Getting off my kiester...

The Daily Office. The BCP. I'd like to begin a daily round of dragging myself towards God, but everything I find is either two steps ahead or two behind in my understanding. Maybe my own approach is flawed; I should start with something simpler, but I can't help but think that I shouldn't have to re-invent the wheel. There must be a simple, honest, easily followed pattern to bring one closer to God thru daily devotions. We've got the BCP. We have two lectionaries in that, plus supplemental materials, plus the calendar, plus the Ordinary, plus, plus, plus... It  takes me longer to work out which bits to use each day than it does to actually use them.


I'll start with Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families. The Lectionary for the Daily Office (Year Two, Proper 28, Monday), gives us Psalms 89:1-18(Morning) and again 89:19-52(Evening). Also for Readings we have Habakkuk 2:1-4, 9-20 (OT:Morning), James 2:14-26 (Epistle:Noon), and Luke 16:19-31(Gospel:Evening). Problem is, I have places in the daily devotions for FOUR readings and THREE psalms. So, who gets left out, or included? And what about the Collects? How do I choose those? Sure, there are collects for a variety of occasions and purposes, and for each Sunday in the calendar, and for Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, but what about the rest of the week? Do I use the same collect for all four prayers?

                          Morning Prayer             Noon Prayer   Evening Prayer  
Monday             The Renewal                                        for Peace (p. 69)
                          of Life (p.56)
Tuesday             for Peace (p. 57)                                 Aid Against Perils
                                                                                           (p. 70)

Wednsday         for Grace (p. 57)                                 for Protection (p. 70)
Thursday           for Guidance (p. 57)                            Presence of Christ
Friday               for Friday (p. 57)                                 for Friday (p 69)
Saturday           for Saturday (p. 57)                             for saturday (p 69)
Sunday             for Sunday (p. 57)        (appointed)      for Sunday (p 69)

Beyond these, I got nothing.Still, I can't help but think this is a start, however badly, on the path i want to follow. If I can do this, maybe a regular exercise regimen can be next...

Is this a good idea?

Of all the things I could be doing with my time, I'm not sure blogging is the best idea. Still, having a place for random, disconnected ramblings may help to slow them down enough for me to get a look at them. In any event, i seem to have started. hopefully, not everyone who knows me will find it needful to read this; I have frightened enough friend by letting them into the jungle that is my head already.

To those of you who stumble across this, I can only say: Flee! The typos alone may injure your brain...