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Lenten Devotional, Day 12, Trouble Tree (episode 72)


Well today, was just another absolutely beautiful day in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The temperature was moderate, the bird’s and squirrels were abundantly active. I even saw my first scuffle between Robins. This was most likely male-to-male aggression as birds begin establishing their territory. That’s a common phenomenon to expect in the spring.

The way to spot this is to watch for two bird’s physically and vocally going after each other hard, until one peels away and flies off. I count on the one left behind becoming the new sheriff in town.

One of the miraculous wonders of sitting in nature everyday is how worries have a way of diminishing or sometimes completely evaporating.  I’m remind of an old story called the “Trouble Tree”.

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Lenten Devotional, Day 11, Snoozing in God’s Lap (episode 71)

 

This morning’s sit was absolutely lovely. Gentle breezes, bright sunshine, squirrels and robins feeding around the backyard. I did have one disappointing observation. The Saucer Magnolia in my neighbor’s yard, which was exploding in white and pink blossoms over the past week, turned a dingy brown due to an intense cold snap. I am saddened to see these lovely blooms slip away so quickly. Fortunately, I can already see buds fattening up on the tips of a few flowering trees. I can’t wait to see what color Spring brings next.

As I soaked in the sights and sounds today I found myself drifting in and out of sleep. This was a first. Not that I haven’t fallen asleep praying, but so

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Lenten Devotional, Day 10, Chasing Light(episode 70)


Yesterday morning I was photographing the first daffodils appearing in my yard, and today I am analyzing snow melts. The swiftness with how rapidly things can change is astounding. One sit I did in the warmth of the sun. My next sit held just over twenty-four hours later I did beneath the stars and was fighting not to give into the cold. Ironically, in both cases what caught my attention was phenomenon dependent on the sun.

During the day, as I photographed the daffodils, I moved around to the far side of them because the blooms were all facing away from me towards the sun. When plants track the sun, it’s known as phototropic behavior. Realizing these plants are always

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Lenten Devotional, Day 9, gratitude (episode 69)

Everyday I begin my sit spot time by offering thanks. I haven’t explained how though. I’m not just rattling off whatever I am grateful for. I have a specific form of thanks that I have been doing for over twenty years. My model is an adaptation of a model I originally learned while on a wilderness education event. The school I attended received the original prayer model from a Native American elder named Jake Swamp of the Haudenosaunee people.

In it’s original form the person praying usually voices their gratitude to various aspects of creation.  My experience has been that this is not usually a deification of nature, but rather an expression of heartfelt kinship with the natural world. That said, I too feel deep connection to nature, but when I prayer

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Lenten Devotional, Day 8, “Normal” (episode 68)

This morning, I noticed a few subtle differences in my backyard. Normally, the birds chatter more. I also almost always spot a few birds milling about in my neighbor’s shrubs, and I’ve heard red-bellied wouldpeckers off to the north pretty much every single day. None of that was happening this morning. This seemed particularly strange given it was also nice day.

I said “normally”, but what isn’t normal is that I came out at a later time than usually. More often than not, I am in my patio chair around 8:30 or 9 a.m., but today I didn’t get out there until 10:30 a.m. I was reminded that natures normal changes depending on the time of day, the season, and the

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Lenten Devotional, Day 7, Beasties and Weeds (episode 67)


I spotted my first dandelion. He was poking up between bricks in our herb garden. I happened to see the little fella right after thinking about disruptive thoughts that pop up while I’m meditating. There seemed to be a connection.

I took a class recently called “Quieting the Beast”. The class was all about recognizing when intrusive thoughts are distracting you from being in a productive or spirit-minded space. We learned to observe ourselves and intervene as needed. Sitting quietly has a way of making you painfully aware of all of the inner chatter going on.

Our instructor, a nature educator named Tom Brown, referred to chaotic thoughts as “the Beast.” At the end of every nature meditation I capture my

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