Happy Monday!
No, that wasn't sarcastic - I honestly think this will be a good Monday. And because I think that, it probably will be.
I seem to be fully recovered from that godawful migraine of Friday night. Yesterday I wasn't quite right, but I faked it so that we could get a lot of stuff done in preparation for our trip this weekend. So thank you for your prayers and virtual hugs.
Over the weekend, I spent quite a bit of time working through the creative problem-solving process with the "fuzzy issue"
I would like to participate in a discussion group about spirituality in management and business.
The process includes a great many brainstorming (divergent thinking) steps, and these were very fruitful for me. Especially helpful was the problem-mapping part of the problem-definition section of the process. In this step, you take a challenge ("How might I establish a local group to discuss spirituality in work/business/management?") and ask the questions Why? and What's stopping me? From these, you end up building a map that can look like a big spiderweb, with arrows connecting "How might I" challenges written on sticky-notes. I have my action plan for how I want to move forward with establishing the group - involving making personal contacts first.
But what was every bit as meaningful to me was the set of challenges that came from a branch of the map that started with "How might I make time for individual work on work and spirituality?" What sprang from this challenge - the whys and what's-stoppings - were a set of intentional practices to initiate, recommit to, or continue. One was, to be very intentional about posting in this blog, and to make sure that I don't overlook things to be grateful for at work because of a silly feeling that they are not sacred because they involve "filthy lucre." Another was, when I arrive at my desk each morning, before I jump into the day's duties, to find a quotation that is somehow spiritual, uplifting, or inspiring, and to print it out and post it on the whiteboard in the office kitchen. Another was to listen to a hymn when I sit at my desk, before jumping into my workday. Some of the ideas were things I really want to do, but just haven't been able to overcome inertia - commit to a daily practice of morning prayer, a daily practice of lectio divina, a daily practice of centering prayer or some other form of meditatio/contemplatio. I may get to those, but for now, the blog, the quotation, and maybe the hymn will get me started.
Today I'll be typing up my work on the project so far, so that I can send it to the professor. This has been a very helpful exercise for me, and I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to learn the process and to apply it to a personal issue. Even if nothing ever comes of the discussion group, there have been some nice revelations, and I appreciate that.
Peace be with you today. May you encounter joy today - in fact, may you actively seek joy today, looking for it under every leaf and branch and rock, and may you find it. May you see and hear and feel beauty in the world around you, and may you know that the Divine is active in your life and in your world. May you perceive the infinite love of the Creator: you are my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.
Amen.
But what was every bit as meaningful to me was the set of challenges that came from a branch of the map that started with "How might I make time for individual work on work and spirituality?" What sprang from this challenge - the whys and what's-stoppings - were a set of intentional practices to initiate, recommit to, or continue. One was, to be very intentional about posting in this blog, and to make sure that I don't overlook things to be grateful for at work because of a silly feeling that they are not sacred because they involve "filthy lucre." Another was, when I arrive at my desk each morning, before I jump into the day's duties, to find a quotation that is somehow spiritual, uplifting, or inspiring, and to print it out and post it on the whiteboard in the office kitchen. Another was to listen to a hymn when I sit at my desk, before jumping into my workday. Some of the ideas were things I really want to do, but just haven't been able to overcome inertia - commit to a daily practice of morning prayer, a daily practice of lectio divina, a daily practice of centering prayer or some other form of meditatio/contemplatio. I may get to those, but for now, the blog, the quotation, and maybe the hymn will get me started.
Today I'll be typing up my work on the project so far, so that I can send it to the professor. This has been a very helpful exercise for me, and I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to learn the process and to apply it to a personal issue. Even if nothing ever comes of the discussion group, there have been some nice revelations, and I appreciate that.
Peace be with you today. May you encounter joy today - in fact, may you actively seek joy today, looking for it under every leaf and branch and rock, and may you find it. May you see and hear and feel beauty in the world around you, and may you know that the Divine is active in your life and in your world. May you perceive the infinite love of the Creator: you are my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.
Amen.
