Sunday again......

The sun shone yesterday and I pooh-poohed the weatherman's sly allusion to "maybe a small skiff of snow overnight", but when I woke and opened the door for Bruce's early morning foray in the garden I was dismayed to see a brand new white coverlet snugged up in the garden, and up and down the apron to the garage (which, alas, contained no car - it was out the front all frosted up).

A few years ago I would have thought nothing of this situation, but today it caused a little stir - car cleaned of snow, or a walk with cane!!!!  Only a half a block to church.....

I walked.  It was delightful.  Not cold, nice conversation with neighbours cleaning their walkways.  And by the time I came home the sun was shining again!

We are just a Worshipping Community here in what was once a thriving parish, and we rely on visiting and often retired clergy.  Our minister today was an old, old friend.  He came to our parish in the early 1950s when he was just graduating from seminary, and when I was young and involved with the Sunday School.  After a few years he went on with his career in other places, and Charles and I stayed here and farmed and continued at St. John's.  But when we all grew older and retired he came back to help us in our hour of need!!!  And he is so comfortable and his services so familiar and enduring....

We are on the cusp of Lent - Ash Wednesday on the 1st of March.  The gospel for today was from Matthew, and the Psalm a small Stone of Wisdom.

I still my soul and keep it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast

O Lord, I am not proud; I have no haughty looks.

I do not occupy myself with great matters, or with things that are too hard for me,

But I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast; my soul is quiet within me.

And the Matthew gospel was all about the lilies of the field and the birds of the air 

and the faith that we require to avoid the anxiety and the worry about what we will drink, what we will eat, what we will wear, what will be our place, here on earth, tomorrow and in the future."so do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.  Today's trouble is enough for today" 

Did  you know that anxiety and worry affect our longevity, and that faith and trust will add days and months and years to this wonderful experience of being alive on this earth????

Day by day, - one day at a time!

I am reminded that the stillness, the faith and the trust, - and the humility - are all part of this struggle I have with the Ego!!!

Oh, this getting old is so complex.  I have a book called "Lasting Words" - A guide to finding meaning toward the close of life".  When I first dipped into it I was too active to absorb the admonishment to relax and meditate, but now I think I am more resigned to making room for a little stillness.  

Today I am flying low and I'm

not saying a word.

I'm letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.

The world goes on, as it must,

the bees in the garden rumbling a little,

the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.

And so forth.

But I am taking the day off.

Quiet as a feather.

I hardly move though really I'm traveling

a terrific distance.

Stillness.  One of the doors

into the temple.

Mary Oliver  TODAY