Finding Time

“That’s when I stumbled across a quote from Rabbi Harold Kushner: ‘for the religious mind and soul, the issue has never been the existence of God but the importance of God, the difference God makes in the way we live.’ I made a copy of that quote and taped it on the top of my keyboard. It reminds me that I am not writing about religion. I am writing about God and the difference God makes in the way we live with and among each other individually and collectivelyl”

John McQuiston II, Finding Time for the Timeless. Spirituality in the Workplace  2004 

Memphis lawyer, John McQuiston II,  is best known for his modern translation of the rule of Benedict, Always we Begin Again. This third book by the author is a collection of real life examples of spiritual practices of forty-two people known to McQuiston from varied religious and ethnic backgrounds who try to bring their spirituality to their workplace. The quote above is from his story about a Memphis religious writer of a column called, “Faith Matters, or as he explains, it is not Religion Matters or Church Matters or Christianity Matters, but Faith Matters.”

A Jewish engineer makes a gratitude list each morning in his 30 minute drive to work. His office computer is programmed to ask him: “What are you thankful for today?”  The founding of an accounting firm develops a “mental peace” each morning by walking to work. A Greek orthodox dentist wears a cross under his shirt so he can constantly feel God’s presence. He frequently says the Jesus prayer and has icons in his office.

 Interspersed are also five short essays by McQuiston of his own awareness of how spiritual practices increase the quality of the rest of his life, encouraging readers to find a practice that brings them joy as well. 

There is also an annotated reading list as well as an excellent summary or menu at the end of the book of the different practices described.  The book is like a visit to a five star restaurant where we experience a little taste of spiritual practices from many modern and varied sources. We are then invited to make a selection to experience our own life changing diet.

 Joannna joannaseibert.com

Wisdom from the Harp

Wisdom from the Harp

“For the elements changed places with one another,

as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm,

while each note remains the same.”

Wisdom 19:18

Harp at St. Mark's

A friend reminds me this was in the scripture in morning prayer today. I read the first part of the Wisdom reading this morning, but missed this last part. I hope I won’t miss it next time, for this ancient verse so well describes music, but especially the harp. I began a journey with this classical instrument over thirty years ago when my daughter begged for a year to get a harp. The strings are the white keys of the piano, so if you understand the piano, it is easy. You lean the body against your body so you can not only hear the vibrations but you feel the music within you as well. The harp has taught me so many lessons about life other than the discipline of trying to master a technique for following and plucking the notes. When one string breaks, it is difficult to continue playing. Part of playing is knowing the relationships of each string to the other. Now there is a gap, large or small which changes the entire road map. I learn I must take the time to replace the string as soon as possible. Then of course it takes, days, weeks for that new string to stretch and be in tune. It must be “mentored” so to speak.

Almost every atmospheric condition changes the harp strings. Constant tuning is mandatory. My husband loves the old joke about harpist. We spend half our time tuning and the other half playing out of tune!

On this musical journey, the harp has become for me an icon for living and working in community. Its constant need for tuning reminds me how much I must try to stay current, learning and staying and in relationship with what is going on in the world around me. If I don’t, I become “out of tune” either too sharp or too flat.  

I would love to hear from others about life lessons they have learned from a musical instrument.

Joanna     joannaseibert.com

Charleston on What we Say

Charleston on what you say

“What you do is critical. You may not think so because you see yourself as being without that much authority or influence, but the things you do count for much more than you may imagine. Every person you reach will touch a thousand more. The direction you share with a single person can turn the wheel of history over time. You are an important part of a great story. You are at the heart of the collective experience of your generation. What you say and do matters, so speak up, take a risk, and dare to be remembered.” Steven Charleston

A boy in my high school class taught me this lesson almost twenty-five years ago at a reunion. He walked up to me at a party before dinner and shortly into the conversation thanked me for keeping him from quitting school. He told a story of when he was a junior or sophomore that he was considering dropping out of high school. He said that I told him one afternoon in science class that it was a bad idea and he would regret it, and for some reason he stayed on to finish. He was so thankful over the years that he had graduated. I never remember that past conversation. Over the years, I have pondered this incident and wondered if I ever really said it, or if he only knew this is what I would have said. I have no idea why he would have listened to me. We were not close friends.

Almost forty years ago I also was given another chance to learn this lesson. At Children’s Hospital in radiology we had a very competent young African American woman working in our file room. After a year, she heard about another job and was getting ready to leave. I simply went and told her how much I enjoyed working with her and wished she would consider staying. The next day I heard she was not leaving because of our conversation. Now forty years later she has become one of the most capable and dependable members of our department. It was a simple courtesy goodbye conversation telling someone how much I would miss her. Faye taught me the lesson of simple kindness and through the years much more. I can never repay her for support through thick and thin.

I think of all the sermons I have preached where people tell me how meaningful what I said was to them, but often what they heard was not what I had said! This would amaze me, thinking I must speak more clearly. Perhaps I should repeat some points. Meditating on it, however, lead me to believe that what we say may speak to something in others that then speaks to them and then resonates with their story. It is complicated.  Even when we carefully choose our words, what is heard is so dependent on what is going on in the receiver end.

This morning in my prayers I give thanks for Faye and for Joe, and all those I have had the privilege to be with as a preacher and for what I was empowered to say to them. This morning I know if I make a difference, it is not myself saying those words, but a power greater than myself inside of me that is secretly slipping out through the cracks in my self-absorbed world.

Joanna            joannaseibert.com

What we hear