I wish this was my garden, because it is just beautiful, it's a path in the Walled Garden at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk, my absolute favourite walled garden, so far. However I am lucky and I have a garden too, there are similarities 'red hot poker' and weeds. Remember when we heard the quote from St Theresa regarding we can't all be roses, that daisies are looked upon by God too? I still am very comfortable being a 'daisy'! Being a daisy means I can gaze above and look at all the other beauties in the garden and be filled with joy.
It has been good to get a break and this summer although it has been different, I look back and realise the rest has done me the power of good. Stepping along a different garden path if you like has been important. I admit it is hard at the moment to focus on much, the heat has caused me to identify with the abundance of the butterflies, resting and enjoying the warmth on my back as I know it won't last. Being in the moment with God as I holiday with Him in solitude and desired peace and quiet. It has been a luxury, at home yes, but it has been a blessing of a holiday. A holiday I am loath to step away from. That is a sign that much rest was needed and it's time to focus and prepare to get back to work.
Work! Now that's going to be different! Normally at this time of year I will have had meetings and prep for going into work and doing all manner of 'stuff' as we tutors gather our wits for the coming term. This term is going to be like no other as a lot of us are going to become 'ztutors'. It sounds remarkably like lion taming and becoming a zoom tutor is as I have found, is a little like that. Zoom tutoring is different, many teaching practices are the same, however enabling learners to increase their own IT skills can be a challenge, especially as newbies to IT learn about zoom etiquette. We have all had to adapt. Teaching dressmaking and silver jewellery making online has it's own set of challenges and we have had to adapt and I'm going 'all academic' this term by teaching art history. I just can't believe my luck!
Covid-19 has challenged us all, closing down many opportunities but opening up many new possibilities. We have found this to our cost as church, but we are beginning to become accustomed to this new way of living and worshipping and some of the changes are good. It has shaken up our 'carved in stone' services and the resultant adapted liturgies have contained all the essentials for worship but not necessarily in a way that fits with our own predilections. I am going to pop my head up over the parapet and say I am glad it has been shaken up. Changes in liturgy do make us think. It is not our normal pattern of worship and the shortened services on a Sunday morning at our home church are different. Somehow for me they seem more powerful, as we gently step towards a 'new normality'. These distilled and concentrated minuets matter because they have become so precious, our only weekly or regular connection with the shadows of our previous way of church. This distillation; the weeding out to be left with a simple and pure form is a starting point for new directions. I am not saying the usual way was bad, but it doesn't hurt to spring clean on occasion. New directions? I have no clue what those directions are, but as we have all been challenged to focus on what really matters, relationship with others, our family, our friends our loved ones and our communities it reminds us how the gift of a simple and precious relationship with each other and God is.
Before the holidays draw to a close, take time to breathe, enjoy the changes in the garden, the coolness of the morning mists that are creeping in. Savour the gloriousness of the creation He has gifted to us and smile at the little things that are quite joyous, simple gifts and treasures indeed.
https://youtu.be/IdxDFgnGz-Y All things Bright and Beautiful - I love this
https://youtu.be/uuN2XYShK28 Breathe by Shane and Shane (I love their music too!)
Living waters at Stowe.
Looking forward to joining you for virtual prayers tomorrow at 9am
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