Welcome to Rose City Nazarene Church.
From Pastor Bonita's Desk Monday, May 12th, 2008
Spiritual Director Pegge Bernecker
says that encounters occur in every instant of living and that these encounters
offer us the invitation to grow, ponder, listen, and respond. Some of these
encounters are with people, places, emotions, thoughts, sorrow, injustice,
love, or joy. She suggests that what is consistent in every encounter is our
personal-hood, our ability to show up. Or to put it another way, our personal,
passionate, presence that is awake and alive, or dull and stilted. All we have
is the present moment. It’s been said so
often that we no longer hear the truth underneath these words. The past is gone
and the future isn’t here. What we are left with is a place called Here. Paula D’Arcy says that Here is not an easy place to be. To be
fully present in the moment requires discipline. Our mind drifts away to the
past or to the future. To stay in the present requires persistence. The more we
stay present and recognize the Spirit flowing through everything the better we
become at being Here. Slowly we learn
to meet each person as he or she is,
not my idea of them. Only as we learn to live Here will we be able truly to care for each other.
Our challenge is to enter each new
day asking for guidance in each encounter. Pray for the courage to love freely.
Desire to be present to all the visible and invisible encounters that will come
through the day. At the end of the evening consider the hours just lived and
ask John O’Donohue’s question: “From the evidence – why was I given this day?”
Notice the familiar and unexpected encounters. Ask:
- Which
encounters bring my heart and mind most alive?
- How do
particular encounters cause me ache or delight?
- What
encounter do I long for?
- Who
needs the shelter of an encounter with me?
Here is where life is lived. Strive to make it great for yourself and
others.