first of all it's impacted me to write a blog entry, so that says something.
second, it implanted this little voice in my brain that says "ooo, you must visit italy someday", oh ok fine, i'll visit italy, you've twisted my arm. anyone want to come along?
third it's caused me to change my name. well, kind of. indians have a hard time saying beth. the whole "th" sound, impossible for them. it comes out either "bet" which means "large stick" in bengali...or as a contorted look across their face questioning my very identiy as a person with such a difficult name to pronounce. what cruel parents i must have. so anyways, i've changed my name (thanks to this book) to "bella". beautiful in italian. plus it's my little joke on indians i don't know. they want to know my name, i tell them my psuedo name...just like the CIA i love so dearly...my own mini consperacy of sorts.
but on a more introspective note, this book has drawn me deeper into the practice of contemplation and prayer. as she travels through india, she begins searching for God through a certain guru's ashram (equated to a monostary, usually of hindu peruasion). and there she begins to learn the beauty of silence and meditation. what it boils down to for her is that the God of the universe loves her unconditionally. she wouldn't call this God Jesus. but i would...and do. and through this woman's experiences in a little ashram on the west coast of india, i've remembered the great Love that is our Father's name. and the identiy He has clothed us with. just like 1 corinthians says:
Spirit can be known only by spirit-God's spirit and our spirits in
open communion.
Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's
spirit is doing...
and through silence, contemplation, and prayer we allow ourselves open communion with God. and through Christ we have access to everything this Spirit is doing. beautiful...bella. eh?
i'm starting slow. 10 minutes each morning. its like my violin teacher told me. don't start practicing for 45 minutes at day. not yet, you need rests. do 5 minutes, then small small rest. then 5 more minutes. its how we build muscles we've never used before. so, i'm slowly building my violin holding neck muscle...and my Communion holding spirit muscle.
peace.
bella.
ps-please look at kristin's blog today, it made me laugh out loud.
4 comments:
hi...Angela Heirendt directed us from her blog to yours, and i loved reading your posts...i also love Kolkata and will keep you and the others in my prayers. i look forward to meeting you one day, maybe at a staff retreat? april
bella you are!
i too am loving that same book right now. my poor family has had to listen to me read half of it out loud to them... liz even got a shout out in my prayer letter.
anyway, i totally check in on you regularly, and i am so glad that i get to call you my friend.
peace and love.
Hi Beth, I met you briefly when I came to Kolkata with Sarah Baldwin and the George Fox crew. I found your blog through Sari Bari and then Sarah Lance's blog and wanted to tell you that I read "Eat. Pray. Love." while we were in India and I loved it! It had the same effect on me (i.e. I feel a great passion to go to Italy now!).
Hope things are going great over there in Kolkata and I miss it already...
Cuz... I loved that book too! I thought it was amazing how her false identity was just shattered and it led her on that beautiful spiritual journey.
I hope your journey is beautiful today, and I'm so excited for you with your new Servant Team. I won't get to meet this one, but maybe the next one! :)
Much love to you, Keen, and Sarah....
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