“In the morning,
while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and
there he prayed.” - Mark 1:35
“Being listened to
is so close to being loved that most people can’t tell the difference” –David
Augsberger
My two younger brothers and I are all close. We chat on
the phone about once a week, and it’s a minor miracle our childhood home can
contain the energy we have when we all are able to get together. With that
energy comes questions and check-ins, stories and memories. The volume often
gets louder and louder because we each want share and we each want to be heard.
Eventually there are times when we need to call each other out and bluntly (and
lovingly) say, “You’re interrupting me.” It reminds the rest of the family
that, despite our desire to share, we must also listen. We know our turn will
come and, when that time comes, we will have everyone’s full attention and we
know that we are loved.
For parents: I wonder, what are some interruptions in your
life? I wonder, what would the world look like if everyone knew that they had a
voice that mattered? I wonder, what might people notice when they stopped and
listened?
For kids: Do you remember a time when you wanted to share
something, but no one listened? How did that make you feel? Do you remember a
time when a grown up asked you a question and they told you that it was a
really good answer? What did you feel then?
Dear God, help us
listen more closely, to you and to our neighbors so that we might share your
love.
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Rev. Allison Ruari
is the Associate Minister for Faith Formation at First Christian Church in
Mansfield, Ohio. She resides there with her husband, Jared, and their three
cats.
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Our 2016 prayer vigil theme is Helping Our Children Heal from Violence. For more resources visit disciplesjustice4children.org and docfamiliesandchildren.org.
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Our 2016 prayer vigil theme is Helping Our Children Heal from Violence. For more resources visit disciplesjustice4children.org and docfamiliesandchildren.org.
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