Retreat

I'm off to Pacem In Terris today! I am very much looking forward to being in the woods, in the silence. And I don't care one bit that the hermitages do not have air conditioning!

I wonder what will be unearthed?

friends share

Tally (our 18 month old) and Annie (our dog) are good friends.

Tally shares the things she finds in drawers and cupboards and Annie thanks her by chewing them up.

Annie shares her water bowl with Tally. Tally enjoys pouring it on the floor and "swimming" in it.

Tally enjoys her lunch, but she's not selfish. Oh no, she loves to chuck food over the edge of her tray and watch the dog gobble it up. After the mommy has had enough of that she takes the tray away. But before she comes back with a washcloth Annie helps out by washing Tally's hands and face with her tongue. Tally laughs and laughs.

Such good friends.

Mr. Rogers

You make each day a special day. You know how, by just your being you. There is only one person in the whole world exactly like you, and people can like you just the way you are. ~Fred Rogers

Mr. Rogers you're my hero!

tally chew

Sometimes when Tally is eating she closes her eyes and chews. She opens them to see the new piece to her mouth but then quickly closes them again and chews. I wonder what that's about?

Maybe food tastes better with your eyes closed?

Memorial

This week we remembered those who have died. My Dad died last August. I remembered Dad on Saturday and Sunday when we planted our vegetable garden. My folks were big time gardeners. We had HUGE vegetable gardens when I was growing up. And now I know why.

This is only our second year of growing food. Our garden is probably 6' x 12'. We planted sweet corn, potatoes, peas, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes and yellow bell peppers. How fun! But really our garden will hardly sustain us or provide all the corn, potatoes, peas, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes or peppers we will consume in the next year. I'm glad for the experience it gives us all. Growing food awakens us to our connection to the earth - that is very good.

I remember, Dad, your love of growing things. And I thank you for it.

new times call for a new look

and since I'm not in the mood for a haircut, how 'bout this?

Release

Thank you for checking back to see if I have once again posted.

Whatever Thing by Christena Graves

Whatever thing that I have carried in this place
That will keep me from you, I will lay it at your feet
Whatever burden I have carried for so long
That will keep me from seeing you, I will lay it down right now

All of the things that are cluttering my mind
I will push them far from here, And listen for your voice
All of the pain that I am carrying inside, I will hand it to you
You will take it, set me free, I will fly

I need to hear you speak to me, And I want to feel you in this place
You long to take me in your arms of love,
So take me in your arms of love

Peter and I have decided that May 27th will be our last Sunday at Abbey Way Covenant Church. We did not release that information to the church until this morning so yesterday was a day of sadness and tension for me.

During our worship we sang the above song. I found myself reading it again many times. It became a prayer of release for myself and for Abbey Way.

I am still drawn with the deep stuff of my heart toward Benedictine values and practices. I long to build relational, earthy, cooperative, new-monastic community! Aaargh! Following one's heart is such a risky business!

God with us

Matthew 10: 40-42

We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God's messenger. Accepting someone's help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a thing.
(bold added by me)

These verses speak to my tense, busy places. They speak to my confusion and despair. My heart says, "Whew!" OK, take a breath. Give up trying to pack it all into one day. Again, breath. Look up. We are partnering with God.

And I love that these verses are followed so closely by Matthew 11: 28-30:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover you life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me -- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

I very much want to learn to live freely and lightly. I deeply need rest. Real rest. I wonder what must be laid down. What is essential? What is unnecessary, or unhelpful, or even harmful? It is alarmingly easy for me to neglect the "getting away with God" thing. Easy to let life's demands drain me dry.

I think we do the same thing corporately. We need regular, corporate getting-away-with-God times. New Years Eve at Abbey Way we gave the kids a movie/pizza/popcorn party downstairs. Upstairs the adults held silence together. We shared lectio divina. We shared communion. For me it was like sweet rain on parched earth. Silence helps me hear. Silence helps me see. Silence teaches where words cannot reach. In silence I notice our connectedness to God and each other. Silence refreshes and restores. Silence helps makes room for the other. Silence helps me to notice what is needed and to move toward it in the way that I can. In the words of Oliver Twist, "More please."