Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
Tish Harrison Warren is becoming one of my favorite authors. In Liturgy of the Ordinary, she weaves the spiritual disciplines into the daily routines of her life. Here are some examples:
- she teaches the importance of confession through the loss of her keys;
- eating leftovers becomes a reflection on the sacraments;
- checking email is a means of blessing and sending.
Here are a couple of quotes to whet your appetite:
“. . . following Augustine, [who] argues that to be alternative people is to be formed differently — to take up practices and habits that aim our love and desire toward God.”
“It is in the repetitive and the mundane that I begin to learn to love, to listen, to pay attention to God and to those around me.”
“These tiny moments of beauty in our days train us in the habits of adoration and discernment . . . they train us in the art of noticing and of reveling in God’s goodness and artistry.”
After reading her book, I came away with a greater appreciation of the routine and how simple disciplines and practices can train me in the habits of adoration and discernment. I love the quote from Augustine, that to be an “alternative people” — people different from our culture — we must take up practices and habits that direct us to our Lord. Warren presents a practical and do-able approach to turn the ordinary into a practice of seeking God.
ACNA and IVP. Two good associations. I’ve become GMC (and NCM associate), but my son is ACNA clergy in Waco and teaches at Baylor.
To come close to Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s classic quote…”The whole earth’s aflame with God….and those who miss it sit around and pluck blackberries”