Piloting Faith: Maybe it's just me on Valentine's Day...

A Word for the Day...

I suppose I should say Happy Valentine's Day. I will confess, I'm not a fan. Valentine's Day is one of those awkward social holidays where "coupled" people feel obligated to buy flowers and candy. Single people just feel like losers.

Am I being too harsh?

Well, let me try this: The holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. Yep...by lottery.

Ok, so I may have ruined your day for some of you reading this. Sorry (not sorry) about that. But here is what I could get excited about: Valentine's Day where we celebrate love in all its forms and do our best to show up with the widest welcome possible. Love is love is love.

Word from expereince: Don't eat too much chocolate. It's addictive.

- Rev. Cameron Trimble, author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight

Prayer for the Week

You have promised to give us wisdom if we ask, and without holding our need against us. You don't fault us for asking, then asking again. I need this gift today.

Grant me deeper understanding in the common things, the things I do out of habit and without a second thought. May every part of my life me infused with your life - like light, like streams of waters.

Help me to rightly examine all things, to discern right from wrong, to see clearly what I should do. I need wisdom in...
my work
my relationships
how I speak to others
how I spend and save money
how I eat
what I give my attention to throughout this day

And it's not just for me. In the push and shove of competing opinions, our whole community needs wisdom. Grant us insight in our thoughts and desires, so that our minds can be open, uncluttered, and vibrant. Give us your wisdom, that we may be more like you.

Amen.

(adapted from The Prayer Wheel by Patton Dodd, Jana Riess, and David Van Biema)