Well, it’s still Friday somewhere so I guess I will play the RevGals Friday Five now!

Mary Beth from RevGals writes:

My Sunday school class has hit the “pause” button on our study of First Corinthians and is spending Lent on Richard J. Foster’s classic Celebration of Discipline. I have had this wonderful and very readable book on my shelf, along with the study guide for it, for years, but have never discussed it with a group.

Because there are only five Sundays in Lent, we are fairly galloping through the book, getting a quick introduction to the various disciplines. The church is also sponsoring a Lenten Centering Prayer group, allowing some of us to sample this discipline in community.

Following the image above, I like to think of the spiritual disciplines as vessels that prepare us to ride the wave of God’s amazing love and presence in a new way.

For today’s Friday Five, please share with us five spiritual practices or disciplines from your experience. They can be ones that you have tried and kept up with, tried and NOT kept up with, ones that you flirt with at various times, or even practices that you have tried and found are definitely NOT your cup of tea. Let us know what’s worked for you…and not.

1. Disciplines I have tried and love: Someone introduced me to a podcast that has become my daily “re-boot” time during the hectic life of a chaplain. It is called “Pray-As-You-Go” and is based off the daily Lectionary. (Now that I think about it, I think that someone from RevGals first introduced me to it.) Pray-As-You-Go also incorporates music from various cultures and countries. Since my church is not liturgically based or lectionary based, it is a wonderful tie to the rest of Christendom. Another Podcast I like is “The God Journey” – Imagining “Church” outside the box. Good stuff.

2. Disciplines I have tried and failed miserably: That whole getting up before the chickens to greet the Lord in morning prayer? Uh. No. (Those of you who know me IRL are probably laughing as you think about my level of brain activity pre-caffeine.)

3. Disciplines that are NOT my cuppa tea: Centering prayer. I appreciate its purpose, history and intent. I even agree with the principles behind it. I love reading Merton and others who teach with great insight on the topic. Bearded Brewer is a devotee. But for me, personally, not so much.

4. Disciplines that I flirt with from time to time: Short silent retreats. The local Silent Retreat center is unfortunately not available when I can go on my present schedule. During seminary, I would spend a half day in silence, sometimes fasting, sometimes just being Present with God in nature. I’ll put in a plug here for Dayspring Retreat Center… what a wonderful God-filled place. I hope to get back to going on these retreats. As a CPE student, there’s no “time” allowed to go, sadly. Maybe that can change.

5. Disciplines that are deeply engrained: Journaling, writing, blogging, poetry, reflections… many times I work through my questions with life’s events by putting pen to paper (or fingers to a keyboard). Sometimes my writing times are preceded by some time at another keyboard — my piano. Writing/composing helps me to step back from the pace of a life that seems to be busier than it should be, and re-orient myself.