Are You at Home? When you think of the word “home,” what comes to mind?  What makes a place feel like home to you?   Toni Morrison   once said   the most important thing   a parent  can do is   to  allow our   eyes  to light up when a child enters the room.      This simple act-- expressing delight in their presence  through our  body language-- is   an   important way to help our children understand that they have a home in us.    Even as adults ,  our day-to-day interactions influence whether we feel at home in a place, a relationship, a group, or even the world.  Though we are often unaware of this, the people we encounter--their very facial expressions--are giving us information about how others see us and, hence, how we would be wise to see ourselves.  Over time--and especially in our most significant relationships--an understanding of our basic identity is being formed.  We are determining the answer to these questions:  are we seen, valued, cared for?  Most of God's follower

A Different Way to Pray Many years ago at a retreat, I was introduced to a new way of praying.  Rather than using words, we were led in a series of physical postures:        Standing, we placed the palms of our hands over our hearts.         We then lifted our arms overhead, open-palmed.         Arms still lifted and palms open, we paused.         Next, we brought our cupped hands back to our hearts.         Then, we extended our open palms in front of our bodies.           We closed by again lifting our hands, palms towards the sky. After familiarizing ourselves with the different postures, we learned the words our movements were meant to communicate:        Lord, here I am.   palms over hearts        Today, I offer all that I am to you.   arms lifted, palms open        I also come in need, Lord.  Will you fill me anew with your spirit?   arms lifted, palms open         I gratefully receive what you are giving me.  Thank you, Father.   cupped hands to heart         As I move into this

What do you want? John’s gospel records this question as  Christ’s first words  to   those  who would soon become his disciples (1:38).   It   was an invitation -- not  just  to  pause and   reflect   on  what they  longed  for,  no t  just  to   see  those longings , but to say them  out loud .  With this question, Jesus invited these men to name the desires of their soul—and  not just to anyone, but  to  someone t hey understood to be the very Lamb of God.       Some interpret Christ’s question  as  “’What do you seek?’”    To seek something  means it has value.   If we  seek   something,  it is important enough for us to  put our desire into action, to pursue it.    To   seek something  often   means working .   But   seeking   can  also  in volve  waiting .   In all of our seeking and wanting,   work ing   and   waiting ,  we are hoping.  Sometimes our  hope  is  like  a light that shines, bright and strong .  But t here  may also be  moments—or seasons-- when  shadows  of  disappo