Connections

I like playing word games; I do a daily crossword, my Scrabble game is well used, I play some online games over my morning coffee.

A big part of the fun for me is not just the success of completing such a game, but of the strategy behind it; in a crossword it’s the puns and wordplay, in Scrabble it’s the placement of letters for maximising score, in wordle it’s adjusting the probabilities of letters and combinations to discover which precise word is “the” answer.

One of the online word games I play is “Connections”, where a grid of 16 words has to be sorted into 4 categories of 4 words each. They can be simple or involve wordplay or puns, and the categories do not relate to each other. The challenge comes from not only needing the general knowledge in any category to understand how the word fits, but also in discerning the wordplay and multiple meanings or applications of each of the words. It can take some time, and often more than a little mental gymnastics!

It's not unlike a mingling of people; trying to find ways that they connect. Some connections are simple; all the dog lovers in one grouping, all the folks who can name football players in another. Some connections are a bit more tenuous, like shared history experiences like education or travel or workplace. Some are even more difficult to connect; like finding a third point of connection, or interest group.

The insight of Connections (the word game) is that whether I can see it or not, there are connections that exist; not unlike when we come together in community. Sometimes what we think will be a Connection turns out to be only 2 or 3 words linking up; this doesn’t negate their connection, it just means it doesn’t fit within this particular grid. This too can be like community; where we can appreciate that we’re not meant to be best friends with everyone, accepting that we don’t have to fit entirely and perfectly with all places and people. (Some of our neighbours are lovely people, we just don’t want invite them to dinner.) And sometimes, the connection is evident and easy to see, and flows naturally; at other times the connection takes some work to understand; like our human relations.

The analogy could go on; but I know the joy of being part of a community as it seeks out connections between people, knowing that if we commit enough genuine interest in one another, we can find ways to connect, to communicate, to share, to grow.
I see this every time our churches gather; where newcomers are welcomed in, where long-established friendships continue to thrive, where we continue to strengthen our bonds with each other as we engage in our various ministries. Where no one is alone; for we know from the start – like the 16 individual words – that we are part of something larger and stronger, something that ensures we are just waiting for the next connection to be made.

My New Year Beatitudes

A prayer of thanksgiving for those who have recently blessed my life.

Blessed are the pew smilers: who sit in the pew and nod, encouraging me even in the tired sermons of a low Sunday.

Blessed are the fluff-finders: who remove the (seemingly unending) dog fluff from my sweater.

Blessed are the phone-answerers: the friend who answers my call even when busy, because even 30 seconds of connection brings a smile to both our faces.

Blessed are the collaborators: who commit to working together, trusting me to share in a task too big for any of us to do alone.

Blessed are the safe-spacers: who share a trust to be entirely vulnerable about life’s realities.

Blessed are the name-users: who intentionally interject my name while we are chatting, as though it is a sacred word.

Blessed are the complimenters: who seek an honest positivity to elevate each conversation.

Blessed are the picture-senders: who share their life with me through unremarkable daily  images, or remind me of a long-standing joke with a humorous GIF.

Blessed are the patient, who know my lack of phoning is because life has happened, and time zones are unforgiving.

Blessed are the joy-seekers: whose focus inspires all around them to also seek and share joy.

Blessed are the laughers: who go out of their way to share in happiness (and don't care that I'm loud!)

Blessed are the texters: who send messages that convey love and kinship, regardless of distance.

Blessed are the pausers: who pause after asking how I am today, because they really want to listen to my response.

Blessed are the Zoomers: who share lengthy chats full of joy, even when it’s been too long (and when hugs just can’t happen).

Blessed are the huggers: who reach out their arms to ensure that love is felt.

Blessed are the gracious: who don't care about the tumbleweeds of dog-hair on the floor, because they have come to see me (not a perfect house).

Blessed are the noticers: who see subtle nuance and inquire gently about the change.

Blessed are all my friends: whose very presence makes the world a better place, and inspire me to be the best version of myself.

The Holy Calm

This past week, we’ve all had the busy time of Christmas! The lights, the dinners, the gifts, the cards… the church prayers, the singing, the candles, the décor! It has been wonderful!

Even without some last minute changes, the week was a long one, with much planning and printing and coordinating and collaborating. To-do lists become to-do charts at this time of year. Mine were colour-coded.

And what a blessing it is! The absolute elation of gathering together, with joy in our hearts, to celebrate the nativity.

…and when it’s all over, and folks have gone home, there’s a hush that falls in the sacred space.
It’s a beautiful thing to behold: for it is not an emptiness, just a different level of holy presence.

This year, as I sat alone for a few minutes on Christmas Day, I gave thanks for all that had gone into making Christmas be SO very meaningful for so many people: knowing that each component on its own augmented and enhanced every other element. From musical leadership to placement of flowers; new ornaments ‘sprucing up’ the trees (pun intended); the greeters and readers, the altar guild and proof-readers, the pray-ers and videographers… the list is truly immense.

It was truly spectacular.

And in that empty church, with the lights off, the sparkle diminished, the jubilation quietened: the joy continued. For as with so many things in the church (and in our lives), a loving presence pervades even when we aren’t there to witness it.

What we show the world is a culmination of previous efforts and intentions. Be it in the beautiful chaos or the calmer aftermath: the love is undeniable, and the blessings abundant.
However we celebrate Christmas, big or small, with many or with few, we have the chance to remember those holy moments, and to carry that joy with us into the New Year.

Worth the Effort

I am a snacker.
I enjoy snacking; I often have nibbles somewhere close by when I am doing my work or reading or watching the hockey game or...
The dogs know which snacks I am likely to share with them, and which ones are people-only.

I tend to portion out my snacks (to reduce the chance of over-snackage); and some snacks are easier than others at slowing the eating process.
This week, my snack of choice has been pistachios.
The thing with pistachios is that snacking needs to be done intentionally. And not just in terms of portion control!
The shells need to removed from each nut; a process that takes two hands. The shells then need to be disposed of; a side bowl is handy while adding another step. The saltiness of the shells transfers to my fingers, so I am less likely to read or type to keep my things clean.

They are lovely, and the benefits of intentionality are definitely worth the effort.
And they make me consider the effort: for so much of our food these days can be easily acquired and ingested; we don’t always (often) consider each bite as we eat.
Our other intakes can be similar: our earbuds bring us a steady stream of music, so much that we may forget what song we heard last. Our scrolling through the social media algorithm may normalise a few points of view that we forget there are others. Our entertainment choices can influence our moods.

Like with my pistachios, we can also be intentional about our consumption and habits:
We can choose to immerse ourselves in prayer on a daily basis. We can decide to support a service agency. We can collaborate with neighbours to enhance our communities.
There are so many ways we can act with intentionality – a little mindfulness can be a good thing. In our world of instant gratification, a small change, a slowing down, a purposeful pause can make a big difference. If they lead to good things, they are definitely worth the effort.

Finding Happiness

On this third Sunday of Advent, many will be leaning into the “rejoice!” message from Philippians 4.4. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice!”

I often aim to distinguish between the message of joy (eternal and divine) and that of happiness (earthly and temporary). Both are good! But they speak differently to our lives. This doesn’t mean that we should seek joy and ignore happiness; nor the other way around. While our faith guides us into realising the joy of the Lord that lives within us, we can also seek to find glimmers of happiness that bring smiles to our faces for a time.

This past week, I had some such moments – with laughter and frivolity. They were passing moments: watching Santa Claus walking into a local school – and waving enthusiastically at all the cars driving past. Giggling at a funny reel on social media. Laughing through a silly game with friends, where we replace the word “girls” with “Squirrels” in song titles (Squirrels Just Wanna Have Fun, California Squirrels, Squirrel in a Country Song – etc), finishing the novel for next month’s book club. There were connections with friends and family: quick phone calls and texts. Dog snuggles. Receiving a thank-you email. An unexpected collection of goodies (since labeled my Advent Sanity Snacks in the office fridge!)

The more I started to think of the moments of happiness, the more I realised there had been many such moments.

And the more I started reflecting on why these things made me happy, the more I recognised the presence of joy – in the gifts of the people and circumstances in my life, where God is revealing grace and love and goodness.

It’s not to say that there are not times of stress, and challenges to overcome, especially with the to-do-list(s) for the coming couple of weeks. But it is a reminder of the glimmers and smiles that carry more importance than the gloominess of grey days and December blahs.

So let us rejoice in the Lord: and seek happiness with each other. For both enrich our lives beyond our imaginations.

Time (and time again)

The White Rabbit, of Alice in Wonderland,
always concerned about time (and his lateness!)
Photo of statue in Central Park, New York.

Happy New Year!

In our liturgical calendar, the first Sunday of Advent is the start of a new year. Woohoo!
Instead of staying up until midnight partying, we’re meant to start the year by spending some time thinking about… well, time!

Time can have many meanings, and be quite fluid. In my sci-fi geekdom, two definitions of ‘time’ are shared – it’s “a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again.” (Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Generations, 1994). According to the Time Lord himself, “People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff.” (The Doctor in Doctor Who: Blink, 2007)

Our faith invites us into the consideration of time as an earthly concept (chronos) and as a divine process (kairos).
It’s not difficult, then, to consider the season of Advent as a season of time – for it overlaps with Pre-Christmas.
Advent: a holy season, a time of waiting and preparing, of reflecting on both the past event of Jesus’ birth some 2024 years ago (give or take several calendar re-calculations!) and the anticipation of the second coming of the Christ.
Pre-Christmas is an earthly reality, a time of scrambling to accomplish the tasks and social activities, the lists for which necessitate coordination of otherworldly skills.

However we consider time (and it will likely fluctuate!) my aspirations are that none of us should arrive to the manger racing and exhausted by our to-do-lists. Rather, I hope that in the midst of the December mania, that Advent allows us to frame the season in a Godly time; a kairotic space: asking if we ourselves are prepared for the kingdom of God – and if not, how to deepen our spiritual hope and trust.

Whether time flies, or crawls, or passes gently: may your Advent time be fulfilling and fruitful!

Lost in Translation

I’ve had a few conversations recently about the Lord’s Prayer, and its many translations. From having updated versions alongside older ones, folks tend to have a preferred version. And that’s okay! I’ve heard people refer to the version well-known by many is sometimes referred to as “the original” even though that one has changed over the years… it doesn’t appear in the King James Bible, Jesus didn’t speak in medieval English, even the versions in our prayer books have had nuanced changes over the centuries.

The reality is: language changes. It evolves, it adapts, it shifts from generation to generation. Translating centuries-old texts can be influenced by common linguistics (for example, awful used to mean full of awe – not the present negative connotation; terrible and terrific come from the same root and used to mean the same thing – now they denote opposite meanings). Add in some idiomatic expressions (having cold feet could mean hesitation or frigid appendages), contextual references, some lost words, multiple scrolls and sources, varying grammar and syntax, political and cultural agendas… even before we allow for the different languages that are found in the scriptures.

It’s why we have so many translations today, and why new translations are being prepared in an ongoing basis.

Our opportunity in revisiting the scriptures, with experts and linguists and theologians – is to ensure that the word of God does not get lost in translation.

Some variances may be minor, like the example in the photo, which reads “Dog Toy” in English and “Cat Toy” in French. It’s a toy for a furry house pet. Yet we understand that a literal translation has not taken place; and that revision can be a good thing.

Likewise, the scriptures give us the chance to revise, review, return to the meaning. In doing so, we are allowing ourselves to be moved by the living word of God – a beautiful gift that invites us deeper into an understanding of our history and theology as people of God.

Ideally, when we revisit the word, it speaks to us anew, and inspires us to live by word and example in ways that are authentic, helpful, and meaningful. And by doing so, our own lives become a living testimony to the teachings and promises of God.

May we do so faithfully, carefully examining and learning how God continues to speak to us – so that none of the glory and grace and goodness of God is lost in translation.