To Bring Shalom: remembrance

Showing posts with label remembrance. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

do-bee-dum-dum-dum

poor chickens.
grushenka, old warsaw, the others. they're soaked. We have no tight roof on the coop. We're bad chicken parents.

...as of late I am reminded:

that I am not alone
that I am just as screwed up as the rest of us
that "God-be-with-ye's" (good-byes) are hard
that growing food in the front yard and cooking it in your kitchen can be deeply spiritual if you let it be
that people are hurting all around me
that cancer is a bitch and kids shouldn't die before their parents
that pain is inevitable and joy is chosen
that peace does not come naturally to me
that I have a heck of a lot to learn

as of late beauty was found:

in germinated seeds
in remembering farm friends
in Rachmaninoff
in my ecumenical community
in home-brewed kombucha
in a little laziness in front of the TV (not guilt-free)
in mothers and fathers
in cooking for 10
in spanish-speaking 4 year olds
in reaping an unexpected tomato harvest in an abandoned garden
in individual faith histories
in the old, unpretentious, worn-in, comfortable shoe called 'family.'

suggestion:
read and retell your stories.

it is in story that we see God. Our scripture is all stories. It is in these stories becoming one with our own lives and narratives that then experience of God across time takes place.

The story (from my perspective) of february, 2007 when i was kicked out and sent home to rebuild; of November 30th- Grady's birth and the aftermath that followed, the story of when i lived with boys in community eating vegetable lasagna, growing mushrooms, and bickering about dishes. When these things are retold, I am able to see that they are all proof of the Divine making beautiful all that is mucked up.

in the past few days I've gone back to see my stories. I read last years journal entries, blog posts, and letters from friends and from justin. These accounts of my history are the evidence of my transformation and the presence of the One who began it all. You know, I doubt He ever questioned what he was doing in all that time. He knew, didn't he?

thanks be to the God of the past, present and future,
who was, and is, and is to come

shalom

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Remembrance

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover." "Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked. He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. and he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you..."

Do you see this? He says, "When you celebrate this meal, you remember Egypt, Moses, the blood your ancestors put on their door frames, the Spirit of God passing over them, sparing them...Continue doing this, but now I say to you, remember Me. I am the fulfillment of all of your people's history. Now remember Me. "

Remembering on this glorious day of Jesus' Epiphany. Grace and Peace to you.

Shalom

Sunday, September 2, 2007

reminders and remembrance

as of late I am reminded:

that I am not alone
that I am just as screwed up as the rest of us
that "not forgiving is like drinking rat poison then waiting for the rat to die" -anne lamott
that the tail end of a sunset and the coolness of a coming storm behind the barn can be deeply spiritual
that working in a vegetable garden at 6am can be, too.
that the kids' sermons tucked in between worship and prayer on sunday mornings are just as much for the adults as they are for the kids
that pain is inevitable and joy is chosen
that I have a heck of a lot to learn