how I hope I am being shaped

I think one of the first times I met the then future Mrs Felix she was singing in tongues or something like that.  It might be said that we still have our own personal flavours...be that all as it may.   The impetus for this brief reflection was a conversation over at the sol cafe.

This is only a partial answer to a series of questions, but in general, what are some of the ways in which I believe God has and is shaping me? This is a rather technical sort of post - blah, blah blah yes there is all that most important stuff about people and community, but the reality of those things is hidden perhaps by the language of what I'm trying to relate.

Well, speaking of formation, the ways in which I trust God has shaped me are found in what the Anglicans call a "rule of life" - sort of a personal and yet corporate kind of Christian formation. The center of my spiritual formation is the practice of "daily offices" - an old monastic tradition of prayer and Scripture reading at various times of the day. I was introduced to it about 23 years ago.

We are essentially formed by God's choice to live and act in us through his Spirit. This is one way that I believe God has done this with me. I open up the floor for others to join in and tell how they believe/trust/suspect that God shapes and forms them, if they even see that as part of whatever is happening...

The goal? purpose? achievable spiritual commodity outcome of a rule of life is to be shaped by the various ways I/we trust that God wants and intends to shape us. So from my liturgical Anglican spirituality, here is an outline taken from the Book of Common Prayer:

Every Christian man or woman should from time to time frame for himself a RULE OF LIFE in accordance with the precepts of the Gospel and the faith and order of the Church; wherein he may consider the following:

The regularity of his attendance at public worship and especially at the holy Communion.
The practice of private prayer, Bible-reading, and self-discipline.
Bringing the teaching and example of Christ into his everyday life.
The boldness of his spoken witness to his faith in Christ.
His personal service to the Church and the community.
The offering of money according to his means for the support of the work of the Church at home and overseas.

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At some point I want to delve into the topic of prayer a bit more, and this is just a start. 

"Lord teach us to pray";  how has he taught you?

Comments

[insularius]

Despite the lack of "many infallible proofs", an angel present at the time has told me the future Mrs. Felix's exclaimed in praise "a-kee-de-ma-shan-tai".

Or was it "O hacienda, O hacienda?"

[Joe]

LOL! I think it was the former. And I believe that as well there is that business of the true mark of anglican unity - we have my Tallis CD's and her Graham Kendrick stuff both on the same shelf!

Insularius, you might be interested to hear that it has been noted that if you say "Praise ye the Lord" in the presence of Sarah or Emily, you will most definitely hear the response "The Lord's name be praised"...