Holiness in our Midst

Holiness in our Midst: Session 137

SESSION CXXXVII: ON ‘RULE OF LIFE’

Story Circle Prompt: Share your “rule of life” or “inspiring vision?”

A “rule of life” is a guiding principle or practice that helps keep you attuned to the Diving along your daily path. I developed mine as part of my spiritual formation studies to become a spiritual director. I chose: “The glory of God is a human being fully alive” by St. Irenaeus. My goal is to keep trying to be fully alive in all aspects of my life: home, physical, work, community, family, financial, and spiritual. 

If you have never contemplated the question of developing a rule of life, I offer the following as a guide. It is an excerpt from a sermon by my pastor, Rev. Mary Jane Button-Harrison, of First Christian Church in Ames, IA. It was given on Sept. 17, 2023, the day after the funeral of Roger Bertelsen, who had been a celebrated professor at Iowa State University:

“Yesterday we celebrated the life of Roger Bertelsen. In his obituary was written, “He always tried to take the moral high road. He wrote on his calendar, ‘Before saying anything about another person, ask: is it kind, is it true, and is it necessary?’ Those words served as an inspiring vision in Roger’s day-to-day life. Another piece of his inspiring vision was the first rule of St. Benedict: ‘Live this life and do whatever is done, in a spirit of Thanksgiving. Abandon attempts to achieve security, they are futile, give up the search for wealth, it is demeaning, quit the search for salvation, it is selfish, and come to comfortable rest in the certainty that those who participate in this life with an attitude of Thanksgiving will receive its full promise.’ Roger memorized those words so they would be with him  Abundant life doesn’t come from power or fame or wealth or quick fixes, or even focusing on our own salvation. It doesn’t come from only staying in our comfort zone.  It comes from knowing and doing first the most important things. And that requires an inspiring vision that propels you forward and gives you the wisdom, passion, and determination to resist temptation. What is your inspiring vision that helps you stay focused on what’s most important; that keeps you on the narrow path to seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness?” (Used by permission of Mary Jane Button-Harrison and the family of Roger Bertelsen.)

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the question: Who most influenced your “rule of life” or “inspiring vision?”

FOR GROUP STUDY:

1. Read aloud Session CXXXVII. 

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 136

SESSION CXXXVI: ON GRATITUDE

Story Circle Prompt: What are you grateful for as the New Year begins?

Having worked as a culinary server in as assisted living community for almost five years, I am grateful beyond words for all who work in facilities that must be staffed 24/7/365. This includes those who give nursing care, plan activities, manage budgets and schedules, prepare and serve meals, fix furnaces, and mend hearts (all of us!).
Satisfying residents in their declining years has its challenges and rewards. I recently wrote five haiku poems that give holy glimpses into daily life where I (gratefully) work:

BIRTHDAY IN ASSISTED LIVING
One red candle flares
Like July Fourth fireworks on
Confetti cupcake.

PET DAY IN ASSISTED LIVING
Therapy dog knows
Better than master, which man
Needs to laugh again.

SHOW AND TELL DAY IN ASSISTED LIVING
Look! Collections!
But techno whiz passes ‘round
Selfie with grandchild.

BINGO DAY IN ASSISTED LIVING
All Earth holds its breath
Today! Candy on prize cart!
Will she call B10?

DEATH DAY IN ASSISTED LIVING
Server at shift’s end:
Logo shirt is baptized with
Prune juice, sweat, and tears!

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the questions: What are you grateful for today? This year? 
2. As the New Year begins, consider purchasing a Gratitude Journal. Choices of formats abound. Jim Hayes, the executive director of Mind & Spirit Counseling Center in Urbandale, IA, through which I study spiritual direction, suggested these example prompts in an online article on gratitude in the center’s December 2023 Newsletter:

• I’m grateful for three things I hear:
• I’m grateful for three things I see:
• I’m grateful for three things I smell:
• I’m grateful for three things I touch/feel:
• I’m grateful for these three things I taste:
• I’m grateful for these three blue (and colors) things:
• I’m grateful for these three animals/birds:
• I’m grateful for these three friends:
• I’m grateful for these three teachers:
• I’m grateful for these three family members:
• I’m grateful for these three things in my home:

FOR GROUP STUDY:

1. Read aloud Session CXXXVI.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 135

SESSION CXXXV: ON ‘WWJD?’

Story Circle Prompt: Where do you think Jesus would have us begin to heal political, denominational, and family wounds this Advent Season?

WWJD! (WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?) This startlingly simple sequence of letters has been on our bulletin board lately as we enter First Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Ames, IA. No answers yet for me! But the reminder has moved me to think about WWJD this holiday season as we light our Advent candles one by one. How would Jesus have me live out hope, peace, joy, and love in my context as I once again await the coming of the Christ Child? These will be my weekly guidepost questions for December 2023:

•   Where can I be a beacon of hope along my daily path?
•   How can I promote peace in my wider community?
•   Where do I begin to search for joy in a broken world?
•   How can I be a loving force in my family, community, and workplace?

What will Jesus do through you this Advent?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the question: How do you think Jesus would have you live out hope, peace, joy, and love in your daily life this Advent Season? What changes might you be prompted to make?

FOR GROUP STUDY: 

 1.   Read aloud Session CXXXV.

  2.   Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 134

SESSION CXXXIV: ON RENEWAL

Story Circle Prompt: How do you find renewal in times of crisis?

I find renewal in contemplation and silence. I am always reconnected to my gifts and to others when I enter meditative time to draw closer to the Living Christ. I have had the privilege of getting to know my spiritual mentor in this practice, Father Bob Dufford, internationally known Jesuit priest and songwriter. I wrote this poem after spending time with this gentle soul whose songs, such as, “Be Not Afraid,” and other lifework embody oneness with Christ:

God is Not a Spigot

God’s generosity and favor is not a spigot,

To be turned off and on

By whether you are

Saying the right words,

Holding the correct beliefs,

Doing all manner of well-intentioned good deeds,

Or even fulfilling your artistic gifts.

No,

God is a Self, desiring closeness with Your Self,

That you might work through your life plans and challenges,

In intimate relationship with the Being,

Who created the vast Universe,

With You in mind, From the beginning of Time.

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the question: When was the last time you truly went on a vacation? Where did you go? Who were you with?

FOR GROUP STUDY: 

 1.   Read aloud Session CXXXIV.

  2.   Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 133

SESSION CXXXIII: ON LIGHT

Story Circle Prompt: Share a reflection/meditation/poem/photograph or piece of art related to the meaning of the word light in your life.

This month’s prompt is a variation of one from Messenger, the Church of the Brethren magazine, issued as an invitation to readers in the summer of 2022. Meditations, poems, and photographs related to light were printed in the January/February 2023 issue. My response was printed in the online version of that issue at:  https://www.brethren.org/messenger/reflections/on-light/  

The meditation follows:

A Morning Meditation: Where the Light Falls

That cloud-enshrouded morning in September, I meditated in the magnificent glass-walled chapel overlooking deep woods at the Creighton University Retreat Center in Griswold, IA. A single leaf suddenly shone brightly. The sun shifted to a cluster of leaves, then to a stand of trees. The thought came softly: What particulars should I focus on in my life today? Next, the light fell on the bronze statue of a woman (the Virgin Mary?) bent double over a child (the Baby Jesus?) called “Maternal Bond” by acclaimed sculptor Timothy Schmalz. A question came to mind:  Where does the light of my devotion fall today? Suddenly, the light filtered directly on me, asking: Where can I be light today? Time came to return to my lovely group of fellow spiritual seekers back at the lodge. The retreat leader instructed us: “Meditate on the light outside the window: what is being illumined in your life today?” In the silence, there appeared in my mind’s eye an image of Jesus with a yellow Highlighter pen studying my schedule for the day. So many thoughts to ponder! I took home the good questions to also shine light on more ordinary days.

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the question: Who/what lights up your life? Why? How?

FOR GROUP STUDY: 

1.  Read aloud Session CXXXIII.
2.  Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 132

SESSION CXXXII: ON ‘OHANA

‘Story Circle Prompt: Who/what/where is your ‘ohana? What can you do to nourish it?

As I sat down to ponder the concept of ‘ohana today (Aug. 28, 2023), there happened to be a front-page article about it in The Des Moines Register. The topic was top of mind, of course because of the recent wildfires in Maui, leaving more than a hundred persons killed and undetermined numbers missing. In cable news interviews after the fires, I heard both Native Islanders and frequent tourists reverently refer to the historic city of Lahaina and its neighborhoods as their “‘ohana.” Rooted in the Hawaiian term for “family,” “’ohana,” goes beyond biological relatives and refers to extended family and community members.

The Register article (by Bobby Calna Calvan, Joe C. Hong and Mike Householder) noted that after the tragedy “… the Hawaiian spirit known as ‘ohana endures.” The writers continued: “In the Hawaiian lexicon, ‘ohana is a sensibility, a way of thinking that means family, belonging, community and so much more – solace in a time of calamity It is a unifying principle in an increasingly fragmented world. And, in recent weeks, amid misfortune, the word has taken on profound importance in a place appealing for help.”

The tragic events in the Pacific prompted me to think about whether I have an ‘ohana now that most of my family have passed away or live in other states. My conclusion is that my ‘ohana for many years was centered in the Iowa small towns (Maxwell, State Center, and Nevada) where my maternal grandparents had created strong family-like community connections. In the present, though, I have focused on nurturing several mini-‘ohanas that serve me well: my tight-knit spiritual formation group called Prairiefire, through which I am studying to become a spiritual director; my circle of long-time friends; and my First Christian Church community in Ames, where I not only count on support for my social justice endeavors, but also where I have been tended to emotionally and even physically (during my time with cancer).

The recent news revealed the longstanding spirit of ‘ohana that shines through a people connected to one another and the land they share. When such bonds are established with love over generations, we see that they exemplify strength powerful enough to survive tragedy.

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the question: Do you have an extended family circle/community that is your ‘ohana? Is it attached to a geographical location or an organization or group? Who has been there for you in hard times?

FOR GROUP STUDY: 

1.  Read aloud Session CXXXII.
2.  Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 131

SESSION CXXXI: ON ‘MY TOUCHSTONE PLACE’

Story Circle Prompt: Do you have a “Touchstone Place?”

In her book, Keeping a Nature Journal, Clare Walker Leslie uses the phrase “My Touchstone Place” about her “sanctuary in every season,” Mount Auburn Cemetery and Arboretum near Cambridge, MA. She writes that it is “America’s first landscaped cemetery, encompassing 175 acres of dells, glades, woods, and ponds.”* It has been the source of many drawings in her beautifully illustrated journals.

My “Touchstone Place” is a swinging gate I call “My Measuring Post,” which guards the lane on the west side of my grandparents’ farm near State Center, IA. Perhaps you have chosen such a reference place as a reminder of what is most important to you. Mine exists as a relatively permanent “fixed point” to go back to, a place where I can review whether I am living up to the benchmarks I set for myself. I have stood at my gate to evaluate the pros and cons of every major decision, since I was a child: How do I solve this life issue? Where should I go to college? Should I marry ____? Should I take this job opportunity? Though Grandpa and Grandma Albright have been gone for many years, I still drive past “their” gate whenever I am at a crossroads in my life. Sometimes I open the gate and literally walk down the lane and do a whole life overview with God: Have I made good decisions? Have I done and am I doing God’s will? What changes do I need to make? It is comforting to have found a place to measure spiritual growth.

*Leslie, Clare Walker. Keeping a Nature Journal (North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2021), 13.

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. Clare Walker Leslie, author of Keeping a Nature Journal, coined the phrase Daily Exceptional Images (DEI), which she describes as “some gem from the outdoors that I can latch onto when feeling distracted, dulled by routine, or deeply worried.” Examples she gave were: “Jeweled raindrops hanging upside down from a pine” and “Waxing summer moon rises to east over highway.”* In your journal, answer the following: What are today’s exceptional images from your unique vantage point on the world?
   
   *Leslie, Clare Walker. Keeping a Nature Journal (North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2021), 82, 83.

FOR GROUP STUDY: 

1.  Read aloud Session CXXXI.
2.  Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 130

SESSION CXXX: ON ‘A COMMITTEE OF ONE’

Story Circle Prompt: When did you take action as a “committee of one?”

The phrase “committee of one” came from Opal Lee, 96, often referred to as “the Grandmother of Juneteenth,” as she was being interviewed by CNN on June 19 of this year. She was calling attention to the power of a single voice when a cause seems daunting. Lee herself captured the world’s attention by a series of walks from Fort Worth, TX to the U.S. capital, beginning in 2016, to advocate for the national holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. Influenced in part by her efforts, President Joe Biden signed a bill declaring June 19 a federal holiday in 2021. 

My lifelong passionate interest in the cause of homelessness began when I was a “committee of one.” In the mid-eighties, when I lived in downtown Chicago, the city’s estimated 25,000 homeless were increasingly visible. It became the daily norm to see street people sifting through trash barrels for edible waste. My first, unreflected reaction was anger: Couldn’t these people help themselves? And, what about the authorities, weren’t they going to do something? When I realized the answer to both questions was no, I began a personal “policy” to deal with daily requests for money:

• I would always carry extra bills in my pocket and give at least a dollar to any person who asked for help.
  
• I would always look the homeless in the eye and smile.
  
• I would always treat the homeless with the dignity and kindness I afford to family.

Once it was forged, I followed my three-point “policy” while I lived in Chicago.

One homeless man caught on fast to my altruism. George, an African American man in his early thirties, positioned himself along my path. I found myself aiding him almost daily for a year and a half. The written and spoken account of our unlikely friendship, called “George of the Streets,” has impacted homelessness awareness in communities in Illinois and Iowa. George taught me many life lessons as he managed, at least for a while, to live a satisfying daily life against enormous odds. His story still propels me to action; today I am on the community board  of Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance, a non-profit offering emergency rent, utility, gas and food assistance in my county.

Have you championed an idea or cause by yourself, at least at first?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the following: When did you take action simply because you believed in a cause or an idea? What happened next?

FOR GROUP STUDY: 

1.  Read aloud Session CXXX.
2.  Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 129

SESSION CXXIX: ON ‘DREAMS FULFILLED’

Story Circle Prompt: Share a story about a dream fulfilled.

Because I have a fondness for live musical theater, a reverence for Africa and a penchant for wild creativity, seeing a production of The Lion King with Broadway actors has long been at the top of my “Bucket List,” aka as my “Things to Do Before I Die” list. On April 16, 2023, with help from friends new and old, I checked off this wish. 

As I relive my dream come true, I realize the magic was not just in the show at the Civic Center in Des Moines, though there was plenty with “elephants” suddenly emerging from aisles and actors swinging from rafters—all moving to the constant beat of African drums. A good share of the lasting beauty was that I was accompanied on my journey. Because I am a bona fide fraidy cat driving interstates by myself in rain and snow, and especially navigating downtown Des Moines at night, friends gladly stepped in to provide meals (Italian pasta) and snacks (homemade chocolate chip cookies), transportation (curbside service), and lodging (a cozy bed) for this adventure of a lifetime. There was even a Lion King poster, deluxe booklet, and backpack waiting for me in my seat at the theater! In asking for some assistance, I received abundantly. A simple wish, stated out loud, became a spiritual experience. (I am, of course, available to make my friends’ dreams come to fruition.) I am still humming the theme song, “Circle of Life,” as I dream new dreams. Do you have a story of a dream fulfilled?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the following: What is one thing you would like to do, see, or experience in your lifetime? What is the first step you can take to make this dream come true?

FOR GROUP STUDY: 

1.  Read aloud Session CXXIX.
2.  Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com

Holiness in our Midst: Session 128

SESSION CXXVIII: ON ‘A GIFT TO MOTHER NATURE’

Story Circle Prompt: What gift would you give Mother Nature for Mother’s Day?

Viewers were asked to respond to this evocative question on a Weather Channel program on the Monday after Mother’s Day, 2022. My answer has an immediate quality, given that today (April 27, 2023) the Mississippi River is overflowing its banks in several picturesque Iowa cities, including Burlington, where I spent two transformational high school years. Mother Nature seems in peril! If I had a magic wand to grant her three wishes, I would immediately declare every day to be Earth Day. Secondly, I would invite every country to take climate change seriously and, thirdly, I would empower individuals to be good stewards in their daily lives. My personal gift to Mother Nature this year is to be more conscious of the waste I generate, especially the number of plastic grocery bags and amount of packaging materials. What would you like to give back to Mother Nature?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection. In your journal, answer the following: What do you believe to be Earth’s most pressing issue today? How can you address it?

FOR GROUP STUDY: 

1.  Read aloud Session CXXVIII.
2.  Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com