Beauty in the Weeds

I just returned from my time away at the Abbey of Genesee in Piffard, New York.  My dear friend Pamela took me there last November and this time I convinced another dear sister in Christ, Katie, to go along.  One day we took our cameras with us as we trekked off to the noon liturgy.  We thought we might be able to catch some interesting photos of the surrounding landscape. We worship as guests of the Cistercian Monks and then headed down the hill along a path that is flanked on both sides by wild flowers and weeds.  We must have spent about an hour in that field in silence. . . journaling, watching butterflies, looking at insects, capturing God's creation in megapixels.

As birds chirped in our ears and bees buzzed by on their way somewhere important, we watched in silence all the activity that was bursting forth from the grasses, thistles, and blooms.  And God met us there in our own silence even though we were the only ones being quiet.  Ideas began to bubble up. . . ideas about the good news. . . ideas about relationships . . . thoughts about ministry. . . a feeling of God's mercy and love enveloping us like a warm blanket.

Every texture, ever single petal, every wing are a work of God's art, drawing us into the beauty held within. . . a beauty often overlooked as we rush to and fro never stopping to notice the stamen or pistal, never getting close enough to see the tiny hairs on the underside of leaves, failing to notice the color palette of the divine artist.

Even this one. . . life gone out of it, disappeared back into the earth for the next generation. . . has beauty and texture to behold.  Patterns of curls and twists and turns that capture the imagination of the seer. . . if only we would stop to notice.

Where have you seen something beautiful recently?  Perhaps in the eyes of your loved one. . . maybe in the smile of a friend. . . maybe, like me, in a flower or a weed.  Take a moment to notice, to let it affect you, to register in your brain and in your heart and give thanks to the Holy Artist, the one God of heaven and earth, for all of his creative activity. Amen.

Power Outage

This note came to me from one of my best friends, Susan H., after having been without electricity due to summer thunderstorms this past week:

Power outage - No electricity. I don't know about you but I am not exactly sure what to do with myself when the power is out. I try to read and relax with a day free from normal life duties but for whatever reason I seem to be full of nervous energy. I am unfocused,
unorganized and generally unproductive when the power is out. Then, without notice, wham! The power is on and I feel energized, restored, life is again full of possibilities. This scenario parallels to my life and attitude when I get away from the Word, worship and prayer. It is always so renewing when I am again made aware of His presence and power in my life. Thank God! The power is on! 

How about you?  Do you feel that holy tension inside of you when you (for whatever reason) find yourself away from the power source of God's mercy and love?  Prayer and worship have a calming effect on us. . . powerful calming endorphins are created in our brains when we are plugged into God's love, just like snuggling close to the father's chest and receiving comfort and care.  When do you find yourself most anxious in life?  Examine your prayer practices during those moments. . . are you engaged or distant?  

Take some time to plug in each day!  

Thanks Susan for this metaphor for our spirit!