Paying for School

My ongoing adventures in life and the pursuit of more...

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The Good Life


This afternoon we talked about the good life.  We also spent time helping each other get un-stuck.  We ended the session with an examen that led us to an interesting encounter with Jesus.

Here are the key beats behind the rhythm of a good life:
1) Celebrate
2) Lament
3) Acceptance
4) Good Work
5) Embracing the Other
6) Invitation towards wholeness
7) Love

If it’s your intention to enjoy the good life a simple place to start is to listen closely and see if you can hear these 7 rhythms beating in the background of your life.

When do you celebrate?  What do you celebrate?  Do you make intentional room in your life to party?

When do you cry over injustice?  When do you moan that things are the way things are and they shouldn’t be that way?  Do you give yourself permission to express your dissatisfaction with the world the way it is?  Can you weep with those that weep?

Can you accept what is or are you always trying to change it?  Can you just be or must you be in motion?  Is it possible for you to see that the hard times are also possibly the best times?  Would God ever put you in a painful situation because it’s good for your soul?

Those are the first 3 rhythms and questions that can help you dig in to them.

At the end of our afternoon session was an examen and I found myself stunned by the simplicity of it and where it led me to.  I’m still processing one of the briefest but most profound moments I’ve ever had in prayer.

And I didn’t say a word.

Tonight it’s homework and story time.  I’ll fill you in tomorrow!

3 comments:

  1. This is really good, Brian. I might borrow this for a meditation, if that's okay.

    Matte

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete