An almost Mid-Advent Check up! How are we doing body, mind, and spirit wise? Revised Version

Dear Family of Love and Pilgrims on our Journey!

In just one week we will be once again at the Manger of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love! So I thought it would be as good a time as any for us to have a check up on how we are handling stress and if we are keeping to our daily routine of unplugging and keeping focused on what matters most.

So here is your self-care check list! Ask yourself  these questions and pray about them tomorrow when we have our walking time.

Am I getting enough rest?
Am I unplugging and getting outside? If it is cold, bundle up and do it anyway!
Am I hydrating myself with the Living Water of Christ and feel it coursing through my veins?
Am I asking God to enliven my spirit, quicken my steps, and expand my heart to love more and more and have an expansive and giving spirit?
Am I letting the hype get to me?
Am I being supportive, loving and accepting?
Have I stood up to bullies or hatemongers and stood with the oppressed and the marginalized?
Am I reconnecting with the people that matter most to me ?
Am I allowing enough time to get from place to place and is my car a no phone zone? 
Am I alert to all of my surroundings both driving and shopping?                                   
Am I allowing God in more and more?
Am I eating at the right times and watching the carbs?
Am I doing some kind of physical fitness?
Am I keeping it simple?
How am I sowing seeds of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy?
What have I been doing to make God's world a better place?
Am I seeing a family member (That is anyone) as someone made in the image and likeness of God?
Am I smiling more and not looking down on family member and seeing them as visible?
Am I at prayer and am I giving thanks and having an attitude of gratitude?

These should be enough to get us started even if you have to take a few of them each day!  No rush! Please do not hurry! We have all the time in the world. These will still apply after Christmas.

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Tonight's walk was beautiful crisp and clear! I was reminded again that we all have to be mindful of family members who are needy. Find out where the coat and blanket drives are. I'm falling in love with God even more this season. Whatever used to bother me is gone ! I know it has to do with this cyber ministry and pilgrimage that we are on together. God has me doing some amazing things as S/he is with you! We have to ask God for heart tenderizer and let God do the rest and allow God in. Ask God to have you let go of all things that are keeping you from doing what God is calling you to do! I remember once telling a story about the Beavers and God. It is this: Beavers dam up the Water of Life. We need to Stop being Beavers and not Dam up the Water of Life and let God and the Water of Life course through out veins and who knows what else might! So give the logs to those who need them to keep themselves warm and in order to build shelter.

Well that is my story and I'm sticking to it! I love you, you matter, and won't you continue to walk with me on our journey!

Love and peace of mind, Please don't be a beaver!

Sara

Music Sampler

A Renaissance Christmas - Riu, riu, chiu - The Boston Camerata

Claudio Monteverdi - Salve Regina | The Boston Camerata

Merry Christmas from The Renaissance

As I was a walking and praying......

Dear Family of Love  and Pilgrims on our Journey,

As I was walking and praying it came to me that we haven't talked about music this time of year! It is now ok by me to get out your Christmas Music and load up that iPod and MP3 Player! We can't fight it, so we might as well enjoy all the sounds of the holidays.  I have a playlist of albums that are good ones to walk to and play wherever you are. Sometimes, the sentimental music can depress one so beware. Sacred Christmas Music sings and speaks to the soul and we need to listen to what God is saying to us. I feel God and his loving presence in this kind of music. Yes, some of it is kind of what I call Princess Music! 

Tonight's walk was brought to you by A Baroque Christmas Album the cover looks like this! I highly recommend it!

I will post a few of the songs in the playlist section:

Anything by John Rutter is  good! I love to sing, so I like things that I can sing along with. Mannheim Steamroller is good if you are going to speed walk. Paul Winter of course is always in my head. Handel's Soulful Messiah is another goody. I prefer more sacred music for my walks but don't forget we all need to have fun so Michael Buble' will do as well. What ever can enliven your spirits, quicken your steps, and grow those loving heart muscles is good. 

The list is endless! Just check out Amazon! 

I also proved that I can walk on cold nights as long as I bundle up and get cozy! No Santa Suit though! 

I happen to like walking at night during this time just to see the lights and smell the outdoors. Take time to go outdoors if you can! 

I forgot to let you know that yesterday was You Matter Monday! Well you matter today and always as well.

Today is Thankful Tuesday! I'm thankful for you and especially all the unexpected things in my life. Take time to be thankful and make a list of the people who matter to you the most and tell them, like I am telling you!

Well Lovies! I have photos to upload music to link especially for you! I love you, you matter, and I give thanks to God for you this day. 

Love and peace of mind,

Sara

Playlist

Bach BWV 62 [Coro] Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland

Michael Praetorius: Puer natus in Bethlehem

Nun Lob Mein Seel

Playlist from Sunday's Drive to LA

Donkey Carol

Joy to the World -Arr John Rutter

Praying in place and getting rest!

Dear Family of Love and Pilgrims on our journey,

I am finally home from my 4 day driving trek that managed to total 753 miles! Yikes! I'm a bit tired and need a day of rest to get back in to the walking groove.  I am amazed that I have been able to do this! No, I'm not  God has been in the midst of all of this and all of this has been very good! My dad is even proud of me.
We will pray in place and walk tomorrow.

Lord God we pray for all who must drive for their jobs and take them far away from their families.

We pray for all those who continue to grieve  the loss of loved ones especially those who have died this time of the year.

We pray for all those who will be attending the service for Nelson Mandela tomorrow. We pray for the safety of all who attend especially those who are leaders of the many nations.

We pray for all those who are homeless, hungry, and lonely. Help us to never see them as invisible.

We pray and give thanks for all our family members tonight and their families too. 

We pray and give thanks for all the many blessings that you have bestowed up on us today.

We pray for all the hot spots in the world. May they find peace.

Lord we pray for those who have lost hope. Help us to be hope bringers.

Give us the courage to be peacemakers in a broken world Lord.

Lord we pray for______________________________

Lord we pray for the hopes of ________________________

Lord we pray for peace and the peace among nations and family members.

Lord help us sew seeds of hope, peace, joy and love as we continue to journey on to the Manger of Hope, Peace, Joy, and  Love. Amen.

*****************************

Well lovies, I need to get rest. I love you and hope that you all have had a blessed day. I Love you, you matter I and I give God thanks for you this day!

Love and peace of mind!

Sara

Sharing our Progressive Prayer Walking Framework With St. Peters'

Dear Family of Love and Pilgrims on our Journey,

When I asked to preach at St. Peter's awhile ago, I decided that it would be a perfect time to introduce you my parish family and share with them the progressive  prayer walk framework for the Second week of Advent. I want you to know that they have been my parish family for 54 years of my life and now you all are part of my family of Love and faith this day and always. Remember last week we had the key word of hope? This week we get to add to the framework the key word of peace. 

For those who haven't done our prayer walks we walk at what ever time is most suitable. I choose the evenings because of the peaceful qualities.

Close your eyes as we do this virtual prayer walk.

We  prepare  ourselves by hydrating with the image of Living Water coursing through our veins, tying our laces securely, wrapping our bodies with God's Warm prayer coat.

We invite God on our walk using these words or your own. God we invite you as you invite us to walk with you on our journey. Enliven our spirits, quicken our steps and open our hearts as we pray and walk.

When we  first are on the sidewalk we pray for all of our neighbors  (nearby, stranger, and enemy).  Pray for peace and those who have lost hope.

Take a look at the sidewalk  is it crooked or straight? Pray for safety as we walk and all those who travel. Take note of unsafe streets and sidewalks and report them.

When ever you see a Stop sign take time to pay attention to your breathing and heart beating. That is God with in you. Are you beginning to feel peaceful and hopeful? Those holy endorphins  will kick in soon.

Look at God's creation and give thanks! do you see new life peeking through old stumps like the shoot that came out of Jesse? I hope so! There is new life all around if you look closely.  When you see litter pray for those who litter and pray to be good stewards of God's Creation. 

Begin to notice the businesses if there are any and pray for those who work. Pray for peaceful and safe working conditions. 

Now begin your prayer list. Go slow don't hurry. Your prayers should only take the amount of time you plan. to walk. Ask God what you can do to bring peace and be a hopeful example to all. We need to be mindful of all our family members who are homeless and live on the streets of our cities. Always smile and never look down on them. They are God's Children too. No one is to be treated as invisible.

Take time to pray for our church and its leaders. They need it now more than ever. Especially this time of year. 

Finally Give thanks to God for all that God has done in your life today. Ask God to help you be a peace maker and hope bringer to a broken world. 

Dear Ones these are only suggestions. Remember to honor what your body is telling you to do. This framework can be prayed in place as well

We pray this final prayer: We thank you Lord  for letting us carry our prayers and those who have asked us for prayers in our hearts, minds, and spirits. We thank you for making our Feet Swift and Beautiful for you  and guiding our steps on this prayer walk to the manger of Hope, Peace, Love and Joy. Amen.

That's all for now dear family. Remember that you are walking in the light of God and " Light of Christ In Me recognizes the light of Christ In you. Won't you Walk with me on our journey?

Love and Peace of  body, mind, and spirit this day and always.

Sara

P.S. I love you, you matter, and I give thanks to God for you this day!

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord

Every Valley Shall Be Exalted ! Handel

Home is where your heart is

Dear Family of Love and  Pilgrims on our Journey!


I give thanks to God for you this day and want you to know that our blog is making a difference in people's lives. We are reaching family members who we wouldn't think would be interested in what we are doing. 
I was happy to share bits and pieces of the blog with others at our Diocesan Convention. In that spirit we will share the Prayer Walking Framework for the Second Sunday of Advent  with the congregation of St. Peter's Episcopal Church tomorrow at the 8 and 11 o'clock service. It will hopefully be live published after the  11:00 a.m. service and you will have ti earlier than usual.  

I have learned that home is where your heart is and that is true on all of my journeys with you and on the road. I feel your love, prayers and connection all the time. I can be anywhere and be assured that  we are family and am at home. It is an amazing feeling. I hope someday that you can feel that too or already do.

Here is the  Prayer Cycle For the Second Sunday and Week of  Advent.

Gentle God help us to be peacemakers and give us the courage to speak the language of peace to a broken world.
May there be peace and let it begin with us.

God of  love and compassion  give us the tools to be hope givers and comfort bringers to those who are lonely, lost, ill, and feel invisible.
Give them hope!

We pray for peace between nations, neighbors, and in ourselves.
Calm our fears Lord and settle our restless spirits Lord.

We Pray for the peace of_______________________________

We offer our Prayers for the hopes and dreams of_________________________

We remember and celebrate the lives of _________________________

Lord link our lives together as family members with love that we may be hope bringers and peace makers and that we may show the extravagant love you have for us to the entire world and in our heart homes. Amen.
********
Prayer suggestions:
Please keep the Elderly, caregivers, cancer patients, travelers, mentally ill , farm workers, those who choose to be homeless. 

Pray for Syria, Iran, Egypt, sound government, 
Pray for an end to Human Trafficking and Women and Children who are abused and exploited.
Pray for good jobs and those seeking employment.
Pray for safe streets and monies to fix our damaged infra-structures. May the rough places be made plain.
********
Well dear family members I must get to tomorrow's blog so that others may learn about our progressive prayer walk framework  for the Second Week and Sunday of Advent. I love you, you matter, and give thanks again to God for you!

Lore and peace of mind,

Sara

Music Sampler

All you need is love- Beatles

Imagine- John Lennon

Peace Train

People Get Ready - Curtis Mayfield

We are family!

Dear Family of Love and on Our Journey!

I'm in Ontario at the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles' annual Family Reunion or Diocesan Convention as it is better known. I have come yet again to the conclusion that we are family! I haven't been in many years and felt like I haven't been away. That's God at work. Tonight I would like to use the phrase for the response to our prayers: We are family, because that is what we are.

Lord God we thank you for all those who have crossed our paths today help us to see you in them.

We are Family!

Lord we pray for all those who are in need of your extravagant love, mercy, and grace. Give us courage to see those who are suffering not as outcasts but family members!

We are Family!

Lord we pray for all those who travel Help us to share the road safely and be awake to those are around us.

We Are Family.

Lord help us to rejoice when  our family members receive good news and to to be patient when you tell us not yet!

We are Family

Lord help us to plant healthy seeds on fertile ground and in tender hearts so that we may grow and sew love to feed and care for broken and hungry world.

We are family.

Lord help us to be the uniquely connected people of faith and your creation you made  us to be!

We are family!.

Help us O Lord to continue to say yes to you when you ask us to "Walk with me on our Journey!'

We are family.

We are family made in love, knit together by love and grace, and may we show to each other and the world that We Are Family. Amen.

******

More to come tomorrow and pix too!

I love you, you matter,and you are family!

Love and peace of mind!

Sara

 

Trying to keep calm and carry on! Busy Bee time!

Dear Family of Love and on our Journey!

Today has been one of those wacky days! It's too cold to walk  and I have lots to do before I take off for Diocesan Convention in Ontario California. I go down tomorrow and will be back home on Saturday! I hope to get a walk in when I get home. On Saturday night I will fine tune my sermon for Sunday and will have the privilege of preaching at both the services and then I get to toodle down the highway again to Los Angeles and stay at the Bonaventure for my birthday and then have a meeting on Monday with the Diocesan Daughters of the King Board. Makes me want to live in LA! What is crazy is that I actually am loving this! I know I talk a lot about being human doings but here is the kicker, if you are finding and drawing energy from this then I guess it's ok. I definitely am drawing energy from this. I feel God's love, joy, and spirit enlivening me at every turn. So much so, that I can't complain only give thanks! Love is the key!

So here are a few prayers to keep us calm as we carry on! 


Dear God  we give thanks for : The life of Nelson Mandela and pray for the people of South Africa
We pray for all those who are newly grieving and those marking first anniversaries of those dear ones who have passed.
We pray for all those who are in Emergency rooms and hospitals.
We pray for all who travel and all those are in the drivers seats of Buses, Trains, Planes, Ships, and automobiles.
We pray for alertness on the road .
We pray for all those who are sick and have chronic illnesses of any kind. 
We  pray for all those who will be attending any church meeting or convention this weekend.

We pray for an increase of Hope, Peace, Joy, and love this Advent season.

We pray for___________________________________

We give thanks for _____________________________

We remember and celebrate those whom we love and see no longer__________________________

Lord God we ask for calm and the energy to carry large responsibilities with joy and love in our hearts. Help us to unwind and to rest,relax,refresh and renew our bodies, minds, and spirits.

Watch over us O Lord as we continue to walk with you on our journey.

All these petitions and thanksgivings we lift up to you  O Lord  our creator, redeemer and sanctifier. Amen.

I am a pilgrim

How Beautiful are the Feet of Them

Chariots of Fire

Vangelis Hymme

I love you, you matter, and I am so blessed, honored and privileged to have you all in my life!

Love and Peace of Mind!

Sara