Week Two, Day Three Peace

I invite you into the prayer practice of Visio Divina as we focus and frame our breathing first.

Breathe in to the count of three...exhale to the count of six or seven.

Breathe in the One who sits with you in silence and wraps around you when you close your eyes...exhale moments you feel isolated and alone.

Breathe in a peace and hope we need every day to sustain us as spiritual food...breathe out the daily diet of words that cause our souls to ache.

Breathe in a new spirit...breathe out that which keeps you confined or captive saying, "Well, that is just the way things are."

Breathe in a rest...breathe out hustle and bustle and the myth that resting equals rusting.

Look at the image and let your eyes stay with the very first thing that you see. Keep your attention on that one part of the image that first catches your eye. Try to keep your eyes from wandering to other parts of the picture. Breathe deeply and let yourself gaze at that part of the image for a minute or so. 

Now, take in the whole image. Take your time and look at every part of the photograph. See it all.  What sounds do you hear?  What smells to do you smell?  What is evoked and invoked for you?  Make a list of what you see and ask yourself the deeper question of why?

Consider the following questions:

What emotions does this image evoke in you?

What does the image stir up in you, bring forth in you?

Does this image lead you into an attitude of prayer? If so, let these prayers take form in you. Write them down if you desire.

Reflection

Aww.  Come on, if this isn't one of the most adorable photos ever.

Yet, I realize there might be some who look at this photo and think, "I've seen cuter dogs".

Or those who even let a yawn escape as they tried to meditate on the photo.

Or those who shrug their shoulders and say to themselves, "What does this have to do with peace?"

This is probably the same part of the population who were baffled why people cried at E.T. or the group who doesn’t even feel a twinge of grief in every Disney movie when the parents die, because, I mean we all know it is coming.

The puppy in this photo will eventually train for the Iditarod.  This puppy might one day run 938 miles across Alaska in March with 13 of her brothers and sisters.  This puppy might one day be the first to cross the finish line.

But the day we met this puppy, she just wanted to sleep.  Her brothers and sisters were busy being held and handed from person-to-person.  Some of them tried to cuddle up together on a puppy bed in the middle of the dirt enclosure for a peaceful afternoon snooze.  But people, who had paid money to see, hold, and let the dog give you a "puppy kiss", well, we kept scooping them into our arms.

She slowly sauntered off to a secluded place under one of the small buildings.  Inside this small building above the puppy’s head was playing an educational video.  I like to think that somehow this dog knew instinctively no one would go over there.  She wandered off from the rest to find rest.  I like this puppy.  She and I shared a moment.  I snapped the photo and then left the sleeping dog lay.

For many peace comes in moments of alone-ness, being apart, and away from the hustle and bustle of the world that won't quit spinning.  Stepping away from the unrelenting 24-hour news cycle.  Peace comes when we intentionally move from the current of the ever-flowing stream of life.  Peace comes from ceasing the perpetual motion and movement of life.  Peace comes when we stop so our souls can catch up.

Peace comes, when like this dog, we wander away from others, tuck ourselves into a secluded place, and fall asleep.

I wish we had more stories from Mary and Joseph 80-mile walk to Bethlehem, a walk which was in some ways would have been Iditarod-like.  I wished I had a story about how they paused, stopped, and stayed for a spell.  I wished we had a story from the campfire they built and the words they shared.  A story of stopping and ceasing because very few people can walk 80 miles non-stop, even less when you are, “with child”.

If your soul today cries out for such a moment, thirsts for peace that comes in the form and fashion of rest, I pray you will be open to the trace of God's grace and take a nap or sit outside in the sunshine away from the noise of the world.  I invite you to breathe and be.  Breathe and be.  Breathe and be.

And in that moment, I pray you will hear your soul saying, "Aww".

Blessings ~~