November 30 Take Home Reflections

Take Home Reflections: November 23-Christmas Eve, 2008
Unitarian Church, Davenport, Rev. Roger Butts

Sunday, November 30, 2008
First Sunday of Advent

Perhaps you are a bit like me at this time of year.

You cannot hear much of anything above the cacophony of sound—rushing shoppers, maddening crowds, loud and persistent advertisements.

Maybe you long to hear that small, still voice that occupies every living thing, that place where wisdom and gratitude reside.

Maybe in the midst of the rush, you can sense a place deep in your being that says: Be still.

You can hear the Buddha-inside you say, “Find a tree, sit a while.” You can hear the Jesus in you say: Sit a while, find a dear friend, share a meal.

You can hear the psalmist say: there is no where you can go to escape love’s embrace, you might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

You can feel the goddess in you: the wind in the trees, the falling snow, notice it. Love it. Embrace it. You are part of it.

You can sense Emerson whispering in your ear: why keep looking, striving, seeking. You are at home.

Great love, grant that I might find a stillness, hold a stillness, love a stillness, so that the great call of my heart can be heard and the great love at the heart of all things might be enjoyed.


FAMILIES:
The first theme in advent is hope. Tell you children a story this week about a time when you experienced hope, how it felt to you, what it meant, how it changed your life. Ask your child about what they hope for.


Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Last Sunday (November 30), we introduced a number of new members into our church community. Roger used the image of wild geese as a metaphor for what it is like to be a part of a church—shared leadership, lots of encouragement, a sense of working together. When is a time that you experienced some of that in this church? What was that like for you? As you look back on the last year, what stands out as a particularly collaborative effort that you took part in, and what did it mean for you?


FAMILIES:
Let your children suggest a dinner menu in the next few days. Talk to them about who all was involved in the preparation of the food. Talk to them about Thich Nhat Hanh’s idea that we are all in everything—that the farmer who raised the broccoli is in the broccoli, that the sun is in the broccoli, that the rain is there. And give them an opportunity to name all of the things that might be in their food. Also, give them a chance to say thank you to all of those things and people.

Thursday, December 4, 2008
Pay very close attention right now to where you are, how you are sitting, what you hear, how you feel, why you are there. Pay attention prayerfully.

What am I feeling right now?

Sometimes I seek solace for my soul outside my soul, but if I listen very carefully, I can feel myself restored right now.
(From Awakening the Soul by John Morgan).

Families:
Ask your children what they might wish to learn about in the next few days. Listen carefully to their response and try to build a time to share with them what you know about what they wish to learn about.

Friday, December 5, 2008
Tonight at sunset, in the Jewish tradition, the Sabbath begins. The Sabbath is a time to express gratitude, to be with family members, to share a common meal and to go about the business of praise. All of these speak deeply to the tasks involved in the life of the spirit.

What can you do to include some or all of those components into your Friday?

Try to take a Sabbath moment in the midst of your rushing around.

Families:
Sit down with your family for a shared meal. Invite your children to pay attention to the food right in front of them. Ask them to name the food. Ask them to notice the food. Invite them to be grateful for the food.
Share a time with your children when you had an especially fun Christmas/holiday memory. Who was there? What happened?



For Sunday, December 7th: Read “Of the Coming of John” by W.E.B. DuBois. It is available at the library in The Soul of Black Folks (1903) or search for it online (the whole story is online).

Take Home Reflections Week of November 23 2008

TAKE HOME REFLECTIONS
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 23-NOVEMBER 30
Our theme for the year: Home


SUNDAY November 23, 2008
In the entranceway of my house, there is a painting from Haiti by a fellow named Casimir. He painted this village market scene, full of bright vibrant colors and triangles and circles in the 1950s. It is one of my prized possessions, because I bought in Washington DC in the early 90s at a Haitian art store. I bought it when I had little business buying anything of value. I had little money. But I scraped the money together and took a chance. I love that painting. It reminds me of my starting out as a young adult in the DC area, all that energy, all that vibrancy, all those new opportunities. In a word, it stands for possibility.

What piece of art work in your house stands for something other than what is in the frame, or on the canvas? Where does it take you? How does it make you feel?


FAMILIES:
If you have children old enough to understand, tell them a story about a piece of art work in your house. Tell them about your life at that time.

What can you and your whole family create together? What are you working on just now?

Remember, I asked in early fall for you to befriend a tree. How is it doing?

MONDAY November 24
All around, you can see the energy building towards the holiday season. Christmas trees are appearing in the local hardware stores. Decorations are out and about. Radio stations are beginning to play the music of this season. It is a festive time.
What will you do to keep yourself in balance this holiday season?

FAMILIES:
Ask your child: What would you like me to teach you about this week? If you ask, they will tell you. Go to the library together and pick out an age appropriate book about what they’d like to learn about!

TUESDAY November 25
In his reflection during the service last week, Our Paths Home, Tyson Danner talked about the healing power of community, and specifically on what he valued about the Unitarian Church community. He said, that he always loved the song, There is a Balm in Gilead to heal a sin sick soul. He said that he doesn’t know if there is a balm in Gilead or not, but he knows there is one in Davenport.
What helps to keep you whole? What helps to heal the wounds that are uniquely yours?

FAMILIES:
There is an opportunity to prepare stockings with stocking stuffers for truly disadvantaged children in the community. Sarah Moulton (sarahmoulton1@yahoo.com) is leading the way. We’ll dedicate those, I think, on December 14th. Share with your children a time when you helped another person and what it meant to you. Go out if you can and buy some stocking stuffers with the kids, and tell them who they are going to help (children of domestic violence and children formerly homeless.)

WEDNESDAY November 26
Thanksgiving Day is nearly here. Some great old church person said: If the only prayer I offered up was thanks, that would be enough.
Say a prayer of thanks today. Take five minutes. Be still. And whether you offer your thanksgiving to God or to the universe or to someone who helped you, offer up thanks!

FAMILIES
Teach your children to say prayers of thanksgiving!

FRIDAY November 28
Today, stores open up at an ungodly early hour. What is your relationship with commercialization and consumerism. Sometimes I buy things to make me feel better. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. What would it be like to adopt an attitude of greater simplicity? On December 14th, the service will be on simplicity. What was a favorite holiday memory that did not include material goods?
FAMILIES
If it is not too cold, take a family walk together. Notice things that you find absolutely beautiful that are absolutely free!


SATURDAY, November 27
Tomorrow at church, the image we’ll lift up is the idea of wild geese. There is a poem by Mary Oliver by that name, Wild Geese, that you can find here
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2002/06/21
Read it and think about what it says to you.
See you in church!