Jan says at RGBP today:
There is a dramatic and surprising venue for Spiritual Formation/Sunday School classes at my church: Each week a different person teaches about a "word" that expresses his/her passion or interest. The first week someone spoke about "hospitality" with abundant treats on her mother and grandmother's china arrayed on tables. Other words have been "connectivity," "Trinity," "money," and "dreams." No one knows which person will be teaching until the class convenes. I am teaching this Sunday and plan to talk about "stirrings."
For this Friday Five, please list five words that identify your passions, spirituality, and/or life. Describe as much or as little as you wish.
Relationship: It's all about the relationships you build. This is my mantra, and I'm quite sure it applies to every facet of life...not just the ones where I've applied it. The more relational a connection, the more human, and the better chance for a mutually positive result. This is the way to world peace, folks.
Peace: My personality type (INFP, Enneagram 9) is a peace-seeker, a mediator, a mender. There are down sides to this (great fear, and therefore studied avoidance, of conflict - just for one). But I have a tremendous desire to be peaceful and have peacefulness around me. Did I mention that I got some noise-cancelling headphones for Christmas...so if my husband is watching something on TV that disturbs me, I read in blissful unawareness. ;)
Story: I believe that life is about the stories we make and tell to each other.
Family: My family informs who I am and how I am in a great way. Much of this is through story, as above; things I have learned from hearing stories about family members who have gone on.
This weekend (talking with my parents) I realized that, though I physically resemble my paternal grandmother more than any other grandchild, she was a famous extravert...talking to everyone, everywhere. It used to embarrass her family how she could make friends anywhere she was. I don't do that! And just this morning my maternal grandfather came up in a conversation with my husband, and I realized that Bigdaddy and I are both Enneagram 9's. I didn't learn it from him, as I only saw him a couple of weeks a year, but that pattern, response, are exactly the same. An amazing way to understand.
Journey: My spiritual journey has taken me many places. I have experimented with many paths and traditions. I retain facets of most of them and respect them all.
and a bonus:
Can I just add here: Words. God created the world with The Word, which was in the beginning. Books and reading have a been a mainstay in my life, and one of my best friends.
And:
Words Matter. They do. They embrace and disenfranchise and wound and incorporate. I am passionate about my service in the Expansive Language Project of The Episcopal Church and invite you to visit our blog. This project began within the National Council of Churches' Justice 4 Women Working Group.
