Sleeping with Bread: Monday, May 25th

Monday, May 25, 2009

Monday, May 25th

Happy Memorial Day!

As a child, Memorial Day was nothing more than a day off school, a sign that summer vacation was drawing closser, and a chance to go to a picnic. Now that I am older, I have a greater appreciation for this day, in which we are meant to honor those who have died while in military service to our country.

I hope that everyone has an opportunity to remember these fallen soldiers in some way today. (I've been participating in Tweet to Remind.)

In non-Memorial Day related news: I finally finished my school semester! YAHOO! It feels very good to be done with all the work. I am taking the rest of May off before starting my Master's project, a curriculum for using blogging in a college reading class.

Okay, I'm stuck without a graceful transition back to our Sleeping with Bread business. So, we'll just do with that as a transition. ; p

Although the examen is a Christian practice, I would hope that anyone who has something to share would feel welcome here. Also, if you don't have your own blog and would like to participate, share your bread in the comments. To holding on to what gives life,

Mary-LUE

5 comments:

Mel said...: Oh, congratulations on being DONE for this semester! YIPPEE!!

Transition away, ma'am.
I'm just glad for you to be 'unburied', yaknow?!

http://melsdream.blogspot.com/2009/05/sleeping-with-bread_24.html

Here's my slice!!
Have a blessed week.; May 25, 2009 2:58 PM
Tara Lamont said...: Cheers to you on this great accomplishment - and a blogging project, you will so ace that one!

Here's my Monday bread for this week:
http://lamont-uphill.blogspot.com/2009/05/swb-sunshine-and-shadow.html

Peace,
Tara; May 25, 2009 7:16 PM
Unknown said...: Sorry about the linkies, guys. I thought I had enabled it... which I might have done. Sometimes Mr. Linky is fussy and sometimes I am absent-minded!; May 25, 2009 7:45 PM
dianne said...: i posted something too. http://diannepolome.com/2009/05/24/sleeping-with-bread-4/

don't worry about the linkies - the old-fashioned way works just fine.

funny how memorial day is one of those holidays where we can totally miss what it's all about. although i am grateful for those who have given their lives for our country, i'm ashamed to say i "missed it" this year.; May 27, 2009 6:54 AM
Skeeter said...: Hi! I posted.

http://atomiczebra7.blogspot.com/

Best wishes,

Skeeter; May 31, 2009 10:50 PM

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What is Sleeping with Bread?

During the bombing raids of WWII, thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. The fortunate ones were rescued and placed in refugee camps where they received food and good care. But many of these children who had lost so much could not sleep at night. They feared waking up to find themselves once again homeless and without food. Nothing seemed to reassure them. Finally, someone hit upon the idea of giving each child a piece of bread to hold at bedtime. Holding their bread, these children could finally sleep in peace. All through the night the bread reminded them, "Today I ate and I will eat again tomorrow." (Linn, Dennis et al, Sleeping With Bread, p.l)

These are the beginning words of a book that introduced me to a practice called the examen. The orphans held on to what nourished them and were thus able to sleep peacefully at night. The examen, based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, helps a person hold onto what spiritually nourishes him by looking at what is giving him consolation in his life or causing him desolation. It allows someone to express his gratitude to God for the good stuff and turn to him for solace for the bad stuff. It is quite simple. You simply ask yourself, in the last day/week/month what gave me consolation and what caused me desolation.

How do you do it?

Sleeping with Bread is a Monday meme. You can participate in one of two ways: 1) Pick one of the above examen question sets and answer it in the comments section of my SWB post; or, 2) Create your own Sleeping with Bread post. You are welcome to right click on the Sleeping with Bread button and save it to your own computer before uploading into your post. Then, make sure you come back and put the link to your post in the automated Mr. Linky form at the end of the current SWB post. I hope you will join me and my fellow bakers as we Sleep with Bread on Mondays!