Blessed to Be Blessings

A week ago, we spent a Sunday with Rich Melheim, where we learned all sorts of techniques for enriching our relationships.  Our church has been using Faith 5 techniques*, so they weren't new to me.  I did think about how much I've come to cherish the practice of blessing each other.

When we leave each other for the day, my spouse has been blessing me this week.  With his finger, he draws a cross on my forehead and says, "Remember that you are blessed to be a blessing."  It is good to remember that fact as I go to work, a place that doesn't always bless me.

I bless him in return.

Yesterday, we had our Church Council budget retreat.  I decided to start with the Faith 5.  I firmly believe that our meeting went smoothly because the exercise helped remind us that we're all humans, doing our best.  I think that blessing each other put us in a good frame of mind.  I believe that we were more open to the movements of the Holy Spirit by opening ourselves up this way.

One of the most profound parts of the Create in Me retreat happened for me this year at the end of our second day of Bible study.  We teamed up with a partner, put our hands on the partner's head, and repeated the words that end the sacrament of Baptism:

"Sustain ______ with the gift of your Holy Spirit:  the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever."

Then we marked the sign of the cross on foreheads, saying these words:  "______, child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever."

My partner and I, both moved to tears, then hugged.

I haven't really done much with blessing in these ways before these past 9 months.  It's been much more wondrous than I ever predicted it could be. 

And like the best spiritual practices, it's so simple and easy to do.


*Share highs and lows, read the Bible, connect the Bible to highs and lows, pray, bless