11 March

Had The Most Wonderful First Sabbath Experience Today: Photos, A Fire, Art Students Work, Meditation

by Jon Katz

Well, today didn’t turn out quite as I expected today, as Maria predicted.

I was planning to speak only in photos today and be quiet for most of the day, but my life had other ideas for today, and it worked out well.

The young Bishop Gibbons artists wanted their donors to see what they were doing, so I posted their work; Maria cleaned out dirty nests and droppings in the barn, started a bonfire, and wanted some help. (I had to take photos of that.)

I took a bunch of photos I loved and wanted to share.

This won’t be simple for me,  yet it turned out very much the way I hoped. Despite the things I published,  I had many hours to myself for meditation, reading, and even taking a sweet and deep nap. I finished one book, read from two more, and got some new ideas about spirituality to write about.

Getting up at dawn helps.

It’s an old habit, but I like to write about spirituality on Sundays when many people are in the mood.

Today, I was spoiled with a raft of beautiful messages, talking about what I wrote and thanking me for the blog, flowers, Mansion work, etc.

. The Saturday Sabbath experiment – speaking in pictures – is essential to me. I drink the quiet, and I need it. But some Saturdays I will be able to do it, some not. People who know me know I will keep at it until I get it right. It is, after all, up to me.

But the odd thing is that I spent more time on spirituality and reflection than expected. That’s a bit scary, in a way, given all that I wrote.

I think they call it life. Thanks for caring, your interest, and all those beautiful messages.

My head is turning. (P.S. The trolls were, in fact, unhappy; I’m getting a new button that allows me to delete them and block them at the same time. This will be fun.

And, of course, I should have done it some time ago. Getting older has a great side benefit; I am learning and listening to a lot.

7 Comments

  1. Jesus had some good advice for his trolls; Sabbath was made for man not man for Sabbath. Enjoy your time but don’t worry about being dogmatic about it!

  2. beautiful writing and photos today as always…..but I *was* pondering the fact that you said you would be speaking in photos only…on your Sabbath off day. I’m not complaining! You are learning how to be quiet and rest……it is a process and you will achieve it. Thank you for the joy you bring me every day, whatever you share!
    Susan M

    1. Thanks for your thoughtfulness Susan, I was wondering also…small the steps! Too many things started to happen…:)

  3. Love this photo. I always think that black and white speaks to a different place in my body than color does. I love color but B&W is special.

  4. Ah, the “delete and block” button, I love it! It’s how my phone is set up (thank you Android, I think!) and it’s a blessing. I heard, years ago, that when we make plans, God laughs. I always thought of that as sort of negative, until I learned how to go with the flow. And at the end of the days when I did just that, I realized how peaceful I was, and then I totally understood what it meant. I’ve stopped fighting everything, and everyone, including myself. Well, not every day, but most days. It feels so much better. I can tell you feel better.

  5. I’m a retired Episcopal priest who for years tried to observe an “Electronic Sabbath,” meaning no electronic communications after six o’clock Saturday until – I should be so lucky – Monday morning. The thinking was that nothing good ever arrives that way during that period; with few exceptions, it’s always someone with a grievance.

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