Spiritual Growth | Reflections on the Teche

Archive for the ‘Spiritual Growth’ Category

Love Poem

Posted in Poetry, Spiritual Growth, tagged Kwame Alexander, spiritual journey, Spiritual poetry, vocabulary poems on April 16, 2015| 10 Comments »

Join the Spiritual Thursday round up at Reading, Teaching, Learning.

Use this button created by Leigh Anne Eck to post your Digital Poetry this month.

The theme for today’s Spiritual Thursday round-up is love. At first I thought, “This is easy.” However, the more I thought about it, writing about love is hard. What do I have to say that is new and refreshing or inspiring? When I have a difficult writing assignment, I often turn to form. Today I turn to Kwame Alexander and his amazing 2015 Newbery Award book in verse, The Crossover. In The Crossover, the character writes definitions in a particular form. My blogging friends, Michelle and Holly, each used the form (vocabulary poems) this month. I haven’t tried it with my students yet, but I usually like to practice before presenting them with an idea. Here’s my definition of love.

love

/ləv/

a person or thing that one loves.

as in: the curl of an infant’s
new fingers around your thumb.

as in: looking through the open window
of our arms as we dance
the Lover’s Waltz.

as in: let the soft body
of your heart love
what it loves.*

as in: He gave his only
begotten son so that
you and I have eternal life.

© Bratishka | Dreamstime.com - Baby Hand Photo

* variation of a line from Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese, my all time favorite poem.

Read Full Post »

Seeking Joy

Posted in Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #DigiPoetry, Easter, Spiritual poetry on April 9, 2015| 7 Comments »

Use this button created by Leigh Anne Eck to post your Digital Poetry this month.

Join the Spiritual Thursday round up at Reading, Teaching, Learning.

“Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.” Eleanor Roosevelt

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Luke 24:5

We pursue joy,
chase her like butterflies
through the fields–
a futile search.
Like the rainbow over the horizon,
Joy recedes
farther and farther
from our grasp.

When we seek felicity for others,
joy slowly tiptoes in.
She comes in with the wind,
hardly noticeable, always there.

–Margaret Simon

Original image by Beth Saxena. Altered using PicMonkey.

Read Full Post »

Maundy Footwashing

Posted in Digital Learning, Poetry, Spiritual Growth, tagged #DigiPoetry, Episcopal, foot washing, Maundy Thursday on April 2, 2015| 8 Comments »

Use this button created by Leigh Anne Eck to post your Digital Poetry this month.

Join the Spiritual Thursday round up at Reading, Teaching, Learning.

The maundy in Maundy Thursday means foot washing. Our choir works on anthems that speak of Jesus’ death. It is a somber service. The attendance is low. I think many are uncomfortable with the idea of baring your feet for the priest to wash. Many are uncomfortable with the thought of death, death by torture. I am uncomfortable.

My daughter had a pedicure this week in preparation for a wedding she will be in this weekend. The small Asian woman gently removed embedded nails, shaved off calloused skin, and massaged her legs and feet. The woman was low. We were sitting high. She was performing a service. She looked up again and again checking Maggie’s pain level and asking with her eyes for reassurance that she was doing the right thing, offering peace and comfort through her service. I imagined the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair. Humbled and low, looking up to Jesus for approval.

I understand the theory behind foot washing as a way to humble ourselves by washing each other’s feet. Years ago when I was teaching in an Episcopal school, my headmaster asked me to do the foot washing. I thought he meant that I would be the example, the one having my feet washed. But no, I was doing the washing. Students lined up with their feet bared. As I washed child by child, I began to feel an extreme weariness. Afterward, I was physically exhausted. I cried. The experience was profound.

For Digital Poetry, I offer a video from a recent walk in the park. A small poem accompanies the video. The only sound is the running of water.

Read Full Post »

Exercise Faith

Posted in Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Anne Frank, spiritual journey, Spiritual poetry on March 26, 2015| 8 Comments »

SOL #26

Join the Spiritual Thursday round up at Reading, Teaching, Learning.

I want to go on living even after my death! And therefore I am grateful to God for giving me this gift, this possibility of developing myself and of writing, of expressing all that is in me. I can shake off everything if I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.– ANNE FRANK

Exercise Faith, a poem reflection using words of Anne Frank

A grandiose idea
life after death
your own life continuing on
and on, like the cycle of nature,
seed, seedling, sprout, grow, die, rebirth.

This gift of words
life after death
your own life continuing on
and on, with words on paper
floating in clouds like rain
coming down, going up, coming down again.

Developing my most inner self
reflecting on events, ideas,
life after death
continuing on and on,
like monks in meditation, singing Om
breathing in, breathing out, breath of life.

Expressing all that is me
honors God in me
knowing life after death
continues on and on,
like a rainbow rising over the storm
shining its promise, eternally.

I shake it all off,
dust from the shelves,
throw compost on earth,
spread life after death
on and on, shaking off sorrows,
leaving only good soil, good growth,
good courage…reborn.

–Margaret Simon

Read Full Post »

Brave Heart

Posted in Slice of Life, Spiritual Growth, Writing on March 19, 2015| 10 Comments »

SOL #19

Join the Spiritual Thursday round up at Reading, Teaching, Learning.

To have courage for whatever comes in life – everything lies in that.

– SAINT TERESA OF AVILA

A title and a quote
saved in draft
waiting for me
to be brave
to come to this page again,
to be present, and write.

Every day, courage is tested.

What ever comes, Teresa,
am I really ready for it?
Everything lies
in wait for my response.

The wilderness is dark,
lonely, scary, and fierce.
The path is grown over with weeds.
The branches hang low blinding me
from the way through.

Then there comes a light
rising up from the East
creating a rainbow in the clouds
showing me
I am not alone.

The sparkle in your eye,
the gentle song in your voice
call to me
to be
brave
and true
to shine the light
in me
that comes only from
my God.

Read Full Post »

Discover

Posted in Poetry, Slice of Life, Spiritual Growth, tagged Chere' Coen, Eknath Easwaran, haiku, spiritual journey on March 12, 2015| 11 Comments »

SOL #12

On Thursdays I join Holly Mueller’s round up of Spiritual Journey posts. We are all writing around a theme. This week we explore Jaana’s one little word, Discover.

I have an offering of a beautiful photograph taken by my friend, journalist, Chere’ Coen and a small poem based on these words of wisdom from Eknath Easwaran:

This prayer (Seek ye first the kingdom of God) is not addressed to someone outside us, but to our deepest Self, the Lord of Love, who dwells in the hearts of us all. When we repeat it, we are not asking for anything in particular, like good health or solutions to our problems or richer personal relationships. We are simply asking to get closer to the source of all strength and all joy and all love. Eknath Easwaran

Read Full Post »

Stretching

Posted in Spiritual Growth, tagged poetry, spiritual reflection, yoga on February 26, 2015| 5 Comments »

Click here to read more inspirational posts.

http://smileyface001.deviantart.com/art/Butterfly-Zentangle-422576824

I am participating in the Spiritual Thursday Round up over at Holly Mueller’s blog. We are writing from each other’s one little word. Today, we reflect on Ramona’s word, Stretch. Stretch is a synonym for my OLW, Reach. But I couldn’t help but think about yoga class and how Evelyn tells us to pay attention to our bodies so that we will be better equipped to function for others.

Yoga Class

I am tired at the end of the day.
My socks hug my feet.
I stretch and release the tension
resting in my shoulders.

Stretch out on a lavender yoga mat,
listen to the gentle chime
calling me to do a body scan.
What part needs your attention tonight?

The block of energy, the stopping place,
my right shoulder, not pain but tight,
holding in, holding on.
Let go. Stretch again.

Folded into child’s pose,
I am inward like a chrysalis
waiting for the gift of life
waiting for the stretching of my wings.

Help me open up and fly to you, Lord.
Help me to know the limits of my reach
so that I may be the strength
for someone’s grief, the embrace
for someone’s pain.

I am your instrument only
when I am fully present.
Listening to the rhythm of my breath,
I hear yours join in.
I know you are here.
Namaste.

–Margaret Simon

Read Full Post »

Spiritual Thursday Dive

Posted in Spiritual Growth, tagged Ash Wednesday, dive, publishing, spiritual journey on February 19, 2015| 7 Comments »

Holly Mueller is the hostess of this beautiful blog journey. Be sure to visit her site to read more inspirational posts.

We have been exploring different words chosen by our blogging community. Greg’s one little word is Dive.

I am a wimp. I don’t take risks easily. Diving off the high diving board when I was a swimmer was the ultimate test of bravery, and I didn’t pass. I think I have gotten braver, but I am still one who tests the waters with her big toe and slips in gradually. Diving is very scary to me.

Blogging is entering into the publishing waters gradually. I feel safe here in this space with only a few people reading my musings. I guess you could say I dove in with Blessen, my first middle grade novel. But it took me three years to write. The diving came about when I decided to go the route of self-publishing. Now I am about to finish the sequel (another 3 years in the making), and I want to dive in to the traditional publishing world. This is so scary.

First I renewed my membership in SCBWI. That was easy enough. Then I registered for the Houston conference in April. While registering, I signed up for a manuscript critique with an editor. Hold on, what did you say? I looked at the requirements for the submission. I froze at the cover letter. That’s when I opened up my safe Reflections on the Teche tab and started writing about the word Dive. Am I ready to dive in? What’s the worst that can happen, really? I need to hold my nose and jump in. I’m not sure what will be waiting in the water. Was it Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “Do one thing that scares you every day?”

That is why I need God. I know that I am always loved, no matter what. There is no failure in God’s eyes. There is only courage and hope wrapped up in love.

I enter the church on Ash Wednesday, and I walk to the alter for ashes. I hear the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The smudge of dust is placed on my forehead. I return to my work with a renewed heart, ready to dive, ready to pursue a dream, ready to be made new.

A Valentine’s Day gift from a student.

Read Full Post »

Looking for Reflections

Posted in Spiritual Growth, tagged Holy Eucharist, spiritual journey on February 12, 2015| 5 Comments »

Click here to read more #spiritualjourney posts. Thanks Holly for hosting this roundup!

Reflection of the rose window at St. Marks Cathedral in Seattle, WA.

There is no doubt that I love reflections hence the name of this blog. I look out on the bayou each day to see the reflection of the trees, standing tall like floating towers on the water. Once a Catholic friend (I am an Episcopalian) told me that she saw the reflection of Christ in the communion cup during a Eucharist we were attending together at the National Cathedral. She was surprised to find Jesus in our cup as she was always told Jesus only blesses the Catholic Eucharist. I know this sounds ludicrous, but that is what she thought before her vision. The actual very confusing rule is explained here.

Ever since my friend’s vision in the chalice, I look when I take the wine. I used to close my eyes. And when the swine flu was going around, and our priest advised us to dip rather than drink, I drank anyway. I look. I always see a reflection. The reflection is not always ethereal, but it is always beautiful.

On Monday, I attended a memorial service for a friend’s husband. The service was in an Episcopal church, and a full communion was served.

I kept my eyes open.

I was delighted by the many lights I saw in the wine reflection, red, green, yellow, sparkling lights. A sign to me that resurrection is real.

When we open our eyes in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we will see miracles.
We will see love.
We will see.
And believe.

I plan to keep my eyes open.

Read Full Post »

Reach

Posted in Poetry, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Author Amok, Laura Shovan, OLW, Reach on February 5, 2015| 3 Comments »

Click here to read more #spiritualjourney posts. Thanks Holly for hosting this roundup!

Since the new year, Holly has gathered our spiritual journey posts about each person’s one little word. Today my word Reach is the featured theme.

I haven’t really settled in with my OLW yet. Reaching takes active work. It’s not a passive word. I can’t just sit back on it and wait. I have to go out there and do something about it. I want to embrace this word Reach, but on these cold wet winter days, I’d rather be lazy, curl up with my dog and rest. Exercise another day.

I stretch my sore, tired muscles.
I look at the amaryllis, now wilting.
I notice new growth, a new stem creeping up alongside the blossom.
Where did that come from?
Sometimes without us even noticing, God plants new growth.
We can bloom again.

I chose Reach for completely selfish reasons. I have a few writing projects that I am working on and others I am thinking about. I set a goal to move forward with writing, to Reach for publication. Maybe I should have chosen a braver word, like Courage.

This month a Poetry Friday blogging friend, Laura Shovan, has started a poetry project to celebrate her birthday. I have been writing a poem each day to a posted sound. This project is stretching my writing muscles and giving me a creative place to go each day. Am I Reaching? I can think about this writing as stretching, exercising, and moving my writing muscles. All a part of Reaching. Follow this link to read poems about a thunder storm sound.

Perhaps when I read all the Spiritual Journey posts about my OLW I will embrace it, feel it, want to, own it. Today, I will Reach for Reach.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »