Advent Daily Devotional: WEEK of PEACE – Starts DAY 8 – Sun, Dec 5
The Peace of Wild Things — Wendell Barry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
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WEEK of PEACE: DAY 8
Sun, Dec 5
Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace —
in peace because they trust in you. — Isaiah 26:3
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them
light has shined.— Isaiah 9:2
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How do you cultivate peace through this practice of reading, reflecting, and lighting candles?
Perhaps the first truth is that by setting aside time to dive into any spiritual practice, you make a commitment to yourself and your loved ones. You honor yourself and others by setting apart time, space, and attention to be present to the inner, spiritual part of your life. You cultivate this aspect of wellbeing. You give it space and priority.
When you ignite the first and second candles, you focus on wellbeing in relationship to self and others. This simple act is one step in being present. Let the light of peace warm you. — Rev Gail
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No person, no place, and no thing has any power over us,
for ‘we’ are the only thinkers in our mind.
When we create peace and harmony and balance
in our minds, we will find it in our lives.
— Louise Hay
Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.
— Kahlil Gibran
Advent Daily Devotional: WEEK of HOPE – DAY 7 – Sat, Dec 4
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord. — Psalm 31:24
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path. — Psalm 119:105
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The final day of its solo vigil, this candle sums up the week’s theme of hope. Alone it burns. Signals to you. Symbolizes everything you can imagine that hope might offer or promise. Dares to challenge its surroundings and add its small brightness to the world. Reminds you that your life, your heart, your mind, your choices, your voice, and your acts make an impact. — Rev Gail
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A lot of people have their big dreams and get knocked down and don’t have things go their way. And you never give up hope, and you really just hold on to it. Hard work and perseverance. You just keep getting up and getting up, and then you get that breakthrough. — Robert Kraft
In the right light, at the right time,
everything is extraordinary. – Aaron Rose
Advent Daily Devotional: WEEK of HOPE – DAY 6 – Fri, Dec 3
… hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem. — Psalm 130:7
O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.
— Psalm 43:3
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By now, the Advent candle has melted down and lost some height, especially if it is used every day. Yet its flame flares and rises upright: one small beacon.
‘Grounded hope’ requires a sense of empowerment and agency. In response to whatever is happening in your life, you develop confidence that you can exert some control over whatever comes next. Hope includes this proactive, reality-based troubleshooting approach to the issues in life.
Writing about resiliency for Option B, Kravetz observes,
‘We start by asking, “Given what’s happened to me, what am I going to do about it? How can I build a better life on top of it?” Then we set goals for ourselves and find sources of motivation to pursue those goals.’ Perhaps events occur that are beyond your control. Perhaps circumstances include situations that involve your own choices and actions.
Scientist and change-maker Jane Goodall reflects, in her book Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey, “Each one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes a difference. Each one of us must take responsibility for our own lives, and above all, show respect and love for living things around us, especially each other.”
What plans might you make in response to whatever requires change in your life? Break your strategy into small do-able steps. Pace yourself. Set up the opportunity to succeed incrementally as you implement your strategy.
Look again at the candle. Focus on its capacity to change its surroundings and how it affects your perception of your world. Hope is achievable! — Rev Gail
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They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy
in this world: someone to love, something to do,
and something to hope for. – Tom Bodett
There’s a sorrow and pain in everyone’s life, but every now and then there’s a ray of light that melts the loneliness in your heart and brings comfort like hot soup and a soft bed.
– Hubert Selby, Jr.
Advent Daily Devotional: WEEK of HOPE – DAY 5 – Thurs, Dec 2
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. — Isaiah 40:31
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? — Psalm 27:1
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Watch the edge of the candle flame. It shifts. Changes color. Jumps and flickers. It seems to be alive.
In your own body, your heart leaps. Your breath catches. You, too, are alive.
Writer and researcher Lee Daniel Kravetz suggests that during the urgency of crisis and other life-changing events, we especially seek hope. Such experiences shift ‘our focus to the legacy we’ll leave … It pushes us to ask the question, “What is truly important to me?”’ Extreme circumstances or changes in perspective cause such clarification of our priorities.
What has become important to you over the past year or more? What, in this season, arises to claim your energy and imagination? Part of hope is channeling your time and resources into those areas of your life that matter the most and offer the greatest sense of purpose.
Let your flame be fed by what you value above all else. — Rev Gail
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Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality. — Jonas Salk
Light must come from inside. You cannot ask the darkness to leave; you must turn on the light. —Sogyal Rinpoche
Advent Daily Devotional: WEEK of JOY: Day 17- Tue, Dec 14
I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be complete. — John 15:11
Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.
— Ecclesiastes 11:7
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For now, begin with the simple act of being present to whatever is going on within you and around you. Pay attention to your body and its experience.
For instance, engage your senses. What do you see? Hear? Smell? Feel? Taste? Ground yourself by taking this inventory of your senses.
Now focus on a few simple strategies to cultivate joy through bodily self-care.
Inhale. Hold your breath a moment. Exhale slowly. Breathe.
Mindful breathing offers healthful benefits. It lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, and helps regulate your body’s capacity to manage stress and fatigue. It reduces depression, burnout, and negative thinking. It boosts your capacity to manage chronic pain and positively affects the side effects of other illnesses or conditions such as diabetes.
Repeat your breathing cycle. Then repeat it again.
Now smile. Science urges that the act of smiling triggers healthy neurological responses. Floods your brain with positive, empowering chemistry. Improves your wellbeing psychologically and physically.
Joy is connected to your body-mind-spirit connections. While it grows out of spiritual, emotional, and psychological practices, it remains an embodied experience, too.
Let your senses ground you in your surrounds and in your own skin. Now inhale deeply. Hold your breath. Smile wider. As you exhale, blow out the Advent candles. — Rev Gail
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To get the full value of joy you must have
someone to divide it with. ― Mark Twain
An age is called “dark,” not because the light fails to shine
but because people refuse to see it. – James Michener