Thanks-Giving

As the world around us seems dark and fearful, it’s easy for us to get wound up in the culture of scarcity – where the primary emotion becomes anxiety or fear, restriction and even jealousy. Even in the midst of what we have, our world seems to tell us that we need to have more, and newer, and bigger, and better. This way of thinking can prevent us from truly engaging with one another from a place of peace and community.

How wonderfully refreshing, then, that the church intentionally focuses our attention into a culture and theology of abundance. Our faith encourages us to re-focus our perspective to one of gratitude. This gratitude is not meant to come from comparison with others (“I have more ___ than that person”); rather faith inspires us to have thankful hearts which celebrate what is before us. This heart rejects the cultural norm of ‘never enough’ and finds delight in simply BEing – being exactly who our loving Creator made us to be.

Our scriptures echo this shift, and invite us to celebrate the abundance which we have in our society. God gives us the gifts and resources that we have, and God gives us the opportunity to demonstrate a similar practice of abundant sharing. We are blessed with the ability to connect with one another, with God, and with God’s gifts through creation. God assures us that we are perfectly and wonderfully made (Ps 139.14), God brings us together in community (Heb 10.24), and God provides wonders to remind us of the blessings of this world (Ps 65.8).

I invite us, then, to hear the call from God to live in the reality of God’s abundant blessings for all of us. May we interact with one another, demonstrating the love of God. May our hearts rejoice as we recognise our abundance, and with that the privilege to share. May we, with joyful hearts, give true and unending thanks to the Lord our God.

Destination Happiness

Walking with the dogs is always an adventure… doggy arthritis notwithstanding, the pups traverse in very different ways.

Watson enjoys every aspect of his walks. The trees must be sniffed, the grass investigated, the scents and sounds of each area are something to be savoured. (And, there is NO moving him if he doesn’t want to move forward – his side-eye is epic!)

Come, on the other hand, can. not. wait! for the next bin/post/shadow/etc. She pulls at her lead, barely noting where she is, she’s so keen to get to the next ‘destination’. My right arm knows not only her chase drive (ah, the greyhound in her) but also the curiosity pull.

We can face life with the same varied foci… for some, each moment is a time to be appreciated, investigated, enjoyed. It’s literally living, happily, in the moment – whatever that may look like.
For others, the concept of destination happiness takes over – this preoccupation with the idea that happiness is somewhere else, just around the corner – if only we could get there faster.

The challenge with destination happiness is that it reduces joy in the ‘now’, always looking for contentment elsewhere… and ultimately never finding it. A sense of permanent dissatisfaction and disappointment ensues.

And while we can’t go through every aspect of life at the pace Watson walks, God invites us to live in the present; to notice the abundant blessings that flow upon us at any time, to appreciate the beauty (conventional and otherwise!) that surrounds us, to engage with the people that God has put in our path (and in whose path God has put us!). There is joy to be found – a deep and holy joy that transcends anything of this world – whenever we’re able to dwell in the moment.

Ps 16.11 You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your hand are pleasures for evermore.

With enthusiasm!

Like most people, I have a tendency of accumulating things that make me happy. Last month, when I was visiting Winnipeg, I stopped by the Jets Gear store, just in case they had anything new or exciting or generally interesting that might want to come home with me… obviously, there were many things; and while most of them stayed at the store, a few things were purchased: some new stickers, a large magnet, an overpriced silicone cup, and some earrings. (Yes, I am a nerd.)

As the pre-season begins today, I’m rather excited (though in the midst of a heatwave, while the garden has yet to be harvested, thinking about hockey feels somewhat incongruous!). I enjoy watching the games: I like tracking the team players and hearing the scuttlebutt; the energy and enthusiasm as I live-text games with friends; the post-game banter when we analyse what went right (or wrong). It’s not like I have any delusions about my role in a hockey game – I can’t even skate – but a good game is a fun thing to experience.

For me, it’s fun, and energising. While I don’t get to watch every game, I do use the ones I see as a chance to rest and rejuvenate – to re-fill my cup (silicone or proverbial!).

It’s important to have these things that do recharge us; to help us stay focused on who we are. Our pastimes bring enjoyment, balance, stress relief, and connection. And when we have an outlet to keep us grounded, we can become our truest selves. Even our mementoes can keep this connection alive in our hearts and minds.

It’s not to suggest that every hobby or activity will suddenly make us feel 100%, or that we should limit ourselves to only one. But to find things that speak to our core, that address in healthy ways whatever is stirring within, can be a gift. It can enhance the joy that we already have from God, and manifest as happiness in this life.

Perhaps it is through such entertainments as this that we can re-energise our lives for and with faith – and bless the world with such as God has given us.

As Hildegard of Bingen said:
Be not lax in celebrating.
Be not lazy in the festive service of God.
Be ablaze with enthusiasm.
Let us be an alive, burning offering before the altar of God.

(Side) Effects

I was on some situational medication this week – a few tablets each day to address an unexpected ailment.

There are always side-effects… one of the meds led to drowsiness, another caused insomnia, a third affected my digestion. Blargh.

I was chatting with a friend about this; and how the effects and side-effects of things in our lives are often overlooked. And, when unexpected things happen and need to be dealt with, one of the side effects can be a less-than-grace-filled attitude.

The meds cost me money I could have spent elsewhere; though not enough to cause me financial hardship.
The unexpected trip to the doctor’s affected my plans for a while, but didn’t derail my ability to live as I normally do.
The medical side effects weren’t terribly pleasant; but nor were they awful, long-term, or irreversible.
…I could continue. The point, however, is that I can also choose to see the positives that aligned in the sequence of events and eventualities. I can access health care; I could adapt my work and leisure time to the circumstance without negative repercussion; I could address my discomfort readily; I had friends checking in on me to make sure I was okay; and on and on!

In all things, what we do has side effects and impacts. Little things that we do have the potential to have an influence on others. So how we choose to react and respond to the world around us matters. It’s not only an outlet for us to show our opinions, but our faith to the world.

And the world is definitely full of opinions right now, as the events of the week have left us all a bit raw and uneasy. Tensions are high, negativity is rampant, and the name of God and nature of faith is being invoked a LOT in the commentary.

So I pray, and try not to engage in unhelpful ways. It’s easy to slide into the noise of discord right now. Instead, I seek grace, and do my best to choose actions that will not lead to negative effects, but might instead inject a little faith and positivity into the fray.

Sunflowers

Several of my neighbours grow sunflowers. And this is the perfect time of year for admiring them – as they stand tall, brightly coloured, as though wishing a “Good Day!” to all who wander past.

There’s more to them, though; and with plenty of analogies that we can apply to our lives.
They are resilient; their stalks bend and shift as they search for the light that they need. One plant growing in our back lane has grown over a foot sideways, along the gravel, before it could veer upward and reach the sun. One can only imagine what interactions with wildlife it encounters in that pathway (my dogs have watered it more than once!)

They bloom where they’re planted – literally; a few small seeds from last years’ garden that dropped over the fence have provided some beauty into the laneway. Unexpectedly, as this is not the best soil (it’s gravel-covered) – yet they managed to flourish where they were with the circumstances they were given.

They’re useful in many ways; from late summer solace for the bumble bees that are still around, to the seeds that provide nourishment to the birds. We also harvest those seeds for ourselves, and use them as a snack, ground into a butter, press oil, etc.

They’re also just beautiful. Their brightness extends to our eyes, and we can choose to emulate them by bringing brightness to our world. They adjust themselves to turn to the light; and while this is for their general well-being, it is also a reminder for us to turn to The Light – the light that has been gifted to us, and sustains us in this life – and promises to guide us to eternity.

I know they are only here in this format for a short time, but while they are here I am able to enjoy them, appreciate them, and learn from them. May we all find some beauty in our daily lives!

The Bookmark

As an avid reader, I have innumerable bookmarks. Some are fancy, some are simple, some are whatever I happen to have lying around when I want to make a note without dog-earring a page. (Transit cards or receipts are especially handy – and readily available - when travelling!)

My collection of bookmarks is eclectic, as so many of them have been gifts from dear ones. (Always a thoughtful token for a book lover!) They encapsulate not only the aspects of my life that have resonated in someone else’s mind, but also serving as an ongoing souvenir of the relationship.

Bookmarks, we know, serve to pause the story that’s being read, so the reader can then re-engage at the precise spot, to continue the story. There are times when the bookmark may fall out if too loosely placed, or (as is so often my case) a bedtime reading leads to my eyes closing before the book does.

If the bookmark isn’t placed, then the continuation can be confusing: the right spot has to be found, sometimes leading to re-reading quite a bit. With my falling-asleep-while-reading, sometimes my mind has filled in some storylines that aren’t quite accurate (I recall once being quite perplexed that a Tragically Hip concert had taken place in The Lord of the Rings…)

All that aside: the marking of a place with the intention to return to it carries significance beyond our reading habits. We can make notes about physical spaces we wish to return to, aware that they are part of our story: be it a once-in-a-lifetime place like an engagement location, or a weekly visit like our favourite pew.

We can identify emotional spaces that we wish to return to; like the emotions that rise up when we drive past our old high school, or the feeling of hugging a loved one.

And there are spiritual places that we can mark to come home to: the psalm that calms our frazzled nerves, the community that gathers around the common table, the sound of the hymn that awakens our spirit.

So often, as life gets busy, our story goes in a different direction that what we may have wished for. What a blessing to be able to mark a spot – with something meaningful – to allow us to come back when we have the time and energy.

What part of your story is currently bookmarked, waiting for your return?

Potatoes!

I enjoy gardening; I am not ever going to be able to sustain myself on what I am able to grow – but I try to get something other than weeds coming out in the end of the season.

The carrots sometimes are only an inch deep, the tomatoes often still green when the frost is setting in overnight. I have good luck with chard and greens, I usually can get a squash to success.

One thing I am consistent about: I cannot grow potatoes. I have made an attempt with every garden I have had; and I have had zero success. Many types of soils, fertilizers, practices, climate zones, sun exposure, etc.

This spring, my neighbour asked if I was planting potatoes. I told her my predicament, and she offered me a few gnarly wrinkly seed potatoes – they were extra for her, and she said if I didn’t use them she was going to compost them (they looked half-way there already).

So – I tried. I had chosen to leave part of the garden unplanted – so I had space. I tossed them in the dirt, I kept them covered… and foliage appeared! I watched as they got taller, and then flowered, and then kept increasing in size. About every other day, same friendly neighbour asks if I’ve got any potatoes yet….

This weekend, as I was tackling some of the weeds, I noticed a couple of potatoes, just poking through the disturbed dirt. They’re small, and of course there’s only a couple right now – but they grew.

It’s no wonder Jesus used agricultural references for so many of his teachings: they are so relatable, and so easy to understand.

What enjoyable teachings my potatoes have given me:
* It’s never too late to try
* You never know when you’ll succeed
* You never know what’s below the surface
* A different environment produces different outcomes
* The result can be so much nicer than what you start with
…and so many more.

I could reflect more on the joys (and limitations) of the garden, but there’s still some weeding to do, and some errant squash vines choking out the tomatoes… and who knows what potatoes (literal and metaphorical!) might come up today.