From Richard Foster

In the chapter entitled "Praying the Ordinary". It spoke to me on many levels - levels of conviction, levels of desire, levels of hope for sanctification in myself and my relationships.

Waiting is part of ordinary time. We discover God in our waiting:waiting in checkout lines, waiting for the telephone to ring, waiting for graduations, waiting for promotion, waiting to retire, waiting to die. The waiting itself becomes prayer as we give our waiting to God. In waiting we begin to get in touch with the rhythms of life- stillness in action, listening and decision. They are the rhythms of God. It is in the everyday and the commonplace that we learn patience, acceptance, and contentment. Saint Benedict's criterion for allowing a visitor to stay at the monastery is that "he is content with the life as he finds it, and does not make excessive demands...but is simply content with what he finds."

I am attracted to this "contentment without excessive demands" because it is the way I would really like to live. In a world in which Winning through Intimidation is the order of the day, I am attracted to people who are free from the tyranny of assertiveness. I am drawn to those who are able to simply meet people where they are, with no need to control or manage or make them do anything. I enjoy being around them because they draw out the best in me without any manipulation whatsoever.


Breathe in, breathe out. Amen.