Category Archives: Devotion

Living literarily in the context of God, of spirituality

First Person Pronouns in Christian Worship: A Key to Denominational Affiliation and Cultural Identity?

(Part of my writing practice is to create partial documents, whether essay, memoir, or fiction, and write them into the writer’s software I use as a way to remember the idea when I work on the larger project the portion … Continue reading

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Liturgical Worship: Opera! Poetry!

A couple of weeks ago as we left church for our Sunday coffee and breakfast, my wife commented that the liturgy, the worship of the Orthodox Church, is like an opera.  It tells a story with song, movement and image … Continue reading

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The Pun Method of Teaching Christmas Carols

Walking the other day through the awesomely ugly yet somehow festive-this-time-of-year halls of the acres long, deep and wide building where I work, I was singing Christmas carols under my breath, blithely anticipating the holiday almost upon us.  I got to, … Continue reading

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Down to the River to Pray – 5

(Down to the River to Pray Introduction and Explanation) Faith isn’t an exclusive God Club with passwords and secret handshakes, who’s in and who’s not.  If you’re a member, say the code, Person answering the door: “The rain in Spain … Continue reading

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Permission to Fail, Create, Believe

I am coming to think that part of living is giving yourself permission to do certain things. I am learning the importance of giving myself permission to fail.  This culture, our society, maybe people in general want to get it … Continue reading

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Creating is Praying

An artist could start his or her work saying, “Dear God,” then spend the day writing or painting or sculpting or whatever it is she or he does, then finish with, “Amen.”   Creativity is the Creator’s gift.  The actual … Continue reading

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Literary and Devotional

Orthodox churches this past Sunday commemorated the account of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman he talked to at Jacob’s Well.  The account is in John 4:5-42.  One of the hymns the Orthodox sang on that day is filled with … Continue reading

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Down to the River to Pray – 4

You have lived your life these many long years in service to others and God.  Now, you’re learning to ask, “What do I want,” along with the familiar, “What should I do?”  You are experimenting with putting the shoulds in perspective, with exploring … Continue reading

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One More Example (for now) of the Literary Coinciding with Devotion

Here is another example of the literary coinciding with spirituality: Come, let us drink, not miraculous water drawn forth from a barren stone, but a new vintage from the fount of incorruption, springing from the tomb of Christ.  In Him … Continue reading

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More Devotion and Literary Coinciding

Here is another portion of a hymn, sung in the Orthodox Church in a Holy Saturday (between Good Friday and Easter) service.  More good writing, the use of juxtaposition and imagery, to drive home a point. Today a tomb holds … Continue reading

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