Sacred Space

I was listening to a Mennonite sermon on the iPod yesterday and it was wonderful. It was wonderful. First off, it was a generally great sermon- place is Trinity Mennonite & their pastor is the one that wrote that book BD reviewed over at Real Bruthas. The church is in Glendale, AZ. I'd really like to ask our friends ric & sue (or son mike) to check the place out to see if it's as cool as it sounds on the podcast. The otehr reason it was wonderful was because it forced me to be quiet. In true Anabaptist fashion, Shane Hipps (the pastor) recalled the Quaker tradition of practicing silent contemplation. I spent the last 2.5 minutes of my drive (of 5 minutes) in silence. How ironic is it that it took listening to an iPod to get me to spend some quiet time with God? There I was driving with my headphones on, listening to dead air- and savoring it. I'm pretty messed up, I decided. However, those few minutes prompted me to go back to a site I'd bookmarked a year ago- Sacred Space, a wonderful wbsite that Juli R introduced me to through their blog. Man, it was good to go there. I realized how much of my time is spent in busyness and sound. The churches I frequented (with the exception of the Anglican ones) filled every quiet moment with sound. I realize I desperately need quiet, if I am to worship. If I am going to hear God at all, I need to get rid of the distractions. The cool thing about sacred Space is that it forces the reader to savor the idea of meditation. Something I pretty much suck at because my mind flits form one thing to another. Anyway, this whole thing is essentially a thanks to Juli and an invite to check it out (and while you're at it, why not listen in on Trinity Mennonite's sermon on Lent?

I try to let go of concerns and worries
that may be dragging me down at this present moment.
I place any concerns I have in Gods hands
- at least for these few minutes of prayer.

To be conscious about something is to be aware of it.
Dear Lord help me to remember that You gave me life.
Thank you for the gift of life.
Teach me to slow down, to be still and enjoy the pleasures created for me.
To be aware of the beauty that surrounds me.
The marvel of mountains, the calmness of lakes, the fragility of a flower petal.
I need to remember that all these things come from you.

pax,
jefe

p.s.- Does it screw up my contemplative post to mention that Lost was friggin' great tonight? I love this show.