Welcome to Spiritual Journey Thursday. Today I'm delighted to host this group of spiritual pilgrims. The focus this month is to consider what we bind ourselves to in our spiritual journeys.
Although this prompt was my idea, I found it to be a challenge. I listed a number of ideas, but couldn't find the key to writing about them. Finally I settled on this: I bind myself to prayers for truth. Then I remembered a story...
It was early spring, quite a number of years ago, when I put a display of seeds on the science table in my classroom of 4-year-olds: mustard seeds, orange seeds, beans, peas, the outer shell of a coconut, pinecones, and some cattails. We would explore the various seeds and talk about them. I announced at our morning meeting..."There are seeds on the science table. See if you can tell what kinds they are. Look for the coconut shell and the cattail."
When the meeting ended, we dispersed to various activities throughout the room.
Quite soon, I was confronted by a boy with a serious, almost angry, look on his face. He thrust the cattail toward me and demanded, "Is THIS from a real cat?"
I caught my breath! Oh no! Yes, his question was funny, but I knew I dared not smile. His face told me I was in serious trouble, and I had to respect his strong emotion. I realized I could do nothing but offer apology after apology, followed by one explanation and another. And, it took quite a few of both before I finally regained his trust.
I remember being both embarrassed and amused, but also, I felt considerable respect for him that day. At the tender age of four, he had resolutely confronted me and conducted a serious search for truth.
I hope he continues that practice today.
The search for truth is a vital discipline, and I find it a hard job in our world. In many instances we can't actually know the truth, so where do we put our trust? How can we make decisions? At times I have trusted something or someone that was not trustworthy. Or I made a false assumption because it was convenient. Without a doubt there is plenty of work ahead of me as I continue to pray toward truth and discernment.
I join you all in prayers for peace in all interactions of life: within families, work environments, social arenas, politics, and between nations. You and I know of war and rumors of war in the world in many places. I pray that we might be agents of reconciliation. I bind unto myself a prayer for peace.
I tried some verses to express further thoughts...
Linda Mitchell writes of trust at https://awordedgewiselindamitchell.blogspot.com/
Carol Varsalona shares poetic thoughts at https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/
Margaret Simon posts of feeling unbound at https://reflectionsontheteche.com/2022/04/07/spiritual-thursday-i-come-unbound/
Ramona remembers hymns at https://pleasuresfromthepage.blogspot.com/2022/04/sjt-and-poetry-friday-words-of-hymns-to.html
Chris Margocs has an interesting insight at https://horizon51.blogspot.com/2022/04/spiritual-journey-thursday-i-bind-myself.html?showComment=1649424114907#c5039914797518346336
Denise shared her favorite words from the hymn I Bind Unto Myself Today: https://mrsdkrebs.edublogs.org/2022/04/07/spiritual-journey-thursday-i-bind-unto-myself/comment-page-1/#comment-4041
Ruth sends a poem of her current dreams at There's No Such Thing as a God Forsaken Town
