Mothers' Spiritual Disciplines
This morning I found a new (non-Quaker) blog via some path from Jenell Paris's blog. I was so pleased to find this post about an article titled "Disorderly Disciplines" by Jenell (in Christianity Today, May 2007). Most of this post is a reprint of the comment I left there.
I started thinking about the same topic yesterday morning. I was supposed to be sleeping in on Mother's Day, but no, I was lying there fretting about my lack of spiritual discipline.
I keep thinking I should do some spiritual practice more regularly but my life is already pretty full, I don't have an extra hour to myself at any regular time of day.
A few years ago, when my boys were 4 and a newborn, I made a resolution just to pray every day. At some point I realized that I was praying every day, but it was coming in 3 second snatches. About the length of one deep breath. And over the course of the day, I might do that several times, maybe even 30 seconds of prayer, every day. I decided to cut myself some slack and say good enough.
Yesterday morning I finally came up with the idea that I could try to pick something I'm already doing and just try to do it mindfully every day and that could be a spiritual practice. Maybe it's walking, maybe it's washing dishes, maybe it's journalling.
But I didn't decide yet - just as I reached a point of relaxation, my breakfast in bed arrived. Which, while a lovely idea (and for which I am truly grateful, guys), is never actually relaxing. At least this year, no one bounced on the bed while I was holding my tea cup.
I started thinking about the same topic yesterday morning. I was supposed to be sleeping in on Mother's Day, but no, I was lying there fretting about my lack of spiritual discipline.
I keep thinking I should do some spiritual practice more regularly but my life is already pretty full, I don't have an extra hour to myself at any regular time of day.
A few years ago, when my boys were 4 and a newborn, I made a resolution just to pray every day. At some point I realized that I was praying every day, but it was coming in 3 second snatches. About the length of one deep breath. And over the course of the day, I might do that several times, maybe even 30 seconds of prayer, every day. I decided to cut myself some slack and say good enough.
Yesterday morning I finally came up with the idea that I could try to pick something I'm already doing and just try to do it mindfully every day and that could be a spiritual practice. Maybe it's walking, maybe it's washing dishes, maybe it's journalling.
But I didn't decide yet - just as I reached a point of relaxation, my breakfast in bed arrived. Which, while a lovely idea (and for which I am truly grateful, guys), is never actually relaxing. At least this year, no one bounced on the bed while I was holding my tea cup.
posted by Robin M. at 3:40 PM
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6 Comments:
Happy Mother's Day, Robin! May your tea cup never be bounced, especially when it is already so full!
Blessings,
Liz Opp, The Good Raised Up
But did you get Lemonheads? 'Cause Lemonheads make a darn good breakfast food. ;)
On the breakfast in bed thing--? Been there, so happy not to be doing that any more! This year, my 20-year-old daughter gave me a scrapbook of her doodles over the years, and a hug. Which was SO much better than trying to enjoy breakfast in bed.
Though another teacher at word today shared his family's Mother's Day breakfast tradition: Mom gets Ben and Jerry's ice cream in bed to start the day.
Now _that_ I think I could enjoy.
Good luck finding moments of mindfulness!
Thank you, Liz.
JPC, YOU are the only woman I know lucky enough to get Lemonheads for breakfast.
Cat, I thought I had specified that I'd rather have my french toast, which I did request and receive, at the table. But I think my children prevailed. I think I would most like to have my tea brought to me in bed, and then get up to eat anything involving crumbs, syrup, or juice.
But how can I complain? S. made me a beautiful necklace of multi-colored and multi-shaped beads. I wore it to meeting with my plainest skirt and sweater.
Here is the text of my handmade card from H.:
#1 Mommy
(stick figure of me with crown)
You could be a queen!
That's how nice you are!
You could never be replaced!
With love, H.
And then my meeting made me the unprogrammed Quaker equivalent of the pastor's wife.
What a day!
Happy Mother's Day, Robin! I am sorry I didn't make it to your meeting, but I plan to one of these weekends once T's work schedule calms down (sometime in late June). You may think your spiritual life is undisciplined, but you are thousands of miles ahead of me. I am only just beginning to notice that spirituality is really lacking in my life.
By the way, I hear you about the breakfast in bed. I also prefer mine at the table, although it is a sweet though. I got waffles and strawberries at the table, and then two hours to myself that I utilized by hiking around Thornton Beach and Fort Funston. My spirit felt rejuvenated afterwards. Maybe not the same as a Quaker meeting would be, but still quiet and nice. Cheers!
Happy Mother's Day to you too, Angelique. No hurry, come when you can, you (and your kids!) are always welcome at our Meeting.
I did get an hour or so to myself in the afternoon, and I spent it writing up an experience in ministry that I hope will become a blog post tomorrow.
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