Thursday, September 27, 2022 was an labyrinth adventure day for me, and my third and final stop of the day was at Country Homes Christian Church, located at 8415 N Wall St in Spokane, WA 99208.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a man ahead of me walking to the labyrinth. He wasn’t there very long and exited quickly. As I drew closer, I told him that it was uncommon for me to run into anybody else at labyrinths, and he explained that he was the pastor there. He went on to add that his son painted rocks with pictures and messages, and he liked to go and put them in the center. I thanked him and his congregation for creating and maintaining this labyrinth, which gives people a space to walk in contemplation. Then, I completed my third labyrinth walk of the day, and the theme seemed to be “Don’t Give Up.”
Stay the Course
Sometimes we feel like quitting. Our efforts seem to be fruitless and we fear that the light at the end of the tunnel is actually a freight training coming to crush every hope we carry in our hearts.
Consider this your reminder to just keep going, even if the progress is slow- achingly slow.
Don’t Lose Faith or Hope
The Best is Yet to Come and It Will be Worth the Wait
Waiting can be hard, and the tendency to vacillate between renewed hopes and exasperated frustration is a familiar feeling to many.
As the song from Journey goes, “Don’t stop believing.”
When I read through these, the phrase ‘Seed, Time, Harvest’ kept coming to mind. It’s a reminder that we plant the seeds of of desires with hopeful expectation, but hate the wait and want the bounty immediately.
We have to remember that TIME is an important component of growth.
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Wyakin Park was my second (semi) successful labyrinth walk of the day. It is located in a wooded nature area near 6701 N Assembly St. in Spokane, and was created by Friends of Wyakin Park.
I arrived in mid-afternoon, around 3:15 pm. and I have to confess that it was less a labyrinth walk and more of a meander on a not very well marked path. Nonetheless, I took what I could from the experience.
Though the labyrinth at Waykin Park was touted as being larger than most (more than 50 yards across), it was difficult to follow because the path has not been well maintained.
Once clearly marked with painted rocks all along the labyrinth trail, it seems that in the decade since it was created (2012), time, nature and vandals have absconded with many of painted rocks, essentially destroying the once clearly defined labyrinth trail. The path was barely discernible in most areas and nonexistent in others.
As a result of the deterioration of the labyrinth path, I wasn’t really able to walk it as I normally would. It didn’t follow the standard standard unicursal route of either a classical or chartres pattern- at least, not one that I could determine, and since it was located in the woods, nature had a deciding factor in the route.
I could see evidence of where the Friends of Wyakin Park had initially marked the trail with colorfully painted rocks, slogans and other memorial markers.
Though I was disappointed that it wasn’t a traditional labyrinth walk, time in nature is generally a good pick-me-up, so it was still time well spent. I’m pleased that the neighbors and surrounding community rallied to create the labyrinth, though time has certainly taken its toll.
A far as a revelatory takeaway from my time there, I have only this to day:
Sometimes the message is in the moment.
Labyrinth location: The Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist; 127 East 12th, Spokane, Washington 99202
Date: September 27, 2022 around 2:20 p.m.
This is my third attempt at a labyrinth walk today. The first one at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in 9 miles Falls, WA did not exist (I couldn’t even locate the church, despite driving by the alleged google maps location several times). I also could not find West Central Episcopal Mission or their labyrinth. They appear to have moved from the address in Spokane (though I did see several police officers and police cars just a few short blocks away). Consequently, I was happy to finally find this little labyrinth in plain view, across the street from the episcopal church. There was even a cute little cat lurking nearby, and it was relatively quiet and peaceful there.
“Stay the course”
Jeremiah 3:16
I have zero explanation for this one…. When I hear 3:16, I immediately think of John 3:16 (16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life).
Jeremiah 3:16 had no meaning for me and I had no frame of reference for what the scripture means (in terms of my life). Even after I looked it up, it still didn’t (and doesn’t) make sense to me.
if you can interpret what this means to me and my situation (or you and yours), feel free to drop your explanation in the comments, because my level of understanding is exactly this: ??♀️.
16 In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made.
Sometimes it’s about the path not taken
We are often defined by the decisions we make- our choices.
We’re discouraged from dwelling on the path we didn’t take, and we’re told to look forward, not back.
However I disagree with that sentiment. How can we possibly course correct, make amends or choose the wiser path if we are unwilling to reflect on our poor choices and bad decisions?
We may not be able to change the past, but we can change our future for the better if we put our pride and ego to the side, admit we erred and change the direction we are headed.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
George Santayana
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I usually get a trio of revelatory thoughts on a labyrinth walk, so anytime I get more (or less), it’s a little surprising to me.
On the day of this walk, September 27, 2022, I received a bonus. Make of it what you will.
Soon, it will be very soon
I’m always disappointed when a church provides no information on their website about their labyrinth, its purpose or how to utilize it. Unfortunately, most of the labyrinths I have visited at churches have little or no signage or information about them.
All Saints Episcopal Church, located at 1322 Kimball Ave, Richland, WA 99354, gets a big high five and gold star ⭐️ because their labyrinth was easy to find and their website clearly explained its purpose. ?
I was tired when I arrived in Richland, WA and for reasons I don’t understand, I took NO pictures of this labyrinth- either that or my iPhone ate them (I’m pretty sure my iPhone ate them ??♀️).
Even though it was still early in the day (just after noon on September 26, 2022), I was feeling worn out. I wasn’t physically tired- I was emotionally and spiritually disoriented. I was just a few hours from my destination and I knew where I was going- I even had a roadmap to follow, but I still felt lost… I was disconcerted and out of sorts. Those are the moments when I most need, seek and expect some clarity and intercession from God. I didn’t get it- at least not in a way that I understood.
Instead, I got:
“I’ve given you all the answers you need for now.”
“Seriously!? Seriously, God? Are you kidding me right now?” No, no, he was not kidding. There was nothing to be gleaned from my stop there. Or was there?
Instead of answers, reassurance and a feeling of renewal, all I can remember from my brief stop there was a feeling of frustration. There are only two other things that stood out in my mind- enough so that I had written them down as notes to myself- two ‘snapshots’ of what seemed to be significant moments in time, despite their inaneness:
First, I noted the lady across the street who looked like she was on the verge of being dragged down the street by her dog- an energetic and rambunctious black lab mix. My instincts told me that I was not there for personal revelations, but as a reminder to myself that we are here to help others, and that our path in life does not always direct us somewhere just for our own benefit.
Despite that thought, I defied my impulse to walk over and show her a trick I’d been taught for how to quickly and easily teach a dog to sit on command. Even as I continued to watch her trying to convince him to sit (he would not), I resisted the urge to help. The whole scene felt like it was running in slow-motion, and even though I felt like it was supposed to have some sort of significance, it also felt… contrived. It was weird.
The second thing that I remember is staring intently at a Goat Head thorn. This thorn, sitting in the middle of the labyrinth path, stuck in my head as relevant, but I had no idea why. Perhaps, there was a message in that, too, but I clearly wasn’t interested in listening clearly enough to get it. ??♀️In retrospect, all the frustration I felt at that time was due to my sense of expectation and entitlement.It was not one of my finer moments to shine. Not. At. All.So back in the Tahoe I went- on the road again.
What, other than my disappointing behavior, stands out to you here?
A few hours after my walk in Gresham, Oregon, I found myself stopping in The Dalles, Oregon. The Dalles, which is located on the shores of the Columbia River near the Deschutes River, has a labyrinth at Mid Columbia Health Center. If I remember reading about this correctly, the labyrinth doubles as the hospital’s helipad for medical emergencies.
Fortunately, there were no emergencies happening in this quiet community. I lingered there less than a half hour, stopping in the late morning just before 10:00 a.m. on September 26, 2022.
It’s also the second labyrinth in a row today where I found tiny heart chips in the concrete (sorry- no pics!).
Don’t confuse youthfulness with immaturity
To be youthful is to approach the world around us with a perspective that is open to innovation and creativity- to be adventurous and curious. A youthful attitude is a positive trait that is essential to our growth and development, allowing us to learn from mistakes and grow stronger as a result.
Immaturity can best be described as a lack of discipline that may result in impulsive decisions and impetuous actions. Immature people struggle to accept responsibility and accountability. They often disregard other people’s feelings and are selfish. Immaturity is a negative trait that impedes our progress and development- it is a detriment to our personal and professional life.
It is critical to be able to distinguish between the two- there is a big difference between the behavior of someone who is simply youthful and someone who is immature. Don’t confuse the two. Try to cultivate a youthful attitude of curiosity without falling into the trap of immaturity.
People crave connection, and they’ll seek it out (even in unhealthy places) if they don’t think they can find it where they are
I’ve seen it play out- in my life and in others- those times when the need for validation and acceptance trump common sense and good judgment.
I am reminded that in life, its best to play the long game when it comes to things like happiness, connection, and relationships.
And that’s about all I have to say about that.
#IYKYK
Some things have to be believed to be seen
It’s funny (but not) that my third and final “revelation” comes during a time of fasting, prayer, contemplation and… most of all, a period of WAITING (which, as you all know, I’m not particularly good at).
It was hard to determine what image best embodied this idea for me. From a faith perspective, I wanted something that wasn’t a miracle of the past, but a miracle that felt intimately personal to ME, my experience, and my pain and needs.
However, I also recognize that sharing these experiences means remembering that a ‘faith miracle’ may not resonate with some. I want people to focus on the message, not its presentation. Consequently, I picked an image from the innocence of my more hopeful youth.
Everything about this labyrinth walk spoke to me about maturity versus immaturity. Even now, when I look back at it more than a year later, it seems a reminder that patience and maturity will yield better and more long-lasting rewards than impetuousness and infantilism.
September 2022. I felt like my life and my faith were in chaos, and getting worse, not better. I was just out there, winging it… wondering if everything I had believed in faith was just a misguided fantasy. There were a few good days, but mostly there were days where I was just faking it with every ounce of my being. That’s where I was- that was my mindset when I got up and out early on the morning of the 26th. I was on the road early, heading towards Spokane, and I stopped in Gresham, Oregon just so I could walk the labyrinth at St. Luke the Physician Episcopal Church.
It was early and sunrise had been barely an hour earlier. My timing was unintentional, but perfect nonetheless. So when I stepped into the labyrinth, all I could think about was that my life and faith were in shambles.
Trusting God means having faith that misdirection will be redirected
“What if I’m doing it wrong?” is a frequent worry of mine. I worry that I’ve allowed myself to be misled by my thoughts, emotions, and circumstances.
I worry that as ‘obedient’ as I am trying to be to what I think God is calling me to do, I might be misunderstanding or going about it the ‘wrong way’.
When I shared this fear with my friend Gwen, she said something that has made all the difference in the world- something I return to whenever I feel like I might be hopelessly off track. She told me (paraphrased) that if we are doing out best to follow God’s will, it doesn’t matter if we are slightly off course or even going the wrong way completely- as long as we continue to seek His will and follow His lead, He will always redirect us when we go astray.
Surrender can be the greatest form of liberation
If you want to experience a freedom unlike anything else in the world, surrender it all to God. Give up what you want, give up how you think things should go, and give up on your version of the future- instead surrendering it all to the master plan of God.
Surrender to love
At the end of the day, you can never lose when you choose to love.
Above all else, love people. Love them when you’re mad at them. Love them when you’re disappointed. Love them when you’re appalled at what they’ve done. Love them when they break your heart with their words and actions. Love may not make the hurt, anger, frustration or struggle dissipate, but love will cleanse the palate of your soul.
Love is pure goodness, so surrender to love.
The type-A control freak in me resisted every word of this with every fiber of my being, while my emotionally and psychologically exhausted spirit hears it, and wonders if I can and if I will.
How about you?
Sunday, September 25, 2022 found me in the Tigard/Beaverton/Portland area, hanging out with my second family (the Hipsher and Becker clans).
While traveling between houses, I took a detour between their two households to stop at St. James Episcopal Church in Tigard so that I could walk the labyrinth there. Here is what I ‘heard’:
Stick to the plan.
I’m going to just be transparent and say that this would be all fine and good, except that I DON’T KNOW THE PLAN! Nobody told me the plan.??♀️
So, I’m going to pretend that I do know the plan and keep doing what I am doing and hope for the best. ??
Be open to the possibilities.
I tend to think about things in terms of possible disasters.
However, when I ‘heard’ this, it was my reminder that I should also consider the possibilities, the WONDERFUL possibilities.
All the good things that could happen.
All the potential moments of wonder and joy and unexpected joy.
Be open to the possibilities.
Trust me that you will be taken care of. It will all work out.
There was more I learned on this walk, but the rest of it isn’t pertinent to anyone but me.
Plus, this is more than enough to contemplate for now! What comes to mind for you when you see these three messages?
6/12/2022
3332 N Meridian Ave OKC @ 2:20 pm
In a previous post, I had indicated that the Rock Ridge labyrinth was the last one we explored before leaving OK & TX, but as I worked through my labyrinth list and wrote this post, I realized I was wrong (and edited that post). The United Life Center for Spiritual Living labyrinth was the last walk and adventure we had together before I got on a plane back to Anchorage and they continued their road trip adventures.
All the three messages were very specific in nature- two of them I have generalized and one I’ve refrained from sharing altogether. Here they are:
Be Open to Blessing Others
Initially, I dropped the ball on this one… I ‘heard’ vey specific names about who I was to bless, and I was not sure exactly how I was to bless this couple. In fact, it was more than a YEAR before I finally followed through on this. And it was a bit of an awkward conversation. But I did it. I was reminded of something a pastor that I follow says quite often: “Delayed obedience is disobedience.”
Next time, I won’t delay.
*** Private message – not for public consumption ***
If/when it ever comes to pass, I’ll update this post to share was I was told…
Until then, ??
Help someone in need
Here, I was given very specific instructions on who to call and what to do… and I did. And nothing came of it, despite my best efforts. It was a frustrating experience because I was working so hard to be ‘obedient’ to the calling… until I heard something in a sermon months later that really resonated with me: “It is not about the outcome, it is about your obedience.”
And when I thought about it, I realized it was true– if we feel called to help someone in need, can we really go wrong by doing so? (To be clear, I’m not talking about enabling someone with issues.)
In the end, I ended up donating a bed (mattress, box spring, frame and a couple complete sets of linens) to an elderly woman who was starting over after leaving her abusive partner. She was in her 70’s, on a very limited income and starting over with virtually nothing. It was a pleasure and a privilege to be able to help her.
How are YOU led to help those in need?
My third labyrinth visit of the day was just after lunch on 06/12/2022 (around 1:20 PM) at a private home in Oklahoma City, OK. The home is listed on the labyrinth locator website, and when I had reached out to them to ask if I/we could walk the labyrinth and they were very welcoming and encouraged us to visit.
They had created the labyrinth in their backyard, though it was visible from the street and quickly and easily accessed.
Private labyrinths allows for greater personalization, and their spiritual beliefs were evident by the objects in and around the labyrinth. As always, I am grateful when labyrinth owners grant access to their labyrinths for complete strangers to use. It was fitting that the first message was…
Little kindnesses make a big difference
We KNOW that little moments of kindness can make a big difference, but we probably aren’t very good about putting that knowledge to good use and intentionally practicing moments of kindness.
Let this be your reminder of how powerful, uplifting and encouraging it is…
Here’s are a couple personal ‘feel good’ examples of how it has been helpful to me:
As you may know from my posts, I try to swim 5-6 days a week for an hour each day. I am not a particularly good or strong swimmer (though I really wish I was).
Despite that, I have been encouraged several times by other swimmers at the various YMCAs I have visited. At the Everett YMCA, a member named Pietra offered to give me some tips on my stroke, and after watching me swim a partial lap, told me I was very “elegant’ in the water. I was BEAMING after that compliment. On another occasion, a swimmer one lane over looked at me and and said, “You’re working really hard out there. Good job!”
When I was visiting my dad in Oregon, I swam at the Medford YMCA, and after my first swim there, a gentleman one lane over said, “You did a good job for your first time here- You swam an entire hour!”
It might seem like a little thing, but when I’m tired and discouraged and feel like I’m not good enough (which is more often than like to admit), those words of affirmation are powerful, powerful motivators. We can all benefit from encouragement. When in doubt, refer to the Five Love Languages — all show kindness, and kindness is cool.
Your impact will be greater than you can imagine
Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into the water, the actions of individuals can have a far-reaching effect.
Dalai Lama
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When we recognize the impact we have on others – and how that impact can be positive or negative, we recognize how very powerful we are are.
We may not know how or what we have said (or done) has impacted someone, but trust me– you are leaving your mark on the world- make it a good one!
You are just getting started
June 12, 2022 marked the end of an epic week in Texas with my friends Andrew and Mikayla. The three of us had met up in Texas to be extras in episode 8, season 3 of The Chosen TV series, and had spent spent some LONG days on the set in the blazing Midlothian sun. ?
We also fit in our own adventures between our filming schedule (doesn’t that just sound so bougie? ?).
The Rock Ridge labyrinth felt familiar– probably because it was reminiscent of the labyrinth in my own neighborhood. It sat in the middle of a neighborhood cul-de-sac, much like the one in my former neighborhood, and the houses surrounding it felt friendly and welcoming. I told Andrew and Mikayla that this was a neighborhood that I would want to live in– it just felt *good* to be there. This labyrinth walk occurred around 12:40 p.m.
Sometimes it takes longer than you think
to get where you want to go
To be frank, there’s not a lot to unpack in that statement. The revelation is perfectly capable of standing on its own merit. It’s a painful truth, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
Your job is to speak truth and build bridges
One of the best phrases I ever learned was “practice truth and kindness instead of brutal honesty.” Sometimes people need to hear hard truths, but when those truths are tempered with love by someone who loves you, it can build bridges, heal rifts, and strengthen relationships. We all want to be the best version of ourselves, but we also want to be loved for who we are as we strive to be become that ‘best version’ of ourselves.
The more you trust, the more you’ll receive.
I once heard the phrase that you can’t receive with a closed fist, and we all know that to be true. What we don’t consider is that we can’t receive if we don’t trust enough to open our hands, and our heart.
What are your thoughts about these revelations?
