Monday Manna... on Friday
"it's just like this"
Good morning, Blue Roomies! As I continue to work on the book, today I welcome my friend Arianne Braithwaite Lehn of Monday Manna to the Blue Room. She’s a wonderful writer, poet, and visual artist. So gifted! And this post spoke to me big-time.
Supporting subscribers will hear from me early next week, and I’ll be back with a Friday newsletter in a couple of weeks! Cheers.
Hello, friends… we are all cheering on MaryAnn as she wraps up this book (go, MaryAnn, go! We need your book!) and I am so honored she gave me the opportunity to relieve her a bit, offering some words of my own in this space. I’d love to share with you a portion of a “Monday Manna” I wrote last year—a brief reflection, some paintings I’ve made, a prayer from my book, and something that’s been manna to me lately. I pray God uses it to nourish you in the ways you need today…
Something I heard a while ago has surfaced afresh for me in recent days. I remember listening to one of my favorite podcasts (Kelly Corrigan Wonders) and she had a short snippet with a phrase that has stayed with me — and had a profound impact…
It’s like this.
To be honest, I don’t fully remember the context of Kelly’s meaningful reflection. It had something to do, though, with feeling like things were bumpy and messy in her life, and it can’t be this way for other people, and aren’t things supposed to be easier than this? It was then someone told her, “Kelly, it’s like this.”
She wasn’t doing anything wrong. Her life wasn’t wrong. It’s just. like. this.
It really resonated as I have often found myself wondering that exact same thing many a time. I can live with a continual, low-grade frustration believing that life is somehow meant to be different than it is. That especially the hard things are not supposed to be this hard. That other people have an insight or a key in their pocket opening and shifting things.
Now, this clearly doesn’t apply to the societal and global justice/kin-dom work we have to do in bringing God’s dream — there’s a lot there that should not, must not, be “like this.”
But the beautiful assurance of Kelly’s phrase — It’s like this — frees me and completely re-creates my expectations. And therein lies the key…at least for me. Expectations.
Subconsciously, we bring ourselves into small and large-scale suffering when our expectations are completely out of harmony with our reality. Freedom, contentment, happiness… it’s all an inside job.
I’m reminded of another quip I heard, this one shared by Mary Pipher. She was meeting with a dear friend who I believe was in her 90’s. Her friend seemed so at peace, so grounded in the goodness of her everyday life. She really didn’t go anywhere or do much. Most of her days were similar to the day before, spent in her quiet room at the nursing home. Mary asked her what made her so content, and what gave her such happiness.
“Mary,” she said. “I have everything I need between my ears in order to be happy.”
So I wonder if today, when we face something that disappoints or frustrates or needles us, we might remind ourselves, “It’s like this.”
And in doing so, feel the wave of empowerment which a welcoming approach can wash us with.
I’ll close with this little snapshot from a book I read to my youngest (*almost*) every night, Thank You For My Dreams…
“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” ~ Lao Tzu
A Prayer
This prayer, from my book, Ash and Starlight, gets us back to the heart, which is where the power and perspective come…
When I’m struggling to accept my life right now
Completely Gracious One,
Forgive me.
I’ve slipped into cynicism this week,
hanging my heart on negativity,
rather than hope,
covering bloody wounds,
rather than opening them
to the air of your healing.
Air can sting.
I’ve been asking you
for a change in my circumstances.
And I've been complaining.
Sometimes, you want a
change of conditions,
and you equip me to
make that happen.
But I'm realizing maybe
what I need this time
is not a change of what's around me,
but a change inside me.
My heart,
not my circumstances.
Maybe a change in heart
will lead to a change
in circumstances?
But for now, the changed
heart will be enough.
Instead of discontent, gratitude.
Rather than jealousy, generosity.
In place of judgment, compassion.
Replacing anger, laughter.
Mold my heart, God, into
the form you want it to be.
Lead me to my courage.
Kindle and warm what
has grown cold in me.
Energize the passions
lying lethargic.
In this day, help me stand
before all of my life
with a trusting, open heart.
That's a good enough change for now.
I will ask you about
those circumstances later.
I praise you as
the heart-renewing
God who is good,
the God who is able,
the God I love,
and the God of us all.
Amen.
Psalm 34:10 * 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 * Philippians 4:11-13
“Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing…”
- Psalm 34:10
Something that nourished me recently…
*My husband reads this “Welcoming Prayer” by Father Thomas Keating every morning (I should too…) It may be one of the most liberating, challenging prayers I’ve ever experienced. I took a screen-shot from the Richard Rohr emails, which is where I first encountered it…
So this week, my friends, remember…
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
and…
It’s like this.
Love and Light,
Arianne
(from MAMD: Thank you Arianne! Friends, here’s how to connect directly with her work—she’s a great follow.)
Good luck on your book writing MaryAnn.
I was so thrilled (and at first confused!) to see the Monday Manna in the Blue Room. I adore Arianne's words and art!
What a simple but powerful phrase - "it's just like this" it is equally grounding/level setting but also hopeful. It reminds me of a phrase I hear patients say over and over in the hospital "it is what it is" which I first thought was mere resignation until I Sat with more people and heard their acceptance in it.
Also I'd not yet heard of the Welcoming Prayer, thanks for the introduction. I read it this morning as I welcome a new day in the previous time before my kiddos are up!
Maryann, thank you for introducing us to Monday Manna! I loved the art, the prayers and her words. Especially in this political climate, the letting go and reminder to trust God rather than think it’s our situation to fix was helpful.