pilgrimage - day #3

So here I begin day 3, and the topic is beads and baubles. The amusing part is that earlier this morning the girls and I took a short trip to the neighborhood Walmart. If you know me, you know I'm NOT a Walmart shopper. However, after striking out at Target yesterday, I decided to search Google for a white book case. Why white? Well it matches the other 3-shelf book case in the basement. I am trying to match as best as possible. Walmart had one for a great price, so off we went this morning to pick it up.

While we were there, the girls spied a variety of "ooh, look at that" items. One of the aisles had a bunch of bead collection boxes. Zoe and Eva have both made beaded bracelets, and we have a smattering of colorful baubles that Zoe loves playing with. However, I've always been drawn to the process of making things, so I was seriously considering adding to our collection. I didn't, but thought I might purchase a kit for Zoe for Christmas...justifying children's toys is much easier when you have kids.

The study today talked about making prayer beads for meditation. I have always found the Catholic tradition of using prayer beads to be calming and spiritually beautiful. Jim has his grandfather's rosary, and it's such a lovely relic of him. He touched the beads, he prayed using them as a guide. How much more intimate of a personal relic could you have?

Anyway, I am now inspired to make my own set of prayer beads. I think I'd like to have wooden beads, and ones that were tactically interesting. I would imagine in times of trouble I could pull out the beads and treat them as worry dolls. Did anyone ever have them? My sister did. The little dolls came in a small oblong box. The theory was to put your cares and worries upon the dolls and return them to the little box. The dolls would take care of your troubles and/or problems...leaving you relieved and refreshed.

I would like that same opportunity to help when praying. Maybe incorporating a mantra a meditatation so to speak.

Now onto finding those beads!

Today's passage:
Psalms 19:11 (NIV)
My the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your site,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer