Lisa Notes: On this day in March 2013

Around the house...these flowers. Jeff bought them to welcome me home from Nashville last week.

I am thankful...for a new Life Group we joined, “Love Them like Jesus”. We do Saturday morning breakfasts together with the homeless and another faith community at the homeless camps under the bridge.

I am appreciating...the many testimonies about Jesus we were blessed to hear and share at a New Members Banquet last Sunday night.

I am studying...new life and resurrection for this month’s series at Do Not Depart

I am praying...during Lent that God will help me reframe the past and drain away any cynicism still lingering from negative religious experiences

I am creating...spiritual space. Our March calendar is overly full on the outside, so I’m having to carve extra room on the inside.

I am thinking...how God works in such mysterious ways. In my month to “practice wearing skin,” I’m also practicing getting out of my skin through a Centering Prayer group I joined for Lent.

I am hearing...too much inner dialogue in my head, which is making centering prayer so hard; hoping it will get easier

I am reading...these plus two books on centering prayer: Open Mind, Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel by Thomas Keating and Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening by Cynthia Bourgeault

I am pondering these words...from Awakenings by Thomas Keating:

Living daily as if God were absent is the fatal flaw of the spiritual journey. . . .God cannot be absent. Treating him as if he were is an insult.

I am looking forward to...48 hours with the 4 Corners! Since we missed our annual sleepover in January, we’ve arranged to spend this weekend at Julie’s house.

I am hoping...to see Morgan and Fuller’s new home again soon. She (and I!) are going to love her big front porch.

One of my favorite things...is worshiping through song, so I’m glad I finally took the plunge to commit to our praise ministry

A few plans for this week...getting the house ready for a wedding shower Sunday for my niece Lindsey. So excited for her! And also excited that Jenna will be home for spring break starting this weekend!

A picture to share...a poor photo of a beautiful painting of Lazarus by Ro Diaz at the Nurture conference in Nashville last week

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What’s exciting in your world this week?

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barbarah 65p · 630 weeks ago

I love porches! I can imagine some cozy times there.

Sounds like you have a busy weekend coming up!

The new members' banquet sounds neat, as does the ministry to the homeless.
My recent post When in a strait place

1 reply · active 630 weeks ago

Lisa notes 103p · 630 weeks ago

I love porches, too. Spent many a happy hour on a porch or two. :-) Morgan's porch is totally enclosed with railings so I can see that coming in very handy when she has little ones some day. In the meantime, it'll probably keep the dogs in (or out!). ha.
My recent post On this day in March 2013

jerralea 29p · 630 weeks ago

I'm on the worship team, too - something else we have in common, along with a love for porches. How I wish I had one!

I'm always impressed with how disciplined you are to study, Lisa.

I hope you will be able to put those negative religious experiences behind you, something I desire to do as well.
My recent post Black Ice

I remember years ago sitting around with the "old people" on my great-grandmother's porch in Mississippi, and realizing how special it was. Maybe that's why I love porches to this day.

May the Lord help both of us reframe our negative experiences into something to be used for his glory!
My recent post Do you know the bones of your Bible?

fsamons 60p · 630 weeks ago

And sing at church too? You're making this hard on us! Good for you for all you have going on. I know it'll be a great spring break with Jenna home.

I'm out of town sitting along side a desolate road with my air card fired up checking on things a long way from home... Not my favorite thing...
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I'm about to hit the road myself for a few days with my girlfriends--which means I'll miss Jenna's first day back home. Sad. But yes, I am looking forward to a great spring break with her. Hope you make it back home to your family soon!
My recent post Do you know the bones of your Bible?