I first heard of Shirley Hershey Schowalter as president of Goshen College (1997-2004), and now I’ve had the privilege of getting to know her on Twitter and through her blog. I so appreciate her generous spirit and wisdom, and look forward to reading her memoir when it’s released later this year. Thank you, Shirley, for your willingness to be the first stop on my Sacred Pauses blog tour–I hope we can sit down together over a cup of tea one day!
Who Else Wants Simplicity? April Yamasaki’s Sacred Pauses Offers a Way
We all know about the value of silence, taking breaks, and breathing deeply.
We know we’re supposed to do these things.
But then we get completely involved in our work.
And we forget. Read more . . . .
I am deeply honored to be the first blog to feature your new book, April. I wish you all the best at your launch, and I do believe we will have that cup of tea some day!
April:
I noted with interest your (latest) blog on “Sacred Pauses”—essential for spiritual discipline. I tend to be, by the way, an “early morning” person as well! (That is a pre-retirement vestige).
We returned on the 20th of January from a three-weeks excursion of discovery — “Deep in the Heart of Mexico” including arguably the city with the largest city in the world, and its environs on the poverty-stricken margins with Mexican Mennonites, as well as, Ten Thousand Villages producers in Old Taxco, and from the southern State of Chiapas. (Unfortunately, our re-entry was “greeted”- marred- by a heavy bout of illnesses, hitting each of us in turn).
During our first Sunday morning in Mexico City we joined an MCC worker at a Quaker Worship Service, which you know is centered on silent worship and meditation, with a limited amount of audible sharing and reflections. It had been a very long time since my (previous) such experience. (the Friends and MCC have often worked in partnership as we did in Nigeria.
The Service (Sacred Pauses) was significantly refreshing and vital for personal growth and re-centering our lives. The Fellowship which followed was an important component on what was Epiphany Sunday, widely significant in Protestant Churches in Mexico—and elsewhere (importance of which seems to have been eroded among us Mennonites).
Thanks for the focus.
Bill Thiessen
Sent from Windows Mail
Thank you, Shirley – it’s been wonderful to work together even if at a distance! and thank you, Bill for sharing your experience. I haven’t been part of a Quaker Worship Service as you describe and would like to do so some day. I hope the two of you have fully recovered now, and if you’re able, it would be great to see you at the Sacred Pauses book launch at House of James, Monday, Feb. 4, 7:00pm, or the book signing on Saturday, Feb. 9, 11am-1pm.
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