Holding my tongue...for four weeks???

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend my first Friday morning prayer session at Flanders yesterday. I was only able to stay for 30 minutes, but it was a meaningful start to my day. For anyone who has not yet been, I encourage you to force yourself out of your cozy bed while it's still pitch black outside, step your feet onto a freezing floor and make your way to an even colder Flanders (do they even have heat there???). Thanks to Scott, there was some warm coffee I wrapped my hands around to keep my fingers from suffering hypothermia.

I digress....after some readings, prayer and communion, I took Scott's advice and decided to participate in the great bowl challenge (not sure what it's really called but this is what I'm naming it). If you've been to prayer, you know what I'm talking about; and if you've participated in this specific activity, you know why I call it the "great" bowl challenge. My challenge for the month is indeed great - and don't worry, I won't let myself off the hook just because I received it on Oct. 16. I will continue to grapple with it through November 15 at 7:30 a.m. - 744 hours to be exact with approximately 496 of them waking hours (but who's counting?)

Here is the spiritual discipline I was led to pick up: "Seek to go an entire month without gossiping, slandering, or putting down another person." Until you're faced with this challenge, I don't think one realizes its difficulty and just how often your tongue slips into "gossip mode..." especially if you work in an office setting where not everyone agrees with the boss's management style. So....here's to four weeks of holding my tongue. I'll let you know how it goes.