Sleeping with Bread: On it's way... and it's here!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

On it's way... and it's here!

Hi there! Just a heads up that I will be late in getting my post up this week. Come back late Monday or early Tuesday and you will find a host post here!

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Several hours later... Thank you for your patience!

It seems like I am always full of excuses and you all are always so gracious to me. I think that might be on my best things list for the week! Actually, I would also add some wonderful friends who I reached out to last night as I was having myself a Mary-LUE crisis of confidence. I asked for prayer and they came through.

I am finding myself at a time in life when I am somewhat overwhelmed with all that is going on. It isn't all bad stuff. It is just a LOT of stuff. I laughingly asked my husband the other day how we had managed to go so many years without the level of busyness we are experiencing now. However we did it, we are grateful, because this stuff is very challenging right now! I am teaching four classes, with three different preps (which means that three of the four classes are different and require different things to prepare and get ready). My husband has had another 1/2 a job added to his job description and so he is out of the house (he works from home usually) more often. We've had some near misses with the scheduling, but so far the kids have all been dropped off and picked up when they need to be! To top it all off, our landlord let us know he wants the house back. We were blessed and found a lovely place just a few blocks away. There are some downsides--it costs more and we lose some space--but the neighborhood is really nice and the landscaping and views are wonderful. We move in two weeks. Yikes! Not exactly sure how all that is going to work.

Anyway, one comfort in the middle of all this (in addition to gracious and praying friends) was this scripture that I came across in a devotion one day:

22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,

24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.

Number 6:22-27

I really don't think there's anything I can add to top that!

Blessings to you all this week.

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

How do you do Sleeping with Bread?

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. We hope you will join in with the fellow bakers as we Sleep with Bread on Mondays!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Thanks, Mary-Lue. Will be here whenever it's up.; February 01, 2010 5:58 AM
Tara Lamont said...: Thanks Mary - see you then.
http://lamont-uphill.blogspot.com/2010/02/swb-fog-behind-me-blue-skies-ahed.html; February 01, 2010 7:34 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!