godly play

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The Good Shepherd and Rest

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Dear St. Mary’s,

This week's Godly Play lesson is The Parable of the Good Shepherd.

I wanted to share something that came up for me during my retreat that I hope is also helpful for you.
This is from Thomas Merton’s Dialogues with Silence:

“Our Eden is the heart of Christ.
Let grace come, Jesus.
Your name is on my heart.
Your Holy Name is on the tower of my heart.
Let grace come and let this world pass away,
Jesus, You Who are living in my exhausted heart.”

I don’t know the last time I resonated with a single line of writing so much as “my exhausted heart.”
I wonder if your heart has ever been exhausted?

The Parable of the Good Shepherd reminds us that the ordinary shepherd lets the sheep scatter, but the Good Shepherd leads them to the green grass, to the cool clear water, and even through the dangerous places. And, if one sheep is lost, the Good Shepherd goes back and finds the tired, weary sheep, puts it on his shoulders, and carries it home. But surely that becomes tiring work, and I wonder if the Good Shepherd's own heart has ever been exhausted?

The gospel reading the day I read the Merton quote happened to be about Jesus trying to get away and rest from the crowds. People figured out where he was going and they got there first. The story says that Jesus’s heart was “moved with compassion” because the people were like sheep without a shepherd. And so he sat with them and taught them.


The good shepherd understands our exhaustion and our weary hearts (even Jesus needed rest) but he never wearies of us.
The good shepherd brings his sheep to the green grass—to his compassionate heart.

I wonder where the Good Shepherd is leading you today?
To compassion? To grace? Maybe to simply slow down and take a deep breath.
May you find rest in the Eden of the heart of Christ.

Peace,

Flo

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The Parable of the Great Pearl

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Dear St. Mary’s,

This week’s Godly Play lesson is The Parable of the Great Pearl.

I love this parable so much because of how dynamic it becomes when considering all of the different perspectives: Is the pearl the Kingdom? Is the pearl a person? Are we giving up everything for the pearl or is heaven giving up everything for us? Or can it be some of all of that? I wonder if it could be something else, too? And what would happen if we saw ourselves as precious as the pearl that One would give everything up for? I wonder if we would be much more willing to give of ourselves for each other?

In Life of the Beloved, Henri Nouwen talks about the idea of being blessed—not in the hashtag way that the word has been co-opted to mean: “everything is working out for me,” but the truth that God is always telling us, “You are my beloved Child, on you my favor rests.” Our belovedness is our blessing. It can be hard to accept and see in ourselves, but once we do, it changes everything about how we see the Kingdom and each other.

Nouwen also writes, "I must tell you that claiming your own blessedness always leads to a deep desire to bless others. The characteristic of the blessed ones is that, wherever they go, they always speak words of blessing. It is remarkable how easy it is to bless others, to speak good things to and about them, to call forth their beauty and truth, when you yourself are in touch with your own blessedness. The blessed one always blesses."


I love how The Parable of the Great Pearl helps me recognize and receive my own blessing of belovedness and how this leads to greater compassion, empathy, and love for those around me. I hope it does the same for you. May we all seek and find the pearl in ourselves and in each other.

Peace,

Flo

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Christmas - Playlists, Activities, and the Godly Play Christmas Story

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Dear St. Mary's,

Merry Christmas (eve)!

Below are ideas and prompts and a whole lot of ridiculous music for celebrating Christmas. 

I sent these same ideas out last year, when things felt discouraging and we were all trying to celebrate despite the pandemic and weariness of the previous year. Honestly, I did not expect to be in that same place again this year. 

My phone has been blowing up with friends and family who are sick, desperately looking for Covid tests, and canceling ALL the plans, and it feels a little bit like unraveling. Like things are falling apart just when we hoped they would get better. 

Last night I was wrapping presents when I received some difficult news and it felt so silly to keep wrapping those presents through the tears and the heavy heartedness, and I know I’m not the only one feeling that way right now. It can seem like every bit of light is being snuffed out while we hold on to our tiny little match. But this week I read this from our friend, Helena Aman, and it was so helpful to me, so I am passing it along and hoping it helps you all, too: 

“It is an act of faith to say that light will overcome darkness. We don’t have any proof of that. We have hope. It is perhaps more powerful to say that the darkness has not overcome the light. Not yet. 

Through all the long ages of creation’s groaning, through all the agonies of mankind, love and hope and goodness endure. 

Divisive hatred, greed, fear, indifference: none of these has managed to snuff out the light entirely. Not yet. 

Not yet. My friends, that’s saying something.”

So, below is my meager offering of not yet: a cheesy pop playlist for a family dance party, some ideas for celebrating the 12 days of Christmas, and birthday cake and candles and songs reminding us that "love and hope and goodness endure," even in small ways. 

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Here is the Godly Play Lesson for Christmas.

On Christmas Day, we celebrate the birth of our savior--the baby King, Jesus!

Here are a few prompts/activities to go with the story this week:

  • Light the Christ candle--when change the light (blow it out); remember that the light isn't gone, it has just changed. Christ is with us wherever we go!

  • Bake a cake or cupcakes or other treats to celebrate Jesus's birthday.

  • In our tradition, Christmas Day marks the first of twelve days of Christmas. There are SO many ideas online for how to celebrate these days, but I would suggest just doing simple and small daily celebrations or acts of service. Here are twelve ideas to get started. One idea is to have a family dance party--I made this incredibly cheesy Christmas Family Dance Party playlist on Spotify full of pop songs if anyone needs inspiration!

  • It's Christmas! Time to break out all of the Christmas carols and songs we had been saving throughout Advent. I had a hard time narrowing song choices, so here are a bunch to go with this lesson and the beginning of Christmastide:

  • Little Road to Bethlehem by Shawn Colvin

  • Gather 'Round, Ye Children, Come by Andrew Peterson

  • Happy Birthday Jesus by Slugs and Bugs

  • Joy to the World by Slugs and Bugs

  • Unto Us a Child is Born by Slugs and Bugs

  • Silent Night by Sara Groves

  • Go Tell It On The Mountain by Sandra McCracken

  • Baby Jesus is Born by Rain for Roots

  • I put these and a few more in a Spotify playlist called: "Christmas Songs for St. Mary's Kids."

May you find light this Christmas!

A Prayer for Mentors and Children in Godly Play

A Prayer for Mentors and Children in Godly Play

Dear God who loves and welcomes children,

Please inhabit this space as we also welcome these little ones in your name.

For every child who crosses the threshold:

Helps us to be ready.


For every child who sits in this circle:

Help them to be ready.


For every wiggle, every question, every laugh, every tear, every thought and every “extraneous” word:

Give us patience. Give us grace. Give us levity. Give us gratitude.

For the physical bodies of these children who bear your image:

Grant them safety and protection from harm, and let their senses bring them joy.

For the hearts of these children:

May they stay tender, kind, and whole, and let them know your never-ending love for them.

For the spirits of these children:

May they be open and curious, and let them be sensitive to the Shepherd’s voice.

For every wondering question and response:

Let our hearts be open to hear your truth through the voices of your children, and in doing so, may we receive the blessing of seeing the Kingdom as they do.

Remind us that in you, we have all the words we need.

Speak through us, to us, and beyond us.

Come close to us.

Amen.