And the Winners Are...

Congratulations to Jan Church Daily--the winner of our final week of the Awaken Your Senses contest! You can read Jan's entry below. Also, Julie Hudson is the winner of an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses. Thanks to everyone who participated! Continue to stay awake to your senses--especially during this time of Lent as we embody the journey of walking in the footsteps of Christ toward the cross.

Hearing -- This Week's Contest Sense

This week's sense is HEARING!

“As you think about the sounds that compose the background soundtrack of your daily life, what words would you use to describe them? Are they sounds you should be paying attention to? Are they bringing news of others? Are they proclaiming God’s story in a way different from how you normally hear it? When listened to with attention and love, the everyday sounds of life may contain all the news of God that you can either use or bear.”

“Take a moment and listen to the sounds around you. Pay attention to them in love. What sounds do you notice? What news are they bringing? Are they blessings or calls to prayer? Or both?” (from Awaken Your Senses)

Today (Feb. 27) is the start of week four of the “Awaken Your Senses Contest.” The contest is featured on:

• Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page
• Brent’s Blog
• Beth's Blog

Here’s how it works:

1. This week, you are invited to pay attention to your sense of HEARING and notice how it introduces you to the wonder of God.
2. If something cool happens, post a description about that experience on the Awaken Your Senses FB Page or Beth or Brent’s blogs. (All entries must be submitted by Sunday at noon.)
3. Brent and Beth will choose a winner on Sunday evening and that person will receive a $25 gift card for a gift related to TOUCH.
4. Brent and Beth will also do a drawing from the names of everyone who participated each week and the weekly winner of the random drawing will receive an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses.
5. The winners will be announced on Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page and Brent and Beth’s blogs on each Monday when a new sense begins!

The Contest Schedule!
February 6 – Taste
Winners: Leah Sophia -- $25 Harry and Davids Gift Certificate
Sherry Redinger – autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses

February 13 – See
Winners: Martin Stand--$25 gift card (Amazon.uk)
Rantwoman -- an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses

February 20 – Touch
Winners: Jen Friesen -- $25 gift card
Liz Dyer -- an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses

February 27 – Hear

March 5 -- Smell

Tell your friends about the contest. Tweet, tumblr and blog about it. Spread the word. We can’t wait to hear about your experiences as you awaken your senses to the wonder of God.

-- Brent

Touch -- This Week's Contest Sense

This week's sense is TOUCH!

"Our sense of touch never turns off; it is constantly operating, helping us explore our world, educating us about the nature of things." (Awaken Your Senses, Pg. 94)

Today (Feb. 20) is the start of week three of the “Awaken Your Senses Contest.” The contest is featured on:

• Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page
• Brent’s Blog
• Beth's Blog

Here’s how it works:

1. This week, you are invited to pay attention to your sense of TOUCH and notice how it introduces you to the wonder of God.
2. If something cool happens, post a description about that experience on the Awaken Your Senses FB Page or Beth or Brent’s blogs. (All entries must be submitted by Sunday at noon.)
3. Brent and Beth will choose a winner on Sunday evening and that person will receive a $25 gift card for a gift related to TOUCH.
4. Brent and Beth will also do a drawing from the names of everyone who participated each week and the weekly winner of the random drawing will receive an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses.
5. The winners will be announced on Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page and Brent and Beth’s blogs on each Monday when a new sense begins!

The Contest Schedule!
February 6 – Taste
Winners: Leah Sophia -- $25 Harry and Davids Gift Certificate
Sherry Redinger – autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses

February 13 – See
Winners: Martin Stand--$25 gift card (to be determined)
Rantwoman -- an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses

February 20 – Touch

February 27 – Hear

March 5 -- Smell

Tell your friends about the contest. Tweet, tumblr and blog about it. Spread the word. We can’t wait to hear about your experiences as you awaken your senses to the wonder of God.

And The Winner Is....Leah Sophia!

Leah, who blogs at http://desertspiritsfire.blogspot.com/, is our first week's "Awaken Your Senses" contest winner. She wins a $25 gift certificate from Harry & Davids.

In her winning post, Leah wrote "Our central Christian hermeneutic is God's incarnation, enfleshment, in a physical body formed from the substance of the ground. My particular Reformation tradition emphasizes the ongoing Divine presence and God's continued self-giving in the sacraments. But baptism and holy communion are far more than something we do in a ritualized way when we gather--they are lively signs to the world of our seeking and working for justice for all peoples and all the earth everywhere. Sacraments also signify the sacredness of all life as they form a microcosm of the promised time of the fullness of redemption for all creation. Real food is not manufactured in laboratory-like factories; real food comes from the earth and for celebrating sacramental ordinances we use flowing water, juice or wine from the fruit of the grapevine and (ideally recently homemade) bread baked from natural ingredients, so we need to be friends of the earth to continue celebrating sacraments."

Congrats, Leah!

And thanks to everyone who entered!

We'll announce the winner of this week's autographed books shortly along with the details of this week's contest! You may be this week's winner -- all you have to do is enter!

To a Poor Old Woman: Taste: Awaken Your Senses

munching a plum on

the street a paper bag

of them in her hand

They taste good to her

They taste good

to her. They taste

good to her

You can see it by

the way she gives herself

to the one half

sucked out in her hand

Comforted

a solace of ripe plums

seeming to fill the air

They taste good to her

By William Carlos Williams

*******************
Remember, if you like ripe plums (or any other taste) write about tasting on the “Awaken Your Senses Contest” -- and you could win a $25 gift certificate from Harry & Davids or an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses! The contest is featured on:

· Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page

· Brent’s Blog

· Beth's Blog

Here’s how it works:

1. This week, you are invited to pay attention to your sense of TASTE and see how it introduces you to the wonder of God.

2. If something cool happens, post a description about that experience on the Awaken Your Senses FB Page or Beth or Brent’s blogs. (All entries must be submitted by Sunday at noon.)

3. Brent and Beth will choose a winner on Sunday evening and that person will receive a $25 gift card for a gift related to taste.

4. Brent and Beth will also do a drawing from the names of everyone who participated each week and the weekly winner of the random drawing will receive an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses.

5. The winners will be announced on Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page and Brent and Beth’s blogs on each Monday when a new sense begins!

Soup: The Awaken Your Senses Contest: Continues!

My friend Jane and I lunch today at one of our favorite places. The menu has all sorts of tempting taste treats, but, since I was feeling especially chubby (as opposed to the regular chubby I usually feel) I went with a bowl of soup and a roll. It was tasty enough, but ... what made the tastes memorable was not how the soup tasted on my tongue, but rather the company I was keeping. The fellowship I enjoyed. The comfortable conversation with someone I've known since she was a teenager (and I was not!).

Which is something I often forget about when I think about taste -- I can't take the sense of taste in isolation. It, like all our senses, involves all of us. And so the taste of soup and bread at McNivens reminds me of Jane and the many years we've been friends.

It was a good reminder that, for all my sensory experiences, I do not live in a vacuum -- much of my "sensing" takes place in relationship to others. And that is a gift from God.

************

The“Awaken Your Senses Contest” is underway. The contest is featured on:

· Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page

· Brent’s Blog

· Beth's Blog

Here’s how it works:

1. This week, you are invited to pay attention to your sense of TASTE and see how it introduces you to the wonder of God.

2. If something cool happens, post a description about that experience on the Awaken Your Senses FB Page or Beth or Brent’s blogs. (All entries must be submitted by Sunday at noon.)

3. Brent and Beth will choose a winner on Sunday evening and that person will receive a $25 gift card for a gift related to taste.

4. Brent and Beth will also do a drawing from the names of everyone who participated each week and the weekly winner of the random drawing will receive an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses.

5. The winners will be announced on Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page and Brent and Beth’s blogs on each Monday when a new sense begins!

--Brent

TASTE: The Sense of the Week!

“Have you ever thought about tasting God in what you put in your mouth? The idea that food can remind us of the different attributes, ways and stories of God is a novel thought for most of us. If we are open to letting God teach us the ways of faith through our bodies, though, then we can learn the ways of faith through our taste buds as well as our brain. The sweetness of a freshly baked cinnamon roll can remind us of the sweetness of God’s love in the same way that horseradish at Passover reminds Jews of the bitterness of slavery.” -- Awaken Your Senses, pg. 26 (adapted)

Today (Feb. 6) is the start of the “Awaken Your Senses Contest.” The contest is featured on:

· Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page

· Brent’s Blog

· Beth's Blog

Here’s how it works:

1. This week, you are invited to pay attention to your sense of TASTE and see how it introduces you to the wonder of God.

2. If something cool happens, post a description about that experience on the Awaken Your Senses FB Page or Beth or Brent’s blogs. (All entries must be submitted by Sunday at noon.)

3. Brent and Beth will choose a winner on Sunday evening and that person will receive a $25 gift card for a gift related to taste.

4. Brent and Beth will also do a drawing from the names of everyone who participated each week and the weekly winner of the random drawing will receive an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses.

5. The winners will be announced on Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page and Brent and Beth’s blogs on each Monday when a new sense begins!

The Contest Schedule!

February 6 – Taste

February 13 – See

February 20 – Touch

February 27 – Hear

March 5 -- Smell

Tell your friends about the contest. Tweet, tumblr and blog about it. Spread the word. We can’t wait to hear about your experiences as you awaken your senses to the wonder of God.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your taste buds!

-- Brent

"Taste" -- The Awaken Your Senses Contest Begins Monday!

I hope you'll participate! It will be fun to read your posts -- and you'll have a chance to win some great prizes!

Awaken Yours Senses Contest: Official Rules

The Awaken Your Senses Contest is about to begin!

Beginning Monday, February 6^th, Brent and Beth will host an “Awaken Your Senses Contest” featured on:

· Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page

· Brent’s Blog

· Beth's Blog

Here’s how it works:

1. Each week, for five weeks, Beth and Brent will post a sense of the week. You are invited to pay attention to that particular sense and see how it introduces you to the wonder of God.

2. If something cool happens, post a description about that experience on the Awaken Your Senses FB Page or Beth or Brent’s blogs. (All entries must be submitted by Sunday at noon.)

3. Brent and Beth will choose a winner on Sunday evening and that person will receive a $25 gift card for a gift related to that sense.

4. Brent and Beth will also do a drawing from the names of everyone who participated each week and the weekly winner of the random drawing will receive an autographed copy of Awaken Your Senses.

5. The winners will be announced on Awaken Your Senses Facebook Page and Brent and Beth’s blogs on each Monday when a new sense begins!

The Contest Schedule!

February 6 – Taste

February 13 – See

February 20 – Touch

February 27 – Hear

March 5 -- Smell

Tell your friends about the contest. Tweet, tumblr and blog about it! Spread the word! We can’t wait to hear about your experiences as you awaken your senses to the wonder of God!

-- Brent

Family of Brent Bill, employees of Brent Bill and brentbill.com, and Brent Bill's cat are ineligible to participate in the contest. Prohibited where void. Side effects include dizziness, neuralgia, and innuendo.

Awaken Your Senses Contest!

Details too follow -- soon!

"Awaken Your Senses" Blogger Contest: Free Book AND Chocolate!

My new book, Awaken Your Senses: Exercises for Exploring the Wonder of God, (published by InterVarsity Press) is about to land in bookstores (and hopefully, book-buyer's shopping carts!).

Co-written with Beth Booram, its premise is that God has given us five senses and a brain with two sides, yet we often approach God in one way only: through words that are analyzed and processed logically in our left brain. The right brain, however, is the creative, intuitive center--the place that connects most to our seeing, smelling, touching, tasting and hearing, and that roots experiences in our hearts in transforming ways.

In Awaken Your Senses, Beth and I invite readers to engage their right brain in their faith through sensory spiritual practices that position your heart for divine encounter. Readings and a variety of exercises that utilize the reader's whole body leads them to experience God in new ways by

• tasting chocolate, words, matzoh, Scripture, forgiveness
• seeing the moon, wisdom, art, glory, your best self
• touching others, stones, prayers, rubble, Jesus
• hearing silence, music, pain, footsteps, the Spirit, the news
• smelling gardenias, life, salty air, home, healing oil, coffee

Our book has received some very fine endorsements --

"With Awaken Your Senses, Brent Bill and Beth Booram have given us a superb resource for seeking the God of life through sensuous experience, a way of knowing that has been sadly neglected--and too often held suspect--by the church. How did a faith based on the claim that 'the Word became flesh' become so divorced from bodily, incarnate knowledge? Here is a beautiful book that will help us reclaim our bodies, our senses and our relationship with God."

—Parker J. Palmer, author of Let Your Life Speak

"Amazingly, we become dull to something as extraordinary as life, and bored by someone as awesome as God. This book woke me up without beating me up, and gave me tangible, practical ways to savor the sacrament of life, to have genuine gratitude for my body and its senses, and to sink into the glory of God until I felt nothing but joy. Read this and be blessed."

—James Bryan Smith, author of The Good and Beautiful God

To help get the word out about the message of our book, Beth and I are sponsoring a contest. It's an open call to any blogger to send us 5-10 questions about Awaken Your Senses. We will answer each one individually -- a sort of virtual interview. The virtual interview judged best* will win a signed copy of the book and a gourmet assortment of goodies from The Best Chocolate in Town (my favorite chocolate place!).

A picture of the book jacket, blurbs by others, photos of Beth and me, and video clips (like the one below) are available for the asking.



Questions for the virtual interview will be accepted through January 15th and the virtual interview must be posted by February 1 on the blogger's blog (is that redundant?). Entries will be judged by February 5th ("SuperBlog Sunday") and the winner announced to great acclaim on February 6th (the official book release date). Send interview questions (along w/ a link to your blog) to brentbil@sbcglobal.net

Visit http://www.bethbooram.org/ or http://www.brentbill.com/ for information about Beth or me.

Let the contest begin!

-- Brent

*as judged by my wife Nancy who rarely reads a blog (except mine to make sure I have not said anything to scurrilous) but knows good questions when she sees them.

Family of Brent Bill, employees of Brent Bill and brentbill.com, and Brent Bill's cat are ineligible to participate in the contest. Prohibited where void. Side effects include dizziness, neuralgia, and innuendo.

Free Book!

Contest! be the 20th new follower of our twitter feed and win a free copy of Brent's "Mind the Light" http://t.co/b0Ro5Tt

http://twitter.com/#!/WakenYourSenses

And the Winner is...

Faithful reader (whoever you are) will remember that a few weeks ago I instituted a blog contest. I did it to help get the word out about my new book, Sacred Compass: The Way of Spiritual Discernment. I offered to answer 5-10 questions sent in by bloggers for a virtual interview. My good wife Nancy was to be the judge. The winner would win a signed copy of the book and a gourmet assortment of goodies from The Best Chocolate in Town (my favorite chocolate place!). Family of Brent Bill, employees of Brent Bill, Brent Bill's cats and dog were ineligible to participate in the contest (though Princess, the nicest, dumbest Great Pyrenees who ever lived tried to). The contest was prohibited where void. Side effects include dizziness, neuralgia, and innuendo.

Blogging their way into the contest were C. Wess Daniels at Gathering in Light, Liz Wine at Lovin' Life Liz, Shawna Roberts at Mystics, Poets, Fools, Robin Mohr at What Canst Thou Say, and Liz Op at the Good Raised Up. I hope you'll check them out -- and buy and/or read the book.

And now ... drum roll, please ... the winner -- Liz Wine of Lovin' Life Liz. I pressed Nancy for the reason and she just said, "I liked it best" and then went out to plant herbs.

So, congratulations, Liz -- a book and chocolates are on their way to you.

Thanks to all the bloggers -- and readers!

-- Brent