While at the circus recently, I watched in amazement as 5 motorcycle riders zoomed around inside a cage doom. While the performance was going on I texted my son (along with a picture) and said, "these guys are crazy!" Obviously timing was essential. Each rider had to make his way around the doom at exactly the right time. I later asked someone, "how do they practice this?" I never got an answer to that question but one thing is clear: whether it is motorcycle doom riding or life in general, timing is important.
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I recently attended the circus with my wife, daughter, and two grandchildren. I love the circus and enjoy watching the many displays of courage, talent, and skill. In most of the "acts" it was human talent that was on display, but several of them featured the skills of various animals. As I watched a giant elephant sit "gracefully" on a stool with a young lady riding on it's back, I wandered to myself, "How did they teach him (I guess it was a him) to do that?
Finding balance is essential to almost every area of life. I heard someone once say, "It is easy to go off on a tangent, but finding balance is truly a challenge." This is true in many areas of life...
Spiritual disciplines, and the practice of spiritual formation in general, is a very personal thing. The types of spiritual exercises that benefit one are not necessarily the ones that nurture another. I have even found that in different seasons of my life different approaches to devotion and piety are often required. Still, there is an aspect of "ancient wisdom" that I keep coming back to: it is the "sandwiching" of my day between a time of morning and evening prayer.
I was in a state of panic the other day; I had just awakened from a nap and was preparing to take my daughter to work when I realized I couldn't find my wallet. I looked everywhere: living room table, stand next to the TV, reclining chair, couch, the car, desk drawer. It was no where to be found. About two hours earlier I had made a purchase at the Quick Trip in Broken Arrow. I was dialing their number to see if I had left it there when my wife exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! Your wallet is in the kitchen garbage pale." She had opened it to see if it was ready to empty and noticed the wallet setting on top of the rest of the trash. We have no idea how it got there but concluded that I must have inadvertently scooped up my wallet along with some papers I had picked up from the table and unknowingly thrown it away. The wallet contained a good deal of money (I had just gone to the bank that morning), a credit card, a number of debit cards, drivers license, and health insurance card. These were things that all could eventually have been replaced, but not without a lot of effort and grief. Still, they were on the verge of being thrown away with the trash.
What a terrible scene we witnessed last month as millions, from around the world, watched the Notre Dame Cathedral engulfed in flames. Fire fighters, rescue workers, religious leaders, and local citizens sprang into action (to the degree that they could) to save the Cathedral. There is one report of a priest racing into the church to save relics and priceless paintings and treasures. Though, at that time, the cause of the fire was unknown; what was clearly known was that a part of history was "going up in flames" and that every reasonable effort should be made to save it. This scene caused me to ask myself some important questions: What is it that I value most? What is it that I would be willing to make heroic efforts to save from danger?
It finally happened! The tree in my back yard, that I was planning to cut down, fell over. I didn't even know it had happened; my grandson came in from the backyard and shouted, "Pappy, your tree fell down!" He was right. It had toppled to the ground and when I examined it, amazingly, I could find no evidence of any roots. I don't know exactly what happened to them, but without roots the tree had no chance to remain standing. It is much like that in our spiritual life as well...
One of my many interests is that of photography and one of the key principles of photography is to "protect your highlights." Now what does that mean? A highlight is usually the "brightest area of a photograph in which you can see detail." It is what gives the photo contrast and it is the portion of the photo that captures our attention. Recently I listened to photographer/philosopher Sean Tucker describe this theme of "protect your highlights" but he applied the principle to more than just photography; he said this principle also needs to be applied to life.
I attended a "wellness" event recently; it was sponsored by our Methodist Conference as a part of their strategy to encourage self-care among clergy. By attending certain events, having an annual physical, and spending some time with a "fitness coach" we are able to see a reduction in our monthly health insurance rate. But beyond the financial benefit is the hope that healthier clergy will be a more effective clergy! Overall I've found the experience to be helpful and I've heard that many organizations are now offering these types of programs. It made me wonder, however, why preventative programs aren't offered to address one's mental health?
After an almost snowless winter last year, it was nice to have snow come early in November this year. Our first snowfall was not a blizzard but it was beautiful all the same! (Pictured above is Sarah, my Administrative assistant, enjoying winter's first snow.) We didn't have much Fall this year, but I welcome the early Winter all the same. It brings an end to "rag-weed season" and the heat and dust that accompany summer. It also reminds us of "the seasons of life" of which the writer of Ecclesiastes speaks: There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens, says the writer in Ecclesiastes chapter 3.
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AuthorDr. Allen Schneider is a United Methodist pastor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist presently serving the Sapulpa and greater Tulsa communities. Archives
March 2024
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