Tag: Mary Oliver

Resolved to read?

Did anyone out there make a resolution to read the Bible in 2021?

I want to share a few thoughts over the coming weeks about the Bible and the experience of reading it. Not that I’m an expert or anything: I’m not. But maybe my experience could be a help to you.

And yours to me.

So this could be kind of a discussion, if you like. What do you think?

There are two things I want to start with – to me they are really important. The first is where I’m coming from about the purpose of the Bible and of reading it; Jesus says it better than anyone:

“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you…
Peterson, Eugene H.. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language . The Navigators. Kindle Edition. John 5:39-40

There are all kinds of reasons for reading the Bible, but for me this is the one that matters: to bring us to Jesus. That’s what I want to focus on.

The second thing I want to mention today: are you familiar with Mary Oliver’s poem Praying? (If not, you can read it here: Praying – a poem by Mary Oliver – it’s by far the most popular post on this blog.)

What does this have to do with reading the Bible? Everything. Reading the Bible is a way to pray. Come to it from where you are, with what you have and what you lack. Just be yourself. Just come.

Jesus says, “Here I am, right here. Just come on, the way you are, so we can be together.”

Grace and peace to you…

Tags 2021, Bible reading, Jesus, Mary Oliver, praying, resolutions, Scripture

Other Writings Review-recap

Reflections after 18 months

Post author By dw
Post date July 3, 2019
1 Comment on Reflections after 18 months

dozens of luminary candles in what looks like a stream, some near, some farther away — candles in dark room

I started becomingflame.com a little over 18 months ago, have kept with it, and I think the original About page still describes what I’m up to.
I look forward to writing each post and to being surprised each time at what actually comes together.
I read differently now, always being on the lookout for things to share here. I like that.
The most difficult part of each post is finding a photo – it usually accounts for 90% of the time it takes me to finish and publish a post.
I’ve learned that I don’t like writing prose – makes me feel like I need to explain everything as though I’m writing to an audience of brains instead of hearts-and-brains-connected. Just sayin’…that’s where I am right now.
I’ve met dear people whom I’ve grown to love and who have contributed significantly to me through their writings and interactions. Someday soon I’ll share links to their blogs.
I seem to have become a significant site for finding Mary Oliver’s poem “Praying” – that post is far and away the one most visited on my site, getting views almost every day. (What better honor could I have? I can’t imagine one.)
I worry that my more conservative friends and family think I’ve gone over the edge, have “drunk the kool-aid”. All I can say is that I love Jesus more now than I ever have, that I feel more compassion for others than I ever have, and that I love sharing that here in language that is hopefully fresh and alive.
I’m aiming for your hearts, because I think God is aiming for mine.
Who say’s I need a 10th?

Grace and peace to you…

Tags blogging, friends, Jesus, Mary Oliver, praying, reading, writing

Review-recap

What did we do?

woman looking at what she has written in her notebook

What happened in February?

scripture

We continued to look at scriptures that talk about light and its incompatibility with darkness in our lives.

prayers

We considered prayers begging for the very basics of eternal life and for divine mercy.

other writings

We looked at writings from the Catholic Catechism, Thomas Merton, Mary Oliver, and Frederick Buechner that considered how we can know what is true about the world around us and about our own identities, what the final purpose of life is, and the nature of prayer.

comments

Online community is a tricky thing. I don’t think it takes the place of physical, in-your-face community, but I do think it can be valuable, maybe even a lifeline at times. I welcome any thoughts you’d like to share.