Greetings friends,

A Blessed Advent to all who are eagerly watching and waiting for the coming birth of Christ. To a world that seems full of heaviness and long, dark days, may we all be assured of the coming light.

For the light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it. John 1:5

My friends, I offer you these brief reflections and resources that I hope will be a reminder of the beautiful light that dwells and shines at the core of each and every one of us....  

• Spouting Off Blog - Tis the season to be... whale watching!
• Advent Poem - Beyond Barbed Wire
• FREE Advent Resources: Self-Directed Retreats & Leadership Guides
• Belly of the Whale Retreat - Save the Date for July 9-12, 2023

Gracious God, light my path as I journey with Mary and Joseph toward Bethlehem. Open the eyes of my heart, and fill me with an awareness of your presence in all that I do, all that I say, and all that I am. Encircle me with your light. Whisper to me in the silence. Slow me down, and allow the candles of the Advent wreath to light my way. Amen.*

With strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Sharon

Sharon Seyfarth Garner, Director

Belly of the Whale Ministries

sharon@bellyofthewhaleministries.net



* Mandalas, Candles, and Prayer: A Simply Centered Advent,

Sharon Seyfarth Garner, Upper Room Books, page 32.

SPOUTING OFF BLOG

'Tis the season to be whale watching

'Tis the season to be... whale watching!?! I got my Christmas gift early this year when we visited family in California last month and went whale watching together. I had previously been whale watching about a decade ago but, after several hours out on the water, we had not seen anything other than waves. So, as you can imagine, I was eagerly awaiting the possibility of seeing actual whales this time around! 

We boarded the boat early in the morning and set off into Monterey Bay. All eyes watching the waves, waiting for the tell-tale spray of water that comes when a whale surfaces, and hoping fervently to see what we had all gathered to see. 

And then… a spray of mist propelled from the water, the gentle roll of a whale’s back breaking through the surface, followed by the stunning whale tail emerging like a graceful aquatic exclamation point before gliding back beneath the waves. The immense beauty of it all quite simply took my breath away. What a gift to behold!

You may be wondering; however, what in the world whale watching has to do with Christmas. Well, whale watching for me was a sacred experience of waiting and watching much in the same way that Advent is a sacred experience of waiting and watching.  

In a world of instant information and gratification, we so often see waiting as an inconvenience rather than a gift. Yet the gift of Christ’s birth on Christmas morn is made all the more meaningful because we took the time to wait attentively and watch with eager anticipation throughout Advent. 

I invite you to resist the temptation to race toward Christmas day and instead to unwrap the unexpected gifts of waiting and watching this Advent. Together we turn our eyes toward the manger, watching and waiting for new life to emerge. The immense beauty of it all takes my breath away. What a gift to behold! 

AN ADVENT POEM

Beyond Barbed Wire

I can hardly believe that it is now my 5th year sharing Mandalas, Candles, and Prayer with the women of the Northeast Ohio Reintegration Center (NERC). There is something very humbling about being allowed to share sacred space with those who are struggling - whether that be sitting by a hospital bedside or bringing a casserole to a friend who is grieving or visiting someone who is in prison.

These vulnerable spaces are what some call "thin space" where the experience of the sacred feels as close as one's very breath. Being permitted to visit those who are in prison feels like thin space to me; a profoundly sacred place of vulnerability and healing.

This Advent poem/prayer emerged from our most recent gathering of the Women's Spirituality Group at NERC where I felt God's profound hope as we lit the first candle of the Advent wreath, prayed and colored silently together. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - God with us. With bated breath, we await...

O come, O come, Emanuel

beyond barbed wire

through locked gates

past metal detectors

And ransom captive, Israel

in khaki pants and green polos

signed in by name and number

awaiting sweet release

That mourns in lonely exile here

yet still gathers to pray

beneath fluorescent lights

and Advent candles’ glow

Until the Son of God appear.

in the face of each prisoner

broken and beautiful

beloved

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

God is with us

in the colorful prayers

of the children of God

Shall come to you, O Israel

O Theresa, O Mary, O Sophia,

love is born in the manger

of every human heart

Amen

This poem is based on the first verse of the Advent Hymn, O Come, O Come Emanuel. The video below is a beautiful rendition of this hymn by Enya. Also, if you are interested in a deeper look at the O Antiphons that are the foundation of this hymn, I encourage you to check out the beautiful daily Advent prayers based on the O Antiphons written by Susi Kawolics by clicking here. Susi has generously donated copies of her Advent devotional for all the women of the NERC Women's Spirituality Group. Thank you, Susi!

SELF-DIRECTED ADVENT RETREATS

It's not too late to embrace the season of Advent and gift yourself with time set apart for peaceful prayer.

To help make your Advent as peaceful (and colorful!) as possible, I have decided to make our Belly of the Whale Advent retreat videos from the past two years available to all for FREE. If you are in a position to help sustain Belly of the Whale Ministries, donations are deeply appreciated but certainly not required. All you need is your own copy of Mandalas, Candles and Prayer, some colored pencils and quiet space to pray. Enjoy!

The 2020 Retreat - COLOR YOUR ADVENT - includes 4 weekly videos (45 minutes each) based on the four chapters of Mandalas, Candles, and Prayer.  A BONUS Christmas day video (30 minutes) is available as well.  

The 2021 Retreat - A CALM & COLORFUL ADVENT - is a mini-retreat (2 hours) that includes time for contemplative coloring, simple poetry, and a colorful reflection on one of my favorite Christmas stories, The Snow Tree. A BONUS PDF of weekly Advent prayers is also available for download. 

SAVE THE DATE

Belly of the Whale Silent Retreat

July 9-12, 2023

I hope you will consider joining us for the 4th annual Belly of the Whale Retreat! This summer we return to the sacred ground of the Jesuit Retreat Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Only 15 minutes from the airport, it is easily accessible from anywhere in the world!!  

More details will be available and registration will open in January. Listen prayerfully to discern if the Spirit is nudging you to join us this year. It would be a joy to share this sacred time and space together with you! Space is limited so you will want to register early if possible.