“On Earth Day this year (Friday), why not consider celebrating God’s good creation with a walk on which you try to name each plant and tree that you pass – not with the generic name of its species but with specific names that describe its beauty and its glory?”
“Whether it is because we are filled with horror of the conflict in Ukraine or the fear that as prices rise we will not be able to make ends meet we feel that ugliness surrounds us, not beauty yet we need the hope that these offer us. This is a time to embrace not just the beauty of spring bursting forth in our gardens, but also the beauty of broken and scarred creation of fallen people and fallen trees, the ashes of ruined lives and those that suffer everywhere in the world. Beauty can be created from the ashes, but it takes effort and sacrifice.”
“I am not just burning my mask however. I am using that as a symbol of transformation, a way to remind myself and those around me that the journey of Lent is preparing us for the beauty of Easter Sunday. So how will I accomplish this? This year, by creating artwork from the ashes.”
“One of my dreams was to see the aurora borealis. It is still on my bucket list. This amazing display of light illuminates the darkness of the coldest days. Gazing at photos of it reminds me that God illuminates the darkness of our world in spectacular ways. That is what the story of Advent is all about – light penetrating the darkness in sensational and unexpected ways, inviting us to gasp in awe and wonder at the mighty display.”
“The Celts approached God with awe, reverence and wonder but also saw God as an essentially human figure intimately involved in all creation and engaged in a dynamic relationship with it. This interweaving of intimacy and mystery embraced the Trinity as a family and each family unit be it family, clan or tribe was seen as an icon of the Trinity.”
“When I wake up in the morning I make a cup of tea and sit quietly in my sacred space for a few minutes enjoying the early morning sounds and sights. I close my eyes, take a few deep breaths in and out and recite what has become my morning mantra:
‘Thank you God for the gift of life
A wondrous gift so freely given.'”
“As my fingers speed across the keyboard, I am awed by the dexterity of these small digits. I look at a stack of my prayer cards and am awed by the continuing creativity with which God blesses me. Wow, wow, wow. So much to be awed by, and I have not mentioned my neighbourhood awe and wonder walk which is once more a part of my daily exercise.”
“Being with my mother after her surgery encouraged me to reflect on my own beliefs and write my own personal creed. It provides a statement that I can return to whenever I feel insecure in my faith. It’s a little like a calling statement but with a little more detail about what I believe rather than what I want to do with my live.”
“This week I have been struggling. How can I celebrate this summer when so many around the world are still dying of COVID? How can I plan a vacation when so many are being evicted from their homes? How can I rejoice with my own peaceful and comfortable existence when there is still so much violence in our world? I want to enjoy my new found freedom but not at the expense of those who have been marginalized by the pandemic.”
“Now that we are becoming more mobile again and expect to do more travel, not just by car but by air, I am planning to reinstitute another of my travel rhythms. I will sit quietly in the airport or at my destination with a cup of coffee and take some quiet time to centre myself.”