Tag Archives: god

Listening for the Singing of Angels 

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“There must be always remaining in every person’s life some place for the singing of angels.” (Howard Thurman)  

Do angels intrigue you? December is the month of angels, and I adore pondering their presence and power. Furthermore, it’s good to remember that angels sing all year long!  

One Christmas almost twenty years ago, my mother gave each of her daughters a silver “angel bell” necklace. Tucked inside the small gift box was a message telling of a guardian angel that always accompanies us.  It is one of my all-time favorite Christmas gifts, and my sisters and I wear our angel bells often. Mom died years ago, a few days before Christmas, and I believe she is one of the angels always present whenever I need her.  

Do you have something that reminds you of angels? Consider carrying it with you.  

In these busy days, my soul has been nourished by reading snippets from Howard Thurman’s book, The Mood of Christmas.  Howard Thurman (1899-1981) was a gifted writer, minister, philosopher, and educator who served as a spiritual director for Martin Luther King, Jr.  His meditations remind me of the true meaning of Christmas: grace in a world that can feel callous and insensitive, candlelight glowing in the darkness, and daily miracles of which we are often unaware.   

His meditation titled “The Singing of Angels” urges:  

 “There must be always remaining in every person’s life some place for the singing of angels…The commonplace is shot through with new glory; old burdens become lighter; deep and ancient wounds lose much of their old, old hurting…Despite all the crassness of life, despite all the hardness of life, despite all the harsh discords of life, life is saved by the singing of angels.” (p. 8)  

The angels’ song finds fulfillment when we become aware of our true worthiness as children of God and live with that knowledge. 

I haven’t posted recently on Nesting in Wonder because I’ve been focusing on writing a book—a collection of meditations about the many ways to pause, reflect, and reconnect with our souls so that we are better able to love and be loved in our daily lives.  God is always here (as well as there and everywhere!), but often we are oblivious. Angels are divine messengers that remind us of God’s presence.  

Listening for the singing of angels is a meaningful way for us to reconnect with our souls and remember we are loved.  Then we can radiate that love outwardly to everyone we encounter.  

How can you hear the singing of angels?  Ask for their help to hear their music. Listen with the ears of your heart. Maybe you’ll hear in the presence of loved ones, in the quiet moments of solitude, or in a favorite song on the radio. Perhaps you will hear in a moment of connection with a stranger, the reading of a poem that tugs at your heart, or the melody of creation while outside in nature.  

I truly believe that if we pause with the desire to listen for the singing of angels, we will hear music that helps us realize how loved we are. 

Friends, let Howard Thurman’s words serve as a gentle reminder to make time and space to listen for the singing of angels. They don’t just sing in December; they sing year-round!  

Sending love and blessings for the season,

Mabeth

Awakening to New Perspectives: Seeing with the Eye of the Heart

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Background: I wrote the bones of this as a reflection for the quarterly theme of “Awakening to New Perspectives” for Well for the Journey’s “Well-being Wednesday Meditation,” offered on January 29, 2025. Every Wednesday, people dial in at 8:00 am (EST) over the phone to listen to a free 15-minute reflection/meditation to nourish their souls. Anyone is welcome! The meditations are recorded, and they can be accessed anytime here: https://wellforthejourney.org/wbw-library/

“Awakening to New Perspectives” is a compelling theme. At this time in human history, I believe we are being called to awaken from our spiritual slumber to become more conscious of Goodness within and around us, especially in those people who offend or anger us. Another word for Goodness is Godness. We are called to awaken to God’s presence in and among us, often in surprising new ways.  

One way to awaken to new perspectives is to practice “seeing with the eye of the heart.” This concept keeps jumping out at me repeatedly in various forms.  

Can it be that the healing of the world depends on shifting the way we see- especially the way we see others and the way we see ourselves?  

As humans, our minds are filled with thoughts, judgments, worries, opinions, fears, and anxieties. Our unceasing thought patterns can entangle us, keeping us stuck in a continuous loop and significantly impacting our perspectives.  While looking at ourselves and others through the eye of the mind, our perspectives can become clouded with biases, illusions, blame, and, significantly, judgments. We judge ourselves; we judge others.  We all do it. It is part of the human condition. And it can be rough. 

I should note our minds are essential and often marvelously constructive. They help us plan, organize, connect the dots, calculate, strategize, reason, and create. Mine helped me write these words. Let us give thanks for our minds! 

But sometimes, we can be too controlled by our minds. We forget that we are NOT our thoughts. That’s precisely when we need to shift deeper into our hearts.  

Think about the heart. What does it symbolize? Love…connection…belonging… compassion…kindness…acceptance. The world needs more of all of these.

In December, part of my morning quiet time was reading a book by spiritual writer John Shea called Starlight: Beholding the Christmas Miracle All Year Round (Isn’t that a great title?).  In it, he writes about spiritual perspective. He points out that when we walk the spiritual journey, a new way of seeing emerges, and we notice things we have never noticed before. We often see things we have always seen, but we see them in a new way.  

The following passage has rocked my inner world:  

“In the Book of Revelation, Christ exclaims, ‘Behold! I make all things new’ (Rev. 21:5). It should be stressed that he makes no new things. Rather, he facilitates a way of seeing that makes all things new. People often say, ‘I am seeing it for the first time.’ What they mean is that something they have seen physically many times is now seen in a new light… This new light is the spiritual perspective. It is a light that comes from within.” (my emphasis added) This spiritual perspective, he says, is called the third eye, the inner vision, and the eye of the heart. 

BOOM. Please take a moment to read and ponder his words. What resonates with you?  

My response: WTF? What do you mean, God doesn’t make all things new?!?  I pray for God to intercede in this crazy world and bring about a new peace, a new world order, new love and kindness, and new people to bring us to a new place. I pray for a lot of new! 

Do you mean it’s up to me and us? Do I have to see with new eyes? What am I called to awaken to? Is what I’m looking for right here, but I just can’t see it?  

By the way, friends, I’m not giving up hope that God is at work making all things new. However, I realize that I have some work to do, too. I need to try to wake up, shift my spiritual perspective, and practice seeing with the eye of the heart. It is challenging work, but what if seeing with the eye of the heart can bring healing and love to our world?  

In each human being (yes, that means everyone- you, me, and all other beings, including those we don’t like), there is an innate goodness…an inner divine radiance…that is part of the Eternal. We are made in the image of God. We are not God of course, but we have part of God in us. It is our divine DNA. A spark of divine love dwells in our heart space.  

Often, it requires that we pause and momentarily extract ourselves from the chaotic energy and thoughts of the mind to shift ourselves into the warm, loving light of the heart. When we make time to remember, honor, and nurture that goodness, we become empowered to see with the eye of the heart.   

In these chaotic times, it’s easy to get mired in thoughts of worry, grief, fear, angst, and anxiety. Most of us are stuck looking through the eye of the mind. It is painful.  

I invite you here and now to join me in a short practice of looking at ourselves through the eye of the heart, bringing forth kindness and compassion.  

Please follow these prompts slowly, allowing generous pauses.  

While seated comfortably, with your feet on the ground, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths at your own pace…Place one hand on your chest over your heart…Continue breathing…feel the warmth of your chest…Perhaps you feel your heart beating, pumping blood through your body…Imagine warm, loving light expanding out from your heart. See it surround you…Feel that energy…Feel unconditional love embracing you. Accept this love… Relax into this love. Know how deeply you are loved….  For the next 60 seconds (or longer, if you like) simply relax into the warm light of unconditional love and acceptance.  

Now open your eyes and look around. Can you sense any difference in what you see? Do you sense a softening of sorts?

What if seeing with the eye of the heart became a daily practice? I believe it could change the world. 

Meanwhile, while we work on seeing with the eye of the heart, I am not giving up hope that God is working on making all things new.

A blessing for all of us:  

Friends,  

May we practice seeing with the eye of the heart,  

bringing healing and love  

to ourselves, to those around us, and to the world. Amen. 

Love, 

Mabeth 

Good Company to Birth the New

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Are you a spiritual seeker, yearning for greater connection and meaning?  

Do you feel like your religious traditions no longer fit?  

You are not alone. We are together in this.  

Earlier this month, on a chilly morning, I arose before the winter sun, looking forward to cracking open a new book recommended by a soul friend: The Great Search: Turning to Earth and Soul in the Quest for Healing and Home by John Philip Newell. A renowned spiritual teacher, speaker, and author steeped in Celtic tradition, Newell urges us to reawaken to the sacredness of Earth and every human being. His previous books nourished and enriched my soul.  

With a candle lit and my journal and pen nearby, I nestled in with his latest writing. He opens with this observation: “We are living through a time of immense transition as old systems of authority and belief are questioned. A new vision of reality is trying to be born.”  

Yes! I wholeheartedly agree.  

Then, this passage glistened, leaping off the page: 

“We are living through an age that is characterized by exile and spiritual search. Something new is trying to be born within us and around us.” 

My heart burned.  

I jotted the sentences down in my journal, slowly pondering them.  

How can two simple sentences explain so succinctly the work that I am called to?  

I am one of many who feel exiled from religious traditions that no longer fit. The way forward, as I can see it, is to make time and space to pay attention to this stirring, sometimes alone, sometimes with others who might be feeling the same sense of confusion and disillusionment. I am grateful to have companions and colleagues at Well for the Journey who wander this path with me, along with other small circles of companions who are exploring. Also, I am grateful for YOU, because as you read this now, our hearts are meeting. It is my deep hope that we are already birthing a newness yearning to be born, though we cannot yet see or comprehend it.  

The good news is that we can find refuge and belonging in our exile through a practice that I call “soul-nesting.” Let me explain.  

I am working on a collection of reflections that invites people into the vital work of soul-nesting. A bird’s nest is a powerful spiritual metaphor for these times.  Our souls need a space to nurture, protect, and incubate what wants to be born. Like a bird gathering materials to build a nest, we need only look around and begin. Soul-nesting practices include small activities such as pausing, breathing, journaling, resting, gathering with others in sacred conversation, walking outside, and listening. Building a nest for our souls where we are—in the middle of our everyday lives—allows us to remember our deep, innate connection with God and incubate the new life longing to emerge. We can give birth to more love, over and over again.  

I look forward to unpacking this concept further in the year ahead with an enhanced website and, with God’s help, a book to be published. (Gulp-I have put my dream out there!) 

Turning back to John Philip Newell’s book, I appreciate that he focuses on people throughout history who left traditional religion to find a deeper connection with Earth and all of humanity. Some of my favorite formative teachers are highlighted: Etty Hillesum, Carl Jung, and Julaluddin Rumi, for instance. Each of them has touched my soul through their lives and writings. Though we’ve never met, I think of them as friends in spirit. 

Hillesum (1914-1943) was a courageous and compassionate Jewish woman who experienced a spiritual awakening while suffering and facing death during the Holocaust. Her diaries reveal a remarkable strength, depth of soul, and love amid the most horrific circumstances. Jung (1875-1961), who founded analytical psychology, posited that we find healing and wholeness only as we become more conscious of our inner life. I’ve drawn on his wisdom personally and professionally, applying it most recently to the Conscious Aging classes I lead. Rumi (1207-1273) lived in the Middle East and wrote an incredible breadth of poetry, some of which I’ve selected for a “Love Poems from God” program that I’ve led over the years. Rumi calls us to remember that love is the true religion. 

If you are searching for inspiration as you live through these times, you will find good company in John Philip Newell’s The Great Search: Turning to Earth and Soul in the Quest for Healing and Home.  

And quite possibly—just maybe—my book that is being born will be a companion for you in the years to come.  

With a heart of gratitude, I offer you blessings and love for the new year, friends.  

Mabeth 

Peculiar Gifts

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When you lose someone close to you, whether to death or through a breakup, your inner foundation can be shattered. Even for those deaths that are expected or the breakups that are “for the best,” it can feel like the walls have caved in, the floors have collapsed, and the roof has fallen.  

Stabilizing and rebuilding can be long and arduous. Grief is a process that requires inner renovations as we discover our strengths and rebuild our lives. We can never plan adequately; the healing process is unpredictable and perplexing, so the best we can do is try to remain open.  

Christmas of 2013 was a memorable one. I received a most peculiar gift, reminding me that loving forces are always guiding and accompanying us in healing  – especially when we are moving through the slog of grief.   

My mother died in Philadelphia on December 17, 2013, after living with cancer for years. I was 53 years old, with young adult children of my own. We held her memorial service on December 21. After staying for a few days with my heartbroken father, I arrived home in Maryland to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas morning on the farm, as was our tradition.   

That Christmas was a blur, characterized by exhaustion and raw, tender emotion. We went through the motions of annual traditions, including hosting Christmas Eve dinner for family and friends who lived in Maryland. I didn’t want to miss out on that gathering with loved ones who would lift my spirits.   

An annual Christmas Eve highlight is the silly “table gift exchange” after dinner. Everyone is asked to bring a wrapped gift of under $20 to be placed on a table to be selected, opened, and sometimes “stolen” under a detailed set of rules. Gifts are typically labeled as “male,” female,” or “either,” but somehow, I selected and opened a poorly labeled, manly gift— something called a “stud finder.” I had never heard of such a thing. Rapidly concluding that it was not a tool to find attractive men (which some of the young women around the table might have appreciated), the instructions revealed that it was a tool to locate support frames behind the walls of a home or building.  

No one stole my stud finder.   

It was a few days later, while quietly tidying up after the whirl of activity, that I spotted my stud finder languishing on a table in the center of the family room. Something caught my attention. Curious, I picked it up to re-read the packaging. I learned that a stud finder is a handy device to locate supportive beams that are hidden behind walls, and it is particularly helpful when making renovations to a home.   

It dawned on me that the stud finder was a fittingly symbolic gift for me.  I needed to find the framework hidden within me that would hold me up. It was a peculiar but perfect gift from God.  

Mom was the strongest inner support in our family; she was the matriarch holding us all together. Mothers are our original source of life. If we are fortunate, they become listeners, teachers, cheerleaders, and companions. They love us in a way that no one else does, and they hold us together in ways we do not realize until they are not there. My foundation had been profoundly shaken. I was struggling to adjust to a life without my mother. I needed to discover my inner strengths and lean on the relationships that would support me in her absence.   

The stud finder was a serendipitous reminder that there is, and has always been, a hidden framework holding me together, holding our family together, and holding our world together.  I was being renovated, and I needed to find the inner structure of support.   

Mom died ten years ago, and I now realize that my inner construction and renovations will take a lifetime. Before she died, my brother interviewed my mother to capture family history as well as her wisdom and insight. In concluding the interview, she advised: “Love one another; that is where all good things begin.” Her words guide us still.   

Relationships form and support us. Love is the foundation for all of life. Although no one can replace a loved one, in time, we adjust to a new way of living. Interconnected relationships become reshaped, new ones are built, and we discover support. We love each other through it. Thankfully, help also comes from God, from the angels that surround us, and from those who came before us.   

Sometimes, they even send peculiar gifts to remind us.   

Reflection Question: What relationships support you?   

Storytelling: Share a memory of a time when your inner foundation was rebuilt following a loss. What was that like?   

Blessing:   

May you discover an inner strength hidden inside of you when experiencing loss.   

May you know that you are supported and connected.   

May you be open to being rebuilt and reshaped, now and always.   

Note: This particular format is one I envision for the book I am writing- a collection of stories about listening for God (or whatever your name for a larger Source of Love is) in your daily life. It is designed to accompany and help you listen in your own life. More to come…

Sparkling Souls

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This is the season for sparkle—around us and in our souls.   

In the Northern Hemisphere, as we experience the fewest hours of daylight, many are busy hanging Christmas lights that twinkle in the darkness. At sunset, our Jewish sisters and brothers light candles on their menorahs to celebrate Hannukah. The stars seem to shine brighter in the darkest time of the year.  

Outside in the daylight, the earth also sparkles. The other day I was walking along our farm lane and the way the sunlight reflected off the dirt created a glistening pathway. It looked like fairy dust had been scattered everywhere. Science might tell us that the effect is created by the minerals within the shist, but I believe it is also a reminder from God that all of creation sparkles with Divine presence. Including you.  

Within each of us is a spark of the Divine. Each of us was born with an eternal light inside of us. Each one of us has a unique sparkle.  As Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton (1915-1968) wrote: “It is like a pure diamond, blazing with the invisible light of heaven. It is in everybody, and if we could see it, we would see these billions of points of light coming together in the face and blaze of a sun that would make all the darkness and cruelty of life vanish completely.”  (Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander)

This essay is a gentle reminder that no matter where you are or what you are going through, you have an inner radiance that guides you, accompanies you, and loves you deeply. You are created in the image of God. Your soul sparkles. And the Source of Love invites, nudges, and encourages you, me, and all of us to sparkle brightly with Divine Love. It is a profound calling to bring light to the struggles and suffering of our world. 

According to various dictionaries, to sparkle means to shine brightly with flashes of light (Oxford)…to give off or reflect bright moving points of light (Merriam-Webster). Another definition says that to sparkle is to shine brightly with a lot of small pieces of light (Cambridge). Also, to shine or glisten with little gleams of light(dictionary.com). Think of the sun on the water, or jewels that reflect the light.  

A personal story highlights the notion of sparkle. Last winter, my husband and I were enjoying a date night out in Annapolis, Maryland, when a group of glittery women swept into the restaurant, bringing a wave of energy and laughter. I was on crutches recovering from ankle surgery, feeling vulnerable, weak, and clunky. These women lifted my spirits.  

Each woman wore a different colored sparkly piece of clothing. They lit up the place: one wore a sapphire-blue shimmery dress, another had on a firehouse-red sequined jacket, one woman donned a gold glittery tank top, and another looked like a mermaid in her form-fitting, shiny emerald skirt.  The assorted, sparkly colors were enchanting!  

I hobbled over to inquire about the cause for the celebration and learned that it was a fiftieth birthday party.  

“Oh my gosh, I love all your glittery clothes!” I exclaimed.  

A woman in a shiny silver blouse responded with a beaming smile, “Who knew there were so many ways to sparkle?!”  

Indeed…Who knew that there were so many ways to sparkle?  

Her words, along with the images of the sparkling women and the angel dust on the farm lane have lingered with me. We do have so many ways to glisten and shine, especially with a unique spark of the eternal within us. Furthermore, our sparkle illuminates and energizes life around us. Sadly, our sparkle often gets dulled or hidden, whether by neglect, forgetfulness, cynicism, lack of self-care, or some experience that leaves us doubting the goodness that lies within us.  

What helps us to revive our sparkle?  In an earlier draft of this essay, I created a list of ideas that involve “doing”—everyday practices that I have listed below. But in this busy season of to-do lists and emotional turbulence (for those who are ill, grieving, or suffering), I think that the best thing we can do is relax, remember your divine inner radiance, and seek to release stuff that blocks your spark such as harsh judgments of others and yourself, unrealistic expectations, and cynicism.  

Friends, as you see all the glittering lights around you, remember the one inside you. Our souls are connected like Christmas lights twinkling with the light of Love.  

I send you love and blessings for the season. 

Mabeth 

Practical Ideas to Enhance your Sparkle 

  • Make intentional time to nourish your soul, such as gathering with others who seek soul nourishment, creating quiet moments in the presence of the Source of Light, or taking a contemplative walk in nature. 
  • Light a candle as a tiny ritual to remember and kindle your inner light. 
  • Radiate kindness by simple daily acts such as smiling at a stranger, being a calm presence, giving generously, or bringing hope where it is needed. 
  • Take a few deep breaths of calm. (Could it be that breathing provides oxygen for your inner spark?)  
  • Wear a piece of chic sparkly clothing as a light-hearted way to manifest your intention to sparkle. 
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