Thursday, August 29, 2024

Dear God,

It is 47 degrees right now, the lowest it has been all summer.  Fall is coming, its fingers have already reached us.  Change is coming it cries out.  

There are parts of my life that I need to release in order to move into the next season.  There are things waiting for me to pick up.  There are pieces to truly celebrate and others that were difficult and painful but still were learning times.  All in all, you ask me to trust you once again in this changing season.

Holy and Loving God,

thank you

for the gift

of this season.

Thank you

for every gift.

Thank you

for teaching me

yet again.

Yours, Andrea

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Dear God,

I am struck by the beauty just outside my kitchen window.  The sun is shining on a small strip of the grass while the rest of the landscape is in shadow.  I look upon it and see the majesty of your living presence in our world.

So much of life is lived in light and shadow.  We always yearn for the light but it is the shadow that really speaks to us, nudges us toward growth and asks us important questions.  It is really in the shadow where we learn.  Oh yes, we want the light but the shadow gives us greater gifts.

Teach us

not to 

be afraid

of the shadow,

O Father.

We cling

to the light

but rarely celebrate

the beauty 

it offers.

But the shadow,

it demands

our attention.

Help us

be grateful

for both.

Yours, Andrea

 

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Dear God,

Today I am preparing to can fruits and vegetables tomorrow.  I will hold purple beets, red strawberries and lush peaches in my hands.  I will think of you who created the seeds and the farmers who planted and tended to them.  I will breathe in and out prayers of thanksgiving.  I will express my gratitude.

Without you none of this is possible.  There would be no food from gardens and farms.  They simply would not exist.  And farmers, co-partners in creation, the same, someone has to take what you offer and plant, water and harvest them.  You all bless and inspire the rest of us who simply cook, eat and enjoy.

Thank you,

Blessed God,

for all

your many gifts.

Tomorrow I

will revel

in my work

because I

will handle

sacred things.

I will 

remember you 

and all

who provide them.

Love, Andrea

Monday, August 26, 2024

Dear God,

Our hearts are full when we focus on you.  When our eyes are on you, we cannot focus on lies, those spoken by others and those whispered to ourselves.  Rather, we hear the assurance of your constant presence, your affirmation of eternal love and your promises of mercy, guidance and compassion.

On the other hand, we falter and fall when we listen to the world's voices.  We can't help ourselves.  Too many voices of exclusion, hatred and name-calling intended to hurt and injure can wash over us stinging, biting and wounding.  But your voice, yes, your voice keeps us buoyed up because you offer something so much different.

I confess that I weep sometimes when I hear political rhetoric that divides, hurts and injures people, innocent people who simply are who they are with different beliefs, skin color, gender, sexual proclivity, economic status and philosophy of life.  I can't bear seeing people brought down by arrogant folk who believe they have the right to sideline, marginalize and reject others.  Deep wounds hurt a society and all its people.  The only truth that matters is that your love is for all, every one of us.  No one is better or worse than another, all are loved.

Help us hear

your voice

and its truth,

O God.

Help us

drown out

all voices

that belittle,

destroy and wound.

Keep our eyes

on you,

we pray.

Love, Andrea

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Dear God,

Weekly worship is intended to give us holy moments with you.  We can crawl inside to sit upon your lap for an hour.  We can engage in the Word that can liberate us, challenge us and nudge us into the future particularly when we are stuck.  We can sing and dance with the freedom only you can give.  We can stand with a hurting world offering our love and prayers and service.  We can give our hearts, our money and our friendship.  We can listen to our neighbor, celebrate with an overcomer or lift up those whose heart or mind is troubled.  We can learn, find hope and experience peace.  All this in an hour on any Lord's Day that offers worship

O God,

why are

we selfish

and fail

to worship you?

Why do we

sell ourselves short

when we

can join

with you

Why do

we give away

all the gifts

that come

with worship?

Show us

the way

to you,

Loving, Merciful God.

Yours, Andrea

Saturday, August 24, 2024

Dear God,

In life we are born, we grow up, we select friends, spouses, maybe have children, a career and travel and then we die.  All along the way we get to choose to enrich our lives, draw people in to love us and to make our mark on society.  But what about the spiritual life, it too is a journey, if we let it.

Henri Nouwen reminds us our journey of faith needs to be one that reveals growth, progress and contribution.  Like human life, we get to choose this life as well.  Unless we tend to the soul like our mind and body, we will grow stagnant and die.

Every day you give signs that disclose your living presence in the world.  Trials and temptations give us opportunity to choose once again if we want a full spiritual life as well as a mindful one.  When we consider life an adventure, we can spend each day trying new things, finding new perspectives, celebrating hope, finding peace, entertaining joy and above all giving thanks for the small daily things that bless and inspire us.  With determination, commitment and faith, we can soar.

Holy God,

you give us

everything we need.

Forgive us

when we

are lazy

in life

and in faith.

Thank you

for all

the many chances

you give us

to rise up, 

walk and dance

and finally

to soar.

Yours, Andrea

Friday, August 23, 2024

Dear God,

I have very dry eyes.  After reading for a while, my vision becomes blurry.  I have to blink several times and try to adjust my eyes so I can see better.

Funny how much that is like life.  Often after seeing the same things over and over again, our vision can cause us trouble.  When we try clearing our vision alone, we find ourselves seeing more of the same.  Maybe the blurriness is more about seeing the same thing rather than eye problems.  Maybe we need to have our vision reexamined, our eyes cleared of debris and what we see altered.

It is true we see what we want to see and when we don't, we grow unhappy.  Yet, with faith and trust in you, we come to the realization that there are things you want us to see, to hear and to touch.  You want to change our vision making us see deeper and wider.  Your world is far greater than our own.  We need to open our eyes to see you.

Thank you,

Loving God,

for reminding us

to get

in tune

with your desire

for our lives;

for your desire

is far better

than our own.

We see more

with you

than without you.

Thank you

for the gift

of your vision today.

Love, Andrea

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Dear God,

Looking out my kitchen window, I see light and shadow on the oriental cherry tree out front of our home.  As I gaze upon it, I recognize how much light and shadow there is in the human spirit.  Of course, we want light only.  However, what is light among the light?  Light among the shadows shows the depth, beauty and glory of the light.  We need both.

Life is full of light and shadows.  When we step into the shadows, usually we are uncomfortable, irritated and anxious.  But shadow time is important because it causes us to stop what we are doing and assess what is happening in our life.  Although we know you are in the light, we can discover just how much more you are in the dark with us.  During those significant times we can increase our faith, build our trust and find new perspective.  We can learn to lean more on you and find strength.  In finding strength we can gain peace and even joy.  After our time in the shadows, we can step into the light with a new appreciation of your presence in our lives which naturally increases our faith and love for you and just maybe for ourselves.

Holy God,

thank you

for the gifts

of light

and shadows.

Although we often

love one

and hate

the other,

you teach us

there is more

than what

we see.

Reveal yourself

to us

when our way

grows dark,

we pray.

Love, Andrea

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Dear God,

Old habits are hard to break.  Even if they are broken, we can circle round and pick them up again.  

The past really can be the past if we trust you.  We can walk away from yesterday and be free to walk into tomorrow.  We can leave behind the undesirables for what we see as good for our next day.  More often than not, the only real way we can do that is to place our full trust in you, ask for help and believe you will both empower and guide us toward the future.  When we fully operate from faith, we can do the impossible.

Thank you,

Loving God,

for the messages

you give us.

Thank you

for believing

in us

until we

can believe

in ourselves.

Release us

from the power

of the past

so we

can have

the superpower

of the future.

Love, Andrea

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Dear God,

It is canning season.  In a little while I will drive to a local farm and pick green beans, beets and carrots.  I will bring them home, wash, cut and prepare the vegetables for canning.  At the end of the day I will have delicious jars of purple, green and orange goodies that I will open on a cold, wintry day.  I will remember today and give thanks for Bill and Anna whose farm provides little miracles from seeds to full jars.   

I love the whole process of home canning because it is as close to working a miracle as any miracle from heaven.  Who could imagine how a tiny seed could become a gift from heaven on a snowy day?  Working in the dirt and working in the kitchen makes me feel like a close partner with you in creation.  Why not?

Holy are you,

dearest God,

for every gift

you give.

I am

so blessed

to be part

of your

amazing creation.

Thank you

for everything!

Yours, Andrea

Monday, August 19, 2024

Dear God,

In the night when I got up to go to the bathroom, I looked out the window.  I saw the bright, glowing full moon and the amazing white, twinkling stars light up the night.  I wanted to stay by the window the rest of the night; it was so beautiful!

When light pierces the darkness, it calls to us of hope and love and beauty.  It speaks of peace and comfort.  When we lie in bed, restless and weary, we long for signs of your presence because we are desperate for you.  Sometimes we don't know where to turn but we do know what we need.  We need you.

Gracious and Compassionate God,

thank you

for amazing signs

of your presence

in the world.

Thank you

for hope

that is born

every night

and every morning.

Thank you

for reminders

to stand

by the window.

Yours, Andrea 

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Dear God,

There is no time to be with you like right now, this very moment.  In the quiet, we can hear your heartbeat.  We can feel your living presence.  We do not have to be something more than what we are at this moment.  In rags, in sin or in doubt, we can still enter into your presence knowing love will meet us there.

Throughout history we have heard messages about how perfect we have to be in order to call upon your name.  Yet, these messages have been wrong because just as the prodigal son wanted desperately to come back home but his life was in shambles, his father ran toward him and embraced him full body.  Smelly, lost and full of sin, his father wept just to have his boy home.  It's like that for us with a God like you.

Thank you,

Father,

for the

wondrous gift

of your

loving acceptance.

We know

we are 

not perfect.

We are

not yet

out of sin

but we long

to find

our way

to you.

Thank you

for meeting us

more than halfway.

Yours, Andrea

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Dear God,

Temperatures are dropping and I can tell Autumn is in the air.  The crunch of brown leaves with just a teeny bit of color on the trees say it really won't be long before Fall will be here.

My grandmother loved September and Autumn leaves.  She knew her hard work in the summer was nearly over.  Living on the farm all her life, she was always busy clearing, planting and harvesting.  Her neatly organized cellar with colorful jars of beets, vegetable soup, corn, tomatoes and pears from home canning was evidence of her untiring work to feed her family.  I loved to go down to the cellar and admire all she had done.  I always went home with a jar of jelly or jam.

As I will soon pull out the home canner equipment myself, pick some fruit and clean, slice and can my favorite Canadian Harmony peaches, I will once again imagine my faith-filled grandma who taught me so much that I know about you.  I will smile and give thanks.

Blessed are you,

Most Gracious God,

for every

good gift

you give.

Although Grandma

has been gone 

for nearly

forty years,

I am again

thinking of her,

how she blessed,

inspired and loved.

May this

nearly-Autumn day

be another day

where when

remembering her,

I remember you.

Love, Andrea

Friday, August 16. 2024

Dearest God,

Quiet mornings open the door to sweet times with you only.  In the darkness of the night-not-yet-morning, there is silence save the murmur of the kitchen refrigerator.  In these glorious times I just breathe in the air around me knowing and feeling your living presence.  

Hope emerges in silence when we have opportunity to pause and reflect upon your many mercies.  When I consider the countless times you have lifted me up out of the mire, healed my weary soul and nudged me forward into the future, I know I can trust you to help me now.  Today is a day to celebrate and give thanks as I remember.

There is nothing more beautiful this morning than to think of you, Loving God, to once again give you my all.

Love, Andrea

Thursday, August 15, 2024

Dear God,

What joy is coming to my soul at this very minute as I watch the darkness give way to the light. Moments ago it was really dark.  And now the outlines of the house next door and the shrubbery, flowers and trees are opening up in greater relief.  As I consider all this, it is as though one moment I lived in darkness and the next moment I live in the light.

I realize more and more how you offer us humans many ways in which to live life, how to see, how to open ourselves to life in the deep.  We can skid through life on surface living or we can choose to take a few steps into a deeper world where hope and faith and love are possible.  Simple things can tell us truths, give us resources and provide us with perspective that can make things new once again.  And oh my, how much we need these!

Thank you

for blessings

that touch us

in the depths

of our souls.

Thank you

for teaching us

every day.

Point us

to more,

better and

beautiful.

Yours forever, Andrea

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Dear God,

There is a beautiful connection between cleaning our home and cleansing our soul.  When we dust, vacuum and clean the bathrooms and kitchen, we feel clean inside because we are clean outside.  It reminds us we are always needing to do a cleaning on our interior.  When I realize I need to clean my house, I also think that I am also in need of a cleanup inside.  

When we lead lives of faith, when we contemplate simple tasks with deeper dimensions and when we pause to reflect upon the goodness of creation and all our gifts, we can understand the links between our outer and inner worlds.  When we create balance for one, we create balance for the other.  When we clean up one, we are cleansing the other.  When we alter and change things for one, just naturally we are transforming the other.

Daily you give us opportunity to see life in new ways.  You provide a chance to make changes that can better the environment around us.  When we recognize and can acknowledge the sacred connection between body and soul and earth and heaven and you and us, we realize how powerful we are to co-create, dramatically shift and make new everything around us.

O God,

author of all

that is good,

thank you

for granting us

persuasive ways

to make

beautiful things.

Thank you

for divine connections

that can 

can change things

in a breath.

Thank you,

Holy One,

for every gift.

Yours, Andrea

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Dear God,

This morning the temperature dropped to 54 degrees.  I opened the windows to let the cool air in.  I took deep breaths and smiled.

When humid heat gives way to cooler temperatures, we can breathe breaths of meaningful relief.  We can let go of sweat, stress and weighty burdens.  As we draw in fresh air, we can smell the wonders of creation knowing a new day has dawned, love has held us through the night and opportunities have opened to us.

We know we are blessed.

Thank you,

Compassionate God,

for meeting us

in the coolness

of a 

new day.

Thank you

for touching

our lives

that makes

such a difference.

Thank you

for love

that knows

no bounds.

Love, Andrea

Monday, August 12, 2024

Dear God,

Is there anything lovelier than time spent with young children?  They play and enjoy their play.  They laugh easily.  They love simple things.  They are teachers to us.

It was a few days ago that I spent time with great grandchildren.  Their smiles delighted my soul because I could see through their eyes their wonder, their joy and their fascination with life around them.  When they giggled, I giggled with them.  When they played, I played.  When they were hurt, I comforted them.  That's when it came to me what gift they are to children who grew up a long time ago and needed to remember earlier days.

You, O God,

are mighty,

loving and creative.

You speak

to the

human heart.

You offer us

new ways

to see

old ways

in new light.

Lead us always

to the

inner child within.

Love, Andrea

Sunday, August 11, 2024

Dear God,

We are as bread to one another.  When a person smiles, opens the door or offers a kind gesture, it is the same as offering bread when we are hungry.  One kind person can change a difficult day.

We are all hungry in some way or another.  We are hungry for kindness, compassion or forgiveness.  We are hungry for food that not only fills the belly but also the soul.  What soul does not need more than the basics?

This came to me as I drove down the road on my way to our retreat.  As I thought of the kindnesses of friends and strangers over the last few days, I realized the significance it was to me.  It lifted me up.  It relieved some of my distress.  It made me smile.

Yes, bread, we are bread to one another.

Holy God,

you know

what we need.

You know how

to fill holes

in the 

human heart

and soul.

Thank you.

Yours, Andrea

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Dear God,

Oh, to remember past events that brought peace, hope and joy.  A dark, gloomy day can give opportunity to pause, remember and reflect.  Today was such a day!

As I sat alone in the restaurant where I used to eat with seven of my grandchildren on an Advent Sunday each year, I reminisced in my own mind.  I remembered Jack, Gracie, Gabrielle, Lucy, Rylan, Sophie and Spencer.  I remembered taking our seats around the table, trying to decide what to order and talking too loud as we too shared about our fun weekend together.  There was our floor picnic cooking hot dogs in the fireplace, sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor, watching a Christmas movie, dining in the dining room on fine china and crystal for breakfast, participating in a service project for others in war zones (baking cookies), handing out care packages to the homeless at a shelter, drawing cards and putting money in envelopes and later placing them on old, beaten up cars at local stores, a special afternoon at the symphony, carriage rides downtown Indianapolis, painting Christmas pajamas, dinner at a local restaurant, Sunday morning at church and concluding at Bob Evans Restaurant.  So many memories, sweet, blessed memories that made the sun shine in my heart and soul.

Ah, yes, a dark, gloomy day can give an opportunity to remember!!!

Loving God,

thank you

for the art

of transformation

of heart,

mind and soul

Thank you

for your

amazing, loving power.

Thank you

for making

the sun shine

in my own.

Love always, Andrea

Friday, August 9, 2024

Dear God

Because of construction, I had to take the back country roads to get to Weber Farm.  So many lefts and rights, turns and twists.  My goodness!  But what a beautiful ride it was among tall corn, healthy soybeans and ditch wildflowers.  I loved it!

On the way back with 35 lbs. of tomatoes, I thought of how life is much like my drive this morning.  Something is always amiss in our lives or those we love.  We have to take different routes when one or more roads close. We have to go down unfamiliar paths to get where we want to go but along the way, there is much that whispers our name.  As the corn swayed in the wind, I felt a sudden need to sway too, to let go of some of the weight holding me down.  I admired all those who tended to their gardens and fields reflecting upon those who help me tend to my own soul garden.  I felt the urge to smile simply because the sun was shining upon a cloudless, blue sky.

Perhaps I need to take unexpected routes more often.

Thank you

for the 

unexpected surprises

this morning,

O God.

Thank you

for all

that whispered

my name.

Thank you

for the gifts

of the

beautiful morning.

Yours, Andrea

Thursday, August 8, 2024

Dear God,

White butterflies float on the breeze just outside the kitchen window.  The contemplative garden seems to be the place of blessing for them as they come and go.  I admit I am mesmerized by the beauty of the outdoor scene.

Your creation is an amazing wonder if we give ourselves the opportunity to dwell where butterflies float,  birds fly and dragonflies light on delicate purple flowers.  No matter what troubles the human soul, such landscapes can soothe the weary heart and mind.  It helps to lighten our load and raise our hopes.

Always lead us

to you,

Creator God;

we want

nothing more.

You give us

daily gifts

and bless us

with offerings

from on high.

All praise 

to you;

all praise

to you.

Yours, Andrea

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Dear God,

The new morning is quiet.  The neighborhood has not yet awakened.  Only the birds are aware of the new day.  As an early riser, I am an expectant spectator to all that is not yet.  It is a sublime moment.

Only when we are quiet ourselves can we truly get in touch with your beauty in the early morning.  It is really a time to breathe in the air of freshness as if getting a first whiff of heaven.  We can really get a good look at the ways of creation evolving and truly, there is hardly a more wonderful happening.  It is when human and divine meet and play.

Loving God,

thank you

for the blessing

of morning.

Thank you

for every

rich gift

you give.

Thank you

for the birds

with which

to celebrate

the first moments

of morning.

Yours, Andrea

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Dear God,

Daily you give us miracles to witness.  When despair turns to hope, when darkness gives way to the light and when joy erupts out of sorrow, we know that we know that we are witness to miracles.

A few days ago I was despairing; I could not hang onto hope.  I prayed, I cried and I pleaded and then all of a sudden, a peace came over me.  I knew I could not create it so I knew that it was yet another miracle.

So often we ask for specific things from you, O God, but they do not always come to us.  However, the wonder of life will open to us in unexpected, surprising ways.  When a rainbow comes out of the storm, when the first buds of spring rise up and when a new baby is born, we know that miracles not only exist but also bless and inspire us because they reveal the divine into the world.  We are made participants in your mysterious creation.

Holy, holy, holy

are you,

Miracle God.

Thank you

for making us

participants in

your glorious cosmos.

Thank you

for every surprise!

Yours, Andrea

Monday, August 5, 2024

Dear God,

There are 478 verses about eyes in the bible.  I looked that up because I have had trouble with my eyes for the last three years.  Hypertensive retinopathy, dry eyes, cloudy eyes, blepharitis, and more eye irritation. I have had cataract surgery and laser surgery in both eyes. Years ago I punctured a hole in my cornea and for quite some time, my ophthalmologist worried that I might lose my vision. It seemed reasonable to explore more about eyes from the master.

A song comes to mind immediately after reading some verses, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace."  Every hour and minute spent focused on difficulties, problems, pain, sorrow and resentment are lost when we get too close to our trouble and far away from the One who created us and our eyes.

Whose eyes reveal more comfort, help, compassion, love and kindness?

Only you,

O God,

only you

can see

the depths

of our soul.

Only you

can see 

our toil

and strain.

Remind us daily

to look

into your eyes

to find

our way.

Love, Andrea

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Dear God,

How does one have faith?  How can we apply our faith daily?  How can faith lead us to you?

When I was a little girl sleeping on my grandmother's living room floor for a sleepover, it was a dark, dark night on the farm but the stars were so bright.  I don't know what compelled me to ask my favorite cousin who was two years older about God but she was quick to tell me to look up into the sky.  In the quiet it seemed as if God was not only in the stars but God was the stars.

Since that time daily I think about you first thing in the morning and then I look for signs of your presence all day long.  I am never disappointed.  I see you in the sunrise, in the birdsong, in the snow, the rain and the storm.  I see you in a smile, a hug and in kind gestures.  I see you in the laughter and the tears.  In faith I see you everywhere all day long.  When night begins to fall, I return to the sky and see the stars and remember.

Majestic God,

thank you

for your

living presence

in all things.

Thank you

for beginning

your day

with me.

Thank you

for reminding me

to look up,

look around

and look down

in in 

all these,

I find you.

Yours forever, Andrea

Saturday, August 3, 2024

Dear God,

The day was simply too hot and humid to eat outside so I set up tables and chairs inside for 19 people.  With food aplenty sitting out on the kitchen counters, there was food for everyone.  As we gathered around tables in the kitchen, dining room and entryway, we ate, talked, laughed, shared and reminisced.  It was truly wonderful to gaze upon family members, some whom I grew up with more than 70 years ago.

Halfway through our time together, I asked everyone to pose for a family photo.  After all the smiles and picture-taking, I asked everyone to remain in place while I shared a few words.  I only spoke about three minutes but I urged each one to defy the forces that seek to divide us in our country and world.  

Especially during this election season, there is a tremendous push to divide loved ones over politics, beliefs, policies, means of conduct and decision-making.  Families, friends, co-workers, neighbors and strangers in the grocery store have argued, split and severed relationships over the simplest things.  To my way of thinking, we have all lost.  There has been no winners.

As I spoke, I saw a number of heads nodding in agreement with a couple offering an amen.  At that moment I was certain you smiled.

Compassionate God,

you give us families

where we

are loved

and we

love back.

Thank you

for that

most gracious

of gifts.

Thank you

for calling us

back to you

and one another.

Lead us all

always to

your table

of love

and peace.

Yours, Andrea

Friday, August 2, 2024

Dear God,

Amazing what a little handful of dried leaves can make!  The last few days I have been feeling a little down by recent events.  I have had trouble shaking off disappointment, hurt and anger.  It has been especially difficult sleeping.  But today when I walked into the kitchen, my eyes fell onto the little pile of withered, brown leaves on the antique highchair.  Just before leaving our family reunion here last Saturday, four-year-old Emmy picked up the leaves next to my porch and handed them to me as a gift.  I hugged and kissed that sweet, smiling girl and watched as she walked away singing and got into her car with her mom and brother.  I placed them on the highchair because I just couldn't bear to put them in the trash.

Simple dead leaves can reveal your hand, Most Holy and Loving God.  In such gifts you remind us of your constant living presence always reaching out, wanting to speak kindness, compassion and love.  Through those leaves, you have whispered, "I am with you.  Be of good cheer.  I am with you."  And for the moment, the minute or the day, I find hope, peace and joy.

Precious God,

your tender care

is like

none other.

You touch us,

inspire and

help us

every day.

Thank you

for thinking

of me.

Love, Andrea

Thursday, August 1, 2024

Dear God,

Where can we go where you are not?  No where.  No place.  Wherever we go, you are already there.  I found this especially true during our retreat.

Our covenant group retreats twice a year.  We wait, watch and listen.  You never disappoint.  You spoke to us through the birds, flying, soaring and dining at the many bird feeders.  You spoke through the space called the Cedar Room.  You spoke through the music, the quiet and the various spiritual exercises.  You spoke in the storm and in the excessive heat.  You spoke in the stillness and the meals.  You spoke, yes, you spoke and we found our way to you.

Holy God,

thank you

for our retreat,

for our time together.

Thank you

for the delight,

the surprise

and the healing.

Thank you

for inviting us

to dwell

with you.

Yours, Andrea

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Dear God,

Today one of my covenant group members led us into a time of Intuitive Painting where through silence, meditation and music we let these and the paint itself lead us into a time of watercolor painting.  I felt led to lean into the canvas, to run my hands across it and to wait for each communique to speak to me.  Minutes later I took hold of my brush, planted it into the cup of plain water and then painted onto the canvas.  A few moments later I listened to the brush, the canvas and the water and I began to paint with color.  Swirls and twirls later, I realized my spiritual work was complete as I entitled it, "Dance of the Free Spirit: I am Andrea."

Since I only know how to paint stick figures, I am always intimidated by art exercises; yet, this one spoke powerfully, lovingly and wonderfully.  It was easy, therapeutic and full of joy.  I followed rather than led.  I listened rather than spoke.  I painted instead of fearing.  I found God.

Holy One,

you are generous

and full

of love.

You speak profoundly

to our souls.

Thank you

for your word

that gave life today.

Yours, Andrea

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Dear God,

Love can come in so many mysterious ways!  The drive from Brownsburg to Mackinaw was glorious because inside my car were two of my favorite people.  Bill, Susan and I made our way to Jan's for our covenant group.  Every time we are together for a spiritual retreat, we always get more than we expect.  Love is always the one thing that meets us at the door.

Fifty years ago, we were strangers.  Yet, in your infinite wisdom you drew us together.  You called us to ministry and moved us from different parts of the country to a single place where we ran into each other.  Love began then, a familial love that would start as a seed and grow.  Now decades later our love for each other is so beautiful as we nudge one another toward you every moment we are together.

I needed that love today when I received a disturbing phone call.  Your love and theirs circled round me, held me up and blessed me like no other.

Thank you,

Holy Father,

for the

mysterious ways

you offer us love.

Thank you

for blessing me

and filling me

with your

healing love.

Thank you

for my blessed

covenant group

whose love heals.

Yours, Andrea

Monday, July 29, 2024

Dear God,

Music can heal the human heart.  It can enter into our being through every sense offering peace, hope and love.  When we are weary, hurt or angry, it can change us, transform us ridding us of all the awful that wounds and injures.

When my mind will not shut off, when hurts become bigger just by repeating them and painful memories arise, music can provide opportunity for release and refreshment.  Truly, it can heal.

In minutes I am going to turn on music that heals.

Loving God,

thank you

for the

magical gift

of music.

Thank you

for the ways

it invades

the human soul

and mind.

Let it do

its work

on me,

I pray.

Love, Andrea