Relationships

Here's the best metaphor I can think of for my church and me. Guess who's who? Yes that's right. I'm the cat and the parish is the moose. I'm ready to pounce when things look titillating or tasty and I'm ready to bolt when things are either boring or threatening. Now I don't mean bolt for good, I mean just escape back to the manse for a nap or to curl up (with a book under, of course, my feaux bear skin)

The moose on the other hand can handle (and usually lives) in adverse conditions for extended periods of time. It can seek food and shelter on its own, but needs a good leader to find the really rich air and comfortable dwellings.

Both of these marvelous God-made creatures usually exist in separate altitudes and attitudes. But... as you can see from the photo, sometimes there are rare moments when they, in the quiet and peace of a snowy retreat, find connection and at least for a moment, love.

Ahhhh... Grace from the Sea

I've just returned from a few restorative days at the beach. Some might say that going to the beach in the Northeast in January is silly or downright masochistic, but to them I say, not so!

Some of the best beach days are found in the quiet off-season , when the crowds are gone for the winter and you can walk and drift as you please.

I am a 'professional' (read: avid) sea glass collector and pride myself on my collection as well as my discernment as to when the best times for finding these treasures are.

But beach glass collecting is not just another exercise in amassing 'stuff'. It's actually the opposite. It's an exercise in letting go of tension, worry and obsessing about things beyond our control and returning back to self and listening to God's voice, most often found for me in what's laying in wait for me in the sand.

This trip I found the usual large chunks of green, white (clear turned white/opaque from the ocean's churning) and brown all of which are fairly common and abundant on the right days/moons/tides. But I also found the sweetest piece of light green. By expert account, this piece is found/collected every 1 in 400. (which is about right since that's about the size of my 10- year collection.)

In the midst of losing 2 friends this year, (one to death and another to life circumstance) to find a piece of pale green, is most helpful and hopeful. Helpful to find something rare, and hopeful that new, special things are on their way.

I firmly believe God speaks to us in ways that we understand if we actually take notice. I don't stop to take notice enough, which is why I always find Grace by the Sea.

May you find God's grace in your sacred spaces. If you don't have a sacred space yet, no time like the present to create one. I bet God is waiting for you there right now.