Sit! Stay!

     My gorgeous girl Comet is a compulsive licker. She will lick anything, even to excess. Recently, the object of her tongue's affection was her hind paw; to the extent that it's raw.

     So the alleged easy solution is the "Cone of Shame". It is not popular, obviously, but necessary. Alas; despite this being in her best interest, she is not keen on said cone. She has been going to extremes to bend and twist and flip her paw inward whilst extending her tongue outward. (This girl is flexible!) She will even bite her injury if she thinks it will help the itch of healing, thereby negating the whole thing. 

     One of the benefits of our self-isolation and social/physical distancing, however, is I am at home. Beside her. Catching her attempts at nonchalant paw manoeuvres. (She does a great "nothing to see here!" facial expression).

     With this care, over a brief time, and a bit of restriction, and some very temporary awkwardness for her, she will be fine. The wound won't worsen, the infection won't spread to another part of her body or to Watson, and all shall be well. There are even extra treats for her 'suffering'.

     Same with us humans in this time of pandemic. But our "Cone of Shame" is our home, and the stakes are much higher than a sore paw.

     So seriously folks: stay home. Wash your hands, don't touch your face, enjoy some family time, and get some extra treats for your efforts. But stay home. 

     For the love of God, stay home. 

     For the love of all of God's people, stay home. 

Beach Party

Party Animal: Watson at the beach, Sept 2019

            While the situation around the Novel Coronavirus has escalated quickly, the stories of people's reactions are overwhelming and at times mind-boggling.

            For example, spring break partyers in Florida gained attention by their (inebriated) interviews of prioritizing a week of beach fun over the need for social distancing (and sustained public health). After watching one such report, my first thought was... uncharitable, to say the least!

            Yet the situation warrants further consideration: these young adults have only known an era of political divisiveness and mudslinging, of extreme social views (from civic apathy to increased hostility and discrimination), of people trusting feelings over facts.

            Society's message to them has been one of individualism. And they have learned from that.

            While it may be more comfortable for us to stand on a perceived moral high ground and criticise (in whatever media), we have before us the opportunity to change the message. What teachings are we passing along to our children if we get caught up in the selfish and negative spin? How do our words and actions reflect our values and morals? What social constructs have been normalised - and is that what we want to be the new norm?

            I don't have easy answers - I don't think any of us do! But as we are faced with some time and space to consider and pray about the world around us, I invite us to consider how, after COVID-19 has passed, we might create a new normal: our social consciousness, our political engagements, and our spiritual intentionality.

            The messaging for the next generation is up to us, now. Let's embrace this gift for what it is.

Plan B

         There's always a Plan B, isn't there? Whatever we have planned, something else may happen.

         The world has been experiencing this phenomenon recently... our plans have been changing rapidly due to the COVID-19 reality. Travel plans, meeting plans, church plans... sometimes, we need to implement a Plan B.

         As I've been working with parish leadership this week, we've recognised that even Plan B can't be considered a certainty. Sometimes we need a Plan C. Or D. Or Q!

         The reality is that life is uncertain. And when things beyond our control toss our lives into flux, we get reminded of that in a hurry.

         The current global health pandemic is merely reminding us of our human-ness: we are not in charge. We are not in control. We never were: we just liked to pretend that way.

         How interesting that we, as society and as individuals, can forget that we are not in control. It was just a few short weeks ago in our Ash Wednesday liturgies that we were reminded of the ever-changing and temporary nature of this life; and how in Lent we are challenged to give something up to remind us that at some point we will need to give all things up.

         Even in the midst of Lent, in the journey of remembering, we forget.

We forget that we do not control all things. We forget that we are not meant to be isolated. We forget that we are to be compassionate. We forget that we are meant to be continually adaptive to the world and people around us. (Blessed are the flexible; for they shall not get bent out of shape).

         While worship may look very different to us today due to the impacts of COVID-19 and our intentional and wisdom-based responses to it, may we be open to the Plan B: for God is there. And God is in control.

         And that's okay.

Pray For Me!

            One of the great dichotomies I hear as a clergy surrounds prayer. I am often invited to pray for people and situations; yet I also hear (sometimes from the same people) that they don't know how to pray.

            Given this scenario, the church I serve developed a solution: in addition to our prayer request box in the chapel, we have added a brief 'introduction to prayer' - covering basic information of the types of prayer (intercession, petition, penitence, thanksgiving, oblation, praise, adoration), and we have created dedicated (and monitored) social media and email address for those who prefer to send prayers electronically.

            We've also established a prayer wall: with prayers written and collated for a number of situations: general intercessions, for travellers, for times of transitions, for families and children... the list goes on. And it's not merely a list: we print out copies of these prayers on cardstock and invite guests to take one with them.

            It's an initiative that's met with success: we've had to re-print the prayers multiple times, as they are being taken and (we assume) prayed. It meets the needs of guests to our beautiful historic church, and it encourages people to continue to pray after they have left.

            Prayer is a way for us to connect with God and with each other; an intentional manner through which we allow our lives to dance with the divine. As the church, we are encouraged to pray without ceasing, to live baptismally in prayer, and to continue to teach prayer with those we love.

            How do we pray? For whom do we pray? Who is praying for us? And in what new ways can we extend the gift of prayer within our communities?