February 2021 – Prayers, Poems, and Christian Ponderings

“A serious house on serious earth it is,”

The English poet, Philip Larkin, spent time in the early 1950’s at Queens University Belfast. A favorite week-end pastime was cycling through the countryside. Coming across what appeared an unused church he takes a moment to venture in. Like him we have done it often, pushed the door to see if it opened, and thenContinue reading ““A serious house on serious earth it is,””

A Lighter Touch

I begin each day with a search to find out if the Covid-19 vaccine might be available for my age group. So far, the answer repeats from the previous day, “Not yet.” I ponder “How long?” and then turn to other things. It is amazing how fast the vaccine has been produced and the taskContinue reading “A Lighter Touch”

We don’t need more successful people!

In her book Essays of Undoing the writer Terry Tempest Williams, a conservationist and activist writes the following – “…the plain fact is the planet does not need more successful people, but it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind.” Our neighborhoods and communities have yearned for healers duringContinue reading “We don’t need more successful people!”

“Making the world a little more tiltable”

The journey through Lent is not necessarily a solo endeavor. Although we may choose to walk alone, we do so in the company of so many saints, dead and alive. Lent moves us to Easter and so our journey is toward the celebration of the transformative power of God’s love and grace. This love andContinue reading ““Making the world a little more tiltable””

Gratitude

Within a few days we shall be entering the season of Lent, which is a period of 40 days before Easter. Lent is regarded as a time for self-reflection, a season when we give things up or seek to start new intentional practices, such as prayer. Before we get busy giving things up, take aContinue reading “Gratitude”

Letting Go!

Throughout his life, Norman MacCaig (1910-1996) never moved far from Edinburgh, Scotland. He grew up in Edinburgh, studied there, taught Primary/Elementary school there, and then taught at Edinburgh University. When not in Edinburgh, he loved being in the far north of Scotland, in Sutherland in particular. Enjoy his poem. Small boy He picked up aContinue reading “Letting Go!”

Statistics

It has been a year of daily statistics. Every major news bulletin has begun with numbers, cases, positivity rates, hospital beds, ventilators, and sadly deaths. At last these daily statistics also include vaccine distribution and shots received. One amazing story of good fortune last week involved public health workers transporting vaccine but they got stuckContinue reading “Statistics”