Contemplation

One of the longings of my heart in this past year has been to really honor God through a study, and then, practice of the Spiritual disciplines. There are some that I have a strong habit of doing, others I have never practiced. Based on a recommendation of a friend, I purchased an amazing book that teaches on the disciplines. Through an evaluation at the end of the book I was able to narrow down where my initial focus should be. I have started with the discipline of contemplation.
I never knew that was a discipline before! But it is and the teaching in the book really struck a cord with me... and I realized how lacking I am in this practice.
I have often marveled at the passage from the story of the birth of Jesus that says "Mary treasured up these things and pondered them in her heart."
She was living the discipline of contemplation. In the moment, she was watching all that God was doing, she saw Him at work, and she pondered these things in her heart.
My eyes have been opened anew as I have been intentionally looking for God in each day. He has brought "parables" to life for us in beautiful, hands on ways. He has reinforced spiritual truths to me (and all of us as a family) through experiences we have been living. We are seeing Him everywhere because we are looking for HIM!
And then we are stopping and treasuring these things in our heart - and pondering them, discussing them... thinking about them.
I praise the Lord for the way He works all things together... First, He really had to speak to me about margin before I could understand and practice contemplation. Without margin it is not possible to stop and ponder - to think. Hurry, rushing, packed schedules, the whirlwind - it is all anti-contemplation and really anti-seeing.
We sing, "Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you." but then we rush onto the next activity, commitment, project...
All the while, God replies, "Come, be with me, talk to me, listen to me... then your heart will see."
I am seeking God, asking Him to help me create some parameters of ensuring and protecting margin in all 4 areas: emotional, physical, financial, and with time so that I can become a woman who regularly treasures up and ponders the things of the Lord.