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A Skinny Fairtrade Latte in the Food Court of Life - Page 27

  • Commemorating Julian of Norwich

    Today is the commemoration of Julian of Norwich, and some of my minister friends will be meeting to discuss the book pictured above. The dreaded Covid means I won't be with them, ah well, I have kitties, and books, and time to rest, all of which, I am sure, she would approve.
     
    Speaking of Covid, during Lockdown 1, I was invited to join two other people, wise C of S ministers, to write some 'Julian Collects' a project based on Revelations of Divine Love. We never quite completed the project, but we had some fun, and I still have the 10 I wrote stored on my computer!
     
    As we sit close to Ascension and Trinity, this one seems fairly appropriate to share here...
     
    DAY 24
     
    God opened my spiritual sight and showed me my spirit in my heart. The spirit is as large as an eternal world and a blessed realm as well. And the greatest light and the brightest shining in the city of spirit is God’s glorious love. What can allow us to take more delight in God than to see that he takes delight in us, the greatest of all his creatures? In this same vision I saw that if the blessed Trinity could have made our spirit any better, more beautiful, or more noble, God would not have been pleased and satisfied with our creation. But because God has made us so beautiful, so good, so precious, God is infinitely delighted in the creation of our spirit. And the Trinity wishes us to be transported up above all this world and all its empty suffering, to delight in God. This delicious revelation is without end. And God would like us to rest in it while we are still on earth. For when we contemplate we are made like unto God. And through grace we are united in his peace. That I saw God sitting gave me special delight, for sitting implies sure confidence and an eternal dwelling of rest. God assured me that it was indeed he who had shown me all of this.
     
    WORDS TO LINGER WITH
     
    ‘I saw God sitting…’
     
    COLLECT
     
    Triune God, so often we focus on your activity:
    Creating, Redeeming, Sustaining, Healing, Loving, Inspiring…
    Help us to be alert to your sitting…
    Safe lap into which we may climb and find a comforting embrace
    Rest for our bodies and peace for our souls
    For we pray in the threefold name of Parent-Sibling-Friend. Amen

  • Hosts and Guests

    This morning, I was at church first thing to check on the baptistery, switch on the heater and then cover up the whole thing in an attempt to keep the heat in, and keep the spiders out!

    I found myself reflecting on the fact that this is the first time I've been part of a congregation acting purely as 'host', and that, with two exceptions when we used a hired portable baptistery, all the baptisms have taken place in borrowed buildings or, in the case of the one in the sea, a host community.

    It's been interesting to notice how my experience of having been the guest so many times affects my approach to being the host.

    I'm looking forward to tomorrow's service, when 'all' I have to do is the welcome, notices and the housekeeping! 

  • Going Wavy...

    Those who have known me a long time know that I am not a lover of hairdressers, and that having had the same one for the greater part of fifteen years, having to find a new one in a new place was quite a big thing.

    So, today I went to the delightfully named 'HeadKase' salon in the Railway Town where I met lovely stylist who listened carefully and put me at ease.  Working with the natural waves/kinks in my hair, and basically tidying it up after several months of neglect,  she left me feeling very happy with the result... one of the few times I have honestly had a smile that went to my eyes when I was shown what it looked like.

    Of course, as soon as I have to wash it, the waves will largely disappear, but I am going to enjoy them whilst they last.

    At least I'll look respectable for doing interviews tomorrow!

  • Kitties Outside!

    Today, for the second successive day, both cats ventured outside.  Sophie has been doing so for a while, but Sasha has only just decided it's okay to do so.  Maybe the fact that I was working outside, and had both lunch and tea outside, contributed to her feeling it was safe enough to do so?

    After the photo was taken, and the cats had gone in, I did cut the grass! 

  • Liverpool Blessings

    Yesterday I took a trip to Liverpool, had a lovely amble along the waterfront and then spent time visiting each of the cathedrals.  I've attended services in each of them, and taken part on the Whit walk along Hope Street a fair few times, but this was the first time to really explore them, and it was a real blessing, as they each hold a real treasure store of architecture, art and spirituality.

    The photo is from the Anglican Cathedral and is a stunning wooden sculpture of the crucifixion.  Spending time with it, and reflecting on how we as Jesus' followers continue to inflict wounds upon each other, and, hence, on him was salutary yet also, strangely beautiful.

    Below is a poster from the Chapel of Unity in the Metropolitan (Roman Catholic) cathedral that reminds us of the shared central elements of Christianity (even if we may disagree in the mode of Baptism).  It reminded me of the words attributed to various wise people...

    In essentials, unity

    In non-essentials, liberty

    In all things, charity. 

    So yes, Liverpool was blessing (or maybe a 'blessun') yesterday.

    unity chapel.jpg