Review: Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life

Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As long as I can remember, I have pushed my limits, always believing I should, I must, do more. Projects become more than they needed to become as I elaborate. This is both a positive and a negative trait as I keep asking myself, how can I be better? How can I do this better? What can I add?

I do this professionally, and I do this personally.

And so when the pandemic hit last spring, I was already at capacity, without margins for emotional trauma or additional work. After a few weeks of distracted mental spinning, transitioning my classes and the writing center to online formats for students who were also struggling with distraction, I finally found my bearings, only to spin again with the death of Ahmaud Arbery and Floyd Jones. I needed to deal with my own race issues.

Bottom line. Summer was spent reading about race and learning new online teaching strategies. I had very little time to prepare for the fall semester, and I was working 90 hour weeks. Thus I came into this book, Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life, needing Sacred Practices, needing spiritual renewal. Needing rest.

Tish Harrison Warren's book helped me see the balance I need in my life as she discussed everyday liturgies, routines of life which can remind us to see God at work in all aspects of our lives. In the Western world, we divide secular and spiritual, but there is no real separation, and Warren synthesizes the liturgy of the church with the liturgies of life, the rhythms and patterns of life that shape our days.

I learned as I finished the book that there are study and discussion questions at the end of the book. These would have been nice to work through individually or as a study with others. Yes, I am always trying to add things to my life.

I moved through the book slowly, thoughtfully, and the margins are filled with personal reflections and affirmations.

My distractedness is not gone, and I my unbalanced life is not magically balanced. These did not start with the pandemic. I have always been a bit "extra." On the other hand, the pandemic did reveal my need to slow down, to rest, to reflect, to be present, and this book added to that understanding.

I will read this book again.

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