A little while ago, I posted 10 Unspiritual Spiritual Disciplines. As I looked them over, it struck me that what I had written was a dead give away that I am no longer young. I like what I said, but what I said speaks, I suspect, more to my older than my younger self.
So I set about to think on my younger self in a spiritual way, wondering what advice I might give to younger Me, the hipper, cooler gal I used to be (or thought I was).
Here’s what I came up with – 10 UnSpiritual Spiritual Disciplines 2.0 – the younger, cooler version of the original:
1. Text like God’s reading it.
2. If you’re texting or surfing, include the person beside you, whether friend or stranger, in the conversation.
3. Send an inspiring, encouraging text to someone today and every day.
4. Thank God with every sip, every taste of that beer.
5. While watching the game, offer silent or spoken blessings for the players, the refs, the crowd. And wonder what kind of game God would invent – how would the scoring go? Who would be chosen for the team? What would the purpose of the game be?
6. When you’re out eating, share your food with each other. As you eat, think of it as communion. Notice what changes when you do.
7. Decide that just for today, every time your kid speaks to you, you’re going to understand that this is God speaking to you and give your child the same attention you would give as if it were God speaking to you.
8. When you have sex, enter the experience as a child of God who has been gifted by God with the ability to experience all the senses your body intertwined with the body of another has to give.
9. Bless every person, every situation, you encounter while doing your work today. Be specific in your blessing. Can’t think of anything? Then try blessing them with the things you want in your own life – happy family, good job, joy in the work, rest, no debts, freedom from worry, meaning, purpose, fulfillment, safe children – you get the picture.
10. Practice patience with those around you who don’t get you – your look, your way, your tech savvy, your music, your you-ness. Instead of returning judgment for judgment, try returning patience, humor and understanding for judgment – just as an experiment – see where it takes you. Might be fun. Might be a surprise. You’ll sure feel better for it. Promise.
