Spud & Kevin

About mid-way through our morning constitutional (yes we still take two walks a day!), we passed by a house in the midst of construction.  A little boy, my guess to be about nine or ten, was digging around in the rocks and dirt in what used to be a front yard.  He was obviously there with his dad who was working on the house.

As soon as he saw Spud, his face lit up like lights on a Christmas tree.

“I like your dog!”  he shouted.

“Thank you,” I responded.  “His name is Spud."

“SPUD!” he laughed.  “Can I pet him?”

“Sure, if you have permission.”

He flew over to his dad who gave him the green light to meet my Spudster.

“Tell him to sit” I instructed the little boy, as I handed him a treat to give Spud.

Instantly, Spud was sitting and “giving paw” before the boy even had a chance to utter the commands! 

“What is your name?” I asked. 

“Kevin”

“Well, Kevin, just hold your palm out flat and Spud will take the treat.”

And Spudster did just that, as gently as a 70 lb. - ADD - solid muscled Boxer is capable of!  If it was possible for Kevin’s smile to get bigger, it did!

“Thanks!” he said, as he gave Spud one last stroke on the head.

“You’re welcome Kevin and Merry Christmas”

“You too”.

Spud and I were a few houses up the street, when I heard Kevin shout, “Bye Spud”.

I turned and waved, knowing I had just experienced a Christmas Blessing.

A joyous, blessed Christmas to you all.

An Advent Evening Apart

Last week A Morning Apart moved to the evening, as we gathered in community to enter into the season of Advent.  We walked alongside shepherds, kept our eyes focused on the star, listened for angel alleluias and wondered if we had what it took to make this journey.  We heard music, said prayers, sat quietly and then stepped out onto the road to Bethlehem.  A solitary walk, yet done in community, a gift for this season indeed.

 

TO LISTEN, TO LOOK

Is it all sewn up – my life?

Is it at this point so predictable,

            so orderly,

                        so arranged,

                                    so right,

            that I don’t have time or space

                        for listening for the rustle of angels’ wings

                        or running to stables to see a baby?

Could this be what he meant when he said

            Listen, those who have ears to hear . . .

            Look, those who have eyes to see?

O God, give me the humbleness of those shepherds

            who saw in the cold December darkness

            the Coming of Light

            the Advent of Love!

Kneeling in Bethlehem

Ann Weems

Bittersweet

A word of contradictions

There is not one

Without the other

Sadness and joy

Darkness and light

Endings and beginnings

Bittersweet

A word of contrasts

There is not one

Without the other

Risk and safety

Foreign and familiar

Holding on and letting go

Bittersweet

A word of opposites

There is not one

Without the other

A balancing act

On the scale

In one's life

Tipping bitter

Tipping sweet

Easing to rest

Somewhere

In the middle

And

All is well.

Bittersweet

It's The Simple Things

I got up on the right side of the bed this morning, but quickly jumped to the wrong side when our coffee maker wasn’t working!  Come on, Sunday morning and no coffee to be had!  Then to make matters worse, discovered my cell phone had gone completely dead!  What’s a girl to do but make an appointment at the Genius Bar (at least give me credit for knowing what that is) and look forward to the rigors of a visit to an Apple Store.

There you have it, a Sunday morning with no coffee and no cell phone, could life get much worse?!  Ah, but wait a minute, Bill and I could walk Spud up to Panera for a cup of coffee and a bagel – that would be a great alternative!  I’m learning how to be a problem solver.

 So I’m placing my order, when I notice a teenager that looks familiar.  Yes, I recognize him; he’s a former student.  I tentatively ask if he is who I think he is, and he gets this big smile on his face, which says I haven’t made a completely embarrassing mistake!  Now my first reaction is always to give a hug, but I know for most teenagers that is totally uncool, so I extended my hand instead.  To my delightful surprise, he gave me a big hug and said “Hi Mrs. Wawrychuk”.  I chatted with him and his father for a couple of minutes, caught up on the life of this now 9^th grader and left with my coffee and bagel in the best mood.  Remembering this young man as a little boy in my second grade classroom, not only brought back so many memories, but lifted my spirits as well. 

We headed back home, me feeling much less oppressed than when I set out! While going down our street, we passed a couple walking their two dogs.  The woman stopped me and asked if I was Mrs. Wawrychuk.  When I responded yes, she said,  “Do you remember my daughter ____________?  She was in your second grade class and she still talks about you as her favorite teacher” Of course I remembered this little girl, who was in the same class as the boy I had just seen at Panera!  

Isn’t that just amazing?  Seven years later two kids come along and out of the blue change my mindset from “Oh, woe is me; to ain’t life grand?’  And if the coffeemaker had been working, I would have missed the whole experience.

It’s the simple things!

Angel Networks aka Community

I attend an early morning weekly bible study at the church down the street.  By early I mean 6:05AM (come to think of it, I’ve never asked why 6:05 and not 6:00!)  I was invited to give it a try almost a year ago and have been rousing myself at that hour ever since.  As this is a Presbyterian church, I jokingly call myself their token Episcopalian!  They haven’t kicked me out yet!

The number of women on any given Thursday can vary from three or four up to a busy day of nine or ten.  It’s a fluid group, not everyone can attend each week, some appear once or twice; unable to make the commitment at this point in their lives and then there is a core of about six to eight ladies who rarely miss a week.  I never thought of these women as my community, but I have come to understand our weekly meetings are more than an educational bible study session.

Last week, the mother of one our regular attendees had a stroke.  We were given email updates on her condition, as the woman from our bible study group traveled to be by her mom’s side.  Soon, a food request came over the Internet, asking if any of us could take a dinner to our friend’s family.  Within a few hours, a meal was offered from every single person in our Thursday morning group.  As I read the exchange of messages, I was struck by the instant generosity, concern, and care these women showed for our friend and her family.  This little group of women, who stumble into the church library before the sun shows its face, hungry to learn more about the life of Jesus, have formed a community – of which I am a part.  And I am extremely grateful.

But, any of you who have read more than one of my posts, know my ponderings didn’t stop there!  I’ve been thinking about the many different communities that bless my life.   They are all around me, from my church, organized groups, friends of many years as well as those who are more recent.  Whether it is lunch with colleagues from my working days, dinner with a friend I see several times a week, or an email conversation with my college roommate whom I haven’t seen in almost thirty years, they all represent some form of community.

  Large or small, frequent or infrequent, they all have one thing in common:

“And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there."  Matthew 18:20    The Message

I believe these various communities with which we are blessed are our “Angel Networks”.  God plants us in one another’s lives and then promises to be there in the midst.   It sure is a good reminder for me that we are not meant to make this journey solo!

Reflect on the communities in your life.  I bet the list is longer than you think! 

Thin Place Residue

My friend and I facilitate a monthly quiet morning called  “A Morning Apart”.  Folks gather in community for two hours listening to scripture using the ancient art of Lectio Divina, followed by time to be with God in the silence.  At the close of our gathering, there is a group reflection, where people briefly share their experience of the morning.

Last Saturday our theme was “The Thin Places:  Can you hold on to Holy Moments?”  You know, those times when you can feel the very Presence of something other than yourself, a God noticing!  No matter how large or small, you have been “touched by the whisper of God” (a quote from Noticing God by Richard Peace)  

The scripture passage was on the Transfiguration, Matthew 17:1-8.  Talk about Thin Places!  Can you just imagine going up the mountain with Jesus, seeing Elijah and Moses and hearing the voice of God?!    And Peter’s reaction, after the amazement and fear - let me build a dwelling for each of them so this moment can be contained!

You see, I get that response.  Please God, let me stay in the Holy Moment, don’t let it slip away; let me bask in the light of feeling You and having no doubts.  But of course, that doesn’t happen, just as Peter couldn’t save the Transfiguration by erecting a memorial.

During the quiet space, we often times offer the opportunity to explore a spiritual discipline, which somehow connects to the scripture.  Since my friend is the director of the church preschool, she suggested having a big tub of “goop”!  Unless you have a young child or grandchild, this concoction might elude you!  It’s a very simple mixture of water and cornstarch.  It’s fun digging in, trying to grasp the cornstarch, which has settled at the bottom of the tub.  And as hard as one tries, it is impossible to grip the substance for any length of time; it naturally slips between the fingers.

My “ah-ha moment” came during the closing reflection.  One of the participants shared of her experience with the goop, how she could not clutch it in her hand, but that it left a residue even as it dripped back into the tub.  Yes!  I thought, I’m not left alone!  I can’t enshrine the Thin Places, but they have etched a place in my soul, where I can reach back and relive the moments.

Let me close with a Celtic definition:

“Thin Places”…The Celts call this place,

Both seen and unseen,

Where the door between this world

And the next is cracked open for a moment

And the light is not all on the other side…Holy Space

 The Altar 

Unexpected but Manageable?

"Know that life just moved in like that storm the other day.... unexpected but manageable"

I wish I could take credit for that quote, but I can't.  It was the last sentence in a recent email from a special friend, whose family has been besieged by numerous health issues.  Just below that email, was a message from another dear friend with news of a possible long-term life battle in her family.

Unexpected but manageable?

As of this writing, I am on the other side of the pounding storms.  The deaths of loved ones, health difficulties, uncertain financial future, career decisions, relationship impasses, and even the "thorn in my side"; have taken a leave of absence - for the time being!  Hindsight allows me to reflect on those times from the vantage point of what it was that made them manageable.  God was always in the center!

Okay, not such an astounding statement right,  " God in the midst of the storm". How many ways has it been told and yet for me it bears repeating over and over again.  When the wind is blowing, the hail pelting, and lightning flashing, I don't feel very calm.  In fact it makes me downright uneasy and scared.  But when I look back with lenses cleared by rays of sunshine, I see the Angels.  They always come in a variety of guises; phone calls, emails, cards, hugs, walks, words spoken and unspoken, a shoulder to cry on  - and all from God.  He sends Himself through my family (which includes canine family of course), friends, acquaintances, and even strangers.  Here’s another noticing; when I’m in the middle of a storm, there’s always someone close by who is basking in good weather, ready to walk alongside and vice versa.  Isn’t that just like God?!

That’s how the unexpected is manageable for me, God’s Angels!

Have you seen any lately?

Been one lately?