friday five: words

At RevGals Jan writes: There is a dramatic and surprising venue for Spiritual Formation/Sunday School classes at my church: Each week a different person teaches about a "word" that expresses his/her passion or interest. The first week someone spoke about "hospitality" with abundant treats on her mother and grandmother's china arrayed on tables. Other words have been "connectivity," "Trinity," "money," and "dreams." No one knows which person will be teaching until the class convenes. I am teaching this Sunday and plan to talk about "stirrings."

For this Friday Five, please list five words that identify your passions, spirituality, and/or life. Describe as much or as little as you wish.

1) creativity

 To create is to sustain my inner life-force. Whether it's through cooking, sewing, needlework, assembling scrapbook pages, planning events or generating ideas, I must create. When I don't, my soul shrivels. 

2) hospitality

Creating space in my/our midst where others may be welcomed and honored is something I learned from my grandmother and my mother before me. It's not just about food (although food never hurts!), it's about invitation and welcome.  A space that comforts, literally and figuratively, is a piece of that, as is a space of peace, and even healing. In our present circumstances we are limited in the hospitality we offer in our home because of our dogs. When we have some funds our first priority is to fence our yard so that they may go out, and others may come in. At that time I suspect that, since my husband and I both love to cook, copious amounts of food for guests will also be involved.

3) light

This is my key spiritual word, my mantra, if you will. Whether it's the inner light, the light of Christ, the lights that dawns from on high, light is my visual, tangible counterpart to hope and grounding.

4) metaphor

some years ago when I was unemployed and seeking work, I tried to reimagine myself as a priest in a non-parish setting, applying my interests, skills, and experience in new contexts. A colleague with whom I did some brainstorming responded to one potential opportunity by stating, " that could be a fascinating option, because you're a good translator."  What she meant was that my gift for using metaphor made it possible for me to recast one idea in terms that could be apprehended by another context. Metaphor works well for me in writing, preaching, creating, counseling,  and so on. It's part of the fabric of who I am and I how I move through life.

 5) justice

The choice of this word may surprise some, because I'm not much of an activist or advocate in realms typically associated with justice. But I have a heart for correcting wrongs, compassion for those who have been wronged, and a desire to see God's righteousness made manifest. It is in that sense that I choose this word.

I'm dashing this morning, heading to my last day of an icon-writing workshop. I'll visit other RevGals later on today when I get home!