friendship in pajamas
The group is back in the great room, finishing up their mission statements. Today they will focus on their vision statement. For me, the process of doing my vision statement was like writing out my secret dreams. We were encouraged to do a 'day in the life' type piece, noticing the small details of what was going on in our vision. It's a piece that I still use as a guide to pray with, over and through. On the days when my dreams are too small, I remember the bigness of the statement and expand my horizons.
An interesting problem that many women at this Path have encountered is feeling like they are not deserving of big, bold, glorious missions. They have grappled with a sense of embarrassment at being too grabby, or maybe felt like it would be too selfish or aiming too high to own the mission statement that has come spilling out of their mouth (actually, out of their hearts). Strange. Where does this come from? Is it a church culture thing that says overtly or indirectly 'don't be too big for your britches'? Is it a family thing: "oh, you think you're special, don'tcha?" Or is it slightly different - that if I don't live up to my mission statement, I'll finally find out the truth about myself - that I'm a failure. Whatever it is, it is deeply ingrained in us as women.
Jesus said a lot of things, some of which I don't get, some of which I don't like, some of which passes me by at present. But there is a specific flavour to what he generally said. I think Paul gets to the very heart of it in the first line of Galatians: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free". Hear that deeply, those of you who feel you are too small, insignificant, bossy, or proud for these mission statements that have come from your heart of hearts. These mission statements are one more building block, one more piece of proof that it is for FREEDOM that you've been set free. Receive rather that do your mission statement.
* the title of this post comes from the fact that a lot of our hang out time has been when we're in our pajamas - first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
An interesting problem that many women at this Path have encountered is feeling like they are not deserving of big, bold, glorious missions. They have grappled with a sense of embarrassment at being too grabby, or maybe felt like it would be too selfish or aiming too high to own the mission statement that has come spilling out of their mouth (actually, out of their hearts). Strange. Where does this come from? Is it a church culture thing that says overtly or indirectly 'don't be too big for your britches'? Is it a family thing: "oh, you think you're special, don'tcha?" Or is it slightly different - that if I don't live up to my mission statement, I'll finally find out the truth about myself - that I'm a failure. Whatever it is, it is deeply ingrained in us as women.
Jesus said a lot of things, some of which I don't get, some of which I don't like, some of which passes me by at present. But there is a specific flavour to what he generally said. I think Paul gets to the very heart of it in the first line of Galatians: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free". Hear that deeply, those of you who feel you are too small, insignificant, bossy, or proud for these mission statements that have come from your heart of hearts. These mission statements are one more building block, one more piece of proof that it is for FREEDOM that you've been set free. Receive rather that do your mission statement.
* the title of this post comes from the fact that a lot of our hang out time has been when we're in our pajamas - first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
posted by Lisa at 9:31 a.m.
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