Day 1: Be Open to All That Shows Up in Your Life
open
During my quiet time I opened the email but it is only now an hour later when I realise how many things have been open to me. My dog was open to being taken for a walk, a driver was open to letting me go first, the door opened (but first I had to unlock it), the coffee cup with its beautiful cat motif stared at me open to be filled.
Now as I sit ready to be open to my study today, the phone opened, the computer opened, the radio opened. My prayer this morning after the “open” ritual was that God could open my mind to get the assignment done today – due tomorrow but many people to see today and a piece of writing to be birthed for Sunday. O Lord make my whole being open to your will today. xxx S
Open to silence
(to be read as noises)
Purring engine
Swish swoosh swish
Turn right in 1 kilometre
Purring engine
Swish swoosh swish
At the roundabout take the 3rd exit
Purr… shh shh shh
You were always mine first
Shh shh shh
In 500 metres you have reached your destination
© Susan Gallagher
January 2023
Day 2: Pick a Soul Booster
platitudes
The one liners in the email are those things that people say when they want to reassure but dont have the words and the words they use are not necessary.
A one line sentence to live for, for me…
You are the Segullah (treasured possession) of God.
Day 3: Do a Start-the-Day Ritual
Daily Office
First I walk – the dog
Then I put on the heating – for the student
Then I settle into an old comfy rocking chair with blankets and read scripture, pray, meditate and pray a wee bit more. There is silence and rest – from this I spring forward into my 10-12 hour work days
Day 4: Bless Your Body
Blessing of my body
Forehead: Oh Lord help me to get my thoughts in straight lines so I can write my assignments this month and Lord if you would be so kind give me some insight for the teaching on Sunday May your thoughts be kind and wise. May you resolve anything in your mind that keeps you from being your true self.
Ears: Lord as I travel to meet Myles today may you give me words of what to bring to the meeting – I will be paying attention. May you listen to the inner Voice of the Beloved and act on the word of God. May you hear the melodies of your own goodness and treasure who you are.
Eyes: Lord as I keep my eyes on the road give me that inner eye knowledge to keep me safe from my own road use and others May you have inner vision to see more clearly the path that is yours. May you look upon others with love as you search for your way home.
Mouth: O Lord as I go about making first impressions that are less than the person you want me to be, help me be quiet, hold my tongue, send me back to the teaching of James over and over, May you speak with love, proclaim the truth, and make your needs known. May you laugh at the absurdities of life and taste life with joy and enthusiasm.
Nose: As I travel into the place where the olafactory organ of my body asks me to leave, the stench being high, I thank you Lord that you send me to such places and how quickly you allow my nose to attune and forget. As you take in air and let out air, may you be reminded of the cycle of life with its dying and rising, it’s emptying and filling. May you breathe in the aroma of goodness and breathe out what needs to be let go.
Hands: Lord you know I am not a tactile person but Lord if touch is needed give me the mercy and grace to throw away my inhibition for your glory May you use your hands to touch all of life with reverence and gratitude. May these hands reach out with care to others. May these hands be willing to receive from others.
Day 5: Let Go of Your Clutter
Clutter Bluster
Lord I am a minimalist you know this, in all things I carry the irreducible minimum, in prayer I use short words, in silence I remain silent, the interiority of my life is uncluttered – no docrinal influences fill the shelves of my heart, no bitterness is loaded in the dishwasher of my heart.
My mind though needs to go through a spin cycle to get to the essence of the research I am conducting.
The house I am positioned in is weak at the knees with all the books I carry with me.
The cup – my old boss got me to do the cup thing years ago – oh how I have changed I embrace the cup now, less so before.
Day 6: Be Grateful for Little Moments
little moments in the morning
up before dawn – thank full for the walk to clear the slumber, heard the dawn chorus – Thank you Lord.
Dog came to meet me – thank you Lord for the gift of friendship this beautiful creature exhibits.
Radio on in the background – so grateful to have technology as I study and work this morning.
Filling out forms for families on low income – oh Lord how do they manage? Thank you for your provision for them directly and through the community of our congregation.
Thank you for the words of Dallas Willard and Julian Aguon who are informing my study this morning.
Thank you Lord for each breath Amen
Day 7: A Poem for Today
whisper
Yesterday I spent in juxtaposed positions: writing a dissertation proposal on silence and spirituality and then at a concert DropKick Murphys… this morning reflecting on a poem I was transported to the wee cave on the mountain and the whisper of God.
Day 8: Embrace Beauty
Lebreton
I am writing about the Trappist monk, Christophe Lebreton today and reading again his diary. The mundane annoyance at a flat choir and lack of water is dovetailed with a deep theological reflection on Psalm 23. A simple life exposed to horrors of war ultimately dying after being kidnapped.
In his poems I find rest, the experience of reading them aloud brings something of the essence of him to my room. And with his essence comes the aroma of the divine. In his arguing with God there is growth and I pray that as I reflect my walk with the divine comes closer
Day 9: Be an angel
Walking
there was a guy on the river walk, it was 5 am and he said get off at the next available exit there was bad people ahead. So I did later I heard the baddies had caused trouble
I met many people on the river during covid and we became community for one another – one lady would walk her dog there but then lost the dog and so didn’t want to walk anymore so I began to meet her for coffee
Day 10: Release Painful and Leftover Feelings
Closing
“Let Sophia, the Great Mother, gather you in her arms.
Receive her comfort.
Tell her of any leftover pain that still dwells within you.”
I find it difficult to engage with closing. I must because of the nature of the study I am doing and the work I do but I keep the conversations superficial and shallow. To close would mean acknowledging something deeper that is going on.
I receive your comfort Wisdom.
Day 11: Learn from Your Mistakes and Failings
Life long learning
May I befriend the unwanted parts of myself and continually learn wisdom from them.
Thank you for lovingly embracing me as I am.
while the murky layers of my many shortcomings
are slowly transformed into love.
I have good habits and bad ones. The good ones are walking the dog eating healthy attending to spiritual disciplines and studying. When I get overwhelmed the bad ones appear I scrub floors I stare at walls I stay stock still for hours. I see them now for what they are and dismiss the action and deal with the pain.
Day 12: Befriend the Darkness
Why Not?
Darkness is a friend, I walk my dog in the darkness before dawn, when traffic is light, and few people are out. Darkness helps shake off slumber, collate thoughts.
Mushrooms grow in the dark. At mushroom farms manure is piled over the spores and the resulting growth is cut off and more manure is added lifecycle repeats
Day 13: Stand in the Light
Are we there yet?
I have a friend in Florida who gives out to me when I post pictures of rainbows throughout the year- I gave her the book Pollyanna so she could make her own.
My favourite ones are in unexpected places- when you look in the wing mirror and the splash off the tyres cause a spectrum.
In fairness I live in rainbows – the light in my life – who happens to be THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD and in turn am a little light too
Day 14: A Poem for Today
a tree
we have inherited a graveyard. Two graves in it.
The grass is cut by somebody who
i don’t know their name
on Friday I took snaps of
the chapel now a home
the red sandstone weathered into
shapes vast and true
I crossed the road to get a shot of grave
number two and the house that
was a chapel
and finally …
finally I noticed
this huge oak tree
must be over a hundred years old
huge tree
middle of the shot
how did I miss its majesty
it broad trunk bigger even than me
and then later upon a reflection
I thought sure isn’t Jesus there
standing in our midst and yet
so often no one sees him
great oak I salute you
but Jesus Christ I bow to you.
Day 15: Learn from Nature
A Dandy Lion
A weed they say
not wanted here
spray spray spray
they turn and
walk away.
and yet each morn
I unfurl my leaves and
stand tall
turning my head to the sun
higher and higher.
come very close
and ye shall shine
also for I am the
Dandy Lion
and I love to worship God.
Day 16: Pay Attention
mmm strange things
at 6.38 I turned off my alarm and was on the street within 5 minutes. It was dark, very little traffic but there were 7 runners that I hadn’t seen at this time before. A guy in hi vis shorts and vest, A guy head to toe matching pale blue, an older guy walking with a hat – a proper hat not a cap or cowboy hat – a hat you would need to go to a gentlemen outfitter to purchase. It was warmer this morning 7 degrees Celsius maybe this was a 2023 resolution run. I will change my alarm to 6:15 then the streets will be clear of the humans. There is a collared dove who would like to be fed along with 3 rooks who are circling a house along the way, the sky is grey /white now at 8:27 probably showers to be expected. Must change out of my crocs to proper shoes or chilblains will come again.
My work for the day is done bar one thing I am putting off and all the visits and Bible studies – office work is done!
Day 17: Make Connections
dinner
my healthy food lies in the fridge, as I open the door they shout stir fry or salad.
I ignore and walk to the shop choosing a vegan cheese pizza. from the freezer
there is no connection to the universe in eating such plastic tasting food.
I miss my salad and stir fry
I miss the connection
Day 18: Count Your Blessings
Hospitality
I thank God for everything in my life
Today I thank him for a queasy tum that is making me rest
Day 19: Let Your Light Shine
Reaching out
My youngest son and I – we don’t keep in touch like other family members. He feels pushed out because his older brothers took a lot of care. I have the flu or something like it maybe Covid but also got my first semester results and am on target for in the MA, will probably land at a Merit.
Anyway, he rang me late last night just to check in see how I was. He is a kind boy.
Day 20: Cherish Earth Companions
Go to place
I have a place
A special place
Where the earth
Kisses heaven
And heaven kisses
Earth
A thin place
Where all the saints
From days before
Clamour to encourage
That great crowd
Of witnesses speaking
Gentle life affirming words
To a girl who knew no one
And to one loved
I have a place
That I return to in
My waking dreams
To listen to those words
To hear the different
voices all saying the same
Thing – you are loved
I have a place that I returned to
After getting past my 21st year
Step father thought I’d be dead
But instead I returned with babe # 1
And the only husband I shall ever have
I returned with babes 2 & 3 as well
And I will return there again
When my bones are tired
And my husband’s slippers are worn
Day 21: A Poem for Today
סגולה
how could I have walked
in darkness so long
how did I not know
you cared
the lies they tell
the stories they skew
I could not see that You see me
how did I live before knowing you
how did I breathe in and out
you are everything to me
and I am your סגולה
I walk in lightness and of light
I travel lightly my pack is small
I am not weighed down by
the minutiae of life
because you take care of that
thank you for calling me your סגולה
thank you for caring so deeply
thank you that you remember me
small as I am.
Day 22: Seek Spiritual Growth
Has to be done
It feels like a chore sometimes.
The opening of the daily office
But whenever I open it with
Grumpiness
I am convicted in the writing much like David was by Nathan’s words.
So, I take a deep breath when I feel like that
Because some pruning
Some challenge is about to occur.
Day 23: Open the Door of Your Heart in Love
Examen
A life unexamined is a waste.
Examining our responses with the Holy Spirit can lead to fruitful change if we ask for change.
Day 24: Remember Your Spiritual Ancestors
New born
I was raised by wolves
There is no ancestor thing for me
Each new thing I learn about the Divines mercy I cannot share with my kin
There is no familial great cloud of witnesses
BUT
yes there are those people
He has placed in my path
To care for them
And they to care for me
To be loved by them and to love
Those spiritual ancestors reach back to Abraham
Day 25: Share a Blessing of Compassion
the hug
I moved for work in August 2020
I left my husband behind – we saw each other through glass 4 times in the next year.
September 2021 I was away with my dog – another solitary thing
I stopped at one of these roadside coffee pop up shops and grabbed a black coffee
And the woman asked me something
I replied
and then she said something
and came towards me and hugged me
the first human touch I had in over a year
I left
I wept
My doggie companion hugged me more
Day 26: Show Up for Your Prayers
An example I try to attain
When Susanna was young, she promised the Lord that for every hour she spent in entertainment, she would give to Him in prayer and in the Word. Taking care of the house and raising so many kids made this commitment nearly impossible to fulfill. She had no time for entertainment or long hours in prayer! She worked the gardens, milked the cow, schooled the children and managed the entire house herself. So, she decided to instead give the Lord two hours a day in prayer!
She struggled to find a secret place to get away with Him. So she advised her children that when they saw her with her apron over her head, that meant she was in prayer and couldn’t be disturbed. She was devoted to her walk with Christ, praying for her children and knowledge in the Word no matter how hard life was.
susanna Wesley – mother of the man who founded the Methodist Church
Day 27: Deal with Distractions
Listening: how easy, how difficult. (quoting heavily from N’oelia’s article)
Listening to the silence is made difficult because quiet places are difficult to find.
While I long for silence, I find that I am not familiar with it and at times am uncomfortable with stillness. This was particularly hard as I began to practice meditation.
During the first days, I experienced what she called “monkey mind.” My thoughts jumped from tree to tree. “What should I have for dinner?” “Is Gran doing better?” “I haven’t felt well lately.” Monkey mind seeks to disrupt our thoughts.
Listening: how easy, how difficult. Over time, our spiritual practices become easier. They take on a rhythm and discipline that no longer seem strange. We will always strive to draw nearer to the mystery beyond us. That mystery may include many names: Yahweh, Allah, Grandfather, Great Spirit, or Abba. These are our attempts to name our experience. In seeking a deeper spirituality, we hope to find our way into a Holy Possible.
Day 28: A Poem for Today
Begin again, and again, and again
That’s me
Day 29: Look Lovingly
look lovingly
it is St Brigid’s day here in Ireland – our first new bank holiday in many a year. It is the first day of Spring and today we have made Kimchi, got our 12,000 steps in and started work on some new videos for church.
We are happy and have smiled at a hundred people and some smiled back. we love because first he loves us.
Day 30: Be Resilient
Ten boom
Let us thank God for the lice and bedbugs. Great another peg to hang my research on let us give thanks for the noise.
Day 31: Notice the Wonders of Life
dawn
I was walking my dog earlier and noticed the rainbow cowl encircling the moon – it means it is cold and the sun is about to pop up… a misty halo in the lightening sky.
Echoes of my moonbow reaching my smiling lips.
When I first moved into this very male office I moved my desk to the window and drew back the blinds so I could see the sky above the bushes, watch the birds feed and see any creatures visiting. Once I saved a collared dove from a cat but it died from its injuries. Anyway – get to the point Suzie! I hear my mother shout in the ether…
Today I watched as blush pink met subtle oranges and yellows – it is going to be a fine day and I thank God as I watch the changing skyline for being God.
Day 32: Contemplate Your Losses
losses
there is a deep loss inside of me
I haven’t named it yet
I feel like I hold the floodgates at bay
there will be a season for that grief to come out
But for now I hold it in.
Just found
For those of you in the process of grief – I pray for you today
I write about Stuff 