Finding Time for the Timeless: Spirituality in the Workweek

by John McQuiston

Overview

Find spirituality in a culture where work has become a religion.

Finding Time for the Timeless offers a glimpse into the lives of people who have learned to fuse the spiritual and the ordinary. John McQuiston's accounts of spiritual moments during the business day provide readers with an example of how they too can refocus and enrich their daily life using prayer or meditation, ritual, and other forms of spiritual practice.

These simple, refreshing stories illustrate efforts to be freed, at least for a time, from the prevailing mindset of our culture—the mindset of work and worry. They are proof that it is possible to bring a deeper spiritual dimension into daily life, even during the workweek.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940000213056
Publisher:	SkyLight Paths Publishing
Publication date:	09/21/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	324 KB

About the Author

John McQuiston II is an attorney and an active lay leader in his congregation in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the author of the best-selling Always We Begin Again: The Benedictine Way of Living and Knowing Beyond Words.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Phillip : Wondering What Could Change 1
Jason : Wakefulness to God 3
Karen : Life as a Prayer 6
Joe : A Way of Living Every Day 8
Ana : Music as Prayer 12
Payne : Breathing into Spirit 15
Helen : Friendship as Prayer 18
Murray : Discovering What You're Looking For 21
Anna Mae : Finding Spiritual Strength 24
Mohammed Jamil : Unbroken Communication with God 26
Lisa : Deepening the Experience of Life 28
A Monday Morning in January 31
Dan : Connecting with Something Greater 34
Bhaskar : Prayer as a Constant in Life 36
Jennie : Opening Up the World 38
Ted : A Happy Routine 41
Alice : Walking toward God 45
Sam : Dogs, Fish, Stress, and Prayer 47
Rada : Reaching Out to Others 49
Bill : Starting the Day with Quiet 52
Margaret : A Daily Life of Service 56
Paul : The Character of a Life 58
Harriette : Attention That Is Joyfully Engaged 61
A Sunday Morning in March 63
Nabil : Creating a Patient Heart 66
Jim : The Gift of Talents 71
Herbert : Recognizing the Opportunity 74
Nastha : The Kingdom of Love on Earth 78
David : Help, Forgive Me, and Thank You 80
Katherine : The Spiritual Commute 86
Ray : Inspired by the Psalms 88
A Monday in June on a Train in France 90
Jack : Just Being a Friend 93
Elise : Beyond Time and Money 96
A July Morning in Maine 99
Harry : The Energetic Presence of God 103
Esther : A Pattern for Comfort and Support 106
A Sunday in September 108
Luke : Fast Food, Slow Contemplation 112
Rebecca : Wordless Prayer 114
Ben : Thankfulness as Healing Prayer 117
P.K. : Alone with God, Nature, and City 119
Andi : Perceiving the Cries of the World 122
Zach : Co-worker with God 127
Edgar : Offering Compassion 129
James : Reminders in the Real World 131
Charles : Making the Mundane into the Holy 133
A Monday Evening in December 135
A Note about Finding Time 139
Suggestions for Practice 142

Spiritual Practice of Reading 142
Spiritual Practice of Writing 145
Spiritual Practice of Prayer 146
Spiritual Practice of Meditation 148
Spiritual Practice of Physical Space 150
Spiritual Practice of Music 152
Spiritual Practice of Community 153

About the Reading List 158
A Reading List 163
Notes 175

Editorial Reviews

An eloquent reply to the modern mantra "I don't have time for spiritual practices," McQuiston presents-in minimalist fashion-42 vignettes describing people who find some way in their ordinary day to spend time with the Divine. Interspersed between stories about how Jack, Alice, Nabil and others live out their faith are McQuiston's own journal-style entries expressing his Christian mysticism. McQuiston, a Memphis attorney and author of Always We Begin Again, includes practices from a wide range of faith traditions. His subjects talk about the spiritual aspects of fishing, singing, meditation, walking and giving away their wealth. They also speak from the heart about prayer. Bhaskar, a Hindu surgeon, couldn't answer McQuiston's question about how his lifelong practice of prayer had shaped him "because there was no way to imagine the kind of person he would have been without prayer." Following the vignettes and personal reflections are two practical chapters-a suggested "menu" of practices and McQuiston's recommended reading list. Crystalline in focus and written in a style so straightforward that reading it slowly and meditatively over time could easily become part of one's spiritual practice, this small book is a precious gift that busy people, considering new ways of being with God, will likely want to carry around with them for inspiration. (Dec.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

"The author's message regarding the power of positive acts based on strong faith and ethical thought is uplifting."
— Peter S. Willmott, director, FedEx Corporation

"A wealth of prayers and thoughts for everyone, regardless of tradition. I found it non-stop reading in one sitting."
— S. Shepherd Tate, past president, American Bar Association

"Finally, a book that has models of faith forged by fishing, walking, writing, singing ... even eating a fast food breakfast. If you're looking for ways to integrate your 'real life' and your 'prayer life,' [this] is the guidebook you’ve been looking for."
— Ana Hernández, author, The Sacred Art of Chant: Preparing to Practice

"The holy is in the ordinary, the sacred is in the profane and we find the Creator of the universe in the mundane details of everyday life. John McQuiston does an admirable job of helping us to discover the joy of this reality in the knockabout world of work."
— Mitch Finley, author, Prayer for People Who Think Too Much: A Guide to Everyday, Anywhere Prayer from the World’s Faith Traditions

From the Publisher