Monday Manna
Love has come...the extraordinary in the ordinary...
If you are new to Monday Manna, I’m so glad you are here. My prayer with this little pause on Monday mornings is to offer some nourishment (“manna”) for you — via my reflection, prayer, and painting — as you are nourishing the world around you. Together, we are watching for the ways God is with us and for us as we take one day at a time….
Good morning, friends, and much love to you this week…
Here we are, two days from Christmas…in the midst of our final week of Advent with the theme of LOVE… “the greatest of these…”
I’m going to share here the short reflection I offered this month for the Advent Devotional of my home church, First Presbyterian Church of Sioux Falls, SD. I love homemade booklets like this, embodying the voices and stories of people across a church family. They were compiling devotions focused on the “seemingly ordinary becoming extraordinary”…a theme which covers the entire Christmas story. Here it is….
Most mornings begin for me with a run. Because I have three small kids who arise early, a lot of those runs begin in the dark. It’s a grounding and quiet time when I can think and pray (and not hear “Mom!” followed by a request).
It was a late fall morning when I was out for my usual run, headlamp blinking, weaving a path toward my favorite spot — the beach overlook which crests above Lake Michigan, giving a full view of the expansive water and unhindered wind. Whenever my run brings me to that spot, I try and take even twenty seconds to pause. As I slowed to a stop and clicked off my headlamp, I noticed a gentleman in a big puffy coat alongside a woman stretching, both of whom appeared to be waiting.
It was as I looked out at the field of dark water that I saw it — the edges of a fiery tangerine sun. I had made it there at the perfect time to see the total sunrise.
Unlike the comrades on the landing, my experience wasn’t planned at all. Had I been even a few minutes earlier or later, I would have missed it…the extraordinary moment when darkness turns into light. A miracle which happens every single day, but which I rarely witness or appreciate.
I thought of my dad, Tom Braithwaite, and the continual refrain from Psalm 118 he repeated to himself and our family during his long sojourn with cancer. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice, and be glad in it!” Even if a day would involve chemo and nausea and anxiety-producing tests, it was a day the sun came up. It was a day my dad got to see. And that, to him, was extraordinary.
Both the sun rising in the morning and the moon at night remind me of God’s faithfulness — of the world continuing on with hope and life. But they also are a miracle in how they connect me to those I love, no matter the distance. I still remember living in Taiwan with the Tai-An congregation and seeing the moon many a night after a late-night Skype call (remember Skype?!) with family as it was a thirteen-hour time difference. It was always a comfort to me to look up and remember we were looking at the same moon. A miracle.
The sun and moon rising are tangible reminders to me how every day, every moment, is one of grace — not something we strive for or earn, but a gift to receive. Just like the manger.
Prayer: Faithful God, when I look at the sun today, or the moon tonight, I will thank you, and savor. Amen.
Psalm 113:3 “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”
A Prayer
I have found myself thinking a lot of Jesus’ mother, Mary, as I’ve felt stretched and pushed, wracked by fear and riddled with questions, full of hope and glimpsing possibility I barely dare whisper. This prayer, “For Christmas Day,” from my book Ash and Starlight: Prayers for the Chaos and Grace of Daily Life, Second Edition, welcomes the dwelling of God who comes to make a home in us.
For Christmas Day
Lord Jesus,
You’ve asked me to be a womb
for you this Advent –
to be a space where your
love grows and your grace expands.
You’ve asked me to let the sides of my soul stretch
that I might become large with your promise.
Being a womb for you has pushed me
to the furthest rim of who I am.
You’ve asked me to grow for
people who never say ‘thank you’
(or I’m sorry).
You’ve called me to care for children
who pull me to new levels
of selflessness.
You’ve softened my gritted teeth
in tough phone calls
or repetitive criticism,
all while my soul
groaned with growth.
In the pain, you enlarged me.
In the swelling, you dwelt within me.
And when I questioned whether I could
make any more room in myself or my life for you –
the One who asks everything of me –
your spirit brought me forward
in its quiet, miraculous way.
You whispered my hollowing
was for a yet greater filling.
And now today, Lord Jesus, you are born.
Born in me, born to me, born for me.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, Immanuel.
Amen. [1]
Luke 1:38 * Luke 2:10-14 * Galatians 2:20
“Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant
of the Lord; let it be with me according
to your word.’” – Luke 1:38
[1] This prayer is inspired by Ann Voskamp’s blog post, “Why a True Christmas Might be Painful,” at (in)courage, December 9, 2010. https://www.incourage.me/2010/12/why-a-true-christmas-might-be-painful.html
Something that nourished me recently…
*On that theme of miracles and sunrises, my friend,
— a pastor, Substack writer, and talented photographer, among many other traits — texted me this photo he took of the sunrise last week. It was true manna to my heart with all I was holding. Also, if you want to have beautiful photos like this to turn to each month next year, check out Ed’s calendars!
*It’s a tradition I always slightly dread, but also love…the making and frosting of sugar cookies. Every year, we use one of my best friend’s great-grandma’s recipe, and it always feels like tangible connection and love.
*My favorite Christmas Carol is “Love Has Come,” and I came across this lovely acoustic version that I’ve been enjoying… But also, along the Advent music theme, one of my favorite albums is by my friend, Steve Thorngate. Check it out here.
Ash and Starlight, plus other good things…
*A CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA 💛 SECOND EDITION OF ASH AND STARLIGHT ~ Maybe there’s someone in your life who would find some solidarity and strength in these prayers to rest within…Find the updated edition of my book here at Chalice or at the Amazon link! Also, I am happy to mail personalized bookplate stickers to you. Just ask!
*MONDAY MANNA ARCHIVES ~ You can view previous Substack Monday Manna reflections as a paid subscriber here, or for the really old stuff, go to my website.
*WHAT DOES MANNA MEAN? ~ Check out an earlier post to learn how this little bit of “daily bread” got its name…
I’ll be taking some time away from Monday Manna over the holidays until we get into the new year, so in the meantime, feel my hug, friends. Praying you experience God’s filling in ordinary, extraordinary ways, and remember you are beloved. 🌟☀️❄️
Love and Light,
Arianne
I love hearing from you! You are manna. Reply to this note to send a message directly to my inbox.
Beautiful holidays to you and your family - such wonderful pictures of the littles. Hug felt and returned. Blessings.