Daily Devotions
Meditation, Prayers, and Assorted Stuff for July 9, 2020
Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, “Tending Our Own Wounds First”
Our own experience with loneliness, depression, and fear can become a gift for others, especially when we have received good care. As long as our wounds are open and bleeding, we scare others away. But after someone has carefully tended to our wounds, they no longer frighten us or others.
When we experience the healing presence of another person, we can discover our own gifts of healing. Then our wounds allow us to enter into a deep solidarity with our wounded brothers and sisters.
Today’s prayer is from “Prayers” by Michael Quoist.
At the Door
The boy stumbled on the landing and the door slammed behind him. He had been punished. Suddenly aware of his disgrace, he rushed in anger at the unfeeling door. He slapped it, pounded it, stamping and shrieking. But on the wooden surface not a fiber moved. The boy caught sight of the keyhole— ironic eye of that sullen door— But on peering into it he saw that it was blocked. Then, in despair, he sat down and cried.
I watched him, smiling, and realized, Lord, that often I exhaust myself before locked doors. I want to make my points, convince, prove, And I talk and brandish arguments, I strike hard to reach the imagination or the emotions, But I am politely or violently dismissed— I waste my strength, vain fool that I am.
Grant, Lord, that I may learn to wait reverently, Loving and praying in silence, Standing at the door till it is opened. Amen.
Dad Jokes
I accidentally rubbed ketchup in my eyes. Now I have Heinzsight..
Did you hear about the horse that fell down a hill? He couldn’t giddyup.
My friend is a famous drummer. do you know what he called his daughters? Anna 1, Anna 2, Anna 3.
Today’s links!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/ Read how a flat on Friday the 13th turned into an act of kindness that touched the lives of many.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/us/elder-loneliness-covid-19-zoom-volunteers-trnd-iyw/index.htmlNew Yorkers Ben Goldstein, 30, and Robert Brajer, 82, bonded after meeting over a year ago through the nonprofit DOROT, which matches senior New Yorkers with younger volunteers. Now this Holocaust survivor and his millennial friend get together on Zoom.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/21/us/husband-wife-kidney-donation-friendship-trnd/index.htmlSixteen years after her late husband’s donated organs saved a life, Terri Herrington gave her kidney to save the life of the same man.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/25/us/valedictorian-perfect-attendance-ashanti-palmer-trnd/index.htmlAshanti Palmer not only graduated from a New York high school as class valedictorian but also with perfect attendance. The senior never missed a day of school from pre-K through high school, more than 4,600 days.
https://mynoise.net/Rather than a musical link, I’m sending you over to myNoise. According to the website, “The idea behind myNoise is to use the noises you most enjoy to mask the noises you don’t want to hear: chatty colleagues, your tinnitus, or even your inner voice when you can’t shut it down!” There are over 200 noise generators on the site, with titles like “Rain on a Tent,” “Irish Coast,” “Japanese Garden,” and “Gregorian Chant.”
Sunday worship at 9 AM, with “Doughnut room” time starting at 8:30 AM. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/815064120, Meeting ID: 815 064 120
****************************************** Dial in to participate at +1 312 626 6799.
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Copies of “Our Daily Bread” have arrived in the church office. Feel free to stop by and pick up a copy, or help distribute them to others.
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Don’t forget communion at Zoom church this Sunday! Stop by the church office to get a prefilled cup and wafer set. Help distributing them is much appreciated as well.
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In-Person worship resumes, July 19! Watch for more details. (Zoom church will continue to be offered as well.) **************************************************
Stay safe and stay well!