It is a wondrous experience when I hear a message that is both beautifully touching and decidedly challenging. This week at St. John UMC, Pastor Jenny gave a sermon on attention. Jenny is the Mom of two, a toddler and an infant, which means she is busy and frequently distracted. She shared with us that when her daughter, Isabella, wanted her attention, instead of saying Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom….you get the picture… her daughter was to simply lay her hand on Jenny’s arm. It was Jenny’s job to then notice that her daughter was waiting for her, find a break in what she was doing, and then turn to Isabella and say, “You have my full attention”. We were challenged to notice the ways that God’s hand is gently resting upon our arms, waiting to have our full attention.
The very next day I received this quote from Spiritual Directors International encouraging ATTENTION as the contemplative practice of the week:
“Silence is not an absence of sound, but rather a shifting of attention toward sounds that speak to the soul.” —Thomas Moore
