It’s been good to have a rest, and I’ve dipped into my sewing stash and got organised. Firstly I have begun work in earnest on Gina’s wedding dress, the embroidery part, as that takes time and whenever the wedding/blessing will be now at least she will have something special. It’s been good to work on something with my daughter, especially as the flower motif is taken from my Mum’s wedding dress and well it’s now got its own story.
Getting organised and finding time actually takes time. It has been good to do that a bit this week too, carving out space and place for a home retreat has rapidly become a focus as we go back into lockdown for the second time. This time it is a bit different we know what is coming in a way and that harbours it’s own anxieties. Holding my hands up to a bit of a wobble earlier I regained a sense of ‘your not on your own kid, God is with you in all this as always’ which is so easy to lose when all the news and media seeps in and unsettles us again. But it is that stilling practice that is all the more important as we walk towards Advent and another period of preparation.
A couple of weekends ago Andrew and I went up to Belton Park and were lucky enough to get very close to the deer and of course sheep. The deer where spectacular and Psalm 42 came to mind…
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
‘Where is your God'...
It is a very powerful psalm. As lockdown returns it seems to meld quite well with the zeitgiest. It was good to be still and watch the deer…as they watched us, at Belton.
The heavy breathing is not the deer/stag but my asthmatic chest...it's that time of year lol!
An added blessing this week; an absolutely beautiful soundtrack by the Poor Clare’s of Arundle, their new album "Light for the World" which I did purchase and I’ve been listening to it an awful lot! The apple tunes link is this https://music.apple.com/gb/album/light-for-the-world/1534458076 and it can be heard here on youtube https://youtu.be/-l7xScDLEHo at about 10.49 Gaze, Consider, Contemplate really struck home for me. The Poor Clare’s are a Catholic Contemplative Order, and are closely linked with the Franciscans. Part of the heart of their way is this; Gaze, Consider, Contemplate and Imitate with reference to gazing upon the Cross and imitating Christ’s life. Whilst we struggle with our new life for the next few weeks, perhaps turning our seclusion into a blessing? We can legitimately sit, watch and contemplate and hold in prayer all those concerns knowing we are not alone but that Christ is there watching and waiting with us. Like the sheep, enclosed in the sheep fold (or a safe field), it's good to know you are not on your own...
Can't wait to meet virtually on Friday at 9.00am to join you in Celtic Morning Prayers. Peace be with you friends :)
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