favorite, never-miss podcast to sponsor on Patreon. 
  10. Compliment a parent on their kids. Be specific. 





Having the intention of using your phone and your social media in kindness and caring can turn a big time-sucking problem into a blessing for others. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Use Your Fork. Your Mind Will Follow.
	


	


	


	

		

Mindful eating can be an impactful element of Christian mindfulness. When we stay present and grateful to God’s presence, the experience of wolfing down a meal changes.  Better health and a deeper understanding of God’s role in “our daily bread” can result. 





Some new ideas for building the mindful eating practice were in a recent article in Good Housekeeping by Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N.   Her article suggests combining intuitive eating, which rejects prescribed diets and helps people come to peace about food, with mindful eating, which requires staying present during the meal. 





Sassos’ tips start with a body scan to see how hungry you actually are.  Then she suggests eating without distraction … no screens, phones on mute and off the table.





Her third tip centers on gratitude. This is where we can give thanks to God for the food and the circumstances in which you are eating. Bless all those involved in the creation of your food, from the fields to the plants to the kitchen. If you’re the cook, thank God for your arms and hands, for your ability to read or create a recipe, and for the ingredients you found. 





Then you eat. Your fork can be your best friend in eating mindfully.  Pick it up to give yourself a bite, and then put it down. Eat the bite completely, paying attention to the flavors and the textures. Praise God and the cook for creativity.  Then pick up the fork again. If you concentrate on putting your fork down after every bite, staying present with your food is much easier. You can find more on my approach to mindful Christian eating here.





Sassos also has some wise words about practicing mindful eating when children are adding joy and chaos to the meal.  Just pick one thing, such as one bite at a time, to do. The kitchen table is also a wonderful place to inspire the rest of the family by saying grace that thanks all involved in the food, including God. The prayers can lead to real conversations about food production that kids will remember for years. 






			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Autumn: It’s Nuts. And Holy.
	


	


	


	

		

Christian mindfulness practices are beautiful in the autumn. If we concentrate on our neighborhoods and local parks, we can all enjoy God’s majesty and creativity in the fall. 





Here are some ideas: 





  • Pick a tree in the neighborhood that changes color.  Visit it every day to watch the subtle changes.  I’ve always loved that the autumn hues are always present in the leaves. They are green only because they are full of chlorophyll.
  • Take your devotions outdoors.  Bring a spiritual book to a park to read. Pray under the prettiest tree.
  • Go nutting.  Find true nuts like acorns and hazelnuts.  (Believe it or not, almonds, Brazil nuts and cashews aren’t true nuts, which are hard-shelled, one-seeded fruits of the tree.) You can use the nuts in decorating. Or go nuts and roast them. (Acorns are pretty bitter, but edible.)
  • Go for a gratitude walk to thank the Lord for all the natural beauty you see, one thing at a time. 
  • Watch the squirrels getting ready for winter. Do you know the Lord has blessed them with the ability to remember where they stored their food?
  • Eat outdoors as often as possible. Even better, take Jesus on a picnic. 





Autumn is a time when the beauty, creativity and wisdom of the Lord is visible throughout the landscape. Be sure to enjoy it. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Resource: Finding Yourself in the Kitchen
	


	


	


	

		

“Finding Yourself in the Kitchen: Kitchen Meditations and Inspired Recipes from a Mindful Cook” should be sipped, not devoured in chunks.  Zen priest Dana Velden‘s book is a gathering of short mindfulness practices and essays based in the kitchen. 





Velden, a food writer based in Oakland, Calif., provides a handful of detailed recipes. But most of the book is about paying attention while cooking. The book has a fan base. Goodreads readers give it 4.1 out of a possible 5 stars. On Amazon, it has 5 out of 5 stars with 40 ratings.





My favorite mindfulness practice in the book is soji, a 20-minute period in Zen temples where the whole community cleans together. It usually happens after morning meditation. Each person gets a simple cleaning task, such as sweep the floor. Everyone does their task silently and without hurrying to finish it.  





You clean or sweep or dry dishes mindfully until someone rings a bell. Then you stop. And go onto the next thing, usually breakfast. 





Velden suggests that we consider approaching some of our tasks on our to-do lists with a soji perspective. “What would happen if it wasn’t so much about finishing but more about simply doing? What burdens can be put down when we redirect our energies not toward the goal, but to the process itself each moment along the way?” she writes. 





She also says that soji teaches people how to get tasks done when they don’t want to do them.  She uses the principle to tackle jobs she dreads around the house. It’s an interesting concept, although I wonder if my family would feel comfortable in a house full of half-done tasks. Could be that’s better than not-done tasks.





You’ll find more resources for practicing Christian mindfulness here. 





 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Make a Morning Playlist
	


	


	


	

		

The British magazine “Oh!” had an excellent idea in its latest issue:  Make a morning playlist.





In Pandemic Year Two, many of us are trying hard to get back into the swing of life.  Yet life does not seem to cooperate.  “I thought this would be over by now” is the national mood. 





So why not start by picking 10 songs that always lift your spirits. Put them in a playlist on Spotify or any other method you have.  And use them to combat gray mornings. 





For example, I find that I can work myself into a giant funk while getting dressed for the day. So I started listening and singing alone to uplifting praise music. It helps. 





You can find some other ideas for your own list from these Spotify playlists: 









Have fun! Let me know what your favorite songs are. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
No More Mean Mondays
	


	


	


	

		

You are not imagining it.  People are meaner on Mondays. 





A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that people display less civility and kindness on Mondays than they do the rest of the week.  But the study does contain some good news for those of us who practice any form of mindfulness. 





Mindfulness stabilizes this situation.  People who practice it are able to maintain a stable level of kindness and courteous behavior across the week.





This is no surprise to me.  My form of mindfulness … Christian mindfulness … gives you a solid foundation and handrails to walk across difficult days. It’s a stabilizing force for the kind of inner peace that only comes through a relationship with Jesus. 





Staying in the present moment in the presence of God brings a continual source of strength.  You learn, as many do, that the only thing you can control is yourself.  Christian mindfulness actually gives you the graces necessary to be able to do that in a kind way on a fairly consistent basis. 






			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Determination and Fear: The Legacy of 9/11
	


	


	


	

		

It’s the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.  I remember that day: 





  • Sitting in my office at my computer when a colleague named Jeff LaRue poked his head in my office and said a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.
  • Realizing this was not a small plane crash.
  • Interrupting my CEO in a client meeting in the conference room to say that planes had crashed into both towers and the Pentagon. “Could we turn on the TV here?” The client was annoyed at my interruption.
  • Listening to the church bell, located across the street from our office tower, begin to toll.  It continued to toll all day. The last time that happened was Pearl Harbor. 
  • Watching the first tower collapse from the same viewpoint where I last saw the towers two weeks before. 
  • Heading home to be with my high school student, calling my other child in a college dorm room, and contacting my husband who was on the road.
  • Working on a proposal while watching the television in my living room. 
  • Finding out that my husband didn’t realize the extent of the situation until he got to a hotel and watching it on television.
  • Looking at the sky which now contained no airplanes.
  • Waking up the next morning to wonder what would happen that day.





The United States was probably at its best that week. We were determined in the face of fear. Many bad decisions later, we aren’t at our best. But we know that Christians can always be determined in the face of fear. Our side has already won. 





The Sept. 11 reading of Sarah Young’s wonderful devotional “Jesus Always” points out that the world has always been at war. Yet we do not have to be afraid. Jesus has achieved the victory that allows us to have a hope and a future. But we are still not alone in the world. The dark side is still setting off explosions as it moves in defeat. So we are cautioned to have self-control and be alert. 





Is it possible to be alert without feeling all-consuming fear? Yes. But we must be determined and ask for grace to achieve that state. Paul of Tarsus tells us that we are at our best when we recognize that we are weak and allow God to move through us. 





So what does determination look like when we know that we are weak? Here are seven indicators: 





  1. We expect God to help when we are doing His will.
  2. We believe in the importance of our role in the kingdom of God.
  3. We focus our attention on the work we are doing.
  4. We listen to God’s word and seek his will for next steps. 
  5. We avoid distraction.
  6. We ask for help when we need it. 
  7. We keep going even when things get difficult. 





None of us alive on 9/11 predicted the next 20 years. But God did know what would happen. Walking with Him in Christian mindfulness may help us to make the next 20 more successful for the kingdom. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Observe Water
	


	


	


	

		

Praised be You, my Lord,
through Sister Water
who is so useful,
humble,
precious,
and pure. 
Francis of Assisi, "The Canticle of the Creatures"





It’s essential to keeping us alive. So today let’s pay specific attention to water.





Observe water all around you … in nature and in your home, in your body and in your life.  Those of us with clean running water are lucky people, and we need to give thanks. 





According to World Vision.org, 785 million people around the world don’t have access to basic drinking water. Many drink impure water out of necessity. This leads to disease. Dirty water and sanitation issues cause more than 800 children under age 5 per day (297,000 per year) to die from diarrhea.





We can focus on water as a Christian mindfulness exercise multiple ways.  





First, we can pray for clean water for everyone. World Vision is among the organizations in the world working to end the lack of clean water by 2030.  This issue has become more urgent, if that is possible, because of the need for hand washing in the pandemic.





We can support this effort financially and in prayer.  This is one prayer for that: 





Loving God, we ask for Your blessings on children, mothers, fathers, and communities who are thirsty. Purify, protect, and multiply their water sources. Strengthen their resolve so they may fully enjoy the benefits of clean water — essentials like education, gardens of fresh produce, and good health.





We also can pray for the global will to ensure everyone has safe drinking water. At the same time, we can pray for the women and children who walk long distances to carry water.  This has been women’s work since Biblical times. 





In fact, a Samaritan woman who came to get water from a well had a memorable encounter with Jesus.  He told her:  “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water,” (John 4:10).  While we pray for the gift of clean water for all, let us also ask for Living Water for ourselves and the rest of the world.  Here’s another prayer from World Vision: 





We are grateful to You, Lord, for being our Source of living water — the One who satisfies our soul’s deepest desire with the joy of salvation. Open people’s eyes to recognize You as the only Source of living water for their parched souls. Let them be refreshed in Your love when they enjoy clean water to drink.





Another Christian mindfulness exercise is to be deliberate in giving thanks for our own clean water for a day. Each time you drink, hold the glass in front of you, and spend 10 seconds looking at it. Understand all the work and effort … and think of all the people … involved in getting the water to you. Then thank God for your drink.  Or your shower or bath or laundry water. 





For an even more thought-provoking exercise, take the Matthew 25 challenge from World Vision.  Here’s how. 





Observing water can provide us with many lessons.  One unit of water can easily change from liquid to solid to gas, reflecting the impermanence of life.  Water can show us how to flow through changing circumstances. And water can show its power, just when you think that people have conquered it. “Respect the river” is a motto in my boating life.  





I hope you can take time to observe water this week. Let me know what you see. 











			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Take Jesus on a Picnic
	


	


	


	

		

As summer starts to wind down, let’s go on a picnic packed with Christian mindfulness. It’s easy. Pack a lunch filled with the healthy food that the Lord wants you to eat. Include the Bible or a devotional, either in the basket or on your phone. Then go out into nature to intentionally spend time with the Lord and His creation.





Creating space with silence and beauty allows us all to open up to hear the Lord’s still, small voice. I do these picnics alone, but you can invite companions if they agree to the concept. 





We spend so much time indoors, particularly if the weather is difficult. The concept of weather can help us to see the totality of God’s creation. Yes, God made the perfect sunny, breezy day. But He also made the rain, the wind, the searing heat and the gray skies. A daily walk in creation is always a good idea.





For the picnic, pick some time when you can devote at least an hour.  Stay in the present moment, thanking God for the sky, the insects, the trees, the grass and everything else around you.  Pray to God to bless the other people that you see. Quietly read your devotional or Bible, asking Him to speak to you.  Bring a journal if you’d like to think through questions or concerns. 





You can also add some fun.  Bring some bubbles. Watch some birds. Borrow a child’s magnifying glass to look at insects. Revel in the wonder of nature.  Doing this mindfully can help us all to feel God’s presence in the present moment.  





Like many of us, I have missed having the opportunity to go on a retreat in the last two years or so.  This is a retreat that you can take any time, and you don’t even have to wear a mask outside these days. 





Jesus often went off by himself to commune with His father.  I’ll bet he would love to go on a picnic with you. 





Check out the menu to find other summer mindfulness exercises. 











			





			
				


	
			brown steel letter b wall decor
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Becoming the Presence of Christ
	


	


	


	

		

As we are changed into more loving, surrendered Christ-followers, we become the presence of Christ in the world that God loves and sent his own Son to save. We are able to join others on whatever hard road they are traveling and discern loving, God-guided response to their need. 
Ruth Haley Barton, “Life Together in Christ”

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Create Your Rule of Life
	


	


	


	

		

The first back-to-school pictures arrived in my texts today.  Pumpkins and autumn foliage line the shelves of craft stores. The pandemic has taken a turn for the worse. At least I held onto my masks made with “fall leaves” fabric.   So it’s a good time to create or update your rule of life.





Schedules change. Every year we discover new resources that help us to grow closer to God. So updating a rule of life is an annual practice for me. 





For those of you who have not created one, it’s a schedule, more or less, of things you will do on a regular basis to practice the presence of God in the present moment.  “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” by Peter Scazzero contains a chapter on creating a rule.  His categories are: 





  • Prayer
    • Scripture
    • Silence and Solitude
    • Daily Office
    • Study
  • Rest
    • Sabbath
    • Simplicity
    • Play and Recreation
  • Work and Activity
    • Service and Mission
    • Care for the Physical Body
  • Relationships
    • Emotional Health
    • Family
    • Community 





Under this format, you go through each category to make rules about what you will and will not do. 





Sample Rule of Life (It’s Mine)





My rule of life is more of a schedule. Each year, I do go through it to evaluate the helpfulness of each element and update the materials I am using. Here’s a peek: 





Daily 





  • Early morning: 20-30 minutes of centering prayer, read through New Testament annually, read a chapter of the Old Testament in chronological order, pray over to-do list, journal
  • 10 a.m.:  Read one of Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling book series
  • Noon: Work listening to Pray as You Go OR do Liturgy of the Hours Office of the Readings OR read morning prayer in  “Give Us This Day” magazine
  • 3 p.m.: Lectio 365 app
  • 5:30 p.m.: Evening prayer in “Give Us This Day” magazine.
  • Nighttime: Gratitude list, examen or night prayer in one of these apps: Pray as You Go, Lectio 365, Hallow, Pause or Abide.





Weekly





Sabbath on Sunday: nature walk, spiritual reading





Monthly





3rd Sunday: spend an hour reading a book about faith  





Spiritual direction appointment (now is quarterly) 





Yearly





Retreat





Celebrate the Christian calendar 





Some feel my rule is excessive, but it has worked, even when I worked full-time.  I describe it as handrails that keep me on the path.  What would you like in your rule?  Let me know. 





You can listen to this episode on my podcast Mindful Christian Year by clicking here. 






			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
How to Be a Blessing
	


	


	


	

		

When more than one source tells me to try something, I think God is on the move. That’s why I am blessing everything around me.  





This starts when Mindful Christian Year got some comments ridiculing Christianity. What should I do? As Jesus said in Luke 6:28: “Bless those who curse you.”





In Christian mindfulness, we practice the presence of God as we focus on the here and now. The act of blessing those who hated our faith strengthened my practice. It kept me even more focused on both God’s presence and the present moment. 





So what happens when you ask God to bless everyone? It elevates our relationships with those around us while keeping us in continual communication with God. 





In his book, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality,” Peter Scazzero said the healthiest relationship between two human beings is an “I/Thou” relationship. Drawing on the work of Martin Buber, Scazzero writes that I/Thou relationships are those in which we recognize that the other person is created in God’s image. We know that God loves this person.





Most of the time we are in “I/it” relationships, he says.  We do not connect the people we meet with God.  We see them as objects, usually objects getting in our way. To routinely and continually bless people can change that. 





As Pierre Pradervand writes in “The Gentle Art of Blessing,” the simple practice of praying for blessing for all those around you is a worthy goal.  While Pradervand does not write from a purely Christian perspective, he does make a good argument that the Bible would embrace this practice. 





Pradervand also does not distinguish “our blessing” from “asking God for His blessing” on others. I think that’s very important as we practice Christian mindfulness.





Ways to Practice Blessing





Nonetheless, Pradervand has some good suggestions.  Here are some of them as well as those I’ve received from other Christians: 





  • When praying for a person who is in the dark place, pray for blessings for the person’s body, mind and soul.
  • Ask for God’s blessing on your to-do list or schedule every day. Especially ask Him to bless the people that you are going to meet.
  • When passing people on the street, in the office, in public transportation and everywhere else, ask God to bless them.
  • When talking to people, ask God to bless them, including their relationship with God, their health, their relationships with others and their work.
  • When walking in an area, pray for God’s blessing on its government, teachers, health care workers, children, spiritual leaders, patients, prisoners, etc.
  • Ask for God’s blessing when something unexpected or unpleasant happens. 





Let me know if using this practice helps you to practice the presence of God in the present moment. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Enjoy Calmtainment
	


	


	


	

		

What’s “calmtainment?”  It’s on Wunderman Thompson Agency’s list of trends that will define 2021.  Calmtainment is entertainment that helps people to relax and feel calm. 





Life is returning to some kind of normal this summer. Many of my friends are going back to their offices, and social calendars are filling up quickly. Yet I also see that many people enjoyed aspects of the sheltering-in-place days: family dinners, reduced social demands, no business travel and so on. The question of “What am I going to keep doing from the pandemic days?” is on many minds. 





Likewise, because of the stress of those days, the business of mindfulness expanded dramatically during the 2020 pandemic year.  For example, the app “Calm,” which I recommend, was valued at $2 billion in December 2020. 





A demand for calmtainment is in the air. It’s perhaps also a reaction to doom scrolling and ultraviolent and/or fast-paced video games, movies and television. To meet that demand, the entertainment industry is creating “unique, immersive experiences,” as Wunderman Thompson says. 





This includes Netflix’s “Headspace Guide to Meditation” and the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos. ASMR videos feature someone whispering or tapping to give the viewer a sensation of brain tingling. This promotes relaxation and has attracted millions of followers on social networks.





Calmtainment doesn’t have to come in video or audio formats. Mindful Magazine’s August 2021 issue notes that LEGO has released an adult line described as “therapeutic, immersive and relaxing.”  Other ideas include playing with Play-Doh, jigsaw puzzles and adult coloring books.  You can turn nearly any play experience into Calmtainment if you slow it down, bring in Christian mindfulness and keep it quiet. 





What kind of calmtainment do you enjoy? 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Three Steps to Mindful Worship
	


	


	


	

		

My journey has taken me from liturgical music to contemporary Christian worship music.  It took me a while to learn how to worship intentionally and mindfully while the band plays loudly.  Here are three steps that will help you to practice Christian mindfulness as you participate in worship music. 





  1. Sing to God, not about God.  This is a similarity between liturgical music and contemporary Christian worship songs. But it’s different from some from mainline Protestant denominations. John Wimber, a musician who founded the Vineyard movement, and his wife, Carol, noticed that they experienced God deeply when they sang songs that personally addressed Jesus. Carol Wimber wrote, “Those types of songs both stirred and fed the hunger for God within me.” 
  2. Worship with your body.  During the pandemic, many of us have watched our services online, singing while we slouched in an armchair.  Now we are back in church, standing and lifting our hands.  The songs feel much more like worship.  The Wimbers saw this, too. “Because the word worship means literally to bow down, it is important that our bodies are involved in what our spirits are saying. In Scripture, this is accomplished through bowing heads, lifting our hands, kneeling and even lying prostate before God.” 
  3. Worship throughout the day.  Worshipping can lift you up when you are doing something that normally brings you down. I realized that I was thinking very negatively when I was getting ready to go to work.  So I started bringing worship music into the bathroom with me. Now I sing to God while I dress. It helps so much. Think about times of the day when you are feeling the worst and see if you can add worship music to the routine!





Do you have any suggestions of how to bring Christian mindfulness to your worship times?  I’d love to hear them. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Cheer Up the Lonely!
	


	


	


	

		

As a retired public relations person, I have a special relationship with National Days. We kept calendars of them to link with events and social media posts. So I can’t believe I missed National Cheer-Up-the-Lonely Day on July 11. 





Thus, I’m declaring this National Cheer-Up-the-Lonely Week. As the pandemic eases, it’s much easier to cheer up those who have spent too much time alone for the last 15 months or so. Think mindfully about who needs some attention and offer it. 





The website, nationaldaycalendar.com, makes these suggestions for cheering folks up.  The most obvious is to visit someone.  Here are others: 





  • Deliver a few spare magazines to an ailing friend.
  • Watch a movie with them and share some freshly popped popcorn.
  • Read a book out loud to your friend.
  • Set up a playlist with inspirational music.
  • Offer to go for a walk with them.
  • Mail a sweet or funny card.
  • Bake one of their favorite foods.
  • Call and visit on the phone.
  • Email funny jokes every day to remind them to laugh.
  • Play a board game.
  • Take someone on a drive.
  • Play 20 questions.
  • Watch funny YouTube videos together.
  • Make a prayer list of those who are isolated, and pray for them. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Resource: “The Cloister Walk”
	


	


	


	

		

“The Cloister Walk” by Kathleen Norris is one of the most significant books about contemplative Christianity in recent decades. Published in May 1996, the book is a series of essays about Norris’ explorations of the monastic life. She helps us see the cloistered world of nuns and monks from her own distinct viewpoint.





Norris approaches this world as a married Protestant who can struggle over her faith. Her previous life experiences were varied, from growing up in Hawaii to hanging out with the Warhol folks in New York City.  She also has received the Guggenheim “genius” grant. 





Kathleen Norris





After she and her husband (both poets) moved to her grandmother’s home in rural South Dakota, she began to be drawn to the contemplative monastic world. She became a Benedictine oblate (or associate) of the Assumption Abbey in North Dakota in 1986.





“The Cloister Walk” functions as a unique record of her experiences and observations, especially when she was in residence twice at the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. The book has poems, short essays and stories of saints. 





The cover blurb from the Boston Globe called “The Cloister Walk” a “strange and beautiful book. … If read with humility and attention, Kathleen Norris’ book becomes lectio divina or holy reading.” 





I took this literally, reading one essay a day.  It took months to finish the book. This may not have been the best reading strategy, as I did not enjoy the book as much as I expected.  But many others have. 





The book spent 23 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was a Time notable book of the year.  On Goodreads, the book has a 4 out of 5 rating from 9,031 readers. 






			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Welcome Back, Gift of Hospitality
	


	


	


	

		

Loving God, your son Jesus said
your Kingdom is like a banquet; 
a festive gathering for all people 
of every race and color -- 
a table at which the lonely find company,
the hungry savor rich foods and fine wine,
and strangers enjoy warm family ties.
Jesus calls us to build this kingdom here on earth.

Teach us, Lord, the ways of hospitality.
Give us the spirit of joyful welcome and 
the sensitivity to help people on the move
to feel they belong.

Grant that our tables at home may draw
our new neighbors from other lands
into a loving community
and that the eucharistic tables 
in our churches may prefigure
that banquet in heaven where all are one in you,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen. 

Prayer for Hospitality from "Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers" 

We are emerging from the pandemic into a world even more conflicted than when quarantine began. Splits in groups and churches, largely along political lines, have damaged the American church. The gift of hospitality could serve the church even more than ever, as it includes civility, mutual respect and kindness in its components. 

The practice of Christian mindfulness aids the re-emergence of hospitality, as the shelter-in-place/ Zoom nation practices are now habit. To be hospitable in person, we must be more intentional in our behavior and attitudes.

This is no surprise. Some Christians have hospitality as a spiritual gift. But many others do not. They would rather stay in and watch a movie alone. Yet all are called to be hospitable. 

In 1 Peter 4: 9-10, Peter writes: "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to share others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

In fact, the word for hospitality in the Bible's original Greek is "philoxenia," which means "love of strangers." I think we are called today to be hospitable to some "strangers" that we thought we knew, until their political choices involving votes, masks and vaccines made them seem different from us. 

In Romans 12:13, Paul encourages everyone to practice hospitality.  And St. Benedict asked his followers to see each person they encountered as a gift from Jesus.  

If God abides in us, as we who practice Christian mindfulness believe, we have the opportunity to show Him to all those we meet. Dealing with each other with civility, grace and love is a great step back toward unity in the church. 

This beautiful prayer for unity from Jane Deren of Education for Justice (published in July 2021's issue of "Give Us This Day") sums up our personal challenges within this period of time.

God of all, you challenge us
to be a unified national community.

You call us to move beyond 
partisan politics
so we may create
a vision of common good
so sorely needs for our country.

In this time of confusion, 
you call us to see clearly
with the lens of justice for all.

In this time of disrespect for so many,
you call on us to practice respect
for all voices around the table,
and for all voices not heard in the discussions.

In this time of personal insecurity,
you call on us to be grounded
in compassion for others
and secure in the knowledge
we are called to community.

In this time of despair for so many,
you call us to practice hope.

God of all, bless our nation at this time
and open the way to unity
so we may follow your call.
Amen.

			





			
				


	
			wooden church
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
A Prayer for My Church
	


	


	


	

		

Is God indeed to dwell on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this house which we have built? Regard kindly the prayer and petition of your servant, Lord, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day. May your eyes be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, “My name shall be there.” Listen to the prayer your servant makes toward this place. Listen to the petition of your servant and of your people Israel which they offer toward this place. Listen, from the place of your enthronement, heaven. Listen and forgive. 
1 Kings 8: 27-30

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
You Don’t Have to Be Strong
	


	


	


	

		

Getting through the pandemic has left many of us exhausted.  Staying strong during the crisis … and falling apart afterwards … is a common pattern.





If you are struggling or pushing yourself just to keep the normal routine in place, it’s okay.  You don’t have to be strong. Because God is. And He’s there for you. 





Today, let’s try walking in Christian mindfulness step by step through the day. Let’s allow ourselves to rest in God as we face our daily routine.  Remember: The Holy Spirit is our strength. 





My sister gave me a perpetual calendar in 1994 that I’ve used ever since. Based on the work of Jan Silvous, its reading for June 23 is: 





When our own strength is exhausted and we feel we can’t make it through another day, the Holy Spirit provides strength to go on. He will give us an extra measure of energy to do His will today. 
Jan Silvious, “Meditations for the Busy Woman”





The best moments of Christian mindfulness come, not from our own strength and determination, but from God’s. Let God do His work for us today. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
See the Suffering God
	


	


	


	

		

Yesterday’s Christian mindfulness exercise focused on noticing the suffering in our lives and all around us. We looked at everything from minor irritation to deep grief. This is life.





Today, while doing a spiritual exercise in “Emotionally Health Spirituality Day by Day” by Peter Scazzero, I heard an important concept. I confess I’ve never thought of this before. 





Scazzero writes about how we want to follow Jesus, but not necessarily to Gethsemene. I’ve been struggling with decades-long unanswered prayers and the accompanying suffering lately. So I can relate to that.  He says: 





It is said of God that no one can behold his face and live. I always thought this meant that no one can see his splendor and live. A friend said perhaps this meant that no one can see his sorrow and live. Or perhaps his sorrow is splendor.
Peter Scazzero, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day: A 40-Day Journey”





This is a good thought to meditate on after we have observed the suffering around us. We can ask for the courage to walk our path, no matter how crowded with thorns.





I am mid-way through Scazzero’s Day by Day book, which can function as a daily office and prayer book. It is a companion to his widely-respected “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality,”  which we discussed here. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Observe Suffering
	


	


	


	

		

Jan Chozen Bays, MD, suggests a practice that sounds grim at first glance. In her book, “How to Train a Wild Elephant and Other Adventures in Mindfulness,” the Zen teacher says: 





As you go about your day, pay attention to the phenomenon of suffering. How do you detect it in yourself or others? 





We shouldn’t just look for obvious suffering such as death or starving children. (Those things are good to meditate on with the intention of determining if we can do more to help.) Dr. Bays wants us to be mindful of the spectrum of suffering, from minor irritation to full-fledged grief. 





Gaining awareness of the suffering in our hearts and the hearts of those around us is good. But it is most helpful if it unlocks compassion.  As Robin Williams once said:





 Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always. 





Observing our own suffering also gives us motivation to change.  How can we stop it? How can we think about it differently?  I’ve always believed that your greatest suffering can become your most effective ministry.  Could that be true for you? 





Dr. Bays also suggests that we use the Loving Kindness exercise when we are suffering to lift up others who are in pain as well.  





Are we brave enough to notice suffering today? Let’s see how it changes us. 

			





			
				


			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
A Sword Through Your Soul Also
	


	


	


	

		

I admire the Virgin Mary for myriad reasons. But I relate to her for one that’s specific. 





During the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the ancient Simeon recognized her baby as the promised Messiah.  In talking with his parents, he looked at Mary and said:  “And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”  (Luke 2:35) As the Contemporary English version says, “Mary, you will suffer as if you had been stabbed by a dagger.” 





The suffering of motherhood — particularly after giving birth to an unusual child — is where I relate. 





Pope John Paul II wrote about the verse this way: 





While this announcement on one hand confirms (Mary’s) faith in the accomplishment of the divine promises of salvation, on the other hand it also reveals to her that she will have to live her obedience of faith in suffering, at the side of the suffering Savior, and that her motherhood will be mysterious and sorrowful.” 
“Redemptoris Mater,” John Paul II





I attend a Vineyard church. There and in other Protestant traditions, I’ve seen many downplay Mary’s holiness and suffering in reaction to what they see as “Mary worship” in Catholic and Orthodox traditions. This is a mistake. There is no 100% human in the Bible to admire more than Mary. 





Mary has been a mother to me when my soul is stabbed with pain over my own children. She understands how it feels. This is a place of comfort offered to all of us in parenting. It’s a good idea to grasp it. Trust me, she wants to help. 






			





			
				


	
			pexels-photo-583848.jpeg
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Read Old Journals
	


	


	


	

		

A great Christian mindfulness exercise is to visit own past … and really look around. Reading old journals allows you to see yourself with some mindfulness and perspective.





If you are not journaling, I encourage you to start.  Five or 10 minutes filling a blank page every day allows you to document your own condition. Link journal writing to another habit, such as doing it before breakfast or after a meditation practice. I prefer to handwrite my entries, using prompts to help. This can be as easy as starting a sentence with the words “Yesterday, I.” 





Your journal can also become the home of answers to reflection questions in retreats or readings. 





Those who have old journals can read them with an eye to seeing patterns.  Do you complaint constantly?  When are you joyful?  When are you angry? Are you experiencing God’s peace on a regular basis?  Can you see connections between events and your emotions, between people and your reactions?  Do you think you want this to continue? 





When you write, you can express yourself freely and truthfully.  When you read it, approach your journal with prayer and curiosity.  Ask God to show you something that you need to know about yourself: What do you need to start?  What do you need to stop?





Proceed through it calmly and mindfully, giving yourself lots of grace. In the end, you may see some changes that you need to make. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Create Your Own Childhood Summer
	


	


	


	

		

The happiness expert Gretchen Rubin has a great idea to “design your summer” by planning to add enjoyable activities to your schedule.  While you are planning, be sure to re-create activities from your own childhood summers.





In elementary school, summers were wonderful and endless.  I would create a tent out of a old blanket hanging off the backyard fence and use another old blanket for a floor.  There I would spend hours outside (yet inside the tent) reading books from the library.





Mother, who was a housewife, carted us to the pool when she could get the car from Dad. Otherwise we had a baby pool to roll in when we got hot, sprinklers to jump through and a garden hose to drink from when we were thirsty. We played school and other games in neighborhood basements. 





Box fans tried to cool the hot house. No one in the neighborhood had air conditioning. So we often sat outside and watched the lightning bugs. Or we’d pack up snacks to go to a drive-in movie.





In junior high, my sister and I rode our bikes uptown to the bakery for doughnuts and then to the library. The pool was a constant, and we enjoyed heading there on hot days from our non-air conditioned house.





Fast forward a number of decades. The community pool is down the street, and I haven’t been in years.





This summer join me by making sure you add at least one activity to your summer routine that reminds you of childhood.  I’m going to read outdoors. I’ll be on a comfortable outdoor sofa instead of a tent. But that’s okay.





When we’re enjoying that activity, let’s praise God for our good memories of summer.

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
No Complaints for 24 Hours
	


	


	


	

		

The best way I’ve found to monitor my own ungrateful heart is to have a complaint-free day. I’ve put a rubber band or an easy-to-remove bracelet on my arm. Then, when I do get ready to complain, I move it from arm to arm. 





This points out the problem. Gratitude is the solution. Whenever we are ready to complain or grumble, we need to follow the suggestion/command in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: 





In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.





Gratitude is also the answer when we are prepared to be proud or boastful about ourselves. It’s not us, after all. God has given us the gifts we have, and He has provided graces to make things possible for us to do. 





So try a complaint-free day. Change the band on your arm when you feel you want to complaint and consciously move to gratitude. You may find that it feels so good that you can stretch it into a complaint-free week or more. 

			





			
				


	
			communion elements
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
After a Year of Missing Communion
	


	


	


	

		

Today is Corpus Christi, the traditional celebration of the Body and Blood of Jesus.  During the pandemic year, I missed communion so much. And I know I was not alone.





We bought matzohs and concord grape juice to have communion with our online church.  But it just wasn’t the same, was it?  It felt wonderful when we were able to join a congregration again to sing worship songs and take communion. 





Many people celebrate Corpus Christi by taking a prayer book to the woods and communing with Jesus there. It’s rainy here, so we are inside.  But we still can say a prayer to let the Lord know how much we appreciate his sacrifice to save us.  





Here’s a prayer from the “People’s Prayer Book” that I appreciate today: 





Lord Jesus Christ, we worship you living among us in the sacrament of your body and blood. May we offer to our Father in heaven a solemn pledge of undivided love. May we offer to our brothers and sisters a life poured out in loving service of the kingdom where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
What Do You Want?
	


	


	


	

		

This Christian mindfulness exercise allows us to monitor our wants and desires during a calendar day.  It’s a self-awareness tool that can help to see just what we cling to, what we “have to have.” 





Set up an hourly timer and make a list of the hours when you are usually awake.  Start in the morning if you can. Then when the timer rings or buzzes, write down what you want.  





It could be coffee, more sleep, a chocolate bar, a nap, a hug or something else.  Looking at the patterns may help you spot things that you cling to when stressed.  Are you running to the Lord or to the refrigerator first? 





Try the exercise to see what it is you want. Then you can decide if that’s OK with you. 

			





			
				


			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Celebrate Pentecost
	


	


	


	

		

Jesus told us that we would encounter plenty of false teachers in this world. How to detect them?  It’s simple. You will know them by their fruit.





The fruits of the Holy Spirit is an excellent measuring stick to determine if someone (even ourselves) is a true witness of God. They are:





  • Love
  • Joy
  • Peace
  • Patience
  • Kindness
  • Goodness
  • Faithfulness
  • Gentleness
  • Self-control





The American Christian church is going through a lot of tumult and soul searching these days. Measuring the tone and content of these various voices against the fruits of the Holy Spirit provides insight into who is speaking best on God’s behalf.





I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit’s appearance in my life. Indeed, Jesus predicted just how incredibly important the Spirit would be to his disciples. 





Prayers for Pentecost





Today, let’s celebrate Pentecost by meditating on these prayers: 





Prayer for Pentecost in the Pandemic (from America Magazine)





Come, Holy Spirit. Come, Spirit of God, come with your peace, your power, your light. Come with forgiveness, courage and hope. Come, Spirit of God, unite us with the risen Jesus. Turn us again to the Father of Jesus.
Together they pour You daily into our hearts. Come now to our suffering world, sick with a killing virus
and everywhere threatened with silent death, but most cruelly among your poorest children.





Prayer for Life-Changing Power (from connectusfund.org)





Breath of Life, on this Pentecost Sunday, we ask that You breathe on us once again. Make our consciences tender to Your touch. We hunger for the life-changing power that Your Holy Spirit brings. May our lives exemplify the fruit of Your Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. May we use the gifts of the Spirit that You have distributed to bless the church and build Your Kingdom on earth. Amen.





Prayer to Walk as Children of the Light





Joy of Heaven, we are so blessed that You came to dwell in each of us on Pentecost, when Your church was born. Surely, through Your Spirit, we have died to sin and are alive to holiness. May we serve You faithfully, in praise, prayer, and loving service to others, as we are changed from glory to glory. May we walk as children of the light, in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Amen.











			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Do You Want to be Holy?
	


	


	


	

		

As we prepare for Pentecost, we are meditating on holiness, a gift of the Holy Spirit. Do we even want to be holy?





Ironically, holiness, or piety as it’s called in some lists, has a bad reputation in our times. It’s seen as false, self-righteous, judgmental, rigid, unhappy and even mean.





But there’s a big difference between being holy and being holier-than-thou. True holiness is all about love.  That’s not a surprise. Because God is all about love, too. Yet so many people have the impression that the Christian God is about hate speech and condemnation. Not true. Although it is true about some of His followers. 





The gift of holiness inspires us to love people, not just certain people. It’s OK to be saddened about sin, but never to turn against the person who is involved in it.  After all, that would mean turning against everyone, including ourselves. No matter how much of the gift of holiness we receive, we are going to be sinners as long as we are on this Earth.





The concept of seeking holiness first impressed me when I heard a statement about marriage. The pastor asked, “What if marriage is meant to make you holy, not just happy?” That statement is also true about life. 





We can take each event … good, bad and very bad … in our lives as an opportunity to grow, to become more of a light in this world. When we look back, we might see how that has worked in previous situations/disasters in our lives.





Today let’s meditate on the gift of holiness. Perhaps we will find that we want it after all. 






			





			
				


	
			the word know
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Meditate on Knowledge
	


	


	


	

		

The Holy Spirit’s gift of knowledge is interesting because it allows us to see things as they are in this world. This reveals that all that glitters is not gold. 





As we prepare for Pentecost, we are meditating on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Nearly everyone needs a greater awareness of this Presence that is with us 24/7, yet does not intrude unless invited. 





The gift of knowledge is used in tandem with the gifts of wisdom and understanding. Yet it is different because it allows us to see our lives … in all their chaos and circumstances … the way that God seems them, at least partially.





Using this gift, we can better determine God’s purpose for our lives. Then we can proceed to live out that purpose. 





The gift of knowledge is often associated with people who are gifted teachers. That’s because it helps us understand our faith’s principles more fully. This can inspire us to lead a life that is full of God’s light and love. And this knowledge continues to expand throughout our lives as we seek the Holy Spirit’s presence. 





I do that through Christian mindfulness:  living in the present moment in the presence of God. 





Ask for the gift of knowledge as we prepare for Pentecost. It could open the door to a better life for you and those around you. 






			





			
				


	
			corn fields under white clouds with blue sky during daytime
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Pray for Supernatural Common Sense
	


	


	


	

		

Today, as we await Pentecost, is a good time to meditate on the gift of counsel.  The Christian news feed Aleteia.org published a preparation for Pentecost by Philip Kosloski in 2016 that refers to counsel as the Holy Spirit’s “gift of supernatural common sense.”





I love that. 





Counsel allows souls to judge quickly and correctly what we must do, especially in difficult circumstances.  It’s an extension of understanding and wisdom, two other gifts of the Holy Spirit. 





This can help us to find God’s will in a situation.  We still need to pray for the grace to incline our hearts and minds to do God’s will. This detachment from our own “wants” is impossible without God’s help. Our job is to pray for it, with fasting in difficult situations. 





Philip Kosloski’s entire piece on his novena preparing for Pentecost is here. 





It includes this prayer, which I have shortened, to meditate upon: 





On my knees, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body, to you, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for your light, listen to Your voice and follow Your gracious inspirations. 

			





			
				


	
			two people making a handshake
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Meditate on Understanding
	


	


	


	

		

This week we are meditating on the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The most difficult to understand is: understanding. What does that gift mean? It took some reading to find out. 





While wisdom allows us to understand things from God’s point of view, understanding allows us to grasp the essence of our faith. This gift allows us to comprehend how we need to live as a follower of Jesus. 





Thomas Aquinas says four gifts of the spirit …. wisdom, understanding, knowledge and counsel … direct our intellect.  So a person who has understanding isn’t confused about what to do, even in a world with many conflicting messages.  Understanding allows this person to see what the next steps should be. 





An example happens on the road to Emmaus. Jesus, in disguise somehow, walks alongside his disciples and “opens their minds” to understand what the Scripture were saying about the Messiah. The gift of understanding helps us to know the mysteries of faith more clearly. 





Understanding gives us a deeper insight into the truths of our faith … a kind of permanent increase in faith I.Q.  The Holy Spirit allows us to grasp this knowledge deeply and to hang onto it. 





While being able to understand God is impossible to us on this Earth, we can have more insight into His ways through the Holy Spirit’s gift of understanding. 





Complicated and confusing?  Yes. So meditating on the gift of understanding and asking for more of it from the Holy Spirit is a good idea. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Ascension, Awaiting the Holy Spirit
	


	


	


	

		

Today is the celebration of Ascension Day, when Jesus left the Earth via a trip through the sky.  He promised to come back the same way. 





He told us that it was good that He was leaving Earth. Because that meant that the Holy Spirit could come and live within us. 





I have two traditions for this period between Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday.  The first is to say a novena … essentially to pray the same prayer every day for nine successive days.  This year’s novena is immensely private, but you can pick from classic novenas or choose to write your own prayer.





The second tradition is to spend time meditating on the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.  You can do one per day if you would like.  Here is the list: 





  • Wisdom
  • Understanding
  • Counsel
  • Fortitude
  • Knowledge
  • Piety
  • Fear of God
  • Fruits of the Holy Spirit
    • Love
    • Joy 
    • Peace
    • Patience
    • Kindness
    • Goodness
    • Faithfulness
    • Gentleness
    • Self-Control





There is so much to ponder on these gifts and fruits.  I pray we all become more like the Holy Spirit in the next 10 days. 





Here are some Bible verses to meditate on that discuss wisdom. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Write Your Own Psalm
	


	


	


	

		

“How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning and Community” by Judith Valente is one of the best books I’ve read this year.  But, since I have 10 more chapters to go, I will save the glowing review for when I’ve finished the book.





Judith Valente does present two wonderful ideas about incorporating the Psalms into our daily lives that I’d like to share. 





Her first idea is a good way to come alongside the meaning of Psalms you love. She suggest taking a Psalm that you know well and rewriting it to include the events of your life and/or the elements of your world.





This is an excellent way to grow closer to the times of David and his fellow Psalm writers. They wrote about their own personal worlds, filled with sheep and anointing oil.  Turning Psalm 23, for example, into a poem about your life may be quite emotional and revealing.  Some samples of that are found here. 





The second idea is to take a current event … positive or negative … and create a Psalm about it.  You can write a psalm of lament for a tragic situation.  Or you can choose to glorify God for a positive event. 





Each chapter of her book ends with suggestions for building the topics discussed into your daily life.  I can’t wait to finish it! 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Conduct a Personal Environmental Audit
	


	


	


	

		

Some of my steps to improve the environment had to be set aside for the pandemic.  (I’m talking about you,  Kroger plastic bags!  Some of my Kroger baggers were so enthusiastic that they tended to use one bag per item.) 





Like butterflies, we are emerging out of the pandemic crystallis.  So it’s a perfect time to conduct a personal environmental audit. We can take a mindful approach to decide what habits to adopt to bring our love to God’s natural world. 





Here are some areas to consider: 





Energy Consumption





  • Use energy-efficient light bulbs.
  • Use Energy Star-rated appliances.
  • Wash clothing on cold.
  • Air-dry clothing when possible.
  • Keep computers, televisions, small appliances and chargers on power strips that are shut off when you leave home.
  • Maintain your water heater.
  • Increase the efficiency of heating and cooling your home. (insulation, new shade trees, etc.)
  • Add solar or wind energy sources, if you can.





Water Consumption





  • Shorten showers.
  • Collect rain water for gardens.
  • Use the washing machine and dishwasher only for full loads.
  • Wash the car only when necessary.
  • Stop leaky faucets and toilets. 





Transportation and Travel





  • Bike and walk.
  • Resume using public transportation and carpooling, if fully vaccinated.
  • Consider how much you are ordering on Amazon.
  • Return to the farmer’s markets, if fully vaccinated.





Waste Stream





  • Resume using your own reusable shopping bags. 
  • Get paper, not plastic.
  • Purchase durable goods.
  • Compost kitchen scraps and yard waste. 
  • Buy less.
  • Grow food and herbs.
  • Cancel junk mail.
  • Try natural cleaning products or make your own.
  • Take your shoes off in your house.
  • Check for radon and carbon monoxide.
  • Refuse (to take plastic, etc.), reduce (your consumption), reuse, recycle and rot (in compost). 





See if you can find one or two things to resume or add to improve your environmental impact.  

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Now: When Time Intersects Eternity
	


	


	


	

		

The present moment is the point at which time intersects eternity. 
Sarah Young, “Jesus Always”





The present moment is the only time when we can truly connect with God. Thinking about the future is our own false narrative. Thinking about the past is clouded with misperceptions and mistaken memories. Now is all we have. 





Today is May Day, a celebration not much in vogue in the United States. But it’s a wonderful time to stop and celebrate God’s spring. The holiday began in prehistoric times as a spring festival. May Day baskets of flowers and the Maypole dance are still involved in the celebration.





This year, as it is often, the first of May falls in the closing weeks of Eastertide. May Day is also the time when I start trying to have prayer and devotions outdoors. 





Take a moment today to stop and connect with God amidst the spring rebirth. God is here. God is now. He is found in the flowers. He is found in the rebirth of activity as the pandemic winter ebbs away.





Thank you Lord for all that is beautiful in nature and in our lives. Please be with us every moment today. 

			





			
				


	
			
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
Three Questions for Tweets
	


	


	


	

		

This Christian mindfulness exercise is good for any communications, especially for posts on social media. 





The exercise involves stopping to think (always good for Twitter!) and asking yourself three questions: 





  1. Is this true?
  2. Is this kind?
  3. Is this necessary?





The first two questions are pretty easy. The last is difficult. After all, is any social media post necessary? 





But in today’s world, it’s good to shine a light in the darkness you can find on social media. We just need to be intentional and even prayerful about it. 





It’s good to have a purpose for your social media accounts. The purposes for mine are: 





  • Facebook:  I use Facebook to connect with family, friends and former colleagues. The pictures from the account feed into a Chatbook series that I use as a family photo album. I also use Facebook to talk about caregiving, helping people with mental illness, being a long distance grandma and practicing Christian mindfulness.  Finally, I use it to make people laugh.
  • Twitter and LinkedIn:  I use both to promote mental health advocacy, Christian mindfulness and laughter.
  • Instagram:  I post my best photographs on Instagram. 





So for me, asking if a post is necessary means it must meet these criteria.  There’s no room for unsubstantiated or iffy information, political fights, vulgarity or hate speech on my social media.  That is, when I do it right. 





Try creating your own purposes for social media. It’s what the pros … which I used to be … do. I would love to know how it works for you. 

			





			
				


	
			close up of hand holding text over black background
	
	

				

			Featured by Karen Twinem		

		
		
See Yourself As God Sees You
	


	


	


	

		

I want you to learn to look at yourself — and others — through the lens of My unfailing Love. As you persevere in this you will gradually find it easier to love yourself and others.
Jesus speaking in “Jesus Always: Embracing Joy in His Presence” by Sarah Young





Meditating on your true identity is a beneficial Christian mindfulness exercise.  In Jesus Always, Sarah Young tells us that Jesus says: “You are troubled by fear of failure, but My Love for you will never fail. Let Me describe what I see as I gaze at you, beloved. You look regal, for I have crowned you in My righteousness and crowned you with glory and honor. You are radiant, especially when you are looking at Me.  You are beautiful as you reflect My Glory back to Me.” 





Seeing ourselves as God sees us brings peace.  It also opens up a wave of compassion for others. 





 “A Guide to Practicing the God’s Presence” by Kenneth Boa and Jenny Abel recommends this exercise. It also provides a long list of identity scriptures for meditation. You can download the 211-page book for free here. 





To do the Christian mindfulness exercise: 





Choose one or two of the Scriptures below (or in any list of identity Bible verses).  Pick one that you truly believe reflects how God sees you. 





Write down the Scripture and place it on your bedside. Before you go to sleep, read the Scripture and meditate on it. 





Some appropriate Scriptures include: 





“But as many received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)





“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5)





“I call you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father, I have made known to you.” (John 15:15b) 





“Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)





“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)





“But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)





“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things have passed away. Behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) 





“There is neither Jew nor Greek.  There is neither slave nor free man. There is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)