The Nose Knows

            Part of the joy of sharing my life with dogs is the daily 'smell walk'. While extensive sniffing is a part of *every* walk, our morning walks are dominated by the olfactory senses.

            Dogs need this; the scent walk helps activate their brains while calming their nerves, it enhances their time and their engagement with the world, and helps them communicate. The nose knows; it's a complex world!

            So while you and I may not be able to tell the difference between *this* patch of grass and *that* one, the dogs can.

            Our daily smell walk means a lot to them - but it also means a lot to me. In allowing the noses to guide our direction and speed (with overarching human control, obviously!), they reap the benefits of being fully present. And so do I!

            For on these walks, I can spend more time being mindful of my surroundings. I can engage my primary senses of sound and sight, and I can enter into a reflective and introspective space. I pray, I think, I breathe deeply. I try to be open to whatever God is revealing to me in the moment, so that the rest of my day I tend to be (like the dogs) calmer, more engaged, more communicative, etc.

            For the dogs, the nose knows - and the world is better for the time to sniff it out. For me, the spirit knows best - and my world is better for its time and space to dwell in the presence of God.  

What is #ThursdaysInBlack ?

In place of my normal blog this week, I want to highlight the work of Ecumenical Women at the United Nations (EW), especially in our fight against sexual and gender-based violence.

It is a privilege and honour for me to work with such powerful proponents for justice.

Please view our video to learn more about the work of EW, and the Thursdays In Black campaign: 

Change: from new normal to new reality

I think the folks who track word usage are going to discover a huge uptick for the word "normal" in 2020.

For even though we feel that nothing is normal anymore, we have been talking about it quite a bit.

We've even developed the phrase "the new normal" - as though we as a culture are going to quickly adapt to a new standard. We know better - we are (generally) still lamenting that we have lost our pre-COVID "normal".

So I've been using a different phrase: the new reality. It means the same thing - what a COVID-era 'typical state or condition' is. But it speaks to our subconsciences of a difference. And that matters: for when we frame something new as being different, we tend to be less limited in our understanding, based on past experience. Thus, we tend to be less resistant to embracing the change.

So we have a new reality - a new 'usual' for how we live - we wear masks, we maintain our 2m distance, we don't have as many hugs or events. And this will become the norm, as our new reality begins to feel normative.

In the church, many people are feeling the disconnect - the church that has been stable throughout our lives, now is... well, different. It sounds different, it feels different - and the church is known for not really liking "different". But we also know that unless we release what has been, we will not be open to what is, and what is coming.

I think it's helpful for us to realise that the church has always dealt with changes, however, and even as this change has been unexpected and fast, the church remains the constant.

For whatever is taking place, and we are practicing the previous normal alongside the new reality: we are praying; we are praising; we are listening to God's Word; we are sharing; we are reaching out to the community; we are seeking justice; we are advocating for peace; we are the voice of the oppressed; we are the followers of Jesus who journey in faith.

We are the church - the church of yesterday, the church of COVID, the church of tomorrow.

The church, therefore, is serving - as it always has - as a timeless constant in a world of change. We have the great privilege to carry forth a bold new reality of God's loving revelation - and to make that grace normal to all who will receive it.

 

Isa 43.19 "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"

Aren't We Lucky?

This week I was privileged to hear the eulogy for a beloved and faithful woman who was known for asking "aren't we lucky?"

And she was, as I understand, possibly the luckiest person in the world.

This is not to say she won the lottery every day, or confused blessing with good fortune - it was entirely due to her attitude. For she saw everything as an opportunity to recognise gratitude, and to express thankfulness.

A pretty sunset - "aren't we lucky?"

Tasty baked beans and toast for dinner - "aren't we lucky?"

A phone call from a loved one who lived far away - "aren't we lucky?"

She lived to seek out what was good; and this is a trait she shared with her family, her friends, and everyone who met her. In remembering her, everyone agreed that they were lucky to have had her in their lives, regardless of which capacity.

In a time when we can feel out of sorts - it's summer, but we're still in State of Emergency; we feel safe but we're still restricted for health (and rightly so!), we know that our previous (false) sense of security is gone (but still miss our past ignorance), and the future is full of economic, social, and physical uncertainty. Egads. It's easy to focus on the negatives - on what we miss, and how we're inconvenienced, and what we don't like, and how fear is real...

Yet... when we take a pause, and look around, we can see so much to be thankful for. There's so much good in the world that is literally surrounding us - a sunny day, a friend sharing garden vegetables, a great conversation with friends, a meaningful time of prayer...

Even those things which may be discouraging can be an opportunity to be grateful... a destroyed chew toy means my rescue pup knows she is safe and loved... the quarantine weight gain means I have an overabundance of food... travel restrictions means I can focus my adventures on what my home locale has to offer... a closed church building invites creative re-imagining of being the church...

Wow... aren't we lucky?

Scales of Relationship

"Nobody Will Notice"
CC-BY2.0 by PebblePicJay. Source: Flickr

            This week, I bought a bathroom scale.

            Not exactly living my life on the wild side, I know! But it's something that I needed, and something that I use... I'm aware that the "Quarantine 15" weight gain is real, and I know that I generally do better at tracking my weight if I can consistently and accurately track my weight. So: a scale.

            Now, for me, the numbers it will show me in the morning are not my worth - they are my weight. They'll fluctuate from time to time, but they will do one thing consistently: numerically articulate my relationship with gravity. These numbers will then help inform my decisions around food and exercise, and I'll be able to accurately keep an eye on trends in my lifestyle and health habits.

            Imagine if all our relationships were so easily tracked? If we could discern quite easily if we were staying the course, or if things were moving either to decline or excess? And thus, to consider how we might want to respond?

            Imagine if our relationships could be easily tracked... I think it's possible! When we are intentional about things, we can consider where we are, and where we want to be; what goals are realistic and what ones we just don't want to move towards. We can make choices based on intentional decisions that are made.

            So with our interpersonal relationships, we can consider: have I extended kindness, and have I received it? Is there open communication? Is there regular communication? How do we show love through our words, and actions? What markers are there that let us know we are appreciated?

            Our relationships can have tangible markers (how often do we speak?) and intangible ones (when did I last feel respected?); and they will ebb and flow. But by understanding what markers are important to us, and where our limits lie, we can have a better understanding of our overall relationship - and how/when/where we may want to work on it.

            Extrapolating that, then, to our spiritual journey: how is our relationship with God? Are we healthy? Are we effectively communicating, engaging, and valuing? What markers do we need, and how do we track them?

            Our relationships say a lot about us... and deserve regular attention if they are to stay healthy. So whether we're measuring for our physical health, or our emotional and spiritual health, keeping track can be a good and balancing thing.