Practice

The word of the Lord came to me and said "Kristine, Kristine, you are worried about many things."

Not in a mean or judgmental way, just a statement of fact, tinged with compassion.

"Yes, Lord," I sighed, "I am."

And I looked up, and spread before me was this feast for the eyes. "Just sit a minute," said Jesus, "and breathe. Be where you are. The ground on which you stand is holy ground. I am with you. Lay your worries down, even if just for a moment. I promise they'll be there when you're ready to pick them back up. Although I'd rather you didn't. I'd rather you leave them with me, and take on my yoke of joy and hope. Carry that around instead."

It's Lent. My spiritual practice is to give up worry and to make room for joy and hope. And as a wise choral director of mine used to say, "practice makes permanent." Not perfect. What we practice imprints itself on us, whether for good or ill. Let's practice joy and hope. How will you do that today?