This week at The Lion's Den...Spiritual Disciplines part 3

spiritual disciplines part3 : fasting and frugality

Once two brethren came to a certain elder whose custom it was not to eat every day. But when he saw the brethren he invited them with joy to dine with him saying: Fasting has its reward, but he who eats out of charity fulfils two commandments, for he sets aside his own will and he refreshes his hungry brethren.-from"Wisdom of the Desert: Translations from the 'Verba Seniorum,'" by Thomas Merton.

"Stop trying to impress people with your clothes and impress them with your life."-Richard Foster, "Freedom of Simplicity"

Abbot Agatho frequently admonished his disciple, saying: Never acquire for yourself anything that you might hesitate to give to your brother if he asked you for it, for thus you would be found a transgressor of God's command. If anyone asks, give it to him, and if anyone wants to borrow form you, do not turn away from him.-from"Wisdom of the Desert: Translations from the 'Verba Seniorum,'" by Thomas Merton

Two Stories of Spiritual Foundering (basically they didn't learn anything!)...

Joe had almost done it. It was 11:51pm and he had gone the whole day without eating. It was his first attempt at fasting, but at that moment all that was on his mind was: "Should I wait until after midnight to order the pizza or can I order it now-since it wouldn't be ready until after midnight anyway?"
To this day, Joe doesn't remember what he decided to do, but he does remember that the pizza was delicious!

Lenny had just come back from hearing the missionary speak of the horrible poverty where he served. The pictures of the children with torn, worn, and re-worn clothes had made an impact on him. In fact is such that when he opened his closet and saw his piles and piles of clothes-many of which he rarely wore-he decided to give his excess away to Goodwill.
The next morning Lenny woke up and set himself to the task of dividing up his laundry between the essentials and the excess. After going through his piles of clothes, he had decided that he would give up all the clothes he did not wear every week. The pile was substantial. Later, Lenny congratulated himself on his sacrifice as he dropped off the bags to Goodwill.
On the way home, Lenny saw a sale sign at his favorite clothing store.Lenny walked in the door of his home with two pair of new blue jeans, three shirts, six pair of socks (they were 3 for $8!), and a new pair of shoes.

Fasting and frugality are two spiritual disciplines that our culture will not make easy for us. In fact, the messages of almost every commercial urge us to eat more, buy more, eat more, buy more…
In this weeks study we will look at the why and the how of fasting and frugality-two practices that will bring us incredible freedom and open our lives to God's great work of making us more like Jesus.

Wayne's Birthday!

So we're going to meet at 4pm and have a potluck. Let us know what you're bringing. We are making a chili! We could use some salad, some buns or garlic bread... something to drink...pop, juice, whatever.... We always have coffee! Um... what about some munchies!!! Ok but you need to let us know so that we don't have a disorganized potluck... the last thing we want to have happen is to have no food at all! I know how hungry yall are all the time! Can't wait to hear from yall! There's 3 days left all! YEEEEEHHHHAAAAAAWWWWW!!!!!

A post from a friend... So moving!

in honour of you…Tita
By Administrator on meaningful monday's
“It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him (her) for what he (she) is.” Hermann Hesse (parentheses mine)
(photo credit: LaTienda)
Tita is an artist. She makes anklets dripping with glass beads and hand crafted copper accents.
Tita is 22, or perhaps 25. The interesting thing about the Haitians of this village is that the majority of them don’t have a quantitative grasp on time, but rather a qualitative one. This person is old, this one young. That time was bad this time good. I once heard a story of a Haitian lady, when asked how long she had been pregnant answered,” about 8 years”. This was not an error in translation but rather the response from a woman with a mind that processes time measurement different then the west.
So as best as Tita can guess she was raped when she was about 16. She found out she was pregnant and immediately became a prostitute.
This puts a bleak picture in my mind but Tita narrates with stoicism. She became a prostitute to save up some money to buy a home. She did save up her earnings and did purchase a home in order to raise her son.
Tita mentioned recently that it wasn’t until she was promised a Job in the art co-op (called La Tienda de Raquel by the villagers) that she was able to stop living as a prostitute.
It was a beautiful transformation that happened in Tita over the last year and a half. She went from being very cool and uninviting to warm and full of life.
When you teach someone how to create with their hands, it brings them to life with a sense of purpose and self worth. Tita has a skill. Not only does she now create and learn and grow, she makes things that others want to buy. Not just anyone either. THE RICH. All those rich Gringos with clean hair and access to an excess of goods. The rich who eat three meals a day and have bathrooms in every house and a bed for every person; They actually WANT what SHE makes. This is big.
Now Tita and her young son Frankie (or Tee-pa-pa) can eat every day as opposed to every other day. But more importantly, she has a job with dignity. You won’t find her walking the streets at night.
You will however find her in the Co-op the moment the doors are unlocked until the sun goes down. She loves to be there.
http://www.latienda.moonfruit.com/ (the women)
Dear Tita,
Your story forever changed my life. When I first heard your story and then saw the home you created for yourself and your son (and a bed made of sticks), I knew I must live my life in such a way that I would never take for granted the struggle and reality of how most people on planet earth live. I committed to helping LaTienda in any way possible knowing there were women like you in need of food, shelter, and dignified ways to make money.
Today, upon learning of your passing, I will celebrate your life. I will honour you. What you gave to this great earth, to your son, to the women of the Tienda, to our dear friend Rachel, and to me - so far way and yet somehow connected, will forever be remembered.
If, if I can muster any of your strength, any of your courage, any of your kind of determination I will be better for it.
I had hoped to one day look you in the eyes and somehow share with you through human connection just how much your life has affected mine. Now, I must wait until our freed spirits meet, but oh how I long for you to know that your precious life will NEVER be forgotten.
You will be missed!
‘Till we meet,
Katherine

January 13th Meeting at the Den

Here's a sneak peek of what we will be studying this week... Spiritual Disciplines (and for a few weeks after that too...This should be really interesting) This is a clip from some Randy guy at "the Reading Room @ the Waters Edge" Cool stuff... Enjoy....

"Superficiality is the curse of our age…. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people."-Richard Foster, "Celebration of Discipline"

"The spiritual life is first of all a life.It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived."-Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"

"Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself."--Leo Tolstoy


Once upon a time, a group of men from Chicago left their jobs in the high-rise office buildings, moved to the prairie, and bought some farmland. "We're farmers!" They all declared to each other. And all summer long they would go to the field to watch their crop grow up. However, when September rolled in, their fields were filled with goldenrod and all kinds of wildflowers and weeds.

"Where's the corn?" they asked each other. And they wondered what they could have possibly done wrong.

Growing up in the church, I have often noted the fact that so few "long-time church members" experience the significant life-change expected from many years as students of Jesus. Like those city boys, they purchase the land, but do nothing to cultivate a field in which growth could take place.

Why do so many of us feel like we just have not grown very much in the likeness of our Master? Are we just spiritually "thick-headed?" Are we just not "built" to be spiritual giants? Or have we simply not been taught what it means to be a student of Jesus?
Perhaps we as the church have placed so much emphasis on making converts that we have neglected to make disciples. We work hard to help people come to faith--to become a "Christian"-but can you identify any intentional efforts to help people become more like our Teacher?

Perhaps we have emphasized a wrong teaching about faith and its relationship to good deeds. Works has gotten a bad rap, while workless faith has grown more appealing-"cheap grace" as Bonhoeffer stated it.

Maybe both are involved. Maybe something else. In any case, we must realize that something is wrong, and we must take steps-even "radical" steps-to "strengthen what remains and is about to die" (Revelation 3:2).

Hangin' out at the Den...

Hey guys,

We're meeting at 7pm this week... Really hope we can see you there. Especially because Jay and I won't be at Rymal on Sunday... We're studying "love" or "loving others". We've just posted a new website for the Lion's Den at www.intothelionsden.org you've probably already received the email. We've posted daily devotionals on the site and will be posting our studies and stuff on there too. So far in the weekly sermons and studies we have the notes for this Saturday. Feel free to peruse before you come. I already have copies if for yall here. Looking forward to hangin out!

Check yall later!