Celebration of Discipline Week 12: Celebration
This is the final week of our 12-week series exploring Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.
We’ve been journeying through the twelve spiritual disciplines found in the book choosing to go deeper with Jesus and grow in our spiritual lives.
Here’s last week’s blog where Becky shared her thoughts on guidance. You can also watch her video update too.
Discipline Twelve: Celebration
At 23 I was living the Friends dream. My friend had just bought a flat and I was renting with her. We were 23, she was a teacher and I was a youth worker in Guildford.
Her little flat was perfect for long chats, Saturday mornings with coffee, Nutella breakfast muffins and One Tree Hill (don't judge us!) where our friend would come over from the flat across the hall and join us. One of the unique things about that flat was that the kitchen had a bright blue bobbly floor which stood out and provided a tiny but adequate dance floor for when the tunes were just right and life demanded it!
From that moment on, I have unknowingly been practising the spiritual discipline of celebration – albeit perhaps a little differently to some of the saints through the ages!
Four years ago we moved into our first home. It was a miracle move and I had secretly been praying for a space where I could dance in the kitchen with my daughter, Jessie. I had told no one – so I was blown away when, as we opened the door to new house, Jessie rushed in and said, ‘Mummy, look! We can dance in the kitchen!’
Whether it’s from the way I was brought up and how I was taught how to mark and occasion, or those memories from my twenties, I have always loved the value of celebration. It’s amazing to read about how it is such a crucial part of our formation as followers of Jesus.
‘It’s celebration that fuels our journey along the way through the struggles and trials’
Richard Foster tells us that the discipline of celebration is central to all the other disciplines: ‘Without a joyful spirit of festivity the Disciplines become dull, death-breathing tools in the hands of modern Pharisees.’
Wow!
He’s making the point that it’s crucial we shed our polite, reserved responses and really celebrate moments in life. It’s celebration that fuels our journey along the way through the struggles and trials.
But it comes with a challenge – not to gushingly celebrate in an empty or shallow way, but from a place of transformation, intentionality and the continued act of walking with Christ and allowing him to shape and form our response to life.
So what steps do we take to bring celebration into our lives with authenticity? How can we make sure it is an expression of our walk with Jesus? How can celebration help us to grow and step out of our comfort zones a little? Foster offers a few pointers:
1. singing and dancing – making a noise!
Kids do this brilliantly. We do it well at football matches and a few other moments in life, but what about getting a little more childlike?
The dancing in my kitchen started because I love to have fun and there is something about the perfect song and the perfect moment that lifts my spirit. It’s how God made me and it’s grown into an act of freedom and celebration that I bring into even the most stressful weeks. I want my kids to know that is part of their family’s DNA, but it’s also because I need it.
Some of the hardest moments I’ve faced have been lifted when I have remembered that God is a God of joy and that I can celebrate that at all times.
At our School of Leadership, one of the most important moments – it’s a turning point – is the party we throw after one of the most important days of the week where we journey through some deep stuff together. Without fail that party is the most beautiful celebration of family that springs up during the week. It’s a celebration among people who have journeyed together, prayed for each other and challenged each other.
The best bit is that the dancing and celebration is fuelled by the journey. Rather than alcohol-fuelled confidence, there is a sense of trust in the room that sees people dance the night out in celebration of freedom. All that God has done is tangible in the room alongside the neon lights, 80s tunes and UV paint!
2. Laughter!
Foster points out the theory of laughter and that Jesus himself brings his sense of humour to his teaching. So, how on earth do we make laughter more of a feature of our lives?!
I love to be silly and not take things too seriously, but the king of this is my husband Stew, who during lockdown has created various personalities that have the kids in fits of laughter. He bounces on the trampoline even without the kids (much to my embarrassment!) and he oozes playfulness. It invites laughter and impacts the atmosphere of our house.
What does it look like for you to bring playfulness into your life? How could you take yourself less seriously? Can you gather with your mates to play games over Zoom just for the sake of fun? Do you have any friends that just ooze joy? Ask them about it and spend time with them. What can you learn from them?
Foster brilliantly challenges us: ‘Let go of the everlasting burden of always needing to sound profound.’
3. IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY
Investing in this side of our lives can feel at times like we are wasting our time or not being productive. Within the lockdown restrictions, though, creativity and innovation seem to have blossomed.
I have heard of people painting, learning calligraphy or getting lost in novels and poetry. This side of our lives offers us a deep well of celebration and joy. God gave this to us to enjoy! Let’s take the time to prioritise that and celebrate it.
If you struggle to know where to start, then celebrate it in others. Investigate artists who speak to you and poetry that opens up life in a totally different way.
When I have deliberately carved out the time to get lost in someone’s story I have found it so life-giving. Am I learning something from that time? Not particularly, but I'm resting and lost in someone else's creativity. Foster reminds us that this in itself is worth admiring, making time for and celebrating.
4. FAMILY EVENTS
Use family celebration and occasions not only to go through the motions but to celebrate who a person is to you and the contribution they make to the family.
Two other friends and I have started a bit of a tradition – we go for a meal on each other’s birthdays and we say something we love about that person at every course of the meal. Sometimes it’s hard to receive such compliments, but they come out of the journey we have been on together and that makes it real and authentic.
‘When I have deliberately carved out the time to get lost in someone’s story I have found it so life-giving’
5. Take advantage of cultural celebrations
My mum always knew how to really celebrate Easter. Every Easter Sunday I was woken up by her singing ‘He is risen!’ with music blaring from the kitchen and smell of the dinner being prepared. She would come into our room like it was Christmas! That was the point!
We piggyback off the world’s celebration of Christmas, but surely Easter should be an even bigger event for Christians? As much as I would roll my eyes at my mum in my teenage years, she gave me a gift which I carry with me today – Easter is now a big deal in our house. We decorate the house on Saturday evening with flowers and buy chocolate eggs as well as new books for the kids to celebrate and help them with their walk with Jesus. We generally have a feast and try to invite whoever is around to come and join us!
I recently read Michelle Guinness' book Heavenly Party and felt so challenged when she said we have left the celebrating to the institution of the church building and need to bring it into our community. When lockdown is over and we are allowed to gather, how could you celebrate that with not just your friends but also your neighbours? It will probably feel a bit awkward, and it’s not something that’s often done any more, but wouldn't it be incredible if Christians were known for what they celebrate – and ultimately why they celebrate?
Over this week pick one thing that you could try out to start to fuel a lifestyle of celebration.
Richard Foster recommends these daily scripture readings as explore celebration this week:
Monday: The Lord has triumphed gloriously – Exodus 15:1–2, 20–21
Tuesday: The joy of the Lord – 2 Samuel 6:12–19
Wednesday: Bless the Lord – Psalm 103
Thursday: Praise The Lord – Psalm 150
Friday: Hosanna! – Luke 19:35–40, John 12:12–19
Saturday: Walking and leaping and praising God – Acts 3:1–10
Sunday: Hallelujah! – Revelation 19:1–8
Video Update
Here’s Liz with a video update at the end of the week!
Follow @onelifeleaders on Instagram to continue the journey.
We’ll be sharing blog posts, encouraging quotes and video reflections on each chapter of Celebration of Discipline.