A Weekend of Ministry

For a number of months, a group of women were preparing for a ministry for women whose lives have been impacted by prison. This is Kairos Outside.

I believe I've shared the meaning before, nonetheless, here is is again:

Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time lapse, a moment of indeterminate time in which everything happens. What is happening when referring to kairos depends on who is using the word. While chronos is quantitative, kairos has a qualitative, permanent nature. Kairos also means weather in both ancient and modern Greek. The plural, καιροί (kairoi (Ancient Gk. and Mod. Gk.)) means the times. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This past weekend was the event. It is like a weekend seminar AND a sleep over. All the meals are provide, as well as transportation should it be required. The attending women are loved on, ministered to and listen to a number of talks that are intentionally presented in a specific order. They also have projects to complete - posters to make, writings, coloring, drawing.

Every aspect of the weekend it well thought out and deliberate in its progression. But always, we listen for and respond to the Holy Spirit. Confidentiality is a must and listening skills are honed during our months long preparation.

I was asked to participate this year, as a speaker. I was humbled beyond compare. Then when the topic was given to me - I knew beyond a shadow it was God ordained. I was to speak on anger - a topic I know only too well!

We met twenty-two women this weekend. We met them at their need and were able to minister to them, and ourselves in the process. We have begun the process of forming lifetime friendships and relationships that are faith based and grounded in love and community.

I have been so blessed and humbled to participate in this ministry!

Wishing you everyday grace,

Tamara

P.S.

Psalm 68:6 (NIV) 

God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Poetry

I am sharing poetry today. This is poetry that has been written by an inmate in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Gordon Grilz committed a crime of passion, for lack of a better term. He came home from work early one day and found his wife in bed with another man. He pulled a gun from the dresser and shot and killed them both. He is serving a life sentence. 

I am not making a comment or commentary on the crime. I am simply, purely sharing the words of this man. For all intents and purposes, this poem reads like a prayer in my humble opinion. 

Wishing you everyday grace,

~Tamara

Ghosts of Camacho Hill
by Gordon Grilz

Camacho Hill is the name prisoners have given to the cemetery at the Arizona State Prison at Florence

In predawn light
air thick with creosote and sage
coyotes assemble on the ridge
above the graves
camp dogs
singing their mourning song
of a thousand years

Dust devils dance on the graves
under a Sonoran summer sun
spirits ascend
in a sandy whirlwind
vultures ride the rising thermals
waiting

When the western sky has blossomed
scarlet and lavender and rose
voices carry
Spanish Navajo English Apache
lost prayers
blown against a chain link fence
in a dust storm

Below a full desert moon
shadows move among white headstones
desperate men
sifting through years
searching for moments
working to redeem
what they threw away with both hands

The Labyrinth

Psalm 84:5 New International Version

     Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
     whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

I attended a work related seminar today. It was about Crisis Communication. What to say and what not to say. I learned to never say my favorite comment - "I have no comment." Alas! We were instructed to be honest, to be real and to HAVE A PLAN.

This seminar was held at St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church. It is a lovely setting, absolutely beautiful, actually. And they have a labyrinth!

The posted time for the seminar was 9:00 a.m. but upon arrival we were told that was incorrect. The actual time was to be 10:00 a.m. So I asked about the labyrinth and was shown to the area.

As I approached the Labyrinth

Approaching the entrance

Walking the pathway

Arriving at the center

Almost there

Placing my stone as an offering and remembrance of the prayers as I walked

Exiting the center

What is the purpose of a labyrinth walk? Here is what I learned -

Life is about transformation, growth, expanding possibilities and discovery. Life is a sacred journey of our continuous vision. Life is about seeing clearly and deeply and learning, facing challenges, stretching your soul and bridging the known and unknown worlds and most of all listening to your intuition. On life's journey we need to individually find our puzzle piece and shape it into a divine tale of power, wisdom, courage, beauty, love and dignity. Our life's journey is a pilgrimage.

We need to go forward and not backward. We are all on a path but - do you know what you are meant to be doing? Do you know where you are meant to be? The path that we are all on is a blueprint of the labyrinth. The labyrinth is an ancient symbol that reveals wholeness as well as combines with the picture of the spirals and circles into a meandering yet purposeful path.

For many decades labyrinths have been used as a meditation and prayer tool and represent a spiritual journey to our center and back into the world again. We can walk the labyrinth as this is a metaphor for our life's journey, and allows us to have a direct experience. By walking the labyrinth you will be able to create a sacred space as well as a place that takes you away from your ego to the essence which is within.

Walking and praying a labyrinth can be healing. Physically, emotionally and of course, spiritually.

While at this event I was able to visit with friends from our old home town church. It was good seeing them and visiting with them. Especially with B. She's the friend who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She looked radiant! She finished her chemo and then had a round of radiation treatment. No... the radiance is not from the radiation but from her faith and love of Christ.

       

Through this journey, this dear, dear sister of the heart finished her "training" and traveled to Kentucky during the Spring to be consecrated as a Deaconess in the Methodist tradition. She is inspirational and AH-mazing! 

That's all for this installation! May your days be pleasant and blessed.

Wishing you everyday grace,

Tamara

Silence

Hebrews 6:11 New International Version 

We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.

Silence can be golden. It can also be frustrating.

Computers are tools and social media sites can also be tools. Both of this can also be very addicting. It has been over a month since I deactivated Facebook and Pinterest. It was a difficult decision. The only contact I generally had from my adult grandchildren had been via Facebook or an occasional text response to something I had sent one or the other of them.

Approximately a week and a half ago, my computer hard drive crashed. Indeed, crashed and burned! Husband did all he could do to resurrect the beast, but to no avail. He was able to save most of my data files, pictures and music. What was not saved were all the fonts I had diligently downloaded and used for various design elements.

Husband ordered and replaced the "dead" hard drive. The laptop is functioning once again.

And so it goes. I will now be very, very careful in downloading fonts. Music, unless I purchase it, is another no-no. There are just too many bugs and viruses that can attach to files we are downloading. Those sites that "magically" pop-up and say something to the effect of "your XYZ file is out of date, you need to immediately download and update HERE" will diligently be ignored and I will immediately exit the screen and log off. The malware that can attach to our computers can be likened to digital ebola.

I am minimalizing my blog. I will be keeping it simple. No fancy backgrounds, no pictures, unless I have actually taken them and downloaded them from my camera or phone. I am making a mindful decision to not use the "Cloud" for storing personal pictures. I will store them on a flash drive. All the media hype from the actresses who had their pix stolen from Cloud is a reminder that perhaps we should be careful. Careful about what sites we trust and even more mindful about the pictures we allow to be taken of us that have the potential to be hijacked.

I hope you continue to "stay tuned" and don't get too bored with my simple design. I minimized in my home and now I am carrying it over to my digital footprint.

Wishing you everyday grace,

Tamara