This weekend, I went to church … ‘Garden Church’. What’s “Garden Church”? Mmmm, well, if a church is a place for worship, and worship is an expression of praise, reverence, joy and thanksgiving, then surely a garden with flowers and bees, colour and birds, fruit and grass, trees, bushes, and even bugs and weeds can be a place of worship.
And if so, surely an encounter with Garden Church can nourish the soul, nurture a sense of deep gratitude, and be a gentle reminder of the gift of creation and the miracle of birth, growth, life.
Garden Church … can be sacred and holy … and offer an opportunity for reflection, worship, praise, healing, thanksgiving, prayer, joy – gentle, spiritual growth.
Over the years, I’ve found Garden Church “calling” to me on sunny days as I take it all in … whether it’s a back yard, a rented veggie bed in a community plot, a deck with flowers/veggies in planters with colourful flowers, bees, burgeoning strawberries, fruit trees, bugs, shrubs, weeds, silence, shining sun, gentle warmth … sweet peace.
And not just sunny days! Garden Church can “call” on overcast and rainy days as one takes a walk around the neighbourhood, listening to the calls of the birds, the chatter and joy of the children, enjoying the beauty of flowers and plants in the front yards of my neighbours. I love it when Garden Church is enriched by nourishing rain, gently watering the plants, grass and flowers in the garden (like these pansies), and bringing beauty to my day.
Garden Church … thank you. You deepen my appreciation of nature. You nourish my understanding of the created order. You deepen my sense of spirituality in ways that touch my soul. And you bring an awareness of the blessings around me in ordinary ways, often when and where I least expect them.
Truly, I am blessed when I experience Garden Church.
In these difficult days when peace and tranquility, calm and joy can seem to be difficult to access, may we make time in some way to experience Garden Church.
If … news from the political scene leaves you feeling hopeless fires and floods threaten your home the lack of availability of vaccinations against measles, Covid etc. deeply concerns you climate control has you worried for future generations you are feeling frightened, unsafe, worried about the future because of personal health, relationship issues, financial situation, politics let others carry you in their prayers. But, what if you don’t believe in prayer? Then how about thinking of ‘prayer’ as ‘love’ and let others love you … be there for you … listen to you … march in protest … write letters … speak up so that “we can be – will be – each other’s strength.”
A gentle walk along a rural path brought forth images of summers long ago when a swing under the huge cherry tree in our back yard provided countless hours of relaxation and fun for one little boy – my son.
As he swung, his feet would move back and forth to maintain a rhythm, and he would hum, hum ever so quietly to himself. He was content with life. Content with himself. Happy. His world was peaceful, safe, gentle.
But for countless children around the world, their world is anything but peaceful, or safe or gentle. And they are anything but content or happy.
That’s not fair. That’s not right. That’s not the way the Universe is supposed to unfold. And it not only saddens me, it makes me angry.
So I dream.
I dream of a time when all children are safe from abuse.
… when soon-to-be parents take parenting classes when they first discover they are expecting a baby.
… when children go to school where they will learn the basics of language, mathematics, science, history, civics, geography, social responsibility, and where they will be exposed to physical education, the arts and play.
… when children arrive to school well-fed, and ready to learn.
I dream of a time when parents are offered support when they need it.
… when teachers are respected, well paid, and supported.
… when children are safe safe at home, safe at school, safe in their communities, safe from ICE.
I will continue to dream.
And I will act … by exercising my right to vote and vote for candidates to provide laws that protect, educate, nourish and nurture children so that they can live with clean air, clear water, nourishing food, safe homes / schools / communities, responsible parents, and freedom.
For almost four decades, I have loved Reginald. Over the years, some people have told me that Reginald is plain, ordinary, ugly.
Sure, … his legs are bowed. … his arms are pudgy. … his ears are big. … his body is out of shape. … his eyes bulge. … his ears are large – very large. … he’s the size of a three year old and his clothes are all hand-me-downs. … his neck is short and almost non-existent. His mouth is – well … “not typical.”
But to me, Reginald is lovely. He is a reminder to me about Margaret Wolfe Hungerford’s famous words: “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
Why do we allow society to dictate what is beautiful … of value … worthwhile … and what is not?
Reginald speaks words that penetrate deep to the heart of the hearer He makes me laugh He listens with intentionality and concentration He … There’s just sooooo much that I love about Reginald. Ugly? Not at all! Reginald is a delight. He helps people forget their worries and fears. He brings smiles to their faces. He loves children – and they love him.
One Christmas Eve, Reginald appeared in the pulpit of a church … literally “in” the pulpit, sitting on top of the lectern. People listened. People learned. People loved. In him, people saw beauty.
Reginald is not a human being. He was created in a day-long puppet-making workshop. When I had sewn on his last arm and began to put clothes on him, other participants laughed. They said he was ugly and that my creation was “anything but creative or artistic.” They were wrong.
I look at Reginald and I see beauty. I look at my family and I see beauty. I look at my neighbourhood and I see beauty. I look at my friends and I see beauty. I look at this world and I see beauty.
Why do we allow society to dictate what is beautiful, of value, worthwhile … and what is not? Why do some people have difficulty seeing themselves as a precious child of the universe who is blessed – who has gifts to share … beauty to reflect … intelligence to use … wisdom to impart and at the same time, much yet to learn? The Creator does not make junk.
The Creator makes beauty. Reginald helps me remember to look at the world and all who inhabit it, in a special way.
Beauty. It is all around. We just need eyes to see.
Thank you, Reginald, for helping us all see beauty.
Long ago, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius was born. Considered to be one of the most important Stoic philosophers, Aurelius penned these words: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive: to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
The world seems to be going crazy on so many levels. It would be easy to give way to the fear, the anger, the hopelessness, the racism, the hatred.
It would be easy …. but I refuse to give power to evil.
Today, I awoke. … I am grateful.
Today, I awoke. I could breathe. … I am grateful.
Today, I awoke. I could think. … I am grateful.
Today, I awoke, I enjoyed something. Many things. … I am grateful.
Today, I awoke. I loved. … I am grateful.
Each day, may we waken and find something each day … no matter how small for which we are grateful.
I picked these flowers from my garden. I am grateful for them and I am grateful that today, I awoke.
Last night, I lit a candle for the people of the United States.
This night, I will light a candle again because many are bereft at the news and find fear the occupier of their thoughts.
Lighting a candle is a simple act but if I light a candle this night and you – and you – and you – and you light a candle this night for the people of the United States and the nights to come … whether we light a candle in our imagination in our prayers or in real time and space, may hope be lit.
It only takes one match to light one candle … one voice to light a conversation … one conversation to light a change in one person
Let’s light a candle. Let’s light many candles. Let’s light conversations. And who knows maybe those conversations will turn into votes.
At this point in time, it’s about HOPE even if we don’t believe there is hope.
